Tuesday, April 30, 2013

DC Comics from Diamond Distributors for May 1 2013

Digital Comics: Digital new releases available from your local comic book shop are marked below. [DIG] = Digital version available. [DIG/P+] = Print-Plus digital/print combo pack available. Click here for a complete list of this week's Digital New Releases. For more information, go to www.digitalcomicsreader.com.

DC COMICS

MAR130189 ACTION COMICS #20 $3.99

MAR130191 ACTION COMICS #20 COMBO PACK $4.99

MAR130255 AME COMI GIRLS #3 $3.99

MAR130238 ANIMAL MAN #20 $2.99

FEB130125 AQUAMAN #19 $2.99

MAR130221 BATWING #20 $2.99

MAR130210 DETECTIVE COMICS #20 $3.99

MAR130213 DETECTIVE COMICS #20 COMBO PACK $4.99

MAR130240 DIAL H #12 $2.99

MAR130185 EARTH 2 #12 $2.99

MAR130301 FAIREST #15 (MR) $2.99

FEB130242 GET JIRO TP (MR) $14.99

JAN130329 GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO HC VOL 02 (MR) $19.99

MAR130167 GREEN ARROW #20 $2.99

DEC120331 JACK KIRBY OMNIBUS HC VOL 02 $39.99

MAR130259 LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT #8 $3.99

FEB130237 MAD MAGAZINE #521 $5.99

MAR130161 MOVEMENT #1 $2.99

MAR130235 PHANTOM STRANGER #8 $2.99

MAR130289 SCOOBY DOO WHERE ARE YOU #33 $2.99

MAR130245 STORMWATCH #20 $2.99

JAN130300 SUPERMAN ACTION COMICS HC VOL 02 BULLETPROOF (N52) $24.99

FEB130215 SUPERMAN ACTION TP VOL 01 SUPERMAN MEN OF STEEL (N52) $16.99

FEB130226 SUPERMAN EARTH ONE TP VOL 01 $12.99

MAR130239 SWAMP THING #20 $2.99

DEC120356 WORLD OF WARCRAFT DARK RIDERS HC $24.99

MAR130188 WORLDS FINEST #12 $2.99

DC COMICS/DC COLLECTIBLES

JAN130345 ARROW 1:6 SCALE OLIVER QUEEN STATUE $149.95

FEB130258 MAN OF STEEL FAORA 1:6 SCALE ICONIC STATUE $129.95

FEB130256 MAN OF STEEL JOR EL 1:6 SCALE ICONIC STATUE $129.95

FEB130255 MAN OF STEEL SUPERMAN 1:6 SCALE ICONIC STATUE $129.95

FEB130257 MAN OF STEEL ZOD 1:6 SCALE ICONIC STATUE $129.95

Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for May 1 2013

Digital Comics: Digital new releases available from your local comic book shop are marked below. [DIG] = Digital version available. [DIG/P+] = Print-Plus digital/print combo pack available. Click here for a complete list of this week's Digital New Releases. For more information, go to www.digitalcomicsreader.com.

MARVEL COMICS

FEB138446 AGE OF ULTRON #2 2ND PTG HITCH VAR $3.99

MAR130600 AGE OF ULTRON #7 $3.99

MAR130614 ALL NEW X-MEN #11 NOW $3.99

FEB138445 ALL NEW X-MEN #9 2ND PTG IMMONEN VAR NOW $3.99

FEB130625 CABLE AND X-FORCE TP VOL 01 WANTED NOW $17.99

FEB130568 HAWKEYE #10 $2.99

FEB138447 HAWKEYE #8 2ND PTG AJA VAR $2.99

MAR130651 INDESTRUCTIBLE HULK #7 NOW $3.99

MAR130673 IRON MAN #258.1 $3.99

MAR130624 IRON MAN #9 NOW2 $3.99

MAR130678 IRON MAN COMING OF MELTER #1 $3.99

FEB130609 IRON MAN WAR MACHINE TP HANDS OF MANDARIN $24.99

FEB130604 KICK-ASS HC VOL 01 (MR) $39.99

FEB130608 MARVELS IRON MAN 3 SLIPCASE HC ART OF MOVIE $49.99

FEB130642 MU AVENGERS EARTHS HEROES DIGEST TP VOL 03 $9.99

FEB138448 NEW AVENGERS #4 2ND PTG JOCK VAR NOW $3.99

FEB138449 NOVA #2 2ND PTG MCGUINNESS VAR NOW $3.99

MAR130657 RED SHE-HULK #65 NOW2 $2.99

FEB138450 SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #6 2ND PTG RAMOS VAR NOW $3.99

MAR130615 SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #9 NOW $3.99

MAR130636 THANOS RISING #2 NOW $3.99

MAR130682 ULTIMATE COMICS X-MEN #26 $3.99

MAR130691 WINTER SOLDIER #18 $2.99

MAR130706 X-FACTOR #255 $2.99

MAR130641 X-MEN LEGACY #10 NOW2 $2.99

IDW Publishing from Diamond Distributors for May 1 2013

Digital Comics: Digital new releases available from your local comic book shop are marked below. [DIG] = Digital version available. [DIG/P+] = Print-Plus digital/print combo pack available. Click here for a complete list of this week's Digital New Releases. For more information, go to www.digitalcomicsreader.com.

IDW PUBLISHING

MAR130400 COLONIZED #2 [DIG/P+] $3.99

MAR130354 DUNGEONS & DRAGONS CUTTER #2 [DIG] $3.99

MAR130355 DUNGEONS & DRAGONS DRIZZT TP VOL 01 NEVERWINTER $19.99

FEB138000 GHOSTBUSTERS #1 2ND PTG $3.99

DEC120481 JACK DAVIS EC STORIES ARTIST ED HC PI

MAR130409 JOE PALOOKA #6 [DIG/P+] $3.99

FEB138001 JUDGE DREDD #1 2ND PTG $3.99

MAR130356 MAGIC THE GATHERING TP VOL 03 PATH OF VENGEANCE [DIG] $17.99

MAR130418 MARS ATTACKS #10 [DIG/P+] $3.99

MAR130426 MICHAEL KALUTA SKETCHBOOK SERIES SC VOL 04 $9.99

FEB138002 STAR TREK COUNTDOWN TO DARKNESS #1 3RD PTG $3.99

MAR130328 TMNT COLOR CLASSICS #10 $3.99

MAR130332 TMNT ONGOING TP VOL 05 $17.99

FEB138005 TMNT SECRET FOOT CLAN #2 2ND PTG $3.99

FEB138006 TMNT SECRET FOOT CLAN #3 2ND PTG $3.99

MAR130382 TRANSFORMERS REGENERATION ONE TP VOL 02 [DIG] $19.99

MAR130369 TRANSFORMERS SPOTLIGHT HOIST #1 [DIG] $3.99

Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for May 1 2013

Digital Comics: Digital new releases available from your local comic book shop are marked below. [DIG] = Digital version available. [DIG/P+] = Print-Plus digital/print combo pack available. Click here for a complete list of this week's Digital New Releases. For more information, go to www.digitalcomicsreader.com.

DARK HORSE COMICS

MAR130019 47 RONIN #4 $3.99

MAR130049 ABE SAPIEN DARK & TERRIBLE #2 $3.50

DEC120106 GARY BASEMAN PLAYING CARDS $4.99

JAN130122 KORAK SON OF TARZAN ARCHIVES HC VOL 01 $49.99

MAR130010 MICHAEL AVON OEMINGS VICTORIES #1 TRANSHUMAN (MR) $3.99

MAR130015 MISTER X EVICTION #1 $3.99

MAR130071 STAR WARS DARK TIMES FIRE CARRIER #4 $2.99

Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for May 1 2013

Digital Comics: Digital new releases available from your local comic book shop are marked below. [DIG] = Digital version available. [DIG/P+] = Print-Plus digital/print combo pack available. Click here for a complete list of this week's Digital New Releases. For more information, go to www.digitalcomicsreader.com.

IMAGE COMICS

MAR130555 68 JUNGLE JIM #2 CVR A ZORNOW & FOTOS (MR) [DIG] $3.99

MAR130556 68 JUNGLE JIM #2 CVR B DYKE & FOTOS (MR) $3.99

OCT120511 ACTIVITY #12 [DIG] $3.50

JAN130572 ARTIFACTS #27 CVR A SEJIC [DIG] $3.99

JAN130573 ARTIFACTS #27 CVR B TURINI $3.99

MAR130464 BEDLAM TP VOL 01 [DIG] $9.99

MAR130468 BLACKACRE #6 (MR) [DIG] $2.99

MAR130469 BLACKACRE TP VOL 01 [DIG] $9.99

FEB130442 EPIC KILL #10 [DIG] $2.99

MAR130484 G-MAN TP VOL 03 COMING HOME [DIG] $9.99

MAR130502 GRAVEYARD OF EMPIRES TP [DIG] $14.99

MAR130504 GREAT PACIFIC TP VOL 01 TRASHED (MR) [DIG] $9.99

FEB138575 IMAGE FIRSTS BEDLAM CURR PTG #1 (MR) $1.00

FEB138576 IMAGE FIRSTS GREAT PACIFIC CURR PTG #1 (MR) $1.00

FEB138577 IMAGE FIRSTS MIND THE GAP CURR PTG #1 $1.00

FEB138578 IMAGE FIRSTS MORNING GLORIES CURR PTG #1 $1.00

FEB138579 IMAGE FIRSTS PETER PANZERFAUST CURR PTG #1 (MR) $1.00

FEB138580 IMAGE FIRSTS SUPER DINOSAUR CURR PTG #1 $1.00

MAR130573 INVINCIBLE UNIVERSE #2 [DIG] $2.99

MAR130580 MICE TEMPLAR IV LEGEND #2 CVR A SANTOS [DIG] $2.99

MAR130581 MICE TEMPLAR IV LEGEND #2 CVR B OEMING $2.99

FEB130462 SAVAGE DRAGON #187 [DIG] $3.99

FEB138534 SEX #1 3RD PTG (MR) $2.99

MAR130590 SNAPSHOT #4 [DIG] $2.99

MAR130591 SON OF MERLIN #4 [DIG] $2.99

MAR130592 SPAWN #231 $2.99

JAN130612 SUPER DINOSAUR #19 [DIG] $2.99

MAR130432 TEN GRAND #1 CVR A TEMPLESMITH (MR) [DIG] $2.99

MAR130433 TEN GRAND #1 CVR B SIENKIEWICZ (MR) $2.99

Comics, Magazines and Books from Diamond Distributors for May 1 2013

Digital Comics: Digital new releases available from your local comic book shop are marked below. [DIG] = Digital version available. [DIG/P+] = Print-Plus digital/print combo pack available. Click here for a complete list of this week's Digital New Releases. For more information, go to www.digitalcomicsreader.com.

COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS

FEB131026 3 NEW STORIES ONE SHOT $3.99

MAR131337 ARCHER & ARMSTRONG (VU) #1 ONE DOLLAR DEBUT ED $1.00

FEB130721 ARCHIE #643 ARCHIE MEETS GLEE PT 3 [DIG/P+] $2.99

FEB130723 ARCHIE DOUBLE DIGEST #239 [DIG/P+] $3.99

FEB130972 ARMY OF DARKNESS OMNIBUS TP VOL 03 $29.99

FEB130971 ARMY OF DARKNESS ONGOING #13 $3.99

JAN131089 ARMY OF DARKNESS TP VOL 01 HAIL TO THE QUEEN BABY $19.99

MAR131159 ASTRONAUT ACADEMY ZERO GRAVITY GN $9.99

FEB130683 BIG NATE GAME ON TP $9.99

DEC121037 BIONIC MAN #19 $3.99

MAR131000 BLACK BAT #1 CVR A CAMPBELL $3.99

MAR131001 BLACK BAT #1 CVR B BENITEZ $3.99

MAR131002 BLACK BAT #1 CVR C SYAF $3.99

MAR131003 BLACK BAT #1 CVR D TAN $3.99

MAR131336 BLOODSHOT (VU) #1 ONE DOLLAR DEBUT ED $1.00

FEB131059 BLOODY MONDAY GN VOL 10 $10.99

JAN131169 CASTLE WAITING HC VOL 02 DEFINITIVE ED $29.99

MAR130833 CHARISMAGIC VOL 2 #1 ASPEN RESERVED CVR $1.00

MAR130832 CHARISMAGIC VOL 2 #1 DIRECT MARKET CVR [DIG] $1.00

MAR131272 CHINESE LIFE GN $27.50

MAR131161 COLOR EARTH GN VOL 02 COLOR OF WATER $16.95

FEB131023 COMPLETE CRUMB COMICS TP VOL 05 HAPPY HIPPY (NEW PTG) (MR) $19.99

DEC120791 CROODS PREQUEL DIGEST GN $6.99

FEB130713 CYBORG 009 CHAPTER 000 ONE SHOT $1.00

MAR130887 DAN THE UNHARMABLE #12 (MR) $3.99

MAR130888 DAN THE UNHARMABLE #12 WRAP CVR (MR) $3.99

JAN131134 DF SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #1 STAN LEE SGN ED $399.99

FEB131060 FAIRY TAIL GN VOL 25 $10.99

MAR130876 FASHION BEAST #9 (MR) $3.99

MAR130877 FASHION BEAST #9 WRAP CVR (MR) $3.99

FEB131015 FEYNMAN TP $19.99

FEB130673 FUBAR SC VOL 03 AMERICAN HISTORY Z $16.95

NOV121111 GAME OF THRONES #14 (MR) $3.99

MAR130957 GARFIELD #13 [DIG] $3.99

FEB131222 GFT JUNGLE BOOK LAST O/T SPECIES #3 A CVR NUNES (MR) $3.99

FEB131223 GFT JUNGLE BOOK LAST O/T SPECIES #3 B CVR SALGADO (MR) $3.99

MAR131355 GOGO MONSTER GN $27.99

MAR130988 GREY MUSEUM GN $20.00

MAR131335 HARBINGER (VU) #1 ONE DOLLAR DEBUT ED $1.00

MAR131317 HARBINGER WARS (VU) #2 PULLBOX LAROSA $3.99

MAR131316 HARBINGER WARS (VU) #2 REG HENRY $3.99

FEB131133 HOLIDAY WARS GN $14.95

MAR130937 HYPERNATURALS #11 [DIG] $3.99

MAR131215 LITTLE PRINCE GN VOL 07 PLANET OF OVERHEARERS $7.95

MAR131216 LITTLE PRINCE GN VOL 08 PLANET OF TORTOISE DRIVER $7.95

JAN131094 LONE RANGER SNAKE OF IRON TP $16.99

MAR131023 MISS FURY #2 CVR A BENITEZ $3.99

MAR131024 MISS FURY #2 CVR B RENAUD $3.99

MAR131025 MISS FURY #2 CVR C TAN $3.99

MAR131026 MISS FURY #2 CVR D REIS $3.99

FEB131063 NEGIMA GN VOL 38 (MR) $10.99

DEC121117 PETER BAGGE OTHER STUFF TP $19.99

FEB131052 PIETROLINO HC $29.95

MAR130939 PLANET O/T APES CATACLYSM #9 [DIG] $3.99

FEB138546 POLARITY #1 (2ND PTG) $3.99

MAR130916 POLARITY #2 [DIG] $3.99

FEB130955 RED SONJA UNCHAINED #2 $3.99

FEB130894 RED TEN #3 (MR) $3.99

NOV121352 SATANIKA ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL (MR) $4.95

FEB130702 SESAME STREET #1 IMAGINATION CVR A $3.99

FEB130703 SESAME STREET #1 IMAGINATION CVR B $3.99

FEB130704 SESAME STREET #1 IMAGINATION CVR C $3.99

FEB130705 SESAME STREET #1 IMAGINATION CVR D $3.99

FEB130706 SESAME STREET #1 IMAGINATION CVR E $3.99

MAR131328 SHADOWMAN (VU) #0 PULLBOX EVANS $3.99

MAR131327 SHADOWMAN (VU) #0 REG JOHNSON $3.99

MAR131338 SHADOWMAN (VU) #1 ONE DOLLAR DEBUT ED $1.00

FEB131121 SHAME GN VOL 02 PURSUIT (MR) $9.99

JAN131085 SHERLOCK HOLMES LIVERPOOL DEMON #4 $3.99

FEB130823 SIMPSONS ILLUSTRATED #6 $3.99

FEB130737 SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #248 REG CVR [P+] $2.99

MAR130918 SUICIDE RISK #1 [DIG] $3.99

FEB130940 THE SPIDER #11 $3.99

FEB131203 TWILIGHT SAGA NEW MOON HC VOL 01 (RES) $19.99

MAR131339 VALIANT ONE DOLLAR DEBUT BUNDLE (VU) WAVE 1 $4.95

MAR131057 VAMPIRELLA STRIKES #5 CVR A JOHNNY D $3.99

MAR131058 VAMPIRELLA STRIKES #5 CVR B NEVES $3.99

JAN131227 WASTELAND #44 (MR) $3.99

FEB131053 WHAT LIES BENEATH HC (MR) $79.95

MAR131334 X-O MANOWAR (VU) #1 ONE DOLLAR DEBUT ED $1.00

MAR130893 ZEBRAFISH TP $7.99

MAGAZINES
JAN131396 BACK ISSUE #64 $8.95

DEC121342 CLASSIC MARVEL FIG COLL MAG #196 FIRELORD $14.00

MAR131438 COMIC SHOP NEWS #1350 PI

FEB131248 COMICS REVUE PRESENTS APR 2013 $19.95

JAN131391 DC BATMAN AUTOMOBILIA FIG COLL MAG #5 DETECTIVE #400 $20.00

FEB131050 HEAVY METAL #262 NEWSSTAND ED (MR) $7.95

FEB131051 HEAVY METAL #262 PX ED (MR) $7.95

MAR131427 JUXTAPOZ #148 MAY 2013 $5.99

MAR131503 SHADOW DOUBLE NOVEL VOL 72 $14.95

FEB131313 STAR WARS INSIDER #141 NEWSSTAND ED $7.99

FEB131314 STAR WARS INSIDER #141 PX ED $7.99

BOOKS
JAN131433 ART OF EPIC HC $34.95

MAR131457 DOCTOR WHO 50TH ANNIV MMPB ED DREAMS OF EMPIRE $12.99

MAR131461 DOCTOR WHO 50TH ANNIV MMPB ED PLAYERS $12.99

MAR131462 DOCTOR WHO 50TH ANNIV MMPB ED REMEMBRANCE OF DALEKS $12.99

MAR131456 DOCTOR WHO 50TH ANNIV MMPB ED TEN LITTLE ALIENS $12.99

JAN131377 GARY BASEMAN DOOR IS ALWAYS OPEN HC $45.00

MAR131429 MARK RYDEN PINXIT HC $69.99

JAN131407 SUPERMAN ULTIMATE GUIDE TO MAN OF STEEL HC $24.99

MAR131493 TREASURES OF BRUCE LEE HC $45.00

Sunday, April 28, 2013

Review: B.P.R.D. VAMPIRE #2

B.P.R.D. VAMPIRE #2 (OF 5)
DARK HORSE COMICS – @DarkHorseComics

STORY: Mike Mignola, Gabriel Bá, Fábio Moon
ART: Gabriel Bá and Fábio Moon
COLORS: Dave Stewart
LETTERS: Clem Robins
COVER: Fábio Moon
EDITOR: Scott Allie
28pp, Color, $3.50 U.S. (April 2013)

Agent Simon Anders’ quest for vampires takes him deep into Czechoslovakia in the second issue of B.P.R.D.: Vampire.

The Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (the B.P.R.D. or BPRD) protects America and the rest of the world from the occult, the paranormal, and the supernatural. The B.P.R.D. first appeared in the debut Hellboy comic book miniseries, Hellboy: Seed of Destruction (1994). The Bureau received its own title with B.P.R.D.: Hollow Earth (2002).

B.P.R.D.: Vampire is a direct sequel to B.P.R.D.: 1948 and is separate from the main B.P.R.D. series. This five issue miniseries is also set in 1948. It follows an apparently doomed Agent Simon Anders and his quest for revenge against a clan of vampires and its Gorgon-eyed queen, Hecate.

B.P.R.D.: Vampire #2 opens with Agent Anders traveling by train to Cesky Krumlov, Czechoslovakia. Twelve days prior to this trip, at B.P.R.D. Headquarters in Fairfield, Connecticut, Anders and Professor Trevor Bruttenholm consulted “witch maps.” This decides Anders’ destination.

Arriving in Cesky Krumlov, Anders meets his guide, Hana Novarov, from the Krumlov History Museum. The village is as strange as its history, which is what interests Anders. He has come to track the history of the mid-18th century figure, Eleonora von Schwarzenberg. Through Hana, Anders travels the long and winding road that is local history and the lineage of Wilhelm von Rosenberg, former Lord of Krumlov Castle.

In my comic book review of the first issue of B.P.R.D.: Vampire, I wrote that the basic plot, written by Mike Mignola, Gabriel Bá, and Fábio Moon, is straightforward and simple. The second issue begins to add more elements, and Agent Simon Anders’ personality seems less like that of a stoic hero and more like that of a complicated, anti-hero type. Even Hana Novarov is a (delightfully) unknown quantity.

I like that Gabriel Bá and Fábio Moon’s art fits nicely within the general graphic sensibility of the Mike Mignola universe (the Mignola-verse). The art is creepy, as befits a horror comic, but has the qualities of a magical folk tale or enchanted fairy tale. Yes, B.P.R.D.: Vampire is indeed a good read.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


Saturday, April 27, 2013

Review: STAR WARS: LEGACY Volume 2 #2

STAR WARS: LEGACY VOLUME 2 #2
DARK HORSE COMICS – @DarkHorseComics

["Star Wars Central" review page is here.]

SCRIPT: Corrina Bechko and Gabriel Hardman
ART: Gabriel Hardman
COLORS: Rachelle Rosenberg
LETTERS: Michael Heisler
COVER: Dave Wilkins
EDITOR: Randy Stradley
28pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (April 2013)

Prisoner of the Floating World Part Two

Star Wars: Legacy Volume 2 is a new series set in the Legacy era. In the Star Wars Expanded Universe, Legacy is a time period that begins 40 years after the end of the original Star Wars (or Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope) and continues to some indeterminate time.

The events depicted in Star Wars: Legacy Volume 2 take place “approximately 138 years after the events of A New Hope.” Legacy Volume 2 focuses on the character, Ania Solo, the great-great granddaughter of Han Solo and Leia Organa Solo. Young Miss Solo is also the owner of a junkyard.

As Star Wars: Legacy Volume 2 #2 opens, Ania Solo and her friend, Sauk, a refugee from Mon Calamari, are on the run in the sewers of Carreras Minor. Meanwhile, the captors of Imperial Knight Yalta Val make him an offer they don’t want him to refuse. Then, a younger Imperial Knight, Jao Assam, starts to think that Val is in trouble, but now, he must convince the Imperial Court. Also, the lightsaber she found brings Ania more trouble, but AG-37 comes to the rescue.

My review of Star Wars: Legacy Volume 2 #2 does not hold any new praises. The second issue offers more of the same, and ain’t it grand that issue #1, which provides the same, is so wonderful?

Star Wars: Legacy Volume 2 creators, co-writer Corrina Bechko and co-writer/artist Gabriel Hardman, are spinning one hell of a Star Wars yarn. They have an excellent character in Ania Solo, and the supporting cast is pretty good, too. If Star Wars by Brian Wood and Carlos D’Anda is the best new Star Wars comic book in some time, then, Star Wars: Legacy Volume 2 is determined to be more than next-best.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


Excel Saga: Door Gate Portal

I read Excel Saga, Vol. 25

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin.

Friday, April 26, 2013

Graphic Novel Review: LOST IN THE WASH

LOST IN THE WASH OGN
CANDLE LIGHT PRESS – @candlelightpres

WRITER: John Ira Thomas
ARTIST: Will Grant
ISBN: 978-0-9766053-9-3; paperback (February 2013)
214pp, B&W and Color, $19.95 U.S.

About six years ago, writer John Ira Thomas (Zoo Force) and artist Will Grant (The Scrounge Was Here!) first presented Lost in the Wash, a graphic novel in progress. The duo had been publishing Lost in the Wash in chapters and segments in various single-issue editions since 2007. Some of the Lost in the Wash publications were also released as convention exclusives. Now, the gothic horror tale is complete.

Candle Light Press recently released Lost in the Wash as a complete, paperback original graphic novel. In the end, the story, spread out over 189 pages, comes together as an epic of fever dreams and surreal visions. Lost in the Wash is one of the best comic books of the year 2013, and it is also a most uncommon comic book. Readers are unlikely to have seen anything similar to it.

Lost in the Wash is set in the town of Francisco, Colorado, a name the residents changed to “Isco,” in order to remove the suggestion of “France” from the town’s name. As its lead character, Lost in the Wash offers Darin Miles, a down and out loser type who retuned to Isco, the site of hardship and tragedy for his family, looking for a new start. Darin works at his Uncle Sal Miles’ “Laundromat,” which Darin calls “Laundroma” because the light on the letter “t” has gone out. Sal Miles lives in an ominous castle just up the road from the Laundromat. The castle is like a Winchester House construction project onto which Sal keeps building.

Not only does Darin have to deal with his uncle (an unpleasant man, gleefully proud of his offensiveness), but he also has to put up with jerky customers. Then, one day, something wet, wicked, and monstrous pops out of a washer and devours a contrary customer. Darin wonders if this monster in the washers is a good thing, especially if it will rid him of rude customers.

Meanwhile, there are two people, watching from the sidelines. Terisa Salazar, owner of the Asp Motel (formerly Aspen Motel), has a past with Darin. What are her feelings for him, now? Walter “Walt” Arganbright owns the Phoenix and frightens tourists with his scary stories. What does he want and what does he know? It all heads for a showdown at the event called Gothic Colorado.

From the first time I read Lost in the Wash, I found that it reminded me of the horror comics published by Warren Publishing and, especially, by EC Comics. I could see John Ira Thomas and Will Grant as a 21st century iteration of a Harvey Kurtzman-Graham Ingels team-up. If EC Comics had published graphic novels, I think that they were more likely to look like Lost in the Wash than pretty much any horror or dark fantasy titles from Vertigo or IDW.

Thomas transports us into the mind of Darin Miles, an unreliable narrator (of sorts) and then, also makes the point of view of either of three other characters: Sal Miles, Terisa Salazar and Walt Arganbright just as important. However, Thomas doesn’t cheat the reader by confusingly focusing equally on four characters. Just the opposite, he challenges and engages the readers with necessary alternate perspectives of the situation and action and of all characters.

Will Grant, who is an unknown comic book creator, proves that he deserves to be known. In Lost in the Wash, Grant’s art is a testament to the fact that a comic book artist must understand design and page layout just as much as he needs to know how to draw figures and objects. Grant’s M.C. Escher-like graphics and “Ghastly” Ingels-like compositions are a series of mosaics that will challenge your mind into vertigo. However, it is worth the effort to find what’s what in this beautiful comic book art.

Obviously, I like this book… a lot. I’m somewhat mixed about the ending, because I think this graphic novel should only be the end of a chapter, not of the entire story. Lost in the Wash is the beginning of a beautiful fictional world.

I am surprised that neither Thomas nor Grant is producing comic books for DC Comics or Marvel or even the mid-majors like Dark Horse Comics, Image Comics, and IDW Publishing. Perhaps, neither Thomas nor Grant is interested, or neither has been approached. Still, Lost in the Wash is the calling card; Thomas and Grant are ready, Mr. DeMille, for their close-ups.

A

www.candlelightpress.com

http://candlelightpress.com/litw.html

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


A Devil and Her Long Song: Enter Shintaro Kurosu

I read A Devil and Her Love Song, Vol. 8

I posted a review at ComicBookBin.

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Comic Book Review: JUPITER'S LEGACY #1

JUPITER'S LEGACY #1
IMAGE COMICS – @ImageComics

CREATORS: Mark Millar and Frank Quitely
WRITER: Mark Millar
ARTIST/COVER: Frank Quitely
COLORS/LETTERS: Peter Doherty
VARIANT COVERS: Bryan Hitch, Dave Johnson, Phil Noto, J. Scott Campbell, Christian Ward
28pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (April 2013)

There is a new comic book series from superstar writer, Mark Millar, the creator of Kick-Ass and Wanted, both of which were adapted into films. It is entitled Jupiter’s Legacy, part of his “Millarworld” line, and Millar’s co-creator is artist Frank Quitely. The series focuses on the children of the world’s first superheroes and their struggles to live up to a legacy that is practically poisonous to the new generation.

Jupiter’s Legacy #1 opens in 1932 in Morocco. The story’s first focus is Sheldon Sampson, the heir to a fortune wiped out during the Wall Street crash of 1929. He has convinced his friends to follow him on a journey to a place he has seen only in his dreams. Called The Island, Sampson believes that the place will offer gifts that can save the United States of America, which is in the midst of the Great Depression.

A little over 80 years later, the great superheroes have achieved even greater things, but there is trouble. The world’s first superheroes have grown old, and their children cannot live up to their parents’ remarkable legacies.

I enjoyed reading Jupiter’s Legacy #1, but I cannot really render a final or whole judgment after reading one issue. That’s the curse of modern comics storytelling. A scant twenty pages of text plus decompression – spreading a storyline over four to six issues (if not more) and that combination forms a truncated chapter, if not a woefully incomplete episode.

I will say that there are some interesting ideas here. As intriguing as this take on superheroes is, Millar’s allusions to the current real world political and financial climate are the most attention grabbing material. Millar draws parallels between the 21st century and the 1920s and 30s in a brash way – as if to say that he does not care whether anyone agrees or disagrees to any extent.

Jupiter’s Legacy is not Frank Quitely’s best work, although, as usual, it is more attention-grabbing than the work of most other artists. For me, the best of Quitely remains New X-Men. Still, Quitely’s visual style is so unique and iconoclastic that I’d be interested in his art even if he were only producing still-life drawings for an extension course at the local junior college. Plus, Quitely’s compositions for Jupiter’s Legacy give off an unsettling vibe. Something bad is coming, and Quitely does something bad quite well.

A-

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux

---------------------



Dorohedoro: Memory-Go-Round

I read Dorohedoro, Vol. 9

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin.

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Review: THE ANSWER! #4

THE ANSWER! #4
DARK HORSE COMICS – @DarkHorseComics

STORY: Dennis Hopeless and Mike Norton
SCRIPT: Dennis Hopeless
ART/COVER: Mike Norton
COLORS: Mark Englert
LETTERS: Crank!
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (April 2013)

Part 4 of 4

The final issue of The Answer! does provide some answers. It also made me ask a lot more questions.

The Answer!, a four-issue comic book miniseries created by writer Dennis Hopeless (Avengers Arena) and artist Mike Norton (Battlepug), comes to end. The series focuses on Devin McKenzie, a research librarian, and The Answer!, an odd, masked crime fighter with a giant exclamation point on his face mask. Both characters are embroiled in a conspiracy surrounding a mysterious motivational speaker and a secret organization.

As The Answer! #4 opens, the director of the Brain Trust shows his crazy side. That is, however, not the biggest crazy. Chip Carney, the motivational speaker, reveals how he is tied to the Brain Trust. He even reveals his connection to Devin’s past. Now, Carney confronts Devin with the Anaximander Codex. Will The Answer! save the day? Can the mystery man save himself? Or will Devin have to save herself before Chemical X turns her brain to mush?

This comic book review of The Answer! #4 first has to say that the series offers an enjoyable ending and an explosive conclusion. In fact, there are actual explosions. Also, the strangeness, that the first issue of the series offered, returns, both in the execution of the story by the artists and in the story itself.

I noticed, particularly in this final issue, that Mike Norton’s art has a quality similar to John Byrne and Jerry Ordway’s Fantastic Four art back in the 1980s. That is fitting, as there is a vibe to The Answer! that suggests past comics. In the end, the best thing that I can say about The Answer! is that I certainly want another miniseries.

Readers wondering if they can find a superhero comic book that is both offbeat and fun to read have The Answer!

A-

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

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Comics, Magazines and Books from Diamond Distributors for April 24 2013

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Sunday, April 21, 2013

Book Review: THE LAST DAYS OF KRYPTON

THE LAST DAYS OF KRYPTON
IT BOOKS/HarperCollins – @ItBooks

AUTHOR: Kevin J. Anderson
COVER: Don Sipley
ISBN: 978-0-06-221985-5; paperback (December 4, 2012)
430pp, B&W, $15.99 U.S.

Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster

Written by author Kevin J. Anderson, The Last Days of Krypton is a 2007 prose novel that is based on DC Comics’ Superman mythology. The book, originally published in hardcover by HarperEntertainment, is the never-before told story of the last few years of Krypton, the planet upon which Superman was born as the baby named Kal-El. This past December (2012), It Books published The Last Days of Krypton in a paperback edition.

The Last Days of Krypton opens in the laboratory of Jor-El, Krypton’s most revered scientist and the man who would become Superman’s father. Jor-El’s research and inventions are groundbreaking and cutting-edge. However, Krypton has a conservative, backward-looking, ruling body known as the Kryptonian Council, located in the capitol city of Kandor. For ages, the Council believes that all the necessary inventions have already been created. New science, they believe, is dangerous.

Jor-El usually relinquishes most of his creations and inventions to the Commission for Technology Acceptance in Kandor, which is headed by the ambitious Dru-Zod. Zod is supposed to destroy dangerous inventions, but he has plans of his own. He is embittered because he has not been appointed to the Council seat that he believes is rightfully his.

Jor-El puts aside his disappointments with the Council and with Zod’s commission, as he turns his attention to a young woman he meets. She is Lara, an accomplished artist, historian, and aspiring writer, and the woman who would become Superman’s mother. Jor-El and Lara are like-minded and kindred spirits and seemed destined for marriage.

As Jor-El and Lara’s happiness grows, a horrifying incident occurs. An android called the Brain Interactive Construct (a.k.a Brainiac) attacks Kandor. The diabolical Zod (destined to be the future enemy of Superman known as General Zod) uses Brainiac’s actions to seize power. Although he is initially blind to Zod’s true ambitions, Jor-El joins his brother, Zor-El, who is the mayor of fabled Argo City, in an attempt to save Krypton, both from Zod and from impending disasters.

In The Last Days of Krypton, author Kevin J. Anderson offers appealing characters and a narrative full of compelling plotlines. Jor-El and Lara, as the parents of baby Kal-El the future Superman, are naturally attractive to the readers. Anderson does not rely on that, instead creating characters the readers will want to know. Who are they? What are their hopes, dreams, and fears? What kind of parents will they be?

Anderson also creates and constructs other characters that he brings fully to life. Dru-Zod, who becomes General Zod, is definitely part of the quartet of co-leads, which includes Jor-El, Zor-El, and Lara, that drives this novel. With his colossal ambitions, quicksilver personality, and stormy nature, Zod could be the lead in a novel of his own.

Anderson turns Krypton’s halcyon days of peace and plenty into the waning days of world of oblivious people. This world has multi-faceted political troubles, a few external threats, and an internal menace that is a ticking, time bomb. I found myself reading just to see which disaster would ultimately do-in the mythical Krypton.

In some ways, The Last Days of Krypton is an old-school science fiction novel. Its ambitions are not directly about the affect of science on a world or even speculative about a possible future. It is a quasi-planetary romance set on a faraway alien world and is also reflective of the sci-fi infused fantasy that was the nature of many of DC Comics’ publications in the 1950s and 60s. This is a novel for comic book readers and for fans of Superman, simply because Kevin J. Anderson really makes Krypton live again. That is why The Last Days of Krypton feels like a part of Superman proper.

B+

http://youritlist.com/

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


Book Review: ENEMIES AND ALLIES

ENEMIES & ALLIES
IT BOOKS/HarperCollins – @ItBooks

AUTHOR: Kevin J. Anderson
COVER: Alex Ross
ISBN: 978-0-06-221380-8; paperback (December 4, 2012)
336pp, B&W, $15.99 U.S.

Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster; Batman created by Bob Kane

Enemies & Allies is a 2009 hardcover novel starring Superman and Batman. Written by author Kevin J. Anderson (The Last Days of Krypton), the novel depicts the first encounter between Batman and Superman. In December 2012, It Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, released a paperback edition of Enemies & Allies.

With a story seemingly inspired by DC Comics’ Elseworlds imprint, Enemies & Allies is set in the late 1950s. The Dark Knight of Gotham City and The Man of Steel of Metropolis, the two iconic heroes that have appeared in many DC Comics’ titles, join forces to save the world. A shadowy vigilante named Batman haunts the streets of Gotham, while the police hunt him. In Metropolis, Superman is a comforting presence, there to make the impossible rescues when first responders cannot.

High above both cities, however, the first human made satellite, Sputnik, the creation of the USSR, orbits the planet. This small metal sphere symbolizes the state of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. Bruce Wayne (Batman’s secret identity) and his company, Wayne Enterprises, battle for military contracts to arm and supply the USA, competing with the military-industrial empire of Metropolis’ Lex Luthor and his LuthorCorp.

Meanwhile, at the Metropolis newspaper, the Daily Planet, reporters Clark Kent (Superman’s secret identity), Lois Lane, and Jimmy Olsen chase big stories. Lois Lane has discovered a sinister conspiracy involving Lex Luthor, and follows a trail of dead LuthorCorp employees. Clark and Jimmy race across country to investigate a rumored UFO crash, and Clark, who was born on another planet, is desperate to learn if this flying saucer means that he isn’t the lone alien visitor on this planet.

These separate missions lead to Batman and Superman crossing paths for the first time. This moment will change their lives, and maybe save the world.

Many people (including some comic book artists I’ve encountered) have described comic book writers as frustrated screenwriters and/or novelists. The prolific author Kevin J. Anderson, with his large bibliography, obviously isn’t frustrated, at least not the way some comic book creators are. Free of the need to write “literary” superheroes to prove himself, Anderson writes a damn good novel. Enemies & Allies is Superman and Batman as well written as the characters have ever been.

Anderson presents something of a fresh take on these beloved comic book characters. Enemies & Allies depicts a youthful Clark Kent, a thoughtful man, a good man, and a good friend to his coworkers. He shyly pines for Lois Lane, a sistah doing if for herself and letting absolutely no one stand in the way of her being the best she can be. Clark also learns to be a friend to the Daily Planet’s exuberant photographer, Jimmy Olsen, making him a partner rather than a sidekick or little brother. Anderson plays Superman as having a heart as big as the world, but the young hero struggles with how and when he should use his powers. How he can best help people or when he should let them help themselves is something to which he gives much thought.

Anderson doesn’t portray Bruce Wayne as merely a mask that Batman wears, although both as billionaire and as hero, both identities are on a mission; nor does Anderson portray Batman as grim and gritty. Rather, Batman is a brilliant, determined man – a Dark Knight for a gothic city weighed down by despair and corruption, but the hero is not a dark, obsessed man.

Anderson’s take on Lex Luthor is also interesting. Luthor may be the planet’s biggest brain, and he has an uncanny knack for adapting other people’s technological and scientific innovations for his purposes. On the other hand, he is so beset by vanity, greed, and envy that he is like an adversary out of C.S. Lewis’ Mere Christianity or a comical knave envisioned by a great satirist.

Through these representations of classic characters – portrayals that are familiar, but offered from a fresh perspective, Anderson composes a novel that is a character drama wearing the accessories of pulp fiction. Enemies & Allies is full of weird sci-fi fun, cliffhangers galore, and the epic battles we expect from our superheroes and super-villains, but it is also simply a good book with winning characters. My highest recommendation is to demand “Encore!”

Enemies & Allies has that same spirit of joy and wonder that Richard Donner’s 1978 film, Superman: The Movie, has. Readers who liked that film will certainly enjoy Enemies & Allies.

A-

http://youritlist.com/

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


Friday, April 19, 2013

Review: 21ST CENTURY BOYS Volume 2

21ST CENTURY BOYS, VOL. 2
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

WRITER: Naoki Urasawa with Takashi Nagasaki
ARTIST: Naoki Urasawa
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Akemi Wegmüller
LETTERS: Freeman Wong
ISBN: 978-1-4215-4327-7; paperback (March 2013); Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”
200pp, B&W, $12.99 U.S., $14.99 CAN, £8.99 UK

Naoki Urasawa’s epic 20th Century Boys comes to an end with the second volume of 21st Century Boys.

The war is over. The “Friend,” leader of the worldwide cult known as the “Friends,” is dead. But has peace really come to Tokyo, after the world was on the brink of destruction? Many mysteries concerning the Friend remain, such as the Friend’s true identity. Are any of his diabolical plans still in motion? The answers may be in the memories of Kenji Endo, the returning hero and the Friend’s sworn enemy. 20th Century Boys has concluded. Welcome to 21st Century Boys.

Naoki Urasawa’s 21st Century Boys, Vol. 2 (entitled 20th Century Boy) is the final volume of the series. It opens in the Friends’ virtual reality game. Working with United Nations Forces, Kenji Endo entered the game, which is mostly a simulation of Kenji and his friends’ childhood neighborhood. Kenji’s goal is to learn the secrets behind the Friend’s final plot – an anti-proton bomb that can apparently destroy the world.

Meanwhile, Kanna (Kenji’s niece), Yukiji, Chono, and Maruo race to help Kendo. Yukiji, the woman Kendo has loved since they were children, and Kanna, however, are about to endanger themselves in their attempt to help Kenji. Can he save them and the world before it’s too late? And why does he keep going back into the Friends’ virtual reality game? The answers are in Kenji’s memories.

Whodunit? What is the face behind the mask? Who is pulling the strings? After reading two other fantastic Naoki Urasawa manga (Monster, Pluto), I get it, or I think I do. The fun in reading Urasawa and the greatness of his work are found in the journey. It’s the threat, the conflict, the desires and goals, the plot, the subplots, the cast of thousands, the action, the mystery, the surprises, the stunning revelations, the cameos, and the narrative. The bad guy is lost in all of that, at least after awhile.

Naoki Urasawa’s manga are just as fantastically conceived and executed as the work produced by the top names in comic books from American publishers. Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman, Frank Miller, and Grant Morrison: Urasawa’s manga are just as good (if not better, hmm?) than these creators’ most famous works. The last volume has been published, but Naoki Urasawa’s 20th Century Boys and 2lst Century Boys will be fresh to new readers looking for great comic books. People who have already read the books may return to the Boys and find things they missed.

As we close out this great series, I must say again that comic book readers who want great comics want 20th Century Boys and 21st Century Boys.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


Thursday, April 18, 2013

Review: THE BLACK BEETLE #3

THE BLACK BEETLE #3
DARK HORSE COMICS – @DarkHorseComics

CREATOR/CARTOONIST: Francesco Francavilla
LETTERS: Nate Piekos (of Blambot)
COVER: Francesco Francavilla
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (April 2013)

“No Way Out” (Part 3 of 4)

Created by artist Francesco Francavilla, The Black Beetle is a comic book character that blends the aesthetics of pulp fiction, mystery, and the superhero. The Black Beetle is a super-heroic sleuth, and his base of operations is Colt City, a classic pulp and noir-type urban landscape.

In his first comic book series, the Black Beetle attempted to infiltrate a meeting of Colt City’s two crime families, the Galazzos and the Fierros. Shortly after he arrives at Spencer’s, the site of the meeting, the place goes up in a tremendous explosion – killing everyone inside. Determined to discover who came between him and bringing these gangsters to justice, the Black Beetle meets a wily adversary, the enigmatic Labyrinto.

The Black Beetle: No Way Out #3 opens at The Coco Club, a music club and gathering place for Colt City’s high society. The club was also owned by the late Joseph Fierro, A.K.A. “Faccia D’Angelo,” one of the crime lord’s killed in the explosion at Spencer’s. The club certainly seems to be doing well with its owner dead, so who’s operating it now?

In disguise as a stranger-in-town named Ray Steves, the Black Beetle visits the Coco Club. He even makes a new friend in hot singer, Miss Ava Sheridan. But something else catches his eye, something that should not be.

As I wrote in my review of The Black Beetle #2: it is good when a comic book series proves itself not to be a fluke after a dynamite debut issue. Well, sometimes, it is the third issue of a comic book series where the actual slump or letdown occurs. If there is a slump coming in The Black Beetle, it will have to wait because issue #3 is as good as the issues before it.

I think the Black Beetle is so appealing a character because Francavilla went back to the roots of the superhero to create him. The character captures the essence of a costumed hero, without covering him with the barnacles of modern relevance and fake psychological claptrap. So, this is simply the mystery man taking on colorful villains.

The thing that makes this first Black Beetle comic book series so attractive is the graphic design and page layout. Reading this comic book is like following a trail of my favorite treats as my vision pursues the sparkling visual elements on each page. The colors, which switch from muted to vibrant, are simply appealing to the eye. Damn, I love this comic book.

A+

http://pulpsunday.blogspot.com/

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


Itsuwaribito: Kuroshiro the Black Castle

I read Itsuwaribito , Vol. 8

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin.

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Review: STAR WARS: Darth Vader and the Ninth Assassin #1

STAR WARS: DARTH VADER AND THE NINTH ASSASSIN #1
DARK HORSE COMICS – @DarkHorseComics

["Star Wars Central" review page is here.]

SCRIPT: Tim Siedell – @badbanana
PENCILS: Stephen Thompson
INKS: Mark Irwin
COLORS: Michael Atiyeh
LETTERS: Michael Heisler
COVER: Ariel Olivetti
28pp, Color, $3.50 U.S. (April 2013)

In the Star Wars Expanded Universe, “The Rise of the Empire” era is the 1000-year period before the events depicted in the original Star Wars film. Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Ninth Assassin is a new Star Wars comic book series from Dark Horse Comics. The series is set during “The Rise of the Empire” era and takes place some months after the events depicted in the film, Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005).

Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Ninth Assassin #1 introduces readers to a wealthy mining magnate who seeks revenge against Emperor Palpatine’s mysterious apprentice, Darth Vader. He has hired eight assassins to murder Darth Vader, and all eight assassins are apparently dead.

Now, the man seeks to enlist a ninth assassin. The ninth assassin, however, asks a high price, a cost higher than all the credits in the revenge seeker’s bottomless coffers. Is this price/sacrifice too great to acquire the one man who can kill the Dark Lord of the Sith?

If the second and third issues and so on are good, they will continue to give us the awesome read that Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Ninth Assassin #1 promises. Series writer Tim Siedell seems as if he is planning to go into some dark places. In fact, Darth Vader and the Ninth Assassin is darker than George Lucas ever made any of his Star Wars films. I can’t imagine The Walt Disney Company adopting a more sinister tone in their planned Star Wars films (but we can hope).

The pencil art by Stephen Thompson reminds me of Frank Quitely’s art, but with more texture and grit. Thompson’s compositions are well-served by Mark Irwin inks and Michael Atiyeh’s always high-quality colors. Thompson’s take on Vader is quite chilling; he has a way of making Vader’s ability to intimidate real rather than implied.

With Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Ninth Assassin, Dark Horse once again proves that in the Star Wars Expanded Universe, it is the master.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


Bleach: March of the Starcross

I read Bleach, Vol. 56

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin (which has free smart phone apps and free comics).

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

DC Comics from Diamond Distributors for April 17 2013

DC COMICS

FEB130202 BATMAN BEYOND UNLIMITED #15 $3.99

JAN130309 BATMAN YEAR ONE HUNDRED TP NEW PTG $19.99

FEB130163 BATWOMAN #19 $2.99

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FEB130133 DC UNIVERSE PRESENTS #19 $2.99

JAN130295 DIAL H TP VOL 01 INTO YOU (N52) $14.99

FEB130243 FABLES #128 (MR) $2.99

JAN130298 FRANKENSTEIN AGENT OF SHADE TP VOL 02 SECRETS DEAD (N52) $16.99

FEB130175 GREEN LANTERN NEW GUARDIANS #19 (WRATH) $2.99

FEB130238 HE MAN AND THE MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE #1 $2.99

FEB130248 HOUSE OF SECRETS OMNIBUS HC (RES) (MR) $75.00

FEB130205 JSA LIBERTY FILES THE WHISTLING SKULL #5 $2.99

FEB130121 JUSTICE LEAGUE #19 $3.99

FEB130124 JUSTICE LEAGUE #19 COMBO PACK $4.99

FEB130119 JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICAS VIBE #3 $2.99

FEB130195 LEGION OF SUPER HEROES #19 $2.99

DEC120334 MARSHAL LAW THE DELUXE EDITION HC (MR) $49.99

FEB130168 NIGHTWING #19 $2.99

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DC COMICS/DC COLLECTIBLES

JAN130347 INJUSTICE DEATHSTROKE VS GREEN ARROW 2 PACK AF $29.95

Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for April 17 2013

MARVEL COMICS

JAN130786 AGE OF APOCALYPSE TP VOL 02 WEAPON OMEGA $16.99

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IDW Publishing from Diamond Distributors for April 17 2013

IDW PUBLISHING

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FEB130333 DOCTOR WHO VOL 3 #8 [DIG/P+] $3.99

FEB130297 GHOSTBUSTERS #3 [DIG/P+] $3.99

FEB130288 GI JOE A REAL AMERICAN HERO #189 [DIG/P+] $3.99

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FEB130327 MARS ATTACKS IDW TP $19.99

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Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for April 17 2013

DARK HORSE COMICS

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DEC120068 ANGEL & FAITH TP VOL 03 FAMILY REUNION $17.99

JAN130097 BLACK BEETLE #3 NO WAY OUT $3.99

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FEB130041 STAR WARS DARTH VADER & NINTH ASSASSIN #1 $3.50

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Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for April 17 2013

IMAGE COMICS

JAN130576 CHEW #33 (MR) [DIG] $2.99

NOV120552 CYBER FORCE #4 [DIG] PI

JUL120493 DANGER CLUB #5 [DIG] $2.99

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FEB138330 FIVE GHOSTS HAUNTING OF FABIAN GRAY #1 2ND PTG $3.50

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FEB130471 TODD THE UGLIEST KID ON EARTH #4 [DIG] $2.99

FEB130410 WITCHBLADE DAY O/T OUTLAW ONE SHOT [DIG] $3.99

Comics, Magazines and Books from Diamond Distributors for April 17 2013

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY
JAN130056 FCBD 2013 COMM ARTIST JIM CHEUNG BLK T/S LG $14.99

JAN130055 FCBD 2013 COMM ARTIST JIM CHEUNG BLK T/S MED $14.99

JAN130054 FCBD 2013 COMM ARTIST JIM CHEUNG BLK T/S SM $14.99

JAN130057 FCBD 2013 COMM ARTIST JIM CHEUNG BLK T/S XL $14.99

JAN130058 FCBD 2013 COMM ARTIST JIM CHEUNG BLK T/S XXL $17.99

JAN130066 FCBD 2013 COMM ARTIST JIM CHEUNG SILVER T/S LG $14.99

JAN130065 FCBD 2013 COMM ARTIST JIM CHEUNG SILVER T/S MED $14.99

JAN130064 FCBD 2013 COMM ARTIST JIM CHEUNG SILVER T/S SM $14.99

JAN130067 FCBD 2013 COMM ARTIST JIM CHEUNG SILVER T/S XL $14.99

JAN130061 FCBD 2013 COMM ARTIST JIM CHEUNG WHITE T/S LG $14.99

JAN130060 FCBD 2013 COMM ARTIST JIM CHEUNG WHITE T/S MED $14.99

JAN130059 FCBD 2013 COMM ARTIST JIM CHEUNG WHITE T/S SM $14.99

JAN130062 FCBD 2013 COMM ARTIST JIM CHEUNG WHITE T/S XL $14.99

JAN130063 FCBD 2013 COMM ARTIST JIM CHEUNG WHITE T/S XXL $17.99

COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS

FEB130842 ADVENTURE TIME #1 NEW PTG CONNECTING CVRS $3.99

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JAN131256 ATOMIC ROBO REAL SCIENCE ADV #7 $2.75

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FEB130724 B & V FRIENDS DOUBLE DIGEST #233 [DIG/P+] $3.99

FEB130819 BART SIMPSON BIG SHOT TP $15.99

FEB131145 BATTLE OF BLOOD & INK FABLE OF FLYING CITY TP $14.99

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MAGAZINES
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FEB131244 COMIC SHOP NEWS #1348 PI

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BOOKS
FEB131232 DAVE NESTLER BAD GIRL CLUB SC (MR) $14.95

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FEB131312 STAR WARS BOOK OF SITH SECRETS FROM DARK SIDE HC $19.95

JAN131987 WARHAMMER 40K BETRAYER TP $16.00

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Review: SLEDGEHAMMER 44 #2

SLEDGEHAMMER 44 #2 (of 2)
DARK HORSE COMICS – @DarkHorseComics

CREATOR: Mike Mignola
STORY: Mike Mignola and John Arcudi
ART: Jason Latour
COLORS: Dave Stewart
LETTERS: Clem Robins
EDITOR: Scott Allie
COVER: Mike Mignola with Dave Stewart
28pp, Color, $3.50 U.S. (April 2013)

Part 2 of 2

Mike Mignola and John Arcudi’s two-issue micro-series, Sledgehammer 44, comes to an end.

Sledgehammer is a superhero character created by Mike Mignola, sort of his spin on Iron Man. The character appears in the two-issue Sledgehammer 44, written by Mignola and John Arcudi, drawn by Jason Latour, colored by Dave Stewart, and lettered by Clem Robins, with covers by Mignola.

Sledgehammer 44 opens in August 1944 in D’ebene Chiot, France, as an American military patrol attempts to destroy a German armory there. The Americans, however, are really just support troops, as the military launches “Project Epimetheus,” also known as Sledgehammer, the man in a suit of iron armor.

Sledgehammer 44 #2 opens with four Americans taking on small German advance patrol. The prize for the victorious side is Sledgehammer. Americans Dale Glesham and Patrick Redding lead the charge for the American side, with their American comrades, Bunkers and Muralla dragged along.

One of the American’s is grievously wounded, and Glesham has to make a decision about a possible last stand. Meanwhile, another American faces his fate after he is confronted by the truth about Sledgehammer.

Call it the Hellboy-verse or the Mignola-verse, but by any name, Dark Horse Comics’ line of Mike Mignola-produced comic books is simply wonderful. Sledgehammer 44 is a fine slice of that universe of most-excellent dark fantasy and monster comics.

The first issue of Sledgehammer 44 was basically Mignola and Arcudi’s entry into the genre of war comics, but with a sci-fi twist and some high-action. Sledgehammer 44 #2 is also in the venerable tradition of war comic books, but with something extra. Even with the fantastic elements, this comic book manages to be surprisingly human. If Mignola and Arcudi can write more stories like this, hopefully, they will give us more Sledgehammer.

What if Jason Latour cannot draw more Sledgehammer? Perhaps, Mignola and Dark Horse Comics can also find another artist whose composition and graphics can convey both the natural and the supernatural in war comics.

Fans of Mike Mignola will want to try Sledgehammer 44.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux

Friday, April 12, 2013

Yaoi Review: PUNCH UP! Volume 4

PUNCH UP!, VOL. 4
SUBLIME – @SuBLimeManga

CARTOONIST: Shiuko Kano
TRANSLATION: Adrienne Beck
LETTERING: NRP Studios
COVER: Shiuko Kano with Shawn Carrico
ISBN: 978-1-4215-4355-0; paperback (April 2013); Rated “M” for “Mature”
194pp, B&W, $12.99 U.S., $14.99 CAN, £8.99 UK

The final Punch Up! lands in your face!

Punch Up!, the yaoi manga series from creator, Shiuko Kano (the creator of Play Boy Blues), comes to an end. The series focuses on Maki Motoharu, an unpredictable architect, and his boyfriend, Kouta Ohki, a 19-year-old, foul-mouthed, young ironworker who has fashion model looks. Yaoi manga is a subset of boys’ love manga (BL) and features explicit depictions of sex between male characters.

At the beginning of Punch Up! Volume 4 (Acts 10 to 12), a coworker finds Motoharu sleeping on a couch in his office. Why is Motoharu sleeping in his office rather than in his own bedroom?

Kouta is currently suffering amnesia because of a construction accident, and now, he has somehow regressed mentally to the person he was as a 15-year-old. Kouta moves in with Motoharu again, and, after some difficult going, the two grow closer. Motoharu avoids sleeping at home, lest he have sex with Kouta. Does Kouta even want to be intimate with Motoharu? The (former?) lovers will have to learn to understand each other again before they can have some hot sex, again.

If Brian Michael Bendis wrote yaoi manga, perhaps, he could write more dialogue – from introspective soliloquies to elongated conversations – than Shiuko Kano does in the three chapters that make up this final volume of the Punch Up! yaoi manga series. Bendis wouldn’t pass Kano by much, though.

However, this isn’t empty talk. After little more than 150 pages, it leads to a happy ending, but does so in the most interestingly round-about way. Honestly, I could read another volume of these laser-focused conversations between two characters. Don’t worry, there are sex scenes. Three short, bonus stories are not only explicit, but they are also pure, scatological humor. Some of it might make even veteran yaoi readers blush.

A-

www.SuBLimeManga.com

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux