#IReadsYou Review: CHAOS CAMPUS #42

CHAOS CAMPUS: SORORITY GIRLS VS ZOMBIES #42
APPROBATION COMICS

STORY: B. Alex Thompson
ART: Ricardo Mendez
COLORS: Alivon Ortiz
LETTERS: Krugos
POST-SCRIPTING/POLISH: John P. Ward
EDITOR: B. Alex Thompson
MISC: Ricardo Mendez with Alivon Ortiz
COVER: Ricardo Mendez with Alivon Ortiz
28pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (2019)

Rated: Teen 13+

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies created by B. Alex Thompson

“Convocation”

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies is the long-running zombie apocalypse comic book series from Approbation Comics.  Mixing in elements of comedy, horror, adventure, and magic, it is the creation of B. Alex Thompson.  The series is set during a zombie invasion and follows the adventures of three members of the sorority, Epsilon Alpha Zeta Upsilon (EAZY):  ass-kickin’ Jamie Lynn Schaffer, brainy and magic-wielding Paige Helena Patton, and sexy goddess-type Brittany Ann Miller.  The series is written by Thompson.  It is currently drawn by Ricardo Mendez; colored by Alivon Ortiz; and lettered by Krugos.

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies #42 (“Convocation”) opens on the “Campus” in the wake of the events of “Commencement.”  Tyler Patton interrogates the recently captured Mitzy Peterson about the actions of Dr. Lucian Campbell – still alive and still plotting to bring Skull Drudgery to this dimension.

Then, there is a gathering of the round table of the Campus' leadership, which includes the EAZY girls, of course.  Tempers flare, but Tyler forms an action team that will leave the campus in order to battle a new squad of alternate dimensional versions of themselves.  Called “The Alts,” they are led by Roger Sinclair and include alternate versions of Marco Aguilar, Janisha Johnson, Karen Kim, Katie Parker, and Billy Baker.  But can Tyler and his team:  Damien, Sanee, Dylan, and Mikhail, stop a group that doesn't plan on leaving until they have this world's version of Paige – so that they can killer her?

And Dylan plots to save Marco...

THE LOWDOWN:  Yes, dear readers, we are continuing toward the conclusion of the Chaos Campus comic book series.  Every time I read an issue of this genre-busting series, however, I get deeper into the denial that the end is near.

Chaos Campus #42 continues a run of exceptionally good issues of this series.  With each issue, writer B. Alex Thompson offers what amounts to a graphic novel's worth of narrative.  Here, twenty-eight pages reads like one of those 64 page annuals or paperback graphic novels from the 1980s and 90s.  Thompson makes each issue feel like an entire story arc of imaginative storytelling, and by the end, I honestly want more of his wonderful characters and their machinations.

Ricardo Mendez has already cemented his place as Chaos Campus' signature artist.  He has made Chaos Campus as much a character drama as it is a multiverse of zombie adventure.  Alivon Ortiz's colors sparkle and bring a vividness to this world.  Of course, Krugos' lettering completes the storytelling with a thumping soundtrack.

So, dear readers, it is easy to join the Chaos Campus fun.  I have placed a link where you can order issues at the bottom of this review – just for you.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of zombies, video games, and of horror-comedies will want to try Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies.

A
★★★★+ out of 4 stars

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


Buy Chaos Campus here or at https://www.indyplanet.com/approbation-comics

www.ApprobationComics.com
https://twitter.com/ApproBAT
www.AlexThompsonWriter.com


The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint or syndication rights and fees.

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

#IReadsYou Review: NITA HAWES NIGHTMARE BLOG #3

NITA HAWES' NIGHTMARE BLOG #3
IMAGE COMICS

STORY: Rodney Barnes
ART: well-BEE
COLORS: Luis Nct with mar and Silvestre Galotto
LETTERS: Marshall Dillon
EDITOR: Greg Tumbarello
COVER: well-BEE
VARIANT COVER ARTIST: Jason Shawn Alexander
28pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S. (January 2022)

Rated “M/ Mature”

Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog created by Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander

“The Fire Next Time” Part III: “Along Came a Spider”

Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog is a new comic book series created by Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander.  Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog is written by Barnes and drawn by well-BEE; colored by Luis Nct; and lettered by Marshall Dillon.  The series focuses on a woman who is on a quest to root out the evil in her city.

In Baltimore, Maryland, which some call “Bodymore, Murderland,” there is a woman named Dawnita “Nita” Hawes.  She is the owner of “Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog” where citizens can contact Nita when they have a problem of a supernatural or paranormal nature.  Nita has just begun her quest to root the evil out of her city – with the help of her dead brother, Jason.

As Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog #3 (“Along Came a Spider”) opens, Anansi, the God of Stories and Knowledge, arrives.  Detective Harden slowly comes around to seeing things Nita Hawes' way … slowly.  Nita also has a conversation with Jason.

Meanwhile, our heroine travels back to Annapolis, Maryland, in a bid to uncover the lost history of legendary blues singer, “Howlin'” Henry Hawkins.  He is now a resident of “Happy Acres Rest Home,” and his body is a vessel for the demon, Corson, who continues his plot against humanity.  As Nita gets deeper into Hawkins' history, Corson moves closer to her.  And what does Anansi want?

THE LOWDOWN:  Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog is a spin off of Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander's hit vampire comic book, Killadelphia.  In fact, Dawnita “Nita” Hawes is the ex-lover of one of Killadelphia's lead characters, Jimmy Sangster, Jr.

The first three issues of Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog have established that this comic book can stand on its own.  Still, writer Rodney Barnes helps the readers find delight in the threads that connect the two series.  In Nightmare Blog, Barnes is offering a blend of dark fantasy and horror that is intense its violence, but also intimate in its telling.  This narrative is personal because it is so much about Nita Hawes, and it is vulnerable because she is vulnerable.  That is best exemplified in her conversations with her brother, Jason's spirit.  For all its lovely demonic violence, this series feels like a character study that spreads out from Nita to other characters.

[Also, both Nita and Jason have paid high costs to live in the United States, and I wonder if their unhealed wounds represent all our wounds.  When I say “our,” I mean Black and Brown people only, boo.]

The beautiful art by well-BEE, with its illustrative qualities, brings Barnes' potent imaginings to life.  There would be no comic book without the comic book artist, and well-BEE is making Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog an incredible comic book.

With Luis Nct and company's dream slash nightmarish colors and Marshall Dillon sounds of Hades lettering, the pentagram is complete.  We have a winner in Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog, the comic book I insist you read – from Hell with kisses, Leroy.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Killadelphia and of the original Hellblazer will want Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog.

A+

10 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


https://twitter.com/TheRodneyBarnes
https://twitter.com/jasonshawnalex
https://twitter.com/luisnct
https://twitter.com/MarshallDillon
https://twitter.com/ImageComics
https://imagecomics.com/
http://rodneybarnes.com/
https://www.instagram.com/imagecomics/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Image-Comics-Inc/178643148813259
https://www.twitch.tv/imagecomics
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHmaKLo0FXWIPx-3n6qs3vQ
https://www.linkedin.com/company/image-comics/


The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou: Review: DARK BLOOD #2

DARK BLOOD #2 (OF 6)
BOOM! STUDIOS

STORY: LaToya Morgan
ART: Walt Barna with Moisés Hidalgo (pp. 10-12, 19)
COLORS: A.H.G.
LETTERS: Andworld Design
EDITOR: Dafna Pleban
COVER: Valentine De Landro
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Juni Ba; Valentine De Landro; Taurin Clarke
24pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S.(August 2021)

Dark Blood created by LaToya Morgan

Dark Blood is a new six-issue comic book miniseries created and written by screenwriter LaToya Morgan (AMC’s “The Walking Dead,” “Into The Badlands”).  Published by BOOM! Studios, the series is drawn by Walt Barna; colored by A.H.G.; and lettered by Andworld Design.  The series focuses on a Black World War II veteran who discovers that he has strange new abilities.

Alabama, 1955.  After leaving his job at the diner, “Hardy's Eats,” Avery Aldridge, also known as “Double A,” has a fateful encounter with a racist.  Double A is a highly decorated World War II soldier, a former fighter pilot, a member of the soon-to-be-legendary “Red Tails.”  He is expected to act like a boy … when he is actually a very powerful man.  But this is “The Night of the Variance,” and everything is going to start to change – even the things some don't want changed.

Dark Blood #2 opens six months before the Variance and reflects that which occupies Avery's oft-troubled mind.  He thinks of his wife, Emma, and their daughter, Grace Emmadell.  We see his life in “Vale Junction,” a small Black community where everyone knows him and loves Emma's “Vale Junction Book Mobile.”  Even his wartime experiences, especially from a particular time in Austria, circa 1945, flits in and out of Avery's memories.

However, reality intrudes after an altercation leaves Avery hurt.  Dr. Carlisle, a white university doctor, is the unlikely bystander who steps in to help, offering Avery immediate first aid.  As luck … would have it, Dr. Carlisle also operates a clinic “right outside of town on the old Rickman Farm” where he offers free medical care.  But nothing is really free...

THE LOWDOWN:  The indignities that Avery Aldridge suffers in Dark Blood #2 are familiar to me because I have experienced some of them and others were told to me via first hand or second hand accounts.  I admire a writer who can take such things and transform them into drama.  When a writer takes reality and inflicts it on make-believe people in a way that hits the audience in the soft spots (the heart, the soul, the mind), that is some mighty powerful storytelling.

Television writer-producer LaToya Morgan (AMC's “TURN: Washington's Spies”) offers in Dark Blood a comic book that is both science fiction-fantasy/horror and historical or reality-based drama.  She makes the Jim Crow world in her corner of Alabama truly an awful place, but at the same time, she presents in Vale Junction a Black community permeated with love and possibilities.  And that was the world that Black Americans lived not that long ago.

There are times when Avery suffers the insults of White people, and I can feel the hoary ghost of Nat Turner scratching at every window of my soul.  A documentary film or a work of journalism in our world would take Avery's experiences and attempt to engage our intellect.  Great drama takes those same experiences and engages our soul and ensnares our imagination.  It is through such mighty and imaginative drama that Morgan makes Dark Blood work as serialized fiction, a kind of fantastic fiction born in our reality based histories.

By page design and panel composition, artist Walt Barna brings the compelling drama of Dark Blood #2 to life.  With each panel, he is like a photographer working the right angles and capturing the perfect moments as he builds this chapter/issue.  There are also some beautifully drawn pages by guest artist Moisés Hidalgo.  Of course, A.H.G.'s gorgeous colors shift with the winds of Avery's memories, as well as with the linear jooks of Morgan's narratives.  So I credit the colors with forcing me to pay attention to the graphics throughout Dark Blood, especially this second issue.

After reading the first issue, I thought that LaToya Morgan, Walt Barna, A.H.G., and Andworld Design were off to a most excellent start, offering something that had great promise.  Dark Blood #2 aggressively delivers on that great promise.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of modern science fiction and dark fantasy comic books will want to drink Dark Blood.

A+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


Dark Blood trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzzXIYr_FrA&feature=youtu.be
Dark Blood first loook: https://www.boom-studios.com/wordpress/archives/dark-blood-1-first-look/
https://twitter.com/MorganicInk
https://twitter.com/WaltBarna
https://twitter.com/AHGColor
https://twitter.com/andworlddesign

https://twitter.com/boomstudios
https://www.boom-studios.com/wordpress/
https://www.facebook.com/BOOMStudiosComics
https://www.instagram.com/boom_studios/


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou Review: KILLADELPHIA #17

KILLADELPHIA #17
IMAGE COMICS

STORY: Rodney Barnes
ART: Jason Shawn Alexander
COLORS: Luis Nct
LETTERS: Marshall Dillon
EDITOR: Greg Tumbarello
COVER: Jason Shawn Alexander
VARIANT COVER ARTIST: Kent Williams
28pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S. (September 2021)

Rated “M/ Mature”

Killadelphia and Elysium Gardens created by Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander

“Home is Where the Hatred Is” Part V: “To Make Man”

Killadelphia is an apocalyptic vampire and dark fantasy comic book series from writer Rodney Barnes and artist Jason Shawn Alexander and is published by Image Comics.  At the center of this series is a police officer caught in a lurid conspiracy in which vampires attempt to rule Philadelphia, “the City of Brotherly Love.”  Colorist Luis Nct and letterer Marshall Dillon complete Killadelphia's creative team.

Killadelphia focuses on James “Jim” Sangster, Jr. and his father, revered Philadelphia homicide detective, James Sangster, Sr., thought to be dead.  He is actually a vampire.  Now father and son lead a ragtag team comprised of a medical examiner, a dead president, and a rebellious, but special young vampire (Tevin Thompkins a.k.a. “See Saw”) in a bid to save Philly from an ambitious and murderous former First Lady.

As Killadelphia #17 (“To Make Man”) opens, Tevin visits an old friend … for a little blood.  Later, James, Jr. begins the journey that will return him to humanity after being turned into a vampire.  To do so, however, James will have to confront the dark legacy of abuse that gets passed down from father to son.  In this case, James, Sr.'s legacy represents both.  Plus, a we get a first look at the “Dark Realm,” with some help from Anansi.

Meanwhile, Thomas Jefferson makes a move at being a “vampire king.”  So what does the “vampire queen” have to say about that?

THE LOWDOWN:  Killadelphia is now in the penultimate chapter of its third story arc, “Home is Where the Hatred Is.”  This may be the story arc that most reveals the complexities and multiple layers of Killadelphia, making it more dark fantasy than mere vampire comic book.

Writer Rodney Barnes offers a chapter that is a bit more philosophical than usual.  It is surprising, especially considering that he is preparing the readers for some red, hot-blooded Armageddon.  It can be a surprise, to both characters and readers, when the revelation comes that everything is worse than thought.  On the other hand, it is good that we see more complexity in Tevin Thompkins; he is a most human vampire, and I hope he gets his own something – graphic novel, miniseries, one-shot, etc.

Artist Jason Shawn Alexander and colorist Luis Nct are always ready to draw and color the delights and eccentricities in Barnes' scripts.  There is an odd balance of surreal, especially in the place where Jim, Jr. must find himself, and artists' suggestions and presentations of the “Dark Realm” are creepy.  The other part of that balance is the fire they light back in Philadelphia, conveying through the story that it is about to go down.

I am still impressed that Barnes and Alexander are able to make each issue of Killadelphia unique  It blows my mind, and I implore you, dear readers, to drink fully of this cup of red.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of vampire comic books and of exceptional dark fantasy will want Killadelphia.

[Killadelphia #17 has a backup feature: “Elysium Gardens” Part 10 “The End” by Rodney Barnes, Chris Mitten, Sherard Jackson, and Marshall Dillon.]

A+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


https://twitter.com/TheRodneyBarnes
https://twitter.com/jasonshawnalex
https://twitter.com/luisnct
https://twitter.com/MarshallDillon
https://twitter.com/ImageComics
https://imagecomics.com/
http://rodneybarnes.com/


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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

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#IReadsYou Review: CHAOS CAMPUS #41

CHAOS CAMPUS: SORORITY GIRLS VS ZOMBIES #41
APPROBATION COMICS

STORY: B. Alex Thompson – @ApproBAT
ART: Ricardo Mendez
COLORS: Alivon Ortiz
LETTERS: Krugos
POST-SCRIPTING/POLISH: John P. Ward
EDITOR: B. Alex Thompson
MISC: Ricardo Mendez with Alivon Ortiz
COVER: Ricardo Mendez with Alivon Ortiz
24pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (2018)

Rated: Teen 13+

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies created by B. Alex Thompson

“Commencement”

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies is the long-running zombie apocalypse comic book series from Approbation Comics.  Mixing in elements of comedy, horror, adventure, and magic, it is the creation of B. Alex Thompson.  The series is set during a zombie invasion and follows the adventures of three members of the sorority, Epsilon Alpha Zeta Upsilon (EAZY):  ass-kickin’ Jamie Lynn Schaffer, brainy and magic-wielding Paige Helena Patton, and sexy goddess-type Brittany Ann Miller.  The series is written by Thompson.  It is currently drawn by Ricardo Mendez; colored by Alivon Ortiz; and lettered by Krugos.

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies #41 (“Commencement”) opens with Paige, Brittany, Jaime, and Aimee (Jamie's sister) on patrol, checking the campus' generators.  So what is with the power generators?  They're being nibbled on by a new kind of zombie – the electricity and energy-sucking “ElectriCUTES!”  This new engineered stage of zombie evolution has the speed and ferocity of the previous new evolution, the “Neos,” along with the durability of armored zombies.

After the battle, Aimee doesn't want family time with Jamie, but she does have some private time for Brittany...  Meanwhile, Paige's “sister,” Tess is becoming more concerned about the really aggressive changes in her sister's personality.

Elsewhere, the devious Brass Lucian is using Mitzi Peterson's powers on his zombie experiments.  And what is Mitzi up to … that has the “Alts” watching her?

THE LOWDOWN:  Yes, dear readers, we are continuing toward the conclusion of the Chaos Campus comic book series.  Every time I read an issue of this genre-busting series, however, I get deeper into denial about the end.

In Chaos Campus #41, writer B. Alex Thompson presents a top issue in a run of very good issues.  He offers a nice blend of character development and drama involving several characters.  I like that Thompson really doesn't create single purpose characters.  He also sets the ticking of the time bomb that is Wormsor and Nikki over their kidnapped baby, Aiden.  In the second half of issue #41, he sends a tidal wave of hot action our way, and, as always, Thompson can write action scenes that matches the best mainstream comic book writers.

Ricardo Mendez cements his place as Chaos Campus' signature artist.  Whether creating the melodrama of sibling strife or of secret love, Mendez has made Chaos Campus' drama as potent as he always makes the action.  Alivon Ortiz's colors continue to sparkle and bring a vividness to this world.  Of course, Krugos' lettering completes the storytelling with a thumping soundtrack.

It's easy to join the Chaos Campus fun, dear readers.  The ordering details are at the bottom of this review – just for you.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of zombies, video games, and of horror-comedies will want to try Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies.

A
★★★★+ out of 4 stars

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


Buy Chaos Campus at https://www.indyplanet.com/approbation-comics

www.ApprobationComics.com
https://twitter.com/ApproBAT
www.AlexThompsonWriter.com


The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint or syndication rights and fees.

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

#IReadsYou Review: NITA HAWES NIGHTMARE BLOG #2

NITA HAWES' NIGHTMARE BLOG #2
IMAGE COMICS

STORY: Rodney Barnes
ART: well-BEE
COLORS: Luis Nct with mar and Silvestre Galotto
LETTERS: Marshall Dillon
EDITOR: Greg Tumbarello
COVER: well-BEE
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Jason Shawn Alexander; Patric Reynolds with Luis Nct
28pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S. (December 2021)

Rated “M/ Mature”

Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog created by Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander

“The Fire Next Time” Part II: “The Last Song”

Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog is a new comic book series created by Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander.  Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog is written by Barnes and drawn by well-BEE; colored by Luis Nct; and lettered by Marshall Dillon.  The series focuses on a woman who is on a quest to root out the evil in her city.

In Baltimore, Maryland, which some call “Bodymore, Murderland,” there is a woman named Dawnita “Nita” Hawes.  She is the owner of “Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog” where citizens can contact Nita when they have a problem of a supernatural or paranormal nature.  Nita has just begun her quest to root the evil out of her city – with the help of her dead brother, Jason.

Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog #2 (“The Last Song”) travels back to Annapolis, Maryland, September 19, 1963.  That's when blues singer, “Howlin'” Henry Hawkins, met the two young white men who would manage his musical recording career to greatness and to acclaim.  In the present day, Henry's room at the “Happy Acres Rest Home” is the scene of a gruesome murder.

Nita Hawes' paranormal-hunting “Nightmare Blog” has gotten its first cry for help, but the person calling for help is William “Bill” Crowdy,” the man whose body was found dismembered in Howlin' Henry's room.  With the case seemingly at a dead end, Nita offers her services to Detective Harden, who is investigating the murder.  Meanwhile, the demon Corson continues his plot against humanity.

THE LOWDOWN:  Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog is a spin off of Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander's hit vampire comic book, Killadelphia.  In fact, Dawnita “Nita” Hawes is the ex-lover of one of Killadelphia's lead characters, Jimmy Sangster, Jr.

The first issue of Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog established that this comic book could stand on its own, and Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog #2 seconds that emotion.  Writer Rodney Barnes carries over the sharp historical, political, and religious commentary from an African-American perspective that defines much of Killadelphia.  However, Nita Hawes' life experience makes this comic book more personal and intimate.

Barnes uses Nita's life and dilemmas to drive this narrative, so Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog is more like DC Comics' late, great Hellblazer, with its intimate focus on the series' lead, John Costantine.  Since DC screwed up Hellblazer, it is good to have Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog stalking the occult side of American comic books.

The beautiful art by well-BEE, with its illustrative qualities, is not only good storytelling, but it is also wonderfully moody, haunting, and imbued with evil.  As usual, Luis Nct's powerful colors come into to scare readers' asses even more.  And there is letterer Marshall Dillon, creeping around and delivering the sinister exposition of this story.  What a great creative team!

Of course, I will always recommend both Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog and Killadelphia, but you don't need to read the latter to cry for Nita's help.  This comic book can do good all by itself.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Killadelphia and of the original Hellblazer will want Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog.

A+

10 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


https://twitter.com/TheRodneyBarnes
https://twitter.com/jasonshawnalex
https://twitter.com/luisnct
https://twitter.com/MarshallDillon
https://twitter.com/ImageComics
https://imagecomics.com/
http://rodneybarnes.com/
https://www.instagram.com/imagecomics/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Image-Comics-Inc/178643148813259
https://www.twitch.tv/imagecomics
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHmaKLo0FXWIPx-3n6qs3vQ
https://www.linkedin.com/company/image-comics/


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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

Amazon wants me to inform you that the affiliate link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the affiliate link below AND buy something(s).

#IReadsYou Review: DARK BLOOD #1

DARK BLOOD #1 (OF 6)
BOOM! STUDIOS

STORY: LaToya Morgan
ART:  Walt Barna
COLORS: A.H.G.
LETTERS:  Andworld Design
EDITOR: Dafna Pleban
COVER: Valentine De Landro
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Juni Ba; Dan Mora; Valentine De Landro; Marcus Williams; Javan Jordan; Mico Suayan; Felix Icarus Morales with Robert Nugent; David Sanchez with Omi Remalante; Karen S. Darboe; Ingrid Gala; Marco Rudy
24pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S.(July 2021)

Dark Blood created by LaToya Morgan

Dark Blood is a new six-issue comic book miniseries created and written by screenwriter LaToya Morgan (AMC’s "The Walking Dead," "Into The Badlands").  Published by BOOM! Studios, the series is drawn by Walt Barna; colored by A.H.G.; and lettered by Andworld Design.  The series focuses on an Black World War II veteran who discovers that he has strange new abilities.

Dark Blood #1 opens in Alabama, 1955.  It's night.  Avery Aldridge, also known as “Double A,” is leaving his job at the diner, “Hardy's Eats.”  In the alley, he has a fateful encounter with a racist.  Double A is a highly decorated World War II soldier, a former fighter pilot, a member of the soon-to-be-legendary “Red Tails.”  He is expected to act like a boy … when he is actually a very powerful, grown-ass man.  But this is “The Night of the Variance,” and everything is going to start to change – even the things some don't want changed.

THE LOWDOWN:  As I much as I love the original Star Wars movies and a number of classic Walt Disney animated features (Peter Pan), my all-time favorite movie moment occurs in 1967's In the Heat of the Night.  Involuntarily assigned to a homicide case in Sparta Mississippi, Philadelphia police detective Virgil Tibbs (played by Sidney Poitier) is interviewing a suspect, a local and powerful rich white man named Endicott (Larry Gates), when Endicott slaps him in the face.  Tibbs slaps him right back.  The first time I saw Tibbs slap Endicott, it took my breath away … and it still does.

Television writer-producer LaToya Morgan (AMC's "TURN: Washington's Spies") offers a sci-fi/horror spin on Tibbs' slap as the spine of the first issue of her new comic book, Dark Blood.  This time, the confrontation is longer, and Avery Aldridge's response is made a bit more complicated, partly because he seems unstuck in time.  Morgan does everything to tell her readers a lot by whetting their appetites for more, because they don't know the half of it, and she makes that “it” intriguing.

For all that I am intrigued by Dark Blood #1's story and concept, this first issue is also a showcase for the art team of illustrator Walt Barna and colorist A.H.G.  Barna's compositions are some of the most convincing period art that I have seen in a modern comic book in years.  Barna's Alabama, 1955 looks so “old-timey” that I could believe that it is something Barna drew at least half-a-century ago.  Barna's aerial sequences depicting Aldridge's time as a Red Tail reminds me of the comic book art one might find in EC Comics' legendary war comic book, Aces High (1955).

A.H.G.'s colors are gorgeous and also from a time machine.  If I didn't know better, I would say he hand-colored this comic book and manually separated those colors in a back office at a NYC-based comic book publisher – in days gone by.  Seriously, his colors shimmer, but are also earthy, and they make the storytelling's time periods look and feel authentic.

And I always enjoy Andworld Design's lettering, which is always stylish in a way that brings immediacy and power to the drama.  So LaToya Morgan, Walt Barna, A.H.G., and Andworld Design are off to a most excellent start, and Dark Blood #1 sparkles with promise.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of modern science fiction and dark fantasy comic books will want to drink Dark Blood.

A

★★★★+ out of 4 stars

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


Dark Blood trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzzXIYr_FrA&feature=youtu.be
Dark Blood first loook: https://www.boom-studios.com/wordpress/archives/dark-blood-1-first-look/
https://twitter.com/MorganicInk
https://twitter.com/WaltBarna
https://twitter.com/AHGColor
https://twitter.com/andworlddesign

https://twitter.com/boomstudios
https://www.boom-studios.com/wordpress/
https://www.facebook.com/BOOMStudiosComics
https://www.instagram.com/boom_studios/


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#IReadsYou Review: KILLADELPHIA #16

KILLADELPHIA #16
IMAGE COMICS

STORY: Rodney Barnes
ART: Jason Shawn Alexander
COLORS: Luis Nct
LETTERS: Marshall Dillon
EDITOR: Greg Tumbarello
COVER: Jason Shawn Alexander
VARIANT COVER ARTIST: James O'Barr
28pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S. (August 2021)

Rated “M/ Mature”

Killadelphia and Elysium Gardens created by Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander

“Home is Where the Hatred Is” Part IV: “Have a Little Talk with God”

Killadelphia is an apocalyptic vampire and dark fantasy comic book series from writer Rodney Barnes and artist Jason Shawn Alexander and is published by Image Comics.  At the center of this series is a police officer caught in a lurid conspiracy in which vampires attempt to rule Philadelphia, “the City of Brotherly Love.”  Colorist Luis Nct and letterer Marshall Dillon complete Killadelphia's creative team.

Killadelphia focuses on James “Jim” Sangster, Jr. and his father, revered Philadelphia homicide detective, James Sangster, Sr., thought to be dead.  He is actually a vampire.  Now father and son lead a ragtag team comprised of a medical examiner, a dead president, and a rebellious, but special young vampire (Tevin Thompkins a.k.a. “See Saw”) in a bid to save Philly from an ambitious and murderous former First Lady.

As Killadelphia #16 (“Have a Little Talk with God”) opens, Jupiter and the now vampire former President Thomas Jefferson have a long-awaited confrontation.  But after the harsh words, can they (vampire) kiss and make up?  Meanwhile, Tevin chats up Anansi, and boy, does God have a mouth on him.  Can Anansi bring Jim, Jr. back from the world of the creatures of the night to the world of the living, and if He can, why should He?

THE LOWDOWN:  Killadelphia moves into the second half of its third story arc, “Home is Where the Hatred Is.”  Perhaps, this is the story arc that most reveals the complexities and multiple layers of Killadelphia, making it more dark fantasy than mere vampire comic book.

Twisting and turning the narrative with sharp-teethed glee, writer Rodney Barnes won't let anything lie.  Nothing is as it should be or as we would expect it to be.  So Killadelphia #16 is one of this series' best issues … if not the very best.  Barnes is also all sharp elbows with uncomfortable truths – like the Brad Pitt reference Anansi drops.

As with the previous issue, artist Jason Shawn Alexander and colorist Luis Nct dance through Barnes' script, bringing each scene or sequence into life with its own unique look.  The graphical storytelling seems to evolve with the story, the lurid and the surreal side by side and proudly delivering the unexpected.

Wow, the bitter and resentful would call Killadelphia #16 “woke,” but truth defends itself very well.  And sometimes, some of us should realize that history is your story and maybe it is a tale telling more than some of you wanted.  Yes, I have a vampiric thirst for Killadelphia, and you, dear readers, can have that, also.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of vampire comic books and of exceptional dark fantasy will want Killadelphia.

[Killadelphia #16 has a backup feature: “Elysium Gardens” Part 9 “Hellfire” by Rodney Barnes, Chris Mitten, Sherard Jackson, and Marshall Dillon.]

A+

10 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


https://twitter.com/TheRodneyBarnes
https://twitter.com/jasonshawnalex
https://twitter.com/luisnct
https://twitter.com/MarshallDillon
https://twitter.com/ImageComics
https://imagecomics.com/
http://rodneybarnes.com/


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#IReadsYou Review: STATIC: Season One #1

STATIC (SEASON ONE) #1 (OF 6)
DC COMICS/Milestone Media

STORY: Vita Ayala
LAYOUTS: ChrisCross
FINISHES: Nikolas Draper-Ivey
COLORS: Nikolas Draper-Ivey
LETTERS: Andworld Design
EDITOR: Chris Conroy
PRODUCERS: Reginald Hudlin and Denys Cowan for Milestone Media
COVER: Khary Randolph with Emilio Lopez
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Shawn Martinbrough with Chris Sotomayor; Nikolas Draper-Ivey; Denys Cowan with Brad Anderson; Olivier Coipel with Brad Anderson
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S., (August 2021)

Rating: 13+

Milestone and Static created by Dwayne McDuffie, Denys Cowan, Michael Davis, and Derek T. Dingle

Episode One: Trial by Fire

Milestone Comics was the publishing division of Milestone Media, and its comic book titles were published and distributed by DC Comics.  Milestone was founded in 1993 by a coalition of African-American artists and writers, consisting of Dwayne McDuffie, Denys Cowan, Michael Davis, and Derek T. Dingle.  Milestone Media's founders believed that minorities were severely underrepresented in American comic books and wished to address this.  In 1993, Milestone Media launched its first four titles Icon, Blood Syndicate, Static, and Hardware, but DC Comics ceased publication of all Milestone Comics titles in 1997.

Static, Milestone's most popular superhero character, first appeared in Static #1 (cover dated: June 1993).  Static is Virgil Ovid Hawkins, an African-American teenage boy who is a member of a subspecies of humans with superhuman abilities known as “metahumans.”  Static's origin has changed since he first debuted, and now, he has gained his powers after an incident exposed him to a radioactive chemical, making Virgil capable of electromagnetic control and generation.

Both Milestone and Static are back with the launch of the new comic books series, Static (Season One), also known as Static: Season One.  The series is written by Vita Ayala; drawn by ChrisCross (layouts) and Nikolas Draper-Ivey (finishes); colored by Draper-Ivey; and lettered by Andworld Design.  The new comic book focuses on a bullied nerd who gains super-powers, only to discover that his enemy has also gained powers.

Static: Season One #1 (“Trial by Fire”) opens in Dakota City, USA in the aftermath of the “Big Bang.”  That incident happened at a “Black Lives Matter” rally that turned insane when the police released an experimental tear gas on the protesters.  Some people were maimed or died; others gained  stunning new abilities and powers.  Bullied nerd, 16-year-old Virgil Hawkins, gained powers.

Virgil has power inside him now, real power that he constantly hears and feels buzzing inside him.  He has the ability to channel and manipulate electromagnetic fields, but Virgil also has anger burning inside him.  One of his classmates, the bully Francis Stone, has already felt Virgil's power.  But Francis, who calls himself “Hotstreak,” also has power inside him, and he is ready for some payback.

THE LOWDOWN:  In the original 1990s Static, Virgil Ovid Hawkins was essentially a 1990s, African-American version of the early 1960s teenage Peter Parker/Spider-Man.  Like that classic character, Virgil/Static struggled at becoming a superhero and had to deal with what it did to his life.

Writer Vita Ayala and artists ChrisCross Nikolas Draper-Ivey present a Virgil Hawkins who is a Black teenager coming of age in this era of protests that was launched by the death of an African-American man, George Floyd, (May 25, 2020), murdered by the hands (and knee) of a White police officer.

Ayala presents Virgil as an African-American teen who may be bullied, but does not even understand the idea that he should defer, know his place, or be a second class citizen.  Will he fight back against those who attack him or turn the other cheek … or is there an entirely different path that others have not imagined?  After reading this first issue, I feel that Ayala is going to take us, dear readers, on a journey of questions and answers, but one also filled with superhero action.

The compositions and colors by Nikolas Draper-Ivey remind me of the quirky animation of the 2018 film, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, crackling with eye-popping colors and striking graphics.  It is as if Nikolas wants us to feeling the shimmering, crackling, and buzzing inside Virgil.  ChrisCross (layouts) and Draper-Ivey move the story through this issue like an electric charge running along a line, and for the final page, Cross/Nikolas gives us a … static shock.  The drama, tension, and conflict practically bleed off the page.

I thought that I would like Static: Season One #1, but I am surprised by how much I like it.  By the end, I could have read another forty pages.  If Milestone fans were unsure about moving on, this first issue will make them happy for this re-imagining of a Black superhero for the BLM generation.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Milestone Comics will want Static Season One.

A

★★★★+ out of 4 stars

[This comic book has a tribute from Denys Cowan and Chris Conroy to the late comic book artist, John Paul Leon (1972-2021), who drew the first Static comic book.  This comic book also includes a “DC Nation” “Spotlight On” interview with Joshua Williamson about Infinite Frontier #1.]

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


https://twitter.com/definitelyvita
https://twitter.com/chryslus
https://twitter.com/NikDraperIvey
https://twitter.com/DakotaUniverse
http://milestone.media/
https://www.instagram.com/milestone.media/
https://www.dccomics.com/
https://twitter.com/DCComics
https://www.facebook.com/dccomics
https://www.youtube.com/user/DCEntertainmentTV
https://www.pinterest.com/dccomics/
https://www.periscope.tv/DCComics/1ZkKzezXwZdxv


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#IReadsYou Review: CHAOS CAMPUS #40

CHAOS CAMPUS: SORORITY GIRLS VS ZOMBIES #40
APPROBATION COMICS

STORY: B. Alex Thompson – @ApproBAT
ART: Ricardo Mendez
COLORS: Alivon Ortiz
LETTERS: Krugos
POST-SCRIPTING/POLISH: John P. Ward
EDITOR: B. Alex Thompson
MISC: Ricardo Mendez with Alivon Ortiz
COVER: Ricardo Mendez with Alivon Ortiz
24pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (2018)

Rated: Teen 13+

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies created by B. Alex Thompson

“Expiation”

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies is the long-running zombie apocalypse comic book series from Approbation Comics.  Mixing in elements of comedy, horror, adventure, and magic, it is the creation of B. Alex Thompson.  The series is set during a zombie invasion and follows the adventures of three members of the sorority, Epsilon Alpha Zeta Upsilon (EAZY):  ass-kickin’ Jamie Lynn Schaffer, brainy and magic-wielding Paige Helena Patton, and sexy goddess-type Brittany Ann Miller.  The series is written by Thompson.  It is currently drawn by Ricardo Mendez; colored by Alivon Ortiz; and lettered by Krugos.

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies #40 (“Expiation”) opens in the wake the “Alts” attack that did damage to the campus.  Jamie had a shocking reunion with Charles, her father, and with Aimee, her sister.  Aimee has been transformed into “Aqua Aimee,” a bio-mechanoid-like creature, because of an alien symbiote inside her … that is also killing her.

Jamie and Aimee have been placed in a coma so that Paige and Brittany can save them both.  Meanwhile, Jamie and Aimee wake up as children and are forced to grow up again while their real bodies and minds struggle to fight off the alien symbiote's influence.  Can the twin sisters survive this taxing mental and physical ordeal?  Or will the symbiote ultimately kill them both?  And will they survive the replay of an important moment in Jamie's life...

THE LOWDOWN:  Yes, dear readers, we are continuing toward the conclusion of the Chaos Campus comic book series.  Every time I read an issue of this genre-busting series, however, I get deeper into denial about the end.

In Chaos Campus #40, B. Alex Thompson offers his usual antics – fight, fight, and creature feature.  However, “Expiation” is an enjoyable story about clashing siblings.  It is one of the best depictions of the tensions between siblings and of their rivalries that I have ever seen in a comic book.  It feels authentic and genuine.

Ricardo Mendez, perhaps Chaos Campus' signature artist, captures the usual fun and the sibling melodrama that Thompson offers this issue.  Alivon Ortiz's sparkling colors really play well – surprisingly – on the girls' hair and costumes.  Of course, Krugos' lettering completes the storytelling with a ringing soundtrack.

It's easy to join the fun, dear readers.  The details are at the bottom of this review.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of zombies, video games, and of horror-comedies will want to try Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies.

A
★★★★ out of 4 stars

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


Buy Chaos Campus here or at https://www.indyplanet.com/approbation-comics.

www.ApprobationComics.com
https://twitter.com/ApproBAT
www.AlexThompsonWriter.com


The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint or syndication rights and fees.

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

#IReadsYou Review: NITA HAWES' Nightmare Blog #1

NITA HAWES' NIGHTMARE BLOG #1
IMAGE COMICS

STORY: Rodney Barnes
LAYOUTS: Jason Shawn Alexander
ART: Jason Shawn Alexander and Patric Reynolds
COLORS: Luis Nct with mar and Silvestre Galotto
LETTERS: Marshall Dillon
EDITOR: Greg Tumbarello
COVER: well-BEE
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Jason Shawn Alexander; Francesco Mattina; Patric Reynolds with Luis Nct
28pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S. (October 2021)

Rated “M/ Mature”

Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog created by Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander

“The Fire Next Time” Part I: “Walking Into Shadows”

Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog is a new comic book series created by Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander.  It is a spin-off of their hit dark fantasy and vampire comic book series, Killadelphia (Image Comics).  Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog is written by Barnes and drawn by Alexander and Patric Reynolds; colored by Luis Nct; and lettered by Marshall Dillon.  The series focuses on a woman who is on a quest to root out the evil in her city.

Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog #1 (“Walking Into Shadows”) opens in Baltimore, Maryland.  Some call it “Bodymore, Murderland,” and it still is the home of Edgar Allan Poe and Freddie Gray.  We meet Dawnita “Nita” Hawes, the ex-lover of Jimmy Sangster, Jr., who has moved on from Baltimore to the vampire killing fields of Philadelphia a.k.a. “Killadelphia.”

But one does not need to leave Baltimore to find evil, which lurks the streets, adding more bodies to the name “Bodymore.”  For instance, Corson, a demon, has surfaced from the underworld and has possessed a once-wronged man.  Now, Corson's vengeance will come at the cost of humanity's despair.  Luckily for Baltimore, there is “Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog” where citizens can contact Nita, who has begun a quest to root the evil out of her city – with the help of dead brother, Jason.

THE LOWDOWN:  Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog may be Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander's spin-off of their hit horror comic book, Killadelphia, but they quickly establish the new comic book as its own thing.  Sister is doing it for herself, indeed.

Although Killadelphia is steeped in vampires, the series' river of blood begins in the poison waters of a highly-dysfunctional father-son relationship.  The narrative and plot elements are edgy and hard.  For Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog, writer Rodney Barnes offers Dawnita Hawes' wellspring of guilt and grief.  The narrative, at least this first chapter, is intimate – painfully so – and interior.  I think that by bringing in Nita's dead brother, Jason, a child killed by the “collateral damage” of American gun violence, as the voice in her head, Barnes forces readers to deal with Nita's existential crisis.  Next to that, we also get to enjoy some horror violence via Baltimore existential crisis – demons slicin', dicin', and choppin' up some human meat.

The art and graphical storytelling by Jason Shawn Alexander and Patric Reynolds bring that interplay of the intimate and the horror to life in the muted shades of Nita and in the hard-boiled gore of demonic homicide.  Alexander and Reynolds' art recalls the gloomy and imaginative art of the comic books that would give birth to DC Comics' Vertigo imprint:  Swamp Thing, Hellblazer, and The Sandman.

Luis Nct and his color team heighten the surreal and melodramatic moods of Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog #1.  Also, I think that Marshall Dillon's lettering gives this first issue what it needs, the sense of a soundtrack full of spooky sounds.  And I love it.  I hadn't even realized that this was Barnes and Alexander's new Killadelphia-related title until a few days ago.  Now, I am happy to recommend it to you, dear readers.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Killadelphia will want Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog.

A+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


https://twitter.com/TheRodneyBarnes
https://twitter.com/jasonshawnalex
https://twitter.com/luisnct
https://twitter.com/MarshallDillon
https://twitter.com/ImageComics
https://imagecomics.com/
http://rodneybarnes.com/
https://www.instagram.com/imagecomics/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Image-Comics-Inc/178643148813259
https://www.twitch.tv/imagecomics
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHmaKLo0FXWIPx-3n6qs3vQ
https://www.linkedin.com/company/image-comics/


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou Review: CHAOS CAMPUS #39

CHAOS CAMPUS: SORORITY GIRLS VS ZOMBIES #39
APPROBATION COMICS

STORY: B. Alex Thompson – @ApproBAT
ART: Ricardo Mendez
COLORS: Alivon Ortiz
LETTERS: Krugos
POST-SCRIPTING/POLISH: John P. Ward
EDITOR: B. Alex Thompson
COVER: Ricardo Mendez with Alivon Ortiz
24pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. print/$1.99 U.S. digital (2018; digital release date – November 7, 2018)

Rated: Teen 13+ / 15+ Only – comiXology rating

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies created by B. Alex Thompson

“Penance”

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies is the long-running zombie apocalypse comic book series from Approbation Comics.  Mixing in elements of comedy, horror, adventure, and magic, it is the creation of B. Alex Thompson.  The series is set during a zombie invasion and follows the adventures of three members of the sorority, Epsilon Alpha Zeta Upsilon (EAZY):  ass-kickin’ Jamie Lynn Schaeffer, brainy and magic-wielding Paige Helena Patton, and sexy goddess-type Brittany Ann Miller.  The series is written by Thompson.  It is currently drawn by Ricardo Mendez; colored by Alivon Ortiz; and lettered by Krugos.

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies #39 (“Penance”) opens in the wake of the sudden kidnapping of Worm and Nikki's newborn baby by an alternate universe version of the late Roger.  The damage done to the campus by the alternate universe versions of our favorite characters (“Alts”) has created multiple campus entry points for the zombies.  Now, the campus is overrun by zombies, and our heroes are barely holding their own.

But the zombie riot is interrupted by a family reunion.  First, Jamie's father returns, seemingly from the clutches of death.  Right behind him is Jamie's sister, the “Aqua Aimee,” sporting blue symbiotic armor.  What's going on?  And what does the Schaeffer family reunion mean for our heroes?

THE LOWDOWN:  Dear readers, we continue toward the conclusion of Chaos Campus.  This genre-busting series continues to surprise with shocking reveals and new characters, new old characters, and also the narrative-changing returns.

B. Alex Thompson continues to add unresolved subplots and cliffhangers, pushing us deeper into this chaotic series.  I truly enjoy how he uses his vivid imagination to continue to grow the universe in which this series is set.  His imagination is why it is hard for me to believe that Chaos Campus is coming to an end.  He can't possibly be running out of ideas.

Meanwhile, Ricardo Mendez continues to bring Thompson's world to life in vivid graphical storytelling.  Every issues seems to involve a cast of thousands, and Mendez expertly depicts the kind of large storytelling that Marvel and DC Comics churn out as big event miniseries.  Alivon Ortiz's sparkling colors and Krugos' lettering complete the storytelling, making it all pop.

It's easy to join the fun, dear readers.  The details are at the bottom of this review.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of zombies and of horror-comedies will want to try Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies.

A
8 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


Buy Chaos Campus here or at https://www.indyplanet.com/approbation-comics

www.ApprobationComics.com
https://twitter.com/ApproBAT
www.AlexThompsonWriter.com


The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint or syndication rights and fees.

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

#IReadsYou Review: KILLADELPHIA #15

KILLADELPHIA #15
IMAGE COMICS

STORY: Rodney Barnes
ART: Jason Shawn Alexander with Well-Bee (pp 9-10)
COLORS: Luis Nct
LETTERS: Marshall Dillon
EDITOR: Greg Tumbarello
COVER: Jason Shawn Alexander
VARIANT COVER ARTIST: Paul Pope
28pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S.(July 2021)

Rated “M/ Mature”

Killadelphia and Elysium Gardens created by Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander

“Home is Where the Hatred Is” Part III: “Manifest Destiny”

Killadelphia is an apocalyptic vampire and dark fantasy comic book series from writer Rodney Barnes and artist Jason Shawn Alexander and is published by Image Comics.  At the center of this series is a police officer caught in a lurid conspiracy in which vampires attempt to rule Philadelphia, “the City of Brotherly Love.”  Colorist Luis Nct and letterer Marshall Dillon complete Killadelphia's creative team.

Killadelphia focuses on James “Jim” Sangster, Jr. and his father, revered Philadelphia homicide detective, James Sangster, Sr., thought to be dead.  He is actually a vampire.  Now father and son lead a ragtag team comprised of a medical examiner, a dead president, and a rebellious, but special young vampire (Tevin Thompkins a.k.a. “See Saw”) in a bid to save Philly from an ambitious and murderous former First Lady.

As Killadelphia #15 (“Manifest Destiny”) opens, there is a new vampire player in town, and it's another “Founding Father” and former president.  Meet Tom Jefferson.  He has a tale to tell, philosophically, of course, and he is making a claim on the throne.

Elsewhere, Toppy and the rest of Abigail Adams' inner circle invade the Sangsters' sanctum.  Oh, they also want to know where See Saw has gone, but isn't that his body, all curled up on the floor?  Meanwhile, See Saw is meeting important religious figures like Jesus (who is Black), but he may have to go back to an original god to get the help and the answers he seeks.

THE LOWDOWN:  Killadelphia hits the midway point of its third story arc, “Home is Where the Hatred Is.”  After the pyrotechnics of the previous story arc, “Burn Baby Burn,” this new story line started with a focus on family – damned and otherwise, but now, its pyrotechnics begin.

I find myself endlessly fascinated by writer Rodney Barnes' plots, but sometimes, I really get a chance to admire how he drops history, religion, culture, politics, and philosophy, scattered like drops of enlightening blood throughout his scripts.  That he has brought Thomas Jefferson into play shows that Killadelphia is not growing cold, but will keep surprising and scaring us.

Artist Jason Shawn Alexander and colorist Luis Nct dance through Barnes' script bringing each scene or sequence into life with its own unique look.  From lurid to luminescent, Killadelphia is a comic book of different worlds and different textures and moods and not a place where things are from a melting pot...

Killadelphia #15 is a another great chapter, and you should be reading it, dear readers.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of vampire comic books and of exceptional dark fantasy will want Killadelphia.

[Killadelphia #15 has a backup feature: “Elysium Gardens” Part 8 “The Power of One” by Rodney Barnes, Chris Mitten, Sherard Jackson, and Marshall Dillon]

A+

10 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


https://twitter.com/TheRodneyBarnes
https://twitter.com/jasonshawnalex
https://twitter.com/luisnct
https://twitter.com/MarshallDillon
https://twitter.com/ImageComics
https://imagecomics.com/
http://rodneybarnes.com/


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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

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#IReadsYou Review: CHAOS CAMPUS #38

CHAOS CAMPUS: SORORITY GIRLS VS ZOMBIES #38
APPROBATION COMICS

STORY: B. Alex Thompson – @ApproBAT
ART: Ricardo Mendez
COLORS: Alivon Ortiz
LETTERS: Krugos
POST-SCRIPTING/POLISH: John P. Ward
EDITOR: B. Alex Thompson
COVER: Ricardo Mendez with Alivon Ortiz
28pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. print/$1.99 U.S. digital (2018; digital release date – November 7, 2018)

Rated: Teen 13+ / 15+ Only – comiXology rating

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies created by B. Alex Thompson

“Atonement”

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies is the long-running zombie apocalypse comic book series from Approbation Comics.  Mixing in elements of comedy, horror, adventure, and magic, it is the creation of B. Alex Thompson.  The series is set during a zombie invasion and follows the adventures of three members of the sorority, Epsilon Alpha Zeta Upsilon (EAZY):  ass-kickin’ Jamie Lynn Schaeffer, brainy and magic-wielding Paige Helena Patton, and sexy goddess-type Brittany Ann Miller.

The series is written by Thompson.  It is currently drawn by Ricardo Mendez; colored by Alivon Ortiz; and lettered by Krugos.

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies #38 (“Atonement”) opens in the wake of the shocking discovering of alternate realities.  And alternate realities mean alternate versions of some of our favorite characters, especially the doppelgangers from one particular reality who are “Paige Hunters.”  Now our Jamie, Brittany, and Paige and company must join forces with the enemy, Tess Raven, Paige's “sister” who is really an alternate reality Paige.  Confused yet?

Well, welcome to the big throw down: Brittany versus Brittany.  Sometimes your greatest enemy is yourself.

THE LOWDOWN:  It is clear that B. Alex Thompson is building towards something big as he heads to the end of this series.  It is hard to accept that the end is coming because Chaos Campus has evolved since the first issue.  What was a zombie apocalypse comedy and parody of multiple film genres is now a complex genre-buster with enough characters for a video game franchise.

What else can I say that I have not already said.  Thompson is one of the most imaginative comic book writers working in comics over the first two decades of this still new century.  There is never a dull moment in Chaos Comics, and Thompson is the master of the cliffhanger.  Of course, Chaos Campus #38 offers a humdinger of an ending, one to assure the reader of returning for more

It's easy to join the fun, dear readers.  The details are at the bottom of this review.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of zombies and of horror-comedies will want to try Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


Buy Chaos Campus at comiXology or https://www.comixology.com/Chaos-Campus-Sorority-Girls-vs-Zombies/comics-series/63703?ref=c2VhcmNoL2luZGV4L2Rlc2t0b3Avc2xpZGVyTGlzdC90b3BSZXN1bHRzU2xpZGVy

www.ApprobationComics.com
https://twitter.com/ApproBAT
www.AlexThompsonWriter.com


The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint or syndication rights and fees.

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

#IReadsYou Review: KILLADELPHIA #14

KILLADELPHIA #14
IMAGE COMICS

STORY: Rodney Barnes
ART: Jason Shawn Alexander
COLORS: Luis Nct
LETTERS: Marshall Dillon
EDITOR: Greg Tumbarello
COVER: Jason Shawn Alexander
VARIANT COVER ARTIST: Jonathan Wayshack
36pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S.(June 2021)

Rated “M/ Mature”

“Home is Where the Hatred Is” Part II: “...And the Sun Washed the Pain Away”

Killadelphia is an apocalyptic vampire and dark fantasy comic book series from writer Rodney Barnes and artist Jason Shawn Alexander and is published by Image Comics.  At the center of this series is a police officer caught in a lurid conspiracy in which vampires attempt to rule Philadelphia, “the City of Brotherly Love.”  Colorist Luis Nct and letterer Marshall Dillon complete Killadelphia's creative team.

Killadelphia focuses on James “Jim” Sangster, Jr., who comes home to Philly to deal with the final affairs of his recently murdered father, revered Philadelphia homicide detective, James Sangster, Sr.  James, Sr. is not dead, but undead – a vampire.  Now father and son lead a ragtag team comprised of a medical examiner, a dead president, and a rebellious, but special young vampire in a bid to save Philly from a vampire doom.

Killadelphia #14 (“...And the Sun Washed the Pain Away”) opens with Abigail Adams in full bloom.  Like her husband, John Adams, the second President of the United States, she is a vampire.  No longer content to be the little wifey, she is determined to be the tyrannical blood queen of Philadelphia.  However, she is displeased that John has not remained … displaced.

Meanwhile, James, Sr. is trying to find a way to change James, Jr. from vampire back into a human.  Young, black and talented vampire, Tevin Thompkins a.k.a. “See Saw,” might be able to do it.  But first, there are complications, and Tevin has to see a man about a resurrection while another vampire man seeks him.

THE LOWDOWN:  Killadelphia is in its third story arc, “Home is Where the Hatred Is.”  After the pyrotechnics of the previous story arc, “Burn Baby Burn,” this new story line looks to focus on family – damned and otherwise – although this arc is also spewing forth the sounds of bloody battle.

I have said in previous reviews that writer Rodney Barnes is writing a comic book in which he is building a universe similar to what Neil Gaiman did with The Sandman.  Initially, The Sandman seemed like one thing, but by the end of its first 12 issues, and certainly by its twentieth issue, The Sandman seemed like an entirely different series.  At the beginning of Killadelphia, Barnes used the concept of the second POTUS being a vampire as a hook.  Now, via Tevin, Barnes is taking us to a new underworld, one beyond the surface vampire conflicts.  Killadelphia is a great vampire comic book because the author isn't just building a new wing in the library of vampire fiction.  He is constructing a new city-state of vampire fiction.

There is a moment in Killadelphia #14 when the art team of illustrator Jason Shawn Alexander and colorist Luis Nct recall the lurid cinema of Hammer Films.  It is in Alexander's dark, but painterly compositions, and in Nct's lurid colors that this series will sometimes recall previous vampire fiction.  However, Alexander often tells the story of Killadelphia by ripping into the neck of vampire fiction and doing new things.  When Alexander conveys the anger of Abigail Adams, it is about more than just her determination to rule.  We can be sympathetic to the fact that she won't be held down anymore by a mediocre (white) man.

Killadelphia #14 is a another great chapter in this fantastic series.  Yes, I am telling you to read it, dear readers.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of vampire comic books and of exceptional dark fantasy will want Killadelphia.


Killadelphia #14 has a backup feature:
“Elysium Gardens” Part 7 “All Power to the People”

Created by Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander

Story: Rodney Barnes
Art: Chris Mitten
Design: Sherard Jackson
Letters: Marshall Dillon
Edits: Greg Tumbarello

The back-up feature, “Elysium Gardens,” remains in Philadelphia, May 1st, 1985.  Angela/Zubiya and her pack of werewolves arrived in the City of Brotherly Love and found their prey, Stregherian witch, Tituba, among the Black liberation group, M.O.V.E.  Tituba is a descendant of the people who cursed Zubiya and her pack with their … condition.  Now, they are ready to kill the witch, but...

Writer Rodney Barnes makes “Elysium Gardens” both allegorical and metaphorical in the way he uses the brutality, savagery, barbarism, greed, and sin of white supremacy, racism, white colonialism, and white settler violence in the character, setting, and plot of his stories.  The werewolves are the angry Negroes, but as Barnes reveals in a mini prologue of real-world assassinations, sometimes, the oppressed have to direct their energies in other ways.

A+

10 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


https://twitter.com/TheRodneyBarnes
https://twitter.com/jasonshawnalex
https://twitter.com/luisnct
https://twitter.com/MarshallDillon
https://twitter.com/ImageComics
https://imagecomics.com/
http://rodneybarnes.com/


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Amazon wants me to inform you that the link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the ad below AND buy something(s).

#IReadsYou Review: GREY: Chapter 6

GREY. CHAPTER 6
THE GREY ROOM

STORY: Kris Hornett
ART: Ardee Arollado
EDITOR: Lisa Taylor
COVER: Annie Chrome
36pp, B&W, $10.00 U.S. (print), $5.99 U.S. (September 2021)

Age Rating: 15+ Only

Chapter 6: The H Word

Grey is an independent comic book series from writer Kris Hornett and artist Ardee Arollado.  Published by The Grey Room, Grey is a hybrid, a combination of an American comic book format and Japanese manga.  Grey is similar to what was once called “OEL manga” or “original English language” manga.  These were American graphic novels in which the storytelling borrowed or mimicked the aesthetics and sensibilities of Japanese manga (comics).

Grey is set in the realm of Ketiyama (apparently an archipelago) and takes place some time after an event known as “the Sonoma Incident.”  This outbreak of the lethal “Moon Virus” on Nacirema, one of Ketiyama's islands, led to chaos, destruction, and division.  As a sign of good faith and as a last attempt to restore order, the ruling Board of Officials allowed the people to elect a team of highly trained tactical agents, known as “the Bureau,” to serve and protect them.  Within the Bureau is an elite unit known as “Nimbus.”  The members of this team of five agents are sworn to maintain moral balance and to enforce the law.  These agents are also able to manipulate their “prana” (“life energy”).

The agents of Nimbus are Samara Asuhara, Kouken Masimuto, Shuyin Hagamuri, Manu Yagyu, and Kale Schaefer.  Belisia Asuhara, Samara's sister, is their handler and the creator of Nimbus.

Grey Chapter 6 opens as Samara, Kouken, and Shuyin enter “the Sea of Trees” in their search for the kidnapped Asuka Yagyu.  This place is the subject of numerous urban legends, including tales of people committing suicide after the trees force them to relive their biggest regrets.

Once she is separated from Kouken and Shuyin, Samara finds the sea takes a toll on her.  She begins to relive her life before Nimbus.  Samara recalls her time with a friend and with the friend's brother who becomes her lover.  And Samara also realizes why she isn't a “hero,” so how will this affect the current rescue mission?

THE LOWDOWN:  The Grey Room has released the first trade paperback collection of Grey, entitled Grey: Volume 1.  This TPB reprints Grey Chapters 1 to 5, as well as, Chapter 3.5: Astrid and Chapter 4.5: The Right Thing, both “special release chapters.”  I think this collection is the best way to read the series up to that point, as it will reinforce to readers how conceptually well-developed Grey is.

Meanwhile, Grey. Chapter 6 is available to readers.  As I have previously written, when readers start from the beginning, they discover that the world in which Grey is set has a complex history.  Readers get to watch the authors build a world in front of them and also to experience some other elements of the series, such as its engaging mysteries and sense of discovery.

In addition to the complex nature of the narrative, Grey also offers strong characters – lead and supporting – as can be seen in Grey Chapter 6.  While ostensibly about a rescue, Chapter 6 is a deeply intimate portrait of the character, Samara Asuhara.  Writer Kris Hornett does this by examining Samara's actions in the past, which are quite shocking and illuminating.  I give Hornett credit for his willingness to give his characters an edginess, a merger of the light and the dark which creates a … gray area to be explored.

Hornett does not treat his characters as if they were delicate pastries with multiple layers of tastiness.  Grey characters are crunchy with complex flavors and who knows what the aftertaste will be.  Grey is not a world of plush figures.  If the characters had to be toys, they would have sharp edges and come with warning labels on the packaging.

In Grey Chapter 6, Ardee Arollado's art, which becomes more polished with each chapter, captures the surreal nature of the flashback as well as its melodrama of deadly machinations.  His page design, with its large panels and expressive faces, conveys power to the reader, giving Chapter 6 a hypnotic quality.

So, once again I heartily recommend Grey to you, dear readers.  With a first trade paperback and the newly released Grey Chapter 6, this is a good time to come on in.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of manga-inspired comic books and of good science fiction comic books will want to read Grey.

A

8 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


Digital issues of Grey can be found at comiXology: https://www.comixology.com/Grey/comics-publisher/20880-0.  Readers can also purchase all issues of the series and the new first trade collection, Grey: Volume 1 at https://thegreyroom.org/.

https://thegreyroom.org/
https://www.instagram.com/thegreyroom_/
Kris Hornett: https://twitter.com/Hornett_
Lisa Taylor: https://twitter.com/Persuasion513
https://www.instagram.com/kero.beroz/?hl=en


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou Review: CHAOS CAMPUS #37

CHAOS CAMPUS: SORORITY GIRLS VS ZOMBIES #37
APPROBATION COMICS

STORY: B. Alex Thompson – @ApproBAT
ART: Ricardo Mendez
COLORS: Alivon Ortiz
LETTERS: Krugos
POST-SCRIPTING/POLISH: John P. Ward
EDITOR: B. Alex Thompson
COVER: Ricardo Mendez with Alivon Ortiz
28pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. print/$1.99 U.S. digital (2018; digital release date – November 7, 2018)

Rated: Teen 13+ / 15+ Only – comiXology rating

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies created by B. Alex Thompson

“Restitution”

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies is the long-running zombie apocalypse comic book series from Approbation Comics.  Mixing in elements of comedy, horror, adventure, and magic, it is the creation of B. Alex Thompson.  The series is set during a zombie invasion and follows the adventures of three members of the sorority, Epsilon Alpha Zeta Upsilon (EAZY):  ass-kickin’ Jamie Lynn Schaeffer, brainy and magic-wielding Paige Helena Patton, and sexy goddess-type Brittany Ann Miller.

The “Higher Learning” story arc gives way to a new story, “Restitution.”  It is written by Thompson; drawn by Ricardo Mendez; colored by Alivon Ortiz; and lettered by Krugos.

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies #37 ("Restitution") opens in the wake of the battle to stop Paige's father, Parker Patton, who had become the villain, “Tech Locke.”  As the story begins, Paige, Jamie, and Damien are attempting to kill off the remaining horde of Neo-Zombies in order to protect a nearby survivors' colony.  Suddenly, Tess Raven, Paige's sister (of sorts), joins them in battle, but Paige and Damien would rather take her prisoner.

Paige is willing to hear what Tess has to say, but they are suddenly separated from the other two.  Paige and Tess also discover that they are suffering from drained powers.  The cause may be the sudden appearance of some of Paige's friends and allies:  Brittany, Sanee, Darren Wormsor, Roger, Oliver, Mikhail.  However, this Brittany seems strange.  Roger is supposed to be dead!  And Sanee is in full attack mode.  Meet the alternate friends from another world, the “Paige Hunters.”

In order to escape them, Tess will finally have to tell her origin story.  Now, she is going to reveal her true connection to Paige.

THE LOWDOWN:  B. Alex Thompson has recently presented some big story lines in the Chaos Campus narrative, such as “The Road to Salvation” and “Higher Learning.”  It is clear that Thompson is building towards something big as he heads to the end of this series.

Chaos Campus #37 directly ties into the trippy Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies: Extra Credit #10, with its alternate take on the beginnings of Chaos Campus.  There is also a connection to the early issue, Chaos Campus #7.  Here, Thompson offers a wonderful and mind-bending trip through multiple universes, alternate worlds, and mirror images.  I am loathe to spoil it, but Chaos Campus #37 is one of the series' best issues.

Artist Ricardo Mendez delivers sterling storytelling as he depicts a head-spinning number of dimensional jumps.  Mendez seems to be the ideal artist to graphically chronicle Thompson's current Chaos Campus status quo, and he continues to show that he can do the big event stories.

Colorist Alivon Ortiz makes the art crackle in living color, and Krugos' lettering continues the steady beat of this series, pounding out fonts like surround sound.  So where does Thompson go from here?  Let's keeping following, dear readers, because it is worth discovering.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of zombies and of horror-comedies will want to try Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


Buy Chaos Campus at comiXology. 

www.ApprobationComics.com
https://twitter.com/ApproBAT
www.AlexThompsonWriter.com


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint or syndication rights and fees.

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