Review: PRODIGY #1

PRODIGY No. 1
IMAGE COMICS – @ImageComics @TheMagicOrder

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: Mark Millar – @mrmarkmillar
ARTIST: Rafael Albuquerque
COLORS: Marcelo Maiolo
LETTERS: Peter Doherty
EDITOR: Rachel Fulton
COVER: Rafael Albuquerque
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Frank Quitely; Rafael Albuquerque
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (December 2018)

Rated M / Mature

Prodigy is a new comic book miniseries created by Mark Millar and Rafael Albuquerque.  It is the second series (following The Magic Order) produced by Millar since he sold his company, Millarworld, to Netflix.  Prodigy focuses on the world's smartest man, who believes that he is the go-to guy when there is a global crisis to solve.

Prodigy #1 opens in 1993 at the end of the “Inter-School Polo Cup Final.”  Eleven-year-old Edison Crane is the star of the match, much to the ire of some of his teammates who are high school students of actual high school age.  How he deals with those violent, bitter teammates is a hint at what Edison will become – a man who will take on any problem or challenge on the road to becoming the world's smartest man running the world's most successful business.

But Edison Crane is not content because his brilliant mind needs constant challenge, so he becomes the go-to guy for governments around the world when they have a problem or crisis they cannot solve.  When strange cars containing crispy critters start popping up around the world, however, Edison may finally face something that will truly challenge him.

I am a fan of a number of Mark Millar's creator-owned comic book series, with Kick-Ass, Empress, and The Magic Order (also a Netflix title) being among my favorite.  I only read the first issue of the previous Millar-Albuquerque collaboration, Huck, which did not interest me enough to keep reading past the first issue.

Prodigy #1 is a teaser; the series' narrative really won't kick off until the second issue.  Millar uses this first issue to sell Edison Crane, who has a thoroughly unlikable personality, to his readers.  By the end of this issue, you might think Edison is a thoroughly intriguing character, dear readers; I did.  This first issue also has one killer scene, which concerns surgery.

Rafael Albuquerque continues to transform as a comic book artist, in terms of his draftsmanship and in terms of the flair in his illustrative style.  This stylishly-drawn first issue is among his best work, and Marcelo Maiolo's bright coloring makes this one gorgeously drawn comic book.

I am intrigued by this first issue, so I plan to keep reading Prodigy.  Of course, I recommend it to all loyal Mark Millar readers.

7.5 out of 10

http://www.millarworld.tv/
www.imagecomics.com

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


The text is copyright © 2019 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: BLACK LIGHTNING/HONG KONG PHOOEY Special #1

BLACK LIGHTNING/HONG KONG PHOOEY SPECIAL No. 1
DC COMICS – @DCComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Bryan Hill
PENCILS: Denys Cowan
INKS: Bill Sienkiewicz
COLORS: Jeromy Cox
LETTERS: Janice Chiang
EDITOR: Jim Chadwick
COVER: Denys Cowan and Bill Sienkiewicz with Jeromy Cox
VARIANT COVER: Chris Cross with Gabe Eltaeb
48pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (July 2018)

Rated “T” for “Teen”

Black Lightning created by Tony Isabella and Trevor Von Eeden

“Revenge of the God Fist”

Black Lightning is a DC Comics superhero.  Created by writer Tony Isabella and artist Trevor Von Eeden, the character first appeared in the comic book, Black Lightning #1 (cover dated:  April 1977).  Black Lightning is the civilian, Jefferson Pierce, an African-American school teacher who originally obtains electrical or lightning-based power via technology.  [His origin has since been changed.]  Black Lightning was DC Comics third African-American character, and the first one to star in his own comic book series.

“Hong Kong Phooey” was a half-hour, Saturday morning animated television series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions. It was broadcast on ABC from September 7, 1974, to December 21, 1974.  The main character was Hong Kong Phooey, an anthropomorphic dog character who fought crime as a martial-arts hero.  He had a secret identity, a clumsy and mild-mannered janitor named Penrod “Henry” Pooch also known as “Penry.”  Hong Kong Phooey and Penry had a pet/sidekick, a striped cat named “Spot,” who was sly and talented.

DC Comics has been re-imagining Hanna-Barbera characters in ongoing comic book series, miniseries, and one-shots and specials since early 2016.  Black Lightning and a re-imagined Hong Kong Phooey are united in the one-shot comic book, Black Lightning/Hong Kong Phooey Special.  It is written by Bryan Hill; drawn by Denys Cowan (pencils) and Bill Sienkiewicz (inks); colored by Jeromy Cox; and lettered by Janice Chiang.

Black Lightning/Hong Kong Phooey Special #1 (“Revenge of the God Fist”) opens in Metropolis in the year 1976.  Here, we find Black Lightning getting beaten up by the supervillain team-up of Professor Presto, Bronze Tiger, and Cheshire.  [Professor Preston a.k.a. “The Malevolent Magician” was a villain that appeared in the original “Hong Kong Phooey” TV series.]

Later, Black Lightning's civilian alter-ego, Jefferson Pierce, is summoned by an old acquaintance, Penry.  When he returned from Vietnam, Penry, the kung fu master who is an anthropomorphic dog, opened his own inner city detective agency.  Penry tells Jefferson a tale of the darkest kind of “wushu magic.”  Generations ago, a monk bound a demon and forced it to teach him the most powerful wushu technique, “the Way of the God Fist” (or “God Fist” for short).  Although he realized how dangerous the God Fist was, the monk did not want it to die with him.  So he made a scroll with the secrets of the God Fist written on it, and he divided that scroll into three sections.  Penry inherited one third of the scroll.

Presto wants to revive the scroll and already has two sections of it, and now, he makes his move against Penry.  Bronze Tiger and Cheshire even attack Rosemary, a friend of Penry's who teaches kung fu.  [Rosemary was a character and friend of Penry in the original animated series.]  Now, Penry leads Black Lightning and Rosemary in a bid to stop Presto from gaining the God Fist and using it to destroy the world.

I have enjoyed some of DC Comics re-imaginings of classic characters from Hanna-Barber animated TV series from the period of the late 1950s to the 1970s.  I really like this re-imagining of “Hong Kong Phooey” via Black Lightning/Hong Kong Phooey Special #1.  I credit some of the success of this comic book to writer Bryan Edward Hill.  I enjoyed his standalone Miles Morales' Spider-Man Annual #1 (2016).  [In fact, I was shocked how much I liked it.]

It is not so much that Black Lightning/Hong Kong Phooey Special #1 features a great story as it is that the story is inventively conceived and executed.  I would go so far as to say that this comic book presents the groundwork for what could be a cool Black Lightning comic book miniseries or series, written by Bryan Edward Hill, of course.

I am also a big fan of both pencil artist Denys Cowan and inker Bill Seinkiewicz.  Separately, Cowan and Seinkiewicz are great artists; together, they make a cool art team.  I like the gritty style they have concocted for this story, which is the perfect visual mood for this 1970s-era kung fu tale.  Colorist Jeromy Cox brings some needed brightness to this story, and veteran letterer, Janice Chiang, perfectly paces this story with her smallish lettering and balloons that somehow make an impact without being obtrusive and showy.

BACKUP STORY:  The Funky Phantom in “Spectre of the Gun”

STORY: Jeff Parker
ART: Scott Kolins
COLORS: Tony Avina
LETTERS: Janice Chiang
EDITOR: Jim Chadwick

The Funky Phantom was a Saturday morning cartoon that was televised on ABC from September 1971 to September 1972.  Produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, this “Scooby-Doo” knock-off featured three teenagers and their dog who solved mystery with a ghost and his cat.  The ghost was an American patriot named Jonathan Wellington "Mudsy" Muddlemore who died inside a grandfather clock where he was trapped during the American Revolutionary War.

Black Lightning/Hong Kong Phooey Special #1 contains a backup story, “Spectre of the Gun,” a re-imagining of “The Funky Phantom.”  Written by Jeff Parker and drawn by Scott Kolins, this story only uses Jonathan Muddlemore.  The story opens at some kind of gun rights slash Second Amendment rally.  The grandfather clock containing Muddlemore's skeleton is on stage, and Jason Blood (also known as “The Demon”), summons Mudsy's spirit from the skeleton.  So how will this former American rebel, soldier, and patriot react to this new world of modern gun rights?  Hilarity ensues.

There is nothing special about Kolins art or Tony Avina's coloring of it.  Even Janice Chiang's lettering does not stand out.  None of it is bad work; it just is not particularly special.

However, Jeff Parker's story is an excellent bit of satire, and I must commend Parker for the intensity in which he skewers gun rights extremists.  His disdain for people who insist that the United States Constitution grants them the right to posses military-style weapons is also admirable and brave.  Among comic book fandom is a strain of reactionary and right-wing extremism, sexism, and racism that has been vocal enough to scare some comic book creators and to even get a few creators dismissed from assignments (Chuck Wendig, to name one).

I am a fan of Jeff Parker and have immensely enjoyed quite a bit of his work.  “Spectre of the Gun” is the cherry on top of Black Lightning/Hong Kong Phooey Special #1's chocolate, kung fu ice cream sundae.  I wish DC Comics could serve up another sundae of this type.

9 out of 10

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


The text is copyright © 2019 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: MILES MORALES: Spider-Man #1

MILES MORALES: SPIDER-MAN No. 1 (2019)
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Saladin Ahmed
ART: Javier Garrón
COLORS: David Curiel
LETTERS: VC’s Cory Petit
COVER: Brian Stelfreeze
EDITOR: Nick Lowe
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Akira Yoshida
VARIANT COVERS: Marko Djurdjevic (Fantastic Four Villains Variant); Lee Garbett; Adi Granov
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (February 2019)

Rated T

Spider-Man created by Steve Ditko and Stan Lee; Miles Morales created by Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli

Miles Morales is a Marvel Comics character who is one of the characters known as Spider-Man.  Miles Morales first appeared in the comic book Ultimate Fallout #4 (cover dated: August 2011) and existed in a universe different from the universe where the original Spider-Man lived.  Now, the Afro-Latino teenager, whose full name is Miles Gonzalo Morales, lives and works in the main Marvel Comics universe (the MCU) as Spider-Man.

Miles has a new ongoing comic book series, Miles Morales: Spider-Man (a continuation of the comic book title, Spider-Man).  This is a new direction for Miles Morales with a new creative team.  Miles Morales: Spider-Man is written by Saladin Ahmed; drawn by Javier Garrón; colored by David Curiel; and lettered by Cory Petit.

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #1 opens in the wake of the events depicted in the miniseries, Spider-Geddon.  Miles has recently begun a new school term, and is taking a class in which the instructor demands that Miles and his fellow classmates keep a journal.

Miles is struggling to balance school and his personal life with his activities as Spider-Man.  He is trying to maintain a relationship with Barbara, who is his girlfriend, although both seem to be reluctant to say that outright.  For all his struggles, however, Miles sees that there are those who are struggling more than he is, especially in an anti-immigrant political climate, and it is worse than Miles thinks.

Practically every Miles Morales comic book I ever read was written by Brian Michael Bendis, Miles' co-creator.  I am wary of reading Miles comic books not written by Bendis, but I thoroughly enjoyed the story Bryan Edward Hill wrote about Miles for the Spider-Man Annual #1 (2018).

After reading Miles Morales: Spider-Man #1, I am confident in new Miles writer, Saladin Ahmed.  I did not read Ahmed's Black Bolt series, which received quite a bit of acclaim and claimed a win at the 2018 Will Eisner Awards.  I like that Saladin's story and script are true to the personality Bendis fashioned for Miles, and I also like that Saladin is developing Miles personality and character as he continues to grow-up, going from young teen to older teen.  I am also happy that Ahmed is writing a story that tackles real world issues literally and metaphorically.

Artist Javier Garrón is the right choice to create the art and storytelling.  His compositions are strong, and his page and panel design recall the work of Spider-Man co-creator, the late Steve Ditko.  Ditko balanced the world of Peter Parker-Spider-Man by drawing an ordinary seeming everyday life for Parker.  When Parker became Spider-Man, Ditko added imaginative elements and inventive compositions that made the scenes feature Spider-Man seem to pop off the page.

Garrón's art is in a similar vein, and David Curiel's coloring of the art electrifies everything.  When a classic Spider-Man villain (who has a surprising reason for appearing) shows up, this story crackles and sparks with energy.  In fact, the splash page featuring Miles and that surprise villain is an example of how much power Garrón and Curiel's combined art has.

So I am ready for more Miles Morales: Spider-Man.  For now, at least, the post-Brian Michael Bendis Miles Morales has a bright future.

8 out of 10

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


The text is copyright © 2019 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for information on reprint or syndication rights and fees.

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Review: BLACK PANTHER #1

BLACK PANTHER No. 1 (2018) (Legacy #173)
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: Ta-Nehisi Coates
ART: Daniel Acuna
COLORS: Daniel Acuna
LETTERS: VC's Joe Sabino
EDITOR: Wil Moss
COVER: Daniel Acuna (based on the work of Brian Stelfreeze)
VARIANT COVERS: Artgerm; Tom Beland with Jordie Bellaire; Jamal Campbell; Olivier Coipel; Jack Kirby; Michael Kelleher with Paul Mounts; Pepe Larraz with Marte Gracia; In-Hyuk Lee; Yasmine Putri
36pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (July 2018)

Black Panther created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

Rated “T”

“The Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda” Book 1: “Many Thousands Gone”

Black Panther is a Marvel Comics superhero created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.  The character first appeared in Fantastic Four #52 (cover dated: July 1966).  Black Panther was T'Challa, the king and protector of the (fictional) African nation of Wakanda.  Black Panther was also the first Black superhero in mainstream American comic books.

Ta-Nehisi Coates is an African-American writer, journalist, and commentator.  Coastes is also a national correspondent for The Atlantic, where he writes about cultural, political, and social issues, particularly as they regard to Black people in America.  Coates' second book, Between the World and Me (released in July 2015), won the 2015 National Book Award for Nonfiction.  In 2015, he was the recipient of a “Genius Grant” from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

Black Panther and Ta-Nehisi Coates (with artist and designer Brian Stelfreeze) came together two years ago in a relaunch of the Black Panther comic book series.  Now, Coates is taking Black Panther in a new direction again, “The Intergalactic Empire of Wakanda,” and a fresh series start.  Coates writes this new Black Panther with Daniel Acuna as series artist and colorist and Joe Sabino as the letterer.

Black Panther #1 (Legacy #173) opens by recounting the story of how a detachment of Wakandans founded a “small, desolate colony on the outer edges of the cosmos,” two thousands years ago.  Eventually this colony became its own empire, an oppressive empire.  Now, a miner a.k.a. “Nameless,” a slave on the mining planet, “Gorée,” rises to lead a rebellion.  And a legend is reborn.

In previous reviews of Ta-Nehisi Coates Black Panther, I have favorably compared what Coates is doing with the character to what British comic book writer, Alan Moore, did on his legendary tenure on DC Comics' Swamp Thing.  I wrote that Moore created a personality for the title character and built a world of supporting characters, bit players, and an intriguing fictional mythology that allowed him to explore Swamp Thing's character and motivations.  I said that the result of Moore's efforts was once-in-a-generation comic book storytelling.

Coates has taken what Black Panther writers and artists did before him and is doing what Alan Moore did with Swamp Thing – create a fictional comic book world that is wealthy with possibilities and does not really need the main universe.  Coates' Black Panther is also once in a generation comic book storytelling.  Now, Coates is taking Black Panther to somewhere the character has never gone – as far as I know.  In the far reaches of outer space, Coates will prove whether or not he belongs in the upper echelons of comic book creators.  With Black Panther #1 2018, Coates offers intriguing possibilities via interesting characters and provocative concepts.

Daniel Acuna seems to be the perfect collaborator for this new Black Panther.  His art is at once classic comic book space opera in terms of compositions and colors.  However, he makes his space faring tale look different with striking character and costume design.  Acuna is also pushing himself up the latter of recognition as a comic book storyteller.

In an unobtrusive manner, letter Joe Sabino picks his spots to convey the drama and evoke emotions in this story.  In many ways, Sabino is the gatekeeper who lets us into this far-flung world of story.  He is part of creative team that seems destined to take Black Panther to infinity and beyond.

9 out of 10

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


The text is copyright © 2018 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: BLACK: Widows and Orphans #1

BLACK: WIDOWS & ORPHANS No. 1
BLACKMASK STUDIO – @blackmaskstudio @BLACKsuprppowrs

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY/PLOT: Kwanza Osajyefo and Tim Smith 3 – @kwanzer
SCRIPT/DIALOGUE:  Kwanza Osajyefo
PENCILS/INKS: Tim Smith 3 – @TS3
COLORS/SHADES: Derwin Roberson
LETTERS/SFX: Dave Sharpe
EDITOR: Sarah Litt
COVER: Tim Smith 3
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (Diamond-FEB181179 – April 25, 2018)

Rated M/Mature

Black [AF] created by Kwanza Osajyefo and Tim Smith 3

Black – also known as Black [AF] – is a six-issue comic book miniseries created by Kwanza Osajyefo and Tim Smith 3.  It was first introduced to the public as a Kickstarter crowdfunding project seeking to raise $29,999, but ultimately raised almost $100,000.  Black is set in a world where only Black people have super-powers (called “Quarks”), and this world is suddenly and shockingly forced on Kareem Jenkins, who discovers that he is “empowered.”

Now, a second miniseries recently arrived and is entitled Black: Widows and Orphans.  It written by Kwanza Osajyefo and Tim Smith 3; drawn by Smith 3; colored by Derwin Roberson; and lettered by Dave Sharpe.

Black: Widows and Orphans #1 opens as the first empowered U.S. senator is nearly assassinated by a ninja!  However, the empowered of the “Project” are there to stop it, but a revelation of what the assassin is delivers a shocker.  He is connected to the past of one of the Project's empowered, Anansi, who, as a child, was trained as a Ninja.

Anansi is on a mission to return to her former clan, “the Amime” and to learn what has become of what was once her family.  However, the Project's leader, Juncture, insists that Anansi take with her someone who can watch her back.  Now, Hoodrat finds herself following her mentor, Anansi, into the world of the ninja.

The original Black miniseries was published in black and white with toning, but Black: Widows and Orphans is in glorious full-color. Colorist Derwin Roberson delivers such vivid hues that I thought I was having a trippy experience while reading this first issue.  Roberson's color art here really goes a long way in not only making this miniseries distinct form the original, but also in selling the setting of this series as a world beyond the normal – beyond even the world of the Quarks and empowered.

I was so used to the original miniseries' artist, Jamal Igle, that I was initially somewhat put off by Tim Smith 3's quirky, anime-style art.  It was not long before I was seriously loving Smith's compositions and the kinetic feel of his graphical storytelling.  I also like that Smith 3 makes Black: Widows and Orphans distinct from the first series as a graphics package.

As usual, I enjoy the scriptwriting of Kwanza Osajyefo, who always makes his work something different from standard superhero comic book fare.  It is as if he is stubbornly eccentric and offbeat, but that is why I think that will help Black [AF] survive as a strong, superhero comic book of color.  Kwanza's words will make this story the kind of Black sci-fi that can weather the slings and arrows of outrageous comic book shop owners who don't want “blacks, homos, and freaking females” on the pecker-wood of their KKK store shelves.  And Dave Sharpe's sharp lettering assures that we can read every chocolate thunder word.

9 out of 10

[This comic book includes a preview of the comic book, The Wilds, by Vita Ayala and Emily Pearson from Black Mask Studio.]

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


The text is copyright © 2018 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: KILLMONGER #1

KILLMONGER No. 1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Bryan Hill
ART: Juan Ferreyra
COLORS: Juan Ferreyra
LETTERS: VC's Joe Sabino
EDITOR: Wil Moss
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Akira Yoshida
COVER: Juan Ferreyra
VARIANT COVERS: Jason Pearson; Larry Stroman and Mark Morales with Jason Keith
36pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (February 2019)

Black Panther created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby; Killmonger created by Don McGregor and Rich Buckler

Parental Advisory

“By Any Means” Part One of Five

Erik Killmonger is a Marvel Comics supervillian and an enemy of Marvel's Black Panther.  Born N'Jadaka, the son of N'Jobu, Killmonger was created by writer Don McGregor and artist Rich Buckler and first appeared in Jungle Action (Vol. 2) #6 (cover dated:  September 1973).  Killmonger, with an altered origin story, appeared in Marvel Studios film, Black Panther (2018), and was portrayed by actor Michael B. Jordan.

Killmonger is the star of his first comic book series, a five-issue miniseries also entitled Killmonger.  It is written by Bryan Hill; drawn and colored by Juan Ferreyra; and lettered by Joe Sabino.  The series will explore how and why Killmonger dedicated his life to revenge.

Killmonger #1 begins with an overview of the epic battle between Erik Killmonger and Black Panther/T'Challa (presumably the one depicted in the Black Panther film).  The series then moves to the past, on the day that N'Jadaka leaves the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.) and spurns all the many incredible job offers he has received.  Instead, N'Jadaka heads to New York City to kill Ulysses Klaue a.k.a. “Klaw.”  However, his plans go awry, and he meets the NYC crime boss who may change the course of his life... if Killmonger lets that happen!

I am somewhat intrigued by this Killmonger miniseries.  I like Bryan Hill's story, and Juan Ferreyra's illustrations have a painterly quality that plays up Hill's story with its atmosphere of tragedy and tragic destiny.  However, I must say that I feel as if Killmonger is the Black Panther-related title that I don't have to have.

Killmonger is nice, but I am not passionate about it the way I was about Black Panther spin-off titles like Black Panther: World of Wakanda and Black Panther and the Crew.  I can and will recommend Killmonger to Black Panther completists, even if I don't immediately claw my way back to it.

6 out of 10

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


The text is copyright © 2019 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: KICK-ASS #7 (The New Girl)

KICK-ASS No. 7 (2018)
IMAGE COMICS – @ImageComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Steve Niles
ART: Marcelo Frusin
COLORS: Sunny Gho
LETTERS: John Workman
EDITOR: Rachel Fulton
COVER: Marcelo Frusin.
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Jock; Rafael Grampa
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (September 2018)

Rated M/Mature

Kick-Ass and Hit-Girl created by Mark Miller and John Romita, Jr.

This year, writer Mark Millar and creator John Romita, Jr. revived their wildly popular superhero comic book series, Kick-Ass.  The duo transitioned from the story of Dave Lizewski, and Kick-Ass (2018) began the story of the “New Girl” who became Kick-Ass, Staff Sergeant Patience Lee, a combat veteran in the Afghanistan part of the “(Global) War on Terror.”

Both Millar and Romita moved on to other projects after the sixth issue of Kick-Ass.  The seventh issue introduces a new creative team.  It is comprised of writer Steve Niles; artist Marcelo Frusin; colorist Sunny Gho; and letterer John Workman.  At this point in the series, the new girl is still kicking ass, but she is making new and even more dangerous enemies.

Kick-Ass #7 finds Sgt. Patience Lee Kick-Ass moving along quite nicely in her new life.  As Kick-Ass, she has taken over and consolidated several criminal gangs.  She takes down drug operations and divides the spoils among the criminals who have joined her new gang.  Lee does this while keeping only $800 from her Kick-Ass operations for herself, and she still works as a waitress at a diner.  The latest self-styled crime lord that she has targeted is Hector Santos, who mostly seems to stay in hiding.  Santos is also a little more savvy than most of the criminals that Kick-Ass has been kicking around, and our anti-hero may be walking into a trap.

I loved and still love the original Kick-Ass comic books, which were published by Marvel Comics' Icon imprint.  Kick-Ass is my favorite work of artist John Romita, Jr., and it is my favorite work of Mark Millar, although his new comic book, The Magic Order, could overtake it.  I was not excited to hear that a new creative team would take over the series with the seventh issue of Kick-Ass (2018).

However, Kick-Ass #7 turns out to be a thoroughly enjoyable comic book.  Writer Steve Niles and artist Marcelo Frusin do not miss a beat in keeping the series consistent with the momentum Millar and Romita, Jr. built over the previous six issues.  The transition from originals to the new creative team for the “New Girl's” story is for all intents and purposes seamless.

In his story and script, Niles slowly builds the tension before exploding the story with a surprising change of plot.  No one can duplicate John Romita Jr.'s unique visual and graphical style, but Frusin makes Kick-Ass his own graphical storytelling feat.  This is still Kick-Ass (2018), but now, this gritty crime story is a gritty crime comic book.  Instead of Romita's explosive pop comics illustrations, Frusin gives us art that recalls recent popular crime comic books like 100 Bullets and Criminal.

Colorist Sunny Gho, who always seems to be offering something new with his comic book coloring, heightens Frusin's sense of tense drama and explosive action with subdued colors.  As always, John Workman proves that he is a master letterer with indispensable fonts and word balloons that are as beautiful as the art and are perfectly placed.

So I need not worry.  Steve Niles and Marcelo Frusin will make sure that Kick-Ass keeps kicking readers' imagination.  I am ready for the next issue.

8.5 out of 10

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


The text is copyright © 2018 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: BLACK PANTHER: The Sound and the Fury #1

BLACK PANTHER: THE SOUND AND THE FURY No. 1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Ralph Macchio
ART: Andrea Di Vito
COLORS: Laura Villari
LETTERS: VC's Travis Lanham
COVER: Andrea Di Vito with Laura Villari
VARIANT COVERS: Ron Lim with Rachelle Rosenberg
44pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (April 2018)

Rated “T+”

Black Panther created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

Black Panther is a Marvel Comics superhero.  He was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and first appeared in Fantastic Four #52 (cover dated: July 1966).  Black Panther is T'Challa, the king and protector of the (fictional) African nation of Wakanda.  Black Panther was also the first Black superhero in mainstream American comic books.

Black Panther: The Sound and the Fury #1 is a one-shot Black Panther comic book that is kind of a tie-in to the recent Marvel Studios record-setting film, Black Panther.  One of the film's villains is the mercenary Ulysses Klaue, known as “Klaw” in Marvel Comics.  Both Klaue and Klaw covet vibranium, the powerful metal that is only found in Wakanda.

Black Panther: The Sound and the Fury #1 features a new one-off story featuring Klaw.  It is written by longtime Marvel Comics editor, Ralph Macchio; drawn by Andrea Di Vito; colored by Laura Villari; and lettered by Travis Lanham.  This comic book also includes a reprint of the story “The Way It Began..!” from Fantastic Four #53 (with a reprint of the cover included), which told the origin of the enmity between the Black Panther and Klaw.

Black Panther: The Sound and the Fury #1 finds T'Cahlla the Black Panther holding court in the Wakandan embassy in the city of Dubai.  Suddenly, a shockingly strong earthquake strikes the city, immediately followed by a video broadcast from Ulysses Klaw.  He reveals that he has caused the earthquake, and he promises to destroy the city unless he is paid a five billion dollar ransom.  Of course, Black Panther plans to stop his arch-nemesis, but he does not realize that Klaw has brought help for this fight.

If not for the modern coloring and production touches, Black Panther: The Sound and the Fury #1 would seem indistinguishable from a Black Panther comic book published in the 1970s or 1980s.  It is a straight-forward comic book story that is not great or even particularly memorable.  “The Sound and the Fury” does not have the Afro-Futurist sensibilities of the last 20 years worth of Black Panther comic books.  However, Macchio has fashioned a comic book that is timeless in a way that makes it appropriate and enjoyable for anyone that is capable of reading a comic book.

The illustrations and graphical storytelling by Andrea Di Vito are solid, but Laura Villari's coloring is a bit overbearing.  Travis Lanham's lettering is also solid, if not spectacular.

“The Way It Began..!” (from Fantastic Four #53)
STORYTELLERS: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
STORY: Stan Lee
PENCILS: Jack Kirby
INKS: Joe Sinnott
LETTERS: Art Simek
EDITOR: Stan Lee

The real treat in this comic book is the reprint of the story from Fantastic Four #53.  The story is scripted by Stan Lee; drawn by Jack Kirby (pencils) and Joe Sinnott (inks); and lettered by Artie Simek.  Stan Lee offers his usual snappy banter and far-out storytelling.  Jack Kirby turns in a splendid vista of dynamic compositions and weird, wild, and wonderful characters.  There is nothing like a Kirby monster and this story offers three muscular monster-animals that the pages of this comic book can barely contain.  Inker Joe Sinnott gives Kirby's epic storytelling and brawny compositions an elastic quality.

Artie Simek may be the greatest letterer of all time, and I am continually amazed by his ability to find a place for all of Lee's exposition and dialogue and still add to the power of the graphical presentation.  Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's Fantastic Four is one of the best superhero comic books of all time, if not the best, and Sinnott and Simek contributed a lot to that.

“The Way It Began..!” is simply an imaginative and inventive tale of juvenile adventure, weird science-fantasy, and classic Marvel Comics superhero storytelling.  Reprinting it is a reminder that Black Panther, the star of a mega-hit film, was born in the lowly pages of a comic book, the creation of two of America's greatest storytellers.  I will give Black Panther: The Sound and the Fury #1 a high grade because it includes this classic Lee-Kirby comic book.

8 out of 10

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


The text is copyright © 2018 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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

Review: RISE OF THE BLACK PANTHER #1

RISE OF THE BLACK PANTHER No. 1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Evan Narcisse with Ta-Nehisi Coates (consultant)
ART: Paul Renaud
COLORS: Stephane Paitreau
LETTERS: VC's Joe Sabino
COVER: Brian Stelfreeze
VARIANT COVERS: Paul Renaud; Chris Sprouse and Karl Story with Laura Martin; Tyler Kirkham with Arif Prianto
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (March 2018)

Black Panther created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

Rated “T”

“The King at the End of Everything”

Black Panther is a Marvel Comics superhero created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby.  He first appeared in Fantastic Four #52 (cover dated: July 1966).  Black Panther is T'Challa, the king and protector of the (fictional) African nation of Wakanda.  Black Panther was also the first Black superhero is mainstream American comic books.

As we approach the release date of the highly-anticipated theatrical Black Panther film from Disney/Marvel Studios, we will see more Black Panther-related comic books from Marvel Comics.  One of them is the new miniseries,  Rise of the Black Panther.  It is written by Evan Narcisse with Ta-Nehisi Coates, the writer of the ongoing Black Panther comic book, acting as consultant.  Paul Renaud is the artist.  Stēphane Paitreau is the colorist, and Joe Sabino is the letterer.

Rise of the Black Panther #1 (“The King at the End of Everything”) is narrated first by Queen N'Yami, the wife of King T'Chaka and the mother of T'Challa, and then by Queen Ramonda, the second wife of T'Chaka and second mother to T'Challa.  The story opens with during World War II where a famous American hero strikes a bargain and friendship with Azzuri, the Panther King of Wakanda and the father of T'Chaka and grandfather of T'Challa.

Azzuri is determined to keep the existence and the whereabouts of his kingdom, Wakanda, a secret.  Because of its wealth, technology, and especially because of its greatest natural resource, outsiders and outside entities with continue to search for the legendary kingdom – including some of the most evil people on Earth.

One of the things that Rise of the Black Panther has going for it is that Brian Stelfreeze is the series cover artist.  Stelfreeze was the opening series artist on Ta-Nehisi Coates' Black Panther series and is responsible for most of that series' conceptual and graphic design.  Stelfreeze provides a striking painted cover for the Rise of the Black Panther #1, and, far as I can tell, also for the second issue.

Evan Narcisse gathers many of the elements from previous Black Panther comic books and brings them together to form a gripping, suspenseful, and thrilling tale of the history of the Black Panther.  It starts during WWII, the dawn of the American superhero, and also the point in time when Wakanda begins its inevitable track to joining the world.  Narcisse gives the story the feel of a “lost world” story that is part Arthur Conan Doyle and part Golden Age comic book.  If the rest of this series is like the first issue, it will be a thoroughly readable and enjoyable.

The series artist is rising star Paul Renaud, whose art was excellent in the shockingly good Generations: Sam Wilson Captain America & Steve Rogers Captain America #1.  Renaud's storytelling is quite good here, but his stylish art is a revelation.  Renaud and colorist Stēphane Paitreau create a rich tapestry of graphical storytelling that recalls narrative paintings.  Rich in detail, backgrounds, sets, and environment, Renaud's art is fitting for a tale of kings and kings' sons.  Joe Sabino's lettering strikes the perfect tone and and enhances the story.

I was not sure of what I should expect of Rise of the Black Panther #1, but after reading this excellent first issue, I expect a lot of the rest of it.

8.5 out of 10

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


The text is copyright © 2018 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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

Review: KICK-ASS #1

KICK-ASS No. 1 (2018)
IMAGE COMICS – @ImageComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Mark Millar
PENCILS: John Romita, Jr.
INKS: Peter Steigerwald with Megan Madrigal
COLORS: Peter Steigerwald
LETTERS: John Workman
COVER: John Romita, Jr.
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Olivier Coipel with Sunny Gho; Frank Quitely
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (February 2018)

Rated M/Mature

Kick-Ass created by Mark Miller and John Romita, Jr.

Kick-Ass is a comic book series created by writer Mark Millar and artist John Romita Jr.  It began as an eight-issue miniseries published by Marvel Comics under the company's Icon imprint, starting in February 2008 and concluding in February 2010.

Kick-Ass is the story of Dave Lizewski, a teenager who sets out to become a real life superhero.  Dave's actions are publicized on the Internet and inspire other people to put on costumes and play hero.  Dave gets caught up in the activities of two costumed, ruthless vigilantes, an exceptionally talented fighter/killer, Hit-Girl, and her father, Big Daddy.  Father and daughter are on a mission to take down the gangster. John Genovese.

Kick-Ass became a comic book franchise with three follow-up miniseries, the seven-issue Kick-Ass 2 (October 2010 – March 2012),  the five-issue Hit Girl (June 2012 – February 2013), and the eight-issue Kick-Ass 3 (July 2013 to October 2014).  The Kick-Ass comic books yielded two movies, Kick-Ass (2010) and Kick-Ass 2 (2013).

Last year, Mark Millar announced that the Kick-Ass and Hit-Girl comic books were going to be revived in a new series of miniseries slash ongoing series.  The first new six-issue miniseries, entitled Kick-Ass, is written by Mark Millar; drawn by John Romita, Jr. (pencils) and Peter Steigerwald (digital inks); colored by Steigerwald; and lettered by John Workman.

Kick-Ass #1 introduces Staff Sergeant Patience Lee, a combat veteran in the Afghanistan part of the “(Global) War on Terror.”  When she returns to civilian life in Albuquerque, New Mexico, as a wife and mother, Patience discovers that her husband has left her and the children.  Short on money and have to put her dreams on hold, SSG Lee decides that it is time to get paid.  So she puts on a familiar costume...

Because the original Kick-Ass miniseries kept selling out, I originally read the story in its first hardcover collection.  I loved it.  Kick-Ass is so gloriously deranged, and it seems like the ultimate encapsulation of writer Mark Millar's oeuvre, at least to that point in time.

Kick-Ass 2018 is quieter.  It also seems like more of a study of the post-Barack Obama America, with its resentful white middle class, its seething white working class, and its newly invigorated white supremacy slash white nationalist culture.  It is an America in which the balance between the haves and have-nots is completely out of whack because the haves not only want more, they also want it all.  They want it all and will have it all by any means necessary – legal, illegal, or otherwise.  In this America, even black people are turning into the very people and turning to the very systems they have traditionally lambasted – most of which revolves around violence.

John Romita, Jr.'s illustrations, compositions, and graphical storytelling are as powerful as it ever is when put to use for an intense story.  Let's be honest; drawing “real” superhero comic books are mostly a waste of JRJr's time, but Kick-Ass brings out the power, heft, and meatiness of his storytelling.  Here, Romita's art is served by a really good colorist, Peter Steigerwald, and John Workman is one of the few comic book lettering heavyweights capable of placing his fonts inside the Romita, Jr. graphics package.

So Kick-Ass is back, as strong as ever.

8.5 out of 10

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


The text is copyright © 2018 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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

Review: LEGEND OF THE MANTAMAJI: Book One

LEGEND OF THE MANTAMAJI: BOOK ONE
“AND... ACTION” ENTERTAINMENT

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Eric Dean Seaton
ART: Brandon Palas
COLORS: Andrew Dalhouse
LETTERS: Deron Bennett
ISBN: 978-1-930315-34-1; paperback (October 4, 2014)
216pp, Color, $14.99 U.S., $16.99 CAN

The Legend of the Mantamaji is a three-volume graphic novel series created by Eric Dean Seaton.  Seaton has directed numerous episodes of television series for Disney Channel (including “That's So Raven” and “Jessie”) and Nickelodeon (including “The Thundermans” and “True Jackson, VP”).

The three volumes of The Legend of the Mantamaji were published in October 2014 (Book One), December 2014 (Book Two), and February 2015 (Book Three).  The Legend of the Mantamaji focuses on a young man who learns that he is the last of a race of mystical knights, called the Mantamaji, that once protected the world.  The Legend of the Mantamaji is written by Seaton; drawn by Brandon Palas; colored by Andrew Dalhouse; and lettered by Deron Bennett.  I purchased a copy of the first book a few years ago, and having recently found it, I decided to read and review it.

The Legend of the Mantamaji Book One introduces Elijah Alexander.  He is New York City's hottest and cockiest assistant district attorney (A.D.A.).  He has big plans to leave the district attorney's office for the world of big business.  What he does not know is that he is “The Last Mantamanji?”

The Mantamaji were mystical knights who once protected humanity, but they were made practically extinct by an ageless enemy.  Now, that ancient evil has returned, and Elijah's destiny bluntly confronts him.  His mother, Mariah, hides an astonishing secret.  Her friend, Noah, wants to train Elijah.  His girlfriend, Detective Sydney Spencer, is involved in an investigation that may be tied to Elijah destiny.  And even if Elijah accepts his destiny, will it be as a hero or as someone out for himself?

Writer Eric Dean Seaton and artist Brandon Palas may not be seasoned veterans at creating comic books.  Seaton works in cable network television.  Palas shows a lack of polish in figure drawing and composition.  Still, their storytelling is clean and clear.  Thematically, Seaton and Palas focus on the struggle between selflessness and selfishness, and the fate of mankind rests on which side Elijah Alexander chooses and how long it takes him to choose.  Besides, colorist Andrew Dalhouse and letterer Deron Bennett add that veteran's touch that gives The Legend of the Mantamaji Book One some polish and professional sheen.  This is not an off-the-wall comic book; it is a snazzy graphic novel package worthy of being of the shelves with big comic book corporations' publications.

I consider The Legend of the Mantamaji Book One to be an easy graphic novel to recommend because it is so fun to read.  Its internal mythology is edgy, with complications that seem to cause real hardships for the heroes.  The obstacles in front of the heroes are interesting, and the villain is shameless in his self-aggrandizing and in his singular vision that his violence will lead to a better world.

I also think that it is a good idea to publish The Legend of the Mantamaji as a series of graphic novels, which allows the narrative to stretch out and feel its way around the plot lines, characters, settings, and back story.  If this had been published as a miniseries, I think the story would have struggled to make sense.  It has been about three-and-half years since The Legend of the Mantamaji Book One debuted, but time has nothing to do with the fact that this is a good comic book.  It is not a great work, but the writer and the illustrator are striving to keep getting better as the story gets more exciting.

7 out of 10

LegendoftheMantamaji.com
AndActionEntertainment.com
twitter.com/ericdeanseaton
instagram.com/ericdeanseaton
facebook.com/legendofthemantamaji
ericdeanseaton.tumblr.com

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


The text is copyright © 2018 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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

Review: LUKE CAGE #1

LUKE CAGE No. 1 (2017)
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: David Walker
ARTIST: Nelson Blake II
COLORS: Marcio Menyz
LETTERS: VC's Joe Sabino
COVER: Rahzzah
VARIANT COVERS: Mike Deodato, Jr. with Frank Martin; Andre Leroy Davis; Tim Bradstreet; Neal Adams with Dave McCaig
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (July 2017)

Rated T+

Luck Cage created by Archie Goodwin and John Romita, Sr.

Luke Cage, also known as “Power Man,” is a Marvel Comics superhero.  Cage was created by writer Archie Goodwin and artist John Romita, Sr., and first appeared in Luke Cage, Hero for Hire #1 (cover dated: June 1972).  Cage was imprisoned for a crime he did not commit, but he eventually gained superpowers in the form of durability, unbreakable skin, and superhuman strength.

As Power Man, Cage has been most associated with another superhero, his partner, Iron Fist (Daniel “Danny” Rand), and the duo was featured in the long-running Power Man & Iron Fist comic book series in the 1980s (with a new version being launched last year).  Cage is now also featured in a new solo comic book, Luke Cage.  It is written by David Walker; drawn by Nelson Blake II; colored by Marcio Menyz; and lettered by Joe Sabino.

Luke Cage #1 opens with our titular hero rescuing a very stupid young woman from a really gullible criminal.  Then, Luke gets some awful news.  Dr. Noah Burnstein, the man responsible for giving Luke his powers, has committed suicide, so he travels to New Orleans for Burnstein's funeral.  There, he meets Burnstein's colleague, the sexy Dr. Lenore Mornay, who tells Luke that there is more to Burnstein's death and to his scientific experiments than he may realize.

After the fun of Genndy Tartakovsky's recent four-issue miniseries, Cage!, the darker Luke Cage is a nice follow-up.  The mood is sinister in this comic book, and the threats of adversaries seem to surround the narrative.  Once again, David Walker shows his chops when it comes to writing dark, moody, but intense comic books featuring African-American characters.

Artist Nelson Blake II and colorist Marcio Menyz produced art that is too clean and brightly colored for what promises to be an edgy series.  This is not low quality storytelling by any means, but it does not work for David Walker's storytelling.  We'll see what the second issue looks like.

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


The text is copyright © 2017 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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

Review: STRANGE FRUIT #4

STRANGE FRUIT No. 4 (OF 4)
BOOM! Studios – @boomstudios

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITERS: J.G. Jones and Mark Waid
ARTIST: J.G. Jones
LETTERS: Deron Bennett
COVER: J.G. Jones
24pp, Colors, $3.99 U.S. (November 2016)

Suggested for mature readers

Published by BOOM! Studios, Strange Fruit was a four-issue comic book miniseries released in 2015 and 2016.  It was the creation of two acclaimed comic book creators.  The first is J.G. Jones, the co-creator of Wanted (with Mark Millar) and the cover artist for the Vertigo comic book series, Y: The Last Man.  The second is Mark Waid, a long-time comic book writer and editor.  Waid is known for the creation of the DC Comics miniseries, Kingdom Come (with artist Alex Ross) and for writing two acclaimed runs on Marvel Comics' Daredevil.

In a publicity release, BOOM! Studios described Strange Fruit as “a deeply personal passion project.”  The release also said that the comic book was a “provocative examination of the heroic myth confronting the themes of racism, cultural legacy, and human nature through a literary lens, drawing from Southern folklore and tradition.”

Strange Fruit is set in and around Chatterlee, Mississippi in April 1927.  At this time, the “Great Mississippi Flood of 1927” would occur.   As the story begins, the Mississippi River is rising, threatening to break open the levees and destroy Chatterlee, as it has already done to other “God-fearing” towns.  The race to shore up the levees is also threatening to break open the racial and social divisions of Chatterlee and the surrounding area.  Into this roiling situation, a mysterious Black man falls from the sky.

As Strange Fruit #4 opens, some of the local White people have come to see the mysterious Black man as useful, although the local Black community has already greeted his arrival as a sign of divine intervention.  Nicknamed “Johnson,” by Sonny, the young “agitator,” the stranger begins to really show his super powers, and attempts to use a strange device to save the town and the people from the flood.  However, there are still some racist White people who want to kill Johnson and other Black people even as the rising water threatens their very own lives.

In my review of Strange Fruit #3, I mentioned one of my all-time favorite novels, Stephen King's masterpiece, 'Salem's Lot (1975).  One of the elements of the plot that I thoroughly enjoyed was how the people of Jerusalem's Lot (or 'Salem's Lot, for short) blithely carried on their petty conflicts while darkness slowly enveloped their town.  That is Strange Fruit #3 and #4 in a nutshell.  Even the behemoth threat that is the flooding Mississippi River cannot completely draw people away from their mistrust and racial strife.

This is truth in J.G. Jones and Mark Waid's storytelling.  They convey the brutal strength and ugly power of hate with honesty; even with salvation or death by drowning practically shoved in their faces, some of the White people still have to hate and oppress Black folks.  I have said this before and it bears repeating:  Strange Fruit is not a screed against racism; rather it is an amazingly human tale that is genuine in its portrayal of the nature of man.

J. G. Jones produced some of the most beautiful comic book art for Strange Fruit that I have ever seen.  His depiction of the human face and its myriad expressiveness is a sight to behold.  The grace of the human in clothing and costume shines through even when the characters are being less than graceful.

Strange Fruit was one of 2015's best comic books and is one of the best of 2016.  It never received any Eisner Award (for excellence in comic books) nominations.  Wow!

A+

www.boom-studios.com
#comicsforward

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


The text is copyright © 2017 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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

Review: BLACK [AF]: America's Sweetheart

BLACK [AF]: AMERICA'S SWEETHEART
BLACKMASK STUDIO – @blackmaskstudio @BLACKsuprppowrs

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Kwanza Osajyefo – @kwanzer
DESIGNER: Tim Smith 3
ART: Jennifer Johnson
LETTERS: Dave Sharpe
COVER: Sho Murase
ISBN: 978-1-62875-191-8; paperback (Tuesday, February 13, 2018)
Diamond Distributors code: SEP171271 (in comic book shops Wednesday, January 31, 2018)
80pp, Color, $9.99 U.S.

T/Teen

Black [AF]: America's Sweetheart is a 2018, full-color, original graphic novel.  It is set in the world of Black (now known as Black [AF]), the 2016-2017 six-issue miniseries created by writer Kwanza Osajyefo and artist-designer Tim Smith 3.  In the world of Black, only Black people have super-powers.  Black [AF]: America's Sweetheart is written by Osajyefo; drawn and colored by Jennifer Johnson; and lettered by Dave Sharpe.

Black [AF]: America's Sweetheart introduces Eli Franklin, a 15-year-old African-American girl adopted into a white family that lives on a ranch in Helena, Montana.  When she is a small child, Eli discovers that she has abilities that other people, including other children, do not have.  After he discovers Eli's powers, her father, a high-ranking government and White House official, tries to keep Eli's power secret.

However, once Eli becomes a public figure, her father manages Eli as a superhero, named “Good Girl,” who does good things to help people.  Good Girl is effectively a public relations stunt to tamper the fear of white people.  White people are angry because only black people have super-powers, and, in their fear, believe that all black people have or will have powers.  Eli is happy to do her part to make people less fearful, but someone with a connection to Eli's mysterious past is determined to put an end to Eli's mission.  The story also features a guest appearance by “X” of the original Black miniseries.

In a world that fears and hates them, what if only black people had super-powers?  That is a bold and crazy premise; that is a bold and crazy and ballsy premise from a group of African-America comic book creators, especially when one considers that much of the American comic book marketplace caters to older white males.  The six-issue Black miniseries was refreshingly confrontational, and it was unapologetic in its political and social themes and commentary that came from an African-America and Black American perspective.

Black [AF]: America's Sweetheart is less confrontational, but absolutely does not shy away from the original comic's politics.  It is just a bit clever about the way those politics are presented.  It is beautifully drawn and colored in a clean style that is similar to the graphics used in kids' graphic novels.  However, the fear-of-a-black-planet theme resonates throughout this original graphic novel (OGN).  White people in America are still afraid of super-powered black people, but the focus of Black [AF]: America's Sweetheart is Eli Franklin's quest to find her place in a society that fears her.  The story is not as much about a search for identity, which is what her adversary wants – to make Eli understand who and what she really is or who and what she was meant to be.

Eli's quest is played out in a massive, battle of super-powers that takes up about half this OGN's story, but that battle allows Osajyefo space to play out messages and themes involving the oppression of African-Americans and Black people, in general, by a society that wants to simultaneously enslave them and to exploit their powers and abilities.  What he means is white people making black people chattel slaves again – using black slave labor for the white oppressor's gain.

So, on the surface, Black [AF]: America's Sweetheart is about a teenage Black superhero, the first black person to put on a costume and use her powers as if she were a comic book superhero.  It is a superhero graphic novel for teenagers.  Just beneath the surface, however, Black [AF]: America's Sweetheart returns to the themes and motifs of the Black miniseries.  It is like hiding medicine inside candy in order the trick the kid into taking the medicine he or she needs.  Bravo, Mr. Osajyefo and Ms. Johnson.  We are ready for a second spoonful of medicine.

9 out of 10

blacksuperpowers.com

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


The text is copyright © 2018 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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

Review: BLACK #6

BLACK No. 6
BLACKMASK STUDIO

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Kwanza Osajyefo
DESIGNER: Tim Smith 3
ART: Jamal Igle
INKS: Robin Riggs
TONES: Derwin Roberson
LETTERS: Dave Sharpe
COVER: Khary Randolph
44pp, B&W and some Color, $3.99 U.S. (July 2017)

“Chapter Six”

Black was a comic book miniseries created by Kwanza Osajyefo and Tim Smith 3.  This comic book was first introduced to the public as a Kickstarter project seeking to earn $29,999, but ultimately earned almost $100,000.  Black is set in a world where only Black people have super-powers.

Black was written by Osajyefo; drawn by Jamal Igle (pencils) and Robin Riggs (inks); toned by Derwin Roberson and Sarah Stern; and lettered by Dave Sharpe.  Khary Randolph was the series cover artist.

Black opened with Officer Ellen Waters of the New York Police Department (NYPD) recounting a shocking incident.  She witnessed three young Black teenagers mistakenly identified as three perpetrators of an armed robbery.  All three were subsequently shot to death in a hail of bullets fired by White police officers.  Officer Waters also witnessed one of the three teens, Kareem Jenkins, get up from his injuries as if he were never harmed.  What Waters did not realize was that the truth behind Jenkins miraculous survival was even more mind-blowing.  He had super-powers – called Quarks.

Black #6 opens at “Negromuerte,” the research facility that is also a prison.  Here, Black people with super-powers are imprisoned so that they can be the subjects of experimentation designed to replicate their powers.  Recently imprisoned there, Kareem has discovered that his cellmate is the Black super-powered terrorist, “O,” who is determined to kill Negromeurte's director and lead scientist, Theodore Mann.  Now, it is Mann vs. “O,” with Kareem caught in the middle.

As I wrote in my review of Black #1, I remember the Kickstarter campaign for Black, and I was impressed by what the team behind it presented to the public.  I stated that I was shocked by how successful the campaign was, as it reached its campaign goal in a short time before going on to raise about three times that goal.

That Kickstarter campaign assured the Black would indeed become a full-fledged comic book project.  Since Black #6 was published last year, the series has been optioned for film and a sequel miniseries and an original graphic novel set in that world were announced (with the graphic novel recently being published and reportedly being sold out).

Black #1 was awkward and a bit ungainly, but it was hard to deny the boldness and audacity of its concept.  Black #6 is, of course, more polished.  Jamal Igle's compositions are solid and his graphic storytelling pops off the page.  Robin Riggs' inks on Igle pencil's give the art a solidity and firmness the art seemed to lack in that first issue.  The tones (basically coloring for black and white illustrations) by Derwin Roberson are superb and bring beauty and strength to Igle and Riggs illustrations.  Yes, Dave Sharpe's lettering is... sharp and conveys power to the story.

I think that the thing I most enjoy about Kwanza Osajyefo's storytelling is simply that it exists.  It takes backbone and balls of steel to both create a comic book that says only black people have super-powers, and then to release it to a market that serves an aging white male fan-base.  And this is a base that often bristles when presented with black comic book characters that do not “know their place” in fictional comic book worlds like the Marvel and DC Comics universes.

I like that Osajyefo brings diversity and variety to the way his characters speak.  I like that Osajyefo ultimately lets Kareem Jenkins be a really free black man.  I like that there will be more from the world of Black.  It is too Black and too proud to be a one-time thing.

9 out of 10

[This comic book includes a preview of the comic book, Calexit, from Black Mask Studio.]

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


The text is copyright © 2018 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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

Review: CAGE! #4

CAGE! No. 4
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: Genndy Tartakovsky
PENCILS: Genndy Tartakovsky
INKS: Stephen DeStefano
COLORS: Scott Wills
LETTERS: VC's Clayton Cowles
COVER: Genndy Tartakovsky and Stephen DeStefano with Scott Wills
VARIANT COVER: Art Adams with Paul Mounts
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (March 2017)

Rated T+

Luck Cage created by Archie Goodwin and John Romita, Sr.

Luke Cage is a Marvel Comics superhero.  Also known as, “Power Man,” Cage was created by writer Archie Goodwin and artist John Romita, Sr., and first appeared in Luke Cage, Hero for Hire #1 (cover dated: June 1972).  Cage was imprisoned for a crime he did not commit, but he eventually gained superpowers in the form of durability, unbreakable skin, and superhuman strength.

As Power Man, Cage has been most associated with another superhero, his partner, Iron Fist (Daniel “Danny” Rand).  However, Cage has also been a solo act (as has Iron Fist).  As part Marvel Comics' latest publishing event/initiative, NOW!, we have the new four-issue comic book miniseries, Cage!  It is written by Genndy Tartakovsky; drawn by Tartakovsky (pencils) and Stephen DeStefano (inks); colored by Scott Wills; and lettered by Clayton Cowles.

Tartakovsky is the creator of the Cartoon Network animated classics, “Dexter's Laboratory” (also “Dexter's Lab”) and “Samurai Jack,” and the animated film franchise, Hotel Transylvania (Sony Pictures Animation).  Tartakovsky, who has occasionally produced comic books, returns to the medium with his distinctive take on Luke Cage-Power Man, giving this new comic book a 1970s pop culture and blaxploitation vibe.

Cage! opens in New York City, 1977.  Cage heads to Chinatown for a rendezvous with his lady, Misty Knight.  When she doesn't show, Cage starts looking for answers and discovers that heroes from all over NYC are disappearing.  After he is kidnapped, Cage meets the villain behind the kidnappings, Professor Soos.  Soos has concocted some crazy Island of Dr. Moreau plan to have the kidnapped heroes fight the abominable animal hybrids he has created.

Cage! #4 opens on a mysterious island of an unknown locale.  Deep beneath its beautiful and thick jungle is the lair of Prof. Soos.  Cage, forced to fight, is successful against Soos' man-animal monsters.  The other kidnapped heroes, like Dazzler and Brother Voodoo, are not.  Cage's victories, however, do not earn him freedom or even a cash prize!  His success only means that he now has to fight the ultimate opponent, one who is a shockingly skilled martial artist.

If Marvel Comics' continuity is important to you, dear reader, don't take Cage! seriously in terms of Marvel continuity.  It is a special, event miniseries, but Genny Tartakovsky has created a comic book that is a love letter to and good-natured spoof of Marvel Comics titles published during the mid to late 1970s.  You can tell by which superheroes make appearances and which costumes they wear.

I love Cage!, and I wish that it were an ongoing series.  I know, however, that what makes it special is that it is a short-term event.  Cage! recalls classic Luke Cage-Power Man and also the spirit of one the recurring characters on “Dexter's Laboratory,” “Action Hank.”  Hank is the stereotypical blaxploitation character as a heroic crime fighter and a television action hero.  Hank has characteristics that borrow from popular 1970s and 80s action heroes like Shaft and Rambo and iconic actors like Chuck Norris and Mr. T.  Genndy's Luke Cage reminds me of Action Hank, and that is a good thing.

In the end, Cage! is the kind of comic book that I would have loved to have read as a child.  It gives me that feeling of joy and wonder that keeps me reading through the comic books that can't quite give me that feeling of joy and wonder.

A

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


The text is copyright © 2017 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: NIGHTHAWK #6

NIGHTHAWK No. 6 (2016)
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: David F. Walker
ARTIST: Ramon Villalobos
COLORS: Tamra Bonvillain
LETTERS: VC's Joe Caramagna
COVER: Denys Cowan and Bill Sienkiewicz with Chris Sotomayor
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (December 2016)

Parental Advisory

Nighthawk is a Marvel Comics character.  While there have been several versions of the character, the first Nighthawk was Kyle Richmond, initially a supervillain and also a member of the Squadron Supreme.  Richmond, as the original Nighthawk, debuted in The Avengers #69 (cover dated:  October 1969) with two other members of the Squadron Supreme.

Marvel's 2015-debuting event/publishing initiative, “All-New, All-Different Marvel,” offered a new ongoing Nighthawk comic book.  This series focused on an African-American version of Kyle Richmond from Earth-31916, who also uses the identity of Raymond Kane.  Nighthawk was written by David F. Walker; drawn by Ramon Villalobos (except for issue #5); colored by Tamra Bonvillian; and lettered by Joe Caramagna.

The sales numbers on this Nighthawk series were apparently weak, and it was canceled after six issues, with the last issue being published about two months ago.  Nighthawk is set in Chicago, Illinois which is both roiled by racial strife and rotten with political corruption.  The city's streets, neighborhoods, and districts are Nighthawk's stomping grounds.  The first issue finds him stomping on the “True Patriots,” a White supremacist gang that deals in guns and meth production.  Nighthawk uses his physical and mental skills to destroy them, while his partner, Tilda Johnson, as usual, helps with the robotics and technology Nighthawk uses.

The series found Nighthawk trying to capture a serial killer called “The Revelator,” who is killing White people associated with the oppression of Black people in Chicago.  Nighthawk is also trying to discover the identity of the person who is using the True Patriots to flood Chicago with high-powered fire arms.  That would be powerful real estate mogul, Dan Hanrahan, who in turn uses Tom Dixon, a corrupt cop, as his go-between with the True Patriots.  However, Sherman Burrell, a good White cop, is trailing Dixon because he suspects that he is corrupt.

Nighthawk #6 finds Burrell fighting for his life after his final confrontation with Dixon.  Meanwhile, Nighthawk races to his final confrontation with The Revelator who believes that Nighthawk should be on his side.

I was truly stunned both by how much I liked Nighthawk #1 and by how high-quality it was.  I think that series writer David F. Walker is a fantastic emerging comic book talent.  I also think that if DC Comics were truly interested in African-American comic book writers, Walker would would be writing a few titles for them, even a Batman comic book.  [Walker recently had a short stint as writer of the Cyborg comic book for DC.]

To the end of Nighthawk, Walker does not disappoint.  He wraps up his six-issue Nighthawk series/arc with satisfying and tragic mayhem.  He also manages to make his readers realize how much potential this series had; if only it could have run for another six-issue arc.

As series artist, I liked Ramon Villalobos, whose work on Summer 2015's E is for Extinction (a Secret Wars title) wowed me.  He captured Walker's special mix of humor and the violence that made Nighthawk such an enthralling read.  In the end, I also learned to love the cover art by Denys Cowan and Bill Sienkiewicz (with colors by Chris Sotomayor), although I hated the first issue's cover

A

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


The text is copyright © 2016 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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