#IReadsYou Movie Review: DC LEAGUE OF SUPER-PETS

DC League of Super-Pets (2022)

Running time:  105 minutes (1 hour, 45 minutes)
MPAA – PG for action, mild violence, language and rude humor
DIRECTOR:  Jared Stern
WRITERS:  Jared Stern and John Whittington (based on characters appearing in DC Comics)
PRODUCERS: Dwayne Johnson, Dany Garcia, Hiram Garcia, Patricia Hicks, and Jared Stern
EDITORS:  David Egan and Jhoanne Reyes
COMPOSER:  Steve Jablonsky
ANIMATION STUDIO:  Warner Animation Group/Animal Logic

ANIMATION/SUPERHERO/ACTION/FANTASY

Starring:  (voices) Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Kevin Hart, Kate McKinnon, John Krasinski, Vanessa Bayer, Natasha Lyonne, Diego Luna, Thomas Middleditch, Ben Schwartz, Keanu Reeves, Marc Maron, Olivia Wilde, Jameela Jamil, Jemaine Clement, John Early, Daveed Diggs, Dascha Polanco, Maya Erskine, Yvette Nicole Brown, Alfred Molina, Lena Headey, Winona Bradshaw, and Keith David

DC League of Super-Pets is a 2022 3D computer-animated, superhero fantasy and action-comedy film directed by Jared Stern with CGI animation produced by Animal Logic.  The film is based on characters and concepts appearing in comic books published by DC Comics.  DC League of Super-Pets focuses on Superman's dog and a group newly super-powered shelter animals who must stop a conspiracy hatched by a guinea pig that is an evil genius.

DC League of Super-Pets opens with the story of how baby Kal-El and a Labrador Retriever-like pup left the planet Krypton, as it was in the throes of destruction, in a space ship headed to Earth.  Decades later, the baby is now Superman/Clark Kent (John Krasinski) and his pet, Krypto the Superdog (Dwayne Johnson).  All is well between Superman and his super-best friend until Clark decides to take his relationship with Lois Lane (Olivia Wilde), a fellow reporter at “The Daily Planet,” to the next level.  Krypto suddenly feels that his relationship with Superman is threatened.

Meanwhile, LexCorp CEO and Superman's enemy, Lex Luthor (Marc Maron), has hatched a plot to bring a meteorite of “orange kryptonite” to Earth.  Superman and Krypto easily stop the plot with the aid of the Justice League:  Wonder Woman (Jameela Jamil), Aquaman (Jemaine Clement), Flash (John Early), Green Lantern (Dascha Polanco), Cyborg (Daveed Diggs), and the Batman (Keanu Reeves).

At LexCorp, Lex used guinea pigs as test subjects.  One of them, Lulu (Kate McKinnon), is also an evil genius.  She has reeled in her own piece of orange kryptonite, having discovered that it gives super-powers to animals.  Now empowered by flight and telekinesis, Lulu is determined to free the now imprisoned Lex Luthor and to destroy Superman and the Justice League.  Now, only Krypto and a ragtag band of shelter animals:  Ace a boxer dog (Kevin Hart), PB the potbellied pig (Vanessa Bayer), Merton the slider turtle (Natasha Lyonne), and Chip the squirrel (Diego Luna), are left to stop Lulu's plot and save Superman.

DC League of Super-Pets is cute, and I imagine that it may be a hit with certain young viewers.  While watching it, I couldn't wait for it to be over.  The first 56 minutes of the film is formulaic superhero movie drivel, except for a moment here and there, such as the baby Kal-El and puppy Krypto's exodus from a dying Krypton.  The film does not have another emotional moment that feels real until Kevin Hart's Ace tells his tragic story.  When the other shelter pets tell their story, those stories don't work as well as Ace's.  Also, I wasn't crazy with the design and art direction for this film.  Everything looks like second-rate retro and draw-by-number art deco.

Perhaps, I have mixed feelings about this movie because I have mixed feelings about the voice performances.  Dwayne Johnson is okay as Krypto; to me, his personality seems wrong for Krypto.  Keanu Reeves is good as Batman, mainly because he captures the humorous angle written for the character.  Kevin Hart is quite good as Ace; actually, Hart's Ace would have been a better lead character.  [Maybe, we can get an “Ace the Bat-Hound” movie.]  Kate McKinnon is also really good as Lulu, and she makes a character that probably shouldn't work dominate much of this movie.  No other voice performances in this film really move me.

The last act of DC League of Super-Pets offers a satisfying superhero battle with a victory for the heroes.  McKinnon is so good at making Lulu evil that I cheered when she receives her comeuppance.  I can recommend this movie to fans of superhero films, especially fans of films based on DC Comics characters, and to young audiences.  For the most part, it is like the average DreamWorks Animation or Illumination Entertainment anthropomorphic animal movie.  There are many superhero films that I watch repeatedly, but I doubt DC League of Super-Pets will be one of them.

C+
★★½ out of 4 stars

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


The text is copyright © 2022 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: Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #116

SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU? (2010) #116
DC COMICS

STORY: Derek Fridolfs; Sholly Fisch
PENCILS: Randy Elliot; Dario Brizuela
INKS: Randy Elliot; Dario Brizuela
COLORS: Silvana Brys; Candace Schinzler-Bell
LETTERS: Saida Temofonte
EDITORS: Courtney Jordan; Jessica Chen and David Piňa (reprint)
COVER: Derek Fridolfs with Silvana Brys
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (August 2022)

Ages 8+

“Sight for Scared Eyes”

Welcome, dear readers, to my continuing journey through the Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? comic book series, which began publication in 2010.  I continue to renew my subscription so that I can continue to review this series for you, dear readers.

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #116 opens with “Sight for Scared Eyes,” which is written by Derek Fridolfs and drawn by Randy Elliot.  The story finds Mystery Inc.:  Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, Fred, Daphne, and Velma are tying up the case of “the Ogre of Oglesby Orchard” when Velma's glasses are broken.  So the gang is off to see the optometrist at “Made in the Shades,” where Velma can get an eye exam and new glasses.

However, the office is being haunted by a giant cyclops that keeps crashing around the place.  While Velma struggles to believe her eyes, the rest of Mystery Inc. sets its sights on solving the mystery of this one-eyed monstrosity.

The second story, “Jinkies” is, as usual, a reprint story and is written by Sholly Fisch and drawn by Dario Brizuela.  [This story was originally published in Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #61 (cover date: November 2015).]  The story opens with Mystery Inc. in court for the trial of Rob Felony, who was haunting his condominium as “the Sublet Specter.”  While on the witness stand, Velma suddenly sees a ghostly jurist … that no one else sees!  If Mystery Inc. can't solve this strange new mystery, Velma's strange vision could help set Rob Felony free.

Both of the stories in Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #116 have as a theme, Velma's eyesight and her glasses.  Also, both stories are produced by some of this series' best contributors, writer Sholly Fisch, artists Randy Elliot and Dario Brizuela, and also Derek Fridolfs, who has been both writer and artist for this series, and is a writer, here.

“Sight for Scared Eyes” works quite well because it accurately captures a few things one can expect during a visit to a doctor:  waiting rooms, grumpy patients in the waiting rooms, harried assistants, and testy doctors.  Fridolfs also casually drops a clue about the end of the story at the beginning.

“Jinkies” seems a bit more implausible, even beyond the usual implausibility of Scooby-Doo, but Sholly Fisch offers a nice spin on the threat of wireless technology.  He also uses as a premise something of which we Scooby-Doo fans rarely consider.  How would any of Mystery Inc.'s cases stand up in court?

So, I recommend Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #116 to all Scooby-Doo comic book fans.  Like issue #115, it is one of the best issues of the series of the last two years, and it is rare for this series to have consecutive exceptional issues.  And until next time, Scooby-Dooby-Doo!

B+

[This comic book includes a seven-page preview of the original graphic novel, “Green Arrow: Stranded” by Brendan Deneen and Bell Hosalla.]

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


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


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

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

#IReadsYou Review: SCOOBY-DOO, Where Are You? #115

SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU? (2010) #115
DC COMICS

STORY: Derek Fridolfs; Sholly Fisch
PENCILS: Walter Carzon; Robert Pope
INKS: Horacio Ottolini; Scott McRae
COLORS: Silvana Brys; Heroic Age
LETTERS: Saida Temofonte; Dezi Sienty
EDITORS: Courtney Jordan; Kwanza Johnson (reprint)
COVER: Derek Fridolfs with Silvana Brys
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (June 2022)

Ages 8+

“Ready Player Run!”

Welcome, dear readers, to my continuing journey through the Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? comic book series, which began publication in 2010.  I continue to renew my subscription so that I can continue to review this series for you, dear readers.

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #115 opens with “Ready Player Run!,” which is written by Derek Fridolfs and drawn by Walter Carzon and Horacio Ottolini.  The story finds Mystery Inc.:  Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, Fred, Daphne, and Velma at the headquarters of “Playtel,” the board game company.  Fred answered an ad so that the whole gang could “playtest” Playtel's latest game.

But Playtel has a surprise for all the testers.  They want to give players a new experience, and that means transporting players into virtual reality versions of their games via VR goggles.  But there is a glitch … err … gremlin in the VR system.  The “Grim Gamer” is out to win at all costs, and Mystery Inc. has a new mystery to solve.

The second story, “Endgame” is, as usual, a reprint story and is written by Sholly Fisch and drawn by Robert Pope and Scott McRae.  [This story was originally published in Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #10 (cover date: August 2011).]  Mystery Inc. is attending the “World Video Game Championships,” which is sponsored by the video game company, Gamestation.

Competitors include the Tendo Brothers, Mario and Luigi, and the legendary player, Zelda.  But a ghostly figure, “The Pinball Wizard,” is demanding that this championship tournament be shut down.  Now, Gamestation's Laurie Kraft is desperate to save the tournament, so Mystery Inc. has another mystery to solve.

Right from the start, one reason for me to like “Ready Player Run!” is that it comes from Walter Carzon and Horacio Ottolini, one of my favorite Scooby-Doo comic book art teams.  Combined with Sivana Brys' lovely colors, “Ready Player Run!” looks gorgeous.  Writer Derek Fridolfs, another Scooby-Doo comics favorite, offers a cleverly constructed story right out of the kind of real-world corporate espionage that must be rampant in the video game industry.  I like this story, and I think it would make a good plot for one of those direct-to-DVD Scooby-Doo movies.

“Endgame” is written by another of my favorite Scooby-Doo comic book writers, Sholly Fisch, and is drawn by another of my favorite Mystery Inc. art dream teams, Robert Pope and Scott McRae.  The plot and the villain are good, but not great.  However, the story has a crazy last act – Shaggy and Scooby in a dance-off!  Yes, it's as fun as it sounds.

So, I recommend Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #115 to all Scooby-Doo fans because it is one of the best issues of the series in the last year or so.  And until next time, Scooby-Dooby-Doo!

B+

★★★½ out of 4 stars

[This comic book includes a seven-page preview of the original graphic novel, “Primer” by Jennifer Muro, Thomas Krajewski, and Gretel Lusky.]

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


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


The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for 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: 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


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog 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: FUTURE STATE Gotham #1

FUTURE STATE: GOTHAM #1
DC COMICS – @DCComics

STORY: Joshua Williamson and Dennis Culver
ART: Giannis Milonogiannis
LETTERS: ALW's Troy Peteri
EDITOR: Ben Abernathy
COVER: Yasmine Putri
VARIANT COVER ARTIST: James Stokoe
32pp, B&W, $3.99 U.S. (July 2021)

Rating: Age 13+

Batman created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger

“Hunt the Batman” Part One: “Batman's Land”

Future State: Gotham is a new black and white comic book series written by Joshua Williamson and Dennis Culver and drawn by Giannis Milonogiannis.  The series springs out of the “Future State” miniseries, Future State: Dark Detective, and focuses on Red Hood/Jason Todd as he wages a war against the “Bat-family.”  Letter Troy Peteri completes the creative team.

Future State: Gotham #1 (Batman's Land) opens with the Red Hood battling “Mecha-Scarface” and Arnold Wesker.  Although he is victorious, Jason Todd has earned the ire of the “Peacekeepers.”  Then, disaster strikes Gotham City, and all evidence points towards “the Next Batman.”  Now, Todd must choose justice over his “Bat-family,” when he is recruited by The Magistrate, which wants the Next Batman dead or alive (more the former than the latter).  Peacekeeper Red is born!

But the Magistrate is corrupt.  So what is Jason Todd up to in this forbidding world of tomorrow?

THE LOWDOWN:  “Hunt the Batman,” the debut story arc of Future State: Gotham, will run six issues.  Series writers Joshua Williamson and Dennis Culver offer a story that is explosive and has attractive and engaging characters.  They also put Jason Todd/Red Hood in a precarious position filled with uncertainty that will make for high-wire tension and nail-biting drama.

Series artist Giannis Milonogiannis renders Future State Gotham #1 in stark black and white tones.  This art evokes a gritty, noir aesthetic that recalls both the 1982 film, Blade Runner, and Katsuhiro Otomo's classic manga, Akira (serialized in Japan's Weekly Young Magazine, 1982-90).  In fact, it is not a coincidence and is fitting that this first issue reprints the Batman short story, "The Third Mask," that Otomo wrote and drew for the first Batman: Black and White (1996) miniseries.  I think that DC Comics and the creators want us to know that they are producing a comic book that exemplifies what is true to the spirit of Akira, if not being an heir to that manga.

Troy Peteri's dynamic lettering for Future State: Gotham #1 is pitch perfect for this series.  His fonts ride Milonogiannis' manga-like action lines as if they were riding lightning.  Yes, dear readers, I am strongly recommending Future State: Gotham #1.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Jason Todd and Red Hood will want to read Future State: Gotham.

A

Future State: Gotham #1 includes the following extras:

• a Batman pinup drawn by the late French artist, Moebius
• A series design sketch by Giannis Milonogiannis
• A story from Batman: Black and White #4 (September 1996), “The Third Mask” written and drawn by Katsuhiro Otomo; translated by Jo Duffy; lettered by Bill Oakley
• A “DC Nation” “Spotlight On” Wonder Girl #1 interview with writer artist Joelle Jones

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


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


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: Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #114

SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU? (2010) #114
DC COMICS

STORY: Sholly Fisch; Alex Simmons
PENCILS: Valerio Chiola; Robert Pope
INKS: Valerio Chiola; Scott McRae
COLORS: Valerio Chiola; Heroic Age
LETTERS: Saida Temofonte; Travis Lanham
EDITORS: Courtney Jordan; Michelle Siglain (reprint)
COVER: Derek Fridolfs with Jeremy Lawson
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (April 2022)

Ages 8+

“Jailhouse Shock”

Welcome, dear readers, to my continuing journey through the Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? comic book series, which began publication in 2010.  I continue to renew my subscription so that I can continue to review this series for you, dear readers.

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #114 opens with “Jailhouse Shock,” which is written by Sholly Fisch and drawn by Valerio Chiola.  The story finds Mystery Inc.:  Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, Fred, Daphne, and Velma  at a local police station, after closing their most recent case involving bank fraud and someone masquerading as a Yeti.

Before they can leave, they learn from Sarge, the head of the station, that the building is being haunted.  The haunt is none other than the ghost of the notorious early twentieth century bank robber, Muggsy Derringer, who claims to want revenge.  The real Muggsy, however, was hunted down a century ago in Chicago, so why would his ghost be haunting this police station?  It is up to the gang to find out?

The second story, “Dead & Let Spy” is, as usual, a reprint story and is written by Alex Simmons and drawn by Robert Pope and Scott McRae.  [This story was originally published in Scooby-Doo #106 (cover date: May 2006).]  Mystery Inc. is meeting the spymaster “G,” who wants the gang to help his nephew, J.Z. Bang, a teen secret agent.

J.Z. is used to dealing with spies and secret agents, but his latest adversary, a freelance agent called “Cadaver,” uses spooky tricks, such as employing monsters and ghouls.  The teen secret agent is trying to gather the ten pieces of a new invention created by the eccentric Dr. Ooh.  He needs help fighting off a menagerie of creeps that look as if they are a rogues gallery from a horror film festival.  Are the monster-hunting talents of Mystery Inc. just want J.Z. Bang needs?

The funniest thing about “Jailhouse Shock” is that Mystery Inc. knows from the beginning that the ghost of Muggsy Derringer is a fake.  Well, at least Shaggy and Scooby-Doo are willing to sell the idea that they are facing a real ghost.  While Sholly Fisch's story is funny, I still haven't bought into Valerio Chiola as an appropriate artist for a Scooby-Doo comic book.  He draws the Mystery Inc. characters well enough, but all the other character are awkwardly drawn.

“Dead & Let Spy,” the reprint tale, is a better story and it is also drawn by one of the better Scooby-Doo comic book artists, Robert Pope, inked here by Scott McRae.  Pope's graphical storytelling is fast paced, from beginning to end, and he offers an impressive menagerie of monsters.  The monsters J.Z. Bang faces include the classic Scooby-Doo creep, the Yeti, which first appeared in “Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!” (1969-70) Season One, Episode 17 as the “Snow Ghost.”  I think writer Alex Simmons has come up with a scenario that would make a nice Scooby-Doo graphic novel and perhaps, be excellent source material for an animated Scooby-Doo film.

B

6 out of 10

[This comic book includes a six-page preview of the original graphic novel, “Teen Titans Go! DC Super Hero Girls: Exchange Students!” by Amy Wolfram and Agnes Garbowska.]

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


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


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

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

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: ROBIN #1

ROBIN #1 (2021)
DC COMICS – @DCComics

STORY: Joshua Williamson
ART: Gleb Melnikov
LETTERS: Troy Peteri
EDITOR: Paul Kaminski
COVER: Gleb Malnikov
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Gleb Melnikov; Riccardo Federici; Andy Kubert with Brad Anderson; Jeehyung Lee
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (June 2021)

Rating: Age 13+

Batman created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson

“Versus the World!”

One of the most famous sidekicks in pop culture, Robin is a DC Comics superhero character.  The original Robin's civilian identity was Dick Grayson, the ward of millionaire Bruce Wayne and therefore the sidekick of Wayne's superhero alter ego, Batman.  Robin/Dick Grayson was originally created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger, and Jerry Robinson and first appeared in Detective Comics #38 (cover date:  April 1940).  Eventually, Dick Grayson became a new superhero, Nightwing, and over the last 30 years, there have been other Robins.

Damian Wayne is the son of Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul, and thus, is also the grandson of Batman villain, Ra's al Ghul, Talia's father.  An unnamed male infant credited as Batman and Talia's child first appeared in the original graphic novel, Batman: Son of the Demon (1987).  Other writers would later compose speculative stories about the child's life.  In Batman #655 (cover dated: September 2006), writer Grant Morrison reinterpreted that child as Damian Wayne, the centerpiece of the story arc, “Batman and Son,” in which he became the fifth character to assume the role of Robin.

As part of DC Comics' “Infinite Frontier” initiative, Damian Wayne is the star of a new ongoing comic book series, simply entitled Robin.  It is written by Joshua Williamson, drawn and colored by Gleb Melnikov; and lettered by Troy Peteri.  In this new series, Damian wants to prove that he is the greatest fighter in the world (DC Universe).

Robin #1 opens with the search for Damian Wayne.  Batman, Nightwing, Tim Drake/Robin, Orphan, Stephanie Brown, and Oracle can't find him.  It seems Damian is as “off the grid” as a person can be.  Elsewhere, Damian is taking on Sir Edmund Dorrance a.k.a. “The King Snake,” who, like Damian, is searching for the “League of Lazarus.”  It is this league that holds the “League of Lazarus Tournament.”  Held every 100 years, this secretive tournament gathers the best fighters in the world.

That is where Damian thinks he can prove that he is the best fighter in the world, but first, he will have to find the secret island where it is held.  That means he will need to win a special marker, and The King Snake wants that marker, too.

THE LOWDOWN:  It seems that if Damian Wayne a.k.a. “Robin” is going to have an ongoing comic book series, it should not simply be another entry in the “Batman family” of titles.  Damian needs a goal or a mission.  His quest to be the best by taking on the world's most deadly combatants sounds like a good idea.  What is even better is that Damian's hubris and his lack of knowledge of those that he will face present obstacles and conflicts that are comic book narrative gold.  So, in this first issue, writer Joshua Williamson offers a good set-up slash introductory chapter that will keep readers interested – at least for a few issues.

The art by Gleb Melnikov is stylistically appropriate for this series, but Melnikov's compositions are wild, untamed, and untrained.  He isn't anywhere near being called a draftsman, and his illustrative techniques … well, he is weak on the techniques of graphical storytelling.  I don't mean to say that he cannot tell a story using the medium of the comic book; the storytelling is clear, while the drawing is a bit chaotic.  On the other hand, his Robin #1 cover art is beautiful, and I have seen some of Melnikov's cover art and single-page illustrations, and they are also visually and/or graphically striking.

Melnikov's influences show, and to be honest, every page and some times every panel shows a new influence.  I see Art Adams and early Joe Madureira.  There is some early Tony S. Daniel – think the Tony Daniels of The Tenth (Image Comics).  There is some Jim Lee and a little Rob Liefeld.  I think Gleb Melnikov has the potential to become a superstar artist, and the process of doing a monthly comic book title may bring that out.  Right now, as I've already stated, his drawing is raw, but, at the same time, I must admit that he is already a sharp colorist.

Troy Peteri's lettering also provides a nice balance to the tone of the story.  He creates a steady rhythm that heightens the intensity of the violent, Mortal Kombat-like battles.  So, this new Robin comic book is definitely worth another look or two.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Damian Wayne will want to read Robin.

A

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


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


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 Movie Review: THE BATMAN

The Batman (2022)

Running time:  175 minutes (2 hours, 55 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for strong violent and disturbing content, drug content, strong language, and some suggestive material
DIRECTOR:  Matt Reeves
WRITERS:  Matt Reeves and Peter Craig (based on Batman created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger)
PRODUCERS:  Dylan Clark and Matt Reeves
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Greig Fraser (D.o.P.)
EDITORS:  William Hoy and Tyler Nelson
COMPOSER:  Michael Giacchino

SUPERHERO/FANTASY/ACTION and DRAMA/MYSTERY

Starring:  Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, Jeffrey Wright, Paul Dano, Colin Farrell, John Turturro, Andy Serkis, Peter Sarsgaard, Jayme Lawson, Gil Perez-Abraham, Alex Ferns, Rupert Penry-Jones, Hana Hrzic, Charlie Carver, Max Carver, Luke Roberts, Stella Stocker, and Barry Keoghan

The Batman is a 2022 superhero action-drama from director Matt Reeves.  It is the eighth film in the modern Batman film franchise that began with director Tim Burton's 1989 film, Batman, and it is a reboot of the Batman film franchise.  In The Batman, a sadistic serial killer begins murdering key political figures, forcing Batman to investigate his city's hidden corruption, which may involve both his father and mother's side of the family.

The Batman opens on Halloween.  The Gotham City mayoral race is in the final stretch between incumbent Mayor Don Mitchell Jr. (Robert Pattinson) and challenger, Bella Reál (Jayme Lawson).  A sadistic new serial killer, who calls himself "The Riddler" (Paul Dano), murders Mayor Mitchell.  Thus, begins The Riddler's wave of murder and terror.

The Batman (Robert Pattinson), a vigilante who has operated in Gotham for two years, works alongside Lieutenant James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright) of the Gotham City Police Department, much to the chagrin of many rank and file officers and higher-ups in the department.  They discover that with each of his murders, The Riddler leaves a message for Batman.

Batman is really reclusive billionaire, Bruce Wayne (Robert Pattinson), who obsessively protects Gotham.  So focused on his mission is Bruce that he pushes away his loyal butler and mentor, Alfred Pennyworth (Andy Serkis).  However, Batman ends up partnering with Selina Kyle ( Zoë Kravitz), a waitress who is something of a cat burglar – a “Catwoman” – who is trying to find her missing roommate and girlfriend Annika (Hana Hrzic).

The Batman will be forced to reckon with Gotham City's hidden corruption and also face tough questions about his late parents, Thomas and Martha Wayne's (Luke Roberts and Stella Stocker) involvement in that corruption  Especially, troubling is Thomas Wayne's connection to a notorious Gotham crime lord, Carmine Falcone (John Turturro).

The Batman is a film that borrows liberally from the recent film and comic book past of Batman.  I recognize story elements borrowed from Batman comic book stories like “Batman: Year One” and “Zero Year.”  There are allusions to Tim Burton's 1989 Batman film; even composer Michael Giacchino's score seems to reference composer Danny Elfman's score for Burton's film.

However, director Matt Reeves, in making The Batman, seems obsessed with or bewitched by director Christopher Nolan's hugely popular Batman films:  Batman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight (2008), and The Dark Knight Rises (2012), referred to as “The Dark Knight trilogy.”  Nolan's film were “dark” and edgy in terms of subject matter, plots, and characters, but Nolan filled the films with invigorating and tense action set pieces.

The Batman is just dark.  It is as if Reeves took Nolan's aesthetic and through a coal black filter over it.  The Gotham City of this film seems like a real-life city, and it is dark as all Hell at night and damp – really damp.  Reeves and his co-screenwriter, Peter Craig, fashion a story that is overwhelmed with political corruption and depraved criminals that are dark in personality and even darker in motivation.  Bruce Wayne is morose, as if both actor Robert Pattinson and Matt Reeves are determined to make him a caricature of the caricature that has become iconic rock musician, the late Kurt Cobain.  It is an utter waste of Pattinson's potential as both an actor and a movie star.

On the other hand, Pattinson's Batman has more layers.  Pattinson makes him formidable and dangerous, but also introspective and capable of mercy.  This Batman is also a fierce fighter, but is physically vulnerable; Bruce's body is marked with the scars of his Batman activities.  Batman is often knocked down by his opponents in hand to hand combat and seriously injured by gunfire.

Too bad that The Batman does not have better villains.  They aren't really worth talking about, but I do want to point out the really terrible version of The Riddler that is in this film.  He is a whiny, boring incel, and as The Riddler, actor Paul Dano is more doofus than diabolical.

The Batman does have good supporting characters, but the script does not give them much with which to work.  Zoë Kravitz is full of fire and talent as Selina Kyle, and when she is allowed to show her acting chops, she steals entire scenes.  Most of the time, however, it feels like all the filmmakers really want her to do is pose and look bad-ass slash alluring.  James Gordon is a mostly one-note character, and even the supremely talented Jeffrey Wright cannot make the character be more than that.  I won't get into how much the brilliant Andy Serkis is wasted as Alfred Pennyworth.

The Batman is truly at its best during the fights, chases, and action scenes.  The film also gives us a monster-like Batmobile that is more muscle car than mobile, and when Batman uses it to pursue the Penguin (Colin Farrell) in his car, the film seems to explode off the screen.

What keeps The Batman from being a really good film, to say nothing of being a great film, is that it is too long.  It is half kick-ass action and half plodding melodrama, and I wish the plodding melodrama had been cut in half.  Honestly, I would only recommend The Batman to people who enjoy watching Batman movies, regardless of whether they are comic book fans or not.

B

Friday, March 4, 2022


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

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

#IReadsYou Review: BATMAN: The Detective #1

BATMAN: THE DETECTIVE #1 (OF 6)
DC COMICS

STORY: Tom Taylor
ART: Andy Kubert
COLORS: Brad Anderson
LETTERS: Clem Robins
EDITOR: Ben Abernathy
COVER: Andy Kubert with Brad Anderson
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Andy Kubert with Brad Anderson; Riccardo Federici
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (June 2021)

Rated: Age 13+

Batman created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger

“Batman The Detective” Part One

Batman: The Detective is a new six-issue comic book miniseries.  It is written by Tom Taylor; drawn by Andy Kubert; colored by Brad Anderson; and lettered by Clem Robins.  This miniseries takes Batman on a harrowing, action-packed European adventure, in which he will meet new allies … and new enemies.

Batman: The Detective #1 opens 36,000 feet above Lancashire, England aboard Wayne Airlines, Flight 89.  It is flying from Gotham City to London with 147 passengers when tragedy strikes – and it is all Batman's fault.  This very personal and deadly message draws Batman out of Gotham to investigate, but waiting for him is an old ghost and also a name – “Equilibrium.”  This story guest-stars Knight (Beryl Hutchinson) and introduces the new Squire (Amina).

THE LOWDOWN:  Many acclaimed artists have drawn a Batman comic book or comic book series.  My favorites tend to be artists who left their mark on Batman during the last three and a half decades of the twentieth-century:  Carmine Infantino, Neal Adams, Jim Aparo, Frank Miller, and David Mazzuchelli.  The twenty-first century has offered an entire new roster of Batman artists for me to love, including an artist who has been drawing some of the most beautiful Batman comic book art for the last 15 years, Andy Kubert.

I bought a copy of Batman: The Detective #1 so that my imagination could enjoy some gorgeous Andy Kubert Batman art, and I am still thumbing through the pages of this comic book.  Kubert's aquiline and muscular Batman/Bruce Wayne is like a coiled big cat.  My favorite Kubert Batman pages are those splash pages and partial splash pages in which Kubert fills those pages with a larger-than-life Batman or a larger-than-life character, sometimes wearing a Batman-like costume.  [Early in Kubert's run as the artist of the ongoing Batman comic book series, he drew a massive Bane in a Batman costume.  Wow!]

As for the story, Tom Taylor offers a clever gimmick and hook.  Still, I think Batman: The Detective #1 is mostly flat until the second half of the story.  There is, however, potential here, but not enough for me to spend $19.95 U.S. plus tax to read the remaining five issues.  Andy Kubert is the reason that I am giving this comic book a high grade.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Andy Kubert's Batman art will want to try Batman: The Detective.

B+

7 out of 10

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


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


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 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: SCOOBY-DOO, Where Are You? #113

SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU? (2010) #113
DC COMICS – @DCComics

STORY: Ivan Cohen; Terrence Griep Jr.
PENCILS: Valerio Chiola; Anthony Williams
INKS: Valerio Chiola; Jeff Albrecht
COLORS: Valerio Chiola; Paul Becton
LETTERS: Saida Temofonte; Jenna Garcia
EDITORS: Courtney Jordan; Joan Hilty (reprint)
COVER: Derek Fridolfs with Jeremy Lawson
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (February 2022)

Ages 8+

“Unboxing Day”

Welcome, dear readers, to my continuing journey through the Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? comic book series, which began publication in 2010.  I continue to renew my subscription so that I can continue to review this series for you, dear readers.

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #113 opens with “Unboxing Day,” which is written by Ivan Cohen and drawn by Valerio Chiola.  The story finds Mystery Inc.:  Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, Fred, Daphne, and Velma in Cooper's Woods.  They are there to help their friend, DIY television star, “Builder Billy,” and his sister, Betty.  It seems a ghostly dryad, a forest spirit from Greek mythology, is vexing Billy's attempt to build a box fort treehouse.  Can Mystery Inc. solve the mystery of the dryad in time to help Billy and Betty build the treehouse?

The second story, “Elf King Swing” is, as usual, a reprint story and is written by Terrence Greip Jr. and drawn by Anthony Williams and Jeff Albrecht.  [This story was originally published in Scooby-Doo #49 (cover date: August 2001).]  Mystery Inc. is in Germany to help an old chum, Baron von Gerhard a.k.a. “Willie.”  His legacy:  a barony, a dense forest, and Munehof, his family's ancestral home, are being threatened by “The Elf King.”  It is a figure right out of Germany's literary history, and he wants to claim Willie and Mystery Inc. as his own.  Can our heroes solve the mystery of the Elf King and save the von Gerhard legacy.

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? issues #111 and #112 were two of the best issues of this series that I'd read in some time.  Issue #113 is not so hot.  The new story, “Unboxing Day,” does have an interesting angle in the treehouse building, but the dryad does not cut it as a villain, as far as I'm concerned.

The reprint story, “Elf King Swing” does not interest me at all, so it is best that I say nothing.  However, I do want to note that it references “Erlkonig,” the famous poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, concerning a supernatural being that stalks a young boy who is on horseback with his father.

So, I will only recommend Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #113 to people who collect Scooby-Doo comic books.  And until next time, Scooby-Dooby-Doo!

C

4 out of 10

[This comic book includes a six-page preview of the original graphic novel, “Superman of Smallville,” by Art Baltazar and Franco.]

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


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


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

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

#IReadsYou Review: SCOOBY-DOO, Where Are You? #112

SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU? (2010) #112
DC COMICS

STORY: Derek Fridolfs; Sholly Fisch
PENCILS: Scott Jeralds; Dario Brizuela
INKS: Scott Jeralds; Dario Brizuela
COLORS: Jeremy Lawson; Heroic Age
LETTERS: Saida Temofonte
EDITORS: Courtney Jordan; Kristy Quinn (reprint)
COVER: Derek Fridolfs with Jeremy Lawson
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (December 2021)

Ages 8+

“Attack of the 8-Foot Amphibian!”

Welcome, dear readers, to my continuing journey through the Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? comic book series, which began publication in 2010.  I continue to renew my subscription so that I can continue to review this series for you, dear readers.

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #112 opens with “Attack of the 8-Foot Amphibian!,” which is written by Derek Fridolfs and drawn by Scott Jeralds.  The story finds Mystery Inc.:  Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, Fred, Daphne, and Velma in the “Mystery Machine” are arriving at the “Coolsville Drive-In” movie theater.  They are there for a screening of the classic monster movie, “The Ghoulie from Green Lagoon.”  It seems, however, that the Ghoulie has, of late, been rampaging through the drive-in.  Instead of a night at the movies, it's another mystery for Scooby and the gang.

The second story, “Creature Feature” is, as usual, a reprint story and is written by Sholly Fisch and drawn by Dario Brizuela.  [This story was originally published in Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #38 (cover date: December 2013).]  The story opens on the set of the “Nocturna, Mistress of Midnight” television show.  Horror movie hostess, “Nocturna,” is screening the monster movie, “Attack of the Cabbage People,” when a real cabbage monster terrorizes the set.  It seems that “creepy creatures” from old movies have been plaguing the television studio for a few weeks.

Mystery Inc. arrives, offering to help solve the mystery.  The gang discovers that Sybil, the actress who plays Nocturna; Lew Gordon, the show's producer; and Dennis Raye, the show's intern have different ideas about what is going on.  Can Mystery Inc. solve the mystery of these old movie monsters before there are too many for anyone to handle?

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #111 was one of the best issues of the series that I had read in a long time.  Shockingly, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #112 makes it consecutive top-flight issues of a Scooby-Doo comic book series that has been mostly flat for the past few years.

First, the opening story, “Attack of the 8-Foot Amphibian!,” features the artwork of one of the very best Scooby-Doo comic book artists, Scott Jeralds.  His beautiful “clear-line” drawing style retains the classic design of the Scooby-Doo characters and adds a quirky modern visual sensibility.  The story is written by one of the better Scooby-Doo comic book writers, Derek Fridolfs, who is also an artist and who draws issue #112's cover.

Fridolf's script offers sly commentary about people's obsessions with their smart phones and about how people use camera phones to record events rather than live in those events themselves.  It seems that the only ones concerned with “the Green Ghoulie” is analog-era Mystery Inc, who fit in perfectly with the story's setting, a drive-in movie theater.  This offers an obvious contrast to the rest of the moviegoers who are too jaded to care about “old school” or “retro” things.

Like the reprint story in issue #111, issue 112's back-up story is also a reprint from an earlier issue of Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? rather than from the previous series, Scooby-Doo (1997-2010).  “Creature Feature” (originally published in 2013) is not quite as entertaining as “Attack of the 8-Foot Amphibian!,” but it does offer “Nocturna, Mistress of Midnight,” an homage to the great, real-life horror-hostess, “Elvira, Mistress of the Dark.”  For me, that's enough to make “Creature Feature” a winner.

So, I highly recommend Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #112 to Scooby-Doo fans.  And until next time, Scooby-Dooby-Doo!

A

8 out of 10

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


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


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

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

#IReadsYou Revew: TRUTH & JUSTICE #4

TRUTH & JUSTICE #4 (OF 6)
DC COMICS

STORY: Jeff Trammell
ART: Rob Guillory
COLORS: Jean-Francois Beaulieu
LETTERS: Becca Carey
EDITOR: Andrew Marino
COVER: Rob Guillory with Jean-Francois Beaulieu
VARIANT COVER ARTIST: Sanford Greene
40pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (June 2021)

Rated: Age 13+

Robin created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger, and Jerry Robinson; Jason Todd created by Gerry Conway and Don Newton

“Haunted by the Past”

Published by DC Comics, Truth & Justice is a six-issue comic book miniseries.  DC has said that “the ideals of truth and justice—concepts synonymous with DC’s superheroes from the Golden Age of Comics to the present day—are the foundation” of Truth & Justice, a anthology comic book series.  Each issue of the series features a different creative team, and is “...a platform for new, emerging storytellers to reveal their takes on popular DC characters,” according to DC.

The fourth issue of Truth & Justice focuses on Jason Todd.  Jason Peter Todd was introduced to comic book readers in Batman #357 (cover dated: March 1983).  Created by writer Gerry Conway and artist Don Newton, Todd became the second character to assume the role of Batman's sidekick, Robin.  Todd was killed off, but was eventually resurrected and became the antihero/superhero, Red Hood, in Batman #635 (cover dated: February 2005).  The creative team for Truth & Justice's fourth issue is writer Jeff Trammell; artist Rob Guillory, colorist Jean-Francois Beaulieu; and letterer Becca Carey.

Truth & Justice #4 (“Haunted by the Past”) opens with Jason Todd recounting his past when he was a petty thief, beginning with the moment Batman first discovered him.  Todd recalls one of the best parts of his past, fellow thief, Max Dawkins, who looked out for young Jason.  Max eventually stopped being a thief and left the streets.  Max had plans to help his community – until he was killed in an alley.

Now, Jason, as Red Hood, is on the warpath for Max's killer.  In his pursuit, however, Jason finds himself facing down his own past and wondering about his place within Batman's “Bat-Family.”  After a violent confrontation with an old Batman villain, Jason must outrun his demons … before they drag him back to the grave.

THE LOWDOWN:  I have to be honest with you, dear readers.  Truth & Justice #4 is the only issue of the Truth & Justice series that I bought, and it is the only one I intend to read.  And I only became interested in it because I am a big fan of Rob Guillory, a local comic book artist and creator, best known for his work on the Image Comics titles, Chew, and Farmhand, which he created.

Writer Jeff Trammell offers what is basically a standalone story, although this issue's shock ending promises to show up in future Red Hood comics and likely some Batman titles.  “Haunted by the Past” is basically the kind of story readers would find in a comic book “Annual.”  This story gives readers a basic look at the conflicts and internal struggles with which Red Hood must face as he makes his way as a costumed vigilante, anti-hero, and quasi-superhero.  Trammell really hits on the things that define Jason Todd/Red Hood – his origin, his death, and his resurrection, and he reveals that being Red Hood is not the end of the character's evolution.

Artist Rob Guillory's art and graphical storytelling really gets at the edginess in Red Hood and conveys his uncertain place within the world of Batman and his allies.  Guillory makes Jason Todd's angst and his conflicts with his allies feel like a real thing.  Jean-Francois Beaulieu's colors over Guillory's pencils heighten and embellish the darkness in Guillory's strong illustrations and storytelling.  It would be good to see more of this art team in other DC Comics titles.

Letterer Becca Carey emphasizes the aggressive nature of Trammell's dialogue in this story, and she creates a fast-pace that makes readers believe that everything that Jason Todd faces in “Haunted by the Past” is real.  I won't recommend Truth & Justice as a series, but I will recommend Truth & Justice #4 as a strong one-off story that any readers familiar with the Red Hood can read.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Jason Todd/Red Hood of “Bat-Family” titles will want to read Truth & Justice #4.

A
8 out of 10

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


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


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 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: THE OTHER HISTORY OF THE DC UNIVERSE #1

THE OTHER HISTORY OF THE DC UNIVERSE #1
DC COMICS/DC Black Label

STORY: John Ridley
LAYOUTS: Giuseppe Camuncoli
FINISHES: Andrea Cucchi
COLORS: José Villarrubia
LETTERS: Steve Wands
EDITORS: Mark Doyle, Andy Khouri, and Amadeo Turturro
COVER: Giuseppe Camuncoli with Marco Mastrazzo
VARIANT COVER ART: Jamal Campbell
48pp, Color, $6.99 U.S. (January 2021)

Rated: Ages 17+

1972-1995: Jefferson Pierce

Black Lightning/Jefferson Pierce is a DC Comics superhero character.  He was created by writer Tony Isabella and artist Trevor Von Eeden and first appeared in Black Lightning #1 (April 1977).  Black Lightning's origin has changed since his debut.  He originally gained “electrical superpowers,” but he is currently depicted as a “metahuman” who was born with the ability to manipulate and generate electricity.  Black Lightning was DC Comics first Black superhero with his own comic book series.

Academy Award-winning screenwriter John Ridley (12 Years a Slave) is the writer of The Other History of the DC Universe, a five-issue miniseries published under DC Comics' “Black Label” imprint.  The Other History of the DC Universe is drawn by Giuseppe Camuncoli (layouts) and Andrea Cucchi (finishes); colored by José Villarrubia; and lettered by Steve Wands.   The Other History of the DC Universe is published in an over-sized format (8 1/2 x 10 7/8), in paperback with full-color interiors.

Inspired by the 1986, two-issue DC comic book miniseries, History of the DC Universe, this new series examines the mythology of the DC Universe and its iconic moments of history via the lives of four African-American characters:  Black Lightning, Bumblebee/Karen Duncan & Herald/Guardian/Mal Duncan, and Anissa Pierce/Thunder (the daughter of Jefferson Pierce); one AAPI character – Katana/Tatsu Yamashiro; and one Latino character – Renee Montoya.  The Other History of the DC Universe depicts sociopolitical threads as seen through the prism of DC super heroes who come from traditionally disenfranchised groups.

The Other History of the DC Universe #1 offers the story of Jefferson Pierce, the man who becomes Black Lightning.  It is a journey that chronicles Pierce as he makes his way from being a young track star to a teacher and ultimately to his troubled life as the superhero, Black Lightning.

The Other History of the DC Universe #1 opens the day a young Black man named Jefferson Pierce learns that his father has been killed, a moment which changes his life.  Pierce goes on to win the gold medal at the 1972 Olympic Games.  He later becomes a teacher, but his life changes again when his in-born ability to manipulate and generate electricity suddenly emerges.

He eventually uses those powers to become the superhero, Black Lightning, but he discovers that he really does not fit in with the other superheroes of the time, such as the Justice League of America.  He even finds himself estranged from other Black superheroes, such as the Green Lantern also known as John Stewart.  And Black Lightning's struggles may destroy everything that he has as Jefferson Pierce.

THE LOWDOWN:  I am a fan of the television and film work of screenwriter John Ridley, but I have never read any of the comic books that he has written over the last two decades.  However, I have been looking forward to The Other History of the DC Universe since it was first announced a few years ago.  I must say that after reading “Book One,” it is not what I expected.

In a way, The Other History of the DC Universe #1 takes a view of superheroes the way the late Marvel Comics legend, Stan Lee, did.  Superheroes have “feet of clay,” and Lee often depicted his superheroes as having problems that originated in their civilian lives, sometimes coming forward before they gained powers.  For instance, there is the bullied, teen wallflower, Peter Parker, who became Spider-Man.

Ridley depicts Black Lightning as a superhero who wears a mask to hide his identity as Jefferson Pierce from the enemies he faces as a superhero.  However, Black Lightning is one of many masks that Pierce wears to hide his secrets – personal and professional – from everyone in his life.  His professional life includes everything that Pierce does, from being a teacher and mentor to being a superhero and a vigilante.  As his powers are now depicted as being inborn, Pierce seems more like a Marvel persecuted mutant than a shiny DC Comics superhero, and his life is a series of struggles, regardless of the roles he plays.  Normally, I would like that, but if I'm honest, I will admit that I wanted this alternate history to offer more superhero action than Black male angst.

I read The Other History of the DC Universe #1 as being about the trials and tribulations of a Black man living in a tumultuous time period that runs from 1972 to 1995.  If this comic book can be said to have a central point or theme, it is that maybe Black/African-American men put too much pressure on themselves, perhaps even more than the larger American society does.

The Other History of the DC Universe #1 is one of those comic books that tells its story via illustrations and text in caption boxes; there are no word balloons/bubbles.  In that regard, the art team of Giuseppe Camuncoli and Andrea Cucchi delivers competent if not spectacular artwork, but the problem is that most of that art seems like nothing more than spot illustrations for prose.  I can't really call this comic book art “graphical storytelling,” because it isn't so much story as it is merely complementary to text that works like prose.  Luckily, this art is colored by one of the very best comic book colorists of the last 25 years, the great José Villarrubia.  Also, I think Steve Wands' lettering gives this first issue a much needed spark.

I am considering reading the rest of The Other History of the DC Universe, but it isn't a priority.  Still, part of me is curious about how John Ridley will present the stories of these other non-white characters.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Black superheros will want to try The Other History of the DC Universe.

B+
7 out of 10

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


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


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 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: SCOOBY-DOO, Where Are You? #111

SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU? (2010) #111
DC COMICS – @DCComics

STORY: Derek Fridolfs; Sholly Fisch
PENCILS: Valerio Chiola; Fabio Laguna
INKS: Valerio Chiola; Fabio Laguna
COLORS: Valerio Chiola; Heroic Age
LETTERS: Saida Temofonte
EDITORS: Courtney Jordan; Kristy Quinn (reprint)
COVER: Derek Fridolfs with Valerio Chiola
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (October 2021)

Ages 8+

“Crash Test Mummies”

Welcome, dear readers, to my continuing journey through the Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? comic book series, which began publication in 2010.  I continue to renew my subscription so that I can continue to review this series for you, dear readers.

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #111 opens with “Crash Test Mummies,” which is written by Derek Fridolfs and drawn by Valerio Chiola.  The story finds Mystery Inc.:  Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, Fred, Daphne, and Velma inside their beloved van, the “Mystery Machine.”  They are in a death race against a mad drag racer that the gang calls the “Spooky Speedster.”

Unfortunately, Mystery Inc. gets the worst of it.  The Mystery Machine crashes into a tree, taking on heavy and extensive damage, and the Spooky Speedster gets away.  Luckily, a mechanic happens to arrive in his tow truck, but so does the local sheriff.  The kids get away without getting a ticket, but the sheriff sends them to traffic school.  More misfortune arrives when the gang discovers that the building where the school is held is haunted by a “Mumbling Mummy.”  Can Scooby and company solve this mystery and get a passing grade in traffic school?

The second story, “On Your Marks, Get Set … Ghost!” is, as usual, a reprint story and is written by Sholly Fisch and drawn by Fabio Laguna.  [This story was originally published in Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #36 (cover date: October 2013).]  The story opens at one of the most challenging “Modcar” racecourses anywhere, the “Terror Track.”  There, we find Mystery Inc helping the world's greatest race car driver, Earl Daleheart.  It seems that the Terror Track's mascot, “Terry the Terror,” has become a real-life monster, terrorizing the track and knocking Daleheart out of the race.  Can the gang solve this mystery, and can Shaggy and Scooby drive a race care?

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #111 is one of the best issues of the series that I have read in a long time.  “Crash Test Mummies” has some beautiful art drawn and colored by Valerio Chiola, and Chiola's graphic design of the characters is one of the best modern takes on the Scooby-Doo franchise – in animation or comic books.  The story by Derek Fridolfs, who is himself quite an accomplished Scooby-Doo comic book artist, is a delight that offers two mysteries.  Fridolfs also does double duty, delivering a striking cover illustration.  As Scooby declares, “Scooby-Dooby-Two!”

This issue may be the first that I have read in which the backup story is a reprint story from this series rather than being from the long-running Scooby-Doo (1997-2010) comic book series, which is usually the source for the backup stories.  Still, “On Your Marks, Get Set … Ghost!” is also a fun story from two other stalwart Scooby-Doo comic book creators, writer Sholly Fisch and artist Fabio Laguna.  Also, some readers will enjoy the fact that the character, Earl Daleheart, is a reference to the late stock car driver and NASCAR racing legend, Dale Earnhardt.

So, I highly recommend Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #111 to Scooby-Doo fans.  And until next time, Scooby-Dooby-Doo!

A-
7.5 out of 10

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


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


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

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

#IReadsYou Movie Review: SUPERMAN: Red Son

Superman: Red Son (2020)

Running time:  87 minutes(1 hour, 27 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for violent content, bloody images, suggestive material, language, thematic elements and some smoking.
DIRECTOR:  Sam Liu
WRITERS:  J.M. DeMatteis (based on characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics)
PRODUCERS:  Sam Liu and Amy McKenna
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Sam Register and Bruce Timm
EDITOR:  Christopher D. Lozinski
COMPOSER:  Frederik Wiedmann  
ANIMATION STUDIO:  Digital eMation, Inc.

ANIMATION/SUPERHERO/ACTION/FANTASY

Starring:  (voices) Jason Isaacs, Amy Acker, Diedrich Bader, Vanessa Marshall, Phil Morris, Paul Williams, Greg Chun, Phil LeMarr, Jim Meskimen, Sasha Roiz, William Salyers, Roger Craig Smith, Jason Spisak, Tara Strong, Anna Vocino, Jim Ward, Travis Willingham, and Winter Ave Zoli

Superman: Red Son is a 2020 straight-to-video animated superhero film from Warner Bros. Animation and director Sam Liu.  It is the thirty-seventh film in the DC Universe Animated Original Movies series.  The film is based on the 2003, four-issue, comic book miniseries, Superman: Red Son, written by Mark Millar and drawn by Dave Johnson and Kilian Plunkett.

The traditional origin of Superman is as follows.  A rocket ship from the doomed planet, Krypton, carries baby Kal-El to Earth.  It lands in the United States, specifically in a field near the town of Smallville, Kansas.  Jonathan and Martha Kent find the rocket and Kal-El inside.  They adopt him and name him “Clark Kent,” and Clark grows up to be Superman.  The premise of Superman: Red Son is that the rocket ship landed in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) a.k.a. the Soviet Union.

Superman: Red Son opens in the Soviet Union during the year 1946.  There, we meet a young boy who is being chased by a gang of bullies.  The boy's friend, a young girl named Svetlana, defends him by chasing the bullies away.  The boy reveals to Svetlana that he was not scared of the boys, but that he was instead scared for their safety.  The boy then reveals to Svetlana his superhuman strength and his ability to fly.

In the year 1955, the Soviet Union releases a propaganda film of an alien superhuman under the command of the nation's premiere, Joseph Stalin.  The American media dubs the alien, the “Soviet Superman” (Jason Isaacs).  In the United States, President Dwight D. Eisenhower (Jim Meskimen) tasks genius scientist, industrialist, and inventor, Lex Luthor (Diedrich Bader), to develop countermeasures against this Soviet Superman.

After the Soviet Superman prevents a satellite from crashing into the American city of Metropolis, Luthor's wife, Lois Lane Luthor (Amy Acker), secures an interview with him.  Lois uses the interview to reveal to him a top secret document that indicates the horrors Premiere Stalin perpetuates against some citizens of the Soviet Union behind Superman's back.  This leads to changes in the nature of Superman's relationship with the Soviet Union and also with the world at large.  Now, a Cold War between Superman and the United States begins, with Lex guiding the U.S. side.  Can the world survive Superman's goals and Lex Luthor's machinations?

The novelty of Superman: Red Son is that it offers alternate-reality versions of not only Superman, Lex Luthor, and Lois Lane, but also of Batman, the Green Lantern Corps, and Wonder Woman (Vanessa Marshall).  However, the novelty soon wears off, and Superman: Red Son's gimmick grow old and cold rather quickly.

Luckily, Superman, Lex Luthor, Lois Lane, and Wonder Woman are so well-written in terms of personality and character drama that I found myself fascinated by the inter-character relationships involving these four.  Beyond that, I was initially fascinated by the film, but felt less so after the first half hour.

I have never read Mark Millar's original comic book, Superman: Red Son, but I have been planning to for ages, although I keep putting it off.  I am a huge fan of the majority of Millar's comic book output.  Superman: Red Son has its moments, but after seeing it, now, I really need to read the comic book.

B

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


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 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: BATMAN: Dark Detective

BATMAN: DARK DETECTIVE
DC COMICS – @DCComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon]

STORY: Steve Englehart
PENCILS: Marshall Rogers
INKS: Terry Austin
COLORS: Chris Chuckry
LETTERS: John Workman
EDITORS: Anton Kawasaki (collection); Joey Cavalieri (original)
MISC ART: Marshall Rogers and Terry Austin
COVER: Marshall Rogers and Terry Austin
ISBN: 978-1-4012-0898-3; paperback (April 12, 2006)
144pp, Color, $14.99 U.S., $19.99 CAN

Batman created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger

Batman: Dark Detective is a 2006 trade paperback collection of the 2005, six-issue miniseries, Batman: Dark Detective (cover dated:  July 2005 to Late September 2005).  The miniseries was written by Steve Englehart; drawn by the late Marshall Rogers (pencils) and Terry Austin (inks); colored by Chris Chuckry; and lettered by John Workman.

Steve Englehart is an American comic book writer known for his influential and prominent work during the 1970s.  He had memorable runs writing The Avengers from #105 -#152 (1972 to 1976) and Doctor Strange (Vol. 2) #1 to 18 (except #3) for Marvel Comics.  He also created such Marvel characters as “Shang-Chi, Master of Kung-Fu,” “Nomad,” “Star Lord,” and “Mantis.”

Marshall Rogers (1950 to 2007) was an American comic book artist known for his work for Marvel Comics, DC Comics, and Eclipse Comics.  He produced memorable work, drawing and coloring writer Harlan Ellison's graphic novel, Demon with a Glass Hand (DC Comics, 1986).  He also drew an early 1980s run on Doctor Strange and a late 1980s run on The Silver Surfer, both for Marvel.

Englehart and Rogers' most acclaimed and most influential work happened when they collaborated on a six-issue run of Batman stories in Detective Comics in the 1970s.  From issue #471 to issue #476 (August 1977 to March-April 1978), Englehart and Rogers produced some of the most popular Batman stories of the 1970s and arguably of all time.  Englehart and Rogers re-teamed on Batman for the miniseries, Batman: Dark Detective, a follow-up and spiritual sequel to their original work on Batman for Detective Comics.

Batman: Dark Detective is set in Gotham City, but the action takes place within and outside Gotham City limits.  Batman has taken it upon himself to protect a hot new gubernatorial candidate, U.S. Senator Evan Gregory.  Batman's alter ego, Bruce Wayne, is also a big fan of Sen. Gregory, even making large cash contributions to the senator's gubernatorial campaign.

While attending a fundraiser for Sen. Gregory, Bruce is shocked to encounter a former girlfriend, Silver St. Cloud, at the fundraiser.  Once upon a time, Silver managed to discover that Bruce Wayne was Batman.  Afraid of the life Batman led, Silver ran away, leaving Gotham City behind her.  Now, she has returned, and she is Sen. Gregory's fiancée.  However, old feelings begin to stir up between Bruce and Silver, but is she now willing to accept the life that Bruce leads as Batman?

Meanwhile, three prominent members of Batman's “rogues gallery” are raising hell in Gotham.  First, the Scarecrow is releasing new types of his fear gas in order to reach into Batman and summon his deepest fears, thereby destroying him or making it easy for Scarecrow to destroy him.

The Joker, envious of the attention that Sen. Gregory's gubernatorial campaign has received, decides that he will also run for governor.  And he has a memorable campaign slogan, “Vote for Me or I'll Kill You.”  Envious of the Joker's campaign, Two-Face decides to kill the Joker and part of his plot involves the creation of a clone of himself.  This clone, however, will have a face that is whole and that is not hideous and acid-damaged like the left side of Two-Face's mug.

For Batman, the question is must he choose between his quest for justice and his affections for Silver?  Or can he balance and have both:  the dangerous life of Batman the crime fighter and the domestic life of Bruce Wayne with Silver St. Cloud as his partner and lover?

One of the most interesting Batman love interests, Silver St. Cloud has not appeared in many Batman comic books.  She is a good match for both Bruce Wayne and Batman in that she is fiercely independent, but also passionate in her love for Bruce/Batman.  Their relationship is perfect for drama, probably because their's is so obviously a doomed love.  I like that Englehart brought her back, because only he really knows how to use the character, as her co-creator (with artist Walter Simonson).

Two-Face and the Scarecrow are side players as villains in Dark Detective, but Englehart uses Scarecrow to force Batman to examine who he is, why he is the way he is, and why he does what he does.  Basically, in Batman: Dark Detective, Englehart puts Bruce Wayne and Batman through mental distress in a process by which Wayne will find a way to be at peace with why he became Batman and why he continues to do what he does.

Englehart and Rogers' Joker is one of the most frightening comic book versions of the character in its history.  Insane, matter-of-fact, and homicidal, their Joker is a force of nature, as relentless and as unpredictable as nature can be.  I still believe that the Joker that Englehart and Rogers first presented in 1977 is the one that shaped how the character would be interpreted and presented in comic books in the  four decades that followed.

Batman: Dark Detective finds Steve Englehart practically in top form as a comic book writer.  However, as an artist, Marshall Rogers is not in peak form; he would die of an apparent heart attack a little less than two years after Batman: Dark Detective #6 was published.  Rogers still delivers imaginative page and panel designs, but the quicksilver and mercurial clear line that defined his work during his peak years is gone.  However, Terry Austin's detailed and precision inking occasionally brings out some of the classic Marshall Rogers style.

Steve Englehart now refers to his 1970s run on Detective Comics as “Dark Detective I,” the precursor to his 2005 miniseries, Batman: Dark Detective, which he now calls “Dark Detective II.”  Englehart has also said that his early Batman stories not only influenced the 1989 Batman movie that was directed by Tim Burton, but that they were also the reason that film went into development.  Englehart has also stated that director Christopher Nolan's 2008 film, The Dark Knight, incorporates several elements presented in Batman: Dark Detective.

I saw The Dark Knight when it was first released, but only just read Batman: Dark Detective.  Yeah, the film has ideas that are similar to some found in this comic book.  Batman: Dark Detective the trade paperback is a good way to read this story, and the story solidifies my belief that Englehart is one of the best and most influential Batman comic book writers of all time.  I enjoyed Batman: Dark Detective enough to wish that we could get  Batman: Dark Detective II (or III, as Englehart would call it.).

A
8 out of 10

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


The text is copyright © 2020 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 link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the ad below AND buy something(s).