#IReadsYou Review: BATTLE CHASERS ANTHOLOGY

BATTLE CHASERS ANTHOLOGY

IMAGE COMICS

STORY: Joe Madureira and Munier Sharrieff

PENCILS: Joe Madureira; Adam Warren

INKS: Tom McWeeney with Joe Madureira; Adam Warren

COLORS: Liquid!; Christian Lightner; Aron Lusen; Ryan Kinnaird

LETTERS: Richard Starkings & Comicraft

COVER: Joe Madureira with Grace Liu

ISBN:  978-1-5343-1522-8; paperback (September 25, 2019)

32pp, Colors, 24.99 U.S.

Rated “T/ Teen”

Battle Chasers created by Joe Madureira

Battle Chasers is an American fantasy comic book series created by artist Joe Madureira.  Launched in April 1998, the series was sporadically published for nine issues over a period of a little over three years.  Battle Chasers #1 to #4 (cover dated: April to October 1998) were published by Image Comics' studio, Wildstorm Productions, via its “Cliffhanger” imprint.  Issues #5 to 8 (cover dated: May 1999 to 2001) were published by DC Comics via Wildstorm Productions and its “Cliffhanger” imprint.  The series returned to Image Comics for Battle Chasers #9 (cover dated: September 2001).  Although there was some art produced for a Battle Chasers #10, the issue was never published.

Well, Battle Chasers #10 finally arrives June 14th, 2023 (at least 21 years late) albeit with new series artist.  So I decided to go back and reread the original run, and there is a handy way to do that.

Battle Chasers Anthology, originally published in September 2019, collects every Battle Chasers comics story.  That includes Battle Chasers #1 to 9; the eight-page story from Battle Chasers Prelude (cover dated: February 1998); the 10-page story published in Frank Frazetta Fantasy Illustrated (cover dated: Summer 1998); and the Joe Madureira-Adam Warren “Red Monika: Interlude” serial, which was originally published in Battle Chasers #6 and #9.

[This volumes also includes a 21-page sketchbook section; a 10-page pin-up and illustration gallery; and 27-page cover art gallery.]

Battle Chasers takes place in a “steampunk” nineteenth century-type fantasy world.  It focuses on five main characters.  The first is Gully, a ten-year-old girl who possesses a pair of magical gloves left behind by her father, the great warrior, Aramus, who disappeared.  Next is Garrison, a legendary swordsman and grieving widow; he has a powerful magical sword.  Knolan is a powerful 500-year-old wizard.  His companion is Calibretto, a towering “Wargolem,” who is also an outlaw and the last of his kind.

The four join forces to find Gully's father.  They must also stop four extremely powerful villains that were inadvertently released from imprisonment by the fifth main character, Red Monika, a rogue and a voluptuous bounty hunter.  Meanwhile, the legacy of Aramus, the machinations of King Vaneer of the Unified Territories, and the secrets of Knolan begin to poison everything and everyone around them.

THE LOWDOWN:  I was a huge fan of Joe Madureira a.k.a. “Joe Mad” in the 1990s.  I used to call him “the young master” because his talent, abilities, and art seemed to explode every few months into something even better and more beautiful.  I even collected multiple pages of Joe Mad's original art.

So I was ecstatic when his first creator-owned comic book, Battle Chasers, was announced in 1997.  I was so excited about Battle Chasers when it arrived in the spring of 1998 that I also bought one of the variant covers.  I enjoyed the series, but it was a bit hard to follow because … well, because Mad took two and a half years to deliver nine issues.  For instance, there was a 16-month delay between the publication of Battle Chasers #6 (August 1999, DC Comics) and #7 (January 2001, DC Comics).

In the end, Joe Mad abandoned the series to work in the video game industry and went on to co-found a video game company.  Eventually, he did return to Battle Chasers, and Battle Chasers Anthology was published in 2019.

It is through Battle Chasers Anthology that a reader can see how imaginative, inventive, and fun to read Battle Chasers was and is.  Having the series gathered in one book allows a reader to enjoy the series without waiting months or a year-and-half to read each chapter.  The story flows, so the overall narrative comes across as impressive and well-thought out, and except for some wonky names for people, places, and beings and some awkward dialogue, the script writing by Munier Sharrieff is really good.  Engaging plots, interesting character, and surprising cliffhangers make this an exciting and gripping read.  Battle Chasers is a wild gumbo of video games scenarios, Dungeons & Dragons, and anime and manga.  Still, it is original rather than being a pastiche, although on the surface, it might appear to be as such.

To that end, along with the end of his run on Marvel Comics' Uncanny X-Men, Battle Chasers is peak Joe Mad art.  His creature design for this series is still impressive, and there was nothing like it, at least in American comic books, back then.  Battle Chasers' character design is also quite good, simply because none of the lead characters or main supporting and guests character look remotely alike.

Like Tim Townsend did when he inked Joe Mad, Tom McWeeney uses his inks to control the wild energy and eccentricity that showed itself in Mad's comic book art after he left Battle Chasers.  In the 1990s, I thought that there were no better comic book colorists than Liquid Graphics a.k.a. Liquid!  Twenty years later, the studio's work on this comic book still looks amazing.  Even the lettering by Richard Starkings & Comicraft stands out as exceptional – even today.  I'm starting to believe that, in spite of their lateness, Battle Chasers and the other two original Cliffhanger titles were not only peak 1990s mainstream comic books but also a peak in mainstream comic books in general.

I wanted to read Battle Chasers Anthology just in case I decided to read the finally arrived Battle Chasers #10 (Image Comics).  I enjoyed this collection so much that I feel that I have to at least read this new issue.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of artist Joe Madureira and of his former comic book series, Battle Chasers, will want Battle Chasers Anthology.

A

[This volume includes an introduction by Jeph Loeb and an afterword by Joe Madureira.]

[MISC ART: Joe Madureira; Joe Madureira and Tom McWeeney with Liquid!, Joe Maduriera and Alex Garner; Joe Madureira and Vince Russell; Joe Madureira and Richard Starkings; Ed McGuiness and Liquid!; David Finch and Liquid!; Travis Charest and Richard Friend; Ed McGuiness and Jason Martin with Justin Ponsor; Travis Charest and Richard Friend with Liquid!; Joe Chiodo; Adam Warren with Liquid!; Humberto Ramos and Sandra Hope with Liquid!; J. Scott Campbell and Richard Friend with Liquid!.]

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

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#IReadsYou Review: SPAWN #300

SPAWN #300

IMAGE COMICS

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Todd McFarlane with Scott Snyder (Chapter 2)

PENCILS: Greg Capullo (Chapter 1); Todd McFarlane (2); Jason Shawn Alexander (3) J. Scott Campbell (4); Jerome Opeña (5)

INKS: Todd McFarlane with Jonathan Glapion and J. Scott Campbell

COLORS: FCO Plascencia; Brian Haberlin; Peter Steigerwald; Matt Hollingsworth

LETTERS: Tom Orzechowski

EiC: Jon Goff

COVER: Todd McFarlane

VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Todd McFarlane; Greg Capullo; Greg Capullo and Todd McFarlane; J. Scott Campbell; Jerome Opeña; Jason Shawn Alexander; 

72pp, Color, $7.99 U.S. (September 2019)

Spawn created by Todd McFarlane

Spawn is a superhero/antihero character that stars in the long-running comic book series, Spawn.  Published by Image Comics since its first issue, Spawn is Image's longest running title and, in terms of number of issues, is one of the longest-running independently-published comic book series in American comics history.  [When I use the term, “independently-published,” I mean that it is not published by a comic book publisher like Marvel or DC Comics that is owned by a media conglomerate.]

Created by writer-artist and Image co-founder, Todd McFarlane, Spawn first appeared in Spawn #1 (cover dated: May 1992).  Spawn is Albert Francis Simmons.  He was a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Marine Corps, and he went on to work for the United States Secret Service and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).  Simmons joined the U.S. Security Group as a highly capable assassin, but is murdered during a mission.

Because of his life as an assassin, Simmons is sent to Hell where he made a deal with Malebolgia, one of the major Lords of Hell.  Simmons agreed to become a “Hellspawn” (an officer in Hell's army) and to serve Malebolgia if he is allowed to see his wife, Wanda, one last time.  While Malebolgia does return Simmons to Earth as a creature named “Spawn,” he stripped Simmons of his memories.  Eventually, Spawn decided to break his agreement Hell, and then, began a long campaign to stop the forces of evil.

Spawn has reached its three-hundredth issue, and like he did for Spawn #100 and Spawn #200, McFarlane adds big names to this special issue's creative team.  That includes DC Comics' superstar, Scott Snyder, as co-writer; superstar comic book artist Greg Capullo; rising star, Jerome Opeña; artist Jason Shawn Alexander; and variant cover hustler, J. Scott Campbell.  Colorists FCO Plascencia, Brian Haberlin, Peter Steigerwald, and Matt Hollingsworth join longtime Spawn letterer Tom Orzechowski to complete the creative team.

Spawn #300 opens in Kearney, Nebraska, where the Johnston family is having its annual family reunion during the first weekend of August, as it has for the last twenty-six years.  What is different this year is that there is a killer among them.

Meanwhile, Spawn continues his mission to free humanity from the clutches of both Heaven and Hell.  Having already freed his own ass, Spawn is without his allies from Hell, and Heaven sure hasn't stopped being his enemy.  Now, Spawn must face two of his oldest adversaries, the Clown and Violator.  While Spawn fights to survive to the next stage of his struggle, new allies, however, are emerging...

I was a Spawn reader from the first issue back in 1992.  I even read spin-off miniseries and ongoing series like Angela (Image Comics, 1994-1995), Curse of the Spawn (Image Comics, 1996-1999), and Spawn/WildC.A.T.S. (Image Comics, 1996).  I stuck with Spawn for almost six years.  Why did I quit?  The story never really seemed to be going anywhere, and the story was stuck in a rut.  It was always about Spawn either pining for his life as Al Simmons or struggling against his destiny as a “Hellspawn,” a member of the officer corps that would lead the forces of Hell.

Twenty-seven years later, Spawn has not changed much.  Spawn is still struggling against Hell, but now he sees Hell and Heaven as interchangeable adversaries.  Spawn wants to lead humanity in a war against both sides in order to free itself, as he did.

Todd McFarlane, like many of his Image Comics cohorts, launched Image with comic books that looked like superhero comics.  However, these superheroes were military types – special operatives, secret agents, mercenaries, etc., and the stories featured the kind of action and violence of military science fiction and fantasy.  Quite frankly, the initial Image Comics titles were closer to movies like James Carmeron's Aliens (1986) and select titles from actor-screenwriter Sylvester Stallone's filmography (especially the Rambo film series) than they were like classic comic books.  Sure, some Image titles had a passing resemblance to Marvel and DC Comics titles.  Cyberforce and WildC.A.T.s shared elements with Marvel's X-Men, and Spawn had more than a passing resemblance to Batman, especially to the Batman of Frank Miller's Batman: The Dark Knight Returns.  Still, Image Comics was introducing new kinds of superheroes to the American comic book artists.

The problem was that Todd McFarlane and his Image colleagues were never really good at the techniques of writing comic books.  They were all about big action-oriented illustrations that depicted violence and characters in action-figure poses.  Comics uses graphics, including illustrations, to tell stories.  Pretty art, overwrought, “detailed” art, and striking visuals does not really tell a story.

However, it is good to see the art team of Greg Capullo (pencils) and McFarlane (inks) back together.  The Capullo-McFarlane team drew most of the issues of Spawn that I read, so their reunion in Spawn #300 gives me a nice feeling of nostalgia.  Nothing else in this issue registers with me, although I must say J. Scott Campbell is perfectly utilized here.  The chapter that Campbell draws, which introduces “She-Spawn,” epitomizes the low-brow, exploitation, speculator-market crap heap from which Campbell emerged on his way to being a “superstar creator” and comic book “legend.”

The coloring and lettering in Spawn #300 are of professional quality but don't make the issue feel like the landmark it should be.  In the end, I did find some things in Spawn #300 that I liked, enough to make me be generous with me grading.

★★★ out of 4 stars

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

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#IReadsYou Review: THE ETERNALS #1

THE ETERNALS #1 (2021)
MARVEL COMICS

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Kieron Gillen
ART: Esad Ribić
COLORS: Matthew Wilson
LETTERS: VC's Clayton Cowles
EDITOR: Darren Shan
COVER ARTIST: Esad Ribic
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Jen Bartel; Russell Dauterman with Matthew Wilson; Arthur Adams with Jason Keith; Alan Davis with Nolan Woodard; Mike Del Mundo; Inhyuk Lee; Peach Momoko; Jenny Frison; Rian Gonzales; Greg Land with Frank D'armata; Leinil Franics Yu with Sunny Gho; Otto Schmidt; Takeshi Okazaki with Edgar Delgado; Khary Randolph with Emilio Lopez
[The following artists are not credited as variant cover artists in the comic book, but Diamond Comics Distributors is offering issues with their cover art for sale: Alex Ross; Mahmud Asrar; Dave Johnson; Frank Cho; Jeff Johnson; J. Scott Campbell; Todd Nauck; Dan Panosian; Joe Quesada; Ron Lim; Walter Simonson; Superlog; Skottie Young]
32pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (Jan. 6, 2021)

The Eternals created by Jack Kirby

“Only Death is Eternal,” Part 1

The Eternals are a race of humanoids in the Marvel Comics universe.  They were created by legendary writer-artist and comics creator, Jack Kirby, and first appeared in The Eternals #1 (cover dated: July 1976).  The Eternals are described as an offshoot of the evolutionary process that created sentient life on Earth.  They were created by the immensely powerful alien race, the Celestials, along with the Eternals' destructive counterparts, the Deviants.

The Eternals first comic book series ran for 19 issues from 1976 to 1977, with issue #19 having a January 1978 cover date.  In addition to Jack Kirby's original series, there have been miniseries starring The Eternals in 1985-86, 2006-07, and 2008-09.  In the 2018-launched Avengers comic book series (written by Jason Aaron), the Eternals discovered that their creators, the Celestials, preferred humans over them, which lead to the mass suicide and death of the Eternals (as seen in the Avengers story arc, “The Final Host”).

Now, the Eternals return in a new comic book series.  The Eternals (2021) is written by Kieron Gillen; drawn by Esad Ribić; colored by Matthew Wilson; and lettered by Clayton Cowles.  In the new series, the Eternals face something new to them – change.

The Eternals #1 opens in “the Exclusion,” one of a system of sub-dimensional threads in “The Machine” (apparently the Earth-side system by which the Eternals teleport).  The Machine also narrates the story, which opens with the resurrection of Ikaris, the last Eternal to die.  However, the “Eternal Prime,” Zuras, has a surprise for the ever-direct Ikaris.  Ikaris must awaken and take charge of Sprite, the murderous prankster Eternal.

Arriving in New York, Ikaris and Sprite meet Iron Man.  Then, it is time to do their job, protect humans from “the Deviants,” especially those that become monsters.  While the mismatched duo is away, however, new death in a familiar guise comes for the Eternals.

THE LOWDOWN:  I recently read the original The Eternals #1, from 1976, which was written and drawn by series creator Jack Kirby.  I did this in preparation for the new series and for the (eventually) upcoming film, The Eternals, from Walt Disney Pictures and Marvel Studios.

First, let me speak to the beauty of The Eternals 2021.  I first discovered artist Esad Ribic when he drew the final two issues of the X-Men miniseries, X-Men: Children of the Atom (1999-2000), that was begun by writer Joe Casey and artist Steve Rude.  I was not crazy about Ribic's art in that series, but it was clear to me that this artist had huge potential as a comic book illustrator.

I must say that he has developed way beyond what I expected.  Here, Ribic's beautiful illustrations and Matthew Wilson's supernatural coloring combine to create gorgeous art that recalls the work of the late master, Moebius.  The graphical storytelling reads and feels like superhero comics as real science fiction comics.

Kieron Gillen's story is intriguing and the script is straightforward and clean.  His dialogue and The Machine's exposition made it easy for me to follow the story, setting, and plot/concept.  Gillen is going to make me spend some money on this comic book series.  So, if you don't want to spend more money on comics, dear readers, avoid The Eternals #1 2021.  If you are just looking for a really good first issue, spend it on this one … which has a killer last story page.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of the Eternals and of good Marvel comic books will want The Eternals 2021.

9 out of 10

[This comic book includes a one-page tribute to former Marvel Comics publisher, Mike Hobson, who died in November 2020.]

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


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I Reads You Juniors: June 2021 - Update #101

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon.

NEWS: 

IMAGE/DARK HORSE - From ICv2:   In September, Eisner Award-winning writer Jeff Lemire will launch two new miniseries, "Mazebook" from Dark Horse and "Primordial: from Image.

BOOM STUDIOS - TheBeat:  The site has a five-page story preview and some cover art from BOOM! Studios' "Dark Blood #1."  Written by televisions writer and showrunner, Latoya Morgan and drawn by newcomer Walt Barna, the comic book is due July 21st.

WARREN ELLIS - From BleedingCool:  Artist Ben Templesmith recently announced that he and writer Warren Ellis will finish their old Image Comics series, "Fell." Image has released a statement saying that it will not work with Ellis on anything further until he makes amends.

 

From BleedingCool:   Warren Ellis accepts "So Many of Us" offer.

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DC TV - From DCBlog:   In honor of "DC Pride Month," actor Anissa Pierce talks about playing "Thunder" on The CW's "Black Lightning."

MARVEL - From GamesRadar:   August 3rd, 2021 will mark the 10th anniversary of the first appearance of the Spider-Man character, Miles Morales (Marvel's 21st century Spider-Man).  The comic book, "Miles Morales: Spider-Man #30," will feature Miles in a new Spider-Man costume.

MARVEL - From GamesRadar:   Marvel Comics will celebrate that it has published 300 issues of "Conan the Barbarian" over two eras.  The 300th issue will be "Conan the Barbarian #25," it will feature several creative teams and sport several variant covers, including covers by Peach Momoko and Alex Toth.

DC CINEMA - From GeekFeed:   The site has the first official look at the costumes for the "Shazam! Family" in DC Films' "Shazam!: Fury of the Gods."

DC CINEMA - From HypeBeast:   "Batman" actor Michael Keaton seen on the set of DC Film's "The Flash."

DC CINEMA - From TheDrive:  In "The Flash" movie, Michael Keaton's Batman will drive a "Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6," an EV car.

DC CINEMA - From Collider:  Footage from the set of director Andy Muschietti's DC Film's production, "The Flash," reveals the costume that actress Sasha Calle will wear as Supergirl.

IMAGE COMICS - From BleedingCool:   Artist Ben Templesmith has announced that he and writer Warren Ellis will finish their comic book, "Fell," of which nine issues were published by Image Comics from 2005 to 2008.  There was to be a further 7 issues, but Templesmith says the conclusion may be published as a single-volume work.

DIAMOND - From BleedingCool:   Diamond Comic Distributors has announced the return of the "Retailer Summit" as an online event for 2021 on the 26th and 27th of September 2021.

DC CINEMA - From THR:  Warner Bros. has released an "Early Access" trailer for writer-director James Gunn's "The Suicide Squad," which is due Aug. 6th.

DC COMICS/MANGA - From JapanToday:    Superman will start in a gourmet manga, "Superman vs Food: Superman’s Meals of Solitude" (Superman vs Meshi: Superman No Hitori Meshi), written by Satoshi Miyakawa with art by Kai Kitago.

MANGA - From TheOuterHaven:   Ablaze Publishing reveals to new manga titles it will publish, "Versus Fight Story" and "Crueler Than Dead."

MANGA/EISNERS - From CBR:   The site tells readers how to read the manga nominated for the 2021 Eisner Awards.

BLACK COMICS - From THR:   Nigeria’s Comic Republic, Africa’s largest publisher of independent comic books, has signed a production deal with Emagine Content and JackieBoy Entertainment to adapt its catalog of African superheroes for film and TV.

IMAGE COMICS - From THR:   How Emilia Clarke paid homage to "Game of Thrones" with her new comic book, "M.O.M.: Mother of Madness."

MCU RUMORS - From WeGotThisCovered:  Marvel wants to kill of Iron Fist in the MCU.

MILESTONE - From BleedingCool:   "Milestone Compendium One" is a softcover collection from DC Comics with more than 1,300 pages of classic Milestone Comics stories, collecting the debut story arcs of Blood Syndicate, Hardware, Static, Icon, Xombi, and Shadow Cabinet from the original Milestone creative teams.  It will be published September 2021.

IMAGE COMICS - From BleedingCool: There will be at least nine variant covers for the first issue of "M.O.M.: Mother of Madness," which is co-written by Emmy nominated actress, Emilia Clarke.

DC TV - From DCBlog:   In honor of Pride Month, "DC Blog" interviews and profiles "Batwoman" actress, Javicia Leslie.

FANTAGRAPHICS - From Newsarama:   The site presents a preview of the upcoming "Red Room #2" from Ed Piskor.

DC COMICS - From GamesRadar:  Aquaman villain, Black Manta, will star in a six-issue miniseries from writer Chuck Brown and artist Valentine De Landro.

DC COMICS - From BleedingCool:  The current Batman/Superman comic book series will come to an end with #22 in September 2021.

DC COMICS - From DCBlog:  A look at Jackson Hyde/Aqualad ahead of his miniseries, "Aquaman: The Becoming."

COMICS - From BleedingCool:   The great comic book creator, Ty Templeton, has stage 3 colorectal cancer, and he is talking about via his online comic, "Bun Toons."

IMAGE COMICS - From BleedingCool:  Artist Stuart Immonen joins Mark Millar for the second volume of Millar's fantastic fantasy comic book, "The Magic Order."

MANGA - From ANN:   In May, the 1st volume of the English version of Reibun Ike's "Dick Fight Island" was ranked as the #1 Romance manga and #1 Yaoi & LGBTQ+ Manga according to Amazon's Best Sellers Rank.

MANGA - From BoundingInto:   Comic book writer, Gerry Conway, who has created hundreds of comic book characters, The Punisher and Power Girl, wants manga creators “taken to task” for their “rampant sexism and misogyny.”

COMICS - From YahooInsider:   This article offers an overview of a recent controversy involving comic book cover artist J. Scott Campbell and the online movement of "art fixing."

BRITISH COMICS - From 2000AD:   Veteran "Judge Dredd" and "Strontium Dogs" artist Trevor Hairsine talks to "2000 AD Thrill-Cast" podcast.

MANGA TO ANIME - From YouTube:  Hiroshi Nagahama is the director of Cartoon Network/Adult Swim's anime adaptation of Junji Ito's seminal manga, "Uzumaki."  Now, Nagahama is sharing a brief preview of the miniseries.

MILLARWORLD - From FlickeringMyth:   The site has an eight-page preview of Mark Millar and Tommy Lee Edward's "Jupiter's Legacy: Requiem #1," which is due tomorrow.

MILESTONE - From TheBeat:  In a web chat, writer Vita Ayala and layout artist ChrisCross talk about "Static Season One," the first comic book series that will mark the return of Milestone.  "Static Shock Season #1" is on sale as early as today.

DC ANIMATION - From Variety:    In an article about a particular group of TV series (including Disney's "WandaVision") that "subvert the superhero" genre, the writer details how DC Comics objected to Batman performing oral sex on Catwoman in the hit animated series, "Harley Quinn."  If this act does happen, it will be seen in the upcoming third season of the HBO Max series.

DC COMICS - From GamesRadar:   "Harley Quinn: The Animated Series" is getting a comic book sequel to the show's second season finale meant to fill in the time before the upcoming third season.  "Bingo Love" writer Tee Franklin, artist Max Sarin, and letterer Taylor Esposito are working on the six-issue "Harley Quinn: The Animated Series - The Eat, Bang, Kill Tour."

DC COMICS - From GamesRadar:  Jackson Hyde/Aqualad is getting his own comic book this fall, "Aquaman: The Becoming."

DC COMICS - From GamesRadar:   The classic DC Comics/Vertigo series, "Fables," which ended in 2015, is returning as an ongoing series in 2022.  In meantime, September will see the debut of the six-issue miniseries, "Batman vs. Bigby!: A Wolf in Gotham."

COMICS - From BI:  Substack, the newsletter platform, is getting into the digital comic publishing business.

MARVEL - From BleedingCool:   Lunar Distribution, LLC plans to join Diamond Comic Distributors and distribute Marvel Comics titles via Penguin Random House, Marvel's new distributor.

DC ANIMATION - From DCBlog:   Dwayne Johnson introduces "DC League of Super-Pets."

BOOK NEWS - From AP: One of the country’s most esteemed novelists, Louise Erdrich, won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction for “The Night Watchman.”  Other winners for books include the late Les Payne and daughter Tamara Payne for their Malcolm X biography “The Dead Are Arising.”

MARVEL - From Nerdist:  Marvel has released a trailer for "X-Men #1" which debuts July 7th.

EISNER AWARDS - From BleedingCool:   The nominees for the 2021 Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards have been announced.  This is for works published between Jan. 1st and Dec. 31st, 2020.  The deadline for voting is June 30th,  and the winners will be announced sometime in July via a virtual ceremony.

MARVEL - From BleedingCool:   The trade paperback collection of the 2003 miniseries, "Truth: Red, White & Black," has been out of print for over a decade. The miniseries focuses on Isaiah Bradley, one of 300 African American soldiers experimented on by the US Army in an attempt to create super soldiers via the serum that would eventually turn Steve Rogers into Captain America.  Marvel will return the collection to print under the new title, "Captain America: Truth," in February 2022.

DC CINEMA - From TheWrap:   Director James Wan has revealed that the title for the "Aquaman" sequel is "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom," which will be released December 16, 2022.

NEIL GAIMAN - From CBR:   Netflix has release a first-look video featurette at "The Sandman," its live-action adaptation of the classic DC Comics/Vertigo comic book written by Neil Gaiman.

DC ANIMATION - From Deadline:   Dwayne Johnson has just unveiled the voice-over cast for the upcoming animated DC movie "DC League of Super-Pets." The list includes Kevin Hart, Keanu Reeves, Kate McKinnon, Vanessa Bayer, John Krasinski, Diego Luna and Natasha Lyonne. None of their roles were disclosed, except that Hart will be the voice of "Ace" (the Bat-Hound).  Johnson will voice "Krypto" (the Super-Dog).

DC TV - From Variety:   The CW and Warner Bros. TV dropped first-look photos of “Batwoman” star Camrus Johnson, who plays "Luke Fox," suited as the character, "Batwing."

MANGA - From BleedingCool:   Yen Press is producing a graphic novel adaptation of Disney's Oscar-winning animated feature film, "Big Hero 6," which was based on a Marvel Comics title.

DC CINEMA - From LATimes:   DC Film's "Blue Beetle" movie, based on the comic book, will be an HBO Max exclusive.

DC CINEMA - From MurphysMultiverse:   Directing duo Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, who recently wrapped on the upcoming Disney+ series "Mrs.Marvel," will direct the "Batgirl" movie for DC Films and HBO Max.

DC TV - From THR:   Anna Diop, the Senegal-born actress who plays "Starfire" on HBO Max's "Titans," has signed on to M88 for career management.

IDW - From THR:   Beloved "G.I. Joe" comic book writer, Larry Hama, is joining writer-artist Rob Liefeld on the fifth and final issue of Liefeld's G.I. Joe spinoff comic book, "Snake Eyes: Deadgame.  That issue will feature Hama's pencil art on the cover.

COMICS - From ToyNews:   The children’s book publisher AMEET has detailed a new partnership with the multi-platform content company, Skybound Entertainment to launch a new series of LEGO comic books. The first in the series is slated to debut in 2022 and will be published by Image Comics and Skybound.

COMICS TO TV - From BloodyDisgusting:   "Y: The Last Man," based on the DC Comics/Vertigo series from Brian K. Vaughn and Pia Guerra, will reportedly debut on "FX on Hulu" in September.

COMICS TO TV - From EW:  Here is a first look at actor Jensen Ackles ("Supernatural") as "Soldier Boy" from Amazon's "The Boys" Season 3. 

MILLARWORLD - From GhettoManga:  Back in the day (May 2012), Mark Millar provided a preview of "Supercrooks #1."

DC CINEMA - From WeGotThisCovered:    Director Matt Reeves' "The Batman" supposedly has a dark tone - darker than "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice" - and may be the grimmest Batman film yet.

DC CINEMA - From THR:   Danny Elfman is a four-time Oscar nominee and a Grammy Award winner for his film music.  But Elfman has a wild tale about how he composed his iconic score to director Tim Burton's "Batman" (1989), which he says involved freaking out several flight attendants.

MARVEL - From GamesRadar:  Marvel's newest Captain America will be debut September 2021 in "United States of Captain America #4." She is Ari Agbayani, a Filipino-American college student.

ARCHIE - From BleedingCool:   The site has a preview of Rob Liefeld's "The Mighty Crusaders: The Shield #1 one shot.

MILLARWORLD - From Deadline:  Actor Josh Duhamel reacts to the premature cancellation of his hit Netflix TV series, "Jupiter's Legacy," based on the Mark Millar comic book.

SONY MARVEL U - From Variety:  Actress Issa Rae will provide the voice of Jessica Drew/Spider-Woman in the sequel to Oscar-winning animated film, "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse." 

MARVEL -From BleedingCool:  Will Marvel Comics really kill of Doctor Strange this September?

DC COMICS - From DCBlog:   James Tynion talks to "DC Nation" about his new horror series, "Nice House on the Lake"

DC Comics - From DCBlog: Mariko Tamaki talks about her new DC Comics series, "Crush & Lobo."

DC TV - From DCBlog:   Go behind the scenes of "Sweet Tooth," the new Netflix series based on the DC Comics/Vertigo series.

DC TV - From BleedingCool:  Word has come down that the DC Comics/Vertigo title, "Red Thorn," is being adapted for television.

MARVEL - From BleedingCool:   Here is a first look at the Wolverine vs. Deathlok battle in the Free Comic Book Day 2021 title, "FCBD 2021 Marvel Gold Avengers Hulk #1"

COMICS - From BleedingCool:   Lunar Distribution, the DC Comics direct market exclusive distributor created by their biggest customer, DCBS, is moving (along with DCBS) from Fort Wayne, Indiana, to New Haven, Indiana.  They will receive up to a million dollars in tax credits for the move.

DYNAMITE - From SyFy:   The site has a preview of Dynamite Entertainment's upcoming "Elvira meets Vincent Price #1."  The miniseries is written by David Avallone and drawn by Juan Samu.

NEIL GAIMAN - From IndieWire:   Neil Gaiman says he gives "all the fucks" about "The Sandman." But he gives "zero fucks about people who don’t understand/haven’t read ‘Sandman’ whining about a nonbinary Desire or that Death isn’t white enough." Re - Netflix's "The Sandman" TV series.

DC COMICS - From Polygon:  Writer James Tynion IV talks about his new horror comic book series, "The Nice House on the Lake," from DC Comics' new horror imprint, "DC Horror."

MILLARWORLD - From THR:   Netflix has cancelled its TV adaptation of Mark Millar's comic book, "Jupiter's Legacy, after one season.  However, it has ordered a live-action and anime adaptation of "Supercrooks," which is set in the same universe as "Jupiter's Legacy."

DIAMOND - From BleedingCool:  Comic book retailers are learning what their new Marvel order discount will be if they stick with Diamond Comic Distributors rather than go with Marvel's new distributor, Penguin Random House.

MARVEL - From BleedingCool:  Artist Bryan Hitch will join writers Ram V and Al Ewing on a new ongoing "Venom" comic book that begins in November.

BRITISH COMICS - From 2000AD:  Writer-artist Chris Weston talks about his new Judge Dredd story, "Adios, Rowdy Yates."

From 2000AD:  The House That Dredd Built: A Brief History of Rowdy Yates Block

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

DC TV - From YahooEntertainment:   The Tulsa Race Massacre turns 100: How HBO's "Watchmen" helped teach America a crucial history lesson.

BLACK PANTHER - From YahooWashPost:  Ta-Nehisi Coates took the Black Panther comic book to dark places - and it paid off.

DC COMICS - From BleedingCool:   "Mister Miracle: The Great Escape" is a new young adult graphic novel from DC Comics out in January, 2022.  Created by Varian Johnson and Daniel Isles, it re-imagines Scott Free as a young Black student attending school on the planet of Apokalips.

NEWSPAPER COMICS - From BleedingCool:   ABLAZE announced today a deal with Tribune Content Agency to publish a collection of the groundbreaking comic strip "Friday Foster." The series was the first US newspaper comics strip to feature an African-American woman as its main character.

ARCHIE - From BleedingCool:  David Gallaher is now writing Archie Comics "The Shield," that Rob Liefeld has previously worked on.

DC COMICS - From BleedingCool:   DC Comics will publish four titles for Free Comic Book Day 2021 (August 14th): "Batman FCBD Special Edition," "Suicide Squad FCBD Special Edition," "Teen Titans: Beast Boy Loves Raven Special Edition," and "Batman And Robin And Howard and Amethyst: Princess Of Gemworld Special Edition Flipbook."

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

JUNE 2021 COMICS SOLICITATIONS:

From BleedingCool:  Ablaze for June 2021 

From BleedingCool:  AfterShock Comics for 2021

From BleedingCool:  BOOM! Studios for June 2021

From BleedingCool:  Dark Horse Comics for June 2021

From BleedingCool:  DC Comics for June 2021

From BleedingCool:  Dynamite Entertainment for June 2021

From BleedingCool:  Eaglemoss for June 2021

From BleedingCool:  Hero Collector for June 2021

From BleedingCool:  IDW Publishing for June 2021 

From BleedingCool:  Mad Cave Studios for June 2021

From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics for June 2021

From BleedingCool:  Scout Comics for June 2021

From BleedingCool:  Source Point Press for June 2021

From BleedingCool:  Valiant Entertainment for June 2021

From BleedingCool:  VIZ Media for June 2021

From BleedingCool:  Zenescope Entertainment for June 2021 

 

JULY 2021 COMICS SOLICITATIONS:

From BleedingCool:  Artists, Writers & Artisans for July 2021

From BleedingCool:  Bad Idea for July 2021

From BleedingCool:  BOOM! Studios for July 2021

From BleedingCool:  Dark Horse Comics for July 2021

From BleedingCool:  DC Comics for July 2021

From BleedingCool:  Dynamite Entertainment for July 2021

From BleedingCool:  Heavy Metal for July 2021

From BleedingCool:  Hero Collectors for July 2021

From BleedingCool:  IDW Publishing for July 2021

From BleedingCool:  Image Comics for July 2021

From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics for July 2021

From BleedingCool:  Titan Comics for July 2021

From BleedingCool:  Valiant Entertainment for July 2021

From BleedingCool:  Vault Comics for July 2021

From BleedingCool:  VIZ Media for July 2021

AUGUST 2021 COMICS SOLICITATIONS:

From BleedingCool:  Free Comic Book Day for August 14, 2021 

From BleedingCool:  Action Lab for August 2021

From BleedingCool:  AfterShock Comics for August 2021

From BleedingCool:  Archie Comics for August 2021

From BleedingCool:  Artists, Writers & Artisans for August 2021

From BleedingCool:  Behemoth for August 2021 

From BleedingCool:  Black Mask for August 2021

From BleedingCool:  Dark Horse Comics for August 2021

From BleedingCool:  DC Comics for August 2021

From BleedingCool:  Dynamite Entertainment for August 2021 

From BleedingCool:  Heavy Metal for August 2021

From BleedingCool:  IDW Publishing for August 2021

From BleedingCool:  Image Comics for August 2021

From BleedingCool:  It's Alive for August 2021

From BleedingCool:  Oni Press for August 2021

From BleedingCool:  Rebellion for August 2021

From BleedingCool:  Scout Comics for August 2021

From BleedingCool:  Second Sight Publishing for August 2021

From BleedingCool:  Source Point Press for August 2021 

From BleedingCool:  Titan Comics for August 2021

From BleedingCool:  Valiant Comics for August 2021

From BleedingCool:  Vault Comics for August 2021

SEPTEMBER 2021 COMICS SOLICITATIONS:

From BleedingCool:  Ablaze Publishing for September 2021

From BleedingCool:  Action Lab for September 2021

From BleedingCool:  Archie Comics for September 2021 

From BleedingCool:  AWA for September 2021

From BleedingCool:  BOOM Studios for September 2021

From BleedingCool:  Dark Horse Comics for September 2021

From BleedingCool:  DC Comics for September 2021

From BleedingCool:  Dynamite Entertainment for September 2021

From BleedingCool:  IDW Publishing for September 2021

From BleedingCool:  Image Comics for September 2021

From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics for September 2021

From BleedingCool:  Oni Press for September 2021

From BleedingCool:  Scout Comics for September 2021

From BleedingCool:  Titan Comics for September 2021

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

#IReadsYou Review: KILLADELPHIA #10

KILLADELPHIA #10
IMAGE COMICS – @ImageComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Rodney Barnes
ART: Jason Shawn Alexander
COLORS: Luis Nct
LETTERS: Marshall Dillon
EDITOR: Greg Tumbarello
COVER: Jason Shawn Alexander
VARIANT COVER ARTIST: J. Scott Campbell with Sabine Rich
28pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S.(November 2020)

Rated “M/ Mature”

“Burn Baby Burn” Part IV: “Kill Them All”

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

Killadelphia focuses on James “Jim” Sangster, Jr., who comes home to Philly to deal with the final affairs of his recently murdered father, revered Philadelphia homicide detective, James Sangster, Sr.  Not dead, but undead, the father joined the son, the chief medical examiner (Jose Padilla), and a rebellious vampire to lead the battle that saves Philly from the vampires.  But that was just the first battle, and this is an apocalypse.

Killadelphia #10 (“Kill Them All”) opens in Deadwood, South Dakota, 1876.  And this is the story of Fergus O'Neill.  He is a slave, a slave who is a plantation overseer, and a dead-eye shooter, who eventually becomes the mortician known as “Toppy.”  This is the story of how Toppy becomes a vampire and an ally of Abigail Adams.

Elsewhere, the Sangster boys, Ms. Padilla, and Police Lt. Zimmerman battle a vampire horde, but the battle goes awry when one of the soldiers forgets the weapons of war.  Now, cracks rapidly appear in the foundation of a defense force.

Meanwhile, there is a rebellion being born within the rebellion.

THE LOWDOWN:  As I first write this review, it is Thanksgiving Week 2020.  Killadelphia #10 hits comic book shops Wednesday, November 25th, one day before the Thanksgiving … of the apocalypse.

I am thankful for Killadelphia.  I am thankful for Rodney Barnes' scripts, the writhing dishes of blood pudding that is this narrative.  I am thankful for Jason Shawn Alexander's powerful art and graphical storytelling.  I am thankful for Luis Nct's fiery colors of damnation.  I am thankful for Marshall Dillon keeping peace in the border towns of undead lettering.  For all I know, these creative knuckleheads are also immortals … because Killadelphia can't be this good – unless it is a work of the supernatural.

Every issue, I am surprised, and Killadelphia is still killmatic 10 issues on.  So, dear readers, give yourself a reason to be thankful this year and pick up Killadelphia #10 and also the trade paperback, Killadelphia Vol. 1: Sins of the Father.

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

A+
10 out of 10

Killadelphia #10 has a backup feature:
“Elysium Gardens” Part 3 “The Skin I'm In”
Story: Rodney Barnes
Art: Jason Shawn Alexander
Layouts: Sherard Jackson
Letters: Marshall Dillon

The back-up feature, “Elysium Gardens,” first opened on the Santa Monica Pier in Los Angeles, California on April 28, 1962 and then, moved to Sicily, 827 A.D.  Now, the story moves … back to the future or present in L.A.  Angela does not want to believe that she is Zubiya or a werewolf, but she may be forced to accept that it is a time of reckoning for her kind.

Previously, I wrote that Rodney Barnes' story and Jason Shawn Alexander's art recalled the black and white horror comics magazines of Warren Publications (like Creepy and Eerie).  However, this is something new, and “Elysium Gardens” looks like it wants to break more than just a little ground.  I'm more sure of that, now.

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


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


The text is copyright © 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).

#IReadsYou Review: USAGI YOJIMBO #1

USAGI YOJIMBO No. 1 (2019)
IDW PUBLISHING – @IDWPublishing

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

CARTOONIST: Stan Sakai
COLORS: Tom Luth
LETTERS: Stan Sakai
EDITOR: Bobby Curnow
COVER: Stan Sakai
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Daniel Warren Johnson with Mike Spicer; Walter Simonson with Laura Martin; Kevin Eastman with Tomi Varga; Maria Caligari; Chris Johnson; Mike Choi; J. Scott Campbell with Nei Ruffino; J. Scott Campbell; Alex Kotkin with Ivan Nunes; Mike Vasquez; Charles Vess; Tessa Rose; Buzz with Brittany Peer; Ian Nichols; Stan Sakai and Tom Luth; Stan Sakai with Tom Luth; Stan Sakai and Tom Luth with Emi Fujii and Matt Enterline; Linh Nguyen
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (June 2019)

Usagi Yojimbo created by Stan Sakai

“Bunraku” Part One

Usagi Yojimbo, which means “rabbit bodyguard,” is an anthropomorphic rabbit ronin who is sometimes hired as a bodyguard.  His adventures take place in Edo-era Japan (specifically the 17th century).  Created by Stan Sakai, Miyamoto Usagi first appeared in the small press comic book, Albedo Anthropomorphics #2.  He is the star of a long-running comic book series, Usagi Yojimbo, which has previously been published by Fantagraphics Books (1987-1993), by Mirage Publishing (1993-1995), and by Dark Horse Comics (1996-2018).

Now, Usagi Yojimbo has a new publisher, IDW Publishing.  This 2019 iteration of the venerable creator-owned comic book title is also the first ongoing Usagi Yojimbo comic book series to be published in full-color.  Once again the series is written, drawn, and lettered by creator Stan Sakai, and is colored by Tom Luth.

Usagi Yojimbo #1 opens with Sasuke, the fox who is a demon hunter, swordsman, and archer.  He is in the middle of a battle against “the demons of Mount Funai.”  Then, Lord Shoki the Demon Queller (the ghost who is also Sasuke's mentor) appears and sends Sasuke to the town of Kuroyama Mura.  Meanwhile, Usagi (“Usagi Yojimbo”) is already in town and is enjoying a “Bunraku” (a classical form of Japanese puppet theater), unaware of how close he is to the evil that Sasuke seeks.

Every single time I have read a Usagi Yojimbo comic book or story, I have enjoyed it – sometimes immensely.  Yet I cannot explain why I have read Usagi Yojimbo so little over the past three decades.  So I thought that this series relaunch at IDW was the perfect time to reengage this beloved samurai rabbit.  So how is the new comic book?

It's good, of course.  I am quite intrigued by this opening chapter in what will be an introductory three-issue arc, apparently before a longer story arc begins.  I don't think I'm telling people who have previously read Usagi Yojimbo something they don't already know.  Stan Sakai is an accomplished comic book creator, artist, and illustrator, and his comic books have always shown that.  Tom Luth, himself and accomplished comic book illustrator and colorist, also does good work here, of course.

What I can say is that readers unfamiliar with Usagi Yojimbo will find, in this new series, high-quality and delightful comic book storytelling.  Usagi Yojimbo often has the timeless quality that classic fantasy literature has.  If you are only interested in superhero comic books, dear reader, you may find that Stan Sakai and his samurai rabbit can still capture your imagination.

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 reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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

#IReadsYou Review: MARVEL COMICS #1000

MARVEL COMICS No. 1000
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITERS: Al Ewing and various
PENCILS: Various
INKS: Various
COLORS: Various
LETTERS: Various
EDITOR: Tom Brevoort
EiC: Akira Yoshida a.k.a. C.B. Cebulski
COVER: Alex Ross
VARIANT COVERS: Various
96pp, Color, $9.99 U.S. (October 2019)

Rated T

Marvel Comics #1 (with a cover date of October 1939) was first published on Aug. 31, 1939.  It was the first comic book published by the company known as Timely Comics, a division of Timely Publications and a precursor of Marvel Comics.  Marvel Comics would eventually take on the title, Marvel Mystery Comics.

Using the publication date of Marvel Comics #1, Marvel Comics has been celebrating its 80th anniversary throughout 2019.  The biggest event of that celebration is a special comic book, Marvel Comics #1000.  This massive collaborative effort features 80 different creative teams and showcases classic Marvel Comics characters and some brand new ones.

Each page of Marvel Comics #1000 is a single-page vignette that is the contribution of one of the 80 creative teams.  The creative teams are a mixture of Marvel Comics luminaries (Roy Thomas, Chris Claremont, Alex Ross, to name a few), recent Marvel star creators (Jason Aaron, Joe Quesada), some rising Marvel creators (David F. Walker, Saladin Ahmed), some celebrities (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Neil Gaiman), and some inexplicable choices (J. Scott Campbell?!)

The guiding hand behind the story in this issue is Al Ewing, writer of the critically-acclaimed Hulk comic book series, Immortal Hulk.  The very first panel of Marvel Comics #1000 is based on a panel from Marvel Comics #1, and it is the beginning of this comic book's first one-pager, which is entitled “Eight Bells.”  It is written by Ewing; drawn by Steve Epting; colored by Frank D'Armata; and lettered by VC's Clayton Cowles.  And while many of the one-pagers in Marvel Comics #1000 are about pivotal moments in Marvel Comics' past, the first one-page hints at an ancient conspiracy that runs through the history of the Marvel Universe.

“Eight Bells” recounts the introduction of the original Human Torch, an android by Professor Horton.  From there, Ewing unveils a mystery in the Marvel Universe, one centered around an enigmatic artifact known as the “Eternity Mask.”  Secret threads, secret connections, secret histories, and synchronicity, what is the mystery behind the Eternity Mask, an item that can take down both the powerful and weak  Who will wear the mask now?

In the Diamond Previews online write-up for Marvel Comics #1000, Marvel declares it features “The Greatest Talent Ever Assembled for One Story.”  Another line reads “...we have gathered together the greatest array of talent ever to be assembled between the covers of a single comic book!”  Marvel has also described the creative line-ups for this Marvel Comics #1000 as “some Marvel icons, some first-timers” and “80 luminary creative teams.”

I understand hype, but I also believe that whoever wrote this does not quite understand the actual meaning of the world “luminary.”  As for “the greatest talent ever assembled,” that is eye-rolling hype.  Most of the contributors to Marvel Comics #1000 are solid professions, but for the most part have not produced enough work or any work that would justify them being called “great talents” and certainly not luminary.  Also, the comic books that most of these new icons and “new luminaries” produce have contributed to the continued plummeting sales of comic books.  Neil Gaiman is obviously a luminary, and after a few puffs of burning bush, I might grudgingly call Jason Aaron a luminary.  But Matthew Rosenberg? – bitch, puh-lease.

For the record, here is a list of artists and writer-artists that have contributed substantially to Marvel Comics, but do not contribute to Marvel Comics #1000:  Art Adams, John Byrne, Sal Buscema, Paul Gulacy, Frank Miller, Andy Kubert, Bob Layton, Jim Lee, Joe Madureira, Todd McFarlane, Bob McLeod, Jon J. Muth, John Romita, John Romita, Jr., Bill Sienkiewicz, Paul Smith, Jim Starlin, Kent Williams, Ron Wilson, Barry Windsor-Smith, and Mike Zeck

Here are the writers who have contributed greatly to Marvel and are not in Marvel Comics #1000:  Brian Michael Bendis, Ed Brubaker, Joe Casey, J.M. DeMatteis, Matt Fraction, Steven Grant, David Michelinie, Mark Millar, Doug Moench, Grant Morrison, Ann Nocenti, Louise Simonson, and Marv Wolfman.

I can understand that there are a number of reasons why none of the above appear in Marvel Comics #1000.  Some may have declined, and others may have chosen not to because they are retired or are in poor health.  Others may have exclusive contracts with other publishers that prohibit them from committing any work for Marvel.  Some may have had scheduling issues, but I think many simply were not asked to contribute.

A Marvel Comics 80th anniversary book without John Byrne and Frank Miller is just fucking stupid.  I don't care what it took – even if someone had to get on his or her knees or drop trousers to convince them, Byrne and Miller had to be in this comic book.   It is because of the work that Byrne and Miller produced for Marvel Comics from the 1970s to the mid-1980s that Marvel had a late 1980s.

And they couldn't get a Jack Kirby pin-up in this bitch?  The comic books that Bendis, Brubaker, and Millar produced in the 2000s contributed greatly to the history-making and astounding amounts of money Marvel Entertainment's owners are now making from film adaptations of Marvel Comics' stories and characters.  Bendis should have written the Miles Morales one-pager; because he didn't, I didn't even bother reading it.

There are some nice moments and pages in Marvel Comics #1000.  I thought the Joe Quesada-Kevin Nowlan Daredevil page was beautiful.  Other pages I liked:  Roy Thomas and Rod Reis's Wolverine page; Jim Zub and Nick Bradshaw's Blade page; and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's Jessica Jones page, to name a few.

The good stuff in Marvel Comics #1000 is tainted by the absence of so many true Marvel Comics luminaries and icons.  Donny Cates is not a Marvel icon, nor is Gerry Duggan.  Sorry; not now, but maybe later – much later.  The powers-that-be at Marvel Comics should be honest.  Marvel Comics #1000 is not so much an anniversary celebration as their childish need to have a Marvel title reach a thousandth issue because DC Comics recently had two – Action Comics #1000 and Detective Comics #1000.  And Marvel was going to have their 1000 even if they had to fudge the numbers.

5 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.


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

Dynamite Entertainment from Diamond Distributors for September 18, 2019

DYNAMITE

FEB191047    BETTIE PAGE UNBOUND #1 ATLAS AVALLONE SGN ED (MR)    $49.99
FEB191051    BETTIE PAGE UNBOUND #1 ROYLE VIRGIN ED    $50.00
JUL191188    BOYS OMNIBUS TP VOL 04 (MR)    $29.99
JUL191189    BOYS OMNIBUS TP VOL 04 PHOTO ED (MR)    $29.99
APR191021    BRANDON SANDERSON WHITE SAND HC VOL 03 (MR)    $24.99
FEB191088    ELVIRA MISTRESS OF DARK #9 CVR A EASTMAN    $3.99
FEB191089    ELVIRA MISTRESS OF DARK #9 CVR B CERMAK    $3.99
FEB191090    ELVIRA MISTRESS OF DARK #9 CVR C ROYLE    $3.99
FEB191091    ELVIRA MISTRESS OF DARK #9 CVR D PHOTO    $3.99
JUL191214    JAMES BOND 007 #11 CVR A JOHNSON    $3.99
JUL191215    JAMES BOND 007 #11 CVR B PHAM    $3.99
JUL191216    JAMES BOND 007 #11 CVR C MELKINOV    $3.99
JUL191217    JAMES BOND 007 #11 CVR D CAREY    $3.99
JUN191133    KISS END #5 CVR A SAYGER    $3.99
JUN191134    KISS END #5 CVR B FORNES    $3.99
JUN191135    KISS END #5 CVR C MEDRI    $3.99
JUN191136    KISS END #5 CVR D PHOTO    $3.99
JUL191234    RED SONJA BIRTH OF SHE DEVIL #4 CVR A PARRILLO    $3.99
JUL191235    RED SONJA BIRTH OF SHE DEVIL #4 CVR B DAVILA    $3.99
JUL191236    RED SONJA BIRTH OF SHE DEVIL #4 CVR C COSPLAY    $3.99
JUL191294    RED SONJA CAMPBELL COLLECTIBLE COIN    $19.73
JUL191293    RED SONJA PARRILLO COLLECTIBLE COIN    $19.73
MAY191124    RED SONJA VAMPIRELLA BETTY VERONICA #3 DALTON VIRGIN    $50.00
MAY191125    RED SONJA VAMPIRELLA BETTY VERONICA #3 VIRGIN STAGGS VAR    $50.00
MAY191008    VAMPIRELLA #1 SGN ATLAS ED    $49.99
JUN191201    VAMPIRELLA #2 DALTON VIRGIN VAR    $50.00
JUN191200    VAMPIRELLA #2 LAU VIRGIN CVR    $50.00
JUL191254    VAMPIRELLA #3 CVR A CAMPBELL    $3.99
JUL191255    VAMPIRELLA #3 CVR B MARCH    $3.99
JUL191256    VAMPIRELLA #3 CVR C DALTON    $3.99
JUL191257    VAMPIRELLA #3 CVR D GUNDUZ    $3.99
JUL191258    VAMPIRELLA #3 CVR E COSPLAY    $3.99
JUL191276    XENA WARRIOR PRINCESS #6 CVR A MACK    $3.99
JUL191277    XENA WARRIOR PRINCESS #6 CVR B STOTT    $3.99
JUL191278    XENA WARRIOR PRINCESS #6 CVR C GANUCHEAU    $3.99

Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for September 4, 2019

IMAGE COMICS

JUL190079    BATTLEPUG #1 CVR A NORTON & PASSALAQUA    $3.99
JUL190080    BATTLEPUG #1 CVR B SAMNEE & WILSON    $3.99
JUL190116    BIRTHRIGHT #39    $3.99
JUL190119    CROWDED #9 CVR A STEIN BRANDT & FARRELL    $3.99
JUL190120    CROWDED #9 CVR B LEONG    $3.99
JUN190056    CURSE WORDS #24 CVR A BROWNE (MR)    $3.99
JUN190057    CURSE WORDS #24 CVR B BROWNE INTERCONNECTED (MR)    $3.99
JUL190123    DIE #7 CVR A HANS (MR)    $3.99
JUL190124    DIE #7 CVR B LAUFFRAY (MR)    $3.99
JUL190103    INFINITE DARK TP VOL 02    $16.99
MAY190050    OUTCAST BY KIRKMAN & AZACETA TP VOL 07 (MR)    $16.99
JUL190083    PRETTY DEADLY RAT #1 (OF 5) (MR)    $3.99
JUN190085    REDNECK #23 (MR)    $3.99
JUL190156    SEA OF STARS #3    $3.99
JUL190157    SECTION ZERO #6 (OF 6) CVR A GRUMMETT & KESEL    $3.99
JUL190158    SECTION ZERO #6 (OF 6) CVR B HUGHES    $3.99
JUL190159    SECTION ZERO #6 (OF 6) CVR C IMMONEN    $3.99
JUL190164    SPACE BANDITS #3 (OF 5) CVR A SCALERA (MR)    $3.99
JUL190165    SPACE BANDITS #3 (OF 5) CVR B SCALERA (MR)    $3.99
JUL190166    SPACE BANDITS #3 (OF 5) CVR C LEGENDS VAR SIMONSON  (MR    $0.75
JUN190014    SPAWN #300 CVR A MCFARLANE    $7.99
JUN190015    SPAWN #300 CVR B B&W MCFARLANE    $7.99
JUN190016    SPAWN #300 CVR C CAPULLO    $7.99
JUN190017    SPAWN #300 CVR D CAPULLO VIRGIN    $7.99
JUN190018    SPAWN #300 CVR E CAPULLO & MCFARLANE    $7.99
JUN190019    SPAWN #300 CVR F B&W CAPULLO & MCFARLANE    $7.99
JUN190020    SPAWN #300 CVR G CAMPBELL    $7.99
JUN190021    SPAWN #300 CVR H OPENA    $7.99
JUN190022    SPAWN #300 CVR I ALEXANDER    $7.99
JUN190023    SPAWN #300 CVR J PARODY VAR MCFARLANE    $7.99
JUN199041    SPAWN #300 CVR M CAMPBELL VIRGIN    $7.99
JUN199042    SPAWN #300 CVR N CAMPBELL B&W    $7.99
JUN199043    SPAWN #300 CVR O OPENA VIRGIN    $7.99
JUN199044    SPAWN #300 CVR P OPENA B&W    $7.99
JUN199116    SPAWN #300 CVR Q BLANK SKETCH CVR    $7.99
MAR190069    SPAWN VAULT ED HC VOL 02    $175.00
JUL190110    WALKING DEAD HC VOL 16 (MR)    $34.99
APR190032    WICKED & DIVINE #45 CVR A MCKELVIE & WILSON (MR)    $3.99
APR190033    WICKED & DIVINE #45 CVR B JAIMES (MR)    $3.99

Dynamite Entertainment from Diamond Distributors for August 14, 2019

DYNAMITE

JAN191259    ART OF DEJAH THORIS & THE WORLDS OF MARS HC VOL 02 (MR)    $39.99
MAY191173    BRANDON SANDERSON WHITE SAND TP VOL 02    $19.99
NOV181235    ELVIRA MISTRESS OF DARK TP VOL 01    $17.99
JUN191125    JAMES BOND ORIGIN #12 CVR A PANOSIAN    $3.99
JUN191126    JAMES BOND ORIGIN #12 CVR B KOTZ    $3.99
JUN191127    JAMES BOND ORIGIN #12 CVR C GEORGIEV    $3.99
JUN191128    JAMES BOND ORIGIN #12 CVR D MOUSTAFA    $3.99
JUN191129    JAMES BOND ORIGIN #12 CVR E BOB Q    $3.99
APR191110    KISS BLOOD STARDUST TP    $19.99
JAN191275    PATHFINDER SEONI BATTLE READY DIAMOND EYE STATUE    $399.99
JAN191274    PATHFINDER SEONI BATTLE READY STATUE    $249.99
JAN191273    PATHFINDER SEONI SPELLCASTING DIAMOND EYE STATUE    $349.99
JAN191272    PATHFINDER SEONI SPELLCASTING STATUE    $199.99
JUN191219    PIERCE BROWN RED RISING SON OF ARES TP    $19.99
JUN191154    RED SONJA #7 CVR A CONNER    $3.99
JUN191155    RED SONJA #7 CVR B LINSNER    $3.99
JUN191156    RED SONJA #7 CVR C PHAM    $3.99
JUN191157    RED SONJA #7 CVR D TURNER    $3.99
JUN191158    RED SONJA #7 CVR E COSPLAY    $3.99
MAY191155    VAMPIRELLA VS REANIMATOR TP    $17.99
MAY191166    XENA TP VOL 02 MINDGAMES    $19.99
JUN191184    XENA WARRIOR PRINCESS #5 CVR A MACK    $3.99
JUN191185    XENA WARRIOR PRINCESS #5 CVR B STOTT    $3.99
JUN191186    XENA WARRIOR PRINCESS #5 CVR C GANUCHEAU    $3.99