Showing posts with label James Tynion IV. Show all posts
Showing posts with label James Tynion IV. Show all posts

Saturday, March 12, 2022

TRAILER: James Tynion IV Talks About His Horror Comic, "The Nice House on the Lake"

Writer James Tynion IV discusses his horror comic book series, THE NICE HOUSE ON THE LAKE, which is drawn by artist Alvaro Martinez Bueno.  In the series, the overriding anxieties of the 21st century get a terrifying new face—and it might just be the face of the person you once trusted most.

The Nice House on the Lake Vol. 1 is now available in comic book shops or at the Amazon Kindle Store.  Learn more about the series here.

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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).


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Tuesday, August 31, 2021

I Reads You Juniors: August 2021 - Update #96

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon.

NEWS:

MARVEL - From BleedingCool:   Marvel Comics may be announcing some big news on Tues., Aug. 31st.

DC CINEMA - From ComicBook:   Henry Braham, the cinematographer for DC Films' "The Flash," says the movie is "complex" and is "not really a comic book movie."

DC TV - From Deadline:   Actors Neil Hopkins, who plays the villain "Sportsmaster," and Joy Osmanski, who plays "Tigress," will become series regulars on Season 3 of The CW's "DC's Stargirl."

DC TV - From DCBlog:   The CW announced it will kick off Season 8 of "The Flash" with a five-part epic event that will bring more than a half-dozen heroes and villains from throughout the Arrowverse to Central City for a massive story line called “Armageddon.”

SONY MARVEL U - From WeGotThisCovered:   Sony Pictures may movie its sequel, "Venom: Let There Be Carnage," again, this time to 2022.

IMAGE COMICS - From BleedingCool:   Actor John Leguizamo has his own comic book coming out from Image Comics.  Entitled "PhenomX," it features a Latinx superhero.

COMICS TO FILM - From Variety:  Actor Jake Gyllenhaal is set to star in a feature film adaptation of "Oblivion Song," the comic book by writer Robert Kirkman (the writer of "The Walking Dead" comic book) and artist Lorenzo De Felici.

MARVEL - From BleedingCool:   Barry Windsor-Smith's classic Wolverine saga, "Weapon X," gets the "gallery edition" treatment.

IMAGE COMICS - From BleedingCool:  Skottie Young has announced an ongoing "I Hate Fairyland" comic book series, but while he will write it, Brett Parson will draw it.

MANGA - From BleedingCool:   Yen Press announces 13 manga and light novel titles for February 2022.

MARVEL STUDIOS - From WeGotThisCovered:   Barry Keoghan, who plays the villainous Druig in Marvel Studios' upcoming "Eternals," has suffered serious injuries to his face which led him to be hospitalized for a short time.

MARVEL - From Nerdist:   Released 30 years ago this past week: How 1991's "X-Men #1" changed Marvel Comics' mutants forever.

MARVEL - From BleedingCool:   Marvel Comics is giving "The Thing" of the Fantastic Four his own comic book series, which will be written by novelist Walter Mosley ("Devil in a Blue Dress").

DC COMICS - From BleedingCool:   The site has a first look at "Superman vs. Lobo #1," the "DC Black Label" comic book that ships next week.

DC CINEMA - From THR:  Jurnee Smollett will reprise her role as "Black Canary" from the 2020 film, "Birds of Prey."  Misha Green, creator of "Underground," will write the Black Canary film which is slated for HBO Max.

INTERVIEW - From GQ:   In a "GQ" interview, horror master mangaka, Junji Ito, talks about his new book, "Sensor," and other subjects.

VIZ MEDIA - From ScreenRant:  New "Jojo's Bizarre Adventures" may be coming, as well as a spinoff manga.

VIZ MEDIA - From CBR:   VIZ Media is currently offering the first chapter of its recent release, "Star Wars: Guardians of the Whills," for free on its website.

DC COMICS - From Variety:   DC Comics characters are going to the digital comics platform, Webtoons, via deal between DC Entertainment and Webtoon.

From BleedingCool:  The Korean boy band, BTS, may be part of the DC/Webtoon deal.

MARVEL STUDIOS - From BleedingCool:  Marvel just dropped the final trailer for its upcoming film, "Eternals."

DYNAMITE - From BleedingCool:   Dynamite Entertainment is launching a comic book starring "Vampirella" character, "Nyx."

MANGA TO ANIME - From ANN:   Takehiko Inoue is writing and directing a new anime film based on his classic basketball manga, "Slam Dunk."  The film be released Fall 2022.

MANGA - BookRiot:   The site offers a look at the manga market in North America.

MANGA - From CBR:  Grammy-winning recording artist Ed Sheeran recently teamed up with Japanese illustrator and manga artist Rui Ikeda to release an anime adaptation of the music video for his latest single, "Bad Habits."

DARK HORSE - From BleedingCool:   Brian Michael Bendis is moving his creator-owned titles under the "Jinxworld" banner to Dark Horse Comics.  His new miniseries, with artist Stephen Byrne, "Joy Operations," starts in November.

MARVEL - From GamesRadar:   Novelist Christopher Ruocchio will write a Thor story for "Avengers #50" that Steve McNiven will draw.

MARVEL - From BleedingCool:  Joe Quesada, John Romita, Jr., and Scott Hanna are producing a new 9/11 memorial comic that will appear in select Marvel Comics titles published on Sept. 8th, 2021. 

DC TV - From DCBlog:   In an interview, "Stargirl" actress, Brec Bassinger, talks about Season Two and about the evil of "Eclipso."

DC COMICS - From BleedingCool:   Dick Grayson is finally on top in the three-issue miniseries, "Robin & Batman" by Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen.

DC COMICS - From BleedingCool:  Bryan Hitch is working on a "Superman" project for 2022.

DC CINEMA - From GiantFreakingRobot:   Warner Bros. may be looking to drop actress Margot Kidder as "Harley Quinn."

MANGA TO FILM - From THR:   Shinsuke Sato will direct Legendary Entertainment's live-action version of the smash hit manga, "My Hero Academia."  The English-language project currently does not have a writer attached to it.

IMAGE COMICS TO FILM - From THR: Brian Tucker, who penned the 2013 Russell Crowe and Mark Wahlberg crime thriller, "Broken City," has been hired to write the script for Todd McFarlane and Jason Blum's long-developing "Spawn" reboot film.

DC TV - From Deadline:   Vincent Kartheiser, who plays the villain Scarecrow on Season 3 of HBO Max's "Titans, has triggered at least two complaints and two internal investigations by Warner Bros Television. The allegations, which are believed to have included disruptive, juvenile behavior and inappropriate comments, were investigated by WBTV’s Labor Relations department.

DC COMICS - From EW:  "Dark Knights of Steel" is set in a new DC Comics medieval fantasy world.  The 12-issue miniseries will debut soon.

DC COMICS - From BleedingCool:  Actor Danny DeVito has written a "Penguin" story that will appear in the comic book, "Gotham City Villains Anniversary #1."  DeVito played the Penguin in director Tim Burton's 1992 film, "Batman Returns."

SONY MARVEL U - From Variety:   Sony has changed the release date for "Venom: Let There Be Carnage" again.  Sony has moved the film's release date from Sept. 24th to October 15th.

From Esquire:  In an interview with "Esquire," "Venom" star Tom Hardy says that Sony is very happy with "Venom: Let There Be Carnage.'

IMAGE COMICS - From THR:   Todd McFarlane's "King Spawn" has sold 497,000 copies, which is Image's biggest monthly title release in 25 years. "King Spawn #1" actually goes on sale August 25, 2021.

MARVEL - From BleedingCool:  Apparently, WalMart has obtained and is selling Marvel retailer variant covers in its three-pack offerings.  This includes variants that are exclusive to particular retailers.

SUBSTACK - From BleedingCool:  Skottie Young is moving his comic book, "I Hate Fairyland," from Image Comics to whatever Substack Comics is.

CONVENTIONS - From BleedingCool:   In 2022, six of Wizard World's top conventions will be rebranded as "Fan Expo" events.  Is this a prelude to Fan Expo taking over Wizard World.

MARVEL - From BleedingCool:   Captain America and Iron Man have been teaming up forever.  But they will team-up in a miniseries for the first time in November with "Captain America/Iron Man," from the creative team of Derek Landy and Angel Unzueta.

DC/LGBTQ - From YahooEntertainment:   So Tim Drake, the third character to carry the mantle of Batman's sidekick, Robin, is officially bisexual.

DC COMICS - From CBR:   James Tynion IV announced on his Substack newsletter that he is both starting a new creator-owned series on Substack and that he will be leaving DC to focus on his creator-owned work.

MARVEL/DC COMICS - From TheGuardian:   Marvel and DC Comics faces backlash over the paltry royalty payments issued to comic book creators for the use of characters and story lines they created in films and television series.

COMIXOLOGY - From BleedingCool:   Scott Snyder explains why he has eight comic books coming from comiXology.

COMICS - From BleedingCool:   Vault Comics announces the rapid expansion of its "Barbaric" franchise.

MARVEL - From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics admits that Jack Kirby co-wrote "The Fantastic Four #1" with Stan Lee."

DC CINEMA - From IReadsYou:  Here is my review of "The Suicide Squad."

THE SUICIDE SQUAD - From Deadline: "The Suicide Squad" has an opening day box office of 12.1 million dollars.

From CBR:  "The Suicide Squad" director James Gunn explains why "The Peacemaker" is the character getting his own series.

From DCBlog:  In an interview, writer-director James Gunn talks about "The Suicide Squad's" colorful lineup of characters.

From YahooEntertainment:   Margot Robbie, DC Films' Harley Quinn, had a profane warning for writer-director James Gunn concerning Harley's fate in the new film, "The Suicide Squad."

From DCBlog:   Who the f*** is the Peacemaker - all about the character.

From Insider:  8 of the wackiest DC characters James Gunn considered for "The Suicide Squad."

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INTERVIEW - From GamesRadar:   In an interview, "Daredevil" artist Mike Hawthorne talks about his decision to leave Marvel Comics.

MARVEL - From GamesRadar:   Marvel's current "Runaways" comic book series comes to an end with issue #38.

COMICS - From BleedingCool:   Behemoth Comics is starting a record label and music publishing company, Behemoth Records.

DC CINEMA - From Time:  Here is a list of DC Comics-based films and TV shows coming after "The Suicide Squad."

BLACK COMICS - From Nerdist:   Rodney Barnes and his Zombie Love Studios have landed the rights to produce a graphic novel based on the seminal African-American and American horror film, "Blacula" (1972).

MANGA - From Siliconera:   Udon Entertainment is now the publisher of the manga, "Persona 5: Mementos Mission," with the first volume due December 7, 2021.

MANGA - From TheMainichi:   The legendary Japanese manga, "Goldgo 13" now has the largest numbers of volumes for a manga ever wit the release of its 201st volume.

MARVEL/VIZ - From ScreenRant:   The tentative release date for the English-language release of the "Deadpool: Samurai" manga is February 2022.

MANGA - From CBR:   Paru Itagaki, the creator of "Beastars" and "Bota Bota," announces the upcoming release of her new manga "Sanda" in Weekly Shonen Champion.

FANTAGRAPHICS - From ScreenRant:   There is a video trailer for the hardcover graphic novel release of Simon Hanselmann's "Crisis Zone."

DC COMICS - From BleedingCool:   Hellblazer Vols. 25 and 26 will collect the final issues of the original 300-issue run of "Hellblazer."

MARVEL - From BleedingCool:   Jesus Saiz and Paul Azaceta may be the art team of Jason Aaron's "Punisher No More."

MARVEL - From BleedingCool:   Celebrated alt-comics creator, Ho Che Anderson ("King: A Comics Biography of Martin Luther King, Jr."), is writing his first Marvel Comics title, "Luke Cage: City of Fire."  The three-issue miniseries will be drawn by Taurin Clarke and is due in October.

IMAGE COMICS - From BleedingCool:   Take a look at three interior pages from the upcoming "King Spawn #1."

FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS - From SlashFilm:   Fantagraphics Books will collect all of Underground Cartoonist Gilbert Shelton's "The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers" comics in a four-volume set.  The first volume arrives January 2022.  There is also an eight-episode animated series based on the brothers from Lionsgate TV that is due to arrive by the end of 2021.

FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS - From TheBeat:  There is a trailer for Fantagraphics new, hardcover edition of R. Kikuo Johnson's 2006 original graphic novel, "Night Fisher."

COMICS TO FILM - From Deadline:  Paramount Pictures have chosen brothers Colin and Casey Jost had write a new "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" movies.

MARVEL - From BleedingCool:   "Marvel Legends" is a new line of comic book miniseries from Marvel Comics, intended to be collected in paperback.  The target audience is middle-grade graphic novel readers in bookstores, book fairs, and libraries.  Each miniseries will retell or reboot the origin of a well known Marvel character.  And it will begin in October with "Black Panther Legends," a four-issue series by novelist Tochi Onyebuchi and artist Setor Fiadzigbey that will retell the origin of the Black Panther.

DC COMICS - From DCBlog:   DC Comics and Walmart unite for the "My First Comic" program. Each comic book is a 48-page two-in-one flipbook featuring comics stories and activity pages.  They arrive at participating Walmart stores and Walmart.com the week of August 3rd, 2021.

COMICS TO FILM - From YahooEntertainment:  "Cowboys & Aliens" creator, Scott Mitchell Rosenberg, explains why director Jon Favreau's expensive 2011 film adaptation of the comic book never got a sequel.

EISNER AWARDS - From BleedingCool:   If you care, here is a list of winners at last night's 2021 / 33rd annual Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards.

COMICS - From BleedingCool:  The site has made a list of agents who sell graphic novels to the book publishers.

MARVEL STUDIOS - From IReadsYou:  My review of the new "Black Widow" film.  

DC COMICS - From GamesRadar:   The new "DC Universe" explained ... and it's a doozy.

comiXology - From THR:   Scott Snyder and his Best Jackett Press have signed a deal to co-create eight titles for ComiXology Originals. The titles will first debut via the Amazon-owned digital comics service and Kindle, and then appear in print via Dark Horse Books.

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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:  Bad Idea Comics 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:  Black Mask 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:  Heavy Metal Magazines 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:  Source Point Press for September 2021
From BleedingCool:  Titan Comics for September 2021
From BleedingCool:  Valiant Comics for September 2021
From BleedingCool:  Vault Comics for September 2021
From BleedingCool:  VIZ Media for September 2021

OCTOBER 2021 COMICS SOLICITATIONS:
From BleedingCool:  Aardvark Vanaheim for October 2021
From BleedingCool:  Action Lab for October 2021
From BleedingCool:  AfterShock Comics for October 2021
From BleedingCool:  Ahoy Comics for October 2021
From BleedingCool:  Antarctic Press for October 2021
From BleedingCool:  AWA Studios for October 2021
From BleedingCool:  Behemoth Comics for October 2021 
From BleedingCool:  Black Masks for October 2021
From BleedingCool:  BOOM! Studios for October 2021
From BleedingCool:  Dark Horse Comics for October 2021
From CBR:  DC Comics for October 2021
From BleedingCool:  Dynamite Entertainment for October 2021 
From BleedingCool:  Heavy Metal Magazine for October 2021
From BleedingCool:  Hero Collector for October 2021
From BleedingCool:  IDW Publishing for October 2021
From BleedingCool:  Image Comics for October 2021
From CBR:  Marvel Comics for October 2021
From BleedingCool: Oni Press for October 2021
From 2000AD:  Rebellion for October 2021
From BleedingCool:  Titan Comics for October 2021
From BleedingCool:  Valiant Entertainment for October 2021
From BleedingCool: VIZ Media for October 2021

NOVEMBER 2021 COMICS SOLICITATIONS:
From BleedingCool:  Archie Comics for November 2021
From BleedingCool:  Black Mask for November 2021
From BleedingCool:  BOOM Studios for November 2021
From BleedingCool:  Dark Horse Comics for November 2021
From BleedingCool:  DC Comics for November 2021
From BleedingCool:  Dynamite Entertainment for November 2021
From BleedingCool:  IDW Publishing for November 2021
From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics for November 2021
From BleedingCool:  Oni Press for November 2021
From BleedingCool:  Rebellion for November 2021
From BleedingCool:  Red 5 Comics for November 2021
From BleedingCool:  Silver Sprocket for November 2021
From BleedingCool:  Titan Comics for November 2021
From BleedingCool:  Vault Comics for November 2021

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Tuesday, June 16, 2020

#IReadsYou Review: YEAR OF THE VILLAIN SPECIAL #1

DC'S YEAR OF THE VILLAIN SPECIAL No. 1
DC COMICS – @DCComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

EDITOR: Mike Cotton; Marie Javins
COVER: Greg Capullo and FCO
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Jim Cheung with Tomeu Morey; Alex Maleev; Stanley “Artgerm” Lau
32pp, Color, 0.25¢ U.S. (July 2019)

Rated “T” for “Teen”

DC Comics' “Year of the Villain” is a crossover comic book event that officially kicks off in July 2019 with Year of the Villain: The Offer.  Although the beginnings of the event have already been hinted at in regular DC Comics titles like Action Comics, on May 1st, 2019, readers got a first look at “Year of the Villain” a specially priced comic book.

DC's Year of the Villain Special #1 is a .25¢ special preview comic book.  It contains what are essentially the three opening or prologue chapters of “Year of the Villain.”  They are “Doom,” “Leviathan,” and “Justice.”  The final eight pages of this comic book comprise an article that offers text pieces, art, sketches, and a list of 20 individual comic book issues that lead up to the official beginning of “Year of the Villain.”

The following paragraphs include a brief synopsis and review of each of the three chapters offered in DC's Year of the Villain Special #1:

Doom

STORY: Scott Snyder
ART: Jim Cheung
COLOR: Tomeu Morey
LETTERS: Tom Napolitano
EDITOR: Marie Javins

Amanda Blake Waller, the leader of multiple clandestine agencies, including “Task Force X” (a.k.a. The Suicide Squad), has arrived at the White House for a meeting with the President of the United States.  What she finds instead is Lex Luthor and the Legion of Doom.  Luthor has an offer to make Waller and every supervillain on Earth.

I wasn't planning on reading “Year of the Villain,” but this tense, exciting, eight-page piece got me interested in this event.  I generally don't like comic book events, but...  Plus, there is a shocking ending, and I rarely can resist the lovely art of Jim Cheung, in this case, expertly colored by the great Tomeu Morey.

Leviathan

STORY: Brian Michael Bendis
ART: Alex Maleev
COLORS: Alex Maleev
LETTERS: Josh Reed
EDITOR: Mike Cotton

Batgirl has arrived in Seattle to join Green Arrow in battling Merlyn.  However, Merlyn is desperate to tell them something... until Leviathan arrives.  Later, Robin (Damian Wayne) has a shocking question to ask his father, Batman.

This chapter does not start off that strongly; then, it explodes.  Plus, the last panel with Damian offers an explosive surprise.  Oh, and I can't resist the team of Brian Michael Bendis and Alex Maleev.

Justice

STORY: James Tynion IV
ART: Francis Manapul
COLOR: Francis Manapul
LETTERS: Tom Napolitano
EDITOR: Marie Javins

The Justice League is at the “Universe's End,” trying to save the Gorathian System from the void.  With so much mind-bending rescues to make, Superman announces that it is time to make the League grow.  Which heroes will get the call?  Batman has a simple answer.

If you are still in doubt about “Year of the Villain,” this eight-page treat will put those doubts to rest.  I think you will want to at least sample some more.  Plus, this story offers lovely Francis Manapul art.

DC Insider: Year of the Villain

WRITER: Andrew Serwin
EDITOR: Mike Cotton

There is a lot of information here.  The lists of pertinent comic books that readers will need to fully enjoy the beginnings of “Year of the Villain” will make preview comic book a must-have.

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.


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Monday, September 2, 2019

BOOM! Studios from Diamond Distributors for September 4, 2019

BOOM! STUDIOS

JUN199024    (USE JUL198620) ONCE & FUTURE #1 (OF 6) (3RD PTG)    $3.99
JUL191304    (USE JUL198621) SOMETHING IS KILLING CHILDREN #1 CVR A DELL    $3.99
JUL191305    (USE JUL198621) SOMETHING IS KILLING CHILDREN #1 CVR B LEE C    $3.99
MAY199160    ANGEL #2 (3RD PTG)    $3.99
MAY191223    BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA LEGACY EDITION TP VOL 02    $29.99
MAY191234    BLACK BADGE HC VOL 02    $29.99
JUL191310    BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #8 CVR A MAIN ASPINALL    $3.99
JUL191311    BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #8 CVR B WADA    $3.99
JUL191312    BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #8 CVR C MATTHEWS CONNECTING VAR    $3.99
JUL191313    BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #8 CVR D PREORDER CAREY VAR    $3.99
JUN199010    BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #8 FOC SLAYER INFANTE CVR    $3.99
JUN199011    BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #8 FOC VAMP INFANTE CVR    $3.99
JUL191346    GIANT DAYS #54    $3.99
MAY191246    GUNNERKRIGG COURT HC VOL 07    $26.99
MAY191248    NUCLEAR WINTER ORIGINAL GN VOL 03    $9.99
JUL191350    OVER GARDEN WALL SOULFUL SYMPHONIES #2 (OF 5) CVR A YOUNG (C    $3.99
JUL191351    OVER GARDEN WALL SOULFUL SYMPHONIES #2 (OF 5) CVR B FULLERTO    $3.99
JUL191352    OVER GARDEN WALL SOULFUL SYMPHONIES #2 (OF 5) CVR C PREORDER    $3.99
JUN199012    SOMETHING IS KILLING CHILDREN #1 FOC FRISON VAR    $3.99

Tuesday, May 7, 2019

Review: THE IMMORTAL MEN #1

THE IMMORTAL MEN No. 1
DC COMICS – @DCComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: James Tynion IV
PENCILS: Jim Lee and Ryan Benjamin
INKS: Scott Williams and Richard Friend
COLORS: Jeremiah Skipper and Alex Sinclair
LETTERS: Carolos M. Mangual
COVER: Jim Lee and Scott Williams with Alex Sinclair
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (June 2018)

Rated “T” for Teen

The Immortal Men created by James Tynion IV and Jim Lee

“The End of Forever” Part 1

DC Comics has launched a new superhero comics initiative, “The New Age of DC Heroes,” coming out of its Dark Nights: Metal event miniseries.  This line of comic books will consist of eight new comic book series:  The Curse of Brimstone, Damage, New Challengers, Sideways, The Silencer, The Terrifics, The Unexpected, and the subject of this review, The Immortal Men.

The Immortal Men is created by James Tynion IV and Jim Lee.  The series is written by Tynion; drawn by Lee and Ryan Benjamin (pencils) and Scott Williams and Richard Friend (inks); colored by Jeremiah Skipper and Alex Sinclair; and lettered by Carlos M. Mangual.  The series focuses on a young man who is an emerging metahuman and who may also be the last hope for the survival of a group of immortal heroes.

The Immortal Men #1 introduces Ghost Fist, Reload, Stray, and Timber.  They are the last of the “Immortal Men,” protecting humanity from the shadows since the dawn of time.  The Infinite Woman, The Hunt, and the “Bloodless,” are in the process of destroying everything about the Immortal Men.  Their most important target just may be the Immortal Men's savior, Caden Park,  a young man plagued by visions of another world.

The problem with DC Comics' “The New Age of Heroes,” is that while some of the writers and artists involved in this new line are some of the most popular comic book creators, they are not necessarily the most imaginative and inventive.  Sorry, dear readers, to inform you of this.  I love Jim Lee's art, but he has built a career out of drawing some of the most popular comic book characters ever created:  X-Men and The Punisher for Marvel and Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Justice League, etc. for DC Comics – all created by other people.  When Lee created his own “universe” of comic book creations, the result, the “Wildstorm Universe,” was mixed, with characters that are not iconic or legendary... or particularly popular, for that matter.

The grade of “B-” that I am giving The Immortal Men #1 is generous because I am a fan of both Lee and this series co-artist, Ryan Benjamin.  However, this concept is mediocre material that is a rehash of other people's work, ideas, and concepts – Warren Ellis and John Cassaday's Planetary and Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill's The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, for example.

Yet, I am intrigued by The Immortal Men.  I hope that James Tynion IV can deliver a better script than what is in this issue; he is certainly capable of it, as I have enjoyed quite a bit of his writing.  The problem is that in a distressed market, as the comic book Direct Market currently is, star creators put their names on comic book product that they would not accept for publication from unknown or new comic book creators – such as The Immortal Men.

5.5 out of 10

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


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

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Thursday, February 7, 2019

Review: THE SILENCER #1

THE SILENCER No. 1
DC COMICS – @DCComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

SCRIPT: Dan Abnett
PENCILS: John Romita, Jr.
INKS: Sandra Hope
COLORS: Dean White
LETTERS: Tom Napolitano
COVER: John Romita, Jr. and Sandra Hope with Dean White
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (March 2018)

Rated “T+” for Teen Plus

The Silencer created by Dan Abnett and John Romita, Jr.

“Code of Honor” Part 1

DC Comics has launched a new superhero comics initiative, “The New Age of DC Heroes,” coming out of its Dark Nights: Metal event miniseries.  This line of comic books will consist of eight new comic book series:  The Curse of Brimstone, Damage, The Immortal Men, New Challengers, Sideways, The Terrifics, The Unexpected, and the subject of this review, The Silencer.

The Silencer is written by co-creator Dan Abnett; drawn by co-creator John Romita, Jr. (pencils) and Sandra Hope; colored by Dean White; and lettered by Tom Napolitano.  The Silencer focuses on a woman who was once an assassin, but now lives a normal life with a normal family.

The Silencer #1 introduces a woman who is super-strong, highly trained, and armed with devastating, stealthy, meta-human abilities.  Once she was “The Silencer,” a virtually invincible assassin.  Now, The Silencer is Honor Guest, a woman who loves her life as wife to her husband, Blake, and as a mother to their young son, Ben a.k.a. “Jellybean.”  However, the arrival of Killbox signals that the “Underlife” lives on and that Leviathan wants Honor back.

I am a fan of artist John Romita, Jr., and he draws some impressive moments in this comic book.  I am a fan of colorist Dean White, and he delivers some candy-coated hues here.  I am a fan of letter Tom Napolitano, and he usually adds some punch to the dialogue and exposition, which is needed here.

Despite an impressive cover, The Silencer #1 is an OK first issue, but there is not much here, beyond the efforts of the graphics creative team, to entice readers to return for a second issue.  The Silencer #1 reads like one of those muscle-bound, big-gun comic books that were almost half of Image Comics' initial input in the early to mid-1990s; think Youngblood, Wetworks, Codename: Strykeforce, etc.

This new age of heroes is new in names only, and is not particularly interesting.

5 out of 10

[This comic book includes a preview of The Immortal Men by Jim Lee and James Tynion IV.]

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


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

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Wednesday, January 16, 2019

Review: BATMAN/TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES II #1

BATMAN/TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES II No. 1 (OF 6)
DC COMICS/IDW Publishing – @DCComics @IDWPublishing

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: James Tynion IV
ART: Freddie E. Williams II
COLORS: Jeremy Colwell
LETTERS: Tom Napolitano
COVER: Freddie E. Williams II with Jeremy Colwell
VARIANT COVER: Kevin Eastman with Tomi Varga
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (February 2018)

Rated “T”

“A Knight in New York”

Batman created by Bob Kane with Bill Finger; Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (also known as TMNT and Ninja Turtles) are a media empire, including animated and live-action films and television.  The Ninja Turtles began as four fictional characters that first appeared in a comic book created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird.  Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (cover dated: May 1984), which was published by Eastman and Laird's Mirage Studios, gave birth to a comic book series that led to the TMNT media empire

The Ninja Turtles are teenage anthropomorphic turtles, meaning they walk and talk like humans.  Each turtle is named for an Italian Renaissance artist: Donatello, Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Raphael.  The Turtles were adopted by an anthropomorphic rat, Master Splinter, who was their sensei and who trained them in the art of ninjutsu.  The Turtles live in the sewers of New York City and battle every kind of bad guy, from petty criminals and overlord-mastermind types to alien invaders and mutated creatures.

Since late 2015, DC Comics and IDW Publishing have united to publish the two crossover comic book miniseries teaming Batman with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.  DC comics began with the six-issue miniseries, Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.  DC recently began publishing a sequel six-issue miniseries, Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II.  It is written by James Tynion IV; drawn by Freddie E. Williams II; colored by Jeremy Colwell; and lettered by Tom Napolitano, the creative team behind the first series.

Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #1 (“A Knight in New York”) explodes in the subway tunnels of New York City.  The Ninja Turtles are pursuing the “Ninja Elite,” a... splinter faction of the Foot Clan.  In the wake of the death of the Foot Clan's founder and master, Shredder, the Ninja Elite want control of the Clan, even if it means killing Shredder's daughter, Karai.

Meanwhile, in Gotham City, Batman and Robin (Damien) are tracking ninja belonging to Ra's al-Ghul's The League of Assassins.  What they find instead is Bane, but inter-dimensional technology is about to gather heroes from two different worlds to stop a criminal conspiracy on two different worlds.

When I first heard about DC Comics and IDW Publishing's first Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic book back in 2015, I wanted to read it, although I was (and still am) cynical about crossover comic books.  Ultimately, I was pleasantly surprised by Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 all the way to the sixth issue finale; I wanted a sequel.  [I only read the first issue of the IDW-published Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures.]

With good reason, I am cynical about sequels, but I am, once again, pleasantly surprised.  Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II #1 promises more fun.  Writer James Tynion IV delivers a story that hits Batman and Ninja Turtle wheelhouse favorites with wild abandon, and there are some interesting subplots.  In fact, it is all so enjoyable that I am already, in typical fanboy fashion, hoping that there is a second sequel.

As I wrote in my previous reviews of the first miniseries, I like that artist Freddie Williams II's illustrations recall the visual and graphic presentation of the early TMNT comic books from Mirage Publishing in the 1980s.  Williams' take on Batman is edgy and different; it is as if Williams were drawing Batman for those old science fiction comic book magazines like Heavy Metal and Epic Illustrated.  This art is pulpy and futuristic at the same time.

Of course, I am ready for the second issue of Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II, and I recommend it to fans of the first series.  I think all Batman and TMNT comic books should try at least one issue of this new series.

8 out of 10

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


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

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Tuesday, September 11, 2018

Review: THE KAMANDI CHALLENGE #4

THE KAMANDI CHALLENGE No. 4 (OF 12)
DC COMICS – @DCComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: James Tynion IV
ART: Carlos D'Anda
COLORS: Gabe Eltaeb
LETTERS: Clem Robins
COVER: Paul Pope with Lovern Kindzierski
VARIANT COVER: Carlos D'Anda
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (June 2017)

Rated “T” for Teen

Kamandi created by Jack Kirby

“The Wild Wondrous West”

Created by Jack Kirby, Kamandi, The Last Boy on Earth was a comic book series published by DC Comics in the 1970s.  Running from 1972 to 1978, the series starred Kamandi, a teenaged boy in a post-apocalyptic future.  In this time, humans have been reduced back to savagery in a world ruled by intelligent, highly evolved animals.

Kamandi, The Last Boy on Earth #1 (cover dated: October 1972) opens some time after a huge event called “The Great Disaster,” which wiped out human civilization.  In “Earth A.D.” (After Disaster), many animals have become humanoid, bipedal, and sentient, and also possess the power of speech. These newly intelligent animal species have equipped themselves with weapons and technology salvaged from the ruins of human civilization and are constantly at war in a struggle for territory.

The world of Kamandi returns in the DC Comics miniseries, The Kamandi Challenge, bringing together 14 teams of writers and artists.  Each issue will end with an cliffhanger.  The next creative team will resolve that cliffhanger left behind by the previous creative team, before creating their own story and cliffhanger, which the next creative team after them will have to resolve... and so on.  The fourth issue of The Kamandi Challenge is written by James Tynion IV; drawn by Carlos D'Anda; colored by Gabe Eltaeb; and lettered by Clem Robins.

The Kamandi Challenge #4 (“The Wild Wonderous West”) finds Kamandi and his friend Vila in the clutches of the Jaguar Sun Cult.  The cult members are feeding the pair to the cult's god, “The Great Jaguar,” which is several stories tall.  If they escape this fire, waiting for them is the Kanga Rat Murder Society in the mad, mad, mad Outback.

“The Wild Wondrous West” follows the cliffhanger that ended issue #3's “Bug in Your Ear.”  The Kamandi Challenge #3 packed more punch than the second issue.  However, The Kamandi Challenge #4 lacks the freewheeling fun of the third issue.  After reading the second issue, I suspected that this series could end up being hit and miss, simply because each new issue presented a new creative team, itself presented with the challenge of picking up some other team's story.

I am generally a fan of comic book writer James Tynion IV, especially his work on Batman titles, but I find “The Wild Wondrous West” to be little more than rehashed ideas from the original Planet of the Apes films series.  Artist Carlos D'Anda's work here is more style than storytelling, and Gabe Eltaeb's garish coloring is static in the line of communication between the reader and the story.  I will admit that I do like the last few pages of this story, because this is where the creative team seems to start to sparkle, so I look forward to where this cliffhanger ends up.

Its is not easy for The Kamandi Challenge creative teams in this series to come close to Jack Kirby's original vision of this concept.  The Kamandi Challenge #4 exemplifies that.

[Afterword by Jimmy Palmiotti]

6.5 out of 10

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


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


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Wednesday, December 27, 2017

Review BATMAN/TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #1

BATMAN/TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES No. 1 (OF 6)
DC COMICS/IDW Publishing – @DCComics @IDWPublishing

[This review was originally posted in Patreon.]

SCRIPT: James Tynion IV
ART: Freddie E. Williams II
COLORS: Jeremy Colwell
LETTERS: Tom Napolitano
COVER: Freddie E. Williams II
VARIANT COVER: Kevin Eastman with Tomi Varga
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (February 2016)

Rated “T”

“Knights in a Half Shell”

Batman created by Bob Kane with Bill Finger; Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (also known as TMNT and Ninja Turtles) are a group of fictional characters that first appeared in comic books.  Created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles debuted in the comic book, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (cover dated: May 1984), which was published by Eastman and Laird's Mirage Studios.

The Ninja Turtles are teenage anthropomorphic turtles, meaning they walk and talk like humans.  Each turtle is named for an Italian Renaissance artist: Donatello, Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Raphael.  The Turtles were adopted by an anthropomorphic rat, Splinter, who was their sensei and who trained them in the art of ninjutsu.  The Turtles live in the sewers of New York City and battle every bad guy from petty criminals and overlord-mastermind types to alien invaders and mutated creatures.

Marvel and DC Comics no longer publish comic books featuring both their characters uniting for adventure and battle.  However, over the past several years, DC and IDW Publishing have published cross over comic books that featured DC's characters playing with characters for which IDW has the license to publish comics.  An example is the recent comic book miniseries that brought the worlds of Star Trek and Green Lantern together.  The two publishers have come together again for Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, a six-issue miniseries written by James Tynion IV; drawn by Freddie E. Williams II; colored by Jeremy Colwell; and lettered by Tom Napolitano.

Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 (“Knights in a Half Shell”) finds Gotham in the midst of a strange crime wave.  Several research labs have been attacked, and the only things the intruders have stolen is experimental military-grade technology.  Witness claim that the attackers are monsters, something like “turtles.”  Batman's own investigation leads him to believe that some of the attackers are trained in ninjutsu.  Batman and those witnesses are closer to the truth than they imagine.

I wanted to be cynical about the first issue of Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but I can't.  I had thought that this crossover comic book would be silly, but instead, it's simply fun to read.  Thanks to the art of Freddie E. Williams II, Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 looks like the early TMNT comic books that Mirage Studios published back in the mid-1980s.  Williams presents a Batman that looks like the Dark Knight of DC's “The New 52,” but he also looks like he belongs in the funky world of TMNT.  Stylistically, Batman and TMNT don't seem strange together.

Writer James Tynion IV makes every word count, moving the story forward and whetting our appetites for more.  He seems dead serious about taking this miniseries seriously, but that doesn't mean he does not realize how much fun it is in bringing Batman and the Ninja Turtles together.  This is a good, old-fashioned fun-to-read comic book.  Did I mention fun?  As I write this, the second issue of Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is available, and I'm ready for it.

A-

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


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

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


Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Review: CONSTANTINE: The Hellblazer #13

CONSTANTINE: THE HELLBLAZER No. 13
DC COMICS – @DCComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITERS: Ming Doyle and James Tynion IV
ARTIST: Eryk Donovan
COLORS: Kelly Fitzpatrick
LETTERS: Tom Napolitano
COVER: Riley Rossmo
40pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (August 2016)

Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”

John Constantine created by Alan Moore, Steve Bissette, and John Totleben and Jamie Delano & John Ridgway

“Worthless”

The original John Constantine comic book series, Hellblazer, ran for 300 issues.  Then, DC Comics folded Constantine into the mainstream DC Universe with The New 52, and started a new series, simply entitled Constantine.  Our favorite comic book occult detective, magus, con man and troubleshooter was not the same.

Last summer, DC Comics launched the publishing initiative/event known as “DCYou.”  One of the new series that came out of that was the third John Constantine comic book, Constantine: The Hellblazer, which was written by Ming Doyle and James Tynion IV, drawn by Riley Rossmo, colored by Ivan Plascensia, and lettered by Tom Napolitano.

Constantine: The Hellblazer was a good thing, as it found John getting back to his old self, albeit in a new city, New York City.  Now, with DC in the midst of a new initiative, entitled “Rebirth,” we will see John Constantine in his fourth comic book series, The Hellblazer.  I am kind of disappointed (and I was not impressed with The Hellblazer: Rebirth one-shot).  Constantine: The Hellblazer is still good, and stayed good even after series artist, Riley Rossmo, moved on, although he continued providing lovely cover art for this series

We say goodbye with Constantine: The Hellblazer #13 (“Worthless”).  The Donald Trump-esque demon, Lord Neron, and his partners, Papa Midnight and Blythe (a demoness), have Constantine in a bad position.  He cannot break his contract with them, or can he?  You can't keep a good/bad magus down.  This time, however, John will win one of his most hollow victories.

Ah!  What a delightful run.  I think that Constantine: The Hellblazer is an imaginative dark fantasy comic book, one of DC Comics' best recent efforts in this vein.  This series is a fresh take on a character, John Constantine, that occasionally needs an injection of lemony fresh.  The ending of this issue is chilling and heartbreaking.

Through no fault of its own, Constantine: The Hellblazer is connected to sour reboot, Constantine, The New 52 effort to bring Constantine back into the DC Universe proper.  I would not be surprised if Constantine: The Hellblazer ends up being the last sustained run of quality John Constantine comic books for a few years.  I hope I'm wrong, but I think I'm right...

A-

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


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

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Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Review: BATMAN & ROBIN Eternal #1

BATMAN & ROBIN ETERNAL No. 1
DC COMICS – @DCComics

[This review originally appeared on Patreon.]

STORY: Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV
SCRIPT: James Tynion IV
PENCILS: Tony Daniel
INKS: Sandu Florea
COLORS: Tomeu Morey
LETTERS: Tom Napolitano
COVER: Tony Daniel and Sandu Florea with Tomeu Morey
VARIANT COVER: Mikel Janin
40pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (December 2015)

Rated “T” for “Teen”

Batman created by Bob Kane with Bill Finger

Batman Eternal was a weekly Batman comic book series that began in 2014 and was produced as part of the year-long celebration of the 75th anniversary of the debut of Batman (in Detective Comics #27: cover dated May 1939).  Although the series was planned to run 60 issues, Batman Eternal lasted 52 issues.

Batman Eternal was enough of hit that DC Comics decided to do it again.  Thus, we get the weekly Batman & Robin Eternal.  Batman Eternal “showrunners,” Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV, have written the story for Batman & Robin Eternal.  Tynion will be the lead scripter, with contributions from a rotating team of writers:  Tim Seeley, Geneveive Valentine, Steve Orlando, Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly and Ed Brisson.  Tony Daniel is the lead artist, with artists Paul Pelletier and Scot Eaton as contributors.

The first issue of Batman & Robin Eternal is scripted by James Tynion IV and drawn by Tony Daniel (pencils) and Sandu Florea (inks).  Tomeu Morey provides colors and Tom Napolitano letters.

Batman & Robin Eternal #1 opens with two glimpses into the past.  Then, the story follows Dick Grayson, current super-spy and former sidekick, across the skyscrapers of Gotham City.  That brings him into contact with Red Hood aka Jason Todd aka his successor as RobinRed Robin aka Tim Drake aka the third Robin joins the fun.

Meanwhile, Bluebird aka Harper Row, who was going to be trained by Batman... before he died, finds herself confronting the new robot-Batman.  Second meanwhile, Grayson is back on the mission for the spy agency, Spyral, but things go bad in ways Grayson does not expect.  Something from Batman's past is coming back to haunt every one of those young people who have fought by Batman's side.

After the 52 inconsistent and red herring-filled issues of Batman Eternal, I am not ready to invest in another weekly Batman comic book.  On the other hand, I am really digging the fantastic comic book artist that Tony Daniel has become over the last decade, especially the last five years.  Sandu Florea is probably the perfect inker for Daniel, and Tomeu Morey's colors do wonders for both the storytelling and the visual appeal of the Daniel/Florea team.

And I must admit that I am intrigued by the second half of this story (because I certainly wasn't feeling the first half).  Plus, I am a sucker for Batman comic books, and it takes extra effort to avoid trying each new one.

For the time being, I plan to keep following Batman & Robin Eternal.

B+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.


Tuesday, December 1, 2015

DC Comics from Diamond Distributors for December 2, 2015

DC COMICS

APR150293     ABSOLUTE BATMAN THE COURT OF OWLS HC     $99.99
OCT150194     ACTION COMICS #47     $3.99
SEP150228     ALL STAR SECTION 8 #6     $2.99
AUG150259     BATMAN 66 HC VOL 04     $24.99
SEP150287     BATMAN 66 TP VOL 03     $14.99
OCT150211     BATMAN AND ROBIN ETERNAL #9     $2.99
OCT150228     BATMAN ARKHAM KNIGHT #11     $3.99
OCT150216     BATMAN BEYOND #7     $2.99
SEP150285     BATMAN VS SUPERMAN TP     $9.99
JUN150302     BOY COMMANDOS BY SIMON AND KIRBY HC VOL 02     $49.99
SEP150207     CYBORG #5     $2.99
OCT150239     DC PRESENTS ROBIN WAR 100 PAGE SPECTACULAR #1     $7.99
SEP150310     DC PRESENTS TITANS HUNT 100 PAGE SPECTACULAR #1     $7.99
AUG150291     DMZ DELUXE EDITION HC BOOK 05 (MR)     $29.99
SEP150294     EARTH 2 WORLDS END TP VOL 02     $24.99
SEP150265     GOTHAM ACADEMY #12     $2.99
SEP150266     GOTHAM BY MIDNIGHT #11     $2.99
AUG150263     GRAPHIC INK THE DC COMICS ART OF IVAN REIS HC     $39.99
OCT150222     GREEN LANTERN #47     $3.99
OCT150151     HARLEYS LITTLE BLACK BOOK #1     $4.99
SEP150327     IZOMBIE OMNIBUS HC (MR)     $75.00
SEP150301     LEX LUTHOR A CELEBRATION OF 75 YEARS HC     $39.99
OCT150181     LOBO #13     $2.99
OCT150234     LOONEY TUNES #228     $2.99
OCT150184     MIDNIGHTER #7     $2.99
SEP150226     PREZ #6     $2.99
OCT150155     ROBIN WAR #1     $4.99
OCT150233     SENSATION COMICS FEATURING WONDER WOMAN #17     $3.99
OCT150268     SHERIFF OF BABYLON #1 (MR)     $3.99
OCT150285     SURVIVORS CLUB #3 (MR)     $3.99
SEP150233     TEEN TITANS #14     $2.99
OCT150287     UNFOLLOW #2 (MR)     $3.99
SEP150304     WORLDS FINEST TP VOL 06 SECRET HISTORY     $14.99

DC COMICS/DC COLLECTIBLES

JUN150340     DC COMICS BATGIRL STATUE     $124.95
JUN150350     DC COMICS COVER GIRLS CATWOMAN STATUE     $99.95


Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Review: CONSTANTINE: The Hellblazer #1

CONSTANTINE: THE HELLBLAZER #1
DC COMICS – @DCComics

[This review was originally published on Patreon. ]

WRITERS: Ming Doyle and James Tynion IV
ARTIST: Riley Rossmo
COLORS: Ivan Plascensia
LETTERS: Tom Napolitano
COVER: Riley Rossmo
VARIANT COVERS: Ming Doyle
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (August 2015)

Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”

“Going Down”

The original John Constantine comic book series, Hellblazer, ran for 300 issues.  Then, DC Comics folded Constantine into the mainstream DC Universe with The New 52, and started a new series, simply entitled Constantine.  Our favorite comic book occult detective, magus, and troubleshooter was not the same.

DC's latest publishing initiative/event is “DCYou,” which is being launched with 25 new #1 issues.  One of them is Constantine: The Hellblazer, which is written by Ming Doyle and James Tynion IV, drawn by Riley Rossmo, colored by Ivan Plascensia, and lettered by Tom Napolitano.  I must say that, at least with this first issue, John seems to be getting back to his old self.

Constantine: The Hellblazer #1 (“Going Down”) opens with John trying to clean up after his latest bloody mess.  Another thing that is the same-old-same-old is the ghost of Gary Lester, one of John's many friends who have paid the ultimate cost for being a friend of Constantine's.

It's reunion central when yet another... acquaintance reappears; she is Blythe, an ex-patriot from Hell who has also been an occasional shag-buddy of John's.  Blythe has an ownership interest in “Inferno,” a club slash lounge slash art-house theater of some sort.  She says that the place has an imp infestation that only John can solve, and, no, it won't be that easy.

I like Constantine: The Hellblazer #1 and have better feelings about it than I did about Constantine #1.  Of course, neither one thrilled me as much as Hellblazer #1 did almost three decades ago.  Still, there is something about this new series – something upon which I cannot put my finger – that makes it... alluring.  For one thing, Riley Rossmo's scratchy compositions strikes an odd tone, making Constantine: The Hellblazer #1 at least visually different from all other DC Comics.

Ming Doyle and James Tynion IV strike the right tone by recalling John's troubled past while offering to take John and their readers to new and imaginative places.  I gave up on Constantine after about four issues.  I plan on giving Constantine: The Hellblazer at least one entire story arc.

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.



Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Review: "Batman Eternal #52" Offers a Great End to a Great Series

BATMAN ETERNAL #52

STORY: Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV (with Ray Fawkes, Kyle Higgins, Tim Seeley)
SCRIPT: James Tynion IV
ART: Eduardo Pansica and Julio Ferreira; Robson Rocha and Guillermo Ortego; David Lafuente; Tim Seeley; Ray Fawkes
COLORS: Allen Passalaqua; Gabe Eltaeb; John Kalisz; John Rauch
LETTERS: Steve Wands
COVER: Jae Lee with June Chung
VARIANT COVER: Andy Kubert with Brad Anderson

Batman created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger

SPOILER ALERT

The conclusion of the weekly Batman epic, Batman Eternal, is here.  First, shout out to all the creative people who played a part in bringing us this year-long adventure.  Batman Eternal #52 is one of those inspiring stories that makes you remember why you're a Batman fan.

This is a story about heroes, both super and everyday.  Batman is brought to the lowest point that we have seen him.  He is tortured and beat-down to within an inch of his life.  He is a beaten man, deprived of all his technology.  What saves him is the inspiration of others.

In a wonderful piece of writing, the writers have Jim Gordon make an impassioned speech to the people of Gotham to come to Batman's rescue.  Then, we truly see that Batman is eternal.  Even if he would have died at the moment, his legacy would have lived on.  It never comes to this because all the people who Batman has inspired come to his rescue.

This is the aspect of Batman that sets him apart from other superheroes.  Batman is an inspiration to others to find the strength to fight against unimaginable odds for the greater good.  The admirable thing about the story is it concluded with action and put the happy ending stuff all in one issue.  I hate to waste my money on an issues that are all happy endings.

Overall, this is a good ending to 52 weeks of DC's greatest character, giving us mystery, intrigue, and action in epic proportions.  This team of writers needs to take that deep breath and do whatever they do to reward themselves when they accomplish the monumental task.

There are so many artists on the Batman Eternal creative team; some deserve praise; some don't.  I'll leave it to the beholder to decide for themselves.

I rate Batman Eternal #52 Buy Your Own Copy (#2 on the Al-o-Meter)

The text is copyright © 2015 Albert Avilla. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.



Wednesday, November 5, 2014

I Reads You Review: BATMAN #35

BATMAN #35
DC COMICS – @DCComics

WRITER: Scott Snyder – @Ssnyder1835
PENCILS: Greg Capullo
INKS: Danny Miki
COLORS: FCO Plascencia
LETTERS: Steve Wands
COVER: Greg Capullo and Danny Miki with FCO Plascencia
VARIANT COVERS: Andy Kubert with Brad Anderson; Brian Stelfreeze (Monster Variant)
40pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (December 2014)

Rated “T” for “Teen”

Batman created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger

Endgame #1

How do writer Scott Snyder and artist Greg Capullo follow their 12-issue Batman epic, “Zero Year?”  Well, pitting Batman against his super-powered teammates from the Justice League sounds like a idea.

Batman #35 (“Endgame” Part 1) opens Bruce Wayne reworks his infrastructure and recovers from the beatings he took during the events still being depicted in Batman: Eternal (because the events depicted in Batman #35 take place after whatever will be depicted in Batman: Eternal).  Suddenly, Wonder Woman drops by Bruce Wayne's new Batman base of operations at Old Wayne Tower, and, much to Bruce's surprise, she wants to kill him.

No, she really wants to kill him... as in homicide.  And so do Flash, Aquaman, and Superman.

The art team of Greg Capullo, inker Danny Miki, and colorist FCO Plascencia are visually and graphically a truly unique Batman art team, but it is not just about pretty pictures.  Their graphical storytelling heightens the sense of drama and conveys subtlety in character, emotion, and conflict.  Superheroes with colorful costumes usually seem odd and out of place in the moody shades of Gotham City.  They might seem so even in the more sparkly version of Gotham of this current ongoing Batman comic book series.  However, these artists make the Justice League seem a natural part of the ebb and flow of the weird crime and conflict of the Dark Knight's stomping grounds.

I think the reveal on the last page of who is behind the Justice League attack means that Endgame just might be something special.  In fact, that is what Scott Snyder's run as Batman writer has been, special.  I actually was not sure that I was ready for another long Batman story arc, but I am now.

A-

[This comic book includes the short story, “The Paleman” by writer James Tynion IV, artist Kelley Jones, colorist by Michelle Madsen, and letterer by Dezi Sienty.]

Batman #35 features the first chapter of “The Paleman,” which looks to be a backup feature that is tied to Endgame.  I don't know how long this feature will run, but I hope it is for several issues because the artist of “The Paleman” is one of my favorites, Kelley Jones.

I have always thought that Jones was influenced by Berni Wrightson and also by an artist Jones once replaced on a 1980s comic book series, Mike Mignola.  Jones spun those influences into his own potent and idiosyncratic style.  It is just right for James Tynion IV's grim thriller of a script, and Michelle Madsen's brooding coloring is just right for Jones' shadowed compositions.

A-

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


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