#IReadsYou Review: SCOOBY-DOO, Where Are You? #110

SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU? (2010) #110
DC COMICS – @DCComics

STORY: Sholly Fisch; Paul Kupperberg
PENCILS: Randy Elliot; Fabio Laguna
INKS: Randy Elliot; Fabio Laguna
COLORS: Silvana Brys; Heroic Age
LETTERS: Saida Temofonte; Travis Lanham
EDITORS: Courtney Jordan; Harvey Richards (reprint)
COVER: Randy Elliot with Silvana Brys
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (August 2021)

Ages 8+

“Pulp Friction”

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

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #110 opens with “Pulp Friction,” which is written by Sholly Fisch and drawn by Randy Elliot.  Mystery Inc.:  Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, Fred, Daphne, and Velma arrive at “Sunshine Citrus Grove.”  They've been called there by the grove's owner, Lyman Valencia, who needs the gang to save his business from the “the ghost of Jimmy Orangepeel.”  But Shaggy and Scooby only want to enjoy the oranges, lemons, and limes.

The second story, “Over the Boardwalk,” is, as usual, a reprint story and is written by Paul Kupperberg and drawn by Fabio Laguna.  [This story was originally published as the back-up story in Scooby-Doo #155 (cover date: June 2010).]  Mystery Inc. is enjoying some time off at Coney Island.  Shaggy and Scooby are enjoying a roller coaster ride and the food.  Velma is taking the “walking tour” so that she can enjoy the history of the area.  Daphne and Fred are going to enjoy the beach.  However, an invasions of demons threatens everyone's fun.

The art team of illustrator Randy Elliot and colorist Silvana Brys make “Pulp Friction” (an awful name for this story) a fun read.  Elliot's art is both pretty and stylish, and Brys' colors are radiant in a way that conveys the verdant state of the grove.  The story is okay, but I can't help buy smile at the Johnny Appleseed riff.

“Over the Boardwalk” is nicely offbeat.  I like the idea of the Mystery Inc. kids going their own way at a particular location to do their own thing.  Like the new story, “Pulp Friction,” this reprint story has the theme of greed.  In both cases, one business owner attempts to use the supernatural to scare away another business owner, so that he can swoop in a buy the other business.  This is a theme that has been familiar throughout the half-century of the Scooby-Doo franchise.

So, I recommend Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #110 to Scooby-Doo fans.  And until next time, Scooby-Dooby-Doo!

B-
5 out of 10

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


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#IReadsYou Review: SCOOBY-DOO, Where Are You? #102

SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU? No. 102
DC COMICS – @DCComics

STORY: Derek Fridolfs; Paul Kupperberg
PENCILS: Randy Elliot; Fabio Laguna
INKS: Randy Elliot; Fabio Laguna
COLORS: Silvana Brys; Dave Tanguay
LETTERS: Saida Temofonte; Travis Lanham
EDITORS: Jim Chadwick; Harvey Richards (reprints)
COVER: Randy Elliot with Pamela Lovas
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (February 2020)

Rated “E” for “Everyone”

“Pet-Trified”

Welcome, dear readers, to my continuing journey through the Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? comic book series.  I renewed my subscription (for a second time) and this is the fourth issue I received from that renewal.

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #102 opens with “Pet-Trified,” which is written by Derek Fridolfs and drawn by Randy Elliot.  Mystery Inc.:  Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, Fred, Daphne, and Velma are enjoying a day of not chasing ghosts and goblins at “Coolsville Bark Park,” a park for dogs.  Unfortunately, a ghost “Siren,” a winged creature from Greek mythology, has decided to ruin his day for humans and dogs alike.  In order for Mystery Inc. to solve this case, Scooby will have to be the bait!

The second story, “Sunday in the Park with Scooby!,” is, as usual, a reprint and is written by Paul Kupperberg and drawn by Fabio Laguna.  [This story was originally published in Scooby-Doo #143 (cover date: June 2009).]  Scooby-Doo and Shaggy are enjoying a day at the park with no mysteries to solve.  But will it be that easy?  No one is chasing Scoob and Shag, but there are some rather benign mysteries that (apparently) only they can solve.

Well, it's obvious, isn't it.  Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #102 has a day-at-the-park theme.  At first, “Pet-Trified” didn't seem like much of a story, but the story's “Becky” twist-ending makes it real-world relevant.  “Sunday in the Park with Scooby!” plays out in such an unexpected way that its oddness is what makes it delightful.

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #102 is not an exceptional issue in this series, but I like its off-beat spirit.  So, until next time, Scooby-Dooby-Doo!

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

B
6 out of 10

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


The text is copyright © 2020 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.


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I Reads You Review: SCOOBY-DOO, Where Are You? #99

SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU? No. 99
DC COMICS – @DCComics

STORY: Sholly Fisch; Paul Kupperberg

PENCILS: Walter Carzon; Fabio Laguna

INKS: Horacio Ottolini; Fabio Laguna

COLORS: Silvana Brys; Heroic Age

LETTERS: Saida Temofonte; Travis Lanham

EDITOR: Lauren Bisom; Harvey Richards

COVER: Walter Carzon and Horacio Ottolini with Silvana Brys

32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (August 2019)

Rated “E” for “Everyone”

“Muddier on the Disoriented Express”

I am continuing my journey through the Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? comic book series. I renewed my subscription, and issue #99 is the first issue I received from that renewal.

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #99 opens with “Muddier on the Disoriented Express” which is written by Sholly Fisch and drawn by Walter Carzon and Horacio Ottolini. Mystery Inc.: Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, Fred, Daphne, and Velma receives free tickets for a luxury train trip through Europe. However, the gang is having a hard time enjoying the trip for two reasons.

First, the other passengers aboard this train are an unpleasant lot. There are two surly, “successful businessmen,” Mr. Rocco and Mr. Slugg. Next is a snob, “the Contessa,” and her belligerent assistant who accuses everyone of being paparazzi. Even the train's chef and conductor are acting kinda shady. Secondly, this luxury train is haunted by a ghost calling itself “the Spirit of Justice,” and it claims that it is after the “wicked” and the “villains” aboard the train so that it can dispense some justice.

The second story, “Over the Boardwalk,” is, as usual, a reprint and is written by Paul Kupperberg and drawn by Fabio Laguna. [This story was originally published in Scooby-Doo #155 (cover dated: June 2010).] Mystery Inc. is visiting Coney Island. Scooby and Shaggy are enjoying the rides and the food. Fred and Daphne want to sit on the beach. Velma plans a walking tour to discover the local history. However, Coney Island is suffering from a devilish infestation, and the gang may be forced to deal with it whether they want to or not.

Of course, “Muddier on the Disoriented Express” is a Scooby-Doo spin on Agatha Christie's classic mystery novel, Murder on the Orient Express. It has been adapted for film and television numerous times, and the novel has been the subject of parody and spoof countless times. Readers will find that “Muddier on the Disoriented Express” is true to Christie's novel, in a manner, when it comes to the resolution of the mystery of the “Spirit of Justice.” The story is well colored by Silvana Brys and also features Saida Temofonte's usual sharp lettering.

“Over the Boardwalk” also features nice coloring (by Heroic Age) and lettering (by Travis Lanham). I like the story, but I usually like Paul Kupperberg's Scooby-Doo stories. Also, the two artists for this issue, Walter Carzon and Fabio Laguna, are two of my favorite Scooby-Doo comic book artists. Overall, I enjoyed Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #99

See you next issue.

B

6 out of 10

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

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

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Review: SCOOBY-DOO, Where Are You #95

SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU? No. 95
DC COMICS – @DCComics

STORY: Derek Fridolfs; Paul Kupperberg
ART: Scott Jeralds
COLORS: Silvana Brys; Heroic Age
LETTERS: Saida Temofonte; Travis Lanham
EDITOR: Harvey Richards
COVER: Derek Fridolfs with Pamela Lovas
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (December 2018)

Rated “E” for “Everyone”

I am continuing my journey through the renewal of my subscription to the Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? comic book series.  Join me, will you?  I recently received the tenth issue of that renewed subscription.

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #95 opens with “Mystery Mashing” (written by Derek Fridolfs and drawn by Scott Jeralds).  Mystery Inc.:  Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, Fred, Daphne, and Velma are attending the “Monster Truck Rally” at Coolsville Coliseum.  However, a real life monster truck, “The Diesel Dragon,” is wrecking and crushing the competition,  Now, there is indeed a new mystery to solve.

The second story is “The Night of the Undead” (written by Paul Kupperberg and drawn by Scott Jeralds). [It was originally published in Scooby-Doo #157 (August 2010).]  It seems to start at a local shopping mall – the first appearance of a zombie.  According to a group of students from the local university, a real virus, “Virus-Z,” is the cause of this zombie invasion, and that virus originated in a lab at the university.  Mystery Inc. is on hand to discover the truth.

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #95 is not one of the better issues in this second run of my subscription.  Other than the monster truck designs by artist Scott Jeralds, “Monster Mashing” does not amount to much.  In fact, I think that this plot is similar to a recent Scooby-Doo! / WWE straight-to-DVD animated film.  The identity of the culprits behind the zombie attacks depicted in “The Night of the Undead” are obvious from the second page of the story, if not the first.

Anyway, I enjoy reading Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? – good, bad, or mediocre.  See you next issue!

C+
5 out of 10

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


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

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I Reads You Review: SCOOBY-DOO, Where Are You? #87

SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU? No. 87
DC COMICS – @DCComics

STORY: Sholly Fisch; Paul Kupperberg
PENCILS: Walter Carzon; Roberto Barrios
INKS: Horacio Ottolini
COLORS: Sylvana Brys; Heroic Age
LETTERS: Saida Temofonte; John J. Hill
EDITORS: Robin Levin; Harvey Richards
COVER: Walter Carzon and Horacio Ottolini with Sylvana Brys
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (January 2018)

Rated “E” for “Everyone”

Several years ago, I had a subscription to the Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? comic book series.  I let it expire after a year, but recently renewed it.  I just received the second issue of that new subscription.

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #87 opens with “Woods or Wouldn't” (written by Sholly Fisch and drawn by Walter Garzon and Horacio Ottolini).  Conservationists and lumberjacks square of over the fate of a forest of redwood trees, but both sides find themselves under attack by the Wraith of the Redwoods!  Now, Mystery Incorporated has to negotiate peace between two sides and has to solve the mystery of what Shaggy calls a “freaky forest phantom.”

The second story is “The Black Katz” (written by Paul Kupperberg and drawn by Roberto Barrios and Horacio Ottolini), a story originally published in Scooby-Doo #150, a 2010 issue of the Scooby-Doo comic book series that began in 1997.  Mystery Inc. travels to Katzburg, New York, a small town overrun by a pest of pampered black cats that call Katz Manor their base of operations.  The citizens swear that these cats, which belonged to the late millionairess, Felicity Katz, have brought nothing but bad luck to Katzburg.  Sounds like a mystery to solve.

“Woods or Wouldn't” isn't a great story.  It is basically a story about working together.  I wouldn't call it a “morality tale,” but it does offer a lesson about working together, or it at least insists that people learn to comprise.  And no, a comprise between lumberjacks and conservationists would not be a case of comprising with evil.

The reprint tale, “The Black Katz,” is the better of the two stories.  First, I like the art by Roberto Barrios (pencils) and Horacio Ottolini (inks).  The composition is strong, and the layout and graphic design are strong visually potent.  This is some of the best Scooby-Doo comic book art I have ever seen; I would dare say that Barrio and Ottolini are a perfect Scooby comic book art team.

As for Paul Kupperberg's writing on “The Black Katz,” it is surprisingly strong for a mystery short story written for a children's comic book.  It feels like a full-length or single-issue story, and I think it is worthy of being adapted for a Scooby-Doo direct-to-DVD movie.  I wonder if any Scooby-Doo comic book stories have been adapted for animation.  The Scooby-Doo powers-that-be might want to think about it, considering the quality of stories like Kupperberg's tale, “The Black Katz.”

B+
7 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 syndication rights and fees.

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I Reads You Review: SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU #86

SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU? No. 86
DC COMICS – @DCComics

STORY: Ivan Cohen; Paul Kupperberg
PENCILS: Randy Elliot; Fabio Laguna
COLORS: Sylvana Brys; Heroic Age
LETTERS: Saida Temofonte; Travis Lanham
EDITOR: Robin Levin; Harvey Richards
COVER: Scott Gross
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (December 2017)

Rated “E” for “Everyone”

Several years ago, I had a subscription to the Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? comic book series.  I let it expire after a year, but I had been putting off renewing it, which I did a few months ago.  I recently received the first issue of that new subscription.  Let me share some news about my first subscription issue with you.

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #86 opens with “Medical Mystery Tour” (written by Ivan Cohen and drawn by Randy Elliot).  Mystery Incorporated has just solved a case and disaster strikes!  When Velma Dinkley is forced to stay awake in a hospital bed for 24 hours, Scooby-Doo and the rest of Mystery Inc., do their best to keep their resident super-brain occupied.  Are there schemes, however, keeping them from seeing the truth?

The second story is “It's a Mystery!” (written by Paul Kupperberg and drawn by Fabio Laguna).  It was originally published in Scooby-Doo #155, a 2010 issue of the Scooby-Doo comic book series that began in 1997.  This is another Velma story.  It is her birthday, and her Mystery Inc. pals have created a fake mystery based on the work of Velma's favorite mystery novelist, Cal Melvin Cullins, for her to solve.  But fate and bad timing throws Velma into a case that is real and is closer to home than the Mystery Inc. gang realizes.

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #86 is a pointed reminder for me that I should have renewed by subscription to this series back in 2014.  I missed three years of a comic book that I really liked.  At the end of my review of Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #50, I asked, “Should I continue past Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #50?  I am having a good time...”  I didn't continue.

Both of these stories are quite good, and similarly are about misdirection.  Although most readers will probably figure out what's going on midway through both stories, they are fun because they depict the closeness of the characters.  Mystery Incorporated is a family, and the cartoon series that have broken up the family into a smaller unit, such as “The New Scooby and Scrappy-Doo Show” (1983) and “Shaggy & Scooby Get a Clue! (2006).  These two series are not the same as the series which feature the entire original cast – and are not as good as the ones with the full cast, as far as I'm concerned.

I like that the two stories that make up Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #86.  They put the family in “Scooby gang.”  Also, Scott Gross' cover art for this issue is one of the most imaginative visuals and striking designs that I have ever seen on a Scooby-Doo comic book cover.

A-
7.5 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 syndication rights and fees.

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I Reads You Review: SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU? #49

SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU? #49
DC COMICS – @DCComics

STORY: Sholly Fisch, Paul Kupperberg
PENCILS: Robert Pope, Fabio Laguna
INKS: Scott McCrea, Fabio Laguna
COLORS: Candace Schinzler-Bell, Heroic Age
LETTERS: Saida Temofonte; Travis Lanham
EDITOR: Aniz Adam Ansari
COVER: Scott Jeralds and Candace Schinzler-Bell
28pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (November 2014)

Rated “E” for “Everyone”

“Ruh-Huh!”  So you, dear readers, are back for another I Reads You review of the Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? comic book series.  As regular readers of this blog know, I bought a subscription to this latest Scooby-Doo comic book series via a fundraiser held by my nephew’s school last year, which involved selling magazine subscriptions.

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #49 opens with “A Midsummer Night's Scream” (written by Sholly Fisch and drawn by Robert Pope and Scott McCrea).  The Mystery Inc. gang is visiting a Shakespeare festival, “Shakespeare Outdoors,” for a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.  Not long into the evening's performance, mischievous faeries suddenly appear to terrorize and scare the audience.  But are they real faeries?  It's the latest Scooby-Doo mystery.

“Attack of the 50-Foot Shaggy!” (written by Paul Kupperberg and drawn by Fabio Laguna) finds the gang at Westnorthern University, home of the country's best library of the supernatural, “William Hanna Library.”  Shaggy and Scooby, however, are not in the mood for a research marathon.  Looking for food (of course), the duo comes upon a scientific demonstration.  There, a delicious roasted chicken causes Shaggy to be zapped by a ray from the Archer Molecular Enlargement Device.  Now, Shaggy can't stop growing, but is everything as big as it seems?

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #49 is one of those issues of a Scooby-Doo comic book that I really enjoyed reading.  Even as a life-long Scooby-Doo fan, I have to admit that not all Scooby-Doo comic books are like that.  The plot for “A Midsummer Night's Scream” is an odd one for a Scooby-Doo story, and I think it would make a good plot for an entry in Warner Bros. Animation's line of Scooby-Doo direct-to-DVD films.  “Attack of the 50-Foot Shaggy!” this issue's reprint story (originally published in Scooby-Doo #159), is also this issue's better story.  It plays like an actual mystery in that the reader must play close attention to the story art in order to solve the mystery.

B+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.

I Reads You Review: SCOOBY-DOO, Where Are You? #44

SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU? #44
DC COMICS – @DCComics

STORY: Matthew K. Manning; Paul Kupperberg
PENCILS: Robert Pope; Roberto Barrios
INKS: Scott McRae; Horacio Ottolini
COLORS: Franco Riesco; Heroic Age
LETTERS: Saida Temofonte; Pat Brosseau
MISC. ART: Vincent Deporter
EDITOR: Kristy Quinn
COVER: Scott Neely with Heroic Age
28pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (June 2014)

Rated “E” for “Everyone”

I continue my journey through the current Scooby-Doo comic book series with the forty-fourth issue of Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?  Why is this happening?  I bought a subscription to Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? via a fundraiser held by my nephew’s school last year, which involved selling magazine subscriptions.

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #44 opens with “Island of the Jabberwockies” (written by Matthew K. Manning and drawn by Robert Pope and Scott McRae).  The Mystery Inc. gang is traveling through what is apparently a series of interconnected islands.  The kids are headed to a beach on Fripp Island, but first, must pass through Hunting Island where they almost have an accident and definitely have a weird experience.

At the Fripp Island Hotel, they learn that vacationers are being pestered by deer and scared by the “Jabberwockies.”  Now, Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy, and Scooby-Doo are also being terrorized, but they’re not too scared to investigate.

In “The Phantom of the Opal!” (written by Paul Kupperberg and drawn by Roberto Barrios and Horacio Ottolini), the Mystery Inc. kids are guests on “The Tad Williams Show.”  The arrival of the Phantom of the Opal means that the guests have to become mystery solvers.  When it comes to the identity of the Phantom, the kids have plenty of suspects because the phantom is obviously an embittered living person.

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #44 has as a theme conniving showbiz types.  “Island of the Jabberwockies” is a quickie type story, but it is pointed in making its point.  Writer Matthew K. Manning also uses much of the 10 pages of the narrative to showcase the lovable silliness we’ve come to expect of that crazy duo, Shaggy and Scooby.

“The Phantom of the Opal!” is apparently a reprint (from the previous series, Scooby-Doo #153), but it is the better story of the two.  The main reason is because writer Paul Kupperberg squeezes enough subplots and characters inside a short story to create a separate graphic novel (or even miniseries).  The guest characters are fairly well-developed, complete with motivation and conflicts.

Surprisingly, even with only 12 pages, Kupperberg succeeds in making the mystery of the Phantom of the Opal an intriguing one.  I really got into solving the mystery of the Phantom’s identity (and my first choice turned out to be right).  I hope Kupperberg writes new Scooby-Doo comics.

B+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.

Archie Andrews to Get Cap in Ass - The Official Announcement

Legendary Comic Book Character Archie Andrews Dies in July

Future “Life with Archie” storyline reveals redheaded icon’s heroic final moments

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Archie Comics, the acclaimed and bestselling comic book publisher that is home to some of the best-known pop culture creations in the world, including Archie, Jughead, Betty & Veronica, Josie & The Pussycats, Sabrina the Teenage Witch and the hit AFTERLIFE WITH ARCHIE series, announced the unthinkable today: Legendary comic book character Archie Andrews will die to conclude the hit LIFE WITH ARCHIE comic series.

The iconic comic book character, beloved by millions around the globe for over 70 years, will sacrifice himself heroically while saving the life of a friend in the pages of July’s LIFE WITH ARCHIE #36, the final issue in the flash-forward series, which spotlights Archie’s adventures after high school and college.

“We’ve been building up to this moment since we launched LIFE WITH ARCHIE five years ago, and knew that any book that was telling the story of Archie’s life as an adult had to also show his final moment,” said Archie Comics Publisher/Co-CEO Jon Goldwater. “Archie has and always will represent the best in all of us—he’s a hero, good-hearted, humble and inherently honorable. This story is going to inspire a wide range of reactions because we all feel so close to Archie. Fans will laugh, cry, jump off the edge of their seats and hopefully understand why this comic will go down as one of the most important moments in Archie’s entire history. It’s the biggest story we’ve ever done, and we’re supremely proud of it.”

The story will be available in multiple formats, including an extra-large magazine-size LIFE WITH ARCHIE #36, two comic-sized issues—LIFE WITH ARCHIE #36 and #37—and a trade paperback collecting the entire story, written by regular LIFE WITH ARCHIE writer Paul Kupperberg, with art by Pat & Tim Kennedy and Fernando Ruiz.

While LIFE WITH ARCHIE #36 shows readers Archie’s final moments, #37 leaps a year into the future, showcasing how the remaining members of the Riverdale gang—including Jughead, Betty & Veronica and Reggie—have honored the legacy of their dear friend. Both stories will be collected in the double-sized LIFE WITH ARCHIE #36 magazine and upcoming trade paperback.

In addition to the acclaimed regular LIFE WITH ARCHIE creative team, the two comic book issues—sold exclusively at comic shops in July—will feature a pantheon of artistic luminaries contributing covers to the historic issue, including Francesco Francavilla, Fiona Staples, Ramon Perez, Walt Simonson, Jill Thompson, Mike Allred, Cliff Chiang, Adam Hughes, Tommy Lee Edwards and Alex Ross.

ABOUT ARCHIE COMICS:
Archie Comics is the leading mass market comic book publisher in the world and the home to a wide array of the most popular humor, action-adventure and superhero characters in entertainment, including Archie, Jughead, Betty and Veronica, Reggie, Kevin Keller, Josie and the Pussycats, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Afterlife With Archie, The Fox, The New Crusaders, The Shield, Li’l Jinx and many more. Archie Comics have sold 2 billion comics worldwide and are published around the world in a number of languages. In addition to comics, Archie characters have been featured prominently in animation, television, film and music.

Sequart Announces Book about 1960s Batman TV Series

PRESS RELEASE:

Sequart Research and Literacy Organization’s Gotham City 14 Miles: 14 Essays on Why the 1960s TV Series Matters is now available for order through comic shops (use Diamond order code OCT101262). The book, edited by Jim Beard, is currently listed in the books section of October’s Previews catalog (page 332) and is set to hit stores in late December.

A sell out at New York Comic Con, Gotham City 14 Miles offers 14 essays that examine the equally celebrated and derided show from varied, sometimes surprising viewpoints:

*Bats in Their Belfries: The Proliferation of Batmania, by Robert Greenberger. (Covers the genesis of the show and explosion of Batmania.)

*Batman: From Comics Page to TV Screen, by Peter Sanderson. (Delves into Batman’s comic-book roots.)

*Such a Character: A Dissection and Examination of Two Sub-Species of Chiroptera homo sapiens, by Jim Beard. (Compares / contrasts the 1939 Batman with Adam West’s.)

*Notes on Bat-Camp, by Tim Callahan. (An effort to answer that age-old question, “Was Batman truly camp?”)

*Aunt Harriet’s Film Decency League, by Becky Beard. (Weighs the caliber of the show’s most significant guest stars.)

*POW!: Batman’s Visual Punch, by Bill Walko. (Looks into the impact of the show’s visual design.)

*Known Super-Criminals Still at Large, by Chuck Dixon. (Compares / contrasts TV versions with comic-book portrayals.)

*May I Have This Batdance? by Michael S. Miller. (Looks at the most famous TV theme and the songs it inspired.)

*The Best Dressed Women in Gotham City, by Jennifer K. Stuller. (A compelling argument for its female denizens and their place in Batman.)

*Holy Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor! by Michael D. Hamersky. (Addresses the topic of youth culture as presented in Batman.)

*Gotham City R&D, by Michael Johnson. (Examines Batman’s gadgetry.)

*Theatre of the Absurd: Batman: The Movie, by Rob Weiner. (Discusses the 1966 feature film.)

*Jumping the Bat-Shark, by Will Murray. (Delves into the third season of Batman.)

*Some Days You Just Can’t Get Rid of a Bomb, by Paul Kupperberg. (The show’s legacy beyond its original broadcast.)

*Afterword, by Jeff Rovin, co-author of Adam West’s Back to the Batcave. (Offers a few personal anecdotes about the show and working with West.)

*Episode Guide, by Joe Berenato. (A rundown of episodes with airdates and fun facts.)

Don’t miss out on this critical discussion of one of the most influential yet misunderstood TV shows of all time. (Softcover, 6”x9”, 300 pgs, B&W, $22.95 cover price, ISBN 9780578064611.)


NOTE: Don’t assume your comics store will order copies – some stores might not even notice it in the catalog. The best thing you can do is tell your local retailer ASAP (they have to place orders before the end of October) that you want them to order you a copy. And because the book is buried in the catalog, it might help to give them the book’s order code, OCT101262.

LEGAL DISCLAIMER: Batman and related characters are trademarks of DC Comics. This book is not endorsed by DC Comics.