Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for October 30, 2019

MARVEL COMICS

AUG198564    AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #30 2ND PTG OTTLEY VAR AC    $3.99
AUG191157    AMAZING SPIDER-MAN TP RED GOBLIN    $24.99
AUG198565    AVENGERS #24 2ND PTG VECCHIO VAR    $3.99
AUG191068    BLACK PANTHER #17    $3.99
AUG191105    CONAN THE BARBARIAN #10    $3.99
AUG191023    CONTAGION #5 (OF 5)    $3.99
AUG191024    CONTAGION #5 (OF 5) BROWNE VAR    $3.99
AUG191087    DEAD MAN LOGAN #12 (OF 12)    $3.99
AUG191150    DEADPOOL BY SKOTTIE YOUNG TP VOL 03 WEASEL GOES TO HELL    $15.99
AUG191095    DEATHS HEAD #4 (OF 4)    $3.99
AUG191096    DEATHS HEAD #4 (OF 4) MCCREA CONNECTING VAR    $3.99
AUG191057    DOCTOR STRANGE ANNUAL #1    $4.99
AUG191058    DOCTOR STRANGE ANNUAL #1 SKROCE VAR    $4.99
AUG190857    EXCALIBUR #1 BAGLEY EVERY MUTANT EVER VAR DX    $4.99
AUG190858    EXCALIBUR #1 DEL MUNDO YOUNG GUNS VAR DX    $4.99
AUG190856    EXCALIBUR #1 DX    $4.99
AUG190989    FANTASTIC FOUR GRAND DESIGN #1 (OF 2)    $5.99
AUG190990    FANTASTIC FOUR GRAND DESIGN #1 (OF 2) PISKOR VAR    $5.99
AUG190991    FANTASTIC FOUR GRAND DESIGN #1 (OF 2) SCIOLI VAR    $5.99
AUG190948    FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN #13    $3.99
AUG191025    INVISIBLE WOMAN #4 (OF 5)    $3.99
AUG191101    IRONHEART #11    $3.99
AUG191116    JOURNEY STAR WARS RISE SKYWALKER ALLEGIANCE #4    $3.99
AUG191118    JOURNEY STAR WARS RISE SKYWALKER ALLEGIANCE #4 SLINEY VAR    $3.99
AUG190986    MARVEL GRAPHIC COMIC BOXES GHOST RIDER (BUNDLE OF 5)    $50.00
SEP190002    MARVEL PREVIEWS VOL 04 #28 NOVEMBER 2019 EXTRAS    $1.25
AUG190965    MARVEL ZOMBIES RESURRECTION #1    $4.99
AUG190970    MARVEL ZOMBIES RESURRECTION #1 BRADSHAW VAR    $4.99
AUG190966    MARVEL ZOMBIES RESURRECTION #1 JUNGGEUN YOON VAR    $4.99
AUG191133    MARVEL ZOMBIES TP VOL 02 NEW PTG    $15.99
AUG191134    MARVEL ZOMBIES TP VOL 03 NEW PTG    $15.99
JUL191128    MARVEL-VERSE GN TP IRON MAN    $9.99
JUL191127    MARVEL-VERSE GN TP THANOS    $9.99
AUG190971    RED GOBLIN RED DEATH #1    $4.99
AUG190974    RED GOBLIN RED DEATH #1 DAUGHTRY GARNEY WRPAD VAR    $4.99
AUG190975    RED GOBLIN RED DEATH #1 LUBERA VAR    $4.99
AUG190976    RED GOBLIN RED DEATH #1 RON LIM VAR    $4.99
AUG191098    RUNAWAYS #26    $3.99
AUG191044    SAVAGE AVENGERS ANNUAL #1    $4.99
AUG191045    SAVAGE AVENGERS ANNUAL #1 GARNEY VAR    $4.99
AUG191069    SILVER SURFER BLACK #5 (OF 5)    $3.99
AUG191073    SILVER SURFER BLACK #5 (OF 5) NAKAYAMA MARY JANE VAR    $3.99
AUG191071    SILVER SURFER BLACK #5 (OF 5) RON LIM VAR    $3.99
AUG191170    SPIDER-GWEN GN TP GWEN STACY    $12.99
AUG191125    STAR WARS DOCTOR APHRA ANNUAL #3    $4.99
AUG191127    STAR WARS DOCTOR APHRA ANNUAL #3 MCKONE GREATEST MOMENTS VAR    $4.99
AUG190949    SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #12    $3.99
AUG191147    SYMBIOTE SPIDER-MAN TP    $15.99
AUG191152    THOR TP VOL 03 WARS END    $15.99
AUG191151    TONY STARK IRON MAN TP VOL 03 WAR OF REALMS    $15.99
AUG190897    TRUE BELIEVERS X-MEN KARIMA SHAPANDAR OMEGA SENTINEL #1    $1.00
AUG190896    TRUE BELIEVERS X-MEN MOIRA MACTAGGERT #1    $1.00
AUG190927    VENOM #19 AC    $3.99
AUG190929    VENOM #19 JEEHYUNG LEE MARY JANE VAR AC    $3.99
AUG191154    WAR OF REALMS TP UNCANNY X-MEN    $15.99
AUG191167    WHAT IF CLASSIC COMPLETE COLLECTION TP VOL 02    $39.99
AUG191164    X-MEN STARJAMMERS BY DAVE COCKRUM TP    $39.99
AUG191166    X-MEN TRIAL OF JUGGERNAUT TP    $34.99

Review: SPIDER-MAN: Life Story #1

SPIDER-MAN: LIFE STORY No. 1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Chip Zdarsky
PENCILS: Mark Bagley
INKS: John Dell
COLORS: Frank D'Armata
LETTERS: Travis Lanham
EDITOR: Tom Brevoort
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Akira Yoshida a.k.a. C.B. Cebulski
COVER: Chip Zdarsky
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Marcos Martin; Greg Smallwood; Skottie Young
36pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (May 2019)

Rated  “T”

Spider-Man created by Steve Ditko and Stan Lee

Spider-Man is the classic Marvel Comics superhero that readers first met in Amazing Fantasy #15 (cover dated: August 1962).  The Amazing Spider-Man #1 (cover date: March 1963) was the beginning of the first Spider-Man title, as we followed his adventures and his secret life as a teenager and high school student named Peter Parker.  Over the years, a legion of Spider-Man writers depicted Peter Parker graduating from high school, going to college, becoming a college graduate student, a working stiff, a freelancer, an employee, etc.

Spider-Man: Life Story is a new comic book miniseries tells the story of Peter Parker and Spider-Man in real time, depicting his life from beginning to end.  Spider-Man: Life Story is written by Chip Zdarsky; drawn by Mark Bagley (pencils) and John Dell (inker); colored by Frank D'Armata; and letterer Travis Lanham.  “Life Story” is set against the events of the decades through which Spider-Man has lived.  The conceit of this series is as follows (as described by Marvel Comics:

In 1962, in Amazing Fantasy #15, 15-year-old Peter Parker was bitten by a radioactive spider and became the Amazing Spider-Man! Fifty-seven years have passed in the real world since that event - so what would have happened if the same amount of time passed for Peter as well?

Spider-Man: Life Story #1 opens in 1966, four years after the events depicted in Amazing Fantasy #15.  Peter has one left year in college, but that is not all that is on his mind.  He has money woes, and as more young men his age are drafted to serve in the Vietnam War, Peter starts to wonder if Spider-Man should also serve in the conflict.  As his old rival, Flash Thompson, prepares to leave for Vietnam, Peter really starts to weigh the question of where his responsibility truly lies.  Meanwhile, a dangerous foe reappears, threatening Spider-Man's secrets.

Spider-Man: Life Story #1 is just the kind of first issue with which a prestige or “high-end” miniseries should open.  This is the kind of wonderful read that will make readers come back for the second issue.  Simply put, it is quite well written by Chip Zdarsky, who is proving to be a writer with classic storytelling chops.  What I mean by that is that Zdarsky focuses on spinning comic book yarns (1) that are true to the core of the characters, (2) that have successful superhero action scenes, and (3) that also have a modern sensibility.  In this way, Zdarsky's Spider-Man: Life Story #1 reminds me of Brian Michael Bendis' Ultimate Spider-Man #1 (cover dated:  October 2000), a modern take on Spider-Man that had a classic Spider-Man sensibility.

Another reason that I am reminded of Ultimate Spider-Man is that the penciler of Spider-Man: Life Story #1 is Mark Bagley, who was the long-time artist on Ultimate Spider-Man, drawing just under 120 issues.  Bagley is a consummate superhero comic book artist, whose storytelling is straightforward.  His graphic style is not overly stylish, but, once again, his art looks like classic superhero comic book art from the 1960s and 1970s.

I thought I might like Spider-Man: Life Story #1, but I often only read the first issue of a miniseries even when I like it enough to be interested in future issues.  I plan to read more Spider-Man: Life Story, and I am eagerly awaiting that second issue.

8.5 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.

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

Review: DAREDEVIL #1

DAREDEVIL No. 1 (2019)
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted in Patreon.]

STORY: Chip Zdarsky
ART: Marco Checchetto
COLORS: Sunny Gho
LETTERS: VC's Clayton Cowles
EDITOR: Devin Lewis
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Akira Yoshida a.k.a. C.B. Cebulski
COVER: Julian Totino Tedesco
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Alex Maleev; Joe Quesada; Skottie Young; Gabriele Dell'Otto
36pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (April 2019)

Daredevil created by Stan Lee and Bill Everett with Jack Kirby and Wally Wood

“Know Fear” Part 1

Daredevil is a Marvel Comics superhero created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Bill Everett.  The character first appeared in Daredevil #1 (cover dated: April 1964).  Daredevil is Matt Murdock, a vision-impaired attorney who was blinded as a child after being exposed to a radioactive substance.  That substance enhanced his senses to a supernatural level and gave him a 360-degree radar sense.

Marvel Comics is giving Daredevil the comic book something of a reboot.  Daredevil 2019 is written by Chip Zdarsky; drawn by Marco Checchetto; colored by Sunny Gho; and lettered by Clayton Cowles.

Daredevil #1 opens in the wake of the events depicted at the end of writer Charles Soule's run on Daredevil and in the subsequent five-issue miniseries, Man Without Fear.  After recovering from grievous injuries and intense physical therapy, Matt Murdock returns to Hell's Kitchen.  As the story begins, Matt has already acted once as Daredevil (although apparently not in costume).  However, there is a new sheriff in town.

Straight outta Chicago comes Detective Cole North.  He has been tasked by New York City Mayor Wilson Fisk, formerly known as The Kingpin – the crime lord of New York City, to take down costumed superheroes in NYC.  When he dons the Daredevil costume for the first time in a long time, Matt may end up doing Detective Cole's work for him.

Daredevil #1 (2019) is quite a good start for the new series.  First, there is Julian Totino Tedesco's beautiful cover art.  Inside, Marco Checchetto offers his most disciplined compositions to date, with an emphasis on storytelling that makes the most of atmosphere and mood and characters' emotions.  Previously, Checchetto was good at these things, but his drawings seemed to emphasize style.  Sunny Gho's colors are beautiful and emphasize reds and blues to create a sort of rose-tinted Film-Noir look.  The artists' depiction of Daredevil's radar sense is also quite nice.

Writer Chip Zdarsky's storytelling here reminds me, in some ways, of writer Frank Miller and artist David Mazzuchelli's “Born Again” story arc in Daredevil (1964) #227-231.  It is also something of a spiritual heir to the last year of Frank Miller's original run on Daredevil as writer-artist/designer (with Klaus Janson as artist).  I don't know if Zdarsky's work on Daredevil will reach the great heights of Miller, but I like how Zdarsky emphasizes Matt's moral conflicts and his past, as well as emphasizing Wilson Fisk as being an existential threat to Matt Murdock-Daredevil.  Clayton Cowles lettering creates a nice rhythm for Zdarsky's script.

I was not looking forward to Daredevil (2019), but happenstance dropped a copy of Daredevil #1 (2019) in my lap.  I am glad I read it, and I am recommending it to Daredevil fans.

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 or syndication rights and fees.

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

Review: CONAN THE BARBARIAN #1

CONAN THE BARBARIAN #1 (2019) – Legacy #276
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Jason Aaron
ART: Mahmud Asrar
COLORS: Matthew Wilson
LETTERS: VC's Travis Lanham
EDITOR: Mark Basso
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Akira Yoshida
COVER: Esad Ribić
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Daniel Acuna; Mahmud Asrar with Matthew Wilson; John Cassaday with Laura Martin; John Tyler Christopher; Kirbi Fagan; Adi Granov; Greg Hildebrandt; Esad Ribic; Jesus Saiz; Bill Sienkewicz; Skottie Young; Gerardo Zaffino with Rain Beredo
48pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (March 2019)

Parental Advisory

Conan the Barbarian based on the “Conan” character created by Robert E. Howard

“The Life & Death of Conan” Part One: “The Weird of the Crimson Witch”

Conan the Cimmerian is a fictional “sword and sorcery” hero created by Robert E. Howard (REH).  Conan first appeared in the pulp fiction magazine, Weird Tales (1932).  Conan lived in Howard's fictional “Hyborian Age” and was a mercenary, outlaw, pirate, thief, warrior, and eventually a king, but because of his tribal origins, some characters that encountered him thought of Conan as a barbarian.

In 1970, Marvel Comics brought Conan to the world of comic books with the series, Conan the Barbarian.  It is doing so again, having recently published the first issue of a revival of Conan the Barbarian.  It is written by Jason Aaron; drawn by Mahmud Asrar; colored by Matthew Wilson; and lettered by VC's Travis Lanham.

Conan the Barbarian #1 (“The Weird of the Crimson Witch”) opens sometimes during Conan the Cimmerian's prime as “a thief, a reaver, and a slayer.”  In Zamora, the city of thieves, his brutal prowess in the fights pits of Maul has attracted the attention of a comely young woman.

Conan has always cheated death, continues to cheat death, and perhaps, he always will?  The more he cheats death, the more his blood becomes imbued with the power of “Death Magic.”  It is that magic that the Crimson Witch and her death god, Razazel, needs.  Does King Conan know that?

The new Conan the Barbarian is a comic book that I can keep reading... at least for awhile.  For one, I am a fan of artist Mahmud Asrar and have been since I started seeing his work eight years ago.  His elegant compositions are pleasing to the eye, and his figure drawing creates the illusion of powerful figures in motion.  There is also a sense of dynamism even in characters that are depicted as moving not at all or as moving very little.

Colorist Matthew Wilson, one of best colorists working in comic book today, takes Asrar's beautiful art to an edgier place.  The red, yellow, and orange hues make the bloody sequences even bloodier, and the color turns the Crimson Witch's magic into a thing that rages and pulses.

Jason Aaron's story is good, but it is not as passionate as Asrar-Wilson's art.  However, Aaron has created a menace (the Crimson Witch) that it actually and legitimately dangerous to Conan, throughout his life.  I like that Aaron is willing to depict Conan as a brutal killer (and that Asrar and Wilson draws that cleaving, hacking, slashing, and beheading with glee).  Speaking of glee, the villains are gleefully murderous, and that is a good thing.  I have to give letterer Travis Lanham credit; he makes Aaron's script read like true-blue, bloody mayhem Conan the Barbarian.

Conan the Barbarian #1 (2019) is a good first issue.  It isn't great, but it doesn't have to be.  I was certainly hopeful that I would have a reason to be a regular reader of Conan the Barbarian again (which I have not been since the Reagan era).

7 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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Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for June 5, 2019

MARVEL COMICS

MAR191034    ADVENTURES OF SPIDER-MAN GN TP SINISTER INTENTIONS VOL 01    $12.99
APR190893    AGE OF X-MAN PRISONER X #4 (OF 5)    $3.99
MAR191016    AVENGERS BY JASON AARON TP VOL 03 WAR OF VAMPIRE    $17.99
APR190773    BLACK CAT #1    $4.99
APR190775    BLACK CAT #1 ARTGERM VAR    $4.99
APR190781    BLACK CAT #1 BLANK VAR    $4.99
APR190777    BLACK CAT #1 FOREMAN VAR    $4.99
APR190780    BLACK CAT #1 YOUNG VAR    $4.99
APR190982    BLACK CAT BY J SCOTT CAMPBELL POSTER    $8.99
MAR191008    CAPTAIN AMERICA TP EVOLUTIONS OF LIVING LEGEND    $29.99
APR190753    CAPTAIN MARVEL #6 SUAYAN MARVELS 25TH TRIBUTE VAR WR    $3.99
APR190752    CAPTAIN MARVEL #6 WR    $3.99
MAR191024    CLOAK AND DAGGER TP AGONY AND ECSTASY    $39.99
APR190857    COSMIC GHOST RIDER DESTROYS MARVEL HISTORY #4 (OF 6)    $3.99
APR190858    COSMIC GHOST RIDER DESTROYS MARVEL HISTORY #4 (OF 6) DANIEL    $3.99
MAR191030    DAREDEVIL EPIC COLLECTION TP PURGATORY AND PARADISE    $39.99
APR190899    DEAD MAN LOGAN #8 (OF 12)    $3.99
APR190759    DEADPOOL #13 GRANOV MARVELS 25TH TRIBUTE VAR WR    $3.99
APR190758    DEADPOOL #13 WR    $3.99
APR190905    DOMINO HOTSHOTS #4 (OF 5)    $3.99
APR190844    GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY ANNUAL #1    $4.99
APR190846    GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY ANNUAL #1 LIM VAR    $4.99
APR190848    GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY ANNUAL #1 SMITH VAR    $4.99
APR190789    INCREDIBLE HULK LAST CALL #1    $4.99
APR190791    INCREDIBLE HULK LAST CALL #1 ADAM KUBERT VAR    $4.99
DEC181031    MARVEL ART OF SKOTTIE YOUNG HC    $50.00
MAR191026    MARVEL KNIGHTS PUNISHER BY ENNIS COMPLETE COLLECTION TP VOL    $39.99
FEB191009    MARVEL SUPER HERO ADVENTURES GN TP SPIDER-MAN    $9.99
APR190878    MARVEL TEAM-UP #3    $3.99
APR190879    MARVEL TEAM-UP #3 MARTIN MARVELS 25TH TRIBUTE VAR    $3.99
APR190851    MEET THE SKRULLS #5 (OF 5)    $3.99
APR190843    OLD MAN QUILL #6 (OF 12)    $3.99
MAR198803    SAVAGE AVENGERS #1 2ND PTG DEODATO VAR    $4.99
APR190795    SAVAGE AVENGERS #2    $3.99
APR190799    SAVAGE AVENGERS #2 COKER MARVELS 25TH TRIBUTE VAR    $3.99
APR190797    SAVAGE AVENGERS #2 DEODATO VAR    $3.99
APR190983    SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN #6 BY FINCH POSTER    $8.99
FEB190988    SOLO TP STAR WARS STORY ADAPTATION    $19.99
APR190837    SPIDER-GWEN GHOST SPIDER #9    $3.99
APR190984    SPIDER-MAN BY BARTEL POSTER    $8.99
FEB191000    SPIDER-MAN FAR FROM HOME PRELUDE TP    $15.99
APR190924    STAR WARS AOR LUKE SKYWALKER #1    $3.99
APR190927    STAR WARS AOR LUKE SKYWALKER #1 CONCEPT VAR    $3.99
APR190926    STAR WARS AOR LUKE SKYWALKER #1 MCKONE PUZZLE PC VAR    $3.99
MAR198654    STAR WARS GALAXYS EDGE #1 (OF 5) 2ND PTG SLINEY VAR    $3.99
MAR198655    SYMBIOTE SPIDER-MAN #1 (OF 5) 3RD PTG LAND VAR    $4.99
MAR190825    TONY STARK IRON MAN #12 WR    $3.99
APR190806    TRUE BELIEVERS AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #1    $1.00
APR190805    TRUE BELIEVERS NEW SPIDER-MAN #1    $1.00
APR190807    TRUE BELIEVERS SPIDER-ARMOR #1    $1.00
APR190896    UNCANNY X-MEN #19    $3.99
APR190897    UNCANNY X-MEN #19 NOTO MARVELS 25TH TRIBUTE VAR    $3.99
APR190721    WAR OF REALMS #5 (OF 6) CAMUNCOLI CONNECTING REALM VAR WR    $4.99
APR190725    WAR OF REALMS #5 (OF 6) LARRAZ YOUNG GUNS VAR WR    $4.99
APR190720    WAR OF REALMS #5 (OF 6) WR    $4.99
APR190724    WAR OF REALMS #5 (OF 6) YARDIN INTERNATIONAL VAR WR    $4.99
APR190733    WAR OF REALMS JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #4 (OF 5) WR    $3.99
APR190737    WAR OF REALMS NEW AGENTS OF ATLAS #3 (OF 4) WR    $3.99

Review: X-MEN: Red #1

X-MEN: RED No. 1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Tom Taylor
ART: Mahmud Asrar
COLORS: Ive Svorcina
LETTERS: VC's Cory Petit
COVER: Travis Charest
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Mahmud Asrar with Ive Svorcina; John Tyler Christopher; Phil Jimenez; Phil Jimenez with Nolan Woodard; Rob Liefeld; Skottie Young; Pepe Larraz with Edgar Delgado
36pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (April 2018)

Rated T+

X-Men created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

“The Hate Machine” Part 1: “Heal the World”

Last year, Marvel Comics launched a publishing event, entitled “ResurrXion,” in an attempt to shoot new life in its moribund X-Men line of comic books.  This initiative involved the debut of several new X-Men comic book titles, including the color-coded X-Men: Blue and X-Men Gold.

Still trying to pump life into the X-Men, Marvel has launched a new X-Men color-coded comic book, entitled X-Men: Red.  It will feature an X-Men team led by the resurrected, original Jean Grey, also known at times as Marvel Girl and Phoenix/Dark Phoenix.  This new comic book is written by Tom Taylor; drawn by Mahmud Asrar; colored by Ive Svorcina; and lettered by Cory Petit.

X-Men: Red #1 (“Heal the World”) opens with Heather, a young mutant, being hounded by a mob of neighbors who want to kill her because she is a mutant.  Her rescuers are Jean Grey, Nightcrawler, Gentle, Namor, Trinary, Honey Badger, and Wolverine (Laura Kinney).  Two months earlier, Jean Grey, newly brought back to life, decides that in order to protect mutants from a world that still hates them, she will need to find a way to protect the entire world.  Of course, not everyone wants that.

Once upon a time, someone who thought they were being smart “man-splained” to me that corporations existed to provide goods and services.  I didn't say anything at the time, but I firmly believed that many corporations, if not most, existed first and foremost to make money for their major stockholders and chief executives, officers, and/or managers.  That includes corporations that own comic book publishers like Marvel Comics.

I imagine that in the early 1980s, the people that called the shots noticed how popular the Marvel Comics title, Uncanny X-Men, had become with readers and how its story of a band of mutants who fought for a world that hated and feared them really resonated with fans.  That love had turned Uncanny X-Men into the top-selling comic book, at least in North America.  So why make a lot of money from just one X-Men comic book title when Marvel could make a even more money with more X-Men publications?

First it was one graphic novel... or two, and then, an X-Men spin-off series and a miniseries featuring the most popular X-Men character (Wolverine).  What started as a few X-Men and X-Men-related spin-offs became a trickle, then a stream, and the stream became a deluge.  I think Marvel officially started ruining the X-Men, not when it became a franchise, but specifically when that franchise launched the comic book, X-Factor (cover dated: February 1986).

In the three decades plus since the debut of X-Factor #1, there have been many quality X-Men publications, but most X-Men comic books have been, to be generous, average at best.  The X-Men went from being something special into nothing more than a cynically exploited cash cow for whatever money-grubbing corporation or CEO that owned Marvel Comics at any given time.

Writer Tom Taylor tries to recall the halcyon pre-X-Factor days of Uncanny X-Men in X-Men: Red.  Writer Marc Guggenheim tries to recall the storytelling of the classic X-Men scribe, Chris Claremont (who is arguably still the best X-Men comic book writer ever) with X-Men: Gold, but the results are mixed.  I feel like being cynical and saying that it is too late to make X-Men great again, but Taylor seems to be on to something here.  I would like to see where this goes.

I do think that artist Mahmud Asrar is already delivering excellent work.  I don't need to wait and see with Asrar; I am already declaring his art and graphical storytelling here a winner.  I think Asrar's illustrations, which are beautifully colored by Ive Svorcina, make this issue's story, “Heal the World,” seem as if it is indeed part of a promising larger story.  I have considered Asrar a star-creator in the making since I first saw his art in The New 52 title, Supergirl (2011).

So I see red, X-Men: Red that is.  I will keep reading as long as Taylor and Asrar are making something that seems special like the Uncanny X-Men at its speak from mid-1970s to the mid-1980s.

8 out of 10

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


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

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

Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for January 2, 2019

MARVEL COMICS

OCT188201    AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #9 2ND PTG RAMOS VAR    $3.99
OCT188202    AVENGERS #10 2ND PTG MCGUINNESS VAR    $5.99
OCT181021    AVENGERS TP KREE SKRULL WAR NEW PTG    $24.99
NOV181055    CAPTAIN MARVEL #1 BY ALEX ROSS POSTER    $8.99
NOV180811    CHAMPIONS #1    $3.99
NOV180814    CHAMPIONS #1 NOTO MARVEL 80TH VAR    $3.99
NOV180740    CONAN THE BARBARIAN #1    $4.99
NOV180750    CONAN THE BARBARIAN #1 FAGAN VAR    $4.99
NOV180743    CONAN THE BARBARIAN #1 RIBIC TEASER VAR    $4.99
NOV180747    CONAN THE BARBARIAN #1 SAIZ VAR    $4.99
OCT188203    DAREDEVIL #609 2ND PTG NOTO VAR    $3.99
OCT188204    DAREDEVIL #610 2ND PTG NOTO VAR    $3.99
OCT188205    DAREDEVIL #611 2ND PTG NOTO VAR    $3.99
NOV180968    DEADPOOL #8    $3.99
NOV180969    DEADPOOL #8 JAMAL CAMPBELL GOTG VAR    $3.99
OCT181017    DEADPOOL SKOTTIE YOUNG TP VOL 01 MERCIN HARD FOR MONEY    $17.99
SEP181033    DEATH OF CAPTAIN MARVEL TP NEW PTG    $19.99
OCT181024    DEATH OF INHUMANS TP    $15.99
OCT188206    FANTASTIC FOUR #3 2ND PTG PICHELLI VAR    $3.99
OCT180784    FANTASTIC FOUR OVERSIZED BY BYRNE VINYL POSTER    $34.99
NOV181056    GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #1 BY SHAW POSTER    $8.99
JUL181161    GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY TOMORROWS HEROES OMNIBUS HC    $100.00
NOV180890    IMMORTAL HULK #11    $3.99
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Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for November 21, 2018

IMAGE COMICS

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Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for September 5, 2018

IMAGE COMICS

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Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for June 6, 2018

MARVEL COMICS

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Review: ELEKTRA #1

ELEKTRA No. 1 (2017)
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Matt Owens
ART: Juann Cabal
COLORS: Antonio Fabela and Marcio Menyz
LETTERS: VC's Cory Petit
COVER: Elizabeth Torque
VARIANT COVERS: Marco Checchetto; Pasqual Ferry with Chris Sotomayor; Bill Sienkiewicz; Skottie Young
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (April 2017)

Rated T+

Elektra created by Frank Miller

“Always Bet on Red: Part 1”

Elektra (full name Elektra Natchios) is a Marvel Comics character.  Created by Frank Miller, Elektra first appeared in Daredevil #168 (cover dated:  January 1981).  She is a highly trained assassin and anti-hero who wields a pair of bladed sai, which are her trademark weapons.

The best Elektra stories are those written by Miller, which culminated in the death of Elektra in Daredevil #181 (cover dated:  April 1982).  Miller resurrected his most famous original character-creation in Daredevil #190 (cover dated:  January 1983) and also used the character in the long-in-gestation original graphic novel, Elektra Lives Again, which was finally published in 1990.

Frank Miller has long claimed that Marvel Comics promised not to use the character without his permission.  Beginning in 1994, however, Elektra began to make appearances in comic books not written by Miller, including starring in her own miniseries and ongoing series.  The latest is the ongoing comic book, Elektra.  It is written Matt Owens; drawn by Juann Cabal, colored by Antonio Febela and Marcio Menyz; and lettered by Cory Petit.

Elektra #1 finds the titular assassin in Las Vegas, staying at the Midway Casino.  This casino and hotel is secretly a place of debauchery and violence, if you can pay for it.  Elektra is ready to shed some blood of her own, but even she does not know the secret at the heart of this evil.

The art – compositions by Juann Cabal and colors by Antonio Fabela and Marcio Menyz – is quite pretty.  Cabal's precision pencil work – with its Frank Quitely quality – turns out to be perfect, at least for Matt Owen's take on Elektra.  Speaking of Owens, well, I can't hate on him.  I am actually intrigued by this first issue.  I hope the second issue hasn't sold out already.  I want to give this another try.

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 or syndication rights and fees.

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

Review: BULLSEYE #1

BULLSEYE No. 1 (2017)
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITERS: Ed Brisson; Marv Wolfman
ART: Guillermo Sanna; Alec Morgan
COLORS: Miroslav Mrva; Frank Martin
LETTERS: VC's Clayton Cowles
COVER: Dave Johnson
VARIANT COVERS: Tim Bradstreet; Marco Checchetto; John Tyler Christopher; Bill Sienkiewicz; Chris Stevens; Skottie Young
36pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (April 2017)

Parental Advisory

“The Colombian Connection” Part 1

Bullseye is a Marvel Comics supervillain.  The character was created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist John Romita, Sr. and first appeared in Daredevil #131 (cover dated: March 1976).  Bullseye is an assassin and he is best known for his personal vendetta against the superhero Daredevil.  Bullseye does not have super-powers but he can turn almost any object into a lethal weapon.

Bullseye is the new comic book miniseries starring this popular villain.  It is written by Ed Brisson; drawn by Guillermo Sanna; colored by Miroslav Mrva; and lettered by Clayton Cowles.

Bullseye #1 opens to find the titular villain/anti-hero active again after being alive, dead, and imprisoned again and again.  Now, he is at the Houghton Residence in Long Island, New York fulfilling an assassination contract.  But, man!  Bullseye is hoping that his next assignment yields both a high body count and buckets of blood.  Desperate gangster Raph Losani may offer that, but a desperate widow just wants to count one body.

Recently, I reviewed the first issue of Kingpin, another comic book seemingly spun out of the world of Marvel Comics' Daredevil.  I was harsh in my review, but not because I thought the writer (Matthew Rosenberg) and the artist (Ben Torres) lacked talent (Rosenberg) or potential (Torres).  The problem is the fact that these two delivered substandard work and the fact that Marvel Comics would consider such unprofessional material worth publishing and charging readers $3.99 to read.

Bullseye #1 suffers from the same problem of a lack of professionalism.  The story and script that Ed Brisson offers is just lazy hackwork that mimics better storytelling.  The casual depiction of Bullseye's murderous rampages is not imaginative or smart, but it is unimaginative and stupid.  Frank Miller did not create Bullseye, but during his 1980s run on Daredevil, he certainly defined the character, making him the kind of dangerous and alluring villain that becomes timeless.  Here, Bullseye's violence seems as if Brisson took the clever violence of Mark Millar's comic books and turned that into filler material because Brisson could not think of anything else to do with it.

I think artist Guillerma Sanna has a lot of potential, but in Bullseye #1 he draws as if he should still be toiling in the world of micro press black and white comic books.  Everything here looks as if Sanna is simply mimicking (badly) other artists' (good) work; Chris Samnee and Eduardo Risso, come to mind.

There is a backup story by writer Marv Wolfman and artist Alec Morgan, “If I Tell You...” that takes some of the sour out of the main story.  It makes me wonder why Wolfman isn't writing this miniseries.  Is it because he is “too old” and “passè?”  I don't doubt that he would not write as bad a script as Ed Brisson wrote, even if he kept the overall plot.  I also like Alec Morgan's Eduardo Risso-like art.  Why isn't he drawing the main story!?

I am not recommending this, nor do I intend to read another issue.  But I might change my mind...

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.

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

Review: KINGPIN #1

KINGPIN No. 1 (2017)
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: Matthew Rosenberg
ART: Ben Torres
COLORS: Jordan Boyd
LETTERS: VC's Travis Lanham
COVER: Jeff Dekal
VARIANT COVERS: Marco Checchetto; Bill Sienkiewicz; Ben Torres; Julian Totino Tedesco; Skottie Young; John Tyler Christopher
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (April 2017)

Rated “T+”

Kingpin created by Stan Lee and John Romita, Sr.

“Born Against”

The Kingpin/Wilson Fisk is a Marvel Comics villain.  He was created by writer Stan Lee and artist John Romita and first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #50 (cover date: July 1967).

The Kingpin is portrayed as one of the most (if not the most) feared and powerful crime lords in Marvel Comics and as the “kingpin” of crime in New York City.  During his run on Daredevil in the early 1980s, writer-artist Frank Miller depicted the Kingpin as a master schemer and cold-blooded murderer who stayed beyond the reach of the law.  Personally, I think Miller is the creator that defined Kingpin more than anyone else.

Kingpin is the new comic book series that chronicles the new adventures of Wilson Fisk.  It is written by Matthew Rosenberg; drawn by Ben Torres; colored by Jordan Boyd; and lettered by Travis Lanham.

Kingpin #1 (“Born Against”) introduces Sarah Dewey, a down on her luck writer, reporter, and journalist.  She has staked some of her remaining credibility on chronicling what she hopes will be the rise of a promising boxer, Orlando Perez.  She gets a break when a powerful man asks her to write his tell-all memoir – warts and all.  However, Sarah does not think she is the right person to write the story of Wilson Fisk... even if he won't take “No” for an answer.

It would be lazy of me to say that Kingpin #1 is “awful” or “terrible.”  Instead, I can simply say that it does not seem like the work of professional comic book creators, although, considering how and why comic book professionals often get assignments, I guess that isn't saying much either.  Still, this is such lazy, uninspired, unimaginative writing on the part of Matthew Rosenberg.  If he had a “Eureka!” moment before he wrote this, I am sad for him.

Now, the art is actually terrible.  Ben Torres does not have the compositional chops to draw for Marvel Comics, and yes, I know.  Marvel's standards for comic book artists have been and still are inconsistent at best.  Right now, Torres is certainly ready for semi-pro-zine work (if such a thing still exists).  I can see him drawing for small press, black and white publishers or self-published webcomics, but he ain't ready for prime time.  Oh, he is has potential, but he has not reached it.

Marvel's overall publishing program treats the North American comic book market like a flood plain in need of a flood.  With so many comic books to publish and likely budgetary constraints, the need for low-page-rate artists means artists like Ben Torres – amateurs who are technically not amateurs because a Diamond Distributors premiere publisher is willing to give them paying assignments.

Yeah... I'm not coming back to this, no.

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 or syndication rights and fees.

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

Review: CURSE WORDS #1

CURSE WORDS No. 1
IMAGE COMICS – @ImageComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Charles Soule
ART: Ryan Browne
COLORS: Ryan Browne, Jordan Boyd, and Michael Parkinson
LETTERS: Chris Crank, Ryan Browne, and Shawn DePasquale
COVER: Ryan Browne
VARIANT COVERS: Skottie Young; Ryan Browne; Simon
36pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (January 2017)

Rated M / Mature

Curse Words is a new ongoing fantasy comic book series from Image Comics.  It is the creation of bestselling comic book writer Charles Soule, known for his work on Daredevil and Death of Wolverine (both from Marvel Comics), and artist Ryan Browne, known for his comic book, God Hates Astronauts (also published by Image Comics).

Curse Words #1 introduces a world in which a wizard appears one day in New York City, specifically Central Park.  Of course, the first people to encounter him end up in an unfortunate situation.

His name is Wizord and he claims that he has come to Earth to protect the planet from dark magical forces that are bent on the world's destruction.  Well, that world falls in love with Wizord and his slick personality and eye-popping magic.  However, what the people of Earth don't know is Wizord's extremely dark past, and that evil is about to come calling.

Visually and graphically, the art of Ryan Browne makes Curse Words stand out.  I think the best choice that writer Charles Soule made is having Browne as his storytelling partner because his striking art makes this fantasy series truly different from anything else.  No one will look at Curse Words and say, “Eww, not another Vertigo dark fantasy comic book.”  Also, because the coloring is so cranked up, Curse Words looks as if it is taking place in a world riffing on a magical mind-altering substance.

It would be easy to say that Curse Words has potential, but the story has already met the potential promised by Browne's eye-catching cover composition.  I think this series could be a standout.  We shall see...

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 and reprint rights and fees.

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

Review: INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #1 (2017)

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN No. 1 (2017)
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: Brian Michael Bendis
ART: Stefano Caselli
COLORS: Marte Gracia
LETTERS: VC's Clayton Cowles
COVER: Stefano Caselli with Marte Gracia
VARIANT COVERS: Jeff Dekal; Adi Granov; Mike McKone with Jason Keith; Tom Raney with Frank D'Armata; Skottie Young; John Tyler Christopher
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (January 2017)

Rated “T+”

Iron Man created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, Don Heck, and Jack Kirby

It seems just like yesterday I was reviewing a new Iron Man comic book series (Invincible Iron Man) and just a few days before that I was reviewing an earlier new Iron Man series (Superior Iron Man).  Each one came as part of a new Marvel Comics publishing initiative.

Speak of the Marvel devil, there is a new Marvel publishing event/initiative, NOW!, and that comes with the new Invincible Iron Man comic book.  The series is written by Brian Michael Bendis; drawn by Stefano Caselli; colored by Marte Gracia; and lettered by Clayton Cowles.  And there is a new Iron Man, she is teenage wunderkind, Riri Williams, the first African-American female to wear an Iron Man uniform.  She is Ironheart!

Invincible Iron Man #1 finds Riri putting her self-made Iron Man armor to the test against an embittered mutant, Animax.  We also take a trip into Riri's past and get to witness the curious return of someone who has been watching Riri for some time.

I have high hopes for this latest version of Invincible Iron Man because of writer Brian Michael Bendis.  Over the last several years, Bendis has done amazing work with an African-American character, Miles Morales, the “Ultimate” Spider-Man.  In Morales, Bendis created a fully-realized Black male comic book character, and he wrote Miles as such an engaging and intriguing young fellow that I was often more interested in Miles as Miles than Miles as Spider-Man.

I don't know if Bendis will make Riri Williams more interesting as Riri than as Iron Heart, but right from this first issue, it is clear that Riri is the kind of character who will charm this comic book reader.  Once again, Brian Michael Bendis proves to me why he is the best writer of superhero comic books over the last 20 years.

B+

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.

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

Review: INFAMOUS IRON MAN #1

INFAMOUS IRON MAN No. 1 (2016)
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: Brian Michael Bendis
ART: Alex Maleev
COLORS: Matt Hollingsworth
LETTERS: VC's Clayton Cowles
COVER: Alex Maleev
VARIANT COVERS: Mike Deodato with Frank Martin; Anthony Piper; Esad Ribic; Mike McKone; Skottie Young; John Tyler Christopher
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (December 2016)

Rated “T+”

Iron Man created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, Don Heck, and Jack Kirby

Victor von Doom a.k.a. Doctor Doom, one of Marvel Comics most infamous villains, made his debut in The Fantastic Four #5 (cover dated: July 1962).  Iron Man is now one of Marvel Comics most popular characters, thanks in no small part to a series of hit movies and hit movie appearances beginning in 2008 with the Oscar-nominated film, Iron Man.  Also known as the “Golden Avenger,” Iron Man debuted in Tales of Suspense #39 (cover dated: March 1963), a little more than half a year after Doctor Doom first appeared.

Iron Man and Doctor Doom were never meant to be together, as Iron Man fights to save the world and to help mankind progress, while Doctor Doom wants to rule the world and subjugate humanity.  In the wake of the events depicted in Marvel Comics' event miniseries, Civil War II, there is a new comic book series that seeks to bring them together, Infamous Iron Man.  It is written by Brian Michael Bendis; drawn by Alex Maleev; colored by Matt Hollingsworth, and lettered by Clayton Cowles.

Infamous Iron Man #1 finds Doctor Doom meeting with the members of his bad-guy collective, The Cabal.  But that was the old Doom.  Now, he is trying to save Maria Hill, director of S.H.I.E.L.D. and also to comfort Dr. Amara Perera, the woman who loved Tony Stark.  What is Doctor Doom up to, and how and why does it involve Iron Man?

Infamous Iron Man writer Brian Michael Bendis does not need to give us a lot of information.  Just about anyone reading Marvel Comics these days knows that Doom is going to take on the mantle of Iron Man.  The most important thing about any comic book written by Bendis is not the hook, but the execution of his storytelling.  Will it work or will it be a failure?  Right now, it is working (as usual for me), and I want more.

I must admit that I am enjoying the art drawn by Alex Maleev, which looks gorgeous under Matt Hollingworth's subdued, earthy, natural-lighting-like colors.  Maleev's graphical storytelling has an exciting, yet mysterious vibe when combined with Hollingworth's colors.  Yeah, Infamous Iron Man is certainly worth your time, my superhero comic book readers.

A-

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


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

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Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for October 18, 2017

IMAGE COMICS

AUG170607    BITCH PLANET TRIPLE FEATURE #5 (MR)    $3.99
AUG170631    CURSE WORDS #9 CVR A BROWNE (MR)    $3.99
AUG170632    CURSE WORDS #9 CVR B SEELEY (MR)    $3.99
AUG170633    CURSE WORDS #9 CVR C WALKING DEAD #6 TRIBUTE VAR (MR)    $3.99
JUL178858    CURSE WORDS #9 CVR D B&W WALKING DEAD #6 TRIBUTE VAR (MR)    $3.99
AUG170547    CUTTER TP (MR)    $16.99
AUG170641    DESCENDER #25 CVR A NGUYEN    $3.99
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AUG170643    DESCENDER #25 CVR C WALKING DEAD #104 TRIBUTE VAR    $3.99
JUL178852    DESCENDER #25 CVR D B&W WALKING DEAD #104 TRIBUTE VAR    $3.99
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AUG170669    I HATE FAIRYLAND TP VOL 03 GOOD GIRL (MR)    $16.99
AUG170683    INVINCIBLE #141 (MR)    $2.99
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AUG170685    KILL THE MINOTAUR #5 CVR A KETNER & BEAULIEU (MR)    $3.99
AUG170686    KILL THE MINOTAUR #5 CVR B WALKING DEAD #103 TRIBUTE VAR (MR    $3.99
MAY170634    LOW DLX HC VOL 01 (MR)    $49.99
AUG170542    MAESTROS #1 (MR)    $3.99
AUG178206    MAESTROS #1 CVR B GUERRA (MR)    $3.99
AUG170691    MAGE HERO DENIED #3 (OF 15)    $3.99
AUG170692    MAGE TP BOOK 01 HERO DISCOVERED VOL 02    $19.99
AUG170576    PLASTIC TP (MR)    $16.99
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JUL178853    REALM #2 CVR D B&W WALKING DEAD #15 TRIBUTE VAR (MR)    $3.99
JUL170875    SAVAGE DRAGON #227 (RES) (MR)    $3.99
AUG170730    SHIRTLESS BEAR-FIGHTER #5 (OF 5) CVR A ROBINSON (MR)    $3.99
AUG170731    SHIRTLESS BEAR-FIGHTER #5 (OF 5) CVR B OPENA (MR)    $3.99
AUG170732    SHIRTLESS BEAR-FIGHTER #5 (OF 5) CVR C VENDRELL (MR)    $3.99
JUL170903    SPAWN HELL ON EARTH TP    $17.99
AUG170738    SPY SEAL #3 CVR A TOMMASO    $3.99
AUG170739    SPY SEAL #3 CVR B WALKING DEAD #31 TRIBUTE VAR    $3.99
FEB170682    THEYRE NOT LIKE US #16 (MR)    $2.99

Review: CHAMPIONS #1

CHAMPIONS No. 1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: Mark Waid
PENCILS: Humberto Ramos
INKS: Victor Olazaba
COLORS: Edgar Delgado
LETTERS: VC's Clayton Cowles
COVER: Humberto Ramos with Edgar Delgado
VARIANT COVERS: Alex Ross; Mark Brooks; John Tyler Christopher; Jay Fosgitt; Rahzzah; Art Adams with Jason Keith; Mike Hawthorne with Matt Milla; Skottie Young
40pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (December 2016)

Rated T

Back in 1975, Marvel Comics introduced a new team of superheroes known as The Champions.  Marvel Comics' new publishing initiative, NOW!, offers a new version of that semi-classic.  Entitled Champions, it is created by writer Mark Waid and artist Humberto Ramos.  The comic book is written by Waid; drawn by Ramos (pencils) and Victor Olazaba (inks); colored by Edgar Delgado; and lettered by Clayton Cowles.

Champions #1 opens in the home of Kamala Khan a.k.a. Ms. Marvel.  The teen girl's life is in a state of flux.  Just five days ago, she quit the Avengers.  Now, she calls on two other former teen Avengers who quit the team before her, Spider-Man (Miles Morales) and Nova (Sam Alexander).  Kamala is going to try to convince her former teammates to start a new team, one that wants to “put the wold back together” whenever their superhero activities break it.  Can she convince them and maybe a few more young heroes to go along with that idea?

Sometime in the long-ago, I am sure that I read The Champions, either that or a comic book in which they appeared.  That is not important here because the new Champions are something different.  They want to fix the things that they break because they believe that the “grown up” or “older” superheroes are not concerned with damage control or the mess they leave behind, or are at least not as concerned as they should be.

I am curious to see where this goes.  When Mark Waid is good, he is quite good, and he starts good here.  I am a sucker for most anything drawn by Humberto Ramos and have been for over two decades.  I should be upfront with that.  I am partial to giving this creative team a shot, and I am willing to recommend the first issue, at least.  But I'm coming back for more and will review this series again, probably soon.

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.

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

Review: DEFENDERS #1

DEFENDERS No. 1 (2017)
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted in Patreon.]

STORY: Brian Michael Bendis
ART: David Marquez
COLORS: Justin Ponsor
LETTERS: VC's Corey Petit
MISC. ART: Michael Gaydos with Matt Hollingworth; Mike Mayhew; Olivier Coipel and Mark Morales with Jose Villarrubia; Jason Latour; Dave Cockrum and Rich Buckler with Paul Mounts; Lenil Francis Yu
COVER: David Marquez with Justin Ponsor
VARIANT COVERS: Jack Kirby, John Verpoorten and Paul Mounts with Joe Frontirre; Ron Lim with Rachelle Rosenberg; David Mack; Alex Maleev; Neal Adams with Paul Mounts; Skottie Young
36pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (August 2017)

Rated T+

The Defenders is a Marvel Comics superhero team.  The original version of the team first appeared in the comic book, Marvel Feature #1 (cover dated:  December 1971).  The team's original lineup included the characters Doctor Strange, Hulk, and Namor.  Since that time, there have been several versions of the team with differing and fluctuating memberships, and differing mission statements from team to team.

Now, Marvel Comics is introducing a new version in the new comic book series, Defenders.  It is written by Brian Michael Bendis; drawn by David Marquez; colored by Justin Ponsor; and lettered by Corey Petit.  The members of the Defenders are Daredevil, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, and Iron Fist – the lineup that will be featured in the Marvel/Netflix series, “Defenders.”

Defenders #1 opens with the return of a villain that was supposed to be dead, Diamondback.  He is determined to prove to everyone that the streets of New York City are his.  When he launches an attack on a Defender, he gets to prove just how formidable he is, but is it enough?

I remember reading The Defenders comic book series in the 1980s, and it was terrible.  I kept reading it because I thought that it had the kind of characters that could yield a really good comic book, but it never did, in my estimation.  I abandoned it, and never read a Defenders comic book again – not even Secret Defenders... until now.

I believe in Brian Michael Bendis, so that is why I picked up this new Defenders comic book.  Plus, Bendis is working with artist David Marquez, with whom Bendis produced a nice run on Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man and on Invincible Iron Man.  So how is the latest Bendis-Marquez joint?

I like it, but not for the reasons you might normally guess, dear reader.  I like this depiction of Diamondback.  I am intrigued by everything about him – his character, his motivations, his machinations.  I can't say that I particularly care about these individual Defenders, at least not yet, but I'm sure that Bendis will work on that.  If there is one thing he does very well, it is produce page after page of dialogue, philosophizing, blather, rumination, etc. that make for great character probing.

Marquez's satiny compositions and Justin Ponsor's rich colors hit the eyes with milk shake smoothness.  The mood of the story constantly shifts, however, and the character drama seems to meander.  Where Marquez and Ponsor really shine is on Diamondback.  The art makes you believe he is every bit as bad-ass as Luke Cage.

I am willing to follow this series for a bit because of my affinity for Bendis with Marquez, but I won't lie.  This is not standout material, overall, and I expected more from this team for a first issue.  But I want to see where Diamondback takes crusade.

B+
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 site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: BLACK PANTHER: World of Wakanda #1

BLACK PANTHER: WORLD OF WAKANDA No. 1 (2017)
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: Roxane Gay (with Ta-Nehisi Coates consultant)
ART: Alitha E. Martinez
COLORS: Rachel Rosenberg
LETTERS: VC's Joe Sabino
MISC. ART: Brian Stelfreeze
COVER: Afua Richardson
VARIANT COVER: Brian Stelfreeze; John Tyler Christopher; Natacha Bustos; Khoi Pham with Frank D'Armata; Skottie Young; Alitha E. Martinez with Rachelle Rosenberg
36pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (January 2017)

Black Panther created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

Rated “T”

“Dawn of the Midnight Angels” Part 1

A sure sign that Marvel Comics is already preparing for the February 2018 release of the Black Panther film from Marvel Studios is that Marvel doesn't think that one Black Panther comic book is enough.  We already have writer Ta-Nehisi Coates' ambitious Black Panther 12-issue series.

Now, we get Black Panther: World of Wakanda, which will explore Wakanda, the African kingdom which Black Panther/T'Challa rules.  The writer of World of Wakanda's main story is author and feminist, Roxane Gay (Bad Feminist).  The story is drawn by Alitha E. Martinez, who was part of the original art team of the Marvel Knight imprint's Black Panther Volume 2 (1998), which was written by Christopher Priest.  Rachel Rosenberg colors, and Joe Sabino letters.

Black Panther: World of Wakanda #1 (“Dawn of the Midnight Angels” Part 1) focuses on the “Dora Milaje” (“Adored Ones”), the female personal bodyguards of Black Panther and the royal family.  We see the first meeting between Captain Aneka and Ayo, the young woman who would become her lover and partner in revolution.

I would describe this opening chapter of “Dawn of the Midnight Angels” as not great, but good.  The characters and the character drama is intriguing, but the Sub-Mariner part of it bores me.  I think writer Roxane Gay is on to something with the dynamics between the leads.  The art by Alitha E. Martinez is a mixed bag – good storytelling but average quality on the composition.  That aside, I highly recommend this title to Black Panther fans.

“The People for the People”

STORY: Yona Harvey and Ta-Nehisi Coates
ART: Afua Richardson
COLORS: Tamra Bonvillain
LETTERS: VC's Joe Sabino

“The People for the People” is an origin story featuring another female character who is a thorn in Black Panther's side.  That would be Zenzi, leader of The People, the group currently trying to topple the Wakandan monarchy.  Written by Yona Harvey and Ta-Nehisi Coates, the story attempts to dispel some of the mystery around Zenzi, and this first chapter definitely makes her a character worth discovering.  The art by rising star Afua Richardson personifies how her stylish graphics and compositions add zest and energy and intrigue into the stories Richardson draws.  Encore

A-

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


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

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