Showing posts with label Steven Cummings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Steven Cummings. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 23, 2022

#IReadsYou Review: STAR WARS: Crimson Reign #1

STAR WARS: CRIMSON REIGN #1 (OF 5)
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

STORY: Charles Soule
ART: Steven Cummings
COLORS: Guru-eFX
LETTERS: VC's Travis Lanham
EDITOR: Mark Paniccia
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Akira Yoshida a.k.a. C.B. Cebulski
COVER: Leinil Francis Yu with Sunny Gho
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Steve Cummings with Guru-eFX; Ario Anindito with Edgar Delgado; Clayton Crain; Valerio Giangiordano with Arif Prianto; David Lopez; Rahzzah; Khoi Pahm with Lee Loughridge
36pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (February 2022)

Rated T

Part 1: “The Orphans”


Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters was a Marvel Comics Star Wars publishing event that was comprised of 34 individual comic books, published from May to October 2021.  The series imagines a series of events that occur between the time bounty hunter, Boba Fett, collects Han Solo frozen in carbonite in 1980s The Empire Strikes Back (Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back) and his appearance in 1983's Return of the Jedi (Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi).

Coming out of War of the Bounty Hunters is the comic book miniseries, Star Wars: Crimson Reign.  It is written by Charles Soule; drawn by Steven Cummings; colored by Guru-eFX; and lettered by Travis Lanham.  According to Marvel, Crimson Reign is the second installment of a trilogy that will reshape the history of the Star Wars Galaxy during the “Age of Rebellion.”

Star Wars: Crimson Reign #1 opens in the halls of the group known as “Crimson Dawn.”  Qi'ra of Corellia is now the group's leader.  She has taken on the killers, liars, and thieves that make up this group and has given them a purpose.

Qi'ra has gathered a diverse group:  “The Knights of Ren,” “Chanath Cha and the Orphans,” Deathstick, Ochi of Bestoon, Margo and Trinia, and the Archivist to carry out of her plans, which is to destroy the Sith in order to free the galaxy.  Her main targets, of course, are Emperor Palpatine a.k.a. “Darth Sidious” and his apprentice, Darth Vader.  Qi'ra begins her mission by sending her allies against the galaxy's criminal syndicates, but has doom for herself and her group already been foretold?

THE LOWDOWN:  I have enjoyed the vast majority of the Charles Soule's Star Wars comic book work that I have read.  I have enjoyed Steven Cummings art since I was first exposed to it in some OEL (original English language) manga from Tokyopop, including Pantheon High (2007), Star Trek: The Manga (2007), and CSI: Intern at Your Own Risk (2009).

However, Star Wars: Crimson Reign #1 isn't the kind of first issue that will inspire me to go out of my way to read the rest of the series.  It is professionally written, professionally drawn, professionally colored, and professionally lettered.  This isn't a bad comic book.  I simply have little interest in Qi'ra's conspiracy, which is contrived past the point of being credible.  I find it hard to believe that not one syndicate leader would notice that the troubles begin shortly after Qi'ra and her ilk begin meeting with the syndicates.  Does it take two issues for even one of them to figure this out?

Lucasfilm and Marvel seem determined to retcon the fuck out of the original Star Wars trilogy and the imaginary timeline surrounding it – known as the “Age of Rebellion.”  That is their prerogative, but it is mine to choose to read it.  I choose not to.  I have never been that curious about “what happened” between the films, The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983).  But if that is your thing, Crimson Reign is not only a miniseries, but it is an event that will take place in various issues across Marvel's line of Star Wars comic books.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Marvel's Star Wars comic books may want to try Star Wars: Crimson Reign.

B
★★★ out of 4 stars

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


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

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Monday, May 20, 2019

Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for May 22, 2019

IMAGE COMICS

JAN199358    ASCENDER #1 2ND PTG (MR)    $3.99
MAR190196    ASSASSIN NATION #3 (MR)    $3.99
JAN190394    BLACK MAGICK HAWTHORNE CAT T/S LG    $24.99
JAN190393    BLACK MAGICK HAWTHORNE CAT T/S MED    $24.99
JAN190392    BLACK MAGICK HAWTHORNE CAT T/S SM    $24.99
JAN190395    BLACK MAGICK HAWTHORNE CAT T/S XL    $24.99
JAN190138    BLACK MAGICK HC (MR)    $34.99
NOV180120    CYBER FORCE #10 (MR)    $3.99
MAR198622    DIE DIE DIE #6 2ND PTG (MR)    $3.99
MAR198623    DIE DIE DIE #8 2ND PTG (MR)    $3.99
FEB190059    EAST OF WEST TP VOL 09    $16.99
MAR190207    GASOLINA #18 (MR)    $3.99
JAN190134    MATADOR TP VOL 01 (MR)    $19.99
MAR190221    MIDDLEWEST #7 (MR)    $3.99
MAR190092    MIDDLEWEST TP BOOK 01 (MR)    $9.99
MAR190225    MONSTRESS #22 (MR)    $3.99
MAR190125    REDLANDS TP VOL 02 (MR)    $16.99
MAR190234    REDNECK #20 (MR)    $3.99
MAR190235    RUMBLE #12 CVR A B&W RUBIN (MR)    $3.99
MAR190236    RUMBLE #12 CVR B JONES NOWLAN & STEWART (MR)    $3.99
JAN190370    SAVAGE DRAGON #244 (MR)    $3.99
MAR190256    WARNING #7 (MR)    $3.99
JAN190236    WAYWARD HC BOOK 03 (MR)    $39.99

Monday, October 29, 2018

Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for October 31, 2018

IMAGE COMICS

AUG180113    BLACK SCIENCE TP VOL 08 LATER THAN YOU THINK (MR)    $16.99
AUG180158    HIT-GIRL TP VOL 02 (MR)    $14.99
AUG180241    ICE CREAM MAN #8 CVR A MORAZZO & OHALLORAN (MR)    $3.99
AUG180242    ICE CREAM MAN #8 CVR B DEL REY (MR)    $3.99
AUG180164    MAESTROS TP VOL 01 (MR)    $16.99
AUG180252    MAN-EATERS #2    $3.99
AUG180253    MAN-EATERS #2 IRIDESCENT CVR    $4.99
JUL180265    MOONSHINE TP VOL 02 (MR)    $16.99
AUG180267    REALM #10 CVR A HAUN & FILARDI (MR)    $3.99
AUG180268    REALM #10 CVR B HETRICK (MR)    $3.99
AUG180269    REALM #10 CVR C SKETCH CVR (MR)    $3.99
AUG180285    SHANGHAI RED #5 (OF 5) CVR A HIXSON    $3.99
AUG180286    SHANGHAI RED #5 (OF 5) CVR B GORHAM    $3.99
JUL189077    SHANGHAI RED #5 (OF 5) CVR C VIRGIN    $3.99
AUG180298    WAYWARD #30 CVR A CUMMINGS & BONVILLAIN (MR)    $4.99
AUG180299    WAYWARD #30 CVR B IKEDA (MR)    $4.99
AUG180100    WYTCHES BAD EGG HALLOWEEN SPEC (ONE-SHOT) (MR)    $7.99

Friday, July 28, 2017

Review: GLITTERBOMB #1

GLITTERBOMB No. 1
IMAGE COMICS – @ImageComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Jim Zub – @jimzub
ART: Djibril Morissette-Phan
COLORS: K. Michael Russell
LETTERS: Marshall Dillon – @MarshallDillon
COVER A:  Djibril Morissette-Phan
COVER B: Steve Cummings and Djibril Morissette-Phan
VARIANT COVERS: Christian Ward; Djibril Morissette-Phan
40pp, Color, $3.99 U.S.

Glitterbomb created by Jim Zub and Djibril Morissette-Phan

Part 1: “Circular Homicide”

Glitterbomb is a new comic book series created by Jim Zub and Djibril Morissette-Phan.  Published by Image Comics, it is written by Zub; drawn by Morissette-Phan; colored by K. Michael Russell; and lettered by Marshall Dillon.  Glitterbomb is a horror story about fame and failure and focuses on a middle-aged actress struggling in Hollywood.

Glitterbomb #1 (“Circular Homicide”) introduces Farrah Durante, once the star of the television series, “Space Farers.”  Now, she is a middle-aged actress hunting for her next acting gig in an industry where experience is not as important as youth and fresh beauty.  A single mother to a pre-school son, Marty, Farrah finds her frustrations mounting, but that will lure something horrifying to her.

One of the best aspects of Jim Zub's writing is that he makes his characters' frustrations, dilemmas, and trials and tribulations resonate with the reader.  Farrah's troubles certainly seem genuine, which certainly made me sympathetic to her.  I don't know what to make of the horror element, but I am curious to see where that goes.

Newcomer artist Djibril Morissette-Phan is surprisingly polished, and his storytelling is sharp, efficient, and clear.  I must admit that I am also surprised by his skills as a cover artist.  I won't grade this series now, but I look forward to more issues.

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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Monday, July 3, 2017

Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for July 5, 2017

IMAGE COMICS
MAY170650    BEAUTY #16 CVR A HAUN & RAUCH (MR)    $3.99
MAY170651    BEAUTY #16 CVR B WHITE (MR)    $3.99
MAY170618    DARKNESS BATMAN 20TH ANNIVERSARY CROSSOVER COLL TP (MR)    $19.99
MAY170682    EXTREMITY #5    $3.99
AUG160639    JUPITERS LEGACY VOL 2 #5 (OF 5) CVR A QUITELY (MR)    $4.99
APR170742    LOOSE ENDS TP (MR)    $16.99
APR170834    MONSTRESS TP VOL 02 (MR)    $16.99
MAY170701    RAT QUEENS #4 CVR A GIENI (MR)    $3.99
MAY170702    RAT QUEENS #4 CVR B GIENI (MR)    $3.99
APR178255    RAT QUEENS #4 CVR C IMAGES OF TOMORROW VAR (MR)    $3.99
MAY170706    ROCK CANDY MOUNTAIN #4 (MR)    $3.99
MAY170591    SACRED CREATURES #1 CVR A RAIMONDI (MR)    $4.99
MAY170592    SACRED CREATURES #1 CVR B JANSON (MR)    $4.99
APR170864    SAMARITAN VERITAS #2    $3.99
APR170872    SEVEN TO ETERNITY #7 CVR A HARREN & HOLLINGSWORTH    $3.99
APR170873    SEVEN TO ETERNITY #7 CVR B OPENA & HOLLINGSWORTH    $3.99
APR178975    SEVEN TO ETERNITY #7 CVR C IMAGE OF TOMORROW VAR    $3.99
MAY170719    SNOTGIRL #6    $2.99
APR170892    STRAY BULLETS SUNSHINE & ROSES #25 (MR)    $3.99
MAR170786    SUN BAKERY #4 (MR)    $4.99
APR170747    TOKYO GHOST DLX ED HC (MR)    $39.99
MAY170730    WALKING DEAD #169 (MR)    $2.99
MAY170733    WAYWARD HC BOOK 02 (MR)    $39.99
MAY170735    WICKED & DIVINE #29 CVR A MCKELVIE & WILSON (MR)    $3.99
MAY170736    WICKED & DIVINE #29 CVR B JOCK (MR)    $3.99
APR178260    WICKED & DIVINE #29 CVR C IMAGES OF TOMORROW VAR (MR)    $3.99

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for October 14, 2015

IMAGE COMICS

AUG150508     ASTRONAUTS IN TROUBLE #5 (MR)     $2.99
AUG150593     COMICS ARE FOR EVERYBODY LG MENS T/S     $24.99
AUG150598     COMICS ARE FOR EVERYBODY LG WOMENS T/S     $24.99
AUG150592     COMICS ARE FOR EVERYBODY MED MENS T/S     $24.99
AUG150597     COMICS ARE FOR EVERYBODY MED WOMENS T/S     $24.99
AUG150591     COMICS ARE FOR EVERYBODY SM MENS T/S     $24.99
AUG150596     COMICS ARE FOR EVERYBODY SM WOMENS T/S     $24.99
AUG150594     COMICS ARE FOR EVERYBODY XL MENS T/S     $24.99
AUG150599     COMICS ARE FOR EVERYBODY XL WOMENS T/S     $24.99
AUG150595     COMICS ARE FOR EVERYBODY XXL MENS T/S     $24.99
AUG150600     COMICS ARE FOR EVERYBODY XXL WOMENS T/S     $24.99
JUL150529     COVENANT #4 CVR A LIEFELD (MR)     $2.99
JUL150530     COVENANT #4 CVR B HORAK (MR)     $2.99
AUG150573     DEADLY CLASS LG MENS T/S     $24.99
AUG150578     DEADLY CLASS LG WOMENS T/S     $24.99
AUG150572     DEADLY CLASS MED MENS T/S     $24.99
AUG150577     DEADLY CLASS MED WOMENS T/S     $24.99
AUG150571     DEADLY CLASS SM MENS T/S     $24.99
AUG150576     DEADLY CLASS SM WOMENS T/S     $24.99
AUG150574     DEADLY CLASS XL MENS T/S     $24.99
AUG150579     DEADLY CLASS XL WOMENS T/S     $24.99
AUG150575     DEADLY CLASS XXL MENS T/S     $24.99
AUG150580     DEADLY CLASS XXL WOMENS T/S     $24.99
MAR150526     DEATH VIGIL TP VOL 01     $24.99
MAY150536     EAST OF WEST #21     $3.50
AUG150510     FASTER THAN LIGHT #2 (MR)     $2.99
AUG150511     FUSE #15 (MR)     $3.99
AUG150474     I HATE FAIRYLAND #1 (MR)     $3.50
JUL150606     LOW #10 (MR)     $3.50
AUG150583     NAILBITER MURDER STORE LG MENS T/S     $24.99
AUG150588     NAILBITER MURDER STORE LG WOMENS T/S     $24.99
AUG150582     NAILBITER MURDER STORE MED MENS T/S     $24.99
AUG150587     NAILBITER MURDER STORE MED WOMENS T/S     $24.99
AUG150581     NAILBITER MURDER STORE SM MENS T/S     $24.99
AUG150586     NAILBITER MURDER STORE SM WOMENS T/S     $24.99
AUG150584     NAILBITER MURDER STORE XL MENS T/S     $24.99
AUG150589     NAILBITER MURDER STORE XL WOMENS T/S     $24.99
AUG150585     NAILBITER MURDER STORE XXL MENS T/S     $24.99
AUG150590     NAILBITER MURDER STORE XXL WOMENS T/S     $24.99
AUG150513     PHONOGRAM THE IMMATERIAL GIRL #3 (MR)     $3.99
JUL150639     ROCHE LIMIT CLANDESTINY #5     $3.50
AUG150514     SATELLITE SAM OMNIBUS DLX HC (MR)     $44.99
AUG150515     SAVIOR #7     $2.99
AUG150494     SECRET IDENTITIES TP VOL 01     $14.99
JUN150555     SEX CRIMINALS #13 (MR)     $3.50
JUN150579     SKULLKICKERS TREASURE TROVE HC VOL 03     $34.99
AUG150506     SWITCH #1 CVR A SEJIC     $3.99
AUG150519     WALKING DEAD #147 (MR)     $2.99
AUG150520     WAYWARD HC BOOK 01     $39.99
AUG150521     WICKED & DIVINE #15 CVR A MCKELVIE & WILSON (MR)     $3.50
AUG150522     WICKED & DIVINE #15 CVR B HANS (MR)     $3.50

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for August 26, 2015

IMAGE COMICS

JUN150497     COVENANT #3 CVR A LIEFELD (MR)     $2.99
JUN150498     COVENANT #3 CVR B HORAK (MR)     $2.99
APR150574     COWL TP VOL 02 THE GREATER GOOD (MR)     $14.99
APR150531     EAST OF WEST #20     $3.50
FEB150521     FIVE GHOSTS TP VOL 03 MONSTERS & MEN     $14.99
JUN150564     IMAGE GIANT SIZED ARTISTS PROOF ED WALKING DEAD #1 (MR)     $19.99
JUN150545     INVISIBLE REPUBLIC TP VOL 01     $9.99
APR150521     IXTH GENERATION TP VOL 01     $14.99
JUN150569     LOW #9 (MR)     $3.50
JUN150573     RASPUTIN #8 (MR)     $3.50
JUN150574     ROCHE LIMIT CLANDESTINY #4     $3.50
JUN150576     RUMBLE #6 CVR A HARREN (MR)     $3.50
JUN150577     RUMBLE #6 CVR B BERMEJO (MR)     $3.50
JUN150554     RUNLOVEKILL TP VOL 01 (MR)     $9.99
JUN150580     SONS OF THE DEVIL #4 (MR)     $2.99
JUN158622     SONS OF THE DEVIL #4 CVR B MILLER (MR)     $2.99
JUN158623     SONS OF THE DEVIL #4 CVR C OUM (MR)     $2.99
MAY150544     SPAWN #255     $2.99
MAY150545     SPREAD #9 (MR)     $3.50
JUN150583     SUNSTONE OGN VOL 03 (MR)     $14.99
JUN150587     THEYRE NOT LIKE US #7 (MR)     $2.99
APR150678     THIEF OF THIEVES #30 (MR)     $2.99
JUN150588     TITHE TP VOL 01     $14.99
JUN150589     VALHALLA MAD #4     $3.50
JUN150591     WAYWARD TP VOL 02 (MR)     $16.99

Sunday, August 2, 2015

Review: WAYWARD #9

WAYWARD #9
IMAGE COMICS – @ImageComics

STORY: Jim Zub – @jimzub
ART: Steve Cummings – @stekichikun
COLORS: Tamra Bonvillain – @TBonvillain
LETTERS: Marshall Dillon – @MarshallDillon
COVER: Steve Cummings with Tamra Bonvillain
VARIANT COVER: Gurihiru
28pp, Color, $3.50 U.S.

This review comes with an “editor's note.”  I forgot to post this back at the end of June when I was supposed to do so.  I gotta be anal about it and post it...

The latest issue of Image Comics' Wayward is the second-to-last issue of the series' second story arc.  The comic book, which launched late Summer 2014, is set in Japan and features those creatures and spirits of Japanese folklore, Yokai.  Wayward is the creation of writer Jim Zub and artist Steve Cummings.  Wayward focuses on Rori Lane, a half-Irish/half-Japanese teen girl, who is trying to start a new life in Japan.  Instead, Rori and a small band of fellow magically-touched folks battle a secret war of magic in the shadows of Tokyo.

Wayward #9 (“Chapter Nine) opens in the past, as we witness the “Great Tengu,” Daranibo and his forces destroy a village.  What's going on?

Back to the future:  Ohara Emi (the narrator of much of this story arc) and Nikaido meet cat-girl Ayane's new pals, the Tsuchigumo – the Earth Spiders.  They offer to help the trio in the battle against the Yokai, Nurarihyon, and his allies, but Ohara is suspicious.  Meanwhile, Rori is on a mission, and she is feeling the full extent of her powers, which leaves her companion, Shirai, troubled.

Wayward writer/co-creator, Jim Zub, is still sending out advanced review PDF copies of Wayward, nine issues into the series, which one comics reviewer called “the next Saga.”  The ComicBookBin receives these complementary PDFs, and I am glad that I received this one.  I had planned on not reviewing Wayward for a while.  What more can I say about the comic book that should have received a “best new series” Eisner nomination, I thought?

Well, what I don't want to say is that Wayward is getting better.  That's too easy.  It is actually getting bigger.  The more Zub opens this world to his readers, the more he will ensnare them in the weave and the more they will buy into Wayward's conceit.  In fact, it will be increasingly harder for readers to walk away.  Steve Cummings and Tamra Bonvillain's graphical storytelling blazes, conjuring Wayward in a furious story of imagination and wild magic.

Also, an integral contributor to Wayward is Zack Davisson, a writer and scholar who is an expert on Japanese folklore and culture, including manga.  His essays, which appear after the last story page of each issue of Wayward, are must-reads for manga readers who are interested in Japan outside the comics pages.  This issue's essay, “The Secret History of Dirt Spiders,” is startling, and it also expands on information I have encountered in passing.  This is info I need as a fan of Japanese comics and literature, and also of Japanese film and television.

A+

[Wayward #9 contains another engrossing essay, “The Secret History of Dirt Spiders,” by Zack Davisson (@ZackDavisson).]

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


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



Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Review: WAYWARD #10

WAYWARD #10
IMAGE COMICS – @ImageComics

STORY: Jim Zub – @jimzub
ART: Steve Cummings – @stekichikun
COLORS: Tamra Bonvillain – @TBonvillain
LETTERS: Marshall Dillon – @MarshallDillon
COVER: Steve Cummings with Tamra Bonvillain
VARIANT COVER: Hanzo Steinbach
28pp, Color, $3.50 U.S.

Wayward, the comic book series from writer Jim Zub and artist Steve Cummings, is about to take a three-month break from publishing.  Before that break, Wayward #10, which is the concluding issue of the series' second story arc, has arrived.

Published by Image Comics, Wayward is set in Japan and features those creatures and spirits of Japanese folklore, yokai.  Wayward focuses on Rori Lane, a half-Irish/half-Japanese teen girl, who is trying to start a new life in Japan.  Instead, Rori and a small band of fellow magically-touched folks battle a secret war of magic in the shadows of Tokyo.

Ohara Emi was a quite school girl until she started manifesting strange powers.  Now, she is the narrator of the current story arc, and she manipulates matter and transmutes man-made materials.  As Wayward #10 (“Chapter Ten”) opens, Ohara, Nikaido, and Ayane have team up with Tsuchigumo.  These are supernatural spiders that are fighting their yokai brethren.

Now, humans and mystical spiders attack the Fudo Temples, but their tengu guardians are determined to fight back.  Do Ohara and her friends know the entire story of this fight, however?  Meanwhile, Rori and Shirai, thought to be dead, prepare to reemerge.

Wayward writer/co-creator, Jim Zub, sent out advanced review PDF copies of Wayward #10 (which the ComicBookBin received).  This is a pivotal issue.  Not only is issue #10 the closing chapter of the series second story arc, but it also essentially the end of series introductions.  Now, the series is prepared to get on with the big story, as Zub says in an afterword to this issue.

Zub's script does not disappoint, and co-creator Steve Cummings brings the script to life as magical graphical storytelling that remains grounded at the same time it brings the supernatural to life with imagination and inventiveness.  Colorist Tamra Bonvillain delivers striking colors that make the magical energy pop.  Also, integral Wayward contributor, Zack Davisson, delivers two essays (instead of the usual one) that explain the mythology and culture in which Wayward travels.  I think the next 10 issues will blow our minds.

A

[Wayward #10 contains two engrossing essays, “Circle of Protection Tokyo! The Goshiki Fudo” and “Sokushinbutsu – Buddhas of the Living World,” by Zack Davisson (@ZackDavisson).]

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


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


Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Review: WAYWARD #7

WAYWARD #7
IMAGE COMICS – @ImageComics

STORY: Jim Zub – @jimzub
ART: Steve Cummings – @stekichikun
COLORS: Tamra Bonvillain – @TBonvillain
LETTERS: Marshall Dillon – @MarshallDillon
COVER: Steve Cummings with Tamra Bonvillain
VARIANT COVER: Sie Nanahara
28pp, Color, $3.50 U.S.

The latest issue of Image Comics' Wayward is in comic book shops today (Wednesday, April 29, 2015).  The comic book, which launched late last summer, is set in Japan and features those creatures of Japanese folklore, yokai.

Wayward is the creation of writer Jim Zub and artist Steve Cummings.  Wayward focuses on Rori Lane, a half-Irish/half-Japanese teen girl, who is trying to start a new life in Japan with her mother, Sanae.  Instead, Rori finds herself connected to the magic and ancient creatures that lurk in the shadows of Tokyo.

Wayward #7 (“Chapter Seven”) continues the focus on Ohara Emi, a high school girl to whom most people pay little or no attention.  Now, she does have people paying attention to her, Ayane and Nikaido, two teens who are part of Rori Lane's little monster-hunting band.

With the arrival of Obon, the Japanese festival of the dead, Ayane wonders what has happened to Rori and Shirai, who were lost during a battle with several powerful creatures.  Meanwhile, these “corrupted children” are the subject of a meeting between Nurarihyon and other yokai, who are themselves in for quite a surprise.

In a bid to keep the word going about his comic book, Wayward writer/co-creator, Jim Zub, sent out an advanced review PDF copy of Wayward #7.  I like this comic book and support it by buying copies, even after reading it for free.

Recently, someone said that Wayward is the next Saga.  I wouldn't know, as I have yet to read Saga, but if it is as good as Wayward, then, I must read it immediately.  This seventh issue of Wayward is, so far, the best issue of the new story arc.  Sometimes, comic books about magic don't feel very magical.  Like The Sandman, this series has a sense of enchantment about it that is... well, enchanting.  I heartily recommend... Oh, the hell with it.  Read this, dammit!

A

[Wayward #7 contains another engrossing essay, “Obon – The Festival of the Dead,” by Zack Davisson (@ZackDavisson).]

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


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



Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Review: WAYWARD #6

WAYWARD #6
IMAGE COMICS – @ImageComics

STORY: Jim Zub – @jimzub
ART: Steve Cummings – @stekichikun
COLORS: Tamra Bonvillain – @TBonvillain
LETTERS: Marshall Dillon – @MarshallDillon
COVER: Steve Cummings with Tamra Bonvillain
VARIANT COVER: Takeshi Miyazawa; Max Dunbar with Tamra Bonvillain; Steve Cummings with Tamra Bonvillain
28pp, Color, $3.50 U.S.

Wayward is back, y'all!  One of the best new series of 2014 has a new story arc.

After a three-month hiatus, Image Comics' Wayward returns to comic book stores this week.  Wayward is an intriguing new fantasy comic book series that launched at the end of last summer.  It is the creation of writer Jim Zub and penciller Steve Cummings.  Wayward focuses on Rori Lane, a half-Irish/half-Japanese teen girl.  Rori is trying to start a new life in Japan with her mother, Sanae, only to find herself connected to the magic and ancient creatures that lurk in the shadows of Tokyo.

Wayward #6 (“Chapter Six”) apparently opens three months after the events depicted in the issue Wayward #5.  The story introduces Japanese school girl, Ohara Emi.  She is an ordinary girl from an ordinary family, and she is the “quiet,” “obedient,” and “proper Japanese school girl.”  However, changes come into Ohara life when she overhears her classmates gossiping about the “missing students.”  Then, strange things start happening to her.

I got a reminder that Wayward was returning when writer/co-creator, Jim Zub, sent out an advanced review PDF copy of Wayward #6.  I like the introduction of a new character, but I think I spent most of my time reading this issue waiting for Rori.  Zub and Cummings have created magic with Wayward.  This comic book is like one big enchantment that draws me into the story.  I guess I am not the only reader who wants to live in the world of this series.

Still, I'm excited about the beginning of the second story arc.  As a reminder, Wayward's first story arc, “String Theory,” is being released as a trade paperback the same day as Wayward #6 will be calling to you in your dreams.

A-

[Wayward #6 contains another engrossing essay, “Tradition and Japanese Society,” by Zack Davisson (@ZackDavisson).]

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


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



Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Review: WAYWARD #5

WAYWARD #5
IMAGE COMICS – @ImageComics

STORY: Jim Zub – @jimzub
ART: Steve Cummings – @stekichikun
COLORS: Tamra Bonvillain – @TBonvillain
LETTERS: Marshall Dillon – @MarshallDillon
COVER: Steve Cummings with Tamra Bonvillain
VARIANT COVER: Marguerite Sauvage
28pp, Color, $3.50 U.S.

Wayward #5 arrives in comic book shops today (Wednesday, December 17, 2017).  It is the conclusion of the series' first story arc (“String Theory”).  Wayward is the creation of writer Jim Zub and penciller Steve Cummings.  Published by Image Comics, Wayward focuses on Rori Lane, a half-Irish/half-Japanese teen girl.  Rori is trying to start a new life in Japan with her mother, Sanae, only to find herself connected to the magic and ancient creatures that lurk in the shadows of Tokyo.

Wayward #5 (“Chapter Five”) opens after the battle in the decommissioned subway tunnels beneath Ueno Park.  Rori and her “gang” of fellow supernatural types, Ayane, Shirai, and Nikaido narrowly defeated a band of monsters.  Rori discovered, however, from the leader of their attackers, that all was not what it seemed.  Now, Rori races home, sensing that her mother, Sanae, is in danger.  It is actually worse and more complicated that she imagines.

As with previous issues, the ComicBookBin received an advanced review PDF copy of Wayward #5 that writer Jim Zub sent to reviewers.  This fifth issue is also the close of the series' first story arc.  Wayward is going on a two-month hiatus and will return in March 2015.

Zub and Cummings leave us with a beautifully drawn and exceptionally told series, and while they leave us with many questions, they also leave us caught in the weave.  We want to be Wayward.  With each new issue, Wayward expands its scope without losing its great sense of mystery.  With similarities to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, yokai manga, and Harry Potter, Wayward is that amazing new fantasy series we've been waiting for DC Comics' Vertigo imprint to give us.  Instead, Jim Zub, Steve Cummings, and Image Comics have given it to us.  Gimme more.

A

[Wayward #5 contains another engrossing essay, “Hyakki Yagyo and the Yokai Invasion,” by Zack Davisson (@ZackDavisson), with art by Steve Cummings.]

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


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


Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Review: WAYWARD #4

WAYWARD #4
IMAGE COMICS – @ImageComics

STORY: Jim Zub – @jimzub
ART: Steve Cummings – @stekichikun
COLORS: Josh Perez and Tamra Bonvillain – @dyemooch and @TBonvillain
LETTERS: Marshall Dillon – @MarshallDillon
COVER: Steve Cummings and Ross A. Campbell
VARIANT COVER: Philip Tan
28pp, Color, $3.50 U.S.

Arriving in comic book stores today, Wednesday, November 26, 2014, is the fourth issue of Wayward.  This is the fascinating new fantasy comic book series from writer Jim Zub (Skullkickers) and penciller Steve Cummings and published by Image Comics.  Wayward focuses on Rori Lane, a half-Irish/half-Japanese teen girl.  Rori is trying to start a new life in Japan with her mother, Sanae, only to find herself connected to the magic and ancient creatures that lurk in the shadows of Tokyo.

As Wayward #4 (“Chapter Four”) opens, Rori is trying to keep doing the mundane things in life (like attending school), even after experiencing so much of the supernatural.  She gathers her “gang” of fellow supernatural types:  Ayane, Shirai, and Nikaido for a supernatural pow-wow.  Their meeting is centered around answering the question, “What does each of us know about the supernatural?”  In the decommissioned subway tunnels beneath Ueno Park, Rori finds the kind of answers that are really just more questions.

The ComicBookBin received the advanced review PDF copy of Wayward #4 that writer Jim Zub sent to reviewers.  It's much appreciated, but do I feel obligated to give Wayward a good review because Zub gives me a chance to read one of my favorite comic books a little early?  Actually, I feel obligated to break into Zub's house or into the Image Comics offices, whichever one allows me to read future issues of Wayward now.

Seriously, I like Wayward... a lot.  Instead of comparing it to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, I compare it to Harry Potter in the following way.  Potter was essentially a series of mystery novels, in which the hero and his allies traveled to unknown, but fantastic places; they dealt with a growing cast of characters, each character having shifting alliances and secretive motivations.  The endgame was not just to discover a villain, but to also unravel a far-reaching conspiracy that was born in the past and could determine the future, as well as the fate of countless people.

Wayward offers a mystery that is as unknown as it is alluring.  Like Rori following the glowing threads that guide (or lead) her, we don't know where this mystery will take us, but let's follow!  Rori is not so much Buffy fighting monsters as she is like Harry Potter guiding us into a fantastic labyrinth of conspiracies and old secrets.  Let's keep going Wayward.

A

[Wayward #4 contains the engrossing essay, “Tokyo Underground,” by Zack Davisson (@ZackDavisson), with art by Steve Cummings.]

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


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


Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Reads: WAYWARD #3

WAYWARD #3
IMAGE COMICS – @ImageComics

STORY: Jim Zub – @jimzub
ART: Steve Cummings – @stekichikun
COLORS: John Rauch and Jim Zub with Tamra Bonvillain – @John_Rauch and @TBonvillain
LETTERS: Marshall Dillon – @MarshallDillon
COVER: Steve Cummings and Ross A. Campbell
VARIANT COVER: Jorge Molina
28pp, Color, $3.50 U.S.

Additional material by Zack Davisson (@ZackDavisson) and Steve Cummings

Writer Jim Zub sent an advanced review PDF copy of the third issue of Wayward to comics media people, and the ComicBookBin was one of the recipients.  I decided to also share the good news about Wayward with you, dear reader.  I really appreciate the chance to read advanced comics, but when the comic book is something as good as Wayward, I almost feel honored to receive it.

Wayward is the intriguing new fantasy comic book series from Zub and penciller Steve Cummings.  Published by Image Comics, Wayward focuses on Rori Lane, a half-Irish/half-Japanese teen girl who is trying to start a new life in Japan, only to find herself connected to the magic and ancient creatures that lurk in the shadows of Tokyo.

As Wayward #3 (“Chapter Three”) opens, Rori can sense a storm is brewing – both naturally and supernaturally.  She still isn't fitting in at school, but she's found a homeboy, of sorts, in Shirai, a teenaged boy who can “eat ghosts.”  Meanwhile, somewhere else in Tokyo, a stranger man senses a “rogue weaver.”  Also, enter Nikaido, and someone whom Rori knows has a secret.

Clearly, Wayward is attracting readers, and I think that is because Jim Zub is slowly introducing readers to a world of magic and intrigue.  Perhaps, it is a really big world, and the only way for Zub to do right by his creation is to work through the characters.  They confront the magic in bits and pieces, rather than having to face an epic, wide-ranging magical conspiracy all at once.  Zub knows that if we buy into the characters first, we will also accept the supernatural that they encounter as they encounter it.

Yes, someone says the word, “magic,” in this chapter, but artist Steve Cummings perfectly blends the magical, the supernatural, and the otherness into a solidly real world of mundane tasks and ordinary living.  Cummings is going to make us invest in this world, by recognizing its relationship to ours.  Cummings' art is kind of teaching our imaginations to feel the difference between an ordinary world in which magic just might be as legitimate a part of the world as anything else.

Yeah, it's not fluke.  Wayward is one of the best new titles of the year.  Plus,  Zack Davisson offers another hugely informative essay on the mythology of Japan in “The Magical Foxes of Japan.”

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


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


Thursday, September 25, 2014

Review: WAYWARD #2

WAYWARD #2
IMAGE COMICS – @ImageComics

STORY: Jim Zub – @jimzub
ART: Steve Cummings @stekichikun
COLORS: John Rauch @John_Rauch and Jim Zub
LETTERS: Marshall Dillon @MarshallDillon
COVER: Steve Cummings and Ross A. Campbell
VARIANT COVER:  Riley Rossmo
28pp, Color, $3.50 U.S.

Additional material by Zack Davisson (@ZackDavisson)

The second issue of Wayward, the intriguing new fantasy comic book series from Image Comics, was just published.  Written by Jim Zub (Skullkickers) and drawn by Steve Cummings, Wayward focuses on Rori Lane, a half-Irish/half-Japanese teen girl who is trying to start a new life in Japan, only to find herself confronted by the ancient creatures that lurk in the shadows of Tokyo.

As Wayward #2 (“Chapter Two”) opens, Rori arrives home late, after a night of craziness in Tokyo, in which she encountered monsters with swords and a warrior-girl.  Now, she has to get ready for her first day at school, which she knows will be difficult.  How difficult will that first day be?  One of her classmates has a secret for which he is willing to kill.

After praising Wayward #1 around the beginning of August, I was a bit concerned that I would be disappointed in Wayward #2.  Writer Jim Zub sent a PDF copy of #2 to the ComicBookBin, and I approached it with trepidation.  I didn't need to worry because #2 kept #1 from being a fluke.  So far, Wayward does indeed look to be one of the year's best new comic book series and one of the best fantasy comic books period.

Advertising copy and promotional material describe Wayward as Buffy the Vampire Slayer for a new generation.  That may be true, but it is certainly a damn good comic book for any generation that can read.  It has the kind of intrigue and sense of mystery that permeate Mike Mignola's Hellboy universe, and it crackles with the kind of magic that fills Harry Potter.  I imagine that quite a few comic book readers will be eagerly awaiting each new issue.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


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


Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Review: WAYWARD #1

WAYWARD #1
IMAGE COMICS – @ImageComics

STORY: Jim Zub – @jimzub
ART: Steve Cummings
COLORS: John Rauch and Jim Zub
LETTERS: Marshall Dillon
COVER: Steve Cummings and Ross A. Campbell
VARIANT COVER:  Alina Urusov; Jeff “Chamba” Cruz; Adam Warren and John Rauch
28pp, Color, $3.50 U.S.

Additional material by Zack Davisson and Kalman Andrasofszky

Jim Zub sent the ComicBookBin a PDF copy of the first issue of his new comic book series, Wayward, published by Image Comics.  I reviewed it for the Bin and am now posting a slightly altered version of that review for you, dear readers, on I Reads You.

Wayward is an intriguing new fantasy comic book series from writer Jim Zub (Skullkickers, Suicide Squad: Amanda Waller) and penciller Steve Cummings (Legends of the Dark Knight, Deadshot) and published by Image Comics.  The upcoming series focuses on a teen girl trying to start a new life only to find herself confronted by the ancient creatures that lurk in the shadows of Tokyo.

Wayward #1 (“Chapter One”) opens as Rori Lane arrives in Japan from Ireland.  She is the child of a Japanese mother and an Irish father.  Her parents divorced, and although she initially stayed in Ireland, she is now moving to Japan to live with her mother.

Moving halfway across the world from Ireland to make a new home means that Rori will have to make some cultural adjustments, but she is game.  Things are going well, and it seems as if she and her mother can live together.  However, things take a turn for the weird when Rori begins glimpsing signs, creatures, and other things that no one else can see.  Then, there is Ayane...

It seems as if the selling point of Wayward is to compare it to Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  I received a PDF copy for review from series writer, Jim Zub, and on one page of the PDF is the tagline, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer for a new generation.”  On the same page, Hellboy is referenced.  With the comparisons/references to Buffy and Hellboy, you might think Wayward is a Dark Horse Comics title.  In truth, Wayward's first issue makes a good first step towards being the long-running fantasy franchise that both Buffy and Hellboy are.

However, Wayward does also resemble, to one extent or another, urban fantasy comics published by DC Comics' imprint, Vertigo (particularly Crossing Midnight), and by VIZ Media (the sublime Natsume's Book of Friends).  In fact, the manga and Japanese comparisons are appropriate as Wayward's pencil artist, Steve Cummings, drew the OEL manga (American manga) titles, Pantheon High and Star Trek: The Manga, for TOKYOPOP.

Whether the creators hope for their new comic book to inherit the mantle of Buffy the Vampire Slayer or not, we can keep discussing in the future.  What I can say is that Wayward is a series with promise and with a promising lead character.  Rori Lane is the kind of misfit who isn't afraid of the big, mean world.  She doesn't seem like a young woman ready to run away, and in that, she is like Buffy.  Zub uses internal dialogue (via caption boxes) both to endear her to us and to make her journey of discovery our journey also.  I can tell by this winning first issue that some readers will be glad to be Rori's Scooby gang, and, if need be, her BPRD.  I am one of them.

The art by Steve Cummings, John Rauch, and Jim Zub is colorful and vibrant.  Wayward's Tokyo might be a crowded modern city, but it isn't drab or dull; the monsters in the shadows will make sure of that.  Cummings' storytelling is clean and straight-forward, which makes the magic and mystery stand out.

I think that Wayward will be different from the other titles that Image is publishing, and that's a good thing.  I think the Young Adult novel has finally made it to comics in the form of Wayward, and I think it will be one of the standout new titles of the year.

A-

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


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



Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for August 27, 2014

IMAGE COMICS

JUN140539    BLACK SCIENCE #8 (MR)    $3.50
JUN148317    CHEW WARRIOR CHICKEN POYO #1 2ND PTG    $3.50
JUN148316    COWL #3 2ND PTG (MR)    $3.50
JUN140544    COWL #4 (MR)    $3.50
MAY140701    DREAM POLICE #4 (MR)    $2.99
JUN140548    DRUMHELLAR #8 (MR)    $3.50
JUN140504    FUSE TP VOL 01    $9.99
JUN140481    GENIUS #4 (MR)    $3.99
JUN140482    GENIUS #5 (MR)    $3.99
MAY140673    INVINCIBLE PROFILE BLACK T/S SM    $19.99
MAY140674    INVINCIBLE PROFILE BLACK T/S MED    $19.99
MAY140675    INVINCIBLE PROFILE BLACK T/S LG    $19.99
MAY140676    INVINCIBLE PROFILE BLACK T/S XL    $19.99
MAY140677    INVINCIBLE PROFILE BLACK T/S XXL    $21.99
JUN148268    LOW #1 2ND PTG (MR)    $3.99
JUN140553    LOW #2 (MR)    $3.50
JUN140555    MANHATTAN PROJECTS #23    $3.50
JUN140557    MICE TEMPLAR IV LEGEND #13 CVR A OEMING    $3.99
JUN140558    MICE TEMPLAR IV LEGEND #13 CVR B SANTOS & FREE    $3.99
JUN148240    OUTCAST BY KIRKMAN & AZACETA #2 2ND PTG (MR)    $2.99
JUN140563    OUTCAST BY KIRKMAN & AZACETA #3 (MR)    $2.99
JUN140567    REVIVAL #23 (MR)    $2.99
JUN140570    SAGA #22 (MR)    $2.99
JUN140497    SEX #15 (MR)    $2.99
JUN140577    SPAWN #246    $2.99
APR140532    THINK TANK BOX SET    $39.99
JUN140487    WAYWARD #1 CVR A CUMMING & CAMPBELL (MR)    $3.50
JUN140488    WAYWARD #1 CVR B URUSOV (MR)    $3.50
JUN140489    WAYWARD #1 CVR C CRUZ (MR)    $3.50
JUN140490    WAYWARD #1 CVR D WARREN & RAUCH (MR)    $3.50
JUL140461    WHITE DEATH HC    $14.99
JUN140588    WILDFIRE #3 CVR A LINDA SEJIC    $3.99
JUN140589    WILDFIRE #3 CVR B STJEPAN SEJIC    $3.99

IMAGE COMICS/MCFARLANE TOYS

APR140624    WALKING DEAD SER 3 PX RICK/ANDREA AF 2-PK CS    PI


Monday, December 3, 2012

Review: UGLIES: Cutters

UGLIES: CUTTERS
BALLANTINE BOOKS/DEL REY – @delreyspectra

CREATOR: Scott Westerfeld
WRITERS: Scott Westerfeld, Devin Grayson
ART: Steven Cummings
TONES/LETTERS: Yishan Li
COVER: Steven Cummings with Espen Grundetjern
ISBN: 978-0-345-52723-3; paperback (December 4, 2012)
176pp, B&W, $10.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN

Scott Westerfeld is an American science fiction author who has written several book series aimed at the young adult market (YA). The Uglies is a series of young adult, science fiction/fantasy novels written by Westerfeld. The series, which began in 2005 with the publication of Uglies, is set 300 years in the future in a time in which everyone is turned “pretty” by extreme cosmetic surgery. The Uglies’ central character is Tally Youngblood, a teen girl who rebels against this forced conformity.

Uglies: Cutters is the second of two original graphic novels that are set in the world of the Uglies and tell new stories through the eyes of Tally’s friend, Shay, another teen girl. Like the first graphic novel (Uglies: Shay’s Story), Uglies: Cutters is scripted by Devin Grayson from a story by Scott Westerfeld and is drawn by artist Steven Cummings.

Uglies: Cutters apparently takes place after the second prose novel in the series, Pretties (2005). The series’ lead character, Tally Youngblood, and her best friend, Shay, have undergone “the Surge,” which is the rite-of-passage surgery that transforms them from “Ugly” to “Pretty.” Shay now lives in New Pretty Town enjoying the good life, and she is hoping to be inducted into Tally’s clique, the “Crims” (short for “criminal”).

Shay, however, is troubled by her new life as a stunning beauty. She is plagued by bad dreams and is somewhat distressed that she cannot remember much about her time in “The Smoke,” a wilderness camp where runaways live. She also has noticed that both Tally and Zane, a boy Shay likes, are always together and have been acting strangely. Suddenly, distrustful of her friend, Shay starts to gather a rebellious group of her own, the “Cutters.” But Shay is fighting on three fronts: against Tally, the mysterious Special Circumstances, and Dr. Cable, and this fight will be tougher than she realizes.

Like Shay’s Story, Uglies: Cutters deals with adolescent themes of emotional and physical change, but Cutters is more about the aftermath of such changes. Cutters also emphasizes the conflict within social groups, depicting rivalries and jealousies. Cutters is about suspicious minds, and Shay’s mind is full of suspicions, and, in a way, that makes her something akin to an unreliable narrator. For instance, is she creating a love triangle (involving herself, Tally, and Zane) where none exists? The fun is that you never know how much truth there is to her inklings.

Early in Cutters, the authors focus in on the shallowness of Pretty life, so much so that the story turns as shallow as party-happy Pretty. Gradually, however, the narrative comes together, and Cutters reveals itself to be something more than just science fiction-fantasy. It is also a mystery story, with the lead characters trying to unravel a conspiracy and uncover secrets, all the while going through some mean teen angst. Uglies: Cutters starts off badly, but gets better as the story goes along. It ends with a bang, maybe even leaving you wanting more.

B

www.delreybooks.com
Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


Thursday, February 23, 2012

Leroy Douresseaux Reviews: UGLIES: Shay's Story

UGLIES: SHAY’S STORY
BALLANTINE BOOKS/DEL REY

CREATOR: Scott Westerfeld
WRITERS: Scott Westerfeld, Devin Grayson
ART: Steven Cummings
TONES/LETTERS: Yishan Li
ISBN: 978-0-345-52722-6; paperback
208pp, B&W, $10.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN

Scott Westerfeld is an American science fiction author who has written several book series aimed at the young adult market (YA). One of them is the Uglies series, a quartet of science fiction and fantasy novels that began in 2005 with the publication of Uglies (Simon Pulse). The Uglies is set 300 years in the future in a time in which everyone is turned “pretty” by extreme cosmetic surgery. The Uglies’ central character is Tally Youngblood, a teen girl who rebels against this forced conformity.

Uglies: Shay’s Story is the first of two original graphic novels set in the world of the Uglies and tells new stories through the eyes of Tally’s friend, Shay, another teen girl. Uglies: Shay’s Story is scripted by Devin Grayson from a story by Scott Westerfeld and is drawn by artist Steven Cummings.

As Uglies: Shay’s Story begins, Shay is a few months shy of her sixteenth birthday, the age at which one undergoes “the Surge,” which is the rite-of-passage surgery that will transform her into a “Pretty.” Currently, she is an “Ugly,” an ordinary human who has not had the surgery. Shay befriends “the Crims” (criminals), a group of fellow teens who say they don’t want to have the surgery. She joins the Crims: Zane, Croy, Astrix, and Ho by exploring past the monitored borders and going into the forbidden, ungoverned wild. This journey makes her think about her future. Shay must decide the path she will choose: become a Pretty or remain one of the Uglies.

Like the source material (the Uglies novels, of course), Uglies: Shay’s Story deals with adolescent themes of emotional and physical change. What really drives Shay’s Story is conflict. The central conflict is a personal one: preservation of one’s personal will versus the longing to conform. The other line of conflicts pits a dystopian society’s need for uniformity against the Uglies’ rebellious urges.

The conflicts play out in the most interesting ways because the players are teenagers about to enter adulthood, but who are also about to enter a world of choice and responsibility. Is becoming a “Pretty” about evolution and accepting adulthood? Are the teens who runaway just afraid to grow up? Uglies: Shay’s Story is a pop concept tailor-made for Hollywood, but the narrative plays out as a coming-of-age story that wants to be more complicated than the latest hot thing. It’s exciting and edgy, like our teenage years.

B+