Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for April 18, 2018

MARVEL COMICS

JAN189025    AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #795 ALEX ROSS B & W 3RD PTG VAR    $3.99
JAN189026    AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #796 ALEX ROSS B & W 3RD PTG VAR    $3.99
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FEB180791    AVENGERS #689 SPROUSE END OF AN ERA VAR LEG    $4.99
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FEB180893    CABLE #156 LEG    $3.99
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FEB180878    X-MEN GOLD #26 LEG    $3.99

Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for February 28, 2018

DARK HORSE COMICS

DEC170062    BTVS SEASON 11 GILES #1    $3.99
DEC170063    BTVS SEASON 11 GILES #1 CVR B VAR    $3.99
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DEC170122    ELFQUEST FINAL QUEST #24    $3.99
DEC170051    HUNGRY GHOSTS #2 (OF 4) (MR)    $3.99
OCT170049    NEIL GAIMAN AMERICAN GODS HC VOL 01 SHADOWS (C: 1-0-0)    $29.99
OCT170085    TOMB RAIDER LIBRARY EDITION HC VOL 01 (C: 1-0-0)    $49.99

Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for January 10, 2018

MARVEL COMICS

SEP178147    AVENGERS #675 LAUNCH PARTY POSTERS (BUNDLE OF 25) (Net)    $PI
OCT170809    AVENGERS LH #675 LEG    $4.99
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OCT171023    CABLE NEMESIS CONTRACT TP    $34.99
NOV170966    DAREDEVIL #597 LEG    $3.99
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JUL171204    MMW DAREDEVIL HC VOL 12    $75.00
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NOV170989    MS MARVEL #26 LEG    $3.99
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Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for October 11, 2017

MARVEL COMICS

AUG170910    ALL NEW WOLVERINE #25 LEG    $3.99
AUG170779    AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #789 LEG    $3.99
AUG170941    AMAZING SPIDER-MAN RENEW YOUR VOWS #12    $3.99
JUL171229    AVENGERS BY BENDIS COMPLETE COLLECTION TP VOL 02    $39.99
JUL171222    AVENGERS STANDOFF TP    $34.99
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AUG170963    MARVEL UNIVERSE GUARDIANS OF GALAXY #23    $2.99
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APR171139    MMW MIGHTY THOR HC VOL 16    $75.00
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AUG170936    ZOMBIES ASSEMBLE 2 #3 (OF 4)    $4.99
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Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for October 4, 2017

MARVEL COMICS

AUG170973    ALL NEW GUARDIANS OF GALAXY #11    $3.99
JUL178539    ASTONISHING X-MEN #2 2ND PTG DEODATO VAR    $3.99
AUG170982    ASTONISHING X-MEN #4    $3.99
AUG170838    AVENGERS #672 LEG    $3.99
AUG170957    BLACK BOLT #6    $3.99
JUL171197    COLOR YOUR OWN THOR TP    $9.99
APR171131    DEADPOOL WORLDS GREATEST HC VOL 02    $34.99
JUL171230    DOCTOR STRANGE EPIC COLLECTION AFTERLIFE TP    $39.99
JUL178540    GENERATIONS IRON MAN & IRONHEART #1 2ND PTG SKAN VAR    $4.99
AUG170970    HAWKEYE #11    $3.99
JUL171195    HULK PLANET HULK PROSE NOVEL HC    $24.99
APR171130    HULK WORLD WAR HULK OMNIBUS HC    $125.00
AUG170916    ICEMAN #6 LEG    $3.99
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JUN171061    MARVELS THOR RAGNAROK PRELUDE TP    $15.99
APR171135    MUPPET BABIES OMNIBUS HC    $75.00
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AUG170882    ROYALS #9 LEG    $3.99
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AUG170944    SPIDER-MAN #21    $3.99
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AUG170857    X-MEN GOLD #13 LEG    $3.99

Review: THE FLINTSTONES #1

THE FLINTSTONES No. 1
DC COMICS – @DCComic

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: Mark Russell
ARTIST: Steve Pugh
COLORS: Chris Chuckry
LETTERS: Dave Sharpe
COVER: Steve Pugh
VARIANT COVERS: Ivan Reis with Marcelo Maiolo; Walter Simonson with Steve Buccellato; Dustin Nguyen; Dan Hipp
40pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (September 2016)

Rated “T” for “Teen”

“A Clean Slate”

The Flintstones is an animated, prime-time animated television series, produced by American animation studio, Hanna-Barbera Productions.  When it debuted on ABC September 30, 1960, it was the first American animated prime-time TV series.  A situation comedy, “The Flintstones” is an anachronistic and fantastic depiction of a working-class, Stone Age family, led by patriarch, Fred Flintstone, who has a wife, Wilma, and eventually a daughter, Pebbles.

The series juxtaposes what was then modern life (the late 1950s to mid-1960s) with a faux Stone Age setting.  Modern technology (such as cars and home appliances) have fanciful Stone Age versions, which sometimes involve animals and creatures that did not live in the Stone Age (like dinosaurs).

DC Comics has reinvented “The Flintstones” as part of its line of comic books that are reinvented and re-imagined versions of Hanna-Barber animated television series.  The Flintstones is written by Mark Russell; drawn by Steve Pugh, colored by Chris Chuckry, and lettered by Dave Sharpe.

The Flintstones #1 (“A Clean Slate”) is set 100,000 years ago in the town of Bedrock.  The story's focus is on Fred Flintstone, a brawny and muscular veteran of the “Paleolithic Wars.”  He is an employee of Slate's Quarry, where he has just been named “Employee of the Month.”  His boss, Mr. Slate, the owner of Slate's Quarry, has recently hired three male Neanderthals.  [Fred, Mr. Slate, and the people of Bedrock are Homo Sapiens.]  Mr. Slate wants Fred to train them, but each man has a different outlook on life, which may cause problems in their approach to dealing with the Neanderthals.

The inspiration for the 1960s TV series, “The Flintstones,” is the 1950s television comedy, “The Honeymooners.”  After reading The Flintstones #1, I believe the influence for the re-imagined Flintstones, at least in part, may be the 21st century television series, “Mad Men” (2007-2015), which is set during the early 1960s, when “The Flintstones” aired.  I also found a few scenes in this first issue that reminded me of similar scenes in the Oscar-winning film, The Best Years of Our Lives (1946).

I think “The Flintstones” comic book focuses on a military combat veteran trying to make his way in a post-war society in which there is a business boom and a rise in consumerism.  People are less about “us” and more about “me,” and I will paraphrase a character in this first issue.  People want others to do their killing and their dirty work.  In that vein, I think The Flintstones comic book also makes allusions to the post-war lives of Vietnam veterans (such as was done in the films, The Deer Hunter and Coming Home).  You can even throw in the veterans of the 21st century “Middle East” wars and the nebulous “(Global) War on Terror.”

I am intrigued because the writer of The Flintstones comic book is Mark Russell, the writer of the deadly sharp satirical comic book, Prez (2015), from DC Comics.  “The Flintstones” animated series was a comedy, but The Flintstones comic book re-imagining is like a period workplace and domestic drama.  I am comfortable with grading this first issue, and I want more.

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.

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

IDW Publishing from Diamond Distributors for July 12, 2017

IDW PUBLISHING

MAY170499    BRUTAL NATURE CONCRETE FURY #5 (OF 5) CVR A OLIVETTI    $3.99
MAY170500    BRUTAL NATURE CONCRETE FURY #5 (OF 5) CVR B OLIVETTI    $3.99
APR170572    DIRK GENTLY SALMON OF DOUBT #9    $3.99
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JAN170553    RAGNAROK HC VOL 02 LORD OF THE DEAD    $24.99
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APR170569    WYNONNA EARP SEASON ZERO #1 (OF 5)    $3.99
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IDW Publishing from Diamond Distributors for June 28, 2017

IDW PUBLISHING

AUG138056    CLASSIC GI JOE TP VOL 01 NEW PTG    $24.99
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APR170586    X-FILES (2016) #15 SUBSCRIPTION VAR    $3.99

Review: THOR #337

THOR #337
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review originally appeared on Patreon.]

STORY: Walter Simonson
ART: Walter Simonson
COLORS: George Roussos
LETTERS: John Workman Jr.
EDITOR: Mark Gruenwald
EiC: Jim Shooter
32pp, Color, .60¢ U.S. (November 1983)

Thor, the Marvel Comics character, is based on the Norse mythological deity of the same name.  Marvel's the mighty Thor is the Asgardian god of thunder; possesses the enchanted hammer, Mjolnir; and is also a superhero, as well as being a member of The Avengers.

Thor first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 (cover dated August 1962) and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby.  For most of his 53 years of existence, Thor has possessed Mjolnir, which, among other superhuman attributes, grants him the ability of flight and of weather manipulation.

Thor has possessed that “enchanted hammer” for most of his comic book existence, but there have been times when Thor:  the Prince of Asgard, the one true God of Thunder, and the Odinson, has not possessed Mjolnir.  In fact, the current wielder of Mjolnir is a woman, Jane Foster, which means that she is now Thor.

Before this female Thor, the most famous example of someone wielding Mjolnir occurred in a story that started in Thor #337 (cover dated: November 1983).  This was the first chapter of the saga of Beta Ray Bill, and the first issue of comics creator Walter Simonson's acclaimed run as writer-artist of Thor, which was also known as The Mighty Thor.

Early in The Mighty Thor #337, Dr. Donald Blake, Thor's human guise, receives a surprise visit from Colonel Nick Fury, boss man of S.H.I.E.L.D.  Blake taps his cane, transforming into Thor, as he is whisked to the SHIELD Helicarrier.  Thor learns that a strange alien ship, with immensely destructive capabilities, is headed toward Earth.  Thor travels through space and forces his way into the ship, but he discovers that the ship can defend itself and it has Beta Ray Bill!

Although I owned several issues (and even a trade paperback) of Walter Simonson's run on Thor, I never owned issue #337.  Recently a friend of friend gave me a copy because he said that he had a duplicate.  Of course, I was grateful.

I think I did read #337 in trade paperback form, but I don't really remember it.  I don't know why there is a memory lapse, as #337 is an especially memorable issue of Thor.  Visually and graphically, Simonson recalls Jack Kirby's Thor comic books, but in his own inimitable style.  In a way, Simonson is a fantasy artist who can take weird and ludicrous people, beings, creatures, and environments and transform them into awe-inspiring art that seems plausible... even if they are only plausible in some fantastic world.

I think that this is what Simonson did.  He returned Thor to the fantastic world of Jack Kirby and expanded upon it.  The epic lettering of the great John Workman practically makes this comic book ring with thunder, especially when Workman adds sound effects.  Some of George Roussos' coloring hides the power of Simonson's compositions, but there are moments when the coloring perfectly gives a sense of the fire in Simonson's graphical storytelling.  After reading Thor #337, I am ready to find more duplicate issues...

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


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

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