#IReadsYou Review: SCOOBY-DOO, Where Are You? #112

SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU? (2010) #112
DC COMICS

STORY: Derek Fridolfs; Sholly Fisch
PENCILS: Scott Jeralds; Dario Brizuela
INKS: Scott Jeralds; Dario Brizuela
COLORS: Jeremy Lawson; Heroic Age
LETTERS: Saida Temofonte
EDITORS: Courtney Jordan; Kristy Quinn (reprint)
COVER: Derek Fridolfs with Jeremy Lawson
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (December 2021)

Ages 8+

“Attack of the 8-Foot Amphibian!”

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

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #112 opens with “Attack of the 8-Foot Amphibian!,” which is written by Derek Fridolfs and drawn by Scott Jeralds.  The story finds Mystery Inc.:  Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, Fred, Daphne, and Velma in the “Mystery Machine” are arriving at the “Coolsville Drive-In” movie theater.  They are there for a screening of the classic monster movie, “The Ghoulie from Green Lagoon.”  It seems, however, that the Ghoulie has, of late, been rampaging through the drive-in.  Instead of a night at the movies, it's another mystery for Scooby and the gang.

The second story, “Creature Feature” is, as usual, a reprint story and is written by Sholly Fisch and drawn by Dario Brizuela.  [This story was originally published in Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #38 (cover date: December 2013).]  The story opens on the set of the “Nocturna, Mistress of Midnight” television show.  Horror movie hostess, “Nocturna,” is screening the monster movie, “Attack of the Cabbage People,” when a real cabbage monster terrorizes the set.  It seems that “creepy creatures” from old movies have been plaguing the television studio for a few weeks.

Mystery Inc. arrives, offering to help solve the mystery.  The gang discovers that Sybil, the actress who plays Nocturna; Lew Gordon, the show's producer; and Dennis Raye, the show's intern have different ideas about what is going on.  Can Mystery Inc. solve the mystery of these old movie monsters before there are too many for anyone to handle?

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #111 was one of the best issues of the series that I had read in a long time.  Shockingly, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #112 makes it consecutive top-flight issues of a Scooby-Doo comic book series that has been mostly flat for the past few years.

First, the opening story, “Attack of the 8-Foot Amphibian!,” features the artwork of one of the very best Scooby-Doo comic book artists, Scott Jeralds.  His beautiful “clear-line” drawing style retains the classic design of the Scooby-Doo characters and adds a quirky modern visual sensibility.  The story is written by one of the better Scooby-Doo comic book writers, Derek Fridolfs, who is also an artist and who draws issue #112's cover.

Fridolf's script offers sly commentary about people's obsessions with their smart phones and about how people use camera phones to record events rather than live in those events themselves.  It seems that the only ones concerned with “the Green Ghoulie” is analog-era Mystery Inc, who fit in perfectly with the story's setting, a drive-in movie theater.  This offers an obvious contrast to the rest of the moviegoers who are too jaded to care about “old school” or “retro” things.

Like the reprint story in issue #111, issue 112's back-up story is also a reprint from an earlier issue of Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? rather than from the previous series, Scooby-Doo (1997-2010).  “Creature Feature” (originally published in 2013) is not quite as entertaining as “Attack of the 8-Foot Amphibian!,” but it does offer “Nocturna, Mistress of Midnight,” an homage to the great, real-life horror-hostess, “Elvira, Mistress of the Dark.”  For me, that's enough to make “Creature Feature” a winner.

So, I highly recommend Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #112 to Scooby-Doo fans.  And until next time, Scooby-Dooby-Doo!

A

8 out of 10

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


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#IReadsYou Review: SCOOBY-DOO, Where Are You? #111

SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU? (2010) #111
DC COMICS – @DCComics

STORY: Derek Fridolfs; Sholly Fisch
PENCILS: Valerio Chiola; Fabio Laguna
INKS: Valerio Chiola; Fabio Laguna
COLORS: Valerio Chiola; Heroic Age
LETTERS: Saida Temofonte
EDITORS: Courtney Jordan; Kristy Quinn (reprint)
COVER: Derek Fridolfs with Valerio Chiola
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (October 2021)

Ages 8+

“Crash Test Mummies”

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

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #111 opens with “Crash Test Mummies,” which is written by Derek Fridolfs and drawn by Valerio Chiola.  The story finds Mystery Inc.:  Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, Fred, Daphne, and Velma inside their beloved van, the “Mystery Machine.”  They are in a death race against a mad drag racer that the gang calls the “Spooky Speedster.”

Unfortunately, Mystery Inc. gets the worst of it.  The Mystery Machine crashes into a tree, taking on heavy and extensive damage, and the Spooky Speedster gets away.  Luckily, a mechanic happens to arrive in his tow truck, but so does the local sheriff.  The kids get away without getting a ticket, but the sheriff sends them to traffic school.  More misfortune arrives when the gang discovers that the building where the school is held is haunted by a “Mumbling Mummy.”  Can Scooby and company solve this mystery and get a passing grade in traffic school?

The second story, “On Your Marks, Get Set … Ghost!” is, as usual, a reprint story and is written by Sholly Fisch and drawn by Fabio Laguna.  [This story was originally published in Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #36 (cover date: October 2013).]  The story opens at one of the most challenging “Modcar” racecourses anywhere, the “Terror Track.”  There, we find Mystery Inc helping the world's greatest race car driver, Earl Daleheart.  It seems that the Terror Track's mascot, “Terry the Terror,” has become a real-life monster, terrorizing the track and knocking Daleheart out of the race.  Can the gang solve this mystery, and can Shaggy and Scooby drive a race care?

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #111 is one of the best issues of the series that I have read in a long time.  “Crash Test Mummies” has some beautiful art drawn and colored by Valerio Chiola, and Chiola's graphic design of the characters is one of the best modern takes on the Scooby-Doo franchise – in animation or comic books.  The story by Derek Fridolfs, who is himself quite an accomplished Scooby-Doo comic book artist, is a delight that offers two mysteries.  Fridolfs also does double duty, delivering a striking cover illustration.  As Scooby declares, “Scooby-Dooby-Two!”

This issue may be the first that I have read in which the backup story is a reprint story from this series rather than being from the long-running Scooby-Doo (1997-2010) comic book series, which is usually the source for the backup stories.  Still, “On Your Marks, Get Set … Ghost!” is also a fun story from two other stalwart Scooby-Doo comic book creators, writer Sholly Fisch and artist Fabio Laguna.  Also, some readers will enjoy the fact that the character, Earl Daleheart, is a reference to the late stock car driver and NASCAR racing legend, Dale Earnhardt.

So, I highly recommend Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #111 to Scooby-Doo fans.  And until next time, Scooby-Dooby-Doo!

A-
7.5 out of 10

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


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

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

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

Ages 8+

“Pulp Friction”

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

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

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

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

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

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

B-
5 out of 10

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


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#IReadsYou Review: WILLIAM THE LAST: Flight & Fight #1

WILLIAM THE LAST: FLIGHT & FIGHT No. 1
GUARDIAN KNIGHT STUDIOS

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

CARTOONIST: Brian Shearer – @brian_shearer
24pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (January 2019)

William the Last in a new comic book series created by cartoonist Brian Shearer.  Shearer has worked as a pencil artist, inker, or colorist on several of IDW Publishing's licensed publications, including Ghostbusters, Star Trek, and Transformers.

William the Last chronicles the adventures of an orphan who discovers that his name, “William,” is a forbidden word in a strange kingdom.  William meets Ella, a girl about his age, and she gives him the name “Jacob,” and she introduces him to her parents – her father, Magnus, and her mother, Kathran.  Ella and her people live underground, beneath a decaying kingdom that becomes aware of William's presence and wants him destroyed.

After the opening four-issue series, William the Last, Shearer debuted a second four-issue series, William the Last: Flight & Fight.  The second series finds William attempting to rescue Ella.

As William the Last: Flight & Fight #1 begins, Magnus and Elias (his partner in crime) hide the armor belonging to the Hawk-Rider they... captured.  Magnus has a plan to use it to rescue his daughter, Ella, who has been captured and is imprisoned in the city.  However, young William decides that he should do the rescuing.  Meanwhile, imprisoned Ella shockingly discovers that she and the weird guy in the cell next to hers have a mutual acquaintance.

I thoroughly enjoyed William the Last #1, and I thought that it suggested that the series as a whole could be quite good.  It reminded me of the early issues of Bone, Mouse Guard, and Farlaine the Goblin, three independently published, fantasy comic book series that have the look and feel of classic children's fantasy fiction.  Of course, I was right.  The second, third, and fourth issues of William the Last were and are fantastic reads.

William the Last: Flight & Fight #1 seems to be too good to be true. There is not a wasted page, and every panel of this comic book makes you race to the next one, making you flip through the pages of this comic book like a desperate person.  I don't know why William the Last isn't a big freaking hit with more comic book readers.  It's not perfect, but it's perfect for most readers of comic books that make an attempt at epic fantasy.

Brian Shearer is a fantastic artist and colorist.  It is not so much that he is stylish (which he is); it is that his illustrations are evocative, and so, the emotions in his story come across strongly.  Mood and atmosphere are also evident; William the Last is dark and moody, but the sense of adventure is imbued in every panel.

William the Last feels like a timeless tale.  It could have fit on the shelves or in spinner racks right alongside American comic books of published in any of the last eight decades.  William the Last: Flight & Fight feels like it is ready to grapple with the big adventure and movements of epic fantasy; think The Lord of the Rings or works inspired by it.  The next time you go to the comic book shop, dear reader, say his name.  Shout out for William the Last.

9 out of 10

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


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#IReadsYou Review: SCOOBY-DOO, Where Are You? #109

SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU? (2010) No. 109
DC COMICS

STORY: Derek Fridolfs; Dan Abnett
PENCILS: Scott Jeralds; Anthony Williams
INKS: Scott Jeralds; Dan Davis
COLORS: Jeremy Lawson; Paul Becton
LETTERS: Saida Temofonte; Tom Orzechowski
EDITORS: Courtney Jordan; Joan Hilty (reprint)
COVER: Derek Fridolfs with Pamela Lovas
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (June 2021)

Ages 8+

“Escape Claws”

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

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #109 opens with “Escape Claws,” which is written by Derek Fridolfs and drawn by Scott Jeralds.  Mystery Inc.:  Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, Fred, Daphne, and Velma have been called to “Coolsville Escape Room.”  George Papalakis, the owner of an indoor competition game, “Escapades,” wants them to test the game (which is similar to “Laser Tag,” but without the shooting).  Apparently, a “chimera,” a mythological creature that is composed of a lion, a goat, and a snake, is haunting the place?  Can Mystery Inc, solve this case and escape the claws of the chimera.

The second story, “Petrified!,” is, as usual, a reprint story and is written by Dan Abnett and drawn by Anthony Williams and Dan Davis.  [This story was originally published as the back-up story in Scooby-Doo #70 (cover date: May 2003).]  The gang has been called to a town that is being plagued by a “basilisk.”  Originating from Europe, this mythological creature was a winged lizard that could turn people to stone when it stared at them.  However, Mystery Inc. knows that there is more to the townsfolk's stories than they are admitting.

The theme of this issue is mythological creatures, and while the concept for each story is interesting, the execution of each story is, to be quite honest, awful.  As usual, I like the quirky line work and delicate design and page layouts of artist Scott Jeralds.  He makes “Escape Claws” at least pleasant on the eyes.  Otherwise, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #109 is a low point in this series.

So, I recommend Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #109 strictly to readers who are collecting all issues of this series.  And until next time, Scooby-Dooby-Doo!

C
4 out of 10

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


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#IReadsYou Review: DC SUPER HERO GIRLS: Finals Crisis

DC SUPER HERO GIRLS: FINALS CRISIS
DC COMICS/DC Zoom – @DCComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Shea Fontana
ART: Yancey Labat
COLORS: Monica Kubina
LETTERS: Janice Chiang
EDITOR: Marie Javins
ISBN: 978-1-4012-6247-1; paperback; (June 29, 2016)
128pp, Color, $9.99 U.S., $11.99 CAN

Age Range: 8 to 12

DC Super Hero Girls is an action figure franchise and animated web series that began in 2015.  It features high school versions of classic and popular female DC Comics characters, as well as some male characters.  The DC Super Hero Girls line has already been rebooted and re-branded, and now includes an animated television series, various consumer products, and both print and digital comics.

DC Super Hero Girls: Finals Crisis is the debut entry in the DC Super Hero Girls original graphic novel series.  It was first published in June 2016, and, as of this writing, the ninth graphic novel in the series is about to be published.  Finals Crisis is written by Shea Fontana; drawn by Yancey Labat; colored by Monica Kubina; and lettered by Janice Chiang.  Finals Crisis focuses on the core group of friends that includes Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Batgirl, Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, Katana, and Bumblebee.

DC Super Hero Girls: Finals Crisis opens at Super Hero High in the city of Metropolis.  Principal Amanda Waller and vice-principal Gorilla Grodd are generally tough on the students, and especially now because of semester finals, which are just a day away.  Supergirl, Bumblebee, Wonder Woman, Batgirl, Harley Quinn, Katana, and Poison Ivy are all studying hard, but they are also breaking rules.  That puts them in danger, making it easier for a mysterious villain to trap them.  Will these super hero girls outsmart their captor in time to make it to school for finals?

I have been putting off reading DC Super Hero Girls: Finals Crisis since I first heard about it a few years ago.  I finally got a copy when I decided to cash in a gift certificate, and the verdict is that I like it.  DC Super Hero Girls: Finals Crisis is the kind of comic book that the seven-year-old me would have loved when I first starting reading books.  I would have loved just looking at the pictures, as my nephew loved looking at the pictures in the Spider-Man comic books that I gave him when he was four or five-years old.

The art by Finals Crisis artist Yancey Labat is just fun to look at.  He draws big, round faces and big, expressive eyes on the characters, which will pull in a young reader.  The art is drawn in a big and open manner, but Labat depicts the backgrounds and environments in nice detail.  Colorist Monica Kubina layers paint-like coloring over Labat's art, which makes it stand out.  Janice Chiang letters the art with a variety of fonts that perfectly capture the moments, moods, and action of the story.

DC Super Hero Girls: Finals Crisis may not be a great comic book for adult readers, but I bet elementary school and middle grade readers will think it's great.  I can certainly see myself reading another volume... or two... or three.  Why not?  DC Super Hero Girls: Finals Crisis captures the fun and sense of wonder that is inherent in DC Comics characters and in the comic books in which they star.

7.5 out of 10

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


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#IReadsYou Review: ARCHIE & FRIENDS: SUPERHERO #1

ARCHIE & FRIENDS: SUPERHEROES No. 1
ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS, INC.

STORY: Ian Flynn
PENCILS: Pat & Tim Kennedy; Jeff Shultz
INKS: Jim Amash; Bob Smith
COLORS: Glenn Whitmore
LETTERS: Jack Morelli
EDITOR: Victor Gorelick
COVER: Pat & Tim Kennedy and Bob Smith with Rosario “Tito” Peña
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (July 2021)

Rating: All-Ages

M.L.J. Magazines, Inc. began in 1939 and primarily published superhero comics.  Then, a character named “Archie Andrews” and his friends made their debut in M.L.J.'s Pep Comics #22 (cover dated: December 1941), and before long Archie was the publisher's headliner character.  In 1946, the company changed its named to Archie Comic Publications, also known as “Archie Comics.”

Over time, Archie and his friends would become known as “Archie and the Gang.”  In 1992, Archie Comics began publishing the title Archie & Friends, and it would run for 159 issues, ceasing publication in 2012.  Since then, Archie has published a number of single-issue Archie & Friends titles built around a theme, such as Archie & Friends: Fall Festival, Archie & Friends: Beach Party, and Archie & Friends: Back to School.

Archie & Friends: Superheroes #1 is the newest Archie & Friends themed release.  This single-issue comic book contains four five-page stories depicting the super heroics of Archie and the Gang.  It also features some appearances by classic Archie superhero characters like Bob Phantom and Blackjack.

Bob Phantom was created by writer Harry Shorten and artist Irv Novick and is from the “Golden Age of Comics.”  Bob Phantom debuted in Blue Ribbon Comics #2 (cover dated: December 1939) and was “the Scourge of the Underworld.”  He disappeared from comics after 1942, and did not reappear again until 1964.  The Blackjack that appears in Archie & Friends: Superheroes is a modern version of the M.L.J. Character, “Black Jack,” who first appeared in the publisher's Zip Comics #20 (cover dated: November 1941).  After 1943, the character disappeared until a single appearance in the 1960s.

Bob Phantom and Blackjack are apparently among a group of MLJ/Archie Comics superhero characters that reappear from time to time.  They each appear in two stories in Archie & Friends: Superheroes #1, which is actually a reprint title.  The four stories that comprise Archie & Friends: Superheroes #1 were published or reprinted in one or two of the following titles:  Archie (Jumbo Comics) Double Digest #297, Archie Giant Comics Gala 2019, Archie Giant Comics Hop 2019, World of Archie Double Digest May, and B&V Friend Jumbo Comics.

Two humorous Archie Comics superheroes also appear in this comic book.  The first is an updated version of “Powerteen,” the superhero identity of classic Archie character, Veronica Lodge, who first appeared in 2001.  The second is “Pureheart,” a modern take on Archie Andrews' superhero heroic identity, “Pureheart the Powerful,” who first appeared in 1965.

Archie & Friends: Superheroes #1 opens with “From Zero to Hero,” written by Ian Flynn; drawn by Pat & Tim Kennedy (pencils) and Bob Smith (inks); colored by Glenn Whitemore; and lettered by Jack Morelli.  Veronica has managed to snag an invitation to her father, Hiram Lodge's charity ball for Archie.  But when the guest of honor, superhero Bob Phantom, appears, Archie makes a mess of the evening's plans.

The same creative team (except for Jim Amash replacing Bob Smith on inks) returns for “Secret Identities.”  The story finds Archie and his pal, Jughead Jones, at the “Riverdale Comic Expo,” where Archie becomes confused about Bob Phantom's identity.

The third story is “Hidden Agenda!”  It is written by Ian Flynn; drawn by Jeff Shultz (pencils) and Jim Amash (inks); colored by Glen Whitmore; and lettered by Jack Morelli.  Veronica's Powerteen joins Blackjack in order to find out who is stealing from her father, Hiram's secret wall safe.  But a hidden agenda may complicate solving this mystery.

The creative team returns (with Bob Smith replacing Jim Amash on inks) for this comic book's final story, “Pureheart Rescue!”  Blackjack and Powerteen have to rescue Archie who has been kidnapped by “goons” working for Lucky Lavitto (an adversary of the original 1940s Black Jack).  So Blackjack and Powerteen are wondering why Archie doesn't simply become his superhero identity, Pureheart” and save himself.  Yeah, why is that?

THE LOWDOWN:   Archie & Friends: Superheroes #1 is a classic-style Archie Comics titles.  That means the cover and interior comic book art are drawn in a style that is similar to the classic Archie Comics house style.  This style was based on the art of beloved Archie artist, the late Dan DeCarlo (1919-2001), who was fired from Archie Comics shortly before his death.

Over the last decade, Archie Comics has adopted new art styles and graphic presentations for its comics publications, as it has sought to attract, young adult, teen, and older readers with new publications and updated and modernized versions of its its characters.  I have enjoyed what little of the modern Archie Comics that I have read, but I grew up on classic-style Archie Comics.

I am happy with Archie & Friends: Superheroes #1.  These stories aren't great, but I enjoyed them anyway.  In fact, I would like to see more stories of MLJ/Archie superheroes presented in this humorous fashion.

I also want to give a shout out to the creative teams, especially Jack Morelli, who is one of my favorite comic book letterers.  I also have to acknowledge colorist Glenn Whitmore, whose colors make the art by the Kennedys and Jeff Shultz seem to pop off the page.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of classic-style Archie Comics and of MLJ/Archie Comics superheroes will want to find a copy of  Archie & Friends: Superheroes #1.

B
6 out of 10

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


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#IReadsYou Review: DEAR JUSTICE LEAGUE

DEAR JUSTICE LEAGUE
DC COMICS/DC Zoom – @DCComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Michael Northrop
ART: Gustavo Duarte
COLORS: Marcelo Maiolo
LETTERS: Wes Abbott
EDITOR: Sara Miller
ISBN: 978-1-4012-8413-8; paperback; (July 31, 2019 – Diamond / August 6, 2019)
176pp, Color, $9.99 U.S., $13.50 CAN

Age Range: 8 to 12

Dear Justice League is a 2019 original graphic novel staring DC Comics' marquee super-team, the Justice League.  It is written by Michael Northrop; drawn by Gustavo Duarte; colored by Marcelo Mailol; and lettered by Wes Abbot.  Dear Justice League features some of the greatest superheroes of all time answering questions sent to them by young fans via text, email, and letter.

Dear Justice League was originally published under DC Comics' “DC Zoom” imprint, which offered original graphic novels for readers that were 8 to 12-years-old or that were classified as “middle grade” (MG) readers.  DC discontinued many of its imprints in 2019, so Dear Justice League would now fit under a new designation (“DC Graphic Novels for Young Readers”?).

Dear Justice League finds its members going about their usual business, but they occasionally take time to answer questions sent to them by young fans.  In a “Dear Superman” letter, the Man of Steel is asked, “have you ever messed up?”  In “Dear Hawkgirl,” the high-flying hero, who is also known as Kendra Saunders, is asked if she, as Hawkgirl, eats small animals.  In “Dear Aquaman,” Black Manta has high-jacked a nuclear submarine, but Aquaman wonders if he smells like fish, as one fan has asked.

In “Dear Wonder Woman,” a young fan who is about to turn 11-years-old wants to know if Wonder Woman remembers her eleventh birthday.  In “Dear Flash,” two envious boys, “T-Bone” and “J-Dawg,” pose a time-centered challenge to “the fastest man alive” via a dishonest question.  In “Green Lantern,” the newest Lantern, Simon Baz, is asked if he has ever suffered a fashion faux pas.

In “Dear Cyborg,” a young fan asks for Cyborg's screen name so that the fan can challenge the hero in an online video game.  Meanwhile, Cyborg/Victor Stone is monitoring a possible alien invasion.  In “Dear Batman,” the new kid in town asks Batman if he has ever been the new kid in town.  Finally, in “Dear Justice League,” eight of the world's greatest heroes, the Justice League, battle an invasion of “Insectoids” from the planet, “Molt-On.”  So a fourth-grade class sends a letter asking the members of the League, “How do you always manage to show up just in time and save the day?”

Well, how do they do it?  And have they done it this time in order to stop an Insectoid invasions?

I am slowly making my way through DC Comics's first wave of original “DC Zoom” and “DC Ink” titles.  I still have a few to read before the lines were discontinued.  I have to say that I am quite surprised by how much I like Dear Justice League.  It is not a great work, because it has some missteps, but it is exceptional because there is nothing else like it on the superhero comic book market.

In Dear Justice League, Michael Northrop has written a funny comic book, and some of the fan questions are quite good.  Asking Aquaman if he smells like fish falls flat, although asking Hawkgirl if she eats small animals seems just perfect.  Asking Wonder Woman to recount her eleventh birthday strikes the right story notes, and that question carries over into “Dear Flash,” in a clever little bit about two jealous boys.  Batman gets a great question – has he ever been the new kid in town – but Northrop doesn't execute the answer as well as he could have.

Gustavo Duarte's illustrations and graphical storytelling are perfect for a kids-oriented Justice League comic book like Dear Justice League.  His stretchy drawing style, which recalls classic Looney Tunes cartoon shorts of the 1940s and 1950s, captures the funny side of the eight particular heroes of Dear Justice League.

Marcelo Mailol's colors on Duarte's art look as if he used color pencils and also recall classic four-color comic book coloring (but is better than most of it was back in the day).  Letterer Wes Abbot turns on a symphony of lettering fonts that provide a colorful and varied graphical soundtrack for a story that offers a lot of different sounds, from the noise of battle to the rackets of errors and mistakes.

I highly recommend Dear Justice League to readers who want to share Justice League comic books with younger readers.  It would also be nice as a semi-regular series.

B+
7 out of 10

Dear Justice League includes the following extras:

• A six-page preview of the original graphic novel, Dear Super-Villains, by Michael Northrop and Gustavo Duarte
• A six-page preview of the original graphic novel, Superman of Smallville, by Art Baltazar and Franco
• the two-page, “Hall of Justice Top Secret Files”
• the one-page, “Auxiliary Members” (pets of the Justice League)
• biographies of Michael Northrop and Gustavo Duarte
• “Dear Michael Northrop,” a letter from younger Michael Northrop to older Michael
• a mock-up of a page of lined paper so that the reader can write a letter to the Justice League
• bonus illustrations

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


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

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#IReadsYou Review: SUPERMAN SMASHES THE KLAN #1

SUPERMAN SMASHES THE KLAN No. 1 (OF 3)
DC COMICS

[This review was originally published on Patreon.]

STORY: Gene Luen Yang
ART: Gurihiru
COLORS: Gurihiru
LETTERS: Janice Chiang
COVER: Gurihiru
VARIANT COVER ARTIST: Kyle Baker
80pp, Color, $7.99 U.S. (October 2019)

Rated “E” for “Everyone”

Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster

Part One

Superman is the most famous DC Comics superhero characters.  Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, Superman first appeared in Action Comics #1 (cover dated: June 1938).  Superman was first a baby named “Kal-El” shot into space via rocket from the doomed planet, Krypton.  Brought to Earth by that rocket ship (or space craft), Baby Kal was adopted by Martha and Thomas Kent of Smallville, Kansas.

They named their new adopted baby, “Clark Kent.”  Earth's yellow sun gave Clark amazing powers, and he used those strange powers and abilities to become the superhero, Superman.  As a character Superman was an immediate hit.  In the 1940s, Superman was not only the star of comic books, but also of movie serials, novels, and radio serials.

The Adventures of Superman was a long-running radio serial that originally aired from 1940 to 1951, originating on New York City's WOR radio station and eventually being syndicated nationally by the Mutual Broadcasting Company.  One of The Adventures of Superman story arcs was “Clan of the Fiery Cross,” which found Superman fighting an racist and terrorist organization that was a fictional stand-in for the Ku Klux Klan (KKK).

The “Clan of the Fiery Cross” is the inspiration for a new young readers and “all ages” Superman three-issue, comic book miniseries, Superman Smashes the Klan.  Acclaimed comic book creator, Gene Luen Yang (American Born Chinese, Superman), is the writer of Superman Smashes the Klan, presenting his personal retelling of the adventures of the “Lee family” (the target in the original radio serial) as they team up with Superman to smash the Klan.  Superman Smashes the Klan is drawn and colored by Gurihiru and lettered by Janice Chiang.

Superman Smashes the Klan #1 opens in 1946 at the Metropolis Dam.  There, Superman smashes “the Atom Man,” a Nazi-inspired villain seeking to avenge the “humiliation” of the “master race.”  Witnessing Superman's victory is Lois Lane, the star reporter of Metropolis newspaper, The Daily Planet; and Jimmy Olsen, a cub reporter for the Planet; and Inspector William Henderson (an African-American character) of the Metropolis Police Department.  Shortly after the battle, Superman is overcome by a powerful smell that emanates from the device that powers the Atom Man.

Meanwhile, Dr. Lee, a scientist, is moving his wife and two children, Roberta and Tommy, from Chinatown to the new home located in a neighborhood in Metropolis.  Tommy quickly adjusts to his new home, even joining a baseball team that was started by a local religious organization (“The Unity House”) and is managed by Jimmy Olsen.  Roberta struggles, feeling awkward and out of place.

You see Dr. Lee and his wife are Chinese immigrants to the United States, but their Roberta and Tommy were born in America.  Although the family tries to fit in with their new neighbors, they have drawn the ire and attention of a dangerous racist and terrorist organization, “the Klan of the Fiery Kross.”  Now, Superman must help protect a family and perhaps save three children from the evils of racism and bigotry.

If I remember correctly, Superman Smashes the Klan was announced early last year (2018), so it has been long-awaited and eagerly-awaited.  And I am not at all disappointed; in fact, I am absolutely thrilled.  It is one of the most enjoyable Superman comic books that I have ever read.  If the remainder of the series delights me as much as this first issue did, I might call Superman Smashes the Klan an instant classic.

Writer Gene Luen Yang and artist Gurihiru seem to act as one creative unit, fashioning a story that captures the true all-American spirit of Superman.  That spirit conjures the Man of Steel as a fighter for the little guy; a model of fair play and honesty, and a champion of truth, justice, and the American way.  Yang's depiction of Roberta Lee is superb character writing, delving into the struggles of a pre-teen girl who is trying to adjust to a new life and new neighbors.  However, I also like that Yang has made Roberta a fighter and a budding champion of justice in her own right.

Giruhiru's lovely art, with its Walt Disney-like qualities, might be called “cartoony,” but it is also true to the spirit of the clean, somewhat minimalist comic book art of American comic books' first three decades, especially the comic book art of the 1950s and early 1960s.  On the other hand, Giruhiru's compositions are clearly inspired by the kinetic and expressive nature of animated films and television series.  Giruhiru's graphical storytelling is also powerful and immediate, and her glorious colors pop off the page.  Paired with Janice Chiang's classic-cool lettering, Giruhiru's art and colors recall the graphic classicism of Darwyn Cooke's DC: The New Frontier (DC Comics, 2004).

Superman Smashes the Klan #1 also includes the first part of a feature article or essay by Gene Luen Yang that discusses the history of the Ku Klux Klan and its history of violence against African-Americans after the civil war and against Chinese immigrants.  The essay also concerns the history of the persecution of Chinese immigrants and Yang's personal background.

Obviously, I love Superman Smashes the Klan #1 and can't wait for the second issue or graphic novel (because this series is really like a graphic novel miniseries).  By the way, I must congratulate Yang for making the saying of the slur, “ching-chong,” feel like someone is saying “nigger.”

[This comic book includes the essay, “Superman and Me, Part 1,” by Gene Luen Yang.]

A+
10 out of 10

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

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#IReadsYou Review: SCOOBY-DOO, Where Are You? #108

SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU? (2010) No. 108
DC COMICS – @DCComics

STORY: Sholly Fisch, Alex Simmons
PENCILS: Walter Carzon; Leo Batic
INKS: Horacio Ottolini
COLORS: Silvana Brys; Paul Becton and Sno Cone
LETTERS: Saida Temofonte; Rob Leigh
EDITORS: Courtney Jordan; Joan Hilty (reprint)
COVER: Walter Carzon and Horacio Ottolini with Silvana Brys
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (April 2021)

Ages 8+

“The Devil (Dog) You Say?”

Welcome, dear readers, to my continuing journey through the Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? comic book series, which began publication in 2010.  I renewed my subscription (for a second time), and this is the tenth issue of my third subscription run that I have received.

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #108 opens with “The Devil (Dog) You Say?,” which is written by Sholly Fisch and drawn by Walter Carzon and Horacio Ottolini.  Mystery Inc.:  Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, Fred, Daphne, and Velma have been called to a “house on the moors.”  The caller is one William Gottrich III, and his home is under siege by the monstrous “Devil Dog.”

Gottrich has already called on three other individuals for help.  There is Tom Katt of Animal Control, whom the dog has trapped in the house since the previous day.  Next, is Professor Rosetta Stone, the county historian, who believes the Devil Dog is really the legendary “Hound of the Moors,” that brings doom to anyone that sets foot on the moors.  Finally, there is Madame Persona Nongrata, a noted psychic who believes that the dog is a messenger from the “demonic underworld” sent to drag its victims back to its “fiery realm.”

So what can Mystery Inc. do?  Well, it seems that this is a case that only Scooby and Shaggy can solve!

The second story, “Prisoner of the Ghost in the Iron Mask,” is, as usual, a reprint story and is written by Alex Simmons and drawn by Leo Batic and Horatio Ottolini.  [This story was originally published as the back-up story in Scooby-Doo #79 (cover date: February 2004).]   Mystery Inc. is in the country of “Morovania,” smuggled there by Princess Adora.  The princess needs to the gang to solve the mystery of the “Ghost in the Iron Mask,” which has been chasing off any man who might marry Adora.  The ghost has been haunting Adora's family, on and off, for generations, but hopefully it won't take Scooby and company that long to solve this ghostly mystery.

Ever since I first saw the 1939 film, The Hound of the Baskervilles (starring Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes), I have been fascinated by the film's story, which was based on the 1902 Sherlock Holmes novel, The Hound of the Baskervilles (written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle).  I often find myself enjoying other adaptations of the novel, including humorous adaptations or spins on the story, like “The Devil (Dog) You Say?”  Of course, I enjoyed the story and the art by the team of Walter Carzon and Horacio Ottolini.  Actually, I pretty much like any Scooby-Doo story they draw.  I also like that writer Sholly Fisch gave all four guest/supporting characters enough personality and background to make them interesting or, at least, good comic relief.

“Prisoner of the Ghost in the Iron Mask,” this issue's reprint story, is notable mainly because of the slightly offbeat way pencil artist Leo Batic draws the Mystery Inc. characters.  Batic's interpretation of Shaggy, with an expressive rubbery face and wiry, bendable body, stands out.

So, I recommend Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #108 to fans of Scooby-Doo stories set in haunted mansions and castles.  And until next time, Scooby-Dooby-Doo!

B
6 out of 10

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


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou Review: TEEN TITANS: Raven

TEEN TITANS: RAVEN
DC COMICS/DC Ink – @DCComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Kami Garcia
ART: Gabriel Picolo with Jon Sommariva and Emma Kubert
COLORS: David Calderon
LETTERS: Tom Napolitano
ISBN:  978-1-4012-8623-1; paperback; (June 26, 2019)
192pp, Color, $16.99 U.S., $22.99 CAN

Rated: “Everyone”; Age Range: 12 and up

Raven created by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez

Raven is a female DC Comics superhero.  Created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Pérez, Raven first appeared in a special insert in the DC Comics digest magazine, DC Comics Presents #26 (cover dated:  October 1980).  She was one of the new members of a revamped version of the DC Comics teen superhero group, Teen Titans, that launched in The New Teen Titans #1 (cover dated:  November 1980).

Raven was the daughter of a human mother and a demon father (named Trigon).  Raven was a powerful empath who could sense the emotions of others.  She could also project her “soul-self,” which took the form of a large shadowy, Raven-like figure.

DC Comics introduces a new version of Raven in the original graphic novel, Teen Titans: Raven, published under the “DC Ink” imprint.  Recently made defunct, “DC Ink” offered original graphic novels for readers 13-years-old and older.  DC Ink titles, according to DC Comics, featured coming-of-age stories that encouraged teens to ask themselves who they are and how they relate to others.  [DC Ink is now known as “DC Graphic Novels for Young Adults.”]

Teen Titans: Raven is written by bestselling author, Kami Garcia.  Garcia is the author of “The Legion” young adult novel series and with Margaret Stohl, is the co-author of the “Caster Chronicles” series (the best known being the 2009 novel, Beautiful Creatures).  Teen Titans: Raven is illustrated by Gabriel Picolo with the assistance of Jon Sommariva and Emma Kubert.  David Calderon colors the art, and Tom Napolitano is the letterer.  Teen Titans: Raven focus on a teen girl who moves to New Orleans to live with her late foster mother's family, as she struggles with memory loss and with the strange visions and voices she experiences.

Teen Titans: Raven opens in Atlanta, Georgia where we meet 17-year-old Rachel “Raven” Roth and her foster mother, Viviane Navarro, just before a tragic accident takes Viviane's life.  Three weeks later, Raven is in New Orleans living with Viviane's sister, Natalia Navarro, and her daughter, Maxine, also called “Max.”

Raven is trying to finish her senior year in high school, but starting over isn't easy – especially when you suffer from memory issues.  Raven remembers how to solve math equations and make pasta, but she can’t remember things like what were her favorite songs, favorite books, or even her favorite candy.  Raven does not know who she was before the accident.  Luckily, Raven grows closer to her foster sister, Max, and Max's circle of friends accepts Raven.  There is even a persistent boy, Tommy Torres, who is crushing on Raven and who accepts her for who she is now.

Still, Raven hears voices in her head, and she can seem to make people do things she thinks about them doing.  Some of her dreams seem to be about things that people actually do in the waking world, and sometimes, a dark figure haunts her dreams.  And everyone around her apparently has secrets:  Natalia, Max, and even Tommy.  And worst of all, what secrets are Raven's lost memories hiding from her?

Including the two previous “DC Ink” graphic novels that I have thus far read. Mera: Tidebreaker and Under the Moon: A Catwoman Tale, Teen Titans: Raven is the best written.  That is saying something because the Mera and Catwoman graphic novels were wonderfully engaging stories.  I think what I like about Teen Titans: Raven so much is that writer Kami Garcia focuses on the notion that what is important is what a person is now in the present.  What is less important is who you were, so while it is important that Raven regains her memories, she can be a good person regardless of her past and without her memories of her past.

Garcia also fills Teen Titans: Raven with so many wonderful supporting characters.  Garcia portrays Natalia, Max, and Tommy with such engaging personalities and with so many intriguing secrets that each could be the star of her or his own graphic novel.  Without spoiling anything, I can say that there is a female army (of sorts) that could carry a miniseries or a maxiseries or even an ongoing series.

Gabriel Picolo's art is so evocative, especially in portraying emotions and attitudes.  Picolo's graphical storytelling is at once a high school melodrama and then a tale of mystery and magic.  He balances the natural and the mundane with the supernatural and spectacular with the deftness of a veteran comic book artist.  Picolo's striking cover illustration also makes Teen Titans: Raven hard to ignore on a bookshelf.  Teen Titans: Raven doesn't have DC Ink's best art, but Picolo is good.  [I am still declaring “best art” for Under the Moon: A Catwoman Tale.]

David Calderon's mercurial coloring adds to the sense of magic and mystery.  Calderon's use of two-color in some sequences and his juxtaposition of multi-color and two-tones matches the fragmented state of Raven's memories.  Letterer Tom Napolitano captures all the modes and moods of Garcia's story and Picolo's art, conveying the narrative while suggesting the ethereal.  That is a magic trick.

Teen Titans: Raven is the best Teen Titans-related comic book that I have read in several years.  After three DC Ink titles (and one DC Zoom title), I can say that, right now, DC Comics' best publications are its original graphic novels for juvenile readers.

9 out of 10

Teen Titans: Raven contains the following extras and back matter:

• two author biographical pages
• an 11-page,  full-color preview of the graphic novel, Teen Titans: Beast Boy, from Kami Garcia and Gabriel Picolo and David Calderon

Reviewed by Leory 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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#IReadsYou Review: QUINCREDIBLE Vol. 1

QUINCREDIBLE, VOL. 1
ONI PRESS/THE LION FORGE

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Rodney Barnes
ART: Selina Espiritu
COLORS: Kelly Fitzpatrick
LETTERS: AW's Tom Napolitano
EDITOR: Jasmine Amiri and Steenz
ISBN: 978-15493-0282-4; paperback (June 4, 2019)
144pp., Color, $14.99 U.S.

Reading age: 13 to 16 years; Grades 7 to 9

Quincredible is a five-issue comic book series from The Lion Forge.  The series focuses on a teen boy who tries to live his best life by being a superhero.  Quincredible is written by Rodney Barnes; drawn by Selina Espiritu, colored by Kelly Fitzpatrick, and lettered by Tom Napolitano.  Quincredible #1 to #5 (November 2018 to March 2019) was collected in the 2019 trade paperback, Quincredible Vol. 1: Quest to Be The Best.  [My review is based on the comiXology digital edition of the 2019 print edition of Quincredible Vol. 1.]

Quincredible Vol. 1 is set in New Orleans, Louisiana in the aftermath of two monumental events.  The first is Hurricane Katrina (2005), which has left the city's most vulnerable communities in an even more precarious position.  The second event is a meteor shower, which apparently bestowed super-powers on some humans directly exposed to the meteorites.  The people who gain powers from the meteors are called the “Enhanced.”

The story focuses on 15-year-old Quinton, also known as “Quin,” an African-American high school sophomore.  Quin is a familiar black American teenager.  He has a room full of electronics and gizmos, and he is especially adept at adapting them and inventing new versions.  Quin is also trying to navigate the social dynamics of both his neighborhood and his high school, and the former is characterized by power structures of systematic racism and of the white patriarchy.

However, Quin is also different.  He was exposed to the meteor show, and the powers he gained as a byproduct of that exposure are not flashy.  He has the power of invulnerability, but to Quin, he is “just invulnerable.” Still, Quin wants to make the world, especially his city, a better place.  So he is going to have to get creative if his 120-pound body and his invulnerability are going to save the day.

THE LOWDOWN:  What Quincredible writer Rodney Barnes presents in Quin is a familiar portrait of a black American teenager.  In terms of superhero comic books, Barnes offers in Quin the portrait of an American teenager as a superhero, a kind that is both familiar and classic.

In previous reviews, I have said that the former DC Comics/Milestone Media comic book series, Static, especially Static #1 to 4 (June to September 1993), reminded me of classic Spider-Man comic books.  I am thinking specifically of The Amazing Spider-Man #1 to 38 (March 1963 to July 1966) and The Amazing Spider-Man Annuals #1 and (1964-65), all produced by Steve Ditko and Stan Lee.  I felt that classic Spider-Man vibe again when Marvel Comics introduced the new Black-Latino Spider-Man, Miles Morales.  Ultimate Spider-Man (2011) #1 to #10 (November 2011 to July 2012) recalls both classic Ditko-Lee Spider-Man and Static.  Like Marvel's Miles Morales, Milestone's Static the superhero is also an African-American teenager, Virgil Ovid Hawkins.

Now, the holy trinity of vibes is complete.  Quincredible reminds me of the original Spider-Man comic books, although Quincredible is closer to Static and Miles Morales Spider-Man, for obvious reasons.  Barnes tells a story of an ambitious and brave African-American teenage male who takes on the role of being a superhero because it is the right thing to do and not because a family tragedy spurred him to do so.  I like that what Barnes offers is a journey of discovery and of possibility, and it is also done with a positive and inquisitive vibe that I think young and teen readers need, especially young readers of color.

Artist Selina Espiritu creates graphical storytelling that is riveting and thrilling without being dark and scary.  Her storytelling also draws the reader into the world of Quincredible, and her clean drawing style, which emphasizes cartooning over realism, is perfect for a young adult graphic novel, which is what Quincredible Vol. 1 is.  Colorist Kelly Fitzpatrick's colors jump off the page, and veteran letterer, Tom Napolitano, creates a sense of non-stop action and high drama.

Barnes and Espiritu ground Quincredible in reality, giving the story an earthy tone that captures life in a unique locale like New Orleans.  Still, they maintain those elements of the fantastic that are crucial to comic books and graphic novels.

Quincredible Vol. 1: Quest to Be the Best is scheduled to come back into print February 23, 2021.  This is a second chance to experience what I think is a great new teenage superhero in the classic tradition.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS: Readers looking for middle-grade and young adult graphic novels in the tradition of Spider-Man, Static Shock, and Miles Morales-Spider-Man will want to try Quincredible Vol. 1.

9 out of 10

[This comic book includes a “Cover Gallery” and “Making of Quincredible,” and “Concept Sketches.”]

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


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#IReadsYou Review: SCOOBY-DOO, Where Are You? #107

SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU? #107 (2010)
DC COMICS – @DCComics

STORY: Derek Fridolfs; John Rozum
PENCILS: Randy Elliot; Cameron Stewart
INKS: Randy Elliot; Andrew Pepoy
COLORS: Pamela Lovas; Paul Becton
LETTERS: Saida Temofonte; John Costanza
EDITORS: Courtney Jordan; Joan Hilty (reprint)
COVER: Derek Fridolfs with Pamela Lovas
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (February 2021)

Ages 8+

“Striking Terror”

Welcome, dear readers, to my continuing journey through the Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? comic book series, which began publication in 2010.  I renewed my subscription (for a second time), and this is the ninth issue of my third subscription run that I have received.

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #107 opens with “Striking Terror,” which is written by Derek Fridolfs and drawn by Randy Elliot.  Mystery Inc.:  Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, Fred, Daphne, and Velma solved “The Mystery of the Terror-Dactyl” a day earlier.  Now, it's time for a day off, and the Coolsville bowling alley is the place to be on a Friday night.

The gang aren't the only ones that feel that way because “Coolsville Bowl” is packed.  However, electrical problems are causing the bowling pins on several lanes to freeze, which means the kids are going to have to wait for a lane to open up for them.  Lanes may become available soon though, as the the ghostly and headless “Skulldugger” is haunting the place.  Using his bowling ball, which glows with a cackling green skull inside, the Skulldugger wants everyone to leave the bowling alley.  Looks like Mystery Inc. will have a mystery to solve after all

The second story, “Witch Pitch,” is, as usual, a reprint story and is written by John Rozum and drawn by Cameron Stewart and Andrew Pepoy.  [This story was originally published as the back-up story in Scooby-Doo #37 (cover date: August 2000).]   Once again, Scooby and company are looking for an opportunity to sit down and have some fun.  This time they are at Maize Field for a game featuring Fred's favorite baseball team, the Nebraska Corndogs.  The evening is nearly ruined when a witch flies in on her broom and puts a curse on Corndogs pitcher Hector Martinez, just as she recently did to his teammate, “Spanky” Schultz.  Time to chase a witch!

Ever since I first started watching the seminal Scooby-Doo Saturday morning cartoon, “Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!” (1969-70), so many decades ago, I have been a fan of the green-hued specters and haunts that Mystery Inc. has chased.  “Striking Terror” is an average story as the stories in this series go, but I love the look of the Skulldugger as drawn by Randy Elliot and colored by Pamela Lovas.

“Witch Pitch” is a good story, and I would would like to see it adapted into one of those direct-to-DVD films that Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has been releasing since 1998's Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island.  Also, I think this is the first time that I have come across the idea that Fred is a baseball fan and that the kids like to bowl.

So, I recommend Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #107 to fans of Scooby-Doo haunted sports stories.  And until next time, Scooby-Dooby-Doo!

B
6 out of 10

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


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou Review: KORGI: The Cosmic Collector

KORGI (BOOK 2): THE COSMIC COLLECTOR
TOP SHELF PRODUCTIONS

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

CARTOONIST: Christian Slade
ISBN:  978-1-60309-010-0; paperback with French flaps (June 2008)
88pp, B&W interiors; full-color, double-spread cover; $10.00 U.S.

Korgi created by Ann and Christian Slade

Korgi (Book 2): The Cosmic Collector is a 2008 original graphic novel from writer-artist Christian Slade.  A paperback original with black and white interior art, The Cosmic Collector is the second in a series of five graphic novels.  The stories focus on two lead characters.  The first is Ivy, a young woman who his a “Mollie,” a woodland people who have fairy-like wings.  Then, there is Sprout, her “Korgi” (a kind of corgi) pup.  Their adventures take place in and around their home of “Korgi Hollow,” a village set in a faraway, pastoral land of woods, mountains, lakes, and cliffs.

The Korgi series is a pantomime or wordless comic, in which the story is told without word balloons, sound effects, caption boxes, or any other kind of text.  The Korgi series is ostensibly a children’s and young readers series, but it is also an “all-ages” comic that teenage and adult readers can also enjoy.  The fifth and final entry in the series, Korgi (Book 5): End of Seasons, is due in March 2021 (as of this writing).  Christian Slade is a comic book creator and former animator for the Walt Disney Company, where he worked on the 2003 animated feature film, Brother Bear.

Korgi (Book 2): The Cosmic Collector opens with a word or two from Wart, the scroll-keeper and historian of Korgi Hollow.  Next, one morning, Ivy and Sprout begin one of their usual jaunts through the forest near their home.  There, they discover fellow Mollie-Korgi duo, Art and Wanda, in a trap.  Soon, Ivy and Sprout discover that someone or something is clipping off the wings of Mollies.

Not long after their rescue mission, Ivy and Sprout encounter a peculiar creature, “Black 7,” and his maniacal companions, the “Bots.”  What is their connection to these grave assaults on the Mollies, and is Ivy at risk of losing her wings?

THE LOWDOWN:  I originally read Korgi (Book 1): Sprouting Wings thanks to a review “galley” copy I received from the book's publisher, Top Shelf Productions, back in 2007.  At the time, I never got around to reading the books that followed in the series, although I meant to do so.

I never forgot Korgi, and earlier this year, I turned to eBay and found someone selling the first two books in the series as a set.  Korgi (Book 2): The Cosmic Collector is like the first book in the series.  However, it mixes classic science fiction elements with the series' woodland fantasy milieu, and this results in another truly unique reading experience.  Also, the villains are quite interesting and mysterious, enough so that I remain curious about them even after reading The Curious Collector.

Christian Slade’s art still recalls the pen and ink book illustration of the first half of the 20th century.  The art is drawn entirely in pencil art, with Slade using cross-hatching and line work to add exacting detail to the drawings of characters and settings.  This gives Slade's art a sense of texture, a tactile sense for the eyes that blends well with the art's gentle, lamp-lit quality, which is also found in some of Walt Disney's animated films.  I think this Disney-esque style of the art and storytelling is perfect for a children’s illustrated book or comic book.  In fact, Korgi (Book 2): The Cosmic Collector is as much a picture book as it is an original graphic novel.

The series' stars, Ivy and Sprout, shine in Korgi (Book 2): The Cosmic Collector.  Ivy even shows a more plucky and determined side than she showed in the first book.  Slade's storytelling makes me think of J.R.R. Tolkien's beloved children's fantasy novel, The Hobbit (1937), which I have read more times than I can remember.  However, The Curious Collector adds something new to the fantasy mix, which makes me curious about where this series is going.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Those looking for a young readers' comic book will find an excellent choice in Korgi (Book 2): The Cosmic Collector.

8 out of 10

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


http://www.christianslade.com/
https://www.topshelfcomix.com/
https://twitter.com/topshelfcomix


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

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#IReadsYou Review: SUPER SONS Volume 1: The Polarshield Project

SUPER SONS V. 1: THE POLARSHIELD PROJECT
DC COMICS/DC Zoom – @DCComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Ridley Pearson – @RidleyPearson
ART: Ile Gonzalez
COLORS: Ile Gonzalez
LETTERS: Saida Temofonte
EDITORS: Ben Abernathy and Michele R. Wells
ISBN:  978-1-4012-8639-2; paperback; (April 2, 2019)
176pp, Color, $9.99 U.S., $13.50 CAN

Age Range: 8 to 12

Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster; Batman created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger; Superboy created by Jerry Siegel

They are the sons of Superman and Batman.  Damian Wayne is the son of Batman/Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul (the daughter of Batman nemesis, Ra's al Ghul).  Jonathan “Jon” Samuel Kent is the son of Superman/Clark Kent and Lois Lane.

Jon and Damian became the stars of the comic book series/franchise, Super Sons.  Now, these young heroes make their graphic novel debut in the DC Zoom original graphic novel, Super Sons Book 1: The Polarshield Project, the first book in a three-book series.  The Polarshield Project is written by bestselling novelist, Ridley Pearson; drawn and colored by Ile Gonzalez; and lettered by Saida Temofonte.  Set in the near future, The Polarshield Project finds the sons of Superman and Batman trying to uncover a global conspiracy that begins with an epidemic.

Super Sons Book 1: The Polarshield Project is set on an alternate Earth and not in the mainstream DC Universe.  In the city of Metropolis, Superman is trying to repair the sea walls that protect the city from the rising oceans.  The polar ice caps have nearly melted away, causing devastation to coastal cities like Metropolis.  Even the technology of Bruce Wayne and Wayne Enterprises is struggling to stop Metropolis from drowning.

Erratic, deadly weather forces everyone inland, tearing families apart.  When Metropolis is abandoned, Clark Kent and his family: reporter Lois Lane and their son, Jon Kent, relocate to Wyndemere.  Bruce Wayne and his son, Damian “Ian” Wayne, are also new residents of Wyndemere.

Jon Kent and Damian Wayne are opposites in every way except one; they are the sons of the world's greatest heroes, and these two boys also want to do their heroic best to help the world.  To unravel the the conspiracy of a mystery illness, this unlikely dynamic duo is forced to trust each other and to work together to save the Earth.  Joined by a mysterious girl named Candace and by Jon's friend, a teen girl named Tilly, Jon and Ian will find adventure and danger.

DC Comics' Super Sons has turned out to be an enjoyable teen superhero comic book franchise, in a decade that has seen the arrival of several stellar comic titles featuring teen heroes, including Marvel Comics' Mile Morales/Ultimate Spider-Man and Ms. Marvel.  Jon Kent's affable nature and Damian Wayne's arrogant kid-ninja-assassin are like oil and water, but writer Peter J. Tomasi made them work, in the original Super Sons series, as a believable crime-fighting, adventure-having unit.

In Super Sons Book 1: The Polarshield Project, Ridley Pearson presents his own version of Jon and Damian.  Pearson's Jon Kent is stubborn, more proactive, and uses his powers with a rapidly growing confidence.  Pearson's Damian Wayne does not at all want to be called Damian and goes by the name “Ian.”  Ian is less elite-assassin-in waiting and more like a Batman, Jr.; he is a superhero-in-training, working his way up to having his own real superhero costume.

Pearson's Super Sons is set on an alternate Earth, and the concept is a near-future scenario that is a kind of juvenile science fiction.  This world looks familiar, and young readers will recognize that story's ecological and environmental dangers could very well be our own world's fate.

I don't know to what extent young readers will identify with the characters here or how much they will recognize of our world in the world of The Polarshield Project.  I think that they will identify with the conflicts, dilemmas, and obstacles facing these young characters.  They will identify with the personal and relationship issues.  I think they will also find themselves taking in by Jon, Ian, Candace, and Tilly's call to adventure.  Ridley Pearson, known for his mystery and young adult adventure novels, offers readers engaging mysteries and thrilling adventures here.

DC Comics has been hiring the writers of bestselling young adult novels to author its DC Zoom (readers 8 to 12) and DC Ink (readers 13+) graphic novels.  On the book covers of these graphic novels, the young adult authors get top billing, but the names of the artists are at the very bottom of the cover.

In the case of The Polarshield Project's artist/co-author, Ile Gonzalez, this placement is crock of shit.  Gonzalez is every bit as important as Pearson to the creation of this graphic novel.  She has a wonderful energetic graphic style, and her rich coloring makes this story vibrant.  Here, Gonzalez's art is spiritually related to the comic book art of the early Superman and Batman comic book artists:  Joe Shuster in Action Comics (Superman) and Bob Kane in Detective Comics (Batman).

In terms of graphical storytelling, Gonzalez makes Super Sons Book 1: The Polarshield Project seem like something entirely new.  It is as if Ridley Pearson's Jon Kent, Ian Wayne, the other characters, and the world in which they live are not an alternate take of an established universe, but are instead something fresh and different.

Super Sons Book 1: The Polarshield Project is not perfect.  There are lapses in the narrative that make it seem as if a page or two is missing in some spots.  However, that does not take away from the fact that The Polarshield Project is a damn fun comic book to read.  In fact, it should say so on the cover, “Damn fun to read.”

8 out of 10

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


[This book contains two previews.  The first is preview is of Super Sons Book 2: The Foxglove Mission.  The second is a preview of Dear Justice League by writer Michael Northrop and artist Gustavo Duarte.]


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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#IReadsYou Review: UNDER THE MOON: A Catwoman Tale

UNDER THE MOON: A CATWOMAN TALE
DC COMICS/DC Ink – @DCComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Lauren Myracle
ART: Isaac Goodhart
COLORS: Jeremy Lawson
LETTERS: Deron Bennett
ISBN:  978-1-4012-8591-3; paperback; (May 1, 2019)
224pp, Color, $16.99 U.S., $22.99 CAN

Age Range: 13 and up

Catwoman created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane

Catwoman is a DC Comics character that is part of the Batman line of comic books.  Created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, Catwoman made her debut as “the Cat” in Batman #1 (cover dated: Spring 1940).  Catwoman is Selina Kyle, and over her eight decades of existence, she has been a villain, an anti-hero, and Batman's love interest in addition to having a complex love-hate relationship with him.

Until it was recently made defunct, “DC Ink” was a DC Comics imprint that offered original graphic novels for readers of the “Young Adult” or “YA” demographic.  DC Ink titles, according to DC Comics, featured coming-of-age stories that encouraged teens to ask themselves who they are and how they relate to others.  [DC Ink is now known as “DC Graphic Novels for Young Adults.”]

Published in May of this year, Under the Moon: A Catwoman's Tale is an original graphic novel (OGN) that focuses on a young Selina Kyle before she becomes Catwoman.  It is written by bestselling author Lauren Myracle (the “Winnie Years” series); drawn by Isaac Goodhart (Image Comics/Top Cow's Postal); colored by Jeremy Lawson; and lettered by Deron Bennett.

Under the Moon: A Catwoman's Tale introduces 15-year-old Selina Kyle.  In her short life, she has had to put up with the string of bad men that her mother, Gayle, picks up on the job at Carl's Tavern.  The worst of the lot is the most recent pick-up, the brawny bully, Dernell.  Soon, Selina figures out that she cannot stay under the same roof as Dernell, and she leaves home.  She also eventually quits attending Gotham High School, where she has friends like Angie and Tristan.

Selina Kyle, however, believes that, at heart, she is a loner.  Still, she connects with the mercurial trio of Ojo, the leader; Yang, the computer genius; and Briar Rose, a young girl who does not talk and really does not want to be touched.  And Selina can't quite get former classmate, Bruce Wayne, out of her mind.  But the streets are dangerous, and some kind of beast, known as the “Gotham Growler,” is terrorizing Gotham City.

Thus far, I have read the first two releases from the DC Ink imprint, the debut release, Mera: Tidebreaker, and now, Under the Moon: A Catwoman's Tale.  Both are lovely reads, and Under the Moon: A Catwoman's Tale offers is a fetching coming-of-age tale about a young woman coming to terms with who she is.  Writer Lauren Myracle presents a teenage girl who says that she prefers caring about no one and no thing, and Myracle takes her on a journey to figure out how she can live to be a loner... with a few friends, of course.

The art team of Isaac Goodhart and colorist Jeremy Lawson deliver some of the most gorgeous comic book art that I have seen this year.  Goodhart's supple line work and lush inking are eye candy, and they make Selina Kyle's story a moody, urban fairy tale filled with a sense of mystery as much as it is filled with angst.  Lawson's colors make love to Goodhart's compositions, putting the moodiness in a jazz-accentuated mode.  Honestly, Goodhart and Lawson's work here reminds me of Daniel Clowes art for his classic graphic novel, Ghost World.

Letterer Deron Bennett, one of the best letterers in American comic books, changes fonts and graphic styles with subtlety and grace.  Bennett knows exactly the tone that is needed, when things should be quite, normal, and out-loud.

In the end, everything is topnotch in this hugely enjoyable read.  Under the Moon: A Catwoman's Tale is one of the best Catwoman comics that I have ever read.

9 out of 10

Under the Moon: A Catwoman's Tale contains the following extras and back matter:

• Website, phone numbers, and contact information for organization that help with stopping domestic violence, avoiding self-harm, and stopping animal cruelty.
• A page of character designs by Isaac Goodhart
• a three-page interview section in which Lauren Myracle and Isaac Goodhart interview each other
• two author biographical pages
• a  full-color preview of the graphic novel, Teen Titans: Raven, from Kami Garcia and Gabriel Picolo

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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