Friday, February 12, 2010

I Reads You Review: GREEK STREET #1


DC COMICS/VERTIGO
WRITER: Peter Milligan
ARTIST: Davide Gianfelice
COLORS: Patricia Mulvihill
LETTERS: Clem Robins
COVER: Kako
40pp, Color, $1.00

Book One: Blood Calls for Blood, Part One “The Monster of Greek Street”

Debuting last summer, Greek Street is a contemporary fantasy series from DC Comics’ Vertigo imprint. Created by writer Peter Milligan and artist Davide Gianfelice, Greek Street re-imagines the ancient Greek Tragedies, setting them on the streets of modern London, on the real Greek Street, in particular.

In the first issue, the hero, Eddie (Oedipus), who grew up in a series of children’s homes, goes looking for his real mother, which has dire consequences. By the end of the first issue, Eddie has drawn the attention of a crime syndicate, The House of Furey (the furies). Meanwhile, a London homicide named Daedalus begins a murder investigation.

This early in the series there is not much to say about the story other than that in terms of quality, it reads quite well. What is ready to have judgment passed upon it is the art by Davide Gianfelice. It’s excellent. Gianfelice has a wonderful pencil line and brush stroke that is nearly perfect for cartooning the human figure. Gianfelice captures both the sultry and clammy natures of strippers and sex with equal aplomb. He even makes violence and the threat of it sexy. With Patricia Mulvihill’s lustrous colors over Gianfelice art, Greek Street has its catchy visual hook.

Fear of a Dark Superman

Over at the Guardian (UK), the "Film Blog" does some fretting over the Christopher Nolan-led relaunch of the Superman film franchise.

The Unknown Captain America

The New York Post is reporting that director Joe Johnston (The Wolfman) wants an unknown to play the title role in "The First Avenger: Captain America," the Captain America movie currently due in July 2011.

June Manga Teaches "How to Seduce a Vampire"

Press release from Digital Manga Publishing:

How to Seduce a Vampire (Yaoi)

ISBN: 1569701377
ISBN13: 9781569701379
Publisher: Digital Manga Publishing
Imprint Name: Juné
Price USD: $12.95
Writer: Nimosaku Shimada
Artist: Nimosaku Shimada
Release Date: January 27, 2010
Page Count : 200
Recommended Age: Young Adult 16+
Genre: Yaoi, Fantasy, Romance, Supernatural

Summary:
Watanabe gathered up Mizuo's battered and bloodstained body, was forced to cooperate with the ensuing blood transfusion, and for his trouble was late for his part-time job, resulting in his termination. The mysterious Mizuo tells the now-unemployed Watanabe that he is a vampire, and offers Watanabe a position at his salon. Despite his feeling that Mizuo is a potentially dangerous partner, for some reason Watanabe cannot bear to be away from him... [END]

20th Century Boys 7 Reveals "The Truth"

I read Naoki Urasawa's 20th Century Boys, Vol. 7

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin.


Thursday, February 11, 2010

Digital Manga Announces "In the Walnut"

Press release from Digital Manga Publishing:

In the Walnut (Yaoi)

ISBN: 1569708282
ISBN13: 9781569708286
Publisher: Digital Manga Publishing
Imprint Name: June
Price USD: $12.95
Writer: Toko Kawai
Artist: Toko Kawai
Release Date: January 13, 2010
Size: 6” x 8”
Format: Trade paperback
Page Count: 200
Series Volumes: Oneshot
Recommended Age: Young Adult 16+
Genre: Yaoi, Romance, Love comedy
Summary
What do a gallery owner, Hideo Tanizaki, and a young, naïve filmmaker, Sohei Nakai, have in common? Well, both of them are 24-years-old – that’s a good start. They both graduated from the same art school – that can’t hurt either. The fact that Tanizaki has a perchance for art forgery is just one “minor” difference between the two that Tanizaki hopes to rectify pretty quickly. Under Tanizaki’s influence, Nakai is inducted into the shady world of counterfeit art and black market dealings. However, not all of Tanizaki’s soul has been corrupted by the promise of money and power. With a kind soul, perhaps even these high stake crimes can be put to good use.

Other works by creator:
CUT (DMP: 9781569700433)
Bond(z): (801 Media: 9781934129005)
Just Around The Corner (DMP: 9781934129234) [END]

Marvel Comics and Captain American Don't Enjoy Tea Bagging (An "I Reads You Juniors" Extra)

Apparently... Captain America #602 depicts a crowd of protestors that could be the so-called anti-tax prostestors formerly known as Tea Baggers and now know as the Tea Party Movement.  One of the protestors hold a sign that says "Tea Bag The Libs Before They Tea Bag YOU!"  Ed Brubaker is the writer of that particular issue, and he claims he did not write the offending comment.

Naturally, that caused controversy and Marvel, now owned by Disney, who are run by white men with no balls and who are allegedly mostly Republican, to promise to make sure the offensive image never makes it into future trade paperback and book collections that include Captain America #602.

Rich Johnston has been covering the event:
Marvel to Remove...

Apparently, the controversy began at a right wing blog, Publius Forum, in a posting by Warner Todd Houson.

And you can always count on real journalism from Fox News, even it website.