Case Closed: The Other Detective

I read Case Closed, Vol. 43 (Case Closed (Graphic Novels))

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin (which has free smart phone apps and comics).

Comixology to Distribute Fantagraphics Books Titles

FANTAGRAPHICS and COMIXOLOGY ANNOUNCE DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT

Love and Rockets: New Stories #1-4 Available Now To Help Celebrate 30 Years Of The Hernandez Brothers’ Groundbreaking World

July 14th, 2012 – San Diego, CA. / New York, NY. — Today in a wide-ranging panel celebrating the 30th anniversary of publishing the Hernandez Brothers’ groundbreaking Love and Rockets series co-publisher Gary Groth, president of the 36 year-old publishing house, announced Fantagraphics Books’ entrance into the digital age through a brand new digital distribution agreement with comiXology, the revolutionary digital comics platform with over 75 million comic downloads to date and a library of more than 25,000 comics and graphic novels.

To mark the occasion, Fantagraphics Books and comiXology have immediately made available the first four issues of the Hernandez Brothers’ phenomenal Love and Rockets: New Stories. Groth also announced that following Comic-Con, comiXology will debut Love and Rockets: New Stories #5 on the same day as the print release is available in comic book stores this September. Subsequently, Fantagraphics will begin to release certain titles from their extensive front list and back catalogue across the entire comiXology platform.

“Fantagraphics Books is one of the longest running, independent comic publishers around with an incredible array of titles. I’ve been chasing them for three years to be a part of our platform and am thrilled not only to bring their books to the digital world, but also to be a part of celebrating the 30th anniversary of Love and Rockets," said comiXology co-founder and CEO David Steinberger. "I’ve long been a fan of Hernandez Brothers’ work, and couldn’t think of a better way to kick off our new relationship with Fantagraphics. There are many happy people in the comiXology offices today.”

"We’ve been exploring our digital options for a few years now, and the more I learned, the more I kept coming back to ComiXology," said Eric Reynolds, Fantagraphics Books Associate Publisher. "Seeing these first four issues of Love and Rockets: New Stories in comiXology’s Guided View is exciting.”

Fantagraphics and comiXology worked closely together to acquire the highest resolution source material to make sure these volumes of Love and Rockets: New Stories look great in comiXology’s new high–definition comic format — CMX-HD — for Love and Rockets fans that are reading on the new iPad.

In early May, comiXology revealed they had crested 65 million comic and graphic novel downloads since the beginning of the platform, with 15 million of those downloads happening in 2012. ComiXology recently unveiled that only one month later in June they had hit 77 million downloads — an addition of 12 million downloads — continuing on a trajectory of record-shattering growth.


About Fantagraphics Books
Fantagraphics Books has been a leading proponent of comics as a legitimate form of art and literature since it began publishing the critical trade magazine The Comics Journal in 1976. By the early 1980s, Fantagraphics found itself at the forefront of the burgeoning movement to establish comics as a medium as eloquent and expressive as the more established popular arts of film, literature, poetry, music et al. Fantagraphics has since gained an international reputation for its audacious editorial standards and its exacting production values and continues to expand the comics medium by releasing the highest quality books.

About comiXology
Founded in 2007 with the mission of bringing comics to people everywhere, comiXology — in just five short years — has revolutionized the comic book and graphic novel world. From creating the industry leading platform for digital comics to tools and services for brick and mortar retailers, comiXology has lead the charge in exposing new audiences to the rich history and culture of comic books. With the development of the Comics by comiXology digital comics platform — — available across iPhone, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire and the Web — comiXology provides the easiest way worldwide for people to enjoy comics at just the click of a button! Regularly ranking as the top grossing iPad app in the entire iTunes App Store, Comics by comiXology was recently chosen as a preloaded app on Amazon’s Kindle Fire. Providing digital comics across multiple platforms, comiXology will not stop until everyone on the face of the earth has been turned into a comic book fan.

Jamal Igle to Launch Kickstarter Project

Since learning of its existence when comics creator Kody Chamberlain used it, I've been a fan of Kickstarter, the crowd sourcing website.  I try to post news about new Kickstarter initiatives from comics creators when I can.  Here is one from DC Comics' artist, Jamal Igle, that apparently begins August 1, 2012:

JAMAL IGLE KICKSTARTS CREATOR OWNED SERIES MOLLY DANGER

Former Supergirl artist launches his brand new creator-owned superhero series on Kickstarter.com

When Jamal Igle announced the end of his D.C. Comics contract in January of 2012, the number one question fans asked was "What's next?" Igle, who spent the better part of the decade as one D.C. Comics artistic mainstays on titles like Supergirl, Superman and Firestorm the Nuclear Man, was coy. Other than the recently released KISS comic book series from IDW, Igle had been unusually quiet about his plans until recently.

Now, the Inkpot award winning creator launches his Kickstarter campaign for "Molly Danger", A four book, hardcover, graphic album all ages action adventure series. Igle describes Molly Danger as "Astroboy meets the Powerpuff girls".

Written and drawn by Igle, Molly Danger is the story of the world's most powerful 10-year-old girl. A seemingly immortal, super strong hero, Molly has protected the city of Coopersville for the last 20 years.

Kept in constant isolation and watched closely by D.A.R.T. (The Danger Action Response Team) an organization created to assist in her heroic deeds and monitor her movements, Molly battles the Supermechs; A team of cybernetically enhanced beings with unusual powers. Molly longs for a real life, with a real family, something she's been told she can never have. Her life changes when D.A.R.T. recruits a new pilot, Austin Briggs. Briggs has his own motivations for joining the team, newly remarried; Austin is having trouble forming a relationship with his new stepson, Brian. Austin wants to use his connections to impress Brian, an avid Molly Danger fan. However things get turned on its ear when Molly and Brian form a friendship of their own.

"As the father of a young girl, I've found myself disheartened that there isn't a female superhero character for my daughter to read that hasn't been turned into a killer, or overtly sexualized. A character that isn't joined at the hip to a male hero or subservient to one." Igle said. Igle will write and pencil the series with inker Juan Castro (G.I.Joe: Snake Eyes for IDW, Incorruptible for Boom Studios, Elders of the Rune Stone) and Colorist Michael Watkins (Sonic the Hedgehog, Transformers).

Igle has also teamed up with Action Lab Entertainment, publishers of the Eisner award nominated series, Princeless, to handle the publishing and distribution of the series.

THE 30 DAY CAMPAIGN BEGINS ON AUGUST 1ST, 2012, All the funds raised will go to production and printing of a limited edition version of the first book, with an original cover, for Kickstarter contributors planned incentives include a limited edition membership card, posters, prints, a behind the scenes sketchbook and original artwork form the finished book.

"I believe in Molly, so much so that I'm putting my money where my mouth is. " said Igle. However, the project will not be funded at all if at least $45,000 is not pledged by Friday, August 31st.

"This is a project I've been wanting to do for over 10 years and I look forward to the opportunity to share Molly with the world." said Igle.

Join the Kickstarter campaign at http://www.kickstarter.com/ projects/mollydanger

ABOUT JAMAL IGLE
One of the most popular and prolific pencillers in the comic book industry, Jamal igle is an award winning artist and writer. Best known for his two year run as artist on the DC Comics series Supergirl with writer Sterling Gates, Jamal has been a professional jack of all trades for nearly 20 years drawing every title from Action Comics to Zatanna.

Review: OOKU: THE INNER CHAMBERS, VOL. 7

OOKU: THE INNER CHAMBERS, VOL. 7
VIZ MEDIA

CARTOONIST: Fumi Yoshinaga
TRANSLATION/ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Akemi Wegmüller
LETTERER: Monlisa De Asis
ISBN: 978-1-4215-4220-1; paperback; Rated “M” for “Mature”
224pp, B&W, $12.99 U.S., $14.99 CAN

Fumi Yoshinaga is the prolific female Japanese graphic novelist and mangaka known for her comics in the shojo and shonen-ai genres. She has created such manga as The Moon and the Sandals and Antique Bakery.

Ōoku: The Inner Chambers (The Shogun’s Harem) is her current series and began publication in 2005. This alternate-Earth story is set in Japan and imagines a strange new disease, called the Redface Pox, which kills young men and boys. The male population begins to fall in the 1600s to about one-fourth of the female population. Men eventually become protected as precious “seed bearers,” and women take on the roles traditionally held by men, including the role of Shogun. This story focuses on life at Edo Castle and is set inside its Inner Chambers, a sort of harem filled with men who serve the female Shogun.

Ōoku: The Inner Chambers, Vol. 7 (Chapters 23-26) opens with the death of (Tokugawa) Lord Yoshimichi. Her demise signals that various domain lords (daimyo) are jockeying to position themselves as the next shogun. Ietsugu, the daughter of Ienobu, the previous shogun, is only five-year-old and is also sickly and not expected to live long.

Ietsugu’s protector. Manabe Akifusa, believes Lord Yoshimune, lord of the Kii domain, is plotting to be the next shogun. However, Sir Gekko-In, Ienobu’s concubine and Ietsugu’s father, and his supporters in the Inner Chambers are standing in Yoshimune’s way. Ejima Shinzaburo, Groom of the Bedchamber and Senior Chamberlain of the Inner Chambers, will be the key to whether Yoshimune’s gets her way or not.

Also, a new shogun wonders if Japan is the only place that has been stricken by the Redface Pox. If so, does a lack of men capable of being warriors make Japan vulnerable to outside attack?

The seventh volume of the Ōoku: The Inner Chambers manga arrives over a year after the sixth volume was published. Creator Fumi Yoshinaga inserts enough captions and exposition to explain the characters and situations to him readers familiar with the series get familiar with this section in the narrative. New readers will need a little more context.

Early in the series, Ōoku examined gender roles in a society where male dominance suddenly became a thing of the past, a necessity after a plague had wiped out a significant portion of the male population. In fact, the plague continues to hang over the narrative. One of the most interesting things about this series is how Yoshinaga imagines what role reversal might look like in 17th and 18th century Japan. In a sort of alternate history/science fiction way, the Redface Pox plague can be used to explain Japan’s “closed country” police which began in the mid-1600s and lasted until the arrival of the United States Navy forced the country open in 1854.

Whatever themes and philosophies Yoshinaga wishes to explore here, she does through character drama and palace intrigue. Considering that this series has depicted brutal murder and assault, I can honestly say that what is in Vol. 7 is the most intense character drama yet in this story. I’m not naïve about the world, but I was astounded by the extent to which the characters playing in Chapters 23 to 26 were willing to go to get what they wanted. There is a real-world verisimilitude here that gives me the chills. I think readers will be interested to know that Fumi Yoshinaga never holds back here. Ōoku: The Inner Chambers is drama writ out entirely in capitol letters.

A+

Naruto: Battle

I read Naruto, Vol. 57 (Naruto (Graphic Novels))

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin (which has free comics).

"Love and Rockets" Celebrates Birthday at Comic-Con International 2012

30 Years. Three. Zero. In 1982, Gilbert, Jaime and Mario Hernandez published their first comic with Fantagraphics, which debuted at that year’s Comic-Con International in San Diego. In 2012, Fantagraphics Books announces the best anniversary present you can give the comics making trio: a year of celebrating Love and Rockets.

Jaime Hernandez remembers his first Comic-Con well. “The first time we spotted Love and Rockets some guy was already selling it for half-off.” Fellow professionals took an interest in the Hernandez brothers’ creation. “Chris Claremont walked up and joked that all the women on the cover should have ‘X’es on their belts,” Jaime joked. “I brought along some pages from the next issue and Frank Miller looked through them ‘studying’ my inking style.”

Thirty years later, fans will line up around that same block to get books signed at this year’s Comic-Con International, where Gilbert and Jaime Hernandez are invited special guests of the show and will even have a special section devoted to their work in the official convention souvenir program. Look for a major Love and Rockets-related announcement to be made at the show as well during the Love and Rockets panel on Saturday.

Fantagraphics and the Hernandez Brothers will debut three new books at the show. First up is the newest work by Gilbert and Jaime, Love and Rockets: New Stories #5, featuring Gilbert’s return to Palomar and Jaime’s much-anticipated follow up to “The Love Bunglers” (from #4). Also debuting is God and Science: Return of the Ti-Girls, Jaime’s superhero epic combining material from Love and Rockets: New Stories #1 and #2 plus 30 all-new pages by Jaime. Meanwhile, don’t forget the children: Comic-Con also hails the release of Gilbert's children-focused graphic novel, The Adventures of Venus.

Fantagraphics is also partnering with Graphitti Designs for the 30th Anniversary and debuting six new Love and Rockets t-shirts at the show. SDCC attendees might want to pack one shirt less for the show, instead picking up one of these colorful designs featuring their favorite Hernandez characters for a great price of $18.99 each, available at the Fantagraphics booth.

Panel by panel and page by page, Fantagraphics is proud to have a thirty year relationship with such prolific creators as the Hernandez Brothers and welcomes all SDCC attendees to come to the Fantagraphics Booth (1718-1722) and visit these special guests, who will be signing daily. Also, don’t miss the 30th Anniversary of Love and Rockets panel on Saturday at the con, from 1:30pm – 3:00pm in Room 24ABC. Fantagraphics publisher Gary Groth will moderate a lively trip down memory lane with all three Hernandez Brothers and make a major announcement regarding the future of the series.

For more information as it is released, check the Fantagraphics blog for announcements. Thirty years of the Love and Rockets is at your fingertips!

Review: BATMAN: EARTH ONE (OGN)

BATMAN: EARTH ONE
DC COMICS

WRITER: Geoff Johns
PENCILS: Gary Frank
INKS: Jonathan Sibal
COLORS: Brad Anderson
LETTERS: Rob Leigh
COVER: Gary Frank with Brad Anderson
ISBN: 978-1-4012-3208-5; hardcover
144pp, Color, $22.99 U.S., $25.99 CAN

Unlike many comic book readers, I have not been a fan of Geoff Johns, the popular comic book writer best known for his work on Flash, Green Lantern, Superman, and JSA. I neither like nor dislike him. I have not read many comic books written by Johns, and what I have read led me to wonder why fans and fans who are critics liked him so much. By the time I got to the middle of Batman: Earth One, I said to myself, “Oh, that’s why they like him so much.”

Three years ago, DC Comics announced plans to publish new graphic novels that would retell or re-imagine the beginnings of Batman and Superman. Each character would have his own ongoing series of original graphic novels depicting his earliest moments as a superhero and crime fighter. Each graphic novel would be a stand-alone story set on a new Earth with an all-new continuity. Superman: Earth One arrived in October 2010 and was hit – mainly because it was so good.

Over a year and a half later, Batman: Earth One arrived in comic book stores on July 4, 2012, and DC Comics generously provided me with a copy for review. This original hardcover graphic novel is written by Geoff Johns, penciled by Gary Frank, inked by Jonathan Sibal, and colored by Brad Anderson. Batman Earth One is a new interpretation of a classic character and retells Batman’s origins by altering players, events, conflicts, and motivations to one degree or another.

The Gotham City of Batman: Earth One is a gritty, contemporary city. This troubled metropolis is rotten top to bottom, with corrupt politicians ruling from the top and a vile street-level criminal class at the bottom that seems to kill with impunity. Enter a masked man the press is calling “Batman.” Neither hero nor vigilante, he is just an angry young man named Bruce Wayne. Fallible, lonely, and vulnerable, Bruce is Batman and wants no help on his mission of vengeance, but he is about to learn that grit and determination are not enough in cold, cold-bloodied Gotham.

Meanwhile, Alfred Pennyworth, a former Royal Marine and friend of Bruce’s late father, Thomas Wayne, is reaching out to Bruce, and only getting his hand slapped. Detective James Gordon is so marginalized that many of his colleagues don’t even know he exists. Mayor Oswald Cobblepot, the man who dresses in a tuxedo that deserves the term, “penguin suit,” rules Gotham City, and when people get in his way, they get a birthday surprise – even if it isn’t their birthday. Searching for the real killers behind his parents’ deaths, Bruce feels unstoppable as Batman, but Gotham City is about to show him that he can be stopped and maybe even killed.

This graphic novel is something like a “Batman Family” story because what Johns has written is an ensemble piece. I don’t want to spoil this for people who have not yet read the book, so I’m going to be careful describing the characters and details. You have probably read many Batman comic books in which Bruce Wayne is like a supporting character. Sometimes, it is almost as if he really isn’t Batman; it is as if he is just another supporting player.

Here, Johns makes Bruce Wayne dominant; Batman is a guise, a vehicle for his quest for vengeance rather than being some kind of separate identity or personality. In this story, even in scenes that feature Batman, Bruce Wayne’s personality comes through the mask. I think that approach of dealing with Batman as a man rather than as a “superman” gives Johns more freedom. He can dig into the supporting characters and make them fuller characters, and not just the people who orbit Batman. Johns’ take on James Gordon is the most complex and thoughtfully fashioned version of the character since Batman: Year One (which was first published a quarter-century ago). The extent to which Johns is able to enrich supporting characters is exemplified by this novel’s snazzy Harvey Bullock, a mercurial character who constantly surprises by the things he says and does.

Now, as much as I have praised Johns, I think the true star of Batman: Earth One is artist Gary Frank. Frank gives this graphic novel its sense of being contemporary fiction, of being more modern crime thriller than superhero comic book. Frank takes the meaty, but elegant style of Brian Bolland and the photo-realistic compositions of Bryan Hitch and creates his own style, one that creates art both powerful and graceful.

In Batman: Earth One, the figure drawing has an immensely physical appearance, suggesting the power and grace of the human body. Here, the fight scenes are like a blend of Jack Kirby’s superhero art (as inked by Joe Sinnott) married to a neo-classical painting style (think Jacques-Louis David’s The Oath of the Horatii). Frank draws Batman’s costume as a costume and not as plastic armor (like in the movies). It even seems as if you can see Batman’s junk moving in his trunks.

Batman: Earth One is already on my best comics of the year list. I want a second volume… now.

A+

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