Yu-Gi-Oh Zexal: The Second Assassin!!

I read Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal, Vol. 3

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin.

New Issue of George Perez Magazine Now Available

Email from Tony Lorenz:

PACESETTER: The George Perez Magazine #13 is now available

After more than a year since the last issue of PACESETTER, the new issue #13 is now available. You get all that you have come to expect from PACESETTER—articles, rare and never-seen artwork, interviews, checklist, news and more….

In this issue you get excellent features by Bobby Nash and Jason Sacks, along with interviews with Camille Bishop and David Anthony Kraft. This issue also has its most popular feature: the gallery section, which includes the first ten pages of the ultra rare Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heart Club Band.

This magazine is a must for any George Pérez fan or anyone that loves great artwork. Sixty pages, square bound, full color front and back cover and black and white interior.

You can order it at Lulu.com. It’s available in soft cover and hardcover edition.

If you prefer to order directly from me, prices are as follows, and include shipping and handling. (These prices are only if ordering directly from me). My paypal account is TLorenzp@yahoo.com.

$10.95 each (Soft cover) US
$21.95 each (Hardcover) US

$12.95 each (Soft cover) Canada or Mexico
$22.95 each (Hardcover) Canada or Mexico

$15.95 each (Soft cover) International
$25.95 each (Hardcover) International

I’m always looking for artwork and features for future issues. If you have an idea, please drop me a line at TLorenzp@yahoo.com. If your artwork or feature is used in PACESETTER, you will not only receive credit in the issue, but you will get a free comp copy. George receives every issue. PACESETTER’s motto is “For Pérez Fans, By Pérez Fans.” This magazine is only as good as the contributions, so get involved. You can contact me at TLorenzp@yahoo.com for more info on contributing or back issue availability information.

I’m re-releasing all back issues in the larger hardcover format. So far, PACESETTER 1, 2, 4,7,11 and 12 are available in the larger hardcover format. You can order them from Lulu.com or directly from me.

Tony Lorenz
31057 Temple Stand Ave.
Wesley Chapel, FL 33543

Slam Dunk: Two Years

I read Slam Dunk, Vol. 28

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

The New 52 Review: Constantine #1

CONSTANTINE #1
DC COMICS – @DCComics

WRITERS: Ray Fawkes and Jeff Lemire
ARTIST: Renato Guedes
COLORS: Marcelo Mailolo
LETTERER: Sal Cipriano
COVER: Ivan Reis and Joe Prado with Rod Reis
VARIANT COVER: Renato Guedes
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (May 2013)

Rated T+ (Teen Plus)

The Spark and the Flame Part 1: “The Price We Pay”

John Constantine: Hellblazer is dead? Long live Constantine?

After first appearing, in full, as a supporting character in The Saga of the Swamp Thing #37 (June 1985), John Constantine starred in his own comic book, Hellblazer. Twenty-six odd years later, that series came to an end with Hellblazer #300 (April 2013 cover date).

With Constantine #1 (May 2013 cover date), John Constantine is headed in a new direction. Once tempted by magic to the point of his near-destruction, Constantine seeks to “maintain balance and prevent anyone from becoming too powerful.” That is a direct quote taken from Constantine #1. The maintainer of balance: that’s John Constantine’s place in The New 52.

Constantine #1 opens in New York City where Constantine lives in a pet story, Dotty’s Pets. He already has a new mission – get Croydon’s Compass before his rivals, a group called “Cold Flame,” obtain it. You’d be surprised at the membership of Cold Flame, but I’ll say that Zatara is/was one of them. Dragging along a reluctant acquaintance, Chris, Constantine heads to Norway for a battle in which someone does pay a rather high price.

Same old John: knowing him always costs someone his or her life. What can I say about the new Constantine comic book? Well, the first issue lacks the occult detective, London-noir, street hustler, Richard Stark-vibe of Hellblazer. Constantine the comic book is colorful and slick, like the 2005 film, Constantine, but without Keanu Reeves’ sincere-thespian stiffness. Magic explodes as if it were a mutant power, with crackling bursts of energy. It’s a bit like Harry Potter without the wands.

Constantine is interesting. If you’re looking for the old thing – the way Hellblazer was – that’s gone. I like this new thing. I’m not in love with it, but I like it.

B+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux

I Reads You Review: Hellblazer #300

HELLBLAZER #300
DC COMICS/VERTIGO – @DCComics

WRITER: Peter Milligan
LAYOUTS: Giuseppe Camuncoli
FINISHES: Stefano Landini
COLORS: Brian Buccellato
LETTERER: Sal Cipriano
COVER: Simon Bisley
48pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (April 2013)

Death and Cigarettes Finale: “Ash”

John Constantine is dead? Long live John Constantine?

With a cover date of January 1988 and cover price of $1.25, Hellblazer #1, starring John Constantine, debuted in late 1987. The creative team was writer Jamie Delano and artist John Ridgway. A little over 26 years later, the final issue of the series, Hellblazer #300, arrives with a cover date of April 2013 and a cover price of $4.99. The creative team is writer Peter Milligan and artists Giuseppe Camuncoli and Stefano Landini.

Yes, I was reading comic books in the 1980s, and I started reading The Saga of the Swamp Thing/Swamp Thing not quite a year into Alan Moore’s tenure as series writer. I remember being so excited about the John Constantine character. Moore had hinted at Constantine over the course of a year before he first appeared, in full, as a supporting character in The Saga of the Swamp Thing #37 (June 1985).

I remember reading an interview of Alan Moore (but I can’t remember which magazine), in which Moore stated that he’d created Constantine because of a request from Stephen R. Bissette and John Totleben, the artists on The Saga of the Swamp Thing. Like me, Bissette and Totleben were fans of the rock band, The Police, and they expressed a desire to Moore that they wanted to draw a character who looked like Sting, the lead singer and primary songwriter of the band.

Over the years, Constantine went from being a “supernatural advisor” and crafty sorcerer to a magus, occult detective, troubleshooter, and jack-of-all-trades slash supernatural go-to-guy. Along the way, he remained a popular and beloved character, and now, he’s dead, or at least his comic book series, Hellblazer, is, replaced by the new mainline DC Universe comic book series entitled Constantine.

Hellblazer #300 opens with Epiphany, John Constantine’s wife, in a state of extreme distress over John’s death, but wait! Isn’t that John walking into her apartment? No, it’s Finn, John’s chip-off-the-old-block nephew, and if you can’t have the real deal, have the related deal. Julian the shape-shifting demon and the Fates (doing the just checking up on Constantine-is-dead thing) enter the picture. There is also a settlement in the affairs of Constantine’s father-in-law, Terry Greaves. Plus, Chas stops by, and Constantine’s niece, Gemma, gets to make the final play.

I make infrequent visits to the closest comic book shop. I also receive numerous review copies (hard copies and PDFs), so I always have a comic book, graphic novel, or book to read. Hellblazer was not on the top of my list of priority reads, so Hellblazer #300 is the first time in over four years, at least, that I’ve read an issue of Hellblazer. I was only a little disappointed and upset upon hearing that DC Comics was ending Hellblazer and re-launching the title. What could I do about it? Did I honestly think Hellblazer would run another 26 years to reach issue #600? Would that even matter to me (or would I be around to care)? Please, take these as rhetorical questions or accept “yes” as the answer to all of them: you choose.

Like just about anything Peter Milligan writes, Hellblazer #300 is interesting. As I followed Milligan twist and turn his way to a resolution for this last Hellblazer story arc and for the series as a whole, I found myself more engaged, even a little enthralled. I just had to see how it all ended. Honestly, I wasn’t really engaged by Giuseppe Camuncoli and Stefano Landini’s art, but their graphical storytelling certainly captured the pop-voodoo vibe Milligan put into this comic book. You will either love or hate the ending, or maybe be perplexed.

Essentially, this is the end of the John Constantine that Moore, Bissette and Totleben introduced and to which numerous other writers, artists, and editors contributed, added, changed, etc. Perhaps, this is the way that Constantine should leave us – perplexed. It’s only fitting for so crafty a fellow.

A-

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux

Yaoi Review: BLUE MORNING Volume 1

BLUE MORNING, VOL. 1
SUBLIME – @SuBLimeManga (Chara Comics)

CARTOONIST: Shoko Hidaka
TRANSLATION: Jocelyne Allen
LETTERS: NRP Studios
ISBN: 978-1-4215-5552-2; Rated “M” for “Mature”
202pp, B&W, $12.99 U.S., $14.99 CAN, £8.99 UK

Also credited as “Shouko Hidaka,” mangaka Shoko Hidaka is known for her boys’ love manga, such as Restart, which is set in the world of male models. Her new work is Blue Morning, a yaoi manga graphic novel series. Yaoi manga is a subset of boys’ love manga (BL) and features explicit depictions of sex between male characters.

Blue Morning, Vol. 1 introduces Akihito Kuze, the 10-year-old heir to the viscount-ship of his late father, Akinao Kuze. After the death of his father, Akihito moves into his father’s mansion, where he meets the Kuze family’s very capable butler, Tomoyuki Katsuragi. Katsuragi is tasked with raising Akihito.

Seven years later, the 17-year-old Akihito is relentlessly drawn to Katsuragi, but is frustrated by the distance between them. The handsome and intelligent Katsuragi is well-respected and popular, even among the aristocracy, so he is highly sought after for his advice. Driven to learn more about his butler, Akihito investigates Katsuragi’s past, both with the Kuze family and in Katsuragi’s own family.

First, there isn’t much in the way of “explicit sex” in Blue Morning Volume 1, except for a night in which the rough play between manservant and charge is emphasized. Blue Morning is a period piece and romantic drama in which romance must compete with intrigue concerning high society and class structure.

Schools for the elite, parties for the nobility, and assorted gatherings of the rich, powerful, and influential are a staple of the first volume of Blue Morning. I think that what makes this story interesting is how much Akihito Kuze hates it all, yet this life is his destiny. Not only is he supposed to be the viscount, but he is also expected to increase the family’s rank. The narrative can be a bit dry at times, and it seems like a boys’ love version of Downton Abbey, except without the popular British drama’s self-assuredness in its storytelling and characters. I’m interested to see where this series goes… especially if the romance gets even rougher.

B

www.SuBLimeManga.com

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux

DC Entertainment Unveils "DC2" and "DC2 Multiverse"

DC Entertainment Brings Digital Comics to the Next Level with New DC2 and DC2 Multiverse Innovations

Super Hero Worthy Digital Reading Enhancements Debut at Time Warner’s “Future of Storytelling” Exhibition

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--DC Entertainment, the most prolific digital comic book publisher, unveiled two new digital innovations today that will take its comics to the next level of interactivity. DC Entertainment President Diane Nelson and Co-Publisher Jim Lee unveiled DC2 and DC2 Multiverse at the opening of Time Warner’s “The Future of Storytelling” exhibition at the Time Warner Medialab in New York.

DC2 is a new initiative that layers dynamic artwork onto digital comic panels, adding a new level of dimension to digital storytelling. DC2 Multiverse technology allows readers to determine a specific story outcome by selecting individual characters, storylines and plot developments while reading the comic, meaning one chapter of a digital comic has dozens of possible story outcomes.

“Since we made the game changing decision to go Same-Day-Digital with the launch of DC COMICS – THE NEW 52, we very strategically built our digital business to have the broadest distribution and most extensive Digital-First content line-up, and now we’re at the forefront of innovation,” stated Nelson. “DC2 and DC2 Multiverse leverages technology to make iconic characters like Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman and Green Lantern even more relevant through highly interactive storytelling.”

DC2 will first appear in the highly anticipated new Digital-First title BATMAN ’66, based on the popular 1960s television show, and the dynamic artwork features will bring the show’s action and retro attitude to life for comic readers. Readers will experience an expanded storytelling canvas as each comic panel tells a multi-dimensional story through layered artwork and sequences.

Digital-First title BATMAN: ARKHAM ORIGINS, based on the upcoming video game from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, will be the first to showcase DC2 Multiverse. DC2 Multiverse features dynamic artwork, along with action sounds and the ability to integrate a soundtrack – all while allowing readers to determine the fate of each storyline and character, including Super Heroes and Super Villains, with multiple options and end results available in each comic chapter. Only with DC Comics’ compelling rogues gallery will fans be just as excited to see what happens to Black Mask as they are to follow Batman’s adventures.

“Digital comics have proven to be a driving force in attracting new readers; in fact, since the onset of Same-Day-Digital, our print and digital sales have both risen by double and triple digits, respectively,” stated Lee. “With Digital-First titles we’ve created a successful formula of pairing comics with other media forms like TV shows and video games. Today’s announcements demonstrate how we can tie innovations that organically fit and enhance comics – for example with BATMAN: ARKHAM ORIGINS you can choose the destiny of your character by playing the game and reading the comic.”

In addition to offering its Same-Day-Digital print line-up, DC Entertainment’s unparalleled line-up of Digital-First titles includes INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US, ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN, ARROW, LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT, SMALLVILLE: SEASON 11, the BEYOND series, BATMAN: LIL’ GOTHAM and upcoming titles BATMAN ’66 and BATMAN: ARKHAM ORIGINS. Additionally, last year DC Entertainment secured the most expansive digital distribution of all comic publishers by forging new deals with Kindle Store, iBookstore and Nook Store, in addition to its previous distribution on all comiXology platforms.


About DC Entertainment:
DC Entertainment, home to iconic brands DC Comics (Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, The Flash), Vertigo (Sandman, Fables) and MAD, is the creative division charged with strategically integrating its content across Warner Bros. Entertainment and Time Warner. DC Entertainment works in concert with many key Warner Bros. divisions to unleash its stories and characters across all media, including but not limited to film, television, consumer products, home entertainment and interactive games. Publishing thousands of comic books, graphic novels and magazines each year, DC Entertainment is the largest English-language publisher of comics in the world. In January 2012, DC Entertainment, in collaboration with Warner Bros. and Time Warner divisions, launched We Can Be Heroes—a giving campaign featuring the iconic Justice League super heroes—to raise awareness and funds to fight the hunger crisis in the Horn of Africa.

BATMAN: ARKHAM ORIGINS software © 2013 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.