Dawn of the Arcana: Guran and Sara

I read Dawn of the Arcana, Vol. 12

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin (which has free smart phone apps and comics with an Indiegogo campaign), and you can follow me on Twitter.

Grumble #2 Indiegogo Campaign Reminder for Sunday, April 13 2014

Delivered more script pages to Diego Candia.  Now, I hope someone will deliver some cashola.  Much love to you for any support money or otherwise that you can give:

I Reads You RE-VIEWED: UNCANNY X-MEN Annual (Volume 2) #1

UNCANNY X-MEN ANNUAL (VOL. 2) #1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

STORY: Chris Claremont and Tony Bedard
PENCILS: Clayton Henry
INKS: Mark Morales
COLORS: Christina Strain
LETTERS: VC’s Joe Caramagna
COVER: Leinil Francis Yu with Dave McCaig
48pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (August 2006)

I Dream of Africa: A Special Prelude to the Wedding of the Century

You may know that classic X-Men character, Storm (Ororo Munroe), and The Black Panther (T’Challa) were once married.  The wedding took place in the Black Panther comic book series that launched in 2005.  Black Panther later informed Storm that he had annulled the marriage (in Avengers vs. X-Men #9).

Leading up to the wedding (depicted in Black Panther #15), there were several “prelude” stories.  One of them appeared in Uncanny X-Men Annual (Vol. 2) #1 in a story entitled, “I Dream of Africa: A Special Prelude to the Wedding of the Century.”  This story was written by Chris Claremont and Tony Bedard and drawn by Clayton Henry (pencils) and Mark Morales (inks).

Uncanny X-Men Annual (Vol. 2) #1 followed events depicted in Uncanny X-Men #471.  Storm was in Africa to help her people.  In the city of Turkana, she discovers a military leader, Colonel Shetani, who is scouring the African countryside looking for mutants.  In addition to his men, Shetani uses child soldiers, called the Little Simbas, to terrorize locals.  Storm summons her friends, the X-Men for help.

Now, Storm is injured, and as she drifts in and out of consciousness, she is confronted by Black Panther’s proposal of marriage.  In dreams or perhaps in some other altered state, Storm meets her ex-lover, Forge, and she debates versions of Marvel Girl/Jean Grey and Kitty Pryde.  Meanwhile, the X-Men who came to her aid:  Bishop, Cannonball, Nightcrawler, Psylocke, and Rachel Summers, find themselves facing Shetani’s forces.  And these guys seem specifically equipped to kill mutants.

While digging through a pile of comic books a friend gave me, I found Uncanny X-Men Annual (Vol. 2) #1.  I initially planned on giving it away, but when I noticed that it was tied to the Black Panther-Storm wedding, I decided to read it.  I am glad I did because I enjoyed it.  I won’t act like this is a classic, but it does feature a number of X-Men elements of which I am a big fan.

First, it focuses on Storm and delves into her past (although in a broad way), and I love me some Storm.  I once wanted to be Storm (Gasp! Choke!).  Secondly, the story features the X-Men in combat, fighting for their lives, against opponents that are genuine threats to their continued existence.  In fact, this story is classic Chris Claremont Uncanny X-Men, but without the Claremont’s unique dialogue.  So readers get Claremont, just without the grandiosity (pomposity?) and soap opera affectation.

Once again, this isn’t great stuff, but it is a good X-Men comic book.

B+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.

Naruto: Hashirama and Madara

I read Naruto: Hashirama and Madara, Vol. 65

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin (and follow me on Twitter and please, visit my Indiegogo campaign).

I Reads You Review: SCOOBY-DOO, Where Are You? #43

SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU? #43
DC COMICS – @DCComics

STORY: Sholly Fisch, Vito Delsante and Nick Purpura
PENCILS: Dave Alvarez, Tim Levins
INKS: Dave Alvarez, Dan Davis
COLORS: Wendy Broome, Heroic Age
LETTERS: Saida Temofonte, Sal Cipriano
COVER: Dave Alvarez
28pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (May 2014)

Rated “E” for “Everyone”

I recently received another issue of Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?  I purchased a subscription to DC Comics’ current Scooby-Doo comic book series, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? (which launched in 2010) from a fundraising drive.

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #43 opens with “Game Changer” (written by Sholly Fisch and drawn by Dave Alvarez).  Twin sisters, Flora and Fauna Wilde, summon Mystery Inc. to the Wilde Life Nature Preserve to solve a mystery.  The game preserve is home to animals in danger of going extinct.

However, the ghost of the Jungle Man and his fearsome ghost leopard are terrorizing the preserve, insisting that “civilized” man does not belong there.  Plus, animals are disappearing from the preserve.  It’s up to the Scooby gang to solve the mystery of the big man and his big cat before everyone turns extinct.

In “Ghouls Night at the Opera” (written by Vito Delsante and Nick Purpura and penciled by Tim Levins), the gang arrives in Seattle where they have another case.  Apparently, the cast and crew of “Punk Rock: The Musical” are being terrorized by “The Ghoul.”  Now, the gang plans to sing their way through a web of backstage backstabbing and other antics to discover who the Ghoul really is.

In the recent reviews of Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? that I’ve written, I often complained that some of the Scooby-Doo short stories would work better as full-length, single-issue stories.  However, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #43 offers two stories that are just right as short stories.

Story aside, “Game Changer” offers some of the best art I’ve seen in a Scooby-Doo comic book.  Drawn by Dave Alvarez, “Game Changer” also has spectacular coloring by Wendy Broome.  “Game Changer” is the subject of the cover art, with a striking image drawn by Alvarez and featuring (once again) dazzling color.  In fact, the cover is so eye-catching that I could not help but notice it on the shelf of a local comic book store, every time I walking past that shelf.

I think “Ghouls Night at the Opera” is a reprint from Scooby-Doo #128, the Scooby-Doo comic book series prior to this one.  When I saw that some of the characters’ dialogue was meant to be sung, I knew I would be annoyed, but I actually found the story to be surprisingly nice.

I’ll use the excuse that “Game Changer” and the cover art for this issue hypnotized me into giving Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #43 a high grade.

B+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.

Sweet Rein: Akira the Dark Santa

I read Sweet Rein, Vol. 2

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin (where I have an Indiegogo campaign).

I Reads You Launches Indiegogo Campaign for "Grumble #2"

I guess I need to post more about my comic book here: