Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for July 23 2014

IMAGE COMICS

MAY148215     COWL #2 2ND PTG (MR)     $3.50
MAY140629     ELEPHANTMEN MAMMOTH TP VOL 01 (MR)     $29.99
MAY140616     HOWTOONS TOOLS OF MASS CONSTRUCTION TP     $17.99
MAY140634     MURDER ME DEAD TP (MR)     $19.99
MAY148172     OUTCAST BY KIRKMAN & AZACETA #1 2ND PTG (MR)     $2.99
MAY140723     REVIVAL #22 (MR)     $2.99
MAY140726     SAGA #21 (MR)     $2.99
DEC130592     SAVAGE DRAGON #196 (MR)     $3.99
MAY140641     SEX TP VOL 02 SUPERCOOL (MR)     $14.99
MAY140730     SKULLKICKERS #29     $3.50
MAY140735     SUPERANNUATED MAN #2 (MR)     $3.99
MAY140571     SUPREME BLUE ROSE #1 (MR)     $2.99
MAY140739     TREES #3 (MR)     $2.99
MAY140741     UNDERTOW #6 CVR A TRAKHANOV (MR)     $2.99
MAY140742     UNDERTOW #6 CVR B MITTEN (MR)     $2.99
APR140614     VELVET #6 (MR)     $3.50
MAY140652     WALKING DEAD TP VOL 21 ALL OUT WAR PT 2 (MR)     $14.99
APR140618     ZERO #9 (MR)     $2.99

Comics, Books and Magazines from Diamond Distributors for July 23 2014

PREVIEWS PUBLICATIONS
JUN140004     PREVIEWS #311 AUG 2014 CUSTOMER ORDER FORM     PI
JUN140001     PREVIEWS #311 AUGUST 2014     $4.50

COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS
MAY141203     ADVENTURE TIME FIONNA & CAKE #5 HEROES CON EXC     $9.99
FEB140919     AFTERLIFE WITH ARCHIE #6 REG FRANCAVILLA CVR     $2.99
APR141348     ALICE I/T COUNTRY OF CLOVER KNIGHTS KNOWLEDGE GN VOL 01 (MR)     $13.99
APR141370     ALIEN LEGION UNCIVIL WAR #2     $3.99
MAY141190     AMAZING WORLD OF GUMBALL #2 MAIN CVRS     $3.99
MAY141664     ARCHER & ARMSTRONG #22 CVR A CRYSTAL     $3.99
MAY141665     ARCHER & ARMSTRONG #22 CVR B WALSH     $3.99
MAY141643     ARMOR HUNTERS BLOODSHOT #1 CVR A REG (AH)     $3.99
MAY141644     ARMOR HUNTERS BLOODSHOT #1 CVR B CHROM (AH)     $5.99
MAY141461     ARTEMIS FOWL GN VOL 04 OPAL DECEPTION     $12.99
MAY141462     ARTEMIS FOWL HC GN VOL 04 OPAL DECEPTION     $21.99
MAY141126     BART SIMPSON COMICS #91     $2.99
MAY141011     BETTY & VERONICA JUMBO COMICS DIGEST #225     $6.99
MAY141194     BRAVEST WARRIORS #22 MAIN CVRS     $3.99
MAY141448     BUCK ROGERS IN 25TH CENTURY TP VOL 01 GRIEVOUS ANGELS     $17.99
MAR140808     CAVEWOMAN JOURNEY #2 CVR A MOORE     $3.99
APR140832     CAVEWOMAN JOURNEY #2 CVR D ROOT     PI
MAY141554     COMICS SQUAD RECESS GN     $7.99
MAY141042     DAMSELS IN EXCESS #1 DIRECT MARKET CVR A     $3.99
MAY141043     DAMSELS IN EXCESS #1 DIRECT MARKET CVR B     $3.99
MAY141311     DEJAH OF MARS #3 (MR)     $3.99
JAN141175     DF STAR WARS LUCAS DRAFT #0 MAYHEW SGN     $29.99
APR141186     DF VAMPIRELLA #1 VIRGIN ART DODSON     $50.00
APR140858     DIARY OF A GIRL NEXT DOOR BETTY HC     $13.99
FEB148251     DOCTOR WHO 10TH #1 BLANK SKETCH CVR     $3.99
APR141372     DOCTOR WHO 10TH #1 REG ZHANG     $3.99
APR141373     DOCTOR WHO 10TH #1 SUBSCRIPTION CASAGRANDE     $3.99
FEB148252     DOCTOR WHO 11TH #1 BLANK SKETCH CVR     $3.99
APR141379     DOCTOR WHO 11TH #1 REG ZHANG     $3.99
APR141380     DOCTOR WHO 11TH #1 SUBSCRIPTION FRASER     $3.99
MAY141560     DREDD ILLUS MOVIE SCRIPT & VISUALS GN (MR)     $35.00
MAY148124     EMPTY MAN #1 (2ND PTG)     $3.99
MAY141166     EVIL EMPIRE #1 ECCC EXC (MR)     $9.99
MAY141153     FANBOYS VS ZOMBIES TP VOL 05     $14.99
MAR141293     GERONIMO STILTON HC BOX SET VOL 10-12     $29.99
MAY141772     GFT GODSTORM HERCULES PAYNE #4 A CVR PANTALENA     $3.99
MAY141773     GFT GODSTORM HERCULES PAYNE #4 B CVR ERIC J     $3.99
MAY141774     GFT GODSTORM HERCULES PAYNE #4 C CVR REYES     $3.99
MAY141775     GFT GODSTORM HERCULES PAYNE #4 D CVR OSORIO     $3.99
MAY141766     GFT HELSING #4 A CVR MILLER     $3.99
MAY141767     GFT HELSING #4 B CVR DESJARDINS     $3.99
MAY141768     GFT HELSING #4 C CVR TYNDALL     $3.99
MAY141750     GFT WONDERLAND #25 A CVR ARTGERM (MR)     $5.99
MAY141751     GFT WONDERLAND #25 B CVR BENITEZ (MR)     $5.99
MAY141752     GFT WONDERLAND #25 C CVR CHEN (MR)     $5.99
MAY141753     GFT WONDERLAND #25 D CVR RUFFINO (MR)     $5.99
MAY141754     GFT WONDERLAND #25 E CVR LEISTER (MR)     $5.99
APR141529     GFT WONDERLAND OMNIBUS TP     $69.99
MAY141669     IN CLOTHES CALLED FAT GN     $16.95
APR140859     JUGHEAD & ARCHIE DOUBLE DIGEST #4     $4.99
MAY141607     LENORE VOLUME II #10     $3.99
MAY141502     LETTER 44 #8     $3.99
MAY141022     LIFE WITH ARCHIE #36 MAGAZINE FORMAT     $9.99
MAY141019     LIFE WITH ARCHIE COMIC #37 ALEX ROSS CVR     $4.99
MAY141017     LIFE WITH ARCHIE COMIC #37 CLIFF CHIANG CVR     $4.99
MAY141021     LIFE WITH ARCHIE COMIC #37 JILL THOMPSON CVR     $4.99
MAY141018     LIFE WITH ARCHIE COMIC #37 TOMMY LEE EDWARDS CVR     $4.99
MAY141020     LIFE WITH ARCHIE COMIC #37 WALT SIMONSON CVR     $4.99
MAY141615     LOEG III CENTURY HC COMPLETE ED (MR)     $29.95
MAY141174     MIDAS FLESH #8     $3.99
MAY141526     MONOMYTH #1     $3.99
APR141440     MORELLA PRESENTS VEROTIKA RETURNS SPECIAL #2 (MR)     $4.95
APR141389     ORDINARY #3     $3.99
MAY141197     PEANUTS VOL 2 #20     $3.99
MAY141431     SHADOW HERO GN     $17.99
MAY141361     SHERLOCK HOLMES MORIARTY LIVES #5     $3.99
MAY141442     SMILE SC NEW PTG     $10.99
MAY141323     SOLAR MAN O/T ATOM #4     $3.99
APR141207     SPECIAL EXITS GN     $22.99
MAY141249     STAN DRAKE HEART JULIET JONES TP VOL 02     $24.95
MAY141250     STAN DRAKE HEART JULIET JONES TP VOL 03     $24.95
MAY141140     STEED & MRS PEEL NEEDED #1     $3.99
MAY140979     STREET ANGEL HC     $19.95
APR141272     THROUGH THE WOODS GN     $14.99
APR141273     THROUGH THE WOODS HC GN     $21.99
MAY141240     TUKI SAVE THE HUMANS #1     $3.99
MAY141308     TWILIGHT ZONE #7     $3.99
DEC130830     VICTORIAN SECRET MIDWINTER SPECIAL ONE SHOT     $3.99
APR141355     WORLD WAR BLUE GN VOL 06     $12.99
MAY140974     ZOMBIE TRAMP ONGOING #1 MAIN COVER     $3.99

MAGAZINES
APR141654     ALTER EGO #127     $8.95
APR141655     BACK ISSUE #74     $8.95
APR140957     BLEEDING COOL MAGAZINE #11 (MR)     $4.99
FEB141650     COMIC BOOK CREATOR #5     $8.95
MAY141863     COMIC SHOP NEWS #1414     PI
MAR141581     DC BATMAN AUTO FIG MAG #35 BATMAN & ROBIN VOL 2 #5     $20.00
JAN141529     DC SUPERHERO CHESS FIG COLL MAG #55 DOOMSDAY BLACK ROOK     $16.00
MAR141584     DC SUPERHERO CHESS FIG COLL MAG #59 ZATANNA WHITE PAWN     $16.00
APR141663     DOCTOR WHO MAGAZINE #475     $9.99
APR141338     JUDGE DREDD MEGAZINE #349     $12.40
MAY141856     JUXTAPOZ #163 AUG 2014     $5.99
MAR141586     MARVEL CHESS FIG COLL MAG #9 VENOM BLACK PAWN     $16.00
JAN141554     MEGAMI APR 2014     $16.60
JAN141555     NEWTYPE APR 2014     $16.00

BOOKS
MAY141435     BIG BIG OVERSTREET PRICE GD VOL 44     $45.00
APR141559     DOCTOR WHO SHAKESPEARE NOTEBOOKS HC     $15.99
FEB141627     GOLDEN URCHIN FICTION TP     $15.95
MAY141838     GOODNIGHT DARTH VADER HC     $14.95
APR141542     KERAMIDAS SKETCHBOOK #2     $30.00
FEB141628     MERLINS KEEP FICTION TP     $15.95
FEB141629     MOONRAKERS BRIDE FICTION TP     $15.95
APR141240     OVERSTREET COMIC BK PG HC VOL 44 BATMAN     $35.00
APR141242     OVERSTREET COMIC BK PG HC VOL 44 VAMPIRELLA     $35.00
APR141239     OVERSTREET COMIC BK PG SC VOL 44 BATMAN CVR     $29.95
APR141241     OVERSTREET COMIC BK PG SC VOL 44 VAMPIRELLA CVR     $29.95
APR142360     WARHAMMER 40K FIST OF DEMETRIUS SC     $14.00
FEB141604     WONDER WOMAN UNBOUND HIST WORLDS MOST FAMOUS HEROINE SC     $18.95

07-Ghost: Tiashe

I read 07-GHOST, Vol. 11

I posted a review at ComicBookBin, which is seeking donations.  Follow me on Twitter.

Review: THE STRAIN #3

THE STRAIN #3
DARK HORSE COMICS – @DarkHorseComics

STORY: Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan
SCRIPT: David Lapham
ART: Mike Huddleston
COLORS: Dan Jackson
LETTERS: Clem Robins
COVER: Mike Huddleston
28pp, Color, $3.50 U.S. (February 2012)

Part 3: “First Night”

Dark Horse Comics made PDF copies of all 11 issues of its horror comic book series, The Strain, available in early 2013 to comic book reviewers on its e-mailing list.  This PDF release was in anticipation of the follow-up series, The Strain: The Fall.  I was able to review all 11 issues of The Strain for the ComicBookBin.

I have previously posted my reviews of The Strain #1-2 on this, the “I Reads You” blog.  Over the course of the coming weeks, I will post the reviews of issues 3 to 11 on this blog in conjunction with the airing of “The Strain,” the television adaptation of the original novel.  The first episode debuted on Sunday, July 13, 2014 on cable channel, FX.

---------------

The 2009 vampire novel from filmmaker Guillermo del Toro and novelist Chuck Hogan, The Strain, became a comic book miniseries.  Beginning in 2011, Dark Horse Comics began the 11-issue comic book adaptation, also entitled The Strain, with script adaptation by David Lapham and art by Mike Huddleston.

The Strain’s central character is Dr. Ephraim “Eph” Goodweather of the CDC (Centers for Disease Control).  Eph heads the Canary Project, a rapid-response team that investigates biological threats.   With his second-in-command, Nora Martinez, Eph may have found such a threat at J.F.K. International Airport in New York City, where a Boeing 777 went dead silent after landing.

As The Strain #3 opens, elderly Professor Abraham Setrakian noisily confronts Eph and Nora, warning of the coming abomination.  Unlike the characters in so much of horror fiction and storytelling, Eph and Nora pay attention to the warnings… somewhat.  They may be just a little late to stop the supernatural disaster.  Two of the survivors of the Boeing 777 are exhibiting strange behavior.

Last issue, Ansel Barbour had a special meal with the family dogs.  This issue, rock star, Bolivar, freaks out his threesome partners.  Meanwhile, in Manhattan, someone goes streaking through Times Square, perhaps like no other streaker has before him.  Also, eight-year-old Emma Gilbarton visits her grieving father.  With all the strangeness happening, NYPD still has time to racially profile and stop-and-frisk a brown person.

If The Strain maintains the level of quality that permeates this third issue, I’ll run out of good things to say by the time I get to issue #11.  The Strain #3 is f’ing awesome.  The Strain is the great horror comic book that the original 30 Days of Night should have been.

A+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


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

2014 Harvey Awards Nominations - Complete Nominees List

2014 Harvey Awards Nominees Announced

Visit www.harveyawards.org for Ballots & Submission Details

The 2014 Harvey Awards Nominees have been announced with the release of the final ballot, presented by the Executive Committees of the Harvey Awards and the Baltimore Comic-Con. Named in honor of the late Harvey Kurtzman, one of the industry's most innovative talents, the Harvey Awards recognize outstanding work in comics and sequential art. They will be presented September 6, 2014 in Baltimore, MD, in conjunction with the Baltimore Comic-Con.

Nominations for the Harvey Awards are selected exclusively by creators - those who write, draw, ink, letter, color, design, edit, or are otherwise involved in a creative capacity in the comics field. They are the only industry awards both nominated and selected by the full body of comic book professionals. Thank you to all that have already participated by submitting a nomination ballot.

Final ballots are due to the Harvey Awards by Monday, August 18, 2014. Full submission instructions can be found on the final ballot.  Voting is open to anyone professionally involved in a creative capacity within the comics field.  Final ballots are available at www.harveyawards.org. Those who prefer paper ballots may e-mail harveys@baltimorecomiccon.com.

This will be the ninth year for the Harvey Awards in Baltimore, MD.  Look for more details soon as to how you can attend the Harvey Awards dinner.

This year's Baltimore Comic-Con will be held September 5-7, 2014.  The ceremony and banquet for the 2014 Harvey Awards will be held Saturday night, September 6th.

Without further delay, the 2014 Harvey Award Nominees:

BEST LETTERER

____   Deron Bennett, CYBORG 009, Archaia
____   Dave Lanphear, QUANTUM AND WOODY, Valiant Entertainment
____   Terry Moore, RACHEL RISING, Abstract Studio
____   Steve Wands, ADVENTURE TIME, kaBOOM!
____   Britt Wilson, ADVENTURE TIME WITH FIONNA AND CAKE, kaBOOM!

BEST COLORIST

____   Jordan Bellaire, PRETTY DEADLY, Image Comics
____   Marte Gracia, ALL NEW X-MEN, Marvel Comics
____   Matt Hollingsworth, HAWKEYE, Marvel Comics
____   Brian Reber, UNITY, Valiant Entertainment
____   Dave Stewart, HELLBOY: THE MIDNIGHT CIRCUS, Dark Horse Comics

BEST SYNDICATED STRIP or PANEL

____   DICK TRACY, Joe Staton and Mike Curtis, Tribune Media Services
____   FOX TROT, Bill Amend, Universal Uclick
____   GET FUZZY, Darby Conley, Universal Uclick
____   MUTTS, Patrick McDonnell, King Features Syndicate
____   THE PHANTOM, Tony DePaul and Paul Ryan, King Features Syndicate

BEST ONLINE COMICS WORK

____   BATTLEPUG, Mike Norton, battlepug.com
____   THE DREAMER, Lora Innes, thedreamercomic.com
____   GUNNERKRIGG COURT, Tom Siddell, gunnerkrigg.com
____   JL8, Yale Stewart, jl8comic.tumblr.com
____   TABLE TITANS, Scott Kurtz, Steve Hamaker, and Brian Hurtt, tabletitans.com

BEST AMERICAN EDITION of FOREIGN MATERIAL

____   ATTACK ON TITAN, Kodansha
____   THE KILLER, VOLUME 4, BOOM! Studios/Archaia
____   SHOWA: A HISTORY OF JAPAN 1926-1939, Drawn and Quarterly
____   SUNNY, Viz Signature
____   TODAY IS THE LAST DAY OF THE REST OF YOUR LIFE, Fantagraphics

BEST INKER

____   Vanesa R. Del Rey, HIT, BOOM! Studios
____   Stefano Gaudiano, THE WALKING DEAD, Image Comics
____   Danny Miki, BATMAN, DC Comics
____   Brian Stelfreeze, DAY MEN, BOOM! Studios
____   Wade Von Grawbadger, ALL NEW X-MEN, Marvel Comics

BEST NEW SERIES

____   AFTERLIFE WITH ARCHIE, Archie Comics
____   QUANTUM AND WOODY, Valiant Entertainment
____   SEX CRIMINALS, Image
____   SIX GUN GORILLA, BOOM! Studios
____   SUICIDE RISK, BOOM! Studios

MOST PROMISING NEW TALENT

____   James Asmus, QUANTUM AND WOODY, Valiant Entertainment
____   Pere Perez, ARCHER AND ARMSTRONG, HARBINGER WARS, Valiant Entertainment
____   Victor Santos, POLAR: CAME FROM THE COLD, DARK HORSE PRESENTS, Dark Horse Comics
____   Jeff Stokely, SIX GUN GORILLA, BOOM! Studios
____   Chip Zdarsky, SEX CRIMINALS, Image Comics

SPECIAL AWARD FOR HUMOR IN COMICS

____   James Asmus, QUANTUM AND WOODY, Valiant Entertainment
____   Ryan North, ADVENTURE TIME, KaBOOM!
____   Dan Parent, KEVIN KELLER, Archie Comics
____   Fred Van Lente, ARCHER AND ARMSTRONG, Valiant Entertainment
____   Jim Zub, SKULLKICKERS, Image Comics

BEST ORIGINAL GRAPHIC PUBLICATION  FOR YOUNGER READERS

____   ADVENTURE TIME, KaBOOM!
____   BATTLING BOY, First Second
____   G-MAN: COMING HOME, Image Comics
____   MONSTER ON THE HILL, Top Shelf Productions
____   ONLY LIVING BOY, Bottled Lightning

BEST GRAPHIC ALBUM PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED

____   HARBINGER VOLUME 1: OMEGA RISING, Valiant Entertainment
____   THE KILLER OMNIBUS VOLUME 1, Archaia
____   MOUSE GUARD VOL. 3: THE BLACK AXE, BOOM! Studios/Archaia
____   POLARITY, BOOM! Studios
____   RAINBOW IN THE DARK: THE COMPLETE SAGA, Comfort Love and Adam Withers

BEST ANTHOLOGY

____   DARK HORSE PRESENTS, Dark Horse Comics
____   MOUSE GUARD: LEGENDS OF THE GUARD VOLUME 2, BOOM! Studios/Archaia
____   OUTLAW TERRITORY 3, Image Comics
____   SPERA, VOLUME 3, BOOM! Studios/Archaia
____   THRILLING ADVENTURE HOUR, BOOM! Studios/Archaia

BEST DOMESTIC REPRINT PROJECT

____   BARNABY VOLUME 1, Fantagraphics
____   BEST OF COMIX BOOK: WHEN MARVEL COMICS WENT UNDERGROUND, Kitchen Sink Books/Dark Horse
____   FRAGGLE ROCK CLASSICS VOLUME 2, BOOM! Studios/Archaia
____   VALIANT MASTERS: NINJAK VOLUME 1 - BLACK WATER, Valiant Entertainment
____   VALIANT MASTERS: SHADOWMAN VOLUME 1 - SPIRITS WITHIN, Valiant Entertainment

BEST COVER ARTIST

____   Goni Montes, CLIVE BARKER'S NEXT TESTAMENT,
____   Andrew Robinson, QUANTUM AND WOODY, Valiant Entertainment
____   Chris Samnee, DAREDEVIL, Marvel Comics
____   Fiona Staples, SAGA, Image Comics
____   Brian Stelfreeze, DAY MEN, BOOM! Studios

BEST BIOGRAPHICAL, HISTORICAL, or JOURNALISTIC PRESENTATION

____   AL CAPP: A LIFE TO THE CONTRARY, Denis Kitchen, Bloomsbury
____   AMERICAN COMIC BOOK CHRONICLES: THE 1950S, TwoMorrows Publishing
____   ART OF RUBE GOLDBERG, Jennifer George, Abrams ComicArts
____   CO-MIX: A RETROSPECTIVE OF COMICS, GRAPHICS, AND SCRAPS, Art Spiegelman, Drawn and Quarterly
____   THE FIFTH BEATLE: THE BRIAN EPSTEIN STORY, by Vivek J. Tiwary, Andrew C. Robinson, and Kyle Baker,
          Dark Horse
____   MARCH: BOOK ONE, John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell, Top Shelf Productions

SPECIAL AWARD for EXCELLENCE IN PRESENTATION

____   BEST OF COMIX BOOK: WHEN MARVEL COMICS WENT UNDERGROUND, John Lind,
          Kitchen Sink Books/Dark Horse Comics
____   CYBORG 009, Stephen Christy, Archaia
____   HARBINGER WARS, Josh Johns and Warren Simons, Valiant Entertainment
____   THRILLING ADVENTURE HOUR, Joe LeFavi, BOOM! Studios/Archaia
____   UNITY, Alejandro Arbona, Josh Johns, and Warren Simons, Valiant Entertainment

BEST GRAPHIC ALBUM ORIGINAL

____   BATTLING BOY, First Second
____   CYBORG 009, Archaia
____   THE FIFTH BEATLE: THE BRIAN EPSTEIN STORY, Dark Horse Comics
____   MARCH: BOOK ONE, Top Shelf Productions
____   THE REASON FOR DRAGONS, BOOM! Studios/Archaia

BEST CONTINUING OR LIMITED SERIES

____   ARCHER AND ARMSTRONG, Valiant Entertainment
____   DAREDEVIL, Marvel Comics
____   HAWKEYE, Marvel Comics
____   HIT, BOOM! Studios
____   MOUSE GUARD: LEGENDS OF THE GUARD VOL. 2, Archaia
____   SAGA, Image Comics

BEST WRITER

____   James Asmus, QUANTUM AND WOODY, Valiant Entertainment
____   Matt Fraction, HAWKEYE, Marvel Comics
____   Matt Kindt, MIND MGMT, Dark Horse Comics
____   Brian K. Vaughan, SAGA, Image Comics
____   Mark Waid, DAREDEVIL, Marvel Comics

BEST ARTIST

____   David Aja, HAWKEYE, Marvel Comics
____   Dan Parent, KEVIN KELLER, Archie Comics
____   Nate Powell, MARCH: BOOK ONE, Top Shelf Productions
____   Chris Samnee, DAREDEVIL, Marvel Comics
____   Fiona Staples, SAGA, Image Comics
____   Jeff Stokely, SIX GUN GORILLA, BOOM! Studios

BEST CARTOONIST

____   Matt Kindt, MIND MGMT, Dark Horse Comics
____   Comfort Love and Adam Withers, RAINBOW IN THE DARK, uniquescomic.com
____   Terry Moore, RACHEL RISING, Abstract Studios
____   Dan Parent, KEVIN KELLER, Archie Comics
____   David Petersen, MOUSE GUARD: THE BLACK AXE, BOOM! Studios/Archaia
____   Paul Pope, BATTLING BOY, First Second

BEST SINGLE ISSUE OR STORY

____   ADVENTURE TIME ANNUAL #1, kaBOOM!
____   DEMETER, self-published, Becky Cloonan
____   "A Kiss ISN'T Just A Kiss!", KEVIN KELLER #10, Archie Comics
____   "Now and Then", DARK HORSE PRESENTS #30, Dark Horse Comics
____   "Pizza is My Business', HAWKEYE #11, Marvel Comics
____   SUICIDE RISK #5, BOOM! Studios
____   UNITY #1, Valiant Entertainment


Congratulations to all of the nominees!  The Havey Committe ask that if you know a nominee, please pass on the good news using email,  Facebook, and Twitter.

Please submit any corrections to harveys@baltimorecomiccon.com.  The Harvey Committee tries its best to list nominees correctly, and want to know if there is an error.

The Harvey Committee and the Baltimore Comic-Con will make every effort to contact all nominees. If you are a nominee and you do not hear from them by July 25, please contact us at harveys@baltimorecomiccon.com. They would love to discuss your involvement in the ceremony and the Baltimore Comic-Con.

For additional information about Harvey Kurtzman and the Harvey Awards, visit www.harveyawards.org or http://www.facebook.com/theharveyawards.

The Baltimore Comic-Con is celebrating its 15th year of bringing the comic book industry to the Baltimore and Washington D.C. area. With a guest list unequaled in the industry, the Baltimore Comic-Con will be held September 5-7, 2014. For more information, please visit the website, Twitter, or Facebook pages.

Review TERRA FORMARS Volume 1

TERRA FORMARS, VOL. 1
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

STORY: Yu Sasuga
ARTIST: Ken-ichi Tachibana
TRANSLATION/ENGLISH ADAPTATION: John Werry
LETTERING: Annaliese Christman
ISBN: 978-1-4215-7154-6; paperback (July 2014); Rated “M” for “Mature”
216pp, B&W, $12.99 U.S., $14.99 CAN, £8.99 UK

Artist Ken-ichi Tachibana first collaborated with writer Yu Sasuga on Terra Formars, which was also Sasuga’s debut as a manga writer.  Now, Terra Formars is the latest title from VIZ Media’s VIZ Signature imprint.  Illustrated by Tachibana and written Sasuga, the manga concerns the terraforming of Mars and the horror that unleashes.

Terra Formars opens in the year 2599 AD.  Overpopulation on Earth has reached the breaking point, and humanity must find new frontiers and a new home.  For centuries, Earth has been terraforming Mars by introducing moss and cockroaches.

Terra Formars, Vol. 1 (Chapters 1 to 6) opens after humanity’s first manned mission to the Red Planet, “Bugs 1,” was lost.  Now, “Bugs 2,” the second expedition, arrives on Mars with a crew of 15 men and women.  These explorers prepare to exterminate the cockroaches that were used to transform the Martian environment.

However, they discover that the insects have mutated or evolved into giant, aggressive humanoids creatures – a race of roach men.  These creatures apparently have one overriding goal; that is to exterminate all humans.  However, each member of the crew of “Bugs 2” has undergone the “Bugs Procedure.”  This terrifying and dangerous experimental surgery is designed to make each human something more than human.  But will that be enough for the Terra Formars?

In over a decade of reading and reviewing manga, I have come across some strange and even stranger manga.  The Terra Formars manga is stranger, shocking, and bizarre.  There are six chapters in Terra Formars Volume 1, and there are at least two or three shocking reveals in each one.

I don’t quite know how to describe it, but this first volume took me so many places in terms of plot that I want… no, I need to know what happens next.  I think Terra Formars will hold readers’ attention at least for the first two or three volumes.  It is definitely worth a look for fans of strange sci-fi manga.

B+

www.VIZ.com

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


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

I Reads You Review: CYCLOPS #1

CYCLOPS (2014) #1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

WRITER: Greg Rucka
ARTIST: Russell Dauterman
COLORS: Chris Sotomayor
LETTERS: VC’s Joe Caramagna
COVER: Alexander Lozano
VARIANT COVERS: Greg Land; Skottie Young
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (July 2014)

Rated T+

Marvel Comics’ “All-New Marvel Now!” initiative is offering a seemingly endless onslaught on new series.  This includes the launch of some X-Men solo comic book series featuring some of the most popular and iconic X-Men.  One of the X-Men getting his own comic book series is Cyclops, one of the original X-Men.  In fact, the star of the new comic book is a 16-year-old Cyclops… Let me explain.

All-New X-Men, written by Brian Michael Bendis, was one of the titles that came out of the original Marvel NOW publishing initiative back in autumn of 2012.  In this new X-Men comic book series, the modern, blue, furry Beast went back in time and met the original teen X-Men:  Cyclops (Scott Summers), Marvel Girl (Jean Grey), the Beast (Hank McCoy), Angel (Warren Worthington III), and Iceman (Bobby Drake), at a time when they’d only been the X-Men for a short time.  Grown-up Beast convinced teen Beast and his teammates to return with him to the present to see what had become of their dreams in a world that is our present and their future.  It wasn’t pretty.

Springing out of “The Trial of Jean Grey” event, Cyclops #1 finds 16-year old Scott Summers/Cyclops in outer space.  He is with the band of space pirates known as the “Starjammers.”  They are led by Scott’s once thought-to-be-dead father, Christopher Summers, now known as Corsair.  And the reunited father and son are about to embark on an epic father-son journey across the space ways.

The Starjammers were created by Dave Cockrum and first appeared in X-Men #107 (cover dated: October 1977).  The Starjammers were straight out of that venerable science fiction subgenre, space opera.  Comic books are no stranger to space opera, as many comic book companies in the 1940s and 50s used space flight to take human characters to strange worlds where they met even stranger beings.  Two of the best examples of space opera in comics may be Planet Comics, a science fiction comic book series published by Fiction House from 1940 to 1953, and also Weird Fantasy, which was published by EC Comics from 1950 to 1953.

This new Cyclops comic book is not hokey like some old science fiction comic books, but it might owe something to Star Wars, a film that has space opera elements and is considered by some to be space opera.  With that in mind, I think Cyclops could be a good thing.

What I am loving about Cyclops #1 right now is the art by Russell Dauterman (pencils and inks) and Chris Sotomayor (colors).  It is perfect for this juvenile space opera, and it looks so unique and different, as if Cyclops #1 was a slice of a European comics graphic album.  I want to see where writer Greg Rucka takes this, so I hope Cyclops runs for at least 12 issues.

A-

Reviwed by Leroy Douresseaux


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