Wednesday, June 17, 2015

I Reads You Review: DESCENDER #1

DESCENDER #1
IMAGE COMICS – @ImageComics

WRITER: Jeff Lemire
ARTIST: Dustin Nguyen
LETTERS: Steve Wands
COVER: Dustin Nguyen
VARIANT COVER: Jeff Lemire
36pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (March 2015)

Rated T+ / Teen Plus

Book 1: Tin Stars

Descender is a recently-launched science fiction comic book created by writer Jeff Lemire and artist Dustin Nguyen.  It is set in an indeterminate, distant future and focuses on child-like android.

Descender #1 (“Tin Stars”) introduces a section of the galaxy where there is a group of nine “Core Planets” known as “The United Galactic Council” (UGC).  The nine Core Planets are Niyrata, Phages, Mata, Sampson (home of the “original colonists from Old Earth”), Knossos, Silenos, Amun, Gnish, and Ostrakon.  The story opens on the planet Niyrata (the “Hub World”).  There, we meet Dr. Jun Quon, the man acknowledged as the inventor of “modern robotics.”  Dr. Quon is about to face a “Harvester,” a robotic situation that is both awesome and devastating.

The second character of focus is found on “The Moon of Dirishu-6,” home of the Dirishu Mining Colony.  We meet Tim-21, a robot from the “Tim” android series.  Meant to be a “child companion bot,” Tim is about to become a very important robotic boy.

When Descender #1 debuted in March of this year, it was a fast sellout.  Apparently, part of the buzz around Descender was that it had already been optioned for film.  [That's the whole point of publishing a creator-owned comic book through Image, right?]  Luckily, I found “Heroes Corner Comics and More,” a comic book shop that still had copies of recent hot Image Comics titles.  [It's located in Harvey, Louisiana – on the “Westside” of New Orleans.]

I just read this first issue, and now, I don't really see what the fuss was all about.  Descender #1 is mostly borrowed ideas, and Tim seems like nothing more than a character that didn't make it into Steven Spielberg's 2001 film, A.I.: Artificial Intelligence.  Descender is by no means bad, but I am not impressed, nor do I find myself especially titillated to read more.  It doesn't help matters that I am not enamored with Dustin Nguyen's wispy, watercolor-like art, and here, it is similar to how he drew the “kids” comic book, Batman: Li'l Gotham, a painfully obvious cash-in on all-things Batman.

I don't see myself pumping hard to find future issues.  Maybe, it gets really better...

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux; support on Patreon.


The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.


Tuesday, June 16, 2015

DC Comics from Diamond Distributors for June 17, 2015

DC COMICS

APR150313     ASTRO CITY #24     $3.99
APR150183     BLACK CANARY #1     $2.99
MAR150259     BLACK CANARY AND ZATANNA BLOODSPELL TP     $14.99
MAR150267     DEATHSTROKE TP VOL 01 GODS OF WAR (N52)     $14.99
APR150187     DOOMED #1     $2.99
APR150189     DR FATE #1     $2.99
FEB150256     FLASH HC VOL 06 OUT OF TIME     $24.99
MAR150269     GOTHAM ACADEMY TP VOL 01 (N52)     $14.99
APR150195     HARLEY QUINN & POWER GIRL #1     $2.99
MAR150280     HE MAN AND THE MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE TP VOL 05     $14.99
APR150219     INFINITE CRISIS FIGHT FOR THE MULTIVERSE #12     $3.99
APR150167     JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #1     $5.99
APR150321     KITCHEN #8 (MR)     $2.99
APR150282     MAD MAGAZINE #534     $5.99
APR150312     MAD MAX FURY ROAD FURIOSA #1 (MR)     $4.99
APR150199     MARTIAN MANHUNTER #1     $2.99
APR150205     PREZ #1     $2.99
MAR150271     RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS TP VOL 06 LOST & FOUND (N52)     $14.99
APR150209     ROBIN SON OF BATMAN #1     $3.99
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APR150250     SUPERMAN WONDER WOMAN #18     $3.99
APR150281     TEEN TITANS GO #10     $2.99
APR150244     WONDER WOMAN #41     $2.99

Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for June 17, 2015

MARVEL COMICS

MAR150809     AMAZING X-MEN TP VOL 03 ONCE AND FUTURE JUGGERNAUT     $24.99
JAN150887     ANNIHILATION CONQUEST OMNIBUS HC     $125.00
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APR150870     BIG THUNDER MOUNTAIN RAILROAD #4     $3.99
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APR150884     DEATHLOK #9     $3.99
MAR150805     FANTASTIC FOUR TP VOL 04 END IS FOUREVER     $15.99
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MAR150819     X-MEN TP HUNT FOR PROFESSOR X     $39.99

IDW Publishing from Diamond Distributors for June 17, 2015

IDW PUBLISHING

APR150484     CREEPLE PEEPLE TP     $17.99
APR150485     DUNGEONS & DRAGONS ABRAXIS WREN OF EBERRON TP     $19.99
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APR150362     GHOSTBUSTERS GET REAL #1     $3.99
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MAR150339     LITTLE NEMO RTN TO SLUMBERLAND TP     $9.99
FEB150457     LOAC ESSENTIALS HC VOL 07 TARZAN ORIGINAL DAILIES     $29.99
APR150374     MY LITTLE PONY FIENDSHIP IS MAGIC TP     $19.99
APR150453     OCTOBER FACTION #8     $3.99
APR150413     STAR TREK NEW VISIONS TP VOL 02     $19.99
APR150411     STAR TREK ONGOING #46     $3.99
APR150399     TMNT CASEY & APRIL #1     $3.99
APR150375     TRANSFORMERS #42 COMBINER WARS     $3.99

Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for June

DARK HORSE COMICS

APR150034     ARCHIE VS PREDATOR #3 MAIN CVR     $3.99
FEB150051     AW YEAH COMICS TP VOL 02 TIME FOR ADVENTURE     $12.99
APR150066     BPRD HELL ON EARTH #132     $3.50
APR150062     BTVS SEASON 10 #16 MORRIS MAIN CVR     $3.50
FEB150073     COLDER TP VOL 02 BAD SEED     $17.99
APR150020     DARK HORSE PRESENTS 2014 #11     $4.99
FEB150109     EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS JUNGLE TALES OF TARZAN HC     $19.99
FEB150110     EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS JUNGLE TALES OF TARZAN LTD HC     $49.99
FEB150111     EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS TARZAN OMNIBUS TP     $24.99
APR150018     EI8HT #5     $3.50
APR150038     GROO FRIENDS AND FOES #6     $3.99
APR158284     HARROW COUNTY #1 (2ND PTG)     $3.99
APR150016     MIND MGMT #34     $3.99
FEB150113     NEW LONE WOLF AND CUB TP VOL 05 (MR)     $13.99
APR150047     PLANTS VS ZOMBIES #1 BULLY FOR YOU     $2.99
DEC140140     RETURN OF THE GREMLINS HC     $19.99
APR150019     SHAPER #4     $3.99
APR150070     STRAIN NIGHT ETERNAL #10 (MR)     $3.99
APR150041     USAGI YOJIMBO #146     $3.50
FEB150045     USAGI YOJIMBO TP VOL 29 TWO HUNDRED JIZO     $17.99

Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for June 17, 2015

IMAGE COMICS

APR150625     ALEX + ADA #15     $3.99
APR150513     ASTRONAUTS IN TROUBLE #1     $2.99
APR150582     DRIFTER TP VOL 01 OUT OF THE NIGHT (MR)     $9.99
APR150504     EMPTY ZONE #1 (MR)     $3.50
APR150586     GHOSTED TP VOL 04 GHOST TOWN (MR)     $12.99
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APR150642     GOD HATES ASTRONAUTS #9 CVR B STEGMAN (MR)     $3.50
MAR150572     LAZARUS #17 (MR)     $3.50
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APR150540     LOW #7 CVR B ALBUQUERQUE (MR)     $3.50
JAN150693     MANIFEST DESTINY #15 (MR)     $2.99
APR150547     REVIVAL #30 (MR)     $3.99
APR150667     RUNLOVEKILL #3 (MR)     $2.99
APR150671     SECRET IDENTITIES #5     $3.50
APR150569     SOUTHERN BASTARDS #9 CVR A LATOUR (MR)     $3.50
APR150570     SOUTHERN BASTARDS #9 CVR B MOORE (MR)     $3.50
MAR150602     STRAY BULLETS SUNSHINE & ROSES #5 (MR)     $3.50
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APR150682     TREES #10 (MR)     $2.99
APR150683     VALHALLA MAD #2     $3.50

Comics, Magazines and Books from Diamond Distributors for June 17, 2015

COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS

APR151249     ADVENTURE TIME BANANA GUARD ACADEMY TP VOL 01     $19.99
MAR151085     AMAZING WORLD OF GUMBALL TP VOL 01     $14.99
MAR151505     AQUILA #3     $3.99
APR151051     BETTY & VERONICA #276 REG CVR     $3.99
MAR150835     BEYOND THE WESTERN DEEP GN     $9.99
APR151757     BLOODSHOT REBORN #3 CVR A SUAYAN (NEXT)     $3.99
APR151758     BLOODSHOT REBORN #3 CVR B LAROSA (NEXT)     $3.99
MAR151526     BRAIN CAMP GN     $9.99
APR151213     BURNING FIELDS #5     $3.99
APR151545     CHILD OF THE STORM HC (MR)     $34.95
FEB151136     CLOCKWORK ANGELS TP     $19.99
FEB150911     CLOVER HONEY 20TH ANNIVERSARY ED GN (MR)     $14.95
APR151507     COMPLETE CRUMB COMICS TP VOL 16 1980S MORE STRUGGLE     $19.99
JAN151442     COMPLETE EIGHTBALL HC BOX SET ISSUES 1 - 18 (MR)     $119.99
FEB151419     COMPLETE PEANUTS HC VOL 23 1995-1996     $29.99
MAR150894     DARKHAM VALE GN     $24.95
NOV141425     DF HAWKEYE VS DEADPOOL #1 DF EXC BLOOD NICIEZA SGN     PI
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APR158124     DIVINITY #1 5TH PTG     $3.99
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MAGAZINES
MAR151502     2000 AD PACK MAY 2015     $21.40
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BOOKS
APR151492     ANNA BANANA & CHOCOLATE EXPLOSION YR GN     $15.99
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