Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Comics, Magazines and Books from Diamond Distributors for September 16, 2015

COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS

JUL151144     ADVENTURE TIME FIONNA & CAKE CARD WARS #3     $3.99
JUL151145     ADVENTURE TIME FIONNA & CAKE CARD WARS #3 SUB CHEN VA     $3.99
JUL151266     ALICE COOPER VS CHAOS #1 RARE CHIN VIRGIN ED     $50.00
JUL151267     ALIENS VAMPIRELLA #1 RARE HARDMAN VIRGIN ED     $50.00
JUN151428     ANGELTOWN THE NATE HOLLIS INVESTIGATIONS GN     $11.49
JUL151696     ARCHER & ARMSTRONG TP VOL 07 ONE PERCENT & OTHER TALES     $14.99
JUL151491     AUTEUR SISTER BAMBI #4     $3.99
JUL150868     AWAKE #1     $3.99
JUN151223     BATTLESTAR GALACTICA DEATH OF APOLLO TP     $19.99
JUL151124     BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA #16     $3.99
JUL151666     BLOODSHOT REBORN #6 CVR A SUAYAN (NEW ARC)     $3.99
JUL151667     BLOODSHOT REBORN #6 CVR B JOHNSON (NEW ARC)     $3.99
JUL151668     BLOODSHOT REBORN #6 CVR C FABRY (NEW ARC)     $3.99
JUL151669     BLOODSHOT REBORN #6 CVR D BROWN (NEW ARC)     $3.99
JUN158587     BOOK OF DEATH FALL OF BLOODSHOT #1 2ND PTG     $3.99
JUN151273     BOZZ CHRONICLES TP     $19.95
JUN151118     BUTTERFLY HC (MR)     $24.99
JUL150992     CRITTER #3 DIRECT MARKET CVR A     $3.99
JUL150993     CRITTER #3 DIRECT MARKET CVR B     $3.99
JUL151281     DEDICATION #1 (MR)     $2.50
MAY151348     DF FUTURE IMPERFECT #1 LAND CVR DAVID SGN     PI
MAY151349     DF FUTURE IMPERFECT #1 LAND CVR GOLD DAVID SGN     $89.99
APR151469     DF SECRET WARS 2099 #1 DAVID SGN     PI
APR151470     DF SECRET WARS 2099 #1 GOLD ELITE DAVID SGN     $89.99
JUL151292     DOUBLE TAKE COLLECTORS BOX HUNDY SEP 2015 (MR)     $120.00
JUL151291     DOUBLE TAKE SUPER PACK SEP 2015 (MR)     $20.00
JUL151122     ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK #10     $3.99
JUL151590     EVIL DEAD 2 #1 BEYOND DEAD BY DAWN SP ED     $5.99
JUL151113     FICTION #4     $3.99
JUN151430     FIRES ABOVE HYPERION GN (MR)     $14.99
JUL151630     FLOP TO THE TOP HC     $12.95
JUL151783     GFT VAN HELSING VS DRACULA #2 A CVR ORTIZ (MR)     $3.99
JUL151784     GFT VAN HELSING VS DRACULA #2 B CVR LAISO (MR)     $3.99
JUL151785     GFT VAN HELSING VS DRACULA #2 C CVR PEKAR (MR)     $3.99
JUL151786     GFT VAN HELSING VS DRACULA #2 D CVR TUCCI (MR)     $3.99
JUN151507     HAGANAI I DONT HAVE MANY FRIENDS GN VOL 12 (MR)     $12.99
MAY150918     HAMSTER PUNK GN     $14.95
JUL150912     HIC HOC JOURNAL OF HUMOR VOL 02 UNITED KINGDOM (MR)     $12.00
JUL151282     HOME #1 (MR)     $2.50
JUL151283     HONOR #1 (MR)     $2.50
JUL151464     INFINITE ADVENTURES OF JONAS QUANTUM #1     $3.99
JUL151572     INTRO TO ALIEN INVASION GN     $17.99
JUL151493     INVADER ZIM #3     $3.99
JUL150986     JIRNI VOL 2 #2 DIRECT MARKET CVR A     $3.99
JUL150987     JIRNI VOL 2 #2 DIRECT MARKET CVR B     $3.99
JUL151748     KIMI NI TODOKE GN VOL 22 FROM ME TO YOU     $9.99
JUL151434     KING #2     $2.99
JUL151749     KISS OF THE ROSE PRINCESS GN VOL 06     $9.99
JUL151061     LADY MECHANIKA TABLET OF DESTINIES #5 MAIN CVR     $3.99
JUL151241     LONE RANGER VINDICATED TP     $15.99
JUL151242     LOOKING FOR GROUP #6 CVR A QUARTER     $4.99
JUL151243     LOOKING FOR GROUP #6 CVR B QUARTER B&W     $4.99
JUL151133     LUMBERJANES #18     $3.99
JUL151743     MASTER KEATON GN VOL 04     $19.99
JUL151285     MEDIC #1 (MR)     $2.50
JUL150976     MEGA MAN #53 REG CVR     $3.99
JUL151408     MISTRY PI #3     $2.99
JUL151592     MIXTAPE #1     $3.99
JUN151279     MOOMIN AND THE MARTIANS GN     $9.95
JUN151280     MOOMIN COMPLETE LARS JANSSON COMIC STRIP HC VOL 10     $19.95
JUL150872     NUTMEG #4     $3.99
JUL150951     PIXIES GN (MR)     $24.95
JUL150874     PRINCELESS RAVEN PIRATE PRINCESS #3 MAIN CVR     $3.99
JUL151681     RAI #10 CVR A INTERLOCKING CRAIN     $3.99
JUL151682     RAI #10 CVR B INTERLOCKING CRAIN     $3.99
JUL151683     RAI #10 CVR C SOOK     $3.99
JUL151268     RED SONJA CONAN #2 RARE BENES VIRGIN ED     $50.00
JUL151286     REMOTE #1 (MR)     $2.50
JUL151287     RISE #1 (MR)     $2.50
JUL151071     SIMPSONS TREEHOUSE OF HORROR #21     $4.99
JUL151284     SLAB #1 (MR)     $2.50
MAY151567     SNOOPY TP 1955-1958 (TITAN ED)     $6.99
JUL151288     SOUL #1 (MR)     $2.50
JUN158301     SPACE RIDERS #1 3RD PTG (MR)     $3.99
JUN158299     SPACE RIDERS #2 2ND PTG (MR)     $3.99
JUN158300     SPACE RIDERS #3 2ND PTG (MR)     $3.99
JUL151289     SPRING #1 (MR)     $2.50
JUL151294     STEP ASIDE POPS HARK A VAGRANT COLLECTION HC (MR)     $19.95
JUL151872     STUCK ON STAR TREK HC     PI
JUL151270     SWORDS OF SORROW #5 RARE LUPACCHINO VIRGIN ED     $50.00
JUL151744     TERRA FORMARS GN VOL 08 (MR)     $12.99
JUN151133     UFOLOGY #5     $3.99
JUL151562     US JUDGE DREDD DAY OF CHAOS FOURTH FACTION TP     $24.99
JUL151217     VOLTRON FROM THE ASHES #1     $3.99
JUL151264     WILL EISNER SPIRIT #3 CVR A POWELL     $3.99
JUN150959     WORLD OF ARCHIE COMICS DOUBLE DIGEST #52     $4.99
JUL151631     WRITTEN AND DRAWN BY HENRIETTA HC     $12.95
MAY151568     YOURE OUT OF YOUR MIND CHARLIE BROWN TP 1957-1959 (TITAN ED)     $6.99
JUL150952     ZIPPER VS DOMINATRIX GN VOL 01     $19.95
JUL151290     Z-MEN #1 (MR)     $2.50

MAGAZINES
JUN151772     BACK ISSUE #84     $8.95
JUL151914     COMIC SHOP NEWS #1474     PI
JUL151917     COMIC SHOP NEWS FALL 2015 PREVIEW     PI
MAY151823     DC BATMAN AUTO FIG MAG #66 BATMAN & ROBIN MOVIE ROBIN BIKE     $21.00
JUN151763     DC BATMAN AUTO FIG MAG #67 BATMAN #25 ZERO YEAR     $21.00
JUN151767     DC SUPERHERO CHESS FIG COLL MAG #91 BLACKFIRE BLACK PAWN     $16.00
JUN151768     DC SUPERHERO CHESS FIG COLL MAG #92 METALLO BLACK PAWN     $16.00
JUN151381     HEAVY METAL #276 CVR B KIRBY (MR)     $7.95
JUL151924     HORRORHOUND 2015 SPRING ANNUAL SPECIAL     $5.00
JUL151908     JUXTAPOZ #176 SEP 2015     $6.99
JUL151937     LOCUS #656     $7.50
MAY151832     MARVEL CHESS FIG COLL MAG #41 DAKEN BLACK PAWN     $17.00
JUN151753     MARVEL CHESS FIG COLL MAG #42 JUGGERNAUT BLACK ROOK     $17.00
APR152052     MEGAMI JUL 2015     $18.00
APR152053     NEWTYPE JUL 2015     $18.00
MAY151827     STAR TREK STARSHIPS FIG MAG #50 USS ENTERPRISE NCC-1701 TOS     $20.00
MAY151828     STAR TREK STARSHIPS FIG MAG #51 HIROGEN HUNTER     $20.00

BOOKS
MAR151569     ART OF PHOENIX WRIGHT DUAL DESTINIES SC     $44.99
MAY151802     BLACK BAT DOUBLE NOVEL #1 BRAND OF BLACK BAT     $14.95
JUL151814     CELEBRATING PEANUTS 65 YEARS SC     $45.00
AUG151908     COMICS OF JOSS WHEDON CRITIAL ESSAYS SC     $35.00
MAY151581     DEVIL MAY CRY 3142 GRAPHIC ARTS SC     $44.99
JUL151826     DISNEY FROZEN ENCHANTED GUIDE HC     $14.99
FEB151640     DUEL ART TAKAHASHI YU-GI-OH ILLUS HC     $39.99
AUG152009     I AM HELEN KELLER YR HC     $12.99
JUL151869     SHADOW DOUBLE NOVEL VOL 99 MARDI GRAS MYSTERY & CITY OF FEAR     $14.95
JUL151840     THE MARVELS ILLUSTRATED NOVEL HC     $32.99
JUN152723     WARHAMMER 40K HERETICUS SC     $14.00

Sunday, September 13, 2015

Review: Will Eisner's THE SPIRIT #1

WILL EISNER'S THE SPIRIT VOL. 1 #1
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT – @dynamitecomics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: Matt Wagner
ART: Dan Schkade
COLORS: Brennan Wagner
LETTERS: A Larger World Studios
COVER: Eric Powell
VARIANT COVERS: Matt Wagner with Brennan Wagner; Alex Ross; John Cassaday; Francesco Francavilla; Dan Schkade; Matt Wagner; Dennis Calero; Jenny Frison; Stephen Mooney
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (July 2015)

Rated T+

The Spirit (a.k.a. Denny Colt) is the masked crime-fighting hero created by legendary cartoonist, the late Will Eisner.  The Spirit first appeared on June 2, 1940 as the main feature of what would come to be known as “The Spirit Section.”  This was a 16-page, tabloid-sized, newsprint comic book insert first distributed in the Sunday edition of Register and Tribune Syndicate newspapers.  “The Spirit Section” ended in 1952.  With only a few exceptions, Eisner did not produce new stories featuring The Spirit as a regular feature after 1952.

In the last two decades, Kitchen Sink, DC Comics, and IDW published comic book series featuring new Spirit stories created by other writers and artists.  Sometime in the last year, Dynamite Entertainment obtained the rights to produce new Spirit comic books.  July 2015 saw the debut of Will Eisner's The Spirit, written by Matt Wagner, drawn by Dan Schkade, colored by Brennan Wagner, and lettered by A Large World Studios, with covers by Eric Powell.

Will Eisner's The Spirit #1 opens some time in the 1940s, two years after the last sighting of The Spirit.  Central City Police Commissioner Eustace Dolan wonders about the fate of his loyal, crime-fighting friend, but he must focus on the city's politics, which are not necessarily playing in his favor.  Commissioner Dolan's daughter, Ellen Dolan, is busy with her role as a city councilman, and though she was romantically involved with The Spirit, she has moved on with her life.  She even has a new boyfriend, attorney Archibald “Archie” Shale.

The Spirit's former sidekick, Ebony White, is now part of “Strunk and White: Private Investigators.”  Ebony has grown bored of chasing people, and has decided that it is time to chase The Spirit.

There have been some good recent Spirit stories produced by creators other than Will Eisner; Alan Moore and Darwyn Cooke come to mind.  Even back in The Spirit's original run, the comic was produced by people other than Eisner.  I imagine that readers who are not familiar with Will Eisner won't know the difference between his Spirit and that of other creators, so I will partly review Will Eisner's The Spirit #1 in that context.

It is a decent comic book.  It has potential, but I wouldn't pay a cover price of $3.99 for it on a regular basis.  Series artist Dan Schkade draws so that his compositions try to capture the graphic style of a comic book from the 1940s.  However, his drawing, in terms of comic book art and storytelling, is raw, and the quality of his work says semi-pro webcomic.

Now, as a longtime fan of The Spirit, who has liked both Eisner and non-Eisner Spirit comics, I have to say that Will Eisner's The Spirit #1 simply does not live up to the best of either Eisner or non-Eisner Spirit.  The reality is that anyone who takes on The Spirit works in the shadow of Eisner, one of the greatest and most influential comic book artists and creators of all time.

So truthfully, Dynamite Entertainment needs to do better than Dan Schkade as the series artist.  Flashy cover artists cannot hide that this book does not even come close to living up to its pedigree.  [I must admit to loving Alex Ross' gorgeous “Subscription Cover” variant cover.]  I want this to be better, and I think writer Matt Wagner and artist Dan Schkade can do better.  They must.

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


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

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


Friday, September 11, 2015

#IReadsYou Review: PREZ #1

PREZ #1
DC COMICS – @DCComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: Mark Russell
PENCILS: Ben Caldwell
INKS: Mark Morales
COLORS: Jeremy Lawson
LETTERS: Travis Lanham
COVER: Ben Caldwell
VARIANT COVER: Bret Blevins
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (August 2015)

Rated “T” for “Teen”

“Corndog in Chief”

Prez was a comic book series created by writer Joe Simon and artist Jerry Grandenetti.  The series, which debuted in 1973, focused on Prez Rickard, the first teenage president of the United States of America.  Prez ran for four issues before being canceled in 1974, and what was to be issue #5 was eventually published in Cancelled Comic Cavalcade #2.

Like DC Comic's relaunch of its comics line, The New 52, the “DCYou” publishing initiative brings back some obscure, cult, short-lived, and long-canceled comic book series and characters.  Thus, we have a new Prez comic book series, which is written by Mark Russell, drawn by Ben Caldwell (pencils) and Mark Morales (inks), colored by Jeremy Lawson, and lettered by Travis Lanham.

Prez #1 (“Corndog in Chief”) opens in Washington D.C. in the year 2036.  In Conference Room 104A of the U.S. Senate building, a powerful group of senators, known as “The Colonels,” have gathered for an emergency meeting called by one of their own, Senator Thorn.  A week before the presidential election, the incumbent U.S. president has ceased seeking reelection because of a tawdry scandal.  Now, The Colonels must decide whom their hand-picked replacement candidate will be.

Meanwhile, in Eugene, Oregon, at “Li'l Doggies House of Corndogs,” Beth Ross is having an embarrassing time in a workplace video.  Around the same time Beth is having trouble, presidential candidate, Senator Tom Downey, is suffering the indignity of shilling on a popular “videocast” for votes.  Senator Gary Farmer is a candidate, but is nowhere to be seen.  Twitter is going to make one of these three people the next President of the United States.

In my review of another new “DCYou” title, Harley Quinn and Power Girl, I basically said that all the people involved with that comic should be ashamed for putting out such an overwhelmingly mediocre comic book.  In the case of Prez #1, all involved should take a bow.  Part of me is surprised that DC Comics, a subsidiary of a giant media conglomerate, would publish a comic book that savagely lampoons not only American politics, but also corporate media and corporate interests.

Hell, DC Comics just left their historic home of New York City to move to Burbank, California so that it could be closer to its corporate parent's film-making operations.  That way, it would be easier for Warner Bros. Pictures' film and television divisions to exploit DC Comics' copyrights and trademarks.

Part of me doesn't want to buy what Prez is selling.  DC Comics is not a comic book publisher so much as it is a maintainer of copyrights and trademarks and also a lowbrow research and development division for a media corporation's film production and distribution unit.  This comic book reeks of hypocrisy, and the publisher is what its comic book, Prez, is making fun of.  Am I being a hypocrite?  I would totally believe that Prez is genuine if Fantagraphics Books or Rip Off Press published it (or especially defunct Kitchen Sink Press).

Anyway, the future that Prez reveals is now.  We are sick in our messy age.  If Prez is the real deal, then, it should be DC Comics' most popular comic book, especially outside of the usual circles of American comic books.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


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

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


Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Review: JUSTICE LEAGUE #41

JUSTICE LEAGUE #41
DC COMICS – @DCComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: Geoff Johns
ART: Jason Fabok
COLORS: Brad Anderson
LETTERS: Rob Leigh
COVER: Jason Fabok with Brad Anderson
VARIANT COVERS: David Finch and Jonathan Glapion with Brad Anderson (Joker 75th Anniversary Cover)
48pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (August 2015)

Rated “T” for “Teen”

“The Darkseid War” Chapter One: “God vs. Man”

I picked up the forty-first issue of Justice League because it was the first “DCYou” issue, but I had no intention of reviewing it.  However, I enjoyed it so much that I had to share the good news.  Could we have what is the beginnings of a second Justice League creative dream team?  Writer Geoff Johns, artist Jason Fabok, colorist Brad Anderson, and letterer Rob Leigh might make the answer in the affirmative.

Justice League #41 (The Darkseid War Chapter One: “God vs. Man”) opens with two mysterious figures (Kanto and Lashina) in the midst of an apparent killing spree.  Meanwhile, Mister Miracle is trying to discover what Darkseid is up to.

Steve Trevor is with the Justice LeagueWonder Woman, Batman, Cyborg, Flash, Shazam, and the Green Lanterns: Hal Jordan and Jessica Cruz, as they investigate a crime scene.  So why is the Justice League interested in what appears to be a mere homicide?  Meanwhile, Superman finds himself having to deal with Lex Luthor.  And who is Myrina Black?

“God vs. Man” is a first chapter that does not short the reader on awesome superhero fantasy-action theatrics.  Justice League #40 was the prelude to “The Darkseid War,” so issue #41 is free to go crazy, which writer Geoff Johns does.  I do get the feeling that Johns is going to do more than merely throw big fight scenes and spectacular sequences at us.  In this issue, he teases at the frailties, doubts, and past grievances and injuries of several of the characters.  My reading of it is that this big JL event will find much of its conflict originating from the interior lives of several of the main players.

I don't want to give short-shrift to artist Jason Fabok, because, as the artist, he is the “sequential artist” who builds that panels that we read and interpret.  I am still trying to get used to the idea of Fabok as the appropriate artist for a big superhero team book like Justice League.  His storytelling is good, but his style lacks the visual punch of someone like Jim Lee, who is perfect for a book like Justice League.  Still, I think Fabok could be the artist half of a memorable Justice League creative team.  “The Darkseid War” will tell if Fabok is the right guy.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


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