MARVEL COMICS
OCT200527 BLACK CAT #1 CLARKE KNULLIFIED VAR KIB $3.99
OCT200521 BLACK CAT #1 KIB $3.99
OCT200528 BLACK CAT #1 NAUCK HEADSHOT VAR KIB $3.99
OCT200523 BLACK CAT #1 VILLA VAR KIB $3.99
OCT200525 BLACK CAT #1 YOUNG VAR KIB $3.99
OCT200641 CAPTAIN AMERICA #26 $3.99
OCT200642 CAPTAIN AMERICA #26 TEDESCO KNULLIFIED VAR $3.99
SEP200750 CAPTAIN AMERICA WINTER SOLDIER COMPLETE COLLECT TP NEW PTG $29.99
OCT200654 DEADPOOL #9 $3.99
MAR201095 DR STRANGE SURGEON SUPREME TP VOL 01 UNDER THE KNIFE $17.99
OCT200631 FANTASTIC FOUR #27 $3.99
OCT200632 FANTASTIC FOUR #27 FERREYRA KNULLIFIED VAR EMP $3.99
OCT200633 IMMORTAL HULK #41 $3.99
OCT200634 IMMORTAL HULK #41 BENNETT VAR $3.99
OCT200621 IRON MAN #4 $3.99
OCT200623 IRON MAN #4 NAUCK HEADSHOT VAR $3.99
OCT200624 IRON MAN #4 RAPOZA KNULLIFIED VAR $3.99
OCT200622 IRON MAN #4 RON LIM LEGO VAR $3.99
OCT200531 KING IN BLACK IMMORTAL HULK #1 $4.99
OCT200533 KING IN BLACK IMMORTAL HULK #1 BENNETT VAR $4.99
SEP208785 KING IN BLACK PREVIEWS SAMPLER (BUNDLE OF 25) $PI
OCT200646 MAGNIFICENT MS MARVEL #17 $3.99
SEP200740 MARVELS X TP $17.99
APR201076 MMW GHOST RIDER HC VOL 02 $75.00
APR201077 MMW GHOST RIDER HC VOL 02 DM VAR ED 297 $75.00
OCT200568 NEW MUTANTS #14 $3.99
JUN200671 NEW MUTANTS OMNIBUS HC VOL 01 MCLEOD DM VAR $125.00
OCT200611 SAVAGE AVENGERS #16 $3.99
OCT200612 SAVAGE AVENGERS #16 PACHECO VAR $3.99
SEP200733 SPIDER-WOMAN TP VOL 01 BAD BLOOD $15.99
OCT200672 STAR WARS DARTH VADER #8 $3.99
OCT200673 STAR WARS DARTH VADER #8 SPROUSE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK VAR $3.99
OCT200519 SYMBIOTE SPIDER-MAN KING IN BLACK #2 (OF 5) $3.99
OCT200520 SYMBIOTE SPIDER-MAN KING IN BLACK #2 (OF 5) SHALVEY VAR $3.99
MAR200923 TASKMASTER #2 (OF 5) $3.99
SEP200747 U.S.AGENT TP GOOD FIGHT $29.99
OCT200548 WOLVERINE BLACK WHITE BLOOD #2 (OF 4) $4.99
OCT200569 X-FORCE #15 $3.99
APR201080 X-MEN GOD LOVES MAN KILLS EXTENDED CUT GALLERY EDITION HC $34.99
Monday, December 14, 2020
Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for December 16, 2020
Comics, Magazines and Books from Diamond Distributors for December 16, 2020
COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS
OCT201797 20TH CENTURY BOYS TP VOL 10 PERFECT ED URASAWA $19.99
SEP201786 ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF DUKES DAUGHTER GN VOL 07 (MR) $12.99
OCT201502 AGGRETSUKO MEET HER FRIENDS #2 CVR A DAGUNA $3.99
OCT201503 AGGRETSUKO MEET HER FRIENDS #2 CVR B $3.99
OCT201242 AMERICAN RONIN #3 (OF 5) (MR) $3.99
OCT201547 ATLANTIS WASN`T BUILT FOR TOURISTS #4 $3.99
OCT201475 BALLAD OF YAYA GN VOL 07 TRAP $9.99
OCT201476 BALLAD OF YAYA GN VOL 08 RETURN $9.99
OCT201477 BALLAD OF YAYA GN VOL 09 SONATA $9.99
OCT201672 BEETHOVEN FINAL SYMPHONY HC $24.99
JUL201581 BELLE OATH OF THORNS TP $19.99
SEP201788 BL METAMORPHOSIS GN VOL 03 $12.99
OCT201583 BLADE RUNNER 2029 #1 CVR A MOMOKO $3.99
OCT201584 BLADE RUNNER 2029 #1 CVR B MEAD $3.99
OCT201585 BLADE RUNNER 2029 #1 CVR C DAGNINO $3.99
OCT201586 BLADE RUNNER 2029 #1 CVR D VALLETTA $3.99
OCT201587 BLADE RUNNER 2029 #1 CVR E COSPLAY $3.99
OCT201798 BLUE FLAG GN VOL 05 $12.99
OCT201282 CANUCK BEYOND #1 $4.99
OCT201425 CAT KID COMIC CLUB HC GN VOL 01 $12.99
JUL201558 CHASING THE BIRD CHARLIE PARKER IN CALIFORNIA HC GN $24.99
OCT201548 CONCRETE JUNGLE #3 $3.99
OCT201596 CUTTING EDGE SIRENS SONG #2 CVR A TURINI (RES) (MR) $5.99
OCT201597 CUTTING EDGE SIRENS SONG #2 CVR B ALBERTI (RES) (MR) $5.99
JUL201153 DETECTIVE COMICS #1027 HAESER SGN RMRK SKETCH $80.00
MAR201834 DF VENOM #25 CATES SGN $49.99
APR201808 DF VENOM #26 CATES SGN $49.99
OCT201589 DOCTOR WHO COMICS #2 CVR A MOMOKO $3.99
OCT201590 DOCTOR WHO COMICS #2 CVR B PHOTO $3.99
OCT201591 DOCTOR WHO COMICS #2 CVR C JONES $3.99
OCT208147 DOCTOR WHO COMICS #2 FOC PEACH MOMOKO SKETCH CVR $3.99
OCT201743 DRIFTING DRAGONS GN VOL 07 $12.99
OCT201745 FAIRY TAIL 100 YEARS QUEST GN VOL 06 $10.99
OCT201254 FREAK SNOW WASHED IN BLOOD GN SGN ED (MR) $19.99
SEP201620 GLEIPNIR GN VOL 08 (MR) $12.99
OCT201799 GOLDEN KAMUY GN VOL 19 (MR) $12.99
SEP201582 GRIMM FAIRY TALES #43 CVR A VITORINO $3.99
SEP201583 GRIMM FAIRY TALES #43 CVR B WHITE $3.99
SEP201584 GRIMM FAIRY TALES #43 CVR C CARDY $3.99
SEP201585 GRIMM FAIRY TALES #43 CVR D GARVEY $3.99
SEP201480 HORIZON ZERO DAWN #1-4 MOMOKO PACK $29.99
OCT201255 HOTLINE MIAMI WILDLIFE #4 (OF 8) (MR) $3.99
JUL201792 HOW HEAVY ARE DUMBBELLS YOU LIFT GN VOL 04 (MR) $12.99
SEP201794 HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DEVIL GN VOL 04 (MR) $12.99
SEP201593 KIMAGURE ORANGE ROAD OMNIBUS GN VOL 05 $24.95
SEP201049 KING TANK GIRL #2 (OF 5) CVR A PARSON $3.99
SEP201050 KING TANK GIRL #2 (OF 5) CVR B SCALERA CARDSTOCK $5.99
AUG201834 KINOS JOURNEY BEAUTIFUL WORLD GN VOL 07 $12.95
OCT201800 LEVIUS EST GN VOL 07 $12.99
OCT201598 LIFE IS STRANGE PARTNERS IN TIME #3 CVR A LEONARDI (RES) (MR $3.99
OCT201599 LIFE IS STRANGE PARTNERS IN TIME #3 CVR B GRALEY (RES) (MR) $3.99
OCT201600 LIFE IS STRANGE PARTNERS IN TIME #3 CVR C TSHIRT (RES) (MR) $3.99
OCT201545 MACHINE GIRL & SPACE INVADERS #2 (MR) $3.95
JUL201160 MAESTRO #1 DAVID SGN $29.99
OCT201810 MAISON IKKOKU COLLECTORS EDITION TP VOL 02 $24.99
JUL201138 MERCY SPARX #14 CVR A HERRERA (MR) $7.99
SEP201689 MERMAID SAGA COLLECTORS EDITION GN VOL 01 $24.99
OCT201052 MISKATONIC #2 $3.99
SEP201799 MONSTER MUSUME GN VOL 16 (MR) $12.99
SEP201801 MY MONSTER SECRET GN VOL 22 $12.99
SEP201802 MY STATUS AS ASSASSIN EXCEEDS HERO GN VOL 03 $12.99
OCT201256 NECROMORFUS #3 (MR) $3.99
SEP201264 NIGHT HUNTERS #1 (OF 4) $4.99
OCT201812 NO GUNS LIFE GN VOL 08 $12.99
OCT201077 OGGY AND THE COCKROACHES OGGY NEW YEAR #1 CVR A GALLANT $3.99
OCT201078 OGGY AND THE COCKROACHES OGGY NEW YEAR #1 CVR B RANKINE WRAP $4.99
OCT201079 OGGY AND THE COCKROACHES OGGY NEW YEAR #1 CVR C LTD ED $9.99
JUN208516 PAUL AT HOME GN $24.95
OCT201398 PSYCHODRAMA ILLUSTRATED #3 (MR) $4.99
OCT201639 RAI (2019) #10 CVR A DIAZ $3.99
OCT201640 RAI (2019) #10 CVR B TORRE $3.99
OCT201554 RED X-MAS #1 (MR) $3.99
OCT201791 REMINA HC JUNJI ITO $22.99
OCT201663 RESONANT #6 (MR) $3.99
OCT201543 RIPTIDE DRAKEN #4 (OF 4) $3.95
SEP209322 RIVERDALE DIARIES HC VOL 01 HELLO BETTY (RES) $24.99
OCT201555 SAM & HIS TALKING GUN #1 $3.99
OCT201063 SECOND COMING ONLY BEGOTTEN SON #1 CVR A PACE $3.99
JUL209482 SERA & ROYAL STARS #10 $3.99
OCT201556 SH*TSHOW #1 CVR A SIMAO $3.99
SEP201808 SORCERER KING & GOLEM OF BARBARIAN QUEEN GN VOL 01 $12.99
OCT201560 STAR BASTARD LOGGERHEAD ONE SHOT CVR A (MR) $3.99
JAN201751 STAR WARS RISE KYLO REN #1 SOULE SGN $49.99
OCT201471 STARGAZER #4 (OF 6) $3.99
JAN201750 STRANGE ADVENTURES #1 KING SGN $49.99
SEP208178 SWORD ART ONLINE PLATINUM COLLECTORS ED HC BOXSET $200.00
JUL201810 SYRUP YURI ANTHOLOGY GN VOL 02 (MR) $13.99
OCT201437 TAARNA (2020) #1 (OF 6) $3.99
JUN201306 TAMMY & JINTY SPECIAL 2020 $9.99
SEP201149 TAROT WITCH OF THE BLACK ROSE #119 COSPLAYER PHOTO DLX ED (M $19.99
SEP201150 TAROT WITCH OF THE BLACK ROSE TP VOL 11 SKYCLAD SGN ED (MR) $34.99
OCT201748 THAT TIME I GOT REINCARNATED AS A SLIME GN VOL 15 (MR) $12.99
SEP201627 UQ HOLDER GN VOL 21 (MR) $10.99
SEP201703 URUSEI YATSURA GN VOL 08 $19.99
OCT201510 VAIN #3 $3.99
OCT201057 WE LIVE #3 $3.99
OCT201429 WINGS OF FIRE HC GN VOL 04 DARK SECRET $24.99
OCT201428 WINGS OF FIRE SC GN VOL 04 DARK SECRET $12.99
OCT201753 WITH DOG AND CAT EVERYDAY IS FUN GN VOL 02 $12.95
MAR202295 YURI IS MY JOB GN VOL 06 (MR) $12.99
SEP201010 ZOMBIE TRAMP ONGOING #76 CVR A MACCAGNI (MR) $4.99
SEP201011 ZOMBIE TRAMP ONGOING #76 CVR B MACCAGNI RISQUE (MR) $4.99
SEP201012 ZOMBIE TRAMP ONGOING #76 CVR C BUDD (MR) $4.99
SEP201013 ZOMBIE TRAMP ONGOING #76 CVR D BUDD RISQUE (MR) $4.99
SEP201014 ZOMBIE TRAMP ONGOING #76 CVR E TOQUEEN (MR) $4.99
SEP201015 ZOMBIE TRAMP ONGOING #76 CVR F TOQUEEN RISQUE (MR) $9.99
MAGAZINES
SEP201523 ALTER EGO #167 $9.95
AUG201695 BRICKJOURNAL #65 $9.95
APR202113 COMIC BOOK CREATOR #24 $9.95
OCT201296 COMIC SHOP NEWS [90CT BUNDLE] #1739 $PI
AUG201403 HEAVY METAL #302 CVR A REILLY (MR) $13.99
AUG201404 HEAVY METAL #302 CVR B SCHMIDT (MR) $13.99
SEP201324 LITTLE SHOPPE OF HORRORS #45 $10.95
OCT201466 LOCUS #719 $8.99
AUG201696 RETROFAN MAGAZINE #12 $9.95
SEP201490 STAR TREK MAGAZINE #78 NEWSSTAND ED $9.99
SEP201491 STAR TREK MAGAZINE #78 PX $9.99
OCT201671 VAMPIRESS CARMILLA MAGAZINE #1 (MR) $5.95
BOOKS
SEP201811 BLOOM INTO YOU LIGHT NOVEL SC VOL 03 $13.99
SEP201812 DIDNT I SAY MAKE ABILITIES AVERAGE NOVEL SC VOL 11 $13.99
SEP201814 HOW REALIST HERO REBUILT KINGDOM LIGHT NOVEL VOL 09 $13.99
SEP201815 INVINCIBLE SHOVEL LIGHT NOVEL SC VOL 03 (MR) $13.99
AUG201561 MINES BIGGER THAN YOURS $29.99
SEP201817 MUSHOKU TENSEI JOBLESS REINCARNATION LIGHT NOVEL SC VOL 08 ( $13.99
APR201858 OBJECT COMPENDIUM HC $49.95
SEP201701 TOKYO GHOUL RE ILLUSTRATIONS HC ZAKKI $30.00
DC Comics from Lunar/UCS Distributors for December 15, 2020
DC COMICS:
Amethyst #6 (Of 6), $3.99
Aquaman #66 (Cover A Mike McKone), $3.99
Aquaman #66 (Cover B Dima Ivanov), AR
Batgirl #50 (Riley Rossmo 2nd Printing Variant Cover), $5.99
Batman #105 (Cover A Jorge Jimenez), $3.99
Batman #105 (Cover B Francesco Mattina Card Stock Variant), AR
Batman #105 (Cover C Jorge Jimenez Batman Card Stock Variant), AR
Batman City Of Bane Complete Collection TP, $29.99
Batman’s Grave #12 (Of 12)(Cover A Bryan Hitch), $3.99
Batman’s Grave #12 (Of 12)(Cover B Kevin Nowlan), AR
Catwoman #28 (Cover A Joelle Jones), $3.99
Catwoman #28 (Cover B Jenny Frison), AR
Dark Nights Death Metal #6 (Of 7)(Cover A Greg Capullo & Jonathan Glapion Foil Embossed Variant), $4.99
Dark Nights Death Metal #6 (Of 7)(Cover B David Finch Swamp Thing Variant), AR
Dark Nights Death Metal #6 (Of 7)(Cover C Stanley Artgerm Lau Mister Miracle Variant), AR
Dark Nights Death Metal #6 (Of 7)(Cover D Lucio Parrillo B Rex Variant), AR
Dark Nights Death Metal #6 (Of 7)(Cover E Doug Manhke), AR
Dark Nights Death Metal #6 (Of 7)(Cover F Greg Capullo & Jonathan Glapion Black & White Variant), AR
Green Lantern Season Two #10 (Of 12)(Cover A Liam Sharp), $3.99
Green Lantern Season Two #10 (Of 12)(Cover B J.G. Jones), AR
Injustice Gods Among Us Omnibus Volume 2 HC, $125.00
Justice League #58 (Cover A Francis Manapul), $3.99
Justice League #58 (Cover B Jen Bartel), AR
Nightwing #77 (Cover A Travis Moore), $3.99
Nightwing #77 (Cover B Alan Quah), AR
Rorschach #3 (Of 12)(Cover A Jorge Fornes), $4.99
Rorschach #3 (Of 12)(Cover B Jock Variant), AR
Scooby-Doo Where Are You #107 (Cover A Derek Fridolfs), $2.99
Superman #28 (Cover A Ivan Reis & Joe Prado), $3.99
Superman #28 (Cover B Kael Ngu Card Stock Variant), AR
Tales From The Dark Multiverse Crisis On Infinite Earths #1 (Cover A David Marquez), $5.99
Teen Titans Endless Winter Special #1 (One Shot)(Cover A Bernard Chang), $3.99
Teen Titans Endless Winter Special #1 (One Shot)(Cover B Simone Di Meo), AR
Transmetropolitan Volume 4 TP, $29.99
V For Vendetta TP (Black Label Edition), $24.99
Sunday, December 13, 2020
#IReadsYou Review: DRAGON BALL SUPER Volume 8
DRAGON BALL SUPER VOL. 8
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia
STORY: Akira Toriyama
ART: Toyotarou
TRANSLATION: Caleb Cook
LETTERS: James Gaubatz
EDITOR: Marlene First
ISBN: 978-1-9747-0941-0; paperback (March 2020); Rated “T” for “Teen”
200pp, B&W, $9.99 US, $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK
Dragon Ball was a long-running Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Akira Toriyama. It was originally serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump from 1984 to 1995 and was comprised of 519 individual chapters. The hero of Dragon Ball was Son Goku, and the series began with the story of his childhood.
Dragon Ball Super is written by Toriyama and drawn by Toyotarou, a writer-artist who works on Dragon Ball spin-off manga. Dragon Ball Super has been published in the Japanese manga magazine, V Jump, since June 2015. VIZ Media has been publishing an English-language edition of the manga as a paperback graphic novel series since May 2017, under its “Shonen Jump” imprint.
Dragon Ball Super is a sequel to the Dragon Ball manga and to the “Dragon Ball Z” anime series. This sequel is set several months after Goku's victory that brought peace back to Earth. Goku and his friends must defend Earth, this time from fighters from other universes and timelines.
As Dragon Ball Super, Vol. 8 (Chapters 37 to 40; entitled “Sign of Son Goku's Awakening!!”) opens, the “Tournament of Power” continues. It will determine the fate of universes! Each universe that competes must field ten warriors, but these warriors must be mortals, as gods are forbidden. The universes that lose will face complete destruction at the hands of “the Lords of Everything.”
As the tournament quickly approaches its time limit, Universes 3, 4, and 10 are eliminated. Kale of Universe 6 summons powers no one knew she had, but as she grows more powerful, she also loses control. Now, she beating her own teammates!
Meanwhile, Son Goku and his Universe 7 team is down to six warriors, and Goku still has not found a way to defeat Universe 11's mightiest warrior, Jiren. Can he awaken the power within him, “the ultra instinct,” to the extent that he can beat Jiren? Can he do it in time to beat Jiren?
THE LOWDOWN: As I wrote in my previous review of the Dragon Ball Super manga, 2020 is a strange year … for a number of reasons. Of the many strange things that have filled my 2020 is that this is the year that I have read, by far, the most Dragon Ball manga ever. This is mostly because of the Dragon Ball Super manga.
Dragon Ball Super Graphic Novel Volume 8 reaches the height of the battle manga segment of this “Tournament of Power” story arc. Toriyama and Toyotarou are in the midst of eliminating most of the eclectic cast they created for this arc. They make up for that, however, by having a number of the remaining characters power-up in delightfully entertaining ways. This is the height of Dragon Ball battle manga euphoria, dear readers, so let's enjoy it.
I READS YOU RECOMMENDS: Readers looking for more Dragon Ball manga will want to try the “Shonen Jump” title, Dragon Ball Super.
This manga includes the the following bonus material:
- the sketchbook section, “Toriyama Sensei's Corrections,” which features Akira Toriyama's corrections of Toyotarou's character designs and story pages
- bonus illustrations
- a four-page “Dragon Ball Super” story originally published in the “Jump Victory Carnival Official” 2018 Guidebook
- Toyotarous Asks! Tell Us , Toriyama Sensei!! in which Toriyama talks about the process behind character design and story-crafting
A
8 out of 10
Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"
https://www.viz.com/
https://twitter.com/VIZMedia
https://www.instagram.com/vizmedia/
https://www.facebook.com/OfficialVIZMedia
https://www.snapchat.com/add/vizmedia
The text is copyright © 2020 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.
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Saturday, December 12, 2020
#IReadsYou Review: GEEK-GIRL #7
GEEK-GIRL, VOL. 2 #7
MARKOSIA ENTERPRISES, LTD.
[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]
STORY: Sam Johnson with Mark Darden
ART: Carlos Granda
COLORS: Chunlin Zhao
LETTERS: Paul McLaren
COVER ARTISTS: Jason Hehir with Chunlin Zhao; Claudio Due Avella with Chunlin Zhao (Ltd. Edition Variant)
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (September 2020)
Rated T+ / 12+ only
Geek-Girl created by Sam Johnson
“Tights 'N' Capes” Part 2: “Bona to Vada Your Dolly Old Eeks!”
Created by Sam Johnson, Geek-Girl is a comic book character that debuted in the 2016 Geek-Girl miniseries, She returned in a second miniseries, 2018's Geek-Girl Vol. 2, which became an ongoing series. Geek-Girl Vol. 2 is written by Sam Johnson; drawn by Carlos Granda; colored by Chunlin Zhao; and lettered by Paul McLaren.
Geek-Girl focuses on Ruby Kaye of Acorn Ridge, Maine, a sexy and popular college coed who inadvertently becomes a superhero. Ruby dons a pair of super-tech pair of eye glasses that gives her super-powers. Ruby's BFF, Summer James, then talks her into trying to be a superhero, even providing her with a moniker. Now, Ruby is Maine's newest superhero, “Geek-Girl.”
Geek-Girl Vol. 2 #7 (“Bona to Vada Your Dolly Old Eeks!”) finds Ruby and Summer joined by their new pal (and Ruby's new teammate), Kerry a.k.a. “The Minger,” for a night of partying at the gay night club, “Reach.” There, they meet Ruby's friends (fake-as friends?) Karin, Stacey, and Jennifer. While Summer is enjoying a night of being a superhero and Kerry is discovering the local color, Ruby is nursing a grudge or two that one powerful drink is about to put out on “jump street.”
Plus, Cabra Cini: Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman visits Acorn Ridge to prove that she is the baddest bitch. Meanwhile, Digger Mensch has enough of his loyalties being tested, and he really hates it when his “professional” associations are questioned.
THE LOWDOWN: Geek-Girl creator-writer Sam Johnson sends me PDF review copies of the latest issues of Geek-Girl. So lately, I have been able to keep up with the happenings and adventures of Maine's cutest superhero.
As I said in my review of the prior issues (Vol. 2 #5-6), just about any issue of Geek-Girl is a good jumping-on point because Johnson's story and script are simply quite inviting to new readers. Geek-Girl does not suffer from any of the ailments that longtime comic book writer and veteran television writer-producer, Gerry Conway, discussed in a series of recent twitter postings.
Geek-Girl is not a mature readers title that is inappropriate for young readers, nor is it weighed down by decades of anal continuity, which is one of the main problems of titles published by Marvel and DC Comics. Geek-Girl #7 is one of those off-beat or “girls night out” issues that legendary comic book writer Chris Claremont presented to his readers in the classic Marvel Comics title, Uncanny X-Men.
I hope that teen comic book readers (and yes, they exist) will discover Geek-Girl. In it, they will discover a kind of comic book that was the norm before Alan Moore and Frank Miller inadvertently gave comic book editors the blueprint for killing kid-friendly superhero comic books. In the world before Watchmen-is-the-greatest-comic-book-of-all-time, many comic book superheroes seemed like they could be a young reader's best pals. I think that this is the reason that comic books like Uncanny X-Men and The New Teen Titans (DC Comics) were so popular. There is indeed a place for Batman: Arkham Asylum, but it need not be the entire place.
The last few years have seen mainstream American publishers trying hard to get middle-grade and teen readers back into the superhero comic book fold. IDW's “Marvel Action” line is a good example. Geek-Girl skewers towards the older teen readers, but (so far), there is very little in Geek-Girl that I would describe as inappropriate for a 13-year-old reader. I don't think comic book characters partying at a gay night club is scandalous now in the way it would have been decades ago. [Hey, if The Punisher is acceptable, so is club “Reach.”]
In Geek-Girl, writer Sam Johnson, artist Carlos Granda, colorist Chunlin Zhao, and letterer Paul McLaren are producing a comic book that recalls the past without being retro. Geek-Girl is a cool comic book starring cool characters.
I READS YOU RECOMMENDS: Fans of lovable superheroes will find an all-around winner in Geek-Girl.
8 out of 10
Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"
Geek-Girl #7 is Out Now and available in Regular, Digital and Variant editions at www.geekgirlcomics.com
https://twitter.com/daSamJohnson
https://twitter.com/Markosia
https://twitter.com/Markosia_News
https://markosia.com/
The text is copyright © 2020 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.
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Friday, December 11, 2020
#IReadsYou Book Review: NARUTO'S STORY: FAMILY DAY
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia
[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]
AUTHORS: Masashi Kishimoto and Mirei Miyamoto
TRANSLATION: Jocelyne Allen
DESIGN: Shawn Carrico
COVER: Shawn Carrico with Masashi Kishimoto
ISBN: 978-1-9747-1342-4; paperback (August 2020); Rated “T” for “Teen”
164pp, B&W, $10.99 U.S., $14.99 CAN, £7.99 U.K.
Naruto is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto. Naruto was serialized in the Japanese manga magazine, Weekly Shōnen Jump, from 1999 to 2014. Naruto eventually became a media franchise, yielding anime television series and films, video games, various print and audio publications, and a wide range of merchandise.
Naruto focuses on the mischievious young shinobi (ninja), Uzumaki Naruto, from the shinobi Village of Konohagakure. When he was a baby, Naruto's parents (father Minato and mother Kushina) imprisoned a nine-tailed fox spirit (Kurama) inside his infant body, making him something of an outcast. Determined to gain the recognition of his peers, Naruto fought and eventually became “the Hokage,” the leader of his village. Now, he is a husband, married to Hinata, and they have two children, a son named Boruto and a daughter named Himawari – also called “Hima.”
Naruto also yielded a series of light novels (a Japanese form of the short novel), which furthered the adventures of Naruto and also of Naruto and his family after the ending of the Naruto manga. VIZ Media recently released the fifth Naruto novel, Naruto New Story: Family Day, which was originally published in May 2018, in a paperback, English-language edition. VIZ's release is entitled Naruto's Story: Family Day, and it is published under the “Shonen Jump” imprint.
Written by Masashi Kishimoto and Mirei Miyamoto, Naruto's Story: Family Day opens in the office of the Seventh Hokage, Uzumaki Naruto. Advisor to the Hokage, Nara Shikamaru, has just handed Naruto a document that he must read. The village of Konohagakure (or “Konoha” for short) has had an influx of new residents. These new townspeople want to give an official name to one of the village's standard holidays, in which the villagers enjoy a day off from work.
Thus, “Family Day” is born. But how is a workaholic and very busy Hokage going to celebrate Family Day? Is Naruto even going to have the day off? Well, Naruto, three other wayward fathers, and one teacher will learn the true meaning and spirit of Family Day.
[This book includes a two-page, illustrated list of characters.]
THE LOWDOWN: Naruto's Story: Family Day is comprised of four short stories and four interludes, one appearing after the end of each short story. There is also a prologue and an epilogue.
The first story is “Racing Through Konoha,” and it stars Naruto and his daughter, Hima. The father-daughter pair race through Konoha looking for the latest hot toy, the “Kuraa-ma.” It does not matter that it is based on “Kurama,” the nine-tailed spirit inside her father, Hima really wants this toy. Feeling guilty because he is so often busy at the office and not at home, Naruto believes that he has to obtain this almost impossible to find toy for his child.
“Racing Through Konoha” is the most straight forward of the four tales, and its message is simple. Fathers should make time for their children, especially for their daughters. In fact, the father-daughter relationship is the subject of all four stories, and “Racing Through Konoha” is the most heartfelt.
The second story is “Forms of Happiness.” It stars Naruto's wife, Hinata, and her younger sister, Hanabi, and their elderly father, Hiashi Hyuga. Hinata reluctantly joins Hanabi and Hyuga on their father's quest to make a legend of himself as a ninja, although his ninja mission days are long over. Hyuga's quest seems to hinge on his need to impress his grandson, Ninata and Naruto's elder child, their son, Boruto, who is a big fan of the card game, “Extreme Ninja.” Ninja legends are the subjects of these cards, and the bigger legend a ninja is the more rare his card is within card packs.
Cards featuring Hyuga's image are not particularly rare, and he believes that he if completes a new and important mission, his card rarity will be upgraded. “Forms of Happiness” might seem to be about grandparent and grandchild relationships, but it is really about adult children and their elderly parents. Mortality and the fact that both parent and child are aging hang over the story. I like the story, and I admire Kishimoto and Miyamoto's willingness to discuss themes of aging and mortality in what is really a juvenile novel.
The third story is “Table for One.” It stars Boruto's friend, Akimichi Cho-Cho, and her father, Akimichi Choji, who is known for being a fat ninja... who is constantly eating. Choji's wife and Cho-Cho's mother, Karui, also stars in this story. Cho-Cho and Choji enter an eating contest held at Family Day. The story is good, but not great, and it is a kind of comic relief version of the father-daughter themes of this novel.
The fourth story is “Cold Flames and Roiling Fire,” and its stars longtime Naruto rival, Uchiha Sasuke, and his daughter, Sarada, and, in a lesser role, his wife, Sakura. Sasuke, who is usually away from home on secret missions for Konoha, returns for a (very) short visit and discovers that his daughter, Sarada, is estranged from him. Because of a series of mishaps and bad advice, the estrangement increases. So what can Sasuke do to improve his relationship with his child? Hopefully, his wife, Sakura, who is also a bit miffed at him, has the answer.
“Cold Flames and Roiling Fire” is a surprisingly edgy story. The tartness between Sasuke and Sarada is unexpected, but what the authors offer the readers is a story in which the father has to work hard to repair and to build his relationship with his daughter. I think this story was the best choice as the final entry in this novel.
The “Master Shino!” interludes star Ninja Academy teacher, Aburame Shino, and each one is also surprisingly heartfelt. Not one of the four reads as if it were filler material. All in all, I have to admit that I enjoyed reading Naruto's Story: Family Day much more than I thought I would. I heartily recommend it to fans of Naruto.
I READS YOU RECOMMENDS: Fans of Naruto and Boruto manga will want to read the “Shonen Jump” novel, Naruto's Story: Family Day.
7.5 out of 10
Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"
The text is copyright © 2020 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.
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Thursday, December 10, 2020
#IReadsYou Review: CHAOS CAMPUS #28
CHAOS CAMPUS: SORORITY GIRLS VS ZOMBIES #28
APPROBATION COMICS
[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]
STORY: B. Alex Thompson – @ApproBAT
ART: Ricardo Mendez
COLORS: Alivon Ortiz
LETTERS: Krugos
POST-SCRIPTING/POLISH: John P. Ward
EDITORS: B. Alex Thompson and John P. Ward
COVER: Ricardo Mendez
24pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (2016; digital release date – May 10, 2017)
Rated: Teen 13+ / 15+ Only – comiXology rating
Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies created by B. Alex Thompson
“The Road to Salvation, Part 4 of 4”
Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies is the long-running zombie apocalypse comic book series from Approbation Comics. Mixing in elements of comedy, horror, and adventure, it is the creation of B. Alex Thompson. The series is set during a zombie invasion and follows the adventures of three members of the sorority, Epsilon Alpha Zeta Upsilon (EAZY): ass-kickin’ Jamie Lynn Schaeffer, brainy and magic-wielding Paige Helena Patton, and sexy Brittany Ann Miller.
The current story line is “The Road to Salvation,” which finds the Chaos Campus trio in the middle of a squabble involving “Salvation,” a now-divided human sanctuary. The girls also fend off the fearsome “Neo Zombies” and deal with a Jamie-lookalike, her long-lost twin sister, Aimee. This fourth and final chapter of “The Road to Salvation” is written by B. Alex Thompson; drawn by Ricardo Mendez; colored by Alivon Ortiz; and lettered by Krugos.
Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies #28 opens to find Princess Aimee... trippin. Embittered about everything, including the fact that Jamie “stole” the man she loved (the “Snake Eyes” like Damien), Aimee is going to tear down her own Sanctuary West and also Sanctuary East. And she is going to use the Neo Zombies to do her dirty deeds.
Well, the Chaos Campus girls are not going to take it, but when things fall apart, can going back to the beginning be the answer to what happens after the end of Sanctuary? Plus, there is a reference to director Ridley Scott's classic film, Alien.
THE LOWDOWN: Chaos Campus brings to an end an excellent story line “The Road to Salvation.” This series really hit its stride once the issues started being numbered in the 20s. I like to remind readers that Chaos Campus is one of my favorite comic books, and Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies #28 reminds me of why I fell in love with this series so many years ago.
And I love Chaos Campus because it has evolved. Once a horror action comedy, individual issues offered parodies of well known dark fantasy, horror, and science fiction films. Then, while holding onto its sense of humor, the character drama and storytelling became polished, and the series matured. Chaos Campus came to remind me of The Walking Dead, both the comic book and the television series it inspired. Still, Chaos Campus has the spirit of Sam Raimi, as it takes the best of George Romero's dead movies and blends its with other “zombie apocalypse” fiction to be something different.
Writer-creator B. Alex Thompson gets stronger as a writer with each issues, and his series reaps the benefits. Artist Ricardo Mendez is an excellent collaborator for Thompson because Mendez conveys the mood and style that defines Chaos Campus. Mendez's art is the Chaos Campus graphical storytelling that was meant to be... as far as I'm concerned.
I read Chaos Campus #28 as a digital comic on comiXology, and the digital format really shows off Alivon Ortiz's rich coloring. Another recent frequent collaborator, letterer Krugos, continues to convey a sense of action in comic via his fonts. He completes the process that makes Chaos Campus a comic book that I find to be pure fun... while also being shameless in its humor. So on to the next story arc!
POSSIBLE AUDIENCE: Fans of zombies and of horror-comedies will want to try Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies.
9 out of 10
Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"
Buy Chaos Campus #28 at comiXology: https://www.comixology.com
www.ApprobationComics.com
www.AlexThompsonWriter.com
The text is copyright © 2020 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint or syndication rights and fees.
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