DC Comics from Lunar Distributors for July 27, 2021

DC COMICS:

Action Comics #1033 (Cover A Daniel Sampere), $4.99
Action Comics #1033 (Cover B Julian Totino Tedesco Card Stock Variant), $5.99
Action Comics #1033 (Cover C Jen Bartel Headshot Card Stock Variant), AR
Batman Reptilian #2 (Of 6) (Cover A Liam Sharp), $4.99
Batman Reptilian #2 (Of 6) (Cover B Cully Hamner), $4.99
Batman Reptilian #2 (Of 6) (Cover C Riccardo Federici), AR
Batman Secret Files Huntress #1 (One Shot) (Cover A Irvin Rodriguez), $4.99
Batman Secret Files Huntress #1 (One Shot) (Cover B Riccardo Federici Card Stock Variant), $5.99
Batman Secret Files Huntress #1 (One Shot) (Cover C TK TK Card Stock Variant), AR
Batman Superman #20 (Cover A Ivan Reis & Danny Miki), $3.99
Batman Superman #20 (Cover B Jenny Frison Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Bizarro Comics The Deluxe Edition HC, $49.99
Checkmate #2 (Of 6) (Cover A Alex Maleev), $3.99
Checkmate #2 (Of 6) (Cover B Matt Taylor Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Dark Nights Death Metal Soundtrack (Lunar Distribution Exclusive Edition), AR
DC Connect #15, AR
DC Poster Portfolio Joelle Jones TP, $24.99
Detective Comics #1040 (Cover A Dan Mora), $4.99
Detective Comics #1040 (Cover B Lee Bermejo Card Stock Variant), $5.99
Flash #772 (Cover B Brett Booth Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Harley Quinn #5 (Cover A Riley Rossmo), $3.99
Harley Quinn #5 (Cover B Derrick Chew Card Stock Variant), $4.99
I Am Not Starfire TP, $16.99
Icon And Rocket Season One #1 (Of 6) (Cover A Taurin Clarke), $3.99
Icon And Rocket Season One #1 (Of 6) (Cover B Darryl Banks Old School Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Icon And Rocket Season One #1 (Of 6) (Cover C Doug Braithwaite New School Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Icon And Rocket Season One #1 (Of 6) (Cover D Reina Koyano Card Stock Variant), AR
Infinite Frontier #3 (Of 6) (Cover A Mitch Gerads), $4.99
Infinite Frontier #3 (Of 6) (Cover B Bryan Hitch Card Stock Variant), $5.99
Justice League #65 (Cover B David Talaski Card Stock Variant), $5.99
Legends Of The Dark Knight #2 (Darick Robertson & Diego Rodriguez 2nd Printing Variant Cover), $3.99
Looney Tunes #261 (Cover A Walter Carzon), $2.99
Mister Miracle The Source Of Freedom #3 (Of 6)(Cover A Yanick Paquette), $3.99
Mister Miracle The Source Of Freedom #3 (Of 6)(Cover B Taurin Clarke Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Nightwing #78 (Bruno Redondo 3rd Printing Variant Cover), $3.99
Other History Of The DC Universe #5 (Of 5) (Cover A Giuseppe Camuncoli & Marco Mastrazzo), $6.99
Other History Of The DC Universe #5 (Of 5) (Cover B Jamal Campbell), $6.99
Robin #4 (Cover A Gleb Melnikov), $3.99
Robin #4 (Cover B Francis Manapul Card Stock Variant), $4.99
RWBY Justice League #4 (Of 7) (Cover A Mirka Andolfo), $3.99
RWBY Justice League #4 (Of 7) (Cover B Simone Di Meo Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Shazam #1 (Of 4) (Cover C Steve Lieber Card Stock Variant), AR
Static Season One #2 (Of 6) (Cover A Khary Randolph), $3.99
Static Season One #2 (Of 6) (Cover B Nikolas Draper-Ivey Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Strange Adventures #11 (Of 12) (Cover A Mitch Gerads), $4.99
Strange Adventures #11 (Of 12) (Cover B Evan Doc Shaner), $4.99
Suicide Squad Case Files Volume 2 TP, $19.99
Suicide Squad Trial By Fire TP (Photo Cover Edition), $19.99
Superman Son Of Kal-El #1 (Cover A John Timms), $3.99
Superman Son Of Kal-El #1 (Cover B InHyuk Lee Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Superman Son Of Kal-El #1 (Cover C Stephen Byrne Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Superman Son Of Kal-El #1 (Cover D Jen Bartel Headshot Card Stock Variant), AR
Superman Son Of Kal-El #1 (Cover E John Timms Virgin Card Stock Variant), AR
Teen Titans Academy #5 (Cover A Rafa Sandoval), $3.99
Teen Titans Academy #5 (Cover B Philip Tan Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Wonder Woman #776 (Cover A Travis Moore), $4.99
Wonder Woman #776 (Cover B Becky Cloonan Card Stock Variant), $5.99
Wonder Woman Black And Gold #2 (Of 6) (Cover A Terry Dodson), $5.99
Wonder Woman Black And Gold #2 (Of 6) (Cover B Joshua Middleton), $5.99
Wonder Woman Black And Gold #2 (Of 6) (Cover C David Mack Foil Variant), AR

#IReadsYou Review: THE SCUMBAG #5

THE SCUMBAG #5
IMAGE COMICS/Giant Generator

STORY: Rick Remender
ART: Wes Craig
COLORS: Moreno Dinisio
LETTERS: Rus Wooton
DESIGN: Erika Schnatz
EDITOR: Will Dennis
COVER: Nic Klein
VARIANT COVER ARTIST: Davi Go
36pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S. (February 2021)

Rated “M/ Mature”

The Scumbag is a comic book series from writer Rick Remender.  Described as a “comedy espionage series” by publisher Image Comics, The Scumbag's tagline reads, “The fate of the world rests in the hands of the worst person on it!”  The series features a rotating crew of illustrators.  Artist Wes Craig joins colorist Moreno Dinisio and letterer Rus Wooton to complete the current creative team.

The Scumbag is Ernie Ray Clementine, a rundown, raggedy, filthy man.  He is a profane, illiterate, drug-addicted biker and ne'er-do-well with a fifth-grade education.  However, he meets Sister Mary and “Central Authority” and inadvertently absorbs the power-imbuing serum called “the Formula Maxima.”  Now, Ernie is the only thing standing between humanity and total Armageddon... because he has suddenly become the world's most powerful super-spy.

The Scumbag #5 opens in Scorpionus Mansion, the home of “The Prosoma,” the leader of the reactionary cabal, Scorpionus.  Sister Mary is kicking ass and stealing the information that will help her uncover Scorpionus' ultimate plan.  Meanwhile, Ernie Ray is all about making deals with the devil.  Their mission will take them to “Whole Green,” where Scorpionus makes cheap bio-fuel and hires poor people as employees.  What are they up to?  Well, both Sister Mary and Ernie Ray are in for some awful surprises.  Plus, Ernie Ray has to make a political decision!

THE LOWDOWN:  I didn't have a lot to say about The Scumbag #1.  I had a little more to say about The Scumbag #2.  I said that with The Scumbag #3 the series had hit its stride.  The Scumbag #4 offered some of series creator Rick Remender's sharpest political, social, and racial commentary yet.  The Scumbag #5 brings together all the interesting things that Remender has been doing with this series, thus far.

Yeah, Wes Craig's art seems like drawing it was a rush job, and Moreno Dinisio's colors looks smeared in places.  However, Remender's story and dialogue allow reactionary, right wing politics, white cultural chauvinism, unrestrained capitalism, American imperialism, white male disdain to have their say.  It's funny, but it's also scary.

I sometimes think that Scorpionus is the future of our United States, but I can laugh now because it's just a comic book.  And I recommend this comic book, The Scumbag.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Rick Remender, of mature comedy, and of reprobate-type anti-hero lead characters will want The Scumbag.

7.5 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


https://twitter.com/Remender
http://www.giantgenerator.com/
https://twitter.com/lewislarosa
https://twitter.com/ImageComics
https://imagecomics.com/


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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

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#IReadsYou Revew: HELLBOY AND THE BPRD: 1953: Beyond the Fences #1

HELLBOY AND THE B.P.R.D.: 1953 – BEYOND THE FENCES #1 (#8 in the series)
DARK HORSE COMICS – @DarkHorseComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Mike Mignola and Chris Roberson
PENCILS: Paolo Rivera
INKS: Joe Rivera
COLORS: Dave Stewart
LETTERS: Clem Robins
COVER: Paolo Rivera
EDITOR: Scott Allie
VARIANT COVER: David Mack
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (February 2016)

The Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (also known as the B.P.R.D. or BPRD) is an organization that appears in the world of Mike Mignola's Hellboy character.  The BPRD is located in Fairfield, Connecticut and investigates the occult, paranormal, and supernatural and is charged with protecting America and the world from any of that which is dangerous.

Hellboy and the B.P.R.D. is a series of miniseries that looks at the early years of Hellboy's association with the BPRD.  Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: 1953 – Beyond the Fences chronicles Hellboy's second year with the organization.  This miniseries is written by Mike Mignola and Chris Roberson; drawn by Paolo Rivera (pencils) and Joe Rivera (inks); colored by Dave Stewart; and lettered by Clem Robins.

Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: 1953 - Beyond the Fences #1 opens with Agent Susan Xiang having a session with Dr. N.K. Sandhu, psychiatric consultant to the BPRD.  The session is interrupted by Professor Trevor Bruttenholm, Director of the BPRD and Hellboy's surrogate father.  He is sending Hellboy, Xiang, and Agent Jacob Stegner to investigate the disappearance of several children in the suburban town of Rosemead, California.

The BPRD trio arrives to find the parents quite upset.  No one would expect children to disappear in such an idyllic small town as Rosemead.  After all, Rosemead is not one of those squalid urban slums into which Jim Crow and segregationist federal policy practically imprisoned African-Americans since early in the 20th century.  Now, that's where one would expect children to disappear, and no one would care, not even the mostly-white BPRD.  God knows that even the most imaginative fantasy writers cannot imagine a fucking fictional world where Black people were members of a paranormal organization.  Well, Asians were more acceptable than Negroes in the 1950s.

But I digress... Hellboy and his colleagues discover that there is much that is hidden about the disappearances.  This strange case may also be related to recent events that involve current members of the BPRD.

Hellboy and the B.P.R.D.: 1953 - Beyond the Fences #1 is, like most first issues these days, mostly introduction with a smattering of narrative that seems like filler material.  I think this comic book is also like most BPRD comics – when it's good, it's quite good, but when it's mediocre, oh, well.

This first issue of Beyond the Fences intrigues me, but the pace is too easy going.  Even the stuff that is supposed to be exciting, thrilling, and scary comes across as white bread.  This first issue is about as smooth as an episode of “Leave It to Beaver.”

Speaking of white bread and beaver, artist Paolo Rivera offers a beautiful painted cover for this first issue.  It is an un-ironic, Hellboy-themed homage to the paintings of Norman Rockwell, the revered 20th century painter who conjured up an idyllic Middle America better than even Walt Disney.  Rivera offers interior art that is pretty on the surface, but blasé as storytelling.  I have to believe that this is a graphical set-up for the scary shit-storm that is to come.  I have to believe...

I really think that this series has potential.  It is hard to believe that there can be mediocre Hellboy, other than that first Hellboy movie

B

[This comic book contains a preview of Baltimore: Empty Graves by Mike Mignola, Christopher Golden, Peter Bergting, and Dave Stewart.]

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2016 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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

Amazon wants me to inform you that the link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the ad below AND buy something(s).

#IReadsYou Review: THE PROMISED NEVERLAND Volume 16

 

THE PROMISED NEVERLAND, VOL. 16

VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

STORY: Kaiu Shirai
ART: Posuka Demizu
TRANSLATION: Satsuki Yamashita
LETTERS: Mark McMurray
EDITOR: Alexis Kirsch
ISBN: 978-1-9747-1701-9; paperback (August 2020); Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”
208pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £7.99 U.K.

The Promised Neverland is a Japanese manga series written by Kaiu Shirai and illustrated by Posuka Demizu.  It was serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump from August 2016 to June 2020.  VIZ Media published an English-language edition of the manga as a paperback graphic novel series under its “Shonen Jump” imprint from December 2017 to August 2021.

The Promised Neverland opens at Grace Field House, an orphanage where the children have a wonderful life... or so it seems.  The orphanage's three brightest children are Emma, Norman, and Ray, all 11-years-old as the story begins.  Like the other orphans, they enjoy the daily studying and exams, and also the delicious food and plentiful playtime.  However, the children's loving, but stern caretaker, “Mom,” hides the fact that everything is not what it seems, a fact these three bright children will discover upon turning 12.

As The Promised Neverland, Vol. 16 (Chapters 134 to 143; entitled “Lost Boy”) opens, Emma and Ray attempt to find the “Seven Walls,” and find themselves trapped in a mysterious, twisty world.  Can they escape this labyrinth and make their way to the human world?  And are they willing to pay the price required?  Elsewhere, Don, Gilda, and Hayato continue their quest to find their old demon friends, Mujika and Sonju, but betrayal is afoot.

Meanwhile, Norman has his own plans to end the human-demon conflict...

THE LOWDOWN:  In Japan, The Promised Neverland manga ended its serialization in the Japanese edition of Weekly Shonen Jump last summer.  In North America, the final volume (Vol. 20) of VIZ Media's English-language collection of the manga as a graphic novel series for young adult readers will arrive in about two weeks as of this writing.

The Promised Neverland Graphic Novel Volume 16 is the first volume of the series that I have read in almost a year.  I still find this manga to be a riveting read, but I realized, early in reading this volume, that I wasn't as into reading the series as I had been a year or so ago.  That changed and I got back into the series, full-on, when I realized that Vol. 16 was a symphony of backstabbing and betrayal.  Much of it deals with the history of Julius Ratri, essentially the human who helped to create the current status quo between humans and demons.

Satsuki Yamashita creates the translation that makes Vol. 16 deliver power via its shocks and surprises, while Mark McMurray's lettering hits all the dark and edgy notes.  They help to make Vol. 16 both an exceptional and a pivotal volume.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Readers of dark fantasy graphic novels will find a terrifying story in Shonen Jump's The Promised Neverland.

A
9 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 © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.

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

Amazon wants me to inform you that the link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the ad below AND buy something(s).

BOOM! Studios from Diamond Distributors for July 21, 2021

BOOM! STUDIOS

MAY210943    DARK BLOOD #1 (OF 6) CVR A DE LANDRO    $3.99
MAY210944    DARK BLOOD #1 (OF 6) CVR B BA    $3.99
MAY218118    EVE #2 (OF 5) 2ND PTG ANINDITO    $3.99
APR210003    FCBD 2021 ENTER THE SLAUGHTER    $PI
APR210018    FCBD 2021 JUST BEYOND MONSTROSITY #1    $PI
MAY210981    FIREFLY BRAND NEW VERSE #5 (OF 6) CVR A KHALIDAH    $4.99
MAY210982    FIREFLY BRAND NEW VERSE #5 (OF 6) CVR B FISH    $4.99
MAY211002    MANY DEATHS OF LAILA STARR #4 (OF 5) CVR A ANDRADE    $3.99
MAY211003    MANY DEATHS OF LAILA STARR #4 (OF 5) CVR B KRISTANTINA FOIL    $4.99
MAR210921    ONCE & FUTURE TP VOL 03    $16.99
MAY210970    POWER RANGERS #9 CVR A SCALERA    $3.99
MAY210971    POWER RANGERS #9 CVR B LEGACY VAR DI NICUOLO    $3.99
MAY218489    POWER RANGERS #9 CVR F FOC REVEAL VAR INTERMIX    $3.99
MAY211007    PROCTOR VALLEY ROAD #5 (OF 5) CVR A FRANQUIZ (MR)    $3.99
MAY211008    PROCTOR VALLEY ROAD #5 (OF 5) CVR B WILDGOOSE (MR)    $3.99
MAY211022    SAVE YOURSELF #2 (OF 4) CVR A MATTHEWS    $4.99
MAY211023    SAVE YOURSELF #2 (OF 4) CVR B GONZAGA    $4.99

Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for July 21, 2021

DARK HORSE COMICS

MAY210301    APEX LEGENDS OVERTIME #2 (OF 4)    $3.99
MAY210259    BLACK HAMMER REBORN #2 CVR A YARSKY    $3.99
MAY210260    BLACK HAMMER REBORN #2 CVR B THOMPSON    $3.99
MAY210227    TALES FROM HARROW COUNTY FAIR FOLK #1 (OF 4) CVR A SCHNALL    $3.99
MAY210228    TALES FROM HARROW COUNTY FAIR FOLK #1 (OF 4) CVR B CROOK    $3.99

Dynamite Entertainment from Diamond Distributors for July 21, 2021

DYNAMITE

MAY210778    DEJAH THORIS VS JOHN CARTER OF MARS #1 CVR A PARRILLO    $3.99
MAY210779    DEJAH THORIS VS JOHN CARTER OF MARS #1 CVR B LINSNER    $3.99
MAY210780    DEJAH THORIS VS JOHN CARTER OF MARS #1 CVR C MIRACOLO    $3.99
MAY210781    DEJAH THORIS VS JOHN CARTER OF MARS #1 CVR D COSPLAY    $3.99
MAY210782    DEJAH THORIS VS JOHN CARTER OF MARS #1 CVR E BLANK AUTHENTIX    $3.99
MAY218510    DEJAH THORIS VS JOHN CARTER OF MARS #1 CVR O PREMIUM FOC FIU    $3.99
APR210021    FCBD 2021 THE BOYS HEROGASM #1  (MR)    $PI
APR210022    FCBD 2021 VAMPIRELLA #1    $PI
MAY210849    JAMES BOND AGENT OF SPECTRE #5 CVR A CASALANGUIDA    $3.99
MAY218507    JAMES BOND AGENT OF SPECTRE #5 CVR E PREMIUM FOC CASALANGUID    $3.99
MAY210923    VENGEANCE OF VAMPIRELLA #20 CVR A PARRILLO    $3.99
MAY210924    VENGEANCE OF VAMPIRELLA #20 CVR B OLIVER    $3.99
MAY210925    VENGEANCE OF VAMPIRELLA #20 CVR C SEGOVIA    $3.99
MAY210926    VENGEANCE OF VAMPIRELLA #20 CVR D COSPLAY    $3.99
MAY218514    VENGEANCE OF VAMPIRELLA #20 CVR K FOC BONUS STA MARIA VAR    $3.99