Monday, May 30, 2022

DC Comics from Lunar Distributors for May 31, 2022

DC COMICS:

Action Comics 2022 Annual #1 (One Shot)(Cover A Francesco Francavilla), $5.99
Action Comics 2022 Annual #1 (One Shot)(Cover B Steve Rude Card Stock Variant), $6.99
Batman #125 LED Acetate Poster, $24.99
Batman 2022 Annual #1 (One Shot)(Cover A Mikel Janin), $5.99
Batman 2022 Annual #1 (One Shot)(Cover B Chris Burnham Card Stock Variant), $6.99
Batman Beyond The White Knight Showcase Edition #1, $5.99
Batman Reptilian HC, $24.99
DC Connect #25, AR
Death And Return Of Superman Omnibus HC (2022 Edition), $150.00
Hardware Season One #6 (Of 6)(Cover A Mateus Manhanini), $3.99
Hardware Season One #6 (Of 6)(Cover B Caanan White Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Justice League Road To Dark Crisis #1 (One Shot)(Cover A Daniel Sampere), $5.99
Justice League Road To Dark Crisis #1 (One Shot)(Cover B Chris Burnham Card Stock Variant), $6.99
Justice League Road To Dark Crisis #1 (One Shot)(Cover C Rafael Sarmento Card Stock Variant), AR
Nice House On The Lake #9 (Of 12)(Cover A Alvaro Martinez Bueno), $3.99
Nice House On The Lake #9 (Of 12)(Cover B Kelley Jones Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Shadow War Omega #1 (One Shot)(Cover A Jonboy Meyers), $5.99
Shadow War Omega #1 (One Shot)(Cover B Mikel Janin Card Stock Variant), $6.99
Shadow War Omega #1 (One Shot)(Cover C James Stokoe Card Stock Variant), AR
Superman Son Of Kal-El Volume 1 The Truth HC, $24.99
Teen Titans By Geoff Johns Omnibus HC (2022 Edition), $150.00

-------


Thursday, May 26, 2022

#IReadsYou Review: BITE SIZED ARCHIE Volume 1

BITE SIZED ARCHIE VOL. 01
ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS, INC.

STORY: Ron Cacace
ART: Vincent Lovallo
EiC: Mike Pellerito
COVER: Vincent Lovallo
ISBN: 978-1-64576-913-2; paperback; 6 3/8” x 8” (March 2022)
112pp, Color, $12.99 U.S., $16.99 CAN (April 27, 2022)

Rating: All-Ages

Bite Sized Archie is a webcomic, the first for the classic Archie Comics character, Archie Andrews.  The series is published as weekly episodes, with each being comprised of four panels.  Bite Sized Archie is drawn in a style similar to chibi (a Japanese style of caricature) and with a 1960s retro Archie Comics aesthetic.  The creative team is comprised of writer Ron Cacace and artist Vincent Lovallo.

Bite Sized Archie Vol. 1 collects the first year of the webcomic.  The book contains 52 strips, beginning with Strip 1: “Jughead's Game of the Year Awards” from December 20, 2020 to Strip 52: “Plenty to Digest” from December 3, 2021.

Bite Sized Archie Vol. 1 hopes you’re hungry for laughs.  Jughead Jones hands out video game awards and also ponders diners, drive-ins, and dives online at “Jughead's Diner Reviews.”  Archie is so bored that he doesn't notice the infinity war just outside “Pop's Chock'lit Shoppe.”  Reggie Mantle deals with a black eye – one online and one on his face.

Jughead struggles with a “TV dinner” and with a failing printer, but Sabrina Spellman and her magic can only help him with one of them … maybe.  Archie offers Josie McCoy (of Josie and the Pussycats) some professional advice.  Archie finds himself trapped between Betty Cooper and Veronica LodgeToni Topaz, Kevin Keller, and Jughead warn us about the dangers of tweeting.  Cheryl Blossom meets Spider.  And Chuck Clayton has the comic book convention blues.  It's all in a day (or year) in the life of Archie Andrews and friends.

THE LOWDOWN:  Bite Sized Archie is basically a daily newspaper comic strip, but produced for the digital age.  It's cute and one can say that the creative team of Ron Cacace and artist Vincnet Lovallo is doing something nice for people who can never get enough of the wonderful world of Archie Comics.

Bite Sized Archie Vol. 1 is not something I would normally search out, but I would (and did) enjoy it once I found it.  In fact, the quickest way to make me interested in any Archie Comics publication is to include anyone from Josie and the Pussycats.  And Bite Sized Archie Vol. 1 is the perfect way to introduce young readers to the world of Archie Andrews.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Archie Comics will want Bite Sized Archie Vol. 1.

[This book contains an afterword by Ron Cacace and “Behind the Panels,” which focuses on the process of artist Vincent Lovallo.  Extras include bonus features, character sketches, and behind-the-scenes conversations from the creative team .]

B+
★★★½ out of 4 stars

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


https://archiecomics.com/
https://twitter.com/archiecomics
https://www.instagram.com/archiecomics/
https://www.facebook.com/ArchieComicsOfficial?ref=tn_tnmn
https://www.youtube.com/user/ArchieComicsOfficial
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/8914136-archie-comics


The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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

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


Wednesday, May 25, 2022

#IReadsYou Review: CHAOS CAMPUS #40

CHAOS CAMPUS: SORORITY GIRLS VS ZOMBIES #40
APPROBATION COMICS

STORY: B. Alex Thompson – @ApproBAT
ART: Ricardo Mendez
COLORS: Alivon Ortiz
LETTERS: Krugos
POST-SCRIPTING/POLISH: John P. Ward
EDITOR: B. Alex Thompson
MISC: Ricardo Mendez with Alivon Ortiz
COVER: Ricardo Mendez with Alivon Ortiz
24pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (2018)

Rated: Teen 13+

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies created by B. Alex Thompson

“Expiation”


Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies is the long-running zombie apocalypse comic book series from Approbation Comics.  Mixing in elements of comedy, horror, adventure, and magic, 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 Schaffer, brainy and magic-wielding Paige Helena Patton, and sexy goddess-type Brittany Ann Miller.  The series is written by Thompson.  It is currently drawn by Ricardo Mendez; colored by Alivon Ortiz; and lettered by Krugos.

Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies #40 (“Expiation”) opens in the wake the “Alts” attack that did damage to the campus.  Jamie had a shocking reunion with Charles, her father, and with Aimee, her sister.  Aimee has been transformed into “Aqua Aimee,” a bio-mechanoid-like creature, because of an alien symbiote inside her … that is also killing her.

Jamie and Aimee have been placed in a coma so that Paige and Brittany can save them both.  Meanwhile, Jamie and Aimee wake up as children and are forced to grow up again while their real bodies and minds struggle to fight off the alien symbiote's influence.  Can the twin sisters survive this taxing mental and physical ordeal?  Or will the symbiote ultimately kill them both?  And will they survive the replay of an important moment in Jamie's life...

THE LOWDOWN:  Yes, dear readers, we are continuing toward the conclusion of the Chaos Campus comic book series.  Every time I read an issue of this genre-busting series, however, I get deeper into denial about the end.

In Chaos Campus #40, B. Alex Thompson offers his usual antics – fight, fight, and creature feature.  However, “Expiation” is an enjoyable story about clashing siblings.  It is one of the best depictions of the tensions between siblings and of their rivalries that I have ever seen in a comic book.  It feels authentic and genuine.

Ricardo Mendez, perhaps Chaos Campus' signature artist, captures the usual fun and the sibling melodrama that Thompson offers this issue.  Alivon Ortiz's sparkling colors really play well – surprisingly – on the girls' hair and costumes.  Of course, Krugos' lettering completes the storytelling with a ringing soundtrack.

It's easy to join the fun, dear readers.  The details are at the bottom of this review.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of zombies, video games, and of horror-comedies will want to try Chaos Campus: Sorority Girls vs. Zombies.

A
★★★★ out of 4 stars

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



Buy Chaos Campus here or at https://www.indyplanet.com/approbation-comics.

www.ApprobationComics.com
https://twitter.com/ApproBAT
www.AlexThompsonWriter.com


The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint or syndication rights and fees.

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

Tuesday, May 24, 2022

#IReadsYou Review: KING SPAWN #1

KING SPAWN #1
IMAGE COMICS

STORY: Sean Lewis; Todd McFarlane (additional dialogue and back-up stories)
PENCILS: Javi Fernandez (King Spawn); Stephen Segovia (Haunt); Marcio Takara (Nightmare); Philip Tan (The Hero); Brett Booth (Gunslinger)
INKS: Javi Fernandez; Adelso Corona; Daniel Henriques
COLORS: FCO Plascencia (King Spawn); Andrew Dalhouse; Marcelo Maiolo; Peter Steigerwald; Dave McCaig
LETTERS: Andworld Design (King Spawn): Tom Orzechowski
EDITOR: Thomas Healy
COVER:  Puppeteer Lee
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Todd McFarlane with FCO Plascencia; David Finch with FCO Plascencia; Sean Gordon Murphy; Brett Booth and Todd McFarlane with FCO Plascencia; Greg Capullo and Todd McFarlane with FCO Plascencia; Donny Cates and Todd McFarlane
56pp, Color, $5.99 U.S. (August 2021)

Rated: “T/ Teen”

Spawn created by Todd McFarlane


Spawn is a superhero/antihero character that stars in the long-running comic book series, Spawn.  Created by writer-artist Todd McFarlane, Spawn first appeared in Spawn #1 (cover dated: May 1992).

Spawn was Albert Francis “Al” Simmons.  A career military man who becomes a highly capable assassin and dies a violent death.  He makes a deal with the devil, Malebolgia, in order to return to the living realm to see his wife one last time.  However, Al returns with almost no memories accept that his name is Al Simmons, and he learns that he is now a “Hellspawn” in service of Malebolgia.  Rebelling, Al Simmons, now “Spawn,” finds a new purpose in stopping evil.

Back in February (2021), Todd McFarlane announced his plans to build a larger, multi-character, interconnected, comic book universe based around his Spawn comic book – a “Spawn Universe.”  McFarlane also announced four new comic book titles coming out in 2021, with three of them continuing as regular monthly titles.  The first of the three titles, King Spawn, has arrived.

King Spawn is written by Sean Lewis; drawn by Javi Fernandez; colored by FCO Plascencia; lettered by Andworld Design.  King Spawn finds Spawn battling one of his old adversaries, but it is someone only Spawn knows that exists.

King Spawn #1 opens at an elementary school in Seattle, Washington.  There, a bombing kills sixteen people, including fourteen children aged five and six years old.  Spawn and Jessica Priest (She-Spawn) surreptitiously attend the funeral of one of the children, and Spawn, enraged, tells Priest that he knows who committed this crime and that he is going after them.

The suspects include a legendary angel, Metatron, and perhaps, an underground religious group, “Psalms 137.”  Or maybe, the people behind the bombing are fans...

THE LOWDOWN:  I read Spawn #1 back in 1992, and I had mixed feelings about it.  Yet I was a fan and followed the series for another five or six years.

2021 finds me reading my a Spawn title first-issue for the first time since I read Curse of the Spawn #1 back in 1996.  I like the main story in King Spawn #1.  In fact, Sean Lewis has written the best first issue for an ongoing Spawn comic that I have read to date.  His dialogue is sharp and natural-like, which I can't say for Spawn creator Todd McFarlane's dialogue and exposition, which often describes things that we can see in the art.  Lewis' script is lean and mean, and Lewis does something at which McFarlane is quite good – make the reader feel for the victims.

I've always preferred my Spawn comic books to be drawn by McFarlane, but as a businessman from the beginning of Spawn, he really could not commit to drawing Spawn on a regular basis past the first two years of the original series.  However, Javi Fernandez's art and storytelling shares a sensibility with McFarlane's art that will satisfy me.

So far, I find that King Spawn #1 is the closest to what I will get to those early days of Spawn.  Also, the ending makes me want to come back for more.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Spawn will want to read King Spawn.

[This comic book includes four back-up stories and “Spawning Ground” Presents “The Breakdown,” in which Todd McFarlane and Sean Lewis interview each other.]

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



https://twitter.com/Todd_McFarlane
https://mcfarlane.com/
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.

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

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


Monday, May 23, 2022

BOOM! Studios from Diamond Distributors for May 25, 2022

BOOM! STUDIOS

MAR220828 ALL NEW FIREFLY #4 CVR A FINDEN $4.99
MAR220829 ALL NEW FIREFLY #4 CVR B YOUNG $4.99
MAR220861 KILLER AFFAIRS OF STATE #4 (OF 6) CVR A JACAMON (MR) $4.99
MAR220834 MAGIC HIDDEN PLANESWALKER #2 (OF 4) CVR A DARBOE $4.99
MAR220835 MAGIC HIDDEN PLANESWALKER #2 (OF 4) CVR B REMENAR $4.99
MAR220836 MAGIC HIDDEN PLANESWALKER #2 (OF 4) CVR C CONNECTING VAR $4.99
MAR220794 POWER RANGERS UNIVERSE #6 (OF 6) CVR A MORA $4.99
MAR220799 POWER RANGERS UNIVERSE #6 (OF 6) CVR F FOC REVEAL VAR $4.99
MAR220779 SOMETHING IS KILLING THE CHILDREN #23 CVR A DELL EDERA $3.99
MAR220780 SOMETHING IS KILLING THE CHILDREN #23 CVR B DIE CUT MASK VAR $4.99
MAR220781 SOMETHING IS KILLING THE CHILDREN #23 CVR C DIE CUT BLOODY V $4.99
MAR220821 VAMPIRE SLAYER (BUFFY) #2 CVR A MONTES $4.99
MAR220822 VAMPIRE SLAYER (BUFFY) #2 CVR B BLOOD RED FOIL STAMP VAR $5.99

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


Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for May 25, 2022

DARK HORSE COMICS

DEC210388 ANDRZEJ SAPKOWSKIS THE WITCHER A GRAIN OF TRUTH HC $17.99
FEB210305 ART OF TROVER SAVES UNIVERSE HC $39.99
DEC210399 BPRD THE DEVIL YOU KNOW TP $29.99
MAR220347 BRITISH PARANORMAL SOCIETY TIME OUT OF MIND #2 (OF 4) $3.99
MAR220372 COLLECTOR UNIT 731 #2 (OF 4) $3.99
JAN220402 EC ARCHIVES VAULT OF HORROR TP VOL 02 $19.99
MAR220342 HELLBOY & BPRD NIGHT OF THE CYCLOPS ONE-SHOT CVR A $3.99
MAR220343 HELLBOY & BPRD NIGHT OF THE CYCLOPS ONE-SHOT CVR B $3.99
JAN220404 MINECRAFT WITHER WITHOUT YOU TP VOL 03 $10.99
MAR220301 PEARL III #1 (OF 6) CVR A GAYDOS $3.99
MAR220302 PEARL III #1 (OF 6) CVR B MOMOKO $3.99
JAN220381 SCARLET TP $29.99
DEC210416 TARZAN THE NEW ADVENTURES HC $24.99

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


Dynamite Entertainment from Diamond Distributors for May 25, 2022

DYNAMITE

DEC200758 ALTERED CARBON ONE LIFE ONE DEATH HC $24.99
JAN220536 BETTIE PAGE ALIEN AGENDA #1 CVR N METAL PREMIUM $100.00
MAR220664 BETTIE PAGE ALIEN AGENDA #3 CVR K LINSNER LTD $50.00
MAR220665 BETTIE PAGE ALIEN AGENDA #3 CVR L BURNS LTD $50.00
MAR220532 ELVIRA IN HORRORLAND #1 CVR A ACOSTA $3.99
MAR220533 ELVIRA IN HORRORLAND #1 CVR B ROYLE $3.99
MAR220534 ELVIRA IN HORRORLAND #1 CVR C CALIFANO $3.99
MAR220535 ELVIRA IN HORRORLAND #1 CVR D PHOTO $3.99
MAR220536 ELVIRA IN HORRORLAND #1 CVR E BLANK AUTHENTIX $3.99
MAR220610 IMMORTAL RED SONJA #2 CVR K LINSNER LTD VIRGIN $50.00
MAR220611 IMMORTAL RED SONJA #2 CVR L NAKAYAMA LTD VIRGIN $50.00
MAR220588 JOHN CARTER OF MARS #2 CVR A ACOSTA $3.99
MAR220589 JOHN CARTER OF MARS #2 CVR B LINSNER $3.99
MAR220590 JOHN CARTER OF MARS #2 CVR C CASE $3.99
MAR220591 JOHN CARTER OF MARS #2 CVR D KAMBADAIS $3.99
MAR220592 JOHN CARTER OF MARS #2 CVR E COSPLAY $3.99
MAR228382 JOHN CARTER OF MARS #2 CVR M FOC BONUS LEE HOMAGE $3.99
JAN210825 NANCY DREW & HARDY BOYS DEATH OF NANCY DREW GN $19.99
MAR220730 RED SONJA (2021) #9 CVR A ANDOLFO $3.99
MAR220731 RED SONJA (2021) #9 CVR B LEIRIX $3.99
MAR220732 RED SONJA (2021) #9 CVR C LINSNER $3.99
MAR220733 RED SONJA (2021) #9 CVR D LAU $3.99
MAR220734 RED SONJA (2021) #9 CVR E COSPLAY $3.99
MAR228560 RED SONJA (2021) #9 CVR L FOC BONUS CASTRO $3.99
MAR220741 SHEENA QUEEN JUNGLE #6 CVR A PARRILLO $3.99
MAR220742 SHEENA QUEEN JUNGLE #6 CVR B SUYDAM $3.99
MAR220743 SHEENA QUEEN JUNGLE #6 CVR C LINSNER $3.99
MAR220744 SHEENA QUEEN JUNGLE #6 CVR D BESCH $3.99
MAR220745 SHEENA QUEEN JUNGLE #6 CVR E COSPLAY $3.99
MAR228566 SHEENA QUEEN JUNGLE #6 CVR N FOC BONUS PARRILLO ULTRAVIOLET $3.99
MAR220527 VAMPIRELLA STRIKES #1 CVR N PARRILLO LTD $50.00
MAR220528 VAMPIRELLA STRIKES #1 CVR O YOON LTD $50.00

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