Review TERRA FORMARS Volume 1

TERRA FORMARS, VOL. 1
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

STORY: Yu Sasuga
ARTIST: Ken-ichi Tachibana
TRANSLATION/ENGLISH ADAPTATION: John Werry
LETTERING: Annaliese Christman
ISBN: 978-1-4215-7154-6; paperback (July 2014); Rated “M” for “Mature”
216pp, B&W, $12.99 U.S., $14.99 CAN, £8.99 UK

Artist Ken-ichi Tachibana first collaborated with writer Yu Sasuga on Terra Formars, which was also Sasuga’s debut as a manga writer.  Now, Terra Formars is the latest title from VIZ Media’s VIZ Signature imprint.  Illustrated by Tachibana and written Sasuga, the manga concerns the terraforming of Mars and the horror that unleashes.

Terra Formars opens in the year 2599 AD.  Overpopulation on Earth has reached the breaking point, and humanity must find new frontiers and a new home.  For centuries, Earth has been terraforming Mars by introducing moss and cockroaches.

Terra Formars, Vol. 1 (Chapters 1 to 6) opens after humanity’s first manned mission to the Red Planet, “Bugs 1,” was lost.  Now, “Bugs 2,” the second expedition, arrives on Mars with a crew of 15 men and women.  These explorers prepare to exterminate the cockroaches that were used to transform the Martian environment.

However, they discover that the insects have mutated or evolved into giant, aggressive humanoids creatures – a race of roach men.  These creatures apparently have one overriding goal; that is to exterminate all humans.  However, each member of the crew of “Bugs 2” has undergone the “Bugs Procedure.”  This terrifying and dangerous experimental surgery is designed to make each human something more than human.  But will that be enough for the Terra Formars?

In over a decade of reading and reviewing manga, I have come across some strange and even stranger manga.  The Terra Formars manga is stranger, shocking, and bizarre.  There are six chapters in Terra Formars Volume 1, and there are at least two or three shocking reveals in each one.

I don’t quite know how to describe it, but this first volume took me so many places in terms of plot that I want… no, I need to know what happens next.  I think Terra Formars will hold readers’ attention at least for the first two or three volumes.  It is definitely worth a look for fans of strange sci-fi manga.

B+

www.VIZ.com

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.

I Reads You Review: CYCLOPS #1

CYCLOPS (2014) #1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

WRITER: Greg Rucka
ARTIST: Russell Dauterman
COLORS: Chris Sotomayor
LETTERS: VC’s Joe Caramagna
COVER: Alexander Lozano
VARIANT COVERS: Greg Land; Skottie Young
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (July 2014)

Rated T+

Marvel Comics’ “All-New Marvel Now!” initiative is offering a seemingly endless onslaught on new series.  This includes the launch of some X-Men solo comic book series featuring some of the most popular and iconic X-Men.  One of the X-Men getting his own comic book series is Cyclops, one of the original X-Men.  In fact, the star of the new comic book is a 16-year-old Cyclops… Let me explain.

All-New X-Men, written by Brian Michael Bendis, was one of the titles that came out of the original Marvel NOW publishing initiative back in autumn of 2012.  In this new X-Men comic book series, the modern, blue, furry Beast went back in time and met the original teen X-Men:  Cyclops (Scott Summers), Marvel Girl (Jean Grey), the Beast (Hank McCoy), Angel (Warren Worthington III), and Iceman (Bobby Drake), at a time when they’d only been the X-Men for a short time.  Grown-up Beast convinced teen Beast and his teammates to return with him to the present to see what had become of their dreams in a world that is our present and their future.  It wasn’t pretty.

Springing out of “The Trial of Jean Grey” event, Cyclops #1 finds 16-year old Scott Summers/Cyclops in outer space.  He is with the band of space pirates known as the “Starjammers.”  They are led by Scott’s once thought-to-be-dead father, Christopher Summers, now known as Corsair.  And the reunited father and son are about to embark on an epic father-son journey across the space ways.

The Starjammers were created by Dave Cockrum and first appeared in X-Men #107 (cover dated: October 1977).  The Starjammers were straight out of that venerable science fiction subgenre, space opera.  Comic books are no stranger to space opera, as many comic book companies in the 1940s and 50s used space flight to take human characters to strange worlds where they met even stranger beings.  Two of the best examples of space opera in comics may be Planet Comics, a science fiction comic book series published by Fiction House from 1940 to 1953, and also Weird Fantasy, which was published by EC Comics from 1950 to 1953.

This new Cyclops comic book is not hokey like some old science fiction comic books, but it might owe something to Star Wars, a film that has space opera elements and is considered by some to be space opera.  With that in mind, I think Cyclops could be a good thing.

What I am loving about Cyclops #1 right now is the art by Russell Dauterman (pencils and inks) and Chris Sotomayor (colors).  It is perfect for this juvenile space opera, and it looks so unique and different, as if Cyclops #1 was a slice of a European comics graphic album.  I want to see where writer Greg Rucka takes this, so I hope Cyclops runs for at least 12 issues.

A-

Reviwed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.

DC Comics from Diamond Distributors for July 16, 2014

DC COMICS

APR140254     BATMAN A CELEBRATION OF 75 YEARS HC     $39.99
MAY140227     BATMAN ETERNAL #15     $2.99
MAY140251     BATWOMAN #33     $2.99
APR140259     BIRDS OF PREY TP VOL 04 THE CRUELEST CUT (N52)     $16.99
MAR140252     DAMIAN SON OF BATMAN DELUXE ED HC (N52)     $24.99
APR140295     DJANGO UNCHAINED TP (MR)     $16.99
MAY140401     FABLES #142 (MR)     $2.99
MAY140263     GREEN LANTERN NEW GUARDIANS #33     $2.99
MAY140248     HARLEY QUINN INVADES COMIC CON INTL SAN DIEGO #1     $4.99
MAY140350     INFINITE CRISIS FIGHT FOR THE MULTIVERSE #1     $3.99
APR140255     JOKER A CELEBRATION OF 75 YEARS HC     $39.99
MAY140183     NEW 52 FUTURES END #11 (WEEKLY)     $2.99
MAY140256     RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS #33     $2.99
MAY140160     ROBIN RISES OMEGA #1     $4.99
MAY140359     SCRIBBLENAUTS UNMASKED CRISIS OF IMAGINATION #7     $2.99
MAY140224     SUPERGIRL #33     $2.99
APR140273     SUPERGIRL TP VOL 04 OUT OF THE PAST (N52)     $14.99
MAR140263     TALES OF THE BATMAN JH WILLIAMS III HC     $49.99
MAY140164     TEEN TITANS #1     $2.99
APR140262     TEEN TITANS TP VOL 04 LIGHT AND DARK (N52)     $14.99

DC COMICS/DC COLLECTIBLES

JAN140403     DC COMICS SUPER VILLAINS ARMORED LEX LUTHOR DLX AF     $49.95
DEC130369     SUPERMAN BLACK POOL CUE     $199.95
DEC130370     SUPERMAN ICONIC POOL CUE     $199.95

Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for July 16, 2014

MARVEL COMICS

MAY140815     100TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL #1 X-MEN     $3.99
MAY140910     ALL NEW X-FACTOR #11     $3.99
MAY140828     AVENGERS WORLD #9     $3.99
APR148506     BLACK WIDOW #4 2ND PTG NOTO VAR     $3.99
APR148507     BLACK WIDOW #5 2ND PTG NOTO VAR     $3.99
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APR140771     BLACK WIDOW TP VOL 01 FINELY WOVEN THREAD     $17.99
MAY140950     CAPTAIN AMERICA #22 75TH ANNIV BY ROSS POSTER     $8.99
MAY140890     DEADPOOL DRACULAS GAUNTLET #2     $3.99
MAY140854     ELEKTRA #4     $3.99
APR148509     GUARDIANS OF GALAXY #15 2ND PTG BRADSHAW VAR     $3.99
APR148516     INHUMAN #1 2ND PTG MADUREIRA VAR ANMN     $3.99
MAY140953     LEGENDARY STAR LORD #1 POSTER     $8.99
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MAY140904     MAGNETO #7     $3.99
APR148512     MILES MORALES ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #2 2ND PTG MARQUEZ VAR     $3.99
FEB140825     MMW AVENGERS HC VOL 14     $69.99
APR148513     MOON KNIGHT #4 2ND PTG SHALVEY VAR     $3.99
MAY140864     MS MARVEL #6     $2.99
MAY140791     NOVA #19 SIN     $3.99
APR140642     ORIGINAL SIN #3.2     $3.99
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MAY140908     SAVAGE WOLVERINE #21     $3.99
MAY140823     SECRET AVENGERS #5     $3.99
APR148518     SHE-HULK #4 2ND PTG WADA VAR     $2.99
MAY140869     SHE-HULK #6     $2.99
APR140694     SILVER SURFER #4     $3.99
MAY140952     SPIDER-MAN 2099 #1 POSTER     $8.99
MAY140863     THUNDERBOLTS #28     $2.99
MAY140832     ULTIMATE FF #4     $3.99
MAY140792     UNCANNY X-MEN #23 SIN     $3.99
MAY140897     X-MEN #16     $3.99

IDW Publishing from Diamond Distributors for July 16, 2014

IDW PUBLISHING

MAY140523     24 #4     $3.99
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MAY140558     GATE WAY NEW WORLD TP     $17.99
MAY140519     JUDGE DREDD #21     $3.99
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APR140449     LUST TP     $19.99
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MAY140453     SQUIDDER #1     $3.99
MAY140511     STAR TREK SPECIAL FLESH & STONE #1     $3.99
FEB140330     STERANKO NICK FURY AGENT OF SHIELD ARTIST ED HC     PI
APR140441     TARZAN RUSS MANNING NEWSPAPER STRIPS HC VOL 03 1971-1974     $49.99
MAY140551     THE LAST FALL #1     $3.99
APR140370     TMNT ANIMATED TP VOL 04 MUTAGEN MAYHEM     $7.99
MAY140505     TMNT ONGOING #36     $3.99
APR148444     V-WARS #2 2ND PTG     $3.99
APR140417     X-FILES CLASSICS HC VOL 04     $29.99
MAY140528     X-FILES YEAR ZERO #1     $3.99

Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for July 16, 2014

DARK HORSE COMICS

MAY140025     BPRD HELL ON EARTH #121     $3.50
MAY140064     BRAIN BOY MEN FROM GESTALT #3     $2.99
MAR140080     BTVS SPIKE INTO LIGHT HC     $14.99
MAY140097     EYE OF NEWT #2     $3.99
MAY140062     GHOST #6     $2.99
MAR140093     GRINDHOUSE MIDNIGHT TP VOL 01     $17.99
MAR140100     PICTURES THAT TICK LTD ED HC VOL 02     $100.00
MAR140099     PICTURES THAT TICK TP VOL 02     $29.99
MAY140086     STAR WARS DARTH MAUL SON OF DATHOMIR #3     $3.50
MAR140070     USAGI YOJIMBO LTD HC VOL 28 RED SCORPION     $59.99
MAY140078     WITCHER #5     $3.99
MAY140029     WITCHFINDER MYSTERIES OF UNLAND #2     $3.50

Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for July 16, 2014

IMAGE COMICS

MAY140618     ALEX + ADA TP VOL 01     $12.99
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MAY140584     APHRODITE IX CYBER FORCE #1 CVR C SILVESTRI     $5.99
FEB140519     APHRODITE IX REBIRTH TP VOL 02     $17.99
MAY140620     BAD DOG TP VOL 01 IN THE LAND OF MILK AND HONEY (MR)     $19.99
MAY140697     BURN THE ORPHANAGE REIGN OF TERROR #3 CVR A GRACE & S     $3.50
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MAY140606     CAP'N DINOSAUR ONE SHOT     $3.99
MAY140622     CHEW OMNIVORE ED HC VOL 04 (MR)     $34.99
MAY140574     DARK ENGINE #1 (MR)     $3.50
MAY140626     DEADLY CLASS TP VOL 01 REAGAN YOUTH (MR)     $9.99
MAY140712     MANIFEST DESTINY #8     $2.99
APR140585     RAT QUEENS #7 (MR)     $3.50
MAY148087     SHUTTER #2 2ND PTG (MR)     $3.50
MAY148088     SHUTTER #3 2ND PTG (MR)     $3.50
MAY140734     STRAY BULLETS THE KILLERS #5 (MR)     $3.50
MAY140740     UMBRAL #7 (MR)     $3.50
MAY140745     WICKED & DIVINE #2 (MR)     $3.50
MAY148075     WICKED & DIVINE #2 CVR B ZDARSKY     $3.50
MAY140746     WILDFIRE #2 CVR A LINDA SEJIC     $3.99
MAY140747     WILDFIRE #2 CVR B STJEPAN SEJIC     $3.99