Leroy Douresseaux on STAR WARS: INVASION - Revelations #1

STAR WARS: INVASION – REVELATIONS #1 (Series #12)
DARK HORSE BOOKS

[Visit the "Star Wars Central" review page.]

SCRIPT: Tom Taylor
ART: Colin Wilson
COLORS: Wes Dzioba
LETTERS: Michael Heisler
COVER: Chris Scalf (alternate cover by Dave Dorman)
32pp, Color, $3.50

I remember Vector Prime, the 1999 Star Wars novel written by R.A. Salvatore that was the first installment of the New Jedi Order. In the Star Wars Expanded Universe, the New Jedi Order is an era that begins 25 years after the Battle of Yavin (or 25 BBY). This was the climatic battle in Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope in which Luke Skywalker destroyed the Death Star. The novel also introduced an alien race, the Yuuzhan Vong, which I didn’t care for then, nor do I now. Anyway…

Star Wars: Invasion is a Star Wars comic book set in the New Jedi Order era. Star Wars: Invasion depicts the events of the Yuuzhan Vong War, in which an alien race from another galaxy, the Yuuzhan Vong, invades the Star Wars galaxy and wages war against the New Republic.

As Star Wars: Invasion – Revelations #1 begins, Luke Skywalker and a handful of Jedi battle the Yuuzhan Vong on Dantooine. Princess Kaye Galfridian and her mother, Nina, find themselves racing to the Empire’s territory, with refugees in tow. Meanwhile, Finn Galfridian, under the guidance of the mysterious Jedi Master Dray, infiltrates Coruscant to stop a plot against New Republic Chief of State Borsk Fey’Lya, but he discovers startling revelations about the leaders of the New Republic.

This first issue of Star Wars: Invasion – Revelations (which is the 12th in the Star Wars: Invasion series) directly depicts three storylines and indirectly a fourth. That’s quite a bit of material to follow, and I wasn’t really enjoying the issue… that is until I focused on one storyline.

Finn Galfridian’s story is interesting and gripping because it deals with so many engaging elements: his internal conflicts, his somewhat contentious relationship with Master Dray, and the Yuuzhan Vong plot against Borsk Fey’Lya, who isn’t that great a guy. Finn’s story has melodrama, soul-searching, intrigue, tension, and conflict – much of it played on the razor’s edge. This is the reason to buy into this storyline.

B+

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La Quinta Camera Welcomes the New

I read La Quinta Camera: The Fifth Room

I posted a review at the Comic Book Bin (which has FREE smart phone apps).

Dark Horse Comics 2011 Comic-Con International Schedule

DARK HORSE ANNOUNCES SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON 2011 SCHEDULE!

SIGNINGS, PANELS, AND GREEN SCREENS, OH MY!

July 13, MILWAUKIE, OR—It’s here! San Diego Comic-Con 2011 is upon us, and Dark Horse Comics is telling you all the goods ahead of time! Plan accordingly!

SIGNINGS
Wednesday, July 20

7:30 p.m.—Preview Night Reveal

Thursday, July 21
11 a.m.— Fábio Moon and Gabriel Bá

11 a.m.—Tara McPherson (The Art of Tara McPherson)

12:30 p.m.—Eric Powell (The Goon)

2 p.m.—Bruce Campbell (My Name Is Bruce) *Ticketed by Lottery

3 p.m.—Morgan Spurlock (Supersized)

3:30 p.m.—Jerry Robinson (Jet Scott)

4:30 p.m.—Jill Thompson (Beasts of Burden)

Friday, July 22
10 a.m.—Stan Sakai (Usagi Yojimbo)

10 a.m.—Rebecca Guay (The Last Dragon)

11 a.m.—Menton3 and Patric Reynolds (The Thing)

11:30 a.m.—Dark Horse Presents Signing: Jim Steranko (Red Tide) and Neal Adams (Blood) *Ticketed by Lottery

12 p.m.—Stephan Martiniere and Michael Heisler (Rage)

1 p.m.—Gerard Way (The Umbrella Academy) *Ticketed by Lottery

3:30 p.m.—Star Wars Signing: Mick Harrison (Dark Times); John Jackson Miller and Michael Heisler (Knight Errant); Scott Allie (Jedi: The Dark Side); Rob Chestney (The Old Republic: Threat of Peace); Alexander Freed (The Old Republic: The Lost Suns); Jeremy Barlow (The Clone Wars)

5 p.m.—Falling Skies Signing: Noah Wyle, Moon Bloodgood, Will Patton, Drew Roy, Colin Cunningham, Sarah Carter, Mark Verheiden *Ticketed by Lottery

Saturday, July 23
10 a.m.—Mac Walters and John Jackson Miller, Michael Heisler (Mass Effect)

11 a.m.—Mike Mignola (Hellboy)

11 a.m.—Stan Sakai (Usagi Yojimbo)

12 p.m.—Whedonverse Signing: Zack Whedon, Andrew Chambliss, Georges Jeanty, Jo Chen *Ticketed by Lottery

12 p.m.—Adam Warren (Empowered)

1 p.m.—Jon Schnepp, Eric Powell, Jeremy Barlow (Dethklok) *Ticketed by Lottery

1 p.m.—Robert E. Howard Signing: Stuart Moore, Paul Sammon, Tomás Giorello

2 p.m.—Conan the Barbarian Signing: Rose McGowan *Ticketed by Lottery

2 p.m.—Dark Horse Presents (Carla Speed McNeil, Sanford Greene, Ricardo Delgado)

3:30 p.m.—Tsuneo Goda (Domo) *Ticketed by Lottery

3:30 p.m.—Mink (Shinjuku)

5 p.m.—Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) *Ticketed by Lottery

Sunday, July 24
10:30 a.m.—Rob Hughes and Thomas Yeates (The Outlaw Prince)

11 a.m.—Rob Reger and Buzz Parker (Emily the Strange)

12 p.m.—Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino (Avatar: The Last Airbender) *Ticketed by Lottery

12 p.m.—Ethan and Malachai Nicolle (Axe Cop)

1 p.m.—Larry Marder – Beanworld

2:30 p.m.—Doug Sneyd – The Art of Doug Sneyd

3 p.m.—Mike Mignola (Hellboy)

PANELS
Thursday, July 21
12 p.m.–1 p.m. Dark Horse: Fall Publishing Highlights! Room 32AB
Super-secret surprise guests!

5:30 p.m.–6:30 p.m. Creepy and Eerie: Comics That Can Still Scare You! Room 24ABC
Including: Jason Shawn Alexander (Abe Sapien), J. C. Vaughn (Doctor Solar), and Nathan Fox (Haunt)
Special Guests: Ken Kelly (Creepy/Eerie) and Bruce Jones (Checkmate)
Moderated by Dan Braun (Creepy) and Josh Braun (A History of Violence)
Friday, July 22
11 a.m.–12 p.m. Mike Mignola: Worlds at War Room 4
Special Guests: Mike Mignola (Hellboy), Tyler Crook (B.P.R.D.), and Scott Allie (editor)

1 p.m.–2 p.m. Dark Horse Comics: 20 Years of Star Wars Room 7AB
Including: Randy Stradley (editor), Mick Harrison (Dark Times—first public appearance!), Dave Marshall (editor), Scott Allie and Stéphane Roux (Jedi: The Dark Side), John Jackson Miller (Knight Errant), Dave Filoni and the Fillbach brothers (The Clone Wars), Leland Y. Chee (Keeper of the Holocron’s Blog), Timothy Zahn (Choices of One), Shelly Shapiro (Del Rey editor), and more!

2 p.m.–3 p.m. Dark Horse Presents: The Panel Room 25ABC
Including: Mike Richardson (Dark Horse president), Eric Powell (The Goon), Carla Speed McNeil (Finder), Sanford Greene (Deadpool), and many more!

Saturday, July 23
3 p.m.–4 p.m. Dark Horse: Joss Whedon Room: Indigo

4 p.m.–5 p.m. Dark Horse and BioWare: A Comic and Video-Game Partnership
Room 23ABC
Including: Alexander Freed (Star Wars: The Old Republic), Mac Walters (Mass Effect 3), John Jackson Miller (Mass Effect), and Dave Marshall (editor)

GREEN SCREEN
Thursday, July 21
9 a.m.–11 a.m.: Hellboy
11 a.m.–2 p.m.: The Goon
2 p.m.–4 p.m.: Mass Effect
4 p.m.–7 p.m.: Buffy the Vampire Slayer / Angel & Faith

Friday, July 22
9 a.m.–12 p.m.: Star Wars
12 p.m.–3 p.m.: Falling Skies
3 p.m.–7 p.m.: Mass Effect

Saturday, July 23
9 a.m.–11 a.m.: Hellboy
11 a.m.–2 p.m.: Dylan Dog
2 p.m.–5 p.m.: Conan
5 p.m.–7 p.m.: Buffy / Angel & Faith

Sunday, July 24
9 a.m.–11 a.m.: The Goon
11 a.m.–1 p.m.: Star Wars
1 p.m.–3 p.m.: Buffy the Vampire Slayer / Angel & Faith
3 p.m.–5 p.m.: Hellboy

Comic-Con International Dark Horse Panel Friday, July 22

DARK HORSE PRESENTS: THE SDCC 2011 PANEL

THE ONLY PANEL YOU NEED TO SEE!

July 13, MILWAUKIE, OR—At 2 p.m., Friday, July 22, stop by room 25ABC for a powerhouse panel featuring the creative minds behind Dark Horse Presents!

As Dark Horse celebrates its twenty-fifth year of publishing, we are proud to reintroduce the title that started it all: the game-changing anthology Dark Horse Presents. Known for featuring the industry’s top talent and launching some of the most successful titles in comics history, Dark Horse Presents was, is, and will continue to be a highly fertile breeding ground for new characters, concepts, and more!

Join us for a look at what makes this book so important to the comics medium with Dark Horse publisher Mike Richardson, as well as a cast of top talent past and present, including . . .

Jim Steranko (Red Tide)

Eric Powell (The Goon)

Carla Speed McNeil (Finder)

Sanford Greene (Deadpool)

And more!

Attendees can expect a fun and interactive experience, as well as live drawing, Q&A teasers, and more! Also, panel attendees will receive a Dave Gibbons minicomic exclusive to San Diego Comic-Con!

Friday, July 22, at 2 p.m. Room 25ABC. Be there.


About Dark Horse Comics
Since 1986, Dark Horse Comics has proven to be a solid example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and establish a small, homegrown company as an industry giant. The company is known for the progressive and creator-friendly atmosphere it provides for writers and artists. In addition to publishing comics from top talent like Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, Neil Gaiman, Gerard Way, and comics legend Will Eisner, Dark Horse has developed such successful characters as the Mask, Timecop, and SpyBoy. Additionally, its highly successful line of comics and products based on popular properties includes Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan, Emily the Strange, Tim Burton, Trigun, Serenity, and Domo. Today Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic-book publisher in the US and is recognized as one of the world’s leading publishers of licensed comics material.

Melody Moore in San Francisco Opera's "Heart of a Soldier"

Tickets are now on sale for the San Francisco Opera's World Premiere production, Heart of a Soldier. This opera, which will honor and commemorate the 10th Anniversary of the tragedy of September 11th, is based on the book by Pulitzer Prize winning journalist James B. Stewart.

The opera will tell the real life story of Rick Rescorla, from his time as a boy in Cornwall, England, through several military conflicts, including the Vietnam War, to his role as Vice President of Security for Morgan Stanley in the South Tower of the World Trade Center.

Soprano Melody Moore will be playing the role of Rick's wife, Susan Rescorla.

Performance dates are this September 10th, 13th, 18th, 21th, 24th, 27th and 30th. Please click on this link www.sfopera.com/offer and enter the code: HOSFAF to receive a 20% friends and family discount (for Ms. Moore) on your ticket purchase.

http://www.melodymooresoprano.com/
 
 

Dark Horse Comics to Collect Evan Dorkin's "Milk and Cheese"

COMICS THAT NEVER SPOIL WITH AGE!

MILK AND CHEESE TO BE COLLECTED IN A DELUXE HARDCOVER!

JULY 12, MILWAUKIE, OR—The rumors are true! Milk and Cheese, Evan Dorkin’s “Dairy Products Gone Bad,” will be collected in an all-new hardcover from Dark Horse!

A carton of hate. A wedge of spite. A comic book of idiotic genius. Dating all the way back to an appearance in Greed magazine in 1988, these gin-fueled lactic loose cannons have delighted and horrified comics fans the world over!

The Eisner Award–winning dairy duo returns in this deluxe hardcover collecting every single, stupid Milk and Cheese comic ever made from 1989 to 2010, along with a sh*t-ton of supplemental awesomeness. This has everything you need! Don’t judge it—love it! Or else!

“Not a lot of people know that I’ve been working with Dark Horse Comics since 1991, on everything from Predator to The Mask to Beasts of Burden,” said creator Evan Dorkin. “I’ve always held DH and my relationship with them in high regard—despite what they say about me—so I’m super proud as well as super stoked to have Milk and Cheese crashing the house of Hellboy, Usagi Yojimbo, and The Goon. Of course, everyone knows they can take those wimps with one beer behind their back.”

Retailers, don’t delay! Order multiple copies of this slab of comics history today! Fans, make sure your local retailer has ordered your copy of Milk and Cheese: Dairy Products Gone Bad, arriving on shelves and in stockings on December 21!

Leroy Douresseaux on HELLBOY: THE FURY #2

HELLBOY: THE FURY #2 (OF 3)
DARK HORSE COMICS

STORY: Mike Mignola
ART: Duncan Fegredo
COLORS: Dave Stewart
LETTERS: Clem Robins
COVER: Mike Mignola with Dave Stewart
32pp, Color, $2.99

I have not read Hellboy since Hellboy: Conqueror Worm (2001). I loved Hellboy and still do, but I just seemed to drift away from finding and buying Hellboy comics.

If I understand correctly, the new three-issue Hellboy miniseries, Hellboy: The Fury, is the conclusion the union of Hellboy creator Mike Mignola and artist Duncan Fegredo. Apparently, The Fury brings an end to the story arc that began in Hellboy: Darkness Calls (2008) and continued in The Wild Hunt (2008-2009) and The Storm (2010).

In Hellboy: The Fury, Hellboy leads the undead army of England against the Queen of Blood, Nimue (also Queen of Witches), and her army of the damned. Hellboy: The Fury #2 opens with Alice Monaghan in England. She witness a raging battle between the forces of good and evil, as the battlefield fills with dead monsters and knights. Meanwhile, Hellboy has a battle royale with the Queen of Blood’s champion.

The moody, imaginative storytelling that comes most to mind when I think of Hellboy is absent from Hellboy: The Fury. Mignola’s mind has conjured a story full of gigantic, kinetic action sequences that are right out of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings films.

Comics tell their stories in words, pictures, and graphics, and artist Duncan Fegredo unleashes and transforms Mignola’s arcane, eccentric storytelling with both vigor and imagination. From the first panel to the next and the next after that, Fegredo portrays Armageddon and monster throw downs with surprising beauty and inventive design. Fegredo has riffed on Mignola’s style since he has taken the Hellboy creator’s place in drawing Hellboy to life, which makes sense. Still, Fegredo is true Hellboy, while managing to be true to himself by producing both beauty and good storytelling. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to have the masterful coloring of Dave Stewart.

Anyway, I’m trying to catch up on Hellboy because I’ve missed a lot, but that isn’t stopping me from loving The Fury.

A