Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for June 25 2014

DARK HORSE COMICS

APR140036     CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT #12     $2.99
APR140077     CONAN THE AVENGER #3     $3.50
APR140050     DREAM THIEF ESCAPE #1     $3.99
APR140055     EMILY & THE STRANGERS BREAKING RECORD #1     $3.99
FEB140009     FRANK MILLERS BIG DAMN SIN CITY HC     $100.00
APR140039     GHOST #5     $2.99
APR140016     GOON ONE FOR THE ROAD ONESHOT     $3.50
APR140069     HALO ESCALATION #7     $3.99
APR140078     KING CONAN CONQUEROR #5     $3.50
APR140070     MASS EFFECT FOUNDATION #12     $3.99
APR140052     MASSIVE #24     $3.50
FEB140031     MASSIVE TP VOL 03 LONGSHIP     $19.99
APR140051     MIND MGMT #23     $3.99
FEB140014     OCCULTIST TP DEATHS DOOR     $16.99
APR140048     PARIAH #5     $3.99
APR140064     SERENITY LEAVES ON THE WIND #6     $3.50
FEB140013     SIN CITY A DAME TO KILL FOR HC (MR)     $25.00
APR140061     STAR WARS LEGACY II #16     $2.99
APR140058     STAR WARS REBEL HEIST #3 HUGHES MAIN CVR     $3.50
FEB140102     TARZAN BURNE HOGARTHS LORD OF JUNGLE HC     $49.99
APR140071     TOMB RAIDER #5     $3.50
APR140067     VANDROID #5     $3.99

Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for June 25 20114

IMAGE COMICS

APR140560     CHEW #42 (MR)     $2.99
APR148351     COWL #1 2ND PTG (MR)     $3.50
APR140562     COWL #2 (MR)     $3.50
APR140512     DEAD BODY ROAD TP (MR)     $14.99
APR140563     DEADLY CLASS #6 (MR)     $3.50
APR140564     DREAM POLICE #3     $2.99
APR140570     FUSE #5 (MR)     $3.50
MAR140578     INVINCIBLE #112     $2.99
APR140576     MERCENARY SEA #5     $2.99
APR140481     OUTCAST BY KIRKMAN & AZACETA #1 (MR)     $2.99
FEB140619     PETER PANZERFAUST #19     $3.50
APR140589     REVIVAL #21 (MR)     $2.99
APR148258     SAGA #19 2ND PTG (MR)     $2.99
APR140593     SAGA #20 (MR)     $2.99
APR140595     SEX #14 (MR)     $2.99
APR140599     SKULLKICKERS #28     $3.50
APR148350     SOUTHERN BASTARDS #2 2ND PTG (MR)     $3.50
APR140601     SOVEREIGN #4 (MR)     $2.99
APR140606     STRAY BULLETS THE KILLERS #4 (MR)     $3.50
APR140611     TREES #2 (MR)     $2.99
APR140612     UNDERTOW #5 CVR A TRAKHANOV (MR)     $2.99
APR140613     UNDERTOW #5 CVR B RINGUET (MR)     $2.99

Comics, Magazines and Books from Diamond Distributors for June 25 2014

PREVIEWS PUBLICATIONS
MAY140001     PREVIEWS #310 JULY 2014     $4.50
MAY140004     PREVIEWS #310 JULY 2014 CUSTOMER ORDER FORM     PI

COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS
FEB140901     64-BIT ZOMBIE #1     $3.99
MAR141339     ABC WARRIORS MEK FILES HC VOL 01 (MR)     $42.00
APR141261     AIR GEAR GN VOL 31     $10.99
MAR141364     ALIEN LEGION UNCIVIL WAR #1     $3.99
NOV130800     ALL NEW EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT IRIS #5 DIRECT MARKET CVR A     $3.99
NOV130801     ALL NEW EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT IRIS #5 DIRECT MARKET CVR B     $3.99
JAN141133     AMANDA HOCKING THE HOLLOWS GN     $14.99
APR141000     AMAZING WORLD OF GUMBALL #1 MAIN CVRS     $3.99
APR140955     ANNE BONNIE #2     $3.99
MAR140836     ARCHIE COMICS SPECTACULAR SUMMER DAZE TP     $5.99
APR141484     ARE YOU ALICE GN VOL 05     $13.00
APR141167     ARMY OF DARKNESS VS HACK SLASH TP     $24.99
FEB141373     ASTERIX OMNIBUS HC VOL 09     $27.95
MAR141277     ASTERIX OMNIBUS SC VOL 07     $19.95
APR141262     ATTACK ON TITAN NO REGRETS GN VOL 01     $10.99
APR140857     B & V FRIENDS DOUBLE DIGEST #239     $4.99
MAY141400     BARNABY HC VOL 02     $39.99
MAR141012     BARRACUDA GN VOL 02     $13.95
APR148228     BEE AND PUPPYCAT #1 (2ND PTG)     $3.99
APR141485     BLOODY CROSS GN VOL 03     $11.99
APR141339     BRASS SUN #2     $3.99
APR141026     BRAVEST WARRIORS #21 MAIN CVRS     $3.99
APR141441     CARDFIGHT VANGUARD GN VOL 02     $10.95
APR141306     CLASSICS ILLUS HC VOL 19 TOM SAWYER     $9.99
APR140966     CLIVE BARKERS NIGHTBREED #2 (MR)     $3.99
APR140904     CROSSED BADLANDS #56 (MR)     $3.99
APR140907     CROSSED BADLANDS #56 FATAL FANTASY CVR (MR)     $3.99
APR140906     CROSSED BADLANDS #56 TORTURE CVR (MR)     $3.99
APR140905     CROSSED BADLANDS #56 WRAP CVR (MR)     $3.99
APR141350     DANCE IN VAMPIRE BUND FORGOTTEN TALES GN (MR)     $13.99
FEB141436     DEATH SENTENCE HC     $22.99
APR140986     DEATHMATCH TP VOL 03     $14.99
MAR140971     DECEIVERS #6     $3.99
APR141143     DEJAH OF MARS #2 (MR)     $3.99
NOV131058     DF AMAZING SPIDER-MAN ROMITA SR SGN MASTER SET     PI
JAN141179     DF CAPTAIN MARVEL #1 KELLY SUE DECONNICK SGN     PI
OCT131158     DF DYNAMIC 12 DAYS STARTER SET     PI
AUG131279     DF OCTOBER 5 STAR TRICKS AND TREATS STARTER SET     PI
NOV131061     DF PRETTY DEADLY #1 DECONNICK SGN     $14.99
APR141197     DF STAR WARS REBEL HEIST #1 KINDT SGN     $29.99
MAR140875     DISENCHANTED HC VOL 01 (MR)     $27.99
MAR140874     DISENCHANTED TP VOL 01 (MR)     $19.99
APR141275     DOG BUTTS LOVE STUFF CATS GN     $13.99
SEP138399     DRAGON BALL Z SHONEN J ED TP VOL 03     $9.99
FEB141282     EC JOE ORLANDO JUDGMENT DAY HC     $29.99
APR141439     ETERNAL WARRIOR TP VOL 02 ETERNAL EMPEROR     $14.99
MAY141063     EXTINCTION PARADE TP VOL 01 (MR)     $19.99
APR140985     FARSCAPE TP VOL 07     $29.99
APR140880     FATHOM KIANI VOL 3 #4 DIRECT MARKET CVR A     $3.99
APR140881     FATHOM KIANI VOL 3 #4 DIRECT MARKET CVR B     $3.99
APR141140     FLASH GORDON #3     $3.99
APR141141     FLASH GORDON #3 80TH ANNV CASTRO CVR     $3.99
MAR140939     FRANK BELLAMY HEROS THE SPARTAN LTD ED HC     $179.99
MAR141352     GAKUEN POLIZI GN VOL 01 (MR)     $12.99
APR141307     GERONIMO STILTON HC VOL 14     $9.99
APR141520     GFT GODSTORM HERCULES PAYNE #3 A CVR PANTALENA     $3.99
APR141521     GFT GODSTORM HERCULES PAYNE #3 B CVR TOLIBAO     $3.99
APR141522     GFT GODSTORM HERCULES PAYNE #3 C CVR REYES     $3.99
APR141523     GFT HELSING #3 A CVR MILLER     $3.99
APR141524     GFT HELSING #3 B CVR CUMMINGS     $3.99
APR141525     GFT HELSING #3 C CVR CUCCA     $3.99
APR141511     GFT WONDERLAND #24 A CVR LEISTER (MR)     $3.99
APR141512     GFT WONDERLAND #24 B CVR LAISO (MR)     $3.99
APR141513     GFT WONDERLAND #24 C CVR ORTIZ (MR)     $3.99
APR141507     GFT WONDERLAND CLASH OF QUEENS #5 A CVR MYCHAELS (AOF     $3.99
APR141508     GFT WONDERLAND CLASH OF QUEENS #5 B CVR QUALANO (AOFD     $3.99
APR141509     GFT WONDERLAND CLASH OF QUEENS #5 C CVR GARZA (AOFD)     $3.99
APR141510     GFT WONDERLAND CLASH OF QUEENS #5 D CVR ORTIZ (AOFD)     $4.99
APR140808     GIRL GENIUS HC VOL 13 SLEEPING CITY     $50.00
APR140807     GIRL GENIUS TP VOL 13 SLEEPING CITY     $25.00
APR140923     GOD IS DEAD #15 (MR)     $3.99
APR140924     GOD IS DEAD #15 CARNAGE WRAP CVR (MR)     $3.99
APR140925     GOD IS DEAD #15 END OF DAYS CVR (MR)     $3.99
APR140926     GOD IS DEAD #15 ICONIC CVR (MR)     $3.99
MAR141354     HAGANAI I HAVE NO FRIENDS GN VOL 07 (MR)     $12.99
DEC131250     HARVEY HORRORS TOMB OF TERROR SOFTIE TP VOL 03     $24.99
APR141257     HOW I MADE THE WORLD ONE SHOT (MR)     $2.95
MAR141015     IZNOGOUD GN VOL 09 GRAND VIZIER     $13.95
APR141486     JUDGE GN VOL 04     $12.99
MAR140840     JUGHEAD & ARCHIE DOUBLE DIGEST #3     $3.99
FEB140916     KADE TRIBAL SUN GN     $14.95
APR141291     LETTER 44 #7     $3.99
APR141213     LOCAS TP VOL 02 GIRL FROM HOPPERS (NEW PTG)     $19.99
APR148318     LUMBERJANES #2 (2ND PTG)     $3.99
FEB141196     MARK WAID GREEN HORNET #13     $3.99
APR140867     MEGA MAN #38 REG CVR     $2.99
JAN141063     MERCY SPARX #6 (MR)     $3.99
APR140996     MIDAS FLESH #7     $3.99
JAN141326     MODESTY BLAISE TP VOL 24 YOUNG MISTRESS     $19.95
MAR141112     NOIR TP VOL 01     $19.99
MAR141365     ORDINARY #2     $3.99
OCT128170     OURAN HS HOST CLUB GN VOL 01     $9.99
MAR141017     PANDORA BOX GN VOL 05 ENVY (MR)     $13.95
APR141028     PEANUTS VOL 2 #19     $3.99
APR141202     PIRATES I/T HEARTLAND HC VOL 01 CLAY WILSON (MR)     $34.99
DEC131251     PRE CODE CLASSICS STRANGE WORLDS HC VOL 01     $47.99
APR141487     PUELLA MAGI MADOKA MAGICA DIFFERENT STORY GN VOL 02     $13.00
APR140797     RACHEL RISING #26     $3.99
APR141059     RED TEN #6 (MR)     $3.99
APR140824     RITUAL THREE VILE DECAY (MR)     $6.95
APR140982     ROBOCOP HUMAN ELEMENT TP     $14.99
MAR141336     ROY THOMAS PRESENTS COLL PACK PLANET COMICS SLIPCASE ED     $129.99
MAR140963     RUSH CLOCKWORK ANGELS #3     $3.99
APR141266     SANKAREA GN VOL 07     $10.99
APR141230     SHACKLETON ANTARCTIC ODYSSEY GN     $16.99
APR141138     SHADOW MASTER SERIES TP VOL 02 (MR)     $24.99
APR141428     SHADOWMAN END TIMES #3 LAROSA CVR     $3.99
APR140979     SIX GUN GORILLA TP     $19.99
MAR141341     SLAINE LORD OF THE BEASTS TP (MR)     $29.99
APR141310     SMURFS GN VOL 18 FINANCE SMURF     $5.99
APR141311     SMURFS HC VOL 18 FINANCE SMURF     $10.99
APR141110     SOLAR MAN O/T ATOM #3     $3.99
FEB140946     SONIC MEGA MAN WORLDS COLLIDE TP VOL 03     $11.99
MAR141355     STRIKE WITCHES SKY THAT CONNECTS US GN (MR)     $12.99
APR141488     SWORD ART ONLINE FAIRY DANCE GN VOL 01     $13.00
APR141489     TALE OF WANING MOON GN VOL 04 (MR)     $17.00
APR141304     THANIEL #4 (MR)     $3.99
APR141100     TUROK DINOSAUR HUNTER #5 SEARS     $3.99
APR141258     UNFABULOUS FIVE HC     $24.95
MAR141018     VALERIAN GN VOL 07 ON FALSE EARTHS     $11.95
APR141313     WWE SUPERSTARS ONGOING TP VOL 01 MONEY I/T BANK     $9.99
APR148227     X-O MANOWAR #25 2ND PTG     $4.99
APR141419     X-O MANOWAR #26 CVR A REG (AH)     $3.99
APR141420     X-O MANOWAR #26 CVR B CHROM (AH)     $5.99

MAGAZINES
APR141659     COMIC SHOP NEWS #1410     PI
FEB141633     DC BATMAN AUTO FIG MAG #33 CLASSIC TV BATGIRL BIKE     $20.00
MAR141580     DC BATMAN AUTO FIG MAG #34 ARKHAM ASYLUM VIDEO GAME     $20.00
FEB141637     DC SUPERHERO CHESS FIG COLL MAG #58 CYBORG WHITE ROOK     $16.00
APR141662     DOCTOR WHO ESSENTIAL GUIDE #1 THE CYBERMEN     $19.99
FEB141672     FILMFAX #137     $9.95
MAR141338     JUDGE DREDD MEGAZINE #348     PI
APR141388     MONSTER HIGH MAGAZINE #8     $4.99

BOOKS
MAR141563     ART JAPANESE MONSTERS GODZILLA GAMERA & SF FILM ART HC (MR)     $59.99
MAR141564     HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER MINI KIT     $9.95
APR141557     ONCE UPON A DREAM FROM SLEEPING BEAUTY TO MALEFICE HC     $40.00
APR141232     SLEEP TIGHT ANNA BANANA YR GN     $15.99
APR141574     TMNT LIGHT & SOUND KEYCHAIN MINIATURE BOOK KIT     $12.95
APR141575     WORLD GONE WILD SURVIVORS GT POST APOCALYPTIC MOVIES HC     $34.99

One Piece: Coliseum of Scoundrels

I read One Piece, Vol. 71

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin, which is seeking donations.  Follow me on Twitter.

I Reads You Review: INHUMAN #2

INHUMAN #2
MARVEL COMICS - @Marvel

WRITER: Charles Soule
ARTIST: Joe Madureira
COLORS: Marte Gracia
LETTERS: VC’s Clayton Cowles
COVER:  Joe Madureira and Marte Gracia
VARIANT COVER: Frank Cho with Jason Keith
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (July 2014)

Rated T+

Party 2: The Queen in the Sky

The Inhumans are a race of superhumans that appear in Marvel Comics.  This race was created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee and first appeared in Fantastic Four #45 (cover dated: December 1965).  They are a strain of humanity that began with genetic manipulation by visitors to Earth from an alien civilization (the Kree) long ago in human prehistory.

The last year has seen the Inhumans begin to have a more prominent place in the Marvel Universe.  There is a new Inhumans comic book series, entitled Inhuman, written by Charles Soule, drawn by Joe Madureira, colored by Marte Gracia, and lettered Clayton Cowles.  Recently, the re-launched The Amazing Spider-Man #1 (thankfully) reprinted the sold-out Inhuman #1 (Part 1: Genesis).

Inhuman #2 (“The Queen in the Sky”) opens in the remains of Attilan, the capital city of the Inhumans, now located in the Hudson River on the New York/New Jersey border.  Inside, the former human musician Dante is trying to understand what happened to him.  He was exposed to the Terrigan Cloud, a runaway dispersion of the Terrigan Mists.  Anyone with Inhuman DNA buried in their genetic code undergoes a stunning transformation when exposed to the Terrigan Mists.  Post exposure, Dante has a tendency to suddenly burst into flame, and now, he wants to be cured or else…

Meanwhile, Medusa, Queen of the Inhumans and wife of Black Bolt (the presumed dead King of the Inhumans), tries to hold Attilan together.  She must also reach out both to the new Inhumans created by the rogue Terrigan Cloud and to humanity at large.  Now, Captain America wants a word with her.

I am enjoying Inhuman as much as I enjoyed writer Paul Jenkins and artist Jae Lee’s 1999, twelve-issue miniseries, Inhumans.  To be honest, my initial interest in Inhuman had to do with the announcement that the series artist would be Joe Madureira, whom I have admired going back to his early work on Deadpool and Uncanny X-Men for Marvel in and around 1993-94.  With Inhuman, the combination of his compositions with Marte Gracia’s colors is producing Madureira’s most energetic art and most vigorous storytelling since his creator-owned series, Battle Chasers.

The driving force behind Inhuman, however, might be writer Charles Soule.  He juggles multiple conspiracies, subplots, groups of characters, motivations, and storylines like a maestro of must-watch, soap opera television.  Perhaps, it was fate that made Matt Fraction, the writer originally intended to helm Inhuman, depart the series because of “creative differences.”  Fate knew what Charles Soule could do with this title.

A

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: BATMAN ’66 MEETS THE GREEN HORNET #1

BATMAN ’66 MEETS THE GREEN HORNET #1
DC COMICS/DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT – @DCComics and @dynamitecomics

WRITERS: Kevin Smith and Ralph Garman
ARTIST: Ty Templeton
COLORS: Tony Avina
LETTERS: Wes Abbott
COVER: Alex Ross
VARIANT COVER: Michael Allred and Laura Allred
28pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (August 2014)

Rated E (Everyone)

Starring Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin, the television series, “Batman,” debuted on the ABC television network in January 1966 and was an immediate success.  That apparently encouraged Greenway Productions and 20th Century Fox Television, the company’s behind “Batman,” to bring another costumed superhero to network television.

Later that same year, ABC debuted “The Green Hornet,” a television series based on The Green Hornet, a character that first appeared on radio.  Van Williams starred as the Green Hornet and his civilian identity, Britt Reid, and the legendary Bruce Lee played the Hornet’s martial-artist partner, Kato.  The series ran for one season from 1966 to 1967.

Van Williams and Bruce Lee made cameo appearances as the Green Hornet and Kato on the Batman TV series, during the second season.  Later that same season, the Green Hornet and Kato appeared in the two-part episode, “A Piece of the Action” and “Batman's Satisfaction” (first aired on March 1–2, 1967).  The episodes feature the Green Hornet and Kato in Batman’s Gotham City, trying to foil a counterfeit stamp ring run by Colonel Gumm.

Debuting in 2013, Batman ’66 is a comic book series that is inspired by the classic 1960s “Batman” TV series.  Now, DC Comics is publishing a Batman ’66 miniseries that teams Batman and Robin of that show with the Green Hornet and Kato of the 1966-67 television program.  Entitled Batman ’66 Meets The Green Hornet, the six-issue comic book miniseries is written by Kevin Smith and Ralph Garman, drawn by Ty Templeton, colored by Tony Aviña, and lettered by Wes Abbot.

Batman ’66 Meets The Green Hornet #1 (“On the Wrong Track’) finds millionaire Bruce Wayne, who is Batman, and his young ward, Dick Grayson, who is Robin, at home in stately Wayne Manor.  Bruce and Dick are discussing Dick’s date with a young woman for later in the evening, but this domestic scene is about to be interrupted.

A call from Commissioner Gordon of the Gotham City Police Department alerts Bruce to potential trouble.  Soon, Bruce is aboard the Gotham Express, accompanying a priceless fossil collection as it is being transported to another city.

Once aboard, Bruce discovers that he is acquainted with two other passengers:  playboy and media mogul Britt Reid, the owner and publisher of the big city newspaper, The Daily Sentinel, and Kato, Reid’s valet.  It seems that they are also concerned about the safety of the fossil collection.  They are about to discover, however, that a villain, familiar to Batman and the Green Hornet, wants the fossils, and it will take the combined effort of Batman and Robin and The Green Hornet and Kato to stop him.

As a child, I was a huge fan of the 1960’s ABC Batman program; as an adult, I like the series, but not as much as I once did.  I like ABC’s similar series, “The Green Hornet,” but I doubt that I have seen even half the episodes that aired during the series’ single season, which numbers at 26, I think.

I don’t know how to describe what I think or even how I feel about Batman ’66 Meets The Green Hornet.  Perhaps, I am mildly entertained.  It is like an homage to the original television series that is not sure if it should send up the originals or pen a love letter.  I can see the heavy-hand of Kevin Smith, the movie director who has been writing comic books since the 1990s.  I think Smith wants this comic book to seem like the old TV shows, but also seems as if he is not sure if the politically correct thing to do is mock the television shows or to slavishly imitate them.

I have been an admirer of artist Ty Templeton, but his work on Batman ’66 Meets The Green Hornet is mechanical.  Even the coloring is unimaginative.  Will I read more of this?  If I am overcome by nostalgic love for the old TV shows, I might.

C+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


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

Tiger and Bunny: Mad Bears

I read Tiger & Bunny, Vol. 5

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin, which is seeking donations.  Follow me on Twitter.