Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for June 7, 2017

IMAGE COMICS

APR170734    BULLETPROOF COFFIN THOUSAND YARD STARE (ONE-SHOT) (MR)    $3.99
APR170765    CANNIBAL #6 (MR)    $3.99
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APR170917    YOUNGBLOOD #2 CVR B LIEFELD    $3.99
APR170918    YOUNGBLOOD #2 CVR C WHITE    $3.99

Comics, Magazines and Books from Diamond Distributors for June 7, 2017

COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS

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APR171885    REDLINE #4 (MR)    $3.99
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MAR171715    XENA WARRIOR PRINCESS CLASSIC YEARS OMNIBUS TP    $24.99
APR172162    YONA OF THE DAWN GN VOL 06    $9.99

MAGAZINES
APR172377    BRICKJOURNAL #13    $8.95
MAR172380    FILMFAX #148    $9.95
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APR172371    RUE MORGUE SPECIAL WOMEN WITH GUTS    $9.95
APR172372    SCARY MONSTERS MAGAZINE #105    $9.95
MAR172384    STAR TREK MAGAZINE #61 NEWSSTAND ED    $9.99
MAR172385    STAR TREK MAGAZINE #61 PX ED    $9.99

BOOKS
APR172288    DOC SAVAGE NEW ADV SC EMPIRE OF DOOM    $24.95
APR172268    DOCTOR WHO BRIEF HISTORY OF TIME LORDS HC    $19.99
MAR172109    FAMILY GUY COLORING BOOK    $14.95
MAR172328    GOLDMINE ESSENTIAL GUIDE RECORD COLLECTING    $17.99
APR171797    GREAT ART CAPER GN CHAPTERBOOK    $7.99
APR171798    GREAT ART CAPER GN CHAPTERBOOK HC    $15.99
APR172279    MANGA ART INSPIRATION & TECHNIQUES FROM AN EXPERT SC    $22.99
APR172155    MANGA IN THEORY & PRACTICE HC CRAFT CREATING ARAKI    $19.99
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APR172282    ORPHAN BLACK OFFICIAL COLORING BOOK    $15.99
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APR172068    SHERLOCK HOLMES LABYRINTH OF DEATH MMPB    $14.95
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APR173268    WARHAMMER 40K MASTER OF MANKIND PROSE NOVEL SC    $18.00
APR173269    WARHAMMER 40K TYRANT OF THE HOLLOW WORLDS PROSE NOVEL SC    $17.00
MAR172112    WONDER WOMAN OFFICIAL NOVELIZATION MMPB    $7.99

Review: CAPTAIN KID #1

CAPTAIN KID No. 1
AFTERSHOCK COMICS – @AfterShockComix

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITERS: Mark Waid and Tom Peyer
ARTIST: Wilfredo Torres
COLORS: Kelly Fitzpatrick
LETTERS: A Larger World
COVER: Wilfredo Torres with Kelly Fitzpatrick
VARIANT COVER: Juan Doe
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (July 2016)

Captain Kid is a new comic book created and written by Mark Waid and Tom Peyer.  It is drawn by Wilfredo Torres; colored by Kelly Fitzpatrick; and lettered by A Larger World.  The series focuses on a middle-aged man who can turn into a teenage superhero.

Captain Kid #1 (“Make it Beautiful”) opens in Red Nose, a small bar where a small group of friends have gathered for a birthday party.  Chris Vargas, a music editor at the local newspaper, is having birthday number 45.  A young woman dressed as if she were still trapped in the 1980s forces Chris to pay attention to her.  She insists that Chris has power, power they will need to stop evil.

Honestly, I am only vaguely interested in what happens in future issues of Captain Kid, a title that, at this point, does not work for this comic book.  Over the years, I have been hot and cold about Mark Waid.  When he is good, he is truly good.  When his writing is mediocre, it can be painful to read.  I guess I have previously read something written by Tom Peyer.  His name is familiar to me, but when I first saw his name on this book, I though he was the artist.

I have mixed feelings about artist Wilfredo Torres because of his work on The Shadow: Year One.  In that series, Torres' storytelling was good, but in terms of composition and design, he was... not so good and inconsistent.  I don't know what to make of Torres' art here.  I guess I feel blah about this first issue, mainly because I think a series launch needs to be stronger than Captain Kid #1 is.

I can almost feel myself identifying with Chris Vargas.  These are precarious times, especially for people in professions that are starting to look like passenger pigeons.  Hell, I know I just want to get paid, and I am no longer interested in working for the exposure.  So a strong character in Chris will make for a stronger Captain Kid.

You know, infinitely more exciting than the main story is the five-page preview of the new comic book from writer Marguerite Bennet, entitled Animosity.  I'd kill for a copy of the first issue...

[This comic book contains a five-page preview of Animosity by Marguerite Bennett and Rafael De Latorre.]

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.

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

Review: FUTURE QUEST #3

FUTURE QUEST No. 3
DC COMICS – @DCComics

[This review was originally posted of Patreon.]

STORY: Jeff Parker – @JeffParker
ARTIST: Steve Rude
COLORS: Steve Buccellato
LETTERS: ALW Studios' Dave Lanphear
COVER: Steve Rude
VARIANT COVER: Karl Kerschl
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (September 2016)

Rated “T” for “Teen”

“Vortex Tales: Birdman in: The Deadly Distance”

Future Quest is a comic book series produced by DC Comics that re-imagines and re-interprets the classic sci-fi and superhero television series created by American animation studio, Hanna-Barbera.  Future Quest brings together the stars of the TV programs “Jonny Quest,” “Space Ghost,” “The Herculoids,” “Birdman,” “Frankenstein Jr.,” “The Galaxy Trio,” “The Impossibles,” and “Mightor.”

Future Quest is written by Jeff Parker; primarily drawn by Evan “Doc” Shaner; colored by Jordie Bellaire; and lettered by Dave Lanphear.  So far, the main focus of Future Quest is the cast of “Jonny Quest” (referred to as “Team Quest”):  Jonny Quest; his adopted brother, Hadji; his father, Dr. Benton Quest; family bodyguard, Race Bannon; and, of course, Jonny's dog, Bandit.

Future Quest #3 offers two “Vortex Tales.”  “The Deadly Distance” is written by Jeff Parker; drawn by Steve Rude; colored by Steve Buccellato; and lettered by Dave Lanphear.  The story takes place just before the events depicted in Future Quest #1.  It finds Birdman in Southwest Utah where he joins Inter-Nation Security agent, Deva Sumadi, to battle what they call a “xenomass.”  This creature is really part of the alien Omnikron, which seeks to absorb everything.

The second of the “Vortex Tales” is “Mine-Crash!” and stars The Herculoids.  It is written by Parker; drawn by Aaron Lopresti (pencils) and Karl Kesel (inks); colored by Hi-Fi; and letterd by Dave Lanphear.  On the Herculoids home planet, Quasar, the strange heroes, Tundro, Zok, Igoo, and Gloop and Gleep, battle mining robots.  Now, it is time for Tarra and Zandor to the tell their son, Dorno, and the Herculoids the story of their previous life on Quasar's sister planet, Amzot.  They will reveal how the “Robot Uprising” affects them today.

Future Quest #3 is essentially a fill-in issue, but it gives readers a welcomed glimpse into the back story of the series' primary plot, while also providing what is essentially an origin story of “The Herculoids.”  Writer Jeff Parker is the chosen one, the storyteller who can take classic Hanna-Barbera sci-fi/superhero and bring them into the modern age.  That he has advanced these concepts in terms of character and drama is diamond icing on the golden cake.

Speaking on golden, Steve Rude, who was influenced by Hanna-Barbera, delivers wonderful storytelling in the Birdman tale.  There is a sense of dynamism that matches the classic Birdman cartoons, but the sense of drama Rude brings to the character is new.  Two decades as a comic book artist and Aaron Lopresti is still refining his art and craft.  With his work on this Herculoids short story, he may have made the case that if The Herculoids get their own comic book, he should be the artist.

Future Quest #3 delivers.  It is not an issue to set aside, and like the earlier two issues, it makes the case that this is the best comic book that DC Comics is currently publishing.

A

This comic book includes the story, “Vortex Tales: The Herculoids in Mine-Crash!” written by Jeff Parker; drawn by Aaron Lopresti (pencils) and Karl Kesel (inks); colored by Hi-Fi; and lettered by Dave Lanphear.

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.

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

Review: CONSTANTINE: The Hellblazer #13

CONSTANTINE: THE HELLBLAZER No. 13
DC COMICS – @DCComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITERS: Ming Doyle and James Tynion IV
ARTIST: Eryk Donovan
COLORS: Kelly Fitzpatrick
LETTERS: Tom Napolitano
COVER: Riley Rossmo
40pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (August 2016)

Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”

John Constantine created by Alan Moore, Steve Bissette, and John Totleben and Jamie Delano & John Ridgway

“Worthless”

The original John Constantine comic book series, Hellblazer, ran for 300 issues.  Then, DC Comics folded Constantine into the mainstream DC Universe with The New 52, and started a new series, simply entitled Constantine.  Our favorite comic book occult detective, magus, con man and troubleshooter was not the same.

Last summer, DC Comics launched the publishing initiative/event known as “DCYou.”  One of the new series that came out of that was the third John Constantine comic book, Constantine: The Hellblazer, which was written by Ming Doyle and James Tynion IV, drawn by Riley Rossmo, colored by Ivan Plascensia, and lettered by Tom Napolitano.

Constantine: The Hellblazer was a good thing, as it found John getting back to his old self, albeit in a new city, New York City.  Now, with DC in the midst of a new initiative, entitled “Rebirth,” we will see John Constantine in his fourth comic book series, The Hellblazer.  I am kind of disappointed (and I was not impressed with The Hellblazer: Rebirth one-shot).  Constantine: The Hellblazer is still good, and stayed good even after series artist, Riley Rossmo, moved on, although he continued providing lovely cover art for this series

We say goodbye with Constantine: The Hellblazer #13 (“Worthless”).  The Donald Trump-esque demon, Lord Neron, and his partners, Papa Midnight and Blythe (a demoness), have Constantine in a bad position.  He cannot break his contract with them, or can he?  You can't keep a good/bad magus down.  This time, however, John will win one of his most hollow victories.

Ah!  What a delightful run.  I think that Constantine: The Hellblazer is an imaginative dark fantasy comic book, one of DC Comics' best recent efforts in this vein.  This series is a fresh take on a character, John Constantine, that occasionally needs an injection of lemony fresh.  The ending of this issue is chilling and heartbreaking.

Through no fault of its own, Constantine: The Hellblazer is connected to sour reboot, Constantine, The New 52 effort to bring Constantine back into the DC Universe proper.  I would not be surprised if Constantine: The Hellblazer ends up being the last sustained run of quality John Constantine comic books for a few years.  I hope I'm wrong, but I think I'm right...

A-

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


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

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I Reads You Juniors May 2017 - Update #35

Support Leroy on Patreon.

Welcome to the I Reads You blog.  It's May 2017.  This post and its updates will offer news and blurb reviews.

From BleedingCool:  Spawn creator Todd McFarlane crashes a DC Comics panel at Megacon to confront an old Spawn cohort.

From TheComicsReporter:  2017 Reuben Award and NCS Divisional winners have been announced.

From ComicBookBin:  Johnny Bullet Episode #119.

From ComicBookBin:  Johnny Bullet Episode #119 in French.

From ComicBastards:  A review of "Samaritan Veritas #1" (Image Comics).

From BleedingCool:  Jae Lee announces his new creator owned series, "Fey," at Phoenix Comic Con.

From BleedingCool:  Some news on the firing of X-Men editor Daniel Ketchum at Marvel Comics.

From BleedingCool:  Bryan Hitch will write and draw Justice League beginning with issue #32 after writing and drawing an extra-sized #25.

From BleedingCool:  DC Comics "Dark Nights: Metal" gets the front cover of upcoming "Diamond Previews."

From BleedingCool:  Rich Johnston offers the history of a book currently called "Monsters" by Barry Windsor-Smith.


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BLURB REVIEW:

Spawn #273 (Image Comics – May 2017) by Todd McFarlane and Szymon Kudranski with Fco Plascencia

I have not read a new issue of Spawn since Bill Clinton was president, but I have wanted to and just kept putting it off.  On a recent visit to a “local” comic book shop, I spied a single copy of Spawn #273 sitting on the shelf.  I swear that thing was calling to me.

I read Spawn for years, although I thought it was a mediocre comic book.  I kept reading it in hopes that it would get better, which it never did, although I always enjoyed the art of Greg Capullo, who drew Spawn during most of the time I read it.

I still find all of McFarlane's exposition in panels to be stiff and stilted, but the dialogue deserves at least a grade of “B.”  The story is about a mysterious vigilante called “The Soul Crusher” and also concerns Cyan Fitzgerald, the daughter of Spawn/Al Simmons ex-wife, Wanda, and her husband, Al's best friend, Terry Fitzgerald.  I have to say that those two story lines intrigue me enough to make me want to buy another issue.  [My regular shop generally does not carry McFarlane publications, which will hamper my efforts.]

So all this time later, I find that Spawn is actually a good read.  Who knew?  People who read it, I guess!

Posted:  Monday, May 22, 2017


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From CBR:  The "Batman and Justice League" manga will launch June 19th, 2017 in Japan's "Champion RED" magazine.


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BLURB REVIEW:

Weapon X #1 (Marvel Comics – June 2017) by Greg Pak, Greg Land, and Jay Leisten with Frank D'Armata

Although this is only first issue, I can tentatively say that the latest incarnation of the “Weapon X” comic book is probably the second really good X-Men comic book to come out of Marvel's current X-Men franchise revival.  The series premise seems to be that original Wolverine, now known as “Old Man Logan,” will lead a team to investigate the clandestine military project, known as “Weapon X,” which was thought to be disbanded.

In the first issue, Wolverine... oops... Logan (can't help myself) gets sliced-and-diced pretty badly, but he does notice that the slicers are using bladed weapons similar to that of Lady Deathstrike.  Logan figures that if he can find Deathstrike, then he can find his assailants, but first he has to convince an old buddy to join him on this hunt.

So I'm really intrigued by Greg Pak's story, and I have finally figured out that I usually like what Pak writes.  Greg Land and inker Jay Leisten are a good comic book art team, and well, their storytelling makes me want to come back for more.

Posted:  Thursday, May 18, 2017
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From BleedingCool:  R.I.P. - British comic book creator, Edmund Bagwell, has died at the age of 50.

From Bleeding Cool:  Geoff John reveals "Doomsday Clock," a miniseries pitting Superman vs. Dr. Manhattan of "Watchmen."

From icv2:  R.I.P. - The "Golden Age" horror artist, Jay Disbrow, died on May 2, 2017 at the age of 91.  He was a prolific artist drawing pre-Code horror comics.  Fantagraphics Books published his "The Flames of Gyro" in 1979.  And from 2000 to 2005, he published his Flash Gordon-like adventure strip, "Aroc of Zenith," on the Internet.

From BleedingCool:  Scott Snyder will leave All-Star Batman sometimes next year.


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BLURB X-MEN REVIEWS:

X-MEN: GOLD #1 (Marvel Comics – June 2017) by Marc Guggenheim, Ardian Syaf, and Jay Leisten with Frank Martin

“Back to Basics” Part 1:  On the Interwebs, I have come across people saying that X-Men: Gold is writer Marc Guggenheim's return to the halcyon days of the X-Men when Chris Claremont wrote Uncanny X-Men.  Claremont wrote X-Men/Uncanny X-Men beginning with X-Men #94 in 1975 until the early 1991 when he quit the franchise.  Not all of those days were gold.  Quite frankly, after John Byrne left as co-plotter/penciller with Uncanny X-Men #143, Claremont long run, as basically the solo writer, was inconsistent.  There were some good stories, but also a surprising amount of mediocrity and redundancy, with only a few high points, high mostly because of artists like Paul Smith, Barry Windsor-Smith, and Alan Davis.

Judging only by this first issue, Guggenheim seems to be summoning the average days of Claremont.  But hey, this is only the first issue; still, I don't hold out hope.  I think that it will be obvious by the third issue if X-Men: Gold will be exceptional or be what most recent X-Men comic books have been, average at best.

On the other hand...

X-MEN: BLUE #1 (Marvel Comics – June 2017) by Cullen Bunn, Jorge Molina and Matteo Buffagni with Matt Milla

Now, this is an X-Men comic book in the best sense of that description.  It has the original X-Men fighting an early X-Men adversary, and I am a total sucka for Juggernaut.  Writer Cullen Bunn gets it where Marc Guggenheim in X-Men: Gold doesn't get it – or at least not yet.  When you can't be imaginative, inventive, and original when it comes to writing the X-Men, be shocking and surprising.  And Bunn delivers shocks and surprises here that are sweet, and he made invent later.

This first issue is simply a joy to read and it has a snazzy cover by Art Adams (who delivers good comic book cover art about 9 out of 10 times).  I am not crazy about the art team of Molina & Buffagni, but I'll tolerate them if the upcoming issues deliver on the last page of the main story; deliver on the back-up story; and deliver on “More Things to Come in X-Men Blue.”

Posted:  Wednesday, May 10, 2017
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From ComicsBeat:  Heidi MacDonald on the recent DC Comics editorial alignment.

From BleedingCool:  Updates on the Ardian Syaf controversy regarding hidden messages he placed in his art for "X-Men: Gold #1."

From YahooMovies:  Robert Kirkman, creator of "The Walking Dead," apologizes for a death in issue #167 of the comic book.

From DCComics:  Read the press release: "DC Entertainment Expands Editorial Leadership Team."

From BleedingCool:  Take a look inside "Dark Days: The Forge," the prequel to DC Comics' event "Dark Nights: Metal."

From TheBristolBoard:  An online portfolio of unusual John Buscema art, unusual for the late artist who was known for his long association with Marvel's "Conan the Barbarian" and short stint as the first artist on the first "Wolverine" solo comic book series.

From Kickstarter:  Cartoonist Shaenon K. Garrity has a Kickstarter. (from "The Comics Reporter)

From BleedingCool:  Apparently, Marvel destroys Las Vegas in  "Secret Empire #2.

From BleedingCool:  This Jim Lee cover art for "Dark Nights: Metal" will be on a metallic cover.

From BleedingCool:  The "Love is Love" anthology added to list of 2017 Eisner Award nominees.

From YahooTV:  Marvel Comics, in a statement to ABC News, says that it hears fans' concerns about the Hydra-Captain America.

From TIME:  If you are wondering about Marvel Comics' "Black Panther and the Crew," here is an interview "Time Magazine" did with series writer, Ta-Nihisi Coastes.

From ComicCon:  The 2017 Eisner Award nominations have been announced.

From BleedingCool:  Writer Matthew Rosenberg wanted Eisner props for Khary Randolph for his "Black" covers.

From StarTribune:  Neil Gaiman says "American Gods" rooted in Wisconsin-Minnesota weirdness.

From BleedingCool:  Greg Capullo offers a pencil sketch of Wonder Woman from the upcoming "Dark Nights: Metal."

From GoFundMe:  Writer James Hudnall really needs your help. [Thanks to "The Comics Reporter" for the heads up.]

From PeterDavid:  Another comic book creator/writer is in distress, Peter David. [Thanks again to "The Comics Reporter."]

From YahooTV:  Did you like Starz's "American Gods" TV series' debut?  Here, is a recap from the site.

DC Comics from Diamond Distributors for May 31, 2017

DC COMICS

FEB170307    DEADMAN DARK MANSION OF FORBIDDEN LOVE TP    $16.99
FEB170287    DOOM PATROL TP VOL 01 BRICK BY BRICK (MR)    $16.99
MAR170288    FLASH #23    $2.99
MAR170289    FLASH #23 VAR ED    $2.99
DEC160416    GOTHAM CITY GARAGE WONDER WOMAN STATUE (RES)    $350.00
FEB170295    HAL JORDAN & THE GLC TP VOL 02 BOTTLED LIGHT (REBIRTH)    $16.99
FEB170313    HARLEY QUINN TP VOL 06 BLACK WHITE & RED ALL OVER    $16.99
FEB170316    SUPERGIRL TP VOL 03 GHOSTS OF KRYPTON    $29.99
MAR170344    TEEN TITANS LAZARUS CONTRACT SPECIAL #1 (LAZARUS)    $4.99
MAR170347    TRINITY ANNUAL #1    $4.99
MAR170352    WONDER WOMAN ANNUAL #1    $4.99
FEB170321    WONDER WOMAN BY JOHN BYRNE HC VOL 01    $39.99