Thursday, November 30, 2017

Review: SUICIDE SQUAD #1

SUICIDE SQUAD No. 1 (2016)
DC COMICS – @DCComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Rob Williams
PENCILS: Jim Lee
INKS: Scott Williams
COLORS: Alex Sinclair
LETTERS: Nate Piekos of Blambot
COVER: Jim Lee and Scott Williams with Alex Sinclair
VARIANT COVER: Lee Bermejo
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (October 2016)

Rated “T+” for “Teen Plus”

“The Black Vault” Part One: “I Wanna Be Sedated”

Suicide Squad by Robert Kanigher and Ross Andru

Suicide Squad is a DC Comics team.  It first debuted in The Brave and the Bold #25 (cover dated: August/September 1959) and was created by writer Robert Kanigher and artist Ross Andru.

The second Suicide Squad appeared in Legends #3 (cover dated: January 1987), the 1986 DC Comics event miniseries. Created by John Ostrander, this Suicide Squad was “Task Force X,” an anti-hero team of incarcerated super-villains that undertook high-risk, black ops missions in exchange for commuted prison sentences.

With the re-launch of DC Comics’ superhero line, “The New 52,” there was a new Suicide Squad comic book series.  The Suicide Squad was a team of super-villains, in which the members took on risky missions in exchange for time served. The team’s base of operations was Belle Reve Penitentiary, a special prison for meta-humans and super-villains located in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana.

With the “Rebirth” event, there is a new Suicide Squad comic book.  It is written by Rob Williams; drawn by Jim Lee (pencils) and Scott Williams (inks); colored by Alex Sinclair; and lettered by Nate Piekos.

Suicide Squad #1 (“I Wanna Be Sedated”) finds Amanda Waller, the head of Task Force X, making a trip to Belle Reve Penitentiary where she meets with Colonel Rick Flag, Suicide Squad Field Commander, and his second-in-command, Katana.  Together, they will select a squad of super-villain scum for a mission to retrieve or destroy an alien item that a rogue Russian state is studying.  However, this Suicide Squad:  Deadshot, Harley Quinn, Captain Boomerang; The Enchantress, and Killer Croc may not be badass enough to compete this mission.

The main story is 13 pages long and is not long enough for me to get much of a feel for the quality of the beginning of the story arc.  I can say two things.  First, I don't feel I need to read more. Second, Jim Lee is on the down side of his career.  Compared to even his average work, this is poor.

“Never Miss”
STORY: Rob Williams
ARTIST: Jason Fabok
COLORS: Brad Anderson
LETTERS: Nate Piekos

“Never Miss” is kind of an origin story slash biography slash early tale of the career of Deadshot.  I liked it.  It's dark and depicts Floyd Lawton a.k.a. Deadshot as a man who is much more complicated and conflicted than his costumed self suggests.  Writer Rob Williams smartly depicts the high costs of being Deadshot, and Jason Fabok's dark compositions makes this tale's tragic angle feel genuine.

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 November 2017 - Update #59

Support Leroy on Patreon.

From BleedingCool:  DC Comics cancels its planned reprint of writer Rachel Pollack's run on "Doom Patrol."

From BleedingCool:  Mark Millar teases next Netflix project - a Chrononauts sequel, perhaps?

From BleedingCool:   Len Wein will posthumously receive an honor from the Writers Guild of America, with tributes from Hugh Jackman and Neil Gaiman.

From PacificStandard:  How Comic Books Can Get Even Better for Dyslexic Readers

From BleedingCool:  So why did IDW cancel "Scarlett's Strike Force?"

From ComicBook.com:  "Bleach" creator Tite Kubo also sharing a sketch.

From ComicBook.com:  "One Punch Man" creator Yusuke Murata shares a sketch.

From BleedingCool:  Kevin Grevioux will write the final two issues of DC Comics' current "Cyborg" series.

From BleedingCool:  Writer John Layman and artist Rob Guillory had a hit series at Image, CHEW, but they still can't get work at Marvel or DC Comics.

From BleedingCool:   Fantagraphics Books solicitations for February 2018.

From BleedingCool: When Alan Moore Talked About DC Comics And Watchmen Sequels…. Back In 2010

From BleedingCool:  The Morality Of Reading, Writing, And Publishing Doomsday Clock.

From BleedingCool:  Kevin Smith will write the second story arc of the ongoing "Hit Girl" comic book series.  Character co-creator Mark Millar will write the first arc.

From ComicBookBin:  New Johnny Bullet episode #144 in English.
From ComicBookBin:  New Johnny Bullet episode #144 in French.

From BleedingCool:  IDW Publishing Febuary 2018 solicitations.

From SoraNew24:  The Naruto manga will get a kabuki play in 2018.

From LaredoMorningTimes:  Yomiuri Shimbun Buronson, the writer of the "Fist of the North Star" manga, will open a free manga school to attract new manga creators.

From EW:  The site has a preview of Syfy's documentary about Image Comics, "So Much Damage."

From Gizmodo: The site has images from the cancelled promotional comic book that Marvel Comics was producing for war munitions corporation, Northrop Grumman.

From BleedingCool:  Brian Michael Bendis has chosen the writer who will follow him on "Jessica Jones."

From BleedingCool:  Rich Johnston is reporting that C.B. Cebulski is Marvel Comics' new Editor-in-Chief.

From SouthChinaMorningPost: "Tintin" creator, Herge, moved to tears by the global popularity of his creation, Tintin the boy detective/reporter and his dog, Snowy.

From BleedingCool:  Jeff Lemire says writing the X-Men ("Extraordinary X-Men") was kind of a nightmare.

From BleedingCool:  Liam Sharp's Batman/Wonder Woman project is a six-issue miniseries, "The Brave and the Bold: Batman and Wonder Woman," which Sharp will write and draw.

From ComicBookBin:  New Johnny Bullet episode #143 in English.
From ComicBookBin:  New Johnny Bullet episode #143 in French.

From BleedingCool:  Hypertime is back.

From BleedingCool:  Nightcrawler and Gabby will be cast members of the upcoming comic book, "X-Men Red," starring a resurrected Jean Grey.

From EW:  DC Comics fires longtime editor, Eddie Berganza, in the wake of Buzzfeed's article about sexual harassment allegations against him.

From Newsarama:  According to October 2017 numbers, comic book sales still on course to finish ten percent below 2016.

From BleedingCool:  Namor and Gentle (a mutant from Black Panther's country of Wakanda) are revealed as the first two members to join "X-Men: Red" in addition to series headliner, a resurrected Jean Grey.

From BleedingCool:  Comics community reacts to editor Eddie Berganza's suspension at DC Comics.

From BleedingCool:  DC Comics suspended group editor Eddie Berganza on Sat. Nov. 11th as controversy roils around the editor and allegations of sexual misconduct on his part.

From BleedingCool:  Comics creators take to Twitter to respond to and comment on Buzzfeed's Eddie Berganza article.

From Buzzfeed:   The mainstream gets in on the story of DC Comics' super-editor Eddie Berganza's history of sexual harassment of female DC Comics' employees.

From GraphicPolicy:  Dark Horse Comics mainstay, Scott Allie, has been accused of inappropriate behavior against coworkers and other people, including biting people.

From ComicsBeat:  "How a toxic history of harassment has damaged the comics industry" by Heidi Macdonald.

From DoctorNerdLove:  "Nerds and Male Privilege: Tess Fowler and Comic Harassment"

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From CinemaBlend:  The movie-related reason Brian Michael Bendis left Marvel for DC Comics.

From BleedingCool:  DC Comics has made an offer to Jonathan Hickman.

From Quartz:  Netflix is going to test new ideas by publishing them as comic books, according to this article.

From Netflix:  Here is the press release about Mark Millar's first comic book for the "internet entertainment service."

From BleedingCool:  The resurrected Jean Grey will be the lead of a new X-Men comic book, "X-Men: Red" by Tom Taylor and Mahmud Asrar.

From BleedingCool:  The first graphic novel in the "DC Super Hero Gils" has apparently sold over 100,000 copies.

From AnimeNewNetwork:  Akira creator, Katsuhiro Otomo, reveals a painting of his that was inspired by Pieter Bruegel the Elder.

From TheKingdomInsider:  Would Disney stop publishing Marvel comic books.

From GWillowWilson:  Comic book writer, G. Willow Wilson (Ms. Marvel) has sold her second novel, "The Bird King."

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From BleedingCool:  Brian Michael Bendis, the longtime Marvel Comics writer, has signed a multi-year exclusive deal with DC Comics.

From BleedingCool:  According to the site, reasons Bendis left Marvel Comics for DC Comics.
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From Variety:  The first comic book that Mark Millar will write for Netflix (which bought Millarworld, reportedly for $30 million) will be "The Magic Order," a six-issue miniseries to be drawn by Olivier Coipel.

From SlashGear:  Make comics or manga right on your phone or tablet.

From BleedingCool:  Brian Michael Bendis all the characters he says can beat Batman.

From ComicBookBin:   New Johnny Bullet episode #142 in English.
From ComicBookBin:   New Johnny Bullet episode #142 in French.

From BleedingCool:  Monster Energy (an energy drink producer) does not want Marvel Comics to have a comic book entitled "Monsters Unleashed."

From Mashable:  Apparently, people are mostly ignoring Amazon's promotional sale prices on digital versions of three "Thor" graphic novels.

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From BleedingCool:  Mark Hamill will write a Millarworld comic book.

From BleedingCool:  Rian Hughes is planning on publishing a massive collection of his comic book logo design work.

From CBR:  Writer Joshua Williamson talks about the "Flash War" event that will appear in comic books in 2018.

From CBLDF:  The Library of Congress with throw the spotlight on women comics and comic book cartoonists, artists and illustrators in an exhibit that begins November 18, 2017 and will run through October 2018.

From Polygon:  Titan Comics to publish a comic book based on FromSoftware's "Bloodborne" video game.

From ComicBookBin:  New Johnny Bullet episode #141 in English.
From ComicBookBin:  New Johnny Bullet episode #141 in French.

From BleedingCool:  Salt Lake Comic Con is considering using crowd-funding to finance their fight with San Diego Comic-Con International over the term "Comic Con."


Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Review: CHILDREN OF THE WHALES Volume 1

CHILDREN OF THE WHALES, VOL. 1
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

MANGAKA: Abi Umeda
TRANSLATION: JN Productions
LETTERS: Annaliese Christman
EDITOR: Pancha Diaz
ISBN: 978-1-4215-9721-8; paperback (November 2017); Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”
200pp, B&W, $12.99 U.S., $17.99 CAN, £8.99 UK

Children of the Whales is a new fantasy adventure manga series from creator Abi Umeda.  The series is set on a island floating atop an endless sea of sand, and the narrative focuses on the isolated community that clings to life on that island.

Children of the Whales, Vol. 1 (Chapters 1 to 4) introduces a boy named Chakuro.  He is the archivist for the “Mud Whale,” a floating island city of clay and magic.  Chakuro diligently chronicles the lives and deaths of his people, who cling to survival, but are cut off from its own history.

As the story begins, the community holds a funeral for Benihi, one of “the marked.”  Chakuro is also one of the marked; they are short-lived, but they wield “Thymia,” a magical power fueled by emotions.  Knowing that his time is short, Chakuro tries to chronicle everything he can about his isolated community.  That isolation, however, is about to be shattered by the discovery of a mysterious girl on another mysterious floating island.

[This volume includes an afterword, “How I Discovered Children of the Whales.”  This is also “From the Archivist's Diary: An Illustration of the Mud Whale,” and “A Note on Names.”]

I can honestly say that Children of the Whales is one of the best new manga and graphic novel debuts of 2017.  It reminds me of Daisuke Igarashi's imaginative environmental manga, Children of the Sea, which VIZ Media published earlier this decade.

Children of the Whales Volume 1 reads like an eco-fantasy and thriller because so much of the narrative is not only about the characters, but also about the world around them.  Creator Abi Umeda offers graphical striking compositions and inventive page design and layout that drive the narrative to balance character drama with a sense of suspense and mystery.  The four chapters contained in this first graphic novel are obviously connected, but each one presents something new, and sometimes even a fresh perspective.  From the exotic beginning to the shocking ending, Children of the Whales, Vol. 1 is a magical and gripping narrative.

Readers looking for unique graphic novels for young readers and teens will want the VIZ Signature title, Children of the Whales.

A
10 out of 10

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


The text is copyright © 2017 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.

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Monday, November 27, 2017

DC Comics from Diamond Distributors for November 29, 2017

DC COMICS

SEP170269    AQUAMAN ANNUAL #1    $4.99
SEP170278    BATMAN ANNUAL #2    $4.99
SEP170348    BATMAN CREATURE OF THE NIGHT #1 (OF 4)    $5.99
SEP178713    BATMAN THE DEVASTATOR #1 METAL 2ND PTG    $3.99
SEP178712    BATMAN THE RED DEATH #1 METAL 3RD PTG    $3.99
AUG170171    DARK DAYS THE FORGE & THE CASTING DIRECTORS CUT #1    $7.99
AUG170334    FLASH BY GEOFF JOHNS TP BOOK 04    $29.99
AUG170335    GOTHAM ACADEMY SECOND SEMESTER VOL 02 BALLAD OF OLIVE    $14.99
SEP170303    GREEN ARROW ANNUAL #1 (RES)    $4.99
SEP170263    HAL JORDAN AND THE GREEN LANTERN CORPS #33    $2.99
SEP170264    HAL JORDAN AND THE GREEN LANTERN CORPS #33 VAR ED    $2.99
SEP170368    INJUSTICE 2 ANNUAL #1    $4.99
AUG170355    INVISIBLES TP BOOK 02 (MR)    $24.99
SEP170312    JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA ANNUAL #1    $4.99
SEP170354    MYSTIK U #1 (OF 3)    $5.99
SEP170371    NEW TALENT SHOWCASE 2017 #1    $7.99
AUG170340    ODYSSEY OF THE AMAZONS TP    $16.99
SEP170333    SUPER SONS ANNUAL #1    $4.99
AUG170325    SUPERMAN TP VOL 04 BLACK DAWN (REBIRTH)    $16.99
AUG170326    SUPERWOMAN TP VOL 02 REDISCOVERY (REBIRTH)    $14.99

Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for November 29, 2017

MARVEL COMICS

SEP170999    ALL NEW WOLVERINE TP VOL 04 IMMUNE    $17.99
SEP171005    AMAZING SPIDER-MAN RENEW YOUR VOWS TP VOL 02 VENOM EXPERIMEN    $19.99
SEP170920    AMERICA #9 LEG    $3.99
SEP178538    BLACK PANTHER #166 2ND PTG CRAIG VAR LEG    $3.99
SEP178556    CAPTAIN MARVEL #125 2ND PTG MORA VAR LEG    $3.99
JUL171224    DAREDEVIL BACK IN BLACK TP VOL 05 SUPREME    $19.99
SEP170885    DARKHAWK #51 CHRISTOPHER TRADING CARD VAR LEG    $3.99
SEP170883    DARKHAWK #51 LEG    $3.99
SEP170935    JEAN GREY #9 LEG    $3.99
SEP171002    JESSICA JONES TP VOL 02 SECRETS OF MARIA HILL    $17.99
SEP178484    LEGACY FREE DECEMBER PREVIEWS SPOTLIGHT (BUNDLE OF 25)    $5.00
OCT170002    MARVEL PREVIEWS VOL 04 #5 DECEMBER 2017 EXTRAS    $1.25
SEP171021    MARVEL SUPER HEROES TP LARGER THAN LIFE    $15.99
SEP171013    MONSTERS UNLEASHED TP VOL 01 MONSTER MASH    $15.99
SEP170858    MOON KNIGHT #189 LEG    $3.99
SEP170859    OLD MAN LOGAN #31 LEG    $3.99
SEP171010    SECRET EMPIRE TP BRAVE NEW WORLD    $15.99
SEP170882    SECRET WARRIORS #9 LEG    $3.99
AUG171015    SILVER SURFER TP VOL 05 POWER GREATER THAN COSMIC    $19.99
SEP170911    SPIDER-GWEN #26 LEG    $3.99
SEP170975    STAR WARS JEDI REPUBLIC MACE WINDU #4 (OF 5)    $3.99
SEP170978    STAR WARS POE DAMERON #21    $3.99
AUG171049    STAR WARS ROGUE ONE ADAPTATION TP    $19.99
SEP170924    US AVENGERS #12 LEG    $3.99
SEP170909    VENOM #158 LEG    $3.99
SEP171014    X-MEN AGE OF APOCALYPSE TP TERMINATION    $34.99
SEP170931    X-MEN BLUE #16 LEG    $3.99
SEP171016    X-MEN EPIC COLLECTION TP MUTANT GENESIS    $34.99

IDW Publishing from Diamond Distributors for November 29, 2017

IDW PUBLISHING

SEP170473    ATOMIC ROBO SPECTRE OF TOMORROW #2 CVR A WEGENER    $3.99
SEP170474    ATOMIC ROBO SPECTRE OF TOMORROW #2 CVR B DUFFY    $3.99
AUG170427    BACK TO THE FUTURE TP VOL 04 HARD TIME    $15.99
SEP170500    GHOSTBUSTERS 101 TP EVERYONE ANSWERS THE CALL    $19.99
SEP170557    GI JOE (2016) TP VOL 02    $17.99
SEP170552    GI JOE A REAL AMERICAN HERO #246 CVR A DIAZ    $3.99
SEP170553    GI JOE A REAL AMERICAN HERO #246 CVR B ROYLE    $3.99
SEP170466    GIANTKILLERS #0 CVR A SEARS    $3.99
SEP170467    GIANTKILLERS #0 CVR B SEARS & SMITH    $3.99
AUG170528    HELENA CRASH TP    $15.99
JUL170660    LIL ABNER HC VOL 09    $49.99
SEP170518    MY LITTLE PONY FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC TP VOL 13    $17.99
SEP170526    POWERPUFF GIRLS BUREAU OF BAD #1 (OF 3) CVR A MURPHY    $3.99
SEP170527    POWERPUFF GIRLS BUREAU OF BAD #1 (OF 3) CVR B CUNG    $3.99
SEP170567    ROM VS TRANSFORMERS SHINING ARMOR #5 CVR A MILNE    $3.99
SEP170568    ROM VS TRANSFORMERS SHINING ARMOR #5 CVR B ROCHE    $3.99
SEP170569    ROM VS TRANSFORMERS SHINING ARMOR #5 CVR C MESSINA    $3.99
SEP170578    STAR TREK BOLDLY GO #14 CVR A SHASTEEN    $3.99
SEP170579    STAR TREK BOLDLY GO #14 CVR B KOWALSKI    $3.99
AUG170484    STAR TREK DISCOVERY #1 CVR A SHASTEEN    $3.99
AUG170485    STAR TREK DISCOVERY #1 CVR B PHOTO    $3.99
SEP170547    STAR WARS ADVENTURES #4 CVR A JONES    $3.99
SEP170548    STAR WARS ADVENTURES #4 CVR B GRENO    $3.99
JUL170640    STARSTRUCK OLD PROLDIERS NEVER DIE HC    $39.99
SEP170459    SWORD OF AGES #1 CVR A RODRIGUEZ    $3.99
SEP170460    SWORD OF AGES #1 CVR B RODRIGUEZ    $3.99
SEP170497    TMNT GHOSTBUSTERS II #5 CVR A SHOENING    $3.99
SEP170498    TMNT GHOSTBUSTERS II #5 CVR B WILSON III    $3.99
AUG170419    TMNT INSIDE OUT DIRECTORS CUT HC    $14.99
AUG170470    TRANSFORMERS LOST LIGHT #11 CVR A LAWRENCE    $3.99
AUG170471    TRANSFORMERS LOST LIGHT #11 CVR B ROCHE    $3.99
AUG170472    TRANSFORMERS LOST LIGHT #11 CVR C MILNE    $3.99
SEP170541    UNCLE SCROOGE #32 CVR A FECCHI    $3.99
SEP170542    UNCLE SCROOGE #32 CVR B JIPPES & SCHROEDER    $3.99
SEP170587    X-FILES JFK DISCLOSURE #2 (OF 2) CVR A MENTON3    $4.99
SEP170588    X-FILES JFK DISCLOSURE #2 (OF 2) CVR B LENDL    $4.99
JUN170506    YO-KAI WATCH HC    $12.99

Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for November 29, 2017

DARK HORSE COMICS

SEP170038    BPRD DEVIL YOU KNOW #4    $3.99
JUL170195    CONAN THE SLAYER TP VOL 02    $19.99