Friday, March 25, 2022

#IReadsYou Review: THE ULTIMATES #1

THE ULTIMATES #1
MARVEL

STORY: Mark Millar
PENCILS: Bryan Hitch
INKS: Andrew Currie
COLORS: Paul Mounts with Bongotone
LETTERS: Chris Eliopoulos
EDITOR: Ralph Macchio
EiC: Joe Quesada
COVER: Bryan Hitch
32pp, Color, $2.25 U.S., $3.50 CAN (March 2002)

 

The Ultimates created by Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch; Avengers created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee

“Super Human”

The Ultimates was a superhero comic book series published by Marvel Comics as part of its “Ultimate Marvel” imprint.  The series ran for thirteen issues, cover date: March 2002 to April 2004.  Created by writer Mark Millar and artist Bryan Hitch, The Ultimates were both a modernization and re-imagining of Marvel's Avengers comic-book franchise.  Organized by the United States government, the “Ultimates” were an elite military task-force of super-humans and special agents.

The regular creative team of The Ultimates was comprised of writer Mark Millar; artists Bryan Hitch (pencils) and Andrew Currie (inks); colorists Paul Mounts and Bongotone; and letterer Chris Eliopoulos. The Ultimates' mission was to combat the growing threats – human and non-human – to the United States and also to the Earth in general.

The Ultimates #1 (“Super Human”) opens over the North Atlantic, 1945, where the 101st Airborne division streaks towards Iceland.  There, inside a seemingly impregnable fortress, the Nazis are building their “super weapon,” which could end the war in days.  Aboard one of the troop transports is America's own super weapon, the “super-soldier” known as “Captain America.”  With him is an entire division of American soldiers … and his friend, Bucky Barnes, a war photographer.  What neither Rogers nor Barnes realizes is that this mission is so dangerous that it might be his last.

THE LOWDOWN:  It has been two decades since I first read The Ultimates #1, and reading it again for the first time since then, I find it to be about eighty percent different from how I remember it.

Except for the last three pages, The Ultimates #1 is entirely about Captain America's final World War II mission.  So, I must admit that I find this first issue to be one of the best Captain American comic books that I have read in years – although it was published twenty years ago.

Millar's storytelling is slick, but brings the grit one would expect of a “real war story” type comic book.  It is dark and sad, mostly because Millar makes it clear that a lot of American servicemen are going to die on this mission.  Bryan Hitch's photo-realistic pencil art gets a smooth finishing from Andrew Currie's lush inks.  The colors are beautiful, but are a tad too dark for my tastes.  Luckily, Chris Eliopoulos' quirky lettering work stands out and helps to establish and reinforce Millar's moody tale.

Over the course of this series' thirteen issues, it is clear that Mark Millar made Steve Rogers/Captain America the centerpiece.  The Ultimates #1 isn't a prologue; it is the foundation of the series, and that is a good thing.  Millar's Captain America is the most human, the most heroic, and the most idealistic of the Ultimates.  He is the standard that his teammates cannot achieve, if for no other reason than that they are too broken to match Steve Rogers.  Captain America brings color to this dark re-interpretation of the Avengers.  He is the one holdover from the early Marvel Comics' sense of wonder and fantasy in this series that is dark and edgy, though not cynical.

The Ultimates #1 was the kind of first issue that encourages readers to come back for more, which they indeed did for this series.  I originally did come back for a few more issues, but, back then, I never finished The Ultimates.  I didn't even bother with its follow up, The Ultimates 2.  I rectified that this year and read the entire first series over a few days.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of the team of Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch will want to read The Ultimates.

A
9 out of 10

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



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Thursday, March 24, 2022

VIDEO: Warner Bros. Releases Deleted Batman/Joker Scene from "THE BATMAN"

Warner Bros. has released a deleted scene from THE BATMAN, in which Batman (Robert Pattinson) meets the Joker (Barry Keoghan) for a menacing conversation in Arkham.  The scene suggests that the two have an establish history.  The video is below:



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#IReadsYou Review: STARSLAYER #10: Grimjack Begins

STARSLAYER #10
FIRST COMICS

STORY: John Ostrander
PENCILS: Lenin Delsol
INKS: Mike Gustovich
COLORS: Janice Cohen
LETTERS: Janice Chiang
EDITOR: Mike Gold
COVER: Lenin Delsol and Mike Gustovich
32pp, Color, $1.00 U.S., $1.25 CAN (November 1983)

Starslayer created by Mike Grell

“Bounty”

Starslayer was a comic book series published by First Comics in the mid-1980s.  It began as a six-issue miniseries, Starslayer: The Log of the Jolly Roger, created by writer-artist, Mike Grell.  Starslayer focused on Torin Mac Quillon, a Celtic warrior from the time of the Roman Empire, who is pulled into the distant future by Tamara, a descendant of his wife after she remarried.  Torin joins the crew of the spaceship, “the Jolly Roger,” in their fight against the oppressive regime that is ruling the Earth.

Starslayer #10 (“Bounty”) opens on the planet, Corindubar, where Torin and Tamara hope to obtain a replacement for the cracked “infinity unit” in the Jolly Roger's warp drive.  They also find bounty hunters looking to claim the bounty on their heads, but unbeknownst to them, an immortal bounty hunter named Black Thom McKuen, is also stalking them.

Later, “The Rapter” continues to hunt the Jolly Roger.  Then, Torin and Tamara get stuck with a new crew mate, Crayne, owner of the recently destroyed space port, “Tao VII.”  And Crayne believes that Torin and Tamara owe him.

Meanwhile, the original owners of the Jolly Rogers, an old-Earth blood family, the D'Orsinis, want the ship back.  And the D'Orsini matriarch, The Comtessa Lavinia, alerts all family members in this quadrant – report any sightings of Jolly Roger.

THE LOWDOWN:  Reading the adventures of the Jolly Roger isn't really the reason I bought a copy of Starslayer #10, but I did enjoy the story and the art.  It is a frivolous and fun space opera; imagine Star Wars if it focused on Han Solo and Chewbacca's adventures as smugglers.  I might even go back to Starslayers's beginnings; I am really enjoying it.  I second what the former magazine, Comics Scene, said at the times, Starslayer is captivating.

I also discovered an interesting bit of information about one on this series' creative team.  Starslayer's lead artist at this point in its run, the British-born Lenin Delsol, is now an art educator, fine artist, and portrait painter.

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

GRIMJACK
Created by John Ostrander and Timothy Truman

Mortal Gods
STORY: John Ostrander
ART: Timothy Truman
COLORS: Janice Cohen
LETTERS: John Workman
EDITOR: Mike Gold

The backup feature in Starslayer #10 introduces the character Grimjack, who would go on to appear in Starslayer issues #10 to #17.  Grimjack would later receive his own title in the summer of 1984.

Grimjack” is the street name of John Gaunt, a sword-for-hire who is also ex-paramilitary, war veteran, and former child gladiator.  Grimjack operates from Munden's Bar in the Pit, a slum area of Cynosure, a pan-dimensional city that connected all the dimensions (or multiverse) that existed in titles published by First Comics.

The introductory Grimjack story is the two-part “Mortal Gods.”  It is written by John Ostrander; drawn by Timothy Truman; colored by Janice Cohen; and lettered by John Workman.  In the story, the followers of the god of blood and war, “Zago,” have invaded the forest lands of the people called the “Kyrians.”  Zago plans to have the sands of his desert overrun the forest lands.  The Kyrians' high priestess, Elvana, seeks the help of their god, Manwyyes.

Elvana's spell and chanting somehow transports her to Cynosure, the city where the multiverse meets.  Cross a street and you might cross a dimension.  Someone points her to Grimjack as the man who can help her find her god, and what he shows her is utterly shocking.  Manwyyes is living as “Manny Weese” alias “Weevil,” a drunk, who also happens to be a friend of Grimjack's.  What's left is for Manny to reveal how he became a god and for Grimjack to kill Zago, a god.

THE LOWDOWN:  I have read very few Grimjack comic books, but I have been planning on getting into this character for decades.  I finally forced myself to start.  The first thing that strikes me about “Mortal Gods” is how beautiful Tim Truman's illustrations are.  The page design carries the reader's eyes across the pages, and the art has so many layers and such rich textures that I found myself drawn into the world of Cynosure.  The characters' expression are varied and feel authentic, especially Grimjack's.  This is the work of a young artist raring to go.

Janice Cohen rich colors make Truman's illustrations pop off the page and bring the world of Cynosure to life.  Readers familiar with Truman's work will recognize the artist's unique worm-inspired take on monsters and demons, and it all looks good under Cohen's colors.

Do I really have to say how wonderful the lettering by John Workman is?  No, I don't, because you already know that...

I do want to emphasize that Grimjack's debut is a 16-page story told over two issues, Starslayer issues #10-11.  This is the kind of serialized comic book story that will make some readers want to keep reading.  Combine Grimjack with the main Starslayer story, and the result is an off-beat, unique and delightful science fiction comic book … that I have waited too long to read.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Grimjack, Tim Truman, First Comics titles, and unique sci-fi comics will want Starslayer.

A
8 out of 10

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



The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Monday, March 21, 2022

BOOM! Studios from Diamond Distributors for March 23, 2022

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