#IReadsYou Review: THE MADNESS #4

THE MADNESS #4 (OF 6)

AWA STUDIOS

STORY: J. Michael Straczynski

PENCILS: ACO

INKS: David Lorenzo

COLORS: Marcelo Maiolo

LETTERS: Sal Cipriano

COVER: ACO

VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Butch Guice with Lee Loughridge; Daniel Otrakji

32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (November 2023)

Rated: “Mature”

The Madness is a six-issue miniseries from AWA Studios.  It is written by J. Michael Straczynski; drawn by ACO (pencils) and David Lorenzo (inks); colored by Marcelo Maiolo; and lettered by Sal Cipriano.  The series follows a woman who uses her super-powers as a thief and her quest for revenge against a group of superheroes.

The Madness introduces Sarah Ross a.k.a. “The Raven.”  She has super-powers:  flight, super speed, super strength, and invulnerability, but she can only use one at a time.  Sarah has been using her powers as a thief, stealing from the rich and giving it to herself.  She plans one more big score so that she can retire to a life of luxury.  However, she steals from the “wrong person” and that leads to brutal consequences that will drive her to revenge... and to ultimate madness.

The Madness #4 opens as The Raven recounts how she became involved with her man, the widower Richard “Rick” Chambers, and how she began to build a family with him and his two young sons, Chuck and Devon.  Now, she has to continue her revenge tour because Rick and the boys where reduced to “ash and little bits of dry, bleached bone.”

She is tracking down members of “the Council of Justice,” the team of government-sanctioned superheroes who killed her family and left her in a shattered mental state.  The latest are Astraea and Miss Victory, but only one played a part in the decision to bring death and destruction to The Raven's life.  And the other one wants to convince Raven to make a better decision that one she wants to make.  Will The Raven relent or will she fight to the death?

THE LOWDOWN:  AWA Studios marketing recently began providing me with PDF review copies of their comic book publications.  The Madness #4 is a recent acquisition.

With this fourth issue, writer J. Michael Straczynski offers a chapter that is as intense as ever, but also more intimate.  I'm surprised that this offbeat chapter maintains the series drumbeat of war and revenge without missing... a beat.  Yes, I continue to think that The Madness mixes the madness of Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' Watchmen with the exhilaration of Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch's The Authority.  Still, I felt a sense sadness that kept intruding on my need for kick-ass and blood lust.  There are not only consequences in the actions in which the characters take, but this is also pain.

Artist ACO may be offering his most daring storytelling and his most advanced work.  ACO creates a melancholy and tragic tone for this chapter that gives this overall narrative a sense of humanity and vulnerability that will give the violence to come some weight and depth.  ACO turns this narrative just when I think I'm following a bullet straight to violence, so I'm often getting more than I expect.

In The Madness #4, AWA Studios does what it has been doing for some time – offer the kind of single issue that can help save the Direct Market.  You just have to make the effort to find this kind of comic book, dear readers.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans looking for excellence in superhero comic books will want to try The Madness.

A+

10 out of 10

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

"THE MADNESS" trade paperback collection is available at AMAZON.

THE MADNESS PAGE: https://awastudios.net/series/the-madness/

AWA Website: https://awastudios.net/ 

AWA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/awastudiosofficial/

AWA Twitter: https://twitter.com/AWA_Studios

AWA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/awastudiosofficial

The text is copyright © 2023 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou Review: LORD OF THE JUNGLE Volume 3 #6

LORD OF THE JUNGLE VOLUME 3 #6

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: Dan Jurgens

ART: Benito Gallego

COLORS: Francesco Segala with Agnes Pozza

LETTERS: Carlos M. Mangual

EDITOR: Matt Idelson

COVER: Philip Tan

32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (July 2023)

Rated Teen+

“The Tortured Few”

Tarzan is one of the most famous fictional characters in the world.  Tarzan was an orphan and the archetypal “feral child,” and in this instance, he was raised in the African jungle by great apes.  Tarzan was born a noble, John Clayton, Lord Greystoke, but he rejected civilization and lived in the wilds of Africa as a heroic adventurer.  Tarzan was created by Edgar Rice Burroughs and first appeared in the novel, Tarzan of the Apes, which began serialization in All-Story Magazines in 1912, before it was published in book form in 1914.  Tarzan would go onto to be a multimedia star, appearing in films, on television, and in comic books.

The latest Tarzan comic book is Dynamite Entertainment's Lord of the Jungle Volume 3. It is written by Dan Jurgens; drawn by Benito Gallego; colored by Francesco Segala; and lettered by Carlos M. Mangual.  Tarzan's friend, an African local named Bouanga, recounts an event that occurs in the early years of Tarzan's adventures.  Now, the Lord of the Jungle has returned to right a past wrong no matter what manner of beast or obstacle stands in his way.

Lord of the Jungle Volume 3 #6 (“The Tortured Few”) opens in Africa, in the 1950s.  Tarzan has returned to the Valley of Mists to keep his promise to return the "Diamonds of the Triad," the jewels that were once treasures from the valley.

Bouanga, the narrator, also returns to the past to tell the story of Tarzan's final confrontation with Carson, a white hunter from England who first encountered Tarzan decades earlier.  Will Tarzan defeat Carson? Can he save Bouanga in the 1950s?  And from when and where is this story told?  And what does the future hold for Tarzan?

THE LOWDOWN:  Since July 2021, Dynamite Entertainment's marketing department has been providing me with PDF review copies of some of their titles.  One of them is Lord of the Jungle Volume 3 #6, which is only the sixth issue of a solo Dynamite Tarzan comic book that I have read.

Dan Jurgens has written one of the best Tarzan comic books that I have read in decades.  It is a hugely satisfying mix of redemption, revenge, and reunion, which are among the hallmarks of romantic adventure fiction.  It's safe to say that Lord of the Jungle Volume 3 is a high-point in modern adventure fiction, as well as being one of the best of Jurgen's recent works.

Artist Benito Gallego transforms Jurgen's script into high-adventure storytelling, and Gallego's work remained consistently good throughout this series.  It is some of the most beautifully drawn comic book art being published today.  It is a good thing that Gallego's drawing style resembles that of the late comic book legend, Joe Kubert.  Kubert had a four-year stint (1972-76) as writer-artist and later as writer-only of DC Comics' Tarzan comic book series, considered by some to be among his best work.

Colorist Francesco Segala's lovely colors capture the varied moods of this series finale, both in the three time periods and three locales of this closing chapter.  Letterer Carlos M. Mangual brings a sense of high drama with his stylish, emotive fonts, making sure this story ends with power.

Lord of the Jungle Volume 3 #6, like previous issues, strongly delivers on the potential the first issue promised.  I rarely read Tarzan comic books, but I read this series' entire run with gusto  I highly recommend it to you, dear readers, as a series and as a trade paperback collection.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Tarzan comic books will want to read Lord of the Jungle Volume 3.

A+

10 out of 10

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

The LORD OF THE JUNGLE trade paperback is available at Amazon.

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#IReadsYou Review: BIG GAME #5

BIG GAME #5 (OF 5)

IMAGE COMICS/Netflix

STORY: Mark Millar

ART: Pepe Larraz

COLORS: Giovanna Niro

LETTERS: Clem Robins

EDITOR: Sarah Unwin

COVER: Pepe Larraz with Giovanna Niro

VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Dike Ruan with Giovanna Niro

52pp, Color, $7.99 U.S. (November 2023)

Rated M / Mature

Big Game is a five-issue comic book event miniseries from writer Mark Millar and artist Pepe Larraz.  Big Game is a crossover event series that pulls together all the franchises that are part of Millar's company/imprint, “Millarworld.”  That includes Kick-Ass, The Magic Order, and Wanted, to name a few.  Colorist Giovanna Niro and letterer Clem Robins complete the series' creative team.

Big Game is a sequel to the first Millarworld comic book miniseries, Wanted (2003-04).  The stars of that series, The Fraternity, the super-villains that secretly rule the world, defeated their superhero adversaries in 1986.  Now, this entity is concerned about the reemergence of superheroes, so it unleashes it new superhero killer, Nemesis (from Nemesis: Reloaded), on a hero-assassination spree.

Big Game #5 opens in Singapore, Moscow, and New York.  It is in these places that Diabolos the Sorcerer makes his announcement on behalf of his master, King Morax (Empress).  Diabolos has traveled millions of years from Earth's deep history in order to speak to the planet's true leader, Wesley Gibson, the secret Lord of the Earth (Wanted).

But for all the flexing Wesley and Diabolos will commit in front of each other, everything hinges on Hit-Girl/Mindy McCready (Kick-Ass).  Can she stop Nemesis' superhero murder spree before it starts … again?  Guest-starring the stars of The Ambassadors, Huck, Night Club, Starlight, and a surprise.

THE LOWDOWN:  I have been receiving PDF review copies of Netflix/Millarworld's comic book titles since late 2021.  Big Game #5 is the latest.

Big Game #5 is the end of, what is for me, the most readable comic book crossover event of the last fifteen years.  I have read some event series that started off grand and ended with a whimper (Marvel's recent Heroes Reborn).  I have read some that are full of sound and fury signifying nothing but perpetual noise (DC Comics' Dark Metal).

Writer Mark Millar and artist Pepe Larraz offer a satisfying ending that brings together all the elements, hooks, and twists from throughout Millarworld, although I will say that Big Game #5 doesn't have the big game of previous four issues.  This conclusion leaves me satisfied, and I am anticipating what comes next.

Millar seems to promise a brave new Millarworld going forward, and I want to be there.  So, dear readers, perhaps you should get that Big Game trade paperback for some good reading.  Add it to your gift list.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Mark Millar and especially of his Millarworld titles will want to read Big Game.

A

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

https://www.mrmarkmillar.com/

https://twitter.com/ImageComics

https://twitter.com/mrmarkmillar

https://twitter.com/netflix

https://twitter.com/themagicorder

http://www.millarworld.tv/

www.imagecomics.com

The text is copyright © 2023 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou Review: THE MAGIC ORDER 4 #3

THE MAGIC ORDER 4 #3 (OF 6)

IMAGE COMICS/Netflix

STORY: Mark Millar

ART: Dike Ruan

COLORS: Giovanna Niro

LETTERS: Clem Robins

EDITORIAL: Sarah Unwin

COVER: Dike Ruan with Giovanna Niro

VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Dani Strips with Brad Simpson

28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (March 2023)

Rated M / Mature

The Magic Order created by Mark Millar at Netflix

The Magic Order 4 is a six-issue miniseries from writer Mark Millar and artist Dike Ruan.  The is the fourth installment of The Magic Order series, which began with the 2018-19 miniseries written by Millar and drawn by Olivier Coipel.  The Magic Order is a band of sorcerers, magicians, and wizards – with a focus on the Moonstone family – that live ordinary lives by day, but protect humanity from darkness and monsters of impossible sizes by night.  Colorist Giovanna Niro and letterer Clem Robins complete the series creative team.

The Magic Order 4 focuses on a coup within the order, one that has left the Moonstones defeated … seemingly … by the dark one who always wanted to rule the order – the supposedly defeated Madame Albany.  Now, to save everything, Cordelia Moonstone, the now deposed leader, will have to go way down in the dirty dirty to restore order.

The Magic Order 4 #3 opens with Cordelia and Francis King prisoners in this world/dimension known as “Kolthur.”  Fellow prisoner, Ubris Obrughast, informs them that the state of affairs within The Magic Order on Earth is well known in Kolthur.  He also tells them about Edgar Seemus a.k.a. “Uncle Edgar,” and how he (partially) caused the state of affairs in Kolthur.  But what he tells them next may well induce a stroke in our heroes.

Meanwhile, Uncle Edgar, the Wizard King, has a visit with Albany...

THE LOWDOWN:  My favorite Mark Millar Netflix creation is The Magic Order.  It always surprises me, and before I read each issue I wonder not if, but how I will be surprised.  Every time I think I might creep away and choose a new Millarworld favorite to love, The Magic Order drags me back.

I don't even have the words to describe how much The Magic Order 4 #3 shocks me.  I remember being creeped out and scared of the entire “Manson family compound” sequence in Quentin Tarantino's enthralling film, Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood, but The Magic Order 4 #3 said, “Hold my moonshine.”  Then, it preceded to show me some uncomfortable family drama that made me concerned I was reading contraband material.  But it all utterly delighted and entertained me.

I'd say that Millar and Dike Ruan are killing it, but I think that I have said that a few times already.  Truthfully, everyone on this creative team is slaying.  Niro's colors are great.  Robin's lettering is great.  If Marvel and DC Comics' titles were as good as The Magic Order 4 #3, they wouldn't need crossover events to bump up their sales.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Mark Millar and of The Magic Order will want to read The Magic Order 4.

A+

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

https://www.mrmarkmillar.com/

https://twitter.com/ImageComics

https://twitter.com/mrmarkmillar

https://twitter.com/netflix

https://twitter.com/themagicorder

http://www.millarworld.tv/

www.imagecomics.com

The text is copyright © 2023 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou Review: BIG GAME #4

BIG GAME #4 (OF 5)

IMAGE COMICS/Netflix

STORY: Mark Millar

ART: Pepe Larraz

COLORS: Giovanna Niro

LETTERS: Clem Robins

EDITOR: Sarah Unwin

COVER: Pepe Larraz with Giovanna Niro

VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Matteo Scalera; Pepe Larraz

28pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (October 2023)

Rated M / Mature

Big Game is a new five-issue comic book event miniseries from writer Mark Millar and artist Pepe Larraz.  Big Game is a crossover event series that pulls together all the franchises that are part of Millar's company/imprint, “Millarworld.”  That includes Kick-Ass, Kingsman, Nemesis, and The Magic Order, to name a few.  Colorist Giovanna Niro and letterer Clem Robins complete the series' creative team.

Big Game is a sequel to the first Millarworld comic book miniseries, Wanted (2003-04).  The stars of that series, The Fraternity, the super-villains that secretly rule the world, defeated their superhero adversaries in 1986.  Now, this entity is concerned about the reemergence of superheroes, so it unleashes it new superhero killer, Nemesis (from Nemesis: Reloaded), on a hero-assassination spree.

Big Game #4 opens in the world of the series, Empress (before the events of that series).  Hit-Girl (Mindy McCready) has ridden a dead Chrononaut far, far into Earth's deep history.  Now, she's face to face with Princess Aine, the daughter of King Morax.  The King himself has conquered space, so he is shocked to realize that millions of years in the future – from where Hit-Girl hails – his Empire does not exist and no one remembers it.  Now, he believes that time travel can change this unpleasant future reality, but where does that leave Mindy?

Meanwhile, a gathering of superheroes is unaware that they are sitting ducks for Nemesis.  So where are The Magic Order and Kick-Ass?

THE LOWDOWN:  I have been receiving PDF review copies of Netflix/Millarworld's comic book titles since late 2021.  Big Game #4 is the latest.

Big Game #4 is an excellent Empress comic book, especially considering that the long-awaited second series is still long-awaited.  Still, I like the manner in which writer Mark Millar is fitting all his series together; Big Game makes Millarworld really feel like an actual comic book world.

All along, series artist Pepe Larraz has unleashed his beautiful and brutal graphical storytelling.  Big Game #4 allows him to offer a different tone.  Yes, there is still the slaughter, but Larraz's ability to depict multiple worlds and settings gets to impress here.  Giovanna Niro makes it all pop with her rich colors, giving the narrative an epic scope.

Big Game #1 had me curious to see what was next.  Big Game #2 blew the doorway to my imagination off its hinges.  Big Game #3 felt like the story wasn't finished pounding me.  Big Game #4 promises to be a blast.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Mark Millar and especially of his Millarworld titles will want to read Big Game.

A+

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

https://www.mrmarkmillar.com/

https://twitter.com/ImageComics

https://twitter.com/mrmarkmillar

https://twitter.com/netflix

https://twitter.com/themagicorder

http://www.millarworld.tv/

www.imagecomics.com

The text is copyright © 2023 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou Review: NIGHT CLUB #6

NIGHT CLUB #6 (OF 6)

IMAGE COMICS

STORY: Mark Millar

ART: Juanan Ramírez

COLORS: Fabiana Mascolo

LETTERS: Clem Robins

COVER: Matteo Scalera with Giovanna Niro

EDITORIAL: Sarah Unwin

VARIANT COVER ARTIST: Matteo Scalera

36pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (July 2023)

Rated M / Mature

Night Club created by Mark Millar at Netflix

Night Club is a six-issue miniseries written and created by Mark Millar and drawn by Juanan Ramírez.  An Image Comics publication and a Netflix production, Night Club focuses on a teen boy who is bitten by a vampire and decides to make the best of his new condition.  Colorist Fabiana Mascolo and letterer Clem Robins complete Night Club's creative team.

Night Club introduces 17-year-old Danny Garcia, who had ambitions to gain fame and fortune as a YouTube star with his friends, DJ Sam Huxley and Amy Chen.  Then, after a terrible accident, a vampire bites him, and his life goes awry.  Instead of living like a stereotypical vampire, Danny decides to live “la vida loca” of a superhero.

Night Club #6 opens with Starguard (Danny), Thundercloud (Sam), and Yellowbird (Amy) prepare to get the vampire gang overlord, Gunner Joe, and crew his crew before they get them.  The best laid schemes o' mice an' men an' teen vampires, however, is a way of saying that things will not go according to plan.  In the final showdown, it is clear that one side will have to annihilate the other.  So what happens after that?

THE LOWDOWN:  Netflix/Millarworld sends me PDF review copies of their comic books.  Thus, I have been lucky enough to get review copies of all six issues of Night Club.

Writer Mark Millar and artist Juanan Ramírez offered big surprises in Night Club #5.  There was an intriguing origin story and the depiction of the strife between the (apparently) small number of vampires that currently exist.  In this finale, Millar sets the groundwork for more rivalries and offers a revelation that it is not so much that power corrupts, but that it inflates the ego.

Ramirez attacks the action in this final issue with gusto.  It is somewhere between supernatural violence and rural crime thriller.  Colorist Fabiana Mascolo captures the subtly moments and the violence with equal aplomb.  Letterer Clem Robins also captures the shifts and tones in mood that lay the groundwork for what is to come in future Night Club series.

Night Club is a truly unique spin on vampire comic books the way the 1997 film, Near Dark is certainly a unique  take on the vampire movie.  Night Club #6 is quite a nice end of the beginning, and it will probably seem even better in trade paperback form

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Mark Millar and of vampire comic books will want to be bitten by Night Club.

A

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

The trade collection of this series, Night Club Volume 1, is available for sale at Amazon.

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The text is copyright © 2023 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou Review: THE MAGIC ORDER 4 #2

THE MAGIC ORDER 4 #2 (OF 6)

IMAGE COMICS/Netflix

STORY: Mark Millar

ART: Dike Ruan

COLORS: Giovanna Niro

LETTERS: Clem Robins

EDITORIAL: Sarah Unwin

COVER: Dike Ruan with Giovanna Niro

VARIANT COVER ARTIST: Rafael Albuquerque

36pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (February 2023)

Rated M / Mature

The Magic Order created by Mark Millar at Netflix

The Magic Order 4 is a new six-issue miniseries from writer Mark Millar and artist Dike Ruan.  The is the fourth installment of The Magic Order series, which began with the 2018-19 miniseries written by Millar and drawn by Olivier Coipel.  The Magic Order is a band of sorcerers, magicians, and wizards – with a focus on the Moonstone family – that live ordinary lives by day, but protect humanity from darkness and monsters of impossible sizes by night.

The Magic Order 4 focuses on a coup within the order, one that has left the Moonstones defeated … seemingly.  Colorist Giovanna Niro and letterer Clem Robins complete the series creative team.

The Magic Order 4 #2 opens as Madame Albany and her backstabbers continue killing members of The Magic Order loyal to the Moonstone family.  The Madame even has an offer to make Regan's dumb ass, but will he accept?  Meanwhile, Uncle Edgar, the Wizard King...

THE LOWDOWN:  My favorite Mark Millar Netflix creation is The Magic Order.  It always surprises me, and before I read each issue I wonder not if, but how I will be surprised.  Every time I think I might creep away and choose a new Millarworld favorite to love, The Magic Order drags me back.

In my reviews of the first two issues of Millar and artist Jorge Jiménez's new series, Nemesis Reloaded, I have talked about how that series recalls the crazy, groundbreaking, and rebellious comic books of the 1980s.  If The Magic Order 4 had been published in the 1980s or even the 1990s, it would have been revolutionary.  This new installment of The Magic Order is as crazy as post-Steve Ditko Doctor Strange comic books can't be … or maybe are not allowed to be.  Any character with the kind of magical power as depicted in The Magic Order 4 or even titles like Doctor Strange and Dr. Fate would be an asshole – to one extent to another – protagonist and antagonist.

Millar and Ruan are killing it by trying to kill us, dear readers.  The Magic Order 4 #2 offers the same as the first issue – a series of nasty/tasty reveals that are a brutal/delightful shock to the system.  I can't wait for The Magic Order 4 #3 to get rough with me.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Mark Millar and of The Magic Order will want to read The Magic Order 4.

A+

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

https://www.mrmarkmillar.com/

https://twitter.com/ImageComics

https://twitter.com/mrmarkmillar

https://twitter.com/netflix

https://twitter.com/themagicorder

http://www.millarworld.tv/

www.imagecomics.com

The text is copyright © 2023 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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

Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like these, BOOKS PAGE, GRAPHIC NOVELS, or MANGA PAGE and BUY something(s).

#IReadsYou Review: THE AMBASSADORS #6

THE AMBASSADORS #6 (OF 6)

IMAGE COMICS/Netflix

STORY: Mark Millar

ART: Matteo Scalera

COLORS: Lee Loughridge

LETTERS: Clem Robins

EDITORIAL: Sarah Unwin

COVER: Matteo Scalera

VARIANT COVER ARTIST: Kilian Plunkett with Marcelo Maiolo

44pp, Color, $5.99 U.S. (June 2023)

Rated M / Mature

The Ambassadors created by Mark Millar at Netflix

The Ambassadors is a comic book miniseries written and created by Mark Millar.  The series focuses on the six people out of eight billion humans who will receive super-powers.  Each person will become a member of  the international rescue squad, The Ambassadors.  Each issue of The Ambassadors will be drawn by a different superstar comic book artist.  The sixth issue is drawn by Matteo Scalera; colored by Lee Loughridge; and lettered by Clem Robins.

The Ambassadors focuses on the efforts of Doctor Choon-He Chung.  The technology of her company, Chung Solutions (the world leader in bio-engineering and artificial intelligence), built her a new body.  Now, she wants to share super-powers with the world.  From her “Base-Control” in Antarctica, Choon-He is building “The Ambassadors.”

The Ambassadors #6 opens in Gyeongju, South Korea.  “Codename Mexico” has joined The Ambassadors just in time for the first team international exercise.  There is a powerful tsunami on the way to Gyeongju, and The Ambassador for Mexico has completed the team just in time for them to face their first major conflict together.

Unbeknownst to them, however, this first team mission will also be the first time that Choon-He discovers the truth behind her husband, Jin-Sung's activities.  He has created his own superhuman upgrade program, and super-rich guys from around the world have paid him a billion dollars each in order to gain super-powers.  Now, the battle between super-teams will begin, and the winner will decide the fate of the world.

Plus, Jamie McPhail of the “Bonzo Project” returns again.

THE LOWDOWN:  Thanks to a review copy provided by the Mark Millar division of Netflix, I have been able to read all six issues of The Ambassadors.  This is a treat for which I have been awaiting since the announcement of the series last year.

Writer Mark Millar does penultimate issues (the second-to-last issue) of miniseries quite well, and The Ambassadors #5 was an excellent one, promising a hell of sixth and final issue of the first arc of this franchise.  Lo and behold, Millar delivers just such a fantastic final issue in The Ambassadors #6.  The finale has the intensity and superhero violence that is on the level of magic-infused violence of concluding issues of Millar's The Magic Order miniseries.

This issue's artist Matteo Scalera, one of Millar's best collaborators, details the action and excitement in a way that delivers bracing and entertaining reading.  Colorist Lee Loughridge is always good at coloring comic books that are intense thrillers, and he does quite well here.

The ending makes me excited about the future of The Ambassadors.  Who are going to be their next rivals?  And I'm sure at least one current Ambassador will be foolish enough to bring infamy to this team.  But for now, enjoy this first series now, or be waiting for The Ambassadors trade paperback, dear readers.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Mark Millar and of big concept superhero comic books will want to read The Ambassadors.

A+

10 out of 10

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

https://www.mrmarkmillar.com/

https://twitter.com/ImageComics

https://twitter.com/mrmarkmillar

https://twitter.com/netflix

http://www.millarworld.tv/

www.imagecomics.com

The text is copyright © 2023 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou Review: BIG GAME #3

BIG GAME #3 (OF 5)

IMAGE COMICS/Netflix

STORY: Mark Millar

ART: Pepe Larraz

COLORS: Giovanna Niro

LETTERS: Clem Robins

EDITOR: Sarah Unwin

COVER: Pepe Larraz with Giovanna Niro

VARIANT COVER ARTIST: Travis Charest

28pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (September 2023)

Rated M / Mature

Big Game is a new five-issue comic book event miniseries from writer Mark Millar and artist Pepe Larraz.  Big Game is a crossover event series that pulls together all the franchises that are part of Millar's company/imprint, “Millarworld.”  That includes Kick-Ass, Kingsman, Nemesis, and The Magic Order, to name a few.  Colorist Giovanna Niro and letterer Clem Robins complete the series' creative team.

Big Game is a sequel to the first Millarworld comic book miniseries, Wanted (2003-04).  The stars of that series, The Fraternity, the super-villains that secretly rule the world, defeated their superhero adversaries in 1986.  Now, this entity is concerned about the reemergence of superheroes, so it unleashes it new superhero killer, Nemesis (from Nemesis: Reloaded), on a hero assassination spree.

As Big Game #3 opens, Huck (from the miniseries, Huck) is the target of the assassins.  Superior, Night Club, Kingsman, and Kick-Ass: who will survive?  Is Hit-Girl the most dangerous target and/or the smartest?  Time will tell.

THE LOWDOWN:  I have been receiving PDF review copies of Netflix/Millarworld's comic book titles since late 2021.  Big Game #3 is the latest.

As a longtime Millarworld fan, it is both terrifying and thrilling to read Big Game, especially because Nemesis is on the prowl.  That's the good part.  He and others, however, are killing some of my favorite Millarworld good guys and anti-heroes.  Of course, that's the bad part.  Mark Millar ain't playing, and every issue is a prepared explosive device – the opposite of an “improvised explosive device.”  This third issue explodes all the way to the end with surprises, and while I expected this kind of fun, I didn't expect this much fun.

Artist Pepe Larraz continues to unleash his beautiful and brutal graphical storytelling, bringing to life the gleeful vindictiveness of Millar's script.  Larraz just might be making his readers all beg for breaks between issues, even if they'd like to read the next installment as soon as they finish the current issue.

Big Game #1 had me curious to see what was next.  Big Game #2 blew the doorway to my imagination off its hinges.  Now, dear readers, Big Game #3 feels like it ain't finished with me just yet.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Mark Millar and especially of his Millarworld titles will want to read Big Game.

A+

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

https://www.mrmarkmillar.com/

https://twitter.com/ImageComics

https://twitter.com/mrmarkmillar

https://twitter.com/netflix

https://twitter.com/themagicorder

http://www.millarworld.tv/

www.imagecomics.com

The text is copyright © 2023 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou Review: NIGHT CLUB #5

NIGHT CLUB #5 (OF 6)

IMAGE COMICS

STORY: Mark Millar

ART: Juanan Ramírez

COLORS: Fabiana Mascolo

LETTERS: Clem Robins

COVER: Ben Templesmith

EDITORIAL: Sarah Unwin

VARIANT COVER ARTIST: Ben Templesmith

28pp, Color, $1.99 U.S. (April 2023)

Rated M / Mature

Night Club created by Mark Millar at Netflix

Night Club is a six-issue miniseries written and created by Mark Millar and drawn by Juanan Ramírez.  An Image Comics publication and a Netflix production, Night Club focuses on a teen boy who is bitten by a vampire and decides to make the best of his new condition.  Colorist Fabiana Mascolo and letterer Clem Robins complete Night Club's creative team.

Night Club introduces 17-year-old Danny Garcia, who had ambitions to gain fame and fortune as a YouTube star with his friends, DJ Sam Huxley and Amy Chen.  Then, after a terrible accident, a vampire bites him, and his life goes awry.  Instead of living like a stereotypical vampire, Danny decides to live “la vida loca” of a superhero.

Night Club #5 opens with Starguard (Danny), Thundercloud (Sam), and Yellowbird (Amy) in a tight spot.  The man who rescued them, the former police Detective Nick Laskaras, is simply Laskaras, and he is holding them as his prisoners.  He is creating an army, and he wants to be their leader – if they join him.  Not that they have much choice, and they must listen to his origin story.

Danny and friends must realize that their superhero days are over.  They must become bloodthirsty murderers, but for whom?  Will it be Laskaras or vampire gang chieftain, Gunner Joe?

THE LOWDOWN:  Netflix/Millarworld sends me PDF review copies of their comic books.  Thus, I have been lucky enough to get review copies of the first five issues of Night Club.

Writer Mark Millar and artist Juanan Ramírez are offering big surprises with Night Club #5.  Sure, there is an intriguing origin story, but this series is more than just about biting necks.  Now, we're seeing strife between the (apparently) small number of vampires that currently exist.  So with colorist Fabiana Mascolo and letterer Clem Robins, Millar and Ramírez flip the script for a really excellent read in this penultimate issue.

Night Club is infectious and addictive, a vampire comic book determined to be a new kind of batty.  I am recommending Night Club #5 as I did the previous four issues.  Drink deeply of its fun; this comic book has flavors in layers and waves.  And it only costs a $1.99.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Mark Millar and of vampire comic books will want to be bitten by Night Club.

A+

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

https://twitter.com/ImageComics

https://twitter.com/mrmarkmillar

https://twitter.com/netflix

https://www.mrmarkmillar.com/

http://www.millarworld.tv/

www.imagecomics.com

The text is copyright © 2023 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou Review: KONI WAVES

KONI WAVES

HAUNTED PIZZA LLC/ARCANA STUDIOS

STORY: Mark Poulton

SCRIPT: Mandy Summers

ART: Renzo Rodriguez

COLORS: Dexter Weeks

LETTERS: Dexter Weeks

COVER: Renzo Rodriguez with Ink Spots

VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Irene Strychalski; Chris Graves

ISBN: 979-8-987-45314-8; paperback (November 2023)

56pp, Color, $25.00 U.S.

Koni Waves created by Mark Poulton, Stephen Sistilli, and Dexter Weeks

Koni Waves is an independent supernatural horror comic book that was published as a series of miniseries and one-shots from 2006 to 2010 by Arcana Studio.  Created by Mark Poulton, Stephen Sistilli, and Dexter Weeks, Koni Waves focused on Koni Kanawai, a female detective in Honolulu, Hawaii, who specialized in supernatural cases.

Koni Kanawai returns in a new original graphic novel, entitled Koni Waves, that was crowdfunded on Indiegogo last year and was published late last year (2023). The new graphic novel is written by Mark Poulton (story) and Mandy Summers (script); drawn by Renzo Rodriguez; and colored and lettered by Dexter Weeks.  In this new story, Koni becomes involved in a complicated murder case that involves supernatural scheme and conspiracy.

Koni Waves opens with Koni Kanawai rescuing her pal, Pete, from the vampires(!) of Black Bear Cove, but that adventure is easy compared to what is coming.  Koni's father, James Kanawai, a detective with the HPD, wants Koni to try to get back on the force.  Koni, who was suspended apparently after running afoul of Internal Affairs, is willing to give that a try.

Later, at her favorite watering hole, Koni learns that District Attorney Choi believes that he has convicted the wrong man, Danny Snyder, of the murder of Felicity Andrews, an exotic dancer and former associate of Koni's.  Taking on the case, Koni contacts Krystal, another dancer and former associate of Felicity's.  After snooping around, Koni comes to believe that a local power broker, Prince Hopohopo, is connected to the Felicity Andrews case.  However, Koni will discover that this case involves Hawaii's darkest secrets and its edgiest supernatural and spiritual past.

THE LOWDOWN:  A few years ago, I came across the Twitter feed of a Mexican comic book artist named Renzo Rodriguez.  From the first of examples of his art I saw, I thought he was very talented, but because I had never heard of him previously, I assumed Renzo was a new talent.  I would later learn that Renzo was a veteran talent who had been drawing professionally for a long time, including for Zenescope Entertainment.

Last year, I learned that Renzo would be the artist for a crowdfunded project, entitled Koni Waves, so I quickly contributed.  I did not know that Koni Waves was a comics property with a history, so I did not know what to expect.  Now, having read and received this original graphic novel, I am glad that I contributed to the campaign.

Renzo is obviously influenced by legendary comic book artist Art Adams.  Some artists who were influenced by Adams (such as J. Scott Campbell and Rob Liefeld) picked up on Adams' stylish flourishes.  However, what Renzo seems to have taken from Adams is the ability to compose complex, multi-panel pages that allows a story to be told in detail without going into overdrive with decompression.  Most of Renzo's pages have at least seven panels of varying size, and Renzo composes detailed backgrounds and environments in a way that compares to the work of set decorators for film and television.  Renzo makes the world of Koni Waves feel lived-in, like a real place.

All those panels on each page allows scripter Mandy Summers to flesh out Mark Poulton's character-rich story in a way that conveys motivation and personality, plot and mythology, and action and drama.  Summers makes Koni Waves read like an actual graphic novel in a way that so-called graphic novels (trade paperbacks) three times its size do not.

Dexter Weeks' precise, rich colors capture the curves, shapes, and contours of Renzo's figure drawing.  Those colors make every character seem alive and, in the case of some, seem quite sexy, and they also make the art pop on the page.  In addition, Weeks' lettering finds plenty of space for Summers' dialogue, so that nothing is crowded out.

I like Koni Waves, and I'd like to see more of Koni and her closest allies and most dangerous adversaries.  This comic book scratches the surface of Koni Waves' supernatural skin, but the freaks want to come out.  So I say let them out with more Koni Waves.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of supernatural and occult detective comics will want Koni Waves.

A

★★★★ out of 4 stars

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

https://www.hauntedpizzallc.com/

https://twitter.com/hauntedpizzallc

https://twitter.com/KoniWaves

https://twitter.com/renzo_rocomic

https://twitter.com/WartTheWizard

https://www.instagram.com/hauntedpizzallc/

https://www.youtube.com/c/PrimetimePoulton

The text is copyright © 2024 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou Review: THE MAGIC ORDER 4 #1

THE MAGIC ORDER 4 #1 (OF 6)

IMAGE COMICS/Netflix

STORY: Mark Millar

ART: Dike Ruan

COLORS: Giovanna Niro

LETTERS: Clem Robins

EDITORIAL: Sarah Unwin

COVER: Dike Ruan with Giovanna Niro

VARIANT COVER ARTIST: Rafael Albuquerque

36pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (January 2023)

Rated M / Mature

The Magic Order created by Mark Millar at Netflix

The Magic Order was a six-issue comic book miniseries written by Mark Millar and drawn by Olivier Coipel.  Published in 2018-19, the series focuses on The Magic Order, a band of sorcerers, magicians, and wizards – with a focus on the Moonstone family.  They live ordinary lives by day, but protect humanity from darkness and monsters of impossible sizes by night.  Two more six-issue miniseries, The Magic Order 2 (2021-22) and The Magic Order 3 (2022), were recently published.

The Magic Order 4 finds the Order in turmoil.  A six-issue miniseries, this fourth installment is written by Millar; drawn by Dike Ruan; colored by Giovanna Niro; and lettered by Clem Robins.

The Magic Order 4 #1 opens immediately following the revelations of The Magic Order 3's finale.  The Magic Order is in turmoil because Cordelia Moonstone was forced to expel her brother, Regan, and strip him of his powers because of his crimes.  Now, whispers of discontent persist among the other wizards, and a coup is brewing

Some are tired of the rules under which they have all been living.  They want to enjoy having magical powers – really enjoy those powers.  An old enemy has returned in a shocking new guise, and she may be able to help the discontented become contented.

THE LOWDOWN:  My favorite Mark Millar Netflix creation is The Magic Order.  It always surprises me, and before I read each issue I wonder not if, but how I will be surprised.  Every time I think I might creep away and choose a new Millarworld favorite to love, The Magic Order drags me back.

Dike Ruan, the artist for The Magic Order, has a drawing style that is similar to The Magic Order's earlier artists, Olivier Coipel and Stuart Immonen.  This fourth series is dark and filled with explicit violence and brutal murders, as was the first two series, so it is appropriate that Ruan is the artist here.  The Magic Order 4 is different in tone from The Magic Order 3, which hopped around dimensions, realities, and time zones, which the third series' artist, Gigi Cavenago, captured with an kinetic style that crackled around the shifts in space-time-magic.

I am determined to spoil as little as possible, but I can say that Millar goes for the readers' nuts and the jugulars in this first issue.  As great as Frank Miller's Batman: The Dark Knight Returns is, its sequels, which have their good points, lack the intensity of the original.  The Magic Order sequels are different because Millar never lets up.  He allows each installment to stand on its own as a shocking, but substantial narrative.  Each sequel of The Magic Order is complete as a plot, even as it receives elements from previous installments and also sends out elements to what follows it.

So, here we are with the start of The Magic Order 4.  It seems to say that power corrupts and the absolute power of reality-altering magic will absolutely corrupt everyone that it touches.  Millar and Dike Ruan are a determined pair; they want us to feel the pain this time.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Mark Millar and of The Magic Order will want to read The Magic Order 4.

A+

10 out of 10

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

https://www.mrmarkmillar.com/

https://twitter.com/ImageComics

https://twitter.com/mrmarkmillar

https://twitter.com/netflix

https://twitter.com/themagicorder

http://www.millarworld.tv/

www.imagecomics.com

The text is copyright © 2023 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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

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#IReadsYou Review: NEMESIS RELOADED #5

NEMESIS RELOADED #5 (OF 5)

IMAGE COMICS/Netflix

STORY: Mark Millar

ART: Jorge Jiménez

COLORS: Giovanna Niro

LETTERS: Clem Robins

EDITOR: Sarah Unwin

COVER: Jorge Jiménez with Giovanna Niro

VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Javier Fernandez with Belén Ortega; Jorge Jiménez

36pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (May 2023)

Rated M / Mature

Nemesis created by Mark Millar and Steve McNiven

Nemesis Reloaded is a five-issue comic book series from writer Mark Millar.  It is a soft reboot of Nemesis, Millar's 2010-11 four-issue comic book miniseries that he created with artist Steve McNiven.  Nemesis: Reloaded is drawn by Jorge Jiménez; colored by Giovanna Niro; and lettered by Clem Robins.

In the new series, Nemesis has plans for Los Angeles and its ruling class.  By the time he is done, the city won't be the same, nor will its top politicians.  And maybe the secrets of Nemesis will be revealed.

Nemesis Reloaded #5 opens in Eastern Europe, at “the Castle of Reflection.”  It is there, Matthew Anderson a.k.a. Nemesis must win the game of death that will lead him to discovering all the big-ass secrets.  But before we get into that big game...

Mayor-elect Joe Costello must come face to face with his connection to Nemesis' past.  There is payback galore, and the wealthy and the power-elite won't get their way.  Is this the grand finale or just the beginning?

THE LOWDOWN:  In my earlier reviews of Nemesis Reloaded, I talked about how those issues fit into the tradition of the groundbreaking and daring comic books of the 1980s, especially of the early to mid-1980s.

The final issue retains the series' connection to a gleefully and enjoyably insane time.  Still, I have to be careful with Nemesis Reloaded #5.  In a way, it is like the recent Killadelaphia #30, which ended things so that it could begin even bigger, more surprising and lunatic things.

Here, writer Mark Millar and artist Jorge Jiménez add their craziness to something like the bigness of Millar and Matteo Scalera's King of Spies.  They don't minimize the craziness of Nemesis Reloaded, the kind that recalls Frank Miller's Daredevil and Ronin, but they welcome the massive storytelling that is similar to Millar's work at Marvel, such as The Ultimates and Civil War.

Recently, dear readers, my car was stolen (still not recovered) and the thieves ransacked my home for my book and comic book collection.  With the arrival of the final issue, I needed Nemesis: Reloaded to stroke my hard-on for vengeance.  Oh, it was so good, and I'm so crazy about the title character.  I wanna blow Nemesis; I'm not sure I've ever felt that way about a comic book character, but it is Mark Millar and artist Jorge Jiménez's fault, of course.

They have created a comic book that pops off the page, and the story pelvic thrusts its way into readers' imaginations … again and again.  I have to believe that they wanted it this way; they wanted such reactions as mine.  If that is not the case, they certainly could have rebooted Green Lantern for the umpteenth time instead of creating this glory hole of violence and retribution.  If you have been waiting for comic books to be crazy and fun again, recharge your imagination with Nemesis Reloaded.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of comic books that make readers beg for more will desire Nemesis Reloaded.

A+

10 out of 10

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

https://www.mrmarkmillar.com/

https://twitter.com/ImageComics

https://twitter.com/mrmarkmillar

https://twitter.com/netflix

https://twitter.com/themagicorder

http://www.millarworld.tv/

www.imagecomics.com

The text is copyright © 2023 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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

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#IReadsYou Review: NEMESIS RELOADED #4

NEMESIS RELOADED #4 (OF 5)

IMAGE COMICS/Netflix

STORY: Mark Millar

ART: Jorge Jiménez

COLORS: Giovanna Niro

LETTERS: Clem Robins

EDITOR: Sarah Unwin

COVER: Jorge Jiménez with Giovanna Niro

VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Brett Booth; Jorge Jiménez

28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (April 2023)

Rated M / Mature

Nemesis created by Mark Millar and Steve McNiven

Nemesis Reloaded is a five-issue comic book series from writer Mark Millar.  It is a soft reboot of Nemesis, Millar's 2010-11 four-issue comic book miniseries that he created with artist Steve McNiven.

Nemesis: Reloaded is drawn by Jorge Jiménez; colored by Giovanna Niro; and lettered by Clem Robins.  In the new series, Nemesis has plans for Los Angeles and its ruling class.  By the time he is done, the city won't be the same, nor will its top politicians.  And maybe the secrets of Nemesis will be revealed.

Nemesis Reloaded #4 opens in Los Angeles, a city under siege and on fire.  Nemesis has one more score to settle – with retired and disabled former cop, Maggie Cheung – before he moves on to his primary target.  That would be the cop-turned-district attorney, Joe Costello, the mayor-elect of Los Angles.

By Nemesis's command:  people cannot leave their houses or a nuclear bomb will go off in a secret location.  Everyone remains in lock down. Now, the penultimate chapter prepares to give way to the final showdown.

THE LOWDOWN:  In my earlier reviews of Nemesis Reloaded, I talked about how those issues fit into the tradition of the groundbreaking and daring comic books of the 1980s, especially of the early to mid-1980s.

Years ago, I read an article which stated that the people who published comic books back in the 1940s believe that the primary readers of comic books were children who were not bright and adults who were morons.

One might argue that quite a few adults who read comic books, then and now, are crazy – euphemistically or certifiably.  For instance, I'm crazy enough to imagine elaborate revenge fantasies in which I hurt people who have hurt me personally and especially professional.  I'd love to tie them in a chair and burn them alive.  Then, I'd mow down every law enforcement and first responders that showed up to rescue my burning victim(s).  And whadda-u-know!  There's a comic book where the main character does precisely that.

Seriously, writer Mark Millar and artist Jorge Jiménez have embraced the crazy.  If the publishers of the 1940s were right about their readers (they weren't), then, comic books should go all out to be wild, weird, and wonderful. If there is some truth to crazy, then, why not do crazy comic books.  Mark and Jorge have brought the bat-shit crazy of 1980s comic books like Elektra: Assassin and American Flagg! back in full effect with the crazy, balls-to-the-wall, Nemesis: Reloaded, especially this fourth issue.

When Nemesis walks out of that burning building and starts killing cops and then, confronts Mayor Joe, well, it was exhilarating.  Nemesis: Reloaded isn't mere entertainment; it is pure, unashamed, weird fiction that triggers and activates its readers.  This ain't just another comic book; it is the kind that goes after that dangly thing in the back of your throat (hip hop reference).  That's why you want to read Nemesis Reloaded #4 on the way to reading the entire series.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of comic books that make readers beg for more will desire Nemesis Reloaded.

A+

10 out of 10

You can buy the NEMESIS: RELOADED trade paperback here from AMAZON.

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

https://www.mrmarkmillar.com/

https://twitter.com/ImageComics

https://twitter.com/mrmarkmillar

https://twitter.com/netflix

https://twitter.com/themagicorder

http://www.millarworld.tv/

www.imagecomics.com

The text is copyright © 2023 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou Review: NEMESIS RELOADED #3

NEMESIS RELOADED #3 (OF 5)

IMAGE COMICS/Netflix

STORY: Mark Millar

ART: Jorge Jiménez

COLORS: Giovanna Niro

LETTERS: Clem Robins

EDITOR: Sarah Unwin

COVER: Jorge Jiménez with Giovanna Niro

VARIANT COVER ARTIST: Ryan Sook

28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (March 2023)

Rated M / Mature

Nemesis created by Mark Millar and Steve McNiven

Nemesis Reloaded is a five-issue comic book series from writer Mark Millar.  It is a soft reboot of Nemesis, Millar's 2010-11 four-issue comic book miniseries that he created with artist Steve McNiven.

Nemesis: Reloaded is drawn by Jorge Jiménez; colored by Giovanna Niro; and lettered by Clem Robins.  In the new series, Nemesis has plans for Los Angeles and its ruling class.  By the time he is done, the city won't be the same, nor will its top politicians.  And maybe the secrets of Nemesis will be revealed.

Nemesis Reloaded #3 opens in Los Angeles, a city under siege.  Nemesis has just snatched up another chief of police, and it is time for him to start revealing to a specific set of men why he is killing them … deliciously.  Who is Matthew Anderson?  How is he able to create a suicide bomber?  And can the National Guard save L.A. from the kind of chaos one only sees in zombie movies?

THE LOWDOWN:  In my reviews of the first two issues of Nemesis Reloaded, I talked about how they fit in the tradition of the groundbreaking and daring comic books of the 1980s, especially of the early to mid-1980s.

With Nemesis Reloaded #3, Millar and his (handsome) artist-cohort, Jorge Jiménez, have gone past daring.  Let's be honest, dear readers.  If bosses of Marvel or DC Comics of the 1980s had allowed their star creators to do what Millar-Jiménez is doing here, the corporate overlords would have fired them – maybe even cleaned house.

The more violence Nemesis unleashes on L.A., the more I love reading this comic book.  It feels like a drug.  The simple truth is that I enjoy reading Nemesis Reloaded so much that I would do anything … anything … if I could just read the rest of it now.  Seriously, this pure pop confection of crazy, sexy, cool violence is a great read.  It is the kind of invigorating, big-action, high-octane entertainment that movies usually give us.

We get all this, and Millar and Jiménez still have Matthew's origin story to tell.  I think they are going to drag us through broken glass to read it.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of comic books that make readers beg for more will desire Nemesis Reloaded.

A+

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

https://www.mrmarkmillar.com/

https://twitter.com/ImageComics

https://twitter.com/mrmarkmillar

https://twitter.com/netflix

https://twitter.com/themagicorder

http://www.millarworld.tv/

www.imagecomics.com

The text is copyright © 2023 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou Review: ECTYRON VS. DES MOINES

ECTYRON VS. DES MOINES

CANDLE LIGHT PRESS/Warning Comics

STORY/ART: Carter Allen

DIALOGUE: John Ira Thomas

LETTERS: John Ira Thomas

COVER: Tyler Sowles

BACK COVER: Will Grant

MISC ART: Jeremy Smith

ISBN: 2370001579941; paperback (July 2023)

68pp, Color, $10.00 U.S.

Comic book writer-artist and graphic novelist, Carter Allen, has been publishing a series of comic books and graphic novels featuring a “kaiju” character known as “Ectyron! The Radioactive Chicken!”  Candle Light Press and Allen's Warning Comics have previously published several Ectyron comic books:  Ectyron Against Lagaxtu (2017), Ectyron: Rise of Nemehiss (2018), and Ectyron: The Invasion from the Red Star Nebula (2019), as well as the Ectyron Omnibus Vol. 1 (2022).

Ectyron is back on the attack in the recently released original graphic novel, Ectyron vs. Des Moines.  It is written, drawn, colored, and lettered by Allen, with dialogue written by John Ira Thomas.

All three Ectyron comics employ particular elements of various Japanese science fiction sub-genres.  “Kaiju” is a term used to describe a genre of Japanese films that feature giant monsters, and the term is also used to describe the giant monsters themselves.  [Godzilla is an example of a kaiju.]  In this case, Ectyron is a giant-sized chicken.  This series also includes elements of “tokusatsu,” also known as “mecha” or giant robot superheroes.  [“Power Rangers” are an example of “tokusatsu.”]

Ectyron vs. Des Moines opens in Des Moines, Iowa.  The state's most populous city and its state capital is about to experience a most unnatural natural phenomenon.  The other-dimensional conqueror, Angerine, arrives, and his weapon of choice is a box that can multiple into other boxes called “Monks.”  The Monks are connected like a titanic Medusa, and even Ectyron struggles against them.  Can the new musician-superhero, Madam Madamn, help stem the tide of Des Moines' destruction?  Or is it over before it started?

THE LOWDOWN:  I have been receiving review copies of Carter Allen's comic books and graphic novels for almost two decades.  We are also collaborating on an upcoming graphic novel, but I am happy to see that he is still creating new Ectyron comics.

Allen uses watercolors to produce his art and storytelling in Ectyron vs. Des Moines, and that gives the story a tone that is decidedly different from previous entries in the Ectyron series – at least to me.  The story seems more consequential.  The previous stories were playful monster comic books that recalled Japanese kaiju fiction, Marvel Comics' monster comics for the 1950s and 60s, and Marvel's early superhero comics like Fantastic Four.

Ectyron vs. Des Moines is very much in the pulpy, sci-fi, Japanese roots of its predecessors, but I find it more thoughtful about what comes after the thunder and lightning of monster fights.  The battles are more difficult for the heroes, and saving-the-day comes with high costs and damage that cannot be reversed.  The villains are excellent, and the kooky Monks are inventive, imaginative, and quite lovely.  John Ira Thomas, a frequent collaborator of Allen's, offers pitch perfect dialogue, as he always does.

Yes, I want more of the Monks and more Ectyron.  Still, I cannot help but ponder how Ectyron vs. Des Moines ponders the nature of evil, the burdens of heroism, and the devastation of death and destruction.  It is as if Allen rebooted Ectyron with a new nature.

But the fun is not gone, and I think readers will welcome the new character find, Madam Madamn, as I do.  I think all Carter Allen's fans will want to grab a hold of Ectyron vs. Des Moines.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of kaiju and of Carter Allen's kaiju comic books will want Ectyron vs. Des Moines.

A+

10 out of 10

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

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