#IReadsYou Review: BATMAN: EARTH ONE Volume Two

BATMAN: EARTH ONE VOLUME TWO

DC COMICS

STORY: Geoff Johns

PENCILS: Gary Frank

INKS: Jonathan Sibal

COLORS: Brad Anderson

LETTERS: Rob Leigh

COVER: Gary Frank with Brad Anderson

ISBN: 978-1-4012-6251-8; paperback (June 21, 2016)

144pp, Color, $14.99 U.S., $17.99 CAN

Batman created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger

Batman: Earth One Volume 2 is 2015 hardcover original graphic novel (OGN) published by DC Comics.  It is written by Geoff Johns; drawn by Gary Frank (pencils) and Jonathan Sibal (inks); colored by Brad Anderson; and lettered by Rob Leigh.  Set in a reality that is different from the flagship Batman titles, Earth One Vol. 2 pits Batman against The Riddler for the first time.

In 2009, DC Comics announced plans to publish new graphic novels that would retell or re-imagine the beginnings of Batman and Superman.  Each character would have his own ongoing series of original graphic novels depicting his earliest moments as a superhero and crime fighter.  Each graphic novel would be a stand-alone story set on a new Earth with an all-new continuity.  Superman: Earth One Volume One arrived in October 2010 and Batman: Earth One Volume One arrived in 2012, both released as hardcover original graphic novels.  To date (2024), there have been three releases each featuring Superman and Batman, and some releases featuring other DC Comics characters. [My review is based on the 2016 paperback edition of this graphic novel.]

Batman: Earth One Volume Two opens in the gritty, contemporary metropolis of Gotham City in the wake of the murder of Mayor Osward Cobblepot (as seen in Vol. 1).  The police and the public believe that Batman murdered the mayor, but the actual killer is Alfred Pennyworth.  The former Royal Marine and friend of Bruce Wayne's late father, Thomas Wayne, Alfred is now Bruce's head of security and partner in Bruce's war on crime and corruption as the costumed-wearing vigilante, The Batman.

Something else, however, is also troubling Gotham City.  It has been plunged into terror by an enigmatic anarchist, terrorist, and killer calling himself “The Riddler.”  He begins with a bang with the murder of five people who plunge to their deaths in an elevator.  Batman is determined to stop him, but he finds himself caught in the conflicting ideologies of Detective Jim Gordon of the Gotham City Police Department (GCPD) and of Alfred.  Gordon is also dealing with the troubles of his partner, Harvey Bullock.  Once flashy and overconfident, Bullock is now traumatized by the discovery he made in a serial killer's basement (as seen in Vol. 1).

If that weren't enough melodrama, Gotham Mayor Jessica Dent wants Bruce to help her discover the identities of the five VIP Gotham residents who have taken over the late Mayor Cobblepot's criminal empire.  However, her brother, District Attorney Harvey Dent, has hated Bruce since they were children, and he has his own secret agenda.  Meanwhile, there are reports of a bizarre creature, called “Killer Croc, prowling the sewers of the city, treating human and animal as meat for the beast.

THE LOWDOWN:  I was crazy about Batman: Earth One Volume One.  It is like a “Batman Family” story because Johns writes it as if it were an ensemble crime drama.  Batman is obviously the lead, but Vol. 1 seems to treat Bruce Wayne as one of several supporting characters in the story.  I rather like that.

In Batman: Earth One Volume Two, John makes Bruce Wayne the lead, with the Batman being only one part of a complicate life of purposes.  The story seems to be about Bruce Wayne working out who he is.  Is Bruce just the Batman, or is Bruce a civilian with a mission that is just as important as Batman's mission as a costumed vigilante?  It is an interesting take, one that is more interesting than anything to do with The Riddler angle of the story.

Speaking of the Riddler:  I have not yet read Batman: Earth One Volume Three, but I believe the first two volumes had a big influence on director Matt Reeves' 2022 Batman film, The Batman, especially Vol. 2.  Reading this graphic novel, over two years after first seeing The Batman, I find that Vol. 2 seems quite familiar.  It wasn't long into reading this that I was making connections to the 2022 Batman film, which also has The Riddler as a terrorist-like villain.

British comic book artist, Gary Frank, has displayed his muscular compositions and forceful graphical storytelling to readers for the better part of four decades – three decades in the U.S.  I don't think Geoff John's edgy, retooling of Batman, which owes a lot to Frank Miller's Batman: The Dark Knight Returns and to Alan Moore and Brian Bolland's Batman: The Killing Joke, would work quite as well without Frank's brawny storytelling and pencils.  Inker Jon Sibal captures that strength with a balance of sinewy precision and consistent and deft grace in his inking.

Colorist Brad Anderson makes the art both bright and dark – bright to reveal the emotional moments and dark to hide the danger.  Another strong contributor is Rob Leigh; his lettering is what gives the story a balance of sound and effect.

I don't know if there is going to be more Batman: Earth One.  Truthfully, Earth One should have been the direction taken by the “Rebirth” launch of the flagship Batman in 2016.  But what do I know?  I'm not a comics publisher selling comic books in a stagnate market for American comic books.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Batman comic books will want to read Batman: Earth One Volume Two.

A

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

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#IReadsYou Review: NOCTERRA #7

NOCTERRA #7
IMAGE COMICS/Best Jacket Press

STORY: Scott Snyder and Tony S. Daniel
PENCILS: Tony S. Daniel
INKS: Sandu Florea and Tony S. Daniel
COLORS: Marcelo Maiolo
LETTERS: Andworld Design
EDITOR: Will Dennis
COVER: Tony S. Daniel with Marcelo Maiolo
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Jason Fabok with Brad Anderson; Dani with Brad Simpson; Tony S. Daniel and Marcelo Maiolo
28pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S. (February 2022)

Rated “M/ Mature”

“Pedal to the Metal” Part One

Nocterra is a horror and science fiction comic book series from writer Scott Snyder and artist Tony S. Daniel.  Published by Image Comics, Nocterra is set on an Earth that has been experiencing an everlasting night, the “Big PM,” since the sky went dark and the world was plunged into an everlasting night over a decade ago.  Inker Sandu Florea, colorist Marcelo Maiolo, and letterer Andworld Design complete the series' creative current team.

In Nocterra, any living organisms left unlit in the dark for more than 10 hours start undergoing a biological transformation.  Soon, the living turn into monstrous versions of themselves, becoming something called a “Shade.”

Valentina “Val” Riggs – call sign “Sundog,” – was in the fifth grade the day the “Big PM” occurred.  Fourteen years later (“14 PM”), Val drives a big rig hauler, a heavily-illuminated 18-wheeler known as the “Sundog Convoy.”  A skilled “ferryman” Val transports people and goods along deadly unlit roads between the few remaining human outposts.  Aboard her rig is Bailey McCray, the rig's “bean counter,” and Emory “Em” Riggs, Val's brother who was cured of the Shade infection.

As Nocterra #7 opens, it is almost “14 PM,” fourteen years after the “Big PM.”  The Sundog leads a convoy of four rigs, including itself.  Their goal is Outpost 31, also known as the “Drive-in.”  They're hoping to get information on Bailey's late grandfather, August McCray, who may have been one of the people who helped bring the darkness, but who also claimed to have a way to bring back the light.

Meanwhile, Blacktop Bill meets some old friends.  Can Val and friends save the world?  And what dirty deals with they have to make to do it?

THE LOWDOWN:  After the sour taste that the Nocterra Blacktop Bill Special left in my imagination, I needed the the first chapter of the main series' second story arc, “Pedal to the Metal,” to bring back the good feelings this series gave me.  It did.

From the beginning of Nocterra, writer Scott Snyder has offered his readers a comic book series that reads like an old-fashioned pulp serial, complete with cliffhanger endings.  Nocterra is a mixed genre treat; sometimes it is like a penny dreadful and other times it is constantly dropping apocalyptic science fiction elements.

Now drawing with an inker (Sandu Florea) and with a new colorist Marcelo Maiolo, artist Tony S. Daniel electric storytelling is still … electric, moving swiftly from panel to panel.  Daniel builds up to an occasional big splash sequence that makes the story explode off the page while hitting the key points of the plot.  It makes for engaging and bracing comic book storytelling.

Nocterra is back.  And here, the dark is still good.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Scott Snyder and Tony S. Daniel will want to sample Nocterra.

A

★★★★+ out of 4 stars

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


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#IReadsYou Review: GEIGER #6

GEIGER #6
IMAGE COMICS/Mad Ghost

STORY: Geoff Johns
ART: Gary Frank
COLORS: Brad Anderson
LETTERS: Rob Leigh
EDITOR: Pat McCallum and Brian Cunningham
COVER: Gary Frank with Brad Anderson
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Jerry Ordway with Brad Anderson; Paul Pelletier and Norm Rapmund with Alex Sinclair; Gary Frank with Brad Anderson
48pp, Colors, 4.99 U.S. (September 2021)

Rated “T+/Teen Plus”

Geiger created by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank

“Man vs. Machine”

Geiger is a comic book series from writer Geoff Johns and artist Gary Frank.  Published by Image Comics, Geiger is set on a dying Earth in the years after a nuclear war ravaged the planet and focuses on a “walking bomb” hero.  Colorist Brad Anderson and letterer Rob Leigh complete the series' creative team.

Geiger is set 20 years after the nuclear conflict known as the “Unknown War” ravaged the planet, turning Earth into a dying world.  In the state of Nevada, desperate outlaws battle for survival in a world of rapidly disappearing resources and supplies.  In Boulder City, Nevada, there resides the fearsome man known by many names:  Joe Glow, The Meltdown Man, and the Walking Bomb, to name a few.  But before the war, he was simply a man named Tariq Geiger.  So who or what is Geiger, now?

Geiger #6 (“Man vs. Machine”) opens with the narrator providing a grand intro for the latest chapter of the tale of Geiger, which includes a bit of a side story about “The Unnamed.”  Back to 2050, the King of Vegas has a map and plots his planned conquest of NORAD.

Meanwhile, in NORAD, Geiger and the children, Hailee and Henry, race to escape this prison, and Hailee is forced to give Henry some bad news.  Geiger is determined to protect these children, but in order to do that he will have to battle “Junkyard Joe.”  And this is one opponent who won't go down as easily as the others did.  Plus, Hailee makes a friend and a benefactor (of sorts) in Rick.

THE LOWDOWN:  As first issues go, Geiger #1 was mostly an introduction, kind of like a prologue.  It introduced the title character, Geiger, giving readers a look at who he was in the past and a glance at who he is now.  By the time we reached this sixth and final issue of the first volume and story arc of Geiger, we have a lead character that is revealed and world that is more revealed to the readers.

Geoff John brings all the emotions, feelings, thrills, and scares of the previous issues and funnels them into the series' best issue yet.  All I can say is that it was a blast, a thrill, and a joy to read, and it also left me anxious to discover what comes next.  Apparently, there will be a spin off and a “Geigerverse.”

As Geiger has progressed, Gary Frank's art captured the emotions and passions of intimate moments and the crazy violence of the action scenes.  Here, Frank delivers page after page of explosive power, particularly in the Geiger vs. Junkyard Joe battles.  Brad Anderson's colors don't just capture the best moments; they also make many great moments.  Rob Leigh's lettering keeps this story steady through several violent showdowns and maintains a balance in this volatile issue.

This creative team delivers a winner in Geiger #6, and they also leave us wanting more.  I did not know what to expect from Geiger in the beginning, other than it being another star-driven creator-owned comic book project from Image Comics.  Now, that I know what I know, I confident in recommending this exceptional series.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Geoff Johns and Gary Frank will want to check out Geiger.

A

9 out of 10

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


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#IReadsYou: GEIGER #5

GEIGER #5
IMAGE COMICS/Mad Ghost

STORY: Geoff Johns
ART: Gary Frank
COLORS: Brad Anderson
LETTERS: Rob Leigh
EDITOR: Pat McCallum and Brian Cunningham
COVER: Gary Frank with Brad Anderson
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Jerry Ordway with Brad Anderson; Paul Pelletier and Norm Rapmund with Alex Sinclair; Gary Frank with Brad Anderson
32pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S. (August 2021)

Rated “T+/Teen Plus”

Geiger created by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank

“God Bless America”

Geiger is a comic book series from writer Geoff Johns and artist Gary Frank.  Published by Image Comics, Geiger is set on a dying Earth in the years after a nuclear war ravaged the planet and focuses on a “walking bomb” hero.  Colorist Brad Anderson and letterer Rob Leigh complete the series' creative team.

Geiger is set 20 years after the nuclear conflict known as the “Unknown War” ravaged the planet, turning Earth into a dying world.  In the state of Nevada, desperate outlaws battle for survival in a world of rapidly disappearing resources and supplies.  In Boulder City, Nevada, there resides the fearsome man known by many names:  Joe Glow, The Meltdown Man, and the Walking Bomb, to name a few.  But before the war, he was simply a man named Tariq Geiger.  So who or what is Geiger, now?

Geiger #5 (“God Bless America”) opens with a recitation of the story up to this point.  Then, after a hard encounter with “the Organ People,” Geiger is in a state of radioactive disarray, and the children, Hailee and Henry, are in the custody of remnants of the old world.  These mysterious new figures are excited to now have the “nuclear football” that was in the children's possession, but they want to know how their late mother, Carolina, came to have it.

When a heartbreaking revelation causes Geiger to break with this happy paradise, their new pals call upon an ancient warrior.  Meanwhile, the King, formerly “the Prince,” and his “Nuclear Knights” continue to track Geiger.

THE LOWDOWN:  As first issues go, Geiger #1 was mostly an introduction, kind of like a prologue.  It introduced the title character, Geiger, giving readers a look at who he was in the past and a glance at who he is now.  Geiger #2 went inside Las Vegas.  With Geiger #3, Geoff Johns began to excavate the heart of the character drama and the passion of old grudges and conflicts.  With Geiger #4, Johns executed his first game changer – in terms of Geiger and the children's fates – and readers got a Mad Max 2/The Road Warrior action sequence.

Geiger #5 is the penultimate issue of the series' first story arc.  Geoff Johns offers the series' most emotionally fulfilling chapter, and he elevates the children from mere pawns into major characters that deliver turning points in the narrative.

As in the third issue, Gary Frank's art captures the emotions and passions of intimate moments and of pivotal scenes in Geiger #5.  The storytelling pours the hotter blood of the relationships of the past that shape the present of Geiger's narrative.  Close-ups are painfully familiar, but that makes this fifth issue in which things seem to matter the most.

I'm all in on Geiger now, and I highly recommend it.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Geoff Johns and Gary Frank will want to check out Geiger.

A

★★★★+ out of 4 stars

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


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#IReadsYou Review: STATIC: Season One #1

STATIC (SEASON ONE) #1 (OF 6)
DC COMICS/Milestone Media

STORY: Vita Ayala
LAYOUTS: ChrisCross
FINISHES: Nikolas Draper-Ivey
COLORS: Nikolas Draper-Ivey
LETTERS: Andworld Design
EDITOR: Chris Conroy
PRODUCERS: Reginald Hudlin and Denys Cowan for Milestone Media
COVER: Khary Randolph with Emilio Lopez
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Shawn Martinbrough with Chris Sotomayor; Nikolas Draper-Ivey; Denys Cowan with Brad Anderson; Olivier Coipel with Brad Anderson
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S., (August 2021)

Rating: 13+

Milestone and Static created by Dwayne McDuffie, Denys Cowan, Michael Davis, and Derek T. Dingle

Episode One: Trial by Fire

Milestone Comics was the publishing division of Milestone Media, and its comic book titles were published and distributed by DC Comics.  Milestone was founded in 1993 by a coalition of African-American artists and writers, consisting of Dwayne McDuffie, Denys Cowan, Michael Davis, and Derek T. Dingle.  Milestone Media's founders believed that minorities were severely underrepresented in American comic books and wished to address this.  In 1993, Milestone Media launched its first four titles Icon, Blood Syndicate, Static, and Hardware, but DC Comics ceased publication of all Milestone Comics titles in 1997.

Static, Milestone's most popular superhero character, first appeared in Static #1 (cover dated: June 1993).  Static is Virgil Ovid Hawkins, an African-American teenage boy who is a member of a subspecies of humans with superhuman abilities known as “metahumans.”  Static's origin has changed since he first debuted, and now, he has gained his powers after an incident exposed him to a radioactive chemical, making Virgil capable of electromagnetic control and generation.

Both Milestone and Static are back with the launch of the new comic books series, Static (Season One), also known as Static: Season One.  The series is written by Vita Ayala; drawn by ChrisCross (layouts) and Nikolas Draper-Ivey (finishes); colored by Draper-Ivey; and lettered by Andworld Design.  The new comic book focuses on a bullied nerd who gains super-powers, only to discover that his enemy has also gained powers.

Static: Season One #1 (“Trial by Fire”) opens in Dakota City, USA in the aftermath of the “Big Bang.”  That incident happened at a “Black Lives Matter” rally that turned insane when the police released an experimental tear gas on the protesters.  Some people were maimed or died; others gained  stunning new abilities and powers.  Bullied nerd, 16-year-old Virgil Hawkins, gained powers.

Virgil has power inside him now, real power that he constantly hears and feels buzzing inside him.  He has the ability to channel and manipulate electromagnetic fields, but Virgil also has anger burning inside him.  One of his classmates, the bully Francis Stone, has already felt Virgil's power.  But Francis, who calls himself “Hotstreak,” also has power inside him, and he is ready for some payback.

THE LOWDOWN:  In the original 1990s Static, Virgil Ovid Hawkins was essentially a 1990s, African-American version of the early 1960s teenage Peter Parker/Spider-Man.  Like that classic character, Virgil/Static struggled at becoming a superhero and had to deal with what it did to his life.

Writer Vita Ayala and artists ChrisCross Nikolas Draper-Ivey present a Virgil Hawkins who is a Black teenager coming of age in this era of protests that was launched by the death of an African-American man, George Floyd, (May 25, 2020), murdered by the hands (and knee) of a White police officer.

Ayala presents Virgil as an African-American teen who may be bullied, but does not even understand the idea that he should defer, know his place, or be a second class citizen.  Will he fight back against those who attack him or turn the other cheek … or is there an entirely different path that others have not imagined?  After reading this first issue, I feel that Ayala is going to take us, dear readers, on a journey of questions and answers, but one also filled with superhero action.

The compositions and colors by Nikolas Draper-Ivey remind me of the quirky animation of the 2018 film, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, crackling with eye-popping colors and striking graphics.  It is as if Nikolas wants us to feeling the shimmering, crackling, and buzzing inside Virgil.  ChrisCross (layouts) and Draper-Ivey move the story through this issue like an electric charge running along a line, and for the final page, Cross/Nikolas gives us a … static shock.  The drama, tension, and conflict practically bleed off the page.

I thought that I would like Static: Season One #1, but I am surprised by how much I like it.  By the end, I could have read another forty pages.  If Milestone fans were unsure about moving on, this first issue will make them happy for this re-imagining of a Black superhero for the BLM generation.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Milestone Comics will want Static Season One.

A

★★★★+ out of 4 stars

[This comic book has a tribute from Denys Cowan and Chris Conroy to the late comic book artist, John Paul Leon (1972-2021), who drew the first Static comic book.  This comic book also includes a “DC Nation” “Spotlight On” interview with Joshua Williamson about Infinite Frontier #1.]

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


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#IReadsYou: GEIGER #4

GEIGER #4
IMAGE COMICS/Mad Ghost

STORY: Geoff Johns
ART: Gary Frank
COLORS: Brad Anderson
LETTERS: Rob Leigh
EDITOR: Pat McCallum and Brian Cunningham
COVER: Gary Frank with Brad Anderson
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Brad Walker; Shawn Martinbrough; Gary Frank
32pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S. (July 2021)

Rated “T+/Teen Plus”

Geiger created by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank

“The Organ People”

Geiger is a comic book series from writer Geoff Johns and artist Gary Frank.  Published by Image Comics, Geiger is set on a dying Earth in the years after a nuclear war ravaged the planet and focuses on a “walking bomb” hero.  Colorist Brad Anderson and letterer Rob Leigh complete the series' creative team.

Geiger is set 20 years after the nuclear conflict known as the “Unknown War” ravaged the planet, turning Earth into a dying world.  In the state of Nevada, desperate outlaws battle for survival in a world of rapidly disappearing resources and supplies.  In Boulder City, Nevada, there resides the fearsome man known by many names:  Joe Glow, The Meltdown Man, and the Walking Bomb, to name a few.  But before the war, he was simply a man named Tariq Geiger.  So who or what is Geiger, now?

Geiger #4 (“The Organ People”) opens with another flashback reveal of Tariq's past life.  Now, it's time for Geiger and the siblings, Hailee and Henry, to begin their journey to the place on the map the children's later mother, Candace, gave to them.  Early in the journey, they meet “the Organ People,” and things change.

Meanwhile, back in Vegas, the identity of “the Beast” is revealed.  Plus, rival casino bosses strike a dangerous bargain.

THE LOWDOWN:  As first issues go, Geiger #1 was mostly an introduction, kind of like a prologue.  It introduced the title character, Geiger, giving readers a look at who he was in the past and a glance at who he is now.  Geiger #2 went inside Las Vegas.  With Geiger #3, Geoff Johns began to excavate the heart of the character drama and the passion of old grudges and conflicts.

With Geiger #4, Johns executes his first game changer – in terms of Geiger and the children's fates.  Readers, however, will love the Mad Max 2/The Road Warrior action sequence and the A Boy and His Dog vibe.

In the third issue, Gary Frank's pencil art captures the emotions, passions, and hotter blood of the relationships of the past that shape the present of Geiger's narrative.  In this fourth issue, Frank goes back to the kind of action comic book art and graphical storytelling that he regularly executes as a superstar superhero comic book artist.  He makes Geiger #4 a bracing read.

I'm all in on Geiger now, and I highly recommend it.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Geoff Johns and Gary Frank will want to check out Geiger.

A

8 out of 10

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


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#IReadsYou Review: ROBIN #1

ROBIN #1 (2021)
DC COMICS – @DCComics

STORY: Joshua Williamson
ART: Gleb Melnikov
LETTERS: Troy Peteri
EDITOR: Paul Kaminski
COVER: Gleb Malnikov
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Gleb Melnikov; Riccardo Federici; Andy Kubert with Brad Anderson; Jeehyung Lee
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (June 2021)

Rating: Age 13+

Batman created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson

“Versus the World!”

One of the most famous sidekicks in pop culture, Robin is a DC Comics superhero character.  The original Robin's civilian identity was Dick Grayson, the ward of millionaire Bruce Wayne and therefore the sidekick of Wayne's superhero alter ego, Batman.  Robin/Dick Grayson was originally created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger, and Jerry Robinson and first appeared in Detective Comics #38 (cover date:  April 1940).  Eventually, Dick Grayson became a new superhero, Nightwing, and over the last 30 years, there have been other Robins.

Damian Wayne is the son of Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul, and thus, is also the grandson of Batman villain, Ra's al Ghul, Talia's father.  An unnamed male infant credited as Batman and Talia's child first appeared in the original graphic novel, Batman: Son of the Demon (1987).  Other writers would later compose speculative stories about the child's life.  In Batman #655 (cover dated: September 2006), writer Grant Morrison reinterpreted that child as Damian Wayne, the centerpiece of the story arc, “Batman and Son,” in which he became the fifth character to assume the role of Robin.

As part of DC Comics' “Infinite Frontier” initiative, Damian Wayne is the star of a new ongoing comic book series, simply entitled Robin.  It is written by Joshua Williamson, drawn and colored by Gleb Melnikov; and lettered by Troy Peteri.  In this new series, Damian wants to prove that he is the greatest fighter in the world (DC Universe).

Robin #1 opens with the search for Damian Wayne.  Batman, Nightwing, Tim Drake/Robin, Orphan, Stephanie Brown, and Oracle can't find him.  It seems Damian is as “off the grid” as a person can be.  Elsewhere, Damian is taking on Sir Edmund Dorrance a.k.a. “The King Snake,” who, like Damian, is searching for the “League of Lazarus.”  It is this league that holds the “League of Lazarus Tournament.”  Held every 100 years, this secretive tournament gathers the best fighters in the world.

That is where Damian thinks he can prove that he is the best fighter in the world, but first, he will have to find the secret island where it is held.  That means he will need to win a special marker, and The King Snake wants that marker, too.

THE LOWDOWN:  It seems that if Damian Wayne a.k.a. “Robin” is going to have an ongoing comic book series, it should not simply be another entry in the “Batman family” of titles.  Damian needs a goal or a mission.  His quest to be the best by taking on the world's most deadly combatants sounds like a good idea.  What is even better is that Damian's hubris and his lack of knowledge of those that he will face present obstacles and conflicts that are comic book narrative gold.  So, in this first issue, writer Joshua Williamson offers a good set-up slash introductory chapter that will keep readers interested – at least for a few issues.

The art by Gleb Melnikov is stylistically appropriate for this series, but Melnikov's compositions are wild, untamed, and untrained.  He isn't anywhere near being called a draftsman, and his illustrative techniques … well, he is weak on the techniques of graphical storytelling.  I don't mean to say that he cannot tell a story using the medium of the comic book; the storytelling is clear, while the drawing is a bit chaotic.  On the other hand, his Robin #1 cover art is beautiful, and I have seen some of Melnikov's cover art and single-page illustrations, and they are also visually and/or graphically striking.

Melnikov's influences show, and to be honest, every page and some times every panel shows a new influence.  I see Art Adams and early Joe Madureira.  There is some early Tony S. Daniel – think the Tony Daniels of The Tenth (Image Comics).  There is some Jim Lee and a little Rob Liefeld.  I think Gleb Melnikov has the potential to become a superstar artist, and the process of doing a monthly comic book title may bring that out.  Right now, as I've already stated, his drawing is raw, but, at the same time, I must admit that he is already a sharp colorist.

Troy Peteri's lettering also provides a nice balance to the tone of the story.  He creates a steady rhythm that heightens the intensity of the violent, Mortal Kombat-like battles.  So, this new Robin comic book is definitely worth another look or two.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Damian Wayne will want to read Robin.

A

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


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#IReadsYou Review: GEIGER #3

GEIGER #3
IMAGE COMICS/Mad Ghost

STORY: Geoff Johns
ART: Gary Frank
COLORS: Brad Anderson
LETTERS: Rob Leigh
EDITOR: Pat McCallum
COVER: Gary Frank with Brad Anderson
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Jeff Lemire; Lee Weeks; Gary Frank
32pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S. (June 2021)

Rated “T+/Teen Plus”

Geiger created by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank

“Fallout”

Geiger is a new comic book series from writer Geoff Johns and artist Gary Frank.  Published by Image Comics, Geiger is set on a dying Earth in the years after a nuclear war ravaged the planet.  Colorist Brad Anderson and letterer Rob Leigh complete the series' creative team.

Geiger is set 20 years after the nuclear conflict known as the “Unknown War” ravaged the planet, turning Earth into a dying world.  In the state of Nevada, desperate outlaws battle for survival in a world of rapidly disappearing resources and supplies.  In Boulder City, Nevada, there resides the fearsome man known by many names:  Joe Glow, The Meltdown Man, and the Walking Bomb, to name a few.  But before the war, he was simply a man named Tariq Geiger.  So who or what is Geiger, now?

As Geiger #3 (“Fallout”) opens, a flashback reveals Tariq's past life when he began his fight against cancer.  Back in the present, Tariq, now known as “Geiger,” has saved two siblings, Hailee and Henry, from Nightcrawlers.  What will he do with these kids … when all he wants to be is alone?

Meanwhile, another flashback reveals Geiger's first encounter with the young King of Camelot and his Knights.  With this King spoiling for revenge, Geiger may have to take a serious look at whatever these two children's plans are.

THE LOWDOWN:  As first issues go, Geiger #1 was mostly an introduction, kind of like a prologue.  It introduced the title character, Geiger, giving readers a look at who he was in the past and a glance at who he is now.  Geiger #2 went inside Las Vegas.

With Geiger #3, Geoff Johns begins to excavate the heart of the character drama and the passion of old grudges and conflicts.  It feels like the third issue is the first one with some real emotion in the story.

In this third issue, Gary Frank's pencil art captures the emotions, passions, and hotter blood of the relationships of the past that shape the present of Geiger's narrative.  Frank conveys the evil and petulance of the fake boy king in a way that strikes out at the reader, while he reveals Tariq/Geiger in layers that finally opens up the character to readers.  Brad Anderson's colors, however, keeps this “revealing” from dispelling the mystery by painting color and shadow in equal measure.

I'm all in on Geiger now, and I highly recommend it.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Geoff Johns and Gary Frank will want to check out Geiger.

A

[This comic book includes a preview of Ordinary Gods #1 by Kyle Higgins and Felipe Watanabe.]

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


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#IReadsYou Review: BATMAN: The Detective #1

BATMAN: THE DETECTIVE #1 (OF 6)
DC COMICS

STORY: Tom Taylor
ART: Andy Kubert
COLORS: Brad Anderson
LETTERS: Clem Robins
EDITOR: Ben Abernathy
COVER: Andy Kubert with Brad Anderson
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Andy Kubert with Brad Anderson; Riccardo Federici
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (June 2021)

Rated: Age 13+

Batman created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger

“Batman The Detective” Part One

Batman: The Detective is a new six-issue comic book miniseries.  It is written by Tom Taylor; drawn by Andy Kubert; colored by Brad Anderson; and lettered by Clem Robins.  This miniseries takes Batman on a harrowing, action-packed European adventure, in which he will meet new allies … and new enemies.

Batman: The Detective #1 opens 36,000 feet above Lancashire, England aboard Wayne Airlines, Flight 89.  It is flying from Gotham City to London with 147 passengers when tragedy strikes – and it is all Batman's fault.  This very personal and deadly message draws Batman out of Gotham to investigate, but waiting for him is an old ghost and also a name – “Equilibrium.”  This story guest-stars Knight (Beryl Hutchinson) and introduces the new Squire (Amina).

THE LOWDOWN:  Many acclaimed artists have drawn a Batman comic book or comic book series.  My favorites tend to be artists who left their mark on Batman during the last three and a half decades of the twentieth-century:  Carmine Infantino, Neal Adams, Jim Aparo, Frank Miller, and David Mazzuchelli.  The twenty-first century has offered an entire new roster of Batman artists for me to love, including an artist who has been drawing some of the most beautiful Batman comic book art for the last 15 years, Andy Kubert.

I bought a copy of Batman: The Detective #1 so that my imagination could enjoy some gorgeous Andy Kubert Batman art, and I am still thumbing through the pages of this comic book.  Kubert's aquiline and muscular Batman/Bruce Wayne is like a coiled big cat.  My favorite Kubert Batman pages are those splash pages and partial splash pages in which Kubert fills those pages with a larger-than-life Batman or a larger-than-life character, sometimes wearing a Batman-like costume.  [Early in Kubert's run as the artist of the ongoing Batman comic book series, he drew a massive Bane in a Batman costume.  Wow!]

As for the story, Tom Taylor offers a clever gimmick and hook.  Still, I think Batman: The Detective #1 is mostly flat until the second half of the story.  There is, however, potential here, but not enough for me to spend $19.95 U.S. plus tax to read the remaining five issues.  Andy Kubert is the reason that I am giving this comic book a high grade.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Andy Kubert's Batman art will want to try Batman: The Detective.

B+

7 out of 10

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


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#IReadsYou Review: GEIGER #2

GEIGER #2
IMAGE COMICS/Mad Ghost

STORY: Geoff Johns
ART: Gary Frank
COLORS: Brad Anderson
LETTERS: Rob Leigh
EDITOR: Pat McCallum
COVER: Gary Frank with Brad Anderson
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Bryan Hitch; Mahmud Asrar; Gary Frank with Brad Anderson
32pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S. (May 2021)

Rated “T+/Teen Plus”

Geiger created by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank

Geiger is a new comic book series from writer Geoff Johns and artist Gary Frank.  Published by Image Comics, Geiger is set on a dying Earth in the years after a nuclear war ravaged the planet.  Colorist Brad Anderson and letterer Rob Leigh complete the series' creative team.

Geiger is set 20 years after the nuclear conflict known as the “Unknown War” ravaged the planet, turning Earth into a dying world.  In the state of Nevada, desperate outlaws battle for survival in a world of rapidly disappearing resources and supplies.  In Boulder City, Nevada, there resides the fearsome man known by many names:  Joe Glow, The Meltdown Man, and the Walking Bomb, to name a few.  But before the war, he was simply a man named Tariq Geiger.  So who or what is Geiger, now?

Geiger #2 opens with a flashback into Tariq's past life.  Then, the story moves fully into Las Vegas.  There, a waitress in the fiefdom of Camelot has a plan to save her children – her older child, daughter Hailee, and younger child, son Henry – from the perverted desires of the thugs that rule Camelot.

Carolina's plan involves a powerful relic from before the war.  Will this relic bring hope or finish what the war started?  It depends on who gets Carolina's prize – the “Casino Warlords of Las Vegas” or the monster called Geiger.

THE LOWDOWN:  As first issues go, Geiger #1 was mostly an introduction, kind of like a prologue.  It introduced the title character, Geiger, giving readers a look at who he was in the past and a glance at who he is now.  Honestly, Geiger #1 was not Geoff Johns or Gary Frank's best work.

Still, I was intrigued by the concept, and Geiger #2 starts to deliver on the series' potential.  I thought that once writer Geoff Johns took readers into Las Vegas the intensity would rise, and it does.  If Geiger is the hero of Geiger the comic book, Las Vegas, in the form of “Casino Warlords,” will be the source of the villains and adversaries.  From what we see of Vegas, I think Johns is promising lots of conflict and action-driven drama.

In Geiger, Frank's pencil art is rougher and less refined than his usual work, which, as I wrote before, is a good thing here.  Geiger is dark, and perhaps, it will be apocalyptic, so with colorist Brad Anderson, Frank is preparing us for action, but not the shiny, superhero kind.  I think I should keep following Geiger … for the time being.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Geoff Johns and Gary Frank will want to check out Geiger.

A-
7.5 out of 10

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


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#IReadsYou Review: GEIGER #1

GEIGER #1
IMAGE COMICS/Mad Ghost

STORY: Geoff Johns
ART: Gary Frank
COLORS: Brad Anderson
LETTERS: Rob Leigh
EDITOR: Pat McCallum
COVER: Gary Frank
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Erik Larsen; Jason Fabok; Gary Frank
32pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S. (April 2021)

Rated “T+/Teen Plus”

Geiger created by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank

Geiger is a new comic book series from writer Geoff Johns and artist Gary Frank.  Published by Image Comics, Geiger is set on a dying Earth in the years after a nuclear war ravaged the planet.  Colorist Brad Anderson and letterer Rob Leigh complete the series' creative team.

Geiger #1 opens 20 years after the nuclear war known as the “Unknown War” ravaged the planet, turning Earth into a dying world.  In the state of Nevada, desperate outlaws battle for survival in a world of rapidly disappearing resources and supplies.  But there is still time for myths and legends.

In the wasteland that was Boulder, Nevada, there is man even the most fearsome avoid.  People have given him a multitude of nicknames:  Joe Glow, The Meltdown Man, the Monster of Boulder City, the One Who Walks Outside Without a Suit, the Walking Bomb, and the Man of Mass Destruction, to name a few.  But before the war, he was simply a man named Tariq Geiger.  So who or what is Geiger, now?

THE LOWDOWN:  As first issues go, Geiger #1 is mostly an introduction, kind of like a prologue.  This first issue introduces the title character, Geiger, giving readers a look at who he was in the past and a glance at who he is now.

Honestly, Geiger #1 isn't Geoff Johns or Gary Frank's best work, but it is intriguing.  One has to consider what they have done as a creative team, such as the recently acclaimed Doomsday Clock, a sequel (of sorts) to Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' legendary comic book, Watchmen.  So Johns and Frank are not going to deliver “perfect ten” comic books every time they drop a new issue or graphic novel.

Frank's pencil art is rougher and less refined than his usual work, which is a good thing here.  It is as if Frank is letting readers now that Geiger isn't some superhero fast food or dessert.  Frank's compositions and graphical storytelling are edgy and bleak, and it all looks like he is indicating that he is embarking on something quite different from past works.  To go along with this, colorist Brad Anderson offers earthy tones instead of his usual bright superhero comics colors.

Writer Geoff Johns seems to be mixing genres in the creation of Geiger.  The post-apocalypse apparently has crime lords, mutants, and loners.  Geiger has elements that are similar to those found in Harlan Ellison's short story, “A Boy and His Dog” and in the Mad Max films.  There are probably elements from other fictions that I don't recognize, and future issues could reveal even more.  Letterer Rob Leigh keeps the pace nice and easy so that readers can slowly figure their way around Geiger.

Geiger intrigues me, but honestly, I am not sure that I would keep reading Geiger if I had to buy it.  But since I don't have to pay for it, I'll keep reading … for the time being.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Geoff Johns and Gary Frank will want to check out Geiger.

B+
7 out of 10

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


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#IReadsYou Review: THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS: The Golden Child #1

DARK KNIGHT RETURNS: THE GOLDEN CHILD No. 1
DC COMICS/Black Label

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Frank Miller
ART: Rafael Grampá
COLORS: Jordie Bellaire
LETTERS: John Workman and Deron Bennett
EDITOR: Mark Doyle
COVER: Rafael Grampa with Pedro Cobiaco
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Andy Kubert with Brad Anderson; Frank Miller with Alex Sinclair; Joelle Jones with Dave McCaig; Rafael Grampa with Pedro Cobiaco; Paul Pope with Jose Villarrubia
32pp, Color, $5.99 U.S. (February 2020)

Ages 17+

Batman created by Bob Kane with Bill Finger

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (also known as DKR) was a four-issue comic book miniseries starring Batman.  Published by DC Comics in 1986, this prestige-format comic book was written by Frank Miller; drawn by Miller (pencils) and Klaus Janson (inks); colored by Lynn Varley; and lettered by John Costanza, with the book covers drawn by Miller and Varley.

DKR told the tale of a 50-year-old Bruce Wayne, long retired as Batman, who dons the cape and cowl again to take on a new crime wave in Gotham City.  When an institutionalized Joker discovers that Batman has returned, he revives himself and begins a new crime wave of craziness.  Batman also battles Superman who is trying to force Batman back into retirement.

DRK was a smash hit, and from the time of its publication, it became a hugely influential comic book, especially on the editorial mindset of DC Comics.  There have been sequels to DKR, as well as other comic books set in its “universe.”  The most recent DKR comic book is Dark Knight Returns: The Golden Child.  It written by Frank Miller, drawn by Rafael Grampá; colored by Jordie Bellaire; and lettered by John Workman and Deron Bennett.  The Golden Child finds the heirs to the legacy of the Dark Knight and the Man of Steel taking on adversaries of their predecessors.

Dark Knight Returns: The Golden Child #1 opens three years after the events depicted in the nine-issue miniseries, Dark Knight III: The Master Race (2015-2017).  Lara, the daughter of Wonder Woman (Diana) and her consort, Superman, has spent that time learning to be more human.  After spending her life with the Amazons of Paradise Island, however, Lara has a great disdain for humans.  Carrie Kelley, the former Robin, has been growing into her new role as The Batwoman, after Bruce Wayne/Batman finally retired.

The Batwoman has been battling the Joker and his gang of Joker clones, who are in full rage as the day of the U.S. presidential election approaches.  [Although he is not named, President Donald Trump's image and presence are prominent throughout this comic book].  But Joker has found a new partner in a terrifying evil that has come to Gotham – Darkseid.  Now, Lara and Carrie must team-up to stop two evils, but their secret weapon, young Jonathan, “the golden child” (Lara's brother and Diana and Superman's son) is also the object of Darkseid's murderous desire.

I really like Dark Knight Returns: The Golden Child, but not because of Frank Miller's story.  It is a hot mess of sound and fury signifying nothing.  It is like someone's incorrect idea that the sound of Jack Kirby is not big (in relation to Darkseid, a character he created), but is histrionics.  Miller does offer a few good ideas, and he is one of the few mainstream comic book creators that could get away with not only casting Donald Trump in a DC Comics title, but also portraying him in an unflattering light.  Teaming-up Joker and Darkseid is not one of Miller's good ideas, and Miller's portrayal of Lara and Jonathan is a mixed bag.  But I can tell that Miller really loves Carrie Kelley, a character he created in DKR.  She is glorious as The Batwoman.

No, I don't love Dark Knight Returns: The Golden Child because of Frank Miller.  I love it because of Rafael Grampa, the Brazilian film director and comic book artist.  Grampa's style in Dark Knight Returns: The Golden Child is a mixture of Frank Miller's graphic style in both Batman: The Dark Knight Returns and in his Sin City series of miniseries and one-shot comic books and also of Scottish comic book artist Frank Quitely's graphic style.

Grampa's gorgeous illustrations and compositions look even better under Jordie Bellaire's inventive coloring and varietal of hues.  But even all that pretty art can't create superb graphical storytelling from Frank Miller's mish-mash of a story, except in a few places – the Batwoman sections of course.  Carrie Kelley is absolutely spectacular in the double-caped, leathery Bat-suit, which also looks like an actual man-sized bat.

Well, you can't get everything, although John Workman and Deron Bennett also deliver some fine-looking lettering.  So I'll be satisfied with Dark Knight Returns: The Golden Child #1 being one of the beautifully drawn and illustrated comic book one-shots that I have ever read.

8 out of 10

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

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#IReadsYou Review: DOOMSDAY CLOCK #2

DOOMSDAY CLOCK No. 2 (OF 12)
DC COMICS – @DCComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Geoff Johns
ART: Gary Frank
COLORS: Brad Anderson
LETTERS: Rob Leigh
COVER: Gary Frank with Brad Anderson
VARIANT COVERS: Gary Frank with Brad Anderson
32pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (February 2018)

Rated “T+” for Teen Plus

Watchmen created by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons

“Places We Have Never Known”

Watchmen was a comic book written by Alan Moore and drawn by Dave Gibbons and published by DC Comics in 1986 and 1987 as a 12-issue maxiseries (a term DC still uses).  Doomsday Clock is a new 12-issue miniseries (or “maxiseries”) from DC Comics.  It is written by Geoff Johns; drawn by Gary Frank; colored by Brad Anderson; and lettered by Rob Leigh.  Doomsday Clock will introduce characters from Moore and Gibbons' Watchmen into the main DC Comics Universe.

Doomsday Clock #2 (“Places We Have Never Known”) opens on the world in which Watchmen is set, a world that is about to die.  Ozymandias, the man who betrayed the world because he schemed to bring about peace among nations and mankind, has a new scheme – to save the world... again!  But he needs to find Dr. Manhattan, whom he has tracked to another Earth, one similar to his own.  So Ozymandias, Rorschach, and the homicidal duo, the Marionette and the Mime, take a trip to that Earth.

Meanwhile, in Gotham City, Bruce Wayne is locked in a mortal struggle to keep Lex Luthor from taking over Wayne Enterprises.  Wayne and Luthor are the two smartest men in the world, so what will they think of of Ozymandias and Rorschach's wild tales from another world?

After thirty years of watching DC Comics fuck the Watchmen chicken real hard, I was skeptical about Doomsday Clock.  But I gots to keep it real.  I really like this, and I like Doomsday Clock #2, more than I liked the first issue, which I really enjoyed.

Between the Batman: Earth One series and this, Geoff Johns is writing some excellent comics featuring Batman, and this one is so delicious.  Rorschach vs. Batman; Ozymandias vs. Lex Luthor; the conniving and murderous Marionette and Mime; and a surprise pop-up hero/villain.  It is Geoff John's Christmas present to DC Comics fans.

As I wrote in my review of the first issue, Gary Frank is no Dave Gibbons, but Frank is quite good and his drawing style is similar to Gibbons.'  For all that he is stylish and skillful, Frank is a superb storyteller.  Practically every panel is a visually striking image, and every panel drives the story forward.  Wow, Frank's art could create a fanboy riot.

Now, I am not so sure that Geoff Johns and Gary Frank can not produce in Doomsday Clock something nearly as good as Watchmen.  Doomsday Clock may never be as memorable as Watchmen, but it could come close to being as good...

9 out of 10

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


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Review: ACTION COMICS #1001

ACTION COMICS No. 1001
DC COMICS – @DCComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Brian Michael Bendis
ART: Patrick Gleason
COLORS: Alejandro Sanchez
LETTERS: Josh Reed
COVER: Patrick Gleason with Brad Anderson
VARIANT COVER: Francis Manapul
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (September 2018)

Rated “T” for “Teen”

Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster

“Invisible Mafia”

DC Comics' Superman comic books enter a new era with a new head writer and a new Superman #1 issue (the third in seven years).  Superman is the most famous DC Comics superhero character.  Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, Superman first appeared in Action Comics #1 (cover dated: June 1938).  And now a thousand issues later, Brian Michael Bendis is the writer of Action Comics.  His creative cohorts on Action Comics include artist Patrick Gleason, colorist Alejandro Sanchez, and letterer Josh Reed.

Action Comics #1001 (“Invisible Mafia”) finds Superman stopping a armed burglary.  Then, Superman is back to being Clark Kent, and returns to his job at the venerable newspaper, The Daily Planet.  That is where Clark Kent learns that someone has accused Superman of being the arsonist responsible for a rash of horrible apartment fires that have spread across the city of Metropolis.  The truth may be connected to a shadowy cabal, but can Superman convince people that he is not an arsonist when some of them are starting to be suspicious of the Man of Steel?

As I have already written a few times, I really want to like Brian Michael Bendis' Superman comic books.  For the most part, I enjoyed his debut series, The Man of Steel, a six-issue miniseries, and his recent Superman #1.

I think that I like Action Comics #1001 the most, at least by a little.  Patrick Gleason's illustrations bring out the best of Bendis' script for this issue.  His story is a mix of workplace intrigue and comedy; a little detective story, and super-powered conspiracy.  Gleason works the drama and humor in such a subtle way that I found myself surprised that some moment of the story really hit me.  Bendis spends so much of the story working and playing with a large cast of characters, a variety of genders, ages, and ethnicity, and Gleason captures the breath of Bendis' character drama.

Alejandro Sanchez's colors are lush, but are also evocative in the way they reveal the personality of both the characters and the stories.  Letterer Josh Reed deftly spreads out all those balloons it takes to turn Bendis' dialogue into comic book graphics.

I like Action Comics #1001, and I give it a high recommendation without reservation.

8 out of 10

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


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

Review: DOOMSDAY CLOCK #1

DOOMSDAY CLOCK No. 1 (OF 12)
DC COMICS – @DCComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Geoff Johns
ART: Gary Frank
COLORS: Brad Anderson
LETTERS: Rob Leigh
COVER: Gary Frank with Brad Anderson
VARIANT COVERS: Gary Frank with Brad Anderson; Gary Frank; Dave Gibbons (lenticular cover)
40pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (January 2018)

Rated “T+” for Teen Plus

Watchmen created by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons

“That Annihilated Place”

Watchmen was a limited series comic book written by Alan Moore and drawn by Dave Gibbons.  It was initially published by DC Comics in 1986 and 1987 as a 12-issue maxiseries (a term DC still uses).  Since that time, DC has published the entire series in numerous paperback and hardcover collections and limited editions.

Doomsday Clock is a new 12-issue miniseries or “maxiseries” from DC Comics.  It is written by Geoff Johns; drawn by Gary Frank; colored by Brad Anderson; and lettered by Rob Leigh.  Doomsday Clock will introduce characters from Moore and Gibbons' Watchmen into the main DC Comics Universe.

Doomsday Clock #1 (“That Annihilated Place”) opens on November 22, 1992 on the world in which Watchmen is set.  The story opens in the aftermath of the apparent revelation of Ozymandias' scheme to bring peace among nations and mankind to the Earth (as seen in Watchmen #12).  However, the world is now on the brink of destruction, and Ozymandias is a wanted man.

Rorschach, whose diary revealed Ozymandias' scheme, is believed to be dead, but he is alive and in prison.  Is this the same Rorschach who was once a colleague of Ozymandias and later, his ultimate challenger?  And what does Rorschach want of a fellow prisoner?

In the thirty years since it first published Watchmen, DC Comics has not been able to publish any superhero comic book that was nearly as popular or as influential as Moore and Gibbons' masterpiece.  While I think that Watchmen was one of the best comic books of its time, I don't think that it is the “greatest comic book of all time,” as some think, and I have moved on.

DC Comics has not, and that is why it published, beginning in 2012, “Before Watchmen,” a series of miniseries (and a single-issue comic book) set in the world of and taking place before Watchmen.  Because DC cannot move on and/or cannot replicate Watchmen, we now have Doomsday Clock, a kind of sequel.

I have to admit to liking Doomsday Clock #1.  The first issue intrigues, but it requires that readers have more than a passing knowledge of Watchmen in order to fully enjoy it.  Geoff Johns is nowhere near as good or as imaginative a comic book writer as Alan Moore, but Johns, at times, can be quite good and inventive at times, also.

While Gary Frank is no Dave Gibbons, Frank's drawing style is similar to Gibbons', and Frank is stylish and skillful.  I also think that Frank has the talent to deliver great comics works, but thus far in his career, he has only produced pretty art in a number of high-quality comic books that are often little more than entertainment product – McComics, if you will.  Some of those I would call exceptional, but, like a lot of comic book artists, Frank has yet to find a writer that can not only bring out of his best work, but also challenge him to deliver a masterpiece.

So I do not think that Geoff Johns and Gary Frank will produce in Doomsday Clock anything nearly as impressive or as memorable as Watchmen.  I do think Johns and Frank could produce a comic book that is better than most superhero comic books that DC Comics currently publishes or has published in the last 30 years.  Doomsday Clock #1 hints that it could happen.

A
8 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 for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: NEW CHALLENGERS #1

NEW CHALLENGERS No. 1
DC COMICS – @DCComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Scott Snyder and Aaron Gillespie
PENCILS: Andy Kubert
INKS: Klaus Janson
COLORS: Brad Anderson
LETTERS: Deron Bennett
EDITOR: Rebecca Taylor
COVER: Andy Kubert with Brad Anderson
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (July 2018)

Rated “T” for Teen

Challengers of the Unknown created by Jack Kirby

Part 1

DC Comics has launched a new superhero comic book initiative, “The New Age of DC Heroes,” coming out of its Dark Nights: Metal event miniseries.  This line of comic books will consist of eight new comic book series:  The Curse of Brimstone, Damage, The Immortal Men, Sideways, The Silencer, The Terrifics, The Unexpected, and the subject of this review, New Challengers.

New Challengers is the seventh release (with only The Unexpected still due).  The series is written by Scott Snyder and Aaron Gillespie; drawn by Andy Kubert (pencils) and Klaus Janson (inks); colored by Brad Anderson; and lettered by Deron Bennett.  New Challengers is a reboot of the Jack Kirby creation, Challengers of the Unknown.  This feature focused on group of adventurers that first appeared in Showcase #6 (cover dated: February 1957) and appeared off-and-on in various forms and in comic books over the next six decades.

New Challengers #1 takes place during the events depicted in Dark Nights: Metal.  Trina Alvarez, Robert Brink, Moses Barber, and a man who insists on being called “Krunch” are dead.  Their first post-mortem stop is Challengers Mountain, and now it is time for them to meet the mysterious “Professor,” or as he calls himself, “The Prof.”  He is giving these “misfit strangers” a second chance at life, but only if they obey the orders of the Prof and execute deadly missions in the most unexplored corners of the multiverse.  And before the first mission even begins, one them dies!

I can say that I am intrigued by New Challengers.  I am a fan of artist Andy Kubert and have been for almost three decades, so I tend to want to read any comic book that he draws.  However, although Kubert's pencil art is inked by the great Klaus Janson, this is far from being close to Kubert's best work  The page design is impressive, but the storytelling does not aspire to be anything more than professionally polished.  Brad Anderson covers Kubert-Janson's compositions in his shimmering, evocative colors.  Deron Bennett wrangles the Challengers Mountain worth of dialogue in this first issue with sterling lettering and graphic design.  So that does make things, from a graphical storytelling point of view, a little better.

Writers Scott Snyder and Aaron Gillespie tease as much as they leave things about this story vague.  I thought too much about this first issue was coy.  Would it have killed DC Comics to make all first issues of “New Age” titles double-sized?  New Challengers #1 definitely needs to be at least regular-size and a half.  Twenty pages is a joke; 30 pages would have made this a better first issue.  Honestly, as it is, New Challengers #1 is only a little above average, but I will try the second issue.

6 out of 10

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


The text is copyright © 2018 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: THE CURSE OF BRIMSTONE #1

THE CURSE OF BRIMSTONE No. 1
DC COMICS – @DCComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Philip Tan & Justin Jordan
SCRIPT: Justin Jordan
ART: Philip Tan
COLORS: Rain Beredo
LETTERS: Wes Abbott
COVER: Philip Tan with Rain Beredo
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (June 2018)

Rated “T” for Teen

The Curse of Brimstone created by Justin Jordan and Philip Tan

“Inferno” Part 1

DC Comics has launched a new superhero comics initiative, “The New Age of DC Heroes,” coming out of its Dark Nights: Metal event miniseries.  This line of comic books will consist of eight new comic book series:  Damage, The Immortal Men, New Challengers, Sideways, The Silencer, The Terrifics, The Unexpected, and the subject of this review, The Curse of Brimstone.

The Curse of Brimstone is created by writer Justin Jordan and artist Philip Tan.  The series is colored by Rain Beredo; and lettered by Wes Abbott.  The series focuses on a young man who would do anything to save his small town, even make a deal with the devil.

The Curse of Brimstone #1 opens in the small, forgotten rural town of York Hills.  Once it was a coal mining town.  Then, it was a factory town.  Now, it is neither.  Schools and businesses have closed, and many of its citizens have moved away.  Joe Chamberlain is trapped here in this no-nothing town, and he has no prospects of getting out.  He is too poor to move, and he cannot afford school.  However, Joe is determined that his sister, Annie, who is smart, not get trapped in York Hills.

Enter the mysterious Mr. Salesman.  He has an offer to make Joe Chamberlain, one that is supposed to save York Hills and give Joe a really good job... and the curse of Brimstone.

The Curse of Brimstone #1 is mostly set-up with some teasing, but what Justin Jordan and Philip Tan are offering with this first issue is quite intriguing.  I really know what is going on here.  I honestly cannot wait for the second issue, which I cannot say about all the “New Age of Heroes” titles.

Graphically, The Curse of Brimstone #1 looks like a Vertigo comic book and has more than a passing resemblance to the art of Steve Bissette, John Totleben, and Tatjana Wood for the 1980s iteration of Swamp Thing written by Alan Moore.  The last four pages of The Curse of Brimstone #1 are visually and graphically explosive and fiery, and they cast a spell on me.  I feel cursed to return for at least a few more issues.

7.5 out of 10

[This comic book contains a preview of New Challengers #1 by Scott Snyder, Aaron Gillespie, Andy Kubert, Klaus Janson, Brad Anderson, and Deron Bennett.]

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


The text is copyright © 2018 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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