DC Comics from Diamond Distributors for November 21, 2018

DC COMICS

SEP180422    AMERICAN CARNAGE #1 (MR)    $3.99
SEP180423    AMERICAN CARNAGE #1 VAR ED (MR)    $3.99
SEP180416    AQUAMAN #42 (DROWNED EARTH)    $3.99
SEP180417    AQUAMAN #42 VAR ED (DROWNED EARTH)    $3.99
AUG180587    AQUAMAN WAR FOR THE THRONE TP NEW ED    $12.99
SEP180452    BATMAN #59    $3.99
SEP180453    BATMAN #59 VAR ED    $3.99
MAY180609    BATMAN BLACK & WHITE THE BATMAN WHO LAUGHS STATUE    $80.00
AUG180603    BATMAN BY MANAPUL AND BUCCELLATO DLX ED HC    $39.99
AUG180600    BATMAN KNIGHTQUEST THE SEARCH TP    $19.99
AUG180608    BRAVE AND THE BOLD BATMAN AND WONDER WOMAN HC    $24.99
SEP180461    COVER #3 (OF 6) (MR)    $3.99
SEP180462    COVER #3 (OF 6) VAR ED (MR)    $3.99
SEP180464    DAMAGE #11    $2.99
SEP180482    HARLEY QUINN #54    $3.99
SEP180483    HARLEY QUINN #54 VAR ED    $3.99
AUG180625    HARLEY QUINN BY KESEL & DODSON DLX ED HC VOL 02    $29.99
AUG180627    HARLEYS LITTLE BLACK BOOK TP    $24.99
SEP180489    INJUSTICE 2 ANNUAL #2    $4.99
SEP180418    JUSTICE LEAGUE #12 (DROWNED EARTH)    $3.99
SEP180419    JUSTICE LEAGUE #12 VAR ED (DROWNED EARTH)    $3.99
SEP180491    JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #5    $3.99
SEP180492    JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #5 VAR ED    $3.99
AUG180629    JUSTICE LEAGUE POWER RANGERS TP    $16.99
AUG180630    JUSTICE LEAGUE TP VOL 01 THE TOTALITY TP    $17.99
AUG180632    LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT NORM BREYFOGLE HC VOL 02    $49.99
SEP180496    LUCIFER #2 (MR)    $3.99
AUG180637    MOTHERLANDS TP (MR)    $16.99
SEP180499    NIGHTWING #53    $3.99
SEP180500    NIGHTWING #53 VAR ED    $3.99
SEP180501    PEARL #4 (OF 6) (MR)    $3.99
JUL180773    POWERS TP BOOK 01 NEW ED (MR)    $29.99
SEP180510    SIDEWAYS #10    $2.99
AUG180644    SUICIDE SQUAD REBIRTH DLX COLL HC BOOK 03    $34.99
SEP180518    TEEN TITANS #24    $3.99
SEP180519    TEEN TITANS #24 VAR ED    $3.99
SEP180520    TEEN TITANS GO #31    $2.99

IDW Publishing from Diamond Distributors for July 4, 2018

IDW PUBLISHING

MAR180514    ASSASSINISTAS #6 CVR A HERNANDEZ (MR)    $3.99
MAR180515    ASSASSINISTAS #6 CVR B SAUVAGE (MR)    $3.99
MAY180738    DELTA 13 #3 CVR A JONES    $3.99
DEC170504    DONALD & MICKEY QUARTERLY TREASURE MENACE IN VENICE CVR A NA    $5.99
DEC170505    DONALD & MICKEY QUARTERLY TREASURE MENACE IN VENICE CVR B CA    $5.99
MAR180459    DUNGEONS & DRAGONS EVIL AT BALDURS GATE #2 CVR A DUNBAR    $3.99
MAR180460    DUNGEONS & DRAGONS EVIL AT BALDURS GATE #2 CVR B CUMMINGS    $3.99
APR180334    GHOSTBUSTERS CROSSING OVER #4 CVR A SCHOENING    $3.99
APR180335    GHOSTBUSTERS CROSSING OVER #4 CVR B LATTIE    $3.99
APR180414    HIGHEST HOUSE #5 CVR A SHIMIZU    $4.99
APR180410    JOE HILL THE CAPE #1 GREATEST HITS ED CVR A HOWARD    $1.00
APR180411    JOE HILL THE CAPE FALLEN #1 CVR A HOWARD    $3.99
APR180412    JOE HILL THE CAPE FALLEN #1 CVR B DANIEL    $3.99
APR180341    JUDGE DREDD UNDER SIEGE #2 (OF 4) CVR A DUNBAR    $3.99
APR180342    JUDGE DREDD UNDER SIEGE #2 (OF 4) CVR B QUAH    $3.99
DEC170542    LITTLE BOOK OF KNOWLEDGE HC NEW HOLLYWOOD    $14.99
APR180419    LOWLIFES #1 CVR A BUCCELLATO    $3.99
APR180380    MY LITTLE PONY FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC #67 CVR A PRICE    $3.99
APR180381    MY LITTLE PONY FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC #67 CVR B RICHARD    $3.99
MAY180736    OCTOBER FACTION SUPERNATURAL DREAMS #5 CVR A WORM    $3.99
MAY180737    OCTOBER FACTION SUPERNATURAL DREAMS #5 CVR B WORM    $3.99
APR180338    ORPHAN BLACK CRAZY SCIENCE #1 CVR A OSSIO    $3.99
APR180339    ORPHAN BLACK CRAZY SCIENCE #1 CVR B BEALS    $3.99
APR180346    STAR TREK DISCOVERY SUCCESSION #3 CVR A HERNANDEZ    $3.99
APR180347    STAR TREK DISCOVERY SUCCESSION #3 CVR B PHOTO    $3.99
APR180350    STAR TREK NEW VISIONS AN UNEXPECTED YESTERDAY    $7.99
APR180407    SWORD OF AGES SPECIAL EDITION #1 CVR A RODRIGUEZ    $6.99
JAN180501    TANGLED #3 (OF 3) CVR A GRENO    $3.99
JAN180502    TANGLED #3 (OF 3) CVR B ZAPATA    $3.99
MAR180433    TMNT ONGOING (IDW) COLL HC VOL 07    $49.99
APR180365    TRANSFORMERS BUMBLEBEE MOVIE PREQUEL #1 CVR A GRIFFITH    $3.99
APR180366    TRANSFORMERS BUMBLEBEE MOVIE PREQUEL #1 CVR B OSSIO    $3.99
APR180357    TRANSFORMERS LOST LIGHT #19 CVR A ROCHE    $3.99
APR180358    TRANSFORMERS LOST LIGHT #19 CVR B ROCHE    $3.99
OCT170442    TRANSFORMERS WRECKERS SAGA TP    $29.99
FEB180366    WALT DISNEY COMICS & STORIES #742 CVR A CASTELLAN    $5.99
FEB180367    WALT DISNEY COMICS & STORIES #742 CVR B COPPOLA    $5.99

I Reads You Review: DETECTIVE COMICS #30

DETECTIVE COMICS #30
DC COMICS – @DCComics

WRITERS: Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato
ARTIST: Francis Manapul
COLORS: Brian Buccellato
LETTERS: Jared K. Fletcher
COVER: Francis Manapul
VARIANT COVER: Hermann Mejia
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (June 2014)

Rated T

Batman created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger

Icarus Part One
As a writer-artist duo, Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato launched The New 52 version of the Flash comic book series.  Now, they are the new creative team on Detective Comics.  Writer/artist Manapul and writer/colorist Buccellato start their run on the series with what looks to be a potent story arc, entitled Icarus.

Detective Comics #30 (Icarus Part One) finds Batman breaking up a kidnapping ring in Gotham City’s Chinatown.  Later, Bruce Wayne considers entering into a partnership with Elena Aquila and her Aquila Healthy Families Initiative.  That real estate development deal doesn’t sit well with everyone, including local politicians and a vicious crime boss known as “The Squid.”

I only read Flash #1 of The New 52 Flash series, but I really liked it and plan on returning to it and reading at least the Manapul-Buccellato issues.  If issue Detective Comics #30 is a good indication, this team’s run on this seminal Batman comic book series will be a good one.

I am especially impressed by Manapul’s imaginative and creative page design (especially the bottom third of Page 9 of the story).  This story arc is intriguing, made even more so by the coloring, which gives an added jolt of electricity that made me anticipate each page.  I’m ready to read issue #31 to get a better feel for the series, but right now, I like this enough to give it a high grade.

A-

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.

Review: The Black Bat #2

BLACK BAT #2
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT – @dynamitecomics

WRITER: Brian Buccellato
ARTIST: Ronan Cliquet
COLORS: Mat Lopes
LETTERS: Rob Steen
COVERS: Jae Lee (A), Joe Benitez (B), Ardian Syaf (C), Billy Tan (D), Marcos Martin (subscription cover)
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S.

Rated T+

“The Black Bat” was a character that appeared in Black Bat Detective Mysteries, a short-lived, 1930s pulp magazine, published for six issues. The first Black Bat is thought to have had an influence on The Batman, either through Bob Kane (the man solely credited with creating Batman) or Bill Finger (the first Batman writer and essentially the co-creator of the character) or both. There was also a second version of The Black Bat, influenced by the first.

Dynamite Entertainment recently returned this pulp hero from the 1930s to comics. Dynamite’s The Black Bat comic book stars Tony Quinn, a brash defense attorney for the mob who compromises his ethics for financial gain. When Tony refuses to commit murder, his gangster employers torture and blind him. It is a covert agency that rescues and gives Quinn a chance to make amends. Tony dons a cape and cowl and becomes the Black Bat in a quest of redemption to right the wrongs of his past

The Black Bat #2 opens with Tony as the Black Bat about to break up a drug shipment for the city’s drug lord, Oliver Snate. Tony’s baptism in fire becomes literal when a moral dilemma complicates the mission. Meanwhile, anger in the city continues to rise over the unsolved case of the missing policemen.

The first time I saw images of the cover art for The Black Bat #2, I was struck by how much it all looked similar to various Batman images and graphics. [I wonder how many times you can poke the lion that is DC Comics’ legal department?] Actually, instead of Batman, The Black Bat #2 reads like a blending of Doug Moench’s Moon Knight and Mike Baron’s The Punisher, and I rather enjoyed it.

Writer Brian Buccellato is more than competent, offering familiar “street level” comic book tales, with a character made interesting because his determination is matched by his ignorance. Ronan Cliquet is also more than competent as a graphical storyteller, and his composition and page design is nice. Cliquet’s art improves Buccellato’s script in terms of storytelling.

I liked The Black Bat #2. I might read future issues, but as I have access to digital review copies from Dynamite Entertainment, that declaration might be something of a cheat. Still, The Black Bat has promise.

B

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux

Review: The Black Bat #1

BLACK BAT #1
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT – @dynamitecomics

WRITER: Brian Buccellato
ARTIST: Ronan Cliquet
COLORS: Mat Lopes
LETTERS: Rob Steen
COVERS: J. Scott Campbell (A), Joe Benitez (B), Ardian Syaf (C), Billy Tan (D), Marcos Martin (subscription cover)
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S.

Rated T+

Dynamite Entertainment has brought The Black Bat back from the public domain comic book graveyard in a new comic book series. The character that appeared in Black Bat Detective Mysteries, a short-lived, 1930s pulp magazine, published for six issues. The first Black Bat is thought to have had an influence on the creation of The Batman.

The Black Bat #1 opens with the Black Bat kicking ass. He’s looking for Silk, a police snitch who will become his assistant. The story also goes into flashback mode in order to take a look at the man who would become the Black Bat, Tony Quinn. He was a brash defense attorney for the mob who compromised his ethics for financial gain. It cost him a lot, but now as the Black Bat he can seek redemption… or vengeance?

Images and graphics in The Black Bat resemble image and graphics in and perhaps the spirit of Batman comic books. However, what writer Brian Buccellato offers is closer to “street level” comic books that Marvel Comics has produced over the years, featuring characters like Daredevil, Moon Knight, and The Punisher. It’s vigilante vs. organized crime, and the superhero costume seems extraneous in the moody, urban fiction edge of Buccellato’s script.

Artist Ronan Cliquet has a graphic style and visual sense that is perfect for the comics yarn Buccellato spins. Cliquet’s compositions and designs are flashy in a Batman mode, but a bit earthier. Once again, crime fiction edges out costumes. Dynamite Entertainment’s The Black Bat does have potential.

B+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux

I Reads You Review: Hellblazer #300

HELLBLAZER #300
DC COMICS/VERTIGO – @DCComics

WRITER: Peter Milligan
LAYOUTS: Giuseppe Camuncoli
FINISHES: Stefano Landini
COLORS: Brian Buccellato
LETTERER: Sal Cipriano
COVER: Simon Bisley
48pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (April 2013)

Death and Cigarettes Finale: “Ash”

John Constantine is dead? Long live John Constantine?

With a cover date of January 1988 and cover price of $1.25, Hellblazer #1, starring John Constantine, debuted in late 1987. The creative team was writer Jamie Delano and artist John Ridgway. A little over 26 years later, the final issue of the series, Hellblazer #300, arrives with a cover date of April 2013 and a cover price of $4.99. The creative team is writer Peter Milligan and artists Giuseppe Camuncoli and Stefano Landini.

Yes, I was reading comic books in the 1980s, and I started reading The Saga of the Swamp Thing/Swamp Thing not quite a year into Alan Moore’s tenure as series writer. I remember being so excited about the John Constantine character. Moore had hinted at Constantine over the course of a year before he first appeared, in full, as a supporting character in The Saga of the Swamp Thing #37 (June 1985).

I remember reading an interview of Alan Moore (but I can’t remember which magazine), in which Moore stated that he’d created Constantine because of a request from Stephen R. Bissette and John Totleben, the artists on The Saga of the Swamp Thing. Like me, Bissette and Totleben were fans of the rock band, The Police, and they expressed a desire to Moore that they wanted to draw a character who looked like Sting, the lead singer and primary songwriter of the band.

Over the years, Constantine went from being a “supernatural advisor” and crafty sorcerer to a magus, occult detective, troubleshooter, and jack-of-all-trades slash supernatural go-to-guy. Along the way, he remained a popular and beloved character, and now, he’s dead, or at least his comic book series, Hellblazer, is, replaced by the new mainline DC Universe comic book series entitled Constantine.

Hellblazer #300 opens with Epiphany, John Constantine’s wife, in a state of extreme distress over John’s death, but wait! Isn’t that John walking into her apartment? No, it’s Finn, John’s chip-off-the-old-block nephew, and if you can’t have the real deal, have the related deal. Julian the shape-shifting demon and the Fates (doing the just checking up on Constantine-is-dead thing) enter the picture. There is also a settlement in the affairs of Constantine’s father-in-law, Terry Greaves. Plus, Chas stops by, and Constantine’s niece, Gemma, gets to make the final play.

I make infrequent visits to the closest comic book shop. I also receive numerous review copies (hard copies and PDFs), so I always have a comic book, graphic novel, or book to read. Hellblazer was not on the top of my list of priority reads, so Hellblazer #300 is the first time in over four years, at least, that I’ve read an issue of Hellblazer. I was only a little disappointed and upset upon hearing that DC Comics was ending Hellblazer and re-launching the title. What could I do about it? Did I honestly think Hellblazer would run another 26 years to reach issue #600? Would that even matter to me (or would I be around to care)? Please, take these as rhetorical questions or accept “yes” as the answer to all of them: you choose.

Like just about anything Peter Milligan writes, Hellblazer #300 is interesting. As I followed Milligan twist and turn his way to a resolution for this last Hellblazer story arc and for the series as a whole, I found myself more engaged, even a little enthralled. I just had to see how it all ended. Honestly, I wasn’t really engaged by Giuseppe Camuncoli and Stefano Landini’s art, but their graphical storytelling certainly captured the pop-voodoo vibe Milligan put into this comic book. You will either love or hate the ending, or maybe be perplexed.

Essentially, this is the end of the John Constantine that Moore, Bissette and Totleben introduced and to which numerous other writers, artists, and editors contributed, added, changed, etc. Perhaps, this is the way that Constantine should leave us – perplexed. It’s only fitting for so crafty a fellow.

A-

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux

Albert Avilla Reviews: Flash #0

Flash #0
DC Comics

Reviewed by Albert Avilla

Story: Francis Manapul & Brian Buccellato
Art: Francis Manapul

(Spoiler Alert)
This was a yakety yak issue if I ever read one. This was an in depth view into the same old same old. If you didn't know the Flash's origin, then, I would tell you to read this. The gang just told us a nice little yarn with me being no more enlightened than when I started. I knew Barry Allen was a good man before I read this story. What was new? He stayed in a coma. He won a spelling bee. His uniform had to be armor. The only action in the story was a bank robbery. I feel like I'm cheating you out of your time by writing this review, but you didn't pay $2.99 to read this. There is a good reason to call this issue #0. This did not reach the bar set by other #0 stories.

I rate Flash #0 Don't Waste Your Time and Cash.

The New 52 Review: SUPERMAN #1

SUPERMAN #1
DC COMICS

SCRIPT/BREAKDOWNS: George Pérez
ARTIST: Jesús Merino
COLORS: Brian Buccellato
LETTERS: Carlos M. Mangual
COVER: George Pérez and Brian Buccellato
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S.

Superman first appeared in Action Comics #1 (cover date June 1938) and received his eponymous title with the debut of Superman #1 (cover date June 1939). In 1986, following a DC Comics line-wide re-launch, a second Superman #1 debuted (January 1987). With the current re-launch of DC Comics’ superhero line, “The New 52,” a third Superman series begins.

As Superman #1 (“What Price Tomorrow?”) opens, the Daily Planet is undergoing changes that are cosmetic and substantive – both in major ways, and Clark Kent/Superman does not like it. The Planet has been merged with the Globe and both are part of the Planet Global Network (P.G.N.), with Lois Lane as a new boss. Clark doesn’t have much time to sulk about these developments because a gigantic alien being, seemingly made entirely of fire, is wrecking Metropolis.

It has been decades since I read George Pérez’s run on Wonder Woman as series writer/artist, which he did in the second half of the 1980s. Pérez was good at creating engaging ensemble drama and showed a talent for creating memorable supporting characters. With Superman, Pérez has several candidates for great supporting characters, including Morgan Edge, President and CEO of Galaxy Communications. It goes without saying that Pérez will have fun with Clark Kent and Lois Lane’s relationship. His dense storytelling brings a novelistic approach to comic book storytelling, so Superman will stand out from the rest of The New 52 because of that.

Series artist Jesús Merino’s art here reminds me of Jerry Ordway’s work on The Adventures of Superman back in the 1980s and 90s. Merino is delightfully old school, which means he can draw the characters and visually capture the details that bring out the rich storytelling in a dense script. Merino can do that in 22 pages, whereas many current artists would need 66 pages to come close to Merino.

A-

September 28th
AQUAMAN #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/10/aquaman-1.html
BATMAN THE DARK KNIGHT #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/10/batman-dark-knight-1.html
BLACKHAWKS #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/10/blackhawks-1.html
FLASH #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/10/flash-1.html
JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/10/justice-league-dark-1.html
VOODOO #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/10/voodoo-1.html

The New 52 Review: FLASH #1

"Fast and Furious"

FLASH #1
DC COMICS

WRITERS: Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato
ARTIST: Francis Manapul
COLORS: Brian Buccellato
LETTERS: Sal Cipriano
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S.

The Flash is a comic book superhero created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert. Flash’s power is super-speed, which includes the ability to run, move extremely fast, and use superhuman reflexes. The original Flash (or Golden Age Flash, as the character is known) first appeared in Flash Comics #1 (cover date January 1940). He was Jay Garrick, a college student who gained his speed through the inhalation of hard water vapors.

The best known Flash, “the Silver Age Flash,” first appeared in Showcase #4 (cover date October 1956). He is police scientist Barry Allen, who gained super-speed when bathed by chemicals after a shelf of them was struck by lightning. Allen took the name of The Flash after reading a comic book featuring the Golden Age Flash, whom he’d later meet.

As Flash #1 opens, it seems as if everyone is at the Central City Technology Symposium. Barry Allen is in attendance with his colleague and close friend, Patty Spivot. When armed men crash the symposium, Barry springs into action as Flash only to discover the involvement of an old friend – an old friend with a perplexing problem.

This new Flash title stands as one of my favorite of The New 52. Once upon a time, I was a huge fan of The Flash, but I never thought that I could love it as I once did. Co-writer/artist Francis Manapul and co-writer/colorist Brian Buccellato have turned in a gem of a comic book that is at once familiar as a Flash comic book, but also reads as something new. To me, it perfectly captures what The New 52 is supposed to be about, something accessible to new readers that is true to the character and its past.

As good as they are as a writing team, Manapul and Buccellato make an even better art team. Manapul has a pretty visual style built on solid compositions and the ability to draw just about anything. He has a clean, simple style that harks back to the Silver Age, but is thoroughly modern. Buccellato creates colors that seem right out of a Walt Disney animated feature (pre-CAPS); some pages of this comic book look like watercolors. Buccellato gives the art texture and even life.

I have to have more of this Flash.

A+

September 28th
AQUAMAN #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/10/aquaman-1.html
BATMAN THE DARK KNIGHT #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/10/batman-dark-knight-1.html
BLACKHAWKS #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/10/blackhawks-1.html
JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/10/justice-league-dark-1.html