Showing posts with label Celeb Adaptation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Celeb Adaptation. Show all posts

Thursday, September 5, 2024

#IReadsYou Review: ELVIRA Meets Vincent Price #3

ELVIRA MEETS VINCENT PRICE #3
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: David Avallone
ART: Juan Samu
COLORS: Walter Pereya
LETTERS: Taylor Esposito with Elizabeth Sharland
EDITOR: Joseph Rybandt
COVER: Dave Acosta
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Dave Acosta; Juan Samu; Anthony Marques and J. Bone
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (November 2021)

Rated Teen+

Chapter Three: “Raiders of the Lost Schlock”


In 1981, actress and model Cassandra Peterson created the “horror hostess character,” known as “Elvira.”  Elvira gradually grew in popularity and eventually became a brand name.  As Elvira, Peterson endorsed many products and became a pitch-woman, appearing in numerous television commercials throughout the 1980s.

Elvira also appeared in comic books, beginning in 1986 with the short-lived series from DC Comics, Elvira's House of Mystery, which ran for eleven issues and one special issue (1987).  Eclipse Comics and Claypool Comics began the long-running Elvira: Mistress of the Dark from 1993 to 2007.  In 2018, Elvira returned to comic books via Dynamite Entertainment in the four-issue comic book miniseries, Elvira Mistress of the Dark, that actually ran for 12 issues.

Vincent Price (1911–1993) was an American actor and a legendary movie star.  Price was and still is best known for his performances in horror films, although his career spanned other genres.  Price appeared in more than 100 films, but he also performed on television, the stage, and on radio.  Thus, he has two stars on the “Hollywood Walk of Fame,” one for motion pictures and one for television.

Elvira and Vincent Price team up for the first time in the comic book miniseries, Elvira Meets Vincent Price.  The series is written by David Avallone; drawn by Juan Samu; colored by Walter Pereyra; and lettered by Taylor Esposito with Elizabeth Sharland.  The series finds Elvira and Price searching for a long-lost cult movie, “Rise of the Ram,” because it contains an incantation that can save the world from destruction at the hands of the ancient Egyptian god, Amun-Ra.

As Elvira Meets Vincent Price #3 (“Raiders of the Lost Schlock”) opens, Elvira and Vincent travel to Cairo, Egypt in hopes of finding the one person who could still have a copy of “Rise of the Ram,” the film's screenwriter, Ahmed Alhazred.  Our ghoulish duo finds him at “The Pyramid Fields of Abu Sir,” conducting tours and doing archaeological work.  Elvira and Vincent get lucky, as Ahmed has even more good news for them about The Books of the End of All Things, a scroll that has suddenly become an important part of Elvira and Vincent's quest.

However, they are unaware that they are being stalked by the “Sons of the Desert.”  Even if they avoid that trouble, their main adversary is about to make her big appearance.

THE LOWDOWN:  Dynamite Entertainment's marketing department recently began providing me with PDF review copies of some of their titles.  One of them is Elvira Meets Vincent Price #3, which is the third issue of the series that I have read and one of many Dynamite Elvira comic books that I have thoroughly enjoyed.

I have been a fan of writer David Avallone's Elvira comic books for a few years now.  Once again, an issue of Elvira Meets Vincent Price reminds me, if I need a reminder (which I don't), why I love these comic books so much.  In this third issue, Avallone gifts his readers a game of cat-and-mouse among the pyramids.  His script is filled with sparkling comedy, witty asides, and enough cultural references to make Quentin Tarantino jealous.  I should not forget the funny bit players and supporting characters like the “Sons of the Desert” who may be a riff on a kind of silent movie stock villain.

Talented Spanish artist, Juan Samu's graphical storytelling and art creates a comic book that recalls screwball comedies and Bob Hope and Bing Crosby with Dorothy Lamour.  Walter Pereya's painterly colors light up the story in living color.  The lettering, by Taylor Esposito with Elizabeth Sharland, creates a delightful pitter-patter of breezy comedy and endless charm.

I could read another 100 pages of Elvira Meets Vincent Price #3; I'm addicted.  Dear readers, don't deny yourself this cure for the pandemic-time blues.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Elvira and of Vincent Price and of David Avallone's Elvira comic books will want to read Elvira Meets Vincent Price.

A

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


https://twitter.com/DAvallone
https://twitter.com/Juansamuart
https://twitter.com/DynamiteComics
https://www.dynamite.com/htmlfiles/
https://www.facebook.com/DynamiteComics/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNOH4PEsl8dyZ2Tj7XUlY7w
https://www.linkedin.com/company/dynamite-entertainment


The text is copyright © 2021 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).


Tuesday, January 2, 2024

#IReadsYou Review: ELVIRA Meets Vincent Price #1

ELVIRA MEETS VINCENT PRICE #1
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: David Avallone
ART: Juan Samu
COLORS: Walter Pereya
LETTERS: Taylor Esposito with Elizabeth Sharland
EDITOR: Joseph Rybandt
COVER: Dave Acosta
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Dave Acosta; Juan Samu; John Royle
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (August 2021)

Rated Teen+

Chapter One: “The Price is Right!”


In 1981, actress and model Cassandra Peterson created the “horror hostess character,” known as “Elvira.”  Elvira gradually grew in popularity and eventually became a brand name.  As Elvira, Peterson endorsed many products and became a pitch-woman, appearing in numerous television commercials throughout the 1980s.

Elvira also appeared in comic books, beginning in 1986 with the short-lived series from DC Comics, Elvira's House of Mystery, which ran for eleven issues and one special issue (1987).  Eclipse Comics and Claypool Comics began the long-running Elvira: Mistress of the Dark from 1993 to 2007.  In 2018, Elvira returned to comic books via Dynamite Entertainment in the four-issue comic book miniseries, Elvira Mistress of the Dark, that actually ran for 12 issues.

Vincent Price (1911–1993) was an American actor and a legendary movie star.  Price was and still is best known for his performances in horror films, although his career spanned other genres.  Price appeared in more than 100 films, but he also performed on television, the stage, and on radio.  Thus, he has two stars on the “Hollywood Walk of Fame,” one for motion pictures and one for television.

Elvira and Vincent Price team up for the first time in the comic book miniseries, Elvira Meets Vincent Price.  The series is written by David Avallone; drawn by Juan Samu; colored by Walter Pereyra; and lettered by Taylor Esposito with Elizabeth Sharland.  The series finds Elvira and Vincent searching for a long-lost movie in order to save the world.

Elvira Meets Vincent Price #1 opens after the events depicted in Elvira: The Omega Ma'am.  [This is a Kickstarter comic book that shipped to campaign supporters the first quarter of this year.]  Elvira and her writing partner, Eddie Mezzogiorno, are in the offices of a powerful streaming service.  The duo is (desperately) pitching ideas for new “Elvira” television series with no luck.  In fact, things have been a bit dark of late for the “Mistress of the Dark,” with the possibility of darker still to come.

After a night of drinking, Elvira experiences an intense dream-vision in which her “favorite all-time movie star” – living or dead – appears.  It's the late, but still great Vincent Price!  He needs Elvira's help to find a lost movie of his, but this match made in cinematic-Hades seems to have the forces of darkness aligned against them.

THE LOWDOWN:  I have been a fan of writer David Avallone's Elvira comic books for a few years now.  When Avallone is teamed with artist Dave Acosta, they deliver hugely-entertaining Elvira comic books; they are the “Misters of the Dark.”

For Elvira Meets Vincent Price, Avallone teams up with talented Spanish artist, Juan Samu, who has drawn Marvel Action Black Panther and Transformers comics for IDW Publishing.  Here, Samu's layouts and page designs deftly capture the wild mood swings of this first issue – from the banality of office spaces to the mirthful macabre of Elvira's dwellings and from the fever dreamscapes of Elvira to the crusty outback of the California film making industry.  Samu is also a man of a thousand facial expressions, as he is always conveying different character tempers and humors, panel per panel.  Walter Pereya's colors add a quality to the storytelling that is both lurid and dreamlike.

David Avallone's script is filled with sparkling and witty dialogue, the kind of which DC Comics' Harley Quinn comic books so desperately need.  Reading Avallone's dialogue for Vincent Price certainly made my imagination believe that Price was actually speaking.  The interplay of bold and plain text in the lettering by Taylor Esposito and Elizabeth Sharland balances the need for the script to be funny, and it also advances a plot.

So I encourage everyone looking for (really) funny macabre comedy to purchase and read Elvira Meets Vincent Price #1.  I want a sequel to this series, already.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Elvira and of Vincent Price and of David Avallone's Elvira comic books will want to read Elvira Meets Vincent Price.

A
9 out of 10

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


https://twitter.com/DAvallone
https://twitter.com/Juansamuart
https://twitter.com/DynamiteComics
https://www.dynamite.com/htmlfiles/
https://www.facebook.com/DynamiteComics/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNOH4PEsl8dyZ2Tj7XUlY7w
https://www.linkedin.com/company/dynamite-entertainment


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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

Amazon wants me to inform you that the affiliate link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the affiliate link below AND buy something(s).

Buy the Elvira Meets Vincent Price trade paperback collection here.


Thursday, July 20, 2023

#IReadsYou Review: KISS: Phantom Obsession #5

KISS: PHANTOM OBSESSION #5
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: Ian Edginton
ART: Celor
COLORS: Valentina Pinto
LETTERS: Troy Peteri
EDITOR: Joseph Rybandt
COVER: Jae Lee with June Chung
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Stuart Sayger; Tim Seeley; Celor
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (January 2022)

Rated Teen+

Kiss is an American, four-man, rock band.  It was formed in New York City in January 1973 by Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Ace Frehley, and Peter Criss, the original line-up that is also considered classic Kiss.  Kiss is best known for its members' face paint and stage outfits, and the group rose to prominence and gained a notorious reputation in the mid to late 1970s with its shocking live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood-spitting, and pyrotechnics.

Dynamite Entertainment obtained the license to produce comic books featuring Kiss' brand and began releasing Kiss comic books in 2016.  The latest comic book is Kiss: Phantom Obsession.  It is written by Ian Edginton; drawn by Celor; colored by Valentina Pinto; and lettered by Troy Peteri.  Phantom Obsession pits the band against Darius Cho, a powerful, super-wealthy, obsessed Kiss fan who wants more than some autographs.

As Kiss: Phantom Obsession #5 opens, Paul, Gene, Ace, and Peter learn the secrets of Darius Cho.  That means that they must also confront the secrets of Lyra Tzen, one of Cho's employees.  Since being kidnapped by Cho and presumed dead, KISS has faced it all:  megalomaniacs, giant monsters and robots, and now, a killer android.  Can the greatest Rock N' Roll band in the world survive its final showdown with the true mastermind behind it all?

THE LOWDOWN:  In July 2021, Dynamite Entertainment's marketing department began providing me with PDF review copies of some of their titles.  One of them is Kiss: Phantom Obsession #5, which is only the fifth Kiss comic book that I have ever read.

In the first four issues of Phantom Obsession, writer Ian Edginton offers a breezy adventure that is part Kiss comic book and part superhero comic book.  I thought that Phantom Obsession #4 was the best issue of the series, but issue #5 surpasses it.  The sad back story and the awful costs of a tech billionaire's arrogance and lack of self-awareness come full circle.

As this is the final issue of the miniseries, I think Phantom Obsession will read really nicely as a trade paperback.  For one thing, readers can see the evolution of the art team of illustrator Celor and colorist Valentina Pinto.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Kiss comic books will want to read Kiss: Phantom Obsession.

B

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


https://twitter.com/DynamiteComics
https://www.dynamite.com/htmlfiles/
https://www.facebook.com/DynamiteComics/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNOH4PEsl8dyZ2Tj7XUlY7w
https://www.linkedin.com/company/dynamite-entertainment


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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

Amazon wants me to inform you that the affiliate link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the affiliate link below AND buy something(s).


Tuesday, May 16, 2023

#IReadsYou Review: KISS: Phantom Obsession #4

KISS: PHANTOM OBSESSION #4
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: Ian Edginton
ART: Celor
COLORS: Valentina Pinto
LETTERS: Troy Peteri
EDITOR: Joseph Rybandt
COVER: Jae Lee with June Chung
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Stuart Sayger; Tim Seeley; Celor
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (December 2021)

Rated Teen+

Kiss is an American, four-man, rock band.  It was formed in New York City in January 1973 by Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Ace Frehley, and Peter Criss, the original line-up that is also considered classic Kiss.  Kiss is best known for its members' face paint and stage outfits, and the group rose to prominence and gained a notorious reputation in the mid to late 1970s with its shocking live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood-spitting, and pyrotechnics.

Dynamite Entertainment obtained the license to produce comic books featuring Kiss' brand and began releasing Kiss comic books in 2016.  The latest comic book is Kiss: Phantom Obsession.  It is written by Ian Edginton; drawn by Celor; colored by Valentina Pinto; and lettered by Troy Peteri.  Phantom Obsession pits the band against Darius Cho, a powerful, super-wealthy, obsessed Kiss fan who wants more than some autographs.

As Kiss: Phantom Obsession #4 opens, Paul, Gene, Ace, Peter, and Lyra Tzen, one of Cho's employees, are on the run from samurai androids known as “The Kingdom of Woes.”  While they find a new place to hide, Lyra tells the band the out-of-this-world origin story behind many of Darius Cho's scientific and technological innovations.

Then, they discover the fate of some of Cho's former employees.  Plus, Lyra's got a big secret.

THE LOWDOWN:  Dynamite Entertainment's marketing department recently began providing me with PDF review copies of some of their titles.  One of them is Kiss: Phantom Obsession #4, which is only the fourth Kiss comic book that I have ever read.

In Phantom Obsession, writer Ian Edginton continues to offer a breezy adventure that is part Kiss comic book and part superhero comic book.  Phantom Obsession is the best issue yet, and it was apparently going to be the final issue.  I assure you, however, that the cliffhanger at the end of this issue suggests a great fifth issue.  I hope issue #5 can deliver...

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Kiss comic books will want to read Kiss: Phantom Obsession.

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


https://twitter.com/DynamiteComics
https://www.dynamite.com/htmlfiles/
https://www.facebook.com/DynamiteComics/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNOH4PEsl8dyZ2Tj7XUlY7w
https://www.linkedin.com/company/dynamite-entertainment


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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

Amazon wants me to inform you that the affiliate link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the affiliate link below AND buy something(s).


Tuesday, March 14, 2023

#IReadsYou Review: KISS: Phantom Obsession #3

KISS: PHANTOM OBSESSION #3
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: Ian Edginton
ART: Celor
COLORS: Valentina Pinto
LETTERS: Troy Peteri
EDITOR: Joseph Rybandt
COVER: Jae Lee with June Chung
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Stuart Sayger; Tim Seeley; Celor
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (November 2021)

Rated Teen+

Kiss is an American, four-man, rock band.  It was formed in New York City in January 1973 by Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Ace Frehley, and Peter Criss, the original line-up that is also considered classic Kiss.  Kiss is best known for its members' face paint and stage outfits, and the group rose to prominence and gained a notorious reputation in the mid to late 1970s with its shocking live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood-spitting, and pyrotechnics.

The members of Kiss have licensed their band name and likenesses for merchandising.  In a 2014 article, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Kiss had sold over one billion dollars from the sale of more than three thousand licensed items.  That merchandising includes comic books.  Kiss first officially appeared in a comic book in Marvel Comics' Howard the Duck #12 (cover dated: May 1977) and first starred in their own comic book with Marvel Comics Super Special #1 (1977).  Image Comics, Dark Horse Comics, Platinum Studios, Archie Comics, and IDW Publishing have published licensed Kiss comic books.

Dynamite Entertainment obtained the license to produce comic books featuring Kiss' brand and began releasing Kiss comic books in 2016.  The latest comic book is Kiss: Phantom Obsession.  It is written by Ian Edginton; drawn by Celor; colored by Valentina Pinto; and lettered by Troy Peteri.  Phantom Obsession pits the band against Darius Cho, a powerful, super-wealthy, obsessed Kiss fan who wants more than some autographs.

As Kiss: Phantom Obsession #3 opens, Paul, Gene, Ace, Peter, and Lyra Tzen, one of Cho's employees, are facing the “Super Sonic Monster Adventure Squad!”  What is that?  It's Cho's army of robot kaiju warriors, and they are ready to kick some Kiss ass.  Luckily, our rock 'n' roll heroes are ready to kick right back.  Now, it time to unleash their powers.

Meanwhile, Cho continues to monitor the escapees' progress – with a purpose – while he continues to build his secret project.  And before Kiss and Lyra can escape Cho, they must enter “The Kingdom of Woes” and face the four demon lords.

THE LOWDOWN:  Dynamite Entertainment's marketing department recently began providing me with PDF review copies of some of their titles.  One of them is Kiss: Phantom Obsession #3, which is only the third Kiss comic book that I have ever read.

In Phantom Obsession, writer Ian Edginton offers a breezy adventure that is part Kiss comic book and part superhero comic book.  Edginton essentially shows that Kiss can fit into multiple fantasy genres, and in a way, his script sometimes makes you forget that these characters are fictional versions of a real life rock band.  Phantom Obsession is a superhero comic book like any other, except it's Kiss, too.

And it works.  I want to read more, and I think some of you will, also, dear readers.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Kiss comic books will want to read Kiss: Phantom Obsession.

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


https://twitter.com/DynamiteComics
https://www.dynamite.com/htmlfiles/
https://www.facebook.com/DynamiteComics/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNOH4PEsl8dyZ2Tj7XUlY7w
https://www.linkedin.com/company/dynamite-entertainment


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

----------

Amazon wants me to inform you that the affiliate link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the affiliate link below AND buy something(s).


Tuesday, February 28, 2023

#IReadsYou Review: BETTIE PAGE and the Curse of the Banshee Volume 5 #5

BETTIE PAGE AND THE CURSE OF THE BANSHEE VOLUME 5 #5
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: Stephen Mooney
ART: Jethro Morales
COLORS: Dinei Ribero
LETTERS: Taylor Esposito
EDITOR: Joseph Rybandt
COVER: Marat Mychaels
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Joseph Michael Linsner; Stephen Mooney; Leslie Leirix; Marat Mychaels; Rachel Hollon (cosplay); Bettie Page (vintage photo)
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (October 2021)

Rated Teen+

Bettie Page (1923–2008) was an American model who gained notoriety in the 1950s for her pin-up photos.  She is still referred to has the “Queen of Pinups,” and her shoulder-to-armpit-length jet-black hair with its trademark bangs and her blue eyes have inspired generations of artists, illustrators and comic book artists.

In 2017, Dynamite Entertainment made Bettie Page the star of her own comic book miniseries.  The latest is Bettie Page and the Curse of the Banshee.  It is written by Stephen Mooney; drawn by Jethro Morales; colored by Dinei Ribero; and lettered by Taylor Esposito.  In this series, Bettie, a freelance agent for the federal government and something of a monster hunter, and her partner, Lyssa Druke, travel to rural Ireland to investigate a series of murders supposedly perpetrated by a mythical creature, a “banshee.”

Bettie Page and the Curse of the Banshee Volume 5 #5 opens “somewhere beyond knowable places.”  There, the banshee, Márie, who has many guises and is building an army, makes her pitch.  She wants Bettie to use her power to help her gain revenge on the descendants of her old enemies.  Meanwhile in O'Riordan's Bed and Breakfast, Ireland, 1954.  Lyssa maintains a vigil over Bettie's sleeping form, but now, she needs to round up an army of her own – to fight a zombie horde!

This is it!  The Irish adventure of Bettie Page is almost over?  Will she escape the forever curse of the Banshee and return, unscathed, to the life of a Hollywood starlet?

THE LOWDOWN:  Dynamite Entertainment's marketing department recently began providing me with PDF review copies of some of their titles.  One of them is Bettie Page and the Curse of the Banshee Volume 5 #5, which is the third issue of the title that I have read.

Bettie Page and the Curse of the Banshee Volume 5 #5 is the final issue of the series.  Writer Stephen Mooney offers a tidy wrap-up that balances the story between Bettie's battle and Lyssa's struggle.  There is even a poignant and tragic end for the villain; you, dear readers, may even feel a bit of sadness … or something like it.

Artist Jethro Morales presents storytelling that, in a graphic sense, softens the blow of this conclusion.  Dinei Ribero's cotton candy colors seem simultaneously out of place and appropriate, and letterer Taylor Esposito balances the sounds of a final battle that is filled with pain.

While reading the last issue of Bettie Page and the Curse of the Banshee, I thought that it would make a good basis for a B-movie.  It would be fun … if anyone wanted to finance a Bettie Page monster mash movie...

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Bettie Page comic books will want to try Bettie Page and the Curse of the Banshee Volume 5.

B+
★★★½ out of 4 stars

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


https://twitter.com/DynamiteComics
https://www.dynamite.com/htmlfiles/
https://www.facebook.com/DynamiteComics/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNOH4PEsl8dyZ2Tj7XUlY7w
https://www.linkedin.com/company/dynamite-entertainment


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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

Amazon wants me to inform you that the affiliate link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the affiliate link below AND buy something(s).


Thursday, December 15, 2022

#IReadsYou Review: BETTIE PAGE and the Curse of the Banshee Volume 5 #4

BETTIE PAGE AND THE CURSE OF THE BANSHEE VOLUME 5 #4
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: Stephen Mooney
ART: Jethro Morales
COLORS: Dinei Ribero
LETTERS: Taylor Esposito
EDITOR: Joseph Rybandt
COVER: Marat Mychaels
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Joseph Michael Linsner; Stephen Mooney; Leslie Leirix; Marat Mychaels; Ani-Mia (cosplay)
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (August 2021)

Rated Teen+

Bettie Page (1923–2008) was an American model who gained notoriety in the 1950s for her pin-up photos.  She is still referred to has the “Queen of Pinups,” and her shoulder-to-armpit-length jet-black hair with its trademark bangs and her blue eyes have inspired generations of artists, illustrators and comic book artists.

In 2017, Dynamite Entertainment made Bettie Page the star of her own comic book miniseries.  The latest is Bettie Page and the Curse of the Banshee.  It is written by Stephen Mooney; drawn by Jethro Morales; colored by Dinei Ribero; and lettered by Taylor Esposito.  In this series, Bettie, a freelance agent for the federal government and something of a monster hunter, and her partner, Lyssa McKnight, travel to rural Ireland to investigate a series of murders supposedly perpetrated by a mythical creature, a “banshee.”

Bettie Page and the Curse of the Banshee Volume 5 #4 opens in O'Riordan's Bed and Breakfast, Ireland, 1954.  Inside a bedroom, Bettie cannot stay awake.  It is as if something wants her to remain in a deep and troubled sleep.  Meanwhile, Lyssa struggles to help her friend, and then, a priest knocks on the door.  Elsewhere, Bettie struggles with the curse of the banshee, Márie.

THE LOWDOWN:  Dynamite Entertainment's marketing department recently began providing me with PDF review copies of some of their titles.  One of them is Bettie Page and the Curse of the Banshee Volume 5 #4, which is the second issue of the title that I have read.  Prior to this series, I had not read any of DE's other Bettie Page comic book series.

I like Bettie Page and the Curse of the Banshee Volume 5 #4, the same as I did issue #3, which makes me wish I had read the earlier issues.  In this issue, writer Stephen Mooney balances the story between Bettie's battle and Lyssa's struggle.  Lyssa shines as a supporting character, and the priest, hapless, but well meaning, inadvertently provides comic relief.

This fourth issue is the penultimate issue of the series, and I am looking forward to the final issue.  Discovering Bettie Page and the Curse of the Banshee Volume 5 has been a delightful surprise, so I will recommend it to you, dear readers.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Bettie Page comic books will want to try Bettie Page and the Curse of the Banshee Volume 5.

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


https://twitter.com/DynamiteComics
https://www.dynamite.com/htmlfiles/
https://www.facebook.com/DynamiteComics/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNOH4PEsl8dyZ2Tj7XUlY7w
https://www.linkedin.com/company/dynamite-entertainment


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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

Amazon wants me to inform you that the affiliate link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the affiliate link below AND buy something(s).


Tuesday, November 29, 2022

#IReadsYou Review: KISS: Phantom Obsession #2

KISS: PHANTOM OBSESSION #2
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: Ian Edginton
ART: Celor
COLORS: Valentina Pinto
LETTERS: Troy Peteri
EDITOR: Joseph Rybandt
COVER: Jae Lee with June Chung
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Stuart Sayger; Tim Seeley; Celor
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (September 2021)

Rated Teen+

Kiss is an American, four-man, rock band.  It was formed in New York City in January 1973 by Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Ace Frehley, and Peter Criss, the original line-up that is also considered classic Kiss.  Kiss is best known for its members' face paint and stage outfits, and the group rose to prominence and gained a notorious reputation in the mid to late 1970s with its shocking live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood-spitting, and pyrotechnics.

The members of Kiss have licensed their band name and likenesses for merchandising.  In a 2014 article, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Kiss had sold over one billion dollars from the sale of more than three thousand licensed items.  That merchandising includes comic books.  Kiss first officially appeared in a comic book in Marvel Comics' Howard the Duck #12 (cover dated: May 1977) and first starred in their own comic book with Marvel Comics Super Special #1 (1977).  Image Comics, Dark Horse Comics, Platinum Studios, Archie Comics, and IDW Publishing have published licensed Kiss comic books.

Dynamite Entertainment obtained the license to produce comic books featuring Kiss' brand and began releasing Kiss comic books in 2016.  The latest comic book is Kiss: Phantom Obsession.  It is written by Ian Edginton; drawn by Celor; colored by Valentina Pinto; and lettered by Troy Peteri.  Phantom Obsession pits the band against Darius Cho, a powerful, super-wealthy, obsessed Kiss fan who wants more than some autographs.

As Kiss: Phantom Obsession #2 opens, Paul, Gene, Ace, and Peter are prisoners of Cho.  He reveals what he wants from them, or rather, what he wants to extract from them.  It seems our heroes are the totems and talisman's of legends, and their bodies hold “God particles.”

With the help of one of Cho's few human employees, Lyra Tzen, the Masters of Rock 'n' Roll manage to momentarily slip away from this reclusive maniac.  However, even Lyra has no idea where they are, as Cho has kept the location of his compound/complex secret.  And, as luck would have it, KISS and Lyra are about to meet the “Super Sonic Monster Adventure Squad!”

THE LOWDOWN:  Dynamite Entertainment's marketing department recently began providing me with PDF review copies of some of their titles.  One of them is Kiss: Phantom Obsession #2, which is only the second Kiss comic book that I have ever read.

In the first issue, I liked that Ian Edginton made the members of KISS wary of their faux-benefactor, Darius Cho.  In the second issue, Edginton reveals Cho as even more dangerous and more powerful that he seems at first.  I don't know what Cho's fate will be; for now, he gives Phantom Obsession an excellent villain, but I think he would make a great long-running adversary for KISS.

The art team of illustrator Celor and colorist Valentina Pinto:  I can take them or leave them, which is what I said of them in the first issue.  Although the art isn't the prettiest readers will find, the storytelling is good, and that's most important.  I looked forward to the second issue after reading the first; now, I find myself wanting to read the third issue... now.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Kiss comic books will want to read Kiss: Phantom Obsession.

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


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The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Wednesday, September 21, 2022

#IReadsYou Review: KISS: Phantom Obsession #1

KISS: PHANTOM OBSESSION #1
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: Ian Edginton
ART: Celor
COLORS: Valentina Pinto
LETTERS: Troy Peteri
EDITOR: Joseph Rybandt
COVER: Jae Lee with June Chung
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Stuart Sayger; Tim Seeley; Celor; Jae Lee
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (August 2021)

Rated Teen+

Kiss is an American, four-man, rock band.  It was formed in New York City in January 1973 by Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Ace Frehley, and Peter Criss, the original line-up that is also considered classic Kiss.  Kiss is best known for its members' face paint and stage outfits, and the group rose to prominence and gained a notorious reputation in the mid to late 1970s with its shocking live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood-spitting, and pyrotechnics.

The members of Kiss have licensed their band name and likenesses for merchandising.  In a 2014 article, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Kiss had sold over one billion dollars from the sale of more than three thousand licensed items.  That merchandising includes comic books.  Kiss first officially appeared in a comic book in Marvel Comics' Howard the Duck #12 (cover dated: May 1977) and first starred in their own comic book with Marvel Comics Super Special #1 (1977).  Image Comics, Dark Horse Comics, Platinum Studios, Archie Comics, and IDW Publishing have published licensed Kiss comic books.

Dynamite Entertainment obtained the license to produce comic books featuring Kiss' brand and began releasing Kiss comic books in 2016.  The latest comic book is Kiss: Phantom Obsession.  It is written by Ian Edginton; drawn by Celor; colored by Valentina Pinto; and lettered by Troy Peteri.  Phantom Obsession pits the band against a powerful, obsessed Kiss fan.

Kiss: Phantom Obsession #1 finds the members of KISS:  Paul, Gene, Ace, and Peter onboard a private, but mysterious flying craft.  It belongs to Darius Cho, the richest man in existence … and the most reclusive.  By reputation, he is a ghost and a phantom; some people even believe he doesn't exist and is actually a front for a maze of companies and consortiums.

Oh, but Cho does exist, and he is a huge KISS fan.  He has hired the band to play a private party for his employees.  But KISS is an obsession for Cho, and the band has some misgivings about him.  Unfortunately, KISS might not be suspicious enough...

THE LOWDOWN:  Dynamite Entertainment's marketing department recently began providing me with PDF review copies of some of their titles.  One of them is Kiss: Phantom Obsession #1, which is the very first Kiss comic book that I have ever read.

I like that Ian Edginton makes the members of KISS wary of their faux-benefactor.  There is something endearing about their suspicions; it suggests that they have knowledge and power and cannot really be victimized.  It also prepares the readers for some seriously dramatic conflict.

The art team of illustrator Celor and colorist Valentina Pinto:  I can take it or leave it.  The two of them come together and are good enough.  Troy Peteri's electric lettering gives the graphics the spice and energy they need.  I look forward to the second issue.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Kiss comic books will want to read Kiss: Phantom Obsession.

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


https://twitter.com/DynamiteComics
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https://www.facebook.com/DynamiteComics/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNOH4PEsl8dyZ2Tj7XUlY7w
https://www.linkedin.com/company/dynamite-entertainment


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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

Amazon wants me to inform you that the affiliate link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the affiliate link below AND buy something(s).