DC Comics from Lunar Distributors for August 15, 2023

DC COMICS:

Absolute V For Vendetta HC (2023 Edition), $125.00

Batman Detective Comics Volume 1 Gotham Nocturne Overture HC (2022), $29.99

Batman One Bad Day Complete Box Set, $159.99

Batman One Bad Day Ra’s al Ghul HC, $17.99

Batman Superman World’s Finest #18 (Cover A Dan Mora), $3.99

Batman Superman World’s Finest #18 (Cover B Darick Robertson & Diego Rodriguez Card Stock Variant), $4.99

Batman Superman World’s Finest #18 (Cover C Rafael Albuquerque Blue Beetle Movie Card Stock Variant), $4.99

Batman Superman World’s Finest #18 (Cover D Ariel Colon Card Stock Variant), AR

Batman Superman World’s Finest #18 (Cover E Meghan Hetrick Card Stock Variant), AR

Batman Superman World’s Finest #18 (Cover F Dan Mora Foil Variant), AR

Batman Volume 2 The Bat-Man Of Gotham HC (2022), $24.99

Batman White Knight Presents Generation Joker #4 (Of 6)(Cover A Sean Murphy), $4.99

Batman White Knight Presents Generation Joker #4 (Of 6)(Cover B Mirka Andolfo), $4.99

Batman White Knight Presents Generation Joker #4 (Of 6)(Cover C Walter Simonson), AR

Harley Quinn Black + White + Redder #2 (Of 6)(Cover A Chris Samnee), $4.99

Harley Quinn Black + White + Redder #2 (Of 6)(Cover B Joelle Jones), $4.99

Harley Quinn Black + White + Redder #2 (Of 6)(Cover C Annie Wu), AR

Hawkgirl #2 (Of 6)(Cover A Amancay Nahuelpan), $3.99

Hawkgirl #2 (Of 6)(Cover B Derrick Chew Card Stock Variant), $4.99

Hawkgirl #2 (Of 6)(Cover C Kaare Andrews Blue Beetle Movie Card Stock Variant), $4.99

Hawkgirl #2 (Of 6)(Cover D David Talaski Card Stock Variant), AR

Icon Vs. Hardware #4 (Of 5)(Cover A Rahzzah), $4.99

Icon Vs. Hardware #4 (Of 5)(Cover B Edwin Galmon), $4.99

Icon Vs. Hardware #4 (Of 5)(Cover C Sean Damien Hill), AR

Knight Terrors Catwoman #2 (Of 2)(Cover A Leila Leiz), $4.99

Knight Terrors Catwoman #2 (Of 2)(Cover B Tula Lotay Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Knight Terrors Catwoman #2 (Of 2)(Cover C Corin Howell Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Knight Terrors Catwoman #2 (Of 2)(Cover D Dani Card Stock Variant), AR

Knight Terrors Catwoman #2 (Of 2)(Cover E Corin Howell Card Stock Variant), AR

Knight Terrors Nightwing #2 (Of 2)(Cover A Daniele Di Nicuolo), $4.99

Knight Terrors Nightwing #2 (Of 2)(Cover B Francesco Mattina Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Knight Terrors Nightwing #2 (Of 2)(Cover C Jason Shawn Alexander Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Knight Terrors Nightwing #2 (Of 2)(Cover D Vasco Georgiev Card Stock Variant), AR

Knight Terrors Nightwing #2 (Of 2)(Cover E Francesco Mattina Card Stock Variant), AR

Knight Terrors Punchline #2 (Of 2)(Cover A Gleb Melnikov), $3.99

Knight Terrors Punchline #2 (Of 2)(Cover B Dustin Nguyen Card Stock Variant), $4.99

Knight Terrors Punchline #2 (Of 2)(Cover C Ejikure Card Stock Variant), $4.99

Knight Terrors Punchline #2 (Of 2)(Cover D Lucas Meyer Card Stock Variant), AR

Knight Terrors Punchline #2 (Of 2)(Cover E Gleb Melnikov Card Stock Variant), AR

Knight Terrors Superman #2 (Of 2)(Cover A Gleb Melnikov), $4.99

Knight Terrors Superman #2 (Of 2)(Cover B Jon Bogdanove Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Knight Terrors Superman #2 (Of 2)(Cover C John Giang Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Knight Terrors Superman #2 (Of 2)(Cover D Mikel Janin Card Stock Variant), AR

Knight Terrors Superman #2 (Of 2)(Cover E Pete Woods Card Stock Variant), AR

Knight Terrors Wonder Woman #2 (Of 2)(Cover A Jae Lee), $4.99

Knight Terrors Wonder Woman #2 (Of 2)(Cover B Sebastian Fiumara Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Knight Terrors Wonder Woman #2 (Of 2)(Cover C Jeff Dekal Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Knight Terrors Wonder Woman #2 (Of 2)(Cover D W. Scott Forbes Card Stock Variant), AR

Knight Terrors Wonder Woman #2 (Of 2)(Cover E John McCrea Card Stock Variant), AR

Monkey Prince Volume 2 The Monkey King And I HC, $24.99

Nightwing The Joker War TP, $19.99

Penguin #0 (Cover A Belén Ortega), $3.99

Tales Of The Titans #2 (Of 4)(Cover A Nicola Scott), $4.99

Tales Of The Titans #2 (Of 4)(Cover B Christian Ward Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Tales Of The Titans #2 (Of 4)(Cover C Max Dunbar Blue Beetle Movie Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Tales Of The Titans #2 (Of 4)(Cover D Riley Rossmo Card Stock Variant), AR

Tales Of The Titans #2 (Of 4)(Cover E Dani Card Stock Variant), AR

Tales Of The Titans #2 (Of 4)(Cover F Chris Smanee Foil Variant), AR

Teen Titans Go Box Set Volume 1 TV Or Not TV, $29.99

Vigil #4 (Of 6)(Cover A Sumit Kumar), $3.99

Vigil #4 (Of 6)(Cover B Nimit Malavia Card Stock Variant), $4.99

Vigil #4 (Of 6)(Cover C Anand Rk Card Stock Variant), AR

Wonder Girl Homecoming TP, $19.99

Wonder Woman By Brian Azzarello And Cliff Chiang Omnibus HC (2023 Edition), $150.00

Wonder Woman Volume 4 Revenge Of The Gods TP (2021), $19.99

Wonder Woman War Of The Gods Special Edition #2 (Of 4)(Cover A George Perez), $4.99

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

DC Comics from Diamond Distributors for February 7, 2018

DC COMICS
JUL170487    ABSOLUTE WONDER WOMAN BY AZZARELLO & CHIANG HC VOL 02    $125.00
NOV170357    AQUAMAN BY PETER DAVID TP BOOK 01    $29.99
DEC170263    BANE CONQUEST #9 (OF 12)    $3.99
NOV178636    BATMAN #38 2ND PTG    $2.99
DEC170254    BATMAN #40    $2.99
DEC170255    BATMAN #40 VAR ED    $2.99
NOV178635    BATMAN WHITE KNIGHT #4 (OF 8) 2ND PTG    $3.99
DEC170261    BATMAN WHITE KNIGHT #5 (OF 8)    $3.99
DEC170262    BATMAN WHITE KNIGHT #5 (OF 8) VAR ED    $3.99
NOV178637    BATMAN WHO LAUGHS #1 3RD PTG METAL    $3.99
DEC170269    BLACK LIGHTNING COLD DEAD HANDS #4 (OF 6)    $3.99
DEC170272    BOMBSHELLS UNITED #11    $2.99
NOV170337    CAVE CARSON HAS A CYBERNETIC EYE TP VOL 02 (MR)    $16.99
NOV170364    CHALLENGERS OF THE UNKNOWN BY JEPH LOEB & TIM SALE HC    $29.99
DEC170357    DASTARDLY AND MUTTLEY #6 (OF 6)    $3.99
DEC170358    DASTARDLY AND MUTTLEY #6 (OF 6) VAR ED    $3.99
DEC170283    DEATHSTROKE #28    $3.99
DEC170284    DEATHSTROKE #28 VAR ED    $3.99
NOV170367    ELSEWORLDS SUPERMAN TP VOL 01    $34.99
DEC170359    EXIT STAGE LEFT THE SNAGGLEPUSS CHRONICLES #2 (OF 6)    $3.99
DEC170360    EXIT STAGE LEFT THE SNAGGLEPUSS CHRONICLES #2 (OF 6) VAR ED    $3.99
DEC170288    GREEN ARROW #37    $3.99
DEC170289    GREEN ARROW #37 VAR ED    $3.99
NOV170369    GREEN LANTERN CORPS HC VOL 01 BEWARE THEIR POWER    $39.99
DEC170290    GREEN LANTERNS #40    $2.99
DEC170291    GREEN LANTERNS #40 VAR ED    $2.99
DEC170302    HARLEY & IVY MEET BETTY & VERONICA #5 (OF 6)    $3.99
DEC170303    HARLEY & IVY MEET BETTY & VERONICA #5 (OF 6) VAR ED    $3.99
DEC170298    HARLEY QUINN #37    $2.99
DEC170299    HARLEY QUINN #37 VAR ED    $2.99
JUL170478    HOUSE OF SECRETS THE BRONZE AGE OMNIBUS HC    $125.00
DEC170306    INJUSTICE 2 #19    $2.99
DEC170363    JETSONS #4 (OF 6)    $3.99
DEC170364    JETSONS #4 (OF 6) VAR ED    $3.99
DEC170308    JUSTICE LEAGUE #38    $2.99
DEC170309    JUSTICE LEAGUE #38 VAR ED    $2.99
NOV178638    MISTER MIRACLE #1 (OF 12) 4TH PTG (MR)    $3.99
NOV178639    MISTER MIRACLE #2 (OF 12) 3RD PTG (MR)    $3.99
NOV178640    MISTER MIRACLE #3 (OF 12) 2ND PTG (MR)    $3.99
NOV178641    MISTER MIRACLE #4 (OF 12) 2ND PTG (MR)    $3.99
DEC170226    MOTHER PANIC BATMAN SPECIAL #1    $4.99
DEC170319    NIGHTWING #38    $2.99
DEC170320    NIGHTWING #38 VAR ED    $2.99
NOV170376    SCOOBY APOCALYPSE TP VOL 03    $16.99
DEC170335    SUPERMAN #40    $2.99
DEC170336    SUPERMAN #40 VAR ED    $2.99
NOV170208    SWAMP THING WINTER SPECIAL #1    $7.99
NOV170375    TEEN TITANS BY GEOFF JOHNS TP BOOK 02    $29.99
DEC170240    YOUNG MONSTERS IN LOVE #1    $9.99

Review: DARTH VADER #25

DARTH VADER No. 25
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon. Visit the "Star Wars Central" review page here.]

STORY: Keiron Gillen
ART: Salvador Larroca
COLORS: Edgar Delgado
LETTERS: VC's Joe Caramagna
COVER: Juan Gimenez
VARIANT COVERS: Cliff Chiang; John Tyler Christopher; Michael Cho; Adi Granov; Greg Land; Salvador Larocca; Jamie McKelvie; Sara Pichelli; Joe Quesada; Chris Samnee; Kamome Shirahama
52pp, Color, $5.99 U.S. (December 2016)

Rated T

Book IV, Part VI: “End of Games”

Of course you know that The Walt Disney Company owns Marvel Comics, dear readers.  Shortly after acquiring Marvel Entertainment, Disney bought Lucasfilm, Ltd., the owner of all thing Star Wars.  Just a (relatively) short time later, Dark Horse Comics lost the license to produce Star Wars comic books, which it had held for two decades.  It was obvious that Marvel would be the new home of Star Wars comics, and around the beginning of 2015, Marvel released the flagship title, Star Wars.

Shortly afterwards, Marvel began its second Star Wars series, Darth Vader.  Written by Keiron Gillen, drawn by Salvador Larroca, colored by Edgar Delgado, and lettered by Joe Caramagna, this series chronicled the quest of Star Wars' most (in)famous and beloved villain, Darth Vader, has he delved into his past and fought for his present in order to prepare for his future.

Basically, this is how Darth Vader the comic book worked.  Emperor Palpatine held Vader responsible for the destruction of his ultimate weapon, the Death Star, by the Rebel Alliance – as seen the original Star Wars from 1977 (also known as Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope).  Suddenly, the Emperor had appointed others in position of power that basically rivaled Vader's position of power and authority under the Emperor, and some of those rivals wanted to see Vader dead.

To defend himself, Vader essentially created his own secret Empire within the Emperor's Empire, from which he could defeat his adversaries and secure his position in the Empire.  Vader even learned that the young pilot who launched the torpedoes/missiles that destroyed the Death Star is Luke Skywalker, his son by his late wife from another life.  As the series progressed, Vader had much success, but some of his rivals prove to be formidable adversaries who could destroy him.

Now, the series comes to an end and wraps up its remaining story lines/threads in Darth Vader #25.  As the story begins, Darth Vader prepares for his final showdown with the one who has proven to be his most wily rival, Cylo, but the traitorous scientist has a fail safe that may give him victory over Vader.  Meanwhile, Vader's secret ally, Dr. Aphra, moves to protect herself from Vader – by seeking counsel with the Emperor!

After the first story arc of this series, entitled “Vader,” it was clear that Marvel's best Star Wars comic book was Darth Vader, which was saying a lot because the flagship Star Wars was also quite good.  I think series writer Kieron Gillen did a good job of connecting the past, which contained the wreckage resulting from the transformation of Annakin Skywalker into Darth Vader to the present, filled with Vader's problems and dilemmas.  Gillen gave his readers the chance to watch Vader discover some of the secrets of his past, which were not secret to readers, while also offering readers the opportunity to see how Vader “discovered” Luke Skywalker.

I can say that Gillen was good enough at what he did with Darth Vader that this series is worth preserving in trade paperback for future readers.  For the time being or until Star Wars is inevitably rebooted (probably sooner than we think), Gillen's Darth Vader is Star Wars storytelling for posterity.

And before we go, I must praise the stellar work of series artist, Salvador Larroca.  It is a shame that it seems easy to take Larroca for granted, but his work defined this series' sense of cloak and dagger and the title character's relentless aggression.

A

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


The text is copyright © 2017 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.

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DC Comics from Diamond Distributors for February 1, 2017

DC COMICS

AUG160321    ABSOLUTE WONDER WOMAN BY AZZARELLO & CHANG HC VOL 01    $125.00
DEC160249    AQUAMAN #16    $2.99
DEC160250    AQUAMAN #16 VAR ED    $2.99
DEC160259    BATMAN #16    $2.99
DEC160260    BATMAN #16 VAR ED    $2.99
NOV160317    BATMAN DETECTIVE TP VOL 01 RISE OT BATMEN (REBIRTH)    $16.99
DEC160265    CYBORG #9    $2.99
DEC160266    CYBORG #9 VAR ED    $2.99
DEC160342    DC COMICS BOMBSHELLS #22    $3.99
DEC160343    DEATH OF HAWKMAN #5 (OF 6)    $3.99
DEC160408    EVERAFTER FROM THE PAGES OF FABLES #6 (MR)    $3.99
DEC160346    FALL AND RISE OF CAPTAIN ATOM #2 (OF 6)    $2.99
DEC160357    FLINTSTONES #8    $3.99
DEC160358    FLINTSTONES #8 VAR ED    $3.99
DEC160279    GREEN ARROW #16    $2.99
DEC160280    GREEN ARROW #16 VAR ED    $2.99
DEC160283    GREEN LANTERNS #16    $2.99
DEC160284    GREEN LANTERNS #16 VAR ED    $2.99
DEC160291    HARLEY QUINN #13    $2.99
DEC160292    HARLEY QUINN #13 VAR ED    $2.99
NOV160332    HARLEY QUINN AND HER GANG OF HARLEYS TP    $16.99
DEC160350    INJUSTICE GROUND ZERO #5    $2.99
DEC160297    JUSTICE LEAGUE #14    $2.99
DEC160298    JUSTICE LEAGUE #14 VAR ED    $2.99
NOV160357    KID ETERNITY TP BOOK 01 (MR)    $24.99
DEC160352    MIDNIGHTER AND APOLLO #5 (OF 6)    $3.99
DEC160303    NIGHTWING #14    $2.99
DEC160304    NIGHTWING #14 VAR ED    $2.99
NOV160337    ROBIN SON OF BATMAN TP VOL 02 DAWN OF THE DEMONS    $16.99
NOV160345    SCOOBY APOCALYPSE TP VOL 01    $16.99
DEC160337    SHADE THE CHANGING GIRL #5 (MR)    $3.99
DEC160338    SHADE THE CHANGING GIRL #5 VAR ED (MR)    $3.99
NOV160359    SHERIFF OF BABYLON TP VOL 02 POW POW POW (MR)    $16.99
DEC160363    SUPER POWERS #4 (OF 6)    $2.99
DEC160315    SUPERMAN #16    $2.99
DEC160316    SUPERMAN #16 VAR ED    $2.99
NOV160340    TEEN TITANS TP VOL 04 WHEN TITANS FALL    $16.99
NOV160341    WONDER WOMAN TP VOL 09 RESURRECTION    $16.99

Review: SILVER SURFER #1

SILVER SURFER No. 1 (2016)
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: Dan Slott
ART: Michael Allred
COLORS: Laura Allred
LETTERS: VC's Joe Sabino
COVER: Michael Allred and Laura Allred
VARIANT COVERS: Marco Rudy; Cliff Chiang
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (March 2016)

Rated T+

“Homecoming”

The Silver Surfer is a Marvel Comics superhero and space fantasy character.  He was created by Jack Kirby and first appeared in Fantastic Four #48 (cover dated:  March 1966).  The Silver Surfer is a humanoid with metallic skin (white or gray or white/gray swirl), and he travels space with the aid of his surfboard-like craft (or maybe, it's an actual surfboard).

The Silver Surfer was a young astronomer named Norrin Radd.  He saved his home world, Zenn-La, from Galactus, a being that devoured planets, by agreeing to serve as his herald.  Galactus imbued Radd with a tiny portion of his “Power Cosmic,” and he became the Silver Surfer.  Traveling faster than the speed of light, the Silver Surfer roamed the cosmos, searching for planets for Galactus to consume.  When Galactus prepared to devour Earth, the Surfer rebelled and saved the planet.  Galactus punished the Surfer and expelled him from his service.

With the arrival of the “All-New, All-Different Marvel,” Silver Surfer gets a new comic book series.  Silver Surfer 2016 is really just a continuation of the Silver Surfer title that debuted in 2014, as both have the same creative driving force.  That is writer Dan Slott and artist Michael Allred.  This creative team is assisted by Laura Allred on colors and Joe Sabino on letters.

Silver Surfer #1 (“Homecoming”) opens with an alien menace, The Hordax, transmitting a threat to the entire Earth.  They are coming to plunder our planet of its “greatest resource.”  Even President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama are witness to this ominous declaration.

Meanwhile, Dawn Greenwood, who travels the space-ways with the Silver Surfer, is returning to Earth to visit her father and identical twin sister, Eve.  Silver Surfer gets to experience a Greenwood family mash-up celebration that combines a belated birthday party with three holidays.  When things turn weird, however, the Surfer finds himself battling aliens he thought he had already defeated.

When the 2016 Will Eisner Awards (for excellence in comics) were announced recently, I noticed that the previous Silver Surfer series had received several nominations.  So I decided to try an issue of the new series and luckily a local comic book shop still had copies of the first issue.

A long time ago, a writer in the venerable and late magazine of comics criticism and examination, The Comics Journal, wrote that the Silver Surfer was one of the few truly original comic book superheroes.  I agree.  How the hell did that character pop into Jack Kirby's mind?  If I remember correctly, in plotting the story that would introduce Galactus, Marvel Comics' legendary editor-writer-head honcho, Stan Lee, supposedly only told Kirby that Galactus had a herald, without specifying what the character should be.  When he received Kirby's art boards for the story, Lee was allegedly shocked to discover the Silver Surfer soaring across the pages that Kirby had drawn.  Such a unique character should be featured in unique stories.

I like Dan Slott's work as the writer of The Amazing Spider-Man, which I have only been reading for the last three years or so.  My admiration of Mike Allred is mixed.  I have liked some of his comics, especially X-Statix, but I have been ambivalent about the rest.  I like the off-beat vibe Slott and Allred give Silver Surfer.  That vibe is best exemplified by this duo's notion of what Earth's “greatest resource” is.

I am not sure that I would read Silver Surfer on a regular basis.  I need to read more to decide what I truly think of the series, and I plan to try a few more issues.  I like the pop comics and pop art comics sensibilities of the Slott-Allred Silver Surfer.  It may not be an original vision, but it certainly stands out in the current roster of Marvel titles.

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


The text is copyright © 2016 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint or syndication rights and fees.

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DC Comics from Diamond Distributors for January 7, 2015

DC COMICS

MAY140382     ABSOLUTE BATMAN INCORPORATED HC     $125.00
NOV140228     ACTION COMICS #38     $3.99
NOV140191     AQUAMAN AND THE OTHERS #9     $2.99
NOV140237     BATMAN ETERNAL #40     $2.99
OCT140356     DEATHBLOW DELUXE EDITION TP     $19.99
NOV140260     DETECTIVE COMICS #38     $3.99
NOV140263     DETECTIVE COMICS #38 COMBO PACK     $4.99
NOV140197     EARTH 2 #30     $2.99
NOV140193     EARTH 2 WORLDS END #14     $2.99
NOV140329     FAIREST #33 (MR)     $2.99
NOV140285     FLASH SEASON ZERO #4     $2.99
NOV140202     GREEN ARROW #38     $2.99
NOV140271     GREEN LANTERN #38     $2.99
NOV140337     HINTERKIND #14 (MR)     $2.99
OCT140368     INJUSTICE GODS AMONG US TP VOL 02     $16.99
NOV140206     JUSTICE LEAGUE 3000 #13     $2.99
OCT140346     LEGENDS DARK KNIGHT 100 PAGE SUPER SPECTACULAR #5     $9.99
NOV140205     LOBO #4     $2.99
NOV140336     NAMES #5 (MR)     $2.99
NOV140210     NEW 52 FUTURES END #36 (WEEKLY)     $2.99
NOV140321     SCOOBY DOO TEAM UP #8     $2.99
AUG140341     SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER TP VOL 02     $19.99
OCT140359     SINESTRO TP VOL 01 THE DEMON WITHIN (N52)     $14.99
OCT140363     SUPERBOY TP VOL 05 PARADOX (N52)     $17.99
OCT140371     SUPERMAN THE POWER WITHIN TP     $16.99
NOV140280     SWAMP THING #38     $2.99
NOV140341     WOLF MOON #2 (MR)     $3.99

DC COMICS/DC COLLECTIBLES

AUG140387     WONDER WOMAN ART OF WAR STATUE BY CLIFF CHIANG     $79.95

I Reads You Review: TEEN TITANS #1

TEEN TITANS #1 (2014)
DC COMICS – @DCComics

WRITER: Will Pfeifer
ART: Kenneth Rocafort
COLORS: Dan Brown
LETTERS: John J. Hill
COVER: Kenneth Rocafort
VARIANT COVERS: Cliff Chiang; Joe Quinones
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (September 2014)

Rated “T” for “Teen”

“Blinded by the Light” Part 1

DC Comics has once again relaunched the Teen Titans franchise.  I was a huge fan of the best Teen Titans rebirth, The New Teen Titans, which first appeared in DC Comics Presents #26, before debuting in The New Teen Titans #1 (November 1980). The series, created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Pérez, ran from 1980 to 1996.  For awhile, The New Teen Titans was DC Comics' X-Men-like powerhouse, but I think the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths was the start of its downfall into irrelevance.  [For a number of reasons, including a refocus on core DC Comics franchises such as Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, but that's for another discussion.]

The recently launched Teen Titans comic book series is written Will Pfeifer, drawn by Kenneth Rocafort, colored by Dan Brown, and lettered by John J. Hill.  The Teen Titans roster is Red Robin (Tim Drake), Beast Boy, Raven, Bunker, and Wonder Girl (Cassie Sandsmark).  It is the second Teen Titans series of The New 52.

Teen Titans #1 (“Blinded by the Light” Part 1) finds the team taking on a school bus hijacking.  According the terrorist-like hijackers' leader, their target is really S.T.A.R. Labs, with the children on the bus merely being pawns.  Of course, the Teen Titans can easily handle such criminals, but are our heroes missing the bigger picture – a larger conspiracy.

A friend of mine who read Teen Titans #1 before I did told me that he did not like it, and he is a longtime Teen Titans fan.  I am really a fan of the Teen Titans from their Silver Age origins to The New Teen Titans.  I am not particularly interested in the various Teen Titans (and Titans) series that came afterward.  I did not care for this Teen Titans #1.

Will Pfeifer tries to write these Titans as cool-under-pressure, up-to-date, and on the cutting-edge of everything.  They actually come across as contrived and about as cool as plastic do-dads.  They are more a collection of character traits and personality quirks than they are real characters.  Kenneth Rocafort's art is crowded, and reading it is like trying to see through a television picture beset by static.  Dan Brown's coloring is just decoration.

I don't have anything against the Cassie Sandsmark Wonder Girl, originally created by John Byrne and introduced back in Wonder Woman (Vol. 2) #105 (cover dated: January 1996), but I prefer Donna Troy.  I like the costume that Raven wears, but I prefer the pre-New 52 character.  You know what:  I don't think these Teen Titans are for me.  Maybe others will enjoy it; maybe I'll even try another issue or two.

C

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


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

DC Comics from Diamond Distributors for July 16, 2014

DC COMICS

APR140254     BATMAN A CELEBRATION OF 75 YEARS HC     $39.99
MAY140227     BATMAN ETERNAL #15     $2.99
MAY140251     BATWOMAN #33     $2.99
APR140259     BIRDS OF PREY TP VOL 04 THE CRUELEST CUT (N52)     $16.99
MAR140252     DAMIAN SON OF BATMAN DELUXE ED HC (N52)     $24.99
APR140295     DJANGO UNCHAINED TP (MR)     $16.99
MAY140401     FABLES #142 (MR)     $2.99
MAY140263     GREEN LANTERN NEW GUARDIANS #33     $2.99
MAY140248     HARLEY QUINN INVADES COMIC CON INTL SAN DIEGO #1     $4.99
MAY140350     INFINITE CRISIS FIGHT FOR THE MULTIVERSE #1     $3.99
APR140255     JOKER A CELEBRATION OF 75 YEARS HC     $39.99
MAY140183     NEW 52 FUTURES END #11 (WEEKLY)     $2.99
MAY140256     RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS #33     $2.99
MAY140160     ROBIN RISES OMEGA #1     $4.99
MAY140359     SCRIBBLENAUTS UNMASKED CRISIS OF IMAGINATION #7     $2.99
MAY140224     SUPERGIRL #33     $2.99
APR140273     SUPERGIRL TP VOL 04 OUT OF THE PAST (N52)     $14.99
MAR140263     TALES OF THE BATMAN JH WILLIAMS III HC     $49.99
MAY140164     TEEN TITANS #1     $2.99
APR140262     TEEN TITANS TP VOL 04 LIGHT AND DARK (N52)     $14.99

DC COMICS/DC COLLECTIBLES

JAN140403     DC COMICS SUPER VILLAINS ARMORED LEX LUTHOR DLX AF     $49.95
DEC130369     SUPERMAN BLACK POOL CUE     $199.95
DEC130370     SUPERMAN ICONIC POOL CUE     $199.95

I Reads You Review: DEAD BOY DETECTIVES #1

DEAD BOY DETECTIVES #1
DC COMICS/Vertigo – @DCComics  @vertigo_comics

STORY: Toby Litt and Mark Buckingham
SCRIPT: Toby Litt
PENCILS: Mark Buckingham
INKS: Gary Erskine
COLORS: Lee Loughridge
LETTERS: Todd Klein
EDITOR: Shelly Bond
COVER: Mark Buckingham
VARIANT COVER: Cliff Chiang
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (February 2014)

Rated “T” for Teen

“Schoolboy Terrors” The New Girl, Part 1 of 4

Dead Boy Detectives created by Neil Gaiman and artists Matt Wagner and Malcolm Jones III

In preparation for Vertigo Comics’ new ongoing series, Dead Boy Detectives, I read The Sandman Presents: The Deadboy Detectives.  This 2001 miniseries was written by Ed Brubaker and drawn by Bryan Talbot (pencils) and Steve Leialoha (inks), with colors by Daniel Vozzo.  I loved it because this miniseries is the kind of comic book that is the reason I keep reading comic books.

I am not as enamored with the new series, Dead Boy Detectives, which launched a few months ago.  A production of the creative team of Toby Litt and Mark Buckingham, the first issue of Dead Boy Detectives is not quite tepid, but it certainly lacks the sparkling wit and dazzling imagination of The Sandman Presents: The Deadboy Detectives #1.

For those that don’t know, “The Dead Boy Detectives” are Edwin Paine and Charles Rowland.  The two characters first appeared in The Sandman #25 (cover dated: April, 1991) and were created by writer Neil Gaiman and artists Matt Wagner and Malcolm Jones III.  Paine was murdered at his British boarding school, Saint Hilarion’s, in 1916, and spent 75 years in Hell.  He escaped in 1991 and returned to Hilarion’s, where he met Rowland (during the events depicted in The Sandman story arc, Seasons of Mist).  Rowland died during this time, but refused to accompany Death, preferring the prospect of future adventures with Paine.  The two ghosts spent a decade haunting places, preparing to become “first-rate detectives.”

As Dead Boy Detectives #1 begins, Edwin and Charles are observing the spectacle that is British performance artist, Maddy Surname.  With her rock star husband, Seth Von Hoverkraft, Maddy plans to steal Vincent Van Gogh’s painting, “Sunflowers,” from the British National Gallery.  They will replace Van Gogh’s masterpiece with another painting that Maddy will steal before the Van Gogh theft.  Maddy and Seth’s daughter, Crystal Palace, seems an unwilling participant in the performance.

However, some others decide that they also want play in this game, and it has a great affect on Crystal Palace.  Now, Crystal makes a decision that will have the Dead Boy Detectives shadowing her to a familiar place.

With Brubaker’s layered story and radiant characters and Bryan Talbot and Steve Leialoha’s textured and detailed art, The Sandman Presents: The Deadboy Detectives was a dazzling fantasy, graphic novella.  Toby Litt and Mark Buckingham offer something with potential, but, at this point, it seems like little more than a story with its style lifted from Daniel Clowes’ Ghost World.

I must say that I do like the art by Buckingham (pencils), Gary Erskine (inks), and Lee Loughridge (colors).  Beyond that, I guess I’ll just have to keep reading.

B

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


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Archie Andrews to Get Cap in Ass - The Official Announcement

Legendary Comic Book Character Archie Andrews Dies in July

Future “Life with Archie” storyline reveals redheaded icon’s heroic final moments

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Archie Comics, the acclaimed and bestselling comic book publisher that is home to some of the best-known pop culture creations in the world, including Archie, Jughead, Betty & Veronica, Josie & The Pussycats, Sabrina the Teenage Witch and the hit AFTERLIFE WITH ARCHIE series, announced the unthinkable today: Legendary comic book character Archie Andrews will die to conclude the hit LIFE WITH ARCHIE comic series.

The iconic comic book character, beloved by millions around the globe for over 70 years, will sacrifice himself heroically while saving the life of a friend in the pages of July’s LIFE WITH ARCHIE #36, the final issue in the flash-forward series, which spotlights Archie’s adventures after high school and college.

“We’ve been building up to this moment since we launched LIFE WITH ARCHIE five years ago, and knew that any book that was telling the story of Archie’s life as an adult had to also show his final moment,” said Archie Comics Publisher/Co-CEO Jon Goldwater. “Archie has and always will represent the best in all of us—he’s a hero, good-hearted, humble and inherently honorable. This story is going to inspire a wide range of reactions because we all feel so close to Archie. Fans will laugh, cry, jump off the edge of their seats and hopefully understand why this comic will go down as one of the most important moments in Archie’s entire history. It’s the biggest story we’ve ever done, and we’re supremely proud of it.”

The story will be available in multiple formats, including an extra-large magazine-size LIFE WITH ARCHIE #36, two comic-sized issues—LIFE WITH ARCHIE #36 and #37—and a trade paperback collecting the entire story, written by regular LIFE WITH ARCHIE writer Paul Kupperberg, with art by Pat & Tim Kennedy and Fernando Ruiz.

While LIFE WITH ARCHIE #36 shows readers Archie’s final moments, #37 leaps a year into the future, showcasing how the remaining members of the Riverdale gang—including Jughead, Betty & Veronica and Reggie—have honored the legacy of their dear friend. Both stories will be collected in the double-sized LIFE WITH ARCHIE #36 magazine and upcoming trade paperback.

In addition to the acclaimed regular LIFE WITH ARCHIE creative team, the two comic book issues—sold exclusively at comic shops in July—will feature a pantheon of artistic luminaries contributing covers to the historic issue, including Francesco Francavilla, Fiona Staples, Ramon Perez, Walt Simonson, Jill Thompson, Mike Allred, Cliff Chiang, Adam Hughes, Tommy Lee Edwards and Alex Ross.

ABOUT ARCHIE COMICS:
Archie Comics is the leading mass market comic book publisher in the world and the home to a wide array of the most popular humor, action-adventure and superhero characters in entertainment, including Archie, Jughead, Betty and Veronica, Reggie, Kevin Keller, Josie and the Pussycats, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Afterlife With Archie, The Fox, The New Crusaders, The Shield, Li’l Jinx and many more. Archie Comics have sold 2 billion comics worldwide and are published around the world in a number of languages. In addition to comics, Archie characters have been featured prominently in animation, television, film and music.

REVIEW: The New Deadwardians

THE NEW DEADWARDIANS
DC COMICS/VERTIGO – @vertigo_comics

CREATORS: Dan Abnett and I.N.J. Culbard
WRITER: Dan Abnett
ARTIST/COVER: I.N.J. Culbard
COLORS: Patricia Mulvihill
LETTERS: Travis Lanham
MISC. ART: Cliff Chiang
ISBN: 978-1-4012-3763-9; paperback (February 2013)
176pp, Color, $14.99 U.S., $17.99 CAN

Vertigo, the DC Comics imprint, has just published The New Deadwardians. It is a trade paperback collection of the 2012 eight-issue miniseries of the same title created by writer Dan Abnett and artist I.N.J. Culbard. The series is set at the end of the Edwardian era, a period in the United Kingdom, from 1901 to 1910, that marked the reign of King Edward VII. The New Deadwardians is set in a world of vampires and zombies and follows a lonely detective’s quest to solve a murder that should not be.

The New Deadwardians opens on October 10, 1910. In post-Victorian England, most of the people in the upper classes have voluntarily become vampires, by taking “the Cure.” The cure for what, you ask? It’s called “the Restless Curse,” and it has turned legions of the lower classes into ravenous zombies. Zombies want to eat living flesh, which vampires don’t have, so the hordes of the mindless undead ignore the vampire undead – called “the Young.” The lower classes that are neither vampire nor zombie – the normal humans – are called “the Bright.”

The New Deadwardians’ central character is Chief Inspector George Suttle of Scotland Yard. Suttle has got the slowest beat in London; he’s on the “Murder Squad,” investigating murders in a society where practically everyone is already dead. Of course, you know what’s going to happen. A body has been found on the embankment by the Houses of Parliament. It’s an actual murder, and the victim is a vampire – something that can be killed by one of three ways. The corpse of the victim, Lord Hinchcliffe, shows no signs of those killing methods having been used.

Suddenly, Suttle is thrust into a world of privilege, protests, class unrest, and riots. With his acerbic driver, Constable Bowes (a normal human), at his side, Suttle interviews and investigates. His investigation attracts such colorful characters as Sapphire, a prostitute who can raise the dead (wink, wink), a missing artist (Pretendleby), and even a secret society (the Sons of Adam). As he searches to find who killed Hinchcliffe (and why and how), Suttle finds his own life and past being drawn into a snare.

The easy thing to do would be to say that The New Deadwardians is like a blend of two hot cable television series, “The Walking Dead” and “Downton Abbey.” I think of this comic book as being similar to and/or sharing aesthetic qualities with the Guy Ritchie-Robert Downey, Jr. Sherlock Holmes films. The New Deadwardians also reminds me of two indie comic books that I wish more people read: The Strange Case of Mr. Hyde (Dark Horse Comics) and Moriarty (Image Comics).

This narrative’s connection to the Edwardian period isn’t superficial, and the extent to how essential this time period is to the story can be determined by the reader. I think the story is more relatable to the Victorian era, because many of the characters, especially the lead, George Suttle, are frozen in the past in which they became immortal or undead. Perhaps, the Edwardian period is a bridge that marks the desire to stay in the past (the Victorian era), as exemplified by the Young, and the struggle to move forward (as represented by the Bright) to the future, that being the World War I and Interwar periods.

The New Deadwardians is a detective novel, and class and clues are the things through which Inspector Suttle digs to solve the mystery of a murder that should not have happened. Also, I agree with novelists George R.R. Martin and Bernard Cornwell that fantasy and historical fiction are twins, so The New Deadwardians is the comic book as both fantasy detective and historical fiction.

Whatever it is, The New Deadwardians is a surprisingly fantastic read. When I first heard of the series, I scoffed at it. Now, I’m demanding more. Dan Abnett’s script is clever and is filled with both humor and satire. The characters are nice, but are mostly types: the sarcastic cop, the well-meaning whore, the stiff-upper-lipped rich, etc. George Suttle is by far the most developed and richest character here. Still it’s the basic plot that drives this story, ever pushing the reader to end, and the final two issues/chapters are actually quite chilling. I really felt scared as I raced to the shocking conclusion.

I.N.J. Culbard’s succinct and crisp drawing style makes for clean visual prose that concisely conveys the story and script. His elegant graphic storytelling transports the reader into a world that Culbard makes wholly and completely believable. I didn’t believe in this world at first, but I wasn’t far into the story when I started believing that The New Deadwardians took place in our real historical past. That’s some convincing art on Culbard’s part.

Vertigo strikes again. The New Deadwardians is one of the best and most imaginative comic books of 2012. The trade paperback collection brings it back to life for us to enjoy in 2013 and forever, because it deserves eternal life.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux

I Reads You Review: JUSTICE LEAGUE #5

JUSTICE LEAGUE #5
DC COMICS

WRITER: Geoff Johns
PENCILS: Jim Lee
INKS: Scott Williams
COLORS: Alex Sinclair with Gabe Eltaeb
LETTERS: Patrick Brosseau
COVER: Jim Lee and Scott Williams, with Alex Sinclair
VARIANT COVER: Eric Basaldua with Nei Ruffino
40pp, Color, $3.99 U.S.

The subject of this comic book review is Justice League, the flagship title of “The New 52,” DC Comics’ re-launch of its superhero comic book line, which began August 2011. As I’ve done in previous reviews of this new Justice League series, I come in praise of it.

In the previous issue, Darkseid was revealed as the villain behind the worldwide invasion of earth by alien/extra-dimensional forces. As Justice League #5 (“Part Five”) opens, Superman and Flash are taking their shots at Darkseid – to no avail. Batman and Green Lantern agree to a truce in their petty rivalry as The Dark Knight hatches a plan for a rescue mission. Meanwhile, Green Lantern leads the charge of the heroes still standing.

As I learn to enjoy Geoff Johns, at least while I’m reading Justice League, I also realize that he has stretched this story beyond reason. After five issues, Johns has written what would have been about a single issue’s worth of story for Stan Lee back in the 1960s. Of course, Lee’s frequent collaborator, artist Jack Kirby, would have squeezed the action into smaller panels than the ones drawn by Johns’ Justice League collaborator, artist Jim Lee.

Honestly, I would not still be reading this if not for Jim Lee. (I love you, Jim Lee!) As long as he is drawing it, I’m down. Well, I didn’t read his Superman arc with writer Brian Azzarello, because reading it bored me severely.

For extras, there are two pages of Wonder Woman sketches by Cliff Chiang, two of Aquaman by Ivan Reis, and two pages of Cyborg by Jim Lee. There is also a two-page sneak peek of Suicide Squad #6-7, with art by Clayton Henry.

B+

The New 52 Review: WONDER WOMAN #1

WONDER WOMAN #1
DC COMICS

WRITER: Brian Azzarello
ARTIST: Cliff Chiang
COLORS: Matthew Wilson
LETTERS: Jared K. Fletcher
COVER: Cliff Chiang
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S.

Created by William Moulton Marston, Wonder Woman is perhaps the best known female superhero. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 (cover date December 1941). Wonder Woman is a Princess of the Amazons (based upon the Amazons of Greek mythology) from Paradise Island, now known as Themyscira. Her powers include flight and super-strength, -speed, -stamina, and -agility, as well as being highly proficient in hand-to-hand combat.

With the exception of most of 1986, Wonder Woman has continuously appeared in her own comic book series for seven decades. As part of “The New 52,” DC Comics’ re-launch of its superhero line, Wonder Woman returns in a new comic book series. Wonder Woman #1 (“The Visitation”) finds a young woman named Zola under assault by creatures from Greek mythology. Hermes sends her to Wonder Woman (she prefers “Diana’) for help, but Zola’s problems are bigger than anyone (on Earth) imagines.

The word here is “efficiency,” which results in one of the best of “The New 52.” As of this writing, I’d put it in the top three. Brian Azzarello’s story is smooth in its intensity with a script that moves the action through different locales as it brings together several characters and subplots into one might conspiracy.

It’s the same with the art by Cliff Chiang. The art captures the intensity of the story and its fast pace, but with solid composition and storytelling that belies the story’s anxious pace. Chiang’s Wonder Woman is a slim, athletic dynamo, and his figure drawing will make you believe that an Amazon is a real thing.

Wonder Woman is a comic book I want to read again.

A