#IReadsYou Review: STAR WARS: Crimson Reign #1

STAR WARS: CRIMSON REIGN #1 (OF 5)
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

STORY: Charles Soule
ART: Steven Cummings
COLORS: Guru-eFX
LETTERS: VC's Travis Lanham
EDITOR: Mark Paniccia
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Akira Yoshida a.k.a. C.B. Cebulski
COVER: Leinil Francis Yu with Sunny Gho
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Steve Cummings with Guru-eFX; Ario Anindito with Edgar Delgado; Clayton Crain; Valerio Giangiordano with Arif Prianto; David Lopez; Rahzzah; Khoi Pahm with Lee Loughridge
36pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (February 2022)

Rated T

Part 1: “The Orphans”

Star Wars: War of the Bounty Hunters was a Marvel Comics Star Wars publishing event that was comprised of 34 individual comic books, published from May to October 2021.  The series imagines a series of events that occur between the time bounty hunter, Boba Fett, collects Han Solo frozen in carbonite in 1980s The Empire Strikes Back (Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back) and his appearance in 1983's Return of the Jedi (Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi).

Coming out of War of the Bounty Hunters is the comic book miniseries, Star Wars: Crimson Reign.  It is written by Charles Soule; drawn by Steven Cummings; colored by Guru-eFX; and lettered by Travis Lanham.  According to Marvel, Crimson Reign is the second installment of a trilogy that will reshape the history of the Star Wars Galaxy during the “Age of Rebellion.”

Star Wars: Crimson Reign #1 opens in the halls of the group known as “Crimson Dawn.”  Qi'ra of Corellia is now the group's leader.  She has taken on the killers, liars, and thieves that make up this group and has given them a purpose.

Qi'ra has gathered a diverse group:  “The Knights of Ren,” “Chanath Cha and the Orphans,” Deathstick, Ochi of Bestoon, Margo and Trinia, and the Archivist to carry out of her plans, which is to destroy the Sith in order to free the galaxy.  Her main targets, of course, are Emperor Palpatine a.k.a. “Darth Sidious” and his apprentice, Darth Vader.  Qi'ra begins her mission by sending her allies against the galaxy's criminal syndicates, but has doom for herself and her group already been foretold?

THE LOWDOWN:  I have enjoyed the vast majority of the Charles Soule's Star Wars comic book work that I have read.  I have enjoyed Steven Cummings art since I was first exposed to it in some OEL (original English language) manga from Tokyopop, including Pantheon High (2007), Star Trek: The Manga (2007), and CSI: Intern at Your Own Risk (2009).

However, Star Wars: Crimson Reign #1 isn't the kind of first issue that will inspire me to go out of my way to read the rest of the series.  It is professionally written, professionally drawn, professionally colored, and professionally lettered.  This isn't a bad comic book.  I simply have little interest in Qi'ra's conspiracy, which is contrived past the point of being credible.  I find it hard to believe that not one syndicate leader would notice that the troubles begin shortly after Qi'ra and her ilk begin meeting with the syndicates.  Does it take two issues for even one of them to figure this out?

Lucasfilm and Marvel seem determined to retcon the fuck out of the original Star Wars trilogy and the imaginary timeline surrounding it – known as the “Age of Rebellion.”  That is their prerogative, but it is mine to choose to read it.  I choose not to.  I have never been that curious about “what happened” between the films, The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983).  But if that is your thing, Crimson Reign is not only a miniseries, but it is an event that will take place in various issues across Marvel's line of Star Wars comic books.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Marvel's Star Wars comic books may want to try Star Wars: Crimson Reign.

B

★★★ out of 4 stars

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


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The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou Review: Henry and J.J. Abrams' SPIDER-MAN #1

SPIDER-MAN No. 1 (2019)
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: J.J. Abrams and Henry Abrams
PENCILS: Sara Pichelli
INKS: Sara Pichelli with Elisabetta D'Amico
COLORS: Dave Stewart
LETTERS: VC's Joe Caramagna
EDITOR: Nick Lowe
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Akira Yoshida a.k.a. C.B. Cebulski
COVER: Olivier Coipel with Dave Stewart
VARIANT COVER ARTIST: Sara Pichelli with Dave Stewart; Chip Kidd; Ed McGuiness with Laura Martin; Humberto Ramos with Edgar Delgado; Jason Polan
40pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (November 2019)

Rated  “T”

Spider-Man created by Steve Ditko and Stan Lee

“Bloodline”

Spider-Man is the classic Marvel Comics superhero that debuted in Amazing Fantasy #15 (cover dated: August 1962).  Peter Parker, a high school student, was bitten by a radioactive spider.  That bite gave him strange powers, including the proportional speed and strength of a spider and his “spider-sense” a kind of internal warning beacon.  Parker donned what would become his trademark red and blue costume (that he made himself), and became the crime-fighting superhero, The Amazing Spider-Man.

Spider-Man publications have always attracted celebrated comic book creators who wanted to tell Spider-Man stories.  One of the most recent is acclaimed film director and Emmy-winning television producer, J.J. Abrams.  Abrams and his son, Henry Abrams, are the writers of a new five-issue comic book miniseries, entitled Spider-Man.  [When this series is collected in book form,“Spider-Man: Bloodline” might be the title.]  The series is drawn by modern Spider-Man superstar artist, Sara Pichelli, with Elisabetta D'Amico as an inking assistant.  The series colorist is Dave Stewart, and the letterer is Joe Caramagna.

Spider-Man #1 opens on what may be the worst day of Spider-Man's life.  His battle against a powerful villain named  “Cadaverous,” has left him grievously wounded.  For the hero, the day also turns stunningly, shockingly tragic.

Twelve years later, Peter Parker travels, practically non-stop, always working on another “assignment.”  Meanwhile, Peter's son, Ben, lives with Aunt May and struggles, not because he is a bullied wallflower – like the teenage version of his father.  Ben fights back, which drives a wedge between him and his father.  Now, Aunt May believes it is time for Ben to learn some secrets...

I am a huge fan of comic book artist Sara Pichelli, who is the artist most associated with Miles Morales, the Ultimate Spider-Man and the star of the Oscar-winning film, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.  Here, Pichelli delivers some of her most beautiful illustrative work, and her storytelling is emotive, potent, dramatic, and lovingly mysterious.  Nailed it!

After Marvel announced that J.J. Abrams and Henry would be writing a special Spider-Man comic book, I came across the usual cacophony of negative commentary from the fan-resentment chorus.  However, the American comic book industry would be better off if more Hollywood types, that are quite skilled in the art of the story, wrote comic books.  Abrams excels at emotion, character drama, female characters, and family drama, especially when it comes to the dynamics between parent and child.  I don't know how much Henry is contributing to writing here, but it is good.  Nailed it!

Everyone who reads comic books on a regular basis knows that Dave Stewart is currently among the very best colorists in American comic books, if not the best.  I can say that here, Stewart “Nailed it!”  Letterer Joe Caramagna... captures the subtle and quiet atmosphere of this first chapter with his usual skill.  So he... Nailed it!, too.

I am happy that the Abrams' Spider-Man is one of those superstar-driven, event comic book publications that is actually, really damn good.  I am so ready for more.

10 out of 10

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


The text is copyright © 2020 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou Review: SPIDEY #1

SPIDEY No. 1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Robbie Thompson
ART: Nick Bradshaw
COLORS: Jim Campbell
LETTERS: Travis Lanham
COVER: Nick Bradshaw with Jim Campbell
VARIANT COVERS: Humberto Ramos with Edgar Delgado; Skottie Young; Gyimah Gariba (Hip Hop Variant)
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (February 2016)

Rated  “T”

Spider-Man created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko

The Spider-Man that readers first met in Amazing Fantasy #15 (cover dated: August 1962) and then, in The Amazing Spider-Man #1 (cover date: March 1963) was secretly a teenager and high school student named Peter Parker.  Over the years, a legion of Spider-Man writers depicted Peter Parker graduating from high school, going to college, becoming a college graduate student, a working stiff, a freelancer, an employee, etc.

If my memory is correct, Peter Parker was living on his own and might have been a grad student in the first Spider-Man comic books I ever read.  However, the first time I encountered Spider-Man in comics was a reprint of the story from Amazing Fantasy #15.  That was a seminal moment for me as a burgeoning comic book fan.  From that point on, I basically always favored the teenage Peter Parker, so the first time I saw an adult Parker, I found it odd.  It is not that I did not like a grown-up Parker; I simply preferred reading about a teen-aged Peter Parker being Spider-Man.

So my interest was piqued when I read that as part of the “All-New, All-Different Marvel,” Marvel Comics was going to launch a comic book that focused on the early days of Peter Parker's adventures as Spider-Man.  Entitled Spidey, this series is written by Robbie Thompson; drawn by Nick Bradshaw; colored by Jim Campbell; and lettered by Travis Lanham.

Spidey #1 finds Peter Parker having to be the Amazing Spider-Man on his way to class at Midtown High School.  It is the field trip to Oscorp that causes the real trouble when Doctor Otto Octavius crashes the party.

I tried to be a cynical old guy and not like Spidey #1, but it is the kind of throwback, retro Spider-Man comic book that I like to read on occasion.  In fact, I am ready for the second issue (which I think has been released as of this writing).  This is an action-adventure comic book that recalls classic Marvel, but without the storytelling density.  After all, early Marvel Comics squeezed an epic into practically each issue their most popular series.

Spidey writer Robbie Thompson offers something like a comic book version of the Saturday morning animated television series, “The Spectacular Spider-Man” (2008-2009).  Thompson pretty much sticks with standard characterization on all characters, including the supporting players, Gwen Stacy and Flash Thompson, so readers will recognize the characters they have come to love.  Thompson also manages two Spider-Man-in-action sequences, while offering the high school melodrama that is integral to any Spider-Man comic book

Artist Nick Bradshaw does his best Art Adams circa Monkeyman and O'Brien, but Adam's detailed style is made practical rather than stylish in Spidey.  Appearance aside, Bradshaw's storytelling is solid, balancing lite high school drama with explosive action.  And as every Spider-Man comic book artist should do, Bradshaw makes Spider-Man look good in action.  I don't know if Bradshaw will be remembered as a great Spider-Man artist, but he is starting off as an effective one.

So if readers are looking for a Spider-Man comic book for young readers, rather than complaining they can find Spidey.  It will entertainment them, also.

B+

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 and syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou Review: UNCANNY X-MEN #1 (2019)

UNCANNY X-MEN #1 (2019) – Legacy #620
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Ed Brisson, Matthew Rosenberg, and Kelly Thompson
ART: Mahmud Asrar; Mirko Colak; Ibraim Roberson
PENCILS: Mark Bagley
INKS: Andrew Hennessy
COLORS: Rachelle Rosenberg
LETTERS: VC's Joe Caramagna
COVER: Leinil Francis Yu with Edgar Delgado
EDITOR: Jordan White with Darren Shan
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: David Finch with Frank D'Armata; Jim Cheung with Justin Ponsor; Scott Williams with Ryan Kinnaird; Carlos Pacheco and Rafael Fonteriz with Edgar Delgado; Joe Quesada with Richard Isanove; Rob Liefeld with Romulo Fajardo, Jr.; Dave Cockrum with Jason; Dave Cockrum
72pp, Color, $7.99 U.S. (January 2019)

Rated T+

X-Men created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

“Disassembled” Part 1; “What Tomorrow Brings” Parts One – “A Bishop Story”; Part Two – “A Jean Grey Story”; Part Three – “An Armor & Angle Story”; Epilogue

There is no point in trying to count the number of times that Marvel Comics has relaunched, reinvigorated, or quasi-rebooted its X-Men comic book franchise since 2001's New X-Men.  This week we got the third(?) Uncanny X-Men relaunch.

Uncanny X-Men 2019 is written by the team of Ed Brisson, Matthew Rosenberg, and Kelly Thompson.  The artists and art teams will rotate, as the first nine issues of this new series will be published weekly.  The artists for this first issue are Mahmud Asrar (pencils-inks); Mirko Colak (pencils-inks); Ibraim Roberson (pencils-inks); and the team of Mark Bagley (pencils) and Andrew Hennessy (inks).  Rachelle Rosenberg colors and Joe Caramanga letters this first issue.

Uncanny X-Men #1 begins with the main story, “Disassembled” Part 1.  The story opens with Jean Grey having a dream about an invasion of multiple copies of Multiple Man, each one demanding the whereabouts of Kitty Pryde.  Meanwhile, Kitty is among the members of the X-Men who are suddenly disappearing.  Who is behind this mystery?  In a series of back-up stories, Bishop, Jean Grey & Storm, and Armor & Anole take on a foe capable of possessing people in the days leading up to the events depicted in the main story.

20th Century Fox's X-Men film franchise has had some spectacular successes and some failures since the franchise's first film, 2000's X-Men.  In that time, X-Men comic books have been mostly hit and miss.  There have been some interesting, even good series; All New X-Men, New X-Men, and X-Men: The Hidden Years come to mind.  However, the “golden age” of X-Men comic books was over by the mid-1980s, and the various owners of Marvel Comics have ruined the franchise by turning it into a cash cow that has vomited money.  A deluge of X-Men and X-Men-related ongoing series, miniseries, one-shots, specials, graphic novels, and reprint and archival publications in various formats, etc. were money makers.  The quality of these comic books varied wildly.  Some were good.  Some were mediocre.  Some were plain awful.

Personally, I think that without a radical rethinking of the X-Men concept, the best we can hope for is that maybe each new iteration of a flagship X-Men comic book, Uncanny X-Men or the recent X-Men: Blue and X-Men: Gold, can yield at least a year's worth of good comic books.  Gold and Blue barely did that.

I like that Uncanny X-Men 2019 will be weekly for its first nine issues.  I wish that Marvel and DC Comics published more weekly titles.  Rather than have a bunch of crappy Justice League titles, have one that is published weekly and features rotating casts and creative teams.  If Uncanny X-Men's writing team can maintain this first issue's sense of mystery and keep offering cliffhangers like the ones in this issue, then, this will be a fun run of nine issues.

So I have some hope, but, without going into spoilers, nothing in Uncanny X-Men #1 2019 suggests that this comic book will approach the first quarter-century of X-Men publications, which offered quite a few stories that went on to become classics.  But there is enough here to suggest that this could be a solid title.  I want to be surprised and delighted.

7 out of 10

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


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

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Review: THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #1

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN No. 1 / #802 (2018)
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Nick Spencer
PENCILS: Ryan Ottley; Humberto Ramos
INKS: Cliff Rathburn; Victor Olazaba
COLORS: Marte Gracia; Edgar Delgado
LETTERS: VC's Joe Caramagna
EDITOR: Nick Lowe
COVER: Ryan Ottley with Laura Martin
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Shane Davis and Michelle Delecki with Morry Hollowell; John Romita, Sr. and Terry Austin with Jason Keith; Erik Larsen with Dean White (Remastered); Jim Cheung with Justin Ponser; Greg Land with Jason Keith
56pp, Color, $5.99 U.S. (September 2018)

Rated  “T”

Spider-Man created by Steve Ditko and Stan Lee

“Back to Basics” Part One

Here we go.  Back in the summer, Marvel Comics published yet another The Amazing Spider-Man #1, but the publisher did not jettison its “Legacy” numbering.  So this new #1 comic book is also The Amazing Spider-Man #802.

It is a fresh start, of sorts, with a new creative team.  Nick Spencer is the new series writer.  The new art team is Ryan Ottley (pencils) and Cliff Rathburn (inks).  Laura Martin is on colors, and Joe Caramagna is on letters.

The Amazing Spider-Man #1 finds Peter Parker still trying to get his life back together in the wake of the crash and burn of his company, Parker Industries.  He shares an apartment with roommates, and he has reconnected with M.J. - Mary Jane Watson.  But something is wrong.  People are giving him the side eye, when they aren't being outright hostile and dismissive.  And he and the Avengers are in the middle of a massive alien invasion.  Is there a conspiracy against Peter Parker and Spider-Man?

I enjoyed Dan Slott's run on The Amazing Spider-Man.  Of course, I only experienced the second half of Slott's long tenure on the title, and I understand that some readers and fans were ready for Marvel to move on from him.

I don't know if readers are satisfied now, but I like this almost tripled-sized issue.  Without reverting Peter Parker to childhood, Spencer takes Peter Parker back to the days when he suffered the bane of a hero's existence – no good deed goes unpunished.  Indirectly and directly and by action and inaction, Parker and Spider-Man are causing trouble for the people for whom they care.  Obviously, there is a lot of dramatic tension and conflict.  Still, Spencer writes a light-hearted comic book with both wry humor and dark undertones.

Ryan Ottley, known for his long run on Robert Kirkman's Invincible (Image Comics), is the perfect Spider-Man comic book artist, for now.  He reminds me of Mark Bagley on Ultimate Spider-Man, and, at the time (late 2000), both that comic book and Bagley were much needed breaths of fresh air for the Spider-Man franchise.  Ottley recalls the past while being something different, essentially an indie superhero comic book artist taking on a venerable mainstream superhero franchise.  Ottley is back to basics without being retro.

Cliff Rathburn on inks accentuates the newness of Ottley's clean pencil art.  Laura Martin's colors seems out of place, too heavy for Ottley and Rathburn's illustrations.  There is nothing distinctive about Joe Caramagna's lettering.  At least, it seems that way to me.

Former Amazing Spider-Man series artist, Humberto Ramos, delivers a killer back-up story.  With his striking illustrative style, Ramos usually presents potent storytelling, and his tale enforces my belief that this Amazing relaunch could be something special... at least for awhile.

8 out of 10

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


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



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Review: TONY STARK: IRON MAN #1

TONY STARK: IRON MAN No. 1 (Legacy #601)
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Dan Slott
ART: Valerio Schiti
COLORS: Edgar Delgado
LETTERS: VC's Joe Caramagna
EDITOR: Tom Brevoort
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Akira Yoshida
COVER: Alexander Lozano
VARIANT COVERS: David Aja; Alex Ross; Kaare Andrews; Adi Granov; Alexander Lozano and Valerio Schiti with Eber Evangelista
40pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (August 2018)

Rated “T+”

Iron Man created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, Don Heck, and Jack Kirby

Self-Made Man: Part One “What's the Big Idea?”

Iron Man is a Marvel Comics superhero that debuted in Tales of Suspense #39 (cover dated: March 1963).  Iron Man is the alter-ego of Tony Stark, a weapons manufacturer, industrialist, and wealthy, glamorous ladies' man.  After an accident, Stark builds a suit of armor to save his life, and with that armor, Stark becomes “Iron Man.”

In the midst of another restart event, Marvel Comics has launched a new Iron Man comic book.  It is entitled Tony Stark: Iron Man.  It written by Dan Slott; drawn by Valerio Schiti; colored by Edgar Delgado; and lettered by Joe Caramagna.

Tony Stark: Iron Man #1 (“What's the Big Idea?”) finds Tony reunited with a former rival, Andy Bhang, whom Tony wants to join the team of geniuses at “Stark Unlimited.”  However, the arrival of the legendary super-beast, Fin Fang Foom, will test Tony smarts, Iron Man's armor and tech, and Bhang's place among the “team Stark genius collection.”

Dan Slott was a writer on The Amazing Spider-Man comic book series beginning in 2008, and he became the series sole writer beginning in 2010.  Surfing the Internet, I often got the feeling that a lot of Spider-Man readers had enough of him; they thought he had been writing Amazing for too long.  After being a regular reader of The Amazing Spider-Man during my childhood, teen years, and young adulthood, I stopped being a regular reader in early 1990s.  I returned for a few years in the late 1990s and early 2000s.  I returned again as a regular reader about four years ago.

I like Dan Slott's The Amazing Spider-Man, which feels like classic ASM:  humor, action, cliffhanger thrills, and occasional heartbreaking and poignant stories, but he did recently exit the series after The Amazing Spider-Man #801.  Now, as the lead Iron Man writer, I think he will bring a similar tone to Tony Stark: Iron Man.  I am not crazy about that because I was perfectly happy with Brian Michael Bendis chronicling the adventures of the new Iron Man, Riri Williams/Iron Heart, in Invincible Iron Man and Victor Von Doom as Iron Man in Infamous Iron Man.

Even the artist Tony Stark: Iron Man, Valerio Schiti, reminds me of Stuart Immonen, who drew many issues of Slott's Amazing Spider-Man comic books over the last two years.  Tony Stark: Iron Man is not a bad comic book.  It is well written and well drawn, but I am not sure that I am ready for Dan Slott's “The Amazing Iron Man,” even if it is entitled Tony Stark: Iron Man, the way I was always down for Slott's The Amazing Spider-Man.

6 out of 10

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


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

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Review: X-MEN: Red #1

X-MEN: RED No. 1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Tom Taylor
ART: Mahmud Asrar
COLORS: Ive Svorcina
LETTERS: VC's Cory Petit
COVER: Travis Charest
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Mahmud Asrar with Ive Svorcina; John Tyler Christopher; Phil Jimenez; Phil Jimenez with Nolan Woodard; Rob Liefeld; Skottie Young; Pepe Larraz with Edgar Delgado
36pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (April 2018)

Rated T+

X-Men created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

“The Hate Machine” Part 1: “Heal the World”

Last year, Marvel Comics launched a publishing event, entitled “ResurrXion,” in an attempt to shoot new life in its moribund X-Men line of comic books.  This initiative involved the debut of several new X-Men comic book titles, including the color-coded X-Men: Blue and X-Men Gold.

Still trying to pump life into the X-Men, Marvel has launched a new X-Men color-coded comic book, entitled X-Men: Red.  It will feature an X-Men team led by the resurrected, original Jean Grey, also known at times as Marvel Girl and Phoenix/Dark Phoenix.  This new comic book is written by Tom Taylor; drawn by Mahmud Asrar; colored by Ive Svorcina; and lettered by Cory Petit.

X-Men: Red #1 (“Heal the World”) opens with Heather, a young mutant, being hounded by a mob of neighbors who want to kill her because she is a mutant.  Her rescuers are Jean Grey, Nightcrawler, Gentle, Namor, Trinary, Honey Badger, and Wolverine (Laura Kinney).  Two months earlier, Jean Grey, newly brought back to life, decides that in order to protect mutants from a world that still hates them, she will need to find a way to protect the entire world.  Of course, not everyone wants that.

Once upon a time, someone who thought they were being smart “man-splained” to me that corporations existed to provide goods and services.  I didn't say anything at the time, but I firmly believed that many corporations, if not most, existed first and foremost to make money for their major stockholders and chief executives, officers, and/or managers.  That includes corporations that own comic book publishers like Marvel Comics.

I imagine that in the early 1980s, the people that called the shots noticed how popular the Marvel Comics title, Uncanny X-Men, had become with readers and how its story of a band of mutants who fought for a world that hated and feared them really resonated with fans.  That love had turned Uncanny X-Men into the top-selling comic book, at least in North America.  So why make a lot of money from just one X-Men comic book title when Marvel could make a even more money with more X-Men publications?

First it was one graphic novel... or two, and then, an X-Men spin-off series and a miniseries featuring the most popular X-Men character (Wolverine).  What started as a few X-Men and X-Men-related spin-offs became a trickle, then a stream, and the stream became a deluge.  I think Marvel officially started ruining the X-Men, not when it became a franchise, but specifically when that franchise launched the comic book, X-Factor (cover dated: February 1986).

In the three decades plus since the debut of X-Factor #1, there have been many quality X-Men publications, but most X-Men comic books have been, to be generous, average at best.  The X-Men went from being something special into nothing more than a cynically exploited cash cow for whatever money-grubbing corporation or CEO that owned Marvel Comics at any given time.

Writer Tom Taylor tries to recall the halcyon pre-X-Factor days of Uncanny X-Men in X-Men: Red.  Writer Marc Guggenheim tries to recall the storytelling of the classic X-Men scribe, Chris Claremont (who is arguably still the best X-Men comic book writer ever) with X-Men: Gold, but the results are mixed.  I feel like being cynical and saying that it is too late to make X-Men great again, but Taylor seems to be on to something here.  I would like to see where this goes.

I do think that artist Mahmud Asrar is already delivering excellent work.  I don't need to wait and see with Asrar; I am already declaring his art and graphical storytelling here a winner.  I think Asrar's illustrations, which are beautifully colored by Ive Svorcina, make this issue's story, “Heal the World,” seem as if it is indeed part of a promising larger story.  I have considered Asrar a star-creator in the making since I first saw his art in The New 52 title, Supergirl (2011).

So I see red, X-Men: Red that is.  I will keep reading as long as Taylor and Asrar are making something that seems special like the Uncanny X-Men at its speak from mid-1970s to the mid-1980s.

8 out of 10

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


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

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Review: FANTASTIC FOUR #1 Fascimile Edition

FANTASTIC FOUR #1 FACSIMILE EDITION (2018)
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: Stan Lee
PENCILS: Jack Kirby
INKS: George Klein (?); Sol Brodsky (?)
COLORS: Stan Goldberg
LETTERS: Artie Simek
EDITOR: Mark D. Beazley (collection editor)
COVER: Jack Kirby and George Klein with Stan Goldberg (?)
MISC. ART: John Buscema and Joe Sinnott; John Byrne and Terry Austin; John Byrne; Alex Ross; John Byrne with Gregory Wright; Scott Eaton with Richard Isanove; Eric Powell; Clayton Crain; Marcelo DiChiara; Ed McGuinness and Dexter Vines; Michael Wm Kaluta; Leinil Francis Yu; Arthur Adams with Justin Ponsor; Humberto Ramos with Edgar Delgado; Jack Kirby and George Klein with Dean White
48pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (October 2018)

Fantastic Four created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee

Afterword by Dan Slott

“The Fantastic Four!”

The Fantastic Four #1 (cover dated: November 1961) is the comic book that basically started what we know of today as Marvel Comics and the “Marvel Universe” of superheroes, comic books, stories, and fictional mythologies.  This comic book only credits two of the creative team, Fantastic Four creators, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.  Lee wrote a two-page plot that Kirby drew, via pencil art, as a 25-page comic book story.  Lee, credited as the scriptwriter, wrote the exposition and dialogue for the 25 pages.  You can experience this history in Marvel Comics' recent release, Fantastic Four #1 Facsimile Edition.

Because comic books then did not provide contributor credits as they do today, there is some question as to the rest of the creative team of this first issue of The Fantastic Four (also known as “FF”).  George Klein and possibly Sol Brodsky provided inks over Kirby's pencils.  Stan Goldberg was the colorist, and Artie Simek was this comic book's letterer.

The Fantastic Four #1 (“The Fantastic Four!) opens in the FF's original home, Central City.  The ordinary citizens are in an uproar, as above them, someone has fired a flare gun that has unleashed a huge smoke cloud.  Like a silent beacon, the smoke is emblazoned with the words, “THE FANTASTIC FOUR!”  What does it all mean, the citizens of Central City wonder?

The one who fired the gun is Reed Richards a.k.a. “Mister Fantastic,” a scientific genius, who can stretch his body to incredible lengths and into endless shapes.  He is calling Susan “Sue” Storm a.k.a. “the Invisible Girl,” who can make herself invisible.  The call also goes out to Johnny Storm a.k.a. “the Human Torch,” Sue's younger brother, who can ignite his body with flames, generate more flames, and use the flames to give him the power of flight.  The final cast member is Ben Grimm a.k.a. “the Thing,” whose flesh has been turned stone-like, giving him tremendous superhuman strength, durability, and endurance.  Richards is the leader of this mysterious group, The Fantastic Four.  On the day of Reed's signal call, the team must save the planet from a strange underworld menace, and the world will never be the same.

The Fantastic Four, of course, is now simply known as Fantastic Four, a fantastic name either way one says it.  It is definitely one of the five most important individual issues of a comic book ever published, and there are several reasons why.  The modern language of superhero comic books and to a large extent, the graphical storytelling language of modern comic books is based on Jack Kirby's comic book storytelling, beginning with his illustrations and storytelling in Fantastic Four #1.

However, what I like about Fantastic Four #1 is its unabashed craziness.  Stan Lee does not pretend to be writing science fiction.  This landmark comic book is full of crazy, ridiculous, stupid, hair-brained, wild, weird, wonderful, wacky, surreal, and strange stuff, and sadly, in the intervening years, comic books have tried to become too smart.  It is as if comic books have been trying to make sense of the “wrongness” and “incorrectness” of Fantastic Four in the intervening decades since its release.  Comic books don't need to be literature to be taken seriously.  Comic book writers, artists, colorists, letterers, editors, publishers, etc. create storytelling that cannot be created in other mediums, and it is perfectly fine for the stories to be scientifically and practically non-nonsensical.

Fantastic Four #1 is like a B-movie or monster movie, but only in the most superficial ways.  The imagination and inventiveness unique to comic books is unique to comic books because comic books are not like other mediums.  A couple of times in the text pieces for Fantastic Four #1 Facsimile Edition, the word “crude” is used.  On the surface, the illustrations in this sixty-seven year-old comic book story may appear to be crude, but the graphics and the graphical storytelling are beautiful, almost beyond words.

The combination of imagination, the uniqueness of the comics medium, and the innate weirdness of comic books flowed (and still flows) through what Jack Kirby and Stan Lee created so long ago.  The Fantastic Four #1 is not quaint, charming, or crude; it was a new dawn, and it is still visionary.  I have been reading The Fantastic Four #1 in reprint form, on and off, for over 30 years, and I never stop being excited while reading it.  I really enjoyed Fantastic Four #1 Facsimile Edition.

[This comic book features previously published text pieces by Stan Lee, Tom DeFalco, and Walter Mosley.]


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


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Review: DOCTOR APHRA #1

DOCTOR APHRA No. 1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

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

WRITER: Kieron Gillen
ART: Kev Walker; Salvador Larroca
COLORS: Antonio Fabela; Edgar Delgado
LETTERS: VC's Joe Caramagna
COVER: Kamome Shirahama
VARIANT COVERS: Rod Reis; John Tyler Christopher; Salvador Larroca; Elsa Charretier; Jamie McKelvie; Rafael Albuquerque; Ashley Witter; Kamome Shirahama
44pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (February 2017)

Rated “T”

Aphra “Part 1”

Rogue archaeologist, Doctor Aphra, first appeared in Marvel Comics' Darth Vader #3.  She became Darth Vader's lackey and eventually his enemy.  Darth Vader the comic book recently ended, and its replacement is a new comic book, Star Wars: Doctor Aphra, Marvel Comics' first ongoing series starring an original Star Wars character created in the Star Wars comic books.  Doctor Aphra is written by Kieron Gillen; drawn by Kev Walker; colored by Antonio Fabela; and lettered by Joe Caramagna.

Doctor Aphra #1 opens in the aftermath of Darth Vader #25.  Aphra barely escaped Darth Vader's clutches with her life, and she knows if he discovers that she is not dead, he will hunt her down.  Aphra returns to what she does best – search the galaxy for rare artifacts.  She is now locating and liberating rare archaeological treasures; her companions are the homicidal droids, 0-0-0 and BT-1 (who also debuted in Darth Vader #3) and the Wookiee warrior, Krrsantan.  Her latest artifact find will bring her nothing but trouble, as she discovers that everyone and no one wants it.

I really like the cover art for Doctor Aphra #1, which is drawn and colored by Kamome Shirahama.  It is not a particularly inventive visual design, but it is striking in its execution.  I also like the interior art by Kev Walker, whose graphic style reminds me of the work of Jamie Hewlett (the co-creator with Alan Martin of Tank Girl).  Walker and colorist Antonio Fabela's work on this first issue would been a good fit for the best days of the science fiction and fantasy anthology magazine, Heavy Metal.

In fact, I think that in some ways,this Doctor Aphra comic book will be as much like Tank Girl, Heavy Metal, and various British and European science fiction comics as it will be a Star Wars comic book.  This title may be something of a risk for Marvel, in terms of Star Wars comic books, but it is good to see that they are willing to be a bit adventurous with their Star Wars titles.  The prior license holder for Star Wars comic books, Dark Horse Comics, was quite adventurous in the kind of Star Wars titles that it produced for two decades.

As a nice extra, there is a back-up story featuring a younger Doctor Aphra, and it is produced by the Darth Vader creative team of Gillen; artist Salvador Larroca, and colorist Edgar Delgado.  This story assures me that Doctor Aphra is more likely than not to be a good Star Wars comic book.

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 and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: CHAMPIONS #1

CHAMPIONS No. 1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: Mark Waid
PENCILS: Humberto Ramos
INKS: Victor Olazaba
COLORS: Edgar Delgado
LETTERS: VC's Clayton Cowles
COVER: Humberto Ramos with Edgar Delgado
VARIANT COVERS: Alex Ross; Mark Brooks; John Tyler Christopher; Jay Fosgitt; Rahzzah; Art Adams with Jason Keith; Mike Hawthorne with Matt Milla; Skottie Young
40pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (December 2016)

Rated T

Back in 1975, Marvel Comics introduced a new team of superheroes known as The Champions.  Marvel Comics' new publishing initiative, NOW!, offers a new version of that semi-classic.  Entitled Champions, it is created by writer Mark Waid and artist Humberto Ramos.  The comic book is written by Waid; drawn by Ramos (pencils) and Victor Olazaba (inks); colored by Edgar Delgado; and lettered by Clayton Cowles.

Champions #1 opens in the home of Kamala Khan a.k.a. Ms. Marvel.  The teen girl's life is in a state of flux.  Just five days ago, she quit the Avengers.  Now, she calls on two other former teen Avengers who quit the team before her, Spider-Man (Miles Morales) and Nova (Sam Alexander).  Kamala is going to try to convince her former teammates to start a new team, one that wants to “put the wold back together” whenever their superhero activities break it.  Can she convince them and maybe a few more young heroes to go along with that idea?

Sometime in the long-ago, I am sure that I read The Champions, either that or a comic book in which they appeared.  That is not important here because the new Champions are something different.  They want to fix the things that they break because they believe that the “grown up” or “older” superheroes are not concerned with damage control or the mess they leave behind, or are at least not as concerned as they should be.

I am curious to see where this goes.  When Mark Waid is good, he is quite good, and he starts good here.  I am a sucker for most anything drawn by Humberto Ramos and have been for over two decades.  I should be upfront with that.  I am partial to giving this creative team a shot, and I am willing to recommend the first issue, at least.  But I'm coming back for more and will review this series again, probably soon.

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 and syndication rights and fees.

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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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Review: EXTRAORDINARY X-MEN #1

EXTRAORDINARY X-MEN No. 1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: Jeff Lemire
PENCILS: Humberto Ramos
INKS: Victor Olazaba
COLORS: Edgar Delgado
LETTERS: VC's Joe Caramagna
COVER: Humberto Ramos with Edgard Delgado
VARIANT COVERS: J. Scott Campbell with Nei Ruffino; Pascal Campion; Todd Nauck with Andy Troy; Sanford Greene (Hip Hop Variant); Amanda Lynne Shafter photographed by Judy Stephens (cosplay variant)
36pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (January 2016)

Rated T+

X-Men created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

Uncanny X-Men has been the flagship X-Men comic book for most of the past five decades, but it recently came to an end (for now?) with the publication of Uncanny X-Men #600.  The status changes as a result of the All-New, All-Different Marvel re-branding of Marvel Comics.  Now, the flagship X-Men title is Extraordinary X-Men.

This new series is written by Jeff Lemire; drawn by Humberto Ramos (pencils) and Victor Olazaba (inks); colored by Edgar Delgado; and lettered by Joe Caramagna.  The series finds the X-Men fighting to escape the threat of the Terrigen Mists which gives Inhumans their powers, but harms mutants.

Extraordinary X-Men #1 opens with Storm struggling with the weight of the task she finds before her.  She must fight to save mutantkind, which may be facing extinction because of the mass release of the Terrigen Mists.  Now, with her lieutenants, Iceman and Magik, at her side, Storm must gather a new team of X-Men to help the mutants now living in a place called “X-Haven.”  Not everyone, however, wants to join Storm's mission, even if they believe in it.

Upon first seeing a teaser about Extraordinary X-Men, I was dismissive of it.  Now, I cannot wait to read the second issue.  Marvel has found a way to make the X-Men interesting – by marking them destruction.  Their numbers are shrinking, and they may not be able to reproduce, which means extinction.  Having a streamlined X-team will give writer Jeff Lemire a chance to build the characters into this new paradigm of peril.  Lemire will also be able to tell fresh stories using classic or familiar personalities, but from a different point of setting or perspective.  Lemire's take on Storm reminds me of the boss-lady of Chris Claremont's run on Uncanny X-Men, and for me, that is a good thing.

In the meantime, Humberto Ramos' run as penciller on the 2014 relaunch of The Amazing Spider-Man reinvigorated my interest in Ramos (and Spider-Man, for that matter).  For a few years in the 1990s, Ramos was one of my favorite comic book artists.  Hey, in a way, these are the same old X-Men, but Ramos, both in terms of drawing style and graphical storytelling, makes everything seem fresh and new.  I think the possibilities are endless for Extraordinary X-Men, even if corporate demands mean the X-Men comic books won't stray too far from the familiar.

Still, I am excited, so I will recommend Extraordinary X-Men #1.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

Review: THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #1

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (2015) No. 1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Dan Slott
PENCILS: Giuseppe Camuncoli
INKS: Cam Smith
COLORS: Marte Gracia
LETTERS: VC's Joe Caramagna
COVER: Alex Ross
VARIANT COVERS: Mark Bagley; Giuseppe Camuncoli with Marte Gracia; J. Scott Campbell with Nei Ruffino; Andrew Hennessy with Nolan Woodard; Mike Del Mundo; Humberto Ramos with Edgar Delgado; Ryan Sook; Gameloft with Trevor Cook; Aaron Rivin photographed by Judy Stephens
68pp, Color, $5.99 U.S. (December 2015)

Rated  “T”

Spider-Man created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko

There have been at least three prior series to start with the title, The Amazing Spider-Man, to say nothing of all the comics published as Spider-Man #1.  In fact, there was The Amazing Spider-Man #1 launched by writer Dan Slott and artist Humberto Ramos just last year.

With the arrival of the “All-New All-Different Marvel,” The Amazing Spider-Man starts over, again with writer Dan Slott; artists Giuseppe Camuncoli (pencils) and Cam Smith (inks); colorist Marte Gracia; letterer Joe Caramagna; and cover artist Alex Ross.

The Amazing Spider-Man #1 opens in Shanghia.  Why?  Because Spider-Man has gone global, that's why.  Spider-Man and Mockingbird are trying to receive the secure servers of Parker Industries (P.I.), which contain critical data concerning P.I.'s “Webware” Internet app/browser/provider.  An adversarial entity calling “The Zodiac” is the culprit, but another, far more dangerous villain is lurking in the shadows.

I totally dug The Amazing Spider-Man 2014, mainly when Dan Slott and Humberto Ramos were the creative team.  Yes, it is only one issue, but I am not as excited by The Amazing Spider-Man 2015.  Still, the last page will make sure I come back, and I must say that, in general, I find Dan Slott to be one of the best Spider-Man comic book writers that I have had the pleasure of reading.

B+

[This comic book includes previews of Spider-Man 2099 #1; Silk #1; Spider-Woman #1; Webwarriors #1; and Spider-Man #1]

[This comic book includes the bonus comic “The Spider's Corner with Petey P” by Anthony Holden with Jordie Bellaire.]

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

Review: LANDO #1

LANDO #1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

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

WRITER: Charles Soule
ART: Alex Maleev
COLORS: Paul Mounts
LETTERS: VC's Joe Caramagna
COVER: Alex Maleev with Edgard Delgado
VARIANT COVERS: Alex Ross; John Tyler; Skottie Young
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (September 2015)

Rated T

“Part 1”

Lando Calrissian was the first Star Wars character portrayed onscreen by a Black man, Oscar-nominated actor, Billy Dee Williams.  [Of course, James Earl Jones first provided the voice of Darth Vader, while another actor wore the costume.]  Lando made his debut in The Empire Strikes Back (1980), the first sequel to Star Wars (1977).

Lando Calrissian gets his first solo comic book series with the recently launched title, Lando.  The comic book miniseries is written by Charles Soule, drawn by Alex Maleev, colored by Paul Mounts, and lettered by Joe Caramagna.

Lando #1 (“Part 1”) opens sometime after the events depicted in the original Star Wars film.  The story begins on the Imperial colony world, Castell, shortly after Lando has bedded Ssaria, an Imperial Moff.  Lando needs something from her to pay a debt to “Papa Toren,” some kind of crime boss, but things don't quite work out for Lando.  Lando convinces his partner, Lobot, to join him on another gambit.  He recruits the twin weirdos, Aleskin and Pavol, and Sava Korin Pers to steal something – something of which none of them understands the true value.

Not long after the release of The Empire Strikes Back, a trio of novels featuring Lando Calrissian were published [Lando Calrissian and the Mindharp of Sharu; Lando Calrissian and the Flamewind of Oseon; and Lando Calrissian and the Starcave of ThonBoka, all written by L. Neil Smith].  So it is strange that in the character's previous 34 years of existence no one thought to create even a Lando solo comic book miniseries, especially considering the almost uncountable number of Star Wars comic books that Dark Horse Comics published over a period of just over two decades.  Well, half a year before the release of the seventh Star Wars film (Star Wars: The Force Awakens), Marvel Comics is smart enough to give us a Lando comic book series, and it is quite good.

In terms of design and graphic style, Lando the comic book looks like The Empire Strikes Back.  In fact, in composition and rendering and in character design, Alex Maleev's work on Lando recalls the work of legendary comic book artist, Al Williamson.  It was Williamson who drew Marvel Comics' six-issue adaptation of The Empire Strikes Back, which was published in issues #39 to 44 (cover dated: September 1980 to February 1981) of Marvel's original Star Wars comic book series.  Even colorist Paul Mounts seems to have The Empire Strikes Back's color palette in mind as he colored Maleev's original art for Lando.

As for Charles Soule's story, this heist tale has potential.  It looks like a tale that could be filled with backstabbing and life-threatening situation.

However, Marvel Comics (like DC Comics) has been making a big deal about its recent moves towards diversity.  Apparently, diversity to Marvel means a few more comic books with “characters of color,” but not more Black creators producing those comic books, especially when it comes to writers.  It would have been nice if Marvel Comics had given an African-American writer a shot at writing a Lando Calrissian comic book.  It certainly would be something different, and perhaps more interesting.  What would be even more special and surprising would be if Marvel Comics knew more than two Black comic book writers to whom they could offer assignments or writing gigs.

Anyway, I'll give Lando a high grade for its lovely art.

A-

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.

I Reads You Review: S.H.I.E.L.D. #1

S.H.I.E.L.D #1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

WRITER: Mark Waid
PENCILS: Carlos Pacheco
INKS: Mariano Taibo with Jason Pax
COLORS: Dono Almara
LETTERS: VC's Joe Caramagna
COVER: Julian Totino Tedesco
VARIANT COVERS: Mahmud Asrar with Dono Almara; John Tyler Christopher; Mike Deodato with Edgar Delgado; David Marquez with Laura Martin; Steve McNiven with Marte Gracia; Sara Pichelli with Dono Almara; Valerio Schiti with Laura Martin; Ryan Stegman with Rom Fajardo; Skottie Young
36pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (January 2015)

Rated “T+”

S.H.I.E.L.D created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

“Perfect Bullets”

S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage, law-enforcement, and counter-terrorism agency that appears in Marvel Comics titles.  The agency often deals with paranormal and super-human threats.  This agency was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and first appeared in Strange Tales #135 (cover dated: August 1965).  The acronym, S.H.I.E.L.D., originally stood for “Supreme Headquarters, International Espionage, Law-Enforcement Division,” but  changed in 1991 to “Strategic Hazard Intervention Espionage Logistics Directorate.”

S.H.I.E.L.D. plays a prominent role in the films and television series (live-action and animated) that are part of the “Marvel Cinematic Universe.”  Currently, the S.H.I.E.L.D. acronym stands for “Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division.”

S.H.I.E.L.D. is the star of an ABC television series, “Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”  On the last week of the 2014, Marvel Comics launched a new S.H.I.E.L.D. comic book series.  Mark Waid will write the series with the art provided by a rotating roster of popular comic book artists, beginning with the first issue's penciller, Carlos Pacheco.

S.H.I.E.L.D. #1 (“Perfect Bullets”) introduces Phil Coulson, the star of the ABC series.  This is his first day on the job as S.H.I.E.L.D. Special Ops Supreme Commander, and waiting for him is a full-on invasion of Earth.  It seems that the hordes of the “Norse World” (Thor's stomping grounds) have arrived on Earth to unleash some destruction.

Captain America, Iron Man, The Hulk, Black Knight, Blue Marvel, Hercules, Hyperion, Nova, Sunfire, Valkyrie, and The Vision have their hands full.  So it's up to Coulson to head to Sharzhad, a country beset by terrorists, and one of those terrorists may be the reason for the invasion.  Now, Coulson will need to align the “perfect bullets” to save the day.

I picked up a copy of S.H.I.E.L.D. #1 because I knew a friend of mine would like to read it.  After reading it, he didn't seem impressed.  I'm not, either.

S.H.I.E.L.D. #1 isn't a bad read.  It's just nothing special or even worthy of much notice.  I have said this in other reviews I've written:  when Mark Waid is good, he's really good, but when he is not, he is mediocre.  I won't call him mediocre on S.H.I.E.L.D. #1, but he is in the sub-par zone.

S.H.I.E.L.D. is up to the third issue, as of the last time I looked.  I might try another issue, especially as characters from the ABC series will appear in the comic book.

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.

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

I Reads You Review: DARTH VADER #1

DARTH VADER #1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

["Star Wars Central" review page is here.]

STORY: Keiron Gillen
ART: Salvador Larroca
COLORS: Edgar Delgado
LETTERS: VC's Joe Caramagna
COVER: Adi Granov
VARIANT COVERS: Alex Ross, Simone Bianchi, Mark Brooks, J. Scott Campbell, John Cassaday, John Tyler Christopher, Adi Granov, Greg Horn, Greg Land, Salvador Larocca, Alex Maleev, Mike Del Mundo, Whilce Portacio, Mico Suayan, Skottie Young
40pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (April 2015)

Rated T

Book 1: Vader

Marvel Comics' new line of Star Wars comic books yields a second series.  Entitled Darth Vader, it is written by Keiron Gillen, drawn by Salvador Larroca, colored by Edgar Delgado, and lettered by Joe Caramagna.  Of course, this series focuses on the signature Star Wars villain, Darth Vader.

It might seem odd to that Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith, is so popular.  Throughout six Star Wars films, Vader, either as himself or as his original identity, Anakin Skywalker, has been portrayed as a killer, a mass murderer, a child killer, a war criminal, a torturer, a traitor, a liar, and as the lap dog of Emperor of the evil Galactic Empire.  While people would generally find anyone of the above descriptions repugnant, to say nothing of possessing more than one, Darth Vader is a fictional character is an escapist fantasy.  Instead of being repugnant, Vader is alluring

It is granted that countless people around the world take the Star Wars narrative seriously.  While Darth Vader may be like Adolf Hitler, he is not in actuality like Hitler.  So fans can love the fictional Vader, while hating even a fictional depiction of Hitler.  Got it?  We don't have to take Vader so seriously in order to find him a most delicious bad guy.

Darth Vader #1 (Book 1: Vader) opens after the events that took place on Cymoon (as seen in Marvel's recently launched Star Wars comic book series).  Vader is on the planet Tatooine to negotiate with Outer Rim crime lord, Jabba the Hutt.  The story then takes readers to the period shortly before Vader arrived on Tatooine.

We learn that the Emperor is exceedingly displeased at the Rebel Alliance's destruction of the Death Star and also with the Rebel attack on Cymoon.  The Emperor both blames Vader and tasks him with repairing the damage done to “his” empire by the recent setbacks.  Vader realizes that his position is now precarious, so how will he respond?

As I started reading Darth Vader #1, I did not expect much – I have to admit.  The art is good, but it is by Salvador Larroca, who is always good and has been for over a decade.  Just after the halfway point in this first issue, I started to understand that Darth Vader the comic book looks like it is going to be a character drama about and character study of Vader.  He will be neither the henchman/contagonist of the original Star Wars film trilogy nor the shallow and petulant youth of the Star Wars prequel trilogy.

Keiron Gillen will give Vader not only motivation, but also personality, including a sense of pride and an ability to be pricked and wounded emotionally and psychologically.  Vader will have to respond, to defend, and to protect himself in sometimes imaginative and sometimes foolish ways.  Larroca will bring that to life in vivid, potent, and eye-catching storytelling.

Could Darth Vader be the better Star Wars ongoing series?

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.

I Reads You Review: AVENGERS & X-MEN: Axis #1

AVENGERS & X-MEN: AXIS #1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

WRITER: Rick Remender
ART: Adam Kubert
COLORS: Laura Martin and Matt Milla
LETTERS: Chris Eliopoulos
COVER: Jim Cheung with Justin Ponsor
VARIANT COVERS:  Gabriele Dell'otto; Adam Kubert with Edgar Delgado; Mike Mayhew; Mico Suayan; Skottie Young; Chip Zdarsky; and The Young Guns with Mike Deodato with Frank Martin
44pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (December 2014)

Rated “T+”

The Red Supremacy: Chapter 1

About three years ago, I read the first two issues of Avengers vs. X-Men (#0 and #1), and I didn't find anything that made me want to keep reading the much-anticipated and much-talked about event “maxi-series.”  So I don't know why I'm reading the new Avengers/X-Men crossover event miniseries, Avengers & X-Men: Axis.  Maybe, I'm curious?

Avengers & X-Men: Axis #1 (The Red Supremacy: Chapter 1) opens with a brief recap/overview of what has happened since the shocking end of Avengers vs. X-Men, in which the X-Man, Cyclops, killed his mentor and founder of the X-Men, Professor Charles Xavier.  The result was the branding of Cyclops as a criminal and also the founding of the Uncanny Avengers, a unity squad of Avengers and X-Men.  Of course, a new team wouldn't make them better for long.

Fast forward:  Magneto kills Captain America's arch-nemesis, the Red Skull, which leads to his resurrection as “The Red Onslaught.”  Now, there is a wave of psychic energy and hate, initiated by Red Onslaught, because he possesses Prof. X's brain and psychic powers.  This psychic wave, or onslaught, if you will, has the world in turmoil, so the Avengers and X-Men have to come together to stop Red Onslaught.

Wow.  It has been an unknown number of years (but it is many) since I have read an issue of a comic book event series in which superheroes and super-villains engage in a slug fest.  Part of me enjoys seeing so many of the superheroes that I've known most of my life together, even the new versions.  I enjoyed the Scarlet Witch angle of this story, as well as the Scarlet Witch-Rogue subplot.  I think this Red Onslaught character is ridiculous, however.  I did not plan on reading any more of this, even while wondering why I was reading Avengers & X-Men: Axis #1 to begin with.

Then, I saw Sentinels at the end of the first issue, and then, I decided to read more.  I think that is how these superhero crossover events work.  The writers, artists, and editors throw so much into the event (something we can compare to a pot full of ingredients), and the readers are bound to find something to appeal to them.  So there you have it.  I thought I was out, but they dragged me back in.

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux

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I Reads You Review: NIGHTCRAWLER #1

NIGHTCRAWLER (2014) #1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

WRITER: Chris Claremont
ARTIST: Todd Nauck
COLORS: Rachelle Rosenberg
LETTERS: VC’s Cory Petit
COVER: Chris Samnee with Matthew Wilson
VARIANT COVERS: Chris Samnee with Matthew Wilson; Humberto Ramos with Edgar Delgado
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (June 2014)

Rated T+

Nightcrawler (also known as Kurt Wagner) is a Marvel Comics superhero character and is best known as a member of the X-Men.  Nightcrawler was created by writer Len Wein and the late artist Dave Cockrum, and the character debuted in Giant-Size X-Men #1 (cover dated: May 1975).

Nightcrawler is a mutant and his most obvious power is the ability to teleport across short or long distances.  He also possesses superhuman agility and adhesive three-fingered hands and two-toed feet.  He has indigo or blue-colored fur (which allows him to blend into shadows), yellow eyes, pointed ears, and a prehensile tail.

Nightcrawler has appeared in numerous X-Men and related publications, including the 1980s and 90’s series, Excalibur.  He has been the star of two miniseries and a short-lived ongoing series.  Nightcrawler was killed off in X-Force (Vol. 3) #26 (cover dated:  April 2010), which was part of the X-Men: Second Coming crossover publishing event.

Nightcrawler recently returned to the Marvel Comics land of the living.  Now, there is a new Nightcrawler ongoing comic book series from the creative team of writer Chris Claremont, artist Todd Nauck, colorist Rachelle Rosenberg and letterer Cory Petit.

Nightcrawler #1 opens at the Jean Grey School of Higher Learning.  In the Danger Room, where the X-Men hone their skills, Nightcrawler engages Wolverine in a fierce one-on-one battle session.  Storm, Beast, and Dr. Cecelia Reyes watch.  Nightcrawler is also having a difficult time with his new surroundings, especially a school full of strange, new mutant students.  Nightcrawler travels to Manhattan to visit his longtime girlfriend, the witch Amanda Sefton.  But a normal romantic evening is not to be – not for an X-Man.

Chris Claremont is not credited as a creator of Nightcrawler.  He has written the character longer than anyone else, and he was the first to write the character extensively.  So Claremont is practically Nightcrawler’s father and co-creator, but you could not tell that judging by Nightcrawler #1 alone.

It is not a bad read.  This is just mostly nothing.  It is as if Claremont’s creative engine has not only run out of fuel, but has also simply worn down from overuse.  Even if it could be re-energized, I wonder if Claremont’s imagination could ever deliver the X-Men stories he once did.  Lord, how I hope that I am wrong.

I cannot explain exactly, but I think that Nightcrawler #1 would be different if Marvel were not publishing so many X-Men comic book series.  I think Claremont would have more leeway in what he could do with this character and this series without having to work around all the other X-books.  I hope for better because I really looked forward to this new Nightcrawler comic book series.  I love the character, and I love Claremont writing the X-Men.

Even Todd Nauck’s art is uninspired.  It is like a step down from what he has done before now.  My review grade is generous.

C+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


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