#IReadsYou Review: DARTH VADER ANNUAL #1

DARTH VADER ANNUAL No. 1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

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

STORY: Kieron Gillen
PENCILS: Leinil Yu
INKS: Gerry Alanguilan
COLORS: Jason Keith
LETTERS: VC's Joe Caramagna
COVER: Leinil Yu
44pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (February 2016)

Rated T

Annual

Marvel Comics recently released the first two “Annual” editions of its flagship Star Wars comic book titles, Star Wars and Darth Vader.  Although Marvel published three Star Wars Annuals for its original Star Wars series (1977 to 1986), this is the first Darth Vader Annual, and it is written by Kieron Gillen, who writes the ongoing Darth Vader series.  This inaugural annual features arts by Leinil Yu (pencils) and Gerry Alanguilan (inks); colors by Jason Keith; and letters by Joe Caramagna.

Darth Vader Annual #1 finds Darth Vader traveling to the planet, Shu-torun.  It is a Mid-Rim world known for producing valuable ore needed by the Empire for its ceaseless building projects.  The planet is ruled by the King who must also manage the dukes (“Ore-Dukes”), each one ruling over a domain that mines the precious ore so important to the Empire.

Of late, Shu-torun has failed to meet the delivery quotas set by the Emperor, so he has sent Lord Vader to reinforce the cooperation of the King and the Ore-Dukes.  There is, however, some game afoot.  The King has sent his third child, his daughter Trios, to meet Lord Vader, and perhaps to stall him.  Rebellion is reportedly brewing on Shu-torun, but against whom?  Plus, the malevolent droid duo, 0-0-0 (Triple Zero) and BT-1 (BeeTee One), have fun on their own.

I flipped through Darth Vader Annual #1 about two weeks before I got around to reading it.  Honestly, I put off reading it because it did not look appealing.  I was wrong – so wrong.  Writer Kieron Gillen offers a simple, straight-forward story, but it depicts Vader as the fearsome, bad-ass villain Star Wars fans want him to be.  That's all; this story is just Vader being Vader.

Gillen and Jason Aaron (who writes Star Wars) are proving to be the among the best Star Wars comic book writers ever, and at the rate they are going, I will likely think of them as the best if they can give us a few years of the same high quality at which they are already performing.  Gillen adds to the Star Wars universe, offering another world and another society, without altering anything.  It is nothing groundbreaking, but it enriches the ground that has already been broken.

Leinil Yu and Gerry Alanguilan's art stylistically resembles the work of P. Craig Russell, but the storytelling recalls Alex Raymond's Flash Gordon, which I am sure is one of the works that influenced George Lucas' creation of Star Wars.  This touch of Flash Gordon makes Darth Vader Annual #1 seem like classic space opera, with a touch of interplanetary romantic courtly intrigue.

This is the perfect one-off story for a comic book “Annual” special.  Here's to many more.

A-

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: Wolverine #1

WOLVERINE #1 (2020)
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Benjamin Percy
ART: Adam Kubert; Viktor Bogdanovic
COLORS: Frank Martin; Matthew Wilson
LETTERS: VC's Cory Petit
EDITOR: Jordan D. White
COVER: Adam Kubert with Frank Martin
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Alex Ross; Chip Kidd; Jeehyung Lee; Jim Lee with Jason Keith; Rahzzah; R.B. Silva with Marte Gracia; Skottie Young; Gabriele Dell'Otto
72pp, Color, $7.99 U.S. (April 2020)

Parental advisory

Wolverine created by Roy Thomas, Len Wein, and John Romita, Sr.

“The Flower Cartel” and “Catacombs”

Wolverine is a Marvel Comics character, a member of the superhero team, the X-Men, and one of Marvel's all-time most popular characters.  Wolverine first appeared in the last panel of The Incredible Hulk #180, but his first full appearance was in The Incredible Hulk #181 (cover-dated: Nov. 1974).  Wolverine was created by then Marvel Editor-in-Chief Roy Thomas, writer Len Wein, and then Marvel art director John Romita (Sr.)  Romita designed Wolverine, but the late artist Herb Trimpe drew Wolverine's earliest comic book appearances.

Wolverine first starred in his own solo comic book in the four-issue miniseries simply entitled Wolverine (cover-dated:  September to December 1982), which was famously written by Chris Claremont and drawn by Frank Miller.  Claremont and the late comic book artist, John Buscema, launched Wolverine's first ongoing comic book series with Wolverine #1 (cover-dated: November 1988), the first of many Wolverine ongoing comic book series.

Summer 2019, writer Jonathan Hickman revamped, rebooted, and re-imagined the X-Men comic book franchise via a pair of six-issue comic book miniseries, House of X and Powers of X (pronounced “Powers of Ten”).  October 2019 welcomed “Dawn of X,” the launch of six new X-Men titles.  The new series are Excalibur, Fallen Angels, Marauders, New Mutants, X-Force, and X-Men.

The seventh Wolverine ongoing comic book series headed the “second wave” of “Dawn of X” titles.  Wolverine (2020) is written by Benjamin Percy; drawn by Adam Kubert; colored by Frank Martin; and lettered by Cory Petit.  The first issue of the new series also includes a second story written by Percy; drawn by Viktor Bogdanovic; colored by Matthew Wilson; and lettered by Petit.

Wolverine #1 (“The Flower Cartel”) opens to find Wolverine and his cohorts:  Marvel Girl, Domino, and Kid Omega, in a sorry state.  The story turns to a flashback from several days earlier, with Wolverine on Krakoa, the living island and mutant nation-state that is the home to all mutants on Earth (if those so choose).  At the behest of Kitty Pryde, Wolverine begins an investigation/mission to discover who is selling narcotics based on a Krakoan flower from which medicine is derived.  Wolverine will come across many players in this narcotics trade before finding himself tangling with an entity known as “The Pale Girl.”

In the second story, Wolverine begins another investigation/mission, this time to discover why the homicidal mutant, Omega Red, suddenly showed up on Krakoa in a grievously wounded condition.  Who whipped that ass?  Wolverine vehemently opposes Red being given sanctuary on Krakoa, but he does want to know what happened to him.  Wolverine heads to Paris where he discovers that blood flows freely in the “Catacombs” beneath Paris.

If I had to give a grade only to the opening story, “The Flower Cartel,” I might give it a “B.”  Ten of the 30 story pages simply meander, but when the action kicks into gear, it has quite a kick.  There is nothing here by the creative team that stands out as any of its members' best work, and I am disappointed to say that because I always expect a lot of Adam Kubert.

The real treat in this issue is the second story, “The Catacombs.”  For a grade, I will give it a solid “A.”  I don't want spoil anything, but Benjamin Percy's story reads like a slickly, produced dark fantasy, mystery-thriller.  Viktor Bogdanovic's illustrations and storytelling recall some Marvel stalwarts, like John Romita Jr. and Art Adams, 1980s work.  Matthew Wilson's color is pitch perfect for the tale, and Cory Petit's lettering creates an edgy, but alluring rhythm.

I am inclined to seek out the second issue of this new series to see if the plot of the second story plays out in the next issue.  Beyond that, the fact that Adam Kubert is drawing a Wolverine comic book will keep me curious about it.  The truth is, however, the main story of Wolverine 2020 simply does not stand out as exceptional material.

7 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 syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou Review: X-FORCE #1

X-FORCE No. 1 (2020)
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Benjamin Percy
ART: Joshua Cassara
COLORS: Dean White
LETTERS: VC's Joe Caramagna
EDITORS: Chris Robinson and Lauren Amaro
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Akira Yoshida a.k.a. C.B. Cebulski
COVER: Dustin Weaver
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Mark Bagley and John Dell with Israel Silva; Russell Dauterman with Matthew Wilson; Juan Jose Ryp with Jesus Aburtov; Adi Granov; Tom Muller; Todd McFarlane with Jason Keith
44pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (January 2020)

Parental Advisory

X-Men created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee; X-Force created by Rob Liefeld and Fabian Nicieza

“Hunting Ground”

The X-Men are a Marvel Comics superhero team and franchise created by writer-editor Stan Lee and writer-artist Jack Kirby.  In The X-Men #1 (cover dated: September 1963), readers were introduced to a group of characters that had unique powers and abilities because they were “mutants.”

Summer 2019, Marvel published writer Jonathan Hickman's revamp, reboot, and re-imagining of the X-Men comic book franchise via a pair of six-issue comic book miniseries, House of X and Powers of X (pronounced “Powers of Ten”).  October welcomed “Dawn of X,” the launch of six new X-Men titles, although all except one, bore titles that have been previously used.  The new series were Excalibur, Fallen Angels, Marauders, New Mutants, X-Men, and the subject of this review, X-Force.

This new X-Force comic book is written by Benjamin Percy; drawn by Joshua Cassara; colored by Dean White; and lettered by Joe Caramagna.  According to Marvel, the new X-Force team is the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of the mutant world.  One-half is the “intelligence branch;” that would be the group of Beast, Jean Grey, and Sage.  The other half is “special ops,” with a unit composed of Wolverine, Kid Omega and Domino.

X-Force #1 (“Hunting Ground”) opens with a question.  What happened to Domino?  Meanwhile on Krakoa, the living island and mutant nation-state that is a home for all mutants, Wolverine is hunting for predators on an island where there should be none.  As he says, however, there is always a predator, and “...when you're safe, you're soft.”  Black Tom Cassidy feels something bad coming, even if Professor X says otherwise.  But this new mutant world would not need an “X-Force” in a perfect world, and this is not a perfect world...

The original X-Force team first appeared in New Mutants #100 (cover dated: April 1991) and was the creation of writer-illustrator Rob Liefeld and writer Fabian Nicieza.  The team's first leader was the mutant, Cable, and X-Force took a more militant and aggressive approach towards its enemies than did the X-Men did as a team.

In this first issue, writer Benjamin Percy takes that to heart, and his story makes X-Force #1 a potboiler from page one to the last.  I don't want to spoil anything, although as I write this review, X-Force #1 is about two months old.  Still, I do want to say that “Hunting Ground” offers surprises and thrills throughout.  Of the four “Dawn of X” first issues that I have read thus far, this one is easily the best.

Joshua Cassara's art is gritty and dark and his graphical storytelling has that sinister edge that reminds me of Grant Morrison's lovely science fiction-conspiracy comic book series, The Invisibles (DC Comics/Vertigo).  Dean White's coloring is correctly garish and gives this story a nightmarish and apocalyptic feel.  There is a disquieting mood in letterer Joe Caramagna's mostly quiet lettering for this first issue, which is just right.

I definitely plan to read more of this new X-Force, even if its just the first trade paperback collection.  I feel safe in recommending it to you, dear readers.

7.5 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: HISTORY OF THE MARVEL UNIVERSE #1

HISTORY OF THE MARVEL UNIVERSE No. 1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: Mark Waid
PENCILS: Javier Rodríguez
INKS: Álvaro López
COLORS: Javier Rodríguez
LETTERS: VC's Joe Caramagna
EDITOR: Tom Brevoort
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Akira Yoshida a.k.a. C.B. Cebulski
MISC. ART: Phil Noto
COVER: Steve McNiven and Mark Farmer with Sunny Gho
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Nick Bradshaw with John Rauch; John Buscema with Jason Keith; David Marquez with Matthew Wilson; Javier Rodríguez and Álvaro López
44pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (September 2019)

Rated T

History of the Marvel Universe is a comic book miniseries that chronicles completely, for the first time, everything that was, is, or will be in the Marvel Universe.  History of the Marvel Universe is written by Mark Waid; drawn by Javier Rodríguez (pencils/colors) and Álvaro López (inks); and lettered by Joe Caramagna.

History of the Marvel Universe #1 opens at “the End of Time.”  There, Franklin Richards and the planet-devouring Galactus await the final death of the universe.  Although both will move to the universe born of the death of this one, Richards is concerned about memories.  Before it all ends, he wants the history of this universe to have meant something.  Richards asks Galactus to help him remember everything.  Thus, Galactus recounts the history of this universe, beginning with a first chapter.  It starts at the so-called “Big Bang” and ends both in the Wild West of The Rawhide Kid and The Two-Gun Kid and in the wild north of Canada where a boy named James Howlett emerges.

There is no doubt about it.  Marvel Comics' History of the Marvel Universe #1 has more than a passing resemblance to DC Comics' 1986, two-issue miniseries, History of the DC Universe.  It is true that Mark Waid and Javier Rodríguez could find no better template than the one writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Perez laid down in History of the DC Universe.

Some people consider Mark Waid an unofficial Marvel Comics historian; I imagine some people at Marvel probably think that.  Waid does a good job gathering the varied “histories” about the beginnings, the ancient times, the recent centuries, etc. that have been depicted in five decades of Marvel Comics titles.  Waid also mixes in threads from Marvel's predecessor Timely Comics and the two decades of material the predates the publication of The Fantastic Four #1.  Of course, Waid has to take into consideration decades of “retcons,” in which Marvel Comics scribes went back and changed things after the fact – the Avengers of one million years ago, introduced in Avengers #1 (2018).  I won't say that this first issue is a great read, but there are some interesting bits in this first issue.

I can say that I love the art team of Javier Rodríguez (pencils/colors) and Álvaro López.  Here, they don't have to engage in graphical storytelling, so much as they have to draw pictures that illustrate Mark Waid's text.  [Waid's script is presented in caption boxes, not word balloons, all well-crafted by Joe Caramagna.]  Their art reminds me of art of Alan Davis.

Speaking of which, Davis' longtime inker, Mark Farmer, inks Steve McNiven's cover pencil art – with excellent results.  So, in conclusion, History of the Marvel Universe #1 is an occasionally interesting curiosity, but honestly, you, dear readers, don't need to read it to enjoy Marvel Comics titles.  History of the Marvel Universe #1 is not the monumental work that Marvel Comics' monumental history deserves.  [I think the history of the Marvel Universe would be best told in a long-running, ongoing comic book series, which won't happen.]

6 out of 10

[This comic book includes four pages of annotations, which list the Marvel Comics publications which acted as reference for the story in History of the Marvel Universe #1.]

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


The text is copyright © 2019 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: POWERS OF X #1

POWERS OF X No. 1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Jonathan Hickman
PENCILS: R.B. Silva
INKS: R.B. Silva and Adriana Di Benedetto
COLORS: Marte Gracia
LETTERS: VC's Clayton Cowles
EDITOR: Jordan D. White
EiC: Akria Yoshida a.k.a. “C.B. Cebuski”
COVER: R.B. Silva with Marte Gracia
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Mark Brooks; Joshua Cassara with Rachelle Rosenberg; John Tyler Christopher; Stephanie Hans; Jack Kirby with Edgar Delgado; Mike Huddleston; George Perez with Jason Keith; Dustin Weaver; Skottie Young
56pp, Color, $5.99 U.S. (September 2019)

Rated T+

The X-Men created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

“The Last Dream of Professor X”

The X-Men are a Marvel Comics superhero team.  Created by editor Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the X-Men debuted in the comic book The X-Men #1 (cover dated: September 1963).  The focus of that comic book was Professor Charles Xavier a/k/a “Professor X” and his small circle of students.  Each student had a unique power or ability granted to them because each student was a mutant, and each had a code name.  The students were Scott Summers (Cyclops), Jean Grey (Marvel Girl), Warren Worthington III (Angel), Henry “Hank” McCoy (Beast), and Bobby Drake (Iceman).

From time to time the X-Men concept is changed in some way via a relaunch or revamp.  The most famous revamp was and still is the “new X-Men,” which debuted in Giant-Size X-Men #1 (cover dated: May 1975).  Once consistently among the bestselling comic books in the United States (and often the bestselling comic book), the X-Men have fallen on hard times.  The editorial powers that be at Marvel Comics have spent much of the last two decades revamping, relaunching, and remaking the X-Men.

The latest remodeling comes via a pair of six-issue miniseries written by Jonathan Hickman.  The first is House of X, and the second and the subject of this review is Powers of X; they are being published biweekly on an alternating schedule.  Powers of X is written by written Jonathan Hickman; drawn by R.B. Silva (pencils) and Silva and Adriana Di Benedetto (inks); colored by Marte Gracia; and lettered by Clayton Cowles.

Powers of X #1 (“The Last Dream of Professor X”) takes place in four time periods.  The title, “Powers of X,” means “Powers of Ten” – 1; 10 x 1 is 10; 10 x 10 is 100; 10 x 100 is 1000.

X0 is The X-Men, Year One, “The Dream.” X1 is The X-Men, Year Ten, “The World.”  X2 is The X-Men, Year One Hundred, “The War.”  X3 is The X-Men, Year One Thousand, “Ascension.”

In X0, Charles Xavier meets Moira MacTaggert, who has a history to share with Xavier.  In X1, on the mutant sanctuary homeland of Krakoa, Professor X obtains the data Mystique and Sabertooth stole (as seen in House of X #1).  In X2, Rasputin and Cardinal find their teammate, Cylobel, in trouble, so Rasputin launches a one-woman rescue operation to keep her friend from falling into the clutches of Nimrod.  In X3, humanity, mutant-kind, who is left?

That Powers of X #1 takes place in four time periods is not confusing.  That each time period can only tease the story to come is irritating.  I found writer Jonathan Hickman's work in House of X #1 quite intriguing, and I find his offerings in Powers of X #1 intriguing, but a less satisfying read than House of X #1.

The work of colorist Marte Gracia and letterer Clayton Cowles turns out to be just as stellar in Powers of X #1 as it was in the first issue of House of X.  The art of R.B. Silva and Adriano Di Benedetto, with its clear storytelling, is pretty, especially the illustrations for the last two chapters.  When combined with Gracia colors, Silva and Di Benedetto's Powers of X art is flat-out gorgeous.

So I assume the second issue will justify Hickman's approach to Powers of X #1.  I know, however, that good ideas for stories can lose their luster because of poor execution in the storytelling.  We'll see.

7 out of 10

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


The text is copyright © 2019 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.


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Review: DEADPOOL #1 (2018)

DEADPOOL No. 1 / No. 301 (2018)
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Skottie Young
ART: Nic Klein; Scott Hepburn
COLORS: Nic Klein; Ian Herring
LETTERS: Jeff Eckleberry
EDITOR: Jake Thomas
COVER: Nic Klein
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Skottie Young with Jean-Francois Beaulieu; Skottie Young; Mike Deodato, Jr. with Rain Beredo; Rob Liefeld with Federico Blee; Rob Liefeld with Jesus Aburtov; Jerome Opena with Jason Keith
36pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (August 2018)

“Parental Advisory”

Deadpool created by Rob Liefeld and Fabian Nicieza

“Back in Business”

Deadpool is a Marvel Comics anti-hero character.  He was created by artist-writer Rob Liefeld and writer Fabian Nicieza and first appeared in The New Mutants #98 (cover dated: February 1991).  Deadpool is Wade Winston Wilson, a disfigured and deeply mentally disturbed assassin-for-hire and mercenary with a superhuman physical prowess and an accelerated healing factor.  The character is depicted as joking constantly, being sarcastic, and having a tendency to engage in the literary device of “breaking the fourth wall” and speaking to readers.

Marvel Comics recently launched a new Deadpool comic book series, because launching and relaunching comic book series and number-one issues is something for which Marvel has a proclivity.  Deadpool 2018 is written by Skottie Young.  This issue has two stories.  The first is drawn and colored by Nic Klein, and the second is drawn by Scott Hepburn and colored by Ian Herring.  Jeff Eckleberry provides lettering for both stories.

Deadpool #1 (“Back in Business”) finds our (anti) hero enjoying a sappy Oscar-bait drama, “Best Friends Buds” at the local movie theater.  What Deadpool really wants is a high-paying assassination gig, but his “assistant,” Negasonic Teenage Warhead, informs him that his current target is also enjoying “Best Friends Bud.”  Luckily more craziness is, indeed, headed Mr. Wilson's way, in the form of the kind of adversary the Avengers usually handle.

In “Good Night,” Deadpool, post-mind-wipe, wants a new new origin story.  He tries on several, most of them riffs on familiar superhero origin tales.

I have not read a Deadpool comic book in over two decades, maybe since that miniseries Joe Madureira drew.  I decided to read the first issue of this new Skottie Young-written series because I liked the first issue of the Rocket Raccoon comic book Young wrote and drew a few years ago.  I made a good choice, as I really enjoyed this new Deadpool #1.

Young has written a comic book that reads like a partial transcript of the hit 2016 Deadpool film, and Young does joke about the stylistic similarities between that film and this comic book.  That's okay.  On that rare occasion, a comic book should skew close to its film adaptation.  Nic Klein's art blends seamlessly with Young's script to create an entertaining and humorous comic book, and even Klein's coloring has a comic vibe.  That makes it complete Deadpool the 2018 comic book is spiritually similar to Deadpool the 2016 movie.

Artist Scott Helpern and artist Ian Herring offer a nice turn in riffs on famous comic book origin stories in the second story, “Good Night.”  Of course, letterer Jeff Eckleberry swoops in to assure that the comedy works.  I think that some people underestimate how important lettering is to not only creating the tone of a comic book story, but also how important letterers are to making sure that dialogue and exposition have the intended dramatic or humorous impact.

I think a few issues of this new Deadpool series have been published since the debut of this first issue.  So I need to hunt some back issues because I think I might want to follow this.  It is not a “great” work; sometimes, Young seems to try a little too hard to be funny, but this Deadpool #1 is quite enjoyable.

7 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: SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN #1

SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN No. 1 (2019) – Legacy #236
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Gerry Duggan
ART: Ron Garney
COLORS: Richard Isanove
LETTERS: VC's Travis Lanham
EDITOR: Mark Basso
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Akira Yoshida a.k.a. C.B. Cebulski
COVER: Alex Ross
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Kevin Eastman with Tomi Varga; Ron Garney with Richard Isanove; George Perez with Jason Keith; Rahzzah
44pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (April 2019)

Parental Advisory

Conan the Barbarian based on the “Conan” character created by Robert E. Howard

“The Cult of Koga Thun” Part One: “Shipwrecked”

Conan the Cimmerian is a fictional “sword and sorcery” hero created by Robert E. Howard (REH).  Conan first appeared in the pulp fiction magazine, Weird Tales (1932).  Conan lived in Howard's fictional “Hyborian Age” and was a mercenary, outlaw, pirate, thief, warrior, and eventually a king, but because of his tribal origins, some characters that encountered him thought of Conan as a barbarian.

Beginning in 1970 and for three decades, Marvel Comics brought Conan to the world of American comic books with the series, Conan the Barbarian.  Marvel is publishing Conan comic books again and recently began a revival of its black and white Savage Sword of Conan comic magazine as a full-color standard-sized comic book.  Savage Sword of Conan (2019) is written by Gerry Duggan; drawn by Ron Garney; colored by Richard Isanove; and lettered by VC's Travis Lanham.

Savage Sword of Conan #1 (“Shipwrecked”) finds Conan cast adrift on the seas of fate.  Starving, half-drowned, half-dead, and hallucinating, Conan (who is about 20 or so years of age) is picked out of the ocean by the slave ship, “Ouroboros.”  He finds an ally (that he doesn't really need or want) in a fellow slave, Suty.  Together, they will discover that there is more to the captain of the Ouroboros and more to the treasure chest in his cabin than they suspect.

I enjoyed the return of Conan the Barbarian to Marvel Comics, and while that comic book has been good, even very good at times, it has not been great.  Savage Sword of Conan's return to Marvel Comics suggests that Savage Sword of Conan could be THE great Marvel Conan comic book (Era #2).  When I first read the original old, black and white magazine Savage Sword of Conan when I was a teenager, I found it to be superior to the Conan the Barbarian title of that time.

In fact, “Shipwrecked,” the opening chapter of this first story arc, reminds me of the stories I read in the original Savage Sword of Conan.  “Shipwrecked” is probably the best Gerry Duggan story I have read to date.  Duggan offers a violent tale that is as bat-shit crazy as Conan creator, Robert E. Howard's original Conan prose fiction, or it is at least as crazy as Roy Thomas' adaptations of Howard's stories for Conan comic books back in 1970s.  Dear readers, obviously you can tell that I had a blast reading this.

The power and aggression in this story is most evident in artist Ron Garney's illustrations and graphical storytelling.  The storytelling is brawny, and Garney deftly captures the sudden switches in Conan's temper and temperament.  Richard Isanove's shimmering colors emphasize, even heighten the intensity rather that merely color over the art.  Travis Lanham's matter-of-fact lettering seems to pound out the story to the reader, a relentless rhythm, page after page.

Savage Sword of Conan #1 is a success.  I will come back for more because this first issue reminds me of the stories that made me a fan of Conan comic books back in the way back.  I highly recommend this to Conan fans.

9 out of 10

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


The text is copyright © 2019 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: KILLMONGER #1

KILLMONGER No. 1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Bryan Hill
ART: Juan Ferreyra
COLORS: Juan Ferreyra
LETTERS: VC's Joe Sabino
EDITOR: Wil Moss
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Akira Yoshida
COVER: Juan Ferreyra
VARIANT COVERS: Jason Pearson; Larry Stroman and Mark Morales with Jason Keith
36pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (February 2019)

Black Panther created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby; Killmonger created by Don McGregor and Rich Buckler

Parental Advisory

“By Any Means” Part One of Five

Erik Killmonger is a Marvel Comics supervillian and an enemy of Marvel's Black Panther.  Born N'Jadaka, the son of N'Jobu, Killmonger was created by writer Don McGregor and artist Rich Buckler and first appeared in Jungle Action (Vol. 2) #6 (cover dated:  September 1973).  Killmonger, with an altered origin story, appeared in Marvel Studios film, Black Panther (2018), and was portrayed by actor Michael B. Jordan.

Killmonger is the star of his first comic book series, a five-issue miniseries also entitled Killmonger.  It is written by Bryan Hill; drawn and colored by Juan Ferreyra; and lettered by Joe Sabino.  The series will explore how and why Killmonger dedicated his life to revenge.

Killmonger #1 begins with an overview of the epic battle between Erik Killmonger and Black Panther/T'Challa (presumably the one depicted in the Black Panther film).  The series then moves to the past, on the day that N'Jadaka leaves the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.) and spurns all the many incredible job offers he has received.  Instead, N'Jadaka heads to New York City to kill Ulysses Klaue a.k.a. “Klaw.”  However, his plans go awry, and he meets the NYC crime boss who may change the course of his life... if Killmonger lets that happen!

I am somewhat intrigued by this Killmonger miniseries.  I like Bryan Hill's story, and Juan Ferreyra's illustrations have a painterly quality that plays up Hill's story with its atmosphere of tragedy and tragic destiny.  However, I must say that I feel as if Killmonger is the Black Panther-related title that I don't have to have.

Killmonger is nice, but I am not passionate about it the way I was about Black Panther spin-off titles like Black Panther: World of Wakanda and Black Panther and the Crew.  I can and will recommend Killmonger to Black Panther completists, even if I don't immediately claw my way back to it.

6 out of 10

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


The text is copyright © 2019 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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

Review: AVENGERS #1 (2018)

AVENGERS No. 1 (2018)
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Jason Aaron
PENCILS: Ed McGuinness
INKS: Mark Morales
COLORS: David Curiel
LETTERS: VC's Cory Petit
EDITOR: Tom Brevoort
COVER: Ed McGuinness and Mark Morales with Justin Ponsor
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Aaron Kuder with Jason Keith; Greg Land and Jay Leisten with Frank D'Armata; Esad Ribic
40pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (July 2018)

Rated “T+”

Avengers created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

“The Final Host”

In the 1970s and 1980s, Marvel Comics published comic book adaptations of popular and cult science fiction and fantasy films, from the Stars Wars films to movies like Dune (1984) and The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984).  Some of them had beautiful art (Al Williamson's killer work on Marvel's The Empire Strikes Back adaptation), but the script adaptations were often weak.  Reading these film to comic book adaptations was like reading storyboards for a film with some of the boards were missing.  That is when you realize the “motion” in motion pictures makes the medium of film not all that related to the medium of comic books with its static or still graphics.

The Avengers #1 that arrived on Wednesday, May 2, 2018 got me to thinking about comic books that try to capture the sound and vision of films.  We see comic book writers trying to write for comic books the kind of big, loud, special-effects driven stories that only films can tell.  Once upon a time, people said that comic book stories that were written like other comic books were bad things.  Now, we have comic books trying too hard to be like films and television.  That is the real problem, and brother, Avengers #1 2018 has many problems.

Marvel Comics is just beginning another relaunch of its comic book line, something called “Fresh Start.”  The venerable publisher is returning to its “Legacy” characters after publishing new versions of those classic characters – new versions that some retards described as “black, homo, and freaking female.”  So enter Avengers #1 2018 (Legacy #691).  It is written by Jason Aaron; drawn by Ed McGuinness (pencils) and Mark Morales (inks); colored by David Curiel; and lettered by Cory Petit.  At the core of this old-is-new Avengers are classic (white male) Tony Stark/Iron Man, classic (white male) Thor, and classic (white male) Steve Rogers/Captain America.

Avengers #1 (Legacy #691) opens on Earth, one million years ago and depicts the Avengers of 1,000,000 BC.  Then it moves to present day Earth, where Thor and Steve Rogers are trying to convince a reluctant Tony Stark that the world needs the Avengers to return, and the Avengers can only return the right way with them – the original Thor, Captain America, and Iron Man.  It may no longer be a matter of choice when cosmic beings start falling to Earth.

It is clear to me that Marvel is trying to make the Avengers 2018 comic book series be as close to Marvel Studios' Avengers movies as possible.  Writer Jason Aaron tries to make it seem like there is a story here and not just action scenes, but there is not much of a story here.  This is the Avengers comic book as a Michael Bay movie – if Bay did a mash-up of his Transformers films and the Avengers films.  Avengers #1 is big, loud silent scream, and Aaron squeezes in a few quiet, faux-character scenes, mostly featuring the She-Hulk and the Ghost Rider, in a failed bid at adding substance.

Marvel Comics' problems are not “diversity characters.”  The main problem is the embrace of event comic books and other publishing stunts that are flash instead of story.  DC Comics got the message, and its 2016 “Rebirth” initiative was a return to an emphasis on story, even when those stories may be average at best.  At least, DC and its creative teams are working at giving readers substance in story, plot, and character.

Maybe another problem is that many of Marvel's best writers have moved on from Marvel.  Most of the really good comic book writers that wrote for Marvel over the last two decades (Mark Millar and Ed Brubaker, for example) are now in Hollywood, at Amazon or Netflix, or are producing comic books for Image Comics.  Marvel is left with writers like Jason Aaron and Cullen Bunn who are inconsistent, writing comic books that are surprisingly good or woefully average.  And in his bid to make an Avengers comic book act like an Avengers movie, Aaron delivers woeful with Avengers #1 2018.

Marvel is also constantly recycling pencil artist Ed McGuinness, but as usual, his drawing style is pleasing to the eye, although McGuinness' art looks like a chibi slash lolicon version of the art of flaky comic book creator, Arthur Adams.  David Curiel's colors over McGuinness and Mark Morales' (inker) illustrations are gorgeous, though.  Of Avengers #1 2018's creative team, Curiel delivers the best work.

In about a year or so, the sales of Avengers 2018 will be less than half of what Avengers #1 2018 is now.  Who will get the blame, then?  Marvel Comics' editorial policy?  Marvel's recycled creative teams?  Scapegoat “diversity characters?”

This is an Avengers comic book trying to be event entertainment, when being a good comic book is all that is necessary to please most comic book readers.  And no, Avengers #1 is not worth its $4.99 cover price.

4 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 syndication rights and fees.

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Review: IMMORTAL HULK #1

IMMORTAL HULK #1 (Legacy #718)
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Al Ewing
PENCILS: Joe Bennett
INKS: Ruy José
COLORS: Paul Mounts
LETTERS: VC's Cory Petit
EDITOR: Tom Brevoort
COVER: Alex Ross
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Akira Yoshida
VARIANT COVERS: Clayton Crain; Kaare Andrews; Sal Buscema; Alfredo Alcala with Eber Evangelista; Dale Keown with Jason Keith
36pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (August 2018)

Rated T+

Hulk created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee

“Or is He Both”

The Hulk is a Marvel Comics superhero and monster character.  Created by artist Jack Kirby and writer Stan Lee, the Hulk first debuted in The Incredible Hulk #1 (cover dated: May 1962).  Hulk comic books have mostly covered two characters.  The first is Dr. Robert Bruce Banner (mostly referred to as “Bruce Banner”), a physically weak, socially withdrawn, and emotionally reserved, but brilliant physicist, who is exposed to gamma rays via the explosion of an experimental bomb.  This gamma ray exposure physically transforms Banner into the Hulk, a green-skinned (originally grey-skinned), hulking and muscular humanoid that possesses incredible super-strength.

Marvel Comics recently relaunched (again) its Hulk comic book franchise, and the result is the new series, Immortal Hulk.  It is written by Al Ewing; drawn by Joe Bennett (pencils) and Ruy José (inks); colored by Paul Mounts; and lettered by Cory Petit.

Immortal Hulk #1 (“Or is He Both”) opens somewhere in rural America (the desert southwest?).  Bruce Banner is caught up in a convenience story shooting and ends up dead along with two other people.  The man is dead, but is the monster?  Thomas Edward Hill is about to find out!

I had the pleasure of reading some early Hulk comics via a reprint collection.  I was struck by how much those first four years of Hulk comic books and appearances blended elements of science fiction, sci-fi B-movies, horror fiction, and monster stories.

Writer Al Ewing and artist Joe Bennett have come together to revive the darker elements of the Hulk IP and of the world of The Incredible Hulk.  Immortal Hulk #1 is a fantastic first issue, and it reminds me more of a horror comic book from an independent publisher (say Zenescope Entertainment) than it does a Marvel Comics title.  Bennett's compositions blend with Ruy Jose's intricate and bejeweled inking and  Paul Mounts perfectly-tuned colors to create a moody, brooding horror comic book that seethes and rages to release the power of the monster contained within its covers.

And when the story explodes, the pages can barely contain its star, the Hulk, even the double-page spreads.  I hope Al Ewing has not merely teased us with a debut issue that will ultimately not reflect the overall tone of Immortal Hulk.  I don't mind the Avengers appearing in this series, but I hope it stays dark fantasy/horror, the way Alan Moore's Swamp Thing did even when the Justice League of America appeared in The Saga of the Swamp Thing #24 (cover dated: May 1984).

8.5 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: NICK FURY #1

NICK FURY No. 1 (2017)
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: James Robinson
PENCILS: ACO
INKS: Hugh Petrus
COLORS: Rachelle Rosenberg
LETTERS: Travis Lanham
COVER: ACO
VARIANT COVERS: John Tyler Christopher; Greg Land with Frank D'Armata; Mark Morales with Jason Keith; Bill Sienkiewicz
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (June 2017)

Rated “T+”

“The Sky High Caper”

Nick Fury (Colonel Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury) is a Marvel Comics character.  Created by writer/artist Jack Kirby and writer Stan Lee, Fury first appeared in Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1 (cover dated:  May 1963), a World War II combat comic book series, in which Fury was depicted as a cigar-chomping, leader of an elite United States Army unit.

Marvel Comics introduced the modern Nick Fury in Fantastic Four #21 (cover dated:  December 1963), making him a CIA agent.  In Strange Tales #135 (cover dated:  August 1965), the character again transformed, this time from a spy into the leading agent of the fictional espionage agency, S.H.I.E.L.D.  In 2002, Nick Fury became a Black man that resembled actor Samuel L. Jackson in The Ultimates #1.  Jackson would portray Fury in the Marvel Studios movies based on Marvel Comics, and the Jackson-lookalike Fury would replace the original white Fury in the main Marvel Universe.

That Sam Jackson Fury is the star of the new comic book series, Nick Fury.  It is written by James Robinson; drawn by ACO (pencils) and Hugh Petrus (inks); colored by Rachelle Rosenberg; and lettered by Travis Lanham.

Nick Fury #1 (“The Sky High Caper”) opens with Nick Fury arriving in the French Riviera, where he must infiltrate the most secure parts of a imposing casino.  Fury's target is a hidden data-stash belonging to Auric Goodfellow, a Hydra moneyman.  Fury will likely be successful in getting what he wants, but Frankie Noble, Agent of Hydra plans on standing in his way.

I love the art in Nick Fury #1.  Drawn by the artist known as ACO, the art recalls the Pop-Art infused comic book art that legendary comic book artist Jim Steranko produced during his run of Nick Fury comics in the late 1960.  ACO's layout and design also recall Steve Rude's layout and design on his long-running comic book series, Nexus.  ACO's art for Nick Fury combined with Rachelle Rosenberg's pastel-lite coloring sure is pretty.

However, the storytelling is shallow when it isn't confusing and confusing when it isn't shallow.  As graphical storytelling, ACO's art is just too busy.  Yeah, it is eye-candy to look at, but is a busy mess as storytelling.  Honestly, if writer James Robinson had even attempted to tell a more complex story, there is no telling how crowded ACO would have made his art.

I think James Robinson offers in Nick Fury what Chris Samnee did in the first issue of his recent Black Widow comic book – an introductory issue that reads like a two-minute-egg version of an action sequence from a James Bond or Jason Bourne movie.

Honestly, I'll try the second issue of Nick Fury, although I never tried the second issue of Samnee's Black Widow.

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


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

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

Review: BLACK PANTHER AND THE CREW #1

BLACK PANTHER AND THE CREW No. 1 (2017)
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: Ta-Nehisi Coates
PENCILS: Butch Guice
INKS: Scott Hanna
COLORS: Dan Brown
LETTERS: VC's Joe Sabino
COVER: John Cassaday with Laura Martin
VARIANT COVERS: Rich Buckler; Jim Cheung with Jason Keith; John Tyler Christopher; Tom Palmer with Rachelle Rosenberg; Damian Scott with John Rauch
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (June 2017)

Black Panther created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

Rated “T+”

“We are the Streets” Part 1 “Double Consciousness”

Although it was only published for seven issues in 2003, the comic book, The Crew, is apparently fondly remembered by some readers (myself among them) and comic book writers.  Written by Christopher Priest and drawn by Joe Bennett, The Crew featured four hardened heroes who band together to fight for an impoverished neighborhood.

The Crew is the inspiration for the latest expansion of Marvel Comics' Black Panther line of comic books, Black Panther and The Crew.  This new series is written Ta-Nehisi Coates; drawn by Butch Guice (pencils) and Scott Hanna (inks); colored by Dan Brown; and lettered by Joe Sabino.

Black Panther and The Crew #1 (“Double Consciousness”) opens in The Bronx in 1957 with a tale of Ezra Keith and his “crew.”  The story moves to present day Harlem for the funeral of Ezra, who was killed while in police custody.  Ezra's family has asked Misty Knight to investigate, but Knight is conflicted because of her ties to law enforcement.  However, Misty is forced to admit that something is officially wrong and unites with the X-Men's Storm to fight the forces arrayed against her.

Apparently, writer Yona Harvey will script every other issue of this series, which means she will write Black Panther and The Crew #2 with Ta-Nehisi Coates returning for the third issue.  I hope Harvey is as good as Coates is on this first issue, and I'm saying that considering that I did not expect much from the first issue.  But I'm impressed and look forward to more.

Black Panther and The Crew #1 reads like one of those crime comic books published by DC Comics' Vertigo imprint or Image Comics and written by someone like Ed Brubaker or Brian Azzarello.  Coates offers a sharply written urban drama that is complicated about complex matters.  Black people vs. cops – it is not so clear cut simply because there are so many players and groups of players involved with their own goals and motivations.

I like Butch Guice's pencil art; it is his storytelling that realizes Coates' script as a multi-layered, street-level superhero drama.  I have always thought that Guice's talent was underutilized, but here he gets to show the scope of his graphical storytelling abilities.  I highly recommend trying at least the first issue of Black Panther and The Crew.

A

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


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

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Review: INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #1 (2017)

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN No. 1 (2017)
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: Brian Michael Bendis
ART: Stefano Caselli
COLORS: Marte Gracia
LETTERS: VC's Clayton Cowles
COVER: Stefano Caselli with Marte Gracia
VARIANT COVERS: Jeff Dekal; Adi Granov; Mike McKone with Jason Keith; Tom Raney with Frank D'Armata; Skottie Young; John Tyler Christopher
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (January 2017)

Rated “T+”

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

It seems just like yesterday I was reviewing a new Iron Man comic book series (Invincible Iron Man) and just a few days before that I was reviewing an earlier new Iron Man series (Superior Iron Man).  Each one came as part of a new Marvel Comics publishing initiative.

Speak of the Marvel devil, there is a new Marvel publishing event/initiative, NOW!, and that comes with the new Invincible Iron Man comic book.  The series is written by Brian Michael Bendis; drawn by Stefano Caselli; colored by Marte Gracia; and lettered by Clayton Cowles.  And there is a new Iron Man, she is teenage wunderkind, Riri Williams, the first African-American female to wear an Iron Man uniform.  She is Ironheart!

Invincible Iron Man #1 finds Riri putting her self-made Iron Man armor to the test against an embittered mutant, Animax.  We also take a trip into Riri's past and get to witness the curious return of someone who has been watching Riri for some time.

I have high hopes for this latest version of Invincible Iron Man because of writer Brian Michael Bendis.  Over the last several years, Bendis has done amazing work with an African-American character, Miles Morales, the “Ultimate” Spider-Man.  In Morales, Bendis created a fully-realized Black male comic book character, and he wrote Miles as such an engaging and intriguing young fellow that I was often more interested in Miles as Miles than Miles as Spider-Man.

I don't know if Bendis will make Riri Williams more interesting as Riri than as Iron Heart, but right from this first issue, it is clear that Riri is the kind of character who will charm this comic book reader.  Once again, Brian Michael Bendis proves to me why he is the best writer of superhero comic books over the last 20 years.

B+

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


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

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Review: PROWLER #1

PROWLER No. 1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Sean Ryan
LAYOUTS: Javier Saltares
ART: Jamal Campbell
LETTERS: VC's Cory Petit
COVER: Travel Foreman with Jason Keith
VARIANT COVERS: Mike Deodato & Frank Martin; Jamal Campbell
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (December 2016)

Rated “T+”

The Prowler created by Stan Lee, John Buscema, and Jim Mooney

The Prowler is a costumed character in Marvel Comics.  He was created by Stan Lee, John Buscema, and Jim Mooney and first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #78 (cover dated:  November 1969).  The first version of The Prowler was an African-American teenager, Hobie Brown, who developed a high-tech battle suit.  Hobie used that suit to start a life of crime until Spider-Man convinced him to turn his life around.

The Prowler is a new comic book series featuring Hobie Brown and is part of Marvel Comics' “NOW!” initiative.  The new comic book is written by Sean Ryan; drawn and colored by Jamal Campbell with layouts by Javier Saltares; and lettered by Cory Petit.

The Prowler #1 finds the Prowler acting as a hero.  Such actions cause his colleagues to mock him, and draws the displeasure of his boss, The Jackal.  It is the Jackal who is responsible for bringing Hobie Brown back from the dead after he was accidentally killed by Electro.  However, The Prowler's latest assignment may prove to be his most dangerous since he returned.

I have heard of The Prowler over lo these decades of reading comic books.  I may have actually even read a few comics featuring this character, but nothing has really stuck with me.  This comic book is somewhat intriguing, but normally this would not be enough to keep me reading.

Now, I must be honest with you, dear reader.  I try to read and support comic books featuring African-American/Black characters, as I am African-American.  I try, but sometimes, I quickly give up on those comic books if they don't interest me.  The Prowler is on the side of being of little interest to me, but I will try another two or three issues.

The art by Jamal Campbell, which is obviously rendered with the aid of software, is colorful, but sometimes, it lacks character and substance, almost looking like semi-pro webcomics art.  Normally, this is enough to turn me away, but I'll stay down... for now.

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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Review: GENERATIONS: The Unworthy Thor & The Mighty Thor #1

GENERATIONS: THE UNWORTHY THOR & THE MIGHTY THOR No. 1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: Jason Aaron
ARTIST: Mahmud Asrar
COLORS: Jordie Bellaire
LETTERS: VC's Joe Sabino
COVER: Mahmud Asrar with Jordie Bellaire
VARIANT COVERS: Olivier Coipel with Jason Keith; Das Pastoras; Alex Ross; Jack Kirby with Paul Mounts; Dale Keown with Jason Keith
36pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (October 2017)

Rated T+

Thor created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, and Jack Kirby

“The Thunder”

Generations is Marvel Comics' current event miniseries.  It is a planned 10-issue anthology, published weekly.  Each issue is written and drawn by a different creative team, and each issue will feature a different team-up of a classic Marvel superhero with his or her modern-day counterpart.  The series is meant to unite the legacy of classic Marvel Comics characters with the next generation of heroes as both move into the future of Marvel Comics storytelling.

The fourth issue is Generations: The Unworthy Thor & The Mighty Thor, which brings together two versions of a classic Marvel Comics character, Thor.  The first is the classic Odinson, Thor, first introduced in Journey into Mystery #83 (cover date:  August 1962), and is now known as “The Unworthy Thor.”  The second is the new Thor, Jane Foster.  Once she was the love interest of Dr. Donald Blake (who was once Thor... so to speak).  Now, Foster is known as “The Mighty Thor.”  This issue of Generations is written by Jason Aaron; drawn by Mahmud Asrar; colored by Jordie Bellaire; and lettered by Joe Sabino.

Generations: The Unworthy Thor & The Mighty Thor #1 (“The Thunder”) opens “many years ago” in the “Weapons Hall” of Asgard, the home of the Norse god, Odin, and his subjects, the Asgardians.  Odin's son is trying to lift the enchanted hammer, “Mjolnir.”  Thor is rebuked by his father for his efforts, and is commanded to take on his princely duties.  The son of Odin, however, cannot resist the call/prayers of his followers on Midgard (Earth).  Before long he is leading them into battle against a familiar supervillain and is also facing a rival for Mjolnir.

The purpose of Generations: Banner Hulk & Totally Awesome Hulk #1 was for Bruce Banner to tell the Totally Awesome Hulk/Amadeus Cho that he would not be able to escape all the tragic aspects of the curse of the Hulk.  Generations: Phoenix & Jean Grey found two women reluctant and/or incapable of telling each other everything they knew about the curse of The Phoenix

Generations: Wolverine & All-New Wolverine #1 is mainly just a slice-and-dice Wolverine adventure featuring the classic Wolverine and the All-New Wolverine – a well-executed Wolverine slice-and-dice story.  Like the Wolverine tale, Generations: The Unworthy Thor & The Mighty Thor #1 is merely a Thor fight comic book featuring two Thors.  It is pointless.  If writer Jason Aaron wanted to emphasize that two beings want possession of Mjolnir and want to be THE Thor, well, he is already doing that in the current Thor comic book.

With Generations, Marvel Comics runs the risk of publishing several issues of an event comic book that read like nothing more than, at behest, mediocre, “Annuals,” published for the sake of being published, or, at worst, filler material.  Once upon a time, there were a lot of comic book writers who could pull off an exemplary stand-alone tale in 30 pages.  Alan Moore springs to mind, but many of the top comics scribes of the 1960s and 1970s could have delivered something better than what Aaron delivers in Generations: The Unworthy Thor & The Mighty Thor #1.

Now, I must say that the art here is beautiful.  It is the best work by Mahmud Asrar that I have ever seen.  He is a rapidly growing talent, and here, he gives the hackwork story TLC that it does not deserve.  Jordie Bellaire does a stellar coloring job on Asrar's compositions.  Leave it to Jordie; she'll color the shittiness right of a mediocre comic book, and she just about does that here.  Asrar and Bellaire are the reasons I am not giving Generations: The Unworthy Thor & The Mighty Thor #1 a really low grade.

B
6 out of 10

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


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

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Review: GENERATIONS: Banner Hulk & Totally Awesome Hulk #1

GENERATIONS: BANNER HULK & TOTALLY AWESOME HULK No. 1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: Greg Pak
ARTIST: Matteo Buffagni
COLORS: Dono Sanchez-Almara
LETTERS: VC's Cory Petit
COVER: Jorge Molina
VARIANT COVERS: Matteo Buffagni; John Cassaday with Paul Mounts; Greg Horn; Dale Keown with Jason Keith; Francesco Mattina; Alex Ross; Joe Vriens; Mike McKone with Andy Troy
36pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (October 2017)

Rated T+

Hulk created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee

“The Strongest”

Generations is a ten-issue anthology, weekly comic book series published by Marvel Comics.  Each issue is written and drawn by a different creative team, and each issue will feature a different team-up of a classic Marvel superhero with his or her modern-day counterpart.  The series is meant to unite the legacy of classic Marvel Comics characters with the next generation of heroes as both move into the future of Marvel Comics storytelling.

The first issue is Generations: Banner Hulk & Totally Awesome Hulk which brings together the classic Hulk who is Bruce Banner and the new Totally Awesome Hulk, who is the genius Amadeus Cho.  This comic book is written by Greg Pak; drawn by Matteo Buffagni; colored by Dono Sanchez-Almara; and lettered by Cory Petit.

Generations: Banner Hulk & Totally Awesome Hulk #1 (“The Strongest”) opens as Amadeus Cho, the Hulk, lands in Death Valley.  He was just in Washington D.C., so why is he here?  It must be to meet that other Hulk, not but several yards from him and fighting a pitched battle against a heavily-armed military unit.  These soldiers are throwing everything at this Hulk, who turns out to be Banner Hulk, but isn't Bruce Banner dead?!

Halfway through Generations: Banner Hulk & Totally Awesome Hulk #1, I thought, “What's the point of this?”  Most of this comic book is one huge battle that occasionally shifts settings or adds a new player.  At some point in the story, the point Greg Pak is trying to make becomes clear.  There may be a new Hulk, but he can't escape the legacy of the original Hulk.

Bruce Banner has a message for Amadeus Cho, something along the lines of “Young blood, you don't know me, and you know the Hulk even less.”  Maybe, Marvel Comics is sticking by its new Totally Awesome Hulk.  [Cue the diversity complaints!]  Still, the classic Hulk's conflicts, motivations, dilemmas, trials and tribulations remain.  Amadeus Cho Hulk has 99 problems and the Hulk is all of them, or, at least, time will tell.

So Generations: Banner Hulk & Totally Awesome Hulk #1 is not a pointless event comic book, cynically meant to separate gullible fans from their money.  The fan can be a reader this time.  This is not a great comic book by any means, but it bridges the past and the future in a way that genuinely speaks to what is unique about our favorite incredible, rampaging, rage monster, the Hulk.

B+
7.5 out of 10

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


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

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

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: STARBRAND AND NIGHTMASK #1

STARBRAND AND NIGHTMASK No. 1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: Greg Weisman
ART: Domo Stanton
COLORS: Jordan Boyd
LETTERS: VC's Clayton Cowles
COVER: Yasmine Putri
VARIANT COVERS:  Emanuela Lupacchino with Jason Keith; Skottie Young; Keron Grant (Hop Hop variant)
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (February 2016)

Rated T+

Eternity's Children; Chapter One: “Matriculation”

In 1986, Marvel Comics introduced the “New Universe,” a line of comic books set in a universe that was separate from the main “Marvel Universe.”  This universe was to feature super-powered individuals that skewed towards being more realistic than Marvel's main superhero characters.

One of the first New Universe comic books was Star Brand #1 (cover dated: October 1986), which was created by then Marvel Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter.  The “Star Brand” was a star-shaped tattoo-like mark that gave the one who boar the mark infinite, god-like powers, limited only by the wielder's imagination (a rift on a Green Lantern's “power ring”).  Kenneth “Ken” Connell, a mechanic from Pittsburgh, was the first to receive the Star Brand.

Debuting in the second month of the New Universe launch was Nightmask #1 (cover dated: November 1986), created by Archie Goodwin.  The first Nightmask was Keith Remsen, who had the power to enter people's dreams telepathically.

In 2006, Marvel Comics published a re-imagining of the New Universe, entitled newuniversal (February 2007), and it was designed by Warren Ellis.  The characters' powers were based on their possession of glyphs, which is what the “Starbrand” became.  The launch of the “All-New, All-Different Marvel” unites two characters from newuniversal, Starbrand and Nightmask, in a new comic book series.  Entitled Starbrand and Nightmask, the series is written by Greg Weisman; drawn by Domo Stanton; colored by Jordan Boyd; and lettered by Clayton Cowles.

Starbrand and Nightmask #1 (“Matriculation”) opens with Starbrand (Kevin Conner) and Nightmask (Adam) exiting “The Superflow” and returning to Earth, specifically China.  After a battle and an offer to join the New Avengers, Starbrand discovers that Nightmask has enrolled the two of them at Empire State University (E.S.U.).  They are now incoming freshmen Kevin Conner and Adam Blackveil.  Adam wants the both of them to have more interaction with humanity, but the superhero stuff will not go away just because they are now college students.

I didn't read newuniversal.  I don't think that I was visiting comic book shops very much around the time it was released.  I don't think that I will be reading Starbrand and Nightmask very much.  It is not a bad comic book, but it reads like one of those “Marvel Age” and “Marvel Adventure” comic books that Marvel started publishing in 2003.

Writer Greg Weisman offers a story that is appropriate for middle school readers.  As a writer-producer of animated television series, Weisman knows how to write juvenile action-adventure fantasy.  Starbrand and Nightmask #1 certainly has that antiseptic quality that meets the conservative standards of most animated content on American cable networks.

The art by Domo Stanton has a generic juvenile/young readers graphic novel quality.   Starbrand and Nightmask #1 is practically indistinguishable from the run-of-the-mill graphic novels from First Second or Scholastic.  Even the cover art Yasmine Putri has a golly-gee-whiz quality.  As I said, this isn't bad so much as it is unimaginative and doggedly harmless.  Good luck with this, Marvel

C+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


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