#IReadsYou Review: PRODIGY: The Icarus Society #2

PRODIGY: THE ICARUS SOCIETY #2 (OF 5)
IMAGE COMICS/Netflix

STORY: Mark Millar
ART: Matteo Buffagni
COLORS: Laura Martin
LETTERS: Clem Robins
COVER: Matteo Buffagni with David Curiel
DESIGN: Melina Mikulic
EDITORIAL: Sarah Unwin
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Matteo Buffagni with David Curiel
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (August 2022)

Rated M / Mature

Prodigy: The Icarus Society is a new five-issue comic book miniseries produced by writer Mark Millar and artist Matteo Buffagni.  It is a sequel to the 2018-19 six-issue miniseries, Prodigy.  The Prodigy comic books focus on the adventures of the world's smartest man, Edison Crane, who believes that he is the go-to guy when there is a global crisis to solve.  Letterer Clem Robins and colorist Laura Martin complete the sequel's creative team.

Prodigy: The Icarus Society pits Edison against “The Icarus Society,” a secret society of geniuses who are all richer than Edison.  And now, he is caught inside the club's internal rivalries and blackmailed into hunting for the treasures of one of the most legendary locations of all time.

Prodigy: The Icarus Society #2 opens in the prison, the Maine Correctional Facility.  Professor Tong of the Icarus Society has forced Edison to free him from his imprisonment there.  Tong has had an explosive device placed inside Edison's stomach and now, he will force our hero to play a game of cat-and-mouse with one his Icarus rivals, Felix Koffka.  Must Edison, like the members of this secret society, fly too close to the sun.

THE LOWDOWN:  Of Mark Millar's recent Netflix comic book series, I am a huge fan of The Magic Order, but I am always thinking about Prodigy.  After reading the first series, Prodigy, I was intrigued and thrilled, and after re-reading it in trade paperback form, as Prodigy: The Evil Earth, I admired it all the more.  Edison Crane is another great Mark Millar creation.

Millar has been producing some of the best comic books in North America for the better part of three decades.  Even after becoming an executive with one of the most powerful media companies in the world (Netflix, of course), he continues to produce great comic books.  Let's be honest, most comic book creators rest on their laurels when they hit the jackpot, and if and when they do produce new comic books, they are sometimes disappointing works.  This is not the case with Millar, who delivers a monster of a second issue for this new series.

Millar used Prodigy: The Icarus Society #1 to introduce readers to Edison Crane's state of mind (more or less) and to his new challenge.  With issue #2, Millar quickly reveals that this sequel will be as intense, if not more so, than the original.  The mythologies, the conspiracies and the occult flourishes are even more delectable, and the villains … well, they are great f*****g villains.

The art team of illustrator Matteo Buffagni and colorist Laura Martin also threaten to fly too close to the sun.  Matteo's art recalls the “widescreen” storytelling of DC Comics' late, great The Authority (one of the treasures of Millar's bibliography).  Matteo makes The Icarus Society #2 feel like a Marvel Studios movie, full of big ideas and big expectations.  Laura Martin's colors establish a series of rich and varied moods and atmospheres that draw the reader inside this perilous new world that Edison Crane faces.

More excellent lettering from the perpetually excellent Clem Robins tops it all off, and there you have it.  Prodigy: The Icarus Society #2 washes over my imagination with a giant wave of intrigue and now, we can all be assured that this series will be fantastic.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Mark Millar and of his comic book, Prodigy, will want to read Prodigy: The Icarus Society.

A+

10 out of 10

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


https://www.mrmarkmillar.com/
http://www.millarworld.tv/
https://twitter.com/mrmarkmillar
https://www.netflix.com/
https://twitter.com/netflix
www.imagecomics.com
https://twitter.com/ImageComics


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#IReadsYou Review: PRODIGY: The Icarus Society #1

PRODIGY: THE ICARUS SOCIETY #1 (OF 5)
IMAGE COMICS/Netflix

STORY: Mark Millar
ART: Matteo Buffagni
COLORS: Laura Martin
LETTERS: Clem Robins
COVER: Matteo Buffagni with David Curiel
VARIANT COVER ARTIST: Bill Sienkiewicz
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (July 2022)

Rated M / Mature

Prodigy: The Icarus Society is a new five-issue comic book miniseries produced by writer Mark Millar and artist Matteo Buffagni.  It is a sequel to the 2018-19 six-issue miniseries, Prodigy.  The Prodigy comic books focus on the adventures of the world's smartest man, who believes that he is the go-to guy when there is a global crisis to solve.

Prodigy: The Icarus Society #1 opens in Maine where a credit controller has just spontaneously exploded.  In fact, this is an entire afternoon of spontaneously exploding people in Maine  When the mayor and the governor don't know what to do, they call the Pentagon, and the Pentagon calls Edison Crane, the world's smartest man.

The person behind these explosions is the just the beginning of “The Icarus Society.”

THE LOWDOWN:  Of Mark Millar's recent Netflix comic book series, I am a huge fan of The Magic Order, but I am always thinking about Prodigy.  After reading the first series, Prodigy, I was intrigued and thrilled, and after re-reading it in trade paperback form, as Prodigy: The Evil Earth, I admired it all the more.

Millar uses Prodigy: The Icarus Society #1 to introduce readers to Edison Crane's state of mind (more or less).  Our hero is in need of a challenge.  Millar builds the issue slyly; the new threat is all around Crane, preparing to reveal itself.  At the same time, rascally Millar teases us with this idea:  doesn't it seem as if Crane is deliberately setting himself up to be challenged and abused?...

The art by Matteo Buffagni for The Icarus Society is quiet compared to Rafael Albuquerque's fast and furious storytelling in the earlier series, The Evil Earth.  Buffagni creates a story that conveys the current malaise (of Crane) and simmers with the coming menace (from the “rival” geniuses).  Colorist Laura Martin is a master of creating the varied moods of action and violence, and here, she delivers on shadowy and secretive and sudden violence.  Clem Robins does much the same, carrying the reader through the wavy flow of time and pace in this story.

I can tell from this first issue that Millar and Buffagni are going to throw everything and many kitchen sinks at us.  Prodigy: The Icarus Society reminds us that a month with at least one Mark Millar comic book is a good month, indeed.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Mark Millar and of his comic book, Prodigy, will want to read Prodigy: The Icarus Society.

A

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


https://www.mrmarkmillar.com/
http://www.millarworld.tv/
https://twitter.com/mrmarkmillar
https://www.netflix.com/
https://twitter.com/netflix
www.imagecomics.com
https://twitter.com/ImageComics


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: Marvel Comics' ALIEN #1

ALIEN #1
MARVEL

STORY: Phillip Kennedy Johnson
ART: Salvador Larroca
COLORS: Guru-eFX
LETTERS: VC's Clayton Cowles
EDITOR: Jake Thomas
EiC: Akira Yoshida a.k.a. C.B. Cebulski
COVER: InHyuk Lee
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Steve McNiven with Laura Martin; Peach Momoko; Ron Lim with Israel Silva; Todd Nauck with Rachelle Rosenberg; Patrick Gleason; Skottie Young; David Finch with Frank D'Armata; Salvador Larroca with Guru-eFX
40pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (May 2021)

Parental Advisory

Alien is a 1979 science fiction horror film directed by Ridley Scott and written by Dan O'Bannon, based on a story that O'Bannon wrote with Ronald Shusett.  The film depicts a battle for survival between the crew of the commercial towing vehicle,  the space ship named “the Nostromo” and an aggressive deadline extraterrestrial creature, the “Alien” of the title, that is now known as a “Xenomorph.”

Alien, which went on to win an Academy Award, spawned a film franchise, beginning with writer-director James Cameron's 1986 science fiction action film, Aliens.  Alien also begat a media franchise, which included a comic book adaptation and also a novelization of the original film.  In 1988, Dark Horse Comics launched its first Alien comic book series, a 1988-89, six-issue comic book miniseries, entitled Aliens.  Dark Horse had the license to produce comic books based on the Alien franchise from 1988 to 1999 and again from 2009 to 2020.

Marvel Comics announced in 2020 that it had obtained the license to produce comic books based on the Alien film franchise.  Marvel Comics recently launched the first comic book series, Alien.  It is written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson; drawn by Salvador Larroca; colored by Guru-eFX, and lettered by Clayton Cowles.  This new Alien comic book focuses on a recently retired security agent who once faced the Xenomorphs and may have to again.

Alien #1 opens in January of the year 2200 on the Epsilon Orbital Research and Development Station.  It introduces Gabriel Cruz, a man who has given his life to Weyland-Yutani as a defense agent.  He is retiring as the security agent for Weyland-Yutani's Epsilon Station.  With the help of his friend, a Bishop-model android, Cruz hopes to reconnect and patch things up with Danny, his estranged son.  However, Danny has dangerous and ulterior motives for reuniting with his father.

Once upon a time, Gabriel barely survived an alien attack.  And now, it seems that his encounters are far from over.

THE LOWDOWN:  I am a big fan of the Alien film franchise, and I have lost count of how many times I have watched James Cameron's Aliens, including a few times just recently.  I have seen both Alien vs. Predator films numerous times and will watch them many times more.

Early in Dark Horse Comics' run of Alien comic books, I was devoted to the company's output, but lost interest after several years.  I thought the new Marvel Comics' title would be a good time to start reading Alien comic book again, and I was right.

Writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson whets the appetite with the promise of thrills to come while offering tasty teases of back story involving Gabriel Cruz.  Books about writing will always say that the writer should create strong characters and that the plot will develop from the characters.  Basically, the characters should act as the spine of the story.  I find the spine of this story, Gabriel and Danny, to be dull, and I have no interest in their crappy relationship.  On the other hand, the plot is quite strong.  Johnson makes Alien #1 a fun read when he focuses on the threat of the “Aliens” and on the looming disaster that will fully bring them into the story.

I would not call the art and graphical storytelling in Alien #1 peak Salvador Larroca.  For one thing, all the characters have faces that look like they underwent bad plastic surgery.  The compositions have a generic, Larroca clip art quality, but Guru-eFX's power-coloring and super-hues cover up the blemishes as well as any coloring can.

Still, Marvel's Alien #1 intrigues, especially if you, dear readers, are fans of the Xenomorphs.  I think I should keep reading … at least for the first story arc.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of the Alien/Aliens film and comic book franchises will certainly want to try Marvel's Alien.

A-
7.5 out of 10

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


https://twitter.com/Marvel
https://www.marvel.com/
https://www.marvel.com/comics
https://www.comixology.com/Marvel_Comics


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

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#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: USAGI YOJIMBO #1

USAGI YOJIMBO No. 1 (2019)
IDW PUBLISHING – @IDWPublishing

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

CARTOONIST: Stan Sakai
COLORS: Tom Luth
LETTERS: Stan Sakai
EDITOR: Bobby Curnow
COVER: Stan Sakai
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Daniel Warren Johnson with Mike Spicer; Walter Simonson with Laura Martin; Kevin Eastman with Tomi Varga; Maria Caligari; Chris Johnson; Mike Choi; J. Scott Campbell with Nei Ruffino; J. Scott Campbell; Alex Kotkin with Ivan Nunes; Mike Vasquez; Charles Vess; Tessa Rose; Buzz with Brittany Peer; Ian Nichols; Stan Sakai and Tom Luth; Stan Sakai with Tom Luth; Stan Sakai and Tom Luth with Emi Fujii and Matt Enterline; Linh Nguyen
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (June 2019)

Usagi Yojimbo created by Stan Sakai

“Bunraku” Part One

Usagi Yojimbo, which means “rabbit bodyguard,” is an anthropomorphic rabbit ronin who is sometimes hired as a bodyguard.  His adventures take place in Edo-era Japan (specifically the 17th century).  Created by Stan Sakai, Miyamoto Usagi first appeared in the small press comic book, Albedo Anthropomorphics #2.  He is the star of a long-running comic book series, Usagi Yojimbo, which has previously been published by Fantagraphics Books (1987-1993), by Mirage Publishing (1993-1995), and by Dark Horse Comics (1996-2018).

Now, Usagi Yojimbo has a new publisher, IDW Publishing.  This 2019 iteration of the venerable creator-owned comic book title is also the first ongoing Usagi Yojimbo comic book series to be published in full-color.  Once again the series is written, drawn, and lettered by creator Stan Sakai, and is colored by Tom Luth.

Usagi Yojimbo #1 opens with Sasuke, the fox who is a demon hunter, swordsman, and archer.  He is in the middle of a battle against “the demons of Mount Funai.”  Then, Lord Shoki the Demon Queller (the ghost who is also Sasuke's mentor) appears and sends Sasuke to the town of Kuroyama Mura.  Meanwhile, Usagi (“Usagi Yojimbo”) is already in town and is enjoying a “Bunraku” (a classical form of Japanese puppet theater), unaware of how close he is to the evil that Sasuke seeks.

Every single time I have read a Usagi Yojimbo comic book or story, I have enjoyed it – sometimes immensely.  Yet I cannot explain why I have read Usagi Yojimbo so little over the past three decades.  So I thought that this series relaunch at IDW was the perfect time to reengage this beloved samurai rabbit.  So how is the new comic book?

It's good, of course.  I am quite intrigued by this opening chapter in what will be an introductory three-issue arc, apparently before a longer story arc begins.  I don't think I'm telling people who have previously read Usagi Yojimbo something they don't already know.  Stan Sakai is an accomplished comic book creator, artist, and illustrator, and his comic books have always shown that.  Tom Luth, himself and accomplished comic book illustrator and colorist, also does good work here, of course.

What I can say is that readers unfamiliar with Usagi Yojimbo will find, in this new series, high-quality and delightful comic book storytelling.  Usagi Yojimbo often has the timeless quality that classic fantasy literature has.  If you are only interested in superhero comic books, dear reader, you may find that Stan Sakai and his samurai rabbit can still capture your imagination.

8 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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#IReadsYou Review: BLACK PANTHER VS. DEADPOOL #1

BLACK PANTHER VS. DEADPOOL #1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Daniel Kibblesmith
ART: Ricardo López Ortiz
COLORS: Felipe Sobreiro
LETTERS: Joe Sabino
EDITOR: Wil Moss
COVER: Ryan Benjamin with Rain Beredo
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Adi Granov; Cully Hamner with Laura Martin
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (November 2018)

“Parental Advisory”

Black Panther created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby; Deadpool created by Rob Liefeld and Fabian Nicieza; Dora Milaje created by Christopher Priest and Mark Texeira

Part One: “A Small Misunderstanding”

Black Panther is a Marvel Comics superhero created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.  The character first appeared in Fantastic Four #52 (cover dated: July 1966).  Black Panther is T'Challa, the king and protector of the (fictional) African nation of Wakanda.  Black Panther was also the first Black superhero in mainstream American comic books.

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.

Black Panther and Deadpool are two of Marvel Comics' hottest movie characters, with Black Panther appearing in a record-setting 2018 film that has Oscar buzz.  Deadpool appeared in two films, Deadpool (2016) and Deadpool 2 (2018), each of which grossed well over $700 million dollars in worldwide box office.  Black Panther vs. Deadpool is a new comic book miniseries bringing the two hot Marvel characters together.  It is written by Daniel Kibblesmith; drawn by Ricardo López Ortiz; colored by Felipe Sobreiro; and lettered by Joe Sabino.

Black Panther vs. Deadpool #1 (“A Small Misunderstanding”) opens in Wakanda where the citizens are celebrating “Ubusuku Bokufa,” the nation's “Night of the Dead” festival.  T'Challa/Black Panther and his sister, Shuri, are working on a new surgical method for humans that involves something called “star cells.”  Meanwhile, in the United States, Deadpool's battle with “The Wrecker” causes a beloved Marvel Comics character to end up near death.  The one thing that can save him, “Vibranium Therapy,” may be out of reach for Deadpool.

Deadpool goes to Wakanda with a plan, a crazy plan that involves working things out with Black Panther in a plan-of-action that follows the line of action in a superhero-crossover-comic-book.  But does Black Panther want to play with let alone help Deadpool?

I am not going to act as if Black Panther vs. Deadpool is a great comic book, but I expected it to be a disaster.  Yet it is not; there are a few good moments.  Black Panther vs. Deadpool #1 has a kind of Looney Tunes quality to it.  I can see comedy elements that remind me of Wile E. Coyote vs. Road Runner and Bugs Bunny vs. Elmer Fudd (or vs. Yosemite Sam).  Daniel Kibblesmith does not quite pull off the madcap humor of classic Warner Bros. cartoon shorts, but I think he has potential.

I like Ricardo López Ortiz's art here more than I did his run on the first arc of Mark Millar's recent Hit Girl revival (entitled Hit Girl in Columbia).  Ortiz's scratchy, impressionistic drawing style is not as effective at storytelling as it could be simply because there is too much clutter in the line work and inking.  And here, some of the art is just ugly or badly drawn.

Felipe Sobreiro cannot fix this with his coloring, and Ortiz's art even makes Joe Sabino's lettering look like clutter, and that should not be.  While I found some things to like, I am not sure that I will return for the second issue.  I can't see myself paying $3.99 for this, let alone playing $21+ (with tax) to read the entire miniseries.  Black Panther and Deadpool fans might find Black Panther vs. Deadpool worth the price and the effort, though.

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 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: SHURI #1

SHURI No. 1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Nnedi Okorafor
ART: Leonardo Romero
COLORS: Jordie Bellaire
LETTERS: VC's Joe Sabino
EDITOR: Wil Moss
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Akira Yoshida
COVER: Sam Spratt
VARIANT COVER ARTIST: Travis Charest; Jamal Campbell; Skottie Young; John Tyler Christopher; Carlos Pacheco; Rafael Fonteriz with Laura Martin
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (December 2018)

Rated “T”

Black Panther created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee; Shuri created by Reginald Hudlin and John Romita, Jr.; Dora Milaje created by Christopher Priest and Mark Texeira

“Gone”

Shuri is a Marvel Comics superhero character.  She was created by writer Reginald Hudlin and artist John Romita Jr. and first appeared in Black Panther (Vol. 4) #2 (cover dated:  May 2005).  Shuri is a princess of the (fictional) African kingdom of Wakanda and is the daughter of the late king, T'Chaka.  Shuri is best known as the sister of T'Challa, the king of Wakanda and the Black Panther.

Shuri has a genius level intellect which matches that of her brother, T’Challa, and she has also once replaced him in the role of the Black Panther.  Shuri gained additional fame when she appeared in Marvel Studio's record-setting film, Black Panther (2018), portrayed by actress, Letitia Wright.

Shuri now has her own comic book series in the obviously titled Shuri.  It is written by author Nnedi Okorafor; drawn by Leonardo Romero; colored by Jordie Bellaire; and lettered by Joe Sabino.

Shuri #1 (“Gone”) opens as Shuri directs the mission that will send Black Panther and the mutant, Manifold, into deep space on Wakanda's first human space mission (as seen in the current Black Panther series).  After a few weeks past with no contact from the mission, however, Shuri may find herself taking on an important mantle... again.

It is clear from the beginning that writer Nnedi Okorafor intends to establish Shuri as a both a personality and as a superhero outside of her relationship to T'Challa.  This book will be about Shuri's own identity, goals, motivations, desires, etc., and that is a good thing.  She is an interesting, indeed, even alluring character.

As for the art:  In Sam Spratt, Shuri has a cover artist with a bold, eye-catching style that captures the power and potential and regalia of an African woman who is full.  The interior artist and storyteller, Leonardo Romero, has become something of a Chris Samnee acolyte (if not clone).  Stylistically, Romero's illustrations here suggest a sense of wonder and discovery, as if Shuri was a child, seeing a world of possibility for the first time.  Thus, the storytelling seems a little disconcerting and disconnected to what I think Okorafor intends.

Jordie Bellaire's coloring goes right along with Romero's graphical angle.  Joe Sabino's lettering seems neutral, as if he focuses on merely efficiently finding place for the dialogue.  I am curious to see where Shuri is going, and while I have questions about this title's direction, I do recommend it to Black Panther fans.

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: CONAN THE BARBARIAN #1

CONAN THE BARBARIAN #1 (2019) – Legacy #276
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Jason Aaron
ART: Mahmud Asrar
COLORS: Matthew Wilson
LETTERS: VC's Travis Lanham
EDITOR: Mark Basso
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Akira Yoshida
COVER: Esad Ribić
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Daniel Acuna; Mahmud Asrar with Matthew Wilson; John Cassaday with Laura Martin; John Tyler Christopher; Kirbi Fagan; Adi Granov; Greg Hildebrandt; Esad Ribic; Jesus Saiz; Bill Sienkewicz; Skottie Young; Gerardo Zaffino with Rain Beredo
48pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (March 2019)

Parental Advisory

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

“The Life & Death of Conan” Part One: “The Weird of the Crimson Witch”

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.

In 1970, Marvel Comics brought Conan to the world of comic books with the series, Conan the Barbarian.  It is doing so again, having recently published the first issue of a revival of Conan the Barbarian.  It is written by Jason Aaron; drawn by Mahmud Asrar; colored by Matthew Wilson; and lettered by VC's Travis Lanham.

Conan the Barbarian #1 (“The Weird of the Crimson Witch”) opens sometimes during Conan the Cimmerian's prime as “a thief, a reaver, and a slayer.”  In Zamora, the city of thieves, his brutal prowess in the fights pits of Maul has attracted the attention of a comely young woman.

Conan has always cheated death, continues to cheat death, and perhaps, he always will?  The more he cheats death, the more his blood becomes imbued with the power of “Death Magic.”  It is that magic that the Crimson Witch and her death god, Razazel, needs.  Does King Conan know that?

The new Conan the Barbarian is a comic book that I can keep reading... at least for awhile.  For one, I am a fan of artist Mahmud Asrar and have been since I started seeing his work eight years ago.  His elegant compositions are pleasing to the eye, and his figure drawing creates the illusion of powerful figures in motion.  There is also a sense of dynamism even in characters that are depicted as moving not at all or as moving very little.

Colorist Matthew Wilson, one of best colorists working in comic book today, takes Asrar's beautiful art to an edgier place.  The red, yellow, and orange hues make the bloody sequences even bloodier, and the color turns the Crimson Witch's magic into a thing that rages and pulses.

Jason Aaron's story is good, but it is not as passionate as Asrar-Wilson's art.  However, Aaron has created a menace (the Crimson Witch) that it actually and legitimately dangerous to Conan, throughout his life.  I like that Aaron is willing to depict Conan as a brutal killer (and that Asrar and Wilson draws that cleaving, hacking, slashing, and beheading with glee).  Speaking of glee, the villains are gleefully murderous, and that is a good thing.  I have to give letterer Travis Lanham credit; he makes Aaron's script read like true-blue, bloody mayhem Conan the Barbarian.

Conan the Barbarian #1 (2019) is a good first issue.  It isn't great, but it doesn't have to be.  I was certainly hopeful that I would have a reason to be a regular reader of Conan the Barbarian again (which I have not been since the Reagan era).

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 reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: RETURN OF WOLVERINE #1

RETURN OF WOLVERINE No. 1 (OF 5)
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Charles Soule
PENCILS: Steve McNiven
INKS: Jay Leisten
COLORS: Laura Martin
LETTERS: VC's Joe Sabino
EDITORS: Mark Paniccia and Jordan D. White
COVER:  Steve McNiven and Jay Leisten with Laura Martin
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: John Cassaday with Laura Martin; Steve McNiven and Jay Leisten with Laura Martin; Todd Nauck with Rachelle Rosenberg; Leinil Francis Yu with Sunny Gho
40pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (November 2018)

Parental advisory

Chapter One: “Hell”

Four years ago, Marvel Comics published Death of Wolverine.  Written by Charles Soule and drawn by Steven McNiven (pencils) and Jay Leisten (inks), the four-issue miniseries saw Wolverine a.k.a. Logan die as a result of injuries and loosing his supernatural healing factor that was a result of him being a mutant.  The most famous version of the Wolverine character:  the one who has been a member of the mutant X-Men and the one that made his first full appearance in The Incredible Hulk #181 (after having appeared in the last panel of #180), was dead.

Now after a year of Marvel teasing, Wolverine/Logan is returning in the five-issue comic book miniseries, Return of Wolverine.   The Death of Wolverine creative team of Soule, McNiven, and Leisten return for this resurrection event.  Laura Martin on colors and Joe Sabino on letters complete the creative team.

Return of Wolverine #1 (“Hell”) opens.  Wolverine awakens.  We know who he is, but he does not know who he is.  He is in some unknown location.  There is a saber-tooth tiger and a mammoth in cages near him.  A grievously wounded man tells Wolverine that he should be dead.  A woman who wants Wolverine to find her son tells him that he is a hero.  They both want Wolverine to find some organization called “Soteira” and a woman named “Persephone.”  They both want him to kill and destroy the woman and her organization respectively.  Still unsure of who is he or what happened or is happening, Wolverine figures, why not.  What else does he have to do?

Legendary comic book writer, Alan Moore, had a lot to say about DC Comics' announcement that it would produce prequel and sequel comic books based upon his and artist Dave Gibbons' also legendary, 12-issue comic book series, Watchmen.  As Moore has long disputed the contracts and rights issues between him and DC over Watchmen, he refused to participate in the eventual multi-comic book project, Before Watchmen (2012).

Moore described the comic book creators who signed on for the prequels as alternately “possibly halfway decent writers and artists” and people who don't even deserve the title of “creators.”  That irked some comics folks; I seem to remember Marvel Comics writer Jason Aaron being particularly miffed.  I think that Moore's comments can be accurately levied against quite a few comic book creators, past and present.

However, I think that it is not so much that comic book writers and artists are halfway decent; rather it is that they often produce halfway decent comic books, even when they are working on what is supposedly important, event comic books.

Return of Wolverine #1 is halfway decent.  I would say that the majority of the comic books written by Charles Soule that I have read I have really liked.  I halfway like Return of Wolverine #1, but not for the story, which. is halfway decent...   No., this is a poorly written comic book.  It is beneath a writer as highly-paid and as respected as Charles Soule is.  I hope future issues are better.

Meanwhile, I really like Steve McNiven and Jay Leisten's gorgeous artwork and goddess colorist Laura Martin's colors over those beautiful illustrations.  McNiven, Leisten, and Martin art recalls the art of Barry Windsor-Smith on the Wolverine origin story, “Weapon X,” which was originally published in Marvel Comics Presents #72 to 84 (cover dated:  March to September 1991).  Windsor-Smith infrequently produces comic book art; in fact, his last published comic book work may be the five-page section he drew for Wolverine #166 (cover dated:  September 2001).  So McNiven-Leisten-Martin's faux-Barry Windsor-Smith is the reason I will continue to read Return of Wolverine.

Thus, my grade for Return of Wolverine #1 is based on the art.  If it were based only on the story, it would get a failing grade.

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 syndication rights and fees.

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Review: THE KAMANDI CHALLENGE #12

THE KAMANDI CHALLENGE No. 12 (OF 12)
DC COMICS – @DCComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Gail Simone
ART: Jill Thompson; Ryan Sook
COLORS: Trish Mulvihill; Laura Martin; Andrew Crossley
LETTERS: Clem Robins
MISC ART: Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez and Joe Prado with Mark Chiarello; Adam Kubert
COVER: Frank Miller with Alex Sinclair
VARIANT COVERS: Ryan Sook; Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez and Joe Prado with Trish Mulvihill
40pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (February 2018)

Rated “T” for Teen

Kamandi created by Jack Kirby

[Afterword by Paul Levitz]

“The Boundless Realm”

Created by Jack Kirby, Kamandi, The Last Boy on Earth was a comic book series published by DC Comics in the 1970s.  Running from 1972 to 1978, the series starred Kamandi, a teenaged boy in a post-apocalyptic future.  In this time, humans have been reduced back to savagery in a world ruled by intelligent, highly evolved animals.

Kamandi, The Last Boy on Earth #1 (cover dated: October 1972) opens some time after a huge event called “The Great Disaster,” which wiped out human civilization.  In “Earth A.D.” (After Disaster), many animals have become humanoid, bipedal, and sentient, and also possess the power of speech. These newly intelligent animal species have equipped themselves with weapons and technology salvaged from the ruins of human civilization and are constantly at war in a struggle for territory.

The world of Kamandi returned in the DC Comics miniseries, The Kamandi Challenge.  Ostensibly a tribute to the 100th anniversary of Jack Kirby's birth (1917), The Kamandi Challenge brought together 14 teams of writers and artists.  Each team produced a single issue (or worked on a single issue) of The Kamandi Challenge, which ended in an cliffhanger.  The following issue's creative team would resolve that cliffhanger left behind by the previous creative team however it wanted.  That team would craft its own story, which also ended in a cliffhanger, which the next creative team would have to resolve... and so on.

The Kamandi Challenge came to an end with the recently published twelfth issue, featuring two creative teams.  The first team is writer Gail Simone; artists Jill Thompson and Ryan Sook; colorists Trish Mulvihill; Laura Martin; and Andrew Crossley; and letterer Clem Robins.  The second creative team is comprised of writer Paul Levitz; artist José Luis García-López (pencils) and Joe Prado (inks); colorist Trish Mulvihill; and letterer Clem Robins.

The Kamandi Challenge #12 opens with the story “The Boundless Realm” (by the Simone-Thompson/Sook team), which introduces “Kamanda: The Last Girl on Earth.”  Who is she and what does she have to tell Kamandi: The Last Boy on Earth as he enters his final battle with “The Misfit?”

The second story is “Epilogue the First: The Answers” by Levitz- García-López.  Kamandi meets his creator Jack Kirby and gets some answers.  But what kind of answers are they?

Let us make no mistake, Jack Kirby is a great artist, worthy of being a comic book icon (or the comic book icon) and being in the hallowed halls of museums and academia.  The problem with tributes to great artist is that those tributes are sometimes offered by people who, while they are influenced by great artists, are not themselves great artists.  In fact, sometimes the people who offer tributes are hacks, in spite of the greatness they admire.

And The Kamandi Challenge is the creation of some who are middling talents, some who are hacks, some exceptional talents that produced middling work in this series.  In this final issue, from the ugly Frank Miller front cover to the “it was all a dream” type ending, The Kamandi Challenge #12, like the earlier issues, is a tribute in name only to Jack Kirby.  Yes, there are some good moments and good issues in this twelve issue maxi-series, but The Kamandi Challenge is a cynical attempt to make money using Jack Kirby's name and legacy.

The best thing about The Kamandi Challenge #12 is Paul Levitz's afterword, which is a true and loving tribute to someone who was obviously a friend, the truly talented and late Len Wein.

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 for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: RISE OF THE BLACK PANTHER #1

RISE OF THE BLACK PANTHER No. 1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Evan Narcisse with Ta-Nehisi Coates (consultant)
ART: Paul Renaud
COLORS: Stephane Paitreau
LETTERS: VC's Joe Sabino
COVER: Brian Stelfreeze
VARIANT COVERS: Paul Renaud; Chris Sprouse and Karl Story with Laura Martin; Tyler Kirkham with Arif Prianto
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (March 2018)

Black Panther created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

Rated “T”

“The King at the End of Everything”

Black Panther is a Marvel Comics superhero created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby.  He first appeared in Fantastic Four #52 (cover dated: July 1966).  Black Panther is T'Challa, the king and protector of the (fictional) African nation of Wakanda.  Black Panther was also the first Black superhero is mainstream American comic books.

As we approach the release date of the highly-anticipated theatrical Black Panther film from Disney/Marvel Studios, we will see more Black Panther-related comic books from Marvel Comics.  One of them is the new miniseries,  Rise of the Black Panther.  It is written by Evan Narcisse with Ta-Nehisi Coates, the writer of the ongoing Black Panther comic book, acting as consultant.  Paul Renaud is the artist.  Stēphane Paitreau is the colorist, and Joe Sabino is the letterer.

Rise of the Black Panther #1 (“The King at the End of Everything”) is narrated first by Queen N'Yami, the wife of King T'Chaka and the mother of T'Challa, and then by Queen Ramonda, the second wife of T'Chaka and second mother to T'Challa.  The story opens with during World War II where a famous American hero strikes a bargain and friendship with Azzuri, the Panther King of Wakanda and the father of T'Chaka and grandfather of T'Challa.

Azzuri is determined to keep the existence and the whereabouts of his kingdom, Wakanda, a secret.  Because of its wealth, technology, and especially because of its greatest natural resource, outsiders and outside entities with continue to search for the legendary kingdom – including some of the most evil people on Earth.

One of the things that Rise of the Black Panther has going for it is that Brian Stelfreeze is the series cover artist.  Stelfreeze was the opening series artist on Ta-Nehisi Coates' Black Panther series and is responsible for most of that series' conceptual and graphic design.  Stelfreeze provides a striking painted cover for the Rise of the Black Panther #1, and, far as I can tell, also for the second issue.

Evan Narcisse gathers many of the elements from previous Black Panther comic books and brings them together to form a gripping, suspenseful, and thrilling tale of the history of the Black Panther.  It starts during WWII, the dawn of the American superhero, and also the point in time when Wakanda begins its inevitable track to joining the world.  Narcisse gives the story the feel of a “lost world” story that is part Arthur Conan Doyle and part Golden Age comic book.  If the rest of this series is like the first issue, it will be a thoroughly readable and enjoyable.

The series artist is rising star Paul Renaud, whose art was excellent in the shockingly good Generations: Sam Wilson Captain America & Steve Rogers Captain America #1.  Renaud's storytelling is quite good here, but his stylish art is a revelation.  Renaud and colorist Stēphane Paitreau create a rich tapestry of graphical storytelling that recalls narrative paintings.  Rich in detail, backgrounds, sets, and environment, Renaud's art is fitting for a tale of kings and kings' sons.  Joe Sabino's lettering strikes the perfect tone and and enhances the story.

I was not sure of what I should expect of Rise of the Black Panther #1, but after reading this excellent first issue, I expect a lot of the rest of it.

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 site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: JUSTICE LEAGUE #1

JUSTICE LEAGUE No. 1 (2018)
DC COMICS – @DCComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Scott Snyder
PENCILS: Jim Cheung
INKS: Mark Morales
COLORS: Tomeu Morey
LETTERS: Tom Napolitano
EDITOR: Rebecca Taylor
COVER: Jim Cheung with Laura Martin
VARIANT COVER: Jim Lee and Scott Williams with Alex Sinclair
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (Early August 2018)

Rated “T+” for “Teen Plus”

“The Totality” Part One

The Justice League (also known as Justice League of America or JLA) is DC Comics' premiere superhero group.  Conceived by writer Gardner Fox and first drawn by artist Mike Sekowsky, the Justice League first appeared as a team in The Brave and the Bold #28 (cover dated:  March 1960).  The seven original members were Superman, Aquaman, Batman, Flash, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, and Wonder Woman.  The team received its own book with the debut of Justice League of America #1 (cover dated: October 1960).

For the third time in seven years, Justice League debuts with a new first issue.  This new Justice League 2018 is written by Scott Snyder.  This debut issue is drawn by Jim Cheung (pencils) and Mark Morales (inks); colored by Tomeu Morey; and lettered by Tom Napolitano.

Justice League #1 opens with a comet of golden light streaking across space... and across several periods of time.  Next, there is a glimpse of the Justice League's “Hall of Justice.”  Then, we find Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, Flash, Aquaman, and Hawkgirl lead fellow superheroes, including Cyborg and Mr. Terrific, into a fight against bands of Neanderthals that have been biologically and technologically advanced by Justice League supervillain, Vandal Savage.  However, the arrival of some familiar supervillains and arch-nemesis and of something wicked/mysterious this way comes makes a League victory seem Pyrrhic.

Since 1985, DC Comics turns to a cosmic event to either save itself financially or to simply increase sales with a high-profile publishing event.  And quite frankly, I am not interested in another Scott Snyder, time-spanning, multi-universal conspiracy.

But I enjoyed the art in Justice League #1.  I will read any comic book story drawn by Jim Cheung, whose pencils are nicely inked by Mark Morales in this issue.  Tomeu Morey, as usual, colors with the power of Shaka Zulu, turning in such beauty that I was willing to wade through a story in which I had no interest.  Letterer Tom Napolitano, for the umpteenth time, makes the unreadable quite readable.

I have to admit this:  I will keep reading Justice League (2018), if future art teams are as good as the one in Justice League #1.

5.5 out of 10

[This comic book includes a preview of Teen Titans #20 by Adam Glass, Bernard Chang, Marcelo Maiolo, and Rob Leigh.]

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: WONDER WOMAN/CONAN #1

WONDER WOMAN CONAN No. 1 (OF 6)
DC COMICS/Dark Horse Comics – @DCComics @DarkHorseComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Gail Simone
PENCILS: Aaron Lopresti
INKS: Matt Ryan
COLORS: Wendy Broome
LETTERS: Saida Temofonte
COVER: Darick Robertson with Tony Aviña
VARIANT COVERS: Liam Sharp with Laura Martin
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (November 2017)

Rated “T+” for “Teen Plus”

Wonder Woman created by William Moulton Marston; Conan created by Robert E. Howard

“A Crown without Mercy”

Conan the Cimmerian (also Conan the Barbarian) was born in the pulp fiction of Robert E. Howard, first appearing in magazine, Weird Tales (1932).  Marvel Comics brought Conan to comic books in 1970, with the long running series, Conan the Barbarian.

Now, Conan moves into new comic book territory with the team-up book, Wonder Woman Conan.  The series is written by Gail Simone; drawn by Aaron Lopresti (pencils) and Matt Ryan (inks); colored by Wendy Broome; and lettered by Saida Temofonte.

Wonder Woman Conan #1 (“A Crown without Mercy”) opens in the time when Conan was a child at the age of “eight summers.”  He travels with his father, Conaldar, a blacksmith, to a conclave of clans.  In this gathering of strangers, Conan sees the first truly beautiful thing in his life, a girl named “Yanna.”

Years late, the adult Conan – a thief, a reaver, and a slayer – encounters three men who are about to kill another man.  He saves that man, who is named Kian, and they travel to the Aquilonian kingdom where they plan to witness a special warrior in a gladiatorial fight.  She is a woman, a “Wonder Woman” from Conan's past, and their reunion may be that they are destined to die together.

I can't remember if I have ever read a Wonder Woman comic book written by Gail Simone, but I did read some of the excellent Conan Red Sonja, a four-issue miniseries she wrote that was published in late 2014 and early 2015.  Simone is simply good at what she does, and that is writing riveting, engaging, clever, witty, and fun-to-read comic books.  I remember that people loved her Wonder Woman, and I loved her Conan, and Wonder Woman Conan is something to love.  My only complaint is that the first issue had to end.

I would be remiss if I did not mention that lovely art and strong storytelling by Aaron Lopresti.  After more than two decades, Lopresti's art is highly-polished and professional, especially when it is inked by someone good, as it is here by Matt Ryan.  Lopresti's art, especially his figure drawing, reminds me of such classic 1980s and 90s stalwarts as Bob McLeod, Jerry Ordway, and Dan Jurgens.  Lopresti's solid compositions are the perfect graphical storytelling vehicle for a story featuring two great warriors, Wonder Woman and Conan.

Wonder Woman Conan #1 is fine start to what I believe will be an excellent crossover comic book.  I think Simone and Lopresti will deliver, as usual.

9 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: AMERICAN GODS #3

AMERICAN GODS No. 3
DARK HORSE COMICS – @DarkHorseComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Neil Gaiman
SCRIPT: P. Craig Russell
LAYOUTS: P. Craig Russell
ART: Scott Hampton; Walter Simonson
COLORS: Scott Hampton; Laura Martin
LETTERS: Rick Parker
COVER: Glenn Fabry with Adam Brown
VARIANT COVER: David Mack
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (May 2017)

American Gods is the award-winning, 2001 novel from author Neil Gaiman.  It is now being adapted into a comic book series, published by Dark Horse Comics.  The novel won several fantasy-literary awards, and there is currently a hit television series adapted from the novel and televised on the cable network, Starz Media.  American Gods blends Americana and also ancient and modern mythology to tell the story of a man caught in a war between the gods of the Old World and the new American gods.

The guiding hand behind the American Gods comic book is frequent Gaiman collaborator, P. Craig Russell.  Russell wrote the script adaptation of Gaiman's novel and provided the layouts for the art.  American Gods the comic book is drawn and colored by Scott Hampton and lettered by Rick Parker.

American Gods #3 finds the protagonist, Shadow Moon, and his mysterious employer, Mr. Wednesday, still in Indiana where Shadow attended the funeral of his wife, Laura.  The duo prepares to leave for Chicago the following day, but that night, Shadow has strange, troubling dreams.  Then, he gets a visit from Laura.  Plus, meet the strange fortune tellers of Chicago.

I always feel or think that I have to let you know, dear reader, that I am a big fan of American Gods, although I did not read it upon its original release in 2001.  I read the tenth anniversary edition which featured a longer text – the author's preferred edition.  I also feel that I must admit that I loved that book, and that “love” is not a strong enough word in this case.  American Gods: The Tenth Anniversary Edition is one of my favorite books, and I consider the reading that edition of American Gods to be life-changing event for me in terms of my life as a writer.  True, swear to an American god.

Dark Horse Comics, over their three decades-plus of publishing comic books adapted from other media, has produced countless high-quality “media-tie” comic book and adaptations, and American Gods is one of their best.  Even into this third issue, P. Craig Russell and Scott Hampton's American Gods feels true to Neil Gaiman's storytelling and text.

Russell is patient and allows his script adaptation of Gaiman's expansive novel to breath, rather than forcing the pace to squeeze the narrative into a miniseries.  Hampton's naturalistic art captures the supernatural aura surrounding American Gods' narrative, while fashioning a world that is both natural and supernatural.  I wondered how they could pull off Laura's return, which is one of the more troubling sequences in the novel.  They got it right; the comics vision of that event is also quite eerie.

So for a third time, I implore you to set aside your four dollars each month so that you can buy this lovely comic book, dear reader.  American Gods may end up being on the short list of great comic book adaptations of a prose novel.

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 reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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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: JUSTICE LEAGUE VS. SUICIDE SQUAD #1

JUSTICE LEAGUE VS. SUICIDE SQUAD No. 1 (OF 6)
DC COMICS – @DCComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Joshua Williamson
ART: Jason Fabok
COLORS: Alex Sinclair
LETTERS: Rob Leigh
COVER: Joshua Fabok with Alex Sinclair
VARIANT COVERS: Amanda Conner with Laura Martin; Gary Frank with Brad Anderson
40pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (February 2017)

Rated “T” for “Teen”

The Justice League is the greatest superhero team in the world (at least, in the DC Comics universe).  The Suicide Squad is the deadliest team of super-powered individuals on the planet.  Now, these two teams clash in DC Comics' event, crossover miniseries, Justice League vs. Suicide Squad.  Published weekly, this series is written by Joshua Williamson; drawn by Jason Fabok; colored by Alex Sinclair; and Rob Leigh.

Justice League vs. Suicide Squad #1 opens in Death Valley, California for some deadly doings at The Catacombs, the most top secret prison in the world.  But the main action is in the nation of Badhnisia.  That is where we find Deadshot, Captain Bommerang, El Diablo, Enchantress, Killer Croc, Killer Frost, and Harley Quinn.  They are Amanda Waller's “Task Force X,” also known as “Suicide Squad,” and they are there to stop a super-powered zealot from destroying the nation as part of some kind of vague, but ominous religious rite.

The execution of said mission draws the attention of the Justice League:  Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg, Flash, and Green Lantern-Simon Baz and Green Lantern-Jessica Cruz.  They are ready to shut Task Force X down for good.  Let's get ready to rumble!  Wait!  Another bad-ass group wants to join the fun.

I could be cynical about Justice League vs. Suicide Squad, but to be honest, I wanted to read this as soon as I heard about it.  So how is Justice League vs. Suicide Squad#1.  It's good with some nice slow boiling and building of tension, but it only teases the climax.  This first issue suggests that the entire six-issue series won't be padded with extraneous scenes in order to get to six issues – at least it seems that way.

It's OK to like this even if you aren't the biggest superhero comic book fan or reader.  C'mon, you know you want it.  The Justice League and the Suicide Squad were bound to tangle; it's only natural.  Also, series artist Jason Fabok is proving that he can handle drawing and storytelling in big superhero comics with big characters and even bigger stories, and I like looking at his art.  Hey, gotta run.  I have a few more issues of this series to read.

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


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

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Review: BLACK PANTHER #166

BLACK PANTHER No. 166
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: Ta-Nehisi Coates
PENCILS: Leonard Kirk
INKS:  Leonard Kirk and Marc Deering
COLORS: Laura Martin
LETTERS: VC's Joe Sabino
COVER: Brian Stelfreeze
VARIANT COVERS: Jenny Frison; Ryan Sook; Chip Zdarsky; Mike McKone with Rachelle Rosenberg; Wes Craig with Tamra Bonvillain (based on the the Incredible Hulk #340 cover by Todd McFarlane and Bob Wiacek)
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (December 2017)

Black Panther created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

Rated “T”

“Avengers of the New World” Part 7

Black Panther is a Marvel Comics superhero.  He was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and first appeared in Fantastic Four #52 (cover dated: July 1966).  Black Panther was T'Challa, the king and protector of the (fictional) African nation of Wakanda.  Black Panther was also the first Black superhero is mainstream American comic books.

Ta-Nehisi Coates is an American writer and journalist.  This African-American commentator is also a national correspondent for The Atlantic, where he writes about cultural, political, and social issues, particularly as they regard to Black people in America.  Coates' second book, Between the World and Me (released in July 2015), won the 2015 National Book Award for Nonfiction.  In 2015, he was the recipient of a “Genius Grant” from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

Black Panther and Ta-Nehisi Coates (with artist and designer Brian Stelfreeze) came together last year in a relaunch of the Black Panther comic book series.  Marvel Comics is in the middle of a new publishing initiative, “Legacy,” and that changes the issue numbering for Black Panther (and for a number of Marvel Comics' titles).  Coates now produces Black Panther with artists Leonard Kirk (pencils and inks) and Marc Deering (inks); colorist Laura Martin; and letterer Joe Sabino.

Black Panther #166 is the seventh chapter of the “Avengers of the New World” story arc.  The gods of Wakanda, “the Orisha,” have gone missing.  In their absence, mystical portals have been opening and releasing deadly creatures, monsters, and mutants.  A figure known as Ras the Exhorter tells the people of Wakanda that the Orisha are dead and leads them to believe in a new god, “Sefako.”  As Black Panther leads his allies to rescue Asira, an old friend, an old enemy steps forward to claim the prize he has sought since the time when T'Challa's father, T'Chaka was both the king and the Black Panther.

In his legendary 1980s run on DC Comics' Swamp Thing, Alan Moore created a personality for the title character and built a world of supporting characters, bit players, and an intriguing fictional mythology that allowed Moore to explore Swamp Thing's character and motivations.  The result was once-in-a-generation comic book storytelling.  Luckily, Alan Moore influenced generations of comic book writers who came after him.

Taking what the Black Panther writers and artists created before him, Ta-Nehisi Coates is building, issue by issue, a world of the Black Panther that is part of, but is also separate and distinct from the rest of the “Marvel Universe.”  Coates is doing what Alan Moore did with Swamp Thing – create a fictional comic book world that is wealthy with possibilities and does not really need the main universe.  As evident in Black Panther #166, Coates is still in the building process.  There is always some new element or page of Wakanda's history that comes to the fore.  For various reasons, some obvious, the American comic book world has not caught on to Black Panther the way it did Alan Moore's Swamp Thing.  And it should.

Coates collaborators have been stellar since the beginning of this series.  New series artist Leonard Kirk's art makes for quiet but powerful graphical storytelling – explosive in scenes when Klaw unleashes his power and powerfully dramatic when the story delves into the past.  As usual, colorist Laura Martin knows how to color every panel and every sequence in a way that propels the drama of the story.  Joe Sabino's matter-of-fact lettering does not call attention to itself, but, as it recedes into the background, it pulls you down, down, down into this exciting story.

I can't wait for the next issue.

[This comic book includes a three-page character overview written by Robbie Thompson; drawn by Wilfredo Torres; colored by Dan Brown; and lettered by Joe Sabino.]

A
9.5 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.

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