#IReadsYou Review: LORD OF THE JUNGLE VOL. 3 #2

LORD OF THE JUNGLE VOLUME 3 #2

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: Dan Jurgens

ART: Benito Gallego

COLORS: Francesco Segala with Agnes Pozza

LETTERS: Carlos M. Mangual

EDITOR: Matt Idelson

COVER: Philip Tan

32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (December 2022)

Rated Teen+

“Heartache”

Tarzan is one of the most famous fictional characters in the world.  Tarzan was an orphan and the archetypal “feral child,” and in this instance, he was raised in the African jungle by great apes.  Tarzan was born a noble, John Clayton, Lord Greystoke, but he rejected civilization and lived in the wilds of Africa as a heroic adventurer.  Tarzan was created by Edgar Rice Burroughs and first appeared in the novel, Tarzan of the Apes, which began serialization in The All-Story Magazine in 1912, before it was published in book form in 1914.  Tarzan would go onto to be a multimedia star, appearing in films, on television, and in comic books.

The latest Tarzan comic book is Dynamite Entertainment's Lord of the Jungle Volume 3. It is written by Dan Jurgens; drawn by Benito Gallego; colored by Francesco Segala; and lettered by Carlos M. Mangual.  The story involves an event that occurred in the early years of Tarzan's adventures, and he returns to Africa to right a past wrong no matter what manner of beast or obstacle stands in his way.

Lord of the Jungle Volume 3 #2 (Heartache) opens in Africa, in the 1950s.  Tarzan, Lord Greystoke, has reunited with his old friend, a local named Bouanga.  Once upon a time, Tarzan met white men like him for the first time, but those foreign raiders pillaged his jungle home.  For the first time, Tarzan came face-to-face with evil, as the white devils left behind death and destruction in their wake.

The encounter leads to a catastrophic event in his life, causing him great heartache.  Now, Tarzan is determined to right a grievous wrong, but he must also come to grips with his own unique origins.

THE LOWDOWN:  Since July 2021, Dynamite Entertainment's marketing department has been providing me with PDF review copies of some of their titles.  One of them is Lord of the Jungle Volume 3 #2, which is only the second issue of a solo Dynamite Tarzan comic book that I have read.

What I said in my review of the first issue stands for the second issue of Lord of the Jungle Volume 3.  Writer Dan Jurgens' solid storytelling is filled with intriguing moments that pull the reader through the riveting jungle action of this narrative.

Artist Benito Gallego's storytelling is beautifully drawn, but more importantly, it is gripping and thrilling.  It still does not hurt that Gallego's drawing style resembles that of the late comic book legend, Joe Kubert.  Kubert had a four-year stint (1972-76) as writer-artist and later as writer-only of DC Comics' Tarzan comic book series, considered by some to be among his best work.  Colorist Francesco Segala's lovely colors capture the varied moods of this story's settings, both in time and locale.  Letterer Carlos M. Mangual brings a sense of high drama and with his stylish, shifting fonts.

Lord of the Jungle Volume 3 #2 strongly delivers on the potential at which the first issue hinted.  I rarely read Tarzan comic books, but I think that I will read this series' entire run.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Tarzan comic books will want to read Lord of the Jungle Volume 3.

A

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

https://twitter.com/DynamiteComics

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https://www.linkedin.com/company/dynamite-entertainment

The text is copyright © 2023 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou Review: KING SPAWN #1

KING SPAWN #1
IMAGE COMICS

STORY: Sean Lewis; Todd McFarlane (additional dialogue and back-up stories)
PENCILS: Javi Fernandez (King Spawn); Stephen Segovia (Haunt); Marcio Takara (Nightmare); Philip Tan (The Hero); Brett Booth (Gunslinger)
INKS: Javi Fernandez; Adelso Corona; Daniel Henriques
COLORS: FCO Plascencia (King Spawn); Andrew Dalhouse; Marcelo Maiolo; Peter Steigerwald; Dave McCaig
LETTERS: Andworld Design (King Spawn): Tom Orzechowski
EDITOR: Thomas Healy
COVER:  Puppeteer Lee
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Todd McFarlane with FCO Plascencia; David Finch with FCO Plascencia; Sean Gordon Murphy; Brett Booth and Todd McFarlane with FCO Plascencia; Greg Capullo and Todd McFarlane with FCO Plascencia; Donny Cates and Todd McFarlane
56pp, Color, $5.99 U.S. (August 2021)

Rated: “T/ Teen”

Spawn created by Todd McFarlane

Spawn is a superhero/antihero character that stars in the long-running comic book series, Spawn.  Created by writer-artist Todd McFarlane, Spawn first appeared in Spawn #1 (cover dated: May 1992).

Spawn was Albert Francis “Al” Simmons.  A career military man who becomes a highly capable assassin and dies a violent death.  He makes a deal with the devil, Malebolgia, in order to return to the living realm to see his wife one last time.  However, Al returns with almost no memories accept that his name is Al Simmons, and he learns that he is now a “Hellspawn” in service of Malebolgia.  Rebelling, Al Simmons, now “Spawn,” finds a new purpose in stopping evil.

Back in February (2021), Todd McFarlane announced his plans to build a larger, multi-character, interconnected, comic book universe based around his Spawn comic book – a “Spawn Universe.”  McFarlane also announced four new comic book titles coming out in 2021, with three of them continuing as regular monthly titles.  The first of the three titles, King Spawn, has arrived.

King Spawn is written by Sean Lewis; drawn by Javi Fernandez; colored by FCO Plascencia; lettered by Andworld Design.  King Spawn finds Spawn battling one of his old adversaries, but it is someone only Spawn knows that exists.

King Spawn #1 opens at an elementary school in Seattle, Washington.  There, a bombing kills sixteen people, including fourteen children aged five and six years old.  Spawn and Jessica Priest (She-Spawn) surreptitiously attend the funeral of one of the children, and Spawn, enraged, tells Priest that he knows who committed this crime and that he is going after them.

The suspects include a legendary angel, Metatron, and perhaps, an underground religious group, “Psalms 137.”  Or maybe, the people behind the bombing are fans...

THE LOWDOWN:  I read Spawn #1 back in 1992, and I had mixed feelings about it.  Yet I was a fan and followed the series for another five or six years.

2021 finds me reading my a Spawn title first-issue for the first time since I read Curse of the Spawn #1 back in 1996.  I like the main story in King Spawn #1.  In fact, Sean Lewis has written the best first issue for an ongoing Spawn comic that I have read to date.  His dialogue is sharp and natural-like, which I can't say for Spawn creator Todd McFarlane's dialogue and exposition, which often describes things that we can see in the art.  Lewis' script is lean and mean, and Lewis does something at which McFarlane is quite good – make the reader feel for the victims.

I've always preferred my Spawn comic books to be drawn by McFarlane, but as a businessman from the beginning of Spawn, he really could not commit to drawing Spawn on a regular basis past the first two years of the original series.  However, Javi Fernandez's art and storytelling shares a sensibility with McFarlane's art that will satisfy me.

So far, I find that King Spawn #1 is the closest to what I will get to those early days of Spawn.  Also, the ending makes me want to come back for more.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Spawn will want to read King Spawn.

[This comic book includes four back-up stories and “Spawning Ground” Presents “The Breakdown,” in which Todd McFarlane and Sean Lewis interview each other.]

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


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

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#IReadsYou Review: MARAUDERS #1

MARAUDERS No. 1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Gerry Duggan
ART: Matteo Lolli
COLORS: Federico Blee
LETTERS: VC's Cory Petit
EDITOR: Jordan D. White
EiC: Akria Yoshida a.k.a. “C.B. Cebuski”
COVER: Russell Dauterman with Matthew Wilson
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Mark Bagley and John Dell with Israel Silva; Aaron Kuder with Jordie Bellaire; Rick Leonardi with Richard Isanove; Tom Muller; Todd Nauck with Rachelle Rosenberg; Philip Tan with Jay David Ramos; Russell Dauterman with Federico Blee
44pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (December 2019)

Rated T+

The X-Men created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

“I'm on a Boat”

The X-Men are a Marvel Comics superhero team comprised of individuals with unique powers and abilities granted to them because they are “mutants.”  Created by editor-writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the X-Men debuted in the comic book, The X-Men #1 (cover dated: September 1963).

Over its six decades of existence, the X-Men comic book franchise has been revived, revamped, relaunched, and re-imagined.  The latest remodeling came via a pair of six-issue miniseries, House of X and Powers of X (pronounced “Powers of 10”), which were written by Jonathan Hickman.  Afterwards, October welcomed “Dawn of X,” the launch of six new X-Men titles, although all except one bore titles that had been previously used.  The new series are Excalibur, Fallen Angels, New Mutants, X-Force, X-Men, and the subject of this review, Marauders.

Marauders is written by Gerry Duggan; drawn by Matteo Lolli; colored by Federico Blee, and lettered by Cory Petit.  Previously, “the Marauders” was the name of a group of assassins employed by the X-Men's adversary, Mister Sinister (now an ally).  As a team, the Marauders' purpose was to assassinate other mutants and to act as a commando strike-force to carry out acts of mass murder.  The new Marauders have been formed to protect and help mutants around the world.

Marauders #1 (“I'm on a Boat”) opens in this glorious new dawn for “Mutantkind.”  Around the world, mutants are entering gateways that take them to Krakoa, the living island and mutant nation-state.  But not everyone can enter those gateways... for various reasons.  One of the most famous members of the X-Men, Katherine “Kate” Pryde (formerly known as “Kitty Pryde”), cannot pass through a Krakoan gateway; for her, it's like walking into a wall.

However, around the world, there are mutants living in countries that do not have diplomatic relations with Krakoa, nor do they recognize mutant sovereignty.  Countries like Russia and Taiwan use various means to block their mutant citizens' access to the gateways.  Aboard a specially-fitted sailing vessel funded by Emma Frost and the Hellfire Trading Company, Captain Kate Pryde leads fellow mutants:  Storm, Bishop, Iceman, and Pyro, with Lockheed the dragon, on a mission to sail the seas of the world in order to protect those most hated and feared!

I was not impressed by the first “Dawn of X” title, X-Men, but I like this second one.  It's not that writer Gerry Duggan offers an exceptional first-issue script; it is good enough.  It's that Marauders has a lot of potential to address current issues and geopolitical affairs using the X-Men as allegory or metaphor.  Also, a sailing vessel promises some quasi-pirate fun.

The illustrations by Matteo Lolli are nice, and his graphical storytelling is clean, if not dynamic.  Federico Blee's coloring seems a little too thick and has what looks like smearing in several places.  Cory Petit's lettering is good, but a bit tame for a concept that demands boldness.  Truthfully, Marauders #1 could be the start of something daring or it could be simply the first issue of just-another-X-Men comic book.  So far, I suspect that it will be the latter, which will probably be the case for most (if not all) the“Dawn of X” titles.

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 reprint and  syndication rights and fees.


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Review: THE CURSE OF BRIMSTONE #1

THE CURSE OF BRIMSTONE No. 1
DC COMICS – @DCComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Philip Tan & Justin Jordan
SCRIPT: Justin Jordan
ART: Philip Tan
COLORS: Rain Beredo
LETTERS: Wes Abbott
COVER: Philip Tan with Rain Beredo
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (June 2018)

Rated “T” for Teen

The Curse of Brimstone created by Justin Jordan and Philip Tan

“Inferno” Part 1

DC Comics has launched a new superhero comics initiative, “The New Age of DC Heroes,” coming out of its Dark Nights: Metal event miniseries.  This line of comic books will consist of eight new comic book series:  Damage, The Immortal Men, New Challengers, Sideways, The Silencer, The Terrifics, The Unexpected, and the subject of this review, The Curse of Brimstone.

The Curse of Brimstone is created by writer Justin Jordan and artist Philip Tan.  The series is colored by Rain Beredo; and lettered by Wes Abbott.  The series focuses on a young man who would do anything to save his small town, even make a deal with the devil.

The Curse of Brimstone #1 opens in the small, forgotten rural town of York Hills.  Once it was a coal mining town.  Then, it was a factory town.  Now, it is neither.  Schools and businesses have closed, and many of its citizens have moved away.  Joe Chamberlain is trapped here in this no-nothing town, and he has no prospects of getting out.  He is too poor to move, and he cannot afford school.  However, Joe is determined that his sister, Annie, who is smart, not get trapped in York Hills.

Enter the mysterious Mr. Salesman.  He has an offer to make Joe Chamberlain, one that is supposed to save York Hills and give Joe a really good job... and the curse of Brimstone.

The Curse of Brimstone #1 is mostly set-up with some teasing, but what Justin Jordan and Philip Tan are offering with this first issue is quite intriguing.  I really know what is going on here.  I honestly cannot wait for the second issue, which I cannot say about all the “New Age of Heroes” titles.

Graphically, The Curse of Brimstone #1 looks like a Vertigo comic book and has more than a passing resemblance to the art of Steve Bissette, John Totleben, and Tatjana Wood for the 1980s iteration of Swamp Thing written by Alan Moore.  The last four pages of The Curse of Brimstone #1 are visually and graphically explosive and fiery, and they cast a spell on me.  I feel cursed to return for at least a few more issues.

7.5 out of 10

[This comic book contains a preview of New Challengers #1 by Scott Snyder, Aaron Gillespie, Andy Kubert, Klaus Janson, Brad Anderson, and Deron Bennett.]

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 TERRIFICS #1

THE TERRIFICS No. 1
DC COMICS – @DCComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Jeff Lemire
PENCILS: Ivan Reis
INKS: Joe Prado
COLORS: Marcelo Maiolo
LETTERS: Tom Napolitano
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (April 2018)

Rated “T” for Teen

The Terrifics created by Ivan Reis and Jeff Lemire

“Meet The Terrifics”

DC Comics has launched a new superhero comics initiative, “The New Age of DC Heroes,” coming out of its Dark Nights: Metal event miniseries.  This line of comic books will consist of eight new comic book series:  The Curse of Brimstone, Damage, The Immortal Men, New Challengers, Sideways, The Silencer, The Unexpected, and the subject of this review, The Terrifics.

The Terrifics is written by co-creator Jeff Lemire; drawn by co-creator Ivan Reis (pencils) and Joe Prado (inks); colored by Marcelo Maiolo; and lettered by Tom Napolitano.  Mister Terrific, Phantom Girl, Metamorpho, and Plastic Man are The Terrifics, a team of superheroes exploring the stranger aspects of space-time in order to find a way home.

The Terrifics #1 opens with Mr. Terrific barging into the lab of wacky scientist Simon Stagg... where he finds Metamorpho in a state of stress.  Stagg has created such a crisis situation that Mr. Terrific summons Plastic Man.  When this conflagration sends Mr. Terrific, Metamorpho, and Plastic Man to the Dark Multiverse, they find more mystery and Phantom Girl.

Since it was announced, comic book readers have declared that The Terrifics is DC Comics' version of Marvel Comics' venerable (but currently canceled) comic book series, Fantastic Four (FF).  Even if that were true, there is nothing in The Terrifics #1 that matches the imagination and epic storytelling of any issue of Fantastic Four produced by the FF creators, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, nor any of the issues produced by beloved FF writer-artists, John Byrne or Walter Simonson.  Basically, if The Terrifics is DC's FF, then, DC Comics and its creators have decided to produce a tepid, dishwater version of the Fantastic Four.

That said, The Terrifics #1 has some potential to be a by-the-book superhero comic book that trades in inter-dimensional adventures and weird fiction.  I figure that it could run as long as Jeff Lemire's previous weirdo superhero comic book for DC, Frankenstein, Agent of S.H.A.D.E. (16 issues).

I do like the art team of Ivan Reis and Joe Prado, and I am intrigued by the surprise appearance of an Alan Moore-created character at the end of this first issue.  So I might return for some more.

5 out of 10

[This comic book contains a preview of The Curse of Brimstone #1 by Philip Tan, Justin Jordan, Rain Beredo, and Wes Abbott.]

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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Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for February 4, 2015

IMAGE COMICS

NOV140563     APHRODITE IX CYBER FORCE #1 CROSS OVER SDCC SGN EXC     $20.00
DEC140720     BIRTHRIGHT #5     $2.99
NOV140645     COWL #8 (MR)     $3.50
NOV140646     DEAD AT 17 BLASPHEMY THRONE #6     $3.50
NOV140651     EAST OF WEST #17     $3.50
DEC140641     EGOS #5     $2.99
DEC140666     GOD HATES ASTRONAUTS TP VOL 02 A STAR IS BORN (MR)     $14.99
DEC140737     HUMANS #4 (MR)     $2.99
DEC140745     NAILBITER #10 (MR)     $2.99
DEC140599     NAMELESS #1 (MR)     $2.99
DEC140746     ODDLY NORMAL #5 CVR A FRAMPTON     $2.99
DEC140747     ODDLY NORMAL #5 CVR B JONES     $2.99
DEC140626     POSTAL #1 CVR A SEJIC     $3.99
DEC140627     POSTAL #1 CVR B GOODHART     $3.99
DEC140643     SAGA #25 (MR)     $2.99
SEP140751     SHELTERED #14 (MR)     $2.99
DEC140761     SINERGY #4 CVR A OEMING (MR)     $3.50
DEC140762     SINERGY #4 CVR B RIOS (MR)     $3.50
OCT140692     SOUTHERN BASTARDS BOSS BBQ T/S LG MEN     $19.99
OCT140691     SOUTHERN BASTARDS BOSS BBQ T/S MED MEN     $19.99
OCT140690     SOUTHERN BASTARDS BOSS BBQ T/S SM MEN     $19.99
OCT140693     SOUTHERN BASTARDS BOSS BBQ T/S XL MEN     $19.99
OCT140694     SOUTHERN BASTARDS BOSS BBQ T/S XXL MEN     $19.99
OCT140695     SOUTHERN BASTARDS BOSS BBQ T/S XXXL MEN     $19.99
OCT140686     SOUTHERN BASTARDS SAWWEET TEE T/S LG MEN     $19.99
OCT140685     SOUTHERN BASTARDS SAWWEET TEE T/S MED MEN     $19.99
OCT140684     SOUTHERN BASTARDS SAWWEET TEE T/S SM MEN     $19.99
OCT140687     SOUTHERN BASTARDS SAWWEET TEE T/S XL MEN     $19.99
OCT140688     SOUTHERN BASTARDS SAWWEET TEE T/S XXL MEN     $19.99
OCT140689     SOUTHERN BASTARDS SAWWEET TEE T/S XXXL MEN     $19.99
NOV140541     SPAWN #250 CVR A MCFARLANE     $5.99
NOV140542     SPAWN #250 CVR B CAPULLO     $5.99
NOV140543     SPAWN #250 CVR C YOUNG     $5.99
NOV140544     SPAWN #250 CVR D JOCK     $5.99
NOV140545     SPAWN #250 CVR E MURPHY     $5.99
NOV140546     SPAWN #250 CVR F TAN     $5.99
NOV140580     STRAY BULLETS SUNSHINE & ROSES #1 (MR)     $3.50
AUG140689     VELVET #9 (MR)     $3.50
NOV140700     WYTCHES #4 (MR)     $2.99

IMAGE COMICS/MCFARLANE TOYS

OCT142303     TMP SPORTS NFL SERIES 35 AF     PI
OCT142306     TMP SPORTS NFL SERIES 35 DEZ BRYANT AF     PI
OCT142308     TMP SPORTS NFL SERIES 35 LEVEON BELL AF     PI
OCT142305     TMP SPORTS NFL SERIES 35 MANZIEL AF     PI
OCT142304     TMP SPORTS NFL SERIES 35 NAMATH AF     PI
OCT142307     TMP SPORTS NFL SERIES 35 NICK FOLES AF     PI
OCT142309     TMP SPORTS NFL SERIES 35 RUSSELL WILSON AF     PI

Review: WAYWARD #4

WAYWARD #4
IMAGE COMICS – @ImageComics

STORY: Jim Zub – @jimzub
ART: Steve Cummings – @stekichikun
COLORS: Josh Perez and Tamra Bonvillain – @dyemooch and @TBonvillain
LETTERS: Marshall Dillon – @MarshallDillon
COVER: Steve Cummings and Ross A. Campbell
VARIANT COVER: Philip Tan
28pp, Color, $3.50 U.S.

Arriving in comic book stores today, Wednesday, November 26, 2014, is the fourth issue of Wayward.  This is the fascinating new fantasy comic book series from writer Jim Zub (Skullkickers) and penciller Steve Cummings and published by Image Comics.  Wayward focuses on Rori Lane, a half-Irish/half-Japanese teen girl.  Rori is trying to start a new life in Japan with her mother, Sanae, only to find herself connected to the magic and ancient creatures that lurk in the shadows of Tokyo.

As Wayward #4 (“Chapter Four”) opens, Rori is trying to keep doing the mundane things in life (like attending school), even after experiencing so much of the supernatural.  She gathers her “gang” of fellow supernatural types:  Ayane, Shirai, and Nikaido for a supernatural pow-wow.  Their meeting is centered around answering the question, “What does each of us know about the supernatural?”  In the decommissioned subway tunnels beneath Ueno Park, Rori finds the kind of answers that are really just more questions.

The ComicBookBin received the advanced review PDF copy of Wayward #4 that writer Jim Zub sent to reviewers.  It's much appreciated, but do I feel obligated to give Wayward a good review because Zub gives me a chance to read one of my favorite comic books a little early?  Actually, I feel obligated to break into Zub's house or into the Image Comics offices, whichever one allows me to read future issues of Wayward now.

Seriously, I like Wayward... a lot.  Instead of comparing it to Buffy the Vampire Slayer, I compare it to Harry Potter in the following way.  Potter was essentially a series of mystery novels, in which the hero and his allies traveled to unknown, but fantastic places; they dealt with a growing cast of characters, each character having shifting alliances and secretive motivations.  The endgame was not just to discover a villain, but to also unravel a far-reaching conspiracy that was born in the past and could determine the future, as well as the fate of countless people.

Wayward offers a mystery that is as unknown as it is alluring.  Like Rori following the glowing threads that guide (or lead) her, we don't know where this mystery will take us, but let's follow!  Rori is not so much Buffy fighting monsters as she is like Harry Potter guiding us into a fantastic labyrinth of conspiracies and old secrets.  Let's keep going Wayward.

A

[Wayward #4 contains the engrossing essay, “Tokyo Underground,” by Zack Davisson (@ZackDavisson), with art by Steve Cummings.]

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


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

Valiant Comics Offers Four Titles for September 2012

VALIANT Solicitations For SEPTEMBER 2012

X-O MANOWAR #5
Written by ROBERT VENDITTI
Art by LEE GARBETT
Cover by MICO SUAYAN
Pullbox Exclusive Variant by PHILIP TAN
Interlocking Variants by PATRICK ZIRCHER

All new arc! X-O Manowar vs. Ninjak!

Jump on board the smash hit series of the summer as two legends of the Valiant Universe collide for the first time! The X-O Manowar armor has fallen to Earth... and now the world's most lethal intelligence agent has a new target. But who is the operative known only as Ninjak? And who – or what – has marked Aric of Dacia for death by his blade? Find out as the all-new Ninjak makes his shocking first appearance – and cuts his way to the forefront of the Valiant Universe.

$3.99/ T +/32 pgs.
ON SALE SEPTEMBER 12th!
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HARBINGER #4
Written by JOSHUA DYSART
Art by KHARI EVANS & LEWIS LAROSA
Cover by PATRICK ZIRCHER
Variant Cover by DOUG BRAITHWAITE

School is out. Of control.

Inside the Harbinger Foundation, Peter Stanchek thought he would finally find freedom. Instead, he found a prison of his own design. As Peter begins to yearn for the comforts of his old life, he’s about to discover that leaving Harada’s program isn’t easy – it’s impossible. As rebellion brews among his pupils, Harada must ask himself: has he been building an ally in Peter all this time – or the perfect enemy?

$3.99/ T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE SEPTEMBER 12th!
--

ARCHER & ARMSTRONG #2
Written by FRED VAN LENTE
Art by CLAYTON HENRY
Cover by ARTURO LOZZI
Variant Cover by PATRICK ZIRCHER

In the Valiant Universe, even secrets have secrets. Have you heard the one about The Michelangelo Code?

Inside a Masonic crypt beneath Wall Street, The 1% engineer a financial apocalypse that will save the dollar, but could destroy the world. Within the secret archives of the Vatican, The Spirituali shelter a secret that could crack history in half. And – in a bar somewhere – Archer & Armstrong are all that stands between the ancient conspiracy that binds these two group together. But can Archer survive a terrible betrayal from his own family – and the shocking revelation of Armstrong's closest ally? Get ready for a spreadsheet-shattering, kung-fu gripping action epic that will set the Valiant Universe aflame!

$3.99/ T +/32 pgs.
ON SALE SEPTEMBER 5th!
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BLOODSHOT #3
Written by DUANE SWIERCZYNSKI
Art by MANUEL GARCIA & ARTURO LOZZI
Cover by ESAD RIBIC
Variant Cover by ARTURO LOZZI

Heroes aren’t born. They’re built.

You have no name, just a project designation. They call you Bloodshot, but the voices inside your head call you “daddy, “sir,” “commander,” “comrade” – whatever it takes to motivate you to get the job done. But after so many missions and so many lives, you’re finally ready to confront your handlers at Project Rising Spirit and find out who you really are. You’d better move quickly though, because your former masters don’t like it when a billion-dollar weapons project decides to go rogue. Can you discover the truth before their next deadly mind wipe takes you off the board for good? Let’s hope so…because everyone inside you is counting on it.

$3.99/ T+/32 pgs.
ON SALE SEPTEMBER 5th!

I Reads You Review: BATMAN AND ROBIN: Batman Reborn – The Deluxe Edition

BATMAN AND ROBIN: BATMAN REBORN – THE DELUXE EDITION
DC COMICS

WRITER: Grant Morrison
PENCILS: Frank Quitely, Philip Tan
INKS: Frank Quitely, Jonathan Glapion
COLORS: Alex Sinclair, Pete Pantazis
LETTERS: Patrick Brosseau
EXTRA ART: Grant Morrison, Frank Quitely, Philip Tan, J.G. Jones, Andy Kubert with Chris Chuckry, Tony S. Daniel with Ian Hannin
COVER: Frank Quitely and Alex Sinclair
ISBN: 978-1-4012-2566-7; hardcover
168pp, Color, $24.99 U.S., $29.99 CAN

I see the last 26 years of DC Comics as an onslaught of events, launches, re-launches, etc., especially the last 10 years. It seems as if the powers at DC and also the writers, artists, and editors who are looked upon with favor have been restarting, destroying, making-over, re-imagining, revamping, re-jiggering and remaking every corner of the DC Universe, every character in the DC catalog, and every page of comics ever published by DC Comics.

Out of the 2008-09 conflagration that was “Batman: R.I.P.,” Final Crisis, and “Battle for the Cowl,” came a new Batman comic book series, Batman and Robin. Bruce Wayne was no longer Batman. Bruce was dead/missing/lost in time and the Bat-mantle was picked up by the original Robin, Richard “Dick” Grayson, and the new Robin (#4) was Damian Wayne, Batman and Talia al Ghul’s lovechild.

The new Batman and Robin debuted in Batman and Robin #1 (cover date August 2009). The series was created by Grant Morrison and the first three issues were drawn by Morrison’s All-Star Superman collaborator, Frank Quitely. Like All-Star Superman and the other Morrison/Quitely joint, New X-Men, Batman and Robin was snazzy and jazzy compared to the dark-dark that has mostly been Batman since Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns. The Richard Grayson Batman is light-hearted and more conscious about violence and the Damian Wayne Robin is more like the scowling, Dirty Harry Batman.

The first six issues of Batman and Robin (which was re-launched during DC Comics’ “The New 52), are collected in the 2010 hardcover, Batman and Robin: Batman Reborn – The Deluxe Edition. The book collects two storylines: “Batman Reborn” (#1-3) and “Revenge of the Red Hood” (#4-6); the latter is penciled by Philip Tan. The book also includes a 16-page section in the back of the book, entitled “Batman Redrawn” which includes art, character and costume designs, and some text about the creation, graphics, and design of the new series.

Originally, I only read the first issue of the series. I thought it was excellent, and it reminded me of the start-off-with-a-bang that was Morrison and Quitely’s New X-Men #114 (cover date July 2001). Rereading Batman and Robin #1 for the first time in over two years, I have to admit that I didn’t find it as sparkly as I did the first time. That surprises me because every time I reread New X-Men #114, which I do every few years, I love it as much as I did the first time. And boy, did I love it.

In “Batman Reborn,” the new Dynamic Duo takes on Professor Pyg, a villain with a predilection for changing people’s faces. He is the boss of an extreme circus based in Europe, but he is also a creator of and dealer in designer drugs. “Revenge of the Red Hood” pits Batman and Robin against rivals who want to replace them, Red Hood and Scarlet. The twist is that Red Hood was Robin #2, the tragic Jason Todd. Todd, who claims to want to really cleanup Gotham City, actually brings more trouble to the city with his antics.

Although it ultimately goes out with a whimper, the “Batman Reborn” storyline is imaginative. It’s not Morrison’s best work (The Invisibles), but it is some of the most colorful and inventive Batman comics, probably since the Batman comic books of the 1950s and 1960s. Quitely’s intricate line work in All-Star Superman needed color to give it texture and form. In “Batman Reborn,” ragged brushwork pushes Alex Sinclair’s colors aside, so that the color is just that – color. Quitely’s artwork would look lovely reprinted as a black and white comic book. The clotted blacks and scratchy lines give Batman and his Gotham City milieu a screwy, but unique neo-Noir touch.

“Revenge of the Red Hood” is hodge-podge of character conflicts that don’t interest me enough to analyze them. The art by the usually good Philip Tan is ugly. With that in mind, overall, I think of this collection, Batman and Robin: Batman Reborn – The Deluxe Edition, as being another DC Comics event that does not live up to the hype or to some readers’ expectations (like mine). This isn’t essential Batman or essential Grant Morrison, but Batman and Morrison fans will want to sample it.

B

The New 52 Review: THE SAVAGE HAWKMAN #1

"Can't keep a good birdman down"

THE SAVAGE HAWKMAN #1
DC COMICS

WRITER: Tony S. Daniel
ARTIST: Philip Tan
COLORS: Sunny Gho
LETTERS: Travis Lanham
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S.

Hawkman is a superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Dennis Neville. He first appeared in Flash Comics #1 (cover date January 1940), published by All-American Publications, which would eventually merge with the company that would become DC Comics.

There have been several incarnations of the character, but the original Hawkman was the alter ego of Carter Hall. Each version of Hawkman wears artificial wings that are attached to a harness made from the special Nth metal that allows flight. With the re-launch of DC Comics’ superhero line, “The New 52,” Carter Hall and Hawkman return in a new series.

The Savage Hawkman #1 (Hawkman Rising”) opens with noted cryptologist Carter Hall determined to get rid of his Hawkman identity – with fiery results. Meanwhile, his employer, Professor Ziegler, has made another stunning discovery beneath the waters off the Bermuda coast. The Professor and his team have found more than just another alien ship; they’ve also found Morphicius.

Writer Tony S. Daniel, who is doing wonders with the re-launched Detective Comics, gives Hawkman a clean start and perhaps, a clean break from the past. A new reader could figure out what’s going on and maybe even start to be interested in Hawkman. There should be more here, in terms of story; as usual, this is like a tease in the writing-for-the-trade method of comic book publishing. Still, what is here is intriguing.

Philip Tan’s art is nice, but the star here is the coloring by Sunny Gho. Gho’s work is like a color version of ink wash. This reminds me of some of the comic art that appeared in Warren Publishing’s horror comics. The Savage Hawkman, at least at this point, has the look of a horror comic book and having a unique look is what a Hawkman comic book needs.

B

September 28th
AQUAMAN #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/10/aquaman-1.html
BATMAN THE DARK KNIGHT #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/10/batman-dark-knight-1.html
BLACKHAWKS #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/10/blackhawks-1.html
FLASH #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/10/flash-1.html
GREEN LANTERN NEW GUARDIANS #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/10/green-lantern-new-guardians-1.html
I VAMPIRE #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/10/i-vampire-1.html
JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/10/justice-league-dark-1.html
SUPERMAN #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/10/superman-1.html
TEEN TITANS #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/10/teen-titans-1.html
VOODOO #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/10/voodoo-1.html