#IReadsYou Review: HUCK: BIG BAD WORLD #2

HUCK: BIG BAD WORLD #2

DARK HORSE COMICS/Netflix

STORY: Mark Millar

ART: Rafael Albuquerque

COLORS: Dave McCaig

LETTERS: Clem Robins

EDITOR: Daniel Chabon

COVER: Rafael Albuquerque

VARIANT COVER ARTIST: Rafael Albuquerque

32pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (June 2025)

Rated 18+

Huck created by Mark Millar and Rafael Albuquerque

Huck: Big Bad World is a new six-issue comic book miniseries created by writer Mark Millar and artist Rafael Albuquerque.  Published by Dark Horse Comics, it is a sequel to the 2015-16 miniseries, Huck.  Both series focus on Huck, an autistic man with extraordinary powers who tries to do one good deed every day.  Colorist Dave McCaig and letterer Clem Robins complete the creative team. 

Huck: Big Bad World #2 opens with a display of the talents of a young man named Lorenzo and of how he uses his very special powers in the service of his uncle, Louis Abruzzo.  Meanwhile, Huck, his mother, Anna Polina Marianna Kozar, and a mysterious man, Dr. Jack Harper, are on a road trip to find the other secret super-humans who have been hiding around the world.  So how will meeting this first one, Lorenzo, make bad deeds become one really good deed?

THE LOWDOWN:  This is the second time that I have been on any kind of list that provides PDF copies of titles published by Dark Horse Comics.  The latest received is Huck: Big Bad World #2.

I read Huck Volume 1, the trade collection of the first miniseries, before embarking on a journey into Big Bad World.  While writer Mark Millar picks up where he left off in the original, Huck: Big Bad World veers into the dark territory that delves into the mysteries of other super-humans and their really creepy origin.  Millar consistently offers twists and turns in his comic books, and this second issue approaches being a twist-o-rama, and it always feels fresh and original.

The storytelling by artist Rafael Albuquerque is by turns dark and hopeful.  When he is at his best, Albuquerque is a superior story craftsman, mixing visual splendor and sweeping narrative pace.  Dave McCaig's coloring continues to be outstanding at striking a balance between the light and dark that finds humor and pathos in this offbeat series.  As always, the lettering by Clem Robins establishes moods and then embellishes them to the best affect.

The first issue of Huck: Big Bad Day did not disappoint, and the second issue pays off the promise of the first.  Dear readers, run to the store for Huck: Big Bad World.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Mark Millar and of the first Huck series will want to try Huck: Big Bad World.

A+

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

The HUCK VOLUME 2: BIG BAD WORLD trade paperback collection is currently available from Amazon.

https://www.mrmarkmillar.com/

https://x.com/mrmarkmillar

https://x.com/netflix

http://www.millarworld.tv/

The text is copyright © 2025 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou Review: HUCK: BIG BAD WORLD #1

HUCK: BIG BAD WORLD #1

DARK HORSE COMICS

STORY: Mark Millar

ART: Rafael Albuquerque

COLORS: Dave McCaig

LETTERS: Clem Robins

EDITOR: Daniel Chabon

COVER: Rafael Albuquerque

VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Rafael Albuquerque; Jae Lee with June Chung

32pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (May 2025)

Rated 18+

Huck created by Mark Millar and Rafael Albuquerque

Huck: Big Bad World is a new six-issue comic book miniseries created by writer Mark Millar and artist Rafael Albuquerque.  Published by Dark Horse Comics, it is a sequel to the 2015-16 miniseries, Huck.  Both series focus on Huck, an autistic man with extraordinary powers who tries to do one good deed every day.  Colorist Dave McCaig and letterer Clem Robins complete the creative team. 

Huck: Big Bad World #1 opens in Ukraine, 1976.  What does this vision have to do with the past of Huck's mother, Anna Polina Marianna Kozar?  Now, a mysterious man, Dr. Jack Harper, has arrived to tell Anna that she and her son are not the only super-people out there and that there are others in hiding that are just like them.

Meanwhile, Huck is on a rescue mission.  When he returns home, however, he will need to rescue his relationship with Zoe Fox.

THE LOWDOWN:  This is the second time that I have been on any kind of list that provides PDF copies of titles published by Dark Horse Comics.  The latest received is Huck: Big Bad World #1.

I recently finished reading Huck Volume 1, the trade collection of the first miniseries.  While writer Mark Millar picks up where he left off, Huck: Big Bad World veers into darker narrative territory.  What Millar gave us in the first miniseries was just a sampler of the dark and complicated history and back story of Anna Kozar.  This first issue intrigues by referencing the tone of the first, but mainly by taking us into a sinister realm.

The storytelling by artist Rafael Albuquerque conveys the darker turn of the story.  It is almost as if Albuquerque is giving Huck the mood of one of those gloomy fairy tales from the world of Mike Mignola's comic book hero, Hellboy.  Dave McCaig's outstanding coloring for the first issue sets the striking tone that there is more on the line here than in the previous series.  As always the lettering by Clem Robins is a mood embellisher.

Wow, I really liked Huck Volume 1, and this first issue of Huck: Big Bad Day does not disappoint.  I have really bought into it, and I'd really like to hurt Jimbo Burke.  Yeah, this first issue got me into my feelies and made me pay attention.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Mark Millar and of the first Huck series will want to try Huck: Big Bad World.

A+

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

The HUCK VOLUME 2: BIG BAD WORLD trade paperback will arrive Feb. 2026 and is currently available for preorder via Amazon.

https://www.mrmarkmillar.com/

https://x.com/mrmarkmillar

https://x.com/netflix

http://www.millarworld.tv/

The text is copyright © 2025 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou Review: HUCK Volume 1

HUCK VOLUME 1

IMAGE COMICS

STORY: Mark Millar

ART: Rafael Albuquerque

COLORS: Dave McCaig

LETTERS: Nate Piekos of Blambot

EDITOR: Nicole Boose

COVER: Rafael Albuquerque

ISBN: 9781534300804; paperback; (July 26, 2016)

160pp, Color, $14.99 U.S. (May 2016)

Rated T / Teen

Huck created by Mark Millar and Rafael Albuquerque

Book One: All-American

Huck was a six issue comic book miniseries created by writer Mark Millar and artist Rafael Albuquerque.  Originally published from 2015 to 2016, Huck focused on a man who lives in a small town from where he anonymously travels the world doing good deeds and acts of kindness and mercy using his super powers.  The series was first collected as a trade paperback graphic novel in 2016.

Huck Volume 1 opens in rural Maine.  In a quiet seaside town, there are picket fences, farms, old-fashioned gas stations, and everyone knows everyone.  Life is a good, and it is made better by Huck, a 34-year-old young man of mysterious origins.  He humbly works at a gas station, but he has special gifts and physical abilities.  Each day, he uses his gifts, such as super-strength, to do a good deed.

His neighbors return his favors by keeping Huck's abilities a secret, but a newcomer to the town – in the form of Diane Davis – sees money in revealing Huck to the media.  Now, Huck is about to discover that his past had an eye on the future – a dark future of beings like him.

THE LOWDOWN:  Millarwold and Netflix provide me with PDF review copies of their publications and have been doing so for several years now.  I recently requested a copy of Huck Volume 1 in anticipation of Huck: Big Bad World #1, which is due in May 14, 2025.

When one considers writer Mark Millar's previous work on his creator owned series like Wanted, Kick-Ass, and Nemesis, it is not unreasonable to be shocked that Millar could write a comic book like Huck: All-American.  By turns sweet and sentimental, the first issue, Huck #1, almost seems like a fanciful retelling of the early years of Clark Kent.  However, it goes by way of Mayberry of former CBS sitcom, “The Andy Griffith Show,” more so than by way of Superman's Metropolis.  Millar tries to create the spirit of genuine Americana, and he pulls it off in a way that is different from the way two boys from Cleveland (writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster) did it.

I initially had mixed feelings about artist Rafael Albuquerque's work on Huck #1.  Albuquerque is both a distinctive stylist and storyteller, but almost a decade ago, I found his work in that first issue to be flat.  Now, I find Albuquerque's art to be a revelation.  Huck Volume 1 is a revelation.

Albuquerque's work in the entirety of Huck is glorious.  He really depicts and captures the spirit of Huck for which Millar is aiming.  Huck is not so much about good versus evil as it is about people who tirelessly do for others versus people who perpetually hurt and destroy others for their own personal gain.  Dave McCaig's colors convey Huck's spirit of human goodness.  The lettering by Nate Piekos is classic comics cool and gives the story a vintage 1980s sci-fi movie aesthetic.

Wow!  I love this first volume of Huck.  I would never go against the Moonstone family and the The Magic Order, but Huck is close to being my favorite Millarworld comic book.  I must have really been having a bad time in life back when Huck was originally published to have felt so “meh” about it.  [Actually, there was an awful lot of family melodrama back then.  It was other people's problems, and I was letting it constantly drag me down.]  Anyway, the first issue of the new series, Huck: Big Bad World, is about to drop.  I think I'm in a better mood to receive Huck this time.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Mark Millar and Millarworld titles will want to read Huck Volume 1.

[This volume includes a section of Rafael Albuquerque's character designs, layouts, and inked art.]

A+

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

The HUCK VOLUME 1 trade paperback is available at Amazon.

https://www.mrmarkmillar.com/

https://x.com/mrmarkmillar

https://x.com/netflix

http://www.millarworld.tv/

The text is copyright © 2025 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou Review: REBEL MOON: House of the Bloodaxe #1

REBEL MOON: HOUSE OF THE BLOODAXE #1

TITAN COMICS

STORY: Zack Snyder

SCRIPT: Magdalene Visaggio

ART: Clark Bint

COLORS: Francesco Segala with Sabrina Del Grosso (flats)

LETTERS: Andworld Design's Jame

EDITORS: Phoebe Hedges and Calum Collins

COVER: Stanley “Artgerm” Lau

VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Rafael Albuquerque; Baldemar Rivas; Andrea Olimieri; Federico Bertoni; Stanley “Artgerm” Lau

32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (February 2024); on sale Wednesday, January 10, 2024

Suggested for mature readers

Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire is epic space opera film directed by Zack Snyder.  It is written by Kurt Johnstad and Shay Hatten and is based on a story conceived by Snyder.  Rebel Moon is set in a galaxy that is ruled by the imperialistic “Motherworld,” whose military, “the Imperium,” threatens a farming colony on the moon of “Veldt.”  Kora, a former Imperium soldier, goes on a quest to recruit warriors from across the galaxy to make a stand against the Imperium before they return to Veldt.

Titan Comics is producing a Rebel Moon comic book miniseries, Rebel Moon: House of the Bloodaxe, that acts as a prequel to A Child of Fire.  It is written by Magdalene Visaggio from a story by Zack Snyder; drawn by Clark Bint; colored by Francesco Segala; and lettered by Jame.  House of the Bloodaxe is set five years before the events of the film, Revel Moon, and depicts the back story of the characters, siblings Devra and Darrian Bloodaxe.

Rebel Moon: House of the Bloodaxe #1 opens on the planet Shusa, some 30 years before the main story.  This is the tale of how the future Lord Shusa, Yisrael, met his future wife, Amirami.  In the present, this day is the funeral of Amirami, and rather than grief his wife, the present Lord Shasu must deal with the rapidly changing present.

War is looming on the horizon for the planet Shasu.  Though he may be the reluctant ruler of the Bloodaxe family, Yisrael, must find balance in the conflict between living up to his father’s domineering legacy and maintaining the peace.  However, a terrorist act has put Motherworld and the empire in turmoil, and, for now, the focus will be on the planet Shasu.

How will this change the lives of the Lord Shasu's two children by Amirami, his son, Darrian Bloodaxe, and his daughter, Devra Bloodaxe?

THE LOWDOWN:  Titan Comics has been providing me with PDF copies of their publications for review for several years now.  Rebel Moon: House of the Bloodaxe #1 is a recent arrival.

I have not seen Netflix's first of two Rebel Moon movies, but I hope to do so in the near future.  Rebel Moon has been a much anticipated film since its announcement at least two years ago.

Rebel Moon: House of the Bloodaxe #1 is an interesting comic book.  For one, the art by Clark Bin and the colors by Francesco Segala recall the art of the late, great French illustrator, comic book artist and creator, Moebius.  Looking at that comic book reminds me of looking at the first issues of the American science fiction and fantasy comics magazine, Heavy Metal.  This first issue is both exotic and visually and graphically different from most American comic books.

The script by Mags Visaggio has a difficult job.  It must establish the back story while introducing the central conflict and primary dilemma the main characters will face.  And, for the most part, Visaggio's script pulls it off.  I'm ready to read more of the miniseries.

Readers looking for space opera science fiction comic books may find something or even quite a bit to like about Rebel Moon: House of the Bloodaxe #1.  I feel safe in saying that fans of Titan Comics' sci-fi titles give this a try.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:   Fans of Rebel Moon the film may want to try at least the first issue of Rebel Moon: House of the Bloodaxe.

A-

★★★½ out of 4 stars

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

The REBEL MOON: HOUSE OF THE BLOODAXE trade paperback collection is available at Amazon.

https://titan-comics.com/

https://twitter.com/ComicsTitan

https://www.instagram.com/titancomics/

https://www.facebook.com/ComicsTitan

The text is copyright © 2024 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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

Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like these, BOOKS PAGE, GRAPHIC NOVELS, or MANGA PAGE and BUY something(s).

I Reads You Juniors: April 2025 - UPDATE #50

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon.

Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like these, BOOKS PAGE, GRAPHIC NOVELS, or MANGA PAGE and BUY something(s).

TREATS - From AnotherCookie:  There is a new online cookie retailer. It is called "AnotherCookie?" and the cookies are delicious.

NEWS:

MARVEL - From BleedingCool:  Who gets what creator credits in "Thunderbolts*" from Disney/Marvel Studios.

DIAMOND - From BleedingCool:  The latest in the bankrupty saga of Diamond Comic Distributors is that the bankruptcy court could move Diamond from Chapter 11 reorganization to Chapter 7 liquidation.  If Chapter 7 liquidation happens, Diamond would have its assets liquidated and it would be closed down for good.

From BleedingCool:  The bankruptcy saga of Diamond Comic Distributors continues.  Now, the original winning bidder in the bankruptcy auction, Alliance Entertainment, has announced that it is no longer interested in obtaining Diamond.

From BleedingCool:  Diamond Comic Distributors announces "business as usual," likely meaning its potential new owners, Universal Distribution and Ad Populum.

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DC COMICS - From DCBlog:  Writer Dan Slott talks about his new "Superman" comic book, "Superman Unlimited" with artist Rafael Albuquerque.

From DCBlog:  Writer Joshua Williamson talks about "Superman #25."

From DCBlog:  Writer Elliot Kalan talks about his run on the ongoing "Harley Quinn" series, including the upcoming "Harley Quinn #50."

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COMICS - From BleedingCool:  Longtime independent comic book creator, Don Simpson, has completed a 200+ page comic book anthology to celebrate the 40th anniversary of his superhero parody comic book, "Megaton Man."  Entitled "Megaton Man: Multimensions," it contains the work of 60 contributors.  One of them is named "Milo Trent," who lives in Iran, and that is the reason Kickstarter won't let Simpson run a crowdfunding campaign on its platform.

From BleedingCool:  Kickstarter reversed its policy and Don Simpson's "Megaton Man: Multimensions" campaign is currently live and halfway to its funding goal.

MARVEL - From Marvel:  Marvel Studios has released the first full trailer for "Fantastic Four: First Steps," which is due in theaters, July 25, 2025.

BOOKS - From ComicsBeat:  Books in all their formats are apparently exempt from tariffs on good imported from China going back to a Cold War-era exemption that is still in place... for now.

DC COMICS - From DCBlog:  Writer Al Ewing talks about "Absolute Green Lantern."

SONY SPIDER-MAN U - From EW:  Bob Persichetti and Justin K. Thompson are the directors of "Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse," the third film in Sony Animation's "Spider-Verse" film series. The directors revealed first-look still images from the film at CinemaCon 2025.  The film is due June 4, 2027.

RETAIL - From BleedingCool:  TFAW.com, the online and bricks and mortar, comics and collectible retailer, is shutting down April 30, 2025. April 9th is the last day they will process subscription and preorders. Read about the part it played in Dark Horse Comics' history.

COMICS - From BleedingCool:  Craig Thompson, the graphic novelist known for such works as "Blankets" (2003) and "Habibi" (2011), is returning with a new graphic novel, "Ginseng Roots: A Memoir." It arrives from Pantheon Books on April 29th, 2025.  Thompson has been serializing "Ginseng Roots" as a 12-issue series via Uncivilized Books.

EN MEMORIAM - From TheDailyCartoonist:  American cartoonist and comic book and comics strip artist, Hy Eisman, has died at the age of 98, Thursday, March 27, 2025.  He was the last artist to draw the "Little Lulu" comic strip before it was cancelled in 1984.  He drew the "Katzenjammer Kids" comic strip from 1986 until 2006 when it went into reruns.  In 1975, Hyman won a "National Cartoonist Society Award" for "Best Humor Comic Book Cartoonist" for his work on Gold Key's "Little Lulu" comic book.

DC COMICS - From DCBlog:  Jeph Loeb, Jim Lee, and Alex Sinclair talk about the "Batman: Hush" sequel, "Batman: H2SH."

MARVEL STUDIOS - From ComicBookMovie:  The site has the full cast list of the 27 actors set to star in Marvel's 2026 film, "Avengers: Doomsday."

From ComicBookMovie:  That's not all folks. According to sources, more stars will be added to the cast list of "Avengers: Doomsday."

DIAMOND - From BleedingCool:  In the ongoing melodrama that is Diamond Comic Distributors and its Chapter 11 bankruptcy, a new winning bidder has emerged.  It seems that Canadian distributors, Universal Distribution and Ad Populum could end up winning Diamond and not Alliance Entertainment, a global distributor and wholesaler specializing in musis, movies, video games, electronics, arcades, and collectables.

From BleedingCool:  Alliance Entertainment, a global distributor and wholesaler specializing in music, movies, video games, electronics, arcades, and collectables, has been selected as the winning bidder for Diamond Comic Distributors after its Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The proposed acquisition, which is subject to Bankruptcy Court approval, includes Diamond Comic Distributors (U.S.), Alliance Game Distributors (no relation to Alliance Entertainment), Diamond Select Toys & Collectibles, and Collectible Grading Authority.  However, there is no mention of the following Diamond entities: Diamond UK, Diamond Select Toys, FandomWorld, Gentle Giant, or Free Comic Book Day. 

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FEBRUARY 2025 COMICS SOLICITATIONS:

From BleedingCool:  Ahoy Comics for February 2025

From BleedingCool:  Antarctic Press for February 2025

From BleedingCool:  Archie Comics for February 2025

From BleedingCool:  AWA Studios for February 2025

From BleedingCool:  BOOM! Studios for February 2025

From BleedingCool:  CEX for February 2025

From BleedingCool:  Cosmic Lion Productions for February 2025

From BleedingCool:  Dark Horse Comics for February 2025

From BleedingCool:  DC Comics for February 2025

From BleedingCool:  DC Comics "Absolute" titles for February 2025

From BleedingCool:  Dstlry Media for February 2025

From BleedingCool:  Dynamite Entertainment for February 2025

From BleedingCool:  IDW Publishing for February 2025

From BleedingCool:  Image Comics for February 2025

From BleedingCool:  Image Comics' Energon Universe titles for February 2025

From BleedingCool:  Keenspot Entertainment for February 2025

From BleedingCool:  Mad Cave Studios for February 2025

From BleedingCool:  Magma Comix for February 2025

From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics for February 2025 - full list

From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics "Star Wars" Black History Month variants for February 2025

From BleedingCool:  Marvel "Ultimate Comics" for February 2025

From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics for February 2025 - Part 1

From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics for February 2025 - Part 2

From BleedingCool:  Oni Press for February 2025

From BleedingCool:  Rebellion / 2000 AD for February 2025

From BleedingCool:  Scout Comics for February 2025

From BleedingCool:  Sumerian Comics for February 2025

From BleedingCool:  Titan Comics for February 2025

From BleedingCool:  Valiant Comics for February 2025

From BleedingCool:  Vault Comics for February 2025

MARCH 2025 COMICS SOLICITATIONS:

From BleedingCool:  Ablaze for March 2025

From BleedingCool:  Abrams Comicarts for March 2025

From BleedingCool:  Antarctic Press for March 2025

From BleedingCool:  Archie Comics for March 2025

From BleedingCool:  BOOM! Studios for March 2025

From BleedingCool:  Cosmic Lion Productions for March 2025

From BleedingCool:  Dark Horse Comics for March 2025

From BleedingCool:  DC Comics for March 2025

From BleedingCool:  Drawn & Quarterly for March 2025

From BleedingCool:  DSTLRY Media for March 2025

From BleedingCool:  Dynamite Entertainment for March 2025

From BleedingCool:  Fantagraphics Books for March 2025

From BleedingCool:  IDW Publishing for March 2025

From BleedingCool:  Image Comics for March 2025

From BleedingCool:  Image Comics "Energon" titles for March 2025

From BleedingCool:  Image Comics "Ghost Machine" titles for March 2025

From BleedingCool:  Image Comics "Spawn" titles for March 2025

From BleedingCool:  Keenspot Entertainment for March 2025

From BleedingCool:  Kodansha Comics for March 2025

From BleedingCool:  Mad Cave Studios for March 2025

From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics for March 2025

From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics' "Amazing Spider-Man" titles for March 2025

From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics' "One World Under Doom" titles for March 2025

From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics' "Ultimate Comics" titles for March 2025

From BleedingCool:  Massive/WhatNot for March 2025

From BleedingCool:  Oni Press for March 2025

From BleedingCool:  Rebellion / 2000 AD for March 2025

From BleedingCool:  Seven Seas Entertainment for March 2025

From BleedingCool:  Shift Presents for March 2025

From BleedingCool:  Sumerian Comics for March 2025

From BleedingCool:  Titan Comics for March 2025

From BleedingCool:  TOKYOPOP for March 2025

From BleedingCool:  Udon Entertainment for March 2025

From BleedingCool:  Valiant Comics for March 2025

From BleedingCool:  Vault Comics for March 2025

From BleedingCool:  VIZ Media for March 2025

From BleedingCool:  Webtoon Unscrolled for March 2025

From BleedingCool:  Yen Press for March 2025

APRIL 2025 COMICS SOLICITATIONS:

From BleedingCool:  Antarctic Press for April 2025

From BleedingCool:  Archie Comics for April 2025

From BleedingCool:  AWA Studios for April 2025

From BleedingCool:  BOOM! Studios for April 2025

From BleedingCool:  Cosmic Lion for April 2025

From BleedingCool:  Dark Horse Comics for April 2025

From BleedingCool:  DC Comics for April 2025

From BleedingCool:  DC Comics "Summer of Superman" titles for April 2025

From BleedingCool:  DSTLRY Media for April 2025

From BleedingCool:  Dynamite Entertainment for April 2025

From BleedingCool:  IDW Publishing for April 2025

From BleedingCool:  Image Comics for April 2025

From BleedingCool:  Keenspot Entertainment for April 2025

From BleedingCool:  Mad Cave Studios for April 2025

From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics for April 2025

From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics "One World Under Doom" titles for April 2025

From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics "Ultimate: titles for April 2025

From BleedingCool:  Oni Press for April 2025

From BleedingCool:  Rebellion / 2000 AD for April 2025

From BleedingCool:  Sumerian Comics for April 2025

From BleedingCool:  Titan Comics for April 2025

From BleedingCool:  Valiant Comics for April 2025

MAY 2025 COMICS SOLICITATIONS:

From BleedingCool:  Ahoy Comics for May 2025

From BleedingCool:  Archie Comics for May 2025

From BleedingCool:  AWA Studios for May 2025

From BleedingCool:  Blood Moon Comics for May 2025

From BleedingCool:  BOOM! Studios for May 2025

From BleedingCool:  Cosmic Lion Productions for May 2025

From BleedingCool:  Dark Horse Comics for May 2025

From BleedingCool:  DC Comics for May 2025

From BleedingCool:  DC Comics "Absolute DC" titles for May 2025

From BleedingCool:  Dstlry Media for May 2025

From BleedingCool:  Dynamite Entertainment for May 2025

From BleedingCool:  Free Comic Book Day 2025 titles for May 2025

From BleedingCool:  Image Comics for May 2025

From BleedingCool:  Keenspot Entertainment for May 2025

From BleedingCool:  Mad Cave Studios for May 2025

From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics for May 2025

From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics "One World Under Doom" titles for May 2025

From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics "Ultimate Comics" titles for May 2025

From BleedingCool:  Massive Publishing for May 2025

From BleedingCool:  Oni Press for May 2025

From BleedingCool:  Rebellion / 2000 AD for May 2025

From BleedingCool:  Titan Comics "Conan" and "Solomon Kane" titles for May 2025

From BleedingCool:  Udon Studios for May 2025

From BleedingCool:  Valiant-Alien Books for May 2025

JUNE 2025 COMICS SOLICITATIONS:

From BleedingCool:  Ablaze Comics for June 2025

From BleedingCool:  Ahoy Comics for June 2025

From BleedingCool:  AMP Comics for June 2025

From BleedingCool:  Antarctic Press for June 2025

From BleedingCool:  Archie Comics for June 2025

From BleedingCool:  AWA Studios for June 2025

From BleedingCool:  BOOM! Studios for June 2025

From BleedingCool:  Dark Horse Comics for June 2025

From BleedingCool:  DC Comics for June 2025

From BleedingCool:  Dren Comics for June 2025

From BleedingCool:  Dstlry Media for June 2025

From BleedingCool:  Dynamite Entertainent for June 2025

From BleedingCool:  IDW Publishing for June 2025

From BleedingCool:  Image Comics for June 2025

From BleedingCool:  Image Comics "Energon Universe" titles for June 2025

From BleedingCool:  Image Comics "Spawn" titles for June 2025

From BleedingCool:  Keensport Entertainment for June 2025

From BleedingCool:  Mad Cave Studios for June 2025

From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics for June 2025

From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics "One World Under Doom" crossover titles for June 2025

From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics "Ultimate Universe" for June 2025

From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics "Ultimate Comics" with "Scarlet Witch" for June 2025

From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics' "Ultimate Spider-Man: Incursion #1" for June 2025

From BleedingCool:  Oni Press for June 2025

From BleedingCool:  Rebellion / 2000 AD for June 202

From BleedingCool:  Titan Comics for June 2025

From BleedingCool:  Udon Entertainment for June 2025

From BleedingCool:  Zenescope Entertainment for June 2025

JULY 2025 COMICS SOLICITATIONS:

From BleedingCool:  Archie Comics for July 2025

From BleedingCool:  AWA Studios for July 2025

From BleedingCool:  Bad Idea for July 2025

From BleedingCool:  Dark Horse Comics for July 2025

From BleedingCool:  DC Comics for July 2025

From BleedingCool:  DC Comics "Superman" titles for July 2025

From BleedingCool:  Dynamite Entertainment for July 2025

From BleedingCool:  IDW Publishing for July 2025

From BleedingCool:  Image Comics for July 2025

From BleedingCool:  Image Comics Skybound "Energon" titles for July 2025

From BleedingCool:  Image Comics "Ghost Machine" titles for July 2025

From BleedingCool:  Image Comics "Spawn" titles for July 2025

From BleedingCool:  Mad Cave Studios for July 2025

From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics for July 2025

From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics "Bring on the Bad Guys" titles for July 2025

From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics "One World Under Doom" tie-in titles for July 2025

From BleedingCool:  Oni Press for July 2025

From BleedingCool:  Titan Comics for July 2025

From BleedingCool:  Vault Comics for July 2025

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#IReadsYou Review: PRODIGY: The Evil Earth

PRODIGY: THE EVIL EARTH
IMAGE COMICS

WRITER: Mark Millar
ARTIST: Rafael Albuquerque
COLORS: Marcelo Maiolo
LETTERS: Peter Doherty
EDITOR: Rachel Fulton
COVER: Ozgur Yildirim
MISC. ART: Rafael Albuquerque; André Araújo; Frank Quitely; Travis Charest; John Cassaday; Rafael Grampa
ISBN: 978-1-5343-1236-4; paperback (July 30, 2019)
168pp, Color, $19.99 U.S.

Rated M / Mature

Prodigy was a 2018-19, six-issue comic book miniseries produced by writer Mark Millar and artist Rafael Albuquerque.  Published by Image Comics, it was the second comic book series (following The Magic Order) that Millar produced after he sold his company, Millarworld, to Netflix.  Prodigy focuses on the world's smartest man, a fellow who believes that he is the go-to guy when there is a global crisis to solve.  In July 2019, the first Prodigy miniseries was collected in the trade paperback, Prodigy: The Evil Earth.

Prodigy: The Evil Earth opens at St. George's Hall, a prestigious high school in Massachusetts.  The story introduces 11-year-old Edison Crane, the son of a United States senator who is about to become U.S. Secretary of State.  It is 1993, and the “Inter-School Polo Cup Final” has just come to an end.  Edison is the star, “the Man of the Match,” much to the ire of some of his teammates who are high school students of actual high school age.

How he deals with those violent, bitter teammates is a hint at what Edison will become – a man who will take on any problem or challenge.  Edison can learn faster than anyone who ever lived, and there is nothing he can't do when he puts his mind to it.  He even performs open heart surgery on a classmate.

This is one of the first steps Edison will take on the road to becoming the world's smartest man who is running the world's most successful business.  But Edison Crane is not content because his brilliant mind needs constant challenge.  So he becomes the go-to guy for governments around the world when they have a problem or crisis they cannot solve.

When strange cars containing crispy critters start popping up around the world, however, Edison may finally face something that will truly challenge him.  It is a mystery that spans time from the Tower of Babel to the “Large Hadron Collider” and to an impending invasion from somewhere beyond.

THE LOWDOWN:  I am a fan of a number of Mark Millar's creator-owned comic book series, with Kick-Ass, Empress, and The Magic Order (also a Netflix title) being among my favorite.  After reading Prodigy, it became one of my favorite comic books of the last decade – period.

Prodigy Chapter One/Issue #1 is a teaser; the series' narrative really kicks off with Chapter Two.  Millar uses the first chapter to sell Edison Crane to his readers.  At first, Edison seems to have an unlikable personality, but by the end of this first chapter, dear readers, you might think Edison is a thoroughly intriguing character.  I certainly did.  Edison Crane mixes elements of Bruce Wayne/Batman, Sherlock Holmes, Marvel Comics' Karnak and Tony Stark/Iron Man, Angus MacGyver, and others that I can't think of right now.

Prodigy: The Evil Earth saw artist Rafael Albuquerque continue to transform as a comic book artist, in terms of his draftsmanship and in terms of the flair in his illustrative style.  The stylishly-drawn first chapter is among his best work.  By the end of this first volume, Albuquerque has created a vibe that mixes multiple genres:  spy thriller, secret agent adventure, mysteries, and conspiracy that made The Evil Earth unforgettable for me.  Marcelo Maiolo's bright coloring not only adds another layer of beauty to the art, but they strengthen the elements that this narrative borrows from a variety of genres and sources.

I can never get enough of Prodigy: The Evil Earth.  No matter how much you might think you have figured out Edison Crane, Mark Millar always keeps readers imagination hopping with a series of surprises and reveals.  In The Evil Earth, Mark Millar and Rafael Albuquerque have created a creepy masterpiece that delves into the dark crevices of civilization's cabals and confederacies, doing so at the speed of light.  And I can't stop chasing it.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Mark Millar's comic book will want to read Prodigy: The Evil Earth.

A

★★★★ out of 4 stars

You can buy a copy of the PRODIGY: THE EVIL EARTH trade paperback here at AMAZON.

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


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


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

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

#IReadsYou Review: THE MAGIC ORDER 4 #2

THE MAGIC ORDER 4 #2 (OF 6)

IMAGE COMICS/Netflix

STORY: Mark Millar

ART: Dike Ruan

COLORS: Giovanna Niro

LETTERS: Clem Robins

EDITORIAL: Sarah Unwin

COVER: Dike Ruan with Giovanna Niro

VARIANT COVER ARTIST: Rafael Albuquerque

36pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (February 2023)

Rated M / Mature

The Magic Order created by Mark Millar at Netflix

The Magic Order 4 is a new six-issue miniseries from writer Mark Millar and artist Dike Ruan.  The is the fourth installment of The Magic Order series, which began with the 2018-19 miniseries written by Millar and drawn by Olivier Coipel.  The Magic Order is a band of sorcerers, magicians, and wizards – with a focus on the Moonstone family – that live ordinary lives by day, but protect humanity from darkness and monsters of impossible sizes by night.

The Magic Order 4 focuses on a coup within the order, one that has left the Moonstones defeated … seemingly.  Colorist Giovanna Niro and letterer Clem Robins complete the series creative team.

The Magic Order 4 #2 opens as Madame Albany and her backstabbers continue killing members of The Magic Order loyal to the Moonstone family.  The Madame even has an offer to make Regan's dumb ass, but will he accept?  Meanwhile, Uncle Edgar, the Wizard King...

THE LOWDOWN:  My favorite Mark Millar Netflix creation is The Magic Order.  It always surprises me, and before I read each issue I wonder not if, but how I will be surprised.  Every time I think I might creep away and choose a new Millarworld favorite to love, The Magic Order drags me back.

In my reviews of the first two issues of Millar and artist Jorge Jiménez's new series, Nemesis Reloaded, I have talked about how that series recalls the crazy, groundbreaking, and rebellious comic books of the 1980s.  If The Magic Order 4 had been published in the 1980s or even the 1990s, it would have been revolutionary.  This new installment of The Magic Order is as crazy as post-Steve Ditko Doctor Strange comic books can't be … or maybe are not allowed to be.  Any character with the kind of magical power as depicted in The Magic Order 4 or even titles like Doctor Strange and Dr. Fate would be an asshole – to one extent to another – protagonist and antagonist.

Millar and Ruan are killing it by trying to kill us, dear readers.  The Magic Order 4 #2 offers the same as the first issue – a series of nasty/tasty reveals that are a brutal/delightful shock to the system.  I can't wait for The Magic Order 4 #3 to get rough with me.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Mark Millar and of The Magic Order will want to read The Magic Order 4.

A+

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

https://www.mrmarkmillar.com/

https://twitter.com/ImageComics

https://twitter.com/mrmarkmillar

https://twitter.com/netflix

https://twitter.com/themagicorder

http://www.millarworld.tv/

www.imagecomics.com

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: THE MAGIC ORDER 4 #1

THE MAGIC ORDER 4 #1 (OF 6)

IMAGE COMICS/Netflix

STORY: Mark Millar

ART: Dike Ruan

COLORS: Giovanna Niro

LETTERS: Clem Robins

EDITORIAL: Sarah Unwin

COVER: Dike Ruan with Giovanna Niro

VARIANT COVER ARTIST: Rafael Albuquerque

36pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (January 2023)

Rated M / Mature

The Magic Order created by Mark Millar at Netflix

The Magic Order was a six-issue comic book miniseries written by Mark Millar and drawn by Olivier Coipel.  Published in 2018-19, the series focuses on The Magic Order, a band of sorcerers, magicians, and wizards – with a focus on the Moonstone family.  They live ordinary lives by day, but protect humanity from darkness and monsters of impossible sizes by night.  Two more six-issue miniseries, The Magic Order 2 (2021-22) and The Magic Order 3 (2022), were recently published.

The Magic Order 4 finds the Order in turmoil.  A six-issue miniseries, this fourth installment is written by Millar; drawn by Dike Ruan; colored by Giovanna Niro; and lettered by Clem Robins.

The Magic Order 4 #1 opens immediately following the revelations of The Magic Order 3's finale.  The Magic Order is in turmoil because Cordelia Moonstone was forced to expel her brother, Regan, and strip him of his powers because of his crimes.  Now, whispers of discontent persist among the other wizards, and a coup is brewing

Some are tired of the rules under which they have all been living.  They want to enjoy having magical powers – really enjoy those powers.  An old enemy has returned in a shocking new guise, and she may be able to help the discontented become contented.

THE LOWDOWN:  My favorite Mark Millar Netflix creation is The Magic Order.  It always surprises me, and before I read each issue I wonder not if, but how I will be surprised.  Every time I think I might creep away and choose a new Millarworld favorite to love, The Magic Order drags me back.

Dike Ruan, the artist for The Magic Order, has a drawing style that is similar to The Magic Order's earlier artists, Olivier Coipel and Stuart Immonen.  This fourth series is dark and filled with explicit violence and brutal murders, as was the first two series, so it is appropriate that Ruan is the artist here.  The Magic Order 4 is different in tone from The Magic Order 3, which hopped around dimensions, realities, and time zones, which the third series' artist, Gigi Cavenago, captured with an kinetic style that crackled around the shifts in space-time-magic.

I am determined to spoil as little as possible, but I can say that Millar goes for the readers' nuts and the jugulars in this first issue.  As great as Frank Miller's Batman: The Dark Knight Returns is, its sequels, which have their good points, lack the intensity of the original.  The Magic Order sequels are different because Millar never lets up.  He allows each installment to stand on its own as a shocking, but substantial narrative.  Each sequel of The Magic Order is complete as a plot, even as it receives elements from previous installments and also sends out elements to what follows it.

So, here we are with the start of The Magic Order 4.  It seems to say that power corrupts and the absolute power of reality-altering magic will absolutely corrupt everyone that it touches.  Millar and Dike Ruan are a determined pair; they want us to feel the pain this time.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Mark Millar and of The Magic Order will want to read The Magic Order 4.

A+

10 out of 10

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

https://www.mrmarkmillar.com/

https://twitter.com/ImageComics

https://twitter.com/mrmarkmillar

https://twitter.com/netflix

https://twitter.com/themagicorder

http://www.millarworld.tv/

www.imagecomics.com

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

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

Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like these, BOOKS PAGE, GRAPHIC NOVELS, or MANGA PAGE and BUY something(s).

#IReadsYou Review: THE DARKNESS #1 25th Anniversary Commemorative Edition

THE DARKNESS #1 25TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATIVE EDITION
IMAGE COMICS/Top Cow Productions, Inc.

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Garth Ennis
PENCILS: Marc Silvestri
INKS: Batt (inking assistants: Joe Weems, Nathan Cabrera, Victor Llamas and various)
COLORS: Steve Firchow
LETTERS: Dennis Heisler
EDITOR: David Wohl
COVER: Marc Silvestri and Batt with Steve Firchow
36pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (November 2020)

Rated M / Mature

The Darkness created by Marc Silvestri, Garth Ennis, and David Wohl

“Coming of Age”

The Darkness is a long-running comic book series created by artist Marc Silvestri, writer Garth Ennis, and editor David Wohl.  The Darkness focuses on Jackie Estacado, a mafia hit man who inherits “the curse of the Darkness.”  The character made his debut in Witchblade #10 (November 1996) before making his solo debut in his own series.

In celebration of the twenty-fifth anniversary of The Darkness #1 (December 1996), Image Comics and Top Cow Productions, Inc. are publishing The Darkness #1 25th Anniversary Commemorative Edition.  This one-shot comic book reprints the story contents from The Darkness #1 and also includes an interview, an essay, a five-page section reprinting select cover illustrations produced during the series first 16 years, and other material.

The Darkness #1 (“Coming of Age”) opens at night on the Lower East Side of New York City.  Tall, dark, and handsome mafia hit man, Jackie Estacado, has just executed his latest target in service of his boss, Don Franchetti.  This latest bloody move by the Franchetti mob starts a bloody skirmish with rival mobster, Don Tommy Marchianni.  Jackie, Don Franchetti's top enforcer, is caught in the middle.

But the young killer has bigger problems.  He is about to turn 21-years-old, and “The Darkness” is about to start calling for him.  And the “Angelus” is coming for him.

THE LOWDOWN:  I read the first 10 or 12 issues of the original run of The Darkness back in 1996-97, but I eventually grew bored with this comic book and stopped reading it.  I have to admit that I had high expectations for it.  After all, the writer was Garth Ennis, red-hot in the mid-1990s because of his DC Comics/Vertigo series, Preacher.  I was a huge fan of post-Marvel Comics Marc Silvestri.  I thought many the comic books that Silvestri drew for Marvel Comics looked awful because of his chicken-scratch drawing style.  But Image Comics-Marc Silvestri seemed like an entirely different artist, especially when Silvestri's pencils were inked by the great Scott Williams.

Yet every time I read The Darkness, I felt like Ennis and Silvestri were not really delivering on this concept's potential.  I understood that the universe of Silvestri's Top Cow Productions, Inc. was obsessed with some kind of angelic vs. demonic rivalry, similar to that of Jim Lee's Wildstorm Productions universe.  However, I didn't think that Ennis and Silvestri really understood where they could take The Darkness in terms of narrative.  In The Darkness, Ennis delivered a stillborn version of the usual outtakes from his ultra-violence wheelhouse.  Silvestri's art was an unimaginative spin on the grim-and-gritty riffs that everyone was stealing from Frank Miller's Batman comics.

I don't know if The Darkness every reached its potential.  Frankly, I didn't give a crap after I stopped reading the series, but on occasion, I would see an issue of The Darkness and wonder about it … I have to admit.

The Darkness #1 25th Anniversary Commemorative Edition commemorates an anniversary that is only important to Top Cow because … let's be frank … it does not have much to commemorate.  The original Image Comics creators, Marc Silvestri among them, turned their studios into vanity project factories that produced poorly written comic books that featured the kind of art that only the artists and their sycophantic fans thought was great.  This is something that can be said of many of the artists associated with Image Comics first decade, for instance Rob Liefeld and J. Scott Campbell.

It is only in the last 15 years or so that Image Comics has delivered on the promise that the birth of the publisher offered to both comic book creators and readers.  The Darkness represents a placeholder in the evolution of Image Comics.  After the fanfare for their first wave of comic book series faded, some of Image's founders moved on to offering exciting new concepts.  For Jim Lee, it was Divine Right, and for Silvestri, it was The Darkness.  At least, The Darkness ran much longer than Divine Right.

The Darkness #1 25th Anniversary Commemorative Edition, as a package, is nothing special, but – and there is a big but – reading it again did remind me that The Darkness still has great potential.  I enjoyed re-reading this reprint of the first issue, and I might reread a few more of the original issues.  I still think that The Darkness is an outside-the-box comic book concept that could be an exceptional dark fantasy comic book.  But will it ever be that?  Does it matter?

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Top Cow Productions' comic books will want The Darkness #1 25th Anniversary Commemorative Edition.

6 out of 10

This issue contains the feature “Say Good Night to the 'Good Guy'” by Henry Barajas and Claire Napier.  This feature includes illustrations; an questions-and-answer session with Marc Silvestri and David Wohl; a bullet-point presentation about the publication, licensing, and merchandising success of The Darkness.

This issue also includes a gallery of cover art produced by the following artists and art teams for The Darkness:  Marc Silvestri, Joe Weems, and Peter Steigerwald; Joe Benitez, Joe Weems, and Dean White; Nathan Cabrera and Victor Llamas; Greg Hildebrandt and Tim Hildebrandt; Michael Turner, Joe Weems, and JD Smith; Joe Benitez, Joe Weems, and Richard Isanove; Clarence Lansang, Victor Llamas, and Matt Nelson; David Finch, Jason Gorder, and Matt Nelson; Brian Ching, Victor Llamas, and Matt Nelson; Mark Pajarillo, Danny Miki, and Matt Nelson; Dale Keown and Matt Milla; Lee Bermejo; Dale Keown; Rafael Albuquerque; Todd McFarlane; Jeremy Haun and John Rauch

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


www.topcow.com
https://twitter.com/ImageComics
https://imagecomics.com/


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

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

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#IReadsYou Review: BATMAN: Last Knight on Earth #3

BATMAN: LAST KNIGHT ON EARTH No. 3 (OF 3)
DC COMICS/DC Black Label – @DCComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Scott Snyder
PENCILS: Greg Capullo
INKS: Jonathan Glapion
COLORS: FCO Plascencia
LETTERS: Tom Napolitano
EDITOR: Mark Doyle
COVER: Greg Capullo with FCO Plascencia
VARIANT COVER: Rafael Albuquerque
56pp, Color, $5.99 U.S. (February 2020)

Mature Readers

Batman created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger

Parts (Eight) “The Signal” and (Nine) “The Doorway”

Batman: Last Knight on Earth was a three-issue comic book miniseries written by Scott Snyder and drawn by Greg Capullo (pencils) and Jonathan Glapion (inks).  Colorist FCO Plascencia and letterer Tom Napolitano complete the creative team.

Batman: Last Knight on Earth was the second release in DC Comics' then new prestige and event publication imprint, “DC Black Label.”  Batman: Last Knight on Earth follows a younger version of Bruce Wayne/Batman as he travels a ruined Earth, with the bottled, still-alive head of The Joker in tow, trying to find the mysterious power that devastated the world.  Eventually Batman learns that the master of this scorched Earth, known as Omega, is apparently another younger version Wayne/Batman.  He also reunites with several former allies, including, Dick Grayson-Nightwing, the former Commissioner James “Jim” Gordon, Diana/Wonder Woman, and Duke Thomas, to name a few.

Batman: Last Knight on Earth #3 opens with a flashback to the old days, as Batman and Commissioner Gordon ignite a new Bat-signal.  Then it is back to the future as Batman gathers his allies for an assault on Omega.  Batman and Joker will attempt to infiltrate Wayne Tower, Omega's base of operations, and Diana will lead the allies and Owls to Arkham Island where the a mind-control signal is broadcast from inside Arkham Asylum.  But there are adversaries awaiting both fronts of Batman's mission, and this last knight will learn the true identity of Omega.

Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo are the most popular Batman writer-artist team of this still young twenty-first century, and they are also among the most prolific of the last 50 years.  I can say that Snyder-Capullo is thus far the best Batman creative team of these new times.

Snyder's Batman reminds me of the Batman/Bruce Wayne that Frank Miller and artist David Mazzuchelli introduced to readers in the Batman: Year One story arc (originally published in the comic book, Batman, issues #404-407).  He is young, fresh, and determined with a somewhat humanitarian bent, but is still a fist or boot for justice.

Capullo's Batman is sleek and youthful, a combination of science fiction and technology character design mixed with Batman's original pulp fiction origin (in particularly, Walter Gibson's The Shadow).  Inker Jonathan Glapion keeps Capullo's clean-line clean.

FCO Plascencia's colors blend superhero pop-art style with the science fiction comics futuristic dreams of Moebius.  Letterer Tom Napolitano letters for the end of the world, but still fashions a comic font so that The Joker and his dialogue can stand out in the edginess with splashes of color.

Batman: Last Knight on Earth #3 is an emotional finale to a quality Batman comic book miniseries.  I think Snyder and Capullo are saying that from time to time, like clockwork, Batman and his mission turn sour.  Then, it is a time for renewal, and that is the story Batman: Last Knight on Earth tells.  And in our world, the Batman line of comic books sometimes turns stale and over the past 80 years, there are have been renewals, revamps, and reboots.  Is it time for another?

8 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.


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