Thursday, November 24, 2011

I Reads You Review: ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #3

ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #3
MARVEL COMICS

WRITER: Brian Michael Bendis
ARTIST: Sara Pichelli
COLORS: Justin Ponsor
LETTERS: VC’s Cory Petit
COVER: Kaare Andrews
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S.
Rated T+

In Ultimate Spider-Man #3 (AKA Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man #3), Miles Morales has decided to ignore the powers he got after the strange spider bit him, but his best friend Ganke won’t let him. Even after a heroic act, Miles chooses normal because he is happy to let Spider-Man (who is still alive at this point) be Spider-Man. As Miles settles into his new school, Brooklyn Visions Academy, fate deals him a blow.

At this point in the new Ultimate Spider-Man series, writer Brian Michael Bendis is telling a story driven by characters not living or doing the superhero thing. This is a recognizable story: a teen boy wants to go to school and be normal. Circumstances exist, however, which means that regardless of how hard he tries or works, normalcy simply is not. This issue reminds me of the early issues of The Amazing Spider-Man which featured scenes of Peter Parker finding his way in the world in which his powers placed him, but wanting to be just one of the guys.

The clean drawing style of artist Sara Pichelli deftly visualizes Bendis’ character drama-style story in a way that makes it as exciting as a depiction of super powers. Perhaps, that is why the scenes in which Miles uses his powers seem so fresh, new, and exciting. It’s as if both Miles and the readers were seeing superhero supernatural for the first time.

A

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Leroy Douresseaux Reviews: CLiNT #12

CLiNT #12
TITAN MAGAZINES

WRITERS: Mark Millar, Frankie Boyle, Nathan Edmondson, and Mark Sable
PENCILS: John Romita, Jr., Mike Dowling, Tonci Zonjic, Leinil Yu, and Paul Azaceta
INKS: Tom Palmer, Mike Dowling, Tonci Zonjic, Gerry Alanguilan, and Paul Azaceta
COLORS: Dean White, Jamie Grant and Jim Devlin, Sunny Gho, and Matt Wilson
LETTERS: Chris Eliopolous, Clayton Cowles, and Thomas Maur
98pp, Color, $6.99 U.S., £4.25 UK

In 1987, a young Mark Millar wrote to comic book artist (and sometime writer) Dave Gibbons, who was ascendant with the attention of the legendary comic book series, Watchmen. In his letter, Millar suggested that he and Gibbons collaborate, and Gibbons was gracious in his reply. Both letters are reprinted in CLiNT #12 as part of an interview of both men as they tease their upcoming project, “The Secret Service.”

CLiNT is a comics and comics culture magazine edited by superstar comic book writer Mark Millar and published by Titan Magazines. Every issue of CLiNT contains actual comics and interviews related to comics, as well as the occasional piece on movies and pop culture. It is a newsstand British comic or “boys comic” magazine in the tradition of 2000AD (among others) that serializes multiple comics. However, most of the comics in CLiNT have been published in comic book form prior to their CLiNT appearance.

CLiNT #12 comes with some big news from the publisher. The magazine will now be released in the United States at the same time as it is in the United Kingdom, in this instance, November 23rd in the U.S. and November 24th in the U.K.

As with previous issues, CLiNT #12 includes a chapter of Millar and John Romita, Jr.’s Kick-Ass 2 (Chapter 12). It is deranged as ever, but Millar manages to create a poignant moment or two, basically by dropping some consequence-of-actions on the characters. The second Millar offering is Chapter 7 of Superior, which is penciled by Leinil Yu. It is a superhero fantasy drama/comedy about a crippled boy who gets to be the comic book superhero he loves. It is strange and is darker in tone than its brightly colored art would suggest.

Thanks to a summary page, I have a better idea of what is going on in Rex Royd from stand-up comic and writer Frankie Boyle. But it still seems to me like a masala of Alan Moore, Warren Ellis, and Brian Bendis post-modern superhero ideas. There is also the conclusion of writer Nathan Edmondson and artist Tonci Zonjic’s Who is Jake Ellis?, which was recently published as a comic book miniseries by Image Comics. I read it and had no idea what was going on because I had not read the earlier issues. I like Zonjic’s art, though.

My favorite comic in this issue is Graveyard of Empires from writer Mark Sable and artist Paul Azaceta, which is being published as a miniseries by Image Comics. A war comic, Graveyard of Empires is set in Afghanistan at a small American base, F.A.C. Alamo, and focuses on the servicemen, their boredom, fear, and pastimes. It’s very good, and reminds me of the Oscar-winning film, The Hurt Locker. I don’t know how I will feel about it later because it is apparently a zombie comic, although zombies don’t appear in this installment.

The issue ends with a “Badass Cinema” article by Vern (http://www.outlawvern.com/) gives readers an overview of “Arthouse Badass.”

A-

http://www.clintmag.com/

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

DC Comics from Diamond Distributors for November 23 2011

DC COMICS

SEP110161 ALL STAR WESTERN #3 $3.99

SEP118094 ANIMAL MAN #1 3RD PTG $2.99

SEP110100 AQUAMAN #3 $2.99

AUG110245 BATGIRL TP VOL 03 THE LESSON $19.99

JUL110249 BATMAN THE BLACK MIRROR HC $29.99

SEP110125 BATMAN THE DARK KNIGHT #3 $2.99

JUL110307 BATMAN YEAR ONE DVD BATMAN MAQUETTE $125.00

APR110270 BLACKEST NIGHT ACTION FIGURE BOX SET PI

SEP110159 BLACKHAWKS #3 $2.99

SEP110173 DC COMICS PRESENTS LIFE STORY OF THE FLASH #1 $7.99

SEP110211 DIABLO #1 (OF 5) $2.99

SEP110220 DMZ #71 (MR) $2.99

SEP110102 FLASH #3 $2.99

SEP110107 FURY OF FIRESTORM THE NUCLEAR MEN #3 $2.99

AUG110247 GOTHAM CITY SIRENS TP VOL 02 SONG OF THE SIRENS $17.99

SEP110141 GREEN LANTERN NEW GUARDIANS #3 $2.99

JUL110254 GREEN LANTERN OMNIBUS HC VOL 02 $75.00

SEP110219 HELLBLAZER #285 (MR) $2.99

SEP110149 I VAMPIRE #3 $2.99

SEP110145 JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #3 $2.99

JUL110292 PREACHER HC BOOK 05 (MR) $39.99

SEP110111 SAVAGE HAWKMAN #3 $2.99

AUG110287 SCALPED #54 (MR) $2.99

SEP110143 SHADE #2 (OF 12) $2.99

JUL110264 SHOWCASE PRESENTS GHOSTS TP VOL 01 $19.99

SEP110117 SUPERMAN #3 $2.99

SEP110162 TEEN TITANS #3 $2.99

SEP110232 UNWRITTEN #31.5 (MR) $2.99

SEP110156 VOODOO #3 $2.99

FEB110284 WORLD OF WARCRAFT ALLIANCE COLLECTIBLE COIN SET (RES) $69.99

FEB110283 WORLD OF WARCRAFT HORDE COLLECTIBLE COIN SET (RES) $69.99

APR110269 YELLOW LANTERN 1/4 SCALE POWER BATTERY & RING PROP $35.00

Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for November 23 2011

MARVEL COMICS

SEP110660 5 RONIN TP $16.99

SEP110688 AGE OF APOCALYPSE BY BILLY TAN POSTER $8.99

SEP110563 ALPHA FLIGHT #6 $2.99

SEP110565 ANNIHILATORS EARTHFALL #3 (OF 4) $3.99

SEP110612 ASTONISHING X-MEN #44 $3.99

SEP110527 AVENGERS ORIGINS SCARLET WITCH AND QUICKSILVER #1 $3.99

SEP110531 AVENGERS SOLO #2 (OF 5) $3.99

SEP110550 CAPTAIN AMERICA AND BUCKY #624 $2.99

SEP110619 DAKEN DARK WOLVERINE #17 $2.99

SEP110551 FANTASTIC FOUR #600 $7.99

SEP110509 INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #510 $3.99

AUG110637 IRON MAN 2.0 #10 $2.99

SEP110632 KAPOW GUINNESS WORLD RECORD SPECIAL #1 (MR) $2.99

AUG118087 KICK-ASS 2 #5 (MR) (PP #990) $2.99

SEP110515 MIGHTY THOR #8 $3.99

SEP110654 MIGHTY THOR BY FRACTION PREM HC COIPEL DM VAR ED VOL 01 $24.99

SEP110653 MIGHTY THOR BY FRACTION PREM MOVIE HC VOL 01 $24.99

SEP110641 MMW X-MEN TP VOL 04 $24.99

SEP110642 MMW X-MEN TP VOL 04 DM VAR ED 35 $24.99

SEP110534 SECRET AVENGERS #19 $3.99

SEP110679 SKAAR KING OF SAVAGE LAND TP $15.99

SEP110571 SPIDER-MAN #20 $2.99

SEP110680 SPIDER-MAN ORIGIN OF HOBGOBLIN TP $29.99

SEP110659 THOR HEAVEN AND EARTH HC $19.99

SEP110673 ULTIMATE COMICS CAPTAIN AMERICA TP $14.99

SEP110521 ULTIMATE COMICS HAWKEYE #4 (OF 4) $3.99

SEP118072 ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN #2 3RD PTG ANDREWS VAR (PP #994) $3.99

SEP110655 ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN DOSM FALLOUT PREM HC $24.99

SEP110656 ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN DOSM FALLOUT PREM HC DM VAR ED $24.99

SEP118073 ULTIMATE COMICS ULTIMATES #2 3RD PTG ANDREWS VAR (PP #994) $3.99

SEP110657 UNCANNY X-FORCE DARK ANGEL SAGA PREM HC BOOK 01 $24.99

SEP110585 VENGEANCE #5 (OF 6) $3.99

SEP110589 WOLVERINE AND X-MEN #2 XREGG $3.99

AUG118171 X-MEN SCHISM #2 (OF 5) X PTG VAR (PP #992) $3.99

AUG118172 X-MEN SCHISM #3 (OF 5) X PTG VAR (PP #992) $3.99

AUG118174 X-MEN SCHISM #5 (OF 5) X PTG VAR (PP #992) $3.99

IDW Publishing from Diamond Distributors for November 23 2011

IDW PUBLISHING

OCT110426 CURIOUS CASES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES GN $19.99

SEP110323 DOCTOR WHO ONGOING VOL 2 #11 $3.99

SEP110326 DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS #13 $3.99

SEP118078 GHOSTBUSTERS ONGOING #1 2ND PTG (PP #994) $3.99

SEP110283 GODZILLA KINGDOM OF MONSTERS #9 $3.99

OCT110425 IN THE SHADOW OF SHERLOCK HOLMES SC NOVEL $16.99

SEP110259 JACK AVARICE IS THE COURIER #4 (OF 5) $3.99

JUL110327 LOCKE & KEY GUIDE TO KNOWN KEYS ONE SHOT $3.99

AUG110351 LOVECRAFT LIBRARY HC VOL 01 HORROR OUT OF ARKHAM $16.99

MAY110370 PARKER MARTINI ED HC $75.00

SEP110272 ROCKETEER JETPACK TREASURY ED $9.99

JUN110375 TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES ULT COLL HC VOL 01 $49.99

Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors on November 23 2011

DARK HORSE COMICS

AUG110024 ALIENS FAST TRACK TO HEAVEN HC $10.99

JUN110051 BETTIE PAGE CHERRY RED KEYCHAIN $12.00

JUN110060 BETTIE PAGE GOLDEN LEOPARD KEYCHAIN $12.00

SEP110017 BPRD HELL ON EARTH RUSSIA #3 $3.50

AUG110050 BRAIN BOY ARCHIVES HC $49.99

SEP110035 DARK HORSE PRESENTS #6 LOVE VAR CVR $7.99

SEP110034 DARK HORSE PRESENTS #6 MOON CVR $7.99

JUL110088 DISNEYS COMICS & STORIES CHARACTERS #3 GOOFY $49.95

AUG110051 LITTLE LULU TP VOL 29 THE CRANKY GIANT AND OTHER STORIES $14.99

AUG110049 MILK & CHEESE DAIRY PRODUCTS GONE BAD HC $19.99

SEP110026 STAR WARS KNIGHT ERRANT DELUGE #4 (OF 5) $3.50

AUG110023 STAR WARS OMNIBUS TP VOL 02 AT WAR WITH THE EMPIRE $24.99

SEP110040 USAGI YOJIMBO #142 $3.50

Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for November 23 2011

IMAGE COMICS

SEP110447 27 SECOND SET #3 (OF 4) $3.99

SEP110467 INFINITE #4 $2.99

SEP110468 INFINITE #4 DELUXE ED $5.99

JUN110546 INVINCIBLE #85 $2.99

JUL110472 SAVAGE DRAGON KIDS ARE ALRIGHT TP $16.99

SEP110433 SUPER DINOSAUR TP VOL 01 $9.99

SEP110485 TEEN WOLF BITE ME #3 (OF 3) $3.99

SEP110486 VESCELL #4 (MR) $2.99

SEP110491 WALKING DEAD WEEKLY #47 (MR) $2.99