Friday, November 22, 2013

Richard Sala's "Violenzia" a Digital Exclusive Comic from comiXology

Fantagraphics Books Partners With ComiXology to Debut Violenzia

Fantagraphics Books’ First Digital Exclusive Comic

Fantagraphics Books, publisher of the world’s greatest cartoonists, partners with comiXology, the revolutionary cloud-based digital comics platform, to debut Fantagraphics’ first original, digital exclusive comic book: Violenzia. Written and illustrated by acclaimed creator Richard Sala (Delphine, Cat Burglar Black), Violenzia is an all-new, full-color, $5.99, 50-page one-shot exclusively available today across comiXology’s entire platform including iPhone, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire, Windows 8 and comiXology.com.

"Let there be no mercy or forgiveness for they have shown none." With these words, whispered into the wind, a mysterious young woman leaps into action with wild abandon, twin automatics blazing. Is she a brave and reckless heroine taking on a monstrous evil? Or is she a deranged angel of death? One thing is clear, whether she is dropping from a high window into a crowd of red-robed fanatical cultists, or facing down a horde of psychotic hillbillies, you don't want to get in Violenzia’s way.

"This is a new model for us," said Fantagraphics Associate Publisher Eric Reynolds. "Not a better model, but a different model. Richard Sala is one of our most beloved authors, and recently he has built up a considerable and new following online, via his Tumblr and other social media, so when he proposed Violenzia it seemed like the perfect opportunity to experiment with a digital-only release."

"We’re thrilled that Fantagraphics partnered with us to bring Richard Sala's beautiful and hilarious Violenzia to comiXology and our worldwide audience," said comiXology co-founder and CEO David Steinberger. "Readers and fans will also be treated to experiencing this amazing work in comiXology’s cinematic Guided View reading technology."

A fast moving, self-contained story, Violenzia is a blast of pulpy fun, told in scenes of audacious action and splashes of rich watercolors. With elements of golden age comics and old movies mixed with Sala's trademark humor and sense of the absurd, Violenzia is serious fun, a bloody enigma masked as eye candy, a puzzle box riddled with bullet holes.

Violenzia is the latest story by Sala featuring heroines (or anti-heroines) who are quirky, mysterious and unpredictable — such as Peculia (PECULIA , PECULIA AND THE GROON GROVE VAMPIRES), Judy Drood (MAD NIGHT, THE GRAVE ROBBER'S DAUGHTER), and K Westree (CAT BURGLAR BLACK), and features the same distinctive mixture of mystery, violence and humor as his books THE CHUCKLING WHATSIT, THE HIDDEN and DELPHINE.

Look for Violenzia out today on comiXology: http://www.comixology.com/Violenzia/digital-comic/50915?app=1

About Fantagraphics
Fantagraphics Books has been a leading proponent of comics as a legitimate form of art and literature since it began publishing the critical trade magazine The Comics Journal in 1976. By the early 1980s, Fantagraphics was at the forefront of the burgeoning movement to establish comics as a medium as eloquent and expressive as the more established popular arts of film, literature, poetry, et al. Fantagraphics quickly established a reputation as an advocacy publisher that specialized in seeking out and publishing the kind of innovative work that traditional comics corporations who dealt almost exclusively in super-heroes and fantasy either didn’t know existed or wouldn’t touch: serious, dramatic, historical, journalistic, political, and satirical work by a new generation of alternative cartoonists (including now-legends like Peter Bagge, Daniel Clowes, Gilbert and Jaime Hernandez, Joe Sacco and Jim Woodring) as well as many artists who gained prominence as part of the seminal underground comix movement of the '60s, such as R. Crumb and Kim Deitch. Fantagraphics has since gained an international reputation for its literate and audacious editorial standards in publishing the best cartooning from all eras and regions with exacting production values.

About comiXology
ComiXology has revolutionized the comic book and graphic novel industry by delivering a cloud-based digital comics platform that makes discovering, buying, and reading comics more fun than ever before. ComiXology’s Guided View™ reading technology transforms the comic book medium into an immersive and cinematic experience, helping comiXology become one of iTunes' top 10 grossing iPad apps in both 2011 and 2012. Offering the broadest library of comic book content from the top 75 publishers, and including independent creators as well, comiXology will not stop until everyone on the face of the planet has become a comic book fan. A privately held company, comiXology is based in New York City. For more information visit www.comixology.com.





Thursday, November 21, 2013

Yaoi Review: BLUE MORNING Volume 3

BLUE MORNING, VOL. 3
SUBLIME – @SuBLimeManga

CARTOONIST: Shoko Hidaka
TRANSLATION: Jocelyne Allen
LETTERS: NRP Studios
COVER: Shoko Hidaka with Shawn Carrico
ISBN: 978-1-4215-5554-6; paperback (November 2013) Rated “M” for “Mature”
226pp, B&W, $12.99 U.S., $14.99 CAN, £8.99 UK

Blue Morning, the yaoi manga graphic novel series from creator Shoko Hidaka, continues with the publication of a third volume.  Blue Morning is the story of Akihito Kuze, the heir to a viscount-ship, and the man he loves, Tomoyuki Katsuragi, the very capable butler who has taken care of him for the better part of a decade.

After the death of his father, Akinao Kuze, 10-year-old Akihito moves into the Kuze mansion, as he prepares to inherit his late father’s viscount-ship.  There, he meets the Kuze family butler, Tomoyuki Katsuragi, who is tasked with raising Akihito.  By the time he is 17-years-old, Akihito finds himself relentlessly drawn to Katsuragi, but frustrated by the distance between them.

Blue Morning, Vol. 3 (Chapters 11 to 15) opens with surprising news for Katsuragi.  The servants inform him that Akihito has now decided to handle Kuze family’s business interests himself.  It is a big leap for the young man, but his other changes to the household constitution may prove to be too much for household members to accept.

Akihito is so firmly focused on his future that he considers marriage and begins to court 15-year-old Chikako, the daughter of Duke Sajo.  Akihito asks the father of his friend, Soichiro Ishizaki, to act as a go-between in the marriage talks.  The father, a merchant, is willing, but what he wants in return may be too much for Akihito to give.

The Blue Morning manga does occasionally earn its “yaoi” label by depicting sex between its male leads, but depicting sex seems to be the least of creator Shoko Hidaka’s concerns.  This series is a character drama which seems to focus on three things:  a star-crossed romance, family history, and intrigue among the nobility and upper crust of society.

As such, it is an excellent read, and Blue Morning Volume 3 may be the best volume yet.  Hidaka always draws me in, slowly, with an easy pace, even in the scenes involving a shocking reveal.  Before I know it, I have bought into the plot, conflicts, motivations, and characters.  Maybe, Blue Morning is “Masterpiece Theatre” for the boys’ love set.

A

www.SuBLimeManga.com

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux

The text is copyright © 2013 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.




Wednesday, November 20, 2013

I Reads You Review: SCOOBY-DOO, Where Are You? #39

SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU? #39
DC COMICS – @DCComics

STORY: Heather Nuhfer, John Rozum, Darryl Taylor Kravitz
PENCILS: Robert Pope
INKS: Scott McRae
COLORS: Heroic Age
LETTERS: Saida Temofonte, Mike Sellers, Sal Cipriano
COVER: Scott Neely
28pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (January 2014)

Rated “E” for Everyone

A few months ago, my sister, her husband, and their son (my nephew, of course) came for a visit.  My nephew told us that his school was doing one of those fundraising campaigns schools always seem to be doing.  Instead of candy bars or M&Ms, his school was selling magazine subscriptions, and my nephew had a catalog filled with what seemed like a few hundred magazine offerings, covering a wide range of topics.

To my surprise and delight, the subscription offerings included a few DC Comics titles.  I’m not sure why, but I chose a subscription to DC’s current incarnation of a Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? comic book series.

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #39 opens with the story, “Prize Pup.”  A sold-out movie means the Mystery Inc. gang ends up at the Conewango Kennel Club Dog Show just in time to solve the mystery of the “Hound of the Conewango.”  Now, Scooby-Doo might become a champion pooch or a victim!

Next, learn about such monsters of the “Plat-Eye,” the giant six-legged cow, and more in “Velma’s Monsters of the World.”  In “Ah… Rival,” the gang is off to London, England for a chance to be “Teen Detectives of the Year.”  The Sleuth Sisters Club is all that stands between our heroes and “the Golden Magnifying Glass Award,” and they mean to win by any means necessary.

The art by penciller Robert Pope and inker Scott McRae is excellent.  When it comes to drawing Scooby-Doo and Mystery Inc. in comics form, this art team deserves to be called perfect.  The coloring by Heroic Age is also quite good.

The stories are the problems in Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #39, but not because they are bad or of poor quality.  Aside from “Velma’s Monsters of the World” (which is a gag story), “Prize Pup” and “Ah… Rival” need to be longer.  They are actually good scenarios.  In fact, they are good enough ideas that each could be adapted into a Scooby-Doo direct-to-DVD movie.

In the comic book, however, the two stories are just crammed into 10 pages or less, but they’re really made to be told as 20-page stories, at least.  They’re good stories.  They need to be – dare I say it – decompressed.

B-

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2013 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.




Tuesday, November 19, 2013

DC Comics from Diamond Distributors for November 20 2013

DC COMICS

SEP130304 100 BULLETS BROTHER LONO #6 (MR) $2.99
SEP130250 ANIMAL MAN #25 $2.99
SEP130258 BATMAN 66 #5 $3.99
SEP130230 BATMAN AND TWO FACE #25 $2.99
SEP130257 BATMAN BEYOND UNIVERSE #4 $3.99
JUL130232 BATMAN DETECTIVE COMICS HC VOL 03 EMPEROR PENGUIN (N52) $24.99
AUG130290 BATMAN DETECTIVE COMICS TP VOL 02 SCARE TACTICS (N52) $16.99
SEP130238 BATWOMAN #25 $3.99
SEP130151 BIRDS OF PREY #25 (ZERO YEAR) $3.99
SEP130308 FABLES #135 (MR) $2.99
JUL130257 FAIREST IN ALL THE LAND HC (MR) $22.99
SEP130182 FOREVER EVIL ROGUES REBELLION #2 $2.99
SEP130244 GREEN LANTERN NEW GUARDIANS #25 $2.99
SEP130227 HARLEY QUINN #0 $2.99
SEP130266 HE MAN AND THE MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE #8 $2.99
AUG138237 MAD PRESENTS SPY VS SPY FIGHT TO THE FINISH TP $9.99
SEP130163 RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS #25 (ZERO YEAR) $3.99
SEP130295 SCOOBY DOO TEAM UP #1 $2.99
SEP130220 SUPERGIRL #25 $2.99
SEP130197 TRINITY OF SIN PANDORA #5 $2.99
SEP130288 VERTIGO ESSENTIALS FABLES #1 (MR) $1.00
AUG130347 WAKE #5 (MR) $3.99
SEP130198 WONDER WOMAN #25 $2.99
AUG130302 WORLDS FINEST TP VOL 02 HUNT AND BE HUNTED (N52) $14.99

DC COMICS/DC COLLECTIBLES

MAY130281 BATMAN BLACK & WHITE BATMAN STATUE BY GREG CAPULLO $79.95
JUL130281 DC COMICS SUPER VILLAINS DEATHSTROKE AF $24.95
JUN130321 DC NEW 52 SUPER HEROES VS SUPER VILLAINS AF 7 PACK $99.95
JUN130312 JOKER PATINA MINI STATUE $94.95


Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for November 20 2013

MARVEL COMICS

SEP130681 A PLUS X #14 $3.99
AUG130880 A PLUS X TP VOL 02 EQUALS AMAZING $17.99
AUG130895 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN EPIC COLL TP COSMIC ADVENTURES $39.99
SEP130667 AVENGERS #23 INF $3.99
SEP130682 AVENGERS AI #6 $2.99
SEP130768 CABLE AND X-FORCE #16 $3.99
SEP130822 CAPTAIN AMERICA LIVING LEGEND BY ALLRED POSTER $8.99
SEP130691 CATACLYSM ULTIMATES #1 $3.99
SEP130728 DAREDEVIL #33 $2.99
SEP130736 DEXTER #5 $3.99
SEP130729 FANTASTIC FOUR #14 $2.99
SEP130714 INDESTRUCTIBLE HULK #15 $3.99
SEP130821 INHUMANITY BY COIPEL POSTER $8.99
SEP130739 LONGSHOT SAVES MARVEL UNIVERSE #2 $2.99
SEP130675 SECRET AVENGERS #11 INF $3.99
AUG130890 SECRET AVENGERS BY RICK REMENDER TP VOL 03 $19.99
SEP130820 SPIDER-MAN VS VENOM BY CAMPBELL POSTER $8.99
SEP130695 SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL #1 $4.99
SEP130700 SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN TEAM UP #6 NOW $3.99
FEB130606 TAKIO 2 GN HC $16.99
SEP130674 THUNDERBOLTS #18 INF $2.99
AUG130884 UNCANNY X-FORCE TP VOL 02 TORN AND FRAYED $17.99
SEP130756 UNCANNY X-MEN #14 $3.99
SEP130770 WOLVERINE MAX #13 (MR) $3.99
SEP130819 WOLVERINE ORIGIN II BY KUBERT POSTER $8.99
SEP130747 X-MEN #7 $3.99
SEP130764 X-MEN LEGACY #20 $2.99
AUG130899 X-MEN TP SKINNING OF SOULS $29.99
AUG130885 X-MEN TP VOL 01 PRIMER $17.99
SEP130684 YOUNG AVENGERS #12 $2.99


IDW Publishing from Diamond Distributors for November 20 2013

Digital Comics: Digital new releases available from your local comic book shop are marked below. [DIG] = Digital version available. [DIG/P+] = Print-Plus digital/print combo pack available.  For more information, go to www.digitalcomicsreader.com.

IDW PUBLISHING

SEP130363 BEN 10 #1 [DIG/P+] $3.99
SEP130366 BEN 10 CLASSICS TP VOL 01 BEN HERE BEFORE [DIG] $17.99
SEP130398 DOCTOR WHO CLASSICS TP VOL 09 $19.99
SEP130396 DOCTOR WHO PRISONERS OF TIME #12 $3.99
AUG130498 JINNRISE #8 [DIG/P+] $3.99
AUG138264 MAGIC THE GATHERING THEROS #1 2ND PTG $4.99
SEP130442 MARS ATTACKS THE HUMAN CONDITION TP [DIG] $17.99
SEP130410 MY LITTLE PONY FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC #13 [DIG/P+] $3.99
OCT132318 MY LITTLE PONY MICRO FUN PACK DSP $2.99
JUN138207 MY LITTLE PONY PINKIE PIE LITHOGRAPH SIGNED ED PI
JUN138209 MY LITTLE PONY RAINBOW DASH LITHOGRAPH SIGNED ED PI
SEP130360 SAMURAI JACK #2 [DIG/P+] $3.99
SEP130380 TMNT NEW ANIMATED ADVENTURES #5 $3.99
SEP130334 TRANSFORMERS DARK CYBERTRON #1 DLX ED [P+] $7.99
SEP130337 TRANSFORMERS MORE THAN MEETS EYE #23 DARK CYBERTRON PART 2 [DIG] $3.99
SEP130469 TRUE BLOOD TP VOL 02 TAINTED LOVE $14.99


Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for November 20 2013

DARK HORSE COMICS

SEP130062 1 FOR $1 STAR WARS LEGACY #1 $1.00
JUL130040 BALTIMORE HC VOL 03 PASSING STRANGER & STORIES $24.99
JUL130092 BERSERK TP VOL 37 $14.99
SEP130052 BPRD HELL ON EARTH #113 $3.50
SEP130027 BRAIN BOY #3 $2.99
SEP130028 BUZZKILL #3 $3.99
SEP130070 CONAN THE BARBARIAN #22 $3.50
SEP130035 DARK HORSE PRESENTS #30 (MR) $7.99
JUL130017 FIFTH BEATLE THE BRIAN EPSTEIN STORY COLLECTORS ED HC $49.99
JUL130016 FIFTH BEATLE THE BRIAN EPSTEIN STORY HC $19.99
JUL130018 FIFTH BEATLE THE BRIAN EPSTEIN STORY LTD ED HC $99.99
JUL130102 GAME OF THRONES WHITE WALKER BUST $124.99
SEP130055 KISS ME SATAN #3 $3.99
JUL130079 LAST MAN STANDING KILLBOOK BOUNTY HUNTER HC $59.99
JUL130082 MAGNUS ARCHIVES TP VOL 02 $19.99
JUL130091 OH MY GODDESS RTL TP VOL 45 $12.99
JUL130045 SO I SURVIVED ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE & ALL I GOT WAS PODCAST TP $9.99
JUL130013 STAR WARS DARTH VADER NINTH ASSASSIN HC $24.99
SEP130060 STAR WARS DAWN O/T JEDI FORCE WAR #1 $3.50
JUL130015 STAR WARS LEGACY II TP VOL 01 PRISONER O/T FLOATING WORLD $19.99
SEP130054 STRAIN THE FALL #5 $3.99
JUL130033 VIOLENT CASES HC $19.99