#IReadsYou Review: BATMAN #1

BATMAN (2025) #1

DC COMICS

STORY: Matt Fraction

ART: Jorge Jimenez

COLORS: Tomeu Morey

LETTERS: Clayton Cowles

EDITOR: Rob Levin

COVER: Jorge Jimenez

VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Jim Lee and Scott Williams with Tomeu Morey; Marc Silvestri with Arif Prianto; J. Scott Campbell with Tanya Lehoux; Frank Quitely; Gabriele Dell'Otto; Julian Totino Tedesco; Stanley “Artgerm” Lau; Andy Kubert with Steve Firchow; David Aja; Jorge Jimenez; Jim Lee and Scott Williams

36pp, Color, $4.99 U.S., (November 2025)

Batman created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger

Rating: 13+

“Vast Colors in the Dark”

DC Comics recently relaunched its Batman flagship comic book series – the third time in 14 years.  It is written by Matt Fraction; drawn by Jorge Jimenez; colored by Tomeu Morey; and lettered by Clayton Cowles.  DC is pushing the series as the dawn of new era in Batman comic books.

Batman #1 (“Vast Colors in the Dark”) finds Batman at Arkham Towers in the wake of Killer Croc's latest escape.  Croc's physician, Dr. Zeller, urges patience on the part of Batman, but he has too much experience with Croc's acts of violence to buy into what the good doctor is saying.

Meanwhile, Vandal Savage, the new commissioner of the Gotham City Police Department, is making changes in the department – changes that may not be good for Batman.  Plus, there is a Robin in trouble.

THE LOWDOWN:  For years, I had a subscription to DC Comics' Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? ongoing comic book series.  It was quietly canceled within the last year, but I had 14 issues left in my subscription.  Midtown Comics in NYC, which manages DC Comics' subscriptions, gave me the option of choosing any new DC title I wanted to continue my subscription, so I chose Batman – just in time for this new era.

I am not going to dig deeply into this new Batman #1, which is only the fourth Batman #1 issue.  It follows Bill Finger, Bob Kane, and Jerry Robinson's Batman #1, cover dated Spring 1940; Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo's Batman #1, cover dated November 2011; and Tom King and David Finch's Batman #1 cover dated August 2016.

Matt Fraction and Jorge Jimenez's Batman #1 reminds me of Snyder-Capullo's Batman #1 in that both are fresh starts and are different in terms of narrative and graphic aesthetic from their contemporary Batman titles.  Matt Fraction's script also gives this debut issue and its star, Batman, a jolt of energy that suggests both the very modern and the near future in terms of setting.  This is similar to what writer Grant Morrison brought to the first arc of his 2009-launched Batman & Robin series (which was collected in the Batman Reborn trade.  I imagine Fraction's biggest and most shocking twists and turns and re-imaginations will be revealed over the coming year, at least.

Thus, the real sense of newness comes from artist Jorge Jimenez and colorist Tomeu Morey.  Their vibrantly illustrated first issue is as the chapter title of this first issue suggests, “Vast Colors in the Dark.”  The team of Jimenez and Morey visually and aesthetically create a sense of amazing things to come in a fashion similar to what the team of Frank Miller, Klaus Janson, and Lynn Varley brought to Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Book One.

I'm not saying that the Fraction-Jimenez Batman #1 is Batman: DKR, but you never know.  I simply felt excitement as I read this first issue.  This first issue is promising or, at the very least, hints at great things to come for our eyes and for our imaginations.  I have a subscription so I will be back.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Batman comic books will want to read Batman 2025.

A

[This comic book includes a five-page preview of “DC KO” from writer Scott Snyder; artist Javi Fernandez; colorist Alejandro Sanchez; and letterer Hassan Otsmane-Elhadu.]

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

A Kindle edition of BATMAN #1 is available at Amazon. The trade and hardcover editions of the first story arc of this series are available for pre-order at Amazon.

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#IReadsYou Review: SPACE GHOST Volume 1 #6

SPACE GHOST VOL. 1 #6

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: David Pepose

ART: Jonathan Lau

COLORS: Andrew Dalhouse

LETTERS: Taylor Esposito

EDITOR: Joseph Rybandt

COVER: Francesco Mattina

VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Jae Lee with June Chung; Bjorn Barends; Anthony Marques and J. Bone

32pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (October 2024)

Rated “Teen”

“Two Against Moltar!”

Space Ghost is a superhero character created by the American animation studio and production company, Hanna-Barbera Productions.  The character first appeared in the Saturday morning cartoon series, “Space Ghost,” which was originally broadcast on CBS from September 1966 to September 1967 for 20 episodes.

In his original incarnation, Space Ghost was a superhero whose base of operations was a small world known as “Ghost Planet.”  He fought super-villains in outer space with his teen sidekicks, Jan and Jace, and their monkey, Blip.  His main weapons were power bands he wore around his wrists and lower arms; the bands fired off multiple energy beam-based attacks, including heat, cold, and force, to name a few.  Space Ghost could also fly, survive in space, and turn invisible (his “Inviso Power”).  He also had a space ship known as “the Phantom Cruiser.”

Space Ghost sporadically appeared in various comic book publications over a fifty year period.  Dynamite Entertainment has just launched a new Space Ghost comic book as part of its licensing agreement with Warner Bros.  Entitled Space Ghost Volume 1, it is written by David Pepose; drawn by Jonathan Lau; colored by Andrew Dalhouse; and lettered by Taylor Esposito.  In the new series, twins Jan and Jace Keplar and their pet monkey, Blip, meet that legendary cosmic vigilante known as “the Space Ghost.”

Space Ghost Volume 1 #6 (“Two Against Moltar!”) opens in the wake of the events in Zorak's lair on Grax-3.  Jace feels mentally shattered by the tough choice he had to make in that battle with religious zealot.  Now, Space Ghost and Jan fight as a duo, while Jace has decided that he no longer wants to be in on the action and violence.

Meanwhile, Robo-Corp is working hard to keep the forces of the Galactic Federation busy and distracted.  To that end, Robo-Corp's CEO, Doctor Xander Ibal, has decided to assist their heaviest hitter, Moltar, in his quest for vengeance against Contra Industries.  That Moltar's attack on Contra can gain Ibal access  to “Lucidium crystals” is an unexpected bonus.  Will Space Ghost and Jan alone be enough to stop the fiery, molten insanity of Moltar?

THE LOWDOWN:  Since July 2021, Dynamite Entertainment's marketing department has been providing me with PDF review copies of some of their titles.  Space Ghost Volume 1 #6 is the latest.

Writer David Pepose and artist Jonathan Lau are creating a true heir to Hanna-Barbera's original “Space Ghost” television series.  They have fashioned a kind of sci-fi, outer space, Film-Noir sensibility to add to the original production's moody and ominous atmosphere.  Pepose and Lau have brought freshness and newness to Space Ghost without resorting to a reboot.  There are no dark and gritty theatrics of the kind that have plagued modern comic books ever since Batman: The Dark Knight Returns and Watchmen made the industry's balls drop nearly four decades ago.

Space Ghost #6 is a special issue because the authors have seriously considered the trials and tribulations of a child soldier without turning Space Ghost into an episode of “Frontline.”  This issue brings some threads from the first story arc to a close, nicely, I must say.  As usual, Andrew Dalhouse's lovely colors add the perfect moody haunted tones, and letterer Taylor Esposito once again adds the fuel to make it all burn, baby, burn.

I'm having a blast reading Space Ghost Volume 1, dear readers.  I want this for you, too.  This Space Ghost is super, man.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Dynamite Entertainment's Warner Bros. comic book series will want to read Space Ghost Volume 1.

A

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

"SPACE GHOST #5" is reprinted in the collection, "SPACE GHOST, VOL 2 (2024): BEWARE THE COUNCIL OF DOOM," which is available from Amazon in paperback, hardback, and Kindle editions.

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I Reads You Juniors: June 2026 - UPDATE #43

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon.

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

NEWS:

DC STUDIOS - From THR:  Warner Bros. Animation and DC Studios are developing an animated series based on the smash-hit "Batman" comic book series, "Absolute Batman."  Series creators, writer Scott Snyder and artist Nick Dragotta, are involved in the development.

From TheWrap:  Currently starring in the film, "Supergirl," "Krypto the Super-Dog" is about to receive an animated series set outside the adventures of Superman and Supergirl.  "Krypto" will be executive produced by C.H. Greenblatt and is from Warner Bros. Animation and DC Studios, and the series will be aimed at younger viewers.  Greenblatt created Cartoon Network's "Chowder" (2007-10) and Nickelodeon's "Harvey Beaks."

From DCBlog:  Jason Momoa talks bringing swagger as "Lobo" to the new film, "Supergirl."

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COMICS TO ANIMATION - From TheWrap:  "Conan the Barbarian" is becoming a new animated series from animation legend Genndy Tartakovsky, Cartoon Network Studios, and Amazon Prime Video.

IMAGE COMICS - From CBR:  Prime Video's animated hit, "Invincible" (based on the Robert Kirkman's Image Comics series), just wrapped up its fourth season (May 2026).  Season 5 is being prepped for 2027. Now, comes word that Prime Video has apparently renewed the series for a sixth season, presumably for 2028.

DYNAMITE - From BleedingCool:  Actress Cassandra Peterson, also known as "Elvira, Mistress of the Dark," has a memoir, "Yours Cruelly: Becoming Elvira."  Now, it is being adapted into a new graphic novel from Dynamite.  It is the production of Cassandra and her frequent collaborator, writer David Avallone.  Mariano Benitez-Chapo is joining this team as the artist to help bring Elvira’s real-life story to comics.  "Yours Cruelly: Becoming Elvira" arrives in hardcover on September 16, 2026, expanding Elvira’s comics legacy.

MARVEL - From YahooEntertaiment:  Writer-artist Dan Panosian will take Wolverine into the Miami criminal underworld in an upcoming four-issue miniseries, "Wolverine: Paradise."  "Wolverine: Paradise #1" was due October 14, 2026.

ARCHIE - From 9fin:  I didn't know that there was some kind of mega-legal drama going on concerning the ownership of Archie Comics, media rights, borrowed money, and debt.

DARK HORSE/MARVEL - From BleedingCool:  Dark Horse Comics is launching "Marvel Black & White." It is a line of oversized, archival editions that will present iconic Marvel Comics stories in black and white.  The first book in the line will be "Marvel Black & White: Barry Windsor-Smith's Weapon X," which will reprint writer-artist Barry Windsor-Smith's iconic Wolverine origin story, "Weapon X," that was published in Marvel Comics #72-#84 in 1991.  The new book is due November 2026 and will retail for $60.

COMICS - From Popverse:  Rob Liefeld has decided to NOT write his tell-all memoir about his mercurial career in comic books and media. [Sigh]

EN MEMORIAM - From BleedingCool:  The French and Iranian graphic novelist, comics creator, film director, children's book author, Marjane Satrapi, has died at the age of 56, Thursday, June 4, 2026.  Satrapi was best known as the author of the autobiographical graphic novel series, "Persepolis."  The first volume of Persepolis was published by L'Association in 2000. "Persepolis: The Story of Childhood Vol. 1" was published in 2003 by Pantheon.  She was also known for her 2006 graphic novel, "Chicken with Plums."  Satrapi co-directed an animated feature film adaptation of "Persepolis" (2007), which earned an Oscar-nomination for "Best Animated Feature."  Among her live-action films was also an adaptation of "Chicken with Plums" (2011).

DC STUDIOS - From ThePlaylist:  James Gunn has revealed an image of Lex Luthor's "Warsuit" that will appear in the "Superman" (2025) sequel, "Man of Tomorrow" (2027).

COMICS - From ComicsBeat:  Mad Cave Studios will release "Denver."  It is a dystopian, post-climate change thriller written by Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray; drawn by Pier Brito; and lettered by the late Bill Tortolini (who died of a heart attack in 2021 at the age of 46).  The series is set in a future where the capital of Colorado has become one of the few safe cities after most of the planet was devastated by rising oceans.  "Denver #1" is set for a August 26, 2026 release.

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MAY 2026 COMICS SOLICITATIONS:

From BleedingCool:  Antarctic Press for May 2026

From BleedingCool:  Bad Idea Comics for May 2026

From BleedingCool:  BOOM! Studios for May 2026

From BleedingCool:  Dark Horse Comics for May 2026

From BleedingCool:  DC Comics for May 2026

From BleedingCool:  Dynamite Entertainment for May 2026

From BleedingCool:  IDW Publishing for May 2026

From BleedingCool:  Ignition Press for May 2026

From BleedingCool:  Image Comics for May 2026

From BleedingCool:  Invader Comics for May 2026

From BleedingCool:  Drawn & Quarterly for May 2026

From BleedingCool:  Keenspot Entertainment for May 2026

From BleedingCool:  Mad Cave Studios for May 2026

From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics for May 2026

From BleedingCool:  Oni Press for May 2026

From BleedingCool:  Rebellion/2000 AD for May 2026

From BleedingCool:  Titan Comics for May 2026

From BleedingCool:  Valiant Comics for May 2026

JUNE 2026 COMICS SOLICITATIONS:

From BleedingCool:  Abrams for June 2026

From BleedingCool:  AMP Comics for June 2026

From BleedingCool:  Antarctic Press for June 2026

From BleedingCool:  Archie Comics for June 2026

From BleedingCool:  AWA Studios for June 2026

From BleedingCool:  Bad Idea Comics for June 2026

From BleedingCool:  BOOM! Studios for June 2026

From BleedingCool:  Dark Horse Comics for June 2026

From BleedingCool:  DC Comics for June 2026

From BleedingCool:  Devil's Due Studios for June 2026

From BleedingCool:  Drawn & Quarterly for June 2026

From BleedingCool:  Dynamite Entertainment for June 2026

From BleedingCool:  Fantagraphics for June 2026

From BleedingCool:  HarperCollins for June 2026

From BleedingCool:  Heavy Metal Magazines for June 2026

From BleedingCool:  Hoffman International and Warrant Publishing for June 2026

From BleedingCool:  IDW Publishing for June 2026

From BleedingCool:  Image Comics for June 2026

From BleedingCool:  Keenspot for June 2026

From BleedingCool:  Mad Cave Studios for June 2026

From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics for June 2026

From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics "Captain America" for June 2026

From BleedingCool:  Massive Selects for June 2026

From BleedingCool:  Midnight Factory for June 2026

From BleedingCool:  Oni Press for June 2026

From BleedingCool:  Rebellion/2000 AD for June 2026

From BleedingCool:  Red 5 Comics for June 2026

From BleedingCool:  Source Point Press for June 2026

From BleedingCool:  Titan Comics for June 2026

From BleedingCool:  Valiant Comics for June 2026

JULY 2026 COMICS SOLICITATIONS:

From BleedingCool:  Ablaze for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  Abrams for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  American Mythology for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  Antarctic Press for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  AMP Comics for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  Archie Comics for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  AWA Studios for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  Bad Idea for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  BOOM! Studios for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  Comics! The Magazine for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  Cosmic Lion for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  Dark Horse Comics for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  DC Comics for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  DC Comics "Absolute Batman #22" for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  DC Comics "Superman" for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  Devil's Due for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  Drawn & Quarterly for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  Dstlry Comics for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  Dynamite Entertainment for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  Fantagraphics for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  Heavy Metal Magazine for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  IDW Publishing for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  Ignition Press for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  Image Comics for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  Image Comics Todd McFarlane titles for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  Iron Age Comics for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  Keenspot for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  Mad Cave for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics "Armageddon" for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics "Queen in Black" titles for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  Massive for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  Midnight Factory for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  Part-Time Comics for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  Rae Media for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  Rebellion/2000 AD for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  Rekcah for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  Red 5 Comics for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  Rocketship for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  Ruptura Comics for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  Scholastic for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  SHP for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  Source Point Press for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  Storm King Comics for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  Titan Comics for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  Udon Studios for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  Valiant Comics for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  Vault Comics for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  Warrant and Hoffman for July 2026

From BleedingCool:  Wise Acre Comics for July 2026

AUGUST 2026 COMICS SOLICITATIONS:

From BleedingCool:  Ablaze for August 2026

From BleedingCool:  AMP for August 2026

From BleedingCool:  Antarctic Press for August 2026

From BleedingCool:  Archie Comics for August 2026

From BleedingCool:  Asylum Press for August 2026

From BleedingCool:  Bad Idea Comics for August 2026

From BleedingCool:  DC Comics for August 2026

From BleedingCool:  Dynamite Entertainment for August 2026

From BleedingCool:  IDW Publishing for August 2026

From BleedingCool:  Ignition Press for August 2026

From BleedingCool:  Image Comics for August 2026

From BleedingCool:  Keenspot Entertainment for August 2026

From BleedingCool:  Mad Cave for August 2026

From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics for August 2026

From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics' "Armageddon" titles for August 2026

From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics' "X-Men DNX" titles for August 2026

From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics' "Queen in Black" titles for August 2026

From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics' "What If" titles for August 2026

From BleedingCool:  Massive for August 2026

From BleedingCool:  Oni Press for August 2026

From BleedingCool:  Titan Publishing for August 2026

From BleedingCool:  Valiant Comics for August 2026

From BleedingCool:  Vault Comics for August 2026

From BleedingCool:  Z2 for August 2026

SEPTEMBER 2026 COMICS SOLICITATIONS:

From BleedingCool:  DC Comics "Wonder Woman Wonder War" titles for September 2026

From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics "Avengers Armageddon" titles for September 2026

From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics "Doctor Strange" related titles for September 2026

From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics "Queen in Black" titles for September 2026

From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics' "X-Men DNX" titles for September 2026

OCTOBER 2026 COMICS SOLICITATIONS:

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#IReadsYou Review: CHICKEN WITH PLUMS

CHICKEN WITH PLUMS

PANTHEON BOOKS

CARTOONIST: Marjane Satrapi

ISBN: 978-0-375-71475-7; paperback (April 14, 2009)

96pp, B&W, $12.95 US, $14.95 CAN

Marjane Satrapi was an Iranian and French comics creator, graphic novelist, film director, and children's book author.  She died recently (June 2026) at the age of 56.  Her best-known work was Persepolis, a series of graphic novels about her childhood.  Satrapi also produced Poulet aux prunes (Chicken with Plums), a graphic novel which was published in 2004 by the French publisher, L'Association.

Satrapi would later co-direct (with Vincent Paronnaud) the live-action feature film adaptation of the graphic novel, also entitled Chicken with Plums.  Satrapi and Paronnaud also directed an animated feature film version of Persepolis (2007), which was nominated for a “Best Animated Feature” Oscar at the 80th Academy Awards.

In 2006, Pantheon Books published an English-language edition of Chicken with Plums as a hardcover graphic novel.  In 2009, Pantheon sent me a review copy of its paperback edition of Chicken with Plums.  I am re-posting the review of the 2009 book that I originally wrote for another website:

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Pantheon Books recently released a paperback edition of Chicken with Plums, the Marjane Satrapi comic book it published as a hardcover in 2006.  French publisher, L’Association. originally published this comic book as Poulet Aux Prunes (2004).

Set in Tehran, Iran, Chicken with Plums is the story of Marjane’s great-uncle (her mother’s uncle), Nasser Ali Khan, a celebrated Iranian musician devoted to music over all else.  In 1958, his wife Nahid breaks his tar (a guitar-like musical instrument).  Nasser attempts to replace his cherished tar, but is unable to find another instrument that satisfies him.  Heartbroken, Nasser takes to his bed and decides to die; eight days later, he is laid to rest.  What happens in between is a story of pleasure and disappointment.

THE LOWDOWN:  A press release speaks of Marjane Satrapi’s “trademark humor, insight, and generosity…”  It’s been years since I’ve read Satrapi’s Persepolis, but I do remember how she put a humorous spin on Iran’s dark times in the book.  Her generosity towards all her characters offered insight into their actions, but the truth is that Satrapi is simply a good storyteller.  In fact, reading Chicken with Plums tells me that she is a natural born storyteller even more than reading Persepolis did.

People who are good at telling oral tales of family or local history bring the past alive to their listeners.  When my mother talks of the past, my imagination creates its own little movies out of my mother’s storytelling.  The people of whom she speaks aren’t just characters.  They are like me in some ways, and I’m also engaged by how unique from me they are.

As a cartoonist, Satrapi takes words and pictures and creates a magic similar to the oral storyteller with her comic books.  Chicken with Plums is family history sprinkled with folklore, politics, national history, and religion.  The tale of Nasser Ali Khan isn’t merely a historical vignette about a man who goes to bed to die.  By adding these other elements, Satrapi puts the story in a context that makes it timeless and universal, yet also fresh and new.

This tale of regret, dissatisfaction, and family dysfunction hits home with the reader.  A good storyteller knows how to make her audience not only identify with the characters, but place himself in the story.  Nasser Ali Khan and his family are like any other family and also like no other.  Satrapi’s ability to both engage us with the familiar and enthrall us with something different is the mark of an exceptional, special comic book storyteller.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Marjane Satrapi's work will want to read Chicken with Plums.

A

★★★★ out of 4 stars

RE-EDITED with additions to the 2009 original review:  Tuesday, June 23, 2026

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

"CHICKEN WITH PLUMS" is available in hardcover and paperback editions at Amazon.

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#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/

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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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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: INVINCIBLE RED SONJA #5

THE INVINCIBLE RED SONJA #5
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti
ARTIST: Moritat
COLORS: Matt Carter
LETTERS: Dave Sharpe
EDITOR: Matt Idleson
COVER: Amanda Conner with Paul Mounts
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Joseph Michael Linsner; Celina; Frank Cho; Elias Chatzoudis; cosplay
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (October 2021)

Rated Teen+

Red Sonja is female high fantasy and sword and sorcery hero.  She first appeared in Conan the Barbarian #23 (cover dated February 1973) and was created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Barry Windsor-Smith.  Red Sonja was loosely based on “Red Sonya of Rogatino,” a female character that appeared in the 1934 short story, “The Shadow of the Vulture,” written by Conan the Cimmerian's creator, Robert E. Howard.

In 2005, Dynamite Entertainment began publishing comic books featuring differing versions of the character.  One of those is The Invincible Red Sonja.  It is written by Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti; drawn by Moritat; colored by Matt Carter; and lettered by Dave Sharpe.  In this recently launched series, Red Sonja finds herself on a spectacular journey filled with pirates, mermaids, princesses, and political intrigue as the fate of two kingdoms hangs in the balance.

The Invincible Red Sonja #5 finds the She-Devil with a Sword is in the thrall of Lord Brelaq.  Now, she has embarked on a blood-soaked adventure, killing the armies of two kingdoms – at his command.  And no matter how many times she is wounded, Sonja can't die!  And she can't refuse her new master!

Meanwhile, as the kingdom mourns King Madacon (killed by Brelaq), his son, Prince Ederik, and his bride-to-be, Princess Zaria, seek help from an ersatz member of the royal family, Bahira Yakootah, the Lord of Thieves.  However, the request butts up against Bahira's complicated past, but it offers him a chance at revenge.  Meanwhile, Brelaq might be having a change of heart...

THE LOWDOWN:  Dynamite Entertainment's marketing department recently began providing me with PDF review copies of some of their titles.  One of them is The Invincible Red Sonja #5, which is the second issue of the series that I have read.

Once again, an issue of this series opens under a gorgeous cover drawn by Amanda Conner and colored by Paul Mounts.  Also, once again, Conner and Palmiotti deliver a rousing story.  Or I can be honest and say that it is as thoroughly kick-ass as the best Conan the Barbarian comic books.  Conner and Palmiotti deliver a sterling series of twists and turns that will have readers zipping through this issue.  The Invincible Red Sonja #5 is truly epic because there are enough story elements here for at least two issues, if not three.

Here, artist Moritat's illustrations still remind me of the art of the late Vaughn Bode.  He blends over-the-top action with emotionally charged storytelling, which creates the kind of two-fisted mode that defines sword and sorcery comic books.  Matt Carter's colors give the story some extra edge, and Dave Sharpe's lettering pounds out a murderous pace.  This is the kind of creative team a She-Wolf with a Sword truly deserves.

I did not expect much from The Invincible Red Sonja #4, but after I read it, I suddenly had high expectations for the series.  The Invincible Red Sonja #5 lives up to those expectations, and as the penultimate chapter of this opening story arc, it sets the ground for a hellified ending.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Red Sonja comic books will want to read The Invincible Red Sonja.

A

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

The trade collection of this series, "INVINCIBLE RED SONJA COLLECTION," is available in a Kindle edition at Amazon.

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#IReadsYou Review: ELVIRA IN HORRORLAND #2

ELVIRA IN HORRORLAND VOLUME 1 #2
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: David Avallone
ART: Silvia Califano
COLORS: Walter Pereya
LETTERS: Taylor Esposito
EDITOR: Joseph Rybandt
COVER: Dave Acosta and Jason Moore
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Dave Acosta and Jason Moore; John Royle; Silvia Califano; photo cover
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (June 2022)

Rated Teen+

Chapter Two: “She's a Kubrick... House”

In 1981, actress and model Cassandra Peterson created the “horror hostess character,” known as “Elvira.”  Elvira gradually grew in popularity and eventually became a brand name.  As Elvira, Peterson endorsed many products and became a pitch-woman, appearing in numerous television commercials throughout the 1980s.

Elvira also appeared in comic books, beginning in 1986 with the short-lived series from DC Comics, Elvira's House of Mystery.  In 2018, Elvira returned to comic books via Dynamite Entertainment.  Elvira's latest comic book series is Elvira in Horrorland Volume 1.  The series is written by David Avallone; drawn by Silvia Califano; colored by Walter Pereyra; and lettered by Taylor Esposito.  The series finds Elvira trapped in the Multiverse of Movies (a bunch of “pocket dimensions” created by the existence of movies) with only the illusive “Remote Control of Federico Fellini” capable of returning her home.

Elvira in Horrorland Volume 1 #2 (“She's a Kubrick... House”) opens in the aftermath of Elvira's (mis)adventures at “Bloch's Motel” and its crazy proprietor and his mother.  Now, it's on to “The Overcooked Hotel” and its temporary manager, Nick Torrents.  Elvira's journey is about to get quite a shining, and she still has to find that remote.

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 Elvira in Horrorland Volume 1 #2, one of many Dynamite/David Avallone Elvira comic books that I have read and enjoyed.

This second issue is a spoof of director Stanley Kubrick's 1980 film, The Shining.  Writer David Avallone has quite a bit of fun with Kubrick much discussed film.  In fact, this may be the most fun Avallone has had with a revered director since he held Guillermo del Toro's head under water in Elvira: The Shape of Elvira.  In “She's a Kubrick... House,” Avallone finds endless delight in Kubrick's masterpiece, which I consider one of the darkest films I have ever seen.  But Avallone mines so much humor out of this movie that he has the momentum to potentially turn this issue into a graphic novel.

I think artist Silvia Califano is perfect as Avallone's collaborator here.  Califano's turns Avallone's script and comedy into comic book gold.  I've previously compared Califano art for Elvira in Horrorland to the 1980s work of Howard Chaykin.  Now, I'm approaching the point of bringing up the name of the humor comics maestro, Wallace Wood.

Once again I … redrum, redrum … recommend Elvira in Horrorland, dear readers.  My God!  It's full of humor, indeed.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Elvira and of David Avallone's Elvira comic books will want to read Elvira in Horrorland Volume 1.

[This comic book includes “Dynamite Dispatch” June 2022, which features an interview with writer Christopher Priest.]

A+

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

This second issue is reprinted in the hardcover collection, "ELVIRA IN HORRORLAND," which is available at Amazon.

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

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

Amazon wants me to inform you that the affiliate link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the affiliate link below AND buy something(s).