#IReadsYou Review: KILLADELPHIA #25

KILLADELPHIA #25

IMAGE COMICS

STORY: Rodney Barnes

LAYOUTS: Jason Shawn Alexander

PENCILS: Germán Erramouspe

INKS: Jason Shawn Alexander

COLORS: Lee Loughridge

LETTERS: Marshall Dillon

EDITOR: Greg Tumbarello

COVER: Jason Shawn Alexander

VARIANT COVER ARTIST: HC Anderson

28pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S. (November 2022)

Rated “M/ Mature”

Killadelphia created by Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander

“There's No Place Like Home” Part I: “A Cold Place in Hell”

Killadelphia is an apocalyptic vampire and dark fantasy comic book series from writer Rodney Barnes and artist Jason Shawn Alexander.  Published by Image Comics, it centers on a conspiracy in which vampires attempt to rule Philadelphia.  Colorist Lee Loughridge and letterer Marshall Dillon complete Killadelphia's creative team.

Killadelphia focuses on James “Jim” Sangster, Jr. and his father, revered Philadelphia homicide detective, James Sangster, Sr., a vampire!  Father and son lead a ragtag team comprised of a medical examiner (Jose Padilla), werewolves, a witch, and a rebellious, but special young vampire (Tevin Thompkins a.k.a. “See Saw”) in a bid to save Philly.  Their adversary is a former First Lady, the vampire Abigail Adams.

As Killadelphia #25 (“A Cold Place in Hell”) opens, Anasi the Spider-God parlays with Corson (the demon lord who raised some … Hell in Baltimore, Maryland in Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog).  Can Anasi save the world and therefore humanity, whose worship sustains many supernatural beings?  Does Corson give a damn?

Meanwhile,  General Toussaint Louverture and his Haitian army have been resurrected by the side of the light for one thing and one thing only: exterminate all vampires.  So what happens when one of our favorite vampires has a confrontation with him?

THE LOWDOWN:  We are at the first chapter of Killadelphia's fifth story arc, “There's No Place Like Home.”  According to the musings of creators Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander, we, the readers, are not prepared for what was coming.

Killadelphia #25 affirms that.  I can say of Barnes and Alexander what I say about Mark Millar and his collaborators:  they not only deliver superb comic books, but they also deliver twists and turns to challenge their readers' imaginations.  One can be cynical, or one can chose to believe that they love their readers.

New pencil artist Germán Erramouspe and colorist Lee Loughridge deliver a burning spectacle of  confrontations and rumination.  I am enjoying their new contributions, but I'm still in a daze because of this issue's sudden turn of events.  And, dear readers, this first chapter is a jumping-on point, so...

NOTE: Killadelphia #25 is also available in a “Noir Edition,” featuring black-and-white line art interiors.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of vampire comic books and of exceptional dark fantasy will want Killadelphia.

[This issue contains an afterword by Jason Shawn Alexander.]

A+

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

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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.

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#IReadsYou Review: NEMESIS RELOADED #2

NEMESIS RELOADED #2 (OF 5)

IMAGE COMICS/Netflix

STORY: Mark Millar

ART: Jorge Jiménez

COLORS: Giovanna Niro

LETTERS: Clem Robins

EDITOR: Sarah Unwin

COVER: Jorge Jiménez with Giovanna Niro

VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Matteo Scalera with Giovanna Niro

28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (February 2023)

Rated M / Mature

Nemesis created by Mark Millar and Steve McNiven

Nemesis Reloaded is a new five issue comic book series from writer Mark Millar.  It is a soft reboot of Nemesis, a 2010-11 four-issue comic book miniseries from Millar and artist Steve McNiven.

Nemesis: Reloaded is drawn by Jorge Jiménez; colored by Giovanna Niro; and lettered by Clem Robins.  In the new series, Nemesis has plans for Los Angeles and its ruling class.  By the time he is done, the city won't be the same, nor will its top politicians.

Nemesis Reloaded #2 opens in Los Angeles, a city under siege.  Nemesis has put a $10,000 bounty on every beat cop's head.  Nemesis himself is also picking off select members of the city police force.  But who is he?  How did he come to be?  And why has this state of affairs in L.A. come to be?

THE LOWDOWN:  In my review of Nemesis Reloaded #1, I said that it reminded me of the best of the team of Frank Miller and Klaus Janson on Marvel Comics' Daredevil.  The 1980s were a time of gleefully crazy, off-the-wall, and rebellious comic books:  titles such as American Flagg!, Love and Rockets, Neat Stuff, Swamp Thing, to name a few.  Frank Miller headlined several of them, including Daredevil, Ronin, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns.

For a quarter-century, Mark Millar has not been afraid to do crazy and transforming – from the rock 'n' roll The Authority and to the Avengers revolution known as The Ultimates.  He got crazier with the launch of his creator-owned line, Millarworld – from the groundbreaking Kick-Ass to the cross-generational Jupiter's Legacy.

The enjoyment of Nemesis Reloaded #2 is that reading it is like reading something that is not supposed to be – a pop confection of craziness.  Some may believe that comic books should be conservative in what it presents, but in the 1980s, many creators decided that it was okay for at least some of the comic books to go crazy.  The spirit of that craziness is alive in well in Mark Millar and his comic books, especially Nemesis Reloaded.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Mark Millar comic books that make the reader come … back for more … will desire Nemesis Reloaded.

A+

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

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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: ARCHIE & FRIENDS Hot Summer Movies #1

ARCHIE & FRIENDS HOT SUMMER MOVIES #1 (#16)

ARCHIE COMIC PUBLICATIONS, INC.

STORY: Adrian Ropp; Rich Margopoulos; George Gladir; Dan Parent

PENCILS: Bill Galvan; Gene Colan; Dan DeCarlo: Dan Parent

INKS: Ben Galvan; Rudy Lapick; Jim DeCarlo; Dan Parent

COLORS: Glenn Whitmore; Dan Parent

LETTERS: Jack Morelli; Bill Yoshida

EDITORS: Jamie Lee Rotante; Vincent Lovallo; Stephen Oswald

EiC: Mike Pellerito

COVER: Bill and Ben Galvan

32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (July 2023); on sale in comic book shops June 7, 2023

Rating: All-Ages

“Riverdale Jones and the Burger of Density”

Eternal high school student and teenage boy, Archie Andrews, and his friends made their debut in M.L.J. Magazines' Pep Comics #22 (cover dated: December 1941), and before long, Archie was the publisher's headliner character.  In 1946, the company changed its named to Archie Comic Publications, also known as “Archie Comics.”

Archie Comics published the series, Archie & Friends, from 1992 to 2012 for 159 issues.  Since 2019, Archie has been publishing a new iteration of Archie & Friends as a series of themed one-shot comic books.  The latest is Archie & Friends Hot Summer Movies No.1, the sixteenth issue in the series.  It features one new five-page story, two reprint stories, and gallery of humorous illustrated cards.  Entitled “Riverdale Jones and the Burger of Density,” the new story is written by Adrian Ropp; drawn by Bill Galvan (pencils) and Ben Galvan (inks); colored by Glenn Whitmore; and lettered by the great Jack Morelli.

“Riverdale Jones and the Burger of Density”:

The story opens in Riverdale, specifically Pop's Diner.  Archie and Betty are concerned about the state of Jughead Jones, who has just devoured Pop's thickest and juiciest burger creation yet.  However, Jughead's mind is far away.  He is once again the hero burgerologist, Riverdale Jones, and he is deep in the heart of the rain forest, where he hopes to find the most delicious, exotic burger.  With his faithful pet, Hot Dog, by his side, can Riverdale find a legendary hamburger that may be every bit as formidable as the one Jughead already ate?

THE LOWDOWN:   Over the last few years, Archie's marketing department has been sending PDF copies of some of their titles for review.  One of the most recent is Archie & Friends Hot Summer Movies No. 1, (which is titled Archie & Friends #1 (#16), in the indicia).

“Riverdale Jones and the Burger of Density” is a nice, short send-up and tribute to Indiana Jones.  With the impending arrival of the film, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, this is the perfect time for Archie Comics to spoof the beloved movie adventurer and archaeologist.  If I understand correctly, Jughead has been “Riverdale Jones” in the past, but if that is the case, I have not been able to discover the specific issue or issues in which Riverdale appeared.

Anyway, writer Adrian Ropp and artists Bill Galvan and his son, Ben Galvan, have created a sweet comics confection that alone is worth the price of admission.  Plus, as a bonus, this comic book offers “E.T. Travesty,” a tale drawn by the classic Archie Comics artist, Dan DeCarlo.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of classic-style Archie Comics will want to find a copy of Archie & Friends Hot Summer Movies No. 1.

B+

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

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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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Archie Comics Announces New "Madam Satan" from Archie Horror in September

ARCHIE HORROR UNIVERSE EXPANDS IN NEW MADAM SATAN TEAM-UP!

The chilling anti-hero stars in a book-length solo thriller MADAM SATAN: HELL ON EARTH, releasing in September

Press Release — Madam Satan, the long-running macabre anti-hero of the Archie Horror imprint from Archie Comics, is about to take her ongoing battle against Satan to the next level in CHILLING ADVENTURES PRESENTS... MADAM SATAN: HELL ON EARTH. The one-shot comic book releasing in September also establishes linked continuity among the Archie Horror titles for the first time with a surprise team-up.

Writer Eliot Rahal kicked off Madam Satan's solo story in a sold-out 2020 one-shot following her memorable run as an iconic Sabrina villain, and he has chronicled her escape from Hell in short stories appearing in two Chilling Adventures in Sorcery anthologies. In HELL ON EARTH, with art by Vincenzo Federici (TMNT: The Armageddon Game), those narrative threads come together in an explosive battle as the forces of Hell invade the mortal plane. 

"Honestly, I really can't believe they keep letting me do this," Rahal said. "When Archie asked me to write Madam Satan a few years ago I never imagined I'd get to work with the character for so long and over so much time. . . . Really, the only choice this time around was for me to let go and have fun. I hope everyone who reads it does, as well."

The events of HELL ON EARTH are so overwhelming that Madam Satan may be in over her head, and a chance encounter with another powerful figure could either save the day or seal her fate. It also places several Archie Horror characters in the same shared universe for the first time, after years of standalone one-shots occupying their own space.

"We're so excited to return to the world of Madam Satan," said Archie Comics Senior Director of Editorial Jamie L. Rotante. "Starting way back in 2020, Eliot has been weaving this beautiful and tragic narrative about the titular character's journey through Hell and back to Earth. This chapter allows it to take a new turn: Madam Satan is back in Greendale, and it seems that Hell has followed her there. Vincenzo's hauntingly gorgeous art amplifies all of the emotion within, while also punching you in the face with graphic and frightening images."

"The fact that I can return to her story with Vincenzo's incredible visuals and Ellie's brilliant colors is such a gift," Rahal said. "I'm so grateful." 

Federici drew Madam Satan's previous two chapters in Chilling Adventures in Sorcery and The Return of Chilling Adventures in Sorcery, bringing the story's demonic themes to life with his moody, atmospheric inks and dynamic layouts. 

"I'm truly excited to be here again!" Federici said. "When I was asked to work on a full Madam Satan one-shot I was like OH YEAH! because of my love for this character. With Madam Satan I can try new things on my page layouts and art style, so I'm always happy to be on this. It's amazing to have the opportunity to continue the story we worked on for the last two years and give her some good action moments. Eliot's script is super funny and I'm lucky to work with him!"

Archie Horror's narrative expansion continues through the rest of this year and the next with more stories exploring the dark corners of its shared universe. Rotante added, "This one-shot is filled with twists and turns both heart-wrenching and horrifying. But trust us, this isn't the end of Madam Satan's story."

HELL ON EARTH, with an open-to-order variant cover by Soo Lee, colors by Ellie Wright, and lettering by Jack Morelli, releases September 20, 2023 in comic shops nationwide. 

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ABOUT ARCHIE COMICS:

Archie Comics is the leading mass market comic book publisher in the world and the home to a wide array of the most popular humor, action-adventure, and superhero characters in entertainment, including Archie, Jughead, Betty and Veronica, Reggie, Kevin Keller, Josie and the Pussycats, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Li’l Jinx, and many more. Archie Comics have sold over 2 billion comics worldwide and are published around the world in a number of languages. In addition to comics, the Archie Comics characters are spotlighted weekly on The CW’s Riverdale TV series, and have been featured in animation, television, film, and music throughout its 80+ year history.

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BOOM! Studios from Diamond Distributors for September 20, 2023

BOOM! STUDIOS

JUL230113 DUNE HOUSE HARKONNEN #9 (OF 12) CVR A SWANLAND (MR) $4.99

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JUL230076 GRIM #13 CVR A FLAVIANO $3.99

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JUL230094 SIRENS OF THE CITY #3 (OF 6) CVR A RANDOLPH $4.99

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Dynamite Entertainment from Diamond Distributors for September 20, 2023

DYNAMITE

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JUL230266 DISNEY VILLAINS HADES #2 CVR C FORSTNER $3.99

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JUL230241 RED SONJA 2023 #3 CVR E COSPLAY $3.99

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JUL230405 VICTORY #4 CVR E COSPLAY $3.99

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Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for September 20, 2023

IMAGE COMICS

FEB230108 ICE CREAM MAN TP VOL 09 HEAVY NARRATION (MR) $16.99

MAY230251 MONARCH #6 CVR A LINS $3.99

MAY230252 MONARCH #6 CVR B VISIONS $3.99

MAY230259 NOCTERRA #16 CVR A DANIEL & MAIOLO (MR) $3.99

MAY230260 NOCTERRA #16 CVR B PAQUETTE & MCCAIG (MR) $3.99

APR230280 SAGA #66 (MR) $3.99

JUN230357 SPAWN #345 CVR A MELE $2.99

JUN230358 SPAWN #345 CVR B BARENDS $2.99

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