Friday, February 10, 2017

Review: CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA #5

CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA No. 5
ARCHIE COMICS – @ArchieComics @ArchieHorror

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa
ART: Robert Hack
LETTERS: Jack Morelli
COVER/VARIANT COVER: Robert Hack
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (July 2016)

“The Crucible” Chapter Five: “The Trial”

Rated Teen + (Violence and mature content)

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is one of two Archie Comics series that were re-imagined as horror comic books.  The other is the zombie apocalypse series, Afterlife with Archie (a play on the title Life with Archie).  Published under the “Archie Horror” imprint, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina takes the traditionally lighthearted Sabrina the Teen-Age Witch and re-imagines Sabrina's four-color world as darkly-hued place of witchcraft, Satanism, and murder-most-foul.

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa; drawn by Robert Hack; and lettered by Jack Morelli.  The story is set in the 1960s, with the current story line largely taking place in 1967.  Sabrina Victoria Spellman is a 16-year-old who lives in Greendale with her aunts, Hilda and Zelda (two witches of the Satan-serving variety); her cousin, Ambrose (a warlock); and her familiar, a cat named Salem.

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina #5 (“The Trial”) finds Sabrina facing the judgment of the Witches' Council for the sin of cavorting with a mortal.  On the eve of her 16th birthday, Sabrina was to be baptized a full member of the Church of Night.  However, her boyfriend, Harvey Kinkle, was tricked into interrupting the ceremony, which cost him his life.  Now, Sabrina must prove that the incident was not directly her fault, or she will face unending torment.

Meanwhile, Madame Satan, the mastermind behind the disaster with Harvey, drafts two Riverdale high school witches, Betty and Veronica (yes, that Betty and Veronica), into her plot.  Together, this trio will attempt to ensnare Sabrina into a dangerous ritual.

Way back in the early years of Image Comics, one of the “Image guys” explained why fans should accept that many Image Comics titles arrived in comic book shops way past their initial date of publication.  It takes a long time to grow roses was basically what that Image guy said.  So Image Comics were like roses, which to many are the epitome of flowers.  Thus, it took a long time to draw Image Comics, those roses of American comic book publishing.

Well, quite a few of those early Image Comics were roses to some, but they were weeds to others – weeds that eventually nearly choked the life out of the U.S. comic book market.  Also, I think it was the seminal hip-hop duo, OutKast, that sang that roses really smell like shit.

Anyway, it has been nearly a year since the publication of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina #4, and, if I remember correctly, there was a long wait between the publication of the first two issues of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and the third and fourth issues.  All four issues were like roses, for the sake of the metaphor, so the length of time to grow Chilling Adventures of Sabrina installments were worth the wait.  They are flowers from a garden of unearthly delights, and when they finally bloom, they are a creepy sight to behold.

Seriously, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina #5 is so good that I can't be mad.  It is certainly worth the wait.  Yeah, I'd like to read it more often, but while reading issue #5, the long delay between it and the fourth issue was the last thing on my mind.

Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Robert Hack have created a horror comic book for the ages.  They are not defiling all-things Archie; rather, they are expanding the possibilities of the world of Archie Comics.  I think that the possibilities for expanding that world into multiple genres are limitless, but that has rarely been tested.  I also think writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa's work is the vanguard that led to the recent new-look Archie Comics.

With artist Robert Hack, Aguirre-Sacasa will remain at the forefront of a revolution.  Chilling Adventures of Sabrina #5, a helluva occult comic, proves that.

[This issue includes a preview of Afterlife with Archie #9.]

A

http://archiehorror.com/

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2016 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Thursday, February 9, 2017

Review: STRANGE FRUIT #3

STRANGE FRUIT No. 3 (OF 4)
BOOM! Studios – @boomstudios

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITERS: J.G. Jones and Mark Waid
ARTIST: J.G. Jones
LETTERS: Deron Bennett
COVER: J.G. Jones
24pp, Colors, $3.99 U.S. (April 2016)

Suggested for mature readers

Published by BOOM! Studios, Strange Fruit is a four-issue comic book miniseries from comics creators, Mark Waid (Daredevil; Kingdom Come) and J.G. Jones (Wanted; Y: The Last Man).  In a publicity released, BOOM! Studios described this comic book as “a deeply personal passion project” and as a “provocative examination of the heroic myth confronting the themes of racism, cultural legacy, and human nature through a literary lens, drawing from Southern folklore and tradition.”

Strange Fruit is set in and around Chatterlee, Mississippi in April 1927.  This is the time that would become known as the “Great Mississippi Flood of 1927.”  As the story begins, the Mississippi River is rising, threatening to break open the levees and destroy Chatterlee, as it has already done to other “God-fearing” towns.  The race to shore up the levees is also threatening to break open the racial and social divisions of Chatterlee and the surrounding area.  Into this roiling situation, a mysterious Black man falls from the sky.

As Strange Fruit #3 opens, the local Black community is beginning to see the arrival of the mysterious (and tall and muscular) Black man as a sign of divine intervention.  However, Sonny, the young “agitator” who gave the stranger the nickname, “Johnson,” has decided that he has had enough of White people:  kind, benign, and otherwise.  He decides that it is time to leave Chatterlee, but on the way out of town, he makes a shocking discovery.  Meanwhile, the impending disaster of the swelling Mississippi has not dampened the local Klan's desire to kill Black people and to destroy “Johnson.”

One of my all-time favorite novels is Stephen King's masterpiece, 'Salem's Lot (1975).  One of the elements of the plot that I thoroughly enjoyed is how the people of Jerusalem's Lot (or 'Salem's Lot, for short) blithely carry on their petty conflicts while darkness slowly envelopes their town.  That is Strange Fruit #3 in a nutshell.  Even the behemoth threat that is the flooding Mississippi River cannot completely draw people away from their mistrust and racial strife.

On the part of J.G. Jones and Mark Waid, this is truth in storytelling.  They convey the brutal strength and ugly power of hate with honesty.  Strange Fruit is not a screed against racism; rather it is an amazingly human tale that is genuine in its portrayal of the nature of man.

If that is not enough for you, Jones is still producing some of the most beautiful comic book art that I have ever seen, and until I see otherwise, I am calling his work on Strange Fruit the best of last year and also of this year.  His depiction of the human face and its myriad expressiveness is a sight to behold.  The grace of the human in clothing and costume shines through even when the characters are being less than graceful.  Wow.

It has been almost half a year since issue #2 came out, and Strange Fruit is worth the wait.  It is only a shame that here is one issue left.

A+

www.boom-studios.com
#comicsforward

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2016 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Review: MOTHER PANIC #1

MOTHER PANIC No. 1
DC COMICS/Young Animal – @DCComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Jody Houser
ART: Tommy Lee Edwards
COLORS: Tommy Lee Edwards
LETTERS: John Workman
COVER: Tommy Lee Edwards
VARIANT COVERS: Paul Pope; Bengal
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (January 2017)

Mature Readers

Mother Panic created by Gerard Way, Jody Houser, and Tommy Lee Edwards

“A Work in Progress” Part 1

Young Animal is a DC Comics imprint curated by rock musician (My Chemical Romance) and comics creator, Gerard Way (The Umbrella Academy).  The first three Young Animal titles released are remakes and re-imaginings of Silver Age (Doom Patrol, Cave Carson) or cult DC Comics properties (Shade the Changing Man, a Steve Ditko character).

Mother Panic is a brand new comic book creation about a brand new vigilante who calls Gotham City (Batman's hometown) her stomping grounds.  This latest Young Animal series is written by Jody Houser; illustrated by Tommy Lee Edwards; and lettered by John Workman.

Mother Panic #1 (“A Work in Progress”) opens as Violet Paige returns to Gotham City, and the press is nearly in full force for the return of a prodigal daughter.  Why is Violet's return so noteworthy?  She is a member of Gotham's elite glitterati, but she did not return home in order to play “celebutante.”  There is filthy, disturbed underbelly in Gotham City, and Violet is back to begin cleaning it.

Apparently, the point of Mother Panic is to present stories from Batman's hometown that are too disturbing for Batman comic books that are marketed to Batman fans of all-ages.  Mother Panic is basically a quasi Batman-related title for adult readers.  I say good for them – them being DC Comics and the Young Animal imprint, although I can't say that I'm particularly interested.

Mother Panic might turn out to be a really good title, but once again, we have a first issue that teases the reader and features standard superhero fare (violence), this time with a vague Vertigo Comics haze over the story.  I am reviewing Mother Panic #1 via a PDF that DC Comics makes available to reviewers.  I can guarantee you, dear reader, that if I review the second issue that it will also be via a PDF.  I wouldn't spend money on this – at least not now.

[This issue includes a bonus story “Gotham Radio Scene One: 1621” by Jim Krueger, Phil Hester, Ande Parks, Trish Mulvihill, and Deron Bennet.]

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


The text is copyright © 2016 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Monday, February 6, 2017

DC Comics from Diamond Distributors for February 8, 2017

DC COMICS

DEC160242    ACTION COMICS #973    $2.99
DEC160243    ACTION COMICS #973 VAR ED    $2.99
DEC160246    ALL STAR BATMAN #7    $4.99
DEC160247    ALL STAR BATMAN #7 FRANCAVILLA VAR ED    $4.99
DEC160248    ALL STAR BATMAN #7 LOTAY VAR ED    $4.99
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JUL160450    BATMAN ANIMATED BATMAN BEYOND AF 3 PACK    $65.00
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NOV160356    INVISIBLES TP BOOK 01 (MR)    $24.99
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DEC160308    RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS #7 VAR ED    $2.99
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DEC160362    SCOOBY APOCALYPSE #10 VAR ED    $3.99
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DEC160328    WONDER WOMAN #16 VAR ED    $2.99
NOV160343    WONDER WOMAN HER GREATEST BATTLES TP    $9.99

Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for February 8, 2017

MARVEL COMICS

NOV160960    ALL NEW ALL DIFFERENT AVENGERS TP VOL 03 CIVIL WAR II    $15.99
DEC161056    ALL NEW WOLVERINE #17    $3.99
DEC160971    AMAZING SPIDER-MAN RENEW YOUR VOWS #4    $3.99
DEC161116    AVENGERS #4 BY ALEX ROSS POSTER    $8.99
NOV160967    AVENGERS K TP BOOK 04 SECRET INVASION    $24.99
DEC160984    BLACK WIDOW #11    $3.99
NOV168918    CAPTAIN AMERICA STEVE ROGERS #8 2ND PTG SAIZ VAR    $3.99
NOV160981    CLOAK AND DAGGER TP SHADOWS AND LIGHT    $34.99
AUG160986    DAREDEVIL OMNIBUS HC VOL 01 KIRBY DM VAR ED    $125.00
AUG160985    DAREDEVIL OMNIBUS HC VOL 01 ROSS CVR    $125.00
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DEC161040    DEADPOOL THE DUCK #3 (OF 5)    $3.99
DEC161041    DEADPOOL THE DUCK #3 (OF 5) CONNECTING C VAR    $3.99
DEC161117    DEVIL DINOSAUR BY JACK KIRBY POSTER    $8.99
DEC161016    DOCTOR STRANGE PUNISHER MAGIC BULLETS #3 (OF 4)    $4.99
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NOV160947    EMPRESS BOOK ONE PREMIERE HC    $24.99
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NOV168919    HULK #1 2ND PTG DEKAL NOW    $3.99
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NOV160956    INVINCIBLE IRON MAN PREM HC VOL 03 CIVIL WAR II    $24.99
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AUG160988    MMW UNCANNY X-MEN HC VOL 10    $100.00
AUG160989    MMW UNCANNY X-MEN HC VOL 10 DM VAR ED 241    $100.00
DEC160981    MS MARVEL #15    $3.99
DEC160998    POWER MAN AND IRON FIST #13    $3.99
AUG160997    STAR WARS DARTH VADER HC VOL 02    $39.99
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DEC160902    UNCANNY INHUMANS #1.MU    $4.99
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DEC160947    UNWORTHY THOR #4 (OF 5)    $3.99
NOV168923    VENOM #2 2ND PTG SANDOVAL VAR    $3.99

IDW Publishing from Diamond Distributors for February 8, 2017

IDW PUBLISHING

DEC160579    DONALD DUCK BIG SNEEZE TP    $12.99
DEC160572    DUCK AVENGER #3    $4.99
DEC160573    DUCK AVENGER #3 SUBSCRIPTION VAR    $4.99
DEC160531    JUDGE DREDD MEGA-CITY ZERO TP VOL 03    $17.99
DEC160575    MICKEY MOUSE #17    $3.99
DEC160576    MICKEY MOUSE #17 SUBSCRIPTION VAR    $3.99
NOV160385    REVOLUTION TP    $19.99
NOV160383    ROM ANNUAL 2017    $7.99
NOV160384    ROM ANNUAL 2017 SUBSCRIPTION VAR    $7.99
OCT160514    SILLY SYMPHONIES HC VOL 02 COMP DISNEY CLASSICS    $49.99
DEC160522    TMNT AMAZING ADVENTURES TP VOL 04    $14.99
NOV160419    TRANSFORMERS TILL ALL ARE ONE #7    $3.99
NOV160420    TRANSFORMERS TILL ALL ARE ONE #7 SUBSCRIPTION VAR    $3.99
DEC160536    X-FILES ORIGINS TP    $19.99

Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for February 8, 2017

DARK HORSE COMICS

OCT160028    DRAGON AGE ADULT COLORING BOOK SC    $14.99
DEC160079    EMPOWERED SOLDIER OF LOVE #1    $3.99
SEP160133    FRAZETTA DEATH DEALER EGYPTIAN QUEEN PINT GLASS SET    $19.99
SEP160134    FRAZETTA SILVER WARRIOR HUNTRESS PINT GLASS SET    $19.99
OCT160032    MASS EFFECT OMNIBUS TP VOL 02    $24.99
SEP160146    MILK CHEESE BOXED PINT GLASS SET    $19.99
OCT160050    MOBY DICK HC    $24.99
OCT160047    TREKKER RITES OF PASSAGE TP    $12.99
OCT160070    WEIRD DETECTIVE TP    $17.99
JUL160210    WITCHER SHOT GLASS SET    $14.99
OCT160027    WORLD OF TANKS #5    $3.99