I Reads You Juniors June 2019 - Update #88

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From BleedingCool:  Frank Miller and Tom Wheeler are producing an illustrated novel, entitled "Cursed," that will be published next year by Netflix.  Miller says that it is a feminist retelling of the King Arthur Myth.

From Newsarama:  As an exclusive treat, IDW Publishing is offering dinner with two comic book luminaries at San Diego Comic Con 2019.  For $500, you can be part of a private dinner with Walter Simonson ("Thor") or Stan Sakai ("Usagi Yojimbo") or both for a thousand bucks.

From BleedingCool:  DC Comics announces mature-line, dark high fantasy, "The Last God."  This 12-issue series from writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson, artist Riccardo Federici, colorist Dean White, and letterer Tom Napolitano.

From EW:   Joe Hill is overseeing a new line of DC Comics horror titles - "Hill House Comics," which wall fall under the "DC Black Label" imprint.  The "pop-up" line will include five miniseries, two of which Hill will write.  Each issue of all five series will also include a two-page installment of a serial Hill is writing.

From Newsarama:  Fox television series, "Prison Break," is being adapted into an online manga.

From CNN:  Robert Mueller special counsel report - the Mueller Report - is being turned into a comic book to be published by IDW Publishing.

From WorldofWalt:  Disney is reviving its animation classes for visitors to Animal Kingdom, beginning July 11th.

From FlickeringMyth:  Six things you might not know about Tim Burton's 1989 film, "Batman," in the midst of its 30th anniversary.

From Deadline:  Glenn Danzig's film, "Verotika," will get a video-on-demand release Halloween 2019.  The film's title is a play on the name of name of Danzig's comic book company, Verotik.

From Newsarama:  DC Comics announces its middle-grade and young adult graphic novels for 2020 and 2021 at the American Library Associations' annual convention.  These would have been DC Ink and DC Zoom titles, but those imprints were discontinued.

From Newsarama:  The "Ultimate Universe" returns in "Mile Morales: Spider-Man #10."

From BleedingCool:  DC Comics makes it official that its "Vertigo Comics" imprint is closed.  2020 will see a DC rebranding into three imprints:  "DC Kids" (ages 8 to 12); "DC" (ages 13+); and "DC Black Label" (17+ and mature readers).

From Newsarama:  The comic book series, "Safe Sex," originally announced for DC's Vertigo Comics imprint, is moving to Image Comics.

From BleedingCool:  Actress Sanaa Lathan will provide the voice for Catwoman in in DC Universe's "Harley Quinn" adult animated series.

From BleedingCool:  As part of its 80th anniversary celebration, Marvel will publish an "Alpha Flight" one-shot that has an entirely Canadian creative team.

From IndieWire:  Robert Downey, Jr. advocates for Riri Williams/Ironheart in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

From Newsarama:  Marvel Comics is doubling retailer's order for "Aero #1" for free.  This comic book will star Marvel's Chinese superhero.

From Newsarama:  Jim Lee's illustration for the cover of the 2019 San Diego Comic-Con's souvenir book includes Black Panther, Spider-Man, Spawn, and more.

From Newsarama:  This article has a question-and-answer session with master of horror manga, Junji Ito.

From Newsarama:  R.B. Silva shares character designs from "Powers of X."

From BleedingCool:  Joe Madureira gives updates on his comic book, "Battle Chaser," specifically the arrival of issues 10 to 12.

From TheBrag:  A police raid reveals drugs smuggled to Australia via comic books.

From NikkeiAsianReview:  In Japan, shrinking manga sales are forcing people to rethink the business.

From Newsarama: "What We Learned from DC's September 2019 Solicitations"

From BleedingCool:  DC Comics is cancelling "Teen Titans Go" and "Scooby-Doo Team-Up."

From Newsarama:  DC Comics is bring back its "Dollar Comics" format, but with a small page count.

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From Newsarama:  "Legion of Super-Heroes" will return in a two-issue miniseries and then in an ongoing series from writer Brian Michael Bendis.

From Newsarama:  Artist Ryan Sook, who is quite good at designing characters, is redesigning the look of the Legion of Super-Heroes for Brian Michael Bendis' relaunch of the franchise.  Here is a look at Sook's designs.
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From Newsarama:  The Justice Society of America is returning to the DC Universe and to continuity.

From Newsarama:  Universal Pictures has optioned the film rights to Robert Kirkman and Lorenzo de Felici's "Oblivion Song" comic book from Image Comics.

From BloodyDisgusting:  Horror manga master Junji Ito has ideas about video games.

From Newsarama:  "Batman Beyond" is connected to Brian Michael Bendis' teased about DC Comics project, "Millennium."

From BleedingCool:  Rumors say that DC Comics is closing its "Vertigo" imprint.

From PhillyTrib:  New graphic novel, “Martin Luther King Jr.: Voice for Equality!” by James Buckley Jr. and YouNeek Studios, offers insights into Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

From ANN:  In Japan, "Boruto: Naruto Next Generations" is moving from "Weekly Shonen Jump" to "V Jump" magazines for serialization.

From Mashable:  "Dark Phoenix" has the worst opening in "X-Men" film history.

From BleedingCool:  John Byrne is publishing his X-Men "fan fiction" comic online rather than letting Marvel Comics publish it.

From BleedingCool:  Marvel Comics' recent "No Compromise, No Mercy" teasers are for a new comic book featuring a "ruthless" team.  The title will reportedly spin out of the "War of the Realms" event.

From Deadline:  DC Universe has cancelled its streaming series "Swamp Thing" one week after its debut.

From Deadline:  Netflix has renewed "Lucifer" for a firth and final season.  "Lucifer" is based on the DC Comics character of the same name.

From Newsarama:  Mark Millar has recruited artists he liked when he was in high school to draw variant covers for the first issue of his upcoming comic, "Space Bandits." These are Howard Chaykin, Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, Dave Gibbons, Klaus Janson, and Walter Simonson

From Newsarama:  The 2019 Russ Manning Promising Newcomer Award nominees have been announced.  They are Lorena Alvarez; Ellen T. Crenshaw; M. J. Kim; Sumit Kumar; and Kieran McKeown.  The award is given to promising new comic books artists.

From CBR:  The first "Wonder Woman 84" poster. It shows off new armor.

From BleedingCool: Marvel's beloved vampire hunter, Blade, may be getting his own comic book series, with the news possibly being revealed next week. #bringbackblade

From Newsarama:  BOOM! Studios has cancelled its WWE comic book after 25 issues.

From Deadline:  Two series based on comic books, "Deadly Class" and "Happy!," have been cancelled by Syfy.  Both series are being shopped to new networks.

From Newsarama:  Writer-director Quentin Tarantion has tapped screenwriter Jerrod Carmicheal to write the screenplay adaptation of the 2014 Django/Zorro crossover comic book series, which was a sequel to Tarantino's Oscar-winning "Django Unchained."  How sure this project is to being an actual film is unknown.

From ANN:  The manga, "Food Wars: Shokugeki no Soma," will end soon.

From ComicBook:  Spawn will appear in the video game, "Mortal Kombat 11."  Keith David who voiced Spawn in the 1990s HBO animated series will reprise that role for the game.

From Newsarama:  The first meeting of Harley Quinn and the Joker will get a unique twist in a new DC Black Label due Fall 2019.  "Joker/Harley: Criminal Insanity" is from writer Kami Garcia and artists Mike Mayhew and Mico Suayan.

From Newsarama:  DC Comics reveals a slate of new Young Adult graphic novels.

From LATimes:  The newspaper profiles "Love and Rockets'" Jaime Hernandez.

From ChicagoReader:  The paper talks to Ben Passmore and Ezra Clayton Daniels about their new comic book, "BTTM FDRS."

From CBR:  DC Comics announces a "Beast Boy" graphic novel for its "DC Ink" imprint.

From Newsarama:  Robert Pattison beats out actor Nicholas Hoult (Nightcrawler in Fox's "X-Men" movies) to be the next screen Batman/Bruce Wayne.

From Newsarama:  For Your Consideration: A Marvel/DC Crossover Proposal

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JUNE 2019 COMICS SOLICITATIONS:
From Newsarama:  June 2019 comic book publisher solicitations for June 2019
From Newsarama:  AC Comics for June 2019
From Newsarama:  AfterShock Comics for June 2019
From Newsarama:  Ahoy Comics for June 2019
From Newsarama:  Albatross Funnybooks for June 2019
From Newsarama:  Alterna Comics for June 2019
From Newsarama:  American Mythology for June 2019
From Newsarama:  Antarctic Press for June 2019
From Newsarama:  Archie Comics for June 2019
From Newsarama:  Aspen Comics for June 2019
From Newsarama:  Black Mask Studios for June 2019
From Newsarama:  BOOM! Studios for June 2019
From Newsarama:  DC Comics for June 2019
From Newsarama:  Dynamite Entertainment for June 2019
From Newsarama:  Hero Tomorrow for June 2019
From Newsarama:  IDW Publishing for June 2019
From Newsarama:  Image Comics for June 2019
From Newsarama:  Mad Cave Studios for June 2019
From Newsarama:  Marvel Comics for June 2019
From Newsarama:  Scout Comics for June 2019
From Newsarama:  Valiant Entertainment for June 2019
From Newsarama:  Vault Comics for June 2019
From Newsarama:  VIZMedia for June 2019

JULY 2019 COMICS SOLICITATIONS:
From Newsarama:  July 2019 comics solicitations for all publishers on one page.
From Newsarama:  AC Comics for July 2019
From Newsarama:  Action Lab Entertainment for July 2019
From Newsarama:  AfterShock Comics for July 2019
From Newsarama:  Ahoy Comics for July 2019
From Newsarama:  Albatross Funnybooks for July 2019
From Newsarama:  Alterna Comics for July 2019
From Newsarama:  American Mythology for July 2019
From Newsarama:  Antarctic Press for July 2019
From Newsarama:  Archie Comics for July 2019
From Newsarama:  Aspen Comics for July 2019
From Newsarama:  BOOM! Studios for July 2019
From Newsarama:  Dark Horse Comics for July 2019
From Newsarama:  DC Comics for July 2019
From Newsarama:  Dynamite Entertainment for July 2019
From Newsarama:  Hero Tomorrow for July 2019
From Newsarama:  IDW Publishing for July 2019
From Newsarama:  Image Comics for July 2019
From Newsarama:  Mad Cave Studios for July 2019
From Newsarama:  Marvel Comics for July 2019
From Newsarama:  Nobrow Press for July 2019
From Newsarama:  Oni Press for July 2019
From Newsarama:  Papercutz for July 2019
From Newsarama:  Titan Comics for July 2019
From Newsarama:  Valiant Entertainment for July 2019
From Newsarama:  VIZMedia for July 2019

AUGUST 2019 COMICS SOLICITATIONS:
From Newsarama:  August 2019 comics solicitations for all publishers on one page.
From Newsarama:  AC Comics for August 2019
From Newsarama:  Action Lab Entertainment for August 2019
From Newsarama:  AfterShock Comics for August 2019
From Newsarama:  Ahoy Comics for August 2019
From Newsarama:  Antarctic Press for August 2019
From Newsarama:  Archie Comics for August 2019
From Newsarama:  Aspen Comics for August 2019
From Newsarama:  Avatar Press for August 2019
From Newsarama:  Black Mask Studios for August 2019
From Newsarama:  BOOM! Studios for August 2019
From Newsarama:  Dark Horse Comics for August 2019
From Newsarama:  DC Comics for August 2019
From Newsarama:  Dynamite Entertainment for August 2019
From Newsarama:  Humanoids for August 2019
From Newsarama:  IDW Publishing for August 2019
From Newsarama:  Lion Forge for August 2019
From Newsarama:  Marvel Comics for August 2019
From BleedingCool:  Oni Press for August 2019
From Newsarama:  Red 5 Comics for August 2019
From Newsarama:  Scout Comics for August 2019
From Newsarama:  Titan Comics for August 2019
From Newsarama:  Vault Comics for August 2019
From Newsarama:  VIZ Media for August 2019
From Newsarama:  Yen Press for August 2019

SEPTEMBER 2019 COMICS SOLICITATIONS:
From Newsarama:  AfterShock Comics for September 2019
From Newsarama:  Antarctic Press for September 2019
From Newsarama:  Archie Comics for September 2019
From Newsarama:  Aspen Comics for September 2019
From Newsarama:  BOOM! Studios for September 2019
From Newsarama:  Dark Horse Comics for September 2019
From Newsarama:  DC Comics for September 2019
From Newsarama:  Dynamite Entertainment for September 2019
From Newsarama:  Fantagraphics Books for September 2019
From Newsarama:  Humanoids for September 2019
From Newsarama:  IDW Publishing for September 2019
From Newsarama:  Image Comics for September 2019
From Newsarama:  Lion Forge Comics for September 2019
From Newsarama:  Mad Cave Studios for September 2019
From Newsarama:  Marvel Comics for September 2019
From Newsarama:  Oni Press for September 2019
From Newsarama:  Scout Comics for September 2019
From Newsarama:  Titan Comics for September 2019
From Newsarama:  Valiant Entertainment for September 2019
From Newsarama:  Vault Comics for September 2019
From Newsarama:  VIZ Media for September 2019

HALLOWEEN COMICFEST 2019:
From Newsarama:  28 comic book titles for the industry's fall event taking place Saturday, October 26, 2019 at participating comic shops worldwide.

DC's HILL HOUSE COMICS Debut Solicitations:
From Newsarama:  These are the solicitations for DC Comics' "Hill House Comics" group overseen by Joe Hill.  The line is scheduled to kick off October 30, 2019 with "Basketful of Heads #1."


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Review: BLACK: Widows and Orphans #1

BLACK: WIDOWS & ORPHANS No. 1
BLACKMASK STUDIO – @blackmaskstudio @BLACKsuprppowrs

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY/PLOT: Kwanza Osajyefo and Tim Smith 3 – @kwanzer
SCRIPT/DIALOGUE:  Kwanza Osajyefo
PENCILS/INKS: Tim Smith 3 – @TS3
COLORS/SHADES: Derwin Roberson
LETTERS/SFX: Dave Sharpe
EDITOR: Sarah Litt
COVER: Tim Smith 3
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (Diamond-FEB181179 – April 25, 2018)

Rated M/Mature

Black [AF] created by Kwanza Osajyefo and Tim Smith 3

Black – also known as Black [AF] – is a six-issue comic book miniseries created by Kwanza Osajyefo and Tim Smith 3.  It was first introduced to the public as a Kickstarter crowdfunding project seeking to raise $29,999, but ultimately raised almost $100,000.  Black is set in a world where only Black people have super-powers (called “Quarks”), and this world is suddenly and shockingly forced on Kareem Jenkins, who discovers that he is “empowered.”

Now, a second miniseries recently arrived and is entitled Black: Widows and Orphans.  It written by Kwanza Osajyefo and Tim Smith 3; drawn by Smith 3; colored by Derwin Roberson; and lettered by Dave Sharpe.

Black: Widows and Orphans #1 opens as the first empowered U.S. senator is nearly assassinated by a ninja!  However, the empowered of the “Project” are there to stop it, but a revelation of what the assassin is delivers a shocker.  He is connected to the past of one of the Project's empowered, Anansi, who, as a child, was trained as a Ninja.

Anansi is on a mission to return to her former clan, “the Amime” and to learn what has become of what was once her family.  However, the Project's leader, Juncture, insists that Anansi take with her someone who can watch her back.  Now, Hoodrat finds herself following her mentor, Anansi, into the world of the ninja.

The original Black miniseries was published in black and white with toning, but Black: Widows and Orphans is in glorious full-color. Colorist Derwin Roberson delivers such vivid hues that I thought I was having a trippy experience while reading this first issue.  Roberson's color art here really goes a long way in not only making this miniseries distinct form the original, but also in selling the setting of this series as a world beyond the normal – beyond even the world of the Quarks and empowered.

I was so used to the original miniseries' artist, Jamal Igle, that I was initially somewhat put off by Tim Smith 3's quirky, anime-style art.  It was not long before I was seriously loving Smith's compositions and the kinetic feel of his graphical storytelling.  I also like that Smith 3 makes Black: Widows and Orphans distinct from the first series as a graphics package.

As usual, I enjoy the scriptwriting of Kwanza Osajyefo, who always makes his work something different from standard superhero comic book fare.  It is as if he is stubbornly eccentric and offbeat, but that is why I think that will help Black [AF] survive as a strong, superhero comic book of color.  Kwanza's words will make this story the kind of Black sci-fi that can weather the slings and arrows of outrageous comic book shop owners who don't want “blacks, homos, and freaking females” on the pecker-wood of their KKK store shelves.  And Dave Sharpe's sharp lettering assures that we can read every chocolate thunder word.

9 out of 10

[This comic book includes a preview of the comic book, The Wilds, by Vita Ayala and Emily Pearson from Black Mask Studio.]

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


The text is copyright © 2018 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: NEW CHALLENGERS #1

NEW CHALLENGERS No. 1
DC COMICS – @DCComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Scott Snyder and Aaron Gillespie
PENCILS: Andy Kubert
INKS: Klaus Janson
COLORS: Brad Anderson
LETTERS: Deron Bennett
EDITOR: Rebecca Taylor
COVER: Andy Kubert with Brad Anderson
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (July 2018)

Rated “T” for Teen

Challengers of the Unknown created by Jack Kirby

Part 1

DC Comics has launched a new superhero comic book initiative, “The New Age of DC Heroes,” coming out of its Dark Nights: Metal event miniseries.  This line of comic books will consist of eight new comic book series:  The Curse of Brimstone, Damage, The Immortal Men, Sideways, The Silencer, The Terrifics, The Unexpected, and the subject of this review, New Challengers.

New Challengers is the seventh release (with only The Unexpected still due).  The series is written by Scott Snyder and Aaron Gillespie; drawn by Andy Kubert (pencils) and Klaus Janson (inks); colored by Brad Anderson; and lettered by Deron Bennett.  New Challengers is a reboot of the Jack Kirby creation, Challengers of the Unknown.  This feature focused on group of adventurers that first appeared in Showcase #6 (cover dated: February 1957) and appeared off-and-on in various forms and in comic books over the next six decades.

New Challengers #1 takes place during the events depicted in Dark Nights: Metal.  Trina Alvarez, Robert Brink, Moses Barber, and a man who insists on being called “Krunch” are dead.  Their first post-mortem stop is Challengers Mountain, and now it is time for them to meet the mysterious “Professor,” or as he calls himself, “The Prof.”  He is giving these “misfit strangers” a second chance at life, but only if they obey the orders of the Prof and execute deadly missions in the most unexplored corners of the multiverse.  And before the first mission even begins, one them dies!

I can say that I am intrigued by New Challengers.  I am a fan of artist Andy Kubert and have been for almost three decades, so I tend to want to read any comic book that he draws.  However, although Kubert's pencil art is inked by the great Klaus Janson, this is far from being close to Kubert's best work  The page design is impressive, but the storytelling does not aspire to be anything more than professionally polished.  Brad Anderson covers Kubert-Janson's compositions in his shimmering, evocative colors.  Deron Bennett wrangles the Challengers Mountain worth of dialogue in this first issue with sterling lettering and graphic design.  So that does make things, from a graphical storytelling point of view, a little better.

Writers Scott Snyder and Aaron Gillespie tease as much as they leave things about this story vague.  I thought too much about this first issue was coy.  Would it have killed DC Comics to make all first issues of “New Age” titles double-sized?  New Challengers #1 definitely needs to be at least regular-size and a half.  Twenty pages is a joke; 30 pages would have made this a better first issue.  Honestly, as it is, New Challengers #1 is only a little above average, but I will try the second issue.

6 out of 10

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


The text is copyright © 2018 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: ZEITGEIST #1

ZEITGEIST No. 1
APPROBATION COMICS

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: B. Alex Thompson – @ApproBAT
ART: John River
COLORS: John River
LETTERS: B. Alex Thompson
EDITORS: B. Alex Thompson and John P. Ward
COVER: John River
36pp, Color, $4.99 U.S.

Rated: Teen 13+

Zeitgeist is a comic book series published by Approbation Comics.  It is written and lettered by Approbation boss, B. Alex Thompson, and drawn and colored by John River.  The series, which is told in an episodic style that mimics a Sunday newspaper comic strip, follows the misadventures of on-the-go twenty-somethings.

Zeitgeist #1 presents Strips 001 to 036.  This first issue opens in a large comic book store.  Employee Isabelle Fanning spies a customer handling a graphic novel in an appropriate and damaging manner.  After confronting the young man, she discovers that his name is Max Yeung, and he is a screenwriter.  After some witty repartee, it is decided that Isabelle will read a screenplay Max recently sold and give him feedback.  Truthfully, Isabelle is very attracted to Max, but a chance encounter with Isabelle's friend, Leah Winters, leads to hilarity.

The interior pages of Zeitgeist #1 are printed in the landscape format, so readers will have to read it as if they were flipping through a calendar.  When I first received a review copy of this comic book from Approbation, I was not sure if I was annoyed or not.  I prefer to read comic books the same way I normally do – left to right in the “portrait” layout.

Still, there was something about Zeitgeist that kept bugging me and attracting my attention, so I finally surrendered and read it.  Zeitgeist is good – really good.  It has a situation comedy (sitcom) quality and is somewhat similar to many of the popular television sitcoms of the last three decades that focus on groups of friends, including “Friends,” “How I Met Your Mother,” and Living Single,” to name a few.  B. Alex Thompson has created some especially likable characters; you will not have to read too far into the first issue to feel like you want to hang out with these characters.

Zeitgeist really seems to capture a defining spirit of modern times... or attempting to do so.

The art by John River is clean and expressive.  It is like a combination of the graphic styles found in alt-comix and college newspaper comic strips.  River uses minimal backgrounds, but they are still highly suggestive.  I found my imagination filling in the rest of the environments.  I think many readers will find themselves filling out the story by putting themselves in this comic book.

8 out of 10

www.ApprobationComics.com
www.AlexThompsonWriter.com

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


The text is copyright © 2018 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: ZEITGEIST #2

ZEITGEIST No. 2
APPROBATION COMICS

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: B. Alex Thompson – @ApproBAT
ART: John River
COLORS: John River
LETTERS: B. Alex Thompson
EDITORS: B. Alex Thompson and John P. Ward
COVER: John River
36pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (2015 / February 17, 2016 – comiXology release date)

Rated: Teen 13+ /12+ comiXology rating

Zeitgeist is a comic book series published by Approbation Comics.  It is written and lettered by Approbation boss, B. Alex Thompson, and drawn and colored by John River.  The series is told in an episodic style that mimics a Sunday newspaper comic strip.  Zeitgeist follows the misadventures of on-the-go twenty-somethings:  Max Yeung, Isabelle Fanning, Leah Winters, and Cassie Washington.

Zeitgeist #2 presents Strips 037 to 072.  This second issue opens in the morning with Isabelle discovering a naked Max in Leah's apartment.  WTF?!  He booty was supposed to belong to Isabelle!  The day gets even worse when Isabelle discovers that the comic book store is closing, which means that she will be out of a job in probably less than two months.  To lighten the mood, Leah suggests dinner with her parents, which leads to revelations about the extent of her and Isabelle's relationship.  Plus, Max is determined to tag along.

The interior pages of Zeitgeist #2 are printed in the landscape format, so readers will have to read it as if they are flipping through a calendar, just as they did for the first issue.  When I first received a review copy of the first two issues of Zeitgeist from Approbation, I was not sure if I was annoyed or not.  I prefer to read comic books the same way I normally do – left to right in the “portrait” layout.

Well, after reading the second issue, I actually like this landscape slash Sunday newspaper comics page format.  I am surprised to find myself not only enjoying Zeitgeist, but also anticipating more of it.  It's like a version of all our favorite sitcoms about groups of friends, from “Seinfeld” and “Living Single” to copycats like “Friends” and “Will & Grace.”

The art by John River is clean and expressive, which serves the narrative's focus on dialogue and character interaction.  River's art has a knack for focusing on facial expression which makes the characters' emotions clear and gives heft to the character drama and comedy.  I think Zeitgeist is deserving of a larger readership, and I hope people head to comiXology to purchase an issue.

8 out of 10

Zeitgeist #2's ComiXology page.

www.ApprobationComics.com
www.AlexThompsonWriter.com

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


The text is copyright © 2019 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: THE MAN OF STEEL #1

THE MAN OF STEEL No. 1 (2018)
DC COMICS – @DCComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

SCRIPT: Brian Michael Bendis
PENCILS: Ivan Reis; Jason Fabok (pp. 21-22)
INKS: Joe Prado; Jason Fabok (pp. 21-22)
COLORS: Alex Sinclair
LETTERS: Cory Petit
EDITOR: Michael Cotton
COVER: Ivan Reis and Joe Prado with Alex Sinclair
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (July 2018)

Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster

“Man of Steel “ Part 1

In November 2017, Marvel Comics' best writer of the last two decades, Brian Michael Bendis, ended his tenure with Marvel and signed an exclusive deal with Marvel's rival, DC Comics.  It was not long before rumors of Bendis focusing on the character Superman were burning up the e-grapevine.

After serving up a Superman tale in the anthology and milestone comic book, Action Comics #1000, Brian Michael Bendis officially begins his tenure as the lead writer of the Superman comic book line with the six-issue, weekly miniseries, The Man of Steel.  Each issue will feature a different art team, and the artists for the first issue are Ivan Reis (pencils) and Joe Prado (inks), with Jason Fabok drawing the story's last two pages (pp. 21-22).  Alex Sinclair colors, and Cory Petit letters.

The Man of Steel #1 opens sometime in the past when a being named “Rogol Zaar” declares that Krypton must destroyed.  Kryptonians mean to destroy the rest of the galaxy, according to Rogol, so they must be destroyed first.  Rogol believes he is just the being who can and should do the destroying.  Back in the present, Superman believes that he has discovered that arson is plaguing a particular section of Metropolis.  Meanwhile, Clark Kent deals with work and family, not realizing that a new threat to destroy him is emerging.

In late 1986, DC Comics published a special, event miniseries, entitled The Man of Steel.  Written and drawn by John Byrne, then one of the most popular and powerful comic book writer-artists, The Man of Steel re-imagined, rebooted, and modernized Superman.  After decades of stagnation up to the mid-1980s (according to some), the Superman comic book line needed a course correction.  Byrne's The Man of Steel was a seismic shift in terms of what a Superman comic book could and should be.

Brian Michael Bendis' The Man of Steel 2018 is quieter because it does not need to modernize Superman.  John Byrne already did that, beginning with The Man of Steel during his subsequent two-year run as writer-artist and writer on Superman, Action Comics, and The Adventures of Superman titles.  Since he does not have to modernize Superman, Bendis can focus on the character and personality of the Man of Steel.

Bendis presents Superman/Clark Kent as stoic and stalwart, but with a generous sense of humor.  I think that this Bendis Superman of the comic books is so like the cinematic Superman portrayed by beloved actor, the late Christopher Reeve.  Bendis's Superman is not so different from Patrick J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason's Man of Steel, as seen during their recent run on the flagship comic book, Superman, except the emotional component of Bendis' Superman/Clark Kent is a bit edgier, even with the humor present.

Apparently, from what I have read, Bendis is rewriting Superman's origins.  Still, 2018 The Man of Steel does not seem like a sea change in terms of Superman's world and fictional mythology the way the 1986 Byrne miniseries was and still is.  However, from a character and emotional point of view, Bendis may adding or changing something rather than fashioning a new Man of Steel

8.5 out of 10

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


The text is copyright © 2018 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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BOOM! Studios from Diamond Distributors for June 26, 2019

BOOM! STUDIOS

JAN191414    ADVENTURE TIME JAKE TP    $9.99
APR191244    AVANT-GUARDS #6 (OF 12) MAIN    $3.99
APR191245    AVANT-GUARDS #6 (OF 12) PREORDER MCGEE VAR    $3.99
APR191230    BONE PARISH #10 (OF 12)    $3.99
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APR191199    MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS #40 FOIL MONTES VAR    $4.99
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APR191251    STEVEN UNIVERSE ONGOING #29 MAIN PENA CVR    $3.99
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