Wednesday, December 15, 2021

#IReadsYou Review: SCOOBY-DOO, Where Are You? #112

SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU? (2010) #112
DC COMICS

STORY: Derek Fridolfs; Sholly Fisch
PENCILS: Scott Jeralds; Dario Brizuela
INKS: Scott Jeralds; Dario Brizuela
COLORS: Jeremy Lawson; Heroic Age
LETTERS: Saida Temofonte
EDITORS: Courtney Jordan; Kristy Quinn (reprint)
COVER: Derek Fridolfs with Jeremy Lawson
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (December 2021)

Ages 8+

“Attack of the 8-Foot Amphibian!”


Welcome, dear readers, to my continuing journey through the Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? comic book series, which began publication in 2010.  I continue to renew my subscription so that I can continue to review this series for you, dear readers.

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #112 opens with “Attack of the 8-Foot Amphibian!,” which is written by Derek Fridolfs and drawn by Scott Jeralds.  The story finds Mystery Inc.Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, Fred, Daphne, and Velma in the “Mystery Machine” are arriving at the “Coolsville Drive-In” movie theater.  They are there for a screening of the classic monster movie, “The Ghoulie from Green Lagoon.”  It seems, however, that the Ghoulie has, of late, been rampaging through the drive-in.  Instead of a night at the movies, it's another mystery for Scooby and the gang.

The second story, “Creature Feature” is, as usual, a reprint story and is written by Sholly Fisch and drawn by Dario Brizuela.  [This story was originally published in Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #38 (cover date: December 2013).]  The story opens on the set of the “Nocturna, Mistress of Midnight” television show.  Horror movie hostess, “Nocturna,” is screening the monster movie, “Attack of the Cabbage People,” when a real cabbage monster terrorizes the set.  It seems that “creepy creatures” from old movies have been plaguing the television studio for a few weeks.

Mystery Inc. arrives, offering to help solve the mystery.  The gang discovers that Sybil, the actress who plays Nocturna; Lew Gordon, the show's producer; and Dennis Raye, the show's intern have different ideas about what is going on.  Can Mystery Inc. solve the mystery of these old movie monsters before there are too many for anyone to handle?

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #111 was one of the best issues of the series that I had read in a long time.  Shockingly, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #112 makes it consecutive top-flight issues of a Scooby-Doo comic book series that has been mostly flat for the past few years.

First, the opening story, “Attack of the 8-Foot Amphibian!,” features the artwork of one of the very best Scooby-Doo comic book artists, Scott Jeralds.  His beautiful “clear-line” drawing style retains the classic design of the Scooby-Doo characters and adds a quirky modern visual sensibility.  The story is written by one of the better Scooby-Doo comic book writers, Derek Fridolfs, who is also an artist and who draws issue #112's cover.

Fridolf's script offers sly commentary about people's obsessions with their smart phones and about how people use camera phones to record events rather than live in those events themselves.  It seems that the only ones concerned with “the Green Ghoulie” is analog-era Mystery Inc, who fit in perfectly with the story's setting, a drive-in movie theater.  This offers an obvious contrast to the rest of the moviegoers who are too jaded to care about “old school” or “retro” things.

Like the reprint story in issue #111, issue 112's back-up story is also a reprint from an earlier issue of Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? rather than from the previous series, Scooby-Doo (1997-2010).  “Creature Feature” (originally published in 2013) is not quite as entertaining as “Attack of the 8-Foot Amphibian!,” but it does offer “Nocturna, Mistress of Midnight,” an homage to the great, real-life horror-hostess, “Elvira, Mistress of the Dark.”  For me, that's enough to make “Creature Feature” a winner.

So, I highly recommend Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? #112 to Scooby-Doo fans.  And until next time, Scooby-Dooby-Doo!

A
8 out of 10

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


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The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.

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Tuesday, December 14, 2021

#IReadsYou Review: MAO: Volume 1

MAO, VOL. 1
VIZ MEDIA

MANGAKA: Rumiko Takahashi
TRANSLATION: Junko Goda
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Shaenon Garrity
LETTERS: Susan Daigle-Leach
EDITOR: Annette Roman
ISBN: 978-1-9747-2052-1; paperback (September 2021); Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”
192pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £7.99 UK

Mao is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi.  It has been serialized in the Japanese manga magazine, Weekly Shōnen Sunday, since May 2019.  In September 2021, VIZ Media began publishing an English-language edition of Mao as a series of paperback graphic novels under its “Shonen Sunday” imprint.

Mao, Vol. 1 (Chapters 1 to 8) introduces 15-year-old Nanoka Kiba, a third-year middle school student.  Eight years ago, she was in a mysterious car accident in which she and her parents died, but Nanoka continues to live on.  One day, while visiting the shopping alley on Fifth Street, Nanoka inadvertently enters a portal that transports her back to Japan's Taisho era, around the year 1923.

There, Nanoka meets a young-looking exorcist named Mao and his helper, Otoya, a shikigami that resembles a small boy.  When Nanoka gets back to the present, she discovers that she has some new, incredible abilities.  She returns to the past looking for answers, but only finds herself caught up in Mao’s investigation of a series of gruesome murders and of their mutual connection to a powerful cat demon named Byoki.

THE LOWDOWN:  The Mao manga is the latest multi-genre title from Rumiko
Takahashi.  As usual, this title pairs a young female touched by the supernatural with a youngish male whose trade is in the supernatural.

Moa Graphic Novel Volume 1 is the first Takahashi manga that I have read since I read Rin-ne Volume 32 twenty-one months ago.  I don't think that I had forgotten the pure joy I often feel while reading one of her titles, but I must have been in need of her work.  It has been a long time since I enjoyed reading a volume of manga this much.

The English-language adaptation by Shaenon Garrity is a delightful read, capturing the magic that infuses this volume and also the curious and inquisitive nature of Nanoka.  I couldn't stop reading Mao Vol. 1, and I like that the characters are only revealed enough to make us come back for more.  Susan Daigle-Leach's lettering looks like a perfect fit for Rumiko's work, particularly for Mao.

This is a perfect opening volume – the kind that makes me want more.  And I already have Vol. 2.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Readers who love Rumiko Takahashi’s manga will want the Shonen Sunday title, Mao.

A+
10 out of 10

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


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The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.

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Monday, December 13, 2021

BOOM! Studios from Diamond Distributors for December 15, 2021

BOOM! STUDIOS:

BRZRKR #6 (Of 12)(Cover A Lee Garbett), $3.99
BRZRKR #6 (Of 12)(Cover B Javier Fernandez), $3.99
BRZRKR #6 (Of 12)(Cover C Lee Garbett Foil Variant), $4.99
BRZRKR #6 (Of 12)(Cover D Javier Fernandez Foil Variant), $4.99
BRZRKR #6 (Of 12)(Cover E Lee Garbett Virgin Variant), AR
BRZRKR #6 (Of 12)(Cover F Tyler Kirkham), AR
BRZRKR #6 (Of 12)(Cover G Javier Fernandez Virgin Variant), AR
BRZRKR #6 (Of 12)(Cover H Tyler Kirkham Virgin Variant), AR
Firefly Holiday Special #1 (Cover A InHyuk Lee), $7.99
Firefly Holiday Special #1 (Cover B Caitlin Yarsky), $7.99
Firefly Holiday Special #1 (Cover C1 InHyuk Lee Foil Intermix Variant), $8.99
Firefly Holiday Special #1 (Cover C2 Caitlin Yarsky Foil Intermix Variant), $8.99
Firefly Holiday Special #1 (Cover D Inhyuk Lee Virgin Variant), AR
Firefly Holiday Special #1 (Cover E Daniel Warren Johnson Virgin Variant), AR
Firefly Holiday Special #1 (Cover F Caitlin Yarsky Virgin Variant), AR
Getting Dizzy #2 (Of 4)(Cover A Celia Moscote), $4.99
Getting Dizzy #2 (Of 4)(Cover B Cara McGee), $4.99
Getting Dizzy #2 (Of 4)(Cover C Jorge Corona), AR
Getting Dizzy #2 (Of 4)(Cover D Jorge Corona Virgin Variant), AR
Luna TP, $19.99
Regarding The Matter Of Oswald’s Body #2 (Of 5)(Cover A Luca Casalanguida), $3.99
Regarding The Matter Of Oswald’s Body #2 (Of 5)(Cover B Christian Ward Virgin Variant), AR

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Dark Horse Comics from Diamond Distributors for December 15, 2021

DARK HORSE COMICS:

Art Of Halo Infinite Deluxe Edition HC, $79.99
Art Of Halo Infinite HC, $39.99
Art Of The Android Universe HC, $39.99
Cloaked #1 (Of 4)(Cover A Jordi Armengol)(formerly titled The Icon), $3.99
Cloaked #1 (Of 4)(Cover B Jordi Armengol)(formerly titled The Icon), $3.99
Far Cry Rite Of Passage HC, $19.99
Mazebook #4 (Of 5)(Cover A Jeff Lemire), $5.99
Mazebook #4 (Of 5)(Cover B Dean Ormston), $5.99
No One Left To Fight II #3 (Of 5)(Cover A Fico Ossio), $3.99
No One Left To Fight II #3 (Of 5)(Cover B Fico Ossio), $3.99

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Dynamite Entertainment from Diamond Distributors for December 15, 2021

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT:

KISS Phantom Obsession #4 (Cover A Jae Lee), $3.99
KISS Phantom Obsession #4 (Cover B Stuart Sayger), $3.99
KISS Phantom Obsession #4 (Cover C Tim Seeley), $3.99
KISS Phantom Obsession #4 (Cover D Celor), $3.99
KISS Phantom Obsession #4 (Cover E Photo), $3.99
KISS Phantom Obsession #4 (Cover F Jae Lee Black & White Line Art Variant), AR
KISS Phantom Obsession #4 (Cover G Stuart Sayger Black & White Line Art Variant), AR
KISS Phantom Obsession #4 (Cover H Tim Seeley Black & White Line Art Virgin Variant), AR
KISS Phantom Obsession #4 (Cover I Jae Lee Black & White Line Art Virgin Variant), AR
KISS Phantom Obsession #4 (Cover L Photo Virgin Variant), AR
KISS Phantom Obsession #4 (Cover M Tim Seeley Virgin Variant), AR
KISS Phantom Obsession #4 (Cover N Celor Virgin Variant), AR
Purgatori Volume 2 #3 (Cover A Antonio Fuso), $3.99
Purgatori Volume 2 #3 (Cover B Carlo Pagulayan), $3.99
Purgatori Volume 2 #3 (Cover C Russell Fox), $3.99
Purgatori Volume 2 #3 (Cover D Nerdy Nereid Cosplay Variant), $3.99
Purgatori Volume 2 #3 (Cover E Carlo Pagulayan Black & White Variant), AR
Purgatori Volume 2 #3 (Cover F Russell Fox Black & White Variant), AR
Purgatori Volume 2 #3 (Cover G Russell Fox Virgin Variant), AR
Purgatori Volume 2 #3 (Cover H Carlo Pagulayan Virgin Variant), AR
Purgatori Volume 2 #3 (Cover J Jamie Biggs Todd McFarlane’s Amazing Spider-Man #300 Homage Variant), AR
Purgatori Volume 2 #3 (Cover K Daniel Maine), AR
Purgatori Volume 2 #3 (Cover L Alvaro Sarraseca), AR
Purgatori Volume 2 #3 (Cover M Nerdy Nereid Cosplay Virgin Variant), AR
Purgatori Volume 2 #3 (Cover N Jamie Biggs Todd McFarlane’s Amazing Spider-Man #300 Homage Black & White Variant), AR
Purgatori Volume 2 #3 (Cover O Alvaro Sarraseca Virgin Variant), AR
Purgatori Volume 2 #3 (Cover P Daniel Maine Virgin Variant), AR
Red Sonja Black White Red #5 (Cover A Lucio Parrillo), $4.99
Red Sonja Black White Red #5 (Cover B Joshua Sway Swaby), $4.99
Red Sonja Black White Red #5 (Cover C Jae Lee), $4.99
Red Sonja Black White Red #5 (Cover D Rachel Hollon Cosplay Variant), $4.99
Red Sonja Black White Red #5 (Cover E Lucio Parrillo Tinted Line Art Variant), AR
Red Sonja Black White Red #5 (Cover F Sway Black & White Line Art Variant), AR
Red Sonja Black White Red #5 (Cover G Rachel Hollon Cosplay Virgin Variant), AR
Red Sonja Black White Red #5 (Cover H Lucio Parrillo Black & White Variant), AR
Red Sonja Black White Red #5 (Cover K Rachel Hollon Cosplay Black & White Virgin Variant), AR
Red Sonja Black White Red #5 (Cover L Joshua Sway Swaby Virgin Variant), AR
Red Sonja Black White Red #5 (Cover M Lucio Parrillo Black & White Virgin Variant), AR
Sheena Queen Of The Jungle #2 (Cover A Lucio Parrillo), $3.99
Sheena Queen Of The Jungle #2 (Cover B Rose Besch), $3.99
Sheena Queen Of The Jungle #2 (Cover C Arthur Suydam), $3.99
Sheena Queen Of The Jungle #2 (Cover D Joseph Michael Linsner), $3.99
Sheena Queen Of The Jungle #2 (Cover E Rachel Hollon Cosplay Variant), $3.99
Sheena Queen Of The Jungle #2 (Cover F Lesley Leirix Li), AR
Sheena Queen Of The Jungle #2 (Cover G Rose Besch Black & White Variant), AR
Sheena Queen Of The Jungle #2 (Cover H Lucio Parrillo Black & White Variant), AR
Sheena Queen Of The Jungle #2 (Cover I Arthur Suydam Black & White Variant), AR
Sheena Queen Of The Jungle #2 (Cover N Jamie Biggs Todd McFarlane’s Amazing Spider-Man #300 Homage Variant), AR
Sheena Queen Of The Jungle #2 (Cover O Rachel Hollon Cosplay Virgin Variant), AR
Sheena Queen Of The Jungle #2 (Cover P Jamie Biggs Todd McFarlane’s Amazing Spider-Man #300 Homage Black & White Variant), AR
Sheena Queen Of The Jungle #2 (Cover Q Lesley Leirix Li Virgin Variant), AR
Vampirella Dracula Unholy #1 (Cover A Lucio Parrillo), $3.99
Vampirella Dracula Unholy #1 (Cover B Rose Besch), $3.99
Vampirella Dracula Unholy #1 (Cover C Shannon Maer), $3.99
Vampirella Dracula Unholy #1 (Cover D KyuYong Eom), $3.99
Vampirella Dracula Unholy #1 (Cover E Adam Hughes), $3.99
Vampirella Dracula Unholy #1 (Cover F Ani-Mia Cosplay Variant), $3.99
Vampirella Dracula Unholy #1 (Cover G Blank Authentix Variant), $3.99
Vampirella Dracula Unholy #1 (Cover H Greg Hildebrandt), AR
Vampirella Dracula Unholy #1 (Cover I Lucio Parrillo Tinted Variant), AR
Vampirella Dracula Unholy #1 (Cover J KyuYong Eom Black & White Variant), AR
Vampirella Dracula Unholy #1 (Cover K Rose Besch Black & White Variant), AR
Vampirella Dracula Unholy #1 (Cover L KyuYong Eom Virgin Variant), AR
Vampirella Dracula Unholy #1 (Cover M Rose Besch Virgin Variant), AR
Vampirella Dracula Unholy #1 (Cover N Lucio Parrillo Tinted Virgin Variant), AR
Vampirella Dracula Unholy #1 (Cover T Jamie Biggs Todd McFarlane’s Amazing Spider-Man #300 Homage Variant), AR
Vampirella Dracula Unholy #1 (Cover U Ani-Mia Cosplay Virgin Variant), AR
Vampirella Dracula Unholy #1 (Cover V Jamie Biggs Todd McFarlane’s Amazing Spider-Man #300 Homage Black & White Variant), AR
Vampirella Dracula Unholy #1 (Cover W Stanley Artgerm Lau Sneak Peek Variant), AR
Vampirella Dracula Unholy #1 (Cover X Peach Momoko Modern Icon Variant), AR
Vampirella Dracula Unholy #1 (Cover Y Shannon Maer Black & White Variant), AR
Vampirella Dracula Unholy #1 (Cover Z Peach Momoko Modern Icon Virgin Variant), AR
Vampirella Dracula Unholy #1 (Cover ZA Adam Hughes Black & White Variant), AR
Vampirella Dracula Unholy #1 (Cover ZB Greg Hildebrandt Virgin Variant), AR

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IDW Publishing from Diamond Distributors for December 15, 2021

IDW PUBLISHING:

Dungeons And Dragons Mindbreaker #3 (Of 5)(Cover A Max Dunbar), $3.99
Dungeons And Dragons Mindbreaker #3 (Of 5)(Cover B Max Davenport), $3.99
Dungeons And Dragons Mindbreaker #3 (Of 5)(Cover C Celia Lowenthal), AR
Star Wars Attack Of The Clones Adaptation GN, $9.99
Star Wars The High Republic Adventures Annual 2021 #1 (Cover A Stefano Simone), $7.99
Star Wars The High Republic Adventures Annual 2021 #1 (Cover B Jason Loo), $7.99
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #124 (Cover A Ken Garing), $3.99
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #124 (Cover B Kevin Eastman), $3.99
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #124 (Cover C Ethan Young), AR
Transformers #38 (Cover A Alex Milne), $3.99
Transformers #38 (Cover B Chris Panda), $3.99
Transformers #38 (Cover C Livio Ramondelli), AR

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Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for December 15, 2021

IMAGE COMICS:

Adventureman #7 (Cover A Terry Dodson & Rachel Dodson), $3.99
Jupiter’s Legacy Requiem #6 (Of 12)(Cover A Tommy Lee Edwards), $5.99
Jupiter’s Legacy Requiem #6 (Of 12)(Cover B Jeff Dekal), $5.99
Jupiter’s Legacy Requiem #6 (Of 12)(Cover C Jeff Dekal Black & White Variant, $5.99
Jupiter’s Legacy Requiem #6 (Of 12)(Cover D Netflix Photo Variant), $5.99
King Spawn #5 (Cover A Bjorn Barends), $2.99
King Spawn #5 (Cover B Javi Fernandez), $2.99
Leone Notes On A Life TP, $16.99
Newburn #2 (Cover A Jacob Phillips), $3.99
Old Guard Tales Through Time TP, $16.99
Primordial #4 (Of 6)(Cover A Andrea Sorrentino), $3.99
Primordial #4 (Of 6)(Cover B Mike Allred), $3.99
Primordial #4 (Of 6)(Cover C Yuko Shimizu), $3.99
Primordial #4 (Of 6)(Cover D Andrea Sorrentino Virgin Variant), AR
Primordial #4 (Of 6)(Cover E Yuko Shimizu Virgin Variant), AR
Saga Trade Paperback Box Set, $125.00
Spawn Compendium Volume 2 TP, $59.99
Syphon TP, $16.99
Walking Dead Deluxe #29 (Cover A David Finch & Dave McCaig), $3.99
Walking Dead Deluxe #29 (Cover B Charlie Adlard & Dave McCaig), $3.99
Walking Dead Deluxe #29 (Cover C Andrei Bressan & Adriano Lucas), $3.99
Walking Dead Deluxe #29 (Cover D Julian Totino Tedesco), $3.99

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