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Monday, December 26, 2022
Marvel Comics from Diamond Distributors for December 28, 2022
Comics, Magazines and Books from Diamond Distributors for December 28, 2022
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DC Comics from Lunar Distributors for December 27, 2022
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Friday, December 23, 2022
#IReadsYou Review: KILLADELPHIA #20
KILLADELPHIA #20
IMAGE COMICS
STORY: Rodney Barnes
ART: Jason Shawn Alexander with Germán Erramouspe, Sherard Jackson, Nicole Palmquist
COLORS: Luis Nct
LETTERS: Marshall Dillon
EDITOR: Greg Tumbarello
COVER: Jason Shawn Alexander
VARIANT COVER ARTIST: Erik Larsen
28pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S. (March 2022)
Rated “M/ Mature”
Killadelphia and Elysium Gardens created by Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander
“The End of All” Part II: “The Decision”
Killadelphia is an apocalyptic vampire and dark fantasy comic book series from writer Rodney Barnes and artist Jason Shawn Alexander and is published by Image Comics. At the center of this series is a police officer caught in a lurid conspiracy in which vampires attempt to rule Philadelphia, “the City of Brotherly Love.” Colorist Luis Nct 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., thought to be dead. He is actually a vampire. Now father and son lead a ragtag team comprised of a medical examiner, a dead president, and a rebellious, but special young vampire (Tevin Thompkins a.k.a. “See Saw”) in a bid to save Philly from an ambitious and murderous former First Lady, Abigail Adams.
As Killadelphia #20 (“The Decision”) opens, the rebellious and very special young vampire, Tevin Thompkins a.k.a. “See Saw,” finds himself at a crossroads … of sorts. George Washington – yes, that one – wants to have a meeting of the minds with him. That means the “Father of Our Nation” has a (back) story to tell. Hope it does not put See Saw to sleep, but he better listen. This undead president has some illuminating allies.
Abigail Adams and her lot plot against her husband, former President John Adams, and his forces, which are now aligned with the Sangsters and their allies. Where will the former First Lady go to find an equalizer?
And are Zubiya and her werewolf pack and Tituba, the witch of Stregheria, really allies? And if so, how far are they willing to go?
THE LOWDOWN: Killadelphia's fourth story arc, “The End of All,” has just begun, and it is outta sight! already. It is being described as a turning point in the series, and Killadelphia #20 is indeed filled with a lot of big things and big reveals.
While Rodney Barnes was writing beautiful comic books like Killadelphia and Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog, he was also co-writing (and acting in) an entire damn event television series for HBO (“Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty”). One could never tell, though. Killadelphia feels like the work of someone exercising his insane imagine over the hot stove of this narrative, with a simmering pot on each burner – and focusing on nothing else.
As he has for a couple of years now, artist and co-creator, Jason Shawn Alexander, turns Barnes' brilliant script into the most intense and invigorating dark horror comic book art and graphical storytelling that I have experienced in a long time. The crazy thing about Alexander's amazing work is that, at least to me, every issue looks different, and, even more so, seems different. It is as if Killadelphia takes place in a thousand dreaming cities, and Alexander will show us every version of this dream – even if his drawing hand falls off. He even takes time to give us a George Washington that looks like “New Romantics”/pop era David Bowie. How about that for an immortal makeover?
So take a trip to Killadelphia. The good stuff … and other things are waiting for you.
I READS YOU RECOMMENDS: Fans of vampire comic books and of exceptional dark fantasy will want Killadelphia.
A+
Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"
https://twitter.com/TheRodneyBarnes
https://twitter.com/jasonshawnalex
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http://rodneybarnes.com/
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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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Wednesday, December 21, 2022
#IReadsYou Review: DARK BLOOD #5
DARK BLOOD #5 (OF 6)
BOOM! STUDIOS
STORY: LaToya Morgan
ART: Moisés Hidalgo
COLORS: A.H.G. with Allison Hu
LETTERS: Andworld Design
EDITOR: Dafna Pleban
COVER: Valentine De Landro
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Juni Ba; Valentine De Landro; Ernanda Souza
24pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S. (December 2021)
Dark Blood created by LaToya Morgan
Dark Blood is a new six-issue comic book miniseries created and written by screenwriter LaToya Morgan (AMC’s “The Walking Dead,” “Into The Badlands”). Published by BOOM! Studios, the series is drawn by Moisés Hidalgo and Walt Barna; colored by A.H.G.; and lettered by Andworld Design. The series focuses on a Black World War II veteran who discovers that he has strange powers.
Alabama, 1955. After leaving his job at the diner, “Hardy's Eats,” Avery Aldridge, also known as “Double A,” has a fateful encounter with a racist. Double A is a highly decorated World War II soldier, a former fighter pilot, a member of the soon-to-be-legendary “Red Tails.” He is expected to act like a boy … when he is actually a very powerful man. But this is “The Night of the Variance,” and everything is going to start to change – even the things some don't want changed.
Dark Blood #5 opens in 1955 – the Night of the Variance. But this night feels the weight of a time a decade earlier when World War II servicemen, Avery and Henderson, two pilots of the Red Tails, face injustice masquerading as justice in Austria. Oh, how it resembles the same process of injustice in the United States. What happened that night may have laid the groundwork for Avery's situation now.
What Avery discovered about himself six weeks before the Night of Variance seemed like a good thing, but this night, there is horror and there must be a reckoning. As Avery's condition continues to manifest and become more intense, is his search for answers merely going to lead him to something far worse?
THE LOWDOWN: In Dark Blood, television writer-producer LaToya Morgan (AMC's “TURN: Washington's Spies”) offers a comic book that flows through multiple genres, including science fiction and fantasy, horror, and history. It has layers and subtexts. There is metaphor and symbolism and history made reality. Morgan presents her readers with a beautiful and complex work.
On the other hand, I see the art of Moisés Hidalgo, who has been the regular artist on this series since the third issue. I read his signs and graphics and symbolism, and I realize that Dark Blood #5 is just so much fun to read. I feel like a kid again discovering something every time I read a new comic book or new issue of a favorite series. Even if I were too ignorant to figure out the layers behind this story, Hidalgo turns this tale into a wild adventure of mad scientists, Nazis, and rotten cops. It is pure escapism, and ain't nothing wrong with that. Hell, Dark Blood #5 is the magic and the mystery of the Golden Age of Comics before busybodies ruined this outsider art form with the “Comics Code Authority (CCA) in 1954.
A.H.G.'s beautiful colors on Hidalgo's art makes this vintage mode (so to speak) feel so real. I hope the upcoming final issue of Dark Blood also has a touch of escapist entertainment in it. I also hope that it isn't the end...
I READS YOU RECOMMENDS: Fans of modern science fiction and dark fantasy comic books will want to drink Dark Blood.
A+
Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"
Dark Blood trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzzXIYr_FrA&feature=youtu.be
Dark Blood first loook: https://www.boom-studios.com/wordpress/archives/dark-blood-1-first-look/
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The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.
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Tuesday, December 20, 2022
#IReadsYou Review: RED SONJA Black White Red #2
RED SONJA BLACK WHITE RED #2
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT
STORY: Jonboy Meyers; Jeff Parker; David F. Walker
ART: Jonboy Meyers; Natalie Nourigat; Will Robson
COLORS: Jonboy Meyers; Natalie Nourigat; Will Robson
LETTERS: Pat Brosseau; Natalie Nourigat; Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
EDITOR: Nate Cosby
COVER: Lucio Parrillo
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Jonboy Meyers; David Nakayama; Tabitha Lyons (cosplay)
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (August 2021)
Rated Teen+
Based on the characters and stories created by Roy Thomas, Barry Windsor-Smith, and Robert E. Howard
Conan the Barbarian #23 (cover dated: February 1973) saw the debut of a high fantasy, sword and sorcery heroine, Red Sonja. 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 Robert E. Howard (1906-1936), the creator of the character, Conan the Cimmerian.
Red Sonja remained a fixture in comic books from then until about 1986. In 2005, Dynamite Entertainment began publishing comic books featuring differing versions of the character. One of those is Red Sonja Black White and Red, an anthology comic book featuring stories from well known comic book writers and artists, with the art presented in black, white, and red.
Red Sonja Black White and Red #2 is comprised of three stories. The first is “Proelium Finalis” by Jonboy Meyers and Patrick Brosseau. Next is “Edible” by Jeff Parker and Natalie Nourigat. The final story is “Listen Close” by David F. Walker, Will Robson, and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou. I'll review each story separately.
THE LOWDOWN: Dynamite Entertainment's marketing department recently began providing me with PDF review copies of some of their titles. One of them is Red Sonja Black White and Red #2, which is the first issue of the title that I have read. I have seen listings for it, but did not pay attention.
“Proelium Finalis” by Jonboy Meyers and Patrick Brosseau:
The plot involves “The Lemurians” who return from the bowels of the Earth in a bid to end both the Hyborian Age and the world of man. They are led by the wizard, Kael Al-Ammon, but the humans are led by Red Sonja.
Meyers makes sure that Red Sonja's hair is red, but otherwise, he uses the color to splash across the pages of his sharp artwork in order to signify violence and gore. “Proelium Finalis” is a beautifully drawn comic book short story, but I'd like to see the team of Meyers and Brosseau smash us in the face with a miniseries version of this.
“Edible” by Jeff Parker and Natalie Nourigat:
The story introduces a tribe of humans that have settled in a valley with which they were not familiar. Near the valley is a bog, and members of the tribe have gone into the bog and never returned. The latest missing tribesman is a girl named Tanira or “Tan,” for short. Once in the bog, Red Sonja discovers that a strange, seemingly unbeatable organism rules the area.
“Edible” is a clever story, and it is probably the closest that anyone will come to an all-ages Red Sonja story that is actually a Red Sonja story. The pretty art is drawn by Natalie Nourigat in a clean style that readers will generally find in children's comics.
“Listen Close” by David F. Walker, Will Robson, and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou:
“Listen Close” is a bedtime story about Red Sonja. An African-American father tells the story to his red-haired daughter, who wants to be “just like Red Sonja.” The “She-Devil with a Sword” has been summoned by King Assuman, who promises her great riches if she can rescue his bride-to-be, Ophelia, from a “vile creature.” But there is more to this rescue mission than Red Sonja has been told...
“Listen Close” is this issue's second clever tale, and it is also blessed by Will Robson's ornate art with its detailed composition. David F. Walker, who is currently known for his comic book, Bitter Root (Image Comics), offers a nice middle-grade appropriate Red Sonja tale.
It's hard to pick a favorite story of the three offered in Red Sonja Black White and Red #2. Each story has at least one thing about it that I really like, so I'll just recommend the entire issue.
I READS YOU RECOMMENDS: Fans of Red Sonja will want to try Red Sonja Black White and Red.
A-
Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"
https://twitter.com/DynamiteComics
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The text is copyright © 2021 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).
Monday, December 19, 2022
BOOM! Studios from Diamond Distributors for December 21, 2022
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