(Thanks to Bram Meehan, an actual wizard, who somehow used his magical powers to make these two images into one animated, like image, so now I can sit and stare at the Dynamic Duo slapping one another for hours at a time.)
Friday, August 22, 2014
Thursday, August 21, 2014
Marvel's November previews reviewed
So I guess Rocket Raccoon and Groot proved to be rather popular characters in that Guardians of the Galaxy movie, huh? Because it appears that, come November, they will be on variant covers on just about every Marvel title.
It's not unusual for Marvel to do variants featuring their latest movie stars of course, but with the previous team movie, they did Avengers covers, rather than just, I don't know, Hulk and Black Widow covers. Most of these are by the artist TBA, who is either an artist who goes only by his or her initials, or else that means "To Be Announced," and Marvel's not done commissioning variants yet. I counted 19 mentions of a "Rocket Raccoon and Groot Variant," but only three by artists who aren't "TBA"—Ryan Stegman, Juan Doe and James Stokoe. All three of those guys are good artists, with the latter two being among my favorite working artists.
The penultimate month of the year will see Marvel's next big crossover/event story, "Axis," going strong across a whole bunch of titles, and it looks like it will be a lot less confusing than Original Sin, which seems to have miniseries embedded between issues of it, with decimal points differentiating them from the main series, if I understand what the heck Marvel is doing with that.
Marvel will also have the seemingly bigger and definitely harder to make sense of "Spider-Verse" storyline going in a whole bunch of books, and while I didn't count, I think there may actually be more Wolverine titles now that the character is "dead" then there were when he was still "alive."
For the publisher's full publishing plans for November of this year, you may click here. For my jibba-jabba on the same, stay where you are.
ALL-NEW CAPTAIN AMERICA #1
RICK REMENDER(W) • STUART IMMONEN (A/C)
...
ROCKET RACCOON & GROOT VARIANT BY TBA
...
• This is it! The all-new, Spy-Fi, highflying adventures of Sam Wilson Captain America and Nomad begin here!
• Hydra is growing, the terrorist band have has infiltrated the Marvel Universe completely! But what is their ultimate goal?
• United by Hydra, Cap’s rogue’s gallery gathers to take down the new untested Captain America and Nomad!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
Hey, stupid question: How does Wilson fly with the shield? Doesn't it throw his balance off, or does it not really matter because it's not like he flaps his wings to propel himself in the way a bird would...?
I'm pretty interested in this series—you got me with your stunt, Marvel!—and I like the writer and artists just fine, but I feel pretty lost on the goings-on of Captain America these days (I think the last Cap comic I read was his short-lived team-up title, which launched as Captain America and Bucky and then changed its title ever story arc?), and, as always, they're asking too damn much for each issue.
So I guess I'll borrow a copy of the hardcover collection of All-New Captain America Vol. 1 in eight months or so; I just hope Remender is writing the first issue as a first issue, and not depending on readers having been reading his Captain America run...
So I read the first issue, liked it, and decided to wait for the trade, because I am cheap and four dollars for 20-22 pages is too rich for my blood. But I've gotta ask: Has Ghost Rider ghost rider-ized the little brother's wheelchair yet...?
Surely someone has down a Ghost Rider-in-a-wheelchair-with-flaming-wheels gag somewhere...
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #9
DAN SLOTT (W) • OLIVIER COIPEL (A/C)
...
ROCKET RACCOON & GROOT VARIANT BY RYAN STEGMAN
SPIDER-VERSE BEGINS HERE!
• Superstar artist OLIVIER COIPEL (THOR, SIEGE, HOUSE OF M) joins DAN SLOTT to bring you the biggest spider-event ever!
• When a force of evil threatens spider-characters throughout the multiverse, EVERY SPIDER-MAN EVER is needed to save the day!
40 PGS./Rated T …$4.99
"Spider-Verse" begins here, in Amazing Spider-Man #9...? You're sure? It doesn't begin in the book entitled Spider-Verse #1...? Because that's the first place I'd look.
I have a friend who's been asking me about this series, as she's intrigued by the Gwen Stacy version of the character with the white hoodie costume, and man, I can't make heads or tails out of this series. It's apparently taking place in Amazing, and all those Edge of... books I've seen solicited in previous rounds of solicitations were just prequels, but there are also tie-ins and anthologies with confusing titles and suchlike too...?
Here's one of the covers for Amazing Spider-Man #10; the Del'Otto variant cover to be specific. I'm not sure if all of these characters are pre-existing ones, or if some of those pictured here are brand-new characters.
For example, who is the Spider-Woman who appears to be wearing Spider-Man's mask and gloves, just with a bustier instead of his usual longjohns? Is she a pre-existent character? What's her deal, if so?
AVENGERS & X-MEN: AXIS #4 (OF 9)
RICK REMENDER (W) • LEINIL FRANCIS YU (A)
Cover by JIM CHEUNG
...
ACT II: INVERSION
• The fate of the Red Skull decided.
• A founding Avenger quits.
• The birth of KLUH, the strongest one there is.
• Doom tears down Latveria.
• The X-Men join their greatest foe.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
I'm actually kind of shocked that there wasn't a character named "Kluh" created sometime in the late 1960s or so.
Hopefully that's not Kluh in the lower half of that cover hough, because he looks pretty lame.
AVENGERS WORLD #15
NICK SPENCER (W)
MARCO CHECCHETTO (A)
Cover by KALMAN ANDRASOFSZKY
ROCKET RACCOON & GROOT VARIANT BY TBA
AXIS TIE-IN!
• Part 1 of “The Availables”!
• It’s a whole new team of Avengers, charged with an impossible mission...
• And recruited by Doctor Doom?!?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
This looks sorta interesting. I haven't read any Avengers World, so I'm not sure what the usual premise is, or if Nick Spencer always writes it, but I like the name of this story arc in relation to the cover, which has several K-list characters I really rather like, like 3-D Man and Stingray.
So many of the Axis related covers seem to have some sorta split-screen cover image thing going on. And some of them are pretty cool. I like this one for Axis: Revolutions #2, for example, mainly because of the way the bar is utilized. Not sure who it is by, but I think its Kalman Andrasofszky.
ROCKET RACCOON #5
SKOTTIE YOUNG (W/A/C)
ROCKET RACCOON & GROOT VARIANT BY TBA
• As seen in the blockbuster Marvel Studios film, Guardians of the Galaxy, Rocket and Groot are back!
• It’s the breakout hit series of the summer! As their space adventures continue, find out why Rocket Raccoon and Groot are quickly becoming the hottest characters in the Marvel Universe.
• How does the most dangerously daring critter of the cosmos get the bad guys? With his two best friends: Guns and Groot!
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99
Is it weird that they're promoting an issue of the comic book starring Rocket Raccoon and Groot with a Rocket Raccoon and Groot variant cover...? Isn't that just a variant cover...?
Here's the cover for Spider-Verse #1, which is apparently not where "Spider-Verse" begins; it's just a random anthology of stories somehow related (Not to be confused with the other anthology of stories somehow related, Spider-Verse Team-Up, which is itself not to be confused with the "Spider-Verse" miniseries in which various characters team-up, Scarlet Spiders).
Note the Spidey on the left side of the page, right above Manga Spider-Man's arm, holding up a package of...are those Yo Yos? Or So Sos...?
Is that meant to be the Spider-Man from the old Hostess ads? If so, I wonder why Marvel didn't just approach Hostess, or whichever corporate entity now owns Hostess? The publisher has, in the past, jammed product placement and/or advertising for Harley Davidson, the U.S. military and Old Spice into their comics; Hostess product placement would actually make sense and be completely natural in this context.
This Milo Manara variant cover for Spider-Woman #1 has drawn some criticism. I know this because the Marvel solicitation post at Comic Book Resources has a link to an article entitled "Milo Manara 'Spider-Woman' #1 Variant Cover Draws Criticism."
I read the article, but didn't click on any of the links, as the source of the criticism seems pretty apparent at a glance. It would appear that the image is drawing criticism for it being a sexualized image of a female superhero character or, in other words, for being a Milo Manara cover.
I don't see a real problem with the cover, as it features Spider-Woman crawling around on all fours, with her butt in the air. That's basically what the Spider-People do, and I've seen plenty of pictures of Spider-Man crawling around on all fours with his butt in the air, and featuring extremely weird anatomy (her neck looks wrong to me in that image, but Spider-Man's anatomy often looks wrong to me when he's jumping around too).
Are her butt cheeks further apart then Spider-Man's butt cheeks are when he's in that pose? Maybe. But I don't want to wade into a discussion regarding how far apart a Spider-Person's butt cheeks should be on covers in which their butts are held up in the air.
I will say the regular covers, and the interiors, are by Greg motherfucking Land, so, whatever one's objections may be to this cover, Manara at least seems to have drawn and/or painted it (even the background!), or at least faked doing so in a much more convincing way then the Land covers.
I'd rather see a decently executed sexualized image of a Marvel superhero then a terribly executed one, and I generally find Land's giving every single female character the same face, set of expressions and body in his actual comics storytelling infinitely more offensive than Milo Manara being Milo Manara on a variant cover.
STORM #5
GREG PAK (w) • VICTOR IBANEZ (a)
Cover by STEPHANIE HANS
DEATH OF WOLVERINE Aftermath!
• Storm is grieving the loss of her friend, teammate and lover, Wolverine. His death has left loose ends and a pair of shoes that’s hard to fill.
• But with the help of her longtime friend and ally, Yukio, Storm may just find solace in taking care of Wolverine’s unfinished business…and filling his shoes all too well!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
Storm's little lightning bolt tribute claws on this cover made me laugh.
THE SUPERIOR FOES OF SPIDER-MAN #17
NICK SPENCER (W) • STEVE LIEBER (A/C)
• This is it! The end! The finale! The big wrapuperoo!!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!
Well, okay. That saves me $4 a month, and, unfortunately, halves the number of Marvel comics I buy off the racks each month (Don't you go anywhere, She-Hulk).
I'm glad that Spencer and Lieber got to produce this comic at all, and for as long as they did. A short but great run of any comic is always welcome. It's too bad about those weird fill-in issues, as they sort of ruin the book's otherwise great run, and will read really poorly in the inevitable collections.
And, this being Marvel, there's always the chance Superior Foes will get a relaunch. Or, perhaps, return in a miniseries somewhere down the line, probably with a different title. All-New Superior Foes of Spider-Man, perhaps.
SUPERIOR IRON MAN #1
TOM TAYLOR (W) • YILDIRAY ÇINAR (A)
...
ROCKET RACCOON & GROOT VARIANT BY TBA
...
Be Superior! How much would you pay for perfection? Beauty? Immortality? Tony Stark knows, and he’s ready to give it to you in SUPERIOR IRON MAN #1! But at a terrible price. Spinning out of Avengers & X-Men: AXIS, the old Tony Stark is back, only this time he’s SUPERIOR! More stylish, more confident, and more cunning than ever before. And he’s ready to lead you into the future! San Francisco is about to become the prototype for his new world concept. The first step? Release Extremis upon the entire city! Only Daredevil isn’t down with Stark’s new vision of the future. Does the Man Without Fear have a place in the city of tomorrow? A bold new direction for the Armored Avenger begins this November from the all-new creative team of Tom Taylor (Injustice: Gods Among Us, Earth 2) and Yildray Cinar (Supergirl)!
BE SUPERIOR!
NEW CREATIVE TEAM TOM (INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US/EARTH 2) Taylor AND YILDIRAY (SUPERGIRL) ÇINAR START AN ALL-NEW SERIES SPINNING OUT OF AXIS!
• How much would you pay for perfection, beauty…immortality? TONY STARK is going to find out.
• The AXIS EFFECT has changed IRON MAN
• Now HE’S going to change the WORLD…at a terrible cost.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
Wait, now the mind of Doctor Octopus is in Tony Stark's body? That's cool. Maybe Marvel will just have Doc Ock's mind migrate from superhero body to superhero body from now on.
I never figured out why Iron Man switched from red and gold to black and gold, and he's already switched to a new color scheme! I don't mind the silver, although Norrin Rad might, but what's with that Gambit-like head-band thingee...? That, Stark, is an inferior costuming choice.
Same goes for having a headlight installed in your chin.
WOLVERINE & THE X-MEN #12
JASON LATOUR (W) • JORGE JIMENEZ (A)
Cover by MAHMUD ASRAR
AXIS TIE-IN!
• In the wake of THE DEATH OF WOLVERINE and the undertow of AXIS, QUENTIN QUIRE returns to the Jean Grey School. But who is this mild mannered, thoughtful young man in the pink sweater? And what does he REALLY want? And why is STORM so angry? • The course of the future of the Jean Grey School is altered forever, starting here!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
You know, if Wolverine is "dead," this might be a good time to actually relaunch the series. They've relaunched for less before, as when the writers changed from Jason Aaron to Jason Loutor. Maybe they should relaunch it as Storm and The X-Men...? For a few months anyway? Then BAM! they can re-re-relaunch it, and have a third Wolverine & The X-Men #1 when Wolvie comies back to life. I mean, if he ever does come back to life. Because he is definitely dead. And what are the chances he'd come back to life? I mean, dead means dead, right?
It's not unusual for Marvel to do variants featuring their latest movie stars of course, but with the previous team movie, they did Avengers covers, rather than just, I don't know, Hulk and Black Widow covers. Most of these are by the artist TBA, who is either an artist who goes only by his or her initials, or else that means "To Be Announced," and Marvel's not done commissioning variants yet. I counted 19 mentions of a "Rocket Raccoon and Groot Variant," but only three by artists who aren't "TBA"—Ryan Stegman, Juan Doe and James Stokoe. All three of those guys are good artists, with the latter two being among my favorite working artists.
The penultimate month of the year will see Marvel's next big crossover/event story, "Axis," going strong across a whole bunch of titles, and it looks like it will be a lot less confusing than Original Sin, which seems to have miniseries embedded between issues of it, with decimal points differentiating them from the main series, if I understand what the heck Marvel is doing with that.
Marvel will also have the seemingly bigger and definitely harder to make sense of "Spider-Verse" storyline going in a whole bunch of books, and while I didn't count, I think there may actually be more Wolverine titles now that the character is "dead" then there were when he was still "alive."
For the publisher's full publishing plans for November of this year, you may click here. For my jibba-jabba on the same, stay where you are.
RICK REMENDER(W) • STUART IMMONEN (A/C)
...
ROCKET RACCOON & GROOT VARIANT BY TBA
...
• This is it! The all-new, Spy-Fi, highflying adventures of Sam Wilson Captain America and Nomad begin here!
• Hydra is growing, the terrorist band have has infiltrated the Marvel Universe completely! But what is their ultimate goal?
• United by Hydra, Cap’s rogue’s gallery gathers to take down the new untested Captain America and Nomad!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
Hey, stupid question: How does Wilson fly with the shield? Doesn't it throw his balance off, or does it not really matter because it's not like he flaps his wings to propel himself in the way a bird would...?
I'm pretty interested in this series—you got me with your stunt, Marvel!—and I like the writer and artists just fine, but I feel pretty lost on the goings-on of Captain America these days (I think the last Cap comic I read was his short-lived team-up title, which launched as Captain America and Bucky and then changed its title ever story arc?), and, as always, they're asking too damn much for each issue.
So I guess I'll borrow a copy of the hardcover collection of All-New Captain America Vol. 1 in eight months or so; I just hope Remender is writing the first issue as a first issue, and not depending on readers having been reading his Captain America run...
Surely someone has down a Ghost Rider-in-a-wheelchair-with-flaming-wheels gag somewhere...
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #9
DAN SLOTT (W) • OLIVIER COIPEL (A/C)
...
ROCKET RACCOON & GROOT VARIANT BY RYAN STEGMAN
SPIDER-VERSE BEGINS HERE!
• Superstar artist OLIVIER COIPEL (THOR, SIEGE, HOUSE OF M) joins DAN SLOTT to bring you the biggest spider-event ever!
• When a force of evil threatens spider-characters throughout the multiverse, EVERY SPIDER-MAN EVER is needed to save the day!
40 PGS./Rated T …$4.99
"Spider-Verse" begins here, in Amazing Spider-Man #9...? You're sure? It doesn't begin in the book entitled Spider-Verse #1...? Because that's the first place I'd look.
I have a friend who's been asking me about this series, as she's intrigued by the Gwen Stacy version of the character with the white hoodie costume, and man, I can't make heads or tails out of this series. It's apparently taking place in Amazing, and all those Edge of... books I've seen solicited in previous rounds of solicitations were just prequels, but there are also tie-ins and anthologies with confusing titles and suchlike too...?
For example, who is the Spider-Woman who appears to be wearing Spider-Man's mask and gloves, just with a bustier instead of his usual longjohns? Is she a pre-existent character? What's her deal, if so?
RICK REMENDER (W) • LEINIL FRANCIS YU (A)
Cover by JIM CHEUNG
...
ACT II: INVERSION
• The fate of the Red Skull decided.
• A founding Avenger quits.
• The birth of KLUH, the strongest one there is.
• Doom tears down Latveria.
• The X-Men join their greatest foe.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
I'm actually kind of shocked that there wasn't a character named "Kluh" created sometime in the late 1960s or so.
Hopefully that's not Kluh in the lower half of that cover hough, because he looks pretty lame.
NICK SPENCER (W)
MARCO CHECCHETTO (A)
Cover by KALMAN ANDRASOFSZKY
ROCKET RACCOON & GROOT VARIANT BY TBA
AXIS TIE-IN!
• Part 1 of “The Availables”!
• It’s a whole new team of Avengers, charged with an impossible mission...
• And recruited by Doctor Doom?!?
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
This looks sorta interesting. I haven't read any Avengers World, so I'm not sure what the usual premise is, or if Nick Spencer always writes it, but I like the name of this story arc in relation to the cover, which has several K-list characters I really rather like, like 3-D Man and Stingray.
SKOTTIE YOUNG (W/A/C)
ROCKET RACCOON & GROOT VARIANT BY TBA
• As seen in the blockbuster Marvel Studios film, Guardians of the Galaxy, Rocket and Groot are back!
• It’s the breakout hit series of the summer! As their space adventures continue, find out why Rocket Raccoon and Groot are quickly becoming the hottest characters in the Marvel Universe.
• How does the most dangerously daring critter of the cosmos get the bad guys? With his two best friends: Guns and Groot!
32 PGS./Rated T …$3.99
Is it weird that they're promoting an issue of the comic book starring Rocket Raccoon and Groot with a Rocket Raccoon and Groot variant cover...? Isn't that just a variant cover...?
Note the Spidey on the left side of the page, right above Manga Spider-Man's arm, holding up a package of...are those Yo Yos? Or So Sos...?
Is that meant to be the Spider-Man from the old Hostess ads? If so, I wonder why Marvel didn't just approach Hostess, or whichever corporate entity now owns Hostess? The publisher has, in the past, jammed product placement and/or advertising for Harley Davidson, the U.S. military and Old Spice into their comics; Hostess product placement would actually make sense and be completely natural in this context.
I read the article, but didn't click on any of the links, as the source of the criticism seems pretty apparent at a glance. It would appear that the image is drawing criticism for it being a sexualized image of a female superhero character or, in other words, for being a Milo Manara cover.
I don't see a real problem with the cover, as it features Spider-Woman crawling around on all fours, with her butt in the air. That's basically what the Spider-People do, and I've seen plenty of pictures of Spider-Man crawling around on all fours with his butt in the air, and featuring extremely weird anatomy (her neck looks wrong to me in that image, but Spider-Man's anatomy often looks wrong to me when he's jumping around too).
Are her butt cheeks further apart then Spider-Man's butt cheeks are when he's in that pose? Maybe. But I don't want to wade into a discussion regarding how far apart a Spider-Person's butt cheeks should be on covers in which their butts are held up in the air.
I will say the regular covers, and the interiors, are by Greg motherfucking Land, so, whatever one's objections may be to this cover, Manara at least seems to have drawn and/or painted it (even the background!), or at least faked doing so in a much more convincing way then the Land covers.
I'd rather see a decently executed sexualized image of a Marvel superhero then a terribly executed one, and I generally find Land's giving every single female character the same face, set of expressions and body in his actual comics storytelling infinitely more offensive than Milo Manara being Milo Manara on a variant cover.
GREG PAK (w) • VICTOR IBANEZ (a)
Cover by STEPHANIE HANS
DEATH OF WOLVERINE Aftermath!
• Storm is grieving the loss of her friend, teammate and lover, Wolverine. His death has left loose ends and a pair of shoes that’s hard to fill.
• But with the help of her longtime friend and ally, Yukio, Storm may just find solace in taking care of Wolverine’s unfinished business…and filling his shoes all too well!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
Storm's little lightning bolt tribute claws on this cover made me laugh.
THE SUPERIOR FOES OF SPIDER-MAN #17
NICK SPENCER (W) • STEVE LIEBER (A/C)
• This is it! The end! The finale! The big wrapuperoo!!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!
Well, okay. That saves me $4 a month, and, unfortunately, halves the number of Marvel comics I buy off the racks each month (Don't you go anywhere, She-Hulk).
I'm glad that Spencer and Lieber got to produce this comic at all, and for as long as they did. A short but great run of any comic is always welcome. It's too bad about those weird fill-in issues, as they sort of ruin the book's otherwise great run, and will read really poorly in the inevitable collections.
And, this being Marvel, there's always the chance Superior Foes will get a relaunch. Or, perhaps, return in a miniseries somewhere down the line, probably with a different title. All-New Superior Foes of Spider-Man, perhaps.
TOM TAYLOR (W) • YILDIRAY ÇINAR (A)
...
ROCKET RACCOON & GROOT VARIANT BY TBA
...
Be Superior! How much would you pay for perfection? Beauty? Immortality? Tony Stark knows, and he’s ready to give it to you in SUPERIOR IRON MAN #1! But at a terrible price. Spinning out of Avengers & X-Men: AXIS, the old Tony Stark is back, only this time he’s SUPERIOR! More stylish, more confident, and more cunning than ever before. And he’s ready to lead you into the future! San Francisco is about to become the prototype for his new world concept. The first step? Release Extremis upon the entire city! Only Daredevil isn’t down with Stark’s new vision of the future. Does the Man Without Fear have a place in the city of tomorrow? A bold new direction for the Armored Avenger begins this November from the all-new creative team of Tom Taylor (Injustice: Gods Among Us, Earth 2) and Yildray Cinar (Supergirl)!
BE SUPERIOR!
NEW CREATIVE TEAM TOM (INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US/EARTH 2) Taylor AND YILDIRAY (SUPERGIRL) ÇINAR START AN ALL-NEW SERIES SPINNING OUT OF AXIS!
• How much would you pay for perfection, beauty…immortality? TONY STARK is going to find out.
• The AXIS EFFECT has changed IRON MAN
• Now HE’S going to change the WORLD…at a terrible cost.
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
Wait, now the mind of Doctor Octopus is in Tony Stark's body? That's cool. Maybe Marvel will just have Doc Ock's mind migrate from superhero body to superhero body from now on.
I never figured out why Iron Man switched from red and gold to black and gold, and he's already switched to a new color scheme! I don't mind the silver, although Norrin Rad might, but what's with that Gambit-like head-band thingee...? That, Stark, is an inferior costuming choice.
Same goes for having a headlight installed in your chin.
JASON LATOUR (W) • JORGE JIMENEZ (A)
Cover by MAHMUD ASRAR
AXIS TIE-IN!
• In the wake of THE DEATH OF WOLVERINE and the undertow of AXIS, QUENTIN QUIRE returns to the Jean Grey School. But who is this mild mannered, thoughtful young man in the pink sweater? And what does he REALLY want? And why is STORM so angry? • The course of the future of the Jean Grey School is altered forever, starting here!
32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99
You know, if Wolverine is "dead," this might be a good time to actually relaunch the series. They've relaunched for less before, as when the writers changed from Jason Aaron to Jason Loutor. Maybe they should relaunch it as Storm and The X-Men...? For a few months anyway? Then BAM! they can re-re-relaunch it, and have a third Wolverine & The X-Men #1 when Wolvie comies back to life. I mean, if he ever does come back to life. Because he is definitely dead. And what are the chances he'd come back to life? I mean, dead means dead, right?
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
DC's November previews reviewed
Come November of this year, DC's three-year-old "New" "52" line will be down to 47 comics, although that's counting limited series like Multiversity (which may or may not count as part of the New 52; I will be shocked if it's branded as such) and the three weekly series. Using the original conception of 52 ongoing series, they're actually down to just 43 series.
I wonder if anyone at DC ever wishes they named their new publishing initiative/shared setting something that didn't have a specific number in it, like, I don't know, The New Universe. Wait, no, that wouldn't be good.
It looks like November's variant theme will be Lego variants, and these vary from Marvel's early Lego variants in that the bendy-limbed minifigs are all leaping through black and white panels from the comics, in homage to DC's own month of zero issues.
The third weekly series Earth 2: Worlds' End will be in full swing by this point, and seems to be in sharp contrast to the other two weeklies (Batman Eternal and Futures End) in that it will apparently tie-in pretty directly other ongoings, with Earth 2 (obviously), Worlds' Finest (also rather obviously) and Constantine (?) all tying into it.
That seems like an awfully large page-count devoted to a storyline that hasn't generated great interest so far—Apokolips vs. a rather random Elseworld—but perhaps the the involvement from a character from this universe (er, that universe; Earth-New 52 or whatever) means the apostrophe is in the right place, and, as awkward as it may read, it actually refers to both Earths, just like Worlds' Finest.
Anyway, for the full solicits, you can click here; for me talking about them, you can stay where you are and merely scroll down at your leisure.
AQUAMAN #36
Written by JEFF PARKER
Art and cover by PAUL PELLETIER and SEAN PARSONS
Lego Variant cover
On sale NOVEMBER 26 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
...
Aquaman races to find his mother, who is suddenly very much alive – even though her presence threatens to destroy everything he has built in his kingdom
Wait, Martian Manhunter is Aquaman's mom?! That is a twist I did not see coming.
AQUAMAN AND THE OTHERS #7
Written by DAN JURGENS
Art by LAN MEDINA and ALLEN MARTINEZ
Cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO
On sale NOVEMBER 5 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
While the secrets of their past continue to be used against them, The Others face down the lethal KGBeast...and it’s not going to go well! One of these heroes may not walk away from this confrontation!
While this isn't the last book I'd expect the KGBeast to show up, it's honestly pretty far down the list. Is this the Beast's first appearance in the New 52? If so, his costume, at least as it appears on the cover, isn't such a bad redesign (Although he's a character that I wonder has any real appeal outside of his history with Batman, which the reboot would necessitate readers not take into account).
Oh hey, and is that Cheshire there? She's wearing Cheshire's clothes, but seems to have gotten some face tattoos. Or be wearing some face camouflage. Or just be really confused as to how make-up works.
BATMAN AND ROBIN #36
Written by PETER J. TOMASI
Art and cover by PATRICK GLEASON and MICK GRAY
...
On sale NOVEMBER 19 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
...
“Robin Rises” continues as Batman and his allies make their push toward the heart of Apokolips!
I have no idea why Red Robin, Red Hood and Batgirl are all wearing Robin body armor on this cover, but, in Red Robin's case, it looks a hell of a lot better than his usual costume.
It's not great, mind you, but with the staff and the utility belt, he looks more like himself than he has in a long time. Red Hood's battle hood there looks an awful lot like Dr. Fate's helmet, doesn't it? And Barbara Gordon seems to have gone blond. Or maybe she's Stephanie Brown and this is some alternate reality thingee...? I guess we'll see.
BATMAN: THE JIRO KUWATA BATMANGA BOOK 1 TP
Written by JIRO KUWATA
Art and cover by JIRO KUWATA
On sale DECEMBER 3 • 352 pg, B&W with spot color, 1 of 3, 5.75” x 8.1875, $14.99 US • RATED T • DIGITAL FIRST
In the 1960s, at the height of the Batman TV series’ popularity, a shonen manga magazine in Japan serialized fifty-three chapters of original comics starring The Dark Knight, all written and illustrated by Managaka Jiro Kuwata. Now, DC Entertainment is proud to publish the complete Batman Manga adventures in English for the first time in three painstakingly restored volumes. The adventure begins when the Dynamic Duo faces the insidious threat of Lord Death Man!
Hell yeah, I'll take one of these.
BATMAN ‘66: THE LOST EPISODE #1
Story by HARLAN ELLISON
Script by LEN WEIN
Art by JOSE LUIS GARCIA-LOPEZ and JOE PRADO
Cover by ALEX ROSS
1:25 Variant cover by JOSE LUIS GARCIA-LOPEZ and JOE PRADO
One-shot • On sale NOVEMBER 19 • 80 pg, FC, $9.99 US • RATED E • DIGITAL FIRST
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for details.
During the original Batman television series run, legendary science-fiction writer Harlan Ellison turned in an outline for a story that would have introduced Two-Face. The story never made it to air, and Two-Face never entered the TV show’s Rogues Gallery. Now, “The Two-Way Crimes of Two-Face” is adapted to comics by two comic book legends: writer Len Wein and artist José Luis Garcia-Lopez. Also included in this special edition are Ellison’s original prose story outline and the complete, original pencils by Garcia-Lopez.
Wow. Check out Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez's and Joe Prado's Two-Face and TV version of the Dynamic Duo. It's probably worth noting that this is just one of three Batman '66 comics being published this month, including the sixth and final issue of Batman '66 Meets The Green Hornet and the regular Batman '66 monthly.
Nice Catwoman cover, Jae Lee!
Nice Constantine cover, Juan Ferreyra.
EARTH 2: WORLDS’ END #6
Written by DANIEL H. WILSON, MARGUERITE BENNETT and MIKE JOHNSON
Art by ROBSON ROCHA, STEPHEN SEGOVIA, JAN DUURSEMA, JORGE JIMENEZ, EDDY BARROWS, and TYLER KIRKHAM
Cover by PAULO SIQUEIRA
On sale NOVEMBER 12 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Power Girl, Batman, Red Tornado and the new E2 Superman take on the Super Clones of Apokolips!
This series looks and sounds awful in every conceivable way, never more so than when editor Eddie Berganza was trying to sell it in a two-page advertorial feature, "5 Reasons to Pick Up Earth 2: World's [sic? The add consistently puts the apostrophe between the D and S] End."
Those reasons included "Bad-Ass Batman," as compared to the regular mewling version in the other 15 Batman books, I guess, and "Bring The Body Bags." Under that last reason, Berganza went on to say "Lots of them."
But I was pretty surprised to see the name "Jan Duursema" pop up as one of the half-dozen artists on the issue. Duursema was the artist of the very first comic book I ever bought, the series that started me reading comics—DC/TSR's Advanced Dungeons & Dragons—and has spent the last several years on Dark Horse's various Star Wars books. I was wondering what would happen to her (and many of the other Dark Horse Star Wars creators) once the license for tie-in comics officially transferred to Marvel Entertainment, and now I guess we know.
I wish she were working on something less-awful looking, and were drawing it herself, rather than being part of a Frankenstein's monster of an art team...
Speaking of Frankenstein's monster, there's the cover for Earth 2: Worlds' End #7.
THE FLASH #36
Written by ROBERT VENDITTI and VAN JENSEN
Art and cover by BRETT BOOTH and NORM RAPMUND
Lego Variant cover
On sale NOVEMBER 26 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
...
Out of time! The Flash is trapped in a bizarre, lost land terrorized by castaways from the past, present, and future. But that leaves Central City without a hero...or does it?
I love dinosaurs, and loathe Booth's artwork (and Brett Booth in general, if his social media presence is indicative of the real Brett Booth), so the dinosaurs and Booth pretty much cancel each other out here.
Also, The Flash is one of the least interesting superheroes to have fight dinosaurs, given that they can't touch him. Also also, Booth does draw dinosaurs better than he draws everything else.
GOTHAM BY MIDNIGHT #1
Written by RAY FAWKES
Art and cover by BEN TEMPLESMITH
...
On sale NOVEMBER 26 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for details.
Strange doings are afoot in Gotham City! Look out, though – Jim Corrigan is on the case in this new series by writer Ray Fawkes (CONSTANTINE, BATMAN ETERNAL) and artist Ben Templesmith (30 Days of Night, Ten Grand)!
Interesting. I haven't really enjoyed the Jim Corrigan thread of Batman Eternal, mostly because I have no idea who the new Corrigan is, how The Spectre works anymore or what the hell is going on exactly (additionally, Corrigan seems to be written as if he's old DCU Jason Blood rather than old DCU Jim Corrigan now), but a supernatural series set in Gotham City seems like a good premise. And that's a good assignment for Templesmith, too.
Can he keep a monthly schedule, I wonder? If not, might I suggest Kelley Jones and Ted Naifeh for fill-in artists to keep in mind...?
This Justice League Dark cover is gross and I hate it. Even though I love the work of Guillem March, the artist who produced it.
THE MULTIVERSITY: PAX AMERICANA #1
Written by GRANT MORRISON
Art and cover by FRANK QUITELY
...
On sale NOVEMBER 19 • 48 pg, FC, $4.99 US • RATED T
...
Brace yourselves for the next exciting chapter of THE MULTIVERSITY as the acclaimed ALL-STAR SUPERMAN team of writer Grant Morrison and artist Frank Quitely investigate the conspiracy on Earth-4, home of Pax Americana! Told backwards through an experimental storytelling technique that reveals new mysteries with each turn of the page, PAX AMERICANA stars The Question, Blue Beetle, Captain Atom, Nightshade and Peacemaker like you’ve never seen them before! As the assassination of the U.S. president leads to political intrigue, interpersonal drama and astro-physical wonder, the truth behind the crime and those involved will blow your mind! What confidential conversation between the president and Captain Atom could reveal everything? How far will The Question take his hunt for the truth before he hurts his former friends – or himself? And who is the steel-handed bogeyman operating in the shadows? Discover all this and more in this exciting stand-alone issue which also acts as chapter four of the MULTIVERSITY storyline. Join us, if your dare, for THE MULTIVERSITY!
This will be maybe the most interesting of the Mutltiversity books from a few different angles, as this will essentially be Grant Morrison's version of Alan Moore's Watchmen (and I think it's noteworthy that Morrison wasn't one of the DC writers to tackle that embarrassing Before Watchmen project). I'm not sure to what extent Morrison will have written this chapter of Multiversity hat way, but this is Morrison writing the Charlton-originated superheroes that the analogues in Watchmen's cast was derived from, and Morrison can't have been unaware of the fact that he was doing so, and the results will certainly be read as Morrison's Moore's Watchmen.
SCOOBY-DOO TEAM-UP #7
Written by SHOLLY FISCH
Art and cover by DARIO BRIZUELA
On sale NOVEMBER 5 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED E
When a test of Dr. Albrick Einstone’s time machine goes awry, Scooby and the gang find themselves the unexpected guests of everyone’s favorite modern Stone Age family, the Flintstones! And they’ve arrived just in the nick of time – because Bedrock is being plagued by that notorious spook, The Phantom of the Operrock!
Well, that's not a team-up I saw coming—surely Captain Caveman and The Teen Angels are an infinitely more likely group of cartoon characters for Scooby-Doo and the gang to rub shoulders with—but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to reading a bunch of stone and rock puns.
SENSATION COMICS FEATURING WONDER WOMAN #4
Written by NEIL KLEID, ROB WILLIAMS and OLLIE MASTERS
Art by DEAN HASPIEL, TOM LYLE and AMY MEBBERSON
Cover by ADAM HUGHES
On sale NOVEMBER 19 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T • DIGITAL FIRST
Wonder Woman appears in a trio of tales with some offbeat guest stars! First, Diana and her friend Etta Candy are captured by Ra’s al Ghul, but he’s not the most surprising soul they meet. Then, a Thanagarian menace returns to Earth, and you won’t believe what Diana must do in her battle with Byth! Plus, the London police are confused as to why they caught Catwoman so easily. Fortunately, Wonder Woman is in town to take charge of the situation!
They had me as soon as I saw Etta Candy tackling a ninja, but I'm always up for more art from Haspiel and Mebberson, and I'm particularly interested to see Tom Lyle's name there, as I honestly can't remember the last time I saw his work, but he was one of the reasons I liked the Tim Drake character so much upon his initial introduction.
SUPERMAN/WONDER WOMAN #13
Written by PETER J. TOMASI
Art and cover by DOUG MAHNKE
...
On sale NOVEMBER 12 • 32 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
...
Welcome the new creative team of writer Peter J. Tomasi (BATMAN AND ROBIN) and Doug Mahnke (JUSTICE LEAGUE)! The unity between Superman and Wonder Woman will be tested as never before as a mysterious group of villains make their New 52 debut – but first, Atomic Skull and Major Disaster cause trouble for our favorite heroic couple!
Whew, thank goodness this is at the fuck that noise price of $3.99, otherwise I'd be tempted to add this book to my pull-list, as I really like Doug Mahnke, and sometimes really like Tomasi, depending on the book and/or story arc.
That's it, New 52 Ladytron, or whoever you are! Get that costume! Tear it off! Destroy it!
WONDER WOMAN #36
Written by MEREDITH FINCH
Art and cover by DAVID FINCH and RICHARD FRIEND
Lego variant cover
...
On sale NOVEMBER 19 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
...
Please welcome the new superstar creative team of writer Meredith Finch and artist David Finch! As this new epic begins, the fate of the Amazons is about to be revealed, major new characters will be introduced and a new villain will arrive with enough power to defeat the combined might of Wonder Woman and her Justice League teammates! Don’t miss the start of this story that guest stars Swamp Thing! It will define what it takes for Diana to fulfill her destiny as Wonder Woman!
So if one of complaints leveled at the original, pretty-damn-good writer of the New 52 Wonder Woman series was that the supporting cast was so large that the title character often got lost and seemed to sometimes play only a supporting role in her own book, I'm sure adding the Justice League and Swamp Thing into the mix will fix that right up.
I have nothing but reservations about this creative team ("superstar creative team"...? Is superstardom a transitive state, where one becomes a superstar by marrying a superstar? In comics?), although I'm sure I'll read their work in trade someday.
In the mean time, I'm having a hard time making up my mind-- Which of those two covers has a more realistic depiction of a human female, do you think...?
I wonder if anyone at DC ever wishes they named their new publishing initiative/shared setting something that didn't have a specific number in it, like, I don't know, The New Universe. Wait, no, that wouldn't be good.
It looks like November's variant theme will be Lego variants, and these vary from Marvel's early Lego variants in that the bendy-limbed minifigs are all leaping through black and white panels from the comics, in homage to DC's own month of zero issues.
The third weekly series Earth 2: Worlds' End will be in full swing by this point, and seems to be in sharp contrast to the other two weeklies (Batman Eternal and Futures End) in that it will apparently tie-in pretty directly other ongoings, with Earth 2 (obviously), Worlds' Finest (also rather obviously) and Constantine (?) all tying into it.
That seems like an awfully large page-count devoted to a storyline that hasn't generated great interest so far—Apokolips vs. a rather random Elseworld—but perhaps the the involvement from a character from this universe (er, that universe; Earth-New 52 or whatever) means the apostrophe is in the right place, and, as awkward as it may read, it actually refers to both Earths, just like Worlds' Finest.
Anyway, for the full solicits, you can click here; for me talking about them, you can stay where you are and merely scroll down at your leisure.
Written by JEFF PARKER
Art and cover by PAUL PELLETIER and SEAN PARSONS
Lego Variant cover
On sale NOVEMBER 26 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
...
Aquaman races to find his mother, who is suddenly very much alive – even though her presence threatens to destroy everything he has built in his kingdom
Wait, Martian Manhunter is Aquaman's mom?! That is a twist I did not see coming.
Written by DAN JURGENS
Art by LAN MEDINA and ALLEN MARTINEZ
Cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO
On sale NOVEMBER 5 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
While the secrets of their past continue to be used against them, The Others face down the lethal KGBeast...and it’s not going to go well! One of these heroes may not walk away from this confrontation!
While this isn't the last book I'd expect the KGBeast to show up, it's honestly pretty far down the list. Is this the Beast's first appearance in the New 52? If so, his costume, at least as it appears on the cover, isn't such a bad redesign (Although he's a character that I wonder has any real appeal outside of his history with Batman, which the reboot would necessitate readers not take into account).
Oh hey, and is that Cheshire there? She's wearing Cheshire's clothes, but seems to have gotten some face tattoos. Or be wearing some face camouflage. Or just be really confused as to how make-up works.
Written by PETER J. TOMASI
Art and cover by PATRICK GLEASON and MICK GRAY
...
On sale NOVEMBER 19 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
...
“Robin Rises” continues as Batman and his allies make their push toward the heart of Apokolips!
I have no idea why Red Robin, Red Hood and Batgirl are all wearing Robin body armor on this cover, but, in Red Robin's case, it looks a hell of a lot better than his usual costume.
It's not great, mind you, but with the staff and the utility belt, he looks more like himself than he has in a long time. Red Hood's battle hood there looks an awful lot like Dr. Fate's helmet, doesn't it? And Barbara Gordon seems to have gone blond. Or maybe she's Stephanie Brown and this is some alternate reality thingee...? I guess we'll see.
Written by JIRO KUWATA
Art and cover by JIRO KUWATA
On sale DECEMBER 3 • 352 pg, B&W with spot color, 1 of 3, 5.75” x 8.1875, $14.99 US • RATED T • DIGITAL FIRST
In the 1960s, at the height of the Batman TV series’ popularity, a shonen manga magazine in Japan serialized fifty-three chapters of original comics starring The Dark Knight, all written and illustrated by Managaka Jiro Kuwata. Now, DC Entertainment is proud to publish the complete Batman Manga adventures in English for the first time in three painstakingly restored volumes. The adventure begins when the Dynamic Duo faces the insidious threat of Lord Death Man!
Hell yeah, I'll take one of these.
Story by HARLAN ELLISON
Script by LEN WEIN
Art by JOSE LUIS GARCIA-LOPEZ and JOE PRADO
Cover by ALEX ROSS
1:25 Variant cover by JOSE LUIS GARCIA-LOPEZ and JOE PRADO
One-shot • On sale NOVEMBER 19 • 80 pg, FC, $9.99 US • RATED E • DIGITAL FIRST
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for details.
During the original Batman television series run, legendary science-fiction writer Harlan Ellison turned in an outline for a story that would have introduced Two-Face. The story never made it to air, and Two-Face never entered the TV show’s Rogues Gallery. Now, “The Two-Way Crimes of Two-Face” is adapted to comics by two comic book legends: writer Len Wein and artist José Luis Garcia-Lopez. Also included in this special edition are Ellison’s original prose story outline and the complete, original pencils by Garcia-Lopez.
Wow. Check out Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez's and Joe Prado's Two-Face and TV version of the Dynamic Duo. It's probably worth noting that this is just one of three Batman '66 comics being published this month, including the sixth and final issue of Batman '66 Meets The Green Hornet and the regular Batman '66 monthly.
EARTH 2: WORLDS’ END #6
Written by DANIEL H. WILSON, MARGUERITE BENNETT and MIKE JOHNSON
Art by ROBSON ROCHA, STEPHEN SEGOVIA, JAN DUURSEMA, JORGE JIMENEZ, EDDY BARROWS, and TYLER KIRKHAM
Cover by PAULO SIQUEIRA
On sale NOVEMBER 12 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Power Girl, Batman, Red Tornado and the new E2 Superman take on the Super Clones of Apokolips!
This series looks and sounds awful in every conceivable way, never more so than when editor Eddie Berganza was trying to sell it in a two-page advertorial feature, "5 Reasons to Pick Up Earth 2: World's [sic? The add consistently puts the apostrophe between the D and S] End."
Those reasons included "Bad-Ass Batman," as compared to the regular mewling version in the other 15 Batman books, I guess, and "Bring The Body Bags." Under that last reason, Berganza went on to say "Lots of them."
But I was pretty surprised to see the name "Jan Duursema" pop up as one of the half-dozen artists on the issue. Duursema was the artist of the very first comic book I ever bought, the series that started me reading comics—DC/TSR's Advanced Dungeons & Dragons—and has spent the last several years on Dark Horse's various Star Wars books. I was wondering what would happen to her (and many of the other Dark Horse Star Wars creators) once the license for tie-in comics officially transferred to Marvel Entertainment, and now I guess we know.
I wish she were working on something less-awful looking, and were drawing it herself, rather than being part of a Frankenstein's monster of an art team...
Written by ROBERT VENDITTI and VAN JENSEN
Art and cover by BRETT BOOTH and NORM RAPMUND
Lego Variant cover
On sale NOVEMBER 26 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
...
Out of time! The Flash is trapped in a bizarre, lost land terrorized by castaways from the past, present, and future. But that leaves Central City without a hero...or does it?
I love dinosaurs, and loathe Booth's artwork (and Brett Booth in general, if his social media presence is indicative of the real Brett Booth), so the dinosaurs and Booth pretty much cancel each other out here.
Also, The Flash is one of the least interesting superheroes to have fight dinosaurs, given that they can't touch him. Also also, Booth does draw dinosaurs better than he draws everything else.
Written by RAY FAWKES
Art and cover by BEN TEMPLESMITH
...
On sale NOVEMBER 26 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for details.
Strange doings are afoot in Gotham City! Look out, though – Jim Corrigan is on the case in this new series by writer Ray Fawkes (CONSTANTINE, BATMAN ETERNAL) and artist Ben Templesmith (30 Days of Night, Ten Grand)!
Interesting. I haven't really enjoyed the Jim Corrigan thread of Batman Eternal, mostly because I have no idea who the new Corrigan is, how The Spectre works anymore or what the hell is going on exactly (additionally, Corrigan seems to be written as if he's old DCU Jason Blood rather than old DCU Jim Corrigan now), but a supernatural series set in Gotham City seems like a good premise. And that's a good assignment for Templesmith, too.
Can he keep a monthly schedule, I wonder? If not, might I suggest Kelley Jones and Ted Naifeh for fill-in artists to keep in mind...?
THE MULTIVERSITY: PAX AMERICANA #1
Written by GRANT MORRISON
Art and cover by FRANK QUITELY
...
On sale NOVEMBER 19 • 48 pg, FC, $4.99 US • RATED T
...
Brace yourselves for the next exciting chapter of THE MULTIVERSITY as the acclaimed ALL-STAR SUPERMAN team of writer Grant Morrison and artist Frank Quitely investigate the conspiracy on Earth-4, home of Pax Americana! Told backwards through an experimental storytelling technique that reveals new mysteries with each turn of the page, PAX AMERICANA stars The Question, Blue Beetle, Captain Atom, Nightshade and Peacemaker like you’ve never seen them before! As the assassination of the U.S. president leads to political intrigue, interpersonal drama and astro-physical wonder, the truth behind the crime and those involved will blow your mind! What confidential conversation between the president and Captain Atom could reveal everything? How far will The Question take his hunt for the truth before he hurts his former friends – or himself? And who is the steel-handed bogeyman operating in the shadows? Discover all this and more in this exciting stand-alone issue which also acts as chapter four of the MULTIVERSITY storyline. Join us, if your dare, for THE MULTIVERSITY!
This will be maybe the most interesting of the Mutltiversity books from a few different angles, as this will essentially be Grant Morrison's version of Alan Moore's Watchmen (and I think it's noteworthy that Morrison wasn't one of the DC writers to tackle that embarrassing Before Watchmen project). I'm not sure to what extent Morrison will have written this chapter of Multiversity hat way, but this is Morrison writing the Charlton-originated superheroes that the analogues in Watchmen's cast was derived from, and Morrison can't have been unaware of the fact that he was doing so, and the results will certainly be read as Morrison's Moore's Watchmen.
SCOOBY-DOO TEAM-UP #7
Written by SHOLLY FISCH
Art and cover by DARIO BRIZUELA
On sale NOVEMBER 5 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED E
When a test of Dr. Albrick Einstone’s time machine goes awry, Scooby and the gang find themselves the unexpected guests of everyone’s favorite modern Stone Age family, the Flintstones! And they’ve arrived just in the nick of time – because Bedrock is being plagued by that notorious spook, The Phantom of the Operrock!
Well, that's not a team-up I saw coming—surely Captain Caveman and The Teen Angels are an infinitely more likely group of cartoon characters for Scooby-Doo and the gang to rub shoulders with—but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to reading a bunch of stone and rock puns.
Written by NEIL KLEID, ROB WILLIAMS and OLLIE MASTERS
Art by DEAN HASPIEL, TOM LYLE and AMY MEBBERSON
Cover by ADAM HUGHES
On sale NOVEMBER 19 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T • DIGITAL FIRST
Wonder Woman appears in a trio of tales with some offbeat guest stars! First, Diana and her friend Etta Candy are captured by Ra’s al Ghul, but he’s not the most surprising soul they meet. Then, a Thanagarian menace returns to Earth, and you won’t believe what Diana must do in her battle with Byth! Plus, the London police are confused as to why they caught Catwoman so easily. Fortunately, Wonder Woman is in town to take charge of the situation!
They had me as soon as I saw Etta Candy tackling a ninja, but I'm always up for more art from Haspiel and Mebberson, and I'm particularly interested to see Tom Lyle's name there, as I honestly can't remember the last time I saw his work, but he was one of the reasons I liked the Tim Drake character so much upon his initial introduction.
Written by PETER J. TOMASI
Art and cover by DOUG MAHNKE
...
On sale NOVEMBER 12 • 32 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
...
Welcome the new creative team of writer Peter J. Tomasi (BATMAN AND ROBIN) and Doug Mahnke (JUSTICE LEAGUE)! The unity between Superman and Wonder Woman will be tested as never before as a mysterious group of villains make their New 52 debut – but first, Atomic Skull and Major Disaster cause trouble for our favorite heroic couple!
Whew, thank goodness this is at the fuck that noise price of $3.99, otherwise I'd be tempted to add this book to my pull-list, as I really like Doug Mahnke, and sometimes really like Tomasi, depending on the book and/or story arc.
Written by MEREDITH FINCH
Art and cover by DAVID FINCH and RICHARD FRIEND
Lego variant cover
...
On sale NOVEMBER 19 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
...
Please welcome the new superstar creative team of writer Meredith Finch and artist David Finch! As this new epic begins, the fate of the Amazons is about to be revealed, major new characters will be introduced and a new villain will arrive with enough power to defeat the combined might of Wonder Woman and her Justice League teammates! Don’t miss the start of this story that guest stars Swamp Thing! It will define what it takes for Diana to fulfill her destiny as Wonder Woman!
So if one of complaints leveled at the original, pretty-damn-good writer of the New 52 Wonder Woman series was that the supporting cast was so large that the title character often got lost and seemed to sometimes play only a supporting role in her own book, I'm sure adding the Justice League and Swamp Thing into the mix will fix that right up.
I have nothing but reservations about this creative team ("superstar creative team"...? Is superstardom a transitive state, where one becomes a superstar by marrying a superstar? In comics?), although I'm sure I'll read their work in trade someday.
In the mean time, I'm having a hard time making up my mind-- Which of those two covers has a more realistic depiction of a human female, do you think...?
Monday, August 18, 2014
On Batman: The Cult
Obviously, The Cult wasn't as popular or influential as the other stories in the previous paragraph, as it didn't generate any sequels or direct-to-DVD animated adaptations, despite its impressive creative team of Jim Starlin (writer of the aforementioned "Death In..."), pencil artist Bernie Wrightson and colorist Bill Wray and despite its tonal similarities to some of those other books. (Although it occurs to me now that some aspects of it may have influenced the makers of feature film The Dark Knight Rises, although many of those aspects do overlap with aspects of the more obvious "No Man's Land" storyline).
As many Batman comics as I've read since I picked up the comics-reading habit in the early '90s, I've never read The Cult, nor felt compelled to pick it up by its reputation or references to its events in other comics. Until recently, my only relationship with the book was the memory of its very striking first issue cover, which I remember seeing hanging in plastic bags on the walls of the first comic shop I ever entered:
It's extremely bloody, maybe featuring more on-panel blood then any other Batman comic I can recall reading (and unlike some of the gorier affairs of recent years, it's extremely well-drawn, so if Starlin and company were going for cheap thrills, Wrightson and Wray sure made them look expensive). There's an awful lot of gunplay, with Batman and Robin taking up rifles (that shoot tranquilizer darts) and mounting a machine gun (ditto) and a missile launcher (no, these are real, explodey missiles) on their new Batmobile. Batman fantasizes about machine-gunning down Two-Face, and it turns out he was actually totally murdering a mobster with a gun—he was brainwashed at the time, but still.
Someone says "shithead." That's not a word you hear a lot in Batman comics.
The storyline is fairly insane. Batman has been captured, starved, deprived of sleep, drugged and lectured to by cultists in the thrall of Deacon Jospeh Blackfire, an extremely buff, cryptic Christian preacher with long white hair pulled back in a pony tail. The details of his invented religion are all pretty vague, with terms like light, dark, sin, redemption and truth thrown around, but he is dressed all in black, with a white collar and, of course, goes by the title of "deacon."
He is either an extremely gifted and charismatic con man, or an actual agent of the supernatural. He claims to have lived for centuries, and to have gained his immortality through a ritualistically bathing in blood once a month. The comic equivocates on which telling is true, presenting evidence to back up he latter, but not so much as to make it definitive.
This cult that Blackfire—subtle name, that—has assembled consists mainly of the homeless and downtrodden of Gotham, yet slowly grows to a huge size, and gains a degree of sympathy from Gotham's populace, conveyed through the very Dark Knight Returns means of talking heads on television shows, excerpted ad naseum throughou Starlin's script. These sewer-dwelling faithful fight crime in Gotham, by emerging from manholes and stabbing, chopping and bludgeoning criminals of any kind with knives, axes and clubs.
They eventually break Batman's will, and he joins Blacfire's murderous mob, until Robin Jason Todd is able to find and help Batman break his programming, a scene that culminates with a two-page splash page of the Dynamic Duo in a cavern filled with corpses (slowly revealed by a three-page build-up of many-paneled lay-outs of dialogue bubbles over all-black panels, gradually giving way to a twelve-panel page in which Todd's flashlight plays over the dead bodies. It's as grand guignol a moment as anything the more adult-oriented, death and dismemberment-filled DC comics of today offers—in fact, Batman: Earth One has a fairly similar scene—but it's so carefully constructed and meticulously dramatized that as over-the-top as the imagery may be, the comic and its makers earn the shock it brings with it.
Things spiral further and further out of control, Blackfire's cult doing to Gotham what it took the earthquake of "Cataclysm" to do to the city in the late '90s. They kill the mayor and assassinate the entirety of the city council. Commissioner Gordon catches a bullet that lands him in the hospital for the rest of the narrative. The police try to challenge the cult, and are mostly killed. The governor declares martial law, the city is evacuated and the National Guard get sent in...and they die in the sewers as well.
It eventually comes down to Batman, Robin and the new Batmobile, a sort of tank on wheels so gigantic that calling them monster truck wheels is an understatement; they're kaiju truck wheels (Batman tooled around in a similar vehicle during "Cataclysm," but the wheels of this Bamobile are the size of the entirety of that Bat-monster truck).
It all comes down to a fight to the finish between Batman and Blackfire, and, when Blackfire's followers see him laid low in physical combat by the Dark Knight, the cultists turn on their leader and kill him.
The end.
*****************
An appearance as a Black Lantern in 2009's Blackest Night: Batman aside—Batman has so few dead enemies that actually stayed dead—that was all we heard of Deacon Blackfire until this year's weekly series plotted by Scott Snyder and James Tynion IV, Batman Eternal.
In the second issue of the series, drawn by artist Jason Fabok, a skeletal specter wearing the garments of a priest appears within a cell at Arkham Asylum, and is identified by the inmate it approaches as "Blackfire."
The ghost of Deacon Blackfire is one of several major antagonists from throughout Batman's history that Snyder, Tynion and their co-writers have introduced into the series, and Blackfire is the villain of the supernatural sub-plot in which Batwing and Jim Corrigan struggle against worshipers, possessed victims and demons apparently serving a now out-and-out, unequivocally supernatural Blackfire.
It's one of the peculiarities of the New 52 DC Universe that the publisher and its editors and writers want to make near-constant use of the stable of characters and the elaborate backstories and history of the DC Universe, but they don't want to be beholden to those stories. So, in general, there exists this weird, quasi-secret crypto-continuity, where everything that happened before the reboot maybe/probably still happened in some form or another, just not the way you remember it, and not the way it happened in any of the many collections of older series DC would be happy to still sell you. The hows are generally ignored and glossed over unless they are meant to play a prominent role in the events, in which case they are dramatized, as they are here, but in a way that manifests the differences.
So I guess Snyder and Tynion and company wanted to use Blackfire, and some events of The Cult, and so reduced the story in size, scope and scale, to just two story beats of the original? It's a shame. Because The Cult is, as I said, insane, and Batman Eternal could and should draw attention to it. It's the reason I read it this month. I just find it peculiar that DC would drive readers to an old story, one that is likely still readily available at your local comic shop and library thanks to a 2009 reprinting of the collection, where they will only discover how drastically different it was from what the new, canonical version.
*******************
The trade collection opens with a three-page foreword by Starlin, originally penned in 1990, and sounding like it (he specifically mentions televangelists, Tipper Gore, Jesse Helms, the movements to defund the National Endowment for the Arts and to ban or censor rap albums). He writes about his history with the character and with comics, and how Baman comics have been negatively effected by public moralists seeking to control the contents of comics (i.e., the Seduction of the Innocent era scrutiny and the resulting Comics Code Authority, which kept words like "shithead" and scenes set in caverns of corpses out of Batman and Detective Comics, forcing the Caped Crusaders to do battle with aliens and robots).
I like introductions in my collections. If a comic book story isn't worthy of the writer or someone else writing a few hundred words about it, it probably isn't worth collecting in the first place, I say.
The very first words of the script are "This is insane!" So Starlin wasn't unaware of how crazy this story is. Those words are narrated by Batman, and appear in a narration box of an establishing shot of a gothic looking Wayne Mantor, high atop a steep hill and shaded mostly black, with a red, blood-splattered looking sky behind it, and the tiny figure of a boy also colored in red at the foot of the hill. This is Bruce Wayne as a boy, and before the page ends, he'll repeat "It's crazy...almost unreal."
It's a dream sequence, and Starlin and Wrightson send young Bruce Wayne wandering through the halls of his parents house until he meets The Joker, who offers one of those uncomfortably suggestive remarks he sometimes makes towards young boys, "My! What have we got here? Such a cute little boy! Just my type!"
"Ol' Uncle Joker" reveals a vest of dynamite, which he proceeds to light, and after a tense 13-panel page, it explodes, showering them in flowers. Young Bruce Wayne morphs into a full grown, long-eared, red-eyed, sharp-toothed Batman, looking a bit like a less exaggerated version of Kelley Jones' vampire Batman (Jones' Batman, I see, owes a lot to Wrightson).
Batman then proceeds to hack the Joker to pieces with an axe.
This was all in Batman's head, of course; we find him chained to a drain pipe underground, covered in blood, which is probably mostly his own, with his bat-symbol torn off his costume. One of the cultists tells him the story of Blackfire, which begins "over a thousand years ago" with "these Indians" that called themselves "The Miagani...The people."
I honestly thought they were an invention of Grant Morrison's, as he used them in his Batman run, specifically during the Return of Bruce Wayne stretch of it, making them into a sort Native Americans who have special reverence of the bat. Snyder has also mentioned them, in reference to the cave system that connects under Wayne Manor. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that they predate Morrison's story, as so much of it was devoted to synthesizing various detritus from throughout Batman's 75 years of comics history into one big, mega-story.
The Miagani were the first people to meet "Shaman Blackfire," but they didn't believe in him, instead trying unsuccessfully to kill him and then sealing him away in a cave, where he waited, never dying rom the many arrow and spear wounds he suffered. Bad fortune then befell the Miagani. Blackfire was released centuries later by Dutch colonists, and the same pattern was repeated.
During the course of these events, Batman flashes back to how he wound up in these circumstances, how he first became aware of Deacon Blackfire and the mysterious murdererous that emerge from the sewers, massacre criminals, and descend back to whence they came they find a badly wounded Batman, and take him down with them, for conversion.
Gordon and Robin consult about Batman's disappearance, when he's been MIA for over a week. It's interesting how they solve the "problem" of Robin, this one still wearing the original yellow, red and green costume with shorts and pixie boots, for the dark, grim, gritty 1980s. Wray simply colors the panels extremely darkly; when Robin first appears, its in a dark office lit only by a desk lamp and a burning pipe, so he's all shadow, tinted in either yellow or blue.
Meanwhile, Blackfire debates with the now quite-rattled Batman, at one point injecting him with a powerful hallucinogenic drug. It's really rather hard to imagine this comic drawn by someone other than Wrightson. Check out this panel, as Batman is carried by two men while freaking the fuck out:
Here are some more of Wrightson and Wray's great Batman-out-of-his-Batmind images:
Gradually, the cultists start targeting less and less evil criminals, like teenager Don Perry, who simply works as a bagman for a numbers guy. He dreams, the narrator tells us, of becoming "a famous comic book artist. Just like Jack Kirby."
I don't know why, but that struck me as super-weird, seeing a real comic book artist name dropped like that, and as an artist a teenager in 1988 would aspire to emulate. Kirby's career wasn't exactly ideal, despite his titanic creative achievements and the regard his peers held him in. If Don really wanted to make money, he should be seeking to emulate Stan Lee or, I don't know, in the late '80s? Frank Miller? Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird? Alan Moore....?
Here's another odd scene, in which the character Batman knows only as Ratface introduces him to a neighbor of his, and tries to convince Batman that the character is a pimp. It feels odd in 2014 for how blunt and unequivocal the racism on display is, not only in Ratface's confessed motive ("I've seen him with white girls!"), but the way Wrightson draws the cartoon pimp, and way Wray colors the the "real" panel vs. the suggestive, hallucinatory panel.
Batman's not convinced entirely. Ratface kills his neighbor, and when a police officer arrives, Batman sees Ratface as a little red devil. He knocks him out, but then also knocks out the police officer, and then runs away to the park, where what is probably my favorite part of the whole crazy story occurs.
The part where Batman turns into Yogi Bear, stealing picnic baskets:
Eventually, Batman and Robin reunite in the sewers, discover what goes on behind the scenes of Blackfire's cult, including the aforementioned cavern of corpses, and they make their escape. The Boy Wonder, who Wray still colors in a very muted palette, so even when his more garish colors are on display, they're not bright primary colors, but reddish-brown, green-ish brown and yellow-ish brown, helps Batman keep it together:
Finally, Robin gets his revenge for all those slaps Batman's delivered via meme over the years!
Things get worse and worse for the city, until Batman and Robin gear-up, and things get less horror movie, and more 1980s action movie.
It is, as I said, insane, culminating with Batman and Robin running through the sewers, gunning down their opposition, until Robin takes a slug to the leg. Batman picks up a revolver—a real, bullet-shooting kind—and goes to face a Blackfire who is intent on being martyred. Batman decides not to shoot. He beats the living hell out of Blackfire and takes his knife, ultimately deciding not to kill Blackfire at all. Blackfire's followers do the job instead, in a decidedly bloodier way than its staging in Batman Eternal:
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| The death of Blackfire, in The Cult #4. |
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| The death of Blackfire, in Batman Eternal #17. |
All in all, it's as weird a Batman story as I've ever read, if not the weirdest, and that weirdness is in large part what makes The Cult awesome, and probably well worth revisiting and reconsidering.
I remain puzzled by semi-reboot aspects of The New 52, as both a business model and a mode of creating good comics, but as puzzling as the decision to make Batman Eternal at least partially a sequel to The Cult while rewriting the events of The Cult may be, at least Snyder, Tynion and company are potentially driving a new generation of readers to Starlin, Wrightson and Wray's demented should-be classic.
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