After 52 and World War III, when DC announced that there was going to be a 6-issue miniseries featuring Black Adam, I was skeptical.
This is a guy that killed a country. A country. Killed it stone dead. Almost every man, woman and child within the country died because of this man. Regardless of the reasons, it takes some balls to make Teth-Adam the focus of a miniseries.
The miniseries deals with Black Adam’s quest to return the love of his life, Isis, back to the land of the living. Really, that’s touching; but Kandaq is dead. There are some good character moments within — if you can get past the whole mass-murderer thing, this would be a good comic. Ignore 52 and WWIII and it’s rather enjoyable.
The reveal of Black Adam’s new word is priceless. I did like that. Won’t spoil it for you. (And for those that don’t know, Black Adam is one of the Marvel Family group of enemies. DC’s Captain Marvel everyone knows as Shazam, Mary Marvel, etc. They have a magic word that they say to transform into their powered state. The word to this point has been Shazam – but Captain Marvel changed Black Adam’s after the Kandaq thing).
Get the trade — there’s some good bits, and a betrayal at the end that would make you feel sorry for Adam . . . if he wasn’t, y’know, a genocidal freak.
Here’s the issue that I’ll go out on a limb and say: it will outsell all other titles released this week, and be difficult to find as early as tomorrow. Captain America 34 features the debut of Bucky (or Winter Soldier) in the new Captain America duds.
The costume looks better drawn by Steve Epting than it did by Alex Ross (and it’s not often you’ll hear that from me, as I love Ross’ artwork) — and the gun is explained well. It’s really almost an afterthought.
Bucky is taking up the mantle in honor of Steve Rogers – not to replace him. And that’s how it should be. This is a legacy move in the usually-legacy-shy Marvel Universe that could, if they were wishing it so, stick for a long time.
Probably about as long as Ed Brubaker writes the book, anyway. Which is fine with me, as my man-love for Brubaker is well documented on this site.
Also, something that I’ve noticed, and it is subtle. The past few weeks have done a lot to rehabilitate Tony Stark. How he has been represented has subtly changed to where he’s not a total douchebag (note: not total. He’s still Stark and as such has an aura of douchebaggery that can never go away else he lose his Stark-ness). Rehab for the movie, yes — but it’s nice to see Iron Man start to get a little of the taint of Civil War brushed off.
Here’s some titles I think you should try out. These books aren’t getting the love in the sales column, and they really should. Some of the books have been written about here on The Bleed, some haven’t (but are on The List). The following are in no particular order: Note: This will only mention series that are still releasing issues. Some of the books from the past few months that I’ve gushed over will not be included because of that caveat, like Potter’s Field.
1. Atomic Robo - Red 5
2. Fall of Cthulhu - BOOM!
3. Criminal - Icon
4. She-Hulk - Marvel
5. Clockwork Girl - Arcana Studio
6. Hybrid Bastards! - Archaia Studios Press
7. Dan Dare - Virgin Comics
8. G.I. Joe - Devil’s Due Publishing
9. Blue Beetle - DC
10. Immortal Iron Fist - Marvel (Yes, I know. But this is a title that needs to be #1).
It is the third week of the month. That means that my pimping of Atomic Robo needs to be posted.
Brian Clevinger and Scott Wegener continue the action, even though this issue is quieter than the last — can’t all be summer blockbusters. We follow Robo through the aftermath of the Exploding Pyramid Mummies from last issue and a flashback story detailing his journey with the Mars Lander in 1974.
With cameo appearances by Stephen Hawking and Carl Sagan!
I’ve praised this title for the past three months, you think I’m going to stop now? Buy the damned thing. Encourage more of this type of book. Encourage the creators to bring Robo back after the six issues are done.
Jonathan Hickman is responsible for one of the best comics I have ever had the pleasure of reading; The Nightly News. He has come back with two series that I have been looking forward to quite a bit; Pax Romana and A Red Mass For Mars.
This week sees the release of Pax Romana #1 — and it is a doozy.
The Catholic Church funds scientific research that leads to time travel. A group of people, led by a Cardinal, journey back in time in order to guide the Church to supremacy throughout history.
Despite the preceding sentence, this is not a story about religion. Coming off of the Nightly News, which dealt with the prevalence of media, Pax Romana deals with sociology. The first issue does a good job of setting up the characters and the situation. If you liked The Nightly News and are interested in what Hickman has to say about sociology and the building of nations (and dare I say it? You Should Be.) pick up Pax Romana.
As a kid, I remember sneaking downstairs at 10.30 PM (well past my bedtime as a young lad) in order to partake of the cheesy sci-fi goodness of Doctor Who on the local PBS affiliate. Tom Baker and that impossibly long scarf and impossibly large grin captivated me. The special effects were horrible, but to a small child, wonderful at the same time.
The Doctor was a mainstay of the BBC for 26 years, from 1963-1989 and recently boasts a successful revival (and enjoying a not-small measure of popularity in the States as well).
IDW Publishing is hoping that the success of the show is enough to spark interest in reprints of the Doctor Who Weekly series under the banner of Doctor Who Classics.
For the record, my interest is sparked.
The first issue features the unforgettable Fourth Doctor, and Dave Gibbons did/does a wonderful portrayal of Baker in the comic. Pat Mills and John Wagner capture/d the irreverence of No. 4 very well also, to the point where I can hear Baker’s distinctive voice saying (whispering, bellowing, almost-laughingly) the lines.
Really, if you’re a fan of absurd-yet-intelligent science fiction, you know about Doctor Who already and are a fan. If you’re not aware of The Doctor, then this would be an amazing introduction — even without an “origin” story, the book is an easy read.
As reported, 2000AD (home of Judge Dredd) is making individual issues available online. This differs — majorly — from the Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited offering due to the fact that the issues are available for download. That’s right, on your machine — you buy it, you own it (albeit in PDF format, not paper copy). It differs from DC’s Zuda offering because, well, Zuda is its own beast entirely.
This is well worth checking out — 2000 AD has been around for ages and Judge Dredd is one of the best characters created. Ever. Regardless of what you saw on the silver screen with Sly Stallone.
Newsarama scored an interview with 2000AD’s Matt Smith; Kristien Wendt, Director of Character Communications; and Clickwheel’s Tim Demeter about the upcoming online launch.
There are of course the obvious concerns of developing any online application like this, particularly ensuring the security of our users and protecting our own content, but on a less strictly technical end our prime concern lies with making sure we’re offering content that people want in a way that is intuitive and convenient. We know with the quality of content that 2000AD offers we have no worries in terms of product, but we are constantly innovating to improve the experience and we are already working on things far, far grander than what the public will see in our beta launch on the 19th.
The digital version of 2000AD is there to reach out to potential new audiences who may not be able to readily get the printed edition in their area or to younger readers who are used to getting the better part of their entertainment online. I know retailers lose sleep at the notion of comics online, but we feel the fans currently enjoying 2000AD in print will continue to do so and moreover we expect that the influx of new readers the digital version reaches will result in some of them opting to read the comic in print, actually increasing print sales.
Like I’ve said before, Rebellion (publisher of 2000AD) Gets It.
If you partook of the disappointing I Am Legend adaptation in the theaters, you’ve seen this — but if you were spared that atrocity, here is the link to the Dark Knight trailer that was shown before that stomach-punch of a movie:
To me, this isn’t what the Joker was in the previous movie (Jack Nicholson in Batman, of course) — this is the Joker as it should be — dangerously unhinged, psychotic, unpredictable and totally sociopathic.
You be the judge.
This is a comic I could well have missed, and am glad that I haven’t. Archaia Studio Press runs with a very familiar conceit: that the Greek God Zeus would attempt to impregnate anything that moved. Thus was born many of our favorite mythological figures; Hercules and Perseus just to name a couple.
Where Hybrid Bastards! runs with this idea is original: one night, Hera got her second cousin Hypnos (god of the mind) to put the whammy on the king of the gods. For one night, Zeus would be attracted to inanimate objects instead of females.
Zeus, being a god after all, was able to impregnate these objects, and 18 years later his fruit is coming of age (very literally in one sense).
Hybrid Bastards! is a three-issue mini according to Archaia Studio Press’ website, and I’d recommend it to anyone with a sense of the bizarre. Zeus’ ill-gotten offspring are, as revealed in this issue: a cloth patchwork named Cotton, Carmine — born from an automobile, Walter — an ambulatory belligerent pile of bricks, and Corey who is the son of Zeus and an apple tree. Panos is the wannabe leader of this crew, and his birth circumstances are not readily apparent in this first issue.
The art as done by Kate Glasheen is reminiscent of Grecian frescoes where it needs to be, and has a modern slant where required — in some parts reminding me strongly of Keith Giffen’s art in his Trencher phase, which is definitely apropos to some of the subject manner. The colors are faded watercolor-esque, and bring out the artwork well.
Tom Pinchuk has the writing credit, and a very modern voice throughout; the only question I have is how does one “smell placenta?” (This question arose very quickly in the book; a throw-off comment between two characters present at Carmine’s birth, but having never been present at a birth except my own, I would not know if placenta has its own unique aroma.)
Check this out — this is a brash title, and well worth the cover price.
Who?
2000 AD is best-known for Judge Dredd – and not the piss-poor Sylvester Stallone version, but the one that’s been kicking ass throughout the British comics scene for 30 years now. That is not why I’m writing this (although the picture above is my all-time favorite comics panel. Ever.)
Rebellion (the publishers of 2000 AD) are taking the issues online. This is huge. One week after the print version is released to the stores, the issue — in its entirety — will be available for paid download from www.clickwheel.net or via direct links from www.2000ADonline.com.
Hopefully this works out fantastically for the magazine, and hopefully Marvel and DC pay attention to the results. Me, I’ll be buying my copy digital to do my part.
