Comics, Magazines and Books from Diamond Distributors for July 1, 2015

COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS

APR151683    A CENTAURS LIFE GN VOL 06 (MR)    $12.99
MAY151121    ARCADIA #3    $3.99
APR151049    ARCHIE COMICS DOUBLE DIGEST #262    $4.99
MAY151467    ASTERIX OMNIBUS SC VOL 09    $22.99
MAY151302    BERLIN #19 (MR)    $5.95
MAR151061    BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA #12    $3.99
MAY151210    BOBS BURGERS ONGOING #1 CVR A FORTE    $3.99
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MAY151213    BOBS BURGERS ONGOING #1 CVR D BLANK AUTHENTIX    $10.00
MAY151125    BROKEN WORLD #2    $3.99
APR151627    BUNKER #12 (MR)    $3.99
APR151295    CAPTAIN CANUCK 2015 ONGOING #2    $3.99
JAN150970    CAVEWOMAN CASTAWAY ONE SHOT CVR A    $3.99
JAN150971    CAVEWOMAN CASTAWAY ONE SHOT CVR B    PI
APR151004    CAVEWOMAN THE RETURN #3 CVR A DURHAM    $3.99
APR151005    CAVEWOMAN THE RETURN #3 CVR B DURHAM    PI
MAY151123    CLUSTER #5    $3.99
APR151503    COMPLETE PEANUTS TP VOL 03 1955-1956    $22.99
MAY151795    COOL JAPAN GUIDE FUN IN LAND OF MANGA LUCKY CATS & RAMEN SC    $14.95
MAY151006    CROSSED BADLANDS #75 CALGARY ART DECO (MR)    $9.99
APR151299    DAMOCLES GN VOL 01 BODYGUARDS    $11.95
MAY151322    DF SECRET WARS #1 DF EXC & BONUS BOOK PK    $19.84
MAY151321    DF SECRET WARS #1 DF EXC LAND CVR    $10.00
JAN151413    DF STAR WARS #1 DF EXCL LAND CGC GRADED 9.8    $99.99
MAY151443    DIARY COMICS GN    $15.00
MAR151539    DOCTOR WHO 12TH #9 REG WILLIAMSON    $3.99
MAR151540    DOCTOR WHO 12TH #9 SUBSCRIPTION PHOTO    $3.99
MAY151183    EMBER #0 BIKINI CVR (MR)    $5.99
FEB151681    ETERNAL WARRIOR DAYS OF STEEL TP    $14.99
APR151169    FUTURAMA COMICS #75    $2.99
MAY151701    GFT COVEN #1 A CVR CHEN (MR)    $3.99
MAY151702    GFT COVEN #1 B CVR LEISTER (MR)    $3.99
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MAY151715    GFT ROBYN HOOD ONGOING #12 A CVR LASHELY TALE OF ROT    $3.99
MAY151716    GFT ROBYN HOOD ONGOING #12 B CVR INGRANATA TALE OF ROT    $3.99
MAY151717    GFT ROBYN HOOD ONGOING #12 C CVR BROOMMALL TALE OF ROT    $3.99
APR151888    GFT TALES OF TERROR #12 A CVR QUALANO (MR)    $3.99
APR151889    GFT TALES OF TERROR #12 B CVR EHNOT (MR)    $3.99
APR151890    GFT TALES OF TERROR #12 C CVR ERIC J (MR)    $3.99
APR151894    GFT WONDERLAND TP VOL 07    $15.99
APR158446    GIANT DAYS ORIENTATION EDITION    $3.99
APR151140    GOD IS DEAD #37 (MR)    $3.99
APR151142    GOD IS DEAD #37 CARNAGE WRAP CVR (MR)    $3.99
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MAY151408    GRANT MORRISONS 18 DAYS #1 COSMIC KRISHNA CVR    $9.99
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APR151284    LADY DEATH 2007 SWIMSUIT DLX COLL BOX SET    $99.99
APR151279    LADY DEATH APOCALYPSE #5 CENTURY SET (MR)    $199.99
APR151490    LAST MAN GN VOL 02 ROYAL CUP    $9.99
APR151402    LEGENDERRY GREEN HORNET #5 DAVILA VIRGIN    $50.00
MAY151245    LOOKING FOR GROUP #4 CVR A HAWK    $4.99
MAY151246    LOOKING FOR GROUP #4 CVR B TINDALL    $4.99
APR151302    LUCKY LUKE TP VOL 52 BEAUTIFUL PROVINCE    $11.95
MAY151451    MANSPRESSIONS DECODING MENS BEHAVIOR GN (MR)    $9.95
APR151558    MARIA THE VIRGIN WITCH GN VOL 03 (MR)    $10.99
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MAY151423    MISS BETTER LIVING THROUGH CRIME HC (MR)    $29.95
MAY151486    NANCY DREW DIARIES GN VOL 05    $9.99
MAR151518    NON NON BIYORI GN VOL 01    $12.99
APR151693    NOX GN    $15.99
DEC141458    PLUME V2 #4    $3.99
MAR151352    PRINCE VALIANT HC VOL 11 1957-1958    $34.99
APR150968    PUPPET MASTER #4 MAIN CVR (MR)    $3.99
MAY151153    REGULAR SHOW #25    $3.99
MAY151797    ROGER DAHLS COMIC JAPAN BEST OF ZERO GRAVITY CARTOONS SC    $15.95
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MAR151525    SPACE GOAT PRESENTS HC VOL 01    $19.99
MAY151076    SPIRE #1 MAIN CVRS    $3.99
APR151002    STEAMPUNK FABLES LITTLE MATCH GIRL ONE SHOT    $3.99
MAY151228    SWORDS OF SORROW THORIS ADLER #2    $3.99
MAY151452    TEENAGE REBELS STORIES OF HIGH SCHOOL ACTIVISTS GN    $11.95
APR151303    THORGAL GN VOL 16 ARACHNEA    $11.95
APR151597    TOWER CHRONICLES DREADSTALKER #11    $3.99
APR151150    UBER #26 (MR)    $3.99
APR151152    UBER #26 PROPAGANDA POSTER CVR (MR)    $3.99
APR151153    UBER #26 WAR CRIMES CVR (MR)    $3.99
APR151151    UBER #26 WRAP CVR (MR)    $3.99
MAY151269    UNCANNY SEASON 2 #4 CVR A JOCK    $3.99
MAY151270    UNCANNY SEASON 2 #4 CVR B OLIVER    $3.99
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MAY151044    WAR STORIES #10 (MR)    $3.99
MAY151046    WAR STORIES #10 GOOD GIRL NOSE ART CVR (MR)    $3.99
MAY151045    WAR STORIES #10 WRAP CVR (MR)    $3.99
MAY151205    WILL EISNER SPIRIT #1 CVR A POWELL    $3.99
MAY151206    WILL EISNER SPIRIT #1 CVR B WAGNER    $3.99
MAY151207    WILL EISNER SPIRIT #1 CVR C ROSS SUBSCRIPTION CVR    $3.99
MAY151208    WILL EISNER SPIRIT #1 CVR D BLANK AUTHENTIX    $10.00
APR151795    WITCHCRAFT WORKS GN VOL 05    $12.95
MAY151133    WOODS #14    $3.99
MAY151599    X-O MANOWAR #38 CVR A WRAPAROUND SANDOVAL    $4.99
MAY151600    X-O MANOWAR #38 CVR B NORD    $4.99
MAY151601    X-O MANOWAR #38 CVR C CAFU    $4.99
MAY151602    X-O MANOWAR #38 CVR D BLANK INVITATION CVR    $4.99
MAY150877    ZOMBIE TRAMP ONGOING #13 MAIN CVR (MR)    $3.99

MAGAZINES
MAR151795    AMAZING FIGURE MODELER #59    $10.00
APR152055    CINEFEX #142    $12.50
MAY151845    COMIC SHOP NEWS #1463    PI
APR152039    COMICS REVUE PRESENTS JUN 2015    $19.95
APR151541    HEAVY METAL #275 (MR)    $7.95
FEB151879    HOBBY JAPAN MAY 2015    $18.00
JAN151881    MEGAMI APR 2015    $18.00
JAN151882    NEWTYPE APR 2015    $18.00

BOOKS
APR151916    BATMAN CLASSIC 5 MINUTE BATMAN STORIES HC    $12.99
MAY151745    BEST OF CLINT LANGLEY ART BOOK HC    $29.95
MAY151747    BEST OF MIKE RATERA ART BOOK HC (MR)    $29.95
MAY151746    BEST OF MIKE S MILLER ART BOOK HC    $29.95
MAY151748    BEST OF PAUL RENAUD ART BOOK HC (MR)    $29.95
MAY151749    BEST OF VINCENZO CUCCA ART BOOK HC (MR)    $29.95
MAY151791    BRICK VEHICLES FLEXIBOUND    $18.99
MAY151800    GUILD OFF COMPANION SC    $19.95
SEP141604    MIKE DEODATO JR SKETCHBOOK DLX HC    $29.95
MAY151771    ON THE GRAPHIC NOVEL HC    $60.00
APR151843    PANDORA HEARTS CAUCUS RACE NOVEL VOL 01    $14.00
APR151954    PRINCESS & THE PONY YR HC    $17.99
MAY151796    PSYCHO GIRLS IN BONDAGE CLASSIC FETISH ART & FICTION SC (MR)    $27.95
MAY151438    SCIENCE OF ATTACK ON TITAN MMPB    $10.99
MAY151783    SCIENTIFIC SECRETS OF DOCTOR WHO HC    $19.99
MAY151790    SKETCHING FROM THE IMAGINATION SCI-FI SC    $29.99
APR151797    SKY LONGING FOR MEMORIES ART OF MAKOTO SHINKAI SC    $34.95
MAY151798    SOFT BRIDES FOR BEAST OF BLOOD FROM MENS ADV MAG SC (MR)    $29.95
MAY151752    STEAMPUNK RISING ART OF SANDRA CHANG ADAIR SC    $14.95
APR151844    SWORD ART ONLINE NOVEL PROGRESSIVE VOL 02    $14.00
MAY152739    WARHAMMER LORD OF THE END TIMES TP    $16.00
MAY151792    WE DONT NEED ROADS MAKING OF BACK TO FUTURE TRILOGY    $17.00

I Reads You Review: HERCULES: The Knives of Kush

HERCULES: THE KNIVES OF KUSH
RADICAL COMICS

WRITER: Steve Moore
ARTIST: Chris Bolson with Manuel Silva and Leonardo Silva
COLORS: Doug Sirois with Cliff Cramp and Steve Firchow
LETTERS: Todd Klein
MISC. ART: Jim Steranko, Clint Langley, Arthur Suydam, Marko Djurdjevic, Daryl Mandryk, J.P. Targete, Jean-Sebastien Rossbach
COVER: Clint Langley
ISBN:  978-1-935417-03-3; paperback (May 2010)
152pp, Color, $14.95 U.S., $16.50 CAN

Radical Comics, a division of Radical Publishing, Inc., presented a radical interpretation of Hercules in 2008.  Radical’s Hercules debuted in the 2008 miniseries, Hercules: The Thracian Wars, which was written by late British writer, Steve Moore.  Moore created this new Hercules and legendary comic book artist, Jim Steranko, designed him.

Moore made Radical’s Hercules grittier, while focusing more on his human side than on his heritage as the son of the supreme god, Zeus.  Moore set Hercules’ life in the Bronze Age and gave him a band of friends.  Together, Hercules and his band left Greece and sought mercenary work in other lands.  Thus, Moore set Hercules first mercenary activities in Thrace.  Radical’s Hercules is now a Paramount Pictures/MGM’s film starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and directed by Brett Ratner.

The second Hercules miniseries was the five-issue, Hercules: The Knives of Kush, which was released in 2009.  The Knives of Kush finds Hercules and his mercenary band caught in the middle of Egypt’s civil war.  In 2010, Radical collected Hercules: The Knives of Kush in a trade paperback, and the company’s marketing director sent me a copy for review, which I promptly forgot about.

However, the impending release of the movie made me dig up my copy of The Knives of Kush.  I decided to reread the story, as I had previously only read the fourth and fifth issue of the miniseries, and post a review of the trade.

Hercules: The Knives of Kush opens with Hercules and his band of mercenaries:  Autolycus, Iolaus, Meleager, and Atalanta (the only female of the group) aboard the Greek boat, the “Sea Nymph.”  After a brief skirmish with pirates, Hercules and company end up in Egypt.  They eventually offer their services to Pharaoh Seti II who is fighting a civil war against his half-brother, Amenmessu (real life historical figures that lived in the 13th and 12th centuries BC).

Amenmessu is aided by Khadis, Lord of Lighting and a sorcerer whose powers may be the reason Amenmessu seems to be winning the war with Seti.  Hercules suspects that there is more to Amenmessu’s success than Khadis and believes that traitors hide among Seti’s circle of wives, advisors, retainers, etc.  Hercules is appointed as a royal bodyguard, but he believes that to learn the truth he must penetrate the sinister cult known as “The Knives of Kush.”  This, however, will bring Hercules face to face with an enemy like no other – a mysterious figure who may wield the power of the gods.

I doubt that I am the only reviewer who thinks that Steve Moore has converted the demigod of Greek myth, Hercules (Heracles), into something that resembles the sword and sorcery character, Conan the Cimmerian (also known as Conan the Barbarian).  This is not a criticism; Moore apparently put a lot of effort into researching Greek myth and history for Hercules.  Besides, I like this Hercules.  I did not read The Thracian Wars, and Moore states in the foreword to this trade paperback that readers do not need to know of Hercules’ adventures in Thrace before reading of his adventures in Egypt.

I think that Hercules: The Knives of Kush slightly resembles some of the Conan comic books that Marvel Comics published in the 1970s and 80s.  In fact, The Knives of Kush has a good premise and plot, but the problem is the execution.  It is as if Moore wanted this miniseries to be any number of things or was not sure what it should be.

On one hand, Hercules’ struggles against Amenmessu’s rebellion involve courtly conflict and palace intrigue.  Moore basically has Hercules, an action character, stumbling around Seti’s Memphis, vainly trying to discover spies.  On the other hand, since Amenmessu is leading an armed rebellion, there is eventually going to have to be a big battle between Seti’s forces, to which Hercules belongs, and Amenmessu.  Instead of building up to the battles, the spy hunt seems like story padding.  Also, at five issues in length, The Knives of Kush is at least one issue too long.

In fact, for all the fear that Amenmessu and his ally, Khadis and the cult known as The Knives of Kush, are supposed to engender, their confrontation with Hercules and company is anti-climatic.  Their demises are pitiful, leaving this story with the sense that there was no great villain and with the disappointment that Hercules’ head-bashing comes in fits and starts.

The art produced by Chris Bolson and Doug Sirois is quite good, but the rest of it falls off.  If there is ever more of Radical’s Hercules, I hope Bolson and Sirois are the artists, and I hope for a story that has more head-bashing and disemboweling than it does character drama.  I want the next Hercules to be more like the last two issues of Hercules: The Knives of Kush than the first three.  Who really cares about Hercules’ daddy issues?

B-

[This trade paperback includes an interview of Steve Moore conducted by Andre Lamar.]

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


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