Review: THE DREAMING #1

THE DREAMING No. 1 (2018)
DC COMICS – @DCComics @vertigo_comics

[This review is posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Simon “Si” Spurrier
ART: Bilquis Evely
COLORS: Mat Lopes
LETTERS: Simon Bowland
EDITOR: Molly Mahan
CURATOR: Neil Gaiman
COVER: Jae Lee with June Chung
VARIANT COVER: Yanick Paquette with Nathan Fairbairn
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (November 2018)

“Suggested for Mature Readers”

The Sandman created by Neil Gaiman and Sam Kieth

“The Kingdom”

The Dreaming is a fictional place or realm appearing in comic books published by DC Comics.  It first appeared in The Sandman #1, (cover dated:  January 1989) and was created by Neil Gaiman and Sam Kieth.  The Dreaming is the domain or kingdom of Dream (Morpheus and later, Daniel) of the Endless.

The Dreaming was the setting for a monthly comic series, The Dreaming, that ran for 60 issues (cover dated:  June 1996 to May 2001), published under DC Comics' Vertigo imprint.  Vertigo is rebooting that comic book as part of a new line of comic books, The Sandman Universe, based on the work of writer, Neil Gaiman, who is also the curator of this line.  The Dreaming (2018) is written by Simon “Si” Spurrier; drawn by Bilquis Evely; colored by Mat Lopes; and lettered by Simon Bowland.  The series is set in a realm that must survive in the aftermath of the disappearance of its domain lord.

The Dreaming #1 (“The Kingdom”) finds Lucien the dream Librarian holding forth with his master, Dream's helm.  Where is Dream, he asks?  Dream has apparently abandoned his realm, and the result is that The Dreaming is a kingdom in chaos.  This place where stories are born now finds its walls slashed and bleeding.  Now, Lucien and the strange residents of The Dreaming must protect its broken borders alone.  The most worrying occurrences, however, are that Dora, a recent resident, is finding opportunity in this madness, stealing dreams for the highest bidder, and in Dream's gallery, something new has started growing...

I think the art for The Dreaming #1, illustrations by Bilquis Evely and colors by Mat Lopes, is gorgeous, especially story page #10.  Letterer Simon Bowland's cascade of delightful fonts are eye candy.  I have no use for Si Spurrier's story and script.  It is 22 pages of meanderings and repetition of story elements already established.

I have a standard I apply to the work and storytelling of comic book writers.  Would an editor accept this work from a unknown writer who was pitching a comic book to that editor?  Or in the case of an established property belonging to that editor's employer (the publisher), would this script for an established writer be considered acceptable work if it were from an unknown writer who was trying to land a gig?  In the case of The Dreaming #1, the veteran scribe, Si Spurrier, got a pass from his editor that an non-established writer would not get.

Well, although I have enjoyed other comic books written by Spurrier, I won't give a pass to The Dreaming #1, if it means paying $3.99 for the mediocrity of future issues.  I hope for better.

4 out of 10

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


The text is copyright © 2018 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.

---------------------

DARK KNIGHT III: The Master Race #7

DARK KNIGHT III: THE MASTER RACE No. 7
DC COMICS – @DCComics

STORY: Frank Miller and Brian Azzarello
PENCILS: Andy Kubert
INKS:  Klaus Janson
COLORS: Brad Anderson
LETTERS: Clem Robins
COVER: Andy Kubert with Brad Anderson
VARIANT COVERS: Jim Lee and Scott Williams with Alex Sinclair; Frank Miller with Alex Sinclair; Klaus Janson with Dave McCaig; Howard Chaykin with Jesus Aburto; Chris Burnham with Nathan Fairbairn
32pp (plus 16-page insert), Color, $5.99 U.S. (February 2017)

Batman created by Bob Kane with Bill Finger

Dark Knight III: The Master Race (also known as DKIII) is the second sequel to Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (also known simply as The Dark Knight Returns or DKR), the landmark, four-issue comic book miniseries.  Published by DC Comics in 1986, DKR was written by Frank Miller; drawn by Miller (pencils) and Klaus Janson (inks); colored by Lynn Varley; and lettered by John Costanza.  DKR focused on a 50-year-old Bruce Wayne who comes out of retirement and resumes his crime-fighting role as Batman.

DKIII is written by Brian Azzarello and DKR's Frank Miller; drawn by Andy Kubert (pencils) and DKR's Klaus Janson (inks); colored by Brad Anderson; and lettered by Clem Robins.  DKIII finds Batman united with Superman to stop a murderous group of people from Superman's home planet, Krypton, from taking over the Earth.

Dark Knight III: The Master Race #7 opens in the aftermath of the battle in and over Gotham City, pitting Batman, Superman, and their allies against the “master race” of Kryptonians from Kandor.  And Batman is dead... or is he?  Superman has an idea about reviving his old friend.  Meanwhile, Quar, the leader of the Kryptonians, moves to strengthen his hold on Lara, the daughter of Superman and Wonder Woman, who has sided with the Kryptonians.  He wants her to do something for him...

I have to say that I enjoyed reading DKIII #7 more than I did issue #6.  I have found DKIII to be wildly inconsistent.  It is sometimes intense and gripping; other times, it is contrived and ridiculous – often within the same issue.

What is the difference with #7?  I think that this issue consolidates subplots and relationships, as the narrative prepares to move into the final acts of the series.  This issue is the first one that clearly depicts Lara's ambivalence, but also emphasizes that much of this story is about Lara's side of the family, in particularly her father, Superman.  Going forward as a reader, an issue like this one makes me feel more confident about the eight and ninth issues of Dark Knight III: The Master Race, the final two issues.

Dark Knight Universe Presents: Strange Adventures #1 (Insert comic book)
STORY: Frank Miller and Brian Azzarello
PENCILS: Frank Miller
INKS: Klaus Janson
COLORS: Alex Sinclair
LETTERS: Clem Robins
COVER: Frank Miller with Alex Sinclair

I have not really enjoyed these mini-comics inserted into the center of each issue of DKIII, but I like this issue's “Strange Adventures” that focuses on Green Lantern and two denizens of Thanagar.  The interplay of the items that give these heroes their power with the mounting danger of their adversaries makes this a gripping mini-thriller with a nice ending.

A-

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


The text is copyright © 2017 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

------------------------

Review: ALL-NEW WOLVERINE #1

ALL-NEW WOLVERINE #1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: Tom Taylor
ART: David Lopez and David Navarrot
COLORS: Nathan Fairbairn
LETTERS: VC's Cory Petit
COVER: Bengal
VARIANT COVERS: David Lopez; Art Adams with Peter Steigerwald; David Marquez with Marte Gracia; Keron Grant (Hip Hop variant cover)
36pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (January 2016)

Parental Advisory

Laura Kinney is a Marvel Comics character.  She is best known as X-23, a female clone of classic X-Men character, Wolverine.  X-23 was originally created by writer Craig Kyle for the Saturday morning animated television series, “X-Men: Evolution” (Season 2, Episode 11).  X-23 made her first appearance in Marvel Comics in the comic book, NYX #3 (cover dated: February 2004).

Like Wolverine, X-23 has a healing factor, superhuman strength, senses, speed, agility, and reflexes. She also has retractable, adamantium-coated bone claws in her hands (two per hand rather than the three per hand that Wolverine has) and also in her feet.

After Marvel's Secret Wars event miniseries, X-23 succeeded Logan/Wolverine as the star of the current ongoing Wolverine comic book series.  That new series is entitled All-New Wolverine and is written by Tom Taylor, drawn by David Lopez and David Navarrot, colored by Nathan Fairbairn, and lettered by Cory Petit.

All-New Wolverine #1 finds Laura and her boyfriend, the X-Men's Angel (the young, time-displaced Warren Worthington, III), in Paris trying to stop an assassination.  Their showdown with the assassins takes them to the Eiffel Tower.  Laura's opponents are formidable, but the identity of one of them shocks Laura, but does not necessarily surprise her.

The first issue of All-New Wolverine is fairly straight-forward:  stop the assassination.  Everything else is just set-up for future issues.   Still, All-New Wolverine #1 is an enjoyable read, an old-fashioned action-adventure, superhero fight comic.  Tom Taylor does not dazzle readers with character drama the way he did in the short-lived, but excellent Superior Iron Man.

The art by David Lopez and David Navarrot is fast-paced and kinetic; the graphical storytelling really sells the action, but also captures the intimacy of a flashback featuring Logan and Laura.  I did not plan on reading this series beyond the first issue, but I think that I will keep reading it for a bit.

B+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

I Reads You Review: NAMELESS #1

NAMELESS #1
IMAGE COMICS – @ImageComics

WRITER: Grant Morrison – @grantmorrison
ARTIST: Chris Burnham – @TheBurnham
COLORS: Nathan Fairbairn
LETTERS: Simon Bowland
LOGO/DESIGN: Rian Hughes
COVER: Chris Burnham with Nathan Fairbairn
VARIANT COVERS: Tony Moore; Nathan Fox with Jordie Bellaire; Jonathan Hickman; Chris Burnham with Nathan Fairbairn
28pp, Color, $2.99 U.S. (February 2015)

Rated M / Mature

“Shit Rains Down”

Nameless is a new horror and science fiction comic book from writer Grant Morrison and artist Chris Burnham.  Published by Image Comics, Nameless is colored by Nathan Fairbairn and lettered by Simon Bowland.

Nameless #1 (“Shit Rains Down) opens with shocking violence.  An astronomer kills his wife and two children before he hangs himself with barbed wire.  A second family gets wiped out; maybe the husband did it – the husband who yells “Zirom Trian Ipam Ipamis,” as the police carry him away.

Meanwhile, an occult hustler who has named himself, “Nameless,” fights the Veiled Lady for the “Dream Key.”  But his biggest task may be the job that is forced upon him – to save the Earth from a malevolent asteroid named “Xibalba.”

The first half of Nameless #1 is a mixture of familiar Grant Morrison tropes – conspiracies and occultism – with some leftovers from The Invisibles and H.P. Lovecraft.  Morrison throws that into a word processing blender and presses the puree button when he really should have used the pulse setting.  The first time I read the first half of Nameless, I did not understand what was happening in the story.  I thought, “How will I review this mess.  I have no idea what's going on.”  I was still confused after reading the first half a second time.

After a third and fourth reading, however, I found the first half of Nameless to be strangely beautiful.  I thought (or imagined) that I was seeing new things in the story and art that I had not seen before.  The Frank Quitely-like art by Chris Burnham with Nathan Fairbairn's gorgeous coloring makes for some eye-catching graphics.  Together, story and art offer graphical storytelling that presents dreams and visions as if they were the gosh-darn-purtiest vacation spot in all of comic book land.

The rest of Nameless #1 is conventional, for the most part, but still intriguing.  I am quite determined to read the second issue of Nameless, sellouts be damned.

A-

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2015 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.

Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for February 4, 2015

IMAGE COMICS

NOV140563     APHRODITE IX CYBER FORCE #1 CROSS OVER SDCC SGN EXC     $20.00
DEC140720     BIRTHRIGHT #5     $2.99
NOV140645     COWL #8 (MR)     $3.50
NOV140646     DEAD AT 17 BLASPHEMY THRONE #6     $3.50
NOV140651     EAST OF WEST #17     $3.50
DEC140641     EGOS #5     $2.99
DEC140666     GOD HATES ASTRONAUTS TP VOL 02 A STAR IS BORN (MR)     $14.99
DEC140737     HUMANS #4 (MR)     $2.99
DEC140745     NAILBITER #10 (MR)     $2.99
DEC140599     NAMELESS #1 (MR)     $2.99
DEC140746     ODDLY NORMAL #5 CVR A FRAMPTON     $2.99
DEC140747     ODDLY NORMAL #5 CVR B JONES     $2.99
DEC140626     POSTAL #1 CVR A SEJIC     $3.99
DEC140627     POSTAL #1 CVR B GOODHART     $3.99
DEC140643     SAGA #25 (MR)     $2.99
SEP140751     SHELTERED #14 (MR)     $2.99
DEC140761     SINERGY #4 CVR A OEMING (MR)     $3.50
DEC140762     SINERGY #4 CVR B RIOS (MR)     $3.50
OCT140692     SOUTHERN BASTARDS BOSS BBQ T/S LG MEN     $19.99
OCT140691     SOUTHERN BASTARDS BOSS BBQ T/S MED MEN     $19.99
OCT140690     SOUTHERN BASTARDS BOSS BBQ T/S SM MEN     $19.99
OCT140693     SOUTHERN BASTARDS BOSS BBQ T/S XL MEN     $19.99
OCT140694     SOUTHERN BASTARDS BOSS BBQ T/S XXL MEN     $19.99
OCT140695     SOUTHERN BASTARDS BOSS BBQ T/S XXXL MEN     $19.99
OCT140686     SOUTHERN BASTARDS SAWWEET TEE T/S LG MEN     $19.99
OCT140685     SOUTHERN BASTARDS SAWWEET TEE T/S MED MEN     $19.99
OCT140684     SOUTHERN BASTARDS SAWWEET TEE T/S SM MEN     $19.99
OCT140687     SOUTHERN BASTARDS SAWWEET TEE T/S XL MEN     $19.99
OCT140688     SOUTHERN BASTARDS SAWWEET TEE T/S XXL MEN     $19.99
OCT140689     SOUTHERN BASTARDS SAWWEET TEE T/S XXXL MEN     $19.99
NOV140541     SPAWN #250 CVR A MCFARLANE     $5.99
NOV140542     SPAWN #250 CVR B CAPULLO     $5.99
NOV140543     SPAWN #250 CVR C YOUNG     $5.99
NOV140544     SPAWN #250 CVR D JOCK     $5.99
NOV140545     SPAWN #250 CVR E MURPHY     $5.99
NOV140546     SPAWN #250 CVR F TAN     $5.99
NOV140580     STRAY BULLETS SUNSHINE & ROSES #1 (MR)     $3.50
AUG140689     VELVET #9 (MR)     $3.50
NOV140700     WYTCHES #4 (MR)     $2.99

IMAGE COMICS/MCFARLANE TOYS

OCT142303     TMP SPORTS NFL SERIES 35 AF     PI
OCT142306     TMP SPORTS NFL SERIES 35 DEZ BRYANT AF     PI
OCT142308     TMP SPORTS NFL SERIES 35 LEVEON BELL AF     PI
OCT142305     TMP SPORTS NFL SERIES 35 MANZIEL AF     PI
OCT142304     TMP SPORTS NFL SERIES 35 NAMATH AF     PI
OCT142307     TMP SPORTS NFL SERIES 35 NICK FOLES AF     PI
OCT142309     TMP SPORTS NFL SERIES 35 RUSSELL WILSON AF     PI

I Reads You Review: THE MULTIVERSITY #1

THE MULTIVERSITY #1
DC COMICS – @DCComics

WRITER: Grant Morrison
PENCILS: Ivan Reis
INKS: Joe Prado
COLORS: Nei Ruffino
LETTERS: Todd Klein
COVER: Ivan Reis and Joe Prado with Nei Ruffino
VARIANT COVERS: Chris Burnham with Nathan Fairbairn (after Joe Shuster); Bryan Hitch with Alex Sinclair; Grant Morrison
48pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (October 2014)

Rated “T” for “Teen”

“House of Heroes”

The Multiversity is the latest comic book event series from DC Comics.  It is also a long-awaited event series, as this project was first announced several years ago.  The Multiversity is a limited series consisting of interrelated one-shot comic books set in the “DC Multiverse.”  Specifically, this is the Multiverse as it exists after The New 52, the re-launch of the DC Comics Universe that occurred in 2011.

If I understand correctly, the series will be comprised of eight comics.  Grant Morrison will write all eight, but each comic book will be drawn by a different artist.  The first issue, The Multiversity #1, is written by Morrison, drawn by Ivan Reis and Joe Prado, colored by Nei Ruffino, and lettered by the great Todd Klein.

The Multiversity #1 (“Hall of Heroes”) opens in a college dorm room, where a young African-American man is trying to understand what may be a haunted comic book.  The story moves to Earth-7, where Nix Uotan, the Superjudge and last of the Multiversal Monitors, saves a superhero, Thunderer, from certain doom at the hands of five demonic invaders:  Dame Merciless, Hellmachine, Lord Broken, Demogorounn, and Intellectron.

Meanwhile, Superman of Earth-23 finds himself spirited away to the Monitor Watchstation, also known as Valla-hal the “House of Heroes.”  Here, the greatest heroes of Fifty-Two worlds have been summoned to protect the Multiverse.  None of them have any idea of what they face.

If I had to guess (and I have to since I'm trying to communicate with you, dear readers, through this review), I would guess that The Multiversity is influenced by DC Comics' now-legendary comic book crossover event, Crisis on Infinite Earths.  I think the JLA/JSA crossover events that occurred in the original Justice League of America comic book series, every year from 1963 to 1985, also inspires The Multiversity.  In fact, I have read a few of those annual crossover stories, and The Multiversity #1, in terms of storytelling and in Ivan Reis' art, reminds me of them.

Basically,  The Multiversity #1 is old-school DC Comics (pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths) mixed with Grant Morrison's penchant for weirdness and mythology, and his... taste... for Alan Moore and Michael Moorcock.  It's a fun read.  I don't know if this event is meant to be world(s)-shattering, but it sure doesn't seem like it.  It's more goofy fun than anything else.

I won't lie to you.  This is far from a great comic book, but it is, for the most part, good.  You know, there are enough Black and African-American superheroes in The Multiversity #1 to make a Tarzan movie or at least, a Milestone Media comic book, so I can't help but like it.  I am going to follow this series in its entirety because of this first issue, although I had planned on not reading past the first issue.

B

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.

The New 52 Review: SWAMP THING #1

SWAMP THING #1
DC COMICS

WRITER: Scott Snyder
ARTIST: Yanick Paquette
COLORS: Nathan Fairbairn
LETTERS: John J. Hill
32pp, Color, $2.99

Swamp Thing is a horror comic book character from DC Comics. The character is a plant elemental and a sentient, walking mass of plant matter. Created by writer Len Wein and artist Berni Wrightson, Swamp Thing first appeared in House of Secrets #92 (cover dated July 1971).

The best known version is Alec Holland (Swamp Thing #1, October/November 1972), a scientist who becomes Swamp Thing due to a complex process involving his death, a “bio-restorative formula,” and a bomb. British comic book writer Alan Moore came to fame in the United States when he began writing Saga of the Swamp Thing with issue #20 (January 1984) and re-invented the character with issue #21. As part of DC Comics’ re-launch of its superhero comics line, “The New 52,” Swamp Thing is back.

Swamp Thing #1 (“Raise Dem Bones”) finds Dr. Alec Holland alive. He has stopped working as a botanist in favor of working in construction. Holland is no longer Swamp Thing, but has all the memories of being the legendary plant elemental. The plant world, both natural and paranormal, has not forgotten him, however. Something is wrong, and even Superman is calling on Dr. Holland, because something dark is coming.

Even with its exciting last act and the shocking splash page that ends it, Swamp Thing #1 is interesting, but is mostly setup. It seems as if this is going to be a good series, but let us not kid ourselves. Scott Snyder is not Alan Moore, and Yanick Paquette, as good an artist as he is, will not create the eerie graphic magic that artists Steve Bissette and John Totleben did with Moore. For those who grew up reading the Moore/Bissette/Totleben Swamp Thing, everything besides the Wein/Wrightson Swamp Thing is sadly inferior.

Still, this new Swamp Thing could be good.

B


August 31st
FLASHPOINT #5
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/09/flashpoint-5.html
JUSTICE LEAGUE #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/09/justice-league-1.html

September 7th
ACTION COMICS #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/09/action-comics-1.html
ANIMAL MAN #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/09/animal-man-1.html
BATGIRL #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/09/batgirl-1.html
BATWING #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/09/batwing-1.html
DETECTIVE COMICS #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/09/detective-comics-1-2011.html
HAWK AND DOVE #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/09/hawk-dove-1.html
JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/09/justice-league-international-1.html
MEN OF WAR #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/09/men-of-war-1.html
STATIC SHOCK #1 2.99
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/09/static-shock-1.html
STORMWATCH #1
http://ireadsyou.blogspot.com/2011/09/stormwatch-1.html