#IReadsYou Review: Marvel Comics' ALIEN #1

ALIEN #1
MARVEL

STORY: Phillip Kennedy Johnson
ART: Salvador Larroca
COLORS: Guru-eFX
LETTERS: VC's Clayton Cowles
EDITOR: Jake Thomas
EiC: Akira Yoshida a.k.a. C.B. Cebulski
COVER: InHyuk Lee
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Steve McNiven with Laura Martin; Peach Momoko; Ron Lim with Israel Silva; Todd Nauck with Rachelle Rosenberg; Patrick Gleason; Skottie Young; David Finch with Frank D'Armata; Salvador Larroca with Guru-eFX
40pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (May 2021)

Parental Advisory

Alien is a 1979 science fiction horror film directed by Ridley Scott and written by Dan O'Bannon, based on a story that O'Bannon wrote with Ronald Shusett.  The film depicts a battle for survival between the crew of the commercial towing vehicle,  the space ship named “the Nostromo” and an aggressive deadline extraterrestrial creature, the “Alien” of the title, that is now known as a “Xenomorph.”

Alien, which went on to win an Academy Award, spawned a film franchise, beginning with writer-director James Cameron's 1986 science fiction action film, Aliens.  Alien also begat a media franchise, which included a comic book adaptation and also a novelization of the original film.  In 1988, Dark Horse Comics launched its first Alien comic book series, a 1988-89, six-issue comic book miniseries, entitled Aliens.  Dark Horse had the license to produce comic books based on the Alien franchise from 1988 to 1999 and again from 2009 to 2020.

Marvel Comics announced in 2020 that it had obtained the license to produce comic books based on the Alien film franchise.  Marvel Comics recently launched the first comic book series, Alien.  It is written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson; drawn by Salvador Larroca; colored by Guru-eFX, and lettered by Clayton Cowles.  This new Alien comic book focuses on a recently retired security agent who once faced the Xenomorphs and may have to again.

Alien #1 opens in January of the year 2200 on the Epsilon Orbital Research and Development Station.  It introduces Gabriel Cruz, a man who has given his life to Weyland-Yutani as a defense agent.  He is retiring as the security agent for Weyland-Yutani's Epsilon Station.  With the help of his friend, a Bishop-model android, Cruz hopes to reconnect and patch things up with Danny, his estranged son.  However, Danny has dangerous and ulterior motives for reuniting with his father.

Once upon a time, Gabriel barely survived an alien attack.  And now, it seems that his encounters are far from over.

THE LOWDOWN:  I am a big fan of the Alien film franchise, and I have lost count of how many times I have watched James Cameron's Aliens, including a few times just recently.  I have seen both Alien vs. Predator films numerous times and will watch them many times more.

Early in Dark Horse Comics' run of Alien comic books, I was devoted to the company's output, but lost interest after several years.  I thought the new Marvel Comics' title would be a good time to start reading Alien comic book again, and I was right.

Writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson whets the appetite with the promise of thrills to come while offering tasty teases of back story involving Gabriel Cruz.  Books about writing will always say that the writer should create strong characters and that the plot will develop from the characters.  Basically, the characters should act as the spine of the story.  I find the spine of this story, Gabriel and Danny, to be dull, and I have no interest in their crappy relationship.  On the other hand, the plot is quite strong.  Johnson makes Alien #1 a fun read when he focuses on the threat of the “Aliens” and on the looming disaster that will fully bring them into the story.

I would not call the art and graphical storytelling in Alien #1 peak Salvador Larroca.  For one thing, all the characters have faces that look like they underwent bad plastic surgery.  The compositions have a generic, Larroca clip art quality, but Guru-eFX's power-coloring and super-hues cover up the blemishes as well as any coloring can.

Still, Marvel's Alien #1 intrigues, especially if you, dear readers, are fans of the Xenomorphs.  I think I should keep reading … at least for the first story arc.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of the Alien/Aliens film and comic book franchises will certainly want to try Marvel's Alien.

A-
7.5 out of 10

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


https://twitter.com/Marvel
https://www.marvel.com/
https://www.marvel.com/comics
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The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou Review: POWER MAN AND IRON FIST #1

POWER MAN AND IRON FIST No. 1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: David Walker
ARTIST: Sanford Greene
COLORS: Lee Loughridge
LETTERS: VC's Clayton Cowles
COVER: Sanford Greene
VARIANT COVERS: Kalman Andrasofszky; John Tyler Christopher; Sanford Greene; Theotis Jones; Chris Visions; Trevor Von Eeden with Rachelle Rosenberg; Skottie Young
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (April 2016)

Rated T+

“The Boys are Back”

Luke Cage, also known as “Power Man,” is a Marvel Comics superhero.  He was created by writer Archie Goodwin and artist John Romita, Sr., and first appeared in Luke Cage, Hero for Hire #1 (cover dated: June 1972).  Cage was imprisoned for a crime he did not commit, but he eventually gains superpowers in the form of durability, unbreakable skin, and superhuman strength.

Iron Fist/Daniel “Danny” Rand is a Marvel Comics superhero.  The character was created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Gil Kane, and first appeared in Marvel Premiere #15 (cover dated: May 1974).  An orphan and martial artist, Danny earned the power of a mystical force called the Iron Fist in the also mystical city of K'un Lun.

Both characters have starred in their own comic books series, but Luke Cage and Iron Fist have also been a duo and a team called Heroes for Hire.  There was also a long-running comic book series entitled Power Man and Iron Fist.  Thanks to the All-New, All-Different Marvel, Power Man and Iron Fist the comic book is back.  It is written by David Walker; drawn by Sanford Greene; colored by Lee Loughridge; and lettered by Clayton Cowles.

Power Man and Iron Fist #1 (“The Boys are Back”) opens with Luke and Danny on their way to meet Jennie Royce.  The former office manager of Heroes for Hire, Jennie has finished serving a prison sentence for murdering her abusive ex-boyfriend, Eugene Mason.  Jennie asks Luke and Danny to retrieve a family heirloom currently in the possession of a criminal, Lonnie Lincoln a.k.a. “Tombstone.”  Luke is adamant that he is not re-teaming with Danny Rand and that this mission to retrieve Jennie's heirloom is just a favor for a friend-who-is-like-family in need.  But, of course, it is not the easy.

One look at Sanford Greene's cover art for this new Power Man and Iron Fist #1, I knew that I would not like what was behind the cover.  I was wrong.  I really liked this first issue, and I am genuinely suspicious or ambivalent about first issues.

David Walker's story and script is off-beat in a way that makes this comic book stand out from the Marvel pack, in a way that Matt Fraction and David Aja's Hawkeye did.  Sanford Greene's visual language for this comic book balances superhero action against an edgy kind of street-comedy and gritty drama that pushes back on easy classification.

I like this comic book, and I look forward to future issues.  Besides, David Walker and Sanford Greene are the Black/African-American creative team I have been demanding, so I gots to keep it real and read this comic book for several issues, at least.  So far, it looks like their work will help to choke the Jim Crow out of the American comic book industry

A-
7.5 out of 10

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


The text is copyright © 2016 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou Review: STAR WARS: The Rise of Kylo Ren

STAR WARS: THE RISE OF KYLO REN
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.  Also, visit Star Wars Review Central here.]

STORY: Charles Soule
ART: Will Sliney
COLORS: Guru eFX
LETTERS: VC's Travis Lanham
EDITOR: Mark Paniccia
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Akira Yoshida a.k.a. C.B. Cebulski
COVER: Clayton Crain
MISC ART: Carmen Carnero with Rachelle Rosenberg; John Tyler Christopher; Jodie Muir; Stefano Landini and Nicola Righi; Giuseppe Camuncoli with David Curiel
ISBN: 978-1-302-92418-8; paperback (August 11, 2020)
112pp, Color, $15.99 U.S., $20.99 CAN

Rated T

Star Wars: The Rise of Kylo Ren is a Marvel Comics trade paperback collection of the Star Wars comic book miniseries, Star Wars: The Rise of Kylo Ren #1-4 (December 2019 to March 2020).  The miniseries is written by Charles Soule; drawn by Will Sliney; colored by Guru eFX; and lettered by Travis Lanham.

The Rise of Kylo Ren is an official part of the Star Wars “canon” and explores the backstory of Kylo Ren.  He is the face of the Dark Side in the Star Wars “sequel trilogy” of films:  Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

Star Wars: The Rise of Kylo Ren opens long ago and introduces the mysterious leader called “Ren” and his “Knights of Ren.”  Two brothers, Karrst and Filin,” learn the high cost of being recruited by Ren.  The story moves to the present which finds the Jedi Temple of Luke Skywalker in flames, as Ben Solo, the son of Leia Organa and Han Solo and the nephew of Jedi Master Luke Skywalker, watches.

Soon, Ben is accused of murder by three fellow Jedi students:  Voe, Hennix, and Tai.  Escaping their attempts at justice, Ben seeks the counsel of Snoke, a user of the Dark Side of the Force, who has been in contact with Ben for some time.  Snoke points Ben to the Knights of Ren as a “good stop” on his journey to the Dark Side.

But will Ben truly be able to find himself and his place with the Knights?  How will he measure up to the expectations of the Knights' leader, Ren, with his talk of “good death” and of the “Shadow?”  How will Ben deal with his former classmates as they pursue him in the name of justice.  And most of all, when will Ben be able to embrace his new name?...

THE LOWDOWN:  In the recent “Skywalker Saga” Star Wars films, Kylo Ren is a figure of intrigue and mystery.  Except for a few flashback sequences, visions, and what little Luke Skywalker and Kylo himself say, little is known about his past.

In a little more than 90 pages of narrative, writer Charles Soule illuminates the history of Kylo Ren and chases away at least some of the shadows of Kylo's past.  In the little more than five years since Marvel Comics resumed publishing Star Wars comic books, Soule has made himself one of the very best writers of Star Wars comic books.  While he offers a tale of duplicity and violence, Soule also reveals the true struggle of Kylo Ren, to be liberated from the expectations and legacies of others so that he can chart his own path.

After reading Star Wars: The Rise of Kylo Ren, I have no doubt in my mind that Charles Soule could spin many a wonderful yarn featuring Kylo Ren.  I don't want to minimize the work of artist Will Sliney, who is a good graphical storyteller.  Or the work of Guru eFX, which brings this story's settings to life with a variety of hues.  Or the work of letterer Travis Lanham, who is always quite good at capturing the right tone of the characters' dialogue.  However, Charles Soule's writing is the star in Star Wars: The Rise of Kylo Ren simply because he does what so few have done – deliver on the potential of the character known as both Ben Solo and as Kylo Ren.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Star Wars comic books and of Star Wars canon will certainly want to read Star Wars: The Rise of Kylo Ren.

10 out of 10

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


The text is copyright © 2020 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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#IReadsYou Review: MARAUDERS #1

MARAUDERS No. 1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Gerry Duggan
ART: Matteo Lolli
COLORS: Federico Blee
LETTERS: VC's Cory Petit
EDITOR: Jordan D. White
EiC: Akria Yoshida a.k.a. “C.B. Cebuski”
COVER: Russell Dauterman with Matthew Wilson
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Mark Bagley and John Dell with Israel Silva; Aaron Kuder with Jordie Bellaire; Rick Leonardi with Richard Isanove; Tom Muller; Todd Nauck with Rachelle Rosenberg; Philip Tan with Jay David Ramos; Russell Dauterman with Federico Blee
44pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (December 2019)

Rated T+

The X-Men created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

“I'm on a Boat”

The X-Men are a Marvel Comics superhero team comprised of individuals with unique powers and abilities granted to them because they are “mutants.”  Created by editor-writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the X-Men debuted in the comic book, The X-Men #1 (cover dated: September 1963).

Over its six decades of existence, the X-Men comic book franchise has been revived, revamped, relaunched, and re-imagined.  The latest remodeling came via a pair of six-issue miniseries, House of X and Powers of X (pronounced “Powers of 10”), which were written by Jonathan Hickman.  Afterwards, October welcomed “Dawn of X,” the launch of six new X-Men titles, although all except one bore titles that had been previously used.  The new series are Excalibur, Fallen Angels, New Mutants, X-Force, X-Men, and the subject of this review, Marauders.

Marauders is written by Gerry Duggan; drawn by Matteo Lolli; colored by Federico Blee, and lettered by Cory Petit.  Previously, “the Marauders” was the name of a group of assassins employed by the X-Men's adversary, Mister Sinister (now an ally).  As a team, the Marauders' purpose was to assassinate other mutants and to act as a commando strike-force to carry out acts of mass murder.  The new Marauders have been formed to protect and help mutants around the world.

Marauders #1 (“I'm on a Boat”) opens in this glorious new dawn for “Mutantkind.”  Around the world, mutants are entering gateways that take them to Krakoa, the living island and mutant nation-state.  But not everyone can enter those gateways... for various reasons.  One of the most famous members of the X-Men, Katherine “Kate” Pryde (formerly known as “Kitty Pryde”), cannot pass through a Krakoan gateway; for her, it's like walking into a wall.

However, around the world, there are mutants living in countries that do not have diplomatic relations with Krakoa, nor do they recognize mutant sovereignty.  Countries like Russia and Taiwan use various means to block their mutant citizens' access to the gateways.  Aboard a specially-fitted sailing vessel funded by Emma Frost and the Hellfire Trading Company, Captain Kate Pryde leads fellow mutants:  Storm, Bishop, Iceman, and Pyro, with Lockheed the dragon, on a mission to sail the seas of the world in order to protect those most hated and feared!

I was not impressed by the first “Dawn of X” title, X-Men, but I like this second one.  It's not that writer Gerry Duggan offers an exceptional first-issue script; it is good enough.  It's that Marauders has a lot of potential to address current issues and geopolitical affairs using the X-Men as allegory or metaphor.  Also, a sailing vessel promises some quasi-pirate fun.

The illustrations by Matteo Lolli are nice, and his graphical storytelling is clean, if not dynamic.  Federico Blee's coloring seems a little too thick and has what looks like smearing in several places.  Cory Petit's lettering is good, but a bit tame for a concept that demands boldness.  Truthfully, Marauders #1 could be the start of something daring or it could be simply the first issue of just-another-X-Men comic book.  So far, I suspect that it will be the latter, which will probably be the case for most (if not all) the“Dawn of X” titles.

7 out of 10

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


The text is copyright © 2020 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and  syndication rights and fees.


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#IReadsYou Review: UNCANNY X-MEN #1 (2019)

UNCANNY X-MEN #1 (2019) – Legacy #620
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Ed Brisson, Matthew Rosenberg, and Kelly Thompson
ART: Mahmud Asrar; Mirko Colak; Ibraim Roberson
PENCILS: Mark Bagley
INKS: Andrew Hennessy
COLORS: Rachelle Rosenberg
LETTERS: VC's Joe Caramagna
COVER: Leinil Francis Yu with Edgar Delgado
EDITOR: Jordan White with Darren Shan
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: David Finch with Frank D'Armata; Jim Cheung with Justin Ponsor; Scott Williams with Ryan Kinnaird; Carlos Pacheco and Rafael Fonteriz with Edgar Delgado; Joe Quesada with Richard Isanove; Rob Liefeld with Romulo Fajardo, Jr.; Dave Cockrum with Jason; Dave Cockrum
72pp, Color, $7.99 U.S. (January 2019)

Rated T+

X-Men created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

“Disassembled” Part 1; “What Tomorrow Brings” Parts One – “A Bishop Story”; Part Two – “A Jean Grey Story”; Part Three – “An Armor & Angle Story”; Epilogue

There is no point in trying to count the number of times that Marvel Comics has relaunched, reinvigorated, or quasi-rebooted its X-Men comic book franchise since 2001's New X-Men.  This week we got the third(?) Uncanny X-Men relaunch.

Uncanny X-Men 2019 is written by the team of Ed Brisson, Matthew Rosenberg, and Kelly Thompson.  The artists and art teams will rotate, as the first nine issues of this new series will be published weekly.  The artists for this first issue are Mahmud Asrar (pencils-inks); Mirko Colak (pencils-inks); Ibraim Roberson (pencils-inks); and the team of Mark Bagley (pencils) and Andrew Hennessy (inks).  Rachelle Rosenberg colors and Joe Caramanga letters this first issue.

Uncanny X-Men #1 begins with the main story, “Disassembled” Part 1.  The story opens with Jean Grey having a dream about an invasion of multiple copies of Multiple Man, each one demanding the whereabouts of Kitty Pryde.  Meanwhile, Kitty is among the members of the X-Men who are suddenly disappearing.  Who is behind this mystery?  In a series of back-up stories, Bishop, Jean Grey & Storm, and Armor & Anole take on a foe capable of possessing people in the days leading up to the events depicted in the main story.

20th Century Fox's X-Men film franchise has had some spectacular successes and some failures since the franchise's first film, 2000's X-Men.  In that time, X-Men comic books have been mostly hit and miss.  There have been some interesting, even good series; All New X-Men, New X-Men, and X-Men: The Hidden Years come to mind.  However, the “golden age” of X-Men comic books was over by the mid-1980s, and the various owners of Marvel Comics have ruined the franchise by turning it into a cash cow that has vomited money.  A deluge of X-Men and X-Men-related ongoing series, miniseries, one-shots, specials, graphic novels, and reprint and archival publications in various formats, etc. were money makers.  The quality of these comic books varied wildly.  Some were good.  Some were mediocre.  Some were plain awful.

Personally, I think that without a radical rethinking of the X-Men concept, the best we can hope for is that maybe each new iteration of a flagship X-Men comic book, Uncanny X-Men or the recent X-Men: Blue and X-Men: Gold, can yield at least a year's worth of good comic books.  Gold and Blue barely did that.

I like that Uncanny X-Men 2019 will be weekly for its first nine issues.  I wish that Marvel and DC Comics published more weekly titles.  Rather than have a bunch of crappy Justice League titles, have one that is published weekly and features rotating casts and creative teams.  If Uncanny X-Men's writing team can maintain this first issue's sense of mystery and keep offering cliffhangers like the ones in this issue, then, this will be a fun run of nine issues.

So I have some hope, but, without going into spoilers, nothing in Uncanny X-Men #1 2019 suggests that this comic book will approach the first quarter-century of X-Men publications, which offered quite a few stories that went on to become classics.  But there is enough here to suggest that this could be a solid title.  I want to be surprised and delighted.

7 out of 10

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


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

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Review: MARVEL RISING: Alpha #1

MARVEL RISING: ALPHA No. 1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Devin Grayson
ART: Georges Duarte
COLORS: Rachelle Rosenberg
LETTERS: VC's Clayton Cowles
EDITORS: Heather Antos and Sarah Brunstad
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Akira Yoshida
COVER: Gurihiru
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Stacey Lee; Rian Gonzales
36pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (August 2018)

Rated “T”

Part 1

“Marvel Rising” is a “new animation universe” from Marvel Entertainment.  It is apparently a multi-platform franchise that will feature a diverse line-up of Marvel Comics superheroes:  Ms. Marvel, Squirrel Girl, Quake, Spider-Gwen, Lockjaw, America Chavez, Squirrel Girl, Patriot, and Inferno.  “Marvel Rising” will include digital animated short films (focusing on Spider-Gwen) and a feature-length animated film, Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors, for release sometime in the second half of 2018. I think Captain Marvel will be involved in “Marvel Rising,” to one extent or another.

Released earlier this year, Marvel Rising #0 is a free comic book that previews the Marvel Rising comic books.  It brings together Doreen Green a.k.a. the Unbeatable Squirrel Girl and Kamala Kahn a.k.a. Ms. Marvel.  It presents Doreen as a volunteer in a teaching program, in which her latest pupils are a group of New Jersey high school students that includes Kamala.  The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl and Ms. Marvel eventually team-up to take on A.I.M. (Advanced Idea Mechanics) who play some part in a scheme to find “powered teens” or young people with unusual genetic traits.

Now the Marvel Rising comic book miniseries begins in earnest with the recent arrival of Marvel Rising: Alpha.  It is written by Devin Grayson; drawn by Georges Duarte; colored by Rachelle Rosenberg; and lettered by Clayton Cowles.

Marvel Rising: Alpha #1 (“Part 1”) introduces high school student, Ember Quade, known online as “Emulator” or “3mul@t0r.”  She is a really good gamer, much to the chagrin of some teen boys who absolutely hate to lose to girls.  Ember has a friend to whom she can confide her powers, an online buddy named “King0fPWN.”  He or she lifts Ember's spirits, and also encourages her to explore her emerging powers.

Meanwhile, computer science college student, Doreen Green a.k.a. the Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, continues to teach an extracurricular class, game programming, at a New Jersey high school.  One of he students is Kamala Kahn a.k.a. Ms. Marvel.  When giant versions of video game characters start popping up on campus, the Unbeatable Squirrel Girl and Ms. Marvel spring into action.

I enjoyed Marvel Rising #0, although it is really a “kids' comic book.”  Marvel Rising: Alpha #1 is rated “T” as a comic book for teen readers, but I think it is appropriate for middle school and 'tween readers, especially for girls who read or might read a comic book.  Writer Devin Grayson eschews character drama for the kind of episodic adventure found in animated action and superhero animated TV series.  The super-heroine action here is good, but not great.  Personally, I would do something different with Ember Quade's powers, but then again, Grayson may not have a lot of control over the direction of this story.

The illustrations by Georges Duarte and colors by Rachelle Rosenberg are pretty, but the graphical storytelling is not particularly ambitious.  The lettering seems crowded, but the design is good.  I think the point here is more about being “good” than being ambitious.  I wish the people who are overseeing Marvel Rising would expect as much of their target audience as Marvel Studios does of the audience for its smash hit films.  Still, I would recommend this to young comic book readers interested in superheroes and super-heroines.

6 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 reprint or syndication rights and fees.

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Review: MARVEL RISING #0

MARVEL RISING No. 0
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Devin Grayson
ART: Marco Failla
COLORS: Rachelle Rosenberg
LETTERS: VC's Clayton Cowles
EDITORS: Heather Antos and Sarah Brunstad
COVER: Helen Chen
28pp, Color, $0.00 U.S. (June 2018)

Marvel Entertainment announced a “new animation universe,” entitled “Marvel Rising.”  From what I have gathered, reading articles here and there, is that this is a multi-platform franchise.  It will feature a diverse line-up of Marvel Comics superheroes:  Ms. Marvel, Squirrel Girl, Quake, Spider-Gwen, Lockjaw, America Chavez, Squirrel Girl, Patriot, and Inferno.  I think Captain Marvel will be involved in “Marvel Rising,” to one extent or another.

In a video, Sana Amanat, Marvel's Director of Content & Character Development said, “We wanted to show the world that these heroes are important to the Marvel Universe, that there is a character for every kind of Marvel fan out there.”  You can view the video via this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HTPCTtkWoA

“Marvel Rising” will include digital animated short films (focusing on Spider-Gwen) and a feature-length animated film, Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors, for release sometime in the second half of 2018.  One of the platforms in this multi-platform is comic books, and beginning in June the first of four Marvel Rising comic books, Marvel Rising: Alpha, will debut.

Marvel Rising #0 is a free comic book that previews the Marvel Rising comic books.  I found it in my local comic book shop Wednesday, April 25, 2018.  It is written by Devin Grayson; drawn by Marco Failla; colored by Rachelle Rosenberg; and lettered by Clayton Cowles.  The story focuses on Doreen Green a.k.a. the Unbeatable Squirrel Girl and Kamala Kahn a.k.a. Ms. Marvel.

The story opens in New York City at the “Howard Anthony Stark Institute for Technical Excellence,” where Doreen Green is a volunteer in a teaching programming.  Her latest pupils are a group of New Jersey high school students that includes Kamala Kahn.  Things go immediately wrong when gun-wielding agents of A.I.M. (Advanced Idea Mechanics) invade the institute, and their targets are the students.  Now, the Unbeatable Squirrel Girl and Ms. Marvel will have a chance to discover how much fun the two of them can have working together.

When I first heard of “Marvel Rising,” I wondered if it was Marvel's answer to DC Entertainment's (DC Comics) "DC Super Hero Girls" action figure franchise, which includes a series of apparently popular and (sometimes) bestselling graphic novels.  I think “Marvel Rising” is a way to introduce new readers who are not white males to Marvel Comics by offering comic books that feature non-white male characters, for the most part.

Of the eight characters featured on the cover of Marvel Rising #0, six are female characters of various ages and ethnicities.  There is one young black male and one young white male.  The 10-page story featured in this comic book focuses on two female characters, Squirrel Girl and Ms. Marvel, who is a Pakistani-American.  From what I can tell, the four Marvel Rising comic books will feature a group of characters comprised of six females, two males, a dog (the Inhuman Lockjaw), and a squirrel that must be a mascot or something to Squirrel Girl.

As for the 10-page story, it is not something great, but it is what American comic books need more – a fun superhero story that can be enjoyed by young readers and maybe even open-minded older readers.  Broad, fun comic books is something writer Devin Grayson does well.

The art by Marco Failla is pretty and features strong compositions and good storytelling.  As usual, Rachelle Rosenberg covers the art in pretty colors, and Clayton Cowles delivers effective lettering that sells the pace, tone, and mood of the story.

Dear readers, get thee to a comic book story and get the free Marvel Rising #0.  I know I want more Marvel Rising comics and look forward to the summer releases.

7.5 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 reprint or syndication rights and fees.

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Review: RETURN OF WOLVERINE #1

RETURN OF WOLVERINE No. 1 (OF 5)
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Charles Soule
PENCILS: Steve McNiven
INKS: Jay Leisten
COLORS: Laura Martin
LETTERS: VC's Joe Sabino
EDITORS: Mark Paniccia and Jordan D. White
COVER:  Steve McNiven and Jay Leisten with Laura Martin
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: John Cassaday with Laura Martin; Steve McNiven and Jay Leisten with Laura Martin; Todd Nauck with Rachelle Rosenberg; Leinil Francis Yu with Sunny Gho
40pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (November 2018)

Parental advisory

Chapter One: “Hell”

Four years ago, Marvel Comics published Death of Wolverine.  Written by Charles Soule and drawn by Steven McNiven (pencils) and Jay Leisten (inks), the four-issue miniseries saw Wolverine a.k.a. Logan die as a result of injuries and loosing his supernatural healing factor that was a result of him being a mutant.  The most famous version of the Wolverine character:  the one who has been a member of the mutant X-Men and the one that made his first full appearance in The Incredible Hulk #181 (after having appeared in the last panel of #180), was dead.

Now after a year of Marvel teasing, Wolverine/Logan is returning in the five-issue comic book miniseries, Return of Wolverine.   The Death of Wolverine creative team of Soule, McNiven, and Leisten return for this resurrection event.  Laura Martin on colors and Joe Sabino on letters complete the creative team.

Return of Wolverine #1 (“Hell”) opens.  Wolverine awakens.  We know who he is, but he does not know who he is.  He is in some unknown location.  There is a saber-tooth tiger and a mammoth in cages near him.  A grievously wounded man tells Wolverine that he should be dead.  A woman who wants Wolverine to find her son tells him that he is a hero.  They both want Wolverine to find some organization called “Soteira” and a woman named “Persephone.”  They both want him to kill and destroy the woman and her organization respectively.  Still unsure of who is he or what happened or is happening, Wolverine figures, why not.  What else does he have to do?

Legendary comic book writer, Alan Moore, had a lot to say about DC Comics' announcement that it would produce prequel and sequel comic books based upon his and artist Dave Gibbons' also legendary, 12-issue comic book series, Watchmen.  As Moore has long disputed the contracts and rights issues between him and DC over Watchmen, he refused to participate in the eventual multi-comic book project, Before Watchmen (2012).

Moore described the comic book creators who signed on for the prequels as alternately “possibly halfway decent writers and artists” and people who don't even deserve the title of “creators.”  That irked some comics folks; I seem to remember Marvel Comics writer Jason Aaron being particularly miffed.  I think that Moore's comments can be accurately levied against quite a few comic book creators, past and present.

However, I think that it is not so much that comic book writers and artists are halfway decent; rather it is that they often produce halfway decent comic books, even when they are working on what is supposedly important, event comic books.

Return of Wolverine #1 is halfway decent.  I would say that the majority of the comic books written by Charles Soule that I have read I have really liked.  I halfway like Return of Wolverine #1, but not for the story, which. is halfway decent...   No., this is a poorly written comic book.  It is beneath a writer as highly-paid and as respected as Charles Soule is.  I hope future issues are better.

Meanwhile, I really like Steve McNiven and Jay Leisten's gorgeous artwork and goddess colorist Laura Martin's colors over those beautiful illustrations.  McNiven, Leisten, and Martin art recalls the art of Barry Windsor-Smith on the Wolverine origin story, “Weapon X,” which was originally published in Marvel Comics Presents #72 to 84 (cover dated:  March to September 1991).  Windsor-Smith infrequently produces comic book art; in fact, his last published comic book work may be the five-page section he drew for Wolverine #166 (cover dated:  September 2001).  So McNiven-Leisten-Martin's faux-Barry Windsor-Smith is the reason I will continue to read Return of Wolverine.

Thus, my grade for Return of Wolverine #1 is based on the art.  If it were based only on the story, it would get a failing grade.

5 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.

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Review: BLACK PANTHER: The Sound and the Fury #1

BLACK PANTHER: THE SOUND AND THE FURY No. 1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Ralph Macchio
ART: Andrea Di Vito
COLORS: Laura Villari
LETTERS: VC's Travis Lanham
COVER: Andrea Di Vito with Laura Villari
VARIANT COVERS: Ron Lim with Rachelle Rosenberg
44pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (April 2018)

Rated “T+”

Black Panther created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

Black Panther is a Marvel Comics superhero.  He was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and first appeared in Fantastic Four #52 (cover dated: July 1966).  Black Panther is T'Challa, the king and protector of the (fictional) African nation of Wakanda.  Black Panther was also the first Black superhero in mainstream American comic books.

Black Panther: The Sound and the Fury #1 is a one-shot Black Panther comic book that is kind of a tie-in to the recent Marvel Studios record-setting film, Black Panther.  One of the film's villains is the mercenary Ulysses Klaue, known as “Klaw” in Marvel Comics.  Both Klaue and Klaw covet vibranium, the powerful metal that is only found in Wakanda.

Black Panther: The Sound and the Fury #1 features a new one-off story featuring Klaw.  It is written by longtime Marvel Comics editor, Ralph Macchio; drawn by Andrea Di Vito; colored by Laura Villari; and lettered by Travis Lanham.  This comic book also includes a reprint of the story “The Way It Began..!” from Fantastic Four #53 (with a reprint of the cover included), which told the origin of the enmity between the Black Panther and Klaw.

Black Panther: The Sound and the Fury #1 finds T'Cahlla the Black Panther holding court in the Wakandan embassy in the city of Dubai.  Suddenly, a shockingly strong earthquake strikes the city, immediately followed by a video broadcast from Ulysses Klaw.  He reveals that he has caused the earthquake, and he promises to destroy the city unless he is paid a five billion dollar ransom.  Of course, Black Panther plans to stop his arch-nemesis, but he does not realize that Klaw has brought help for this fight.

If not for the modern coloring and production touches, Black Panther: The Sound and the Fury #1 would seem indistinguishable from a Black Panther comic book published in the 1970s or 1980s.  It is a straight-forward comic book story that is not great or even particularly memorable.  “The Sound and the Fury” does not have the Afro-Futurist sensibilities of the last 20 years worth of Black Panther comic books.  However, Macchio has fashioned a comic book that is timeless in a way that makes it appropriate and enjoyable for anyone that is capable of reading a comic book.

The illustrations and graphical storytelling by Andrea Di Vito are solid, but Laura Villari's coloring is a bit overbearing.  Travis Lanham's lettering is also solid, if not spectacular.

“The Way It Began..!” (from Fantastic Four #53)
STORYTELLERS: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby
STORY: Stan Lee
PENCILS: Jack Kirby
INKS: Joe Sinnott
LETTERS: Art Simek
EDITOR: Stan Lee

The real treat in this comic book is the reprint of the story from Fantastic Four #53.  The story is scripted by Stan Lee; drawn by Jack Kirby (pencils) and Joe Sinnott (inks); and lettered by Artie Simek.  Stan Lee offers his usual snappy banter and far-out storytelling.  Jack Kirby turns in a splendid vista of dynamic compositions and weird, wild, and wonderful characters.  There is nothing like a Kirby monster and this story offers three muscular monster-animals that the pages of this comic book can barely contain.  Inker Joe Sinnott gives Kirby's epic storytelling and brawny compositions an elastic quality.

Artie Simek may be the greatest letterer of all time, and I am continually amazed by his ability to find a place for all of Lee's exposition and dialogue and still add to the power of the graphical presentation.  Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's Fantastic Four is one of the best superhero comic books of all time, if not the best, and Sinnott and Simek contributed a lot to that.

“The Way It Began..!” is simply an imaginative and inventive tale of juvenile adventure, weird science-fantasy, and classic Marvel Comics superhero storytelling.  Reprinting it is a reminder that Black Panther, the star of a mega-hit film, was born in the lowly pages of a comic book, the creation of two of America's greatest storytellers.  I will give Black Panther: The Sound and the Fury #1 a high grade because it includes this classic Lee-Kirby comic book.

8 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 site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: MOON KNIGHT #188

MOON KNIGHT No. 188
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Max Bemis
ART: Jacen Burrows
COLORS: Mat Lopes
LETTERS: VC's Cory Petit
COVER: Jacen Burrows and Mat Lopes
VARIANT COVERS: John Tyler Christopher; Daniel Warren Johnson with Mike Spicer; Bill Sienkiewicz (based on his cover for Moon Knight #25)
36pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (January 2018)

Rated  “T+”

Moon Knight created by Doug Moench and Don Perlin

Moon Knight is a Marvel Comics superhero character.  Created by writer Doug Moench and artist Don Perlin, Moon Knight first appeared in Werewolf by Night #32 (cover dated: August 1975) and is Marvel's version of Batman (at least, some think so).  Moon Knight is Marc Spector, an American-born mercenary who died in Egypt, under the statue of Khonshu, an ancient Egyptian moon god.

Khonshu appeared to Spector and offered him a second chance at life.  Spector wrapped himself with the silver shroud that covered Khonshu’s statue, turning it into a silver cloaked costume, becoming the Moon Knight.  A superb athlete and master of martial arts and hand-to-hand combat, Spector is also a skilled acrobat, gymnast, detective, marksman, and is an aviator who uses both traditional and sophisticated weaponry.

With the Marvel “Legacy” initiative, Moon Knight gets a “Legacy” number change, so instead of a new Moon Knight #1, we get Moon Knight #188.  This issue also sees the start of a new creative team:  writer Max Bemis; artist by Jacen Burrows; colorist by Mat Lopes; and letterer by Cory Petit.

Moon Knight #188 opens in Ravencroft Asylum where Dr. Emmett is involved with Patient 86.  He is a pyromaniac(?) and killed some number of people while in the military.  Marc Spector was also a patient of Dr. Emmett's, and there may be a connection between her old and new patients.

After reading this comic book, you can enjoy the afterword written by Max Bemis and Jacen Burrows.  Both seem quite confident that they are going to deliver something exciting and unique in their run on Moon Knight, and I am willing to believe them.  I think the creative team of Warren Ellis and Declan Shalvey on Moon Knight from 2014 showed that the character can be a truly unique in comic book stories that defy the usual.

Bemis and Burrows seem determined to launch their run from the spirit of possibilities Ellis and Shalvey offered.  Bemis is new to me, but I am familiar from Burrows for his time with Avatar Press.  Over a decade I ago, I thought that he had potential, and he is showing that now.  Also, Mat Lopes gorgeous coloring surprisingly makes this a good looking comic book, which in turn makes the creepiness of this story even creepier.  Yes, I already have issue #189, and I am recommending this “Legacy” Moon Knight to Moon Knight fans.

[This comic book includes a three-page “Marvel Primer” origin-overview story about Moon Knight, written by Robbie Thompson; drawn by German Peralta; colored by Rachelle Rosenberg; and lettered by VC's Cory Petit.]

7.5 out of 10

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.

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Review: NICK FURY #1

NICK FURY No. 1 (2017)
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: James Robinson
PENCILS: ACO
INKS: Hugh Petrus
COLORS: Rachelle Rosenberg
LETTERS: Travis Lanham
COVER: ACO
VARIANT COVERS: John Tyler Christopher; Greg Land with Frank D'Armata; Mark Morales with Jason Keith; Bill Sienkiewicz
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (June 2017)

Rated “T+”

“The Sky High Caper”

Nick Fury (Colonel Nicholas Joseph "Nick" Fury) is a Marvel Comics character.  Created by writer/artist Jack Kirby and writer Stan Lee, Fury first appeared in Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos #1 (cover dated:  May 1963), a World War II combat comic book series, in which Fury was depicted as a cigar-chomping, leader of an elite United States Army unit.

Marvel Comics introduced the modern Nick Fury in Fantastic Four #21 (cover dated:  December 1963), making him a CIA agent.  In Strange Tales #135 (cover dated:  August 1965), the character again transformed, this time from a spy into the leading agent of the fictional espionage agency, S.H.I.E.L.D.  In 2002, Nick Fury became a Black man that resembled actor Samuel L. Jackson in The Ultimates #1.  Jackson would portray Fury in the Marvel Studios movies based on Marvel Comics, and the Jackson-lookalike Fury would replace the original white Fury in the main Marvel Universe.

That Sam Jackson Fury is the star of the new comic book series, Nick Fury.  It is written by James Robinson; drawn by ACO (pencils) and Hugh Petrus (inks); colored by Rachelle Rosenberg; and lettered by Travis Lanham.

Nick Fury #1 (“The Sky High Caper”) opens with Nick Fury arriving in the French Riviera, where he must infiltrate the most secure parts of a imposing casino.  Fury's target is a hidden data-stash belonging to Auric Goodfellow, a Hydra moneyman.  Fury will likely be successful in getting what he wants, but Frankie Noble, Agent of Hydra plans on standing in his way.

I love the art in Nick Fury #1.  Drawn by the artist known as ACO, the art recalls the Pop-Art infused comic book art that legendary comic book artist Jim Steranko produced during his run of Nick Fury comics in the late 1960.  ACO's layout and design also recall Steve Rude's layout and design on his long-running comic book series, Nexus.  ACO's art for Nick Fury combined with Rachelle Rosenberg's pastel-lite coloring sure is pretty.

However, the storytelling is shallow when it isn't confusing and confusing when it isn't shallow.  As graphical storytelling, ACO's art is just too busy.  Yeah, it is eye-candy to look at, but is a busy mess as storytelling.  Honestly, if writer James Robinson had even attempted to tell a more complex story, there is no telling how crowded ACO would have made his art.

I think James Robinson offers in Nick Fury what Chris Samnee did in the first issue of his recent Black Widow comic book – an introductory issue that reads like a two-minute-egg version of an action sequence from a James Bond or Jason Bourne movie.

Honestly, I'll try the second issue of Nick Fury, although I never tried the second issue of Samnee's Black Widow.

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.

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Review: BLACK PANTHER AND THE CREW #1

BLACK PANTHER AND THE CREW No. 1 (2017)
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: Ta-Nehisi Coates
PENCILS: Butch Guice
INKS: Scott Hanna
COLORS: Dan Brown
LETTERS: VC's Joe Sabino
COVER: John Cassaday with Laura Martin
VARIANT COVERS: Rich Buckler; Jim Cheung with Jason Keith; John Tyler Christopher; Tom Palmer with Rachelle Rosenberg; Damian Scott with John Rauch
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (June 2017)

Black Panther created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

Rated “T+”

“We are the Streets” Part 1 “Double Consciousness”

Although it was only published for seven issues in 2003, the comic book, The Crew, is apparently fondly remembered by some readers (myself among them) and comic book writers.  Written by Christopher Priest and drawn by Joe Bennett, The Crew featured four hardened heroes who band together to fight for an impoverished neighborhood.

The Crew is the inspiration for the latest expansion of Marvel Comics' Black Panther line of comic books, Black Panther and The Crew.  This new series is written Ta-Nehisi Coates; drawn by Butch Guice (pencils) and Scott Hanna (inks); colored by Dan Brown; and lettered by Joe Sabino.

Black Panther and The Crew #1 (“Double Consciousness”) opens in The Bronx in 1957 with a tale of Ezra Keith and his “crew.”  The story moves to present day Harlem for the funeral of Ezra, who was killed while in police custody.  Ezra's family has asked Misty Knight to investigate, but Knight is conflicted because of her ties to law enforcement.  However, Misty is forced to admit that something is officially wrong and unites with the X-Men's Storm to fight the forces arrayed against her.

Apparently, writer Yona Harvey will script every other issue of this series, which means she will write Black Panther and The Crew #2 with Ta-Nehisi Coates returning for the third issue.  I hope Harvey is as good as Coates is on this first issue, and I'm saying that considering that I did not expect much from the first issue.  But I'm impressed and look forward to more.

Black Panther and The Crew #1 reads like one of those crime comic books published by DC Comics' Vertigo imprint or Image Comics and written by someone like Ed Brubaker or Brian Azzarello.  Coates offers a sharply written urban drama that is complicated about complex matters.  Black people vs. cops – it is not so clear cut simply because there are so many players and groups of players involved with their own goals and motivations.

I like Butch Guice's pencil art; it is his storytelling that realizes Coates' script as a multi-layered, street-level superhero drama.  I have always thought that Guice's talent was underutilized, but here he gets to show the scope of his graphical storytelling abilities.  I highly recommend trying at least the first issue of Black Panther and The Crew.

A

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


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

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Review: STAR WARS: Rogue One Adaptation #1

STAR WARS: ROGUE ONE ADAPTATION No. 1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.  Please, visit the "Star Wars Central" review page here.]

WRITER: Jody Houser (based on the screenplay by Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy and the story by John Knoll and Gary Whitta)
ART: Emilio Laiso and Oscar Bazaldua
COLORS: Rachelle Rosenberg
LETTERS: VC's Clayton Cowles
COVER: Phil Noto
VARIANT COVERS: John Tyler Christopher; Terry Dodson; Mike Mayhew; Joe Quinones
36pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (June 2017)

Rated “T”

Afterword by Gareth Edwards, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Released in December 2016, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is the eighth live-action Star Wars film.  It is also the first Star Wars film not to directly focus on the main story line of the previous films, which is the struggle for the fate of the galaxy involving the Skywalker family and the Jedi against the Sith and the Galactic Empire or its antecedents and descendants.

Rogue One is a stand-alone film that is set immediately before the events depicted in the original Star Wars (1977).  The Galactic Empire grows ever more powerful, but a determined rebellion against the Empire continues to gain strength.  Rogue One tells the story of how a small band of rebels obtained the data and classified information that caused an Imperial Star Destroyer to accost a small Rebel cruiser at the beginning of the film now known as Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope.

Marvel Comics just began publishing its comic book adaptation of Rogue One with the release of Star Wars: Rogue One Adaptation.  It is written by Jody Houser; drawn by Emilio Laiso and Oscar Bazaldua; colored by Rachelle Rosenberg; and lettered by Clayton Cowles.

Star Wars: Rogue One Adaptation #1 opens 15 years before the main story and reveals how the Empire forced the scientist Galen Erso back into Imperial service.  Fifteen years later, the Rebel Alliance has learned that Erso is the key figure in creating a “planet killing” machine for the Empire.  That information comes from Bodhi Rook, a Imperial cargo pilot who has defected from service to the Empire.  Now, Rook is in the hands of rebel extremist, Saw Gerrera, and only Galen Erso's daughter, Jyn Erso (also known as “Liana Hallick), can help the rebellion find and negotiate with Gerrera for the release of Rook.  Can the leaders of the rebellion convince Jyn, a career criminal to help them?

Writing this review, I suddenly realize how much someone has to know in order to fully enjoy Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.  I don't know if someone who knows little or nothing about four decades of Star Wars films can fully understand Rogue One because I cannot be in their position.  I can't unlearn the Star Wars data, characters, and story that I have absorbed over four decades of loving Star Wars.  I guess anyone could enjoy Rogue One if he or she understands the basic premise; fully understanding and/or appreciating Rogue One's context in a larger “world of Star Wars” is another thing.

Like Marvel Comics' comic book adaptation of the 2015 film, Star Wars: the Force Awakens, their comic book adaptation, Star Wars: Rogue One Adaptation is a nice way to experience the story again.  This is not a great comic book, but it is good, and I found myself enjoying it because I really enjoyed the Rogue One film.  I need to read at least one more issue to see if this comic book can close to capturing the subtlety, mood, and intense drama of the movie.

Despite what Rogue One film director Gareth Edwards says about artist Emilio Laiso in his afterword to this first issue, Laiso's art is nice, but not beautiful.  Laiso's compositions do not result in high drama, and Rachelle Rosenberg's colors are too flat, but everything could improve in later issues.

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.

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Review: CAPTAIN AMERICA #695

CAPTAIN AMERICA No. 695
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Mark Waid
ART: Chris Samnee
COLORS: Matthew Wilson
LETTERS: VC's Joe Caramagna
COVER: Chris Samnee with Matthew Wilson
VARIANT COVERS: Alex Ross (after John Romita, Jr. and Bob Layton); John Tyler Christopher with Ariel Olivetti; Adi Granov; Mike McKone with Rachelle Rosenberg; Jim Steranko
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (January 2018)

Rated “T+”

Captain America created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby

“Home of the Brave” Part 1

Captain America is a Marvel Comics superhero. He was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby and first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 (cover dated:  March 1941), which was published by Timely Comics, a predecessor of Marvel Comics.  Captain America Comics was canceled in 1949, but there was a revival of the series from 1953 to 1954.  Captain America fully returned to modern comic books in The Avengers #4 (cover dated: March 1964).

Marvel Comics is in the middle of its “Legacy” event, returning many titles to its original numbering after a decade of relaunching a number of titles with new #1 issues – three, four, and even five or more times.  The ongoing Captain America comic book series has a new creative team for the Legacy launch.  The team of writer Mark Waid and artist Chris Samnee, the creative duo behind Marvel's critically acclaimed Daredevil relaunch (2012) several years ago, brings Captain America into the “Legacy era.”  Matthew Wilson is the colorist, and Joe Caramagna is the letterer.

Captain America #695 begins with a brief recount of how Steve Rogers became the “super solider,” Captain America; his exploits on the battlefields of World War II, and how he disappeared.  Then, we learn how Captain America became a legend and an inspiration to the town of Burlington, Nebraska after stopping a group of neo-Nazi, white supremacist-types, something he may have to do again.

I have said that when Mark Waid is good, he is really good.  [On the other hand, when he is not good, he can be an exceedingly, irritatingly pedestrian comic book storyteller.]  I am a huge fan of Chris Samnee's classic, cartoonists drawing style.  In Captain America #695, Waid is in top form, and Samnee hits the heights of throwback, Silver Age comics style.

Waid's script creates a standalone story that epitomizes what seems to be the essence of Captain America's mission and message: the strong protect the weak.  We look out for each other against those who would do harm, and every man, woman, and child (of at least a certain age) can lend a helping hand, if they choose.

I love Captain America #695.  It is a standalone treat, the kind of single-issue comic book that we need in between long story arcs and of which we don't get often enough.  I really like Waid's story.  I wish more comic book art looked like Chris Samnee's art.  If I were a comic book publisher, my comic books would look like Captain America #695.  If you have time to read only one comic book today, read Captain America #695.

[This comic book includes an “Legacy” character summary written by Robbie Thompson; drawn by Valero Schiti; colored by Frank D'Armata; and lettered by VC's Joe Caramagna.]

A+
10 out of 10

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.

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Review: INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #593

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN No. 593
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: Brian Michael Bendis
ART: Stefano Caselli; Alex Maleev
COLORS: Marte Gracia; Alex Maleev
LETTERS: VC's Clayton Cowles
COVER: Adi Granov
VARIANT COVERS: Alan Davis and Mark Farmer with Matt Yackey; John Tyler Christopher with Stefano Caselli and Marte Gracia; Mike McKone with Rachelle Rosenberg; Chip Zdarsky; Jack Kirby with Frank Giacola
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (December 2017)

Rated “T+”

Iron Man created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, Don Heck, and Jack Kirby

“The Search for Tony Stark” Part One

One could be forgiven for thinking that there was a new Iron Man #1 comic book of some type every year, and that would not be far from the truth.  I think that going back to 1999, there have been close to 10 Iron Man #1's of one type or another, if not more.

Thanks to Marvel Comics' new “Legacy” initiative, Iron Man goes back to its original numbering (plus several relaunch numbers) and the result is Invincible Iron Man #593.  The creative team behind the most recent Invincible Iron Man relaunch (which was just a year ago) remains for the “Legacy” launch.  That would be writer Brian Michael Bendis; artist Stefano Caselli; colorist Marte Gracia; and letterer Clayton Cowles, with International Iron Man and Infamous Iron Man artist/colorist, Alex Maleev joining the team.

With Tony Stark out of commission (following events depicted in Civil War II), Riri Williams, a teenage girl and genius, and Victor Von Doom, formerly the super-villain Doctor Doom, have taken on the mantle of Iron Man.  Riri does so as the armored hero, Ironheart.

As Invincible Iron Man #593 opens, Tony Stark's comatose body has disappeared.  Riri joins Amanda Armstrong (Tony's birth mother); Mary Jane Watson (chosen by Tony to run Stark Industries); and Friday (an artificial intelligence Tony created to help him) in the search for Tony Stark.  They better hurry!  Stark Industries' Board of Directors is making bold moves.  Meanwhile, the Infamous Iron Man Victor von Doom has to find some escaped prisoners.

I had high hopes for the 11-issue run of Invincible Iron Man starring Riri Williams, and writer Brian Michael Bendis delivered.  Riri is the most fascinating female character of color in superhero comic books since the X-Men's Storm, specifically during the first decade of Storm's existence as written by Chris Claremont.  Riri is a well-developed character, and would be fascinating even if she were not in a superhero comic book.  Her imagination and inquisitiveness are infectious; I want to learn with her and be by her side inventing stuff.

But many of the white dudes that read comics and control the means of production (allegedly) ain't having it.  It is time to bring the white Iron Man back.  Seriously, Brian Bendis writing about Riri the armored character “Ironheart” in Invincible Iron Man and about Victor von Doom trying to be good guy as Iron Man in Infamous Iron Man did some stellar work.  In my decades as a Marvel Comics reader, I have never read better Iron Man comic books than what Bendis wrote, and he was doing it twice a month.

Bendis recently announced that he has signed as an exclusive creator with DC Comics, leaving Marvel after nearly 20 years.  I don't know who will replace him on Iron Man, and I don't think the new writer (who will obviously be a white male) can match Bendis.  If he does, I doubt he can do it on two monthly books.

So this first issue of “The Search for Tony Stark,” which is probably Bendis' last Iron Man story arc (for a while at least), is a nice start, and the ending of this issue is quite intriguing.

A
8 out of 10

Thursday, December 21, 2017


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

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Review: BLACK PANTHER #166

BLACK PANTHER No. 166
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

WRITER: Ta-Nehisi Coates
PENCILS: Leonard Kirk
INKS:  Leonard Kirk and Marc Deering
COLORS: Laura Martin
LETTERS: VC's Joe Sabino
COVER: Brian Stelfreeze
VARIANT COVERS: Jenny Frison; Ryan Sook; Chip Zdarsky; Mike McKone with Rachelle Rosenberg; Wes Craig with Tamra Bonvillain (based on the the Incredible Hulk #340 cover by Todd McFarlane and Bob Wiacek)
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (December 2017)

Black Panther created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby

Rated “T”

“Avengers of the New World” Part 7

Black Panther is a Marvel Comics superhero.  He was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and first appeared in Fantastic Four #52 (cover dated: July 1966).  Black Panther was T'Challa, the king and protector of the (fictional) African nation of Wakanda.  Black Panther was also the first Black superhero is mainstream American comic books.

Ta-Nehisi Coates is an American writer and journalist.  This African-American commentator is also a national correspondent for The Atlantic, where he writes about cultural, political, and social issues, particularly as they regard to Black people in America.  Coates' second book, Between the World and Me (released in July 2015), won the 2015 National Book Award for Nonfiction.  In 2015, he was the recipient of a “Genius Grant” from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

Black Panther and Ta-Nehisi Coates (with artist and designer Brian Stelfreeze) came together last year in a relaunch of the Black Panther comic book series.  Marvel Comics is in the middle of a new publishing initiative, “Legacy,” and that changes the issue numbering for Black Panther (and for a number of Marvel Comics' titles).  Coates now produces Black Panther with artists Leonard Kirk (pencils and inks) and Marc Deering (inks); colorist Laura Martin; and letterer Joe Sabino.

Black Panther #166 is the seventh chapter of the “Avengers of the New World” story arc.  The gods of Wakanda, “the Orisha,” have gone missing.  In their absence, mystical portals have been opening and releasing deadly creatures, monsters, and mutants.  A figure known as Ras the Exhorter tells the people of Wakanda that the Orisha are dead and leads them to believe in a new god, “Sefako.”  As Black Panther leads his allies to rescue Asira, an old friend, an old enemy steps forward to claim the prize he has sought since the time when T'Challa's father, T'Chaka was both the king and the Black Panther.

In his legendary 1980s run on DC Comics' Swamp Thing, Alan Moore created a personality for the title character and built a world of supporting characters, bit players, and an intriguing fictional mythology that allowed Moore to explore Swamp Thing's character and motivations.  The result was once-in-a-generation comic book storytelling.  Luckily, Alan Moore influenced generations of comic book writers who came after him.

Taking what the Black Panther writers and artists created before him, Ta-Nehisi Coates is building, issue by issue, a world of the Black Panther that is part of, but is also separate and distinct from the rest of the “Marvel Universe.”  Coates is doing what Alan Moore did with Swamp Thing – create a fictional comic book world that is wealthy with possibilities and does not really need the main universe.  As evident in Black Panther #166, Coates is still in the building process.  There is always some new element or page of Wakanda's history that comes to the fore.  For various reasons, some obvious, the American comic book world has not caught on to Black Panther the way it did Alan Moore's Swamp Thing.  And it should.

Coates collaborators have been stellar since the beginning of this series.  New series artist Leonard Kirk's art makes for quiet but powerful graphical storytelling – explosive in scenes when Klaw unleashes his power and powerfully dramatic when the story delves into the past.  As usual, colorist Laura Martin knows how to color every panel and every sequence in a way that propels the drama of the story.  Joe Sabino's matter-of-fact lettering does not call attention to itself, but, as it recedes into the background, it pulls you down, down, down into this exciting story.

I can't wait for the next issue.

[This comic book includes a three-page character overview written by Robbie Thompson; drawn by Wilfredo Torres; colored by Dan Brown; and lettered by Joe Sabino.]

A
9.5 out of 10

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.

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#IReadsYOu Review: FALCON #1

FALCON No. 1
MARVEL COMICS – @Marvel

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Rodney Barnes
ART: Joshua Cassara
COLORS: Rachelle Rosenberg
LETTERS: VC's Joe Caramagna
COVER: Jesus Saiz
VARIANT COVERS: Joshua Cassara with Rachelle Rosenberg; John Tyler Christopher with Jesús Saiz; Mike McKone with Rachelle Rosenberg; Alex Ross; Elizabeth Torque (after Ron Wilson and Mike Esposito); Chip Zdarsky
28pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (December 2017)

Rated T+

Sam Wilson created by Stan Lee and Gene Colan; Falcon costumed designed by Alex Ross

“Take Flight” Part 1: “Bad Kid, Mad City”

“Steve [Rogers, Captain America] being a traitor validated every cynic who felt America was an idealized metaphor for the dominant culture's survival and the minority's suffering.” - Sam Wilson-The Falcon, (p. 15 of the book; p. 13 of the story)

As Marvel's new “Legacy” initiative begins, one of the new series is Falcon, a comic book starring classic Marvel Comics character, Sam Wilson a.k.a. The Falcon.  Wilson first appeared in Captain America #117 (cover date: September 1969).  Wilson uses mechanical wings to fly, and he has limited telepathic and empathic control over birds.

The new series is written by Rodney Barnes; drawn by Joshua Cassara; colored by Rachelle Rosenberg; and lettered by Joe Caramagna.  Barnes is a noted African-American television writer, having written for such diverse TV series as “Everybody Hates Chris,” “My Wife and Kids,” and the animated series, “The Boondocks.”

I hope that the above quote will, going forward, define Falcon, as the hero tries to prove that America is not a metaphor for white supremacy.  I do not believe that it is a metaphor for white supremacy, but that it is a country whose foundation is white supremacy.  This is not so much inherent as it is the result of the will of at least a third of America's white population that has racial animus towards African-Americans and, to varying degrees, other non-white populations.  Perhaps, Falcon will imagine an America that can move beyond its racism.

Falcon #1 (“Bad Kid, Mad City”) finds our titular hero headed for Chicago in hopes that he can broker a peace between the city's two largest gangs, the Southstone Rangers and the Spanish Kings.  After battling aliens, gods, and monsters, Falcon wants to address the needs of people like Sam Wilson.  Falcon has a protege to help him in his mission, Rayshaun Lucas a.k.a. the Patriot.  However, there are quite a few individuals and entities that do not want a cessation of gang hostilities, and they will do anything to not keep the peace.

I really enjoyed reading Falcon #1.  I liked its measured pace, and artist Joshua Cassara draws storytelling that offers violent action sequences and high tension, while holding firm to that measured pace of Barnes' storytelling, which is social, political, and philosophical.  As usual, Rachelle Rosenberg's coloring is pitch perfect, by turns striking and explosive and hot and dramatic.

It seems as if Barnes and Cassara are creating a superhero comic book that will be strikingly different from others.  They will give us hot superhero action, but the story will focus on a superhero who addresses the extraordinary needs of the ordinary people.  However, that hero will recognize that the ordinary needs of the people will need to be addressed by themselves and other ordinary people.  I look forward to more Falcon.

At the end of each Legacy first issue or Legacy first chapter, there is a three-page story that summarizes the history of that issue's lead character or characters.  Falcon's three-page summary is written by Robbie Thompson; drawn by Mark Bagley (pencils) and Andrew Hennessy (inks); colored by Israel Silva; and lettered by Joe Caramagna.

A
9 out of 10

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.

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