The comics reviewed are chosen by David not by THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT management
or staff. The opinions expressed are his alone. If you have an opposing view you
are welcome to respond to David directly by Email at the address above.
Title: WAYWARDIssue Number: 1
Publisher: Image
Writer: Jim Zub
Artist: Steve Cummings
Colors: John Rauch & Jim Zub
Letters: Marshall Dillon
Price (USD): $3.50
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Japanese Horror
Mature - Comics on the Edge
This is the story of Rori Lane. Her mother is Japanese and her father is Irish
and after her parents split up she stayed in Ireland to finish her schooling.
But that didn't work out so now she is coming to Japan to live with her mother.
But she is not an ordinary girl as we soon see. Emerging from the subway she is
at a loss as to which way to go to her neighborhood. Just as she is about to ask
a stranger for directions she has a flash and can see a red line on the ground
showing the way, just like those commercials on TV. So clearly she has some kind
of gift. Earlier in the issue she is thinking about the trip home and comments
that, "Every route has a pattern. I just have to connect the dots." Evidently if
she thinks about where she has to go her mind will provide a visual aid as to
the best way to take. This gift will come in handy later. This real plot is
about Japanese monsters known as Kappa. Traditionally they are the size of a
small human and appear as humanized turtles with shells and beak. In most of the
folklore they are brutal monsters. The fact that in this story they also use
swords opens things up to obvious jokes about ninja turtles, but thankfully we
are spared. When Rori is wandering the city on her first day home she runs into
a trio of guys hanging out on the streets and it appears they have bad
intentions. Fortunately for Rori another girl appears and exposes these boys as
Kappa, or as she calls them Turtle-heads. It will take Ayane's excellent martial
arts skills and Rori's new found talent working together to get them both out of
trouble. So Rori's first day back in Japan has turned into a real adventure. Who
is the mysterious Ayane and why did she appear when she did? If these Kappa can
masquerade as ordinary people is anywhere safe? And what about all those cats
that were following Rori right before the fateful encounter? So far this has
been a delightful story with interesting characters. The script is structured to
develop Rori's character, her relationship with her mom and just hint at what
Ayane is all about. She is clearly one of the good guys but is a bit quirky and
has what appear to be fangs. There will be a lot to explore moving forward. The
art is very appealing and is colored brilliantly. This really could be another
sleeper hit from Image. I suggest you give it a look.
Title: POPIssue Number: 1 (of 4)
Title Story: Eyes Without a Face
Publisher: Dark Horse
Writer: Curt Pires
Artist: Jason Copland
Colors: Pete Toms
Letters: Ryan Ferrier
Price (USD): $3.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Science Fiction
Imagine you are perhaps a middle-aged man who has decided to make a big change.
Working at a meager living selling old records and even older comic books is
only an excuse to hide from the lies you have been telling yourself. But today
is the day you will change all that. You lock up the store for the night and
just as you turn to go a girl runs straight into your arms pleading for help.
She is dressed only in panties and a tube top and before she can explain her
problem she passes out. This is the fix Coop finds himself in. He can't take her
to the cops because frankly he is a bit high from pot. Coop's life is going to
change alright, but not the way he expected. The girl is Elle Ray and she has
escaped from certain fame. The other half of the plot is about a very secret
organization that literally grows celebrities. In a clandestine lab they grow
people who become the next Mariah or Britney or even that Canadian freakazoid
(more about him later.) Well it seems Elle was one of these test tube humans but
she broke out of the womb early and ran away. Naturally she represents a large
investment to those in charge and they will be using every resource at their
disposal to get her back. Some of them are technological, like the bioimplant
that can be remotely activated to track her down. If that fails they have human
resources that will be more forceful. Just how forceful is demonstrated by the
male and female enforcers who pay a visit to international megastar Dustin
Beaver. Seems Dustin recently announced his retirement at the ripe age of
nineteen. Spike and his girl are going to show him the error of his ways. There
is a lot going on here. There is a lot of back and forth between the scenes of
Coop and Elle trying to cope with the situation they are in and the behind the
scenes machinations of the evil organization. Some things are explicit and some
are more subtle. There are a couple of pages with multiple panels that seem far
removed from anything else in the book. The main plots are easy to follow and
filled with action and excitement. I am liking where this is going. The visual
aspects fit together in a rough style that has so much variety involved from the
demands of the script. There is a lot of energy in this book that is very
entertaining.
Title: SUPERGIRLIssue Number: 34
Title Story: The Girl Who Fell to Earth
Title Arc: Superman Doomed [Last Sun]
Publisher: DC
Writer: Tony Bedard
Artist: Karl Moline
Inker: Jose Marzan Jr.
Colors: Hi-Fi
Letters: Rob Leigh
Cover Artists: Cameron Stewart with Nathan Fairbairn
Price (USD): $2.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Super Hero
The last time I checked in on Supergirl she was getting involved with the Red
Lanterns and now she is back on Earth. I wasn't sure how easy it would be to
follow this issue seeing how it was part of the larger Superman Doomed arc and
the third part of the Last Son portion. They both wrap up in SUPERMAN: DOOMED
that will follow next. But fortunately this story is more about Supergirl
herself and her actions with the people around her as the events of the larger
story are happening nearby. We learn bits and pieces of that larger story as the
issue moves along. At the start Supergirl literally falls to Earth and crashes
into an apartment building where she is cared for by a young man in a wheel
chair until she awakens. Their eventual conversation takes up the first half of
the book and through it we learn the high points of her latest exploits
confronting the now deformed Superman with the Red Lanterns. Meanwhile her new
friend, Michael, tells her of strange things happening on Earth - people going
in comas and Superman turning into a monster, even fighting his own friends. But
tragically there has been collateral damage, and it continues. Michael's own
parents are missing somewhere in Metropolis and he has not heard from them for
two days. Needless to say Supergirl is back and a lot of people need her help.
She may not be able to stop what is happening to her cousin but she can help
those in danger if she can recharge through the green cloud covering the city. I
liked this story because it was a more personal story about two people relating
to each other supporting each other through some hard times. It is about the
return of a hero and the steps she must take to gain acceptance at a time when
there is lots of mistrust in her kind. And then, just when it seems things are
going well we get another punch, a mysterious twist of events and then a major
revelation at the end promises more excitement next time. It was a good balance
and ended on a thrilling note.
Title: BATMAN BEYOND UNIVERSEIssue Number: 13
Title Story: Marked Soul
Title Arc: Mark of the Phantasm
Publisher: DC
Writers: Kyle Higgins & Alec Siegel
Artists: Phil Hester, Eric Gapstur, Craig Rousseau & Thony Silas
Colors: Nick Filardi & Guy Major
Letters: Saida Temofonte
Cover Artist: Matteo Scalera & Moreno Dinisio
Price (USD): $3.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Super Hero
I picked up this issue of BATMAN BEYOND UNIVERSE because I had read it had some
major revelations about the main characters. Even if you don't read this title
on a regular basis you will be able to follow this story and realize its impact.
It is set up with three plots. The short one happened a year ago their time. It
is a scene that has the Dee Dees robbing a chemical plant. Batman and his semi-
partner Vigilante try to stop them but they make an escape when Vigilante is
injured by a chemical and Terry comes to his aid. The key element in this part
is the radio conversation between Bruce and Terry over allowing Vigilante to tag
along. The second plot is in the now, a year later. Vigilante, whose real name
has much significance in the Batman Universe is attacked in his base by The
Phantasm, a vigilante who hunts killers. So right away we know Vigilante is the
target for a past crime, which Phantasm reveals but I won't. Luckily Terry is
close by when Vigilante hits the panic button and Batman saves him though
Phantasm escapes. But Terry is exposed to the fear gas and when he spots a
framed photograph he forces Vigilante to explain. When he does Terry attacks
him. He has a good reason to and the fear gas pushes his anger too far. Not only
does he learn who the Vigilante really is but also learns why he was targeted as
a killer. This is the second major reveal, but again I won't spoil it. Based on
the identity of Vigilante, who manages to escape Terry's wrath, Terry has harsh
words with Bruce about what he knew when and then seeks out Dick Grayson for a
heart to heart. This brings up the third plot. It revolves around event that
happened "then" which was some years ago when Tim was Robin and was exposed to
heavy doses of Joker Toxin. In this continuity it was at that time Barbara quit
being Batgirl, Dick returned from Bludhaven and they rekindled a relationship.
However shortly thereafter that relationship, and the one between Bruce and
Dick, is shattered by another startling revelation. But you know I won't reveal
that one either. This issue is jam-packed with lots of interesting character
development and explanations of things that have been hidden since the
beginning. It is a good jump on point and a good read. The art is, as always,
consistent with the TV show. I say give it a try.
Title: UNCANNY AVENGERSIssue Number: 23
Title Story: Let's Get Well
Publisher: Marvel
Writer: Rick Remender
Artist: Sanford Greene
Colors: Dean White
Letters: Clayton Cowles
Cover Artist: Augustin Alessio/Emma Rios
Price (USD): $3.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Super Hero
I have not been following this title so I took a chance that the latest issue
would be accessible. Fortunately it is a bit of a transition chapter and there
is a brief synopsis in the front to get up to speed. A lot has happened with
these characters that are a combination of Avengers and X-Men. With Wasp and the
Scarlett Witch we have Havok, Rogue, Sunfire and Banshee returning home.
Evidently they have spent years trapped on Planet X. They have now returned
after defeating Kang with the help of Immortus. Wasp is married to Havok and
they had a daughter who is lost somewhere or some when in time. Steve Rogers
appears to be much older as he greets them, I imagine to tie in to the
continuity in his title. Havok's face has been burned and disfigured. Sunfire
body was destroyed and he is now just a shell of cosmic fire. Something is wrong
with Banshee and it is not explained fully in this issue. He evidently is
staying in a stasis tube. And Wonder Man is trapped inside Rogue's Psyche. So
this issue is reuniting old friends and everyone coping with the changes to
everyone else. Rogue is having the hardest time of it and is really stressed out
with Simon being inside her brain. Wanda's attempt to cure her leads to more
problems and a wild chase to get Rogue back under control. Meanwhile Alex and
Janet have to cope with the possibility of never finding their daughter. Add to
that Havok's unique power makes it impossible to fix his face through normal
surgery so he may be disfigured for life. The final scene of the issue is a
lead-in to the next big event, AXIS, as Immortus appears to Janet and Alex with
words of hope for their daughter but also a dire warning about sinister plot
moving forward that will mean disaster on a global level. Who is behind it all
is revealed so if you don't know by now I will leave it for you to discover. As
I said this is a transition issue so it is pretty easy to follow. It is also a
good jump on point to those who want to know all there is to know about AXIS
right from the beginning. Little plot seeds like this are being included in a
number of titles right now, and I believe this is the first. However I was not
impressed with the art. The characters faces seemed all wrong - Wanda and Janet
are too young and Logan's face is all wrong. It just does not appeal to me on
that aspect though the dynamics are fine. I am not fond of Remender's writing
though I know this is a popular title. To each his own.
Title: BOB'S BURGERSIssue Number: 1
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Cover Artist (Main cover): Devin Roth
Price (USD): $3.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Humor - Cartoon Adaptation
Teen +
This is the latest comic from Dynamite of a licensed TV property. If you have
watched the show you know Bob and his family are the five main characters.
Rather than give us one or two adventures of the family we get five separate
entries (some with very long titles) involving each member of the Belcher
family. Here is a summary:
"Tina's Erotic Friend Fiction Presents: My So-called Life as a Horse", written
by Mike Olsen with art by Brad Rader and Derek Schroeder
Older daughter Tina tells a fictional tale in which she imagines herself as a
horse leading an otherwise normal life as a member of the family. That is until
she gets message from her friends in the Equestranauts. Yes it is a super hero
team of horses each with their own unique super power. Their arch rival Xander
has acquired the Electric Leash of Doom and the team needs Tina as their secret
weapon. It is actually a decent story and fun for all ages.
"Burger of the Day Ideas" by Jeff Drake with art by Tony Gennaro
This is Bob's entry and is just a pages of jotted down ideas for the names of
burgers using TV catch phrases or hits of the 80's. They are all kind of silly
and one is even illustrated. The "I Pity the Cool Ranch Burger" is a typical
burger with Cool Ranch Doritos stuck on the top bun to form a Mr. T Mohawk.
"Louise's Unsolved Mysteries and Curious Curiosities: Picture Day" by Rachel
Hastings, Frank Forte, Paige Garrison and Tyler Garrison
Younger daughter Louise, she the one always wearing a hat with rabbit ears,
appears to have an overactive imagination. It is picture day at school and she
notices that all the kids who have had them taken have blank stares and can only
say, "You must have your picture taken." She is convinced the photographer is an
alien trying to take over the world. How much of this is real and how much
imagined?
"Letters from Linda: Dear "Apparently You're Parenting" Magazine" by Jeff Drake
& Tony Gennaro
Mother Linda decided to writ into her favorite parenting magazine to offer her
thoughts about a new column about wine. Rather than the typical what wine goes
with what food column she thinks it would be good to talk about how much wine
goes with what activity like clothes shopping, kids bedtime stories or TV
dramas. It is somewhat predictable but I chuckled.
"Gene Belcher Presents: The Boy in the Burger, The Musical" by Justin Hook,
Bernard Derriman, Paige & Tyler Garrison
Son Gene presents a story told as if it were a musical. All the dialogue rhymes.
He is doing his duty for the family business parading around in a burger suit in
front of the store. But it is the hottest day of the year, blamed on the Solar
Vortex and he eventually passes out. When he awakens he is told he is now fused
to the suit. How will he live a life in a burger suit? Is there a silver lining
in the burger bun?
The common thread in all of this is silliness. I couldn't take a steady diet of
it but once in a while it is a pleasant diversion.
*****
TRIVIA CONTEST!!!! WIN REAL PRIZES!!!!!
If you think you know the answer to the trivia question send your guess via
Email to me at ComicBkNet@aol.com and you could win the prize. The first six
correct answers will be assigned a number and a roll of the dice will determine
the winner. You should put your real name in your message so we know who you
are. Prizes must be claimed at our store within 30 days of winning. The prize
will be a $10 credit slip, which will be redeemable for merchandise at regular
retail or in-store ongoing specials only. Only one prize per person will be
allowed per every 4 weeks. I will be the sole judge of the correct answer even
if more than one answer could be correct. Submit only one answer per Email
please but guess as often as you like.
Last week's trivia question:
If a girl came up to you saying "I'm Dr. Strange's daughter", you would say "Hi
..." -- which name?
Doctor Strange's daughter Is Carla.
Not the Sorcerer Supreme we know and love, but a villain called Dr. Strange from
Tales of Suspense #41 seen in The Essential Iron Man.
Here was your no prize question:
Who is the only person to receive two Nobel prizes in science in two different
fields?
In 1898, Marie Curie and her husband, Pierre, discovered radium. She spent the
remainder of her life performing radiation research and studying radiation
therapy. Her constant exposure to radiation led to her contracting leukemia and
she died in 1934. Curie is the first and only person to receive two Nobel prizes
in science in two different fields: chemistry and physics. She was also the
first female professor at the University of Paris. Jeffery Matthews wins the no-
prize this time.
THIS WEEK'S TRIVIA QUESTION:
The story began in Avengers, continued in Fantastic Four and then jumped to the
first issue of a new comic. Name this title that debuted in Feb 1986.
Here is your no prize question:
Who were the first singing brothers inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of
Fame?
Folks, you never know who among the readers is knowledgeable about the question
so don't hesitate to send in an answer - even days after it appears.
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