Title: DARK AVENGERSIssue Number: 175
Title Story: Earth's Mightiest...
Publisher: Marvel
Writer: Jeff Parker
Artist: Declan Shalvey
Colors: Frank Martin Jr.
Letters: Joe Caramagna
Cover Artist: Mike Deodato & Rain Beredo
Price (USD): $2.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Super Hero
No, you didn't miss the first 174 issues of this title. Starting with this issue the tite THUNDERBOLTS has become DARK AVENGERS. The Thunderbolts were a team of super villains operating out of The Raft on behalf of the US government to work off their prison sentences. After saving Chicago from an invasion they went on the run and became lost through the time stream. Luke Cage, their supervisor has been searching for them with the help of Hank Pym. Part of this issue has the two in the Florida everglades trying to locate the Nexus of Realities so Hank can use his super duper technology to help pinpoint the Thunderbolts by tracing the tachyon stream through it. When Luke returns to what is left of The Raft dock he finds the so-called Dark Avengers standing there. They are Trick Shot - the fake Hawkeye, Ragnarok - the Thor cyborg, Toxie Doxie - the fake Scarlet Witch and Dark Spider-Man - a monstrous eight-limbed spider-creature. After the obligatory fight scene Luke learns from the powers that be that they have designated these villains as the new Thunderbolt team, complete with unique inhibitors to keep them in line. So this issue is the set up for the new team and determines if Luke will still assent to being the leader. As you might guess from the cover there is one other member that will show up by the end as they head out on their first mission. It is a rescue mission, the nature of which is spelled out in the opening pages. I enjoyed the past stories tied into Dark Reign with these characters but am not sure I will follow them in this capacity. It is not surprising Marvel would create such a title at this time, adding yet another "Avenger" book to the mix. The art is ok so the visual aspect works well. It is up to the readers to decide if this is a suitable replacement for a long-running title or not.
Title: PROPHECYIssue Number: 1
Publisher: Dynamite Entertainment
Writer: Ron Marz
Artist: Walter Geovani
Colors: Adriano Lucas
Letters: Troy Peteri
Cover Artist: Paul Renaud
Price (USD): $3.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Horror
Mature - Comics on the Edge
This is the beginning of a character crossover title involving the various characters in the Dynamite stable. The action takes place across timelines starting in the 1890's in the time of Sherlock Holmes, skipping back to the Yucatan of 632 A.D. and then moving forward to the present time. It starts with a museum theft of an ancient dagger. That dagger plays a key role as we go back to its origins as we see Kulan Garth dressed as a Mayan priest using it in a ceremonial human sacrifice. But his plans are disrupted with the appearance of his enemy, Red Sonja. Both have somehow been transplanted to this place and time. She has half an amulet she stole from Garth and it allowed her to follow him through time and space. Garth is aware of the magic surrounding this particular era and of the Mayan prophecy concerning the end of the world in 2012. He plans to use the magic of the dagger, after it has been sufficiently drenched with human blood, to transport himself to the prophesized time where he will harness the magic of that cataclysmic event. Sonja obviously just wants him dead. Through a plot twist they both end up in that future time but separated again. But before Sonja can track him down she will have to deal with Vampirella and the king of the Vampires himself. It is hard to explain this book without detailing most of the plot of this first issue. It is a good start in getting us filled in on the apparent main villain though it does not explain how the vampire characters ended up in the same place at the end. The art is spectacular as usual with Dynamite. Marz gives the art team plenty to work with to start off. It seems interesting enough for now and no doubt will draw in more characters moving forward. Regular readers of the regular books should enjoy this and new readers will have little problem following this stand-alone plot separate from the regular continuity in a bunch of titles.
Title: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN: THE MOVIE
Issue Number: 1 (of 2)
Publisher: Marvel
Writer: Tom Cohen
Artist: Neil Edwards
Inker: Rick Maygar
Colors: Veronica Gandini
Letters: Jeff Eckleberry
Price (USD): $2.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Super Hero/Movie tie-in
The blurb on the splash page says that this two-part story is based on the film "The Amazing Spider-Man." The title on the cover does not mention the movie; it is just THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN. From what I see in the first issue this is probably not scenes from that movie coming out this summer nor is it an adaptation of the movie. I think instead it is told in the movie continuity, taking place within the time frame covered by the movie. From what I have already gleaned from the various trailers of the movie this appears to be the case. Peter Parker is already Spider-Man he is dating Gwen Stacy and her father, and NYPD Captain thinks Spider-Man is a dangerous amateur. As the story opens Peter is following Stacy hoping to redeem his reputation by lending a hand at the appropriate moment on something big he feels the NYPD has in the works. Something unexpected occurs though that could land him in big trouble. The rest of the book flashes back to some time ago with Peter in his civilian identity acting as a yearbook photographer. It has the typical elements like his meeting Gwen for the first time, Flash Thomson being his usual bullish self and several moments with Aunt May and Uncle Ben. So this is why I am not sure if any of this will be in the movie. In the present he is already Spider-Man but in the flashback it appears he has not yet been bitten. This two-parter may or may not show that origin, I just don't know. But the work as it stands is a decent story with very good art. I would look at this as a good supplement to the movie continuity but don't blame me if there are movie spoilers in these pages.
Title: BEFORE WATCHMEN: MINUTEMENIssue Number: 1
Title Story: Eight Minutes
Title Arc: The Minute of Truth
Publisher: DC
Creator: Moore and Gibbons
Writer/Artist: Darwyn Cooke
Colors: Phil Noto
Letters: Jared K. Fletcher
Cover Artist: Darwyn Cooke
Price (USD): $3.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Super Hero
This is the first chapter of the much-anticipated prequel to WATCHMEN. It has gotten a lot of publicity, both good and bad. I fall on the side of those who want to see how the line up of top-notch creators handles these characters. First up is sort of a book end/catch all title. The Minutemen is the name of the hero group that preceded the story in WATCHMEN - the generation before. By the way, for those of you who were not paying attention there was no group called The Watchmen. This book is narrated by Hollis Mason whose autobiography is a prominent element of the WATCHMEN series. The story begins shortly after he retired and moved into a new apartment. He is writing the epilogue to his book, having already sent the first draft to Larry Schexnayder, one of the few people who know his dual identity. Once we get past some of his personal observations the issue focuses on his allies in the Minutemen. Hollis fills us in on some of the background of each of them, Hooded Justice, Silk Spectre, The Comedian, Dollar Bill, Silhouette and others. This is mostly his impression of their character and motivations. It is Nelson Gardner, Captain Metropolis, who has the means and desire to form a team of the ever-growing number of masked avengers. He is sort of a Bruce Wayne type only he enjoys his wealth and is not driven by revenge. It is interesting to see how he goes about setting the wheels in motion as the issue ends. Darwyn Cooke is a good choice for this particular book. His style fits the scenes, which are mostly from the early 1940s as these heroes emerged. I have already read some online critics picking apart choices of coloring and departures from Gibbons' style in WATCHMEN. I was not expecting a carbon copy but expect each artist to give their best with the material they are working with. Darwyn Cooke does just that.
Back up feature: "The Curse of the Crimson Corsair" by Len Wein & John Higgins with letters by Sal Cipriano.
Each issue of BEFOE WATCHMEN will have a chapter of this tale of horror and the sea. In WATCHMEN Alan Moore used the "Marooned" story from the comic within the comic, TALES OF THE BLACK FREIGHTER, to echo themes in the main story, particularly relating the pirate tale to that of Adrian Veidt. This issue gives us only two pages so it is a bit early to see if this story will have any strong tie in to the various books. The first page has visual implications of a horror theme while the narrative along with the second page tells the story of a junior officer in 1771 in the British Navy. An incident only three weeks into his latest assignment is the focus of the chapter. The opening alludes to "fates far worse than death" so expect this to turn darker as it goes along.
Title: HARBINGERIssue Number: 1
Title Story: Omega Rising part 1
Publisher: Valiant Entertainment
Writer: Joshua Dysart
Artist: Khari Evans
Colors: Ian Hannin
Letters: Rob Steen
Price (USD): $3.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Science Fiction/Super Hero(?)
While Valiant's first title, X-O MANOWAR, sticks pretty close to the older version this title strays a bit from the Jim Shooter version of Peter Stanchek. He is still what they call a Harbinger, an evolved human. He hears voices, hundreds of them. That is because of his emerging telepathic ability. The only way he can keep them from driving him crazy is by taking pain pills and antipsychotic drugs. How he obtains them is less than noble. He goes into a drug store and forces the druggist to give him what he wants, including all the cash, and then makes him forget everything that just happened. This Peter is a runaway at eighteen, living in a foreclosed house in Pittsburgh with another boy who actual has mental illness. The two have been on the run from a man hunting them down and have returned to Pete's hometown before moving on. Peter has a couple of things to do her and someone to see. Contrast this with a person of means, a mogul of a vast conglomerate. This is Harada Toyo, possibly the first Harbinger. His powers were active in 1951 at the age of eighteen. But his path has lead to power and wealth. Like Professor Xavier he can sense others of his kind and will reach out telepathically to Peter to offer him a place and the training to find his purpose. There are more plot elements I have not divulged that make this a very dense beginning. The art is good enough to keep things flowing without distracting. Right now we don't know if Harada's intentions have an ulterior motive but that will have to wait. In the meantime this is a strong start. This one is worth your time.
Title: EXTERMINATIONIssue Number: 1
Publisher: Boom! Studios
Creator: Matt Gagnon
Writer: Simon Spurrier
Artist: Jeffrey Edwards
Colors: Blond
Letters: Ed "Duke" Dukeshire
Price (USD): $1.00
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Post-Apocalyptic Super Hero
In typical Boom! Fashion this first issue is only $1. In it we are treated to a future where the Earth is has been ravaged by aliens and the war that ensued. At the point where the story begins the toppled buildings and melted steel indicate just how bad things have gotten. The struggle just for survival has become desperate. It is the kind of situation that can force sworn enemies to work together. Thus we find superhero Nox, sort of a Batman type character, working with the villain known as Red Reaper. This is an interesting dynamic that can work with smart scripting. While we are seeing their struggle together in the present we are often shifted back in time to when they fought each other. The banter between the two is the thing that carries things forward. Red Reaper seems committed to the partnership but still acts independently when it suits him. This causes Nox to continually admonish him - mostly in a running gag about his language. In fact this seems to be the better part of the script. The fight scenes and discussions about the alien technology tend to bog things down. The transitions between time periods are not distinct enough to clue us in. While it is clear the two characters are following a path, and have many conflicts in the past, I am not sure that is enough to keep me interested for a long time. Fortunately it only costs a dollar to see what you think.
*****
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:
With whom did Mike Mist share a 3D comic in 1985?The answer is MS. TREE. The winner by the dice is Stan Hosmer.
Here is your no prize question:
On March 12th, in 1964, which state became the first state to legally sell
lottery tickets in the USA?
On March 12th, in 1964, New Hampshire became the first state to legally sell lottery tickets in the United States. Although Puerto Rico had a lottery since 1934, New Hampshire began the trend for U.S. states to join in the practice. A few years after tickets began selling in New Hampshire, many other states began their own lotteries.
THIS WEEK'S TRIVIA QUESTION:
There have been a few comic series about super hero sidekicks, one even had that title. Can you name the first comic starring sidekicks?
Here is your no prize question:
Where is the oldest private military academy in the USA?
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.
No comments:
Post a Comment