TRIPLE SHOT DIGITAL: Comixology Submit Presents THE ACCELERATORS #1, SECUNDUS #1, HELL’S BREW at FORCES OF GEEK

This week at our ongoing coverage of creator-owned digital comics reviews at Comixology Submit we time travel for gladiator battles and hot rod desert races.

The leader in the digital comics space opened up the platform to indie creators back in March of this year.

Writers and artists now have the chance to publish comics or graphic novels on the browser, tablet or phone using the Guided View technology. Comixology curates the submissions and soon the comic is put into panel by panel production for the viewer. The comics appear right on the digital store alongside all of the major publisher’s books.

The Accelerators #1
Writer: R.F.I. Porto
Artist: Gavin P. Smith 
Cover: Walt Flanagan
Price: $2.99
Page Count: 29 Pages
Imprint: Blue Juice Comics
Digital Release Date: 5/22/13
Age Rating: 15+ Only
BUY IT HERE

Time crimes! The story starts out in the future in a gladiator arena, good and bad guys throughout history are pitted against each other for dominance. Stormtrooper vs. Caveman, The Mayan vs. The Professor.

We then cut to a doctor being chased by a soldier through time and pick up a smart teenager along the way.

The time travelers are using a device shaped like a donut to travel through time.

By the end, the chase has led our heroes back to the arena, surely to face combat in the Games.

Fun story here, I’m a sucker for time travel stories and superhero battles like Deathmatch andAvengers Arena. Looking forward to issue #2.

Secundus #1
Written and drawn by: Mike Tomas
Price: $2.99
Page Count: 32 Pages
Digital Release Date: 5/22/13
Age Rating: 15+ Only
BUY IT HERE

Secundus is the story of a brave warrior in Roman times, also set in a battle arena.

He always wins his battles, and he got his name by always fighting two at a time.

After winning his last battle and gaining freedom, he’s challenged by a magician who conjures up a creature to aid him in his battle against the mighty Secundus “Secundus fights two”! 

I loved this mostly black and white story, at once a parable and classic story set in ancient time.

A very quick read but a story that makes you think!

Hell’s Brew #1
Story & Art: Michael Liggett
More info: TBA
Imprint: Forgotten Dialect Publishing
BUY IT HERE

This book is drawn like underground comics of the 60s, and is also set in an alternate history 1968. In this land, muscle cars, or ‘firebugs’ are king, and this is the story of infamous racers The Brothers Garcia.

There’s a fun car chase, an element of a murder mystery and some romance in the first issue. I’m really attracted to the art in this book, with a minimal color palette and sometimes awkward but not bad storytelling.

Overall, it works and I enjoyed this hot rod tale.

[READ MORE at FORCES OF GEEK]

DigBoston and LeaguePodcast Comic Book Picks of the Week for June 5, 2013

COMICS

One sign of summer is the #summerofvaliant, and more time for video games like Valiant Comic’s Harbinger Wars: Battle for Las Vegas for iOS and Android. This week the company releases two more 8-bit variant covers for our heroes. … Archer and Armstrong #10 written by Fred Van Lente is a mystery wrapped inside a puzzle inside an invasion of Area 51. … In NOLA, our pal Shadowman alongside Doctor Mirage take on Master Darque as the dead are screaming in Shadowman #7. … Daredevil: End of Days ends it’s limited run at Issue #8. We finally get the reveal of what Matt Murdock’s final words, “Mapone” mean, as this supergroup of a creative team (Bendis, Mack, Janson, Maleev, Sienkiewicz) give Daredevil his Dark Knight Returns future tale. … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com.

Pass the Daily Dig along! Your friends can sign up here!

Triple Shot: X-MEN #1, CHEW #34 and EARTH 2 ANNUAL #1 at FORCES OF GEEK

This week’s Triple Shot relaunches one of Marvel’s hottest books with an all-female cast, you’ll be hungry for more after reading the latest issues of Chew and Earth 2, but for different reasons.

There’s a new Batman in the town, but is his reveal the ultimate bat-tease?

X-MEN #1
WRITER: Brian Wood
ART: Olivier Coipel
Publication Date: May 29, 2013
Price: $3.99
Publisher: Marvel Comics
UPC: 75960607924700111
Buy it HERE

The role of female characters and creators diminishes over the years for some unknown reasons. When a book stars a female, or if Gail Simone publishes a new book, tumblr explodes with glee. 

This book, is certainly no exception to that rule, as popular writer Brian Wood (The Massive, Star Wars, Mara) relaunches X-Men at number one. 

Starring in the book are Psylocke, Rachel Summers, Storm, Kitty Pryde, Rogue and the return of Jubilee.

Jubilee’s a mom now, that is to say she’s the adopted mother to an orphaned baby. She’s on here way back to the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning with the tyke when she realizes she’s being followed and calls home for help.

This book has all of the elements of great comics, X-Men or otherwise. An orphaned baby with powers that may hold the secret to mankind’s survival, the best train scene we’ve seen since Skyfall, and a billion year old mystery to be solved with Caselli and his sister, Arkea Prime.

Oh, and there’s a Doop cameo. 

So far Bendis has done Uncanny and All-New X-Men right, and here comes along Brian Wood to add to the modern mythos. This is for certain the book people will be talking about most this week.

CHEW #34
WRITER: John Layman
ART: Rob Guillory
Publication Date: May 29, 2013
Price: $2.99
Publisher: Image Comics
UPC: 70985300808803411
Buy it HERE

This cover ships with three covers!

No, no no, silly, not three variant covers available from exclusive retailer, three covers on your book, with the cut along the lines marks so that you, the comic collector can play the interchangeable face game with the covers.

ComiXology customers will have to use their imagination on this gimmick cover that is the direct opposite of your comic shipping in a bag, it’s asking, nay, begging for you to take scissors to your cover!

Do you have the guts…or another $2.99 to spend? Layman and Guillory continue to have fun with this detective book from the lettering to the cover concepts and sneaky inside jokes. This issue has Olive donning a Mike Norton Battlepug shirt.

We’re 4/5ths of the way through the Bad Apples storyline, wherein our hero Tony Chu is hunting down the Vampire Cibopath. His hunt leads him to Eastern Europe, an undisclosed location that could be Transylvania.

This issue serves us up a plate of new food-related powers including one guy that can string guitars with pasta noodles. Admittedly, not a very useful power but he looks like Slash so that’s cool. Senator David Eccles is a Bromaformutare—meaning his head transforms into the last thing he ate. On his campaign trail, he first looks like Mayor McCheese but takes a bite out of an apple pie before his speech is over. That is one way to get votes in the Chew-verse. Also, this can get you in trouble if you are literally what you eat in the Chew-verse where chicken is illegal.

This book is consistently great and surprising, and the schedule ships toward the end of each month. Just as I’m getting full from a month’s worth of comics, I always find room for Chew!

EARTH 2 ANNUAL #1
WRITER: James Robinson
ART: Cafu / Julius Gopez / Cam Smith
Publication Date: May 29, 2013
Price: $4.99
Publisher: DC Comics
Buy it HERE

It all seemed right. I mean, I’m not buying issues of Earth 2regularly, but I’m hip to the concept.

Earth 2 is the closest we’ll get to Elseworlds in the New 52 so you an imagine how I nearly made a boom tube when the solicits were shoving a new Batman my way. I’d already bought the action figure in my mind because the design was equal parts Batman Beyond, Flashpoint Thomas Wayne Batman and Alex RossKingdom Come Batman.

Spoiler warning - if you desperately want to know the identity of the Earth 2 Batman, you won’t find him here. Batman stays on the sidelines as we watch the origin of Captain Atom and briefly see some action with Kirby Fourth World creations Mister Miracle and Big Barda. 

James Robinson is a great writer, and the art by Cafu (T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents) is amazing. Sure, not everyone buys these Annuals, but I feel completely duped by DC Editorial promising something (for a hefty $5, noless) and not delivering. 

I’ve no gripe with the Captain Atom origin or the Barda, Scott Free and Hawkgirl cameos but I bought this book under false pretenses. Marketing led me to believe an alternate version of the Dark Knight would be revealed. He was there and he fought a bit, but we are no closer to knowing the man behind the mask. This was a miscalculation, I can’t imagine I’m the only one feeling this way. I don’t care about the Earth 2 continuity a year after it’s launch but thought this might lead me in.

No way am I enthusiastic about getting the next issue to have the same bait and switch happen. This was a $5 trick you played on me, DC. I’m not happy.

EARTH PRIME TIME: COMIC FAN INVADES ANIME BOSTON 2013

Comic book fans and enthusiasts of any niche pop culture genre can be secular at times, closed minded, and exclusionary. It is the nature of the thing, I suppose, to be deeply invested and engaged by taking ownership of what appeals to you and what may become the building blocks of your identity. I’ve ignored the last ten Anime Boston conventions on this narrow-minded reasoning. After the Marathon bombings postponing Boston Comic Con this year, I put on my black costume karate gi to embrace the sense of pride and engagement with the nerd fan community that one can only get at a large convention in your hometown. This is how I, as a superhero comic fan, learned to stop worrying and love Anime Boston 2013. 

My photographer Stacey and I headed for our passes early in the day, eager to take in the wonders of Anime Boston on Saturday. Lines were manageable with bag checks and plenty of volunteers to assist directing traffic. In light of the terrorist attacks, no weapons were allowed at the con this year.

There were plenty of foam swords, accessories, and larger than life costumes this year, so the restriction was certainly not affecting anyone’s creativity.

It should be noted, cosplay at Anime Boston is intricate and omnipresent. Well over 80 percent of the crowd is dressed up or decorated in some way.

Iron Man takes a load off - Photo By Stacey Rizoli

Nerds of all fashions are here, Doctor Who fans, Vorlons (Babylon 5), superheroes, kitty cats with mechanical ears, all manner of tails and white masks swarm around you in a sea of paper mache, facepaint, leather, and vinyl. Cosplayers range in age from young to old and costume materials range from $2 to $2,000.

Cosplay at Comic Con is huge, don’t get me wrong, but as Stacey pointed out, “You’d be out of place if you didn’t dress up here.”

My thirst for nerd knowledge makes me a panel junkie. Anime Boston uses Guidebook, a live updating smartphone app that makes it easy to look at a complicated schedule such as this that includes screenings, martial arts demos, panels, kid’s activities, signings, and contests. We had set up our schedule in advance the night before and backed this up with the hard copy on the convention floor. Getting the lay of the land took some getting used to, Anime Boston uses most spaces in the gigantic Hynes Convention Center.

[READ MORE at DIGBOSTON.COM]

TRIPLE SHOT DIGITAL: Comixology Submit Presents THE RED TEN #1, TIGER LAWYER #1 and MULTIPLAYER #1 at FORCES of GEEK!

This week at our ongoing coverage of creator-owned digital comics reviews at Comixology Submit we tackle the superhero murder mystery The Red Ten, a feline attorney, Tiger Lawyer from FOG! alum Ryan Ferrier and aLeague of Extrordinary Gentlemen for video gamers!


The leader in the digital comics space opened up the platform to indie creators back in March.

Writers and artists now have the chance to publish comics or graphic novels on the browser, tablet or phone using the Guided View technology. Comixology curates the submissions and soon the comic is put into panel by panel production for the viewer.

The comics appear right on the digital store alongside all of the major publisher’s books.

The Red Ten #1 (of 10)(Digital Deluxe Editon)
Writer: Tyler James
Artist:  Cesar Feliciano
Price: $0.99
Page Count: 48 Pages
Imprint: ComixTribe
Digital Release Date: 04/24/2013
Age Rating: 15+ Only
Buy it HERE

The Red Ten is, unapologetically, a send off to the classic Agatha Christie novel “And Then There Were None”.

The cool twist is that this is also the author’s chance to use a creator owned property to kill the Justice League or the Avengers one by one.

Drawing some influence from Meltzer’s Identity Crisis as well, James and Feliciano have created a familiar world of the superhero team and injected a compelling mystery with top notch art.

Supporting this series for 1/4th the price of a mainstream comic is a steal. Oxymoron, our Joker/Luthor villian is scary, but is he picking off these heroes?

Tiger Lawyer #1
Written By: Ryan Ferrier
Art By: Mat McCray / Vic Malhotra
Price: $0.99
Page Count: 31 Pages
Digital Release Date: 12/21/2013
Age Rating: 15+ Only
Buy it HERE

A sucker for an animal in the courtroom and Harvey Birdman, I tried out Tiger Lawyer for a parade around the three ring circus of the courtroom.

The first story seemed like a scene from Night Court, as a weary judge concedes to Mr. Tiger Lawyer’s defense strategy.  The second story was quite good, a more noirBatman: Year One short story told in black and white.

Not sure the strategy on presenting a cartoony version of the main cat vs. a dark detective story, but both worked on different levels.

This book is worth checking out, for fans of Frosted Flakes and Perry Mason.

Multiplayer #1
Story & Art: Tomi Hanzek

 Price: $0.99
Page Count: 28 Pages
Digital Release Date: 05/07/2013
Age Rating: 13+ Only
Buy it HERE

Multiplayer is a fun release combining the mythos of familiar but dissimilar video game heroes into a superhero team across time to the present day to save the world.Legends of Zelda, Tomb Raider, and Street Fighter fans will recognize some faces, as the strongest warriors are assembled to take on Necrolord.

Fun stuff!

My lack of familiarity with all of the video game references did not distract nor turn me off on this book. I enjoy the concept.

[READ MORE at FORCES OF GEEK]

DigBoston and LeaguePodcast Comic Book Picks of the Week for May 29, 2013

COMICS

For some reason, it is still X-Men, but this X-Book puts the ladies at the forefront. X-Men #1 debuts this week at Marvel NOW! with ladies at the helm of this team featuring Storm, Rogue, Jubilee, Kitty Pryde, Rachel Grey, Rogue & Psylocke. … Whoa-oh-oh! Positive. Last summer we interviewed Alan Grant (Detective Comics, Judge Dredd) about his Tales of the Buddha Before He Got Enlightened and now the trade paperback is available. Tales of Sex, absurdity, meditation, smoke and rock & roll from Alan and Jon Haward are now available at the TFAW.com link and Renegade Arts Entertainment. … Who is the new Batman of Earth 2? Find out in Earth 2 Annual #1 - the closest thing you can get to an Elseworlds story these days. … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com..

Pass the Daily Dig along! Your friends can sign up here!

TRIPLE SHOT: GREEN TEAM TEEN TRILLIONAIRES #1, AKANIERO #1 and THE DEEP SEA #1 at FORCES OF GEEK!

Your triple shot inoculation this week is full of 1% rich kids with money to blow on special toys, a solution of Japanese folklore mixed with video game action and Little Red Riding Hood and is topped off with your cure for the bends in Palmiotti & Gray’s The Deep Sea.

GREEN TEAM: TEEN TRILLIONAIRES #1
WRITERS: Art Baltazar & Franco
ART: Ig Guera
Publication Date: May 22, 2013
Price: $3.99
Publisher: DC Comics
UPC: 76194131597300111
Buy it HERE

Aw, Yeah Green Team!

DC Comics has resurrected the 1975 Joe Simon Green Team in The New 52 to compliment Gail Simone’s The Movement comic.

The best part?

It’s written by Art Baltazar and Franco—the famous cartoonists behind Tiny Titans, Superman Family Adventures and most recently Aw Yeah Comics.


Up until now, the guys of have been on an all ages initiative at DC, so it is exciting news to see them writing in The New 52.

The Green Team consists of Commodore, J.P. Huston, Cecilia Sunbeam, and young Mohammad. The kids don’t have super powers, can’t tell you where the Batcave is, and aren’t trying to save the world…yet.

They all meet up in the first issue at a pop up expo, POXPO ’13. Here, inventors try to gain angel funding for their latest and greatest machinations. Commodore (Nicknamed “64”—an excellent joke referencing the ‘80s computer) Murphy strolls around the expo determining who should get the funding. That is until he discovers Prince Mohammad is broadcasting the location with his Instagram app. This brings on the trouble and the bad guys looking to rob the youngsters, and steal the tech.

This is a very fun book, and it is great to see Art & Franco in The New 52, bringing their unique brand of humor and universal appeal. These are not known properties, so we can imagine some fun stuff coming down the pike, as the team works from a pretty clean slate.

These kids have a good heart, so let’s not condemn this 1% — I have a feeling they will use this funny money to help the world, not doom it.

 

AKANEIRO #1 (of 3)
WRITER: Justin Aclin
ART: Vasilis Lolos
Publication Date: May 22, 2013
Price: $3.99
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
UPC: 76156822674400111
Buy it HERE

Who’s afraid of a big bad mash-up? Not us!

Akaneiro is part fairy tale, part Japanese folklore and 100% video game tie in. The book is based on America McGee’sAkaneiro: Demon Hunters video game which itself draws it’s storyline from Little Red Riding Hood.

Set in a mystical version of Japan’s Edo era, the Red Hunter Fumiyo avenges the death of her mother who was killed by a wolf yokai (apparition).

She is sent to train with a rival clan, the Akane.

In order to start this training journey, she must travel through the woods alone, with her axe. Some demon rabbit yokai try to slow her down but do not. She is faced with a fork in the path and a wolf yokai has disguised himself to trick her into choosing her direction. She awakes in a strange cottage, with a doting Mother Tanaka taking care of her. What big head Tanaka has, we notice.

Will the wolf spirit devour Fumi, or will her axe lead her out of the forest?

The demons are well drawn, and the color palette seems consistent with the game. This is a fun book for fans of Fables and The Unwritten.

THE DEEP SEA #1 (One-Shot)
WRITERS: Jimmy Palmiotti & Justin Gray
ART: Tony Akins & Paul Mounts
Publication Date: May 22, 2013
Price: $2.99
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
UPC: 76156822662100111
Buy it HERE

Writers Jimmy Palmiotti & Justin Gray (Jonah Hex, All-Star Western) give us a time-displaced underwater exploration team in this one-shot comic originally published in Dark Horse Presents.

In 1958, a team of underwater explorers are set to explore the Mariana Trench. An injury leaves team leader Paul topside for the mission. When the ship descends, the powerful winch rigging cannot support the ship any more, it is being dragged to the depths by a force more powerful than ever. The crew is mourned and thought lost.

Fast forward to present day and 80 year old Paul is sent to recover the just discovered wreckage. He’s surprised to find his teammates alive, and they have not aged a day. Mixing the Captain America frozen in ice idea with the Fantastic Four team tragedy seems to work.

Both sides are skeptical of the reality of the situation, but as they are trying to figure this out, the recovery ship is attacked by a sea monster. Does the monster hold the secret to the disappearance of the crew?

Palmiotti and Gray are expert storytellers, and this is the great start to a series that I should hope gets continued in later chapters of DHP. Submarine and nautical battles are great fun, and not seen nearly enough in comics. Art and story remind me of John Byrne’s Star Trek titles and they have laid the groundwork for the mystery of the monsters to be solved. Great story and art!

[READ MORE at FORCES OF GEEK]

DigBoston and LeaguePodcast Comic Book Picks of the Week for May 22, 2013

COMICS

Aw, Yeah New 52! Our favorite all ages comic artist/writer team and famous cartoonists Art Baltazar and Franco put down the pen and pick up the typewriter for Green Team Teen Trillionaires #1 this week. Let the 1% finance your next important project! They’ve got more money than Scrooge McDuck! Art by Ig Guara … What’s going on with the glitchy tech in Mega City One? Judge Dredd investigates while being targeted for being killed by a fellow Judge. Judge Dredd #7 from Duane Swierczynski is THE LAW this week! … A new take on Little Red Riding hood takes the form of Akaneiro #1 from Dark Horse, based on American McGee’s new Spicy Horse video Game and Japanese folklore. … Picks LeaguePodcast.com.

Pass the Daily Dig along! Your friends can sign up here!

TRIPLE SHOT: SOLID STATE TANK GIRL #1, DOOMSDAY.1 #1 and DREAM MERCHANT #1 - FORCES OF GEEK

Three shots of comics are served down and neat for you today, burning up and investigating the insides of your body and soul!  We start off with the return of Tank Girl, John Bryne singes the Earth with a solar flare, and Nathan Edmondson delivers another story that branches out into a new fantasy genre, the mysteries of Dream Merchant.

SOLID STATE TANK GIRL #1 (of 4)
WRITER: Alan Martin
ART: Warwick J. Cadwell
Publication Date: May 15, 2013
Price: $3.99
Publisher: Titan Comics
UPC: 07447028032301
Buy it HERE


Remember Tank Girl? I sorta do. There was a 1995 movie, right? With the guy from Body Count and SVU.

Do you remember rock and roll radio, The Clash, Love and Rockets? The creators crammed all of that into a dyke role model with post apocalyptic kangaroo sidekick that live in a tank in Australia.

Jamie Hewlett went on to form Gorillaz, and original creator Alan Martin sort of wandered the countryside (seriously) looking to uncover ancient mysteries.

Martin has since resurrected the character in 2007, and Titan Books has released his latest story, Solid State Tank Girl with art by Warwick Johnson-Cadwell.

We see familiar faces—Booga, Jet Girl and Tank Girl.

We’re in a radio repair shop, something likely useful I the ‘80s or in post apocalyptic times. Booga zaps himself on an old radio and Tank Girl is put to task to revive him.

How do they do it? Honey I Shrunk the Kids style.

There’s a delightful few pages of ball humor before they do the Osmosis Jones bit and float into the gross kangaroo insides.

To cram just one more Netflix classic in there, perhaps the reason Booga has fallen ill could be found in the plot of Three Men and a Baby.

A fun, punk rock read with a female leading cast.

A backup story pits Tank Girl against Dick Strangeballs!

Tank Girl is Dead. Long Live Tank Girl!

DOOMSDAY.1 #1 (of 4)
WRITER/ARTIST: John Byrne
Publication Date: May 15, 2013
Price: $3.99
Publisher: IDW Publishing
UPC: 82771400459500111
Buy it HERE


Master of storytelling and the comic book form John Byrne reboots a classic concept of his from the ‘70s withDoomsday.1 this week.

The four issue limited series is a post apocalyptic tale of solar flares wiping out the most of the habitable places on Earth.

Stuck in orbit on an international space voyage, a crew of seven watches helplessly as the planet is decimated by fire.

On the ground, The President, The Pope, a prison and a submarine crew hunker down away on different parts of the planet to save themselves. This gives us an idea that some pockets of humanity will survive the destruction.

A sacrifice is made in space to return the astronauts home after many orbits and the flare subsiding. A crash landing in the southern United States leaves the crew to to survive on a familiar an foreign planet.

I am a fan of John Byrne’s polarizing artwork and storytelling, and follow his work at IDW closely—from Angel to Star Trek. This book is for fans of The Walking Dead, Planet of the Apes, and Mad Max. Will these astronauts survive past the four issue mini-series, or will they bake on the surface of a planet they used to call home? I’m along for the ride!

Dream Merchant #1 (of 6)
WRITER: Nathan Edmondson
ART: Konstantin Novosadov
Publication Date: May 15, 2013
Price: $3.99
Publisher: Image Comics
UPC: 70985301362400111
Buy it HERE

Nathan Edmondson is no stranger to poking around in someone’s head.

His spy-fi action comic Jake Ellis takes place somewhat in protagonist Jon Moore’s head, as the specter of Jake Ellis guides him through missions. The Dream Merchant mini series is off to a strong start here.

Winslow has been plagued by persistent and recurring dreams, that preoccupy his waking moments. He’s checked for observation into a mental hospital in Burbank.

While there he befriends the cafeteria worker, juvenile delinquent Anne, who has a fondness for Wilson and lends him many books on dreams.

Sleep demons chase the two out of the hospital and they are guided by a mysteriously shrouded mentor with a staff, one who seems to have control over the dream state. The two hop a train and escape onto the road, following the bizarre figure.

This is a different type of story that Edmondson’s other work, The Activity or Jake Ellis in that there is no spy action or military tech involved yet.

This is more of a teenage adventure story that half takes place in the realm of dreams. The flavor of the dream world is more Harry Potter than it is ‘The Dreaming’ of Sandman books, and a bit more fun. Chapter 1 has the heroes on their journey, with no hints at where the roads may take the three next.

Art by Siberian Konstantin Novosadov is more Disney cartoon than Darwyn Cooke ‘50s illustration, but the solid black line work and facial expressions are seemingly influenced by both. 

[READ MORE at FORCES OF GEEK]

EARTH PRIME TIME: SUPERMAN: UNBOUND

Superman: Unbound is the latest DC Universe Animated Original Movie based on an Action Comics arc written by Geoff Johns and drawn by Gary Frank. Though not bogged down by New 52 continuity or pre-Flashpoint Superman Family architecture, the movie does a fair job at retelling the story of the five part Superman: Braniac in 75 minutes. Rumors are that this could be the last DCAU movie set in the old timelines, so continuity buffs and those wishing to celebrate Superman’s 75th birthday this year should give this a chance if you have not already. Since the story references Silver and Golden Age Superman subjects like the Bottled City Of Kandor and Collector of Worlds, this is both a movie for new fans anticipating Man of Steel and those with the House of El’s shield tattooed on their arms. Speaking of which, Supergirl is in for the action too.

 
Our story opens with Lois being abducted by some bad dudes in all black swat outfits from The Daily Planet. Perhaps a nod to our favorite Superman joke, Lois is in a pink outfit (and later has a pink phone and a pink laptop). She’s amazingly calm, because in this version, Lois and Clark are boyfriend and girlfriend. He has a way of saving her from these things.

It turns out that she’s not going to be rescued by big blue because he is dealing with an earthquake elsewhere. High over Metropolis, Miss Lane is in the back of a helicopter, almost helpless if not for her wit.

Heeding the call for action Supergirl uses her powers to defeat the bad guys until Kal shows up.

Cousin Kal reprimands her for using excessive force. This serves the story as an opportunity to introduce the villain of the movie, Braniac. Though not a direct sequel to Superman/Batman: Apocalypse, one can see this as the introduction of the character of Kara-El, cousin to Kal-El Superman.

Lois and Supergirl - Superman Unbound

Both movies rely on Supergirl’s motivations to drive the main story, in fact my girlfriend pointed out to me that the first film should really have been called Superman/Supergirl Apocalypse, as Batman and Wonder Woman were secondary characters.

Even with the amazing Andrea Romano as voice director there are still old fashioned gender issues in mainstream media.

Back on Krypton, before the explosion and Kal being sent to the Kent Farm, older cousin Kara witnessed a ship helmed by Braniac invade the capital of Kandor and slaughter many innocents. As the collector of worlds, Braniac bottled the city after shrinking it and he put this among his collection. Kara’s parents survived the blast and live in the bottle. Kara now can’t stand bullies, so she feels justified using so much force.

[READ MORE at DIGBOSTON.COM]

DigBoston and LeaguePodcast Comic Book Picks of the Week for May 15, 2013

COMICS

John Byrne (Superman, Star Trek, Next Men) takes a page from Marvel NOW! and gives us a Point One reboot of his post-apocolyptic space race 1975 Charlton comic Doomsday +1. The new book is Doomsday.1 #1 from IDW, taking place on the International Space Station with astronauts looking to return home to an Earth decimated by a solar flare! Hot Stuff! … The JSA Liberty Files have only been cracked this once since the New 52, and this issue of The Whistling Skull #6 marks the end of the miniseries. Written by B. Clay Moore and drawn by Tony F’n Harris, this steampunk via Hitler-smashing Sherlock Holmes type story is a masterpiece of the bizarre and macabre featuring the Whistling Skull and dimwit sidekick Nigel. Hard to put into words, really. … We haven’t forgotten about the all ages comic picks, this week we have Regular Show #1 from Boom! Studios. Mordecai the Bluejay and Rigby the Raccoon are just chillin’, yo. Whoa-Oh-Oh! Join ‘em for a regular day! … Picks LeaguePodcast.com.

Pass the Daily Dig along! Your friends can sign up here!

TRIPLE SHOT: TWELVE REASONS TO DIE #1, X #1 and ARCHER AND ARMSTRONG #0 at FORCES OF GEEK

It’s a numbers games as we dip into the 36 Chambers of Death with Ghostface Killah in the new book Twelve Reasons To Die.  Travel back in time with Archer and Armstrong #0 and take a dark turn with Dark Horse and Duane Swierczynski punishing the criminal bosses in city of Arcadia for a new number #1 of cult anti-hero, X. 

TWELVE REASONS TO DIE #1
CONCEPT: Ghostface Killah, Adrian Younge
WRITER: Matthew Rosenberg, CE Garcia, Patrick Kindlon
ART: Breno Tamura, Gus Storms, Kyle Strahm, Joe Infurnari, Dave Murdoch
Publication Date: May 8, 2013
Price: $3.50 
Publisher: Black Mask Comics in association with Soul Temple Entertainment LLC
UPC: 045778022014
Buy it HERE


“Up from the 36 Chambers…it’s the Ghostface Killah”, these lyrics from Clan in Da Front weren’t what I expected to yell when I went into the LCS on Wednesday, but I did, scaring some kids there getting some leftover Free Comic Book Day swag.


As you can tell from the credits, this hip-hop comic comes to you from a creative team that goes all the way up to the executive producer RZA.

Accompanying this book is a record and tour of the same name by hotshot producer Adrian Younge and Ghostface. 

The comic starts off with words like ‘pussy’ and ‘motherfucker’ and that sets the tone for the book.

Like Ghost’s lyrical flow, the comic references gangster history going back to the 40s through the 60s, and it isn’t too long before we are introduced to his alter-ego and star of the book, gang enforcer, the “other” Antony Starks. From La Costa Nostra to modern day nightclub drug deals, it’s grim and gritty. The artwork, benefitting from different artists in the first issue is dark and breaks off chapters well. Just like a RZA beat, nothing here is extraneous. All tells the story.

From the solicit as we find out that Anthony Starks is an enforcer for the DeLuca crime family in the 1960s. The family murders him after he falls in love with the kingpin’s daughter. You won’t know this from the first issue, but it is helpful background.

Starks remains are pressed into a dozen vinyl records and when played, the record invokes the spirit of Ghostface Killah, exacting revenge on his murderers.

High concept, great art and all accompanied by a soundtrack album that is already highly regarded? I am so down. This really is the summer of Ironman.

I didn’t even get to tell you about Black Mask Comics, a new publishing company from creator Steve Niles. We’re expecting great things from this new venture as well.

X #1
WRITER: Duane Swierczynski
ART: Eric Nguyen
Publication Date: May 8, 2013
Price: $1.99
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
UPC: 76156822527300111
Buy it HERE


Just last month, we re-introduced you to X from Dark Horse Comics.

Yes, another reboot. No, we don’t care.

Yes, we’re buying it. No, it’s not a cash grab.

Wait, am I answering questions in my head again? No? Good.

The masked vigilante has more in common with a Punisher of the MAX variety than any other character. He’s a strong, smart and capable vigilante that sits like a snake and plots his attack before doing so. His enemies are tipped off when he sends them a picture of themselves with a red giant X over their face. Most don’t take it seriously, or try to protect themselves from the vigilante when they know he is coming. Good luck, pal.

X has a particularly bloody streak, bloodlust and determination for meting out justice in his hometown of Arcadia.

Unlike Frank Castle, little is known about this cold killer’s origin. Hopefully Swierczynski will tap into that as the series rolls on.

The book opens on a warehouse full of corpses. Investigating detectives and officers on the scene prop up the heads of two of the dead laying in a nearby Caddy. The ominous red X from the photos is mirrored on their flesh, accompanied by multiple nails from a nail gun. Yeouch, X does not mess around!

As police check out the scene, a young blogger, screenname Muckracker aka Leigh Furgeson is poking around, tipped off by an old drunk about the massacre near his home. He flees Arcadia and leaves the detective work to Muckracker. 

Leigh opens her mailbox to find a message from X, crossed-out photos of some bad dudes including one of Leo Pietrain, the unfortunate villain locked in his panic room in issue #0. Ambulances take Leo away as Muckracker gets to the crime scene to see Leo’s piehole bleeding a red X through his ambulance stretcher sheet. 

In the third act of the issue, reader’s adrenaline levels spike as X springs into action once again. Though, this time it appears he’s been set up by the police. 

After a firefight and explosion, X and the snoopy Muckracker find themselves in an alley together. This might be the time for Leigh to either expose X or to lend him a hand. Tune in next issue for more pulse pounding action.

This book has the feel of a Batman: Year One, and obvious nods to the Frank Miller story in the art by Eric Nguyen are not off-putting but set a familiar tone. The action and blood is definitely more mature (not for kids) than your average Punisher story but all of the tropes here work really well to acclimate the fan to a newly rebooted, but never wildly popular anti-hero vigilante.

Swierczynski is on some great books right now with tough dudes as the lead roles. Check out his take on IDW’s Judge Dredd for more rugged justice!

ARCHER AND ARMSTRONG #0
WRITER: Fred Van Lente
ART: Clayton Henry
Publication Date: May 8, 2013
Price: $3.99
Publisher: Valiant Comics
UPC: 85899200306200011
Buy it HERE


Valiant Comics started the whole ‘prequel’ comics numbered “Issue #0” way back in the nineties.  Since then, companies have copied their style and in fact, DC’s New 52 had a whole series of “0” issues incorporated into their relaunch. It should come to no surprise to fans, speculators and collectors of the classic Valiant characters that Valiant has started to release prequels to their relaunched books as well.

Fred Van Lente (Spider-Man, G.I. Joe) brings his humor and well researched historical references to the latest, Archer and Armstrong #0.

Archer is a teenager, raised by extreme religious freaks on a compound. He escapes to find the truth about his parents. Armstrong is a nigh-invulnerable immortal warrior that is centuries old. This issue deals with Armstrong’s past through a retelling (reboot!) of the classic tale of Gilgamesh. How do we get there? Armstrong was part of the story and recounts it firsthand! Raised a poet among warriors with brothers Gilad (Eternal Warrior) and Ivar (Timewalker).

Some Vine-like tech is discovered in ancient Mesopotamia and the brothers go to investigate. They are greeted by men in robes who introduce them to the Boon device, the supernatural tablet that grants Armstrong his immortality. There’s dinosaur fighting, alien tech and ancient history rolled up into a delicious story that’s way better than junior high history and literature classes. 

This issue is part Jurassic Park, part Rome and equal parts the origin of pizza in G.I. Joe Yearbook#3 — My Dinner With Serpentor.

[READ MORE AT FORCES OF GEEK]

EARTH PRIME TIME: USAGI YOJIMBO: WAY OF THE RONIN GAME & LECTURE AT MFA

Stan Sakai created the rabbit ronin Usagi Yojimbo nearly 30 years ago. Usagi may seem familiar to hardcore fans of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for his guest appearances there. This weekend, as part of a special event and samurai exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Sensei Sakai and game developer Mike Levine of HappyGiant are slated to talk about the first Usagi video game in over 25 years, Usagi Yogimbo: Way of The Ronin (iOS / Android). We spoke with Mike about what to expect about from the game, the exclusive MFA Samurai Saturdays level, and about working with a master of the comic book form by way of bringing this fun side-scrolling sword and slashing game to market.

 
DIGBOSTON: Hi Mike – Thanks for coming! Can you tell me please about HappyGiant and what your role is there?

MIKE LEVINE: HappyGiant is my company, most of the company and myself have been in the games industry for 10-20 years. I worked for LucasArts in the ’90s for most of it and worked for some startups out in San Francisco. I came back here and started my own companies includingPileated Pictures, which was well known in Massachusetts for working with Hasbro and other properties. We were lucky to make some money and we’re now focused on mobile and the new company, HappyGiant.

Have you been a developer for a long time, or writing games for that long?

At LucasArts, I worked in the art department, constantly developing new techniques to create art. I would sit between really amazing artists and the programmers and we were in the middle making it all work in the games.

I’ve been a writer, designer and art director. We’re a small company so we all wear many hats.

Is this your first mobile game?

No, we’ve been doing it for a few years. We slowly crawled into it. We’ve done Zhu Zhu Pet Hamsters and last summer we did the app for The Dictator film. We are also known for our high end pet sims Dolphin Paradise: Wild Friends. There’s another one that just came out, Orca Paradise: Wild Friends. We did Orca at the same time as Usagi. We used the Unity game engine to make both the games.

Very cool. Can I ask…are you a comic book fan?

Yes I am.

Usagi Yojimbo No. 1 - Stan Sakai

Have you been a Usagi Yojimbo fan for as long as I have?

Probably not. I grew up reading comics, now my kids are reading my comics. I was a heavy Marvel guy, Walt Simonson’s Thor, Frank Miller’s Ronin and Dark Knight Returns. I read all the Lone Wolf & Cub books. I knew of Usagi, but don’t remember reading it. The story goes that a couple of years ago, my friend brought me 5-6 Usagi books and urged me to read them.

As soon as I started reading them, I couldn’t put them down, I read one after the other. When I got to Book 10 or 12, I decided, “This needs to be a game”!

It came together very smoothly with Dark Horse and Stan and getting in touch with them. I like to think when things are meant to be, things go smoothly, and this was one of those cases.

[READ MORE AT DIGBOSTON.COM]

DigBoston and LeaguePodcast Comic Book Picks of the Week for May 8, 2013

COMICS

They Trojan-Horsed the villain in the new Iron Man movie, but you know what we get as a result? A bizarre marketing ploy (that worked) that moves from Marvel NOW! to Marvel THEN!. Coordinated with the new flick, Marvel releases an untold tale of Ol’ Shellhead in Iron Man #258.2, harkening back to the days of 8bit computer graphics and mullets, the glorious 90s and Armor Wars II. Written by David Micheline and Bob Layton, with art by Bob and David Ross we are treated to a pre-RDJ Iron Man being attacked by a computer virus. … We’re sort of scared of the spy-fi black helicopters showing up if we don’t plug Nathan Edmondson’s Where is Jake Ellis #4 (part 9). Check out our EARTH PRIME TIME interview with Nate! … You’re All Just Jealous Of My Jetpack from The Guardian and NYT cartoonist Tom Gauld gets the hardcover treatment from Drawn and Quarterly this week. It’s the perfect gift for Mom (she just has to be funny, not necessarily into the history of comics—though that helps)! … Picks LeaguePodcast.com and Samurai Saturdays at the MFA..

Pass the Daily Dig along! Your friends can sign up here!

LeaguePodcast FCBD 2013 - YouTube Playlist with Clay & Stacey

TRIPLE SHOT: TEN GRAND #1, SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #9 and IRON MAN 258.1- FORCES OF GEEK

TRIPLE SHOT: 
TEN GRAND #1, SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #1 and IRON MAN 258.1

Has JMS grounded himself to a new imprint, Doc Ock has really messed with the wrong Spider and to celebrate Iron Man 3 (we guess), Marvel takes us back to the Roaring ‘90s for a David Michelinie, Dave Ross and Bob Layton retread Armor Wars II with a flashback story arc starring Tony Stark in Iron Man #258.1.

TEN GRAND #1
WRITER: J. Michael Straczynski
ART: Ben Templesmith
Publication Date: May 2, 2013
Price: $2.99
Publisher: Image Comics
UPC: 70985301360000111
Buy it HERE

J. Michael Straczynski (JMS) is responsible for one of the best sci-fi shows on television, prior to the Battlestar Galactica reboot, Babylon 5.

He has also upset fans with controversial runs on Amazing Spider-Man and Superman. The latter got him summarily dismissed from DC Comics and he handed the Grounded storyline over to Chris Roberson. Not many people were happy with a Superman ‘walking the country’.

He stays on the character with his equally controversial series of original graphic novels for DC, a grittier two volume Superman: Earth One hardcovers with the Shane Davis on art. 

Not many books have graced the shelves since Superman: Earth One Volume Two written by JMS. This is likely because of his plan to revisit his Top Cow imprint Joe’s Comics with some creator owned series. 

The first of this rebooted imprint’s titles is Ten Grand written by JMS with art by horror spooksmith Ben Templesmith. The story is based on the noir trope of having a dame walk into a private dick’s office, with an insolvable case. Here in issue #1, at the start we realize that former mob enforcer Joe Fitzgerald has touches with an angel figure, summoned by necromancy and demonology. Joe spends most of his days awaiting freelance assignments from a neighboring watering hole.

Joe is also entered into a deal with the demons haunting his world. His woman was killed in front of him, and to reconnect with his Laura, he has become an enforcer for the dark spiritual world. 

This book is great, if a little heavy on the recurring themes. It is a successful matchup of noir, horror, gangster and necromantic genres. Though not a funny book, this draws similarities to Chew. This is also recommended for fans of Sandman, Lucifer and Death.

SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN #9
WRITER: Dan Slott
ART: Ryan Stegman
Publication Date: May 2, 2013
Price: $3.99
Publisher: Marvel Comics
UPC: 75960607912400911
Buy it HERE
 
Does anyone besides me remember the Prince album,Controversy?

The title track is the one to listen to on Spotify halfway through this book! Warning: this review (though not typical of me) contains spoilers! If you love Peter Parker, but have not read this book yet, please skip below to my benign Iron Man review. Seriously!

Dan Slott loves getting us all worked up, doesn’t he? The reason he does is because he likes Spider-Man more than anyone!

There is even a very obscure reference to a Spider-Man lettering blooper from Amazing Spider-Man #1, where Peter is called Peter Palmer for one panel! 

He’s killed Peter and Doc Ock has taken over Peter’s body, and making a Superior Spider-Man (hopefully you’ve caught up to that story, that’s not my spoiler). Old eight arms is swinging around, being rude to everyone, but sort of being a better — superior — Spider-Man, and one that uses lethal force. Fortunately for the 616, Doc’s intentions albeit with different motivations are in line with the whole ‘With great power comes great responsibility’ thing.

In this issue, Doc has discovered that an avatar of Peter’s memories (we’ve seen Peter as a blue ghost) exists in his head! Oh. Noes. Like a splinter, Octavius seeks to extract this menace from his brain, and has the right tools to do so. Uh-oh.

A psychic battle ensues as Peter (and an awesomely drawn by Ryan Stegman Amazing Spider-Man) happens in the brain space of Peter Parker’s memories. On Peter’s side we have J. Jonah Jameson, Captain Stacy, Gwen, Uncle Ben, you name it. Over on Ock’s side are visions of Uncle Ben’s killer, The Kingpin, The Sinister Six, Kraven and Chameleon. 

The constructs are knocked away by Superior, as his Neurolitic Scanner connected to a tablet is about to run the “Delete Peter Parker from My Brain” app. Peter’s memories fade. They fade, eventually to black. Slott has crushed everyone’s hopes that Peter will take back control of his body and be The Amazing Spider-Man once again.

Search twitter to see everyone’s mind blown after this issue. Haters are coming out of the woodwork. Thankfully, we think the death threats to Dan Slott have gone away.

Make mine Marvel NOW!, if this is what we can expect. How do you keep a 51 year old property fresh? Give it to Slott. He’ll kill it, extract it, build it up and then take your toys away. 

Is Peter still out there, somewhere? He’ll be back before Amazing Spider-Man 2 hits the theaters.

IRON MAN 258.1
WRITER: David Michelinie / Bob Layton
ART: David Ross / Bob Layton
Publication Date: May 2, 2013
Price: $3.99
Publisher: Marvel Comics
UPC: 75960607421100111
Buy it HERE

This is a shellhead scratcher if we ever saw one. We know our comics. We love our Armor Wars. We love our Marvel. We love our movies.

Marvel goes back 23 years on the Iron Man 3 box office debut weekend for a Point One initiative two-shot set in the time of Armor Wars II. We’d have loved to see M.D. Bright or John Romita Jr. on a cover but Bob Layton will do.

This is just weird enough for us to be in love with it a little bit.

Who doesn’t love a superhero with a mullet, or computers with 8-bit fonts and dial-up modem sounds?

Also, suitcase armor. The once forgotten about, impossibly heavy, but resurrected for Iron Man 2, suitcase armor. 

Tony is recovering from back surgery and paralysis. It turns out, that Justin Hammer is behind implanting him with nanites to control his body under the guise of recovery.

A drone attack on Stark Enterprises riles Rhody to the company helicopter, and Stark’s body guard, Iron Man takes flight. The autopilot takes over and is on a collision course. Iron Man saves James Rhodes from the crash and destroys the drones.

Back at his doctor’s office, Iron Man investigates the biomass removed from his spine, only to discover he is being played by a computer energy form. Will these bits and bytes spark the nextArmor Wars? Travel back in time or wait until next month to find out!

A detail that made me nostalgic for old comics was thought bubbles. Can’t have too many, in my opinion. And now in modern comics we have none! OK, back to playing Zelda 2 for me!

[READ MORE at FORCESOFGEEK]

EARTH PRIME TIME: FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2013 PREVIEW

Whoa what a couple o’ weeks, amiright? Did you know that nearly every comic book company worth a gosh darn gives out free comic books on the first Saturday in May? That’s right, I think we can all use a little outing this Saturday. Here are some of our most anticipated free comics to pick up at your LCS (Local Comic Shop) this weekend. Don’t be greedy, take only one! We previewed the free books last year…and we’re still into comics. Who knew?

 
One thing is for sure, publishers look forward to unleashing their swag on this geek high holiday every year, and they always pull out all of the stops. Free Comic Book Day means many different things to many different people. The day was brainstormed into being in 2001, and came to be the following year in 2002 to coincide with the release of Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man. This year’s movie of course is Iron Man 3, opening Friday.

The manifesto is three parts simple, and found on the font of knowledge, Wikipedia:

To introduce everyone to the joys of reading comics.
To call back former comic book readers.
To thank current comic book buyers for their continued support.

Many stores have signings, candy, costume contests and more to celebrate the day, so if you are like us (which you aren’t), you’ll be hopping on your bike or the T on a virtual tour of the city, high-fiving your favorite shop owners, buying some trades and collecting an issue of all of your favorite free comics. Clay’s favorite part of this weekend is that even 25-cent bins are sometimes cleared out gratis. LeaguePodcast likes deals!

[READ MORE at DIGBOSTON.COM]

DigBoston and LeaguePodcast Comic Book Picks of the Week for May 1, 2013

COMICS

There was a time when we thought Gail Simone’s departure from DC Comics was permanent. The talented writer is back on Batgirl and now gives us the comic book take on #occupy with The Movement #1. A citizen’s army strikes back against greed! … We’re still amazed at our interview with The Activity’s Nathan Edmondson. For true to life military and service drama, complete with all the tech gadgets you see on the news and strategic exfils and infiltrations, join Nate and guest artist Mark Laming on The Activity #12. … Shadowman was also featured in an EARTH PRIME TIME last year, and nothing is better than a Zero Issue from the company that invented them, Valiant Comics. Go way back twenty-five years to learn the mysteries of sorcerer Master Darque and the nightmare realm of Deadside in >Shadowman #0. … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com episode #150!.

Pass the Daily Dig along! Your friends can sign up here!

TRIPLE SHOT: ADVENTURE TIME #15, ULTIMATE COMICS: WOLVERINE #3, DAREDEVIL: END OF DAYS #7

Oh My Glob. Whatever! 

A Triple Shot full of surprises and WTF moments, but not over at DC this week.  

Adventure Time flips the script as the princesses save Finn and Jake, we find out the secret of the Mothervine from Ultimate half-brother Quicksilver in the Ultimate Wolverine, and in the future we see someone else behind the devil horns in the penultimate issue of Daredevil: End of Days.

ADVENTURE TIME #15
WRITER: Ryan North
ART: Shelli Paroline, Braden Lamb
Publication Date: April 18, 2013
Price: $3.99
Publisher: Boom! Studios
UPC: 84428400279001511
Buy it HERE

FREE SIGNING, in lieu of BOSTON COMIC CON panel on SUN. 4/21 at COMICAZI.

This is changed to a SIGNING at COMICOPIA! #BOSTONSTRONG - Shelli Paroline (Adventure Time) x Braden Lamb (Adventure Time, Ice Age, Duck Tales)

FACEBOOK EVENT

Magic Man is such a butt. He thinks it’s cool to crash Princess Bubblegum’s Princess High Tea Party with his Magic.

Meanwhile, outside Jake and Finn wish they could get in but at least have the respect to honor the only rule—princesses only!

In an attempt to silence the rantings of our favorite purple princess, Lumpy Space Princess (LSP), Magic Man casts a spell to silence her!

We could have used like, a few more panels of like, LSP calling her friend Melissa who by glob just needs to hear about this lumping party, but Jake wearing Finn as a suit dives like James Brady to stop the spell.

This saves the princesses’ voice but Finn and Jake fall silent!

The boys are able to communicate using pictures in their speech balloons, a technique only possible in comic books! Much like the recent A Glitch is A Glitch episode, AT continues to effortlessly push boundaries of all mediums. Fans of the show should be all over this book!

Our video game pal BMO is able to communicate with the boys because he is the best at emoticons. After some sammiches, they meet up with the Action Hero princesses defeat Magic Man! Princess Bubblegum has the plan to recover their voices and it totally works!

The Princesses get to save Finn and Jake for a change and LSP is among the heroes!

Don’t skip the Downton Abbey referencing 8 page BMO backup story by Jeremy Sorese. BMO’s memory banks are full, but Princess Bubblegum and Peppermint Butler have a crash plan to recover BMO from defensive mode!


 

ULTIMATE COMICS: WOLVERINE #3 (of 4)
WRITER: Cullen Bunn
ART: David Messina
Publication Date: April 17, 2013
Price: $3.99
Publisher: Marvel Comics
UPC: 75960607887500311
Buy it HERE

Jimmy Hudson (Ultimate X) has family secrets. Many family secrets. Raised by adoptive parents James and Heather Hudson he is on a mission to find out more about his past. His biological father is Wolverine, who died by the hands of Magneto in Ultimatum.

The story is told half in flashbacks with Logan as the star. The previous Ultimate X storyline had me a bit interested, mostly because we had just gotten through Ultimatum and legend Art Adams was on art duties. I fell off after a few issues.

This mini-series written by Cullen Bunn caught my eye because I am a fan of Cullen’s work onVenom. The man can write thoughtful stories that are full of action and cool plot points. The subplots here and the flashbacks are on par with the pacing and storytelling of the Venom book and there are always great cliffhangers at the end.

Many years ago Logan is investigating Project: Mothervine, a secret government project to produce mutants, when he meets The Witch, Magda Lensherr. Magda was at one point married to Magneto, and they sired creep Quicksilver and his sister Wanda (Scarlet Witch). After Logan and Magda hook up, it is revealed that she is Jimmy’s biological mother. Meaning, if you follow the genealogy strings that Jimmy and Quicksilver are the not only brothers, but the only surviving members of the family.

The end of the issue leaves Jimmy and mutant travel companion Black Box imprisoned in an undisclosed Quicksilver jail. They plot their escape and overthrow of Pietro. Next issue will be the last of the mini, and we are rooting for our new Ultimate Wolverine to take on the strength of his father’s legacy to face the evil Lensherr as he rises as a powerful evil mutant.

DAREDEVIL: END OF DAYS #7 (of 8)
WRITER: Brian Michael Bendis, David Mack
PENCILS: Klaus Janson
FINISHED ART: Bill Siekiewicz
COLORS: Matt Hollingsworth
Publication Date: April 17, 2013
Price: $3.99
Publisher: Marvel Comics
UPC: 75960606046700711
Buy it HERE

This is a future tale, a Dark Knight Returns for Daredevil written and drawn by creators who have had a long history with The Man Without Fear.
This is a true masterwork, years in the making, that delivers on so many levels with each issue. The collected edition of this book will be a recommendation for years to come as an example of how to tell a story.

Daredevil has been murdered, in the public eye, by Bullseye.

Matt speaks one final word, “Mapone”, and it is up to Daily Bugle reporter Ben Urich to write the story of Daredevil and find out what Mapone might mean. Is it a name, a hideout, an enemy or a long lost son? We’re no closer to discovering the answer as issue #7 rolls around.

While visiting The Church of the Hand, Incorporated, Urich is telekinetically overtaken by Tanaka after inquiring about Mapone. Tanaka demands to see Ben’s notes and asks him what he knows about Daredevil’s trainer, Stick. Urich narrowly escapes, but is he unharmed?

Ben makes his way to an address he was tipped off about, and finds some information but only before being trailed by The Hand ninjas. 

A young Daredevil rescues Urich with the aid of The Punisher. In the fracas, Urich is struck by an arrow, and in a soon to be classic reveal, the new Daredevil unmasks and comforts the reporter.

We’ll be both sad and satisfied when this story is done. Bendis and Mack have included all of the rogues, most of the ladies and tropes of 49 years of continuity in this limited series set in the future.

Next April will be Daredevil’s 50th, and this collection will be a great way to commemorate that anniversary. Masters Janson and Sienkiewicz know the dark world of Hell’s Kitchen well, and rival only Frank Miller himself in drawing countless ninja on a page.

Well done, sirs. 

 [READ MORE at FORCESOFGEEK.COM]

EARTH PRIME TIME: COMIC CON ASSEMBLES TO BRING HOPE AND SUPER-HEROISM TO BOSTON

Can we bring some hope, some superheroes to the Back Bay this weekend, please? Obviously the true heroes, the first responders, runners, Back Bay workers, reporters and real actual people are more important to have in your thoughts this weekend. We’re fighting back the tears as we write to tell you to make it to Boston Comic Con this weekend to celebrate togetherness, hope and fictional heroes that give so many hope in even the darkest days. If you think it is a silly endeavor, that’s fine too. In fact, most adults enthusiastic about the convention’s announcement on Tuesday recognize the convention as a place to cosplay and embrace a passionate hobby, and to take a well deserved break from watching the news. As for the kids, please let them enjoy this day dressed up like The Flash or Wonder Woman and think that heroes are real. Because they are. I met a few on Monday.  

You know the day started pretty regular for me on Monday, and enjoying the holiday meant some quiet time in the office. My boss’s young nephew was playing Marvel Super Hero Squad and we talked Spider-Man of course. Before leaving with his aunt, to catch the rest of the race and experience the Boston Marathon for the first time, I slid him last year’s Free Comic Book Day Ultimate Spidey and Avengers comic to say goodbye. Luckily, they turned around before making it downtown and headed home. I stayed working until all of our days were destroyed by the bombings.

I won’t apologize for expressing my feelings on the day here, this particular Earth Prime Time is a coping mechanism.

The rest of the day was phone calls, cancellations, making sure staff was safe and watching twitter and Facebook feeds, along with WCVB’s coverage on television.

I rightly was dealing with the present, and remembering walking down a barren Boylston St. on 9/11 on my way home to Mission Hill from Milk St. Close friends were dropping into the Middle Eastwith stories and encounters with the blasts. After being reassured that Cambridge Police would check in on the club, I went home to restlessly attempt to sleep.

Tuesday, the same news feed from Facebook greeted me immediately. Boston Comic Con group declared,

“Boston Comic Con is happy to announce that the convention will go on this weekend as scheduled!”

Damn hell frakkin’ right, it will. Right there. Where it all went down. And you know what else is happening? Our party at McGreevy’s on Saturday night. What more protection could the League and pals need than the Dropkick Murphys associated sports bar just 1,200 steps from Fenway Park.

As the President said, “If you want to know who we are, who America is, how we respond to evil—that’s it: selflessly, compassionately, unafraid.”

Admittedly, both statements got me worked up and woken up and ready to do this thing. Critiques of false patriotism, faux hometown pride mixed with partisan and religious opinions of the bombings and how they affected our city are all swept away like tiny Roman numerals from a Risk board for me to sort out when this weekend is over. I’ve got strong counters to most of what I’ve been hearing people soapbox about for the past few days but I am going to concentrate on actively participating in a highlight of my year each year, the Boston Comic Con.

[READ MORE at DIGBOSTON.COM]