EARTH PRIME TIME: SUMMER OF VALIANT – SHADOWMAN

 

Our coverage continues of the resurrection of the Valiant Universe with a review ofShadowman #1. Look, we know it isn’t summer, but unlike CVS, who seem to want to cram Christmas down past our discount-candy-corn-weakened teeth, we prefer to remember the past season with fondness and celebrate the roll out of the Valiant characters with the thrill of a summer fling. New Orleans is the setting of Shadowman, a place resilient to climate change, storms and more than a few stories of rejuvenation. Artist Patrick Zircher co-writes with Justin Jordan (The Strange Talent of Luther Strode) the revival tale of Jack Boniface in Shadowman #1.   

The first incarnation of Shadowman was created as a featured Valiant Comic in 1992 by Jim Shooter and Steve Englehart, with artists David Lapham and Bob Layton. The original Jack Boniface was a down on his luck jazz musician drinking at a club. He is taken in by super fan Lydia for a nightcap.

This happened. On Duck Boats. On Commonwealth Ave. last Monday.

Awakening from feeling woozy, Jack has a mark on his neck and unexplained hours missing. Taking to the streets to seek revenge, he sees someone being assaulted. Super natural strength takes over and Jack defeats the assailant. Being drawn to a carnival mask on the ground, it is revealed later that he is now possessed by a Voodoo spirit.

Shadowman protects the city from the evil necromancer Master Darque.

Shadowman was a successful and popular character for Valiant and the affiliated company Acclaim Entertainment, who launched a successful video game franchise loosely based on the comic. Many creators such as Christopher Priest (Black Panther), Garth Ennis, Frank Miller, Joe Quesada, and more have worked on Jack’s original 80 issues. Crossovers are an integral to storytelling in theValiant Universe.

[READ MORE at DIGBOSTON.COM]

DigBoston and LeaguePodcast Comic Book Picks of the Week for November 14, 2012

COMICS

There’s a new book from Robert Kirkman’s (The Walking Dead, Invincible) Skybound imprint out this week. Clone #1 is written by David Schulner (TV’s The Event, Trauma) and confronts a doctor with his own clone in a conspiracy sci-fi thriller! Preview at CBR. … The cover to Star Trek Ongoing #15 has Zach Quinto’s Spock sporting a goatee. That can only mean one thing, he’s evil! This is a modern take of the classic ‘Mirror Universe’ Trek tale! … Matt Fraction is taking on Fantastic Four in a Marvel Now! #1. We’re stoked to see what cosmic craziness Fraction fantasizes for the Fantastic flagship family! Read more about Marvel Now! here at our EARTH PRIME TIME column! … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com.

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DigBoston and LeaguePodcast Comic Book Picks of the Week for November 7, 2012

Back after some MINOR technical difficulties! Computer was hit by Gamma Rays!

COMICS

Valiant is rebuilding the Valiant Universe with one of it’s most popular characters, Shadowman in Shadowman #1. … Based in New Orleans, musician Jack Boniface nearly died one night, only to find he urges to fight demons at night. Fun fact, Aerosmith appeared in a past issue of Shadowman, surviving to grace the streets of Allston on Monday! … Kieron Gillen and Greg Land take on Marvel Now’s Tony Stark in Iron Man #1. What will happen to Tony’s armor to protect him from a deadly strain of the Extremis virus? … Usagi Yojimbo’s Stan Sakai illustrates Mike Richardson’s take of national Japanese legend 47 Ronin this week in 47 Ronin #1 from Dark Horse. … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com.

EARTH PRIME TIME: BILL FINGER – SECRET CO-CREATOR OF BATMAN WITH MARC TYLER NOBLEMAN

The stories of how comics are made are half the reason we pay so much attention to the brightest and most talented creators out there today. We want to be able to say we have been paying attention to an artist right from the beginning, or that a writer has had his breakthrough arc on a particular series. Much of this idea runs parallel to following the hottest underground bands in the music business. When Simon and Kirby created Captain America or when Jack teamed up with Stan Lee to create the Marvel Universe, there was no telling the effect superheroes would have on the culture.

Marc Tyler Nobleman has written many books about comic book history. He joins Earth Prime Time today to tell us about his new book, Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman, drawn by Ty Templeton, and how Bill’s legacy affects the comic market today.

DIGBOSTON: Marc, thanks for taking the time to talk with us about your book today. I don’t think I’m overstating by saying this is an important book for Batman fans or Batmanians. Has the Bill Finger story always been interesting to you?
Marc Tyler Nobleman: I don’t remember when I learned the “Batman created by Bob Kane” credit was inaccurate, other than that it was sometime after college. Soon after I sold the manuscript for my first superhero picture book, Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman, Bill’s story grabbed me as a natural (not to mention more heartbreaking) follow-up.

In a sense, his story is even more important—Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster lived long enough to win back credit and compensation for their icon, but Bill Finger didn’t.

There has not been much coverage of this topic beyond the comic book convention scene crowd. Comic book historians and other creators certainly know a bit about the story, but for the first time you are presenting the information so that there is less mystery surrounding the origin of Batman’s creation. Why did you want to write this book?
For the reason you just stated! Comics diehards indeed know the name Bill Finger, but his contribution to pop culture is so significant that I feel the mainstream should know the back story, too. That’s also why I wrote it as a picture book for older readers.

I want kids to grow up knowing the truth about Batman’s creation rather than learning about it (like me), as an adult—if at all.

A rare photo of Batman Co-Creator Bill Finger from Green Lantern #1 (1941)

[READ MORE at DIGBOSTON.com]

DigBoston and LeaguePodcast Comic Book Picks of the Week for October 31, 2012

COMICS

Cassie and Val had a hard knock life in the Kung Fu Orphanage and now spend their L.A. nights as bounty hunters on the strip. Freelancers #1 from Boom! Studios debuts at one dollar! … Showcasing some rare and unseen stories from the late Joe Kubert and a crop of talented writers and artists is Joe Kubert Presents #1 (of Six). This week includes a never before printed Kubert Hawkman tale. Gail Simone adds to her Barbara Gordon Batgirl run with Batgirl Annual #1. Batgirl makes an uneasy alliance with Catwoman and we find more about the Talon Babs fought in Night of the Owls. It’s the new status quo, and a year in, Barbara is still not Oracle. And we like it that way. … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com.

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