Movies
The Seventh Day (VOD/digital, March 26)
A supernatural horror movie about exorcists. It stars Stephen Lang, which is the name an X-Men villain. What's an X-Men villain doing in an exorcist movie? Maybe a Mark III Sentinel gets possessed.
The Toll (VOD/digital, March 26)
A supernatural horror movie set on a remote road. No-name cast, not even an X-Men villain.
TELEVISION
Black Lightning, "The Book of Ruin: Chapter Three" (CW, March 22)
Debris, "In Universe" (NBC, March 22)
Superman and Lois, "The Best of Smallville" (CW, March 23)
The Flash, "Central City Strong" (CW, March 23)
Resident Alien, "Welcome Aliens" (Syfy, March 24)
Riverdale, "Chapter Eighty-Five: Destroyer" (CW, March 24)
The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, TBA (Disney+, March 26)
For All Mankind, "Best Laid Plans" (Prime, March 26)
Invincible, season 1 premiere (Prime, March 26)
I wasn't all that impressed with Invincible when it came out from Image Comics in 2003 — it was a coming-of-age superhero story that I felt I had read 100 times before. But two things did set it apart: The ultra-violence (I read somewhere that writer Robert Kirkman was determined to depict the physical damage of superhero fights), and the Big Reveal several issues in (which I won't spoil). I'm not sure either one of those things still set the series apart 18 years later, but since Invincible is a Robert Kirkman joint, and I'm sure the producers are hoping for a little Walking Dead magic.
One thing is memorable: The fantastic voice cast. It includes Steven Yuen (The Walking Dead) as high schooler Mark "Invincible" Grayson, J.K. Simmons (Spider-Man, Batman v Superman) as father Nolan "Omni-Man" Grayson, Sandra Oh (Gray's Anatomoy, Killing Eve) as mother Debbie Grayson, plus Mark Hamill, Seth Rogen, Zazie Beetz, Clancy Brown, Khary Payton, Zachary Quinto, Lauren Cohan, Sonequa Martin-Green, Chad L. Coleman, Michael Cudlitz, Lennie James, Ross Marquand, Mahershala Ali, Michael Dorn, Ezra Miller and Nicole Byer in smaller parts.
Amazon Prime is airing the first three episodes back to back for the premiere.
American Gods, season 2 finale, "Tears of the Wrath-Bearing Tree" (March 28)
Pennyworth, "The Hangman's Noose" (Epix, Mar. 28)
The Walking Dead, “Diverged” (AMC, Mar. 28)
Wynonna Earp, "Life Turned Her That Way" (Syfy, March 26)
ONLINE
WonderCon@Home (March 26-27)
Featuring panels by: Netflix, Penguin Random House, IDW, DC Entertainment, Dark Horse, Adult Swim, Warner Bros. TV, Amazon Studios, CBS, Hulu, and more. An advance look at Warner Bros. Home Entertainment's animated movie Justice Society: World War II is scheduled for 9 a.m. CDT Saturday, March 27, with actors and filmmakers associated with the film.
Justice Society: World War II features a pre-Justice League Barry "Flash" Allen encountering the Speed Force for the first time and finding himself on a battlefield with the wartime JSA. (JSA purists will no doubt be dismayed to see Black Canary, who wasn't created until1947, and to NOT see JSA stalwart Green Lantern Alan Scott. (I know I am.) The movie will be released on digital on April 27, and on Blu-ray/4K Ultra Blu-ray Combo Pack on May 11.
Go to www.comic-con.org and subscribe to WonderCon's youtube.com channel to participate.
THE CAPTAIN'S TOP 10 COMICS
Alien #1
Marvel / $4.99
Writer: Phillip Kennedy Johnson / Art: Salvador Larroca / Cover: Inhyuk Lee
The xenomorphs join the Marvel Universe! Well, they're being published by Marvel, anyway.
I enjoyed most of Dark Horse's Alien comics, and expect to enjoy Marvel's too. The publisher has announced plans for more titles, variant covers and collections to come.
Blacksad: Amarillo HC
Dark Horse / $19.99
Writer: Juan Diaz Canales / Art/Cover: Juanjo Guarnido
This story has appeared in collections, and probably its own standalone TPB. But I brag on Blacksad wherever it appears, no matter the circumstance.
John Blacksad is a private investigator in a 1950s-ish noir world that is entirely anthropomorphic — Blacksad himself is an anthropomorphic black panther with a white muzzle. But Guarnido's art is so natural that you kinda forget that until a tail or horns or whatnot make themselves obvious. The animal aspect isn't important outside of allowing for cartoon-style physical exaggeration, or immediate character identification (cops are dogs, underworld lowlifes are reptiles, etc.) which (IMHO) helps the story.
This isn't my favorite Blacksad story — that would be the first, where he investigates the death of a former lover, a troubled Hollywood actress — but it's still good. Blacksad is driving that big, yellow Cadillac on the cover above from New Orleans to somewhere in Texas as a job. On the way he runs into some former friends and enemies, plus (unbeknownst to Blacksad) there's a dead body in the trunk.
The game's afoot! Oh, sorry, wrong detective. Go here for a preview.
The Best of Sugar Jones TPB
Rebellion/2000AD / $13.99
Writer: Pat Mills / Art: Rafael Busom
I had never heard of Sugar Jones until this week, and now that I find I can't live without her.
She's a twentysomething TV host who is widely beloved in what appears to be 1970s London. But she is secretly a scheming, venal, sharp-tongued diva pushing 40.
She's written by Pat Mills, and this sort of snarky soap opera is right up his alley. The stories first appeared 1973-1980 in issues of Pink, which was aimed at older females in the UK comics market. The art — as you can see from the preview — is an example of the detail-heavy Spanish school of the time. Still gorgeous, despite being 30 years old.
Cold Dead War #1 (of 4)
Heavy Metal / Mature Readers / $3.99
Writer: George C. Romero / Art/Cover: German Ponce
I'm recommending this one sight unseen, due entirely to its provenance.
Heavy Metal says this series is the official sequel to the "B-17" sequence in the 1981 Heavy Metal movie, which I've included below. Despite the clunky, pre-computer animation, the story still has the power to chill. Meanwhile, look at the credits: Is that THE George Romero (Night of the Living Dead) writing the thing? Holy cats!
The solicitation blurb describes the series as a "horror-war" anthology "set across the past, present and future." The first issue is set entirely in World War II, with the dead of Pearl Harbor rising to fight anew, and in what appears to be a second story, a "freak occurrence" reanimating the dead of Midway.
Firefly: Brand New Verse #1
BOOM! / $4.99
Writer: Josh Lee Gordon / Art: Fabiana Mascolo / Cover A: Qistina Khalidah / Cover B: Veronica Fish
I confess I never watched the original Firefly, but I know the 2002-2003 TV show and 2005 movie are important parts of fandom. I couldn't let this new series go without mention.
Although you probably don't need to be familiar with the original series to enjoy this one, since it's is set 20 years later (2537, if my math is right). It stars Emma, the daughter of Wash and Zo, who I presume are characters that are familiar to fans of the series.
A House Without Windows
Humanoids / $19.99
Writer: Marc Ellison / Artist: Didier Kassaï
Set in the Central African Republic, this graphic novel depicts the lives of children of Bangui (the country's capital) who grow up in insecurity, poverty and malnutrition. Artist Didier Kassai and British photojournalist Marc Ellison use watercolor illustrations, pictures and videos to guide the reader through the harsh lives of children who slave in diamond mines and are housed in refugee camps.
Given the talents involved, I expect this to be a good book. I also suspect that it's an important book about a "forgotten crisis," much like Tamba: Child Soldier. Since the latter brought me to tears, I'll have to brace to read this one. But I think I should.
I Never Promised You a Rose Garden HC
Fantagraphics / Mature Readers / $24.99
Writer/Art/Cover: Mannie Murphy
Here's another eat-your-peas graphic novel, a graphic memoir that works a broad account of Portland's history of white nationalism.
Unbelievably (from today's perspective), when Oregon became a state in 1859, Black people were expressly forbidden to live within its borders. Despite its reputation for progressivism, Portland has been a hotbed of racism, due to its long entanglement with white supremacist Tom Metzger, former KKK Grand Wizard and founder of the White Aryan Resistance. The book includes the Whitman massacre of 1847, the displacement of African Americans in the 1948 Vanport flood and the armed standoff at Cliven Bundy's cattle ranch.
Mannie Murphy is a gender-queer artist from Portland, who frames this historical odyssey is their own illustrated diary. It's told with blue ink washes. It doesn't promise to be a pleasant story, but it's certainly a timely one.
Infinite Frontier Week 3
DC continues to define its post-"Future State" status quo. There are five titles this week.
Action Comics #1029
DC Comics / $4.99
Writers Phillip Kennedy Johnson / Art/Cover A: Phil Hester, Eric Gapstur / Cover B: Julian Totino Tedesco
Superman and Superboy (Jonathan Kent) are in action (sorry) together! I'm not sure we've seen that before in any kind of ongoing way. Although it's possible the original Man of Steel may be written out over time, so that Jonathan is the star. That was the original "5G" plan, which may still be partly in effect.
The backup "Tales of Metropolis" this issue features Midnighter, by writers Becky Cloonan and Michael W. Conrad, with art by Michael Avon Oeming. He's not my favorite characters in the world — he was the Batman avatar at WildStorm, who became superfluous when DC bought WildStorm — but he's lethal, which those who love grimdark will like.
Batman/Superman #16
DC Comics / $3.99
Writer: Gene Luen Yang / Art/Cover A: Ivan Reis And Danny Miki / Cover B: Greg Smallwood
This series promises to "delve into the parallel lives of the Man of Steel and the Dark Knight," which is sort of DCU-meets-Elseworlds, if I'm interpreting it correctly. This issue features Spider Lady, Dr. Atom and Unknown Wizard, who are all new, albeit they are probably variants of existing characters. Could be fun.
Detective Comics #1034
DC Comics / 40 pages / $4.99
Writer: Mariko Tamaki / Art/Cover A: Dan Mora / Cover B: Lee Bermejo
Bruce Wayne is still broke, and has to MacGuyver his crimefighting, which I suppose will be the status quo from now on. (Lucius Fox has the Wayne billions, and thinks Batman is passe.) If they emphasize how clever Batman is I'll probably like it, but I'm not really enthusiastic about "money problems" as a superhero issue, since Spider-Man has done that to death.
The backup story stars Damian Wayne in the second and concluding chapter of “Demon or Detective,” written by Joshua Williamson with art: Gleb Melnikov. I think I've mentioned before that my attitude toward Damian has gone from hate to love as I've read more about him.
Harley Quinn #1
DC Comics / 32 pages / $3.99
Writer: Stephanie Phillips / Art/Cover A: Riley Rossmo / Cover B: Derrick Chew / Team variant: Yoshitaka Amano
Harley Quinn moves back to Gotham City to make amends for all the terrible things she's done. That should give writer Stephanie Phillips plenty of story ideas.
Teen Titans Academy #1
DC Comics / 32 pages / $3.99
Writer: Tim Sheridan / Art/Cover A: Rafa Sandoval / Cover B: Jamal Campbell
Instead of a regular old Teen Titans title, the latest iteration of the concept has the older Titans training newbies. In "Future State" we were shown Titans Tower as blown to bits, with Red X (foreground on the cover) imprisoned for some unspecified crime. And while we never found out what ended Titans Academy, it was apparently awful and demoralizing. So will this series tell that tale, or create its own timeline?
Beats me. And I probably won't find out. "Superhero school" isn't a concept that grabs me.
Kill Whitey Donovan TPB
Dark Horse / $19.99
Writer: Sydney Duncan / Art: Natalie Barahona / Cover: Jason Pearson
I read the first couple issues of this and got hooked, so I'm eagerly awaiting this collection.
The premise is that a white Southern woman named Anna gets news during the Civil War that her recently married sister has committed suicide. She has no doubt she was driven to it (or possibly killed) by her ne'er-do-well groom, Whitey Donovan. So She decides to kill him.
However, she's in Alabama, and he's in Atlanta, with the Civil War raging in between. She is thrown together with a slave, Hattie, and the two resolve to travel together — Anna for revenger, Hattie for freedom. The two don't much like each other, but have to depend on each other to get to Atlanta.
I've also read some stuff about Kill Whitey Donovan, one of which wasa quote from the writer himself. I don't remember where I read it, but he says the two are trying to find their agency in a world where white women have little and Black women have none, with Anna representing the outer conflict and Hattie the inner one. That interests the English Lit part of my brain.
Lady Baltimore: The Witch Queens #1
Dark Horse / $3.99
Writers: Mike Mignola, Christopher Golden / Art: Bridgit Connell / Cover: Abigail Larson
“There are witches and Nazis and vampires, all kinds of crazy monster action — what more can you want from a comic?” asked Mike Mignola.
I actually don't need much more, but Lady Baltimore gives it to me anyway. This story takes place 13 years after the final story in the Lord Baltimore saga, which more or less tied up all the loose ends in a world where the first world war stirred up vampires, a plague and other evils that darkened the world. Now, the second world war is beginning, and darkness rises once more. Lady Baltimore — formerly Sofia Valk, if you read the original stories — takes up the sword against it.
I loved the alt-universe of Lord Baltimore, if for no other reason than that most of the evil in that world arose from outside man, instead of in his heart (like our world). Besides, it had an endless number of story possibilities, as each European village was seen to suffer from its own unique evil/monster. And the pervasive evil — spreading like a plague because it is a plague — set a gloomy, apprehensive tone that was so thick you could bite it.
It's a world so awful I'm delighted to return to it.
ALL COMICS
2000 AD November 2020 Prog Pack
2000 AD Prog #2210
2000 AD Prog #2211
2000 AD #2212 Xmas 2020 Special
21st Centurions #4
Action Comics #1029
Agent 9 Vol 1: Flood A Geddon GN
Aggretsuko: Meet Her Friends HC
Alien #1
Allergic GN
American Mythology Monsters #3
Archie Jumbo Comics Digest #318
Amazing Spider-Man #62
Avengers Gathering Omnibus HC
Barbalien: Red Planet #5 (of 5)
Batman Black & White #4
Batman: Detective Comics Vol. 5: The Joker War
Batman/Superman #16
Batman: White Knight Presents: Harley Quinn #6
Beauty and Feast Vol 1 GN
Belle: Thunder of Gods
Best of Sugar Jones TPB
Big Girls Vol 1 TPB
Bianca TPB
Big Girls Vol 01 TPB
Bitter Root #11
Black Panther #24
Blacksad: Amarillo HC
Blade Runner: Origins #2
BL Fans Love My Brother GN
BL Metamorphosis Vol 4 GN
Bloodshot 50 Project TPB
Book of Lyaxia #1 (of 6)
B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth Vol 1 TPB
Cable #9
Carnage: Black White And Blood #1 (of 4)
Catdad & Supermom: An Elephant Never Forgets
Cold Dead War #1 (of 4)
Comic Book History of Animation #4 (of 5)
Conan the Barbarian by Jim Zub Vol 1: Into the Crucible TPB
Crimson Flower #3 (of 4)
Crossover #1 2nd Ptg
Crossover #3 2nd Ptg
Dance Class Vol 11 Dance With Me HC
Deep Blue #3
Dejah Thoris (2019) #11
Delicates TPB
Department of Truth #1 4th Ptg
Department of Truth #4 2nd Ptg
Department Of Truth #5 2nd Ptg
Detective Comics #1034
Die Die Die #14
Distant Worlds Episode 5 GN
Doctor Who Magazine #559
Drugstore in Another World Cheat Pharmacist Vol 01 GN
Dryad #9
Dune: House Atreides #5 (of 12)
Dungeons & Dragons: At the Spine of the World #4 (of 4)
Earth Boy TPB
The Edge #1
Edward Hopper GN
ElfQuest Final Quest Vol 3 (New Ptg) TPB
Elfquest Final Quest Vol 4 (New Ptg) TPB
Excalibur #19
Exciting Comics #8
Fantastic Four Epic Collection: Master Plan of Doom TPB New Ptg
Firefly: Brand New Verse #1
Frank at Home on the Farm #3
Geronimo Stilton: Reporter Vol 7 Going Down to Chinatown HC
Getting It Together TPB
Ghostly Things Vol 3 GN
Girl Genius: Second Journey Vol 6 Sparks and Monsters GN
Greetings from Wasteland HC
Guardians of the Galaxy #12
Gung Ho Sexy Beast #3
Gunland Vol 3 Coda GN
Haha #2 (of 6) 2nd Ptg
Haha #3 (of 6)
Harley Quinn #1
Harley Quinn & The Birds of Prey: The Hunt for Harley
Heir Vol 1 (of 2) GN
High Rise Invasion Vol 9 (Collects Vol 17 & 18) GN
Himouto Umari Chan Vol 13 GN
Hollow Heart #1 2nd Ptg
A House Without Windows TPB
How to Treat Magical Beasts Vol 5 GN
I Feel Love GN
I Never Promised You a Rose Garden HC
In Spectre Vol 13 GN
Judge Dredd Megazine #427
Kill Whitey DonovanTPB
King in Black: Scream #1
Lady Baltimore Witch Queens #1 (of 5)
Lady Freedom #1 (of 5)
Last Round Arthurs Vol 2 GN
Loud House Vol 12 Case Stolen Drawers
Love & Heart Vol 1 GN
Lucky Luke Vol 77 Cowboy in High Cotton TPB
Made in Abyss Vol 9 GN
Maestro War and Pax #3 (of 5)
Maker Comics Build a Robot GN
Marvel Masterworks: Dazzler Vol 2 HC
Marvel Masterworks: Invincible Iron Man Vol 13 HC
Marvel Portfolio: Peach Momoko HC
Michael Turner Creations HC
Miles Morales: Spider-Man #24
Miskatonic #5
Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid Vol 10 GN
Misty Winter Special 2020 one-shot
Moonshine #23
Morrison Hotel GN
Mutts Go Green TPB
Nailbiter Vol 8 TPB
Necromorfus TPB
Ninjas & Robots #5
Nomen Omen #13 (of 15)
North Star one-shot
Once & Future #17
The Orville Season 2.5 TPB
Pantomime #5 (of 6)
Parakeet GN
Paranormal Hitmen #2 (of 4)
Post Americana #4 (of 6)
Power Rangers #5
Precarious Woman Miss Black General Vol 6 GN
Provenance of Madness TPB
PS Artbooks Kona Monarch Monster Isle Softee Vol 1
PS Artbooks Magazine Anarcho Dictator of Death
Punchline #12
Punisher: Welcome Back, Frank Marvel Select HC
Rabid World #1 (of 4)
Rain Like Hammers #3 (of 5)
Recount #3
Red Rock Baby Candy HC
Red Sonja #25
Return of Sexton Blake one-shot
Roll Over and Die Vol 1 GN
Rose Of Versailles Vol 4 GN
Route 66 List Vol 4 Oklahoma Texas GN
Savage Avengers #19
Scream Magazine #64
Scumbag #6
Scumbag Vol 1 TPB
Seen Original Rachel Carson GN
Sensational Wonder Woman #12
Shadow Doctor #2
Shadow Life GN
Shaman King Omnibus Vol 1 TPB
Sherlock Bones Vol 9 Sea Creature Feature GN
Silver Age Classics Kona Monarch Monster Isle Vol 1 HC
Silver Age Classics Space Adventures Vol 6 HC
Skyward HC
Sonic the Hedgehog #38
Spy Island TPB
Star Wars: Doctor Aphra #8
Star Wars Mandalorian Screen Comix Vol 1 Season 1
Stray Dogs #1 2nd Ptg
Stray Dogs #2
Steambound #3
Strontium Dog Search and Destroy HC
Taarna (2020) #4 (of 6)
Taskmaster #3 (of 5) 2nd Ptg
Teen Titans Academy #1
TMNT: Best of Michelangelo
Toilet Bound Hanako Kun Vol 8 GN
Twister GN
Undiscovered Country Vol 2 TPB
Usagi Yojimbo #17
Vampirella vs Purgatori #1
Vietnam Horror #1
We Only Find Them When They Are Dead Vol 1: Discover Now TPB
Werewolf by Night: New Wolf Rising TPB
Women Discoverers GN
X-Men Epic Collection: Sentinels Live New Ptg TPB
X-Men: Inferno Omnibus HC
Year Zero Vol 2 #5
Youth TPB
Replies
Hey Cap,
The villains and versions of Clark and Bruce that Gene Luen Yang is using in his Batman/Superman book are the ones from the 1940s movie serials. He's writing his book as the continuing adventures on that world.
What Gene Yang wrote about his first issue this week:
"The phrase 'Truth, Tolerance, and Justice' is a tribute to the 1948 Superman film serial."
Huh. I've seen that serial many times but I wouldn't have believe it until I watched the clip. That's another one to add to my list. (Let's see if I can get this right.)
"Truth and Justice" - Max Fleisher cartoons
"Truth, Justice and the American Way" - I thought this version came from TV (added, specifically, in reference to the McCarthy hearings), but the comments above attribute it to the radio show.
"Truth, Justice and Peace" - Filmation cartoons
"Truth, Justice and Freedom" - Superfriends
"Truth, Justice... and all that other stuff" - Superman Returns (2006) - That one kicked up a stink!
Ted Knight saying "Truth, Justice, and Peace for all mankind!" on Superfriends sticks in my head.
Jeff of Earth-J said:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhMr4hBwWGw
Ah, it's the 1977 Superfriends opening narration that ends with "Truth, Justice, and Peace for all mankind!" but it's not Ted.
Jeff of Earth-J said:
It's The New Adventures of Superman (1966) that says, "Truth, Justice and Freedom."
Today's (3-23-21) episode of Superman and Lois will be the last until May 18. On March 30, in its place following The Flash, will be the final season of Supergirl. Presumably, Supergirl's finale will be the week before the return of Superman and Lois.
Richard Willis said:
That's just what they want you to think!
Seriously, Supergirl continues to May 11. Then Superman and Lois picks up again on May 18, finishing out its season. Then Supergirl begins again, finishing out its season.
Thanks again, COVID.
The Seventh Day (VOD/digital, March 26)
A supernatural horror movie about exorcists. It stars Stephen Lang, which is the name an X-Men villain. What's an X-Men villain doing in an exorcist movie? Maybe a Mark III Sentinel gets possessed.
I guess there is an X-Men character by that name, but...
Prolific character actor Stephen Lang
He's one of the actors who disappears into his characters. Love his work.