The Big Stuff
DC Festival of Heroes: The Asian Superhero Celebration #1 one-shotDC Comics | 96 pages | Prestige Format | $9.99
Writers: Gene Luen Yang, Ram V, Greg Pak, ALyssa Wong, Amy Chu, Minh Le, Dustin Nguyen, others | Art: Marcus To, Bernard Chang, Dustin Nguyen, Marcio Takara, Trung Le Nguyen, Francis Manapul, others | Cover: Jim Lee | Variant: Stanley "Artgerm" Lau
恭喜發財
(Happy Lunar New Year!)
Grab your favorite boba and pull a chair up to the dim sum table as we celebrate Asian Heritage Month with all your favorite Asian DC characters, old and new! Join Cassandra Cain, Katana, Green Lantern Tai Pham, the Atom, Dana Tan (a.k.a. Batman Beyond), Red Arrow, Lady Shiva, Damian Wayne and the al Ghul clan, New Super-Man, and more as we present new tales of these characters from their thrilling history! Plus, Cheshire Cat’s relationship to Cheshire is revealed as Shoes asks Selina Kyle to take her under her wing as Cat Girl. And that’s just the start!
The Captain's comments:
This is pretty timely, given the rise in violence against Asian/Pacific people. But I don't hold out any hope that efforts such as these make a difference. They are essentially preaching to the choir, as those who are inclined to do violence to those who look different will ignore the message, or the book altogether.
Which is not to say I don't appreciate books like this, which I do. If, for no other reason, we get stories starring interesting characters who are normally supporting characters in their home books, like Red Arrow and Katana. Or are characters who once had their own books but whose star has faded, like Orphan and the New Super-Man.
One tiny gripe: I don't think Lady Shiva and Cheshire should have solo stories in a book with "Heroes" in the title. Especially Cheshire, who has done monstrous things. Yet, there she is on the cover. If you're going to include them, change the title.
Fantastic Four #32
Marvel Comics | 40 pages | Teen | $4.99
Writer: Dan Slott | Art: R.B. Silva | Cover: Mark Brooks | Variant: Peach Momoko | Variant: Ron Lim & Israel Silva | Wraparound variant: Valerio Schiti, Marte Garcia | Variant: Skottie Young | Hidden gem: Jack Kirby, Joe Sinnott, Morry Hollowell
The Bride Of Doom!
Part 1: “Betrothal”
The greatest wedding in Marvel Comics history is almost here! Just in time for the Fantastic Four’s 60th Anniversary, the latest arc in writer Dan Slott and artist R.B. Silva’s thrilling run on Fantastic Four will kick off in FANTASTIC FOUR #32. Packed with unpredictable twists that will change the First Family’s dynamic forever, “The Bride of Doom” promises to join the ranks of the greatest stories in the Fantastic Four mythos. To celebrate the upcoming nuptials of Doctor Victor Von Doom and Victorious, some of the industry’s hottest artists have turned out stunning variant covers including Marvel’s Stormbreaker Peach Momoko, Skottie Young, Valerio Schiti, and Ron Lim!
Doom has finally found a bride worthy of his grandeur—the Latverian hero known as Victorious. But Marvel’s chief megalomaniac won’t be the only Fantastic Four character whose love life will be changed forever and his upcoming nuptials may lead to the division of Marvel’s First Family! Get your first look at the drama and high-stakes action that await(including a deadly duel between Reed Richards and Doom) in the all-new FANTASTIC FOUR #32 trailer, featuring never-before-seen artwork!
The Captain's comments:
Peter David famously said that Peter Parker completed his story arc with Lee & Ditko's Master Planner three-parter in 1965, and that no more Spider-Man stories needed to be told.
I kinda feel the same way about Dr. Doom after Mark Waid's "Unthinkable" storyline in 2003. Doom crossed several lines that can never be un-crossed, and also defined his (loathsome) character more sharply than any previous story. It was the culmination of his story arc, and no more Dr. Doom stories need be written.
But just like with Spider-Man, the fact that no more Doom stories need to be written doesn't mean we don't still want them. If — and this is a big if — they are up to the quality of "Unthinkable." Which none of them are.
But hope springs eternal. And here's Doom getting married, which if you believe is simply a love story and doesn't have something despicable going on behind the scenes, I've got a flying bathtub to sell you. So I'm putting my money on Dan Slott, which is usually a good bet, to challenge and engage me.
Interestingly, this story is supposedly a game-changer for Johnny Storm. Currently he's got a "soulmate" to deal with, but in this story both Crystal (his first love) and Lyja (his Skrull wife) return. That's going to be awkward! But soap opera is something Marvel does well, so it will probably be fun.
Future State: Gotham #1
DC Comics | 32 pages | B&W | $3.99 | Card Stock variant $4.99
Writer: Joshua Williamson, Dennis Culver | Art: Giannis Milonogiannis | Cover: Yasmine Putri | Card Stock variant: James Stokoe
The event that was DC Future State continues in its own ongoing title starring the Bat-Family, beginning with the epic story “Hunt the Batman.” Disaster strikes Gotham City, and all evidence points to the Next Batman! Red Hood must choose justice over his family and allies when the corrupt Magistrate enlists him to bring in the new Batman dead or alive! Featuring the entire cast from the popular Future State Batman titles, this new series kicks off the next chapter in this forbidding world of tomorrow, and does so in brilliant, monochromatic storytelling! This black-and-white series will showcase the brutal world that’s around the corner in Future State Gotham!
The Captain's comments:
Tell me again why I'm supposed to like Jason Todd, or care what happens to him. Half the time he's a murderous thug, and the other half he destroys my suspension of disbelief for the entire Bat-family by hanging with them. And openly insulting them. And they, in turn, always cheerfully accept the insults, and forgive him for his latest murder. With guns. Every time. How plausible is that?
Yeah, the writers always point out that Bruce failed in raising him, but at some point an adult has to start taking responsibility for his own actions and stop blaming it on "Daddy was mean to me." And a lot of stories try to push the impression that he hasn't murdered anyone (lately). Which never rings true. At some point Batman & Co. are going to have stop making excuses for Jason, and just arrest him for multiple murders.
In this book Jason's living down to my lowest expectations by literally hunting Batman (his adopted father!) for money, so yeah, he's still a terrible person. But the story seems to be taking place in the future, so maybe Jason Todd will stay there and I can safely ignore him.
Inkadently, this book appears to be the most manga-influenced of any from the Big Two, which is good? I guess?
Heroes Reborn #2 (of 7)
Marvel Comics | 32 pages | Teen+ | $4.99
Art by DALE KEOWN & ED MCGUINNESS
Variant Cover by JEFFREY VEREGGE
Heroes Reborn #2
Writer: Jason Aaro | Art: Dale Keown & Ed Mcguinness | Cover: Leinil Francis Yu | Trading Card variant: Mark Bagley | Variant: Jeffrey Veregge | Variant: Carlos Pacheco | Stormbreakers variant: Natacha Bustos | Action Figure variant: John Tyler Christopher
Make way for the adventures of Marvel’s Mightiest Megastar, the all-powerful Hyperion! When America’s solar-powered, super-sentinel of liberty looks to return his archenemy Victor Von Doom to the other-dimensional prison of the Negative Zone, mighty Hyperion must deal with a breakout of his most powerful enemies, such as Ultron, General Annihilus and the Immortal Hulk. Plus: A special backup tale starring Blade, Earth’s last living vampire.
The Captain's comments:
Round two in Marvel's latest big event! As the preview below indicates, we're revisiting major events in Marvel history, showing how different things would be had the Justice League lived there instead of the Avengers. Galactus and the Hulk, for example, wouldn't have been ongoing threats with Superman — excuse me, Hyperion — around. Not to mention other characters at the power levels of Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and Flash.
I have to admit the Galactus scene below, despite being grisly, is kinda funny. Previews like this are making me curious enough to start reading these books.
Heroes Reborn: Hyperion & The Imperial Guard #1 one-shot
Marvel Comics | 40 pages | Teen | $4.99
Writer: Ryan Cady | Art: Michele Bandini | Cover: Chris Sprouse | Variant: Ben Caldwell
The teenage Hyperion’s cosmic quests with his Shi’ar friends near their end, but none of the young heroes are ready to say farewell. A quick mission in the Negative Zone sounds like the perfect coda to a storied fellowship ... but what awaits Hyperion, Gladiator and the rest is horror and agony beyond their wildest nightmares!
Also included in this issue: a special preview of the new spinoff series, THE STARJAMMERS!
The Captain's comments:
Evidently the Imperial Guard will be for Teen Hyperion what the Legion of Super-Heroes was for Superboy.
Heroes Reborn: Peter Parker, The Amazing Shutterbug #1
Marvel Comics | 40 pages | Teen+ | $4.99
Writer: Marc Bernardin | Art: Rafael De Latorre | Cover: Mike McKone | Variant: Greg Land | Teaser art by Rafael Fontirez, colors by Matt Milla
Peter Parker is the biggest Hyperion fan in the world, and he also just happens to be chummy with his favorite hero thanks to a photography gig at the Daily Bugle! SURELY, nothing can go wrong, with his camera (and him) in the heart of the action. … Right?
The Captain's comments:
Ha! Peter Parker as Jimmy Olsen? Undergoing weird transformations? (Well, at least one.) Clever. But they really should have named this book Hyperion's Pal, Peter Parker.
The House of Lost Horizons: A Sarah Jewell Mystery #1 (of 4)
Dark Horse Comics | 32 pages | $3.99
Writers: Mike Mignola, Chris Roberson | Art: Leila del Duca | Letterer: Clem Robins | Colors: Michelle Madsen | Cover: Christopher Mitten
Mike Mignola! Chris Roberson!
This year, legendary HELLBOY creator Mike Mignola, bestselling co-writer Chris Roberson, artist Leila del Duca, letterer Clem Robins, colorist Michelle Madsen, and cover artist Christopher Mitten are inviting readers to THE HOUSE OF LOST HORIZONS. In this four-issue series from Dark Horse Comics, a locked-room murder mystery puzzles paranormal detective Sarah Jewell and her associate Marie Therése when a weekend trip to a private island off the coast of Washington goes awry. Trapped by a storm and surrounded by myriad suspects who have gathered for an auction of occult items, the intrepid duo must unravel the supernatural mysteries surrounding the guests in the hopes of uncovering the murderer. But all the while bodies keep piling up, and at any moment Sarah or Marie Therése could be next….
Co-writer Chris Roberson explains, “When Mike Mignola and I first conceived of the character of Sarah Jewell, she was a young woman who would investigate supernatural mysteries alongside the Witchfinder Sir Edward Grey in the 1890s. But then we ended up introducing her first as an older woman in the 1920s, traveling the world with her companion Marie-Thérèse LaFleur in the pages of Rise Of The Black Flame. Ever since then I’ve wanted to do a proper murder mystery featuring the older Sarah and Marie-Thérèse, inspired in large part by my love of Agatha Christie. When we were first discussing the idea that eventually became The House of Lost Horizons, I compared notes with Mike and our editor Katii O’Brien to see who each of us had in mind to draw it. All three us had put Leila del Duca at the top of our lists, because we knew that she would be perfect for capturing the period setting and the creepy weirdness that ensues.”
The Captain's comments:
This sounds really interesting, and I'd love to report that I already know that it is. But sadly, it's a Mignolaverse book, so Dark Horse doesn't send me digital review copies. Alas!
But I'm game for any locked-room mystery story, as I am for just about anything written by Mignola's curated creative group, and the period setting is gravy. I'll read this eventually, in some library edition or other, so y'all will probably read it before I do.
X-Corp #1Marvel Comics | 48 pages | Teen+ | $4.99
Writer: Tini Howard | Art: Alberto Foche | Colors: Sunny Gho | Cover: David Aja | Headshot variant: Todd Nauck | Variant: Skottie Young
The deals have been made. Mutantkind is safe on Krakoa. As the Reign of X continues, what are the wants of the mutants who have everything? Leading the charge is X-CORPORATION, headed by CXOs Monet St. Croix and Warren Worthington, a duo as cutthroat and ruthless in the boardroom as they are on a battlefield. But X-Corp needs more than just its figureheads. As Monet sets out to staff their team with some of the brightest and most deviant minds in mutantkind, Warren finds himself in a tense confrontation with one of Krakoa’s first allies who wants to know the truth: on Angel’s wings, will X-Corp crash or soar?
The Captain's comments
Well, finally! A use for Angel, the Flying Target, besides being shot down/captured!
OK, they did turn him into Archangel for a while, which was a serious power upgrade. But did y'all care for that? He was, for all intents and purposes, a new character — one with no personality and an eye-chart costume. Bleah.
And there has been an X-Corp before, established in the various X-books in the early 2000s, which set up "corporate embassies" around the globe to ... do something, I've forgotten what. X-Corp was dissolved after the "Decimation" reduced the mutant population to 2,000 or so. I don't think anybody misses it.
So here are a couple of lame ideas fused together in the hopes of something better. Given the strength of the context — Jonathan Hickman's X-reboot — it just might take flight. Especially with Monet St. Croix aboard, whose sharp tongue (and occasionally sharp everything else, when she's Penance) I've always enjoyed.
Pre-Read for Your Convenience
Doctor Who: Alternating Current TPB
Titan Comics | 112 pages | $16.99, £13.99
Writer: Jody Houser | Artist: Roberta Ingranata
A brand new story in Titan Comics' Doctor Who roster, featuring the exciting and loveable Thirteenth Doctor as she teams up with fan-favorite Tenth Doctor, played by David Tennant, as they face the terrifying Sea Devils, with the help of Rose Tyler!
The Captain's comments:
I didn't read the previous Doctor Who story teaming up the 10th and 13th doctor (and Rose Tyler), that created the time paradox dealt with in this story. Nor am I the most knowledgeable Doctor Who fan on the planet (although someone reading this might be).
Nevertheless, I enjoyed Alternating Current. There's a lot of timeline-collision stuff that references previous adventures (on TV and in the comics) which I knew nothing about, but vaguely understood anyway. That's good writing, especially as the entirety is delivered with nonchalant Whovian humor.
The title is a pun, as the story revolves around Thomas Edison and Nikolai Tesla, the latter of which had been kidnapped in previous stories, and is again. So 13th and 10th doctors, after crossing paths after both realize time has changed, must rescue him again, and set aright the timeline, which got an "infection" the last time they met, which is when they rescued Tesla the first time.
Head hurting yet? No, it was utterly painless. It's such a breezy book that even a bit of wibbly wobbly, timey-wimey stuff doesn't disturb the smooth and placid delivery.
Time Before Time #1Image Comics | $3.99
Writers: Declan Shalvey, Rory McConville | Art: Joe Palmer, Chris O'Halloran | Variant: John Paul Leon | 1:25 Variant: Gabriel Walta
Best described as Criminal meets Back to the Future and Looper, this high octane, extra-length debut issue will feature an alternate cover by artist John Paul Leon.
In Time Before Time, it’s the year 2140, and to escape a world with no future, many turn to the Syndicate, a criminal organization who, for the right price, will smuggle you back in time to a better life. After working for the Syndicate for years, Tatsuo and Oscar decide to steal one of their boss’s time machines—but soon find that the one thing you can’t run from is your past.
The Captain's comments:
The above only gives you a taste of truly well-written story that combines time travel with crime noir. The protagonist is likable, but clearly in over his head, as more important people and events catch up to and cross over with his attempt to steal a time cube.
No, wait, it's called a "time pod." But look at it! That's a Legion of Super-Heroes time cube, as drawn by Jack Kirby, no matter what you call it!
Brisk, self-assured and breathless, the story introduces all its characters and concepts on the run, and gets to a great cliffhanger before you know it. I already want to read more issues!
Other Items of Interest
Breath of Bones: A Tale of the Golem TPBDark Horse Comics | $19.99
Writers: Steve Niles, Matt Santoro | Art/Cover: Dave Wachter
A British plane crashes down in a Jewish village, sparking a Nazi invasion. Using clay and mud from the river, the villagers bring to life a giant monster to battle for their freedom and future.
The Captain's comments:
I don't think this connected in any way with Joe Golem, also published by Dark Horse, but as part of the Mignolaverse. (Actually part of the other Mignolaverse, as I described with Lady Baltimore: The Witch Queens #1 a few weeks ago.) It does appear, however, to be derived from the actual Golem legend.
Which is no less interesting to me. I always interpreted the Golem fable as a cautionary tale more than a revenge story, but I don't know it all that well. I gobble up any golem story that comes along, to educate myself better.
Bronte GN
Graphic Universe |$14.99
Writer: Manuela Santoni | Art/Cover: Manuela Santoni
Despite their family's stormy fortunes, the Bront sisters - Charlotte, Emily, and Anne - resolved to write. To thwart the nineteenth century's double standards, they took the names of men, becoming the Bell brothers. Their works incited controversy and speculation, while at home, the sisters contended with the rages of Branwell Bront , their self-destructive sibling. Manuela Santoni presents a time before Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall were known as literary masterpieces, when winds shook the Bront house and determination held it together.
The Captain's comments:
Speaking of educating one's self, I have never been able to keep straight which Bronte wrote which book, because I learned it wrong the first time and haven't been able to un-learn my errors. Getting that straight is important to understanding the differences between the sisters, and how that's reflected in their literature. This book may not teach me everything I need to know, but it's a start.
Celery Stalks TPBLev Gleason | $14.99
Writer/Art/Cover: Patrick Rooks
Patrick Rooks has created a modern-day masterpiece with Celery Stalks. Rooks' graphic novel seamlessly blends elements of Silver Age horror and romance comics with the modern mystery twists of Twin Peaks wrapped in a visual language reminiscent of Steve Ditko.
The Captain's comments:
Here's another Lev Gleason/Comic House book that may or may not exist. But if it does, I seriously doubt it should be mentioned in the same breath as Ditko.
Cyclopedia Exotica TPBDrawn & Quarterly | $24.95
Writer/Art/Cover: Aminder Dhaliwal
Shigeru Mizuki-Japan's grand master of yokai comics-adapts one of the most important works of supernatural literature into comic book form. The cultural equivalent of Brothers Grimm's fairy tales, Tono Monogatari is a defining text of Japanese folklore and one of the country's most important works of literature.
The Captain's comments:
As mentioned, I love fables, legends and folklore, so I gobbled up Yokai Tales when it came out last year. I don't know if this book will add to what that book taught me, but I'll flip through it if my LCS carries it.
Flutist of Arnhem: Story of Operation Market Garden GNDead Reckoning | $24.95
Writer: Gil Ortega | Art/Cover: Antonio De Jesus
In October 1943, all the Special Operations Executive (SOE) agents in Holland are captured by the Germans... except one. John Hewson, a.k.a. "Boekman," is the most dangerous agent to the German occupiers, with vital information about the German army, Boekman escapes the clutches of the S.S. and stays hidden until the start of the largest airborne operation in World War II: Operation Market Garden. When the SOE learn that Boekman is still alive, and that his estranged son, Harry, is on the ground fighting in Market Garden, Harry is tasked with organizing a small commando unit to rescue Boekman and try to escape through the German siege. The Battle of Arnhem unfolds day by day as father and son search for each other amidst the chaos of war and the dogged pursuits of a cruel Gestapo agent.
The Captain's comments:
I asked for a review copy, and lo, Dead Reckoning responded and is going to comply. Just not in time for this post. I'll review it in the regular column at the first opportunity. If it's anything like Freiheit: The White Rose, another rarely told WWII tale, I'm sure to enjoy it.
Giant-Size Amazing Spider-Man: King’s Ransom #1Marvel Comics | 56 pages | Teen+ | $5.99
Writer: Nick Spencer | Art: Rogê Antônio | Cover: Mark Bagley
- Everything comes down to this!
- Kingpin’s quest that violates all natural law!
- Tombstone and Robbie Robertson’s years’ old enmity!
- Randy Robertson and Beetle’s timeless love!
- Boomerang’s scheme!
- Spider-Man’s whole status quo!
With twists and turns in every issue, Nick Spencer’s AMAZING SPIDER-MAN has become one of the most unpredictable books on stands today! And now, readers will finally witness Spidey’s long-awaited confrontation with Kingpin in an explosive new arc titled “KING’S RANSOM.” Kicking off next month in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #61, “KING’S RANSOM” will be an arc so momentous, it will conclude in special, giant-sized finale issue in May.
Find out Kingpin’s goal and how it violates all natural law. Learn more about the years’ old enmity between Tombstone and Robbie Robertson. And discover what’s next for the fan-favorite frenemy, Boomerang. All this and more as Spider-Man’s whole status quo is turned upside down in one explosive showdown! Don’t miss GIANT-SIZE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN: KING’S RANSOM #1 by Nick Spencer and Rogê Antônio (X-Men Red, Conan the Barbarian) when it arrives in May!
The Captain's comments:
Isn't Kingpin a Daredevil foe now? I don't really have anything else to say, as I'm not following Spider-Man these days, or anything by Nick "Captain Hydra" Spencer. But maybe you are, so here's a preview.
Hank Howard, Pizza Detective in Caligula's Safe one-shot
Bad Idea | 20 pages | Teen+ | No ads | $1.00
Writer: Robert Venditti | Art: David Lapham | Cover David Lapham,
José Villarrubia
HANK HOWARD, PIZZA DETECTIVE in CALIGULA'S SAFE "24-Hour Comic" Upgrades to Extra-Large Pie — Debuts Much-Anticipated Superhero Story SAVE NOW
What better way to release an epic tome of pizza-based, neo-noir crime fiction than by putting too many toppings on said pizza!!
HANK HOWARD, PIZZA DETECTIVE in CALIGULA'S SAFE by Robert Venditti (TANKERS) and David Lapham (THE HERO TRADE) -- available for takeout or delivery at BAD IDEA Destination Stores on May 12th, but only for 24 hours!!! -- is coming with a big heap of pineapple to go with the pepperoni.
That's right, HANK HOWARD, PIZZA DETECTIVE in CALIGULA'S SAFE will include a BAD IDEA B-Side!
And yes, that B-Side is the superhero epic, SAVE NOW that we keep teasing, by Matt Kindt (ENIAC -- issue 3 is out this Wednesday) and Tomas Giorello (ODINN'S EYE -- shh, we haven't officially announced that one yet)!!
But that's not all...We're also proud to announce that HANK HOWARD, PIZZA DETECTIVE in CALIGULA'S SAFE comes with a side of "credits page" (predictable perhaps, but satisfying nonetheless), a pin-up to quench your thirst by David Lapham of THE LOT (which debuts in July! Wait, does that make this the first appearance? Can a pin-up even be a first appearance?) and for dessert, a brand-new entry in the BAD IDEA Handbook written by none other than BAD IDEA's OHOTMU Stan, Warren Simons.
So don't miss this thrilling and uncompromising new neo-noir adventure delving deep into the darkest corners of our national obsession with crime and pizza chains. We've packed the book full of awesomeness and given it the entry level price of just one dollar! At a price like that, everyone can try their first taste of the BAD IDEA difference. But remember: In addition to being governed by the regular BAD IDEA rules, CALIGULA'S SAFE will only be on sale for 24 hours.
Every store is able to sell CALIGULA'S SAFE by all the same means they sell every other BAD IDEA comic -- from in-store, off-the-shelf sales to mail order to phone orders or pre-orders. At the stroke of midnight on May 12th, however, any unsold copies are forbidden from sale and will be returned to BAD IDEA HQ. We will be reprinting the HANK HOWARD, PIZZA DETECTIVE in CALIGULA'S SAFE story in all its glory in one of our upcoming December 2021 releases.
The Captain's comments:
I ran the whole press release, because condensing it was too hard. Also, this should give you a taste of a typical Bad Idea press release, as written by Hunter Gorinson. This one full of pizza puns, but others are full of jokes and puns on whatever the subject is.
As to the book itself, I have no idea. My LCS isn't a "destination store" for Bad Idea, and Bad Idea thinks it's a good idea to never collect their comics in TPBs. So all the Bad Idea comics might as well be published in a parallel universe, as I will never see them.
Justice League: Last Ride #1 (of 8)
DC Comics | 32 pages | $3.99 | Card Stock variant $4.99
Writer Chip Zdarsky | Art: Miguel Mendonça | Cover: Darick Robertson | Card Stock variant: Miguel Mendonça
Once, the Justice League was the most powerful collection of superheroes in the universe. But an unthinkable tragedy within its ranks has caused Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman to go their separate ways, leaving the League broken and disbanded under a veil of anger and mistrust. Now, against the backdrop of the universe’s greatest murder trial, can the League reconcile the past before they’re eradicated by the greatest villains in the cosmos?
The Captain's comments:
Wait, haven't I seen this before? "Tower of Babel," "Kingdom Come," "Zack Snyder's Justice League" ... dysfunctional and/or disbanded Justice League stories are dime a dozen, so I'm too jaded to get excited about this one.
The art looks nice enough.
The Orphan King Premier Edition
A Wave Blue World Inc. | $3.99
Writer: Tyler Chin-Tanner | Art: James Boyle | Cover: In-Hyuk Lee
Prince Kaidan, born to inherit the throne, is set to complete his secret training with his aunt, the magical Lady Taleissa when tragedy strikes. He returns home to find his parents missing and his kingdom destroyed, along with everything he'd ever hoped and dreamed. A new path is set: find whatever pieces of his old life he can and use them to build something new - if he can live that long! A fresh retelling of the King Arthur myth, The Orphan King upends the concept of birthright in a magical coming-of-age adventure for the ages.
The Captain's comments:
Here's another take on the King Arthur myth. And like a whole lot of stories based on legends recently — Cursed, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, Nottingham, The Irregulars, Enola Holmes, etc. — the adaptation is so divorced from the original as to be an almost wholly original story. Moreover, the actual heroes of the original legends are often depicted as failures or criminals. In Cursed, Arthur is a liar and a thief. In Nottingham, Robert of Locksley is a full-on terrorist. In The Irregulars, Sherlock is a drug addict whose adventures are exaggerated or invented, and Mycroft is cowardly and otherwise unremarkable.
Which makes them stories I don't want to experience. Yes, I understand the urge to make the heroes of today's stories non-white and/or non-male. (In The Irregulars, the two most important characters are an Asian girl and Watson, who is black and gay. In Cursed, the wielder of Excalibur is Nimue, a girl who is usually an antagonist in the legends.)
Most Western myths star white, straight, males. Often with blond hair. (I remember laughing as a boy when there was some scene in Avengers with the team out of uniform, and four of the five men present — Clint Barton, Pietro Maximoff, Hank Pym and Steve Rogers — were blond, the least common hair color in the world. Hercules was the odd man out with brown hair, the most common hair color in the world. If Thor was present, the law of averages would have spontaneously exploded.) I understand that there's a gaping void in heroic literature for non-white, non-male, non-binary characters, and today's writers are trying to fill that void.
I accept these stories, and enjoy them (or not) on their own merits. But I pretend they're not connected to the legends I know. When I can't block out the connections, I actively dislike them. Not because I'm a white supremacist or a misogynist or a gay-hater, but because the actual legends are valuable for the lessons they teach — some of which are universal, and some specific to their time and place. Regardless, they are important reflections of the aspirations of mankind.
And when those aspirations are tossed in the gutter, well ... it's distasteful. And something is lost. And besides, my momma taught me that you never build anything up by tearing something else down.
That doesn't need to be. You want to create a TV show about a black, gay man and a gang of multi-culti kids investigating supernatural phenomena in 1800s London? Go to it! Write a great, engaging story! I'll watch! You can toss in Jack the Ripper if you want!
But leave Sherlock Holmes out of it. Create your own story, with your own heroes, without leaning on (and sullying) existing characters and stories that have resonated for decades or centuries. If your story isn't strong enough to exist without the shock value of a drug-addled Sherlock Holmes, maybe it's not as strong as you think. And it's not a story I'm going to 100% enjoy.
Or am I wrong, Legionnaires? I know today's stories aimed at today's teens and twentysomethings. That means a lot of non-binary and multi-cultural characters. But maybe another thing that means is tearing down the icons of the audience's parents. Maybe every generation needs to do that.
IOW, maybe I'm just not the target audience, and that is the source of my discontent. You tell me.
Sirens of the Norse Sea: The Waters of Skagerrak TPB
Humanoids | $19.99
Writers: Isabelle Bauthian, Francois Ruscak & Gihef | Artists: Phil Briones, Marco Dominici, Josep Homs
Fierce Vikings and mystical Sirens face each other in a neverending battle over their greatest source of life: the sea.
Vikings, the world's fiercest warriors and greatest sailors rule the land. But the sea has never been so easy to claim, for another creature dwells within it: the Siren. For generations, Viking clans have had to face Siren tribes: a constant battle between cunning and brute strength, and charm and sorcery, with the vast ocean in between.
The Captain's comments:
Vikings! Sirens! Red-headed shield-maidens! Red-headed shield-maidens fighting sirens! Where has this book been all my life?
Star Wars #13Marvel Comics | 32 pages | Teen | $3.99
Writer: Charles Soule | Art: Ramon Rosanas | Cover: Carlo Pagulayan | Empire Strikes Back variant: Chris Sprouse | Action Figure variant: John Tyler Christopher
Crimson Variant Cover By Carlo Pagulayan
Artist Variant Cover By Terry Dodson
Prelude To War Of The Bounty Hunters: “The Hunt For Han”
- CHEWBACCA has heard from an old friend with intelligence on the location of notorious bounty hunter BOBA FETT, known to be in possession of HAN SOLO.
- Along with LUKE SKYWALKER, the loyal Wookiee sets off in search of his lost friend, on an adventure to Nar Shadaa... the SMUGGLER’S MOON!
- But will this mission prevent plucky astromech droid ARTOO DETOO from passing along a crucial message to Luke, one that will affect the fate of the entire Jedi Order...?
Star Wars © Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All rights reserved. Used under authorization. Text and illustrations for Star Wars are © 2021 Lucasfilm Ltd.
The Captain's comments:
Week 2 of Marvel's first Star Wars crossover event. A reminder in case you're following it.
The Full List
BOOM! STUDIOS
Buffy the Vampire Slayer #25
Firefly: Blue Sun Rising HC Vol 2
Firefly: Brand New Verse #3 (of 6)
Magic the Gathering #2
Mighty Morphin #7
Princess Who Saved Herself HC
Proctor Valley Road #3 (of 5)
Seven Secrets #8
DARK HORSE COMICS
Bandette Vol 03: The Ouse of the Green Mask TPB
Barbalien: Red Planet TPB
Black Hammer: Visions #4 (of 8)
Breath of Bones: A Tale of Golem TPB
Doctor Andromeda & Kingdom of Lost Tomorrows TPB
Empowered Omnibus TPB
Ether Library Edition HC
Gantz Omnibus Vol 06 TPB
Grendel: Devil’s Odyssey #6 (of 8)
House of Lost Horizons #1 (of 5)
Resident Alien: Your Ride’s Here #6 (of 6)
Static TPB
DC COMICS
American Vampire: 1976 #8
Batman: The Detective #2
Batman: Urban Legends #3
DC Festival of Heroes #1
The Dreaming: Waking Hours #10
The Flash Vol 14: The Flash Age
Future State: Gotham #1
The Joker #3
Justice League: Last Ride #1
Rorschach #8
Superman #31
Superman: Action Comics Vol. 4: Metropolis Burning
Wonder Woman #772
DYNAMITE
Dynamite Art of John Cassaday HC
Red Sonja: The Superpowers #5
Vampirella vs. Purgatori #3
IDW PUBLISHING
Canto & City of Giants #2 (of 3)
Comic Book History of Animation #5 (of 5)
GI Joe: A Real American Hero #281
Marvel Action Spider-Man #2
My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic 2021 Annual
Sea of Sorrows #5 (of 5)
Sonic the Hedgehog #39
IMAGE COMICS
Birthright #49
Department of Truth #1 5th Ptg
Geiger #2
Home #1 (of 5) 2nd Ptg
Ice Cream Man #24
Karmen #3 (of 5)
Silver Coin #2
Time Before Time #1
Unearth Vol 2 TPB
MARVEL COMICS
Annihilation Conquest Omnibus HC New Ptg
Avengers Epic Collection Final Threat TPB New Ptg
Beta Ray Bill #1 (of 5) 2nd Ptg
Black Cat #6
Children of the Atom #3
Conan the Barbarian #21
Fantastic Four #32
Fantastic Four by Hickman Complete Collection Vol 3 TPB
Fantastic Four Vol 07 Forever Gate TPB
Giant-Size Amazing Spider-Man: King’s Ransom #1
Guardians of the Galaxy #14
Heroes Reborn #2 (of 7)
Heroes Reborn: Hyperion and the Imperial Guard #1
Heroes Reborn: Peter Parker the Amazing Shutterbug #1
Marvel-Verse: Loki TPB
Morbius Epic Collection: The End of a Living Vampire
Silk #3 (of 5)
Spider-Man: Spider’s Shadow #2 (of 5)
Spider-Woman #12
Star Wars #13
Star Wars High Republic #5
X-Corp #1
X-Factor #9
COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS
Across the Tracks GN
Aggretsuko: Meet Her World #2
Baloney & Friends: Going Up GN
Black Cotton #2 (of 6)
Bronte GN
By the Grace of Gods Vol 2 GN
Cagaster Vol 6 GN
Celery Stalks TPB
Chasing the Dragon #3 (of 5)
Concrete Jungle Vol 1 TPB
Cyclopedia Exotica TPB
Dick Fight Island Vol 1 GN
Didn’t I Say Average Everyday Misadventures Vol 2 GN
Doctor Who: Alternating Current TPB
Doctor Who: Missy #
Don’t Be Cruel Plus Vol 2 GN
Don’t Toy With Me Miss Nagatoro Vol 7 GN
Dungeon Toilet Vol 1 GN
Femforce #192
First Defense #3
Flutist of Arnhem: Story of Operation Market Garden GN
Fly Me to the Moon Vol 5 GN
Fullmetal Alchemist Fullmetal Edition Vol 13 HC
Grimm Fairy Tales #48
Grubbs #2
Grubbs Vol 1 TPB
Hank Howard, Pizza Detective in Caligula's Safe one-shot
Heavy #6
Holler #3
How Not to Summon a Demon Lord Vol 11 GN
I Think Our Son Is Gay GN
Incredible Doom GN
Incredible Doom HC
Junky Cable #1
King in Black #2
King of Fighters: New Beginning Vol 5 GN
Knights of the Golden Sun #12
Maniac of New York #4
Maria Llovet’s Eros Psyche #3
Mask of Fudo Vol 2 HC
Natan Sharansky: Freedom Fighter for Soviet Jews GN
Ossan Idol: Even 36 Never Too Late Manga Vol 3 GN
Paranormal Hitmen #4 (of 4)
Penultiman TPB
Pokemon: Sun & Moon Vol 10 TPB
Project Patron #2
Recount #4
Resistance Uprising #2
Rin-Ne Vol 39 GN
Rusty Riley Dailies Vol 2 1949-1951 HC
Savage (2020) #4
Scouts Honor #5
Silver City #1
Sirens of the Norse Sea TPB
Space Bastards #5
Splatoon Vol 12 GN
Stake #3
Stone Fruit HC
Swords of Cerebus In Hell Vol 1 TPB
The Orphan King Premier Edition
Tropical Fish Yearns for Snow Vol 7 GN
Wondercat Kyuu-Chan Vol 2 GN
World of Archie Jumbo Comics Digest #109
World’s End Harem: Fantasia Vol 4 GN
Year Zero Vol 2 TPB
Yo-Kai Watch Vol 17 GN
Yorick and Bones: Friends by any Other Name GN
You Promised Me Darkness #2
Yuuna & Haunted Hot Springs Vol 14 GN
Replies
Which is not to say I don't appreciate books like this, which I do. If, for no other reason, we get stories starring interesting characters who are normally supporting characters in their home books, like Red Arrow and Katana. Or are characters who once had their own books but whose star has faded, like Orphan and the New Super-Man.
When Cassandra Cain had the mantle of Batgirl I really enjoyed the character. Ditto, the Oracle incarnation of Barbara Gordon.
Peter David famously said that Peter Parker completed his story arc with Lee & Ditko's Master Planner three-parter in 1965, and that no more Spider-Man stories needed to be told.
I kinda feel the same way about Dr. Doom after Mark Waid's "Unthinkable" storyline in 2003. Doom crossed several lines that can never be un-crossed, and also defined his (loathsome) character more sharply than any previous story. It was the culmination of his story arc, and no more Dr. Doom stories need be written.
I understood that Steve Ditko thought that the Master Planner story ended Spider-Man's story. Did Peter David say that, too?
Unthinkable probably should have wrapped Dr Doom's story. IMO, the Joker's story should have ended in No Man's Land with his threat to kill several babies and his murder of Jim Gordon's wife while she was trying to catch a baby. But money talks.
The first of the alternative Fantastic Four #32 covers, the one with Doom and the robots, is a Jack Kirby page from Fantastic Four #84. I had an idea I'd seen it as a poster - that is, in a 1960s ad for posters - but my memory might be playing tricks. Kirby did draw an original Doom poster in the period.
I had that Doom poster, Luke -- and all the other posters offered by F.O.O.M. at the time. I hung them on my bedroom wall and, sadly, gravity eventually destroyed them. I noticed the cover "lift" from FF #84 as well -- it was a mid-story splash page in its provenance. I don't know if it was ever a poster, but it would make a good one.
As to the Master Planner quote, Jeff, I'd always heard it attributed to David. But I'm not sure I've ever read it first-hand anywhere. I asked Mr. Google, but he was of little help. Open to suggestion.
Richard Willis said:
I've said this once or twice before, but on Earth ClarkKent_DC, "No Man's Land" ended like this:
After Commissioner Gordon shot The Joker in the kneecaps, Harvey Bullock took the gun from him and shot The Joker full of holes.
It was particularly annoying that the knee-capped Joker wailed that he will or may never walk again. The next time he was seen he was walking quickly and perfectly.
The Joker should have been killed long ago.
He's killed enough people that even in Arkham there would be people in his immediate vicinity who wanted vengeance. Wherever he goes, wherever he is, there should be people who want to kill him, even at the cost of their own life. Cops, criminals, civilians, there are literally thousands of people who'd die to kill him. That he isn't dead from that alone is preposterous. Child molesters get shivved in prison, and so should The Joker. It's preposterous that none of them do it, or even try.
Then there's this: Batman has saved him over and over. Not just in a passive way. He hasn't just failed to stop him from dying, he's actively jumped into peril to save him.
Sure, Batman should save him -- like anyone -- if he's in mortal danger....
... That he has not arranged himself. Or his danger is not a result of fighting Batman (like falling off a roof). But again and again, Batman saves him, when it's not anyone's fault but The Joker's that The Joker is in mortal peril. And Batman saves him, even after Joker has killed a bunch of people.
I don't think Jesus himself would save Joker in most of those circumstances.
Then there is the piece de resistance, where (just recently during the not-wedding to Catwoman) Batman is about to apprehend Joker, and he threatens to kill ... himself. Gun to his own head. After he has already killed two or three people in the room.
Is there any philosophy, any morality, any religion in the world that would encourage, explain or excuse this? "Go ahead, loser," Batman should say, "I'm going to arrest you either way."
But NO! Batman becomes Joker's slave, doing everything Joker says, even when it kills other people, to avoid Joker offing himself.
What the what?
I am so done with this. Have been for years. So either:
A) Joker is right that Batman has a fixation on him, or B) Joker is not human.
I tend to the latter, and hope that whatever sort of Bat-Mite or fifth-dimensional whatsit he is, he has mind-control powers, to explain away a thousand bad stories.
Either way, my Joker Fatigue is in danger of becoming permanent. I could laugh off the stuff from the old days, but in recent years Batman has acted irrationally to make sure Joker lives ... even after he killed Jason. And Sarah Essen. And crippled Barbara Gordon.
It defies logic, morality and common sense that he continues to draw breath. Someone should kill him, and I'd do it myself if I could.
"He hasn't just failed to stop him from dying, he's actively jumped into peril to save him."
Not only that, but Barman once brought a dead Joker back to life by immersing him in the Lazarus Pit! That's the one that broke my willing sense of disbelief. AFAIAC, the joker died in The Killing Joke when Batman snapped his neck.
Lord, I forgot about that one. Probably on purpose.
I'm not reading the new Joker series -- obviously -- but there's something that book could do that might salve my Joker Fatigue. And that's an expansion of the idea I mentioned above, where everybody worldwide wants to kill The Joker. And I mean everybody. He would be forced to show just how clever he is every issue to avoid being murdered (which would make for good stories), and it would be the first Joker story to actually make sense. And Gordon should be hellbent on taking his scalp as well.
Wait. Didn't Joker already cut off his own scalp, along with his face? Which miraculously healed? Never mind.
I probably skipped that one back then, just because it was a Joker story.
The GCPD must have the most disciplined police officers in the country. "He went for his waistband, Sarge"
I remember the big deal they made when Azrael/Jean-Paul Valley temporarily took over as Batman. He watched the low-level bad guy/serial killer Abattoir plunge to his death in a vat of, I think, molten metal. This was the worst thing Azrael ever did. I guess the Code was still in force.
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