Comics Review: "KILLADELPHIA #25" - Wherever He Laid His Hat...

KILLADELPHIA #25

IMAGE COMICS

STORY: Rodney Barnes

LAYOUTS: Jason Shawn Alexander

PENCILS: Germán Erramouspe

INKS: Jason Shawn Alexander

COLORS: Lee Loughridge

LETTERS: Marshall Dillon

EDITOR: Greg Tumbarello

COVER: Jason Shawn Alexander

VARIANT COVER ARTIST: HC Anderson

28pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S. (November 2022)

Rated “M/ Mature”

Killadelphia created by Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander

“There's No Place Like Home” Part I: “A Cold Place in Hell”

Killadelphia is an apocalyptic vampire and dark fantasy comic book series from writer Rodney Barnes and artist Jason Shawn Alexander.  Published by Image Comics, it centers on a conspiracy in which vampires attempt to rule Philadelphia.  Colorist Lee Loughridge and letterer Marshall Dillon complete Killadelphia's creative team.

Killadelphia focuses on James “Jim” Sangster, Jr. and his father, revered Philadelphia homicide detective, James Sangster, Sr., a vampire!  Father and son lead a ragtag team comprised of a medical examiner (Jose Padilla), werewolves, a witch, and a rebellious, but special young vampire (Tevin Thompkins a.k.a. “See Saw”) in a bid to save Philly.  Their adversary is a former First Lady, the vampire Abigail Adams.

As Killadelphia #25 (“A Cold Place in Hell”) opens, Anasi the Spider-God parlays with Corson (the demon lord who raised some … Hell in Baltimore, Maryland in Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog).  Can Anasi save the world and therefore humanity, whose worship sustains many supernatural beings?  Does Corson give a damn?

Meanwhile,  General Toussaint Louverture and his Haitian army have been resurrected by the side of the light for one thing and one thing only: exterminate all vampires.  So what happens when one of our favorite vampires has a confrontation with him?

THE LOWDOWN:  We are at the first chapter of Killadelphia's fifth story arc, “There's No Place Like Home.”  According to the musings of creators Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander, we, the readers, are not prepared for what was coming.

Killadelphia #25 affirms that.  I can say of Barnes and Alexander what I say about Mark Millar and his collaborators:  they not only deliver superb comic books, but they also deliver twists and turns to challenge their readers' imaginations.  One can be cynical, or one can chose to believe that they love their readers.

New pencil artist Germán Erramouspe and colorist Lee Loughridge deliver a burning spectacle of  confrontations and rumination.  I am enjoying their new contributions, but I'm still in a daze because of this issue's sudden turn of events.  And, dear readers, this first chapter is a jumping-on point, so...

NOTE: Killadelphia #25 is also available in a “Noir Edition,” featuring black-and-white line art interiors.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of vampire comic books and of exceptional dark fantasy will want Killadelphia.

[This issue contains an afterword by Jason Shawn Alexander.]

A+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

https://twitter.com/TheRodneyBarnes

https://twitter.com/jasonshawnalex

https://twitter.com/luisnct

https://twitter.com/MarshallDillon

https://twitter.com/ImageComics

https://imagecomics.com/

http://rodneybarnes.com/

https://www.instagram.com/imagecomics/

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The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Comics Review: "Nita Hawes' NIGHTMARE Blog #10" - Meet Louis Cypher

NITA HAWES' NIGHTMARE BLOG #10

IMAGE COMICS

STORY: Rodney Barnes

ART: Szymon Kudranski

COLORS: Luis Nct with mar and Silvestre Galotto

LETTERS: Marshall Dillon

EDITOR: Greg Tumbarello

COVER: Szymon Kudranski

VARIANT COVER ARTIST: Richard Clark

28pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S. (November 2022)

Rated “M/ Mature”

Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog created by Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander

“Murder By Another Name” Part IV: “The Autopsy”

Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog is a comic book series created by Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander.  Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog is written by Barnes.  The current artist is Szymon Kudranski.  Colorist Luis Nct and letterer by Marshall Dillon complete the creative team.  The series focuses on a woman who is on a quest to root out evil by helping the people who contact her blog.

In Baltimore, Maryland, which some call “Bodymore, Murderland,” there is a woman named Dawnita “Nita” Hawes.  She is the owner of “Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog” where citizens can contact Nita when they have a problem of a supernatural or paranormal nature.  Nita has just begun her quest to root the evil out of her city – with the help of her dead brother, Jason.

Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog #10 (“The Autopsy”) opens with Nita in the middle of the kind of dream that one never wants to leave.  Well, maybe it feels so good because this is the afterlife!  Nita is now the prisoner of a lost soul that was once murdered in cold blood.  Now, it is back, screaming for vengeance, and the only thing standing in its way is Nita because Nita wanted to be the one standing in the way of darkness.

Meanwhile, her brother, Jason (“chocolatey Casper”), and Anansi the Spider god, the very ones who warned Nita, must go to her rescue.  But neither one is aware how way down deep in Hell this conspiracy goes.

THE LOWDOWN:  Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog is a spin-off of Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander's hit vampire comic book, Killadelphia.  The current story arc, “Murder By Another Name,” is making several direct connections to recent and ongoing events in Killadelphia.

Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog is, on occasion, hellishly dark, but as dark as it can be, it is also playful.  Writer Rodney Barnes is a long-time television scribe, and TV writers are quite adept at mixing moods and genres.  Even the darkest police procedural has humor that isn't necessarily macabre, and the fizziest sitcoms can be dramatic – poignant and otherwise.  Barnes gives this series the attitude that the bad guys, even the nasty, evil bad guys, are having a blast.  Simply put, this Nightmare Blog is scary and surprisingly funny – more time than one would think.

Szymon Kudranski's lovely art quivers with the ecstasy of evil and shimmers with a darkness from the pit.  Kudranski has mastered horror comics, and may be creating a new graphical storytelling language for horror comic books.  Colorist Luis Nct lights up this tenth issue of Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog with infernal hues – talk about scary lighting.  Marshall Dillon's lettering perfectly encapsulates the unique darkness and/or evil of each character in this nightmare menagerie.

Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog is one of Image Comics' best titles.  There is nothing like it, and dear readers, you will love it.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Killadelphia and of the original Hellblazer will want Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog.

A+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

https://twitter.com/TheRodneyBarnes

https://twitter.com/jasonshawnalex

https://twitter.com/luisnct

https://twitter.com/MarshallDillon

https://twitter.com/ImageComics

https://imagecomics.com/

http://rodneybarnes.com/

https://www.instagram.com/imagecomics/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Image-Comics-Inc/178643148813259

https://www.twitch.tv/imagecomics

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHmaKLo0FXWIPx-3n6qs3vQ

https://www.linkedin.com/company/image-comics/

The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Comics Review: "Nita Hawes' NIGHTMARE Blog #9" - Sista is Doing It for Herself

NITA HAWES' NIGHTMARE BLOG #9
IMAGE COMICS

STORY: Rodney Barnes
ART: Szymon Kudranski
COLORS: Luis Nct with mar and Silvestre Galotto
LETTERS: Marshall Dillon
EDITOR: Greg Tumbarello
COVER: Szymon Kudranski
VARIANT COVER ARTIST: Davi Go
28pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S. (October 2022)

Rated “M/ Mature”

Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog created by Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander

“Murder By Another Name” Part III: “A Devil by Another Name”

Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog is a comic book series created by Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander.  Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog is written by Barnes.  The current artist is Szymon Kudranski.  Colorist Luis Nct and letterer by Marshall Dillon complete the creative team.  The series focuses on a woman who is on a quest to root out evil by helping the people who contact her blog.

In Baltimore, Maryland, which some call “Bodymore, Murderland,” there is a woman named Dawnita “Nita” Hawes.  She is the owner of “Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog” where citizens can contact Nita when they have a problem of a supernatural or paranormal nature.  Nita has just begun her quest to root the evil out of her city – with the help of her dead brother, Jason.

Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog #9 (“A Devil by Another Name”) opens with a meeting of the minds between Anasi (the Spider-God) and the self-styled “Master Demon of Hell,” Belial (one of the four demon kings).  It seems that whatever war is going on in Philadelphia (as seen in the super-comic book, Killadelphia), the repercussions are destined for two Maryland burgs, Baltimore (“Bodymore”) and Annapolis (“Naptown”).

A darkness is spreading through Annapolis because the echo of a lost soul murdered in cold blood has come back, screaming for vengeance.  The only thing standing in its way is Nita Hawes because she has chosen to be that thing.  Little brother Jason returns to warn Nita a second time about involving herself in this mystery, but will she listen?  Or is she going to pay the price to stop this evil?  Is she willing?

THE LOWDOWN:  Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog is a spin-off of Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander's hit vampire comic book, Killadelphia.  The current story arc, “Murder By Another Name,” makes direct connections to recent events in Killadelphia.

I think that this is a quiet issue, the hints of Killadelphia blow back aside.  Writer Rodney Barnes offers something new and usually mind-blowing in every issue that he writes.  The surprise this time is the Nita Hawes' evolution – as I see it.  Has she embraced her destiny fully?  By my reading, I don't sense the fear in her about her new profession (so to speak) that I have in previous issues.  She has begun the hero's journey … I think.

As I wrote in a previous review: I am in love with Szymon Kudranski's lovely art, especially how he subtly shifts the atmosphere and lighting for each change of scenery.  This issue he joins colorist Luis Nct to create one of the most unsettling creatures that I have seen in comic books in a long time – the demon king Belial.  This concepts recalls classic creations of Steve Bissette and John Totleben in the 1980s Swamp Thing written by Alan Moore.

I said: Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog is like if “Kolchak: The Night Stalker” and Hellblazer knocked demonic boots and conceived a black baby girl.  Now, that she is here, please, read Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Killadelphia and of the original Hellblazer will want Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog.

A+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


https://twitter.com/TheRodneyBarnes
https://twitter.com/jasonshawnalex
https://twitter.com/luisnct
https://twitter.com/MarshallDillon
https://twitter.com/ImageComics
https://imagecomics.com/
http://rodneybarnes.com/
https://www.instagram.com/imagecomics/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Image-Comics-Inc/178643148813259
https://www.twitch.tv/imagecomics
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHmaKLo0FXWIPx-3n6qs3vQ
https://www.linkedin.com/company/image-comics/


The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

----------------------

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Comics Review: "Nita Hawes' NIGHTMARE Blog #8" - That Shark Bites with Her Teeth

NITA HAWES' NIGHTMARE BLOG #8
IMAGE COMICS

STORY: Rodney Barnes
ART: Szymon Kudranski
COLORS: Luis Nct with mar and Silvestre Galotto
LETTERS: Marshall Dillon
EDITOR: Greg Tumbarello
COVER: Szymon Kudranski
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Jason Shawn Alexander with Luis Nct
28pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S. (September 2022)

Rated “M/ Mature”

Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog created by Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander

“Murder By Another Name” Part II: “The Rule to the Exception”

Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog is a comic book series created by Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander.  Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog is written by Barnes.  The current artist is Szymon Kudranski.  Colorist Luis Nct and letterer by Marshall Dillon complete the creative team.  The series focuses on a woman who is on a quest to root out evil by helping the people who contact her blog.

In Baltimore, Maryland, which some call “Bodymore, Murderland,” there is a woman named Dawnita “Nita” Hawes.  She is the owner of “Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog” where citizens can contact Nita when they have a problem of a supernatural or paranormal nature.  Nita has just begun her quest to root the evil out of her city – with the help of her dead brother, Jason.

Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog #8 (“The Rule to the Exception”) opens with a ghost saying that it wants to let go, but that's not true.  Once upon a time, a group of powerful white men sought immortality, and they paid for that journey with the body and blood of invisible humans.  Now, their descendants must pay, and Detective Harden, once a non-believer, believes enough to call on Nita.  Her brother, Jason, insists that sis sit this one out, but sis ain't backing down.

Plus, two men visit Nita.  One is deeply in love and says all the right things.  The other is petty and jealous and way too old to be acting that way.

THE LOWDOWN:  Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog is a spin-off of Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander's hit vampire comic book, Killadelphia.  We are still early in the new story arc, “Murder By Another Name.”

Although I may be wrong, I interpret Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog as writer Rodney Barnes' most deeply personal work.  The supernatural killer in “Murder By Another Name” comes from Barnes' connections to the history of Black folks in America and how that story is tied in knots to the larger history of violence of the United States.  His stories, particularly here, directly connects that this violence on black people then is a violence on black people now.

On the Nita end of things, Barnes makes Nita feel real and really human because he isn't afraid to depict her pain and loss as coming from deep in her overall hurt; it is not merely character window dressing.  Nita is heroic and vulnerable, and her vulnerability and pain and loss make her determination to continue the mission that much more admirable.

I am in love with Szymon Kudranski's lovely art, especially how he subtly shifts the atmosphere and lighting for each change of scene.  It depends not only on the presence of the supernatural, but also the kind of supernatural present.  Luis Nct's coloring measures the power in those changes.

Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog is like if “Kolchak: The Night Stalker” and Hellblazer had black baby girl.  [What a scandal that would have been at the DC Comics' offices.]  And what a beautiful comic book baby she is.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Killadelphia and of the original Hellblazer will want Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog.

A+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


https://twitter.com/TheRodneyBarnes
https://twitter.com/jasonshawnalex
https://twitter.com/luisnct
https://twitter.com/MarshallDillon
https://twitter.com/ImageComics
https://imagecomics.com/
http://rodneybarnes.com/
https://www.instagram.com/imagecomics/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Image-Comics-Inc/178643148813259
https://www.twitch.tv/imagecomics
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHmaKLo0FXWIPx-3n6qs3vQ
https://www.linkedin.com/company/image-comics/


The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

-------------

Amazon wants me to inform you that the affiliate link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the affiliate link below AND buy something(s).

Comics Review: "Nita Hawes' NIGHTMARE Blog #7" - Jack's Back!

NITA HAWES' NIGHTMARE BLOG #7
IMAGE COMICS

STORY: Rodney Barnes
ART: Szymon Kudranski
COLORS: Luis Nct with mar and Silvestre Galotto
LETTERS: Marshall Dillon
EDITOR: Greg Tumbarello
COVER: Syymon Kudranski
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Jason Shawn Alexander with Luis Nct
28pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S. (August 2022)

Rated “M/ Mature”

Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog created by Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander

“Murder By Another Name” Part I: “A Date with the Ripper”

Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog is a comic book series created by Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander.  Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog is written by Barnes.  The current artist is Szymon Kudranski.  Colorist Luis Nct and letterer by Marshall Dillon complete the creative team.  The series focuses on a woman who is on a quest to root out evil by helping the people who contact her blog.

In Baltimore, Maryland, which some call “Bodymore, Murderland,” there is a woman named Dawnita “Nita” Hawes.  She is the owner of “Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog” where citizens can contact Nita when they have a problem of a supernatural or paranormal nature.  Nita has just begun her quest to root the evil out of her city – with the help of her dead brother, Jason.

Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog #7 (“A Date with the Ripper”) opens in Annapolis, Maryland at “McGarvey's Tavern.”  A high-end Congressman is about to meet a most grisly fate … at the hands of a killer that is apparently concerned about the afterlife.

Meanwhile, it has been six months since Nita danced to the blues of Howlin' Henry and bested the demon, Corson.  Nita has moved on from Jimmy Sangster, Jr. and has a hot new man in her life.  Then, her dead brother, Jason, shows up.  Isn't he supposed to finally be resting in peace?!  And now Detective Harden is calling from Annapolis.

THE LOWDOWN:  Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog is a spin-off of Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander's hit vampire comic book, Killadelphia.  Nita's connections to the series played a substantial part in the series' opening story arc, “The Fire Next Time.”

Now, comes the new story arc, “Murder By Another Name.”  Writer Rodney Barnes continues to spin his visceral horror stories that he builds from the horrid history of the United States when it comes to the treatment of the descendants of African slaves.  I like that Barnes'  horror fiction isn't merely violent narratives.  He mixes mysticism, folk culture, and local magic that result in a kind of dark fantasy that really feels otherworldly, in its own kind of Twilight Zone.

Between his work on Nita Hawes' and A Town Called Terror, artist Szymon Kudranski continues to impress me with his graphical storytelling styles.  Clean line work and luscious brushstrokes create a kind of living darkness where he can bring Barnes' conjurations to life in the most vivid way.

Girl!  Where ya' been?  Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog is back and is great as ever.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Killadelphia and of the original Hellblazer will want Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog.

A+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


https://twitter.com/TheRodneyBarnes
https://twitter.com/jasonshawnalex
https://twitter.com/luisnct
https://twitter.com/MarshallDillon
https://twitter.com/ImageComics
https://imagecomics.com/
http://rodneybarnes.com/
https://www.instagram.com/imagecomics/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Image-Comics-Inc/178643148813259
https://www.twitch.tv/imagecomics
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHmaKLo0FXWIPx-3n6qs3vQ
https://www.linkedin.com/company/image-comics/


The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

----------------------

Amazon wants me to inform you that the affiliate link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the affiliate link below AND buy something(s).

Comics Review: "KILLADELPHIA #24": Biological Did Bother

KILLADELPHIA #24
IMAGE COMICS

STORY: Rodney Barnes
ART: Jason Shawn Alexander with Germán Erramouspe
COLORS: Luis Nct
LETTERS: Marshall Dillon
EDITOR: Greg Tumbarello
COVER: Jason Shawn Alexander
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Kelley Jones with Luis Nct; Jeff Lemire
28pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S. (August 2022)

Rated “M/ Mature”

Killadelphia created by Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander

“The End of All” Part VI: “Time to Die”

Killadelphia is an apocalyptic vampire and dark fantasy comic book series from writer Rodney Barnes and artist Jason Shawn Alexander.  Published by Image Comics, it centers on a conspiracy in which vampires attempt to rule Philadelphia.  Colorist Luis Nct and letterer Marshall Dillon complete Killadelphia's creative team.

Killadelphia focuses on James “Jim” Sangster, Jr. and his father, revered Philadelphia homicide detective, James Sangster, Sr., a vampire!  Father and son lead a ragtag team comprised of a medical examiner (Jose Padilla), werewolves, a witch, and a rebellious, but special young vampire (Tevin Thompkins a.k.a. “See Saw”) in a bid to save Philly.  Their adversary is a former First Lady, the vampire Abigail Adams.

As Killadelphia #24 (“Time to Die”) opens, the legendary vampire hunger, Toussaint Louverture, leads his forces into Philadelphia. Meanwhile, See Saw remembers the lessons he learned from the fate of his mailman father.  He is ready to fight.  So are the werewolf Zubiya and her pack, and their ally, Tituba the Stregherian.

George Washington, Founding Father and Vampire King, and his forces watch.  The Sangsters and the allies gather.  The war begins.

THE LOWDOWN:  We have reached the final chapter of Killadelphia's fourth story arc, “The End of All.”  It prepares the way for the next arc, but before it departs, it leaves us with bittersweet and just plain bitter moments.

As much as I totally enjoy the vampire and werewolf bloodshed of this wonderful comic book, I also like the contemplative side of Killadelphia.  Writer Rodney Barnes and artist Jason Shawn Alexander consistently offer many side dramas, focusing on particular characters.  These vignettes illuminate themes or fill in details concerning current or coming story lines and subplots.

In Killadelphia #24, Barnes and Alexander reveal another side of Tevin Thompkins a.k.a. “See Saw.”  This is the side that will carry See Saw into war, but the authors are never shy about sharing the bitter harvest that America has been for African-Americans for centuries.  There is no glance into Tevin's story that is free of horror.  It is as if Barnes and Alexander are telling us, “This may be dark fantasy, suckas, but this ain't escapism.”  For a moment, the authors made vampires seem less frightening than the adversaries Tevin's father faced.  This won't be the last time the threat of vampires pales before the real horrors of the United States of America...

Although this is the final chapter of the current story arc, it is a perfect time to enter Killadelphia.  It is always a perfect time to enter Killadelphia.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of vampire comic books and of exceptional dark fantasy will want Killadelphia.

[This issue contains an afterword by Rodney Barnes.]

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


https://twitter.com/TheRodneyBarnes
https://twitter.com/jasonshawnalex
https://twitter.com/luisnct
https://twitter.com/MarshallDillon
https://twitter.com/ImageComics
https://imagecomics.com/
http://rodneybarnes.com/
https://www.instagram.com/imagecomics/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Image-Comics-Inc/178643148813259
https://www.twitch.tv/imagecomics
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHmaKLo0FXWIPx-3n6qs3vQ
https://www.linkedin.com/company/image-comics/


The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

---------------------

Amazon wants me to inform you that the affiliate link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the affiliate link below AND buy something(s).

Comics Review: "KILLADELPHIA #23" - Fight the Powers That Be

KILLADELPHIA #23
IMAGE COMICS

STORY: Rodney Barnes
ART: Jason Shawn Alexander with Germán Erramouspe and Nicole Palmquist
COLORS: Luis Nct
LETTERS: Marshall Dillon
EDITOR: Greg Tumbarello
COVER: Jason Shawn Alexander
VARIANT COVER ARTIST: Eli Minaya
28pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S. (July 2022)

Rated “M/ Mature”

Killadelphia created by Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander

“The End of All” Part V: “Twelve Angry Vampires... Four Werewolves... Oh, And A Witch”

Killadelphia is an apocalyptic vampire and dark fantasy comic book series from writer Rodney Barnes and artist Jason Shawn Alexander.  Published by Image Comics, it centers on a conspiracy in which vampires attempt to rule Philadelphia.  Colorist Luis Nct and letterer Marshall Dillon complete Killadelphia's creative team.

Killadelphia focuses on James “Jim” Sangster, Jr. and his father, revered Philadelphia homicide detective, James Sangster, Sr., a vampire!  Father and son lead a ragtag team comprised of a medical examiner (Jose Padilla), werewolves, a witch, and a rebellious, but special young vampire (Tevin Thompkins a.k.a. “See Saw”) in a bid to save Philly.  Their adversary is a former First Lady, the vampire Abigail Adams.

As Killadelphia #23 (“Twelve Angry Vampires... Four Werewolves... Oh, And A Witch”) opens, Washington, Jefferson, and Adams have a meeting of the minds with the Eterna.  Meanwhile, Abigail Adams prepares to tell her ex how things are now.  On the other side of Philly, the werewolf Zubiya and her pack have to come to an agreement – to help the humans or to return to their old haunts.  Tituba the Stregherian witch moderates.

Toussaint Louverture, the legendary vampire hunter, and his sister, Sanité, meet Anansi, who has a warning.  Their fight against the vampires of Killy won't be what they are expecting.  And Jim Sr. speaks to See Saw.  Now is a time for conversation, but soon, there will be war – with directions from the thrones of Hell.

But George Washington: Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army, Founding Father, and first president of the United States is now the undead Vampire King.  Can anyone defeat the very leader who won the battle for America the first time?!

THE LOWDOWN:  We have the penultimate chapter of Killadelphia's fourth story arc, “The End of All.”  It is an outta sight arc, and Chapter Five is the quiet before the storm.

Writer Rodney Barnes and artist Jason Shawn Alexander offer a … reposeful issue of the series with Killadelphia #23.  Barnes uses this issue to gather the major players before the readers and to reveal or emphasize their goals and conflicts.  He smartly puts a spotlight on Toussaint Louverture and Sanité, two players with series potential.

Alexander, with colorist Luis Nct, also does a character spotlight.  This issue is like a family photo album of this wonderful ensemble, Alexander finding beauty in brutal violence and ultimate evil.  Alexander's gift is to make each character a star in his own way, stressing his or her importance, even if the readers don't always catch on quickly.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of vampire comic books and of exceptional dark fantasy will want Killadelphia.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


https://twitter.com/TheRodneyBarnes
https://twitter.com/jasonshawnalex
https://twitter.com/luisnct
https://twitter.com/MarshallDillon
https://twitter.com/ImageComics
https://imagecomics.com/
http://rodneybarnes.com/
https://www.instagram.com/imagecomics/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Image-Comics-Inc/178643148813259
https://www.twitch.tv/imagecomics
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHmaKLo0FXWIPx-3n6qs3vQ
https://www.linkedin.com/company/image-comics/


The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

----------------

Amazon wants me to inform you that the affiliate link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the affiliate link below AND buy something(s).

Comics Review: "KILLADELPHIA #22" - How Many of Us Have Them

KILLADELPHIA #22
IMAGE COMICS

STORY: Rodney Barnes
ART: Jason Shawn Alexander with Germán Erramouspe and Nicole Palmquist
COLORS: Luis Nct
LETTERS: Marshall Dillon
EDITOR: Greg Tumbarello
COVER: Jason Shawn Alexander
VARIANT COVER ARTIST: Elia Bonetti
28pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S. (May 2022)

Rated “M/ Mature”

Killadelphia and Elysium Gardens created by Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander

“The End of All” Part IV: “The Conversation”

Killadelphia is an apocalyptic vampire and dark fantasy comic book series from writer Rodney Barnes and artist Jason Shawn Alexander and is published by Image Comics.  At the center of this series is a police officer caught in a lurid conspiracy in which vampires attempt to rule Philadelphia, “the City of Brotherly Love.”  Colorist Luis Nct and letterer Marshall Dillon complete Killadelphia's creative team.

Killadelphia focuses on James “Jim” Sangster, Jr. and his father, revered Philadelphia homicide detective, James Sangster, Sr., thought to be dead.  He is actually a vampire.  Now father and son lead a ragtag team comprised of a medical examiner (Jose Padilla), a dead president, and a rebellious, but special young vampire (Tevin Thompkins a.k.a. “See Saw”) in a bid to save Philly from an ambitious and murderous former First Lady, Abigail Adams.

As Killadelphia #22 (“The Conversation”) opens, Abigail and her coven are having an unpleasant conversation among themselves.  It gets more unpleasant when (vampire) George Washington, See Saw, and Aelio arrive for a deeper conversation.  It seems that these different factions must come together because the one true vampire king has returned to claim his throne and to lay waste to America.

Meanwhile, Jimmy and Tituba, the Stregherian witch, are still searching for See Saw.  They may have to throw more light on the situation than they expected... and they are also due for some conversation.

THE LOWDOWN:  We have entered the second half of Killadelphia's fourth story arc, “The End of All.”  It is an outta sight arc, and individually, so is Chapter Four, which resides under Jason Shawn Alexander's sexy-back cover.

Writer Rodney Barnes is a writer and executive producer on HBO's event series, “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.”  Reading Killadelphia is also a winning time because pretty much every issue introduces something entirely new that is entirely consequential, and totally amazing.  Killadelphia #22 is a basket of dark fantasy delights, featuring characters that could carry their own series, especially Tituba.  Here, what makes the characters rich is not so much their personalities as it is what they want.

Killadelphia #22 may also be the first time that I realized how artist Jason Shawn Alexander and colorist Luis Nct have managed to create such a menagerie of vampires and individual characters.  The characters with speaking roles have a unique look, and the coloring gives each one a visual and graphic personality.  It is a feast for the eyes and for the imagination.

Killadelphia #22 makes me feel like I have rediscovered the series, in a way.  Dear readers, I want you to discover it, also.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of vampire comic books and of exceptional dark fantasy will want Killadelphia.

A+

Reviewed by Leroy Douressesaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


https://twitter.com/TheRodneyBarnes
https://twitter.com/jasonshawnalex
https://twitter.com/luisnct
https://twitter.com/MarshallDillon
https://twitter.com/ImageComics
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http://rodneybarnes.com/
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Comics Review: On the Streets of "KILLADELPHIA #21"

KILLADELPHIA #21
IMAGE COMICS

STORY: Rodney Barnes
ART: Jason Shawn Alexander with Germán Erramouspe, Sherard Jackson, Nicole Palmquist
COLORS: Luis Nct
LETTERS: Marshall Dillon
EDITOR: Greg Tumbarello
COVER: Jason Shawn Alexander
VARIANT COVER ARTIST: Paul Azaceta
28pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S. (April 2022)

Rated “M/ Mature”

Killadelphia and Elysium Gardens created by Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander

“The End of All” Part III: “The Truth”

Killadelphia is an apocalyptic vampire and dark fantasy comic book series from writer Rodney Barnes and artist Jason Shawn Alexander and is published by Image Comics.  At the center of this series is a police officer caught in a lurid conspiracy in which vampires attempt to rule Philadelphia, “the City of Brotherly Love.”  Colorist Luis Nct and letterer Marshall Dillon complete Killadelphia's creative team.

Killadelphia focuses on James “Jim” Sangster, Jr. and his father, revered Philadelphia homicide detective, James Sangster, Sr., thought to be dead.  He is actually a vampire.  Now father and son lead a ragtag team comprised of a medical examiner (Jose Padilla), a dead president, and a rebellious, but special young vampire (Tevin Thompkins a.k.a. “See Saw”) in a bid to save Philly from an ambitious and murderous former First Lady, Abigail Adams.

Killadelphia #21 (“The Truth”) finds Jose and the Zubiya werewolf pack out on a supply run.  The streets of Philadelphia may be mostly empty because of its vampire apocalypse, but those desperate enough for supplies are out in these streets.  In a ransacked pharmacy, Jose meets some of them, and before long, she the peacemaker between two packs – werewolf and predatory humans.

Meanwhile, See Saw is at a crossroads.  The young vampire is tired of dealing with all the lies he's been told.  Now, George Washington has brought someone who can tell the young blood a new story.  Meet Aelio and hare his tale of “the Eterna.”

THE LOWDOWN:  We are in the middle of Killadelphia's fourth story arc, “The End of All.”  It is outta sight, and individually, so is Chapter Three, which resides under Jason Shawn Alexander's Gustav Klimt-inspired cover.

Writer Rodney Barnes is a writer and executive producer on HBO's event series, “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.”  In Killadelphia, he plumbs the depths of America's original dynasties, in all their layers of secrets, lies, sins, and hidden truths.  One half of issue #21 offers what feels like a much needed happy ending.  The other half presents one of those wonderful Killadelphia histories – an alternative history of magic, mysticism, and secret things.  The truth, as Barnes gives it to us, is always fun to read, although this is the kind of thing that will eventually get Killadelphia labeled “CRT,”
… or woke … or politically correct...

I am always happy to see series artist and co-creator Jason Shawn Alexander and his team draw werewolves.  I may have stated previously that Killadelphia and its connecting series have some of the best drawn werewolves since the late Bernie Wrightson drew them for Stephen King's Cycle of the Werewolf.

Overall, the graphical storytelling here is quite good.  Here, series of still illustrations come together and flow like moving pictures of shifting moods and settings.  Even within the back story and history, the art gives a sense of change and of time passing.  The heart of Killadelphia is the changing story and the mercurial narrative, and in that, Killadelphia will tell its the truth … or maybe many truths.

Read this issue, dear readers, and discover why other readers are finding their way to Killadelphia – loving it and thirsting for it.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of vampire comic books and of exceptional dark fantasy will want Killadelphia.

A+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


https://twitter.com/TheRodneyBarnes
https://twitter.com/jasonshawnalex
https://twitter.com/luisnct
https://twitter.com/MarshallDillon
https://twitter.com/ImageComics
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Comics Review: "Nita Hawes' NIGHTMARE Blog #6": You've Got Another Thing Coming

NITA HAWES' NIGHTMARE BLOG #6
IMAGE COMICS

STORY: Rodney Barnes
ART: Szymon Kudranski
COLORS: Luis Nct with mar and Silvestre Galotto
LETTERS: Marshall Dillon
EDITOR: Greg Tumbarello
COVER: well-BEE
VARIANT COVER ARTIST: Jason Shawn Alexander
28pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S. (April 2022)

Rated “M/ Mature”

Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog created by Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander

“The Fire Next Time” Part VI: “Revelations”

Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog is a comic book series created by Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander.  Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog is written by Barnes.  It has been drawn by the artists Jason Shawn Alexander, well-BEE, and Patrick Reynolds, with Szymon Kudranski being the current artist.  Colorist Luis Nct and letterer by Marshall Dillon complete the creative team.  The series focuses on a woman who is on a quest to root out the evil in her city.

In Baltimore, Maryland, which some call “Bodymore, Murderland,” there is a woman named Dawnita “Nita” Hawes.  She is the owner of “Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog” where citizens can contact Nita when they have a problem of a supernatural or paranormal nature.  Nita has just begun her quest to root the evil out of her city – with the help of her dead brother, Jason.

As Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog #6 (“Revelations”) opens, Jason chats with Anansi the Spider-God, about his life and about Nita.  Her first case is a hot mess, and Hell is threatening to spill over into the land of the living.  Now, Jason and Anansi must travel to Hell to free Nita from the one of the four demon kings, Corson, who snatched her soul from her body.  Now, he won't let go, but maybe it isn't necessarily Corson's power that is keeping her in Perdition.

Meanwhile, an elderly, wheel-chair bound Steve Carpenter waits in his mansion for a visit from the man he and his late business partner, Harry Boartfield, screwed over.  That would be one “Howlin'” Henry Hawkins, legendary blues singer and currently possessed by Corson.  Can Nita free her ass in time to save Carpenter's old white ass?

THE LOWDOWN:  Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog is a spin-off of Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander's hit vampire comic book, Killadelphia.  Nita's connections to the series play a substantial part in this opening story arc, “The Fire Next Time,” which has now come to an end.

As dark as this series has been, writer Rodney Barnes has found time for humor, and this sixth issue shows that the supernatural are willing to talk shit to one another even with all Hell on the line.  In a strange way, it makes the threat of danger more dangerous or more threatening.  This is another reason why Nita reminds me of John Constantine and his dark fantasy and multitude of moods series, Hellblazer.  However, thus far, Barnes does not make Nita all-powerful, and it seems that he will grow the character before our very eyes.  What is she really and who or what will she be?

Artist Szymon Kudranski offers a mix of graphical storytelling styles – from clean line work and a smooth brushstroke to jarring and pitch-black compositions for the panels in Hell and from Hell.  Kudranski captures the series' signature – hope and damnation – and he conveys the right moods for a story arc that has an ending and also lingering elements and plot lines.

So, wow!  What a ride.  The series takes a quick break, which gives you, dear readers, a chance to read this first case in Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Killadelphia and of the original Hellblazer will want Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog.

A+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


https://twitter.com/TheRodneyBarnes
https://twitter.com/jasonshawnalex
https://twitter.com/luisnct
https://twitter.com/MarshallDillon
https://twitter.com/ImageComics
https://imagecomics.com/
http://rodneybarnes.com/
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Comics Review: "KILLADELPHIA #20" - God Bless Amerika

KILLADELPHIA #20
IMAGE COMICS

STORY: Rodney Barnes
ART: Jason Shawn Alexander with Germán Erramouspe, Sherard Jackson, Nicole Palmquist
COLORS: Luis Nct
LETTERS: Marshall Dillon
EDITOR: Greg Tumbarello
COVER: Jason Shawn Alexander
VARIANT COVER ARTIST: Erik Larsen
28pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S. (March 2022)

Rated “M/ Mature”

Killadelphia and Elysium Gardens created by Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander

“The End of All” Part II: “The Decision”

Killadelphia is an apocalyptic vampire and dark fantasy comic book series from writer Rodney Barnes and artist Jason Shawn Alexander and is published by Image Comics.  At the center of this series is a police officer caught in a lurid conspiracy in which vampires attempt to rule Philadelphia, “the City of Brotherly Love.”  Colorist Luis Nct and letterer Marshall Dillon complete Killadelphia's creative team.

Killadelphia focuses on James “Jim” Sangster, Jr. and his father, revered Philadelphia homicide detective, James Sangster, Sr., thought to be dead.  He is actually a vampire.  Now father and son lead a ragtag team comprised of a medical examiner, a dead president, and a rebellious, but special young vampire (Tevin Thompkins a.k.a. “See Saw”) in a bid to save Philly from an ambitious and murderous former First Lady, Abigail Adams.

As Killadelphia #20 (“The Decision”) opens, the rebellious and very special young vampire, Tevin Thompkins a.k.a. “See Saw,” finds himself at a crossroads … of sorts.  George Washington – yes, that one – wants to have a meeting of the minds with him.  That means the “Father of Our Nation” has a (back) story to tell.  Hope it does not put See Saw to sleep, but he better listen.  This undead president has some illuminating allies.

Abigail Adams and her lot plot against her husband, former President John Adams, and his forces, which are now aligned with the Sangsters and their allies.  Where will the former First Lady go to find an equalizer?

And are Zubiya and her werewolf pack and Tituba, the witch of Stregheria, really allies?  And if so, how far are they willing to go?

THE LOWDOWN:  Killadelphia's fourth story arc, “The End of All,” has just begun, and it is outta sight! already.  It is being described as a turning point in the series, and Killadelphia #20 is indeed filled with a lot of big things and big reveals.

While Rodney Barnes was writing beautiful comic books like Killadelphia and Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog, he was also co-writing (and acting in) an entire damn event television series for HBO (“Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty”).  One could never tell, though.  Killadelphia feels like the work of someone exercising his insane imagine over the hot stove of this narrative, with a simmering pot on each burner – and focusing on nothing else.

As he has for a couple of years now, artist and co-creator, Jason Shawn Alexander, turns Barnes' brilliant script into the most intense and invigorating dark horror comic book art and graphical storytelling that I have experienced in a long time.  The crazy thing about Alexander's amazing work is that, at least to me, every issue looks different, and, even more so, seems different.  It is as if Killadelphia takes place in a thousand dreaming cities, and Alexander will show us every version of this dream – even if his drawing hand falls off.  He even takes time to give us a George Washington that looks like “New Romantics”/pop era David Bowie.  How about that for an immortal makeover?

So take a trip to Killadelphia.  The good stuff … and other things are waiting for you.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of vampire comic books and of exceptional dark fantasy will want Killadelphia.

A+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


https://twitter.com/TheRodneyBarnes
https://twitter.com/jasonshawnalex
https://twitter.com/luisnct
https://twitter.com/MarshallDillon
https://twitter.com/ImageComics
https://imagecomics.com/
http://rodneybarnes.com/
https://www.instagram.com/imagecomics/
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Comics Review: "Nita Hawes' NIGHTMARE Blog #5" is Dark and Hell is Hot

NITA HAWES' NIGHTMARE BLOG #5
IMAGE COMICS

STORY: Rodney Barnes
ART: Szymon Kudranski
COLORS: Luis Nct with mar and Silvestre Galotto
LETTERS: Marshall Dillon
EDITOR: Greg Tumbarello
COVER: well-BEE
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Jason Shawn Alexander
28pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S. (March 2022)

Rated “M/ Mature”

Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog created by Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander

“The Fire Next Time” Part V: “Soul Searching”

Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog is a comic book series created by Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander.  Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog is written by Barnes.  It has been drawn by the artists Jason Shawn Alexander, well-BEE, and Patrick Reynolds, with Szymon Kudranski being the current artist.  Colorist Luis Nct and letterer by Marshall Dillon complete the creative team.  The series focuses on a woman who is on a quest to root out the evil in her city.

In Baltimore, Maryland, which some call “Bodymore, Murderland,” there is a woman named Dawnita “Nita” Hawes.  She is the owner of “Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog” where citizens can contact Nita when they have a problem of a supernatural or paranormal nature.  Nita has just begun her quest to root the evil out of her city – with the help of her dead brother, Jason.

As Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog #5 (“Soul Searching”) opens, an elderly, wheel-chair bound Steve Carpenter attends the graveside funeral of his son, daughter-in-law, and two grandsons.  Once upon a time, Carpenter and his late business partner, Harry Boartfield, owned the recording contract of the legendary blues singer, “Howlin'” Henry Hawkins.  Old Henry gave his body over to one of the four demon kings, Corson, to pay back Carpenter and Boartfield for screwing him over.  Carpenter's kin just happened to be on the worst end of the payback.

Somewhere down below, our new favorite paranormal investigator, Nita Hawes, is philosophizing with a big boss demon.  And if that weren't bad enough, Nita will end up in a still worse place and have to deal with an ex – someone familiar to us.

THE LOWDOWN:  Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog is a spin-off of Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander's hit vampire comic book, Killadelphia.  Nita's connections to the series play a big part in this opening story arc, “The Fire Next Time,” which has reached it penultimate issue.

Writer Rodney Barnes approaches Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog with the same force of imagination with which he brings to Killadelphia.  However, Nita Hawes is the eye of the storm in her own series in a way that no single character in Killadelphia is.  In that way, Nita has power in a manner that the character John Constantine had in his series, Hellblazer.  Since DC Comics ruined Hellblazer, Barnes' has created the perfect series to take its place.

Artist Szymon Kudranski current run as the series' artist is straight hellfire.  Kudranski brings Barnes' occult infusions to life with madness and magic, and he makes the “Nightmare” in the title stay nightmarish.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Killadelphia and of the original Hellblazer will want Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog.

A+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


https://twitter.com/TheRodneyBarnes
https://twitter.com/jasonshawnalex
https://twitter.com/luisnct
https://twitter.com/MarshallDillon
https://twitter.com/ImageComics
https://imagecomics.com/
http://rodneybarnes.com/
https://www.instagram.com/imagecomics/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Image-Comics-Inc/178643148813259
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Comics Review: "KILLADELPHIA #19" - Return of the King

KILLADELPHIA #19
IMAGE COMICS

STORY: Rodney Barnes
ART: Jason Shawn Alexander with Germán Erramouspe
COLORS: Luis Nct
LETTERS: Marshall Dillon
EDITOR: Greg Tumbarello
COVER: Jason Shawn Alexander
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Jae Lee with June Chung; Nick Runge
28pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S. (February 2022)

Rated “M/ Mature”

Killadelphia and Elysium Gardens created by Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander

“The End of All” Part I: “Hope Springs Eternal”

Killadelphia is an apocalyptic vampire and dark fantasy comic book series from writer Rodney Barnes and artist Jason Shawn Alexander and is published by Image Comics.  At the center of this series is a police officer caught in a lurid conspiracy in which vampires attempt to rule Philadelphia, “the City of Brotherly Love.”  Colorist Luis Nct and letterer Marshall Dillon complete Killadelphia's creative team.

Killadelphia focuses on James “Jim” Sangster, Jr. and his father, revered Philadelphia homicide detective, James Sangster, Sr., thought to be dead.  He is actually a vampire.  Now father and son lead a ragtag team comprised of a medical examiner, a dead president, and a rebellious, but special young vampire (Tevin Thompkins a.k.a. “See Saw”) in a bid to save Philly from an ambitious and murderous former First Lady, Abigail Adams.

As Killadelphia #19 (“Hope Springs Eternal”) opens, Jim Sr. and his allies make their final stand against Abigail Adams.  She is already in the process of dispatching her husband, John Adams, the second President of the United States and a vampire.

Sangster needs allies.  Enter the werewolves of Elysium Gardens.  Abigail also has new allies, including the necromancer Thomas Jefferson!  Will the demons unearthed from America's past threaten the existence of Philadelphia and of the world as we know it?

THE LOWDOWN:  Killadelphia's fourth story arc, “The End of All,” begins.  It is being described as a turning point in the series.

The truth is that most issues of Killadelphia are turning points in the narrative.  Writer Rodney Barnes continues to expand this series beyond – way beyond – its initial description as a vampire comic book.  The characters are rich and complex, and the fact that the characters are who they are … well, it is bold and visionary.  After all, the so-called “Founding Fathers” of the United States were always vampires, so Killadelphia is telling you the truth.  Seriously, just about every issue has something new, sometimes something unseen in mainstream comic books.  Thus, Killadelphia is about changing and turning, transforming the predictable into the unexpected.

Welcome back, Killadelphia.  And dear readers, you don't need to have read the previous issues to enjoy Killadelphia #19.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of vampire comic books and of exceptional dark fantasy will want Killadelphia.

A+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Read You"


https://twitter.com/TheRodneyBarnes
https://twitter.com/jasonshawnalex
https://twitter.com/luisnct
https://twitter.com/MarshallDillon
https://twitter.com/ImageComics
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Comics Review: "JAMES BOND: Himeros #5" is a Royale Ending

JAMES BOND: HIMEROS #5
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: Rodney Barnes
ART: Giorgio Pontrelli
COLORS: Adriano Augusto
LETTERS: Social Myth Studios
EDITOR: Joe Rybandt
COVER: Francesco Francavilla
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Jackson “Butch” Guice; Francesco Francavilla
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (February 2022)

Rated T+

Based on the characters and stories created by Ian Fleming

“James Bond” is a fictional British Secret Service agent created by Ian Fleming, a British writer and novelist.  Fleming introduced James Bond in the 1953 novel, Casino Royale, and featured the character in 12 novels and two short-story collections.  Of course, most people know Bond because of Eon Productions' long-running James Bond-007 film series, which began with the 1962 film, Dr. No.

Over the past 50+ years, Bond has made sporadic appearances in comic books, but Dynamite Entertainment has been steadily publishing James Bond comic books since early 2016.  Their latest James Bond comic book is James Bond: Himeros.  It is written by Rodney Barnes; drawn alternately by Antonio Ruso, Pierluigi Minotti, and Giorgio Pontrelli; colored by Adriano Augusto; and lettered by Social Myth Studios.  In Himeros, 007's struggles to save a woman from Anton Bates, a military arms dealer who wants to keep secret his connections to billionaire financier and notorious sex trafficker, the late Richard Wilhelm, from coming to light.

James Bond: Himeros #5 opens on Wilhelm's island.  There, Bond makes his last stand to protect Sarah Richmond, Wilhelm's right hand man and keeper of his secrets.  That means taking on Bates' assassin, Kino.  Bond knows that by the end of this, not everyone is walking away with their lives.

THE LOWDOWN:  In July 2021, Dynamite Entertainment's marketing department began providing me with PDF review copies of some of their titles.  One of them is James Bond: Himeros #5, which is one of several Dynamite James Bond comic books I've read.

James Bond: Himeros #5 is the final issue of the series, and writer Rodney Barnes offers an ending so explosive that it might … blow your minds.  Barnes' certainly ends Himeros better than No Time to Die ended actor Daniel Craig's run as movies James Bond.  Still, readers may find Barnes' take on Bond to be as tough as thuggish as Craig's.

Giorgio Pontrelli proves to be the best of the three artists that drew this series.  Pontrelli draws this final chapter in widescreen which gives the story a cinematic effect, and the art makes Barnes' story hit with two-fisted authority.

I would like to see Barnes and Pontrelli attack another James Bond comic book with the same storytelling ferocity.  This comic book miniseries feels like classic Bond, and it certainly reminds me of the Bond prose that I have read.  “Himeros” is the Greek god of sexual desire, and after reading James Bond: Himeros, dear readers, I am horny for more.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of James Bond comic books will want to try James Bond: Himeros.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


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Comics Review: "Nita Hawes' NIGHTMARE Blog #4" Made Me Say Ugh (Ugh) ... Na Nah Na Nah

NITA HAWES' NIGHTMARE BLOG #4
IMAGE COMICS

STORY: Rodney Barnes
ART: Szymon Kudranski
COLORS: Luis Nct with mar and Silvestre Galotto
LETTERS: Marshall Dillon
EDITOR: Greg Tumbarello
COVER: well-BEE
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Jason Shawn Alexander
28pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S. (February 2022)

Rated “M/ Mature”

Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog created by Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander

“The Fire Next Time” Part IV: “When the Music Stops”

Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog is a new comic book series created by Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander.  Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog is written by Barnes.  It has been drawn by the artists Jason Shawn Alexander, well-BEE, and Patrick Reynolds, with Szymon Kudranski being the artist on the current issue.  Colorist Luis Nct and letterer by Marshall Dillon complete the creative team.  The series focuses on a woman who is on a quest to root out the evil in her city.

In Baltimore, Maryland, which some call “Bodymore, Murderland,” there is a woman named Dawnita “Nita” Hawes.  She is the owner of “Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog” where citizens can contact Nita when they have a problem of a supernatural or paranormal nature.  Nita has just begun her quest to root the evil out of her city – with the help of her dead brother, Jason.

As Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog #4 (“When the Music Stops”) opens, we learn what drove legendary blues singer, “Howlin'” Henry Hawkins, to give his body over to one of the four demon kings, Corson.  In the present, Nita and Anansi the Spider-God take on Henry and discover the legion of monstrosities that Corson has placed in his body.

Nita, however, doesn't take Jason's warning as seriously as she should.  The paranormal investigator is going from hunter to prey.  Who is Corson's ultimate prize?  Plus, some Killadelphia references slide into the story.

THE LOWDOWN:  Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog is a spin-off of Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander's hit vampire comic book, Killadelphia.  In fact, Dawnita “Nita” Hawes is the ex-lover of one of Killadelphia's lead characters, Jimmy Sangster, Jr.

Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog has established that it is a comic book that can stand on its own.  Well, writer Rodney Barnes offers so much good storytelling in this fourth issue that if it were a cake, it would put the people who tasted it into a diabetic coma.  It is so good that I think it broke my vocabulary.  I can say that Barnes presents Henry Hawkin's back story in a way that definitely made me sympathetic in the context of the “deal with the Devil” that Henry made.

Szymon Kudranski, the artist for Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog #4, does a wonderful job creating this graphical story from Barnes' magical script.  Topped by Luis Nct's splatterfest of nightmarish neon colors, and this fourth issue is a masterpiece.  The devilish cherry on top is Marshall Dillon's lettering that shouts the dialogue like curses.

We have a winner in Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog.  I curse you to read it.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Killadelphia and of the original Hellblazer will want Nita Hawes' Nightmare Blog.

A+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


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Comics Review: The Army of Darkness 1979 #5 Ends the Series with a Battle Royale

THE ARMY OF DARKNESS 1979 VOLUME 1 #5
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: Rodney Barnes
ART: Edu Menna
COLORS: Dinei Ribero
LETTERS: Troy Peteri
EDITOR: Joe Rybandt
COVER: Francesco Mattina
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Arthur Suydam; Junggeun Yoon; Stuart Sayger; Ken Haeser; Francesco Mattina
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (January 2022)

Rated Teen+

Army of Darkness is a 1992 comic horror film and the third film in the Evil Dead film franchise.  The film focuses on the series' lead character, Ash Williams (portrayed by actor Bruce Campbell), as he is trapped in the Middle Ages and battling an army of undead warriors.

In 1992, Dark Horse Comics released a three-issue adaptation of Army of Darkness, and in 2004, Dynamite Entertainment acquired the rights to produce comics based on the Army of Darkness film, featuring Ash as the main character.

The most recent Army of Darkness comic book in the Dynamite catalog is The Army of Darkness 1979.  It is written by Rodney Barnes; drawn by Tom Garcia and Edu Menna; colored by Dinei Ribero; and lettered by Troy Peteri.  In the new series, Ash Williams finds himself in late 1970s New York City.  Not only is he fighting his usual adversaries, the Deadites and the Necronomicon, but he is also caught in a turf war between rival street gangs.

The Army of Darkness 1979 Volume 1 #5 opens with Ash reminiscing.  Of course, it ends badly.  Back to reality:  Ash is now the leader of “The Half Deads,” and he's leading them against “The Warlocks.”  The problem is that Bishop, leader of The Walocks, is in possession of the Necronomicon … and former leader of The Half Deads, Lilith, is now Bishop's arm candy.

So now, it will take a battle royale of all the gangs of New York to stop Bishop and The Warlocks.  Can Ash lead them against an invasion of Deadites?  Can Lilith stay true … to someone?

THE LOWDOWN:  In July 2021, Dynamite Entertainment's marketing department began providing me with PDF review copies of some of their titles.  One of them is The Army of Darkness 1979 Volume 1 #5, which is the fifth Dynamite Entertainment Army of Darkness comic book I have read.

Writer Rodney Barnes brings The Army of Darkness 1979 to a rousing conclusion.  It's his best issue of the series; not only is the action good, but issue #5 is the funniest.  Edu Menna also turns in the series' best art, topped by Dinei Ribero's hot colors.  It's all under a … dynamite Francesco Mattina cover.

When I finished reading Army of Darkness 1979 Volume 1 #1, I didn't think I want more when I finished the final issue.  But Yes! to more Rodney Barnes Army of Darkness, I say.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Army of Darkness comic books and of the franchise, in general, will want to read The Army of Darkness 1979.

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


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The text is copyright © 2022 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

--------------------

Amazon wants me to inform you that the link below is a PAID AD, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on the ad below AND buy something(s).