NEGROMANCER 2.0

Monday, July 24, 2023

DC Comics Shipping from Lunar Distributors for July 25, 2023

DC COMICS:

Batman Beyond Neo-Gothic #1 (Cover A Max Dunbar), $4.99

Batman Beyond Neo-Gothic #1 (Cover B Christian Ward Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Batman Beyond Neo-Gothic #1 (Cover C Ejikure Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Batman Beyond Neo-Gothic #1 (Cover D Belen Ortega Card Stock Variant), AR

Batman Beyond Neo-Gothic #1 (Cover E Dike Ruan Card Stock Variant), AR

Batman Gotham Knights Gilded City HC, $24.99

Batman The Audio Adventures #7 (Of 7)(Cover A Dave Johnson), $3.99

Batman The Audio Adventures #7 (Of 7)(Cover B Michael Allred Card Stock Variant), $4.99

Batman The Brave And The Bold #3 (Cover A Simone Di Meo), $7.99

Batman The Brave And The Bold #3 (Cover B Mitch Gerads), $7.99

Batman The Brave And The Bold #3 (Cover C Otto Schmidt), $7.99

Batman The Brave And The Bold #3 (Cover D Jorge Molina), AR

Batman The Knight HC, $39.99

DC Connect #39, AR

DC RWBY #6 (Of 7)(Cover A Meghan Hetrick), $3.99

DC RWBY #6 (Of 7)(Cover B Mirka Andolfo Card Stock Variant), $4.99

Icon And Rocket Season One TP, $19.99

Knight Terrors #2 (Of 4)(Cover A Ivan Reis & Danny Miki), $3.99

Knight Terrors #2 (Of 4)(Cover B Francesco Mattina Card Stock Variant), $4.99

Knight Terrors #2 (Of 4)(Cover C Mahmud Asrar Card Stock Variant), $4.99

Knight Terrors #2 (Of 4)(Cover D Ivan Reis Darkest Hour Neon Ink Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Knight Terrors #2 (Of 4)(Cover E Jeff Spokes Card Stock Variant), AR

Knight Terrors #2 (Of 4)(Cover F Ivan Reis Card Stock Variant), AR

Knight Terrors #2 (Of 4)(Cover G Mahmud Asrar Card Stock Variant), AR

Knight Terrors Action Comics #1 (Of 2)(Cover A Rafa Sandoval), $4.99

Knight Terrors Action Comics #1 (Of 2)(Cover B Mico Suayan Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Knight Terrors Action Comics #1 (Of 2)(Cover C Gerald Parel Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Knight Terrors Action Comics #1 (Of 2)(Cover D Dustin Nguyen Midnight Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Knight Terrors Action Comics #1 (Of 2)(Cover E Otto Schmidt Card Stock Variant), AR

Knight Terrors Action Comics #1 (Of 2)(Cover F Meghan Hetrick Card Stock Variant), AR

Knight Terrors Angel Breaker #1 (Of 2)(Cover A Matteo Lolli), $3.99

Knight Terrors Angel Breaker #1 (Of 2)(Cover B Ivan Tao Card Stock Variant), $4.99

Knight Terrors Angel Breaker #1 (Of 2)(Cover C Lesley Leirix Li Card Stock Variant), $4.99

Knight Terrors Angel Breaker #1 (Of 2)(Cover D Dustin Nguyen Midnight Card Stock Variant), $4.99

Knight Terrors Angel Breaker #1 (Of 2)(Cover E Chuma Hill Card Stock Variant), AR

Knight Terrors Angel Breaker #1 (Of 2)(Cover F Matteo Lolli Card Stock Variant), AR

Knight Terrors Detective Comics #1 (Of 2)(Cover A Riccardo Federici), $4.99

Knight Terrors Detective Comics #1 (Of 2)(Cover B Bernard Chang Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Knight Terrors Detective Comics #1 (Of 2)(Cover C Kyle Hotz Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Knight Terrors Detective Comics #1 (Of 2)(Cover D Dustin Nguyen Midnight Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Knight Terrors Detective Comics #1 (Of 2)(Cover E Cully Hamner Card Stock Variant), AR

Knight Terrors Detective Comics #1 (Of 2)(Cover F Bernard Chang Card Stock Variant), AR

Knight Terrors Harley Quinn #1 (Of 2)(Cover A Hayden Sherman), $4.99

Knight Terrors Harley Quinn #1 (Of 2)(Cover B Jenny Frison Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Knight Terrors Harley Quinn #1 (Of 2)(Cover C Tula Lotay Card Stock Variant, $5.99

Knight Terrors Harley Quinn #1 (Of 2)(Cover D Dustin Nguyen Midnight Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Knight Terrors Harley Quinn #1 (Of 2)(Cover E Caspar Wijngaard Card Stock Variant), AR

Knight Terrors Harley Quinn #1 (Of 2)(Cover F Sweeney Boo Card Stock Variant), AR

Knight Terrors Titans #1 (Of 2)(Cover A Yanick Paquette), $4.99

Knight Terrors Titans #1 (Of 2)(Cover B Alvaro Martinez Bueno Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Knight Terrors Titans #1 (Of 2)(Cover C Christian Ward Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Knight Terrors Titans #1 (Of 2)(Cover D Dustin Nguyen Midnight Card Stock Variant), $5.99

Knight Terrors Titans #1 (Of 2)(Cover E Tony Harris Card Stock Variant), AR

Knight Terrors Titans #1 (Of 2)(Cover F Jorge Corona Card Stock Variant), AR

Poison Ivy Uncovered #1 (One Shot)(Cover A Guillem March), $5.99

Poison Ivy Uncovered #1 (One Shot)(Cover B Christian Ward), $5.99

Poison Ivy Uncovered #1 (One Shot)(Cover C Dan Mora), $5.99

Poison Ivy Uncovered #1 (One Shot)(Cover D Lesley Leirix Li Foil Variant), $7.99

Poison Ivy Uncovered #1 (One Shot)(Cover E Ejikure), AR

Poison Ivy Uncovered #1 (One Shot)(Cover F Dan Mora), AR

Superman The Last Days Of Lex Luthor #1 (Of 3)(Cover A Bryan Hitch), $6.99

Superman The Last Days Of Lex Luthor #1 (Of 3)(Cover B Kevin Nowlan Variant), $6.99

Superman The Last Days Of Lex Luthor #1 (Of 3)(Cover C Chris Samnee Variant), $6.99

Superman The Last Days Of Lex Luthor #1 (Of 3)(Cover D Yanick Paquette Variant), AR

Superman The Last Days Of Lex Luthor #1 (Of 3)(Cover E Evan Doc Shaner Variant), AR

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Comics Review: "BATTLE CHASERS #11" Raises the Stakes

BATTLE CHASERS #11

IMAGE COMICS

STORY: Joe Madureira

ART: Ludo Lullabi

COLORS: Ludo Lullabi

LETTERS: Richard Starkings & Comicraft's Tyler Smith

COVER: Ludo Lullabi

VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Joe Madureira with Billy Garretsen; Jonboy Meyers

MISC. ART: Ludo Lullabi; Jonboy Meyers; Andrew Cockroach; Chris Bourassa

28pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S. (July 2023)

Rated “M/ Mature”

Battle Chasers created by Joe Madureira

“Martial Law” Part Two

Battle Chasers is a fantasy comic book series created by artist Joe Madureira. The series, originally published from 1998 to 2001, returns via Image Comics. It is written by Madureira; drawn and colored by Ludo Lullabi; and lettered by Tyler Smith.

Battle Chasers focuses on five main characters. There is Gully, a ten-year-old girl who has a pair of magical gauntlets. Garrison is a legendary swordsman who possesses a powerful magical sword. Knolan is a mighty 500-year-old wizard, and his companion, Calibretto, is a towering “Wargolem.” Also aboard is Red Monika, a voluptuous outlaw who is the target of King Vaneer of the Unified Territories.

Battle Chasers #11 opens in Sirene Valley. Red Monika has awakened to find herself badly injured and her savior, Garrison, missing. Before she can start looking for him, she still has a fight on her hands – a fight for her life.

Meanwhile, Maestro and his Master Paladins have cornered Garrison. Maestro is willing to make a deal, but Garrison must give up Red Monika, which for him means no deal. The powerful sword that Garrison possesses may be possessing him, and it may not be in his hands for much longer.

THE LOWDOWN: I have previously written that I was a huge fan of Joe Madureira a.k.a. “Joe Mad” in the 1990s. I was also a huge fan of Battle Chasers, and I am glad that the series has been revived, even if Mad is no longer drawing it.

That is not necessarily a bad thing. Current artist, Ludo Lullabi, perfectly captures the madcap energy of Madureira's wild and kinetic storytelling. For Battle Chasers #11, Ludo's art dances and flits across the page like lightning bolts, which makes the action move so quickly that I couldn't stop reading. Also, the lettering by Tyler Smith is the perfect accompaniment to Ludo's storytelling. I miss seeing the big symphonic lettering of Comicraft as much as I once did, so it is good to see the widescreen and potent sound effects that one of its artists, Tyler, brings to the series.

Old fans must be happy to have Battle Chasers back, but I hope new readers discover it. This series is open to newcomers, dear readers.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS: Fans of artist Joe Madureira and of his former comic book series, Battle Chasers, will want to read the revived Battle Chasers.

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

https://twitter.com/JoeMadx

https://www.airshipsyndicate.com/

https://twitter.com/ImageComics

https://imagecomics.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/

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Saturday, July 22, 2023

Review: "GOTHIC" is a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Movie (Remembering Julian Sands)

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 33 of 2023 (No. 1922) by Leroy Douresseaux

Gothic (1986)

Running time: 87 minutes (1 hour, 27 minutes)

MPAA – R

DIRECTOR: Ken Russell

WRITERS: Stephen Volk

PRODUCERS: Penny Corke

CINEMATOGRAPHER: Mike Southon (D.o.P.)

EDITOR: Michael Bradsell

COMPOSER: Thomas Dolby

DRAMA/HORROR/HISTORICAL

Starring: Gabriel Byrne, Julian Sands, Natasha Richardson, Myriam Cyr, and Timothy Spall

Gothic is a 1986 British psychological horror film and historical drama directed by Ken Russell. The film focuses on a group of five people whose activities on the night of June 16, 1816 invite something dark into the mansion where they are staying.

Gothic is a fictional account of the events that happened at the Villa Diodati on night of June 16, 1816. To understand Gothic, there is the need for some historical reference.

English novelist, Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin (1797-1851); her future husband, the radical English romantic poet, Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822); and their son, William (1816-19); accompanied Mary's stepsister, Claire Clairmont (1798-1879), to spend the summer of 1816 with the English romantic poet, Lord Byron (1788-1824). They arrived in mid-May 1816, and by then, Mary was calling herself, “Mrs. Shelley,” although she was not yet married to Percy. Byron was renting a mansion, the Villa Diodati, located near Lake Geneva, Switzerland. The Shelleys rented a place nearby. Byron's young physician, John William Polidori (1795-1821), also joined the gathering.

This summer of 1816 became legendary in literature. On the night of June 16, 1816, Byron, Mary, Percy, Clairmont, and Polidori entertained themselves with German ghost stories from the Fantasmagoriana, a French anthology of such stories published in 1812. This amusement led Byron to propose that they each write a ghost story. Because of poor weather, the group famously spent three days together creating stories to tell each other. Coming out of that contest were two completed landmark works of Gothic horror fiction.

The first is Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley's 1818 novel, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, a landmark in Gothic fiction, Gothic horror, and science fiction. The second is John Polidori's 1819 short story, “The Vampyre,” which is considered the first modern vampire story and also the beginning of the romantic vampire genre. Polidori's short story is also based on Byron's contribution to the ghost story contest, a vampire horror story that he turned into prose, but which Byron did not complete. It was first published in 1819 as “A Fragment,” but is now known as “Fragment of a Novel.”

The film Gothic opens in the summer of 1816. Mary Godwin (Natasha Richardson); her future husband, Percy Shelley (Julian Sands); and her stepsister, Claire Clairmont (Myriam Cyr), arrive at Villa Diodati on the shores of Lake Geneva in Switzerland. They have been invited to spend some time there during the summer by the poet, Lord Byron (Gabriel Byrne), who also introduces them to his physician and friend, Dr. John Polidori (Timothy Spall).

On June 16th, the group is forced to stay inside the mansion as a storm rages outside. Mary, Percy, Claire, Byron, and Dr. Polidori amuse themselves by engaging in a game of hide-and-seek, and later read from Phantasmagoria, a book of German ghost stories Byron purchased. Reading these stories inspires the five of them to hold a séance while gathered around a human skull, during which Claire has an apparent seizure. Later, each member of the group begins to have strange and horrifying experiences, dreams, and hallucinations. Percy believes the group collectively gave birth to something during the séance. That something is a creature that not only manifests their worst fears, but also their worst behaviors. And that creature could destroy them all.

The English actor Julian Sands went hiking in the San Gabriel Mountains northeast of Los Angeles in January of this year, 2023. He was reported missing afterwards, and his remains were later found in the area he was visiting. He is best remembered for his breakout role in the 1985 British film, A Room with a View, which was released in the U.S. in 1986. Although I did see that film, the first film in which I saw Sands was Gothic. It was also the first film I ever watched at the LSU Student Union Colonnade Theater, a movie theater on the campus of Louisiana State University. [From what information I've gathered on the Internet, the theater no longer exists.]

The identification of Sands remains and the subsequent memorials of his life got me to thinking about Gothic, which I had not scene in its entirety since that first time I saw it. I remember not being too crazy about it, but I have been feeling the need to acknowledge Sands' passing, as I was and still am a fan of his.

Also, I have seen a few of Gothic director Ken Russell's films, including the notorious The Devils (1971), which I also saw at the Colonnade. However, the only one of his films that I have previously reviewed for the Negromancer blog is The Music Lovers, his 1971 biographical film about the 19th-century Russian composer, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. So re-watching Gothic is also a chance to acknowledge Ken Russell (1927-2011).

While Gabriel Byrne as Lord Byron and Sands as Percy Shelley get top billing in Gothic, the film's main focus of this ensemble is Mary Godwin/Shelley, played by the late actress, Natasha Richardson (1963-2009). Gothic is indeed a psychological horror film because writer Stephen Volk's screenplay forces the character to confront their deepest fears and their most troubling desires. Volk also lays bare the characters' relationships, especially the dynamics between Byron and Clair, Byron and Polidori, and Percy and Mary. Volk seems to use Mary to center this, including her own tribulations

Mary has recently delivered a premature baby girl who died, a loss which haunted her (also based on real events). The death of the child is a recurring motif in this film, usually via the sound of small child crying or in the images of vague, doll-like baby corpses. Russell, who was known for being typically over-the-top, uses the raging storm, the characters' ingestion of hallucinogens, and their worst nightmares to create a grand vision of a house haunted by its occupants' craziness, selfishness, and psychological issues. Russell and Volk put Mary Shelley either front-and-center or at least near the most bizarre confrontations (real and imagine) and hallucinations.

Gothic is more about impressions than reality, and to that end, the cast gives good performances. Sands and Cyr are a little overdone at times, but it's clear this screenplay considers them the most troubled. As the film progresses, I appreciate Gabriel Byrne's performance as Lord Byron. I've been watching Byrne for decades over a career full of performances in which one is not like any other, but here, I really believe he is Lord Byron. Natasha Richardson gives Mary Shelley such depth of character that I wish this film was longer so that Richardson could give us more of Mary.

Gothic has excellent production values. The costumes are perfectly fitted to the character's personalities. The lighting and sound bring the raging storm and the raging emotions and madness to life. The art direction and set decoration offer sets that are straight out of a fairy tale dream, although it is mostly for a story that is nightmarish and melodramatic. The hair and make-up sell the madness and troubles of these characters and is a perfect match the surrealistic mood.

And just as soon as it began, Gothic's long nightmare is over, and the light of day returns, but with a foreboding. In real life, the three main male characters would all be dead within eight years of this summer known for being a pivotal time in the history of Gothic fiction. When I first saw this film, I only kind of understood the importance of what it was fictionalizing. Since then, I have become more fascinated with that place and moment in the summer of 1816, and I have become more enamored with this dreamlike film. In a nod to nostalgia, the recent passing of Julian Sands has raised Gothic in my estimation. It's time for me to buy a physical copy so that I can watch it any time I want without bothering with streaming.

6 of 10

★★★ out of 4 stars

Saturday, July 22, 2023

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from July 16th to 22nd, 2023 - Update #18

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

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

CELEBRITY - From THR: For the first time since his medical emergency, Jamie Foxx speaks publicly, releasing a video on his "Instagram" page.

TELEVISION - From Deadline: FX's "Aliens" television series has begun filming in Thailand, but are filming scenes that don't include SAG-AFTRA actors.

MOVIES - From YahooEntertainment: Antonio Banderas recalls Steven Spielberg's prescient words about CGI on the set of his film, "The Mask of Zorro" (1998). This is the 25th anniversary of the film's release.

MUSIC - From Deadline: Grammy Award winning singer-songwriter and recording artist, Sheryl Crow, calls out country singer Jason Aldean over his violent and obviously racist song, "Try That in a Small Town."

OPPENHEIMER - From Deadline: Actor Cillian Murphy talks about his starring role in "Oppenheimer" and about working with Christopher Nolan again.

From Variety: Matt Damon had told his wife he was taking a break from acting unless director Christopher Nolan called. Then, Nolan called about "Oppenheimer"...

STREAMING - From Deadline: Paramount+ has unveiled a first look at "Pet Sematary: Bloodlines," a prequel to Stephen King's 1983 novel. "Pet Sematary."

MEDIA - From Deadline: Lionsgate seems to be in the lead to buy the film and television entertainment company eOne (Entertainment One) from Hasbro.

STREAMING - From Variety: NBCUniversal's streaming service, "Peacock," has raised its prices for the first time since its launch.

BOX OFFICE - BoxOfficePro: The winner of the 7/14 to 7/16/2023 weekend box office is Paramount Pictures' "Mission Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One" with an estimated take of 56.2 million dollars.

From Here: A review of "Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One" by Leroy Douresseaux

From Deadline: Director Christopher McQuarrie considered using the "de-aging" process for Tom Cruise in order to create a young Ethan Hunt, but ultimately chose not to go with it.

OBITS:

From Deadline: Legendary American singer, Tony Bennett, has died at the age of 96, Friday, July 21, 2023. He career spanned decades and generations. He made his first recordings in 1949. He had his first hit in 1951 ("Because of You"). He recorded his first album in 1952 ("Because of You"), which would be one of over 100 albums released. Younger audiences discovered Bennett in the early 1990s and continue to do so, listening to his catalog of jazz, traditional pop, show tunes, and big band, to name a few of the genres of music in which he has performed. He won 19 Grammy Awards and received the Grammy "Lifetime Achievement Award."

From Deadline: American actress Josephine Chaplin has died at the age of 74, Thursday, July 13, 2023. The daughter of legendary filmmaker and actor, Charlie Chaplin, and British actress, Oona O'Neill, Josephine made an appearance as a child actor in her father's Oscar-winning film, "Limelight." Her other roles include "Canterbury Tales" (1972), "Jack the Ripper," and "A Countess from Hong Kong" (1967), which was also her father's final film.

From Deadline: Film and television producer and director, Robert Lieberman, has died at the age of 77, Saturday, July 1, 2023. As a film director, his best known work is the science fiction cult classic, "Fire in the Sky" (1993). As a TV director, he helmed numerous series, including multiple episodes of USA Network's "The Dead Zone" and Syfy's "The Expanse." Lieberman directed over two thousand TV commercials and in 1980, he won the first Directors Guild of America (DGA) Awards for "Best Commercial Director," one of two that he won in that category.

WRITERS/ACTORS STRIKE:

From THR: Production works at Warner Bros. Animation (66) and at Cartoon Network (22) have gone public with their attempt to unionize via The Animation Guild.

From Variety: Halted film productions due to the writers and actors strikes are costing each Hollywood studio at least 600,000 dollars per week.

From Variety: Said at a strike meeting: “Without a transformative change in SAG-AFTRA’s current contract with the AMPTP, the acting profession will no longer be an option for future generations of performers, and actors already working in the industry will need to pursue other careers in order to survive.”

From Deadline: If you are a "social media influencer" who is NOT a member of SAG-AFTRA, you can be barred from future membership for promoting a film or television series during the actors' strike.

From Variety: The SAG/AFTRA strike begins in New York and Los Angeles. Hollywood actors began striking today, Fri., July 14th.

From Deadline: The site has the video of the powerful strike speech given by SAG-AFTRA president, Fran Drescher, the actress best known for CBS' former sitcom, "The Nanny."

From Deadline: Concerning the Hollywood writers strike (via the WGA), the Hollywood Studios (as represented by the AMPTP) is to let the writers go broke before resuming talks deep into the Fall.

From Deadline: SAG-AFTRA is already preparing strike picket signs in case the actors' strike begins next week.

From Deadline: WGA is picketing the New York City filming location of the 12th series of FX's "American Horror Story" (entitled "Delicate") after series co-creator Ryan Murphy threaten litigation against an east coast strike captain.

From THR: TV super-producer, Ryan Murphy, in a letter from his attorney to the leadership of the Writers Guild of America, threatened litigation against Warren Leight, an East Coast strike captain and Strike Rules Compliance Committee member who has subsequently forfeited those positions.

From Deadline: The Hollywood studios via the AMPTP has given Canadian actors a new contract, including a 5 percent raise.

From Deadline: Writers Strike puts the spotlight back on the challenge from writers for animation productions to be covered by the WGA.

From THR: Studios won't give writers better pay, and now, are laying off janitors.

From Deadline: The Directors Guild of America (DGA) has reached a tentative new three-year deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). So what does the Writers Guild (WGA), currently on strike and negotiating with the AMPTP, think of that deal.

From Deadline: Netflix shareholders declined to support the 2023 pay packages of top executives during a non-binding vote at the company’s annual shareholder meeting on Thursday. The vote won't prevent these execs from getting their loot (an total of $166 million), but this is a rare public rebuke. The Writers Guild of America (WGA) has urged shareholders to vote "No" because the pay was "inappropriate" at this time.

From Deadline: Warner Bros Discovery chief David Zaslav gave the commencement address at Boston University. There he was met with jeers and also chants of "pay your writers" from picketers and from some in the audience.

From Deadline: President Joe Biden speaks on the Writers Guild of America strike.

From Deadline: Retaliation! The studios have starting informing writer-producers who have "overall" and "first-look" deals that such deals are being suspended.

From Deadline: Retaliation! Prolific HBO creator, David Simon, who is best known for "The Wire," is one of the many writers who have had their overall deals suspended the studios due to the WGA strike. Simon has been with HBO for 25 years.

From Deadline: The Writers Guild of America (WGA) is on strike.

From Deadline: Disney, HBO/HBO Max, and CBS have sent letters to showrunners (the TV equivalent of film directors) instructing them to return to work, inspite of the writer's strike.

From Deadline: The WGA's chief negotiator, Ellen Stutzman, talks about the state of the writers' strike, including the lack of engagement on the part of the strike's other party, AMPTP.

From Deadline: What went wrong between the WGA and AMPTP? What could they not agree on that led to a strike?

From Deadline: The site explains the WGA strike: the issues, the stakes, movies and TV shows affected, and how long it might last.

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Thursday, July 20, 2023

Comics Review: "BIG GAME #1" Got Game

BIG GAME #1 (OF 5)

IMAGE COMICS/Netflix

STORY: Mark Millar

ART: Pepe Larraz

COLORS: Giovanna Niro

LETTERS: Clem Robins

EDITOR: Sarah Unwin

COVER: Pepe Larraz with Giovanna Niro

VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: J.G. Jones; Frank Quitely; Jae Lee with June Chung; Danny Earls

28pp, Color, $4.99 U.S. (July 2023)

Rated M / Mature

Big Game is a new five-issue comic book event miniseries from writer Mark Millar and artist Pepe Larraz. Big Game is a crossover event series that pulls together all the franchises that are part of Millar's company/imprint, “Millarworld.” That includes Kick-Ass, Kingsman, Nemesis, and The Magic Order, to name a few. Colorist Giovanna Niro and letterer Clem Robins complete the series' creative team.

Big Game #1 opens in 1986 when the super-villain conspiracy known as “the Fraternity,” defeated their superhero adversaries and erased them from the collective memory of humanity. In the present day, Wesley Gibson/The Killer (Wanted) is concerned about the reemergence of superheroes. Thus, it's time for the Fraternity to unleash its new superhero killer, Nemesis (Nemesis: Reloaded).

Meanwhile, Edison Crane (Prodigy) meets Bobbie Griffin, who unveils a past hidden even to the world's smartest man. Also meanwhile, Doctor Choon-He Chung (The Ambassadors) and her international rescue squad, The Ambassadors, run into resistance.

THE LOWDOWN: I have been receiving PDF review copies of Netflix/Millarworld's comic book titles for a few years now. Big Game #1 is the latest.

Some of Millarworld's most popular comic book franchises and series have been adapted into Hollywood feature films. They are Wanted (2008), Kick-Ass (2010), Kick-Ass 2 (2013), Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014), Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017), and The King's Man (2021). These movies are so disparate, one would be surprised to know that their source material originates from a shared universe.

But they do. In fact, this review does not mention all the Millarworld characters and references that appear in Big Game #1 If you are a fan of Mark Millar's creator-owned comic books, then, you will enjoy this first issue when it teases what is to come. However, one need not be familiar with Millarworld in order to enjoy Big Game #1. Mark is quite good a writing comic book scripts that embrace the bigness of a fictional universe. He is also able to give the readers a taste of multiple characters within a single issue in a way that leaves the readers intrigued about characters they are encountering for the first time.

Pepe Larraz's art is similar to the work of Bryan Hitch, a specialist in event comic books, and he is good at creating an air of menace, in faces of the characters and in the overall narrative. Giovanna Niro's colors serve this “dark universe” quite well, and Clem Robins' lettering is uniquely fashioned to serve the flavors of Millar's scripts.

I'm curious to see what is next. I can almost guarantee that the second issue of Big Game will blow the doorway to your imagination off its hinges, dear readers.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS: Fans of Mark Millar and especially of his Millarworld titles will want to read Big Game.

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

https://www.mrmarkmillar.com/

https://twitter.com/ImageComics

https://twitter.com/mrmarkmillar

https://twitter.com/netflix

https://twitter.com/themagicorder

http://www.millarworld.tv/

www.imagecomics.com

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Wednesday, July 19, 2023

Comics Review: "ELVIRA in Monsterland Volume 1 #2" and Frankie Goes to Hollywood

ELVIRA IN MONSTERLAND VOLUME 1 #2

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: David Avallone

ART: Kewber Baal

COLORS: Walter Pereya

LETTERS: Taylor Esposito

EDITOR: Joseph Rybandt

COVER: Dave Acosta with Walter Pereya

32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (June 2023)

Rated Teen+

Chapter Two: “Frankie Goes to Hollywood”

In 1981, actress and model Cassandra Peterson created the “horror hostess character,” known as “Elvira.” Elvira gradually grew in popularity and eventually became a brand name. As Elvira, Peterson endorsed many products and became a pitch-woman, appearing in numerous television commercials throughout the 1980s.

Elvira also appeared in comic books, beginning in 1986 with the short-lived series from DC Comics, Elvira's House of Mystery. In 2018, Elvira returned to comic books via Dynamite Entertainment. Elvira's latest comic book series is Elvira in Monsterland Volume 1. The series is written by David Avallone; drawn by Kewber Baal; colored by Walter Pereyra; and lettered by Taylor Esposito. The series finds Elvira returning to the Multiverse of Movies (a bunch of “pocket dimensions” created by the existence of movies) in order to stop Vlad the Impaler and the creation of a monster army.

Elvira in Monsterland Volume 1 #2 (“Frankie Goes to Hollywood”) opens in the universe of director Carl Laemmle, Jr.'s 1931 film, Frankenstein. And Elvira finds the hands of the title character around her neck, but she has bigger problems – believe it or not.

Elvira's arch-enemy, Vlad the Impaler – the original Count Dracula – is raiding the Multiverse of Movies in order to convince a bevy of famous film monsters into joining him in the creation of a monster army. He is also willing to kidnap and snatch-up. Can Elvira stop Vlad – this time – before he makes off with actor Boris Karloff as Frankenstein. Meanwhile, Elvira begins to wonder if Vlad is really the mastermind behind this.

THE LOWDOWN: Since July 2021, Dynamite Entertainment's marketing department has been providing me with PDF review copies of some of their titles. One of them is Elvira in Monsterland Volume 1 #2, one of many Dynamite/David Avallone Elvira comic books that I have read and enjoyed.

I like black and white horror movies, especially of the variety known as “Universal Monsters,” so I find myself delightfully entertained by “Frankie Goes to Hollywood.” I also like how writer David Avallone makes even Vlad the Impaler a funny guy. Obviously, he's the villain, but there is a dexterity in the way Avallone depicts him. He's isn't just bad muscle.

Artist Kewber Baal's art perfectly captures the humor of Elvira, the witty dialogue of Elvira, and the cleavage of Elvira. Avallone's Elvira's comic books are a high-spirited affair, and Baal's storytelling hits the heights. Colorist Walter Pereyra and letterer Taylor Esposito also contribute to the liveliness of this funky chapter.

Elvira in Monsterland Volume 1 #2 offers a passing reference to Return of the Jedi (1983) in addition to the Universal references. There is even a setup reference via An American Werewolf in London (1981). So let's return for some more fun, dear readers.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS: Fans of Elvira and of David Avallone's Elvira comic books will want to read Elvira in Monsterland Volume 1.

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

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Monday, July 17, 2023

BOOM! Studios Shipping from Diamond Distributors for July 19, 2023

BOOM! STUDIOS

MAY230397 DUNE HOUSE HARKONNEN #7 (OF 12) CVR A SWANLAND (MR) $4.99

MAY230398 DUNE HOUSE HARKONNEN #7 (OF 12) CVR B MURAKAMI (MR) $4.99

MAY230338 POWER RANGERS UNLIMITED HYPERFORCE #1 CVR A VALERIO $7.99

MAY230339 POWER RANGERS UNLIMITED HYPERFORCE #1 CVR B FOIL $9.99

MAY230350 SOMETHING IS KILLING THE CHILDREN #31 CVR A DELL EDERA $3.99

MAY230351 SOMETHING IS KILLING THE CHILDREN #31 CVR B FRISON $3.99

MAY230352 SOMETHING IS KILLING THE CHILDREN #31 CVR C FOIL DELL EDERA $5.99

MAY230353 SOMETHING IS KILLING THE CHILDREN #31 CVR D FOIL FRISON $5.99

MAY230354 SOMETHING IS KILLING THE CHILDREN #31 CVR E 25 COPY INCV $3.99

MAY230355 SOMETHING IS KILLING THE CHILDREN #31 CVR F 50 COPY INCV $3.99

MAY230358 SOMETHING IS KILLING THE CHILDREN #31 CVR I FOC REVEAL RUAN $3.99

MAY230402 VAMPIRE SLAYER (BUFFY) #16 CVR A PATRIDGE $4.99

MAY230403 VAMPIRE SLAYER (BUFFY) #16 CVR B YOSHITANI $4.99

APR230348 VICIOUS CIRCLE #2 (OF 3) CVR A BERMEJO (MR) $9.99

APR230349 VICIOUS CIRCLE #2 (OF 3) CVR B MASELLIS (MR) $9.99

MAY230372 WILDS END #2 (OF 6) CVR A CULBARD $4.99

MAY230373 WILDS END #2 (OF 6) CVR B CAREY $4.99

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