Review: ANGEL + SPIKE #14 Is An Atmospheric Tour De Force

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A new creative team takes on BOOM! Studio’s Angel + Spike comic starting with this week’s issue. Picking up from issue 12, with Fred in the clutches of the evil law firm Wolfram and Hart, experienced horror writer Zac Thompson and award winning artist Hayden Sherman instantly put their stamp on the characters and the series. Where Bryan Edward Hill’s run was about bringing the characters together, this new arc starts by tearing them apart.

Often a change in creators midway through a story can have a fundamental effect on a comic: sometimes good and sometimes not so much. Changes in tone and focus can derail a fast moving narrative, bringing it to a screeching halt and staling further development. This happened to a certain degree with Angel’s sister comic Buffy the Vampire Slayer but how well do Thompson and Sherman adapt to Angel’s world?

Hit The Ground Running

The previous 13 issues of Angel + Spike have built up an engaging and abundant world, populated with strong, fascinating characters. There has been a story growing underneath but Byan Edward Hill’s focus on character has made the series unmissable month after month. This new issue gives Angel and his crew a new evil to track but ‘character’ is still at the heart of the story and Thompson knows the cast very well.

A violent creature is tearing the homeless of LA apart and it’s up to Angel Investigations to stop the threat. With the help of Kate Lockley it isn’t long before Angel has picked up the creature’s trail. Thompson uses a ‘creature of the week’ formula to ease the reader back into the story after last month’s one shot. The premise of the narrative is not the violent attacks but how each member of the cast reacts to them. This approach allows Thompson to illustrate his understanding of the central characters and the driving forces behind their personalities.

Gunn’s obsession with Lukas: Kate’s devotion to justice: Lilith’s penchant for obscure premonitions: And Angel’s over-protectiveness. All the character beats are here, reiterated and reinforced. None of it feels forced, however, because the framing narrative is so enticing and gripping. The simple slasher-on-the-street story is elevated by the dynamic artwork and Thompson’s commitment to the horror narrative embedded into the Angel mythos.

Fangs and Claws

The opening page of this issue instantly informs the reader that there is a new look to Angel + Spike. The style is unapologetically different from Gleb Melnikov’s with warped perspectives and brighter coloring. Hayden Sherman uses exaggerated shapes to create the images within the panels, while maintaining a figurative distinction between the characters. The pages are almost impressionistic in style giving the reader a sense of the cold, unforgiving streets and Angel’s equally unwelcoming home.

Roman Titov uses contrasting colors to highlight the action and the characters across the panels. For example, the brightness of the clothing sits starkly against the blues of Angel’s office. When Lilith enters the scene, her jacket and trousers almost blend into the background, as if she is emerging from the scenery and not quite present in the room. Sherman uses a lot of heavy black shadows to create an overpowering atmosphere and Titov enhances this by keeping the majority of the coloring dark, carefully picking out one or two elements per panel.

The overall effect is oppressive. The art truly sets the scene for the cast of characters who are not in a great place. Tensions are running high and rifts are forming. Neither the plot nor the artwork allows the reader to feel comfortable throughout this issue. Not even Ed Dukeshire’s lettering offers any respite. There is a strong emphasis on the negative aspect of the speech, especially near the beginning, through the captions. Dukeshire leads the reader across the page leaving a specific impression in your mind. The words Darkness, Die, Loss and Monster stand out and linger as the images become disturbing and full of fear.

Conclusion

Angel + Spike has been an impressive comic staking out its horror credentials and building a cast of damaged characters. Hill and Melnikov are a hard act to follow but Thompson and Sherman have filled the roles perfectly. The tone and themes that have kept readers coming back month after month are still front and centre in this new arc but there is the sense of new blood behind the scenes.

Some of the panels are outstanding. A low angle shot of Gunn dipping his fingers into a pool of blood and a field of dead haunting Kate’s vision are dynamic examples that steal the page. These panels capture the reader’s eye on the page turn and draw you through the layouts with a sense of anticipation.

Mixed in with the action and the shocking character moments, and there are a few in this issue, are some wonderful comedic elements. The inclusion of lightness amongst the prevailing darkness is a welcome element. The TV show always relished moments of comedy and it’s pleasing to see that Thompson and Sherman aren’t afraid to add elements of laughter and ridiculousness into the mix. It makes the narrative more rounded, more realistic, and above all more enjoyable.

A change in creative team can usually signal a good dropping off point for regular readers but to do so here would be a massive mistake. Thompson and Sherman, along with Titov and Dukeshire, have taken the reins of Angel + Spike and are driving the comic in the right direction.

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RAI #7: Making The Connection In Times Of Crisis

By

Jake Palermo

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Rai #7 is this week’s release from Valiant Entertainment of Dan Abnett’s epic shared with artist Juan Jose Ryp, colorist Andrew Dalhouse, and letterer Dave Sharpe.

Recap

Rai follows the titular cyborg ronin and his brother Raijin journeying across the land to prevent the rise of their creator. Along the way, Rai sees how his past actions shape the world around them.

Rai #7 Story

Rai #7 details the importance of reaching out to others despite the risks to oneself. Abnett could not have released this issue at a more crucial time after the Covid-19 isolation periods. On one front Rai and Raijin encounter one of Father’s former slaves who, despite her mixed feelings about Rai, help the brothers out. It’s not even to get a hand in surviving; Alice Klane just did what she thought was right. Not unlike Rai’s ward Lula (Spylocke), who, despite the risks, reaches out to Bloodshot. Despite the threat of Father controlling Bloodshot, Spylocke approaches anyway. As of Rai #7, no one can tell if these encounters are good or bad. But they are essential in going forward.

Art

Ryp’s artwork continues to show the visceral nature of Rai #7. Details go into how serious things, even the datastream of Spylocke’s section gives this feeling. The binary code looks like walls obstructing communication between Spylocke and Bloodshot despite being in the background. That’s not even including how pixelated objects look like hazards. From debris that, when viewed from a certain angle, looks like the head of a shark to human bones. Since Spylocke talks about how dangerous they are, it’s like crossing into a predator’s territory. All the more worse when such an important plot point between Spylocke and Bloodshot takes place here.

This actually works well when it comes to Andrew Dalhouse’s coloring. The dull pixelated detail makes Spylocke’s colorful appearance stand out even more. This brings a sense of isolation to a very intense situation. Even in the real world, a looming threat’s effect by shifting the colors of its victims into a pinkish paste creates a sense of foreboding.

Dave Sharpe’s more efficient use of lettering in Rai #7 sees a great use of it in Bloodshot’s contact with Spylocke. The word balloons look like static glitches that display Bloodshot’s state, weakening, limited communication, and desperate. This ends up enhancing the previous artwork near the end when Spylocke and the audience actually see him.

Get Ready in Rai #7

Rai #7 is a display of doing good despite an ever-looming threat. Helping others during bad times might not be too beneficial, but it does pay in the long run, especially when the next issue is about to go into threats on two fronts. One that’s important to Rai’s quest, and the other being Spylocke and Bloodshot doing their part.

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Review: GIANT-SIZE X-MEN – STORM #1 – With Hickman, A One-Shot Is Never Just A One-Shot

By

Matthew Brake

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Marvel Comics released Giant-Size X-Men – Storm #1 on September 16. As with the previous issue, Jonathan Hickman is listed as doing “story and words,” while artist Russell Dauterman is credited with “story and art.” They are joined by color artist Matthew Wilson and VC’s Ariana Maher.

Hickman’s writing room must be an intimidating place to walk into! One might imagine multiple dry erase boards with multiple lines drawn around the room, attempting to connect different plot threads. One of those plot points concerned the impending death of Storm due to a techno-organic virus she acquired from the Children of the Vault. This issue brings that narrative thread to a conclusion, which began in X-Men #5 and carried through to Giant-Size X-Men – Jean Grey and Emma Frost #1 and Giant-Size X-Men – Fantomex #1 (while setting up a new narrative thread). These one-shots have been surprisingly interconnected, with that connection being made poignant with this issue.

Dauterman’s art in this issue is inventive, as any artist might have been, since any trip to The World, with all of its strange machinations, gives any artist drawing it a chance to be quite imaginative.

These eyeball monsters are indeed a bit eerie, and they only become more so as the story progresses. While Wilson’s colors are a bit “solid” in this panel and even Dauterman’s background work is a bit plain, the strangeness escalates as the story unfolds with Dauterman and Wilson combining some nice action scenes with some very cool perception-bending imagery.

This isn’t to say that Dauterman and Wilson don’t have other moments to shine. There is a really well-done sequence with Storm where we see her irritation manifest via her powers as Fantomex and Monet haggle.

Panels like this remind readers that Storm is a badass! Dauterman draws a gorgeous all-around panel, and Wilson’s colors and shading for the lightning and for Storm’s figure are perfect!

They are, of course, joined in this sequence by Maher’s lettering, whose “Kra-Koooom” speaks volumes and is beautifully drawn, serving as a brilliant background for Storm and highlighting the aforementioned badassery.

The lettering throughout is terrific, accentuating each scene without crowding out any of the imagery and servicing a very visual story.

If there’s anything one can learn from reading Jonathan Hickman, a one-shot is never just a one-shot as Hickman has brought to a close a plot that began in the main X-Men title and has run through two other one-shot stories. If readers were wondering (as I was) about some of these random one-shot stories, it’s safe to say that no narrative thread will be left unexplored. Hickman continues to play the long game and has a lot of plates spinning!

What did you think of Giant-Size X-Men – Storm #1? Tell us in the comments below!

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Review: X-MEN #12 Explains The WHY Of “X Of Swords”

By

Matthew Brake

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On September 16, Marvel Comics released X-Men #12. This prelude to X of Swords is the last issue that Leinil Francis Yu will be doing interior art for this series (optimistically, we want to say, “For now.”). He is accompanied by writer and Head of X, Jonathan Hickman, colorist Sunny Gho and letterer VC’s Clayton Cowles.

Writing & Letters

Where Excalibur #12 set up the “how” of X of Swords, X-Men #12 explains the “why” of it through the exposition of the Summoner, who has a deep connection to Apocalypse, Arrako, and Krakoa. Hickman, as usual, sets up an event with brand new players and a deep mythology. This issue is quintessential Hickman, bursting with detail and lore that is bursting at the seams and, at times, difficult to keep up with or keep track of.

Cowles had his work cut out for him this issue, given the expositional nature of the writing. Cowles is able to keep up with the story and avoid crowding the panel with dialogue boxes. If there is any fault with the lettering, it’s to be found in the insanely complex tale that Hickman weaves.

Art & Colors

As noted earlier, this is Yu’s last issue doing interior art for this book, although he will still be doing the cover art. Yu brings his A-game to the comic book, joined by Sunny Gho on colors. As their Apocalypse emerges from the jungle to speak to Summoner, he is a powerful and imposing presence.

Props need to be given to the Excalibur series team for their work on that series. They’ve done an excellent job playing the long game with his character, but it is nice to see Apocalypse take center stage in this issue and be drawn with a less-cartoony look and a less bright color pallet.

Yu will undoubtedly be missed, and his replacement, Mahmud Asrar will certainly put his own stamp on the book.

Conclusion

Hickman and company have put all the pieces in place. They’ve set up the “how” and “why” of the story. Now, X of Swords is finally upon us! Can Hickman capture lightning in a bottle again like he did with his infinity event during his stint on Avengers/New Avengers? We’ll find out!

What did you think of X-Men #12? Are you excited for X of Swords? Tell us in the comments below!

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Reflecting On ROYAL CITY: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION

By

Jake Palermo

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Royal City: The Complete Collection (out now) is all 14 issues of Jeff Lemire’s series published by Image Comics with lettering by Steve Wands. This series follows a family still dealing with loneliness after a family death and how it sticks to them. With isolation and trying to control something out of it more relevant than ever, a recent complete collection’s release is perfect for the Covid-19 times.

Royal City: The Complete Collection Story

Royal City: The Complete Collection revolves around the Pike family coming together in the titular city years after the death of the youngest son Tommy. Each member is holding themselves back in some way, often through projections of Tommy. Lemire presents that this is not only because of Tommy’s death but a relatable feeling of isolation.

Anybody in the real world deals with the feeling of just falling into things from teenagers to wayward adults. Marriage, jobs per environment, and the feeling of inadequacy. It’s that feeling of familiarity that people dislike but are dependent on that really hits hard. Perhaps the one that feels this the most is the ghost(s) of Tommy Pike. As Lemire brings up near the end, Tommy represents Royal City itself; a memory stuck in “the in-between.” To properly move on, everyone in the Pike family has to let go of whatever’s holding them back. Whether it’s the factory that’s throughout the series or whatever secrets the family keeps from one another, it all has to come out. The story feels relatable with the months of isolation Covid-19 has put us through.

Art

Lemire continues to use his surreal artwork to illustrate how such a fantastic story, like ghosts, can feel down-to-earth. It certainly helps that the watercolor-effects make situations where color lessens that the sense of isolation kicks in. Sure it can be explained as hallucinations or delusions, but the how or why behind it is meaningless. I mean, look at how the Pike father sees Royal City as radios he fixes. It says a lot about his character about feeling stuck and trying to get some control of his life.

The shifting use of 9-panel grids shows the isolating effects where characters feel separated from one another. Other times there’s the feeling of trying to get control of a situation where some of the panels combine. With an already great story, the visuals enhancing the sense of isolation and trying to control something out of it. At the time of this complete collection’s release, who doesn’t wish to have better control of their life?

Wands ensures that the word balloons and captions look like the pencils that Lemire uses. It’s almost as if this collaboration represents how coming together to help with shortcomings ties into a theme of finding someone to rely on. Lemire couldn’t ask for a better collaborator.

Read Up On Royal City: The Complete Collection

Royal City: The Complete Collection is an excellent series about dealing with the loneliness of feeling stuck. With how the Covid-19 lockdowns affect people, this is probably a good time to check it out. Sometimes real life can be just as strange as fiction.

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THE AFTER REALM QUARTERLY #3: The Game Is Afoot

By

Jake Palermo

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The After Realm Quarterly #3 published by Image Comics hit your local comic book shops in September from writer and artist Michael Avon Oeming, colorist Taki Soma, and letterer Shawn Lee. After the previous issues introduce the characters, it’s time to get into the campaign.

Recap

Ragnarok has occurred due to Loki and his releaser Oona Lightfoot. Oona, now an Elf ranger with magic dice in hand, maps Midgard looking for traces of the Old Gods.

The After Realm Quarterly #3 Campaign

Oeming approaches The After Realm Quarterly #3 like a game master in a Dungeons & Dragons campaign. D&D has a history of influencing writers, so why should this be any different? It’s not just the use of dice but how Oona gets into her quests. A village in danger of trolls? That’s a classic campaign starter in a hero’s call to action. One page even features an omniscient narrator speaking a game master’s interim exposition. The only one necessary because it’s a matter of reviewing what comes before this page to get the full picture of what’s being said. Because a good campaign requires a reader/player to interact with the world around them.

Oona comes into The After Realm Quarterly #3 with just her task in mind. Everything from her old life is something she would rather forget, even friends like shapeshifting goat Pooka. All to bring up a theme involving the rebirth phase of Ragnarok. While the old world as people know it is gone, people and their culture lives on. Oona even finds herself in a brave new world through tapestry-like pages from Oeming. Each looks like a piece of a new legend about to be told at a junction point.

The Other Players

Oeming’s regular collaborator and wife, Taki Soma brings color to The After Realm Quarterly #3. Within this mostly dark world of blues, purples, and blacks are signs of life. Green, for its association with life and prosperity, usually appears at important points. For example, Oona’s brighter appearance blends into the Crannog people when they invite her to their village. It’s a sign of someone so different being allowed in, unlike say a bartender asking about Oona’s ears. However, darker shades of green are a sign of trepidation, like a villager’s desperate plea for mercy from their attackers.

As letterer, Shawn Lee brings out a mostly efficient use of captions and word balloons in The After Realm Quarterly #3. All of which keep within their boundaries and guide the reader throughout the page. Otherwise, one of the splash pages would look too confusing to read. A little context goes quite a long way from point A to point B. Not to mention the times when consonant and volume get annunciation from wordmark-like fonts. The only flaw comes from occasional times that what’s supposed to be said by one person is said by the wrong one. This creates confusion that requires double-checking to see the intent behind two characters’ relationship. Like, say the troll Thugmul and his master Thornbrakk.

Embrace The After Realm Quarterly #3

With some familiarity with the characters, The After Realm Quarterly #3 can be an enjoyable experience. This series embraces its mythological and tabletop storytelling elements to create something easy enough to follow because legends on this scale need something to ground it to the reader.

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Review: THE QUESTION: THE MANY DEATHS OF VIC SAGE #4 – DC’s Black Label At Its Best!

By

Matthew Brake

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On August 25, DC Comics released the fourth and final issue of its Black Label series The Question: The Many Deaths of Vic Sage. Written by Jeff Lemire, with pencils from Denys Cowan, inks by Bill Sienkiewicz, colors by Christopher Sotomayor, and letters by Willie Schubert, issue four brings Vic face to face with the Thing with a Thousand Faces. Will Vic defeat evil itself, or is he doomed to keep fighting and losing the same battle again?

This issue opens simply enough, with Vic Sage returning to modern Hub City, now aware that he has lived and died many times, facing the same evil repeatedly. He returns to a city torn apart by police corruption and racial strife, which certainly reflects the current political climate. Lemire, Cowan, and company craft a complex tale about the nature of evil and injustice in society that I would say “speaks to the moment” if not for how ambiguous the ending is, like the protagonist’s namesake, is left without an “answer.”

Cowan, Sienkiewicz, and Sotomayor make a great team and have crafted a beautiful series.

The panel above is one of the most beautifully drawn and colored panels in the book and is also a brutal moment in the story when Vic’s optimism about overcoming evil begins to waver as he fails to redeem the mayor (who kills himself) from the influence of the Thing with a Thousand Faces. Cowan and Sienkiewicz’s work is detailed with the lines and shading giving Question’s face a gritty texture, while Sotomayor’s colors, particularly the blood spatter and Vic’s hair, accentuate and bring out the details of the image. They are complemented in this panel by Schubert’s letters with his speckled, red “BLAM” behind Vic, and despite the Question’s expressionless face, Vic’s shock is palpable.

Lemire, Cowan, and company have crafted a complex tale about racism, injustice, and the nature of evil in the world, that offers its readers no simple answers or happily ever afters. This series shows the heights that the DC Black Label imprint can reach when creators are given free rein to tell complex stories with characters (other than Batman and Batman related properties!). Hopefully, the rumors about DC canceling its Black Label imprint (with the firing of its editor Mark Doyle) are untrue, and the publisher will continue allowing creators to play with its properties and tell unique stories with its characters for years to come.

What did you think of The Question: The Many Deaths of Vic Sage #4? What do you think of DC’s Black Label imprint? Tell us in the comments below!

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INTERVIEW: Director Kyle Couch Talks The Tent And Learning From Filmmaking

By

Ruben Diaz

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September 18, 2020

The Tent is a survival film in a post-apocalyptic world directed by Kyle Couch and starring Tim Kaiser (Star Trek: Horizon) as David, a man surviving on his own until another survivor emerges and brings doubt to David’s way of life in the process.

“The Crisis” is an event that devastated Earth and set up the world in The Tent. Fortunately for David, his childhood included some survival training. Now on his own, David lives in a tent at the edge of the wilderness. He’s alone for a long while and doing his best to keep away from creatures who stalk the darkness and may have caused “the crises.”. David meets Mary (Lulu Dahl, A Billion To One), and the pair soon learn to live together in the face of a bleak world.

PopAxiom spoke with Kyle Couch about making movies, Steven Spielberg, and the remake he’d love to be a part of that, if it happened, is near-sacrilegious.

Michigan Made

Born in Monroe, Michigan, Kyle says, “I became interested in filmmaking at an early age. As I progressed through life, opportunities kept rising. I kept my ear to the ground and went after opportunities when they came up.”

Kyle “ended up getting a job in production for a non-profit making films,” where he’s been for ten years.

Most would-be filmmakers eventually move west. “I’ve had that thought in my head of moving out to LA and pursuing it. But you get married and have kids, and it changes things. You want to be around your own family.”

However, it’s a hyper-connected world today. “All that said, I’ve found success staying in Michigan and building a resumé by making indie films,” Kyle adds mention of our new reality. “Now, with the Internet and streaming movies, you can essentially be anywhere and make a film.”

About The Tent

Kyle’s a filmmaker, and it was only a matter of time before tackling a feature. “I’ve been making short films for a few years at that point. I wanted to make a feature. Every time I took a short film or documentary to distribution, it was challenging for shorts.” Kyle’s experience taught him that “It’s crucial to get that feature film under my belt.”

Kyle focused on making the feature happen. However, he developed a little tunnel vision. “In that thinking was also a mistake — I rushed. I learned a lot from making The Tent. The biggest lesson was to slow down.”

At first, while creating The Tent, “there was a little bit of that immature thinking that I have to get this out there.”

For Kyle, that feeling of rushing “clashed with my desire to put something out there that’s worthwhile. What maybe started off initially as a rush to the finish line ended up being this experience where I started seeing my growth as a filmmaker. “

How does Kyle boil The Tent down? “The logline: a man living out in the wilderness is approached by a stranger who questions his way of living. On a longer note, it’s a character-driven, emotionally climactic story.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sUZNwm-5zI

Making Movies

Kyle dives deeper into the lesson he learned from making The Tent. “We easily set up time clocks in our brains. ‘If I’m not successful by a certain age.’ But it’s so far from the truth. My biggest recommendation to anyone who wants to make a feature film is to slow down.”

Kyle admits that social media makes slowing down a challenge. “We’re watching everyone’s progress all the time. The only person you should be comparing to yourself and competing with is who you were yesterday. Find your journey and your path.”

Funding is the life-blood of any film but even more so for films working outside the studio system. “I come from the non-profit world. A lot of times we’re not necessarily looking for people to invest, we’re looking for people to donate.”

Selling the story is of utmost importance. Kyle says, “A big thing for me was looking at, what is the narrative here? Everything breaks down to storytelling. That’s true from working on the script to directing the film to editing.”

However, making movies is a business, and to get the money, you’ve got to sell a product. “A lot of people think it all begins with the writing of the script, but the storytelling begins with getting financing. You’re selling people on the idea of your story.”

Kyle’s fundamental question boils down to: “What is the story that I’m using to sell this feature.”

Wrapping Up

Like millions of people around the world, Kyle is a life-long fan of films. So, what filmmakers influenced his style? “A big influence on me as a filmmaker and I hate to sound cliche, but Steven Spielberg. He’s a huge influence on the kind of stories I want to tell. He always involves a family element, and that’s huge to me. Family comes with a great emotional connection already, and then building a story on that is fantastic.”

“The movie Jaws,” Kyle says, was a significant influence to The Tent. “I wasn’t trying to make a creature-feature, so we held off as long as we could.”

“Another person who I enjoy,” Kyle adds, “M. Night Shyamalan. Anyone who’s seen The Tent will recognize how we’re not wearing everything on our sleeve from the get-go. I love the idea that he likes to take seemingly normal situations and add this supernatural layer under it that we’re not expecting. I admire his ability to marry those two things together so seamlessly.”

We arrive at the question about remakes. What remake would Kyle dream of being involved? “Oh, man, if there’s one movie I’d love to be a part of the remake, it’s Back to the Future.”

Kyle’s aware that there may are plenty of fellow cinephiles praying for and against a Back to the Future remake ever happening. He expands on his reasoning, “I only say that because I’d love to see how we’d inject the culture of 30 years ago into that story today. I know people are rolling their eyes. I love that movie with a passion.”

The Tent is available at Amazon, Google Play, and other streaming services. Richard points audiences to the Survive The Tent website. “The site has tons of extra features and hidden little things that we created to work in tandem with the film. You can watch it either before watching the movie or after.”

Kyle’s advice to viewers of The Tent: “I promise if you look at it before the movie, then watch the movie, then watch those things again, it’ll change the way you think about the story.”

Is The Tent on your watch list?

Thanks to Kyle Couch and October Coast
for making this interview possible.

Want to read more interviews? CLICK HERE.

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DC Announcement: DC Universe Is Dead! Long Live DC Universe Infinite!

By

Gabriel Hernandez

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September 18, 2020

The fate of DC Universe, DC’s online streaming and media platform service, was uncertain with the launch of HBO Max. Several of the successful, original programs built for DC Universe have already been announced as migrating to the HBO service, so the question remaining: What about everything that’s left?

Today, we get that answer.

DC has announced that DC Universe will be converted to a comics-only platform to compete with ComiXology, and it will be re-branded to DC Universe Infinite. The change will take effect on January 21, 2021.

Says DC of the what this reformed service will contain: “With access to more than 24,000 comic books at launch, DC UNIVERSE INFINITE subscribers will also encounter digital-first comics, exclusive access to DC fan events, as well as a steady stream of recently released comics six months after the physical versions hit store shelves.”

You can read all about it in the official DC press release below. Does this move DC Comics in the right direction? Let us know what you think in the Comments section, and please share this post on social media using the links below.

DC UNIVERSE TRANSFORMS INTO
DC UNIVERSE INFINITE, THE ULTIMATE COMIC BOOK SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE

The Fan-First Platform Features More Than 24,000 Comics, Unlimited Offline Reading, Exclusive Events, Community and More

Launching in the U.S. on January 21; Available Internationally starting Summer 2021

HBO Max Will Be The New Home Of Premium DC Video Content Including New Series, Classics and DC UNIVERSE Originals and Has Ordered a Third Season of ‘Harley Quinn’ Starring Kaley Cuoco

BURBANK, CA (Sept. 18, 2020) – Calling all comic book fans to Explore the Multiverse! DC today announced the evolution of DC UNIVERSE into DC UNIVERSE INFINITE, a premium digital comic book service set to launch on January 21, 2021. With access to more than 24,000 comic books at launch, DC UNIVERSE INFINITE subscribers will also encounter digital-first comics, exclusive access to DC fan events, as well as a steady stream of recently released comics six months after the physical versions hit store shelves. Following its initial launch, DC UNIVERSE INFINITE will begin expanding globally in SUMMER 2021.

“Our fans love the platform’s robust library of comic books and, with the transformation, we will not disappoint,” said DC Publisher and Chief Creative Officer Jim Lee. “I’m excited to share that not only will DC UNIVERSE INFINITE members still be able to read all of the great comics that they’ve enjoyed but new issues are debuting on the platform quicker than before, digital first exclusives are being created, and the members-only events will begin as soon as possible. There has never been a better time to be a DC fan!”

DC’s premium digital comic book platform provides members with an expanded collection of comics and Original Graphic Novels, spanning over 80 years of the DC Multiverse. Fans can also download comics, graphic novels and originals for unlimited offline reading on their favorite devices from a smartphone or tablet.

Subscribers will also have earlier access to new Digital First comics that include titles such as Aquaman: Deep Dives, Batman: Gotham Nights, DCeased: Hope at World’s End, Harley Quinn: Black + White + Red, Injustice: Year Zero, Shazam!: Lightning Strikes, Superman: Man of Tomorrow, Swamp Thing: New Roots and Wonder Woman 84, and many more. Also debuting on DC UNIVERSE INFINITE will be DC Universe Infinite Originals, including new comic content centered around beloved characters…stay tuned for updates!

The fan-favorite community area will be free to all registered and premium subscribers with a full calendar of events planned for 2021. Current DC UNIVERSE subscribers will not need to create a new account as their DC UNIVERSE login will transfer to DC UNIVERSE INFINITE.

For DC UNIVERSE subscribers who want ongoing access to premium DC originals, the special DC UNIVERSE monthly member offer to HBO MAX has been extended. In celebration of Batman Day and the announcement of DC UNIVERSE INFINITE, a special offer for eligible monthly subscribers to upgrade their service to include HBO Max for an additional $4.99 per month for a limited time is now available through October 30, 2020.HBO Max will be the home for premium video content that will include new DC series, key DC classics and DC UNIVERSE originals like Young Justice Seasons 1-4, Titans Seasons 1-3, Doom Patrol Seasons 1-3, and DC’s Stargirl Season 1. Additionally, HBO Max has ordered a third season of Warner Bros. Animation’s critically acclaimed DC UNIVERSE adult animated comedy series Harley Quinn, starring Kaley Cuoco, who also served as executive producer during the first two seasons along with Justin Halpern, Patrick Schumacker, Dean Lorey, and Sam Register. Harley Quinn will be a Max Original going forward, and all three seasons of the show will be available.DC UNIVERSE INFINITE will be available online at DCUniverseInfinite.com, iOS and Android devices for $7.99 a month or $74.99 a year ($6.25 a month). On February 1, 2021, every DC UNIVERSE INFINITE subscriber, existing members or those joining during the pre-order offer window will receive a special thank you voucher redeemable at the DC Shop subject to terms and conditions. Annual subscribers will receive a $25 voucher, while monthly subscribers will receive a $10 voucher.

About DC
DC is one of the largest English-language publishers of comics and graphic novels in the world and home to some of the most iconic and recognizable characters ever created. As a creative unit of WarnerMedia, DC is charged with strategically integrating its stories and characters across film, television, consumer products, home entertainment, interactive games, and the DC Universe digital subscription service. For more information visit dccomics.com and dcuniverse.com.

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Review: EXCALIBUR #12 Is Bigger Than Any Of Us Expected

By

Matthew Brake

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On September 16, Marvel Comics released Excalibur #12. Writer Tini Howard, artist Marcus To, color artist Erick Arciniega, and letterer VC’s Ariana Maher bring Apocalypse’s long-term plans into focus in this “Prelude to X of Swords.”

Writing

Howard does a good job of bringing together a couple of threads from previous issues while setting up X of Swords. This is no easy task as Excalibur may be one of the most surprisingly complex X-titles. Thus far, Howard created a new Captain Britain in Betsy Braddock, addressed the discontent that both Britain and Otherworld feel for her, created a plot dealing with a bunch of alternate realities created by Jamie Braddock (that readers were in no way eased into), all while having Apocalypse lurking in the background setting, crafting his plans that will now come to fruition in X of Swords. It’s all been a bit difficult to follow at times from issue to issue, but as a trade, I’m sure it will flow more smoothly.

Also, while Apocalypse’s plans for opening a portal out of External bones are revealed in this issue, the full purpose of this portal is revealed in X-Men #12 (review coming soon).

Art & Colors

The gem that Gambit grabbed in the last issue is revealed to contain the life force of Candra, one of the External’s, whose power Apocalypse needs to finish his gate. There is definitely a moment of tension in this issue. Readers know that they can’t trust the Externals, but trusting Apocalypse also seems out of the question and could potentially spell future ruin for Krakoa and Otherworld.

There was definitely a moment when I was rooting for Candra, knowing that Apocalypse’s plans will probably bring plenty of headaches to the X-Men, so there was building tension throughout the issue as Gambit decides what he’s going to do. With this page, drawn by To and Arciniega, as Gambit decides and everything looks like it starts going to hell, as there is a moment of pause before the ground violently shakes, the art team captures this moment very well.

Letters

As with most of the X-titles, this issue does rely on its prose sections to fill in readers about certain details that the comic doesn’t have room for. Honestly, these are growing on me. They do allow a brief explanation about, for instance, the Externals rather than making a reader go back and read hundreds of back issues to learn the complex history of all the X-lore.

Maher does have an opportunity to do some unique things with the lettering, particularly on the prose page that lays out and explains the design of Apocalypse’s portal gate and the different components it requires. The explanation, I think, needs explanation, but it still allows for some original design work on Maher’s part.

Conclusion

It’s here. The event that has been teased for months now. X of Swords has arrived, and a vital piece of the groundwork has been laid in this issue. It will be interesting to see if X of Swords will address any of the plot threads revolving around Betsy’s role as Captain Britain or if those will be put on pause. Either way, Howard, Hickman, and the entire X-office are setting up an all-encompassing epic that will be bigger than any of us expected.

What did you think of Excalibur #12? Tell us in the comments below!

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