September marks the release of Detective Comics #1027, a milestone issue in the history of Batman (who debuted in 1939’s Detective #27). DC Comics is going all-out with the issue, a massive 144-page comic priced at $9.99.
Now we get a peek inside two of the stories in the issue. Check ’em out below:
Detective Comics #1027:
A “Fractured” Future for Batman and the DC Universe?
What’s in the “Black Casebook?”
When DC announced that Detective Comics #1027 would feature some of comics’ greatest storytellers, there was also mention that this must-have comic book would contain …”a few early hints at what’s in store for the future of the Caped Crusader!”
DC also said that fans would have to wait until September 15 to find out, but that’s not fair, so here’s a first look at two stories revealing more about what’s to come, not just the Dark Knight, but all of the DC Universe!
Written by Dan Jurgens with layouts and finished art by Jurgens and Kevin Nowlan, “Generations: Fractured” pits Batman against a would-be gang of museum vandals, led by Calendar Man. As the Dark Knight tries to stop him from torching priceless artifacts, a mysterious flash of light appears to break reality, and Batman finds that everything is different in Gotham, as he’s transported back to 1939!
Eisner award-winning writer Mariko Tamaki and artist Dan Mora team up to tell a tie-in story to “The Joker War.” In “A Gift,” The Joker’s attack on Batman and Gotham City leaves a GCPD officer dead. His partner identifies the perpetrator as the Caped Crusader, swearing that he’ll bring him to justice. This tragedy forces Batman to reluctantly open the pages of a mysterious “black casebook,” the contents of which are yet to be known.
Hardcore Batman fans can look forward to some of their favorite writers and artists taking part in this landmark issue, including Greg Rucka/Eduardo Risso, Grant Morrison/Chris Burnham, James Tynion IV/Riley Rossmo, Tom King/Walter Simonson and Scott Snyder/Ivan Reis. They’re also joined by Kelly Sue DeConnick with John Romita Jr. and Klaus Janson, Marv Wolfman/Emanuela Lupacchino/Bill Sienkiewicz, Brian Michael Bendis/David Marquez and more top creators!
Detective Comics #1027 arrives at open and operating comic book stores and participating digital retailers on Tuesday, September 15 with a retail price of $9.99.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer #16 out this past week from Boom! Studios picks up right where we left off in the previous issue.
Following the conclusion of the Hellmouth crossover, the Scooby Gang are on a break, to quote Ross Geller. Willow’s in England, Xander’s ostensibly dead, and Buffy’s feeling quite alone and full of guilt. Writer Jordie Bellaire uses a dream sequence to draw the reader into the mystery.
In his book The Secret Life of the American Musical, Jack Viertel describes the “recess” number, a classic motif of musical theater. The recess number is usually a fun, noisy song designed to reinvigorate the audience in preparation for the next hour or two of the show. In the Buffyverse, the recess number is the dream sequence.
Bellaire used a subtle moment in issue fifteen to foreshadow a character’s return. Cleverly referencing season three, episode thirteen of the TV series, Buffy’s almost-boyfriend, Robin, calls a toy brontosaurus “Zeppo.” This brontosaurus reappears in issue sixteen in Buffy’s bizarre dream in which she and Xander ride a full-size Zeppo.
The Zeppo
Zeppo is what Cordelia calls Xander in the episode of the same name. The name refers to Zeppo Marx, the youngest of the five Marx Brothers. He’s the last-minute stand-in, the one who doesn’t have much to contribute among a group of gifted people.
In this Xander-centric issue, however, he’s not really a Zeppo at all. In fact, he’s a vampire. It’s a heartbreaking twist the seasoned Buffy fan might have seen coming given that he’d already been halfsies and lost his soul completely in issue twelve.
Another motif adapted from the TV series comes in the form of a tarot card presented in the issue by Ms. Calendar. Xander, in an Angel-esque move, assaults Jenny and sets her house on fire, then fights Buffy and Kendra. He flees, leaving Buffy to discover the now charred tarot card. It’s The Fool. Jenny had been giving herself a reading and picked an upside-down Fool out of the deck right before Xander came knocking.
The Fool
According to The Tarot Guide website, an upside-down Fool portends bad tidings, symbolizing both new beginnings and uncertainty in a current relationship. An apropos card if you’ve been keeping up with the story so far. After all, an evil Xander poses new challenges to the gang’s already tenuous relationship.
Buffy dreams of Xander and Zeppo.
But The Fool’s message hasn’t been revealed to the gang. The card gets passed on to a distraught Giles who may or may not later uncover its meaning.
The issue concludes with Willow’s return to Sunnydale. Buffy, post-Zeppo dream, sought out her witch friend’s guidance and revealed that her ex-girlfriend’s in a coma. While the redhead can definitely help Buffy save Ms. Calendar and restore Xander’s soul, her return will complicate matters. We all know that the forces of evil have nothing on teenage drama.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer #16 employs all the hallmarks of the Buffy TV series, offering fun and an enticing mystery. There’s a new Big Bad in Sunnydale and he’s got Hell(mouth) to pay.
Among all of the big releases, the special Walking Deadone-shots and comics that inspired Netflix’s latest blockbuster movie, there are a number of, for want of a better phrase, smaller titles. Comics that slip out into the world with less fuss, waiting to be picked from the shelf. On September 2nd, Image Comics will release Inkblot #1, a fantasy adventure by Emma Kubert and Rusty Gladd. It is an unassuming comic with a simple opening premise that is packed with charm.
In a world of magic and mystery, it only takes one little cat to shake the foundations of the kingdom.
Inkblot #1 Credit: Image Comics
World Building
Emma Kubert and Rusty Gladd’s opening to Inkblot is grandiose and majestic. A number of tall thin panels represent an array of ideas and concepts. These are placed over beautiful vistas that engulf the page, bleeding off in every direction. Within the first four pages the creators have displayed a world full of history and wonder. There are already so many avenues that the story can take, even before the reader has been properly introduced to the main character.
When we finally get to see The Seeker, she is tired and hard at work behind a desk. There is nothing out of the ordinary about her and only the roof of tree roots in the library reveal this to be a fantasy world. The captions that accompany the introduction to the series reiterate The Seekers dedication to her work, making us notice the size of the library which she has created.
The first third of Inkblot is about establishing the world in which The Seeker lives and her role there in. She is like the creators of the series themselves; a custodian of stories and a scribe of ideas. There are elements of Lucien from the Sandman but with the dust blown from his shoulders. Kubert and Gladd make their heroine as relatable as possible, which is no mean feat considering the family history she relates in the opening of her tale. We identify with her immediately and, like the companions in Doctor Who, we will follow her wherever she leads.
This bond to the character is important so early in the comic because of what happens next. Via an accident, The Seeker creates a strange and magical cat. The cute little black creature becomes the catalyst for adventure and the tool the creators use to drag the Seeker, and the readers, into distant parts of their world.
Inkblot #1 Credit: Image Comics
Creative Collaboration
The beauty of Inkblot is that everything works so wonderfully together. Emma Kubert and Rusty Gladd created it, and are writing and drawing it. It starts with Kubert’s pencils, then to Gladd for inks, back to Kubert for colours before a collaboration on the letters. This synergy between the creators and the process creates a single voice on the page. Each element of the comic comes together perfectly. Everything matches with a singular style so that it feels like it is the work of a single person. The Kubert/Gladd team inject Inkblot with energy and a well of visual quirks only possible by working so closely together.
The artwork is highly detailed with scenery fully rendered to create a sense of location. The design of the backgrounds and habitats is alluring and perfectly set the scene for this fantasy adventure. Comics such as Elfquest and The Sandman have clearly influenced the visuals but Kubert/Gladd give everything a little twist. There are dynamic scenes that burst from the page and intimate moments that resonate peace and calm.
Page after page, Kubert/Gladd reel out a world of wonders and yet their central two characters are straightforward and down to Earth. The Seeker, as mentioned, is not strikingly different in any respect, she could be any of us. The Cat is almost just a black shape, a shadow on the landscape with adorable eyes and mischief in it’s step. The Seeker is partly the reader and partly the creators, with the Cat playing the role of unrestrained imagination.
Inkblot #1 Credit: Image Comics
Conclusion
This opening issue of Inkblot reminds me of the first issue of Shutter, released back in 2014. It has a mysterious cat-like figure leading the central character into a world of wonder and discovery. But it also has the same sense of wonder at the world and a cheeky humour that is impossible to ignore. This is a comic that makes you smile.
In fact, I would go as far as saying this is exactly the type of comic we need right now. You can keep your end of the world stories and your obsessions with violent, evil characters. Inkblot is a breath of fresh air. It mixes comedy and adventure in a beautiful setting to create perfect escapism. You will often hear certain comic fans say they want less politics and more fun, well this is it; Inkblot is pure, unadulterated fun. It has fun with the tropes of fantasy tales, fun with page layouts and design, and above all else, the characters have fun that the readers can share.
Inkblot is a surprisingly entertaining and inclusive comic that will steal your heart at a time when the world at large could do with a bit more fun.
Leave Something Witchy, published by Lazy Comix, is a graphic novel detailing the story behind the Manson murders. It has a unique art style, is clearly well-researched, and is most certainly enjoyable.
About the book: Leave Something Witchy depicts the life of Charles Manson and the Manson family very thoroughly, from before they had become a group all the way to their time in prison. The story and art of Randolph Gentile seamlessly work together to portray the horrific events in a new way that is sure to entertain anyone with even a slight interest in true crime.
Leave Something Witchy Story
Randolph Gentile begins his telling of the Manson murders in an unusual way: depicting a gruesome murder before jumping backward in time to tell the story from the beginning. It is certainly not a new technique, but it used effectively in Leave Something Witchy by tempting the audience with what they know is to come. Everyone knows at least something about the Manson murders, and it was most likely the violent crimes committed by the family that drew in readers. By showing one of the killings first before starting from the beginning, Gentile gives the reader a taste of what is to come, before jumping back and explaining what events led to the situation. It works phenomenally well and intrigues a reader from very early on.
It is also abundantly clear that Gentile did extensive research while writing Leave Something Witchy. The details of the Manson family are incredibly in-depth, and the graphic novel goes as far as to explain in detail how several members of the family wound up in the group, what happened to several surviving members after they were arrested, and dozens of other facts related to the Manson family. Leave Something Witchy is saturated with information, which simply adds to why the graphic novel is worth reading.
The way that Randolph Gentile is able to fit so much information into the graphic novel is interesting as well. He has pages with nothing besides words on them to relay large chunks of information in a smaller space. While this may at first seem to distract from the feeling of reading a graphic novel, these pages often were used as pleasant scene transitions, and also helped to convey scenes that would have been nothing except for action. These pages save the graphic novel from being dozens and dozens of pages longer than it was, and it is already a lengthy read. By the addition of the pages filled with words, Gentile is able to keep up the pace and excitement of the read, while also fitting in interesting information that he had uncovered.
Art
The art of Leave Something Witchy is distinct and does a great job of working with the story to get information across. The foreword asks the reader to “forgive [Gentile’s] shortcomings as an artist,” but that is rarely, if at all, necessary. There are a few moments where the anatomy of a character is wrong, which does stand out. Still, Gentile’s distinct art style mostly does a fantastic job of telling the Manson story and is a fun change-of-pace from the typical art you would see on comic book store shelves.
In the foreword of Leave Something Witchy, Randolph Gentile mentions his want to explore with the various tools available to him when working in the digital medium. This is very evident in the graphic novel and is used to create genuinely stunning art in many cases. The mix of various tools provides distinct aesthetics that bring scenes together, and give a variety that is an absolute pleasure to look at.
The art improved significantly towards the end of the graphic novel, which Gentile attributes in the foreword to the experience he gained in the long time it took him to compose the story. I believe this change in talent works in Gentile’s favor because the gruesome scenes that occur near the end of the book are done in a style that makes them profoundly striking. The change of art makes these scenes feel more real and important than other events in the book, almost as if signifying the transition of the Manson family from a group that preached about love to one only concerned with bringing death.
Most of Leave Something Witchy is composed of only black-and-white imagery, but color is interjected to highlight certain aspects of some scenes. Bright red is used for blood, and the choice of illustrating this with color makes the violence of certain scenes stand out, due to the rest of the book being mostly colorless. Color is also used to produce an effect that illustrates a hippie lifestyle or a drug-induced trip and is sometimes used to establish the tone of a scene when it has a lighter mood than the rest of the book.
The lettering of Leave Something Witchy is not outstanding but does a great job of allowing the story to progress smoothly. The words are mostly colored black but can be a bright red or another color when depicting captions from violent scenes or when emphasizing certain words, like the graphic novel’s title.
Conclusion
Leave Something Witchy is an outstanding telling of the Manson murders, filled with so much information that even those well-versed with the true story are likely to find something they did not know before. Randolph Gentile creates a truly unique experience to learn about the horrific event, and reading through the graphic novel is incredibly enjoyable.
Not much is clear about the current state of the MCU’s Black Widow film, but Marvel Comics is moving full steam ahead with its release of a new series that presumably would have dovetailed with the films original release date. Today, Marvel has released a preview of the first issue’s cover and a trailer for the comic that has a decidedly Archer-esque style to the art.
Written Kelly Thompson with art by Elena Casagrande, the story from the official Marvel press release is light on details. However, the trailer seems to indicate our crimson-haired super spy is pulled out of retirement when her enemies refuse to let her leave the old life behind.
You can check out the cover, watch the trailer and read the official Marvel press release below.
Which are you more excited for: the new Black Widow comic or the pending film? Let us know what you think in the Comments section, and please share this post on social media using the links below.
NATASHA ROMANOFF IS THE BLACK WIDOW NO MORE IN NEW COMIC SERIES!
Take a peek at Kelly Thompson and Elena Casagrande’s Black Widow #1 in a thrilling new trailer!
New York, NY— August 7, 2020 — What happens when Black Widow’s deadliest enemies discover a way to take her out? Find out this September when Eisner-nominated writer Kelly Thompson (Captain Marvel) and rising star artist Elena Casagrande (Catwoman) take the Marvel Universe’s greatest spy on a heartbreaking thrill ride into uncharted territory. Natasha Romanoff’s world is upended when the superspy Avenger finds herself trapped in a mystery that even she can’t solve. Your first clues about the mission that could mark the end of Black Widow await in this top-secret trailer!
“It’s a bold new vision for Black Widow and one I am really hoping people can get excited about,” Thompson told Marvel.com earlier this year. “Our first arc has some of the stuff you would expect in a Black Widow book, but I think twisted in a new way that’s interesting – and where she ends up at the end of this highly personal and life changing story is ALSO interesting!”
Discover all the secrets of Natasha Romanoff’s latest adventure when BLACK WIDOW #1, written by Kelly Thompson with art by Elena Casagrande and colors by Jordie Bellaire, goes on sale this September. Pre-order your copy today online or at your local comic shop! For more information, visit marvel.com.
The first time they met, Harley got her ditzy butt handed to her. Now, Punchline is coming to finish Harley off in this DC Comics preview of BATMAN #98, available in shops on September 1st.
Written by James Tynion IV and drawn by Jorge Jimenez, a battered Harley is nursing Batman back to health after exposure to the latest brand of Joker Toxin when “Punchline returns to finish the job.” Says DC of this latest smackdown between the former and current Joker sidekick: “you can bet Harley will be looking for some serious payback.”
You can check out a few preview pages and read the full DC press release below.
Who’s your favorite Joker sidekick: Punchline or Harley Quinn? Let us know in the Comments section, and please share this post on social media using the links below.
BATMAN #98: PUNCHLINE VS. HARLEY QUINN, ROUND TWO!
In Batman #93, class was definitely in session and Punchline took Harley Quinn to school in a no holds barred throwdown for the ages! Although she was left for dead, reports of Harley’s demise were “greatly exaggerated” (with apologies to Mark Twain) and she’s the only one left to help Batman recover from the effects of the strongest Joker toxin attack yet! And as she helps him overcome his wild hallucinations, Punchline returns to finish the job she started and you can bet Harley will be looking for some serious payback. Here’s a preview of Batman #98, on sale Tuesday, September 1!
“The Joker War” part four of six! Batman is at his most vulnerable following a massive dose of an experimental new Joker toxin. With the Dark Knight haunted by demons and visions, it’s up to Harley Quinn to protect him while he recovers—because Punchline is on her way!
The official descriptions and some preview art are below:
THE DARK MULTIVERSE INFECTS TWO MORE
ICONIC DC EVENTS THIS NOVEMBER!
Tales from the Dark Multiverse: Batman: Hush #1 On Sale November 3
Tales From the Dark Multiverse: Flashpoint #1 On Sale November 17
Following the smash success of last year’s Tales from the Dark Multiverse series of one-shots, DC returns with more chronicles that explore dark and twisted versions of DC’s most memorable stories!
Tales From The Dark Multiverse: Batman: Hush #1 – On Sale November 3
It begins on November 3 with the story that kicked off the modern era for the Dark Knight, Batman: Hush, the landmark story that introduced Bruce Wayne’s childhood friend Tommy Elliot to the DC universe and his quest as he tried to destroy Batman!
But in this version, of the classic tale, writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson and artist Dexter Soy pose the question: What if Tommy had ruined Bruce Wayne’s life when they were children?
Tommy Elliot grew up to be the Dark Prince of Gotham City with help of Talia al Ghul, Oswald Cobblepot, Harvey Dent, and Jason Todd! But vengeance is coming in the form of Batman the Silenced…who will tear Tommy’s life apart! Written by rising star Phillip Kennedy Johnson (The Last God) with jaw-dropping artwork from Dexter Soy (Batman and the Outsiders)!
Written by PHILLIP KENNEDY JOHNSON
Art by��DEXTER SOY
Cover by DAVID MARQUEZ
ONE-SHOT | PRESTIGE FORMAT
ON SALE 11/3/20
$5.99 US | 48 PAGES | FC | DC
Tales From The Dark Multiverse: Flashpoint #1 – On Sale November 17
On November 17 the event that changed the game for DC’s Super Heroes and Super-Villains is contaminated by the Dark Multiverse, courtesy of fan favorite writer/artist Bryan Hitch (Hawkman, Justice League: Rebirth)
Spinning out of the events of a world where a single choice by the Flash effected the entire DC Universe, find out what would have happened if Barry Allen had not put things right. If a world where the Flashpoint reality was never undone, where Thomas Wayne still haunts Gotham City as the Batman, and the Amazonian and Atlantean armies still prepare for war, will the Reverse Flash embrace this darker more deadly world and finally eclipse Barry Allen’s legacy?
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #46 hits your local comic book store August 12th, but thanks to Marvel Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive three-page preview for you.
About the issue: The Lethal Legion returns to threaten the Big Apple, and only the Sin Eater can save us? How can Spider-Man stop the murderous vigilante and… should he?
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #46 is by writer Nick Spencer and penciller Marcelo Ferreira, with inks by Roberto Poggi, colors by David Curiel, and letters by Joe Caramagna. The cover is by Casanovas.
The issue is the second part of the “Sins Rising” arc, a story that Spencer has been building to since very early in his run.
Check out the AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #46 preview below:
Are you reading AMAZING SPIDER-MAN? Sound off in the comments!
DC’s new series DCeased:Dead Planetcontinues, and now comes a first look at issue #3 with the start of the “Earth War” storyline.
Check out the preview cover art and pages below:
The sequel to the bestselling miniseries continues! THR’s Heat Vision calls DCeased: Dead Planet “a tense and surprisingly fun read as the next-generation Justice League—with Superman and Batman’s kids having taken over their parents’ roles after the originals turned into zombies in the first series—tries to do the right thing in the worst possible situation.” The new Justice League is trapped on Earth, and they’ve discovered that life still survives on this dead planet! Survival is precarious, though—and with billions of anti-life-infected still roaming the surface, death lies around every corner.
In September’s DCeased: Dead Planet #3, a mysterious second “garden” has been located on the other side of the planet, and John Constantine and Swamp Thing lead a mission to investigate…but what they discover will fundamentally change everything! The road to “Earth War” begins!
DCeased: Dead Planet #3, written by Tom Taylor with art by Trevor Hairsine, Gigi Baldissini, Rain Beredo and Saida Temofonte hits shelves Tuesday September 1 with a main cover by David Finch, a card stock variant cover by Francesco Mattina and a card stock movie homage variant cover by Ben Oliver.
Writer N.K. Jemisin and artist Jamal Campbell return to the City Enduring with the 7th issue of their outstanding comic series, Far Sector. While every issue has brought along a massive change for Sojourner Mullein’s tenure on The City Enduring, this one dives deep into the world of cyberpunk and expands upon the already considerable lore and backstory for this Green Lantern elseworlds tale. With once again unbelievably brilliant visual work from Campbell and solid lettering from Deron Bennett, this is yet another stellar chapter in this surprise hit from DC’s Young Animal line.
“On today’s agenda: a giant mech fight, transforming her consciousness into digital information, and a high-speed pursuit through an alien computer network. All with six minutes of power left. But it’s all in a day’s work for Green Lantern Jo Mullein as she comes closer to unraveling the greatest conspiracy the Green Lantern Corps has ever seen.”
Writing & Plot
Writer N.K. Jemisin once again packs mountains of story and plot development within a 22-page comic issue in Far Sector #7, and she makes it look effortless. This issue opens with a moment of tragedy, but then uses the momentum of that loss to reel in more of Jo’s backstory, the capabilities and origin of her special Green Lantern, introduces a new race living on The City Enduring, and makes points about their impoverished struggle, and all of this reads with a compelling grace seldom seen in this or any medium. Jemisin’s experience as an accomplished novelist is most obvious in her penchant for world and character building, as both of these elements are continuously fleshed out in new ways from issue to issue. The history, politics, and social structure of The City Enduring are firmly implanted by into the consciousness of the reader by this point in the series, which is why Jemisin decides to add a new race with specific class issues (on top of the fact that their actual origin is really cool). Her understanding of the comics medium is displayed by her ability to let the visual storytelling do its work. There are plenty of silent panels or smart cuts to-and-from scenes that demonstrate that she knows how this medium should function. The mix of poignant socio-political talk, taste for action, and sense of clever (if not sometimes a little dated) humor make Jemisin a comics writer with a wide range of talents and makes Far Sector a unique joy with every issue.
Art Direction
I’ve used every review of prior Far Sector issues to praise Jamal Campbell‘s incredible artwork, and I’m here to do it again for issue #7. Campbell’s stylized digital pencils and colors are consistently some of the most awe-inspiring visuals seen in comics of this or any era. The massive space-operatic scenery of The City Enduring and its million of denizens, and all of their spacecraft and architecture, is drawn with immaculate detail and clarity. This comic has the quality of those incredible concept rendering of an often-canceled sci-fi film but made into a sequential story. Character animations are stunning and filled with a vibrancy to make them easy to connect to. The action sequences pack a beautiful punch and are smoothly choreographed. He’s given plenty of room to work and direct via Jemisin’s scripts, and he does so with a penchant for knowing where to focus the reader’s attention despite so much happening on each page. Jamal Campbell’s unmistakable visual style is a massive chunk of what makes Far Sector so special and is worth the read on his art alone.
Far Sector #7 is a stellar addition that capitalizes on what has made this comic series such a thrill to read thus far. N.K. Jemisin’s script continues to build on the lore of The City Enduring and Jo Mullein herself, while also adding socio-political intricacies and character-building that never feels overstuffed or out of place. Jamal Campbell’s absolutely incredible visual work shines bright on every page, whether the scene be an emerald-clad brawl or a quiet conversation at a virtual diner. This issue is yet another successful chapter in the comic’s narrative, and I look forward to seeing where it heads next. Be sure to grab the latest copy of Far Sector from your local comic shop on 8/4!
