Marvel Announces New YA Graphic Book Line With Scholastic

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July 9, 2020

In a strong move to capture the YA market, Marvel Comics has announced a partnership with Scholastic to produce a series of graphic novels focused on readers from 12-18. The first Original Graphic Novel (OGN), entitled Miles Morales: Shock Waves, will star the titular wall crawler as he works to solve a mystery surrounding the disappearance of his friend’s father.

Following the Miles Morales/Spider-Man OGN, Marvel is actively working on books starring Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel and Shuri. More details on those books will be released in the near future. You can read full details in the official Marvel press release below.,

What other Marvel characters would you like to see in YA OGN’s? Let us know in the Comments section, and please share this post on social media using the links below.

Marvel and Scholastic To Launch All-New Line Of Original Graphic Novels For Young Readers

The new line of middle grade OGNs kicks off with a Miles Morales story in Spring 2021

New stories to be written by bestselling authors including Justin A. Reynolds, Nadia Shammas, and Roseanne A. Brown

New York, NY—July 9, 2020 — Marvel Entertainment and Scholastic, the global children’s publishing, education and media company, today announced a multi-year Original Graphic Novel program featuring some of Marvel’s most iconic Super Heroes including Miles Morales, Kamala Khan, Shuri and more! These new stories will launch as part of Scholastic’s Graphix Media line, building from the success of Marvel and Scholastic’s prose collaboration program that kicked off earlier this year.

Next spring, Marvel and Scholastic’s new OGNs will make their debut with Miles Morales: Shock Waves, written by bestselling author Justin A. Reynolds (Opposite of Always and the forthcoming novel, Early Departures) with art by Eisner Award-nominated artist Pablo Leon (The Journey)! Following one of Marvel’s most popular characters, Miles Morales: Shock Waves will introduce readers to a riveting new story that will thrill both new and well-versed comics readers alike.

“Ever since he entered the Marvel Universe a few years ago, Miles has struck a deep and personal chord with fans around the world,” said Lauren Bisom, Editor of Marvel’s juvenile publishing. “As Spider-Man, he embodies that classic coming-of-age story. But as Miles, he represents so much more—and his life experiences, his culture, and his ability to embrace his inner strength make him one of the most important and inspirational heroes in the Marvel Universe.”

In Miles Morales: Shock Waves, Miles Morales is a normal school kid who happens to juggle school at Brooklyn Visions Academy while swinging through the streets of Brooklyn as Spider-Man. After a disastrous earthquake strikes his mother’s birthplace of Puerto Rico, Miles springs into action to help set up a fundraiser for the devastated island. But when a new student’s father goes missing, Miles begins to make connections between the disappearance and a giant corporation sponsoring Miles’ fundraiser. Who is behind the disappearance, and how does that relate to Spider-Man?

Following Miles Morales: Shock Waves, Marvel and Scholastic will debut all-new adventures following Kamala Khan, written by rising graphic novel writer Nadia Shammas, and Shuri, written by New York Times bestselling author Roseanne A. Brown! More details on these new OGNs will be released in the coming months.

Earlier this year, the collaboration between Marvel and Scholastic launched to critical acclaim with Shuri: A Black Panther Novel by New York Times bestselling author Nic Stone; soon to be followed by Avengers Assembly: Orientation by popular middle grade author Preeti Chhibber this August. In addition to releasing new OGNs starting in 2021, Marvel and Scholastic will continue its prose collaboration with new and sequel novels for readers everywhere.

“Our relationship with the Marvel publishing team is a true collaboration and partnership,” said Debra Dorfman, VP & Publisher, Licensing, Media & Brands. “As we grow our OGN list in licensing under Graphix Media, we can’t think of a better team to work with. How lucky are we to have Justin A. Reynolds and Pablo Leon collaborating on the first book about Miles Morales? We are equally as thrilled to welcome Nadia Shammas and Roseanne A. Brown to Scholastic.”

“The first books in our collaboration with Marvel have been enthusiastically received by critics and readers alike,” added Michael Petranek, Executive Editor and Manager, Graphix Media. “We are thrilled to bring fans of these amazing characters more stories to enjoy. We can’t wait to take our readers on new adventures and expand the breadth of our storytelling with Marvel.”

“After launching our prose novels with Scholastic earlier this year, we’ve seen a huge demand for more Marvel stories and entry points into the Marvel Universe,” said Sven Larsen, Vice President, Licensed Publishing, Marvel. “These middle grade OGNs are the perfect next step to bring more readers in with the visual storytelling Marvel fans know and love. We’re thrilled to build our collaboration with Scholastic and tell brand-new stories that represent the world around us, both through our characters and the creative teams behind them. We can’t wait to introduce you to this next chapter for Marvel’s heroes.”

More information about Marvel and Scholastic’s upcoming OGNs, creative teams, and new middle grade novels will be released later this year. Stay tuned to Marvel.com and Scholastic.com for new details and look out for these titles at book stores and comic shops starting next year!

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INTERVIEW: Stunt Coordinator Hiro Koda On Meeting Idols And Making Cobra Kai

By

Ruben Diaz

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July 9, 2020

Cobra Kai is a hit series first presented by YouTube, which continues the story of the heroes and villains from 1984s The Karate Kid, and amid all the high-flying action is Emmy award-winning stunt coordinator Hiro Koda.

You see them in just about every TV show and film in some form or another. Stunt actors seamlessly replace actors in perfectly edited sequences in heart-stopping action sequences or even the simplest of prat falls. Hiro’s work appears in Cobra Kai starring William Zabka (The Karate Kid) and Ralph Macchio (My Counsin Vinny). Hiro’s action-packed work also appears in the hit Netflix series Stranger Things and Ozark plus Big Little Lies and The Outsider on HBO.

PopAxiom put on a harness for no reason because we spoke to Hiro on the phone regarding his decades in the stunt business, transitioning to directing, and more!

Hiro’s Journey

We’re familiar with child actors, but there are also child stunt actors. Hiro started faux fighting and falling at a young age. “I got my SAG card when I was twelve-years-old. Between the age of 12 and 16, I had a family friend, that my father trained, a martial artist and kickboxer, she was a Hollywood stunt woman, and she took me to sets to watch her stunt rehearsals.”

Young Hiro, simply put, fell in love. “That’s what I want to do. It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.”

From there, Hiro’s story is a movie waiting to happen. “I moved out to LA at 16 years old, trying to figure out how to be a stuntman. I got one of my earlier jobs doing a few Roger Corman (Galaxy of Terror) films, and then I did the first seven seasons of Power Rangers.”

The happy ending to the Hiro film: “I performed for many years … “ But the story continues, “… I started fight coordinating and moved into stunt coordinating.”

Hiro’s also done a lot of second-unit directing, including on the series Stranger Things. “I’m a filmmaker; that’s my passion. I want to direct. I got my DGA card in 2000. I have a short film that made it into the Arizona International Film Festival. I’ve directed one feature, some television shows as well, and looking forward to more.”

About Cobra Kai

Hiro’s decades of experience brought him to Hurwitz & Schlossberg Productions and Overbrook Entertainment’s series Cobra Kai. The half-hour episodes are ambitious and stuffed with comedy, drama, and increasing levels of action with every episode. “We never have enough time. There’s so much action. Season two had more action than season one, and season three has even more action.”

If you haven’t watched Cobra Kai, you’re missing out on a show that delivers quality on many levels. [SPOILER ALERT] Season two ends with an epic fight scene in a high school. “It was very complicated. We were shooting at a college that was not allowing us to shoot on weekdays. So we had four days to shoot that sequence. One full day was shooting scenes that didn’t require stunts. So we had that day to practice on location.”

“We shot the action of that sequence,” Hiro says of the well-executed twisting and turning melee, “… in about two days.”

Before those two days, there was a lot of practice. “Rehearsal time, we did several rehearsals prior. There was a lot of planning going into it because we didn’t have a lot of time, and we were working with young adults who have a time limit on set.”

Without a doubt, Hiro asserts, “It was a tough shoot, but we got through it.”

Any show with a great cast involved in fight sequences and stunts begs the question: How much of the stunts do the actors do themselves? “Every sequence that we do, the actors come in and rehearse all their fights. I’m able to use them as much as I can according to their ability and what they are comfortable doing. Stunt doubles will take the hard hits and falls.”

About working on Cobra Kai, Hiro says, “It’s a fun show to be on. The cast is incredible.”

Wrapping Up

Hiro started young in the filmmaking business and shares a bit of movie magic that surprised him. “Early in the business, it was learning the ‘Texas Switch’”

As a young stunt actor turned coordinator turned director, who inspired Hiro growing up? “I’ve been a huge fan of Jackie Chan my entire life and Sammo Hung. Those two guys. Jet Li is another one. But Sammo Hung and Jackie Chan are two of my idols.”

Hiro’s admiration and dedication to the stunt craft brought him face-to-face with his idols. “If you remember, Sammo Hung did a TV show called Martial Law. I ended up on season two and three as a double for Hung, which is interesting because he’s a much bigger person than I am. I didn’t have to do too much. That guy’s incredible fight-wise. He did all of his fights. But I did do quite a bit of stuff for him like falls and flips.”

A few years later, Hiro met idol number two. “I got to work on Rush Hour 3 and got into a huge fight with Jackie Chan. It was such an honor.”

It’s easy to think a stunt coordinator turning director would want to do action movies. Hiro’s undoubtedly an action fan, but says, “I would love to do a thriller or something stripped down from action.”

Cobra Kai season three is wrapped up, and it was recently announced that the series would be moving to Netflix. The season three premiere date has not been announced yet. Hiro’s excited about viewers watching the continued story. So, what’s next? “Nothing for now as we figure out how to deal with the pandemic. Eventually, more work on Stranger Things season four.”

Is Cobra Kai on your watch list?

Thanks to Hiro and Impact24 PR for making this interview possible.

Want to read more interviews like this? CLICK HERE.

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Pandemic Sifi Satire, PLANET DIVOC-91, Fully Funded By UK Scientific Orgs

By

Gabriel Hernandez

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July 9, 2020

On July 15, 2020, WEBTOON will be releasing a totally hilarious, sometimes ridiculous, satire about a distant space colony dealing with a Pandemic called PLANET DIVOC-91. This new project will be created by a small army of comics and writers from all over the globe and released in nine parts.

What makes this collaboration unusual is the funding source: “PLANET DIVOC-91 is produced by Dr Bella Starling, Director of Vocal at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust and Sara Kenney, Creative Director at Wowbagger Productions, in association with the UK Academy of Medical Sciences.”

You can read all about this timely project in the press release below.

Are you ready to have a good laugh at the expense of a serious subject? Let us know what you think in the Comments section, and please share this on social media using the links below.

Acclaimed Comics Creators — including WALKING DEAD artist Charlie Adlard, FRIENDO writer Alex Paknadel, and UK Comics Laureate Hannah Berry — Present PLANET DIVOC-91

A SciFi Satire About a Pandemic in the Far Reaches of Outer Space

Funded by Some of the Most Prestigious Scientific Organizations in the UK

Featuring Covers from All Star Artists Elsa Charretier, Marco Finnegan, Leslie Hung, VV Glass, Warwick Johnson-Cadwell, Matt Kindt, Alitha Martinez, and David Rubín

And Mixes from Music Producers Including Grandmixxer, LCY, and Juice Aleem

The 9-part, Webcomic Debuts July 15, 2020 on WEBTOON

(July 9, 2020) This summer, an ambitious storytelling experience will bring the world of science to comics like never before. An impressive roster of comic book creators — including WALKING DEAD artist Charlie Adlard, FRIENDO writer Alex Paknadel, UK Comics Laureate Hannah Berry, colourist and designer James Devlin, and letterer Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou — are collaborating on PLANET DIVOC-91, an ambitious webcomic debuting July 15, 2020 on WEBTOON. The nine-part webcomic, which is funded by some of the most prestigious scientific organizations in the UK, is an offbeat sci-fi satire about a pandemic outbreak in the far reaches of outer space. In PLANET DIVOC-91, all young adults between the age of 16-25 have been transported to an earth-like planet which has been terraformed, so that both humans and aliens can breathe the air. Each chapter features the work of a different creative team and cover artist and is interspersed with short articles, links to videos, and other pieces of art by young adults about issues related to COVID-19, and mixes from world renowned DJs and Producers.

PLANET DIVOC-91 follows the adventures of two earthlings: Sanda Oung, a 23-year-old girl from the UK, and Champo Oung, Sanda’s 19-year-old, non-binary sibling. In the series, 15% of the world’s population of 7.5 billion people are now stuck on another planet, miles from the safety of home. Sanda learns that humans have been brought to Planet Divoc-91 because the Earth is at risk of an extinction level event – and young adults have been moved to safety by the Board of Adversity Scientists for Intergalactic Leadership’ (BASIL), led by a charismatic and fearsome alien named ADRO.

The series will feature covers from all-star artists Elsa Charretier (NOVEMBER), Marco Finnegan (LIZARD IN A ZOOT SUIT), Leslie Hung (SNOTGIRL), Warwick Johnson-Cadwell (MR. HIGGINS COMES HOME), VV Glass (DR WHO), (GRAFITY’S WALL), Matt Kindt (BANG!), Alitha Martinez (OMNI), Anand RK (GRAFITY’S WALL), and David Rubín (ETHER). The series’ first chapter is written by Sara Kenney and illustrated by legendary WALKING DEAD artist Charlie Adlard. “I’m thrilled to be working on such a project. It’s in times like these that we all need to pull together and help, and, in my own little way, this is something I can feel useful in doing,” said Adlard. The first chapter features a cover by acclaimed artist Elsa Charretier (NOVEMBER), 17 pages of comic storytelling and 17 pages of extra material. Subsequent chapters will feature between 6 and 8 pages of comic storytelling, in addition to the essays and reporting.

“Although the topics we’re discussing in the series are incredibly serious, PLANET DIVOC-91 is full of humour and is occasionally ridiculous,” said Kenney. “We’re aiming for more of a District 9 or The Good Place feel than, say, Star Trek.” Chapter 2 is written by Charlotte Bailey and illustrated by Nick Brokenshire. Chapter 3 is written and illustrated by UK Comics Laureate Hannah Berry, who also provides an afterword for PLANET DIVOC-91’s first chapter. Creative teams for later chapters will be announced in the coming months, including contributions from Rachael Smith (HOUSE PARTY), Karrie Fransman (THE HOUSE THAT GROANED), Martin Simmonds (DEATH SENTENCE), Alex Paknadel (FRIENDO) and Zara Slattery (COMA COMIC).

PLANET DIVOC-91 is produced by Dr Bella Starling, Director of Vocal at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust and Sara Kenney, Creative Director at Wowbagger Productions, in association with the UK Academy of Medical Sciences. “Bella and I were already working together on creative projects to engage audiences in sharing their views about antibiotic resistance and immunisation and when lockdown hit, it became obvious that our thinking could be refocused on the COVID pandemic,” said Kenney. “We realized there was a ton of information and advice about the pandemic out there, but it’s so difficult to know what to believe and who to trust, and there were virtually no young voices in the mix.” The project has since grown in scale and ambition, and there is a young editorial team from UK, India, South Africa, and Malawi who are interviewing experts from scientists to historians, ethicists to anthropologists, and from that material curating articles, creating art and videos in reaction to the interviews.

“Being teenagers and going through the most challenging stage of our lives is hard in itself — but now the impact of this new virus is resonating through our lives without any sense of when this will end,” writes Shanjida Hossain, one of the young adults contributing to the comic, in an interview with Sir Patrick Vallance, the UK Government’s Chief Scientific Advisor; “Having studied hard since the age of five, getting to the very end of our educational journey to face this global pandemic wasn’t something we could have ever planned for, yet here we are, left with nothing but insecurities and confusion.” Shanjida’s interview will accompany PLANET DIVOC-91’s debut chapter.

“Whenever our worlds are turned upside down and we find ourselves crying “what the hell”, we call upon stories to explain “this: this the hell,” Berry writes in the afterword to PLANET DIVOC-91 Chapter One. “Our brains are hardwired with a furious need to find patterns as a means of survival, and we hunt for them – and for their subsequent meanings – everywhere, in everything. Stories bring shape and meaning to random events. They are about the conflict and the resolution; the breaking apart and the coming together; they help us to find hope in darkness and rally us when we are lost and, ultimately, they help us overcome. Faced with the greatest upheaval of a generation, and the strict social obligations keeping us all apart, where better to seek that sense of connection and meaning now than in stories?”

“PLANET DIVOC-91 is a thought experiment, one that’s a metaphor for what we’re currently experiencing around the world with COVID-19,” said Kenney. “We’re releasing the series on WEBTOONS, because it’s an inclusive, wide-reaching, digital platform, with a global audience of 10 million readers daily, and we want to foster a dialogue in the comments section, about the pandemic and where we go from here. We’ve also got some exclusive mixes hidden as Easter Eggs in the comic starting with one of the best UK Grime DJs, and a uniquely talented and much loved producer in his own right Grandmixxer. Chapter 2 features a mix from one of the most important new-generation experimental UK club music producer, artist and label owner LCY. Chapter 3 features an Afrofuturism playlist from one of the UKs best loved MCs Juice Aleem. And at the end of the day, we want readers to come back each month for the story and art. Why is Planet Divoc-91 inhabited only by 16-25 year old humans? Who are these strange aliens? Sanda Oung, a bit of a conspiracy theorist at first, has to figure out what is real and who to trust.”

The project was kick started via NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre seed funding who are providing continued support. Additional supporters include The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC); Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC); The University of Manchester through the Wellcome Institutional Strategic Support Fund award; Sarah Iqbal, DBT/Wellcome Trust India Alliance; Anita Shervington, Blast Fest and Nabeel Petersen, Interfer (South Africa). The series was inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic. “Our aim is to empower audiences to make sense of a pandemic situation, to create a forum for their ideas, and to use participatory arts to inform science research and influence science policy,” said Kenney.

“We’re creating a crazy, exquisite corpse with writers and artists taking on the same characters that will be accessible, entertaining and informative,” said Starling. “The wider project will capture young people’s thinking and ideas about pandemics and related research, to feed into scientific research and policy, as well as helping and challenging our research communities to think about the best ways of actively involving young adults in ongoing and future research”

PLANET DIVOC-91 debuts July 15, 2020 FREE on WebToons: https://bit.ly/planetdivoc91.

For more information, follow PlanetDivoc91 on Twitter and Instagram.

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DC Goes All-In On Monsters For Halloween 2020

By

Gabriel Hernandez

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July 9, 2020

DC Comics has no shortage of monsters within their expanded universe, and this Halloween, DC is bringing out some of their scariest creatures for two heart-stopping, one-shot anthologies.

LEGEND OF THE SWAMP THING HALLOWEEN SPECTACULAR #1 will tell six short stories focusing on the green giant in all his swamp-tastic glory. DC: THE DOOMED AND THE DAMNED #1 brings together a collection of ten separate horror tales starring the likes of Batman, Man-Bat and Etrigan.

You can read the full details in the official DC press release below.

Does this add a little more sweetness to your Trick-r-Treat goody bag? Let us know what you think in the Comments section, and please share this on social media using the links below.

LEGEND OF THE SWAMP THING HALLOWEEN SPECTACULAR #1 AND

DC: THE DOOMED AND THE DAMNED #1: TWO ANTHOLOGIES GUARANTEED

TO HAVE FANS READING WITH THE LIGHTS ON THIS OCTOBER!

DC Doubles Down on the Scary This Halloween!

October always brings stories of ghosts, goblins, fright and picking out our favorite candies for Halloween. But this year, DC’s got twice the spooks and scares for comic book fans with two anthology titles featuring the World’s Greatest Super Heroes in tales of fear and terror!

LEGEND OF THE SWAMP THING HALLOWEEN SPECTACULAR #1

DC invites you to welcome Swamp Thing to your witching hour festivities. In this 48-page collection of six all-new stories, the Guardian of the Green reveals past lives and the unforgettable horrors that befall those who cross his path. From ancient Rome to present day, Swamp Thing stalks these ghostly and ghastly tales—all of which are best read by the light of a jack o’ lantern!

Writers Tom King (Strange Adventures, Swamp Thing: Roots of Terror, Swamp Thing Winter Special), James Tynion IV (Batman), Vita Ayala, Phillip Kennedy Johnson (The Last God: The Fellspyre Chronicles) and Ram V (Catwoman, Justice League Dark) are among the writers penning these creepy tales with Domo Stanton (House of Whispers), Mike Perkins (Lois Lane), Emma Rios and Christian Ward providing the bone-chilling artwork.

Legend of the Swamp Thing Halloween Spectacular #1 is priced at $5.99 and debuts on Tuesday, October 6, 2020 at all open and operating comic book stores and participating digital retailers.

DC: THE DOOMED AND THE DAMNED #1

It was a dark and stormy night when the creatures of the DC universe began to emerge from their lairs into the cool evening air. Tales of the macabre, the murderous, and the morbid abound in this spine-chilling special about monsters and mayhem! What happens when Batman encounters a true urban legend after speaking its name three times in a mirror, or when Madame Xanadu enlists the help of Man-Bat to take town shadowy specter? And who can stop an intergalactic demon from turning people into frog beasts? Only the unlikely team up of Green Lantern and Etrigan! All this and seven more fang-tastic tales to trick your treats and bob your apples!

This prestige format one-shot features some of comics best scary storytellers, including writers Carmen Maria Machado (Hill House Comics’ The Low, Low Woods), Marv Wolfman, Ken Porter, John Arcudi, Saladin Ahmed, Alyssa Wong, Travis Moore and others. Artists contributing to this blood-curdling comic include Riley Rossmo (Martian Manhunter, Constantine: the Hellblazer), Mike Perkins, Leonardo Manco, Travis Moore, Tom Mandrake and others.

This 80-Page one-shot is priced at $9.99 and arrives at open and operating comic book stores and participating digital retailers on Tuesday, October 13, 2020.

For the latest list of local area comic book stores, check out DC’s Comic Shop Tracker, www.dccomics.com/comicshoptracker and follow on social media @DCComics and @thedcnation for the latest on the World’s Greatest Super Heroes!

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Review: BATMAN #94 Sees Joker’s Designs Complete

By

Jose "Jody" Cardona

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Batman Sees the Dark Design Come to Fruition

The ultimate plan for Batman’s Rogues has gone terrifyingly well. As Batman dealt with the assassins hired to take down people in Gotham, the Designer had set all the pieces up for it to improve his empire. Batman, tired of this, takes on the villain of yesteryear in a climactic swordfight. After disarming him, Bruce deduces the truth: The Designer is dead, and he had been fighting his corpse. The real mastermind behind this was the Joker all along. The clown prince orders Deathstroke to wound Batman as his new sidekick, Punchline, transfers Wayne’s money to him. How will Batman survive?

**Some Spoilers Below**

Story:

We open up with a flashback to Bruce’s past during Batman training. After leaving Ducard(Ras’ Al Ghul’s alias), Bruce seeks out a man named Cassander Wycliffe Baker, formerly the world’s greatest detective. The old detective stepped away from the world view after his last encounter with his enemy, The Designer, went wrong. Baker reveals he deduced who Bruce was and promises him to teach him how to lose. Meanwhile, back in the present, Batman is recovering from his battle with the corpse of the Designer and Deathstroke. Lucius finds him and gives him a rundown of what the Joker has done: Left Bruce penniless, on the run, and with no allies.

This issue was definitely a slow one, but not one without merit. After the several battles we had over the course of the arc, it’s nice to have the last issue show off the aftermath. Obviously, it’s not the victory we hoped, but it sets up the coming Joker War story damn near perfectly. While there are Batman losses that make it seem all hope is lost in the past, this one feels like the stakes haven’t been higher. It’s clear the next six issues will be monumental, to say the least.

The problem with this issue sadly is the pacing. While it’s nice to get these slower issues, especially since we had so much gone on so far, it’s just a lot of standing around and talking. We get a brief shoot out, but it comes and goes so quickly that I passed over it the first time. Even the opening, while interesting and will definitely come back in coming issues, feels drawn out. I get why this issue had to be like this: The coming war is going to be tough for Batman. It doesn’t mean we can’t have a little more flair in the issue.

Art:

Guillem March and Rafael Alberquerque provide an overall fantastic looking final issue for the arc. Batman looks incredible, while Joker has never been more terrifying. The emotions that the team can show off throughout makes this issue worth at least one read through. The colorwork of David Baron is able to take the illustrations to the next level by providing colors that convey a sense of dread that is coming over Gotham. The best-looking page, the art team makes, is definitely the final image of Batman looking over Gotham with menacing red clouds looming overhead as lightning strikes. This team does fantastic work, and I need more.

Conclusion:

This honestly serves as a good bridging epilogue between Their Dark Designs and Joker War. It’s a bit slower for my tastes, but there is enough here to set the stage for the next Batman epic. The art team does a fantastic job establishing a tone as Bruce’s world crashes around him. The next issue begins the Joker War, and this reviewer can’t wait to see how Gotham changes, for better or worse.

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Review: STAR BASTARD VOL. 1 – Tacky & Unrefined…and Loving It!

By

Justin Munday

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Writer Andrew Clemson and artist Jethro Morales craft a 6-issue arc that’s equal parts Guardians of the Galaxy, Fear Agent, and a long night at the Mustang Ranch with Star Bastard Volume 1. Along with colors from Teo Gonzales, this crass comic full of lasers and space babes is a cliched and simplistic read but is still plenty entertaining due to its brisk pacing and stellar visual work.

“A foul-mouthed, over-the-top Sci-Fi romp, equal parts Red Dwarf and grain alcohol, Star Bastard follows a long-suffering mercenary crew as they stumble through the universe under the clumsy command of the loud, obnoxious (and invulnerable) Captain Greeves. Searching for clues to Greeves’ shadowy past, they leave a trail of lizard bounty hunters, angry alien empires, and unpaid bar tabs in their wake.”

Writing & Plot

The first six issues in Star Bastard Vol. 1 are an exercise in goofy simplicity. The mix of narrow escapes, bloody space-battles, and scandalous interactions make for a fun distraction of a read – even if it’s in no way original. Protagonist Captain Greeves is basically Chris Pratt’s Star Lord if he had impenetrable skin and if the MCU could get an R-rating. The supporting cast of characters, from the snarky cyborg Molly, to the hotheaded pilot, and the humorless engineer are all character types done time and time again. There’s nothing wrong with a story that treads a beaten path, as it’s all about how the conventions are presented. Nothing in Star Bastard is all that surprising, but it’s like comfort food from a chain restaurant; you know exactly what you’re getting and what it tastes like, but it’s still tasty. Some of the more lewd moments are sure to make some eyes roll, but outside of that, this is a fun and well-paced bit of disposable comics entertainment.

Art Direction

The real star of Star Bastard Vol.1 is the art of Jethro Morales. In terms of character art, action sequences, and world detail, his work here is consistently stellar. The lively, lighthearted animations in the character drawings effortlessly sell the comedy and action in the comic. The character designs themselves aren’t terribly unique, as most if the aliens look either mostly human or like an alien you’ve seen somewhere in a movie. Again though, this is easily forgiven just based on how good the art is. The colors from Teo Gonzales are an absolute standout as well, as they vibrantly pop off of every panel. Ship thrusters and cannon fire streak through space, while neon lights of planetary civilizations glow alight in dark backgrounds. Space-faring sci-fi comics are often made or broken by their artwork, so it’s extremely fortunate that Star Bastard has such a talented team working on its visuals.

Star Bastard Vol. 1 is a goofy, crass, fun romp with a colorful cast of sci-fi characters and excellent artwork. The writing isn’t anything groundbreaking, but it’s well-paced and humorous enough to make the story a page-turner. The art from Jethro Morales and Teo Gonzales is stunning and does a splendid job at bringing this absurd space adventure to life on the page. If this opening arc sounds like your kind of good time, preorder it from your local comic shop or Scout Comics’ webstore!

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DCeased Preview: DEAD PLANET #2

By

Kevin Sharp

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July 8, 2020

The reviews are in for DCeased: Dead Planet, and now DC Comics has unveiled a look at some preview art for issue #2 ahead of its August 4 release:

DCeased: Dead Planet #2
Death Lies Around Every Corner

The sequel to the bestselling miniseries continues! The 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 infected still roaming the surface, death lies around every corner.

But, it isn’t just the anti-living our heroes have to worry about, because John Constantine, Swamp Thing, and Zatanna are about to discover another evil growing…

DCeased: Dead Planet #2, written by Tom Taylor with art by Trevor Hairsine, Gigi Baldissini, Rain Beredo and Saida Temofonte hits shelves Tuesday August 4 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.

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Review: ALIENATED #4 Is Pleasing To The Eye But Heavy On The Heart

By

Darryll Robson

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Alienated #4 cover — Alienated #4 Cover Credit:BOOM! Studios

Someone once said “with Great power comes great responsibility”, unfortunately they didn’t say it to the three Sam’s from Alienated. In this issue, which revolves around Samir and his abuse of Chip’s abilities, a search for the Truth leads to devastating consequences. The comic should come with a content warning because the narrative takes a disturbing, and shocking, turn.

Issue 4 of Simon Spurrier and Chris Wildgooses’ BOOM! Studios monthly comic up’s the ante and takes the reader places they probably weren’t ready to go. With strong opening issues, Alienated has set itself a high quality. Are the creative team able to maintain the same level or, dare we say, even improve on it?

Tales to Astonish

The plot of issue 4 is intense and emotionally moving. Spurrier handles it beautifully and with compassion. Samir’s journey to reconcile himself with his father is both touching and tragic. The whole sequence is about the consequences of the characters actions which resonates throughout the issue and into other elements of the narrative. Without wanting to spoil any of the twists, the selfishness of one character causes major disruptions for another character.

Over the course of this series Spurrier has pulled the three central characters apart to see what makes them tick. He has laid their souls bare on the page, warts and all, so that the reader can truly get to know them. These characters are not two-dimensional college kids as seen in any number of coming-of-age movies; it’s not as simple as the jock, the nerd, or the princess stereotypes. Each has a number of layers that create their personality and this is the crux of Spurrier’s story. He is dissecting the teenager, with the aid of his science fiction plot device, and getting to the heart of what makes the characters behave in the way that they do.

Things are not as simple as black and white when you are a teenager, there are so many shades of grey. Spurrier is portraying this and, with it, the darker side of growing pains. There is a lot going on in this issue but one element stands out and because of that you may find this issue of Alienated upsetting.

Visual Disturbance

Chris Wildgoose’s layouts are focused and his art is expressive. He has a firm grasp on the storytelling aspect of the comic by making sure the reader can follow the flow of narrative across the page and through the issue. Each panel has a clear focal point and, even in the more complicated panels, the composition is easy to read with clear threads through the images. The reader is led into an image by Jim Campbell’s lettering and then just the right amount of pause is left for the visuals to soak in.

The color scheme both in the images by Andre May and the lettering by Campbell have been documented on numerous occasions throughout the series. In this issue the contrasting character hues seem to be even more evident. Large scenes and sequences take part inside the minds of the three Sams and it is always crystal clear whose mind the reader is seeing. The colors are bold and fitting, with each of the characters respective focus colors becoming more relevant to their personalities. As the plot unfolds, craft decisions made at the beginning of the series become more important.

There is a very poignant story full of pain and anger at the centre of this issue and the artistic flair does not detract from this but helps it flow more naturally. The harsher moments of the comic feel brief because of the superbly paced visual storytelling. Scenes that are distressing move fast enough for the reader to get the idea without having to linger on the imagery. You get the shock but pass it quickly without the need to unduly focus.

Conclusion

Intense is the best way to describe this chapter of Alienated. The story is progressing down roads that you won’t expect which can have its downfalls. Parts of this issue could cause distress which is a testament to how natural and realistic the narrative feels. Similar story-lines in a lesser book could be written off as cheap sensationalism, but Spurrier writes such convincing characters that their emotional turmoil becomes a part of the reader’s emotional reaction to the comic.

The artwork continues to impress on every level and Alienated is a worthwhile comic. Where the story goes from here is important. For the bold choices in this issue to mean anything the fallout next month has to be dealt with in the right way. Based on what they’ve put out so far, I think the comic is in safe hands

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Review: BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER: WILLOW – Capturing Feeling Lost

By

David Weber

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Willow #1 out this week from Boom! Studios takes the beloved character on a new path, while also giving an amazing portrayal of loneliness and feeling lost.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Willow Story

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Willow #1 follows Willow Rosenberg after the Hellmouth 2019-2020 event, and as she attempts to distance herself from what happened in her past. She goes on a semester abroad to England and must deal with the feeling that there is no one she can talk to. Written by Mariko Tamaki, illustrated by Natacha Bustos, colored by Eleonora Bruni, and Lettered by Jodi Wynne, this issue does a beautiful job of capturing the essence of loneliness. It allows for an wonderful insight into Willow’s character before her new adventure kicks off.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Willow #1 features amazing internal dialogue from Willow that captures her feelings of loneliness and distance from others after she had recently suffered a great loss. Mariko Tamaki strings together sentences that flow easily and make Willow’s character clear to the reader from the very beginning of the issue. The pacing is slow enough to thoroughly develop Willow’s character, but not so slow that it bores the reader. The book picks up towards the end of the issue to excite the reader for what is to come.

Art

The pencils and inks are the most outstanding part of this issue, because of how Natacha Bustos frames the panels. There are several instances where Bustos takes advantage of the left-to-right reading nature of western audiences and how they observe panels. Many panels have people socializing in groups on the left side of a panel, only to have Willow by herself on the right side. This technique may go unnoticed upon a first read, but going back over the panels it is clear that Bustos intended for readers to observe everyone else in groups around Willow and use that as a contrast to her being alone once they eventually see the main character. This technique results in some truly outstanding images that emphasize the loneliness of the main character even more than most of the internal dialogue of Willow.

The pages of Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Willow #1 is filled with a large variety of colors making the pages pleasant to look at and adds to the wonder of this fictional world in a few instances but does not offer anything notably spectacular. The colors are done very well, but nothing done by Eleonora Bruni necessarily makes the reader pause in appreciation. That being said, there is a very beautiful splash page near the end of Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Willow that exhibits the raw talent of Bruni, but the rest of the issue fails to have any outstanding moments that rely heavily on the coloring.

Jodi Wynne does a fine job of lettering the issue, allowing the pace of the story to flow as intended. There are no odd choices in lettering that would cause the reader to pause, but there is nothing especially noteworthy about the lettering that would give it a high rating. However, the lettering still does a wonderful job of complementing the rest of the issue, and allows it to come together to be truly enjoyable read.

Conclusion

Overall, Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Willow #1 is a thrilling start to the new journey Willow is embarking on. It raised questions to be answered, used framing techniques to tell parts of the story non-verbally, and had a wide variety of colors on nearly every page. These all came together to form an impressive issue that anyone who is a fan of Willow should definitely read.

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Review: X-MEN – GOD LOVES, MAN KILLS EXTENDED CUT #1 – Reframing a Classic…but for the Better?

By

Matthew Brake

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X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills is considered a classic X-Men story. Originally published in 1983, and the fifth graphic novel to be released by Marvel Comics, writer Chris Claremont, along with artist Brent Anderson, colorist Steve Oliff, and letterer Tom Orzechowski’s classic X-Men tale (which inspired the movie X-Men 2) tells the story of the Reverend William Stryker, a fundamentalist television preacher who believes mutants are an abomination that God wants to strike from the Earth. With his militant Purifiers, he hunts, kills, and kidnaps various mutants, including members of the X-Men, for that purpose.

On July 8, Marvel Comics released part one of two of an Extended Cut of this classic story, with a new framing device (by Claremont and Anderson) that draws on one of Claremont’s more modern X-tales, X-Men Black: Magneto, a one-shot released in 2018, in which Magneto meets and befriends a young human girl named Kate.

Writing

X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills is indeed a classic tale, and while it suffers from some of the tropes of older comic books, like an overuse of narration, I still found my re-reading of the original version to be relevant to some of the conversations happening in today’s world around issues relating to marginal communities and religious fundamentalism.

The weight of this review, however, falls on the “extended cut” part of this issue, featuring new material from Claremont wherein Kitty Pryde visits Kate, the aforementioned human girl from X-Men Black: Magneto, to talk about how adults are stuck in the nightmare of the lives they’ve made, and kids have hope for the future…something like that. Honestly, it’s a bit contrived. It serves merely as a framing device for Kitty to tell a story about her younger years in the X-Men and her experience working with Magneto in God Loves, Man Kills.

I certainly hope the back end of the framing sequences redeems my attitude here, but for an extended cut, this framing sequence doesn’t really add anything to the original story. In fact, it might take away from it if this extended cut had been about Claremont and company adding in or fleshing out scenes they had wanted more room to add, that would’ve been one thing. As it stands, this extended cut reminds me of the first half of the animated version of Batman: The Killing Joke, adding an unnecessary sequence that in no way helps the original tale.

One thing I can commend about the writing here is the backmatter, which has interviews about the extended cut from Claremont and Anderson. Their insights into the original genesis of the story will be enjoyable to longtime X-Men fans!

Art

Anderson admits in the backmatter interview that he can’t really control whether or not the art for the framing sequence matches the original issue but that he tries to put just as much heart in it. And it is certainly at variance with the original. Where the original story had the addition of Steve Oliff’s brush strokes which gave the colors a painted canvas look (I believe Anderson in the backmatter actually talks about the unique coloring process for the original graphic novel), the colors in the new framing desire are a bit flat and digitized.

The character designs, especially for Kitty, are quite awkward looking.

Kitty consistently looks like she’s 40 throughout this sequence. Not that there’s anything wrong with being 40. And it isn’t that Kitty hasn’t grown up. But she is still a young adult. I’m not sure if Anderson’s design for her here really captures that.

The lettering is serviceable for this sequence, but I was left wondering, again, if this sequence even needed to exist.

I deeply enjoyed X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills, and to the extent that this book contains that original story, it’s great, and I’m glad new readers might get exposed to it through this issue. As an “extended cut,” however, I find the additional framing sequence unnecessary. Neither the story nor the art adds anything to the original graphic novel. Claremont aficionados may enjoy seeing Claremont tie the graphic novel into one of his more recent works, but beyond that, I don’t think the new framing sequence will be that enjoyable for most readers. My ratings for this book should be understood as not applying to the original story, but specifically to this framing sequence and the very need for having “an extended cut.”

What did you think of the X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills – Extended Cut #1? Tell us in the comments below!

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