JUSTICE LEAGUE ODYSSEY #20, on sale Tuesday, May 12th, is the long-waited follow-up to issues #19’s surprising death. After learning Darkseid seized complete control over Starfire’s mind, Blackfire, her own sister, destroyed her in the blink of an eye. When confronted by Jessica Cruz, the Tamaranean Queen claimed there was no hope for her sister once under the overlord’s control. But is this true? Is there any hope of saving both friend and foe?
Story
The chamber of the time-lord Epoch rumbles with action as a new battle erupts? The combatants? Cruz and the anti-hero Azrael. Under normal circumstances, this wouldn’t be much of a challenge for the Green Lantern. But due to the influence of Darkseid, this rogue employs Omega powers that rival any superhuman’s might.
Cruz, employing an unearthly level of resilience, pleads with Azrael to abandon Darkseid while simultaneously fending off his Omega fueled sword strikes. The warrior responds with a message similar to that of Blackfire, claiming the tyrant’s power is insurmountable. Nevertheless, Cruz continues to reason with the man. And then, in an all too familiar display of power, Blackfire rushes in and vaporizes Azrael in the blink of an eye.
Writer Dan Abnett’s Cruz casts the perfect image of a caring and powerful hero. Despite her great strength, she’s unable to stop the destruction of those she cares about. We experience her feelings of utter helpless in the wake of such events. However, readers find a glimmer of hope when the hero decides to use Epoch’s time traveling technology against the forces of Darkseid.
Artwork
Cliff Richards’s penciling and ink work, working in tandem with Rain Beredo’s coloring, helped make this issue shine. Their artwork captures the cosmic level fights with bright colors and character illustrations that are full of movement. At the same time, readers will find each character express a wide-range of emotion that helps draw them into the story. Andworld Design’s lettering compliments these factors very well through its variation in font size based on dialogue inflections.
Conclusion
JUSTICE LEAGUE ODYSSEY #20 tore at the heartstrings, showing the true costs of Cruz in this war against Darkseid. We desperately want this powerful hero to find a way to right these wrongs in the coming issues.
Do you think Cruz’s hope of breaking through to those under Darkseid’s control is realistic? Let us know in the comments below!
Welcome to ‘I’d Buy That For A Dollar’ a column where I will be exploring the weird and wonderful world of dollar bin diving. The only rule is each and every comic is purchased for one dollar (or less!).
This week’s comic is Batman Batman Black and White #4.
Batman Black and White is a multi-volume limited series with a simple and fantastic concept; great comic creators making short, black and white Batman stories. Pretty much every issue is great, so grabbing one in a bin dive is a no brainer. Issue #4 is one of the best ones. Just check out the stacked credits: “An Innocent Guy” by Brian Bolland, “Monsters in the Closet” written by Jan Strnad, art by Kevin Nowlan, “Heroes” written by Archie Goodwin, art by Gary Gianni (this one won an Eisner Award), “Leavetaking” written by Dennis O’Neil, art by Brian Stelfreeze and “The Third Mask” by Katsuhiro Otomo.
Oh, and the cover is by Alex Toth!
Each story is a solid read and any synopsis would give away too much, so I’m just going to let the pages flow below, in the order they appear in the comic.
*My issue was missing Brian Bolland’s piece and “Monsters in the Closet”, so I read the those digitally. This comic is literally falling apart (as you can see by the loose pages in the pictures.
That Otomo jam is the best right? Makes me want to see an Otomo Neo-Gotham ala Aklira’s Neo-Tokyo! Anyway great book, grab it and keep hitting those dollar bins!
You can find great dollar bins at almost every local comic shop. So find a shop, ask a comic clerk what they can do for you during this time and get some dollar comics! Pick them up curbside and have them delivered if you must!
DC Comics released another four pages of Batman: Three Jokers Tuesday afternoon, and Monkeys Fighting Robots has put all the earlier pieces of the puzzle to give a seven-page preview of what could be the biggest book of 2020.
The book is written by Geoff Johns, with art by Jason Fabok and Brad Anderson.
About Batman: Three Jokers: 30 years after The Killing Joke changed comics forever, Batman: Three Jokers re-examines the myth of who, or what, is the Joker and what is at the heart of his ongoing battle with Batman.
The pages below are labeled, so you understand the story.
Batman: Three Jokers – page 1
Batman: Three Jokers – page 2
Batman: Three Jokers – page 3
Batman: Three Jokers – page 25
Batman: Three Jokers – page 26
Batman: Three Jokers – page 32
Batman: Three Jokers – page 33
According to the the DC Comics press release, Batman: Three Jokers is a 3-issue, 48-page (per issue) prestige format monthly limited series and will carry DC’s “Black Label” content descriptor (for readers 17+). Issue #1 arrives in open and operating comic book stores and participating digital retailers on Tuesday, August 25, 2020.
Are you excited for the book? Comment below with your thoughts.
Superman Smashes the Klan is a 3-chapter series adapting an iconic episode of “The Adventures of Superman” radio show. The episode serves as an important part of both the history of Superman and in real-world activism. With the Ku Klux Klan becoming something of an urban legend in the 40s, human rights activist Stetson Kennedy de-mystified them by infiltrating their ranks, and revealing their nature to the Superman writers. The program – and it’s new graphic novel adaptation – shows how systematic racism can be. Today with Asian people subject to racism over the Covid-19 outbreak, a character like Superman is needed more than ever.
Superman Smashes Klan Perception
Award-winning writer Gene Luen Yang has experience with Superman. Whether he’s writing the New 52 Clark Kent or Kenan Kong, Yang tries to honor the original Man of Steel’s legacy. Superman Smashes The Klan, however, hits a little close to home because in it Superman helps a Chinese American family. For Yang, this allows him to add a more personal, relatable touch to his writing.. However, just adapting the original story verbatim would waste the story for a modern audience. So Yang creates a story about Superman also struggling to accept his own alien origin.
After being exposed to Kryptonite for the first time (another element originating from the radio show), Superman experiences hallucinations. Not because of the “Der Grunstein,” but because anything that reminds Clark about how different he is scares him. Clark’s first use of his heat vision and flight to defend himself from bullies actually scares away a friend of his. Plus, his parents convince him to try and be as normal as possible. Despite this being a way to protect Clark against religious fanatics, this is still giving in to bigotry. Imagine trying to deny who you really are for your whole life (many readers won’t have to imagine, and this part of the story will resonate with them).
How To Write Racism
Superman Smashes The Klan isn’t just about Clark accepting himself; it’s also goes into authentic detail about racism. It’s easy to associate racism with a legally safe Klan pastiche, but it’s not enough to depict them as bullies. Take primary antagonist Matt Riggs; he takes care of his sister-in-law and nephew. He also has very high expectations that goes in two ways. Riggs expects his nephew to control his temper, but when he hears Chuck was replaced on the baseball team by a Chinese boy, Riggs sees this as a threat to whites’ collective identity. Chuck, however, acknowledges that getting kicked off the baseball team was his fault, but goes with his uncle out of loyalty.
Racism isn’t just an ideology; it’s a commitment that doesn’t go away very easily. Even the Lee family experiences a more casual form of racism. Just about everyone in the family has to speak English as a way of fitting in. The son Tommy also makes casual jokes at his own race’s expense despite the way it affects his sister Roberta. And Roberta isn’t even her real name (it’s Lan Shin). All of which begs the question: what’s the point of fitting in if that means giving in to bigotry?
Superman Smashes The Klan Colorfully
Japanese art team Gurihiru of Unbelievable Gwenpool fame does a spectacular job of illustrating a whimsical world in Superman Smashes The Klan. One of the most eye-catching parts of the series is how Gurihiru reminds readers this series takes place in the 40s. From characters’ clothing to the vehicles and architecture. How many people even remember Superman’s iconic phone booth scenes?
The character designs feel youthful and highly expressive, reminding readers of the colorful times of the Golden Age. However, these quirky faces can give way to the darker scenes of the series. The fact that the Klan of the Fiery Kross members wear hoods to conceal their faces feels absolutely ghastly in contrast to the typical face designs. But some of the most interesting and expressive moments come from when Superman is exposed to Kryptonite. Superman feels the effects of the green stone, revealing his true nature. His first reactions cause him to hallucinate, seeing him as an alien monster from pulp magazines. So much so that most things with a dark green hue are a sign of a threat towards Superman.
Janice Chiang The Decoder
Letterer Janice Chiang composes some steady words on every panel in Superman Smashes The Klan. The word balloons are evenly spaced out and keep inside their panels before moving to the next. A few word balloons or designs even get coloring for specific purposes. Red outline word balloons, for example, indicate that the words are being spoken in Cantonese. When something big comes up – like the Lee children’s excitement towards Superman – the words enlarge and bolden. Yet again, the Kryptonian words and lettering steal the show with their intricate designs. They look absolutely alien as much as how Superman sees them. By the time the words are translated in English, it indicates Superman starting to accept his alien heritage.
Superman Smashes The Klan Barriers
Superman Smashes The Klan will go down in history as a reminder of why Superman is the Man of Tomorrow. He represents the best of humanity and reminds us that “humanity” isn’t exclusive to people most familiar to you. No matter how different someone is to you, you are bound to the same future. To be anything like Superman, you have to realize the worst of humanity doesn’t represent the whole. Real racists genuinely believe they’re doing good and are unwilling to accept their views as wrong. You have to be true to yourself and others to see past the barriers.
Lois Lane #10, written by Greg Rucka, with art by Mike Perkins, colors by Andy Troy, and lettering by Simon Bowland, makes some massive changes. The gentle, easygoing series just got multiversal and risked getting too big to handle. But this creative team, forever on their A-game, never lets us forget the human characters behind it all.
Writing
Rucka made a sharp turn with this issue. Instead of quips from the Question and kisses from Superman, we get witches and Multiverse Theory. It’s all enormous and potentially hard to follow, but Rucka keeps every moment relatable. He interrupts a speech about the Multiverse to show Lois and Clark having a chat like a regular husband and wife, with Superman stuffing chips into his mouth. Jessica Midnight, at one point, compares remembering incantations to remembering what last night’s dinner tasted like. In a stroke of genius, Rucka takes the moment a step further and Renee asks, “What’d you have for dinner last night?” “Chicken. It was dry.” Every time Rucka risks losing our attention with big concepts, he brings us back to something small. Somehow, this relatable series opens the door to the Multiverse and stays just as relatable as ever.
Art
If this series has shown anything, it’s that Perkins is master of the small moments. The little smiles, the sarcastic smirks, the pain underneath the surface. He is always pulling back, and his best work is a result of his extreme restraint. Well, scratch all that, because this issue shows he’s good at pulling out all the stops too. Of course, we still have those brilliant little moments, Supes snacking on chips and Lois looking annoyed as he whooshes in and out of the window to deal with emergencies as they come up. But we also get to see giant tapestries of the Multiverse. The kind of pages you almost feel bad about reading through, instead of just looking at them for hours. But still, we have the subtleties of humanity on every page. It’s this attention to detail, even amid giant concepts and multiversal spreads, that keeps this series’ tone brilliantly intact.
Coloring
Troy’s coloring goes through interesting stages in this issue. For one thing, it’s from Troy’s coloring that we learn about the characters’ fear of the unknown. Moments of uncertainty for Jessica and Renee are framed by black shadows. The explanation of the Multiverse is similarly dark, and so is the depiction of Lois’ dangerous gambit as the issue comes to a close. But Troy also accompanies many of these scenes with a tinge of purple. The multiversal energy is purple, so are Jessica’s spells. It’s interesting then to see that the one character most related to purple in this issue is Lois Lane. She’s depicted in lighter tones that lack quite the same element of foreboding, but it creates a sense of mystery nonetheless. How much does Lois really know about all of what’s happening? And how much are we ever going to find out?
Lettering
This issue has lots of information we have to take in, in only so much time. Most of the pages are full of panels where characters almost seem to be talking at once. Word balloons overlap each other and are generally quite full. Bowland communicates to us the urgency of events. We can hear the panicked tones in every scene as characters grapple with what everything means for them. On one particular page, Bowland sets the pacing brilliantly. As Lois and Clark talk, Clark keeps zooming out the window to stop emergencies. Each time he comes back, he apologizes briefly, and each of them tries to get as many words in as they can before he has to fly off again. And suddenly, they slow down. “Tell me,” Clark says after Lois suggests she’s not feeling great. It’s alone in the panel; it gives Lois space to react. She begins to respond and explain but then trails off and summarizes in the next panel. Again, all on its own, she says, “Wanting to fix it.” Bowland gives this page the space it needs, and these gentle moments stand out beautifully.
Lois Lane #10 continues a delightful series. And we can now see that even when big concepts and actiony moments take center stage, this series won’t sacrifice its tone or humanity. It manages to make even the biggest multiversal threats feel personal. Read this brilliant series from DC Comics; it’s the best thing on the shelves.
Junji Ito’s Cat Diary: Yon & Mu’s story is utterly different than Ito’s other work, yet that’s what makes it unique.
SCAREDY CATS
Back in 2009, Ito published a few short stories based on his real-life cats. It wasn’t until 2015 that Kodansha Comics translated and released it in America. Nonetheless, at its core, Junji Ito’s Cat Diary: Yon & Mu (hereafter, Yon & Mu) is the polar opposite of Ito’s usual horror. Instead of being a horror story focused on walking fish (GYO) or a manga adaption of a novel (Frankenstein), Yon & Mu focuses on real accounts of his two beloved cats. Ito puts a fun spin on his usual modus operandi by retelling the story of how he and his (at the time) fiancee came to own the two cats.
Smush the cat – Junji Ito
Ito is well known for his immensely creepy horror Manga, that’s loved for the art and storytelling. Yet, as Yon & Mu revolves more around his real-life cats and him, the storytelling is vastly different. Instead, Ito includes usual struggles new cat owners have while keeping humor involved. The stories range from their first meeting, the cats ruining the house, Ito trying to get the cats affections, and trying to play with them. Each story is short and fun, reminding some cat owners of their own stories. Nevertheless, he does include his famous horror roots, which makes the stories even more interesting.
THE HORROR OF YON & MU
Ito does include horror, although the horror shows more in a visual manner. By taking something as simple as giving a cat raspberries and smoochies, Ito turns it into something terrifying. Yet, one of the best examples happens during an all-nighter before his character’s deadline, after rushing to get work done J-Kun steps out to wash his face. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees a terrifying slug, but it’s just Yon. As the day carries on, each time he sees a cat, they’re horrible creatures. Nonetheless, he is just sleep-deprived.
Kiss, kiss – Junji Ito
As overdramatic as those hallucination scenes seem, owners of cats and have probably been in the same situation. Of course, those aren’t the only terror-inducing moments. Ito has always been amazing with drawing horrifying faces, Yon & Mu continues that trend. He includes inhumanly faces that terrify you, yet he does it in humorous ways. To a degree, you may think this is to represent the cat’s perception of us. If you’re a small cat and a human held you screaming “kiss, kiss” you’d find it scary as hell.
TRANSLATION/LETTERING
Yon & Mu’s English translation is handled by Stephen Paul, with lettering by Evan Hayden. Having not read the original Japanese edition, it’s hard to compare the translations. But, when a translation is terrible you can tell with words and sentences reading awkwardly. Luckily, that doesn’t transpire anywhere. Hayden’s lettering works amazingly as well.
In some cases, lettering in Manga seems off if the bubble is bigger than the words placed in them, leaving a lot of space. Nonetheless, one of the coolest moments is the original Japanese sound effects staying in. In some older Mangas, they are taken out and replaced, yet here they are kept, with a note of what they say.
Just a nibble – Junji Ito
THE CATS IN THE CRADLE
In the last five years, Ito’s name has become more famous, while being known by many. That, and he has seen more translations of his work over in America. This is nice, as he is a master at his horror craft. That’s what makes Yon & Mu so unique in his Manga creating history. As great as the stories of his cats are, they aren’t horror like his others, only the visuals are. Nonetheless, Yon & Mu is a fantastic story of Ito falling in love with his cats. Now, it would be nice if it was mentioned more when people speak of his skills.
SPIDEY #10, released in September 2016, was a monumental addition to Robbie Thompson’s take on Spider-Man. His initial issues focused on establishing Peter Parker as a hero, but this story added another challenge—convincing everyone else he was. It’s a task that seems impossible to surmount. But when Peter learns someone important knows him, things will start to change for our hero.
Story
Peter finds himself continually rejected by the people he attempts to save. It happens to him almost daily. In fact, the ungratefulness would be enough for any kid to consider giving up, but we find our hero is made of sterner stuff. Still, he resorts to (comically) shouting his good intentions from the rooftops.
He then finds his own personal hero, Captain America, standing behind him. And, to his great surprise, the star-spangled Avenger reveals he’s heard of Spider-Man. But does he know Peter is a hero?
Thompson’s script proceeds to follow them through the city as Peter learns what it’s like to be praised for saving the day. Readers get inside Peter’s head as he desperately looks for the reason everyone loves Cap. And, just when the answer seems out of reach, the veteran hero shows how much he respects Peter with encouraging words and an invitation to take on a group of villains together.
As so, through the medium of Cap, Thompson creates the perfect environment for Peter to more fully embrace his status as a hero.
Artwork
Nathan Stockman’s penciling and ink work, Jim Campbell’s coloring, and VC’s Travis Lantham’s lettering were a thrill in this issue. Stockman contrasts the wiry frame of Peter with Captain America’s muscular build, giving readers a subjective look at how our hero views himself when compared to his idol. What’s more, each character’s colors are full and vibrant, giving them the center spot of readers’ attentions. The letter boxes add to the dynamic qualities of the issue as well, following the movements of our heroes as they leap from rooftops.
Conclusion
SPIDEY #10 was the perfect turning for Peter in this retelling of his early exploits. Working together with Cap was an important milestone in the struggling teen’s story.
Did you enjoy the retold meeting of these two heroes? Let us know in the comments below!
Where the first volume of Matt Fraction and Elsa Charretier’s conspiracy-noir tale “November” built itself on its mystery and jagged plotlines, the second volume ramps up the pace with a focus on characterization and rapidly rising stakes. Along with Matt Hollingsworth on colors and letters from Kurt Ankeny, “The Gun in the Puddle” is a tight and jarring chapter with impeccable pacing and stellar character writing that compliments the prior volume with a focused manner.
“One phone call for help and all hell breaks loose for three strangers connected by bad luck, a twist of fate, and a gun in a puddle of rain. In the middle of a dense criminal underworld, these strangers’ lives collide on one fateful and bloody night.”
Writing & Plot
Matt Fraction‘s writing on “November” Vol. 2 is more pointed and deliberately focused than that of the first part. Whereas “The Girl on the Roof” set up a larger mystery, this volume deals with the fallout of those events. There is a welcome renewed focus on the intimate lives of those trapped in this conspiracy, especially on the girl who found the titular gun in the puddle. There are a couple of meditative flashback scenes of her in childhood and they actually fit into the story nicely. Their quiet introspection delivers more humanity to a character we didn’t get to see much of in the first volume, and they’re a nice contrast to the other events in the book. As with before, the narration is poetic and works wonderfully with the art to deliver characterization. The dialogue, what little there is of it, is naturalistic and reflexive to a point of almost heightened believability. If you woke up locked in a trunk, what would you say besides whimpers and swears? If the first volume’s choppy narrative turned you off in any way, “The Gun in the Puddle” is sure to remedy those dislikes with a much more straightforward narrative.
Art Direction
The striking visual style in “November” is once again crafted by Elsa Charretier‘s unique pencils and Matt Hollingsworth’s moody colors. Charretier’s brand of character work and environmental detail in her lightly cartoonish style create the character-centered noir atmosphere in a manner that’s gritty, but not overpoweringly so. Hollingsworth fills the pencils with thick shadows and often all-consuming colors. There are entire pages and sequences that are bathed in one specific hue, and it works wonders for establishing the story’s tone. The visual aesthetic is topped off by Kurt Ankeny’s handwritten-note style of lettering. His take on adding words to images is admittedly a bit hard to read at times, but it creates a sort of intimacy in the reading experience that becomes an irreplaceable component among the rest of the visual work within this comic’s pages.
“November Vol.2: The Gun in the Puddle” is a tightly-paced and intense ride of a noir-thriller. Fraction’s more streamlined script in this volume engages the reader in the plot of this conspiracy while still allowing for plenty of intimate character building. The artistic vision of Charretier and Hollingsworth is a dreary yet gorgeous look at New York that is perfect for this type of story. If you were a fan of the first volume, then be sure to order Volume 2 from your local comic shop by its release date on May 3!
With WesterNoir, a small press comic, you get hard boiled characters facing mythical beasts in a wild west setting. A tough voice over leads the reader through a black and white world of violence and regret. It has been described as Deadwood meets They Live, and that gives you a good indication of what to expect.
When you sort through your comic collection a number of gems can pop up that you’d forgotten about and haven’t read in a long time. Now is the time to revisit those and remind yourself why you bought them. I picked up 7 issues of WesterNoir over the course of about 4 years from the UK convention Thought Bubble.
In the forgotten towns of the west, the dangerous swamps of Louisiana, and on the banks of the Mississippi, one man strives for redemption, fighting evil that only he can see. Josiah Black narrates his own story of horror and awe as he travels America’s wild side.
WesterNoir #3 Interior Art Credit:Accent UK
The Concept
WesterNoir is written by Dave West with Gary Crutchley on art duties. It was published by small press outfit Accent UK from 2012 and sold mostly at Conventions with a few Local Comic Shops stocking it. The concept behind the comic is very clear from the beginning, even the title tells you what to expect.
If you pick the first issue up with no prior knowledge you still go into it with a strong idea what you will get and, on that point, the comic does not disappoint. A gruff voice over leads you through the central character’s story as he becomes guilty bound to a man named Mr Caligary and begins a journey of self discovery and monster hunting. Josiah Black, the narrator, is as shocked as the reader to discover that not only is the west filled with greedy, murderous people but is also populated with hidden beasts, feeding on a desperate populace.
The ending of the first issue takes a turn similar to the first episode of the TV series Grimm. Black becomes an unwilling servant of powers fighting against darkness. Each issue Black is faced with a blend of western narrative tropes and mythical creatures. In turn this forces him to face his past and the memories he has been trying to forget.
WesterNoir #3 Interior Art Credit:Accent UK
Scripting
Dave West revels in the gritty pulp fiction style narrative, mixing his metaphors and leaning more towards hardboiled fiction then Noir. The stories revolve around Black but their focus is on the harsh realities of living in the undisciplined ‘west’. The creatures become extended metaphors for western tropes and frontiersman stereotypes. West makes Black’s fight ultimately about the people and providing protection for those who can’t protect themselves. In WesterNoir’s world, corruption is everywhere and only certain people can see the cancer at the heart of society.
The characters take a page out of the Spaghetti Western rulebook. Most of them are instantly dislikable with the exception of the ones who turn out to be villains. West fills the mouths of his cast with short, harsh words and most pages are filled with verbal confrontations. The source of bitterness of the central character is slowly revealed throughout the issues and there is a constant reminder about the cruelties faced by the populace day after day.
WesterNoir #1 Page Art Credit:Accent UK
Black and White
Gary Crutchley’s artwork suits the tone of the narrative wonderfully. His line work is very precise with detailed character work. He creates strong personalities and draws their lives directly on to their faces. Worry lines, scars, stress, and hatred define the cast of WesterNoir and the central character is no different. Crutchley shows the reader the hardships endured by Black without the need for the voice over, which acts as a leader for each issues narrative.
Black’s history is reflected in his design, in the way that Crutchley draws him standing, walking, fighting. The artist makes the character act like Clint Eastwood in Unforgiven: he’s a broken man with a new found mission.
The backgrounds are as detailed as they need to be. In some panels there is a clear sense of location, take the Louisiana Swamps from issue two as a prime example. Crutchley loves to create a scene and then filter it out to let the characters’ interactions shine. That memory of location stays with you as you read through the action sequences as a foundation for the story.
With each additional issue of the series the artwork improves with a much wider use of grayscale to produce depth. The lettering also becomes richer, finding a more natural fit with the rest of the page. And the plot itself becomes more complex and engaging. The first issues are a great hook but it’s issue 4 that really drags you into Blacks complicated world.
WesterNoir #2 Cover Credit:Accent UK
Conclusions
It’s always a joy to rediscover a comic series, especially a true independant like WesterNoir. The love and attention that both writer and artist give to each issue is evident on the page. Even the design of the comics by Andy Bloor has a noticeable affection towards it. The single issues were all deluxe, card covers with full color images made to look like the pulpy westerns of the 1960s.
The story created by West and Crutchley is a wonderful blend of genre cliches and real surprises. The characters, especially Black, are strong and have presence on the page. Some of the creatures have a ‘mis-understood monster’ feel to them that only works because of the quality of the characterisation. The series is engaging and pulls you uncontrollably from one issue to the next.
The only problem with re-discovering these older comics is getting new issues. Trying to find WesterNoir is difficult but there are copies out there and 2 collected volumes were released. The writer continues to keep a blog (which can be found here) but the publisher’s webpage, Accent UK, appears to be out of date. If you can find copies of WesterNoir I would highly recommend picking them up. If not, maybe drop the writer or artist a message, asking if they have copies left. Or check out the online serialisation of the first issue, which has been colored for the digital re-release
Sometimes you randomly stumble upon a comic that fills you with so much joy that you love every aspect of it while it reminds you of lighthearted stories you’ve read in the past; Eric Skillman and Miklós Felvidéki’s fantastic Action Journalism will give you all the feels.
The duo explains the story as thus—”Written by Eric Skillman—award-winning Criterion Collection art director and writer of Liar’s Kiss (Top Shelf)—and drawn by exciting new artist Miklós Felvidéki (Spera), ACTION JOURNALISM is an exciting, genre-hopping series about the adventures of crusading journalist Kate Kelly. The series is a lighthearted riff on the “intrepid reporter” archetype—Lois Lane, Tintin, etc. And like those characters, our series has about as much to do with actual journalism as Indiana Jones has to do with archeology. Aliens, mad scientists, sinister military organizations, whimsical fantasy kingdoms, and more—and that’s just the first five issues! Fast-paced, self-contained stories, appropriate for all ages, the series is being published weekly on Comixology for the next three weeks—and with luck, more to come!”
Blasphemy! Eric Skillman and Miklós Felvidéki
That alone should get you excited. But, let’s talk about what initially drew me in.
EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT!
It’s nothing new that comics drop daily on ComiXology, making it easy for your title to get lost. That means you usually need something that’ll catch a readers attention; Action Journalism has just that. One that made it stand out from the others was its format. Instead of being akin to other comics, it sets itself apart by acting as a newspaper. Although it may be digital, Felvidéki makes it look like it’s printed in a newspaper, fitting the story’s themes. This looks amazing and unique, making you wish for a physical release later on. Not only does the newspaper quilty draw you in, but the team’s quirky use of the cover.
Skillman and Felvidéki keep the newspaper theme by having a huge headline explaining the plot. But, they also use the cover as a first page. Having a great cover is a smart way to draw in readers, which each Action Journalism issue does magnificently. As a fan of covers that catch your attention, I’ve never seen a comic use the cover as a page. Nonetheless, Action Journalism continues to impress.
Now that’s a headline – Eric Skillman and Miklós Felvidéki
The story doesn’t outright say it, but there certainly is a retrofuturism vibe going on. Not only that, but there are BuckRogers and other serial moods, combined with a main character reminiscent of Lois Lane. This resemblance is mentioned in the extra’s section as well. Only one issue in and our main character, Kate Kelly, has already won me over.
Lois? Eric Skillman and Miklós Felvidéki
REPORTER EXTRAORDINAIRE
As this review covers a few issues not yet released, spoilers will be kept at a minimum.
Action Journalism follows Reporter Kate Kelly as she finds herself in unique reporting situations. This ranges from sneaking on an alien spacecraft to interview and rescue an alien queen, bartending at a Science Expo, and a fantasy land field trip. Throughout the series, she doesn’t outright kill anyone, it’s actually quite nonviolent. This could be due to the nine and up age rating, but it’s nice to see someone win by their smarts. Nonetheless, each adventure is fun to the highest degree. Each issue feels like a story ripped from the Golden/Silver Ages with wacky, fun situations.
Kelly’s use of intelligence instead of fists is a fun alternative to the endless superhero fighting. Even her fun demeanor, and take no shit attitude is fantastic. The first issue will make you want to know more of her, but as the series goes on you’ll find yourself wanting more time with her. Granted she is the main character (and a great one) her work acquaintances are given fair amounts of page time and are all fun in their own rights.
Seems fishy – Eric Skillman and Miklós Felvidéki
One character that deserves mention is the superhero, The Valiant Volunteer. Although he is given only a few panels in the first issue, you crave more information on him. Luckily, Action Journalism #4 and #5 focus on him. Sadly, we cannot delve deeper into it, but The Valiant Volunteer may be one of the best superhero ideas in recent years. I had to back away from the computer as I was so amazed at the concept the team came up with.
ACTION JOURNALISM HIJINKS
As memorable as Action Journalism characters are, the plot of each issue is just as, while being outlandish. Each adventure Kelly goes on feels fun, crazy, and something straight from the comics or years past. One minute she is sitting at a fountain and a colossal goldfish pops out and takes her to a fantasy realm. Yeah, Action Journalism goes there. Yet, at no time does this seem out of place in the series, hell even Kelly is used to it. These fun adventures are just that, fun. If you need a comic to sit down with and make your day better, Action Journalism is where it’s at. Even your kids will enjoy it greatly.
ADVENTUROUS REPORTING
Felvidéki’s style feels very much like the pulp fiction the team was going for. By combining a little bit of realism and cartoon visuals, Felvidéki’s art complements Action Journalism exceptionally well. That and the use of halftone for the newspaper theme is beautiful in its execution. The newspaper pages cannot be stressed enough, because Felvidéki makes it work perfectly. Even though you’ll read this digital Felvidéki does so well that you’ll feel like you are reading a newspaper. Hell, I swear I could even smell it at one point. Nonetheless, a printed edition of these issues would see me first in line.
Helping find a contact – Miklós Felvidéki
Felvidéki’s designs are a delight. No matter where Kelly is taken in the story, his heart and soul are poured into the panels. Each design is larger than life, all while having a certain charm to them. As fun and quirky as Skillman’s plot/writing is, Felvidéki’s designs and art breathes even more life into them. Not only is Felvidéki’s art enjoyable to the ninth degree, but damn does he back in absurd amounts of details. When thinking about a comic with newspaper esque art, you’d feel like some details would be lost. But, at no point does this happen in Action Journalism. There are even moments with little plot details tucked nicely away in the background.
Another fantastic aspect is the team trying out different things. Namely, flipping the pages 90 degrees in the second issue. Not only was this fun for story reason (and visual), but it shows that the team is willing to be unique with art in the medium.
ON THE COLOR AND LETTERING BEAT
Action Journalism contains halftone, a newspaper printing style used for years. Not only that, but Felvidéki uses minimum colors. The only time you’ll see bright colors are on the cover pages for the headlines. Nevertheless, his use of white, off-color white you’d see in a newspaper, grey, and black are magnificent. At no point will you think the series needs colors. Felvidéki’s use of halftone and a few shades of two colors work so damn well while helping amplify the general vibe of the series.
During the second issue, when the pages are turned 90 degrees, Felvidéki has the dialogue bubbles follow the flip. Not only that, but when Kelly goes to fix the problem, the art begins to spin in a circle. Felvidéki has the word bubbles follow this spiral, making you rotate the page along with the art. These moments are spectacular while showing Felvidéki’s eye for composition. Even the lettering font looks like something you see in a newspaper. Nonetheless, he isn’t afraid to make the word bubbles and fonts change for the mood they are portraying.
Hello there – Eric Skillman and Miklós Felvidéki
JOURNALISM AT ITS FINEST
A comic that you can just relax and have fun with that puts a constant smile on your face is one of the best things in the medium. Action Journalism’s first five issues are just that. It’s a damn blast to read, and will remind you of the books that put a smile on your face when you were younger. If you’re in the mood for a new addiction, check out the first issue on ComiXology. Not only will you love Action Journalism, but you’ll be happier to boot.
