Review: BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #2 Is A Perfect Re-Imaging

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The re-imaging of a classic from BOOM! Studios continues this week as the highly successful Buffy The Vampire Slayer drops it’s second glorious issue.

Riding high on the positive reception of the first issue, the creative team continue to re-introduce old characters in a new and exciting way. Familiar faces litter the pages of issue 2 and it’s difficult to tell who is having the most fun; is it writer Jordie Bellaire, artist Dan Mora, or us, the awestruck readers?

Buffy The Vampire Slayer #2 Credit: BOOM! Studios

Writing/Story

New to Sunnydale and with only a few friends, Buffy Summers has a lot to contend with. Add to her woes; horrific, potentially prophetic, nightmares; a watcher who wants her to train and study not just stab things with a pointy stick; and a Cordelia Chase who is warm, welcoming and excessively friendly.

The second issue of Buffy The Vampire Slayer opens with a horrific sequence setting a tone which over shadows the rest of the comic. Bellaire includes this sequence at the beginning to unnerve the reader and remind them exactly what kind of story this is. There is wit and wisdom, high school high jinx, and friendly banter but at the heart of Buffy is a fear of evil. Bellaire forces the reader to think about this as they read through the issue. The later sequences take on a different air because of the fear instilled at the beginning.

The first three pages set the scene and superbly establish an underlying tone.

On top of this Bellaire has captured the voices of her cast perfectly. Each of the characters comes into this comic fully realised. Some of the characters are familiar and comforting while others appear to be new, even though we recognise their faces.

The beauty of the script is that the reader is swept up in the excellently paced narrative. You may recognise a character, even question their new attitude but the story forces you to accept and move on, storing the information away for later. After you have finished the issue you will want to go back and pick the character apart but for that initial run through you are totally in the hands of the creators.

The story is still in introduction mode but it’s amazing how much world building Bellaire achieves in a single issue. She does have a head start because of the 7 years of T.V. history but at the same time, Bellaire has to make sure the reader can see this is a new Sunnydale. Changes to certain characters and their placement in this world helps to cement the differences.

Art

Dan Mora’s artwork is simply outstanding. He can craft a page to tell any type of story he wishes. The opening horror sequence is disturbing visually and mentally but then he flips to a teen drama in a heartbeat. The transition is seamless and he has complete control over the reader.

Mora has a cinematic scope to his storytelling. Each page and panel carries with it an energy and an emotional kick. He draws subtle gestures that add depth of character just as easily as he draws twisted demonic images to haunt the reader. There isn’t a single page in this issue of Buffy The Vampire Slayer that isn’t impressive from the first to the last panel.

Raul Angulo uses color to accentuate the character’s appearances and to give them individuality. Although there is one moment, between Buffy and Robin, where the color and the image composition links the two characters together. The imagery is symbolic of a greater link between them and Angulo uses color signifiers in these panels to highlight the symmetry.

Never infringing on the foreground action, the background sets the tone for each page thanks largely to Angulo’s colors. Lighting and color choices set the mood instantly, hinting to the reader what to expect from the confrontations between the characters.

In a similar way, Ed Dukeshire’s lettering sets up the speech patterns for the characters. This allows the reader some insight into the emotional state of the characters at any given point.

One aspect of Buffy that made it so popular in the late 1990’s was the speech tempo; the constant back and forth between characters. The dialogue was part of that, but the actual rhythm of the conversation is what made it stand out. Dukeshire has managed to recreate that rhythm with the placement of his speech balloons and the occasional bolding of certain words. He brings the dialogue to life.

Conclusion

Everything about this comic is pure Buffy The Vampire Slayer. It is a captivating combination of horror and comedy. The characters are familiar yet new. The story full of action and mystery.

This comic is a perfect way of bringing a new audience to Buffy but at the same time it is an ideal accompaniment to the history of the Buffy-verse. Exploring the new differences and subtle changes is as much fun as the story itself. Bellaire has taken a beloved franchise and made it her own and Mora is knocking it out of the park with his artwork.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer issue 2 is a dynamic success on every single level.

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BOOM! Studios Announces Gillen and Mora’s ONCE AND FUTURE

By

Michael Stagno

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February 25, 2019

Modernizing Arthurian legend, Once and Future, announced by BOOM! Studios, from creators Kieron Gillen and Dan Mora, will bring to life both supernatural and mythological creatures.

The six-issue miniseries will follow a former monster hunter, recently unretired, alongside her grandson, who is a museum curator, as they set out to take down a resurrected villain, pulled straight from Arthurian mythology.

“I’ve been chewing over how the classic explorer adventure serial could operate in the 21st century for a while,” Gillen said. “Transplanting the genre to space was one conclusion. Once and Future is another, taking a genre whose core has barely changed since the 19th century, and updating it for the now.”

The first issue is slated for an August, 2019, release. Click HERE for more information on the upcoming series from the official release from the publisher and be sure to check out the PREVIEWSworld piece on the book, HERE.

What do you think, should more legendary literature be getting the comic book treatment? What famous pieces would you like to see adapted? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Inspired by True Events, Scout Comics Unveils NORTH BEND for 2019 Debut

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Michael Stagno

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February 25, 2019

A secret CIA program during the Cold War is getting the graphic-novel treatment at Scout Comics, from the creative team of Ryan Ellsworth and Pablo De Bonis, dubbed North Bend.

The series will highlight Project MK Ultra, a secret program that occurred where people, without their knowledge or consent, fell victim to experimental drugs and mind-control methods. The country, on the verge of economic collapse, including a political revolution, will need a CIA recruit, a Seattle DEA, Brendan Kruge, to test these methods on unwitting citizens.

“Scout is very excited to present such a fresh representation of a dark yet fascinating subject matter,” said Scout President James Haick. “We love what the creative team has put together and truly believe our ‘Scout Mavericks’ will as well.”

North Bend #1 will land on shelves in 2019. For more information regarding this upcoming series or any other Scout titles, please contact Publisher James Pruett at: james.pruett@scoutcomics.com.

Check out the cover for the first issue, including a peek at some interior pages, below.

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HEADLESS Announced by Scout Comics, a Series Inspired by 1980s Horror

By

Michael Stagno

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February 25, 2019

A horror-adventure series inspired by 1980s culture is coming from creators Alexander Banchitta and Robert Ahmad, via Scout Comics, called, Headless.

The series will tie together the Salem Witch Trials as well as the Headless Horseman.

“I’m thrilled to work on this book, I’ve always been a big fan of the Headless Horseman and on top of that, I’m basically obsessed with the 80’s,” said Banchitta. “There’s something very fun about 80’s entertainment, it’s so easy to get lost in it and forget your everyday life, which is how I want my readers to feel when they pick this story up.”

Keep an eye out for Headless #1 to debut this year. For more information regarding this upcoming series or any other Scout titles, please contact Publisher James Pruett at: james.pruett@scoutcomics.com.

Check out the cover for the first issue, including a peek at some interior pages, below.

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Author Turned Action Hero in AfterShock’s MARY SHELLEY: MONSTER HUNTER

By

Michael Stagno

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February 25, 2019

From the creative team of Adam Glass, Olivia Cuartero-Briggs and Hayden Sherman comes a new spin on famed horror novelist Mary Shelley: Monster Hunter, via AfterShock.

The begging question is how could a 20-year-old aspiring writer pen the most-famous horror novel of all-time. The answer, according to Glass, is that she lived it! The series will stem from the discovery of secret memoirs from Shelley and tells the story of monsters, which are real.

“I’m excited for everyone to see who Mary really was,” Glass said. “Olivia and I did extensive research on the ‘mother of modern horror’ and she was way ahead of her time, a true feminist pioneer.”

The series will follow the publisher’s announcement in providing fans with a ‘dangerous reading’ experience in 2019, as well as the unveiling of Oberon, a new series that will offer a brand-new and original spin on Shakespeare.

Keep an eye out for Mary Shelley: Monster Hunter #1 to land on shelves on April 17. Click HERE for the official report from The Hollywood Reporter, which broke the story.

What do you think, is the world ready for a monster-hunting Mary Shelley? What other famous novelists would you like to see take on evil? Let us know in the comments section below.

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DOOMSDAY CLOCK Bringing Back The Justice Society

By

Kevin Sharp

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February 25, 2019

Justice Society of America fans, take note. It appears the speculation about the return of one of DC’s classic super teams was correct. Doomsday Clock artist Gary Frank posted an image on Twitter from issue #10:

The page, is of course, an homage to the Justice Society’s first appearance in All-Star Comics #3 from 1940. From left to right around the table are the Atom, Sandman, the Spectre, the Flash, Hawkman, Doctor Fate, Green Lantern, and Hourman.

Frank also wrote in the Tweet:

“I know the wait for 9 is frustrating but here’s a glimpse of 10 to be getting on with.”

“The wait for 9” refers to the well-publicized delays that have plagued the series. As of this writing, both issue 9 and 10 are still on DC’s schedule for March.

This isn’t the first time Frank has used the Justice Society meeting table scene. Here’s a previous tease for #10, with an extra attendee at the meeting:

Still TBD in the series is the fate of the Legion of Superheroes, though there have certainly been ample hints dropped about upcoming news on that front.

Are you excited about the return of the Justice Society? Should they get their own series post-Doomsday Clock? Comment below!

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Dan DiDio On DC’s Walmart Exclusive Comics

By

Kevin Sharp

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February 24, 2019

In light of recent rumors suggesting that the Walmart-exclusive line of DC Comics 100-Page Giants could be nearing its end, Co-Publisher Dan Didio took to Facebook to address fan concerns:

“For those fans of the DC Giants at Walmart, have to clear up some misinformation making the rounds. Just want to let you know these books are doing well, so well that we are looking to expand the number of original pages in each book and include distribution to the direct market. Look for these and new titles later this year. The promise is to keep it one of the best values and reading experiences in the market.”

As you can see, DiDio’s statement not only (seemingly) puts to rest rumors of the line’s demise by announcing more titles still to come, but also takes on the frequent comics retailer complaint that none of the new material in the Walmart issues has been available via comic stores.

DC’s 100-Page Giants first appeared in Walmart stores last summer. Each $4.99 issue mixes new stories — such as Superman by Tom King and Andy Kubert; and Batman by Brian Michael Bendis and Nick Derington — with reprints of older DC material to round out the page count.

DiDio’s comments come in the wake of the news that DC Collectibles will be releasing a Batman Black and White figure line exclusively at Walmart.

dan didio walmart

Have you been one of the lucky fans to actually find the 100-pagers at your Walmart? Would you buy a collected edition via your comic store? Let us know in the comments!

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DC Comics Exclusive Preview: MARTIAN MANHUNTER #3

By

Matthew Sardo

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February 24, 2019

Martian Manhunter #3 hits your local comic book store on February 27, but thanks to DC Comics, Monkeys Fighting Robots has an exclusive five-page preview for you.

The book is written by Steve Orlando, with art by Riley Rossmo, colors by Ivan Plascencia, Deron Bennett worked on letters, Josh Middleton created the variant cover.

About the issue:
Detective Diane Meade knows the shocking truth: her partner is not the real John Jones! With a gun to his head, J’onn J’onnz must explain his first horrifying night on Earth, and how he came to wear her partner’s face…but even as they speak, Middleton’s serial killer is back at his bloody work!

Check out the preview below:

Do you have Martian Manhunter on your pull list, what do you think of Orlando’s writing? Comment below with your thoughts.

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INTERVIEW: Vik Sharma On Composing For Fighting With My Family

By

Ruben Diaz

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February 21, 2019

Vik Sharma is the composer of Fighting With My Family an upcoming movie from Stephen Merchant and Produced by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson about a wrestling family and two siblings who dream of becoming professional wrestlers.

Fighting With My Family might be Vik’s first foray into scripted feature film scoring, however, the musician and composer is no stranger to creating soundtracks. Vik’s extensive resume includes The Undateables, Hoff the Record and Hello, Ladies to name a few.

PopAxiom spoke with Vik about his career making music for television and the jump from aliens to wrestling.

Opening Act

Fighting With My Family centers around a close-knit family which isn’t much different from Vik’s own life “My family was very musical. My grandfather in India was a classically trained musician. My father too and my mother works in music and the arts.”

Vik travels a little deeper into his musical DNA “You’re not really taught Indian classical music, you just sort of learned it orally and by being shown. So, I received no formal training.”

As kids will often do “I got into rock and roll … Picked up a guitar and taught myself to play. I’d play along to people like Keith Richards, Jimmy Hendrix, Neil Young, stuff like that.”

Vik joined bands, most notably one called Joi which was signed to Peter Gabriel’s Real World Records for a time. Joi brought the next chapter of Vik’s life “A filmmaker knew the band and asked me if I’d like to score his first documentary. I’ve been plugging away doing TV stuff.”

Out Of This World

One of Vik’s earliest gigs is a fun guilty pleasure — UFO documentaries. Vik worked on four episodes of Britain’s Closest Encounters “I got some recordings from pilots and conversations that took place over the telephone of people reporting UFOs. I incorporated that static and dialogue into the score. It was a lot of fun.”

Vik shares a not-so-serious behind-the-scenes moment “My original pitch was ‘let’s do dub-reggae. You want spacey? Let’s go there, man. But the Producers talked me down off of that cliff.”

Some could argue that David Hasselhoff is out-of-this-world and Vik also scored Hoff the Record. However, he never met the man himself “I would have loved to do a collaboration.”

About Fighting With My Family

Vik’s filmography includes composing for the series An Idiot Abroad. That’s where he met Stephen Merchant (An Idiot Abroad, Hello, Ladies), the director of Fighting With My Family. Vik appeared on Merchant’s podcast as a guest talking music. Then, one day, they were at a pub together watching football, the non-American kind, when Stephen brought up a new project “Stephen sent me the script, and it was laugh-out-loud funny, and it was feel-good, lots of heart, really good dialogue and imaginatively laid out.”

You don’t really think of Stephen Merchant and wrestling, but Vik thinks “… Stephen saw something in the character of Paige that resonated with him. He thought there was a lot of potential there. This sort of rags to riches story.”

What’s the soundtrack to Fighting With My Family going to sound like? “It had to be a kind of rock score. Stephen wanted the guitar to lead. We did a collaborative playlist on Spotify of what we might want in there.”

Expect the film’s score to be absolutely rock since that playlist of inspiration included the likes of Metallica, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, metal, death metal, and so much more “Motley Crew opens the movie.”

Wrapping Up

With so much content out there it means there’s a lot of stuff to love. Who’s composing work does Vik look forward to hearing? “So many. Johnny Greenwood, the guitarist from Radiohead who did You Were Never Really Here. Amazing stuff.”

What’s next for, Vik? “I’m just letting’ the royalties roll in! No, I’m kidding. I’m actually working on a solo album using this 3D recording technology. I’m recording outdoor areas like forests and beaches then writing ambient pieces to go with it. It’s a duet between Vik Sharma and nature.”

Fighting With My Family is in theaters now!

Thanks to Vik Sharma and Impact24 PR for making this interview possible.

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Advance Review: BLACK HAMMER ’45 Adds Yet Another Layer To This Growing Universe

By

Manuel Gomez

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Black Hammer ’45 by Jeff Lemire, Ray Fawkes, Matt Kindt, Sharlene Kindt and Marie Enger adds even more history to the Black Hammer universe with an action-packed debut issue filled with intrigue, emotion, occult threats, beautiful art and a rollicking narrative pace.

Black Hammer ’45 #1
Story by: Jeff Lemire & Ray Fawkes
Written by: Ray Fawkes
Art by: Matt Kindt
Colors by: Sharlene Kindt
Letters by: Marie Enger

During the Golden Age of superheroes, an elite Air Force crew called the Black Hammer Squadron was formed to fight the Axis powers. Facing occult threats from the German side, this team must save a family of scientists from the Nazi’s. But the mysterious and dangerous Ghost Hunter is hot on their trail.

Writing

The Black Hammer books have always been comics about comics in some way. From the beginning, the concept and story were deeply rooted in the history of the medium. Black Hammer ’45 is no different, as it’s a take on the classic WWII flying aces squadron (think DC’s Blackhawks). But like all BH comics, it’s also much, much more. The creators behind BH have always put a large amount of heart and emotion into everything; they also focus heavily on relationships. Black Hammer ’45 does just that. As awesome as the action and concept are, it’s the bonds between the Squadron that really pulls you in. The men are scarred both physically and mentally and all they really have is each other (this family dynamic is also something Lemire often explores beautifully).

Lemire is not writing alone here, he’s got seasoned scribe Ray Fawkes sitting behind the keyboard. Fawkes brings a kinetic pace to the story that gives it it’s a strong narrative drive. The narration is fantastic and ‘sounds’ real. It creates a voice inside your head. The two collaborate effortlessly and this is as much Fawkes’ book as it is Lemire’s.

Art

Matt Kindt’s art is unique and hard to describe, the linework is soft and sketchy. Perhaps impressionistic is the closest traditional art term one could use, especially with Sharlene Kindt’s use of light and colors. But it’s so much more than that too. It has echoes of the pastoral and the look of watercolors. It’s a beautiful book to look at. Both ‘quiet’ and ‘loud’ scenes also work within this style and look.

Conclusion

At this point, it’s safe to say anything falling under the Black Hammer banner is going to be worth your time and money. This growing universe and this book is a total must for any fan who loves comics. Do not miss this book.

Black Hammer ’45 is out March 06, 2019 from Dark Horse Comics.

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