Reviews of Comics from Wednesday 2/17

Archie #5
Story: Mark Waid
Art: Veronica Fish & Andre Szymanowicz with Jen Vaughn

The new issue of Archie could actually have the classic Archie's Pals 'n' Gals title, since Archie himself barely appears in the issue, having been clocked in the head by a softball and given a concussion on page three. Much of this issue takes place on the metaphorical right side of the tracks, focusing on Veronica and Reggie, and Reggie's attempts to get in good with Veronica's father, business magnate and legendary comic book hardass Hiram Lodge. Last issue really introduced Reggie, but showed him mostly in context of being the weasel next to Jughead and Betty. Here, with Veronica, her father, and their butler, Smithers, Reggie gets to be a real jerk. He sells out his own dad to Ledge, clearly wants to be with Veronica for no other reason than it puts him closer to money, and in the end sells out Archie just to get in good with Lodge. In the essay with last issue, Waid said he liked to just present Reggie as a heel, because there are people like that in the world, and he does a great job of showing Reggie just like that this issue. Meanwhile, Waid continues to give Veronica depth. Her reaction when she finds out Archie has been hurt and is in the hospital is priceless; she remains an entitled princess, but has a good heart underneath all that spoiled exterior. Meanwhile, Betty meets a new guy named Sayid (a new character I believe, but I'd be happy to be corrected by the more Archie initiated) , but there awkward first moments of flirting are cut short when Betty finds out about the softball that knocked Archie out (take a guess who hit it?). Again, it's been years since I read Archie with any regularity, so I don't remember if these are traits that were part of the classic continuity, but as we meet both Smither the butler and Pop Tate, owner of the Malt Shop, I like that they're getting personality quirks, Smithers as a busybody and Pop as the guy who knows everything in Riverdale. And a highlight from the things I do remember from Archie comics from when I would read them waiting for my orthodontist appointments in middle school, we get to see Mr. Lodge blow his stack up close for the first time; new artist Veronica Fish draws a phenomenal panel of Lodge's realization of who exactly his daughter is dating. Archie's in for some big trouble next issue when hee finally has to meet Mr. Lodge, I have no doubt.

Invincible Vol.22: Reboot?
Story: Robert Kirkman
Art: Ryan Ottley, Cliff Rathburn, & Jean-Francois Beaulieu

While Walking Dead is Robert Kirkman's most famous book, no doubt, my favorite thing he writes is still Invincible, his super hero saga about Mark Grayson, the hero known as Invincible. After the events of the last volume, where one of Invincible's friends took over Earth for its own good, or so he says, and Invincible, his fiancee Atom Eve, and their daughter Terra left Earth for the alien world of Talescria where the intergalactic government is headquartered. Invincible has spent time in space before, but changing the core location of the book to an alien world is a major shift in the status quo. The first half of this trade deals with that fallout, both on Earth and in space. Chapter One is on Earth and sees the remaining heroes escaping prison and setting up a resistance against Robot, their former friend and now secret ruler of the world. Only... the world seems like a better place. Crime is down, unemployment is down, happiness is up. So the divide amongst the rebels starts to form with the question of: if no one is getting hurt and things are better now, do the ends justify the means, the means in this case being Robot having ruthlessly seized control and killed many of their friends.

The next two chapters deal with Mark and Eve adjusting to Talescria. Kirkman does a string job of making so much of the planet seem alien. Sure, it's a city, but the local fauna is really weird. And while they have friends there, it's still a whole world of new people. And the threat of Thragg, the warlord of Invincible's people who has gone rogue, looms, and Mark has to take a leave from his family to go and confront Thragg, but not before spending a day of daddy-daughter time with his baby daughter. And that's important for what happens next, because while searching for Thragg, Mark is grabbed by a strange creature and awakens...

... In his own past and in his own body. The last three chapters play out the events of the first dozen or so issues of Invincible, but with a Mark who knows everything that's coming I've always been fascinated by how much of Invincible is about maturity and morality, and so Mark has to make a lot of tough choices, especially dealing with his father, who he knows is a good man underneath but is about to do some really terrible things. And when he makes those choices, he sees the world change for the better, maybe, somewhat, but his own life is worse for it. But Mark's a good guy, and willing to live a worse life for a better world. Until the other shoe really drops. As readers of genre fiction, we're often presented with the classic quandry of, "If you could kill Hitler before he was HITLER, would you?" But what if the question isn't about killing someone for the potential evil they will do, but "Would you sacrifice the person you love the most in the world, and by sacrifice I mean they will never be born and you will never know them, to make a better world?" And that is the question that Mark has to deal with at the end of the trade, and it's a heartbreaker. And even when he makes the choice, and I won't say which way he goes on here, but as ever with a Kirkman book, there's a price to be paid. Twenty-two trades (That's 126  issue folks) in, Invincible still finds way to stay fresh and interesting, and keep the reader guessing about where it's going next.


And hey, look, Dan Grote is back to reviewing, this month with a most Excellent comic (cue air guitar)...

Bill & Ted Go to Hell

Story by Brian Joines

Art by Bachan and Jeremy Lawson

I recently showed my 4-year-old son – you guys remember Logan, right? – Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure for the first time. He’s already seen Back to the Future a bunch of times, and I wanted to show him there are cinematic time travelers way cooler than Marty McFly. At least Bill and Ted use the phone booth to go to more places than their own town.

Apparently, more than 25 years later, strange things remain afoot at the Circle K, as Wyld Stallyns’ co-founders are still kicking, at least in comics form.

Last year, BOOM Studios brought the pair back in Bill & Ted’s Most Triumphant Return, and this year they return again, most triumphantly, in Bill & Ted Go to Hell, the plot for which is as advertised. Someone has kidnapped B&T’s pal Death, which our heroes realize because he doesn’t show up at band practice Wednesday evening. To rescue Death, they round up their old friends Rufus, Joan of Arc, Abraham Lincoln and Billy the Kid (Billy’s best friend, Socrates, isn’t invited) and mount a mission to hell, where they discover that the beast normally in charge of the place has been usurped. I won’t give away the final splash-page reveal, but suffice it to say the story’s big bad is another familiar yet most heinous face.

Bachan’s art captures the absurdity of the franchise, which went off the rails from time travel to the afterlife in the second film. In some ways it resembles a (slightly) toned-down version of the cartoon style Rob Guillory deploys on Image’s Chew. How else to draw a book that features a monstrous Easter bunny, good-robot versions of Bill & Ted and a giant, naked Satan?

The first issue alone features much of the movies’ supporting cast, including B&T’s princess wives, their infant sons, the aforementioned robots, their time-traveling companions, their dads, their ex-stepmom Missy, Death, Bogus Journey villain-turned-friend Chuck de Nomolos, military-school recruiter Col. Oats, et al. Brian Joines also nails Bill and Ted’s vocal ticks – that mix of stoner cadence and dime-store words like “egregious” and “odious.” (Seriously, are B&T smart or dumb? They nearly failed history in the first movie, but somehow they were able to figure out time travel enough to orchestrate a jailbreak.)

If you’re a fan of the movies and their minutiae, and you have the disposable income for a silly yet most epic adventure, the book’s a lot of fun. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to rewatch Bogus Journey, because it occurs to me I remember next to nothing about that film.

Reviews of Comics from Wednesday 8/19

Batman: Arkham Knight #7
Story: Peter J. Tomasi
Art: Viktor Bogdanovic, Art Thibert, & John Rauch

Tie-in comics are a tricky business, especially when it comes to video games. Video games are an interactive medium, and often these prequels are doing their best to not spoil any of the aspects of the game. The comics that have tied into the Arkham franchise have been mixed: some have been good, many have been passable. This issue has two stories, one the epilogue to the previous Bane story, the other the beginning of a new Suicide Squad story. The second story is fun, with a Squad made up of Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Captain Boomerang, and Killer Croc (all of whom will be in the upcoming movie, by the by) working for the Penguin, keeping the Squad name despite escaping Amanda Waller's leash, to assassinate Bruce Wayne. But it's the first story that impressed me. After an explosion, Batman is found in a dumpster by Archie Freeman, and old man who was scrounging for anything he can to pay off the people who are running a protection racket in his building. Batman, of course, helps him and scares off the thugs. What I liked about the story is how Batman interacts with Archie. Batman can often be portrayed as gruff and not exactly a people person. But Pete Tomasi, who beautifully built the relationship between Batman and Damian in his run on Batman and Robin, writes an empathetic Batman, who listens to Archie talk about his late wife Alice and about Archie's time as an usher at the Monarch Theater (the theater from which Bruce's family was leaving on that fateful night). There's a Batman who wants to connect, who wants to hear more about Gotham before its decline, and who wants to hear more about this man. It's a sweet story, one that reminds us that Batman is about helping people, not just beating on criminals. That's a Batman I like.

Giant Days #6
Story: John Allison
Art: Lissa Treiman & Whitney Cogar

Giant Days is the story of three roommates, Susan, Esther, and Daisy, away at college for the first time, their friendship, and the madcap adventures they get into. It's a fun series, with great characters and whimsical plots, which seems to be what the Boom Box! imprint, which also publishes Matt Signal favorite Lumberjanes, specializes in (It also specializes in suckering me into buying limited series that get expanded into ongoings or maxi-series, but since they're great comics, I try not to grumble too much). This issue takes place over the Christmas holiday, and sees Esther and Daisy called by a desperate Susan to come to her hometown and help her as she's gotten into trouble. Not answering her phone, Esther and Daisy grow more worried about Susan, and begin a wild search, from going through clutches of smokers, a joined record/comics store staffed by twins, one a record store hipster, one a comic book guy just to the good side of the Simpsons line. Discovering that Susan ran afoul of Karen Shaw, a member of the town's rough Shaw clan, Esther and Daisy track down McGraw, a school friend with a complicated past with Susan, and they head to the nightclub the Shaw's own to rescue Susan. The story ends with madness on the dance floor, lock picks, and a confrontation on the roof between Susan and Karen Shaw. This is a great issue if you haven't read Giant Days before, as it spotlights the main characters' personalities, as they're thrown into this adventure. Lissa Treiman's art is wonderful, another artist who falls into a category of artists I love, ones who draw really broad and expressive faces, ones that can tell a story almost without the words. This issue marks the halfway point in the twelve issue series, and so it's a great time to dive in and enjoy.

Princeless- Raven: The Pirate Princess #2
Story: Jeremy Whitley
Art: Rosy Higgins & Ted Brandt

The second issue of the spin-off from the amazing all-ages fairy tale re-imagining Princeless starring Raven the Pirate Princess, hits with even more force than the first issue, which is saying something, as I thought the first issue was great. This issue sees Raven trying to gather herself a crew so she can go and find her traitorous brothers and give them what's coming to them. But before that can happen, we get some more time with characters who I feel are going to be important to the series: Dancer/pickpocket/half-elf Sunshine Alexander, Cookie, the pirate and cook who knew Raven as a young girl, and Jayla, Cookie's bookish daughter. Raven was usually scheming, trying to find a way to get her way, when she was in the main Princeless title, so this is one of the few times we've seen her with her guard down. This little domestic scene, as Cookie prepares breakfast is pleasant, and as Cookie gives Raven the advice she needs to gather a pirate crew, we segue to the bar Cookie now owns, as pirates line up to join the crew. Unfortunately, the male pirates are... I'm not sure of the word for it. Basically, everything they say could come out of the worst depths of non-swear laden internet forums, full of misogyny and arrogance, up to the point where one actually says, "not all men..." It's hilarious and a little depressing at the same time. Things look lost until Katherine "Katie" Kling shows up, looking to join Raven. Katie immediately is impressive, tall and strong, but also talking of honor and justice; she has a real Brienne of Tarth vibe going. And after Katie's suggestion of an all female crew appeals to Raven, and they get their first recruit in Sunshine, there is the somewhat expected brawl as the male pirates don't take it well. The fight ends with a little help from Jayla (who will be joining the crew next issue if I'm not at all off base), and so the course is set (pun intended). Raven: the Pirate Princess is just as good as its originating title, filled with the same joy, action, wit, and smarts as Princeless, and it a great addition to the reading list of anyone who's looking for a new take on some old tales.

And now some quick reviews I wasn't able to flesh out in my conference shortened weekend, and Dan Grote's review of the second issue of the relaunched Archie...

Black Canary #3- Bravo Brenden Fletcher. I actually like and am curious to see what happens to Kurt Lance, a character who was a walking plot device in every earlier appearance. Plus, Annie Wu continues to absolutely blow me away with every page. Black Canary is easily my favorite book launched in the post-Convergence DCU.

Book of Death #2- Valiant's event comic continues, with a great fight scene that makes me want to read Ninjak's ongoing, since he is clearly the Batman of the Valiant Universe, and a flashforward that shows you exactly why Gilad the Eternal Warrior is the best.

Secret Six #5- Answers abound in this issue, as we learn why the Six were gathered, what's up with Ralph and Sue Dibny, plus we see some more of Strix and her pet lawn gnome. I'm happy to see that Gail Simone isn't teasing this mystery out too long, and that there's a chance of a happy ending for my favorite comic couple ever.

Star Wars #8- One of the things I've enjoyed about the new Star Wars continuity is watching old things pop up for the first time. This issue reintroduces one of my favorite EU settings, Nar Shaddaa, the Smuggler's Moon. For those of you only familiar with Star Wars movies, picture if Mos Eisley, the wretched hive of scum and villainy, basically covered an entire moon. We see Luke at his most naive, and Han dealing with the fallout of his wife (or is she?), Sana, meeting an increasingly irate Princess Leia. It's a pretty fun book.

Archie #2

Story: Mark Waid

Art: Fiona Staples

Fun fact: Archie Andrews is a world-class klutz who often gets by solely through the herculean efforts of his friends, in the kind of good fortune you can only have when you’re the star of your own comic book.

In the second issue of the adventures of Archie 2.0, Riverdale’s mainest character tries to get a construction job so he can afford to fix up his old beater of a car, since his previous mechanic was his ex-girlfriend.

Archie gets the job and immediately wrecks the work site, despite the best efforts of ancillary characters Dilton, Kevin, et al. He then returns later in the evening to fix the damage, only to completely tear down the frame of soon-to-be-stately Lodge Manor.

The story serves to reintroduce two important characters to the Archieverse: Veronica Lodge and her father, the new richest man in town (social standing is a big part of Archie. Veronica has it, Reggie wants it, Jughead used to have it, and Archie does not).

Fiona Staples draws Veronica exactly how you’d expect her to: as a raven-haired knockout in heels. She doesn’t get any dialogue, just a coquettish giggle, but Archie falls in love at first sight.

But let’s shift focus to the first girl in Archie’s life: Betty Cooper. It’s B’s birthday, and her friends are trying to get her out of her post-Archie funk, and push her into embracing her budding womanhood. This leads to a wonderful montage of Betty awkwardly applying hair extensions, false eyelashes, makeup, heels, teeth-whitening strips and press-on nails, then hating the face she sees in the mirror. Mark Waid’s Betty would rather be playing video games and fixing cars, specifically Archie’s car, which she does – secretly, and in collusion with Archie’s dad – before she finally feels feminine enough to make her grand party entrance. Watch what she wishes for when she blows out the candles.

For historical evidence of Archie’s butterfingers and dumb luck, consult the 1942 backup strip at the end of this book, completely with a handy glossary of dated terms.

In other news, I’m bummed to hear that Fiona Staples is leaving Archie with this issue. Her pencils have been 50 percent of the reason to read the book. That said, Annie Wu (Hawkeye, Black Canary) will be filling in on issue 4, which is about as fine a substitute as you can find.

Reviews of Comics from Wednesday 7/8

We're going to start off this week with Dan Grote's return to regular reviews, looking at what might be this year's most anticipated reboot...

Archie #1

Story: Mark Waid

Art: Fiona Staples

Fictional teenagers are one of America’s most precious commodities. They are fonts of potential yet somehow more self-actualized than real teenagers. They embody American ideals of physical perfection that put to shame the real thing, which is just a walking bag of hormones programmed to make bad decisions unless its parents tightly control every waking moment of its existence, which generally only backfires anyway. They provide an illusion of hope and order in a time of wanton id.

That’s why shows like Saved by the Bell, Beverly Hills 90210 and The O.C. maintain a place in the cultural conversation years past their expiration. And it’s why Archie will never go away.

The Archie Andrews of Mark Waid and Fiona Staples’ reboot is still the wholesome face of fictional-American teenage life. Perhaps even moreso than the pre-2015 Archie, as he lives in a version of Riverdale where raven-haired part-time lover Veronica Lodge hasn’t even moved to town yet. There’s only ever been one woman in his life – Betty Cooper – and they just broke up. Why? Well, there was something called “the lipstick incident,” but no one will explain what that is – no matter how much food you bribe Jughead with – and all parties agree it’s none of your business.

But because Riverdale High School works on Saved by the Bell logic – Archie talks to camera, there’s an inordinate number of school dances, and life seems to revolve around a core group of kids (God, I wish Jughead had a robot named Kevin) – the students of Riverdale feel it’s their mission to reunite Archie and Betty.

If there’s a lesson to this first issue of Archie, it’s butt out. It’s nobody’s business why Archie and Betty broke up, even in a book where Archie talks directly to the reader. It’s obviously complicated, and the fact that Archie and Betty still speak highly of each other and respect each other as friends and former significant others (“I wish everybody would stop looking for a villain in this,” Betty says at one point) speaks volumes to the quality of their character and to the strength of Mark Waid’s writing.

Waid appears to be at a stage in his career where he can do no wrong. His run on Daredevil was a phenomenal mix of character-driven plot, lighthearted superheroics and occasional detours into horror. This fall, he’ll be taking over the most diverse team of Avengers yet, including Spider-Man (Miles Morales), Ms. Marvel (Kamala Khan) and Nova (Sam Alexander).

And I want to live in a world drawn by Fiona Staples. I’ve been in awe of her work on Image’s Saga, the way she can take even the most grotesque concepts – a ghost with its guts hanging out the bottom, a contract killer with a spider’s lower half and thin red slits for eyes, a robot with a retro-futuristic TV set for a head – and make them all beautiful in their own way. And now she’s drawing normal American teenagers! Normal clothing with sags and creases and unironed collars! All races and body types! Even Archie’s dad, playing guitar on the couch in a sweatshirt, khakis and Gold Toe socks, looks like the best version of a balding, paunchy, American dad in his mid to late 40s.

Also shining this issue is Jughead, who though given a reputation for being dimwitted and food-obsessed over the years proves smarter than all the other gossipmongers at Riverdale trying to steer the course of the good ship Bettchie (the portmanteau for Betty and Archie). An ad at the back teases a Jughead solo series this fall written by Chip Zdarsky (Image’s Sex Criminals) and Erica Henderson (Marvel’s The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl). Sounds like another can’t-miss book.

Full disclosure: I never gave a rat’s ass about Archie prior to this reboot. I respected Afterlife with Archie, in which zombies come to Riverdale, but mostly because I love Francesco Francavilla’s covers. I am fully sold on Archie 2.0. Come join me on the bandwagon; the seating is very comfy.

And now on to my reviews of this week's highlights...

Batman #42

Story: Scott Snyder

Art: Greg Capullo, Danny Miki, & FCO Plascencia

Jim Gordon's tenure as Batman sure doesn't look like it's going to be getting any easier. In the same way the first issue of this new direction Batman spent time flashing between Batman's fight with a new foe and his decision to become Batman, this issue starts with Jim training before going out, and in the middle of this month's fight flashes to a scene with him and Maggie Sawyer, before returning to him training after the fight. The symmetry if the opening and closing work really well, but it's the middle sequence that really grabbed my attention. Firstly, Greg Capullo draws new commissioner Maggie Sawyer differently than I've seen her drawn before. She's slimmer, with a very thinner face, and I really like it. But in the discussion, we see the first hints of a rift between the GCPD and the new Batman. Sawyer pretty clearly doesn't view Gordon as a cop anymore, but as something cop adjacent, and has no problem pointing out that while he can get the collar, it's the GCPD's place to do that actual legwork. I can't recall how much Maggie's background has changed in the new continuity, but there's a logic to this if it's still pretty much the same. Maggie started out in Metropolis before coming to Gotham, and while she might respect Gordon, she doesn't have the same hero worship that many GCPD officer's like Bullock and Montoya would have for him. It's also an interesting inversion of the Batman/Gordon relationship, where Gordon would privately support Batman while publicly have to disavow any cooperation, while here Maggie has to publicly be gung ho for the new Batman while privately not trusting the program. The main thrust of the issue if Gordon fighting a new villain, Gee Gee Heung, a Triad leader who has been given powers; he's basically Magneto but with silica based things and not metals. This lets Capullo run wild, drawing an incredible fight sequence. Streets and brick buildings become his weapons, become horizontal columns of death, and a giant brick traditional Batman-monster throws down with the armored Gordon. There's a lot of other stuff to like, including the hints of the new big bad, Mr. Bloom and his seeds that grant powers, Jim Gordon proving he's still a detective by deducing Julia "Perry's" previous relationship with Batman, and the opening of the two Batman action figures that also comes back around at the very end as the kids in a shelter discuss who is really Batman, a discussion I'm sure Snyder predicted would be happening in comic stores everywhere.

And it's the shelter that has the big reveal of the issue. As interesting as Mr. Bloom's scheme is, it's the final pages, with a bearded Bruce Wayne working in a shelter with Julie Madison, that has garnered the most attention. Snyder actually seeded Julie at the end of "Zero Year" so it's a good opportunity to pay off that cameo. And there are a lot of questions left here. How did  Bruce escape the Batcave? Does he remember his past? Has he retired? I'll be honest. I am one of the few people who liked the end of The Dark Knight Rises, the fact that Bruce got to retire and move on with his life. But I know this is comics and that will never happen, because these are endless, ouroboros stories. But it's an interesting choice to have, as Snyder said in an interview, "Batman die and Bruce Wayne come back," and I think there's story potential in any of the eventualities, whether it's a choice or amnesia of some kind. Keeping Bruce's presence in the book also  makes the tension different. There's none of the looking for Batman that was tied in with Grant Morrison's death of Batman. No where, just how and when he will return, and Snyder hasn't let me down yet, so I'm in for the ride.

Princeless: Raven- The Pirate Princess #1

Story: Jeremy Whitley

Art: Rosy Higgins & Tod Brandt

The fourth volume of Princeless is in full swing, and with four successful mini-series under his belt, creator Jeremy Whitley, along with the art team from the third mini-series, get the band back together for this spin off featuring that volume's break out character, Raven Xingtao, known as The Black Arrow, the pirate princess. Raven is the heir to the pirate king, whose twin brothers locked her in a tower to claim her inheritance for their own, and after retaking one of the ships that is rightfully hers (granted without its crew) with the help of Adrienne, Princeless's protagonist, at the end of the third volume of Princeless, Raven finds herself in need of a crew and food, so she stops at a city that is populated by pirates and goes out to get a bite. But being this is, to quote a phrase, a wretched hive of scum and villainy, it's not long before she is taken in by a pick pocket con artist, and the chase is one. Rosy Higgins draws a fabulous chase sequence, as Raven and the pick pocket cut through buildings, over roofs, and even go through a stall or two, leading to a hilarious nod to Avatar: The Last Airbender. Higgins fight scenes are some of my favorites in recent memory, with a fluidity to her characters that makes the fights seem almost like dances. And when Raven and Sunshine, the pick pocket, get into a fight with a band of toughs led by a guy called Melancholy Johnny, and there's an unimpressive street name if I ever heard one, they start working together seamlessly, which is a clear set up of them working together in the future, and possibly keeping the romantic tension from Sunshine's distracting kiss. And yes they're both female and this is an all ages book. I think it's cool how little this is played up, no more than if it was a female pickpocket kissing a male hero to distract him. How far we've come as a fan community. The issue ends with Sunshine leading Raven to her place of employment and not getting the result she anticipated, with the introduction of a character who has a past with Raven and isn't trying to kill her, which is a change. Princeless is still one of the top all ages books on the market, full of character, action, and a rollicking adventure plot, and it feels like The Pirate Princess is right in line with that.

Saga #30

Art: Fiona Staples

Story: Brian K. Vaughan

The end of the past few arcs of Saga have pulled away from Marko and Alana, to focus on supporting characters, but this issue is a different beast. As our protagonists have been separated for the length of this story, this is an issue about relationships and about coming together. As Marko makes his way to find his wife and daughter, Alana fights her way out of the Revolution's ship, only to find that Hazel is still inside it with Klara, her grandmother. OK, so if you're reading Saga in trade, here we go with the SPOILER ALERT. The important character beats of the issue show exactly where Marko and Alana are with Hazel gone. Reunited, the stand with Dengo, the robot who kidnapped their daughter, on his knees and vulnerable, but they decide not to kill him. The choice between taking a life or not, between violence and peace, has been central to this title, and one violent act by Marko is what drove them apart some time ago. By choosing the peaceful way, by choosing not to act, the two are drawn together again, and Hazel's narration points out that couple change together or they break up, and it's clear this time apart has gotten our leads to grow into more complimentary people. That's not say Dengo lives. Because Robot IV is still there, and he wants his son back and revenge for that kidnapping, and we see some true tenderness Robot has for his son when he holds him. The opposite of that tenderness is when The Will awakes to find Gwen, Sophie, and Lying Cat waiting for him, only to find out about what it took to heal him. I'd love to see some flashbacks to The Will and The Brand as kids, so we could get a better feel for the roots of their tight familial bond. Dan talked about Fiona Staples's amazing art on Archie above, and I just want to echo it here. the splash of Marko and Alana's reunion might be one of my favorite pages in all of Saga, just so completely full of emotion. And now we enter Saga hiatus again, time for those who trade wait to catch up, and those of us reading in singles to hibernate and wait for the next new issue. Hopefully, I won't go crazy with the wait

Star Wars: Jedi Academy- The Phantom Bully

Story & Art: Jeffrey Brown

I wrote a recommended reading on the Star Wars books of Jeffrey Brown last year, and this past week saw the release of the final volume of his Jedi Academy series, an all ages series that mixes diary entries and comics (ala Diary of a Wimpy Kid) about Padawan Roan Novachez's last year at Jedi Academy middle school. Roan is your typical teen/tween protagonist: good hearted, kind of clumsy, unsure of himself. But this third year looks like it will be great for him. He's learning to be a pilot finally, he's got a good group of friends, and he has a girlfriend, Giana, the smartest girl in school. But his new Jedi Advisor is Mr. Garfield, the monosyllabic Zabrak, who Roan is sure is out to get him. And Cronah, his old bully, is still definitely out to get him. Throughout the book, there's a mix of tween pathos and good lessons for the young ones who will read it about friendship and confidence building (heck, maybe an adult can use that too here or there). We see Roan constantly set upon by Cronah, although Roan can never prove the pranks are Cronah, and he makes it through withe the help of Pasha, his best friend, and Giana, as well as other Padawans. Since it's set a few hundred years before Star Wars continuity as we know it, Yoda is there, as inscrutable and backwards talking as ever. This might be the last book to feature some of the string ties to the EU, which Brown puts in without making someone feel like they're being inundated with Star Wars minutiae, but are fun for those of us in the know. I was also impressed in how he handled Cronah and Cyrus, who were the bully duo in previous volumes. Cyrus reforms throughout this book, clearly trying to be a better guy after he got into serous trouble in the last volume, but Roan isn't fast to trust him, and at the end of the volume, we learn why Cronah has been targeting Roan all along, and it's a really interesting, really human reveal. If you're a Star Wars fan with kids this is a delightful book to share with them, or just a fan who enjoys a fun, light read, The Jedi Academy series is a perfect afternoon's diversion.

Reviews of Comics from Wednesday 4/15

Archie Vs. Predator #1
Story: Alex de Campi
Art: Fernando Ruiz

Yes, you read that right: Archie and the kids from Riverdale are now the most dangerous game in Archie Vs. Predator, copublsihed by Dark Horse Comics and Archie Comics. After Jughead wins a contest in a bag of chips, the gang from Riverdale gets to go to the island resort of Los Perdidos on spring break. And while they're there, a ship arrives carrying movie's most legendary alien hunter: The Predator. It's a pretty simple set up, and most of the first issue is taken up by the gang's usual Archie-style adventure: Dilton has to finish layouts for the yearbook, and having not done any of the polls (most popular, most likely to succeed, etc). everyone agrees to help, despite there being only twenty or so kids there of the entire high school. Hey, this is the Archie world and we know only they matter. Cheryl Blossom and her twin brother, Jason, show up, and as the other local rich kids, decide to start instigating fights between Betty and Veronica, simply because Cheryl has it in for Veronica, thus interfering with the "Best Dressed" competition. Sounds about right for a high school hijinks Archie story. right? Well, that would be true if the Predator wasn't watching them in his creepy infrared vision. And if Veronica and Betty didn't get into a full on fight and Veronica broke Betty's nose. And if Betty didn't wander into an ancient temple the Blossoms were talking about looting and inadvertently take an obsidian looking dagger. And if the Predator didn't flay a couple kids. This, ladies and gents, is not Archie Meets Punisher, where the violence level was more akin to an Archie story; this is a Predator story with Archie and his pals & gals in it. As the issue ends, the kids head back to Riverdale with the Predator following.  Fernando Ruiz is one of the masters of the classic Archie house style, and while his Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead, et. al. are all spot on, this doesn't mean his Predator looks light and goofy; it's as monstrous as you would expect, and that juxtaposition, of monsters and gore with classic Archie, is what really blows your mind reading this issue. It's fun, crazy, and not the least bit what you'd expect, and that's what makes it all the better. It also earns extra bonus points for a one page back-up strip of Sabrina the Teenage Witch meeting Hellboy, which is excellent, and has some great art from Robert Hack, who is the regular artist on...

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina #2
Story: Robert Aguirre-Sacasa
Art: Robert Hack

After a long delay, the second issue of the second Archie Horror title comes out, and it was worth the wait. The first issue of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina set-up Sabrina's status quo in this darker world, establishing her character, as well as those of her aunts, her familiar, Salem, and her friends and nemeses at school. This second issue focuses mostly on her actual enemy, Madam Satan. Madam Satan was the witch Sabrina's father abandoned in favor of Sabrina's mortal mother, and we spend this issue watching her as, recently freed from Gehenna, she cuts a swath through the world, starting her plans for revenge. She initially exacts revenge on Sabrina's parents, but finding that they have a daughter, she begins a deeper, darker game as she arrives at Sabrina's town and works her way into Sabrina's circle. The design on Madam Satan is really creepy, with skulls for eyes, kind of taking the Corinthian from Sandman design for the next level of horror. Robert Hack's style, with it's many lines and heavy shadows, along with the colors, give the book a feeling of a classic horror movie, something akin to Rosemary's Baby, with its creeping dread, so setting the story in 1966 feel appropriate. The time we spend with Sabrina in the issue deals with her trying out for the school play, and we get a great little scene where Sabrina meets with another witch, who just happens to be a famous movie star of the time, but I'll let you find out who that is one your own. After six months, it was a dicey proposition to have your protagonist relegated to being a supporting player in your second issue, but I felt like it worked. Letting the reader really see Madam Satan's motivation, and exactly what she can do, ratchets up the tension, and makes us more worried for Sabrina. I never thought I'd say that Archie was publishing some of the best horror comics on the market, but between this and Afterlife with Archie, that seems to be the case. I just hope it's less than six months before we see the next issue.

The Fox #1
Story: Dean Haspiel & Mark Waid
Art: Dean Haspiel

The Fox mini-series that came out under the brief Red Circle imprint from Archie a year and change ago, "Freak Magnet," was one of the strangest superhero comics I'd read in a long time, and intentionally so. The beginning of the new ongoing from the same creative team is no less strange. Paul Patton, the titular superhero who attracts weirdness to himself, is out on a job as a photojournalist, taking pictures of his home town, that is about to be flooded to make a watershed to help Impact City, where he and his family live. He and his son, Shinji, are taking pictures when a supervillain, Dream Demon, arrives, and Paul must reluctantly don his costume to try to stop her. Only it turns out Paul knows Dream Demon as his childhood sweetheart, Linda, who wants to stop the town from being flooded for nostalgic reasons. It's a very thoughtful story, with Paul's memories shown throughout, and he does his best to stop Linda without actually fighting her. As much as this is a superhero story, it's more a character piece, really letting the reader get into Paul's head and understand him, and setting up his family life, with Shinji and his wife, Mae. It's clear being a superhero isn't what Paul wants to do anymore, but he does it because it's the right thing to do. It's a really enjoyable first issue, and stands so differently from the other Dark Circle superhero title from Archie, Black Hood, that I'm impressed by how hard they're trying to do different things. Just because the line is called Dark Circle doesn't mean everything has to be doom and gloom; The Fox is a very entertaining and fun debut. The end of the issue sets off the "Fox Hunt" that is the title of the arc, and introduces new readers to local mob boss Mister Smile and a group of other supervillains, who have some great designs and a loopy personality or two amongst them. If you picked up "Freak Magnet" or enjoy your superheroes with a little touch of the surreal or with strong character behind the mask, you should definitely try out The Fox.

Thursday's Adventures at New York Comic Con 2014

I love comics, and I hate crowds. Those are two gross simplifications of two of the defining aspects of my life. My love for comics has been one of the driving passions of my life, and you get me in a big room of people just milling around, and panic attacks have been known to happen. So something like the mighty New York Comic Con tears at my very soul. Can my love of comics trump my absolute loathing of crowds? Well, sorta. I have found the best balance is to only do NYCC on Thursday, which is by far the least packed day. So yesterday morning, I headed into New York bright and early for a day of comic con excitement.

As a Dewey's employee, I got to go to the Diamond Comics Distributor Retailer Appreciation Breakfast. You don't go to this event for the food, but for the announcements. We got to see presentations form all the major publishers except for Marvel (they have their own retailer presentation on Friday) and Image. DC really just recapped other announcements, so nothing there. Titan, a first time presenter, announced a 9th Doctor mini-series in their Doctor Who line and Made Man, a new series from Fred Van Lente and Dennis Calero, which is a sci-fi mobster story, so it sounds cool to me. Valiant gave some details on their new #1s, including The Valiant, their universe wide team-up mini-series, which I'm excited for , and Ivar, Timewalker from Archer and Armstrong original creative team Fred Van Lente and Clayton Henry (more Van Lente news is never a bad thing). And Dark Horse announced Archie Meets Predator. Yes, in the grand tradition of Archie Meets Punisher, the alien that hunts the most dangerous game is heading to Riverdale. This mini-series will be drawn by Fernando Ruiz, one of the nicest guys I've ever met, Dewey's regular, and the first artist to give me a piece for my sketchbook, so I'm all over that.

So, with that done, it was time to enter the con floor. The Javitz Center is sprawling, and after walking quickly through the floor to get the lay of the land, I headed off the floor to my favorite part of any con: Artist's Alley. This is usually less crowded, and is your best opportunity to talk to creators.  And to get sketches. I've talked about my sketchbook before, but for those who haven't read about it, I collect sketches of Batman characters (a Batman themed sketchbook? I know, I was as shocked you are when I thought that would be a good idea for me). After walking for a bit, I found artist Jay P. Fosgitt, who wrote and drew the adorable all ages series, Bodie Troll for Red 5 Comics. Bodie is the world's cutest troll, who can't scare anyone. At Jay's booth, he had a friend dressed as Cholly, the waitress who is Bodie's best friend, and had a life sized Bodie puppet.

Isn't that cute? So I made my usual pitch to Jay, to draw whichever Gotham City themed character he wanted. While he worked, I got to wander around, talk to the Atomic Robo guys about my love of Robo and their Kickstarter, to Greg Pak about his work, congratulated Fernando on Archie Meets Predator, and picked up a little something as a gift form someone who might read this, so I won't show a picture right now. And upon my return to Jay's booth, he had this waiting for me!

Sorry that I'm not a better photographer with my phone, but that is a wonderful Poison Ivy sketch. It's the first Ivy I have in my book, so that makes it extra great. From Jay's booth, I headed over to Scott Hanna's, whose list I had already gotten on. Scott Hanna is one of comics' most accomplished inkers, and did long runs on Amazing Spider-Man and Detective Comics, so this is a guy I was sure knew his Batman characters. I had forgotten that he had inked my favorite Joker story of all time, the vastly underrated Devil's Advocate, so I got to talk to him about that, which made my day. With my usual  request made, I wandered off again, now hitting the floor. It's crowded, there's no ifs, ands, or buts about that, but I was able to get a nice stack of back issues. I also swung by the IDW booth and talked up Locke & Key to someone randomly, which is one of the great pleasures of a con: you can share your enthusiasm and everyone gets it. I also got to see the Kill Shakespeare Board Game, which I am waiting to arrive through Kickstarter, and it looks incredible. I'll probably be writing up a play experience post once I get my hands on that.

I also spent some time talking to David Campiti, the COO of Red Giant Entertainment, a company released the zero issues of their upcoming line of free comics on FCBD. It was interesting to hear about their business model, and the idea that they really want to help drive people into comic book stores. The free books start rolling out in December, including one called Tesla, so you know I'm in for that. Expect to hear more about Red Giant as we get nearer to that debut.

But eventually, I wandered back over to Scott Hanna, and what was waiting for me?

Another new character for my sketchbook, Killer Croc! Yup, that's a pretty sweet haul. I have to say, maybe I just got lucky and talked to the right people, but all the creators I talked to, the ones I mentioned here and some that I just got a few words in with, were all gracious and happy to be there. I love that feeling of camaraderie and excitement that everyone has some of at these cons.

With my sketches done, I made one more pass around the floor, and took a couple of pictures of cosplayers. You couldn't pay me enough to cosplay, it's not my bag, but I respect the time it takes to do it and the passion that requires, and I try not to be too intrusive, despite knowing that most cosplayers are more than happy to have their photos taken, but I stumbled across a couple people already posing, so I figured I'd snap a couple pics.

It's the baby Groot that really makes it.

You've got to love the commitment for a group theme.

So, that was it for me this year. Next year, I'm hoping to hit what was Asbury Park Comic Con, which is now East Coast Comic Con, and then if all goes according to plan, Baltimore Comic Con, which has moved the end of September, much better time for me. It's a great feeling to see the level of excitement that people bring to all of their fandoms, and how they're willing to share it with everyone, and discovering new creators and comics that you wouldn't have encountered otherwise. And thanks to everyone I talked to! See you again soon.

Comics For Everyone: The Magic of All Ages Comics

There are a lot of different types of comics out there, no matter what the public perception is. I'm sure if you've found your way here, you have a good idea of that, but it still needs to be reiterated every now and then. Superheroes make up the bulk of what the mainstream media sees, but there is so much else out there, and that's a wonderful thing. Since I started writing this blog a couple months back, I've written about more than my share of superheroes, but I've also touched on horror, sci-fi, and crime. But there's another genre I've spent a good amount of time talking: all ages comics. And today, I'd like to spend a little time talking about why I find all ages comics so fascinating, and some of the best ones I've ever read.

Back in the 80s,  pretty much every comic historian, scholar, and fan can agree that comics really went out of their way to become something that was more than just funny books for kids, and did so by forcing a lot of the light and fun out of comics. We reached a point where it was hard to find anything on the racks that you could give to a young kid. I won't say there weren't exceptions; the comics based off of the DC animated series of the 90s were great fun for everyone, but they proved the exception.

I feel like somewhere around the late 90s or early 00s, a movement began that rejected that, and started crafting all ages comics. Please note I did not say kids comics. I think there was still an undercurrent of fear that writing comics geared for small kids exclusively might undercut the progress of the industry, so what people began doing was creating comics everyone can enjoy on multiple levels. And I think this is something that, while not exclusively within the comics industry, is something we can pride ourself on that others sort of hide from.

Other entertainment industries don't seem to run with the idea of all ages. Cartoons are either for adults or for kids. Sure, grown ups watched Pinky and the Brain, Animaniacs, and Phineas & Ferb, but those cartoons are marketed almost exclusively at kids, no matter what the demo that was actually watching was. I will say that, in recent years, Pixar has tried to close this gap, and The Muppets was marketed in this vain, but that's still a far cry from there being truly all ages marketed movies. When the Harry Potter phenomenon was in full swing at the bookstores, the books were still looked at as kids books that adults could read, not as just plain books. There is no "all ages" section at Barnes & Noble; there's children's and adults. I think a lot of authors write with the intent that parents should be able to read and enjoy these books with their kids, but they aren't marketed that way.

But with comics, there is a sense that people who write comics that kids can enjoy really want the experience to be something that is shared, and something that people of any age or demographic group can enjoy. I'm not a dad yet, but I am an uncle, and I am happy to say there are plenty of comics I can happily now read with my nieces, who are four and eight. They are stories that I can enjoy on some level and they can on another. And on top of that, these tend to be stories that are not just enjoyable, but are fun. So much of modern fiction, both written, performed, or produced, is so gloomy, so dark, or so mean. All ages comics are a breath of fresh air in that world. They are something that you can get a thrill out of, but something you can usually walk away from feeling happy or affirmed. Not always, serious stories need to exist for children as well as adults, but stories for all ages books tend to be told in a way that leaves you understanding that we fight through the dark and persevere, not wallow in it.

One of the great things about all ages comics is that they encompass all the genres of the rest of the comic book industry. If you like Harry Potter, well there are plenty of fantasy comics for your kids to read. If they've read Goosebumps, I can find a spooky all ages comic. And hey, guess what, I can find superhero comics that you'd feel safe letting your kids read, and that you'd get a lick out of. I've talked about some of these in reviews and recommended readings before, so I won't go into them again, but remember that Atomic Robo, Tiny Titans, The Muppet Show Comic Book, Snarked, and Reed Gunther are all out there for you to enjoy. There are plenty of others that I'd like to touch on today.

I think the comic that started the trend of modern all ages comics was Bone by cartoonist Jeff Smith. Bone is a mix of high and low fantasy, with a touch of fairy tale, starring the three Bone Cousins, Fone, Phoney, and Smiley, who, after being run out of Boneville, arrive in the Valley. In their new home, they meet Thorn, Gran'ma Ben, and the rest of the cast of the series as, through a comic mishap, they are drawn into the war with the Rat Creatures and their mysterious master, The Hooded One. Bone is tremendous fun, and does a great job of mixing the high stakes action of a fantasy epic with the comedy of Phoney Bone's moneymaking schemes and monstrous Rat Creatures talking about quiche. You can read one story with an army of Rat Creatures attacking the Valley, and in another Phoney is trying to fix a cow race. At its heart, though, Bone goes back to the classic fairytale trope of the underdog facing down the big monster, and finding courage. You can get all of the series in one giant omnibus in the original black and white, or pick up the individual nine volumes colorized from Scholastic Books.

The all ages comic that made me stand up and begin to really think about how great they are, though, was Patrick The Wolf Boy. I stumbled across Patrick when the first one shot featuring him came into Dewey's, and as I have mentioned before, I have a thing for werewolves. But Patrick isn't a scary monster werewolf. He's a first grader who just happens to chase squirrels and turn into a hairy wolf boy during the full moon. Created by Art Baltazar and Franco Aureliani, now better known for their work on Tiny Titans and Superman Family Adventures, Patrick plays in the same ballpark of a comic that can be read with your very little ones, but has enough of a sense oh humor that you grown ups would appreciate it. The best metaphor I've ever been able to come up with for this book was a comic where Calvin happens to turn into Hobbes on the full moon. Wrap your head around that. Patrick is sadly pretty much out of print as far as I can tell, but Art and Franco have a bunch of Patricks I've seen with them at cons, so go, check them out there.

Since I'm talking about monsters, let's talk about Scary Godmother. Jill Thompson, possibly best known for her work with Neil Gaiman on Sandman, wrote and drew a series of charming picture books about the Scary Godmother, who lives on the Frightside and is sort of a patron witch of Halloween. With the help of Hannah Marie, a little girl who stumbles into her, and a cast of monsters, Scary Godmother helps keep Halloween going. These aren't scary books, but are perfect for Halloween reading, with giving maybe a little chill or jump but nothing that will keep the kids (or you) up late. The four picture books have been collected in one volume and all the comics in a separate one by Dark Horse.

I just want to drop in a quick mention of Amelia Rules! here, as it's probably my favorite all ages comics that is currently being published. There's a new volume due in the next month or so, so expect a recommended reading when I know the exact release date. Without spending too much time, Amelia McBride was created by cartoonist Jimmy Gownley, and is smart, sassy, and always getting into trouble for being herself. She has a group of friends who are oddballs, teachers who don't get her, parents who are trying to get her, and the coolest aunt in the world. The book has more heart in one chapter than most books or comics have in whole volumes.

Now, in any duscussion of all ages comics, I think a writer would be remiss to not talk about Archie Comics. Some of the longest running comics out there, the kids from Riverdale are still going strong. While I know some people have been upset by how socially progressive Archie books have been over the past few years, I like the idea that Riverdale is an idealized version of the world where everyone is accepted. Still aside from the more progressive stories, there is the same hijinks from when I was a kid, with Arachie trying to choose between Betty and Veronica, Jughead eating everything in sight, and Reggie being a jerk. There are also the occasional high concept story, like the spy themed "The Man From RIVERDALE" above, that's a cool spy pastiche. I also picked that cover because that issue was drawn by artist Fernando Ruiz, who happens to be one of of regular customers at Dewey's, and appears with us every Free Comic Book Day. He's an awesome guy, teaches at the Kubert School, and is currently the artist on Life With Archie, the magazine featuring tales of grown up Archie, which also happens to be an great book.

And just to make sure I don't go a post without mentioning my usual manias, there are some great all ages superhero and Star Wars comics out there. Dark Horse regularly releases volumes under the Star Wars Adventures and Clone Wars Adventures banners that are great one off stories featuring stories that are geared for everyone. These can be a little scarier, or more intense, then a lot of the others I've talked about, so you might really want to read these with your kids. DC has, since the advent of Batman: The Animated Series, had some form of all ages Batman title running, and while quality has varied, some of these have been outstanding. Mike Parobeck's run as artist of the original Batman Adventures series is outstanding, and Dan Slott's run on the second series of that title is vastly under-rated, and ended before its time. Also, if you want a truly surreal treat, DC just released one of their DC Comics Presents reprint volumes featuring Mark Millar's run on the all ages Superman Adventures. Yes, folks, Mark Millar, writing shockingly good all ages Superman. Check it out and be awed.

So, those are some of my suggestions. We comic readers are a dying breed, ladies and gentlemen. So why don't you pick up something, and give it to your kids, your nieces and nephews, or the neighbor kid. You might be creating a new life long comic fan.