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.

Reviews of Comics from Wednesday 10/1

Gotham Academy #1
Story: Becky Cloonan & Brenden Fletcher
Art: Karl Kerschl

High school isn't easy, and especially not if you live in a city like Gotham. Gotham Academy is the new Batman family title that mixes the DC Universe, high school drama, and the kind of mysteries you only get in spooky old buildings. The first issue does what a good first issue does: introducing the reader to the characters and the setting. Writers Becky Cloonan and Brenden Fletcher cleverly use new student orientation to show us the lay of the land. Olive Silverlock, in her second year, is assigned new student Maps Mizoguchi as the student she must mentor. This sounds simple enough, except Maps is the sister of Kyle, Olive's soon-to-be-ex-boyfriend, or so Olive thinks. It is a typical high school plot, but the book never sinks into the overblown, hand wringing that someone who doesn't know how to write teenagers thinks teenagers sound. There is something going on with Olive that is mysterious, as their are numerous references to how much she changed over the summer, and her own mysterious aversion to Batman and the Bat Signal. She is distant and angsty, but not in a way that makes someone who is an adult want to roll their eyes and throw the comic away. Maps, on the other hand, is a big ball of energy and positivity. They seem to be polar opposites, but they get along well and play off each other brilliantly. We get glimpses of some of the other characters, including Headmaster Hammer, who looks like he could be a horror host out of EC Comics, Kyle, who I'm curious to get to know more, plus a couple of classic high school tropes, including the mean girl and class clown/prankster. Oh, and I'm pretty sure Aunt Harriet from Batman '66. While some of these characters seem cookie cutter right now, the talent shown in the crafting of Olive and Maps makes me pretty sure they'll get more defined personalities once they get more pages. The action piece of the issue, with Olive and Maps climbing the decrepit belltower to get a view of some of the supposedly haunted parts of the Academy is amazing, both showing the bond between our leads and the ingenuity in Olive. Karl Kershl is an artist I've liked for a long time, and his style is dynamic and full of energy, perfect for this comic. With a brief appearance by Bruce Wayne to more firmly ground the comic in Gotham City, creepy eyes looking out through walls, and a vibe completely different from everything else coming out from DC, Gotham Academy is a something new and fun, and worth checking out for anyone wanting a break from the grim and gritty of much of The New 52.

Men of Wrath #1
Story: Jason Aaron
Art: Ron Garney

Jason Aaron writes some seriously dark comics. His superhero stuff can be dark, but admittedly I haven't read much of it, so my experience is more connected to his other work; I'm a fan of his creator owned crime comics. Stuff like Scalped and Southern Bastards are my Aaron. So Men of Wrath, his new book from Marvel's creator owned ICON imprint was something I was going to check out one way or the other, and the fact that he's working with Ron Garney, who he's done a lot of super hero work with and who is one of those great comic utility artists, was icing on the cake. Men of Wrath starts out with the story of the protagonist's great great grandfather, who killed a man in an argument over sheep (a story, Aaron reveals in his text page after the main story, that is from Aaron's own family history). From there, we see Ira Rath at work, and that work is killing people. Hitmen are usually shown to have hearts of gold, or at least tarnished silver, who have a code of honor. That is NOT the case with Rath, something made very very clear by that first sequence; as a matter of fact, he performs an act so cold and repugnant I wouldn't be surprised if it turns some readers right off. From there, we see that Rath is dying of lung cancer, and he seems to feel little need to make any amends for a life of murder. And when a new contract comes his way, we don't know if he's going to take it or not, but we know it's something that will effect his last days. It's not hard to figure out the twist at the end; this first issue is very much Aaron playing in a lot of tropes that are common to stories that center of hitmen. But it's about how Aaron tells the story, how he crafts his characters and how the story flows, and does it flow. Aaron's dialogue is crackling as ever, with Rath and his compatriots sounding like the hardcases they are without sounding like stereotypes. Add to this Garney's art, and you get a great first issue. Garney draws a craggy, old Rath, the lines on his face seemingly carved there, and crafts the gritty world that Aaron's crime comics inhabit as well as any other of Aaron's collaborators; while Garney might be known for superhero work, he clearly has a taste for crime comics.. There is a softness in the coloring in the opening that sets it apart from the harder, bleaker later scenes, and colorist Matt Milla does a great job with that. It's a great launch to the series, and looks to be another gritty hit from Aaron.

Sherlock Holmes Vs. Harry Houdini #1
Story: Anthony Del Col & Conor McCreery
Art: Carlos Furuzono

The same week we get the final issue of the new Kill Shakespeare mini-series, The Tide of Blood, series creators Anthony Del Col and Conor McCreery debut their new series for Dynamite, Sherlock Holmes Vs. Harry Houdini. For those of you who don't know, the real life Houdini had something of a rivalry with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes, as Doyle was  an avowed spiritualist, and Houdini went out of his way to debunk psychics and spiritualists (it's interesting to me then that Conan Doyle, a devout believer in spirits and fairies, would create possibly the single most rationalist character of the 19th century or after). The issue immediately establishes a rivalry between Holmes and Houdini, for the reason that the arrogant Holmes can't stop from rudely revealing how Houdini's escapes are performed, as Houdini performs for Scotland Yard and Holmes sits in the drunk tank, having been brought in for winding up out on the streets in a drug addled haze. It's well within the bounds of Holmes's more antisocial behavior to be so rude, and Houdini, as you might imagine, does not take it well. But the mystery gets under way when spirits appear and threaten Houdini. Neither Holmes or Houdini believe they were real ghosts, and Houdini puts on his public show with Holmes as a witness, and while Holmes cannot figure out the trick, the spirits return to make a dark turn. I don't know enough about Houdini to determine if the writers have captured his voice properly, but they've made him an interesting character, and they have captured Holmes well, giving him the right amount of bite. Houdini's wife and Dr. Watson serve as sounding boards for our leads, and both are not taking the guff from their respective opposite numbers. Holmes is in one of his drug addled downward spirals at the beginning of this story, something that, while a minor element in the original texts, has become a major part of Holmes pastiche after Nicholas Meyer's famous The Seven-Per-Cent Solution, where Holmes met Sigmund Freud, making it a nice parallel to have Holmes using drugs heavily in a story where he meets yet another famous late-nineteenth/early twentieth-century figure. With these two characters as our leads, I'm sure the supernatural aspect of the story is a fraud, but I am very curious to see exactly how the magic is being faked. Del Col and McCreery have shown in Kill Shakespeare that they have a talent for merging different literary figures into one world, and now they've taken this a step further, merging the fictional world with the real world in this first issue. So the game is afoot, readers, and it's up to these two great rationalists, the detective and the escape artist, to solve case


And now, a review from Dan Grote of Jason Aaron's new Thor #1

Thor #1
Story: Jason Aaron
Art: Russell Dautermann

I'm not gonna lie, folks: I bought this one specifically to spite the butt-hurt side of the Internet complaining about “forced diversity” and “my Thor has a weiner” (made ya look!).

Thor is the latest Marvel Now book to get rebooted with the same writer, following in the footsteps of Daredevil and Hulk (so basically just Mark Waid). And, of course, as you’ve heard everywhere from The View to the Wall Street Journal, this Thor has lady parts and is not actually the Odinson.

But before we get to lady Thor, there’s about 20 pages of story to get through.

The book opens with a Frost Giant attack on an undersea Roxxon facility armed with attack sharks that makes me miss Sealab 2021. The big guys from Jotunheim are led by Malekith the Accursed, fresh off his appearance in Thor: The Dark World. Artist Russell Dauterman draws some damn-fine Jotuns, reminding me of some of the creatures Fiona Staples has drawn in Saga.

Meanwhile, on the moon, which is apparently now orbited by Asgard, which is apparently now called Asgardia (Forgive me; the last time Thor and I hung out was during the J. Michael Straczynski run), original-recipe Thor is still trying to pull Mjolnir up off the ground, where he’s been since original-recipe Nick Fury whispered him unworthy during the Original Sin crossover. And Odin, like any loving All-Father, decides to berate his son and blame his wife for making the boy soft. Odin then tries to outmacho all of Asgardia and lift the hammer himself, remembering, “Hey, I put the enchantment on this thing in the first place,” but no dice.

Asgardia’s internecine strife is put on hold for the moment when Odin’s ravens arrive to report the Jotun attack on Midgard. Thor charges off into battle sans Mjolnir, while mother Freyja strokes her chin and has a think inspired by Odin’s verbal abuse. (Seriously, this issue makes me wish Odin had stayed dead.) Without spoiling, the battle with Malekith does not go well.

Back on the moon, as the book winds to a close, a mystery blond woman says “There must always be a Thor,” picks up the hammer and poses for a splash page. Obviously, who this person is – her winged helmet covers half her face – is a mystery for another issue.

So the book’s big controversy is actually its C-plot – some first-issue, not-enough-time-to-get-to-everything ish to be sure – but that’s most like because what everyone on the Internet is worried about and what more-than-competent writer Jason Aaron has planned are two completely different things. And if that’s the case, good.

Reviews of Comics from Wednesday 7/23

Batman #33
Story: Scott Snyder
Art: Greg Capullo

"Zero Year" wraps up with a metaphorical bang, as Batman stops the Riddler from causing a literal one. There's been a lot written about this issue because of the ending, and the mission statement of sorts that Snyder establishes for the New 52 Batman. And I'll get to that. But I want to talk about the center of the issue, the final confrontation with the Riddler. Riddler stories are hard to write, various Bat writers have said, and I see why; they're very cerebral. It's really a battle of wits, and so it's hard to make visually interesting. But Batman having to walk a booby trapped path that only shuts down when riddles are answered is a great visual representation of the dynamic between these two characters. The final riddle, and Batman's answer versus the one that Riddler expected, is a clever moment, and one I don't want to spoil. It does prove that Batman is Riddler's intellectual equal, and the final part of Riddler's plan, and Batman overcoming how Riddler expected to defeat him, is very much Batman; he is someone who will do whatever it takes to fulfill his crusade. There are also great moments for each of Batman's principal supporting cast from this story, Alfred, Jim Gordon, and Lucius Fox. I was trying to decide if working the origins of so many aspects of Batman mythology (the Bat Signal, the giant penny from the Batcave, Arkham Asylum as the home for Gotham's villains) was too pat and twee, but I think it worked. None of those bits seemed out of place, and would have worked as origins to those pieces even if they weren't sly hints of things to come.

Now for that ending, where Bruce declares that he is going to be the lightning rod that draws the madness and violence in Gotham, and that this is what makes him happy. I like it. I like it a lot. This is a Batman who isn't a madman, who isn't split in two. This is one man, Bruce Wayne, who wears the costume of Batman do do the right thing, the thing that allows him to live a life as a relatively stable adult after the greatest tragedy a child can face. The pre-New 52 Batman was a man who was Batman, wearing a mask of Bruce Wayne. I think this new version is more balanced. Batman isn't a mask anymore than Bruce Wayne is. There's a difference in voice and posture, but they both have the same intentions. I think it's why Bruce is less of a goof in the New 52, and more of a crusader for Gotham, and why the Batman Inc. stuff works even better with this characterization; it would be expected for this Bruce Wayne to back Batman, to help make Gotham a better place. I don't think this characterization invalidates any of the old stories, it's a new layer, and it might give us a Batman who, while dark, has some of the light left in him.

Batman Beyond Universe #12
Story: Kyle Higgins and Christos Gage
Art: Dexter Soy and Thony Silas

The Batman Beyond titles (the original mini-series and ongoing series, Unlimited, and now Universe) have told all sorts of huge stories, stories like a giant serpent coming to eat Earth, a convention of Jokerz, and Brainiac invading. But this current arc, "Justice Lords Beyond," feels like the biggest, and has the biggest payoff. Partially, this is because it's the first crossover between the two halves of the book, Batman Beyond and Justice League Beyond; that gives the story a little extra heft, as it took up four full issues of the series. It's not like superhero on alternate universe dark superhero violence is anything new. But this story has a couple of emotional beats that make it work, and that really make this conclusion payoff. There are great action pieces as well, with first Superman and Wonder Woman battling Lord Superman, Batman returning from the Justice Lords timeline to turn the tide, and the coup de grace on Lord Superman delivered in a most unexpected way. But what really hits is how well Higgins and Gage know these characters. Seeing young Zod, the boy who thought he was the child of Phantom Zone criminals, but is instead the son of Lord Superman and our Wonder Woman, learn the truths of his origins, and how it affects him is brutal. And the strange interactions between Flash Beyond and Lord Flash Beyond, both thinking that the other is crazy, is a weird trip through the looking glass, especially when it's pointed out how similar they really are. But it's Terry McGinnis, Batman Beyond, who has the truly heart wrenching moment, as his alternate world doppelganger, who calls himself just T, and who never had the influence of Bruce Wayne to lead him away from a criminal life, leads Terry to the one person Terry didn't expect to meet: the alternate version of his father, whose death led him down the trail to become Batman. This moment of catharsis is beautifully played, not overdone and tearjerking, but sad and melancholy, yet filled with a certain amount of promise for Terry. It's a great end of an era for these future tales of the DCU, with next issue promising a fresh start as the book becomes Batman Beyond only for now. So that is going to be a great jumping on point, but if you love any of the DC Animated Universe series, you might want to track down the four issues of this story.

Good Night Darth Vader
Story & Art: Jeffrey Brown

This isn't a full review, as it's hard to really review a picture book, but I had to mention it because it's so much fun. I did a recommended reading on the Star Wars books of Jeffrey Brown not too long ago, and this is the newest book in the series. It's a Goodnight, Moon riff with characters from across a Galaxy Far, Far Away, as Darth Vader attempts to get his kids to sleep ("You don't know the power of sleep.") It's a charming combination of classic trilogy and prequel trilogy characters, with scenes at Dexter's Diner on Coruscant, the Emperor snuggling a stuffed animal, and Jango Fett having his own problems getting young Boba to bed. If you're a Star Wars fan of any age, or have a little one who is, this is a great book for before bed.

Kill Shakespeare: The Mask of Night #2
Story: Conor McCreery & Anthony Del Col
Art: Andy Belanger

The seven seas are full of pirates and action as the third Kill Shakespeare mini-series gets its sea legs firmly beneath it. Our remaining heroes are on the ship of the pirate Cesario and his first mate Viola (characters and names from Twelfth Night) as the ship is pursued by the dread ship Lavinia, part of the fleet of Titus Andronicus (of the eponymous play). The issue spends more time with Cesario and Viola than it does with the previous series' characters, establishing their relationship further. Last issue introduced us to them, but this issue really establishes the pain that Viola feels as she must stop Cesario from following his plan to join with the Prodigals, Juliet's forces, and she makes a fateful decision to save the crew from the cannibals aboard the Lavinia. I'm curious to see if we get some answers about the curious history between the two, as in the play Cesario and Viola are one and the same. The comic doesn't stick directly to the text of the plays, I feel like there's more going on here. While I was hoping to deal more with the growing rift between Hamlet and Juliet, there's plenty in this issue to like, as it is an issue full of pirate action, with the beginnings of ship-to-ship combat as well as some on-deck fighting. A particular scene, as Cesario's ship slowly attempts to slip past Lavinia through fog, is beautifully paced; Andy Belanger puts together a scene where you can feel the tension radiating from each character, the high of thinking that they have escaped, and the crushing feeling as the tides turn against them. The ending is a big cliffhanger, once again putting out heroes near the grasp of their foes. Ceasrio and Viola are great additions to the cast of Shakespeare's greats, and with members of the cast of Titus Andronicus making their first actual appearance next issue, the world of Kill Shakespeare continues to expand.

Reviews of Comics from Wednesday 5/29

Angel & Faith #22
Story: Christos Gage
Art: Rebekah Isaacs

I usually do my best to keep the things I do here as spoiler free as possible, but the major event at the beginning of this issue is so important what happens and what I'm going to talk about that I'm warning flat out: SPOILERS AHEAD. Angel reaches his goal this issue, with the resurrection of Rupert Giles. Only Giles isn't as he was. He has all his memories, all his knowledge... in the body of his twelve year old self. Much of the issue is Giles interacting with each of the books characters and dealing with his new condition The rage, the confusion, the hormones, are all tearing him up. I like that Gage really addresses what it would be like for an adult, and a fairly reserved one, to be trapped in a body that is being ravaged by puberty. It's hilarious, and at times touching. Giles was always one of my favorite Whedon creations, and I'm glad he's back, although I don't expect it to stick, and seeing him in this new light is a treat. All of this human drama is cast against the coming storm that is Whister, Pearl, and Nash's attempt to rekindle magic by wiping out a solid billion or so people. The scenes of planning are reminiscent of classic Buffy, with Giles organizing a battle plan. This character issue is the calm before the storm, as Team Angel & Faith head out to stop the half-demon crew as they begin their ritual. This is a Whedonverse book, so I'm not expecting everyone to come back, so one last time together in this issue was a nice story way for everyone to say goodbye, the readers included.

Kill Shakespeare: Tide of Blood #4
Story: Conor McCreery & Anthony Del Col
Art: Andy Belanger

The tide comes rolling in during this penultimate issue of the new Kill Shakespeare mini-series. Shakespeare arrives on the island for his tete-a-tete with Prospero, Romeo, driven by the influence of the island and Lady Macbeth, heads for his final confrontation with Hamlet, and Juliet meets some new players as she goes to find Hamlet herself. I love how writers McReery and Del Col have moved all the pieces on their game board carefully into this endgame, where Lady Macbeth, always a force to be reckoned with, has proven that she is grandmaster, having defeated her most powerful enemy with trickery and manipulated her pawn Romeo into removing a more powerful piece from the game, Hamlet. I appreciated the scene where Juliet stumbles across the witch Sycorax and the price Ferdinand imprisoned in trees; this begins to explain more about why Prospero has gone down the dark path he has and why poor Miranda is bereft of her wits. The art by Belanger is outstanding as usual, and especially creepy, with the people imprisoned in trees and the bestial Caliban. Next issue, I'm curious to see how Juliet's bargain with the witch comes to fruition, and how Shakespeare gets out of his own predicament, but most curious about the fate of Romeo. At issue's end, Romeo and Juliet stand against each other, with hamlet's life in the balance. This series has pushed Romeo to a place where he could actually kill Hamlet, who viewed him as a friend, over Juliet, who now loves the Danish Prince. This has taken its time to evolve, and while he has been pushed by Lady Macbeth, there is a darkness within Romeo that I think he will have to come to terms with before the series is out.

Smallville Season 11 Special #1
Story: Bryan Q. Miller
Art: Axel Gimenez

Batman and Martian Manhunter are two character I always felt should work really well together, and have rarely been given the chance to work as a duo. Yes Martian Manhunter is as, if not more, powerful than Superman, but he's still a detective, so there's a natural connection between him and Batman. So, this special set in the world of Smallville is a pleasant affirmation of my belief. A brutal murder in Gotham gets the attention of Batman and the Martian symbols left behind draws Martian Manhunter to the scene. The two work together, grudgingly at first, to locate the Martian that Manhunter is sure is behind the killings. By issue's end, more details of the Manhunter's Smallville origins are known (interesting, in the same week his New 52 origins are explored in the back-up in Justice League of America, the highlight of that issue), as well as how he was connected to Jor-El. Bryan Q. Miller does a nice job of tying some of the history of Earth-Smallville into the issue, and he writes Manhunter as ably as he does Batman, who I'm glad to see back after the "season's" earlier "Detective" arc. The revelation of the identity of the Martian who is behind the killings isn't hard to intuit, but it's nice to see this character somewhere, as she has been lost in both her comic and animated forms in the past year and change. Smallville already had its version of the Justice League appear in the show, but with the unlimited budget of comics, I'm hoping we see a new one, with Batman and Manhunter at center stage along with Superman and his other allies.

The Wake #1
Story: Scott Snyder
Art: Sean Murphy

Scott Snyder and Sean Murphy, who worked together before on the American Vampire mini-series Survival of the Fittest, are together for this new mini-series from Vertigo. Opening 200 years in the future, with a young woman and her cyborg dolphin travelling through a flooded cityscape, before flashing to the present. Marine biologist Lee Archer, who is trying to make plans with her son who she hasn't seen in some time, is contacted by the Department of Homeland Security to come to Alaska to look into a mysterious sound similar to whale song heard beneath the waters. While she is resistant, she is made assurances by DHS that draws her in; clearly Lee has had run ins wit the government before that have cost her a job and good positions. Upon arriving, she finds herself part of a team of scientists based out of an illegal deep sea drilling facility, who are investigating more than odd whale song. The horror kicks in as an accident (or is it?) occurs and the reader is giving a tantalizing gaze at a creature that looks like something from our deepest nightmares. A final flashback to the dawn of humanity gives one final clue as to the threat that man has unleashed. Snyder does a great job of introducing Lee and making her a character that I already want to know more about, and Murphy's art is as excellent as ever, especially the mystery creature. While Vertigo has been on something of a downswing lately, in quantity of books if not quality, I hope this book will be the beginning of a surge in good new titles from one of the great imprints in comic history.


Oh, and as a plug for something else I think is really cool, the Kickstarter for the print edition of Greg Rucka and Rick Burchett's excellent webcomic, Lady Sabre & the Pirates of the Ineffable Aether wraps up tomorrow. It's an awesome strip, the book itself sounds like it's going to be gorgeous, and these are a couple of great creators. You have a little under two days to kick in, so check out the Lady Sabre Kickstarter here, and kick something in. I have, and will be reviewing the book when I get my hands on it.

Reviews of Comics from Wednesday 4/24

All Star Western #19
Story: Justin Gray & Jimmy Palmiotti
Art: Moritat/ Staz Johnson

Jonah Hex has run into time travellers before, and has himself been time displaced, so this issue isn't something completely foreign to everybody's favorite scarred bounty hunter. Booster Gold being tossed into a gritty western, though, is something new, and it's fun to see the interaction. Since Jonah ditched Amadeus Arkham in Gotham at the end of the last issue of All Star Western, Booster serves as Jonah's new foil. Booster acts like a superhero in a setting where superhero's don't really fit; gunslingers look funny at guys in bright blue and gold, and of course Hex is no different. Hex is of course on a case, and while Booster, having arrived unexpectedly in the 19th century, and having become the sheriff of a small town, is running into Jonah, the Hootkins gang, who Hex is pursuing, wander into said town and go about robbing the bank and burning much of it to the ground. When Hex and Booster arrive back, we get a flashback explaining how Booster arrived, and after a night of drinking, Hex and Booster head out to hunt down the Hootkins. When on his own, Booster is still a competent hero, but when with Jonah, he is comic relief, which is fine, and shows the difference between the characters well. There's no answer to whether this is Booster after he disappeared at the end of Justice League International Annual #1, or whether this is earlier in his continuity, and for now that doesn't matter. For now, the odd buddy cop dynamic of Hex and Booster is enough to keep me coming back without any heavy continuity. The back up introduces a character who is, as far as I know, new to the DC Weird Western world, The Master Gunfighter. While his name is a bit generic, I like that he is the self appointed border cop between the day world and night world, and he gets to fight werewolves. You know me, I'm a sucker for werewolves. I think this might be the final gathering of the team part of the Stormwatch of the 19th Century, and so next issue we'll see what Adam One is gathering the team for. I have enjoyed these introductory chapters a lot, but I'm looking forward to the story kicking into high gear.

Dark Horse Presents #23
Story: Various
Art: Various

Every issue of Dark Horse Presents is filled with interesting and different stories; everyone should be able to find something that interests them, but this issue had a couple of real highlights for me. The cover feature sees the return of Travis Clevenger, the bounty hunter who hunts superpowered crooks, known as "Bloodhound." I was one of the few people who followed his original series, published by DC Comics in the early 00s, and it was one of the vastly underrated series of its time, up there with Manhunter. While the status quo is somewhat different, the story feels natural to the world original series (and returning) creators Dan Jolley and Leonard Kirk created, a good mix of crime and superhuman action. Also debuting in this issue is "Brain Boy," by Fred Van Lente and Freddie Williams III, about a psychic who is working for the Secret Service. This first chapter sets up the world, the peril the character is in, and does it with Van Lente's trademark tongue planted firmly in cheek. We also get the next chapter of the time and space tripping "Journeymen," The first part of a fantasy serial called "King's Road" from Peter Hogan and Phil Winslade (two excellent and underrated creators, and Mike Baron and Steve Rude doing another story with their classic character, Nexus, this time with cameos from Sherlock Holmes and Jack the Ripper. Oh, and there's a one off called "Gabe and the Sandpiper" with some gorgeous Sean Phillips art. 80+ pages with no ads for $7.99. Best bang or your buck in comics my friends. Go get it while the getting is good.

Kill Shakespeare: The Tide of Blood #3
Story: Conor McCreery & Anthony Del Col
Art: Andy Belanger

Due to various bits of ill luck, the first two issues of this sequel to one of my favorite series of the past five years fell on week's that I missed doing reviews, and for that I beg your pardon, regular Matt Signal reader, and you, creators of this excellent book. Kill Shakespeare: The Tide of Blood picked up shortly after the original series ended, and brings many of the surviving characters to the island of Prospero, and deftly weaves the world of The Tempest into the web already drawing so many of the Bard's great characters in it. This issue opens with answering one of the principal questions of the series thus far: Where did Shakespeare go after the end of Kill Shakespeare? The choice to have him sit and talk with Feste, one of his most world weary and clever fools is a delightful one, as Feste is one of the Bard's best spoken and thoughtful characters, and one who would be perfect to joust wits with his creator. On the island, we finally get to see Prospero, who has changed considerably since his confrontation with his brother and the events of his play. The magic of the island may be poisoning him, or he may be poisoning the island, something I'm unsure of, and it might be that I'm dense and need to reread, or it might be intentionally mysterious, but whatever way it is, Prospero is a force to be reckoned with, as he awaits the arrival of Shakespeare. Lady Macbeth continues to scheme, and we learn more of her connection with the island. But the biggest pleasure of the series is Romeo. Introduced late in the game of Kill Shakespeare, Romeo has been the central figure of this mini-series, and I have come to really like him. Haunted by what he feels is his betrayal by Shakespeare and the loss of Juliet to Hamlet, Romeo is ill-prepared for what the island has in store for him, and yet is still fighting his way through it and trying to do whatb is right. The issue ends with Romeo in a position to be lead astray, and I look forward to seeing how he finds his way out of this metaphorical wilderness. I'm glad to be back in the world of Kill Shakespeare, and can't wait to see where the events of this series take the greatest heroes and villaisn of all time.

Princeless Vol.2 #2
Story: Jeremt Whitley
Art: Emily Martin

The cover the new issue of Princeless just makes me smile; it sums up so much of what creator Jeremy Whitely is trying to say in the series about a princess who is doing it for herself. Adrienne does indeed reach the tower of her first sister, Angelica, with a result that is somewhat shocking. She and Bedelia and their new companion, the poet, have a great little dynamic, and a discussion about exactly what makes a poet. We also see Bedelia has one of the less attractive aspects of her dwarvish heritage in a funny scene. The opening of the issue, a flashback narrated by the Black Knight, and turnign out to be a dream of Adrienne's, seems to show a tie between the Black Knight and our heroine, and when tied in with the tale a knight tells King Ash about his wife's carriage, begins to paint a picture of the identity of the mysterious Black Knight, and explains why he never speaks. We also get to see the king in action as he tracks through the forest and fights some wolves; fantasy kings are often doddering old men of maniacal tyrants with legions of goons, so it's nice to see the king is still a man of action when he needs to be. Although I did miss Sparky the Dragon, I have nothing to complain about this continually enjoyable fantasy series. I wish other comics could be so consistently fun.

Superman Family Adventures #12
Story & Art: Art Baltazar & Franco Aureliani

*Sniff, sniff* Excuse me for a minute, I'm getting a little teary here. When Tiny Titans ended, I knew that Art and Franco would at least be keeping their toes in their corner of the DC Universe with Superman Family Adventures. Alas, this seems to be their swan song for their all ages corner of DC Comics, and I feel the racks are less bright for it. But what a way to go! Darkseid, out of his lunchlady togs from Tiny Titans, takes on the Justice League, the Superman Family, and all comers, in a comic that is full of action while still being something you can share with kids of all ages. The issue is hilarious, with Darkseid referencing his job at Sidekick Elementary while still fighting his way through superheroes, and we even get to see some Titans in there. In the end, Clark gets to kiss Lois (as it always should be. I still have a piece rattling around in my head about why Lois and Clark are comic's best couple), and the series ends with a smile. I am going to miss my monthly dose of Art and Franco, but I hope their Aw, Yeah Comics! gets a wide release after a successful Kickstarter, and this weekend's announcement of Itty Bitty Hellboy gets a nice long run.

Recommended Reading for 6/22: Kill Shakespeare

I love the theatre. I graduated college with degrees in English Lit and Theatre Arts, focusing both in dramatic literature. My day job, so to speak, has been in the theatre since I graduated. I see plays as often as I can, which frankly isn't often enough. As you might imagine, my passions for theatre, specifically the works of William Shakespeare, and comics don't cross paths very often. Until a few years ago, it was really limited to Neil Gaiman's Sandman issues featuring Shakespeare. But then a new series was announced through IDW, and I took notice.

Kill Shakespeare is a series that takes many of the Bard's famous and infamous characters and tosses them together into a stew. If you ever wanted to see Hamlet throw down with Richard III or pal around with Falstaff, then this is the comic for you. And for someone who loves Shakespeare, it is a joy to read.

The central character of the series is Hamlet, Prince of Denmark; appropriate as he is believed by many to be the greatest character in all the canon. In Act four of Hamlet, Hamlet's uncle sends him off to England, and he disappears for a bit of the play. He eventually returns and tells a story of adventure on the high sea involving pirates. It's an odd little jump that many scholars have looked at askance. But it's this particular moment that writers Anthony Del Col and Conor McCreery use as the point that starts their story. After the pirates sink the ship Hamlet was on, he drifts on wreckage, arrives at England and is met by Richard III, king of England, and one of Shakespeare's greatest villains.

Kill Shakespeare Vol. 1

Those of you with a background in either history or theatre might be a little confused by this meeting. After all, the historical Richard III lived in the fifteenth century, while any possible historical Hamlet would have existed centuries before. But that's something you just have to shrug your shoulders at and go with it. As other characters pop up, there is a mish mash of characters from different eras and locations, and characters who are clearly dead at the end of their plays show up alive and, if not well, at least intact. But that's fun! This is the equivalent of the classic comic book debates, "Who's stronger, Superman or the Hulk?" only with characters on doublets.

I should also say here that if you have no background with Shakespeare, you should not be scared off of the series. What little background you need from the source materials, the plays, is presented in context of the series. And more than that, the great strength of Shakespeare's plays are in the richness of the characters, and the characters, while in different places and times, are all the characters from those plays presented in these new situations. The cast is diverse and enjoyable, with noble heroes, vile villains, and a fool or two who will surprise you. These are all characters you know from a million stories, but Shakespeare did them first, and arguably best.

The main plot of the story involves Hamlet, who many believe is Shadow King, travelling England in the company of different factions, all with an interest in the prophecy that says the Shadow King is the one who can find Shakespeare. Shakespeare is believed by some to be wizard of great power, and by others a god, who has a mystical quill that can alter reality. It seems like a pretty standard comic book/fantasy plot, with the young hero searching for the mentor and the mystical item, but the real pleasure of the story is in how it is told.

The tragic flaw of Hamlet as a character in the play is that he is indecisive; he can never make up his mind about what to do with his treacherous uncle. Only after his return from England in the play does he become a proactive force. Part of Kill Shakespeare is watching Hamlet grow as a character, moving from the character that makes every excuse not to act into someone who makes a choice that seals the fate of nations, and moves out of the shadow of the father who plagues his thoughts and whose ghost plagues him for the early issues of the series.

Hamlet

Among the other characters that form the principle cast are Juliet, of Romeo and Juliet fame, who has survived her suicide attempt and now is the leader of the Prodigal Rebellion, the force that stands against the tyrannical rule of Richard III. Juliet is a strong female character, fighting for her cause, and travels with a group of rogues and rebels. She actually reminds me of another rebel princess, when you get down to it... Juliet's two trusted advisors are other classics of Shakespeare; Othello, Moor of Venice, who seeks redemption for the crime of passion he performed at the end of his play, and Sir John Falstaff, a character of brilliant comedy who some dub Shakespeare's greatest creation, who serves as Hamlet's friend and guide in England and tries to win him to the Prodigal cause, to find Shakespeare and use his mystic quill to set the world right.

And what would the plays of Shakespeare be without villains? Shakespeare did a brilliant job of crafting villains who were sympathetic, or at least multidimensional, and two of the greatest are the central antagonists of the story here. I've already talked about Richard III, the hunchbacked king of England who hopes Hamlet will provide him with the quill to cement his rule. Working with Richard is Lady Macbeth, ruler of Scotland, who has her own nefarious plans for the quill and the land. Throughout the series, it's great fun to watch the two villains scheming both together and against each other, playing shadow games of cross and double cross.

Lady Macbeth

The third major villain of the piece is my favorite character in the entire Shakespearean canon: Iago, former ensign to Othello, who with nothing more than a glance, a handkerchief, and the words, "I like not that'" destroyed Othello's life. Iago is the consummate villain, whispering in Hamlet's ear as the demon to Falstaff's angel, setting up Hamlet to do what Iago (or maybe a figure Iago is working for) wants. Throughout the series, Iago is responsible for many twists and turns, and his seemingly constantly shifting allegiance keeps the reader guessing until the climax.

There are a ton of easter eggs for fans of Shakespeare as well. Characters that appear in cameos are from other plays in the canon, from A Midsummer Night's Dream to Much Ado About Nothing. If you know the plays, you will be pleasantly surprised. If you don't, then hopefully you'll go check out a good production of some of the bard's work and when certain characters pop up, you'll smile knowing they fought alongside Hamlet and Juliet against Richard.

Now comes the hardest part of a discussion of anything that uses the characters of Shakespeare: the language. Aside from his use of character, the use of language is the thing that makes a play by Shakespeare a play by Shakespeare. The writers do a great job of making the language natural; they don't try to make it sound "Shakespearean," with a lot of archaic conjugation, but keep the language in a different tone for characters of different class, and don't fall into using modern colloquialism or speech patterns. I have actually gotten into discussions over the years about people in different media attempting to ape Shakespeare, and frankly, I feel like if you're not the Bard, don't try it, so I was happy to see language that fits the world but doesn't seem like it's trying too hard to make the world the world of Shakespeare; the brilliant characters do that.

The principal artist on the series is Andy Belanger, and his artwork is astounding. His characters are distinct and well rendered, and his continuity and pacing are excellent. But the richness of his designs are what makes the series. The forests, towns, and other locales pop off the page, and his creatures, spirits, and sprites are wonderfully rendered. Like the best stage sets, the world around the characters transcends what is actually there and becomes real, aiding the writers' words in creating an engrossing tale.

At this past year's NYCC, I stopped by the Kill Shakespeare booth and picked up what has become one of my favorite t-shirts ever: Shakespeare in mortal combat with The Bear from The Winter's Tale. I would be remiss in any discussion of Shakespeare to not mention that at the theatre where I spend my days, The McCarter Theatre, will be producing The Winter's Tale from April 2-21 2013, directed by the brilliant Rebecca Taichman. If you're in the New Jersey area, or might be visiting, this is a must see production. A few seasons ago, Ms. Taichman directed a production of Twelfth Night at McCarter, and it was the best production of one of the great comedies I have ever seen. I can't wait to see what she'll do with this play. Tickets go on sale on July 30th. And now ends the digression.

Your humble host in the T-shirt

Kill Shakespeare is an excellent series that not just takes literary characters and recasts them, but casts new light on them. The series is charming, and has enough action, drama, and comedy to keep everyone entranced, even if you've never walked into a theatre in your life.

Kill Shakespeare ran twelve issues, and has been reprinted in two trades, which are available from any good comic shop. You can learn more about the series at KillShakespeare.com

Kill Shakespeare Vol. 2