Tag: ultimate comics

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Doomsday Clock #1

Writer: Geoff Johns
Artist: Gary Frank
Colorist: Brad Anderson
Letterer: Rob Leigh
Publisher: DC Comics

It’s finally here. Ever since the mouth-dropping twist at the end of the Rebirth one-shot, DC fans
have been waiting to see how exactly Watchmen would merge with the main DC universe. The
answer will be explored throughout Doomsday Clock, which is a 12-issue series written by Geoff
Johns and drawn by Gary Frank.

The last major revelation was that Dr. Manhattan had tampered with the space-time continuum
and created the New 52 timeline. Doomsday Clock starts off in the Watchmen universe, taking
place about eight years after the events of the iconic Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons story. I’ll go
ahead and say that if you haven’t read Watchmen in a while, you may want to refresh yourself
before going into this book.

That said, this first issue offers a lot of potential for the series as a whole. Beyond being a love-
letter to the source material, it provides an interesting look at this world as it inches closer and
closer to annihilation. We see a character from the original story posing as Rorschach,
Ozymandias apparently seeking to redeem himself and Dr. Manhattan is still missing.
Meanwhile, all hell has broken loose across the globe.

The only tie to the main DC universe comes at the end of the issue, but we still have 11 more
issues to get the answers we’ve yearned for for the last year and a half. After the fairly
underwhelming crossover The Button earlier this year, this book is a worthy follow up to both
Rebirth and Watchmen. Geoff Johns returns to comics writing with a bang, and with art by the
amazing Gary Frank this is one of the biggest collector’s items of the year.

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Deadman #1

Title: Deadman
Written, Drawn and Colored by Neal Adams
Letterer: Clem Robins
Publisher: DC

 It’s a pretty big deal to have a comic in 2017 written and illustrated by the legendary Neal Adams. The man who helped revitalize characters like Batman and Green Arrow in the 1970s alongside writer Denny O’Neil is back with a bang. His newest work brings back one of the weirdest and most interesting characters in the DC universe.

Not unlike the equally psychedelic Mister Miracle book by Tom King and Mitch Gerads, Deadman #1 is about our hero coming back from the dead and the mystery surrounding his assassination. In order to discover the full truth of what happened to him and the connection to the League of Assassins, Boston Brand will need the help of Batman, Zatanna and Doctor Fate.

Back when Deadman was first created in the 1960s by Arnold Drake and Carmine Infantino, Adams played an instrumental role in popularizing the character. The first arc he contributed to as a penciler also dealt with Brand coming back from the dead, so it’s only fitting that he’s helming the new reboot.

It goes without saying that this is a gorgeous book from start to finish. Adams’ bombastic and wildly surreal style coincides perfectly with the story’s supernatural elements. Not only that, but it’s a compelling narrative as well. Even if you haven’t read the last Deadman miniseries, Adams does a nice job making this one an easy jumping-on-point, with little ties to anything else going on in the DC universe right now. Now if Warner Bros. and DC could just get Guillermo del Toro to make a Deadman movie I’ll be really happy.

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Ragman #1

Writer: Ray Fawkes
Artist: Inaki Miranda
Colorist: Eva De La Cruz
Letterer: Josh Reed
Publisher: DC

Even for longtime DC fans, Ragman is a pretty obscure character. He showed up on Arrow in season five and is set to return in the new season, but in terms of the comics he’s remained mostly absent for a while.

This new limited series by writer Ray Fawkes and artist Inaki Miranda provides a revamp of Ragman’s origin, and could potentially lead to a more prominent role for him in Rebirth. For now though, this is a nice self-contained comic perfect for the Halloween season.

Ragman #1 tells the story of Rory Regan, an army veteran who returns home to Gotham after a failed mission to raid an ancient tomb in an Israeli desert. During the mission, Regan encounters a supernatural force which eventually transforms him into the creature Ragman. As memories of these experiences and fallen comrades haunt him, Regan faces even more demons when a new evil shows up in Gotham.

I knew next to nothing about Ragman’s origin or mythos coming into this issue, and I found it quite enjoyable. The character first appeared in 1976, and Fawkes and Miranda do a great job capturing the tonal aspects of 70s supernatural horror, while also giving the book a modern context. This issue is part war drama and part horror fantasy, with both genres nicely balanced. Fawkes does an especially good job with the pacing, allowing the readers to get a feel of Regan’s character before showing him in the Ragman costume.

Likewise, Miranda and De La Cruz deliver a subdued, grim style that feels like a John Carpenter movie. There’s a great double splash page-spread about midway through which showcases Ragman and the villain with Gotham looming in the background. If you’re into anything to do with Swamp Thing, Constantine or Justice League Dark, you’ll love this comic.

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Batman: White Knight #1

Title: Batman: White Knight #1
Writer/Artist: Sean Murphy
Colorist: Matt Hollingsworth
Letterer: Todd Klein
Publisher: DC

I love a good speculative story, and Sean Murphy’s new miniseries Batman: White Knight offers a fascinating take on the Batman mythos. Featuring a reformed Joker as the protagonist and Batman as the deranged psychopath, this comic has the potential to stand alongside iconic elseworld tales like The Dark Knight Returns and Superman: Red Son.

The debut issue sets up the backstory as Batman’s violent methods and vigilantism are called into question by Gotham’s citizens, after he nearly kills Joker while the GCPD stands by. Murphy uses this as an opportunity to draw parallels between this scenario and the problems our society faces with police brutality and race relations. Add to that a drug which Batman shoves down Joker’s throat, which thus provides a catalyst for his reformation.

It may sound a bit heavy-handed, but Murphy does a great job producing a gripping narrative, and weaving in the political themes naturally. Ultimately this book is a character study from Joker’s point-of-view, examining what would happen if he were reformed and whether or not Batman exhibits a sort of co-dependency toward their conflict. The writing is a sort of poetic noir, while the art combines the grit of Brian Bolland’s style with the best aspects of the classic animated series. A splash page of Jack Napier (Joker’s original alias) in his room even features images of the cartoon designs from the 90s.

White Knight is a must-read for any Bat-fan. Balancing superior storytelling with a provocative socio-political message, Murphy knocks it out of the park once again.

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Harley and Ivy Meet Betty & Veronica #1

Title: Harley and Ivy Meet Betty & Veronica #1 (of 6)
Written by Paul Dini and Marc Andreyko
Art by Laura Braga, Tony Avina, and Arif Prianto
Published by DC Comics

Riverdale, the CW’s sexy soap opera take on America’s iconic teens, comes back next week, and DC is getting in the mood by sending two of their most popular characters out of Gotham for a visit!

Hiram Lodge, the richest man in Riverdale, wants to build a combination university and shopping center, but the only available real estate is the protected Sweetwater Swamp. To promote his plans, he’s got his daughter, Veronica, arranging a Heroes and Villains costume gala with the begrudging help of classmates like her nemesis, Betty Cooper. Even worse, the only costumes left on the rack are going to mean these two have to spend the evening as one of crime’s most iconic couples!

Meanwhile, in Gotham, Poison Ivy is livid about the ecological destruction Lodge has planned, and Harley Quinn sees a field trip to Riverdale as a great way to effect change… and maybe dodge a few loan sharks. But when the thoughtful Powerpoint about environments fails to sway the mogul, it’s on to Plan B – let’s hit the gala and kidnap Lodge’s daughter!

This comic is a ton of fun, showing that the team understands both the oddly timeless mythology of the Archie gang and the violence just under the humor of the Gotham Sirens. But it’s also a great example of the range of female friendships. Harley and Ivy can criticize each other, but deep down, they’re together forever, and they like it that way. They may not keep each other out of trouble, but they know they can face anything they get into side-by-side.

Betty and Veronica? They’re stuck together, too, but they’re too focused on their differences to really coexist. For decades, the Betty-Veronica relationship has dipped too far into the love triangle, fighting over Archie in unflattering stereotypes. But since Dan Parent brought the line into modern times a few years ago, and since Mark Waid gave the property the realistic upgrade that paved the way for Riverdale’s onscreen adventures, writers have found much more interesting stories in this pair as frenemies. They don’t hate each other, and they aren’t waiting for Archie to pick one. They just know each other well enough that the opposite parts stand out.

I think this miniseries is set up for a fun romp – we’ll get an issue or two of the supervillains enjoying quaint Americana, and once Harley and Ivy kidnap someone (inevitably the wrong kid), we’ll get the sweetest teens over their heads in Gotham’s muck. But I think this book is going to truly shine if it can keep up the comparisons of these two female friendships.

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Marvel Legacy #1

Title: Marvel Legacy #1
Writer: Jason Aaron
Artists: Esad Ribic, Steve McNiven and various others
Colorist: Matthew Wilson
Letterer: Cory Petit
Publisher: Marvel

 Rebooting a long-established universe is a tricky business. On the one hand you want to imbue the story with plenty of mythology and cater toward longtime readers, but you also have to entice newer fans to give it a shot and make it an easy jumping-on point. Marvel Legacy #1 is admittedly less successful in the latter, but it remains a rich celebration of the Marvel universe that sets the stage for the post-Secret Empire era.

Now, there’s no denying that many of this issue’s story beats are based on DC’s widely acclaimed Rebirth one-shot from last year. Old characters who have either been dead or absent for a while return, generations of heroes collide and new cosmic elements are added to the universe which have the potential to alter everything from here on. Yet whereas the Rebirth one-shot revealed Wally West as the point-of-view protagonist a few pages into the story and told a more personal character piece, in this book Jason Aaron waits until the last page to reveal the narrator. The reveal itself is quite satisfying, as it serves as a kind of meta-narrative for how the Marvel universe has evolved in the decades since Jack Kirby and Stan Lee created these characters.

In terms of the story itself, Aaron opens in the Stone Age, where it’s revealed that some of the world’s greatest heroes have their ancestral roots here. Mjolnir and the Asgardian mythos play a big role here, which is befitting given how beloved Aaron’s Thor run is. The original Cap however only makes a brief appearance, as Steve finds himself wandering the countryside following the events of Secret Empire. Likewise, Tony Stark only gets a brief mention, stating that he’s been off the grid for a while. We also get glimpses of Ben Grimm and Johnny Storm wondering if the world still needs or remembers them, Deadpool apparently seeking redemption, Doctor Strange and Iron Fist conversing about dreams and the return of an iconic hero. If all this sounds overtly expository, it’s because this issue is the exposition of the new Marvel era. The only major character absent is Spider-Man, but the Spider-Man Generations book also came out today.

There’s little I need to do to convince you to buy this comic, especially if you’re a hardcore Marvel fan or are just interested in reading any of the new titles this fall. It may come across as a bit convoluted if you haven’t been following Marvel for a while, but nonetheless Aaron handles the material with the skills of a master storyteller. Couple that with the book’s team of superstar artists ranging from Steve McNiven to Ed McGuinness, and you’ve got yourself a nice collector’s item here. Pick it up this week at any Ultimate Comics location and you’ll get it for half off, as well as a free copy of the Marvel Previews magazine. Excelsior!

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Realm #1

Title: Realm
Writer: Seth M. Peck
Penciler: Jeremy Haun
Colorist: Nick Filardi
Letterer: Thomas Mauer
Publisher: Image

The Realm is possibly the best genre mashup book of the year. It contains orcs, dragons and
goblins reigning in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. If that doesn’t make you excited I don’t know
what will.

Set years after these aforementioned creatures have laid waste to Earth and taken over, the last
of the humans must fight to survive. Among these is Will Nolan, an ex-military personnel who
now carries a gun in one hand and a sword in the other. As new threats emerge and a dark
sorcerer lurks in the background, what happens from here on in this story is anyone’s guess.

Creators Seth M. Peck and Jeremy Haun provide readers with a whirlwind of an adventure that
seamlessly combines sci-fi, fantasy, horror and western elements. It’s just as big and bombastic
as The Dark Tower novels (and significantly better than the movie), and also features the kind of
protagonist who you’d want to hang out with. Based on the first issue I think Nolan has the
potential to be the next Malcolm Reynolds.

Artist and co-creator Haun is no stranger to high-concept sci-fi. His and Jason Hurley’s book
The Beauty weaves together a futuristic sociocultural premise with high-octane action. Here, he
further demonstrates his skills as a multifaceted storyteller. Each panel builds perfectly upon the
next, and with the always stellar colors by Nick Filardi readers are in for a real treat. Go ahead
and add this one to your pull-list, as it has all the tenants of the next great creator-owned title.

–Kevin Schaefer for Ultimate Comics

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Runaways #1

Title: Runaways #1
Writer Rainbow Rowell
Artist Kris Anka
Colorist Matthew Wilson
Published by Marvel Comics

The Runaways are back! Hulu is THIS close to launching the live-action adaptation, so Marvel is taking a popular Young Adult novelist and one of their best artists and getting the band of teenage heroes back together. And not a moment too soon.

About fifteen years ago, Brian K. Vaughan dropped jaws across the comic world with the original Runaways series: a group of teenagers find out their parents are a secret cabal of supervillains and team up to take them down. They were an instant hit, and teen witch Nico Minoru became a breakout star, going on to join mainstream superheroics on teams like the last two iterations of A-Force. But not all of the original teens made it out of the series. Gertrude, who preferred the name Arsenic, died in the arms of true love Chase. And this series starts out with him trying to fix that.

Most first issues of team books spend time introducing all the cast members; most first issues of new volumes spend time recapping the story thus far. Rainbow Rowell takes a very different approach: the only Runaways in this issue are Nico, Chase, and Gertrude. Nico is down on her luck, living in a crummy apartment and mourning the end of her last superhero adventures. When Chase shows up in a time machine with a dying Gert in his arms, Nico flies into action with her magic powers. But because her powers only let her cast a spell once ever, and because she’s done this for a few years, she can’t go to spells like, “Heal,” or “Stop bleeding and get up, okay?” So the tension of the issue comes from two friends trying to find creative ways to do the kind of surgery this girl needs.

No supervillains. No guest stars. No velociraptors or mutants or aliens or any of their other former teammates. And it’s absolutely perfect.

Rowell doesn’t waste time with a huge recap. You don’t ever need to have read a Runaways issue to get this. Nico’s powers are explained in the story when you need them to be, the dialogue reminds us that Gertrude was stabbed to death, Chase has a time machine, we don’t need more. It’s still nostalgic, and original series fans are going to eat it up. But if the series is just about sitting back and talking about how amazing the first volume was, it’s worthless. Instead, we get something new, built on a clear foundation but original, tense, smart. And Kris Anka’s art fits this tone seamlessly, keeping the readers interest up in an issue that’s largely two teenagers yelling to each other, in one room, about how to fix this enormous problem on the floor.

I’m on board. This is the most promising version of Runaways since the first issue, and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

And I really want to get the velociraptor back on the team soon.

–Matt Conner for Ultimate Comics

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Star Wars: Mace Windu #1

Writer: Matt Owens
Penciler: Denys Cowan
Colorist: Guru-eFx
Inker: Roberto Poggi
Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Publisher: Marvel

As we edge closer and closer to The Last Jedi this December, Disney and Marvel continue to
put out a ton of Star Wars comics and other extended universe material. The latest spinoff book
to hit comic shops is Mace Windu, which is set between Episodes II and III at the start of the
Clone Wars.

The Jedi Council is caught in the midst of a crisis following the Battle of Geonosis. Wrestling
with their desire for peace while also knowing that they must protect the Republic, the Jedi
Knights must answer the call to become warriors. Chief among them is Master Mace Windu,
whose superior force abilities and experience make him the ideal person to help lead the newly
formed Republic army.

As Mace and three other Jedi set out on a covert mission to investigate separatist activity on the
jungle planet Hissrich, their plan is to go in and out quickly. Yet as tensions rise and the droid
army there discovers them, a fierce battle ensues.

Now, there is a very specific formula to the Star Wars solo character comics. With the exception
of Poe Dameron, which is an ongoing, each solo character book is a five-issue miniseries which
involves some sort of mission on a planet not featured in the movies. We’ve seen it with Darth
Maul, Princess Leia, Obi-Wan and Anakin and several other titles. Granted, it's a formula that
works and opens doors for creators to do fun spinoffs, but just don’t go into this comic expecting
it to shake the foundation of the Star Wars universe.

That said, writer Matt Owens does a nice job keeping the focus on Mace while also delivering a
fun action story. The exposition takes place on Coruscant as Mace talks with fellow council
members like Ki-Adi Mundi and Yoda. From there, Owens transitions to the Outer Rim as our
heroes set out on this mission. One of the Jedi accompanying Mace is Kit Fisto from the
movies, who’s basically the Aquaman of the Star Wars universe; and the two younger Jedi with
them are nice additions to this ensemble. One of them is a youthful, Ashoka-like padawan who
idolizes Mace, while the other is a quiet and meditative character who is quite intriguing as well.
Penciler Denys Cowan also brings his A-game here, capturing the mythic status of Mace as
both a great warrior and a wise leader. Between opening with a splash page flashback from the
Geonosis battle to an action-packed sequence at the end of the issue, the style here is appropriately cinematic.
Mace Windu is no doubt a solid title to add to your Star Wars collection, if for no other reason than Mace is the
coolest Jedi in the universe.

–Kevin Schaefer for Ultimate Comics

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Elsewhere #1 Review

Title: Elsewhere
Writer: Jay Faerber
Artist: Sumeyye Kesgin
Colorist: Ron Riley
Publisher: Image

It’s always fun seeing a book that combines historical figures with a heavy fantasy/sci-fi premise.
In Elsewhere, the latest Image title from the writer of Copperhead, the story imagines what it
would be like if Amelia Earheart landed in a fantasy realm when she disappeared. The world the
famous aviator finds herself in is filled with bizarre creatures, dragon-like flying beasts and
various kinds of magic.

As you can imagine, this debut issue gets weird and wonderfully imaginative fast, and never lets
up. Rising star artist Sumeyye Kesgin delivers some amazing line work in her pencils, rich with
detail and nuance. Whether she’s drawing close-ups of the main characters or big, bombastic
splash pages, the tone and execution are just right. Coupled with the vibrant colors by Ron
Riley, the art in this comic is a visual spectacle from start to finish.

Likewise, writer Jay Faerber balances an enticing high-concept with effective storytelling. His
script gives readers a solid introduction to this world and the different species that inhabit it,
while also giving Earheart herself plenty of time to shine. By the end of the issue he's also able
to incorporate another historical figure in an interesting way. As long as you’re not a factual
purist and can have fun with stories like Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, I think you’ll find
Elsewhere to be a highly entertaining read with dynamic art and a strong protagonist. Plus, this
is a family-friendly adventure comic, which is a rarity for the company that publishes books like
Saga and Bitch Planet. Check it out Elsewhere at your local Ultimate Comics!

-Kevin Schaefer for Ultimate Comics