Submitted by Mike 'Ace' Maillaro on Tue, 02/13/2018 - 12:51
From Marvel:
Wolverine is back… or so it seems. Ever since MARVEL LEGACY #1, we’ve gotten glimpses of what appears to be Wolverine popping up across the Marvel Universe. But is it really Logan?
For a character with as rich a history as Wolverine — even though he sometimes couldn’t remember it all himself — telling the tale of his potential return can’t be contained to just one series. In April, THE HUNT FOR WOLVERINE #1 one-shot will be released, and then in May, four different four-part series will debut that will continue the story. As Wolverine’s past comes back to haunt many a mutant, each story will harken back to an old school adventure.
Submitted by Mike 'Ace' Maillaro on Tue, 02/13/2018 - 09:28
Welcome back to Critical Blast’s long-running weekly look at what new comics you should check out each week. Just a warning, I make these picks pretty much a week BEFORE I actually get to read any of these comics, so if something is a stinker, I take no blame on that. Let's get to it!
I first became aware of Bosch Fawstin's work when I reviewed TABLE FOR ONE back in 2004. I knew then that I would be seeing the name again, and when the book was nominated for an Eisner Award in 2005, I was proven correct.
It took over a dozen years for our paths to cross again, and during that time Fawstin had made the news by winning the controversial "Draw Mohammed" competition organized by Pamela Gellar and Robert Spencer. If you didn't know he won, it's probably because the more reported moments involved the attack on the event, and the editorializing that accompanied it.
Fawstin's latest work is an impassioned serial called THE INFIDEL, FEATURING PIGMAN. On its face, it seems a jingoistic, puerile response to Islamic terrorism, akin to many comments that circulated shortly after September 11, 2001 about soaking bullets in pig blood or serving bacon on all future flights. Seriously, a comic book about a man who dresses as a pig to go after Islamic extremists?
Annabelle DiMarco has a secret -- a secret life passed on to her from her mother, and her mother before her.
Because Belle is a beast hunter, someone who keeps humanity safe from the things that go bump in the night; or, more precisely, the things that eviscerate whole communities and swallow them up in eternal torment.
Submitted by Mike 'Ace' Maillaro on Tue, 02/06/2018 - 03:00
Welcome back to Critical Blast’s long-running weekly look at what new comics you should check out each week. Just a warning, I make these picks pretty much a week BEFORE I actually get to read any of these comics, so if something is a stinker, I take no blame on that. Let's get to it!
With much of the focus of DC's REBIRTH has been the role that WATCHMEN quantum-god Doctor Manhattan has played, it's easy to forget the major role played by the return of Wally West, aka Kid Flash, aka The Flash (just not the Barry Allen one). Wally was ripped from history and imprisoned in the Speed Force, only to return to discover that almost ten years were stolen from just about everybody -- enough to make them all forget about him, about the Teen Titans, and who knows what other events and teams.
That theme continues in this year's THE FLASH annual. While Wally can help people remember him with a touch, he has yet to bring himself, after over a year, to let his beloved aunt, Iris West, remember who he is. And when he learns that Iris has just been forced to kill the Reverse-Flash (again, we know) with a Black Hole gun, it pushes him away from Flash and Kid Flash (also named Wally West) and toward anyone else who might remember him.
Years ago, like most of my peers, I had my hands on the greatest toy the world had ever seen: Stretch Armstrong, the hero you could flex, twist, and stretch and who would always return to his original form. Unless it was cold, in which case he might take a little longer. Eventually, I got to see the stuff inside Stretch Armstrong, shortly after which he wasn't as much fun to play with.
Now Stretch is making a comeback -- and he gets clothes in the process! IDW has licensed STRETCH ARMSTRONG AND THE FLEX FIGHTERS for comics. If you haven't heard of the team, that's okay. They're brand new, as is Stretch, all of whom will be appearing their own animated cartoon series starring SCOTT MENVILLE (TEEN TITANS GO's Robin) as the teenaged Stretch and STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION alum WIL WHEATON as their corporate sponsor, Jonathan Rook.
Submitted by S.J. Mitchell on Wed, 01/31/2018 - 17:01
Action Comics #1000 will be the biggest single comic book to hit stands since Superman #75 (Death of Superman).
As information is slowly revealed to build up hype for the highly anticipated book, writer Tom King revealed a page of art from the issue.
Drawn by artists Clay Mann and Jordie Bellaire, the page depicts Superman bathed in golden light, holding what appears to be a crystal of some kind. While there's no context or text included, the page displays some truly iconic imagery.
Submitted by Mike 'Ace' Maillaro on Tue, 01/30/2018 - 09:46
Welcome back to Critical Blast’s long-running weekly look at what new comics you should check out each week. Just a warning, I make these picks pretty much a week BEFORE I actually get to read any of these comics, so if something is a stinker, I take no blame on that. Let's get to it!
To remember his achievements, we are republishing this interview with Mort, as we talked about his most famous character, Beetle Bailey, on the 50th anniversary of the strip.
* * *
In 1938, while comic books were just entering the Golden Age, Mort Walker staked his claim on the newspaper comic strip pages. He was 14 years old. The most notable of Mort's creations is undoubtedly Beetle Bailey, which celebrates its fiftieth anniversary this year.
I was privileged to speak with Mort about Beetle's comic and real-life misadventures, as well as a few other interesting tidbits you may not know about.
Submitted by Mike 'Ace' Maillaro on Fri, 01/26/2018 - 20:35
From IGN:
The conclusion of DC Comics event Dark Nights: Metal will bring about some big changes for the Justice League comic line, IGN has learned from DC.
Following the events of Metal, which ends on March 14 with Issue #6, there will be a four-issue weekly miniseries that kicks off on May 9 called Justice League: No Justice co-written by Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, and Joshua Williamson with art by Francis Manapul.
You can't judge a comic by its cover -- but you can certainly have the story spoiled by it.
Case in point: FLASH #39 -- or FLASH #700, if you are a purist and eschew all this "Let's start over from number 1 again" business. I opted for the variant cover by Tony Daniel, with the granite 700 behind Barry, because it goes so well with all those other variant milestone issue covers he's done. The other cover was certainly attractive, showing Flash recoiling from an attack by Gorilla Grodd with the explosive caption, "Grodd Is Back!"
The first part of "Zod's Will" takes place here, as Hal Jordan and Kyle Rayner investigate a planet that should be at a stone-age level but which has been observed being targeted by high-tech miners. However, what they didn't expect to find was the renegade Kryptonian, General Zod. And he's not alone: with him is the Eradicator, Ursa, and his son, Lor. That's four Superman-level beings against two Green Lanterns.
The good news? Both Hal and Kyle are equipped with the most powerful weapon in the universe.
The bad news? That's not even nearly enough. Hal attacks Zod on sight, and the battle is quickly engaged. The end result is that both Lanterns get their hind quarters handed to them and are taken captive, as Zod determines that whatever plans he had in mind must now be accelerated before the rest of the Green Lantern Corps arrive.
Gotham City, after Ozymandias and Rorschach II have taken Earth-Watchmen villains Mime and Marionette on board the Owlship to seek out Doctor Manhattan. Looking to confide with the two smartest men on this new Earth, Ozymandias went to consult with Lex Luthor while Rorschach II went to see Bruce Wayne. While at Lexcorp, Ozymandias is confronted by the deceased Comedian, who shoots Lex. And Rorschach II finds the Batcave after having eaten Bruce's pancakes.
Now:
It would appear that when Ozymandias threw Edward Blake, aka The Comedian, through his apartment window, his body was teleported before the impact with the sidewalk and replaced with an exact duplicate -- both things within Doctor Manhattan's capabilities. Blake's actual body landed in the water outside of Metropolis, where Doctor Manhattan gave him instructions.
Submitted by Mike 'Ace' Maillaro on Tue, 01/23/2018 - 11:38
Welcome back to Critical Blast’s long-running weekly look at what new comics you should check out each week. Just a warning, I make these picks pretty much a week BEFORE I actually get to read any of these comics, so if something is a stinker, I take no blame on that. Let's get to it!
PROJECT: SUPERPOWERS was one of those cool ideas that had tons of potential: take all those superheroes who've been allowed to lapse into the public domain and pile them together into one cohesive universe. So you'd have the Black Terror, Captain Batle, The Owl -- even Blue Beetle and Daredevil, carefully referred to as "Big Blue" and "Death-Defying Devil" because other companies now hold the trademark on those names if not the characters, and why court a lawsuit, right?
In HERO KILLERS, the PROECT: SUPERPOWERS universe gets satirized in an over-the-top gross-out comedic way. The setting is that the city is overpopulated with supeheroes, having been put on the payroll to put a stop to crime. It worked, but now the heroes have little to do, and are in strained competition with each other for the bounties they collect.
Submitted by Mike 'Ace' Maillaro on Mon, 01/22/2018 - 14:00
I actually had no plans on picking up ICE CREAM MAN. Image does put out a lot of cool, quirky books, but my comic budget is already stretched to its limit. Plus, this book flew completely under my radar. But, they had put a preview after last week’s YOUNGBLOOD, and I ended up reading it. We see a young kid buying ice cream from an ice cream truck, while the narration starts talking about the world’s most deadly spider. The kid gets home, puts a clothespin on his nose and the preview stops abruptly.
Submitted by S.J. Mitchell on Fri, 01/19/2018 - 08:08
Starting off with unknown voices and shackled wrists, DAMAGE #1 breaks free from the chains of whats expected from a powerhouse rage monster.
Without being provided with too much backstory, DAMAGE #1 gives us insight into the major players with a few hints at the story which will develop in later issues. It's easy to look at this book on the surface and assume DC is ripping off its marvelous rival, in an attempt to have their own character whose strength comes from rage.
Throw those thoughts in the trash, because it's so much more than that.
