Comics

In this week's DARK DAYS: THE CASTING, the Joker lets us in on a secret in the background of the DC Universe.  We always thought that superpowered beings in the DC Universe were called metas.  Turns out that in-continuity, this was always a typo.  Turns out they are "Metal" as in they have Nth Metal going through their blood.  This is one hell of a ret-con.  Like when we found out that Weapon X actually was roman numeral ten.

Here are the panels below:

Welcome back to Critical Blast’s 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!

Comics shipping this week

Welcome back to Critical Blast’s 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!

Comics shipping this week

Pretty light week this week.

Welcome back to Critical Blast’s 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!

Comics shipping this week

Crime doesn't pay in Forth Worth, Texas! That's because the city has its own Dark Knight, and his identity is no secret.

Damon Cole dresses up as Batman and other superhero characters to lift the spirits of children with cancer, and to create safety awareness. In fact, he was at a neighborhood safety event when he heard about a nearby incident at a Walmart involving the theft of some DVDs.

So he did what any superhero would do when learning of a crime in progress: He showed up.

Now before you get any bright ideas of going into the caped vigilante business, you should know something else: Damon Cole isn't just a caped hero -- he's a uniformed one.

San Diego, CA (June 20, 2017) – Jack is back! Samurai Jack, that is, and he’s making his grand return to comics, courtesy of writer Fabian Rangel Jr. (‘NAMWOLF) and artist Warwick Johnson Cadwell (TANK GIRL). Hot off the heels of the critically acclaimed HELENA CRASH, the pair are re-teaming for a bold new take on the iconic samurai.

The story, entitled “Quantum Jack,” sees Jack like we’ve never seen him before. After getting zapped by an experimental Quantum Ray, Jack is sent hurtling into one alternate reality after another, his memories erased, but his spirit intact. Can you imagine Jack as the leader of a ruthless biker gang of bounty hunters? Thanks to the warped minds of Rangel Jr. and Cadwell, you don’t have to. They’ve done it for you! And that’s just the beginning...

Welcome back to Critical Blast’s 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!

Comics shipping this week

• ARCHIE #21 – I am not all that sure how I feel about OVER THE EDGE. The first issue really felt out of character for so many of the characters here. I think there is a lot of ways to tell a strong ARCHIE story with more adult themes and real consequences, but so much of the first part of this arc felt like a stretch just to get all the pieces in the right place. I will definitely wait and see.

Welcome back to Critical Blast’s 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!

Comics shipping this week

Even though it’s June 2017, let’s kick off this week’s commentary by going back to two books that are coming out this week that were both originally scheduled for October 2016….

Okay, we have no idea if DC Comics is going to revisit the Jim Balent Catwoman bridal motif seen here on the cover of CATWOMAN #18. I mean, sure we assume she's going agree with Batman's order to marry her (remember, he did not ask her to marry him), which means we ought to at least see something in the way of fan art for Catwoman bridal gowns (and let's see what those bridesmaid dresses will look like)!

But as we await this possible next step in Catwoman's costuming, the fine folks at halloweencostumes.com have given us a nifty infographic tracking just how many times the felonious feline has done a wardrobe change.

Where do I begin?

I suppose I begin in 1972, laying on the shag carpet of my parents' living room, tuned into KDNL Channel 30, when I first saw Batman. Oh, I'd seen him in the comic books -- I'd been reading proficiently from a pre-Kindergarten age because of comics. But this was real, not a drawing (although admittedly I was initially taken in by the Dick Sprang style of artwork in the animated opening). And since this was obviously a real person in a real costume, by extension, Batman was real. That's how the mind works at 5 years old.

SACRAMENTO, Calif., June 8, 2017 – Trina Robbins, who famously became the first woman to draw the Wonder Woman character more than 30 years ago, and whose work in underground and mainstream comics goes back to the 1960s, was today named the second honoree in the Wizard World Hall of Legends, a new initiative to celebrate the artists, writers and insiders who have built the industry and those continue the traditions. Robbins will receive the award at a ceremony at Wizard World Comic Con Sacramento on Friday, June 16 at the Sacramento Convention Center.

In 1970, Robbins produced the very first all-woman comic book, "It Ain't me, Babe."  In 1972 she was one of the founding mothers of "Wimmin's Comix," the longest-lasting women's anthology comic book. (1972 - 1992)

You've read the news. You've seen the famous image. Heck, by now you should probably have read the issue. And like most people who have done all of that, you have walked away absolutely convinced that Batman -- Bruce Wayne, the Dark Knight of Gotham, the World's Greatest Detective -- has asked Catwoman to marry him.

If that is true, you need to read it again.

BATMAN #24, "Every Epilogue is a Prelude," is an interesting read. It's a back-and-forth timing kind of thing that makes you wonder at first when "now" is. For the majority of the issue, Tom King has us listening in on a conversation between Batman and Gotham Girl, now healed but having learned that using her powers will kill her. She's asking what she should do, whether she should continue being a hero and let her powers end her life early, or quit and go live a normal life. And she wants Batman to make that decision for her.

Today, in BATMAN #24, Batman does something he hasn't done since Earth 2. He proposes. And not just to anyone, but one of his primary rogues gallery members: Catwoman!

Sure, Catwoman isn't one of his psychotic, Arkham escapees, and yes, she's actually been a Justice League of America member, but she's still technically one of the "less than legal" characters. But then, as Batman is destined to say, "We're all criminals. We've always been criminals."

However, the question doesn't arise from Batman's choice in matrimonial partners, but in Bruce Wayne's. You see, Selina Kyle has a criminal record. She killed a lot of people, too, according to the I AM SUICIDE arc in BATMAN. Basically, she's known to be Catwoman.

Disney XD put up 3 Ant-Man shorts on YouTube today.  There are apparently 6 total, and they will be airing on the network this weekend.

To be honest, I usualluy have a pretty low bar, but I thought the animation and voice work on these were a little annoying, but I do like that Scott Lang is getting more exposure.  Check them out below!
 

Science Fair

DC decided to do their best Marvel impression and gave US Today some major spoilers for tomorrow's Batman #24.

In the issue, Batman asks Catwoman to marry him!  They have been building up to this pretty much since the first issue of Catwoman in New-52.  No idea if Selina says yes, or where the story goes from there.  The Button hinted at the idea that Batman may consider hanging up the cape and cowl once and for all.  Comics love to sneak back to the status quo, but I would love to see us get a Modern Age Batman/Catwoman marriage. 
 

Maybe you've been attending comic conventions for a few years now. If so, you've established your expectations of what you'll see there, the good, the bad, the ugly, and enticing.

But maybe you've been going long enough that you've mutated -- it sneaks up on you -- into those creatures know as parents. If so, you may find yourself visiting your familiar convention environs one summer with a younger human being in tow for the first time, and find yourself suddenly thinking differently about some of the revealing cosplay, the nude superheroine prints, and the bloody special effects makeup and masks. If you've encountered this uncomfortable feeling already, or if you're just lookign for something that will better engage your young offspring (of which it is your duty to raise properly in the ways of the Force, the Prime Directive, truth justice and the American way, and with great responsibility).

Welcome back to Critical Blast’s 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!

Comics shipping this week

Some awesome news coming from The House of Ideas this morning…

For most kids, finding out your folks belong to a world-dominating cabal of super villains would be about the craziest thing in the world—but they’re not the Runaways! Back in 2003, Brian K. Vaughan and Adrian Alphona introduced us to a book called RUNAWAYS and a cast of characters that we instantly fell in love with. The adventures of Nico, Karolina, Chase, Molly, Alex, and Gertrude grabbed a faithful fan following that led to a number of volumes as well as appearances in other books like AVENGERS ARENA and A-FORCE.

Big happenings over at Amazon if you are a Marvel fan!

All of their Marvel graphic novels and trade paperbacks are on sale for 80% off!  This is creating some incredible deals!  Head over to Amazon and check it out!  Note: this link just takes you to Amazon, there is no direct home page for the sale, unfortunately.

No idea when this sale is ending.  And remember, if your Amazon and Comixology accounts are linked, any digital comic you buy on Amazon, you can read in the far superiour Comixology app.

Vysion_of_books on GameFAQ's made a list of some of the deals:

$6.00
Star Wars Legends Epic Collection: The Old Republic Vol. 1