Submitted by S.J. Mitchell on Wed, 03/01/2017 - 13:08
The secret behind Rebirth Superman existing alongside Clark Kent, while posing as Clark White, is the focus of SUPERMAN and ACTION COMICS crossover story titled: REBORN.
Caution: MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD
The book opens to Dr. Oz discovering that one of his prisoners has escaped. "Superman please save me" has been scrawled in stone as a plea to the man of steel. A distraught Dr. Oz is heckled by his other prisoners as they cheer over the escapee's success.
Submitted by Mike 'Ace' Maillaro on Tue, 02/28/2017 - 11:46
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!
Submitted by S.J. Mitchell on Wed, 02/22/2017 - 13:15
For those of you excited to see Marvel's IRON FIST on Netflix on March 17th, but worried that once you binge the season there's nothing to hold you over, just breathe. There's some reading material being made available in March.
For a casual observer of Iron Fist, I've always been intrigued by the character. Having never picked up a comic book though, I've followed his legend more than the actual story. In March, Marvel is giving fans an opportunity to jump in on the ground floor with an exciting new series.
Submitted by Mike 'Ace' Maillaro on Tue, 02/21/2017 - 11:13
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!
When I saw the covers for Darkrose Studios' TREADWATER graphic novels, I knew exactly what I was getting into. Skin tight suits, strange flying crafts, mid-air explosions. Surely this was a space opera war along the lines of Michael Tierney's WILD STARS or Van Allen Plexico's LUCIAN.
I could not have been further off, at least in setting if not in flavor.
Submitted by Critical Blast Staff on Thu, 02/16/2017 - 07:00
Continuing this week's theme of revealing the winners in our Comic Books category, we wrap up with the Best Comics Artist of 2016.
Several deserving talents were in the running this year. Sana Takeda made the cut for his work on MONSTRESS, the only title that was a nominee in Best Comics Storyline and Best Comics Writer, so that ought to tell you something if you're not already checking it out. David Marquez (CIVIL WAR II), Stuart Immonen (EMPRESS), and Cliff Chiang (PAPER GIRLS) was also in the running, as was the late great Steve Dillon for his work on PUNISHER.
Submitted by Critical Blast Staff on Wed, 02/15/2017 - 07:03
We've had competitions that were squeakers before, but this is probably the closest it has ever come.
In the running for BEST COMICS WRITER of 2016, we had several nominations from our staff and our readers, covering several different publishers and titles. From Mark Millar for his work on EMPRESS to David Walker on SHAFT, from Tom King's VISION to Marjorie Liu's MONSTRESS. James Robinson got in there for his work on THUNDERBOLTS, as did Charles Soule for DAREDEVIL. And, of course, there's always a showing by Other.
But the main event came down to two huge names in the industry right now, both of which are turning their respective titles on their heads in new ways. Over at DC, Greg Rucka is once again at the helm of WONDER WOMAN, and his work there earned him a whopping 25.33% of all our votes. But it just wasn't enough to topple the man behind Avengers Idea Mechanics, the group behind Marvel's NEW AVENGERS!
Submitted by Critical Blast Staff on Tue, 02/14/2017 - 13:08
Critical Blast is pleased to present the first of several announcements in our annual "Best Of" awards, as nominated and selected by our readers. Reader participation in these events continues to grow, and we were all were very excited by the turnout this year.
So with no further ado (and as if you haven't already figured it out), we give to you the award for BEST COMICS STORYLINE OF 2016: AVENGERS: STANDOFF!
Starting out at Pleasant Hill, this story crossed over into several Marvel Comics titles, telling the story of a special S.H.I.E.L.D. facility where some of Earth's worst villains were rehabilitated through means of a Cosmic Cube, rewriting their realities and personalities from hardcore bad guys to milquetoast small town neighbors. When Winter Soldier, Steve Rogers and Captain America get involved, shortly after some of the villains begin to remember their previous lives, it turns into a physical and ethical confrontation.
Submitted by Mike 'Ace' Maillaro on Tue, 02/14/2017 - 08:01
Welcome back to Critical Blast’s weekly look at what new comics you should check out. 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!
This is it, folks. This is what those action-packed six issues of JUSTICE LEAGUE VS SUICIDE SQUAD were leading up to: an all new JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA book.
Right up front, I expect to like this book. It's pencilled by Ivan Reis, who has never done a book that has left me disappointed. And his linework in this issue is just as good as ever.
So, Mr. Reis, this is not your fault.
Let's look at the book from it's basic precept: Batman wants to form a new Justice League. I don't know yet if he's informed the actual Justice League of his plans, but let's assume he hasn't because (a) he's Batman, and (b) it sets things up (again) for another Justice League vs. Justice League confrontation. His justifications are simple. He wants a League that ordinary people can look up to and aspire to be like -- one comprised of "humans, not gods."
Submitted by Mike 'Ace' Maillaro on Tue, 02/07/2017 - 16:24
Welcome back to Critical Blast’s weekly look at what new comics you should check out. 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!
When people across the country begin to go on killing sprees, blaming their outbursts on visions of demons and monsters, Superman (JERRY O'CONNELL) and Wonder Woman (ROSARIO DAWSON) suspect the supernatural may be involved. But Batman (JASON O'MARA) has his doubts--even though, as is pointed out, the Justice League has encountered magic a number of times. It doesn't take long, however, thanks to the intervention of Deadman (NICHOLAS TURTURRO), before Batman seeks out an old ally in Zatanna (CAMILLA LUDDINGTON). He needs her to find John Constantine (voiced, appropriately, by CONSTANTINE actor, MATT RYAN), who resides in the interdimensional House of Mystery.
Submitted by Mike 'Ace' Maillaro on Tue, 01/31/2017 - 12:49
Welcome back to Critical Blast’s weekly look at what new comics you should check out. 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!
Eclipso. He's a world-beating kind of villain on the level of Darkseid. He's a force of the universe, malignancy personified. When he shows up, you can expect the summer to be filled with crossovers as heroes become "eclipsed" and let their darker instincts come to the fore.
Or he can be knocked out of the air by Batman's planning and a very complex (but made on the fly) ice prism to convert eclipsed-Superman's heat vision into sunlight. Don't you just love comic book physics?
Submitted by Mike 'Ace' Maillaro on Tue, 01/24/2017 - 14:28
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!
Amanda Waller has released the captive Justice League after Batman learns what the Suicide Squad is up against -- Maxwell Lord and the O.S.S. No, they're not the O.S.S. of DC Comics days of yore. I just coined the term to refer to them as the Original Suicide Squad, a team Waller put together in the past and then locked away: Rustam, Doctor Polaris, Johnny Sorrow, Emerald Empress, and the main man himself, Lobo. All of them are under the control of Max Lord, who has taken advantage of their desire for revenge against Amanda Waller so that he can gain control of something that will finally give him what he's always wanted: absolute control.
Submitted by Mike 'Ace' Maillaro on Wed, 01/11/2017 - 03:00
I saw this reported earlier in the week, and wanted to provide some perspective and commentary on it.
Marvel Comics has announced plans to overship all of its January 2017 titles by 10% for free to retailers. This will mean for every ten copies of a January Marvel book bought by retailers, they'll receive an additional copy; and furthermore, Marvel will be rounding up the percentages, meaning if less than ten copies of a book is ordered, a free copy will still be send along with the paid titles.
That gives retailers extra copies of books to for a profit of full cover price per issue (minus the shipping charges from the distributor). So will Marvel's sales be 10% higher in Diamond Comics Distributors' sales figures for January 2017?
Submitted by Mike 'Ace' Maillaro on Tue, 01/10/2017 - 09:54
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!
Submitted by Mike 'Ace' Maillaro on Wed, 01/04/2017 - 13:22
Saw this story on Deadline this morning:
Rob Liefeld, whose disruptive Deadpool creation was the blockbuster movie surprise of 2016, is at the center of the first big film rights deal of 2017. Graham King and Fundamental Films have partnered to build movies from the comic book characters Liefeld created in what is known as Extreme Universe. King has partnered with Weed Road’s Akiva Goldsman, and they will produce the movies with Liefeld and Energy Entertainment’s Brooklyn Weaver. This rights deal is seven figures, I hear.
Submitted by Mike 'Ace' Maillaro on Tue, 01/03/2017 - 15:51
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!
