Vertigo’s Air (Wilson & Perker) is a solid attempt to mesh fantasy into a post 9/11 world, and while such a venture is to be applauded, it does so with mixed results. The narrative is at times jarring and disjointed, harkening back to the weaker episodes of Lost, except there are no sound or music cues and very few visual clues to let you know where you are in the sequence of events. It’s an interesting choice, which gives the audience the benefit of the doubt, but it can at times be confusing.
The comic book event of the summer is nigh! Before Watchmen, the much-anticipated prequel series to Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' Watchmen, will consist of seven limited series and an epilogue one-shot. Stay tuned, as the Fanboy Comics crew will be reviewing each title as it is released. Hurm.
The Rorschach arc of DC’s Before Watchmen opens with all of the grit you’d expect, but it’s the backdrop of the glitzy, 1980s New York that really makes this book pop. Everything shines, from the latex gloves of the unidentified serial killer on Rorshach’s radar to the breathtaking helicopter view of the New York skyline. The colorist, Barbara Ciardo, elevates Lee Bermejo’s pencils with a quiet sheen that subtly suggests a flashback to times gone by - and something else. Something so rare, yet so potent, in a city spilling over with pimps and drugs and decay, a city so often cursed by our main character: hope.
It's hard to believe that The Discovery Channel's Shark Week turns 25 this week. I guess it's further difficult to imagine sharks have been around for hundreds of millions of years, far outlasting many an inferior species.
My love affair with sharks began with Jaws 2 when my parents took my siblings and me to see it at the drive-in movie theater. (Yes, I'm dating myself, and if you aren't sure what a drive-in is, go change your diaper and then google it!)
The 'To Read' List:
Moriarty: the Dark Chamber by Daniel Corey, Anthony Diecidue, Perry Freeze, and Dave Lanphear
Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite by Gerard Way and Gabriel Ba
The Light by Nathan Edmondson and Brett Weldele
Read This Week:
The Re(a)d Diary by Steven T. Seagle and Teddy Kristiansen
The following is an interview with comic book writer Scott Davis, who is the co-writer for Bluewater Productions' new comic book series, Dorian Gray. In this interview, Fanboy Comics Contributor Tony Caballero talks with Davis about his inspiration for returning to the classics, the challenges of working with an unsympathetic protagonist, and what the future holds of the series.
This interview was conducted on August 7, 2012.
Any independent creator will tell you that breaking into the entertainment business is no easy task. Greater still is the challenge of joining the niche comic book industry, as finding talented creators with which to collaborate on a small, or non-existent, budget is not exactly an enticing selling point. Well, indie creators in the Los Angeles area are in luck! On Saturday, September 8th, at 7:30 p.m., SoCal Creators Unite will host an Independent Comic Book Writer and Artist Meeting to provide indie creators with an opportunity to network with like-minded individuals, with the hopes of establishing future collaborations.
Fanboy Comics Contributor Jason Enright brings you his top comic book picks for the week.
Captain Marvel #2
by Kelly Sue DeConnick and Dexter Soy
Last month, Kelly Sue DeConnick returned Carol Danvers to the spotlight with her new series, Captain Marvel. The book sold out immediately, and everyone was talking about the best new superhero book on the stands. One month later we get to see how DeConnick will handle this book as an ongoing. Issue #1 was a great stand-alone issue, but Issue #2 really gets the story rolling. I have to say, I enjoyed Issue #2 even more than Issue #1. Carol is an awesome character. She's strong, funny, and she doesn't really think things through. In fact, her flaws are my favorite part of the book. She screws up a lot and it is okay, it's even funny. Plus, Dexter Soy's art is even better in this issue than the last. Make sure you get this issue, and, if you can, try to find Issue #1, as well.
Extermination is part parody and part moral examination. Set in a post-apocalyptic world after an alien invasion, the surviving superheroes and supervillains have to work to survive and might even find their own petty grudges not so important when compared to the fate of the world. The three main characters in this issue are Nox, Red Reaper, and Promethean. Promethean is pretty much a Wolverine analog with his regeneration powers, bone claws, and habit of calling everyone “Bud.” Nox is Batman meets Punisher down to his rogue's gallery, and Red Reaper is . . . Red Reaper.
Snarked is the Eisner Award winning all-ages comic by Roger Langridge, and it is worth all the praise and accolades it has received. This book is full of action, adventure, and humor brought to life by lovable characters. Langridge has populated the world of Snarked with characters from Alice in Wonderland like the Walrus and the Carpenter and the Cheshire Cat, but he has made the characters all his own with his fun, flawed take on them.
The Paley Center for Media, known for leading the discussion about the cultural, creative, and social significance of television, radio, and other emerging platforms, made headlines last night at its Beverly Hills location by honoring its first online sitcom, Husbands. The web series, created by writer/producer Jane Espenson (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Once Upon a Time) and writer/actor Brad “Cheeks” Bell (Pop Up Video), follows a young same-sex couple as they deal with the trials and tribulations that all newlywed couples face. In a red carpet event, the Paley Center hosted the creators, cast, and crew of Husbands for a panel discussion and preview of the first two episodes of Season 2.