Short stories are something of a lost art in the world of comics. They once dominated the field, with old 80-page giants and anthology titles offering readers collections of compact storytelling entertainment each month. Today, short stories are pretty rare and good ones rarer still. In Proud by James Mulholland and Caitlin Soliman, the potency…
Comics
Happy Batman Day!
Happy Batman Day! All the talk’s going to be about Bruce Wayne, so I thought I’d show some love for Jean-Paul Valley, who occupied the role of Batman for nearly 2 years (!) back in the ’90s during the seminal crossover event Knightfall. I wrote a series for Kabooooom a couple years back examining Knightfall…
Comic Review: Spread #1
Reading Spread #1 feels like popping in an old VHS tape with an intriguing painted cover only to discover an unnerving and unpredictable reel of weirdness play out. It’s creepy, gory, cold, and violent, and it’s also a lot of fun. This is a horror story with a survivalist aspect to it, but writer Justin Jordan keeps Spread refreshingly…
Comic Review: Spider-Man 2099 #1
Miguel O’Hara swings back into his own monthly title this week in Spider-Man 2099 #1, with none other than co-creator Peter David returning to handle writing duties. The first issue marks a serviceable yet somewhat muted return for the character, with flat plot points and occasionally stilted artwork weighing things down but enough action, humor,…
Comic Review: Armor Hunters #2
Armor Hunters is an event book that feels like an event. Big stuff is happening and the repercussions look to be profound for the Valiant universe not just in these pages but in many issues to come. The inclusion of Valiant’s expanding roster of characters makes the action felt beyond just the circle of X-O Manowar,…
Comic Review: Rocket Raccoon #1
Scottie Young takes the reigns of Rocket Raccoon #1 as writer and artist, delivering a fun yet somewhat racy adventure for the furry space hero. Best known for his Oz books and steady stream of hot-selling variant covers for the House of Ideas, (he might be responsible for sending more than a few Marvel executives’…
Comic Review: Black Kiss XXXmas in July Special
“The why is anybody’s guess.” Those are the words of Howard Chaykin, creator of indie trailblazer American Flagg! and noted purveyor of pulp. The man is a comic auteur, with a long history of expertly crafting tales of action and adventure with a hardboiled slant. His work often skirts the edge of what’s acceptable in comics, and…
Comic Review: Superman #32
Superman #32 feels like the book we should have received 31 issues ago. Marvel royalty John Romita Jr. lands at DC in a big way this month, joining the company’s Chief Creative Officer and noted character rehab specialist Geoff Johns. Together, the superstar duo tackle the longstanding albatross of mainstream comics: what to do with…
Comic Review: How i Made the World #1
How i Made the World #1 is a fresh example of what comics can be outside of the standard superhero format. Smart, funny, introspective and decidedly non-epic, the first issue centers on the trials and tribulations of college student Liz as she navigates a high-stress world of art classes and smoking blunts on the beach. Read…
Comic Review: Original Sin #3
Original Sin might be Marvel’s weirdest crossover to date, but Jason Aaron’s strong script and Mike Deodato’s art make this superhero noir work. Check out my review of Original Sin #3 over at Kabooooom: http://kabooooom.com/2014/06/comic-review-original-sin-3/
Comic Review: Thanos Annual #1
Marvel’s Mad Titan returns in Thanos Annual #1. I review it over at Kabooooom.com. Check it out: http://kabooooom.com/2014/05/comic-review-thanos-annual-1/
X-Men Days of Future Past Review
Marvel’s Mighty Mutants in Search of a New Now ####OBLIQUE SPOILERS AHEAD#### X-Men Days of Future Past is one of the better X-Men movies, but that doesn’t make it great. The film strives to serve two masters, simultaneously acting as both a sequel to 2011’s excellent X-Men First Class and as a consolidation / mea…
Summer Comics Events Showdown – Marvel’s Original Sin vs. DC’s New 52: Futures End
Warm weather is finally breaking here in North America, and for comic fans that means the season of the massive summer crossover is upon us. Each year, the Big Two (and increasingly, other publishers) roll out their “event” books, bringing together throngs of heroes and villains for a run at large scale storytelling. Like Hollywood…
Frankenstein Comic Production Art
Pencils by John Blevins from our upcoming Frankenstein comic…
Chris Claremont tho
Chris Claremont wrote a crazy soap opera funnybook for just shy of 20 years. Reading it as a kid, it defined my worldview. This New York Magazine article from back in 2000 provides a nice crash course in the dynamic, exciting, and ever-melodramatic Marvel comic, the Uncanny X-Men. “X-Men,” says Claremont, “has always been about…