Phil Jimenez Talks Superwoman with Graphic Policy Radio this Monday
Who Is Superwoman? This Monday, writer and artist Phil Jimenez comes to Graphic Policy Radio to talk about the new DC Comics series that debuts this week, Superwoman!
The show airs live this Monday at 10pm ET.
Lois Lane now has the powers and abilities of Superman and pledges to carry out his legacy. There’s a problem: Lois’ new powers are killing her.
We’ll talk about what we can expect from this brand new series that’s part of DC Comics’ “Rebirth,” as well as Jimenez’s career.
Phil Jimenez is an award-winning writer and artist who has worked for DC Entertainment and Marvel Entertainment for the over 25 years. Best known for his work on Tempest, JLA/Titans, Planetary/Authority; The Invisibles, New-X-Men, Astonishing X-Men, Wonder Woman, Infinite Crisis, Amazing Spider-Man, Adventure Comics, The Transformers, DC: Rebirth, Superwoman, and his creator-owned project Otherworld, Jimenez has also worked in film, television, print media, and in design/packaging. He has created large-scale artworks for schools and museums, lectured at universities and the Library of Congress on identity and diversity in entertainment, and mentors young designers at the Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum. Considered the most prominent gay creators in mainstream comics, Jimenez also teaches life drawing at the School of Visual Arts in NYC. FB, Instagram, and Twitter @Philjimeneznyc
Listen in and Tweet us your questions @graphicpolicy.
Harley Quinn #1 starts immediately after the final issue of the last volume with Harley and Ivy going on a much needed tropical getaway. But it’s not all flirting and lounging as writers Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti throw readers right back into Harley’s wacky world of circus freaks, copyright friendly Deadpool parodies, and even zombies. A big chunk of the issue is dedicated to retelling Harley’s backstory and reintroducing her huge supporting cast, but this exposition isn’t super boring thanks to silly, sexy, and occasionally dark stylings of artist Chad Hardin and colorist Alex Sinclair. 
save the environment, and Harley Quinn has various and sundry of them, but mostly balancing work, fun, and helping the ordinary people of Brooklyn in her own way. However, despite their differences, these scenes show how much Harley and Ivy care for each other as they are inseparable everywhere from the hot tub to nail salon. And their getaway ends in a heartfelt hug as Harley really wants Ivy to move in with her, but that doesn’t fit into the scientist’s current plans. Conner, Palmiotti, and Hardin really capture the pleasure and pain of long distance relationships before diving right into some more Harley shenanigans with a rock star pose splash page.
DC Comics’ most unlikely “hero” John Constantine returns to his home country of England in Hellblazer Rebirth #1 as writer/Vertigo veteran Simon Oliver (Last Gang in Town) and artist Moritat (All-Star Western) join forces to show exactly how he re-crossed the pond when setting foot in London triggers a demon-caused skin disease in him. This isn’t a retelling of Constantine’s origins even though the demon that he faces in the issue does mock his childhood and mistakes as a magician , but a classic con from the anti-hero as he bargains with eight million souls (The population of London) to get a curse removed from him so he can return home to London. He is written him not as heroic in the slightest, but as a magician and bastard, who doesn’t “give a fuck” (in his own words) and manipulates those close to him. Oliver does set up one possible long term goal for Constantine as the series progresses, which is the redemption of the soul that he damned to hell in his first magic accident back in Newcastle, Astrid that has caused him nightmares ever since Hellblazer Volume 1 almost 28 years ago.
Moritat’s artwork. It seems that in almost every panel featuring his stubbly visage, Constantine is gripping a whisky bottle or tasting a bit of curry like the fate of eight million souls getting infected by a supernatural curse is no biggie. He just wants to get home, have a pint, watch football, or flirt with a girl and/or boy. This sharply contrasts with the colors chosen by Andre Szymanowicz (Archie) and Moritat as each scene featuring the curse has a touch of scarlet runes, and there’s a gradual darkening in the background as the demon starts mentioning Constantine’s past. He looks screwed. But there’s always a twist. If there’s one criticism I have about Moritat’s art, it’s that the superheroes Shazam and Wonder Woman, who make cameo appearances, look impassive and static compared to the expressive faces of Constantine and the other supporting players and demons. This could possibly be a commentary on how aloof they are from ordinary people unlike Constantine, who as a working class mage, is constantly pounding the pavement of cities all over the world and really seeing how they tick instead of just swooping in to save the day.
Batman Rebirth #1 is a standalone adventure as Batman and his new protegé (But not a Robin.) Duke Thomas take on a slightly creepier version of the Calendar Man, who is most famous for helping Batman catch a serial killer in Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale’s seminal Batman: The Long Halloween. The use of this villain and a plot featuring the seasons in Gotham changing in a day thanks to Calendar Man’s biological weapon is a comment on the cyclical nature of superhero comics as well as the passing of the torch from writer Scott Snyder to Tom King, who collaborated on the issue. Snyder and King establish the new dynamic between Batman and his supporting cast as well as making him and Bruce Wayne sharp and confident as he saves Gotham and becomes an active part of Wayne Enterprises as well.
One page (or image) really encapsulates Snyder, King, Janin, and Chung’s Batman, and it features Bruce Wayne, not Batman as he dangles from a helipad doing one-handed pull ups when it’s 100+ degrees outside while a sharply dressed Lucius Fox helps him get his company in order. Batman is a thrill seeker and in his physical prime, and his defeat of Calendar Man includes holding his breath underwater more than is humanly possible as Duke protests. But he is also responsible for Gotham and swallowed up in its fate, and this is why he is so tiny in comparison to the skyscraper, buildings, and body of water around him.