George Pérez’s Sirens #3 (of 6)
Author: George Pérez
Artist: George Pérez
As Perdition and his zombie army battle the Sirens, Bombshell and Chan learn the truth about their unique relationship, and Ammo is forced to choose between her vow of pacifism or saving her teammate.
Art of Army of Darkness
J. Scott Campbell, Arthur Suydam, Nick Bradshaw, John Bolton, Ben Templesmith, Tim Seeley, George Perez, and many more incredible artists! (a)
Michael Hussar Movie Poster (c)
FC • 208+ pages • $39.99 • Teen+
Since July 2004, Ash Williams — the reluctant hero of the cult classic film, Army of Darkness — has been an integral part of Dynamite Entertainment’s publishing line. Throughout the years, dozens of highly skilled comic artists have drawn and painted our hero, Ash (not to mention the Chosen One’s interchangeable armament of chainsaws and mechanical gauntlets, of course). This gorgeous hardcover art book stands as a testament to the unyielding spirit of a horror cinema icon, as captured by some of the comic industry’s most beloved talents: J. Scott Campbell, Arthur Suydam, Nick Bradshaw, John Bolton, Ben Templesmith, Tim Seeley, George Perez, and many more!
George Pérez’s Sirens #2 (of 6)
Author: George Pérez
Artist: George Pérez
Under attack by their greatest foe, Naida, the Sirens put together a last-ditch plan to keep their team—and their ship—together! With their memories of each other and themselves still hazy, the Sirens must re-learn how to work together before Naida destroys them all.
What started out as a promising series, Sirens, by the second issue already somewhat muddled. While George Perez deserves some praise for going to a smaller publisher to tell his story, equally his choice of story is a bit questionable here. At its roots the problem comes from the use of time travel, one of the hardest plot devices to get right in science fiction, and while Perez had a good enough idea for it here, it does get a little bit lost in itself. The story here picks up immediately from where it left off in the previous issue with the team of Sirens facing off against their arch-enemy. This conflict takes up the entire issue, with still no resolution for the standoff, only the stakes have been raised.
While the time travel gives some confusion it is also used at the same time for a clever sequence about halfway through the book detailing the story behind one of the powerful swords being used. In a split frame sequence, the present and past of the weapon is told in what is so far the most memorable sequence of this series. At the same time while the time travel plot device ends up not as convoluted as it was at the beginning, there are a few other clichés that don’t really work either. The entire standoff is reminiscent of a Star Trek episode, and there is not much to distinguish it from one, through the various tricks and tactics played by both ships. Equally too it seemed as though Perez wanted a chance at a Deadpool like character, so confused by the voices inside their head that they break the fourth wall. While this can be humorous in the right context, it doesn’t really work here, instead acting as an unnecessary aside.
The end result of this issue is that it is about as muddled as the first few pages would indicate. Although it gets on firmer footing by the end of the issue, there is still a lot of explanation for what is going on, the concept behind the series almost swallowing the story whole for its level of exposition. So while this is indeed at times an excellent endeavor, it also becomes a little lost in itself, both for biting off more than it can chew but also for not aiming as high in breaking the clichés. It is still a fun series, just not necessarily heading in the right direction with this issue.
Story and Art: George Perez
Story: 7.3 Art: 8.0 Overall: 7.3 Recommendation: Pass
BOOM! Studios provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review.
Writer and artist George Pérez is known for some pretty famous comic book runs in the broad history of comics. He came to fame in the 1970s for his work in the Avengers. In the 1980s he became known for helping to make the Teen Titans the successful DC Comics answer to the popularity of Marvel’s X-Men, and his run at the beginning of the second volume of Wonder Woman helped to revitalize the character that had become too tied to a hoaky past. Despite this success in the early part of his career, Pérez has not been known for a lot of big flashy events since then, rather going on with his career in a mostly consistent if not generally flashy direction. As a fan of his earlier stuff, it was thus interesting for me to hear that he was going to be working on a new series from BOOM! Studios called Sirens, but in a bit of a departure from his regular playground of superheroes, Pérez chose the cosmic setting for his new series.
Pérez is well-regarded by many fans for the depth and complexity with which he writes female characters, treating them less than props and more like equals to their male counterparts. He is also well-known, especially in regards to Wonder Woman for taking a common element of comics and reinvigorating it with fresh ideas without destroying its core. This would seem to be the approach taken with the series Sirens. The eponymous group of heroes is an all-female team of space heroes. While initially diving into this book, it seems as though Pérez might have lost his touch to some degree. Instead of a strong cohesive narrative, there is a lot of jumping around between characters and even between genres. Readers will see some science-fiction, some fantasy and even a little Western in the opening pages and might wonder where this is all headed. It would seem though that one of the main problems with reinvigorating the genre of outer space heroines is more difficult now than it was twenty years ago, especially with the introduction of many stronger characters into the field of sci-fi.
While the reader might be left wondering what is going on for the first part of the story in issue #1, the confusion does end up being worth the effort. Although it takes a fairly roundabout way to get there, the story does get on track towards the end, coalescing as it does into the team, though in a less conventional way than some origin stories. In the end this ends up being a pretty satisfying read, as Pérez goes from nothing to a compelling story with compelling characters in little time. Although there is still a little bit of confusion by the end of the first issue, the degree to which Pérez has pulled it together is evidence enough that the story should be clear and concise enough by the following issue.
Story and Art: George Perez
Story: 7.8 Art: 8.0 Overall: 7.8 Recommendation: Buy
BOOM! Studios provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review.
George Pérez’s Sirens #1 (of 6)
Writer: George Pérez
Artist: George Pérez
As an intergalactic force enslaves planets across the galaxy, the legendary team known only as the Sirens must reunite to save the galaxy—but is that even possible when the Sirens themselves don’t even remember who they are? And the rest of the universe only remembers them as…villains? A six-issue miniseries featuring your new favorite comic book team, written and drawn by the master himself, George Pérez (Wonder Woman, JLA Vs. Avengers) begins his greatest story yet.
The name George Pérez should say it all, but one of comics’ living masters is back with his own original title. He’s worked on great female characters like Wonder Woman and Scarlet Witch, but this, is a full a team of female heroes of his own creation.
It’s a sci-fi adventure story that spans time and space, featuring a team of female heroes that kick butt across the universe. If you like strong female sci-fi characters like Battlestar Galactica’s Starbuck, Star Wars’ Princess Leia, and Alien’s Ripley, you’ll find a lot to love about GEORGE PÉREZ’S SIRENS!
BOOM! Studios has announced that comics’ legend George Pérez will be embarking on his first nationwide signing tour to promote his new original series, George Pérez’s Sirens. Pérez will be visiting six different comic shops and three conventions in seven states across the country to meet fans and sign copies of his first original comic book series in over a decade. Appearing alongside the luminary creator at several of the events will be the real-life friends and fans who inspired the Sirens themselves.
As an intergalactic force enslaves planets across the galaxy, the legendary team known only as the Sirens must reunite to save the galaxy—but is that even possible when the Sirens themselves don’t even remember who they are? And the rest of the universe only remembers them as…villains? A six-issue bi-monthly miniseries featuring your new favorite comic book team, written and drawn by the master himself, George Pérez begins his greatest story yet.
George Pérez will appear at the following locations and dates:
George Perez’s Sirens #1 comes out in comic shops on September 17.
BOOM! Studios announced today their panels and exclusives for Baltimore Comic-Con, which will take place at the Baltimore Convention Center in Maryland during the weekend of September 5-7.
BOOM! will have several Baltimore Comic-Con exclusive variant covers available for purchase for $10.00 at the booth (#2001) while supplies last including Steven Universe #1 illustrated by Amber Rogers, RoboCop #1 illustrated by Mike Henderson, and George Pérez’s Sirens #1 illustrated by George Pérez. Check out the covers of them below.
Making its convention debut at Baltimore Comic-Con will be KaBOOM!’s Adventure Time Vol. 4 Mathematical Enchiridion Edition hardcover ($50.00), a premium edition of the fourth collection of the award-winning comics based on the hit Cartoon Network animated series created by Pendleton Ward. The book is enclosed in a die-cut leather casewrap and features a new cover image by Zachary Sterling.
BOOM! will also present and participate in the following panels at Baltimore Comic-Con:
Peanuts and Beyond: The Other Side of Charles M. Schulz
Sat., September 6, 1pm-2pm, Ballroom (4th floor)
In this presentation by Karen Johnson (Director, Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center), discover unpublished artworks by Peanuts creator, Charles M. Schulz. Drawn from the collection of his namesake museum in Santa Rosa, California, this discussion will be highlighted by his childhood art, travel sketches, drawings for friends, and conceptual sketches of Snoopy and the Gang. BOOM! Studios’ Editor-In-Chief Matt Gagnon will look at Schulz’s legacy as seen in KaBOOM!’s Peanuts ongoing comic book series.
We Are BOOM!
Sat., September 6, 3pm-4pm, Room 339-434
Last year was a banner year for us here at BOOM! Studios, highlighted by the release of our first feature film 2 Guns (starring Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg) and new first-look deal with 20th Century Fox. Archaia joined us as a new imprint, we expanded the all-ages KaBOOM! lineup, and we launched our newest imprint, BOOM! Box. Join BOOM! Studios Founder and CEO Ross Richie, Editor-In-Chief Matt Gagnon, President of Publishing and Marketing Filip Sablik, along with George Pérez (George Pérez’s Sirens), James Tynion IV (The Woods, Memetic), Marguerite Bennett (Sleepy Hollow, Butterfly), and Mark Waid (Irredeemable, Incorruptible) as we share our mission to create the future of comics…now. We are BOOM! Come Innovate With Us.
What Does an Editor Do?
Sat., September 6, 5pm-6pm, Room 347-348
Something comics fans always wonder about is what an editor does. And with all the changes in comics over the years, how has the editor’s job changed? Find out here as former DC editors Paul Levitz and Bob Greenberger, editor and Senior Vice President of Publishing of Marvel Comics Tom Brevoort, editor and Art Director at DC Comics Mark Chiarello, BOOM! Studios Editor-In-Chief Matt Gagnon, and Valiant’s Editor In Chief Warren Simons talk editing!
George Pérez is a name that is recognized worldwide in comics from his work on Teen Titans, The Avengers, and Wonder Woman. He is one of comics’ living legends whose work is synonymous with epic events, huge casts of characters, and dense storytelling. BOOM! Studios is the home for his first original title in over a decade with George Pérez’s Sirens, a six-issue limited series launching in September. This sweeping cosmic adventure spans time and space and follows a team of female heroes that will appeal to fans of Battlestar Galactica’s Starbuck, Star Wars’ Princess Leia, and Alien’s Ripley.
As an intergalactic force enslaves planets across the galaxy, the legendary team known only as the Sirens must reunite to save the galaxy—but is that even possible when the Sirens themselves don’t even remember who they are? And the rest of the universe only remembers them as…villains? A six-issue miniseries featuring your new favorite comic book team, written and drawn by the master himself, George Pérez begins his greatest story yet.
George Pérez’s Sirens #1 arrives in comic shops on September 17th with a cover price of $3.99 under Diamond order code JUL140949. The main covers include two full-color connecting wraparound covers by George Pérez and another illustrated by Cameron Stewart, with two connecting incentive covers of the George Pérez wraparound cover pencils.
The inaugural All-Star Baltimore Comic-Con Reception will take place on Friday, September 6, 2013 at 8:00 pm, and we’re hosting an an all-star lineup of special comics guests! Join us for this intimate evening, which is unlike anything else the rest of the weekend has to offer! On Saturday and Sunday, thousands of comic book fans will be meeting these creators in the hall. Ticket holders to THIS event will be able to enjoy the company of these creators in a cocktail party setting.
The previously announced guests for the night include Mark Buckingham, Mike Carey, Paul Jenkins, Barry Kitson, George Perez, Stan Sakai, Louise Simonson, Walter Simonson, Mark Waid, and Bill Willingham.
Superstar artist Jim Cheung and award-winning inker Mark Morales have been added to the line-up of special guests for the evening! Jim has recently completed covers for Avengers vs. X-Men and Spider-Men from Marvel Comics, and Mark is currently inking Jim on the hot summer/fall Marvel event, Infinity, is nominated for Best Inker for Avengers vs. X-Men from Marvel Comics at this year’s Harvey Awards, and has won multiple past Harvey Awards for inking Marvel Comics’ Thor.
Matt Sturges, who made waves writing on both Fables and Jack of Fables, joins the all-star line-up as well. The Eisner Award-nominated Sturges, who became exclusive to DC Comics, has written Blue Beetle, Final Crisis Aftermath: Run!, and Justice Society of America.
The exclusive event will be held at a 4-star hotel adjacent to the convention center, high atop the city of Baltimore with a wonderful view of Inner Harbor.
Tickets are now available at baltimorecomiccon.com/tickets/.
Kick-off the Baltimore Comic-Con in style at this private, limited event, which is only open to ticket holders. This special engagement will include a panel discussion and catered light snacks and desserts. A cash bar will be available.
The All-Star Baltimore Comic-Con Reception will include:
The All-Star Reception Packages are priced at $195.00 and does not include admission to the show, which is available separately.
