Tag Archives: chiara di francia

Disney Villains: Scar #1 adds to the classic animated film

Disney Villains: Scar #1

I’ll admit it, I’m not sure if I’ve ever watched The Lion King. I feel like I’ve seen the musical, but the film, can’t really remember. So, going into Disney Villains: Scar #1, I’m pretty blank as far as what to expect. I know the basics, Scar thinks he should be king and has an issue Simba possibly taking the throne “away” from him.

Disney Villains: Scar #1 takes place during the film, a story that’s parallel to it, revealing unknown moments in Scar’s journey. The first issue shows Scar at a low point, beaten, broken, a plan begins to formulate which sends him on a journey to claim the throne.

Writer Chuck Brown does a fantastic job of creating a story that can be enjoyed on its own or as part of a bigger story. Scar, grumbling and angry, is a character that’s easy to understand and his journey can be enjoyed even not knowing the main story of The Lion King. While I don’t know them, Scar’s journey has him coming across and meeting various characters who I’m sure are more familiar to those who know the movie. But, prior knowledge isn’t needed at all.

The art by Trevor Fraley is solid. The characters look good and there’s a dark cloud that hangs over the issue without it feeling gloomy. That’s helped by the color by Chiara Di Francia and lettering by Jeff Eckleberry which each adds to the overall vibe of the debut. At moments, the visuals actually make you feel a bit sorry for Scar. But, you’re quickly reminded he’s the villain of the story… as far as we know.

Disney Villains: Scar #1 is a solid start. It does a fantastic job of forging its own path of a story while also weaving that through an established and loved story that has existed for decades. It’s additive in that way presenting a main character we know we’re supposed to hiss at but the comic delivers just enough to feel some sympathy too.

Story: Chuck Brown Art: Trevor Fraley
Color: Chiara Di Francia Letterer: Jeff Eckleberry
Story: 8.25 Art: 8.0 Overall: 8.2 Recommendation: Buy

Dynamite Entertainment provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review


Purchase: TFAWZeus ComicscomiXology/Kindle

Traveling to Mars #4 is another amazing issue with so much depth

Who will be the first person to travel to mars? There’s work going on now to determine who that might be in reality. Traveling to Mars is that story, with a twist.

Story: Mark Russell
Art: Roberto Meli
Color: Chiara Di Francia
Letterer: Mattia Gentili

Get your copy now! To find a comic shop near you, visit http://www.comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-comicbook or digitally and online with the links below.

Zeus Comics
comiXology/Kindle


This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and make a purchase, we’ll receive a percentage of the sale. Graphic Policy does purchase items from this site. Making purchases through these links helps support the site

Traveling to Mars #3 is an amazing read

Who will be the first person to travel to mars? There’s work going on now to determine who that might be in reality. Traveling to Mars is that story, with a twist.

Story: Mark Russell
Art: Roberto Meli
Color: Chiara Di Francia
Letterer: Mattia Gentili

Get your copy now! To find a comic shop near you, visit http://www.comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-comicbook or digitally and online with the links below.

Zeus Comics
comiXology/Kindle


This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and make a purchase, we’ll receive a percentage of the sale. Graphic Policy does purchase items from this site. Making purchases through these links helps support the site

Traveling to Mars #2 adds depth and makes the comic into far more than simple satire

Who will be the first person to travel to mars? There’s work going on now to determine who that might be in reality. Traveling to Mars is that story, with a twist.

Story: Mark Russell
Art: Roberto Meli
Color: Chiara Di Francia
Letterer: Mattia Gentili

Get your copy now! To find a comic shop near you, visit http://www.comicshoplocator.com or call 1-888-comicbook or digitally and online with the links below.

Zeus Comics
comiXology/Kindle


This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and make a purchase, we’ll receive a percentage of the sale. Graphic Policy does purchase items from this site. Making purchases through these links helps support the site

Marvel celebrates 100 years of Disney with more variant covers featuring Mickey, Minnie, and more!

The Walt Disney Company will mark its 100th anniversary in 2023 and will celebrate the incredible storytellers, creators, and fans who, together, spark the magic and wonder of Disney. Disney100 is a celebration of that journey and will bring new experiences with beloved characters around the globe, and Marvel will be marking the occasion with a special monthly Disney100 Variant Cover Program featuring Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, and more.

The variant program in honor of Disney100 will celebrate Marvel’s past, present, and future through the classic “What If” lens with a fantastic reimagining of Marvel’s most classic comic book covers. While the initial trio of these first-of-its-kind art pieces paid homage to the foundational stories of the Marvel Universe, the next set will celebrate some of Marvel’s more modern game changing stories! See Disney’s iconic characters immersed in pivotal moments of the Marvel mythos including the earth-shattering 90s event Infinity Gauntlet, the debut of the lineup of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes that would define the 2000s in New Avengers #1, and the transformative journey Tony Stark went on in the pages of Invincible Iron Man.

With 12 covers in total, fans can look forward to a new Disney100 variant cover (also available in Black and White versions) hitting stands each month of 2023 at local comic book shops. The variant covers will be found on select upcoming issues of Amazing Spider-Man starting with Amazing Spider-Man #17 on January 11.

Amazing Spider-Man #25 is by Donald Soffritti with colors by Chiara Di Francia, Amazing Spider-Man #25 by Soffritti and Di Francia, and Amazing Spider-Man #27 by Claudio Sciarrone and colors by Enrico Pennazza.

Marvel will help celebrate 100 years of Disney with variant covers

Across The Walt Disney Company next year, Disney 100 Years of Wonder will honor and showcase the rich legacy of storytelling and immersive experiences that have been a hallmark of Disney since its founding on October 16, 1923. Disney’s 100th anniversary will be celebrated around the globe, and Marvel will be marking the occasion with a special monthly Disney100 Variant Cover Program featuring Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, and more.

The variant program in honor of Disney100 will celebrate Marvel’s past, present, and future through the classic “What If” lens with a fantastic reimagining of Marvel’s most classic comic book covers. These first-of-its-kind art pieces will see Disney’s iconic characters immersed in the magic of Marvel storytelling as they pay homage to legendary moments in the Marvel Comics mythos, including Captain America assembling Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in Avengers #4, as well as the groundbreaking debut issues of Fantastic Four and Incredible Hulk.

With 12 covers in total, fans can look forward to a new Disney100 variant cover (also available in Black and White versions) hitting stands each month of 2023 at local comic book shops. The variant covers will be found on select upcoming issues of Amazing Spider-Man starting with Amazing Spider-Man #17 on January 11.

  • Amazing Spider-Man #17Lorenzo Pastrovicchio with colors by Valeria De Sanctis
  • Amazing Spider-Man #19 Giada Perissinotto with colors by Chiara Di Francia
  • Amazing Spider-Man #21Vitale Mangiatordi with colors by Valeria De Sanctis

Review: Image! 30th Anniversary Anthology #1

Image! 30th Anniversary Anthology #1

It’s been 30 years since Image Comics launched. I remember fondly the buzz and excitement of these amazing creators breaking off on their own and creating whole new worlds no longer shackled by corporate bosses. I also remember reading a lot of those early comics and scratching my head. The art was definitely better than the stories with each series varying wildly in the overall quality. A lot has changed in that time with many ups and downs for the company. Image! 30th Anniversary Anthology #1 doesn’t celebrate what was, it instead what is. The anthology focuses on the current crop of creators releasing their creations under the publisher. It’s not a reflection of those titans who started it all.

Image has come a long way and this anthology is evidence of that. With a who’s who of creators, Image! 30th Anniversary Anthology #1 features a little something for almost everyone. There’s a lack of all-ages content, but, with so much adult content, it’d feel a little out of place. And boy is there adult content. Serial killers, murder, violence, the stories within are fare from the general “spandex superheroes” the publisher launched with. Sure, Image pushed the envelope in many ways when it launched, but the first story involves a child killer being killed on the footsteps of a courthouse. If there’s ever a flag planted that says this isn’t the Image of old, that’s a pretty big one.

And there’s a lot of variety here. The stories are pretty entertaining with few that are outright clunkers. But, with every anthology there’s some stories you’ll enjoy and some you probably won’t. It’s the nature of anthologies.

The art is generally top-notch. There’s a wide variety of styles and designs. Image! 30th Anniversary Anthology #1 features black and white gritty stories to bright colored neon explosions. The stories themselves are a mixture of cartoony manga inspired designs to grittier noir-ish tales that whose looks feel like they’re inspired by Frank Miller. Like the stories themselves, there’s a lot to take in and surely there’ll be some that readers will enjoy and some they don’t.

Image! 30th Anniversary Anthology #1 is an interesting comic. With it, the publisher seems focused on what is and what’s to come. This isn’t so much a celebration of the past 30 years of Image, it’s looking ahead at the next 30.

Story: Geoff Johns, Declan Shalvey, Wyatt Kennedy, Wes Craig, Skottie Young, Mirka Andolfo, Erica Henderson, Brenden Fletcher, Kyle Higgins, Patrick Kindlon
Art: Andrea Mutti, Declan Shalvey, Luana Vecchio, Wes Craig, Skottie Young, Mirka Andolfo, Daniele Di Nicuolo, Maurizio Rosenzweig
Color: Jason Wordie, Chiara Di Francia, Walter Baiamonte, Katia Ranalli
Letterer: Rob Leigh, Clayton Cowles, Fabio Amelia, Becca Carey
Editor: Brian Cunningham, Heather Antos

Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review


Purchase: comiXology/KindleZeus ComicsTFAW

Mirka Andolfo’s Red Sonja #1 Goes Back to Press

Following the news of Red Sonja #1 being completely sold out at the distributor level, Dynamite has announced a second printing of the smash hit issue by Mirka Andolfo!

Rushing back to press to meet demand, Red Sonja #1 Second Printing (Diamond code: JUL218026) will feature on Final Order Cutoff the weekend of September 13. Right alongside the second issue’s final orders, then the two will conveniently release together October 6.

Due to the tight timeline and limited paper available, the second print will not have a new cover, and is limited to 2,000 copies. However, the new printing features a cool blue logo treatment to differentiate it from the first printing. This rewards fans for being early adopters, as well as makes it a fun variant for new readers and collectors to add to their run.

Retailers and fans will be excited to learn that Red Sonja #2 also features some exciting variants available this weekend at FOC. Two new covers have been added, and are fully “open order” for retailers, requiring no order thresholds. Logo-free “virgin” editions and more are available as incentives.

Captivating cartoonist Tony Fleecs lends a hand for a Red Sonja cover like no other. Singaporean superstar Lesley “Leirix” Li also turns in another stunner, quickly becoming a Dynamite fan-favorite.

The second issue by writers Mirka Andolfo and Luca Blengino, artist Giuseppe Cafaro, colorist Chiara Di Francia, and letterer Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou ramps up the “Mother” arc Sonja injured and relying more on her new companion Sitha – first appearing in issue #1. As their bond grows and they learn more about each other’s pasts, their journey becomes all the more dangerous.

Red Sonja #1 Second Printing and Red Sonja #2 are both on FOC September 13 for an in stores release of October 6. Retailers and readers can place their final orders for these books and all their exciting covers.

Legendary Comics Launches a New YA Imprint – Legendary Comics YA

Legendary Comics YA

Launching with a slate of five original graphic novels created for the young adult space, Legendary Comics has announced a new imprint, Legendary Comics YA, dedicated to telling original and character-driven stories across a wide array of genres. With a commitment to amplify new voices, spotlight diverse perspectives, and seek out passionate talent telling authentic stories, the imprint gives emerging and veteran artists a platform to share stories never told before and retell classics from a new point of view, in hopes to transport readers to other worlds that span a range of genres, from fantasy to historical fiction, and beyond.

The Legendary Comics YA slate includes:

  • Championess (in stores now) – based on the true story of Elizabeth Wilkinson, a female bare-knuckle boxer in 18th century London. Elizabeth, reimagined as half-Indian, and her sister Tess struggle to make ends meet and cover Tess’s debts. While Elizabeth works odd jobs at the local newspaper, the only way she knows how to make enough money to help them survive is her true passion, bareknuckle boxing. With Tess’s support, Elizabeth trains at the boxing facility of one of the most famous retired boxers and the only real fight promoter of any notoriety, James Figg. As Elizabeth trains with Figg and James Stokes, she confronts her personal demons of what destroyed her family and comes to terms with being the first half-Indian female boxer in a white male world. Writers: Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas. Arist: Amanda Perez Puentes.
  • The Heart Hunter (August 3, 2021) – set on the cursed island of Envecor, where everyone is doomed to wear their heart outside their body and are immortal—unable to die, to change, to have children — until they find their soul mate. Paired soul mates are then turned mortal, freed from the curse, and able to leave. But all fairy tales have a dark side: those who don’t want to lose their immortality pay “Heart Hunters” to find their soul mates and kill them so they may remain immortal. Psyche, a Heart Hunter, is hired by the king to kill his soulmate. As she sets out on her quest, she begins her own journey of mending her broken heart and learning to trust again. Writer: Mickey George. Artist: V. Gagnon.
  • Lupina (September 9, 2021) – a six-part captivating saga about a young girl on a journey of revenge with her wolf companion. In the coastal town of Kote, recently brought under the yoke of the Addalian Empire, four-year-old Lupa spends her days getting bullied by her older sister and hiding behind her mother’s skirts. But when tragedy strikes, Lupa finds herself alone in a new world… alone until she’s found by the she-wolf, Coras, and sets off on a journey of discovery… and revenge. Writer: Eisner Award-nominated writer James F. Wright. Artist: Li Buszka.
  • The Witches of Silverlake (October 1, 2022) – the story of Elliot Green, who moves across country to start high school in one of Los Angeles’ most prestigious private schools. He’s quickly taken in by the school’s outcasts: the scholarship kids; the queer kids; and the ones who just don’t really fit in with the glossy trust fund babies of SJTBA. They quickly let him in on their little secret…they are witches. Elliot joins them in their world among the crystal stores and occult shops of Silverlake and ends up joining his new friends’ coven. During one of their magical experiments, they accidentally release a bloodthirsty demon that starts murdering their classmates and teachers. Elliot and his coven realize that the fun and games of playing with crystals and candles is over, that magic is powerful, real, and that it might be more dangerous than they’d ever imagined. Writer: Simon Curtis. Artist: Stephanie Son.
  • Tragic (April 18, 2022) – a retelling of Shakespeare’s Hamlet from a queer lens and told through the eyes of 17-year-old Harper Hayes. After her father Hamilton dies a mysterious and tragic death, Harper is convinced that he was murdered, and her first suspect is her uncle, who has been sleeping with her mother. With the help of her ex-girlfriend Talia and her best friend (sometimes with benefits) Holden, Harper is determined to find her father’s killer. But when Caius, Talia’s father and Hamilton’s business partner, is also found dead, Harper realizes the answer to Hamilton’s murder is more complicated than she had initially realized. As Harper begins to see her father’s ghost in the form of a teenage Hamlet everywhere and starts slipping into hallucinations of his murder that end with blood on her hands, one thing becomes clear—in order to uncover the truth about what happened to her father, Harper has to confront her own demons and ones that haunt the Hayes family. Writer: Dana Mele. Artist: Valentina Pinti. Colorist: Chiara Di Francia.

Tragic is a Retelling of Hamlet from a Queer Lens

Legendary Comics announced today a new original graphic novel, Tragic, a retelling of Shakespeare’s Hamlet exploring family, mystery and death, from Pushcart-nominated writer Dana Mele. Featuring artwork from artist Valentina Pinti and colorist Chiara Di Francia, Tragic takes on redefined and curious characters layered into a queer narrative that weaves together both lovely and unsettling perspectives inspired by the infamously classic tragedy. The graphic novel is set for release in Spring 2022.

Tragic is told through the eyes of 17-year-old Harper Hayes. After her father Hamilton dies a mysterious and tragic death, Harper is convinced that he was murdered, and her first suspect is her uncle, who has been sleeping with her mother. With the help of her ex-girlfriend Talia and her best friend (sometimes with benefits) Holden, Harper is determined to find her father’s killer. But when Caius, Talia’s father and Hamilton’s business partner, is also found dead, Harper realizes the answer to Hamilton’s murder is more complicated than she had initially realized. As Harper begins to see her father’s ghost in the form of a teenage Hamlet everywhere and starts slipping into hallucinations of his murder that end with blood on her hands, one thing becomes clear—in order to uncover the truth about what happened to her father, Harper has to confront her own demons and ones that haunt the Hayes family. 

Tragic
Recent Entries »