Tag Archives: dc’s young animal

Preview: Mother Panic #11

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Mother Panic #11

(W) Jody Houser, Jim Krueger (A) Shawn Crystal, Phil Hester (CA) Tommy Lee Edwards
In Shops: Sep 27, 2017
SRP: $3.99

An unexpected face from the past throws Mother Panic’s mission into turmoil. But things from Gather House are never what they seem, especially friendships. Meanwhile, a plan is set in motion at the Pike Hotel to figure out exactly what’s going on in Rebecca’s head. Also features the next exciting chapter of “Gotham Radio” by critically acclaimed team of Jim Krueger and Phil Hester!

Preview: The Wild Storm #7

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The Wild Storm #7

(W) Warren Ellis (A) Jon Davis-Hunt (CA) Bryan Hitch
In Shops: Sep 20, 2017
SRP: $3.99

Jackie King, chief analyst at I.O., tries to make sense of all the pieces scattered across the board since Angela Spica saved Jacob Marlowe’s life. Angela Spica wakes up at Jacob Marlowe’s safe house and starts to realize how far from real life she’s been thrown since then. But life is not slowing down, and Marlowe’s wild covert action team have to extract the last member of their number from an I.O. black site. Meet John Colt-moments before he’s either rescued or murdered or dissected to reveal a secret kept for thousands of years.

Preview: Cave Carson Has a Cybernetic Eye #12

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Cave Carson Has a Cybernetic Eye #12

(W) Jonathan Rivera, Mark Russell (A) Benjamin Dewey (A/CA) Michael Avon Oeming
In Shops: Sep 20, 2017
SRP: $3.99

The final chapter of the Whisperer Saga is here! After learning the devastating truth behind his Cybernetic Eye, Cave teams up with a mysterious new ally to defeat the Whisperer and his forces once and for all. Plus, an all-new “Wonderful World of Rocks with Professor Marc Bartow” article and “Bane’s Coloring Corner” activity page!

Preview: Bug: The Adventures of Forager #4

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Bug: The Adventures of Forager #4

(W) Lee Allred (A) Michael Allred (CA) Adam MacLean
In Shops: Sep 20, 2017
SRP: $3.99

Bug meets Boston Brand, known more commonly as Deadman, one-time circus performer turned nomadic ghost. Deadman has now become trapped in a robotic body, and Bug’s chase through dimensions and realities may just be the key to breaking the spook out of his tin can.

Review: Shade the Changing Girl #12

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Shade the Changing Girl #12 Cover

The first year of Shade the Changing Girl concludes in multiple body swapping, life and death fashion as writer Cecil Castellucci makes all the story threads collide and artists Marley Zarcone, Ande Parks, and Kelly Fitzpatrick channel madness, love, and poetry in surreal psychedelic form. It’s the end of Honey Rich’s life, and the beginning of Loma Shade, Earth girl’s. The comic begins with a nod to Mulholland Drive and some satire of the Hollywood blockbuster system, but leaves Hollywood behind for human connection even if most of the characters are aliens.

I cannot praise Kelly Fitzpatrick’s colors on backgrounds and the Madness circle things enough in Shade #12 throughout the series. There’s blue for when Shade (in Honey’s body) runs to reunite with Lepuck, and then an intense red when Lepuck realize that he’s talking to Honey in Shade’s body. Then, it turns a more subdued background when Lepuck remembers that Life with Honey was Shade’s favorite. The biggest highlight of Fitzpatrick’s work is the full page rainbow and pink splashes to mark Rac Shade’s triumphant return and shunning of his not-the-nicest boyfriend, Mellu.

MortalitySux

The return of Rac Shade marks the most experimental part of Shade #12 with Castellucci, Zarcone, Parks, and Fitzpatrick firing on all cylinders to craft a psychedelic delight. His words have filled the margin of numerous pages of Shade the Changing Girl, and his physical-ish presence in the Madness is pretty overwhelming. Castellucci and Zarcone show the non-linear nature of the Madness where “time means nothing” by having a double page spread where you spin a pencil to pick a scene to read. This double page spread does a decent job of distilling all the major relationships into one cohesive, color shifting, panel flipping unit. It’s an ability that only a true great soul, like Loma or Rac, can control, and Mellu ends up going all melting Nazi in the Raiders of the Lost Ark with his short lived powers.

It’s definitely more of a C-story, but I really latched onto the River, Teacup, and hippo friend, who is a Madness tracker, sub-plot throughout the second arc of Shade the Changing Girl. They are just smart, normal, yet outsider kids looking for Shade, who transformed a mean bully (Megan) into a quirky friend. I love River’s remarks about using the power of technology and the Internet (In his case, hacking his way to plane tickets, hotel, and a fake field trip to L.A.) to make a real life connection with Shade and bond with Teacup along the way. In the middle of a mind expanding, metaphysical story, Castellucci and Zarcone manage to capture the simple pleasure of meeting Internet friends in real life with a side of floating hippos, sort of chestbursters, and body swapping.

There is a real feeling of closure to Shade the Changing Girl #12, especially in Honey Rich’s death scene, which is richly philosophical (And Teacup quips about this part of it.) and down to Earth. Honey realizes that she would be pushing her boundaries to seek stardom in Shade’s body and finds a sweet release in mortality. Zarcone brings back the black and white Life with Honey Honey Rich as a final reminder that her sitcom touched the lives of people beyond the stars. Also, her death in the chrysalis shaped Madness vest gives Shade a new lease of life as a whole girl and not just an Avian messing around in Megan Boyer’s head.

Death and rebirth: it’s doesn’t get more beautiful and poetic than that. Shade the Changing Girl #12 explores these universal themes through the insights and character arcs crafted by Cecil Castellucci; the clean, yet bad dream-like art of Marley Zarcone and Ande Parks, and Kelly Fitzpatrick’s kaleidoscope rainbow color palette. It also sets up a newly whole Shade the Changing Girl for more adventures as a human girl.

Story: Cecil Castellucci Art: Marley Zarcone with Ande Parks
Colors: Kelly Fitzpatrick Backup Art: Katie Jones 
Story: 8.2 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.4 Recommendation: Buy

DC Comics/Young Animal provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Preview: Shade, the Changing Girl #12

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Shade, the Changing Girl #12

(W) Cecil Castellucci (A) Marley Zarcone, Ande Parks, Katie Jones (CA) Becky Cloonan
In Shops: Sep 06, 2017
SRP: $3.99

Shade’s Earthly wanderings reach a dangerous crescendo, as the Metans descend on Hollywood. Can Loma escape by hiding out in Honey’s body, or will that just mean Honey goes with Megan’s body to a Metan jail? Plus, learn the fates of Lepuck, River, and Teacup in the brain-melting conclusion of our first story arc.

Preview: Doom Patrol #8

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Doom Patrol #8

(W) Gerard Way (A/CA) Nick Derington
In Shops: Sep 06, 2017
SRP: $3.99

What is S**t, and why is everyone eating it? Cliff doesn’t like it, but Casey can’t get enough. Sure, Cliff doesn’t like a lot of stuff, but that doesn’t mean he’s wrong to be suspicious this time around. Meanwhile, we find out where Lotion the cat got off to, and how his journey has changed him. Life on the streets has made him an entirely different animal!

Graphic Policy’s Top Comic Picks this Week!

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Wednesdays are new comic book day! Each week hundreds of comics are released, and that can be pretty daunting to go over and choose what to buy. That’s where we come in!

Each week our contributors are choosing up to five books and why they’re choosing the books. In other words, this is what we’re looking forward to and think you should be taking a look!

Find out what folks think below, and what comics you should be looking out for this Wednesday.

Elana

4 Kids Walk Into A Bank issue #5 (Black Mask Studios) – One of the best mini series around, 4 Kids reaches its conclusion. If you want a Stranger Things or Stand By Me type story with an incredibly well written girl protagonist and wise humor this series is for you. Read my review of issues 1-3.

 

Paul

Top Pick: Astonishing X-Men #3 (Marvel) – This X title hit the ground running in the first issue, and shows no signs of letting up. This book has a very interesting group of X-Men making up the team, many I’m happy to see in a team book again. The action is non stop, the writing is really good and one surprise already caught me off guard, so I’m really looking forward to see what else his book is going to throw at me.

Champions #12 (Marvel) – It’s no surprise to anyone following the site that this is one of my favorite titles right now, and I’m really looking forward to this issue and seeing where the team is post Secret Empire. The solicit is promising a change to the line up, and while I do welcome change, I’m a little nervous how a change to the team could change the dynamic and the overall feel of the book. But, I’m optimistic and can’t wait to find out.

Jessica Jones #12 (Marvel) – Being one of my favorite characters (before Netflix and it was cool to be a fan of Jessica’s) I am really enjoying this title. I can’t wait for Maria Hill’s secrets to come to light and how Jessica will react, and how these revelations will shake up Jessica’s world.

 

Javier

Top Pick: World Reader #6 (Aftershock Comics) – I first came across Loveness’ writing in Marvel’s Rocket Racoon & Groot. It was one of the best emotional reads I have had in a while. Since then, if he writes it, I buy it. In his latest work–well supported by Juan Doe’s vibrant art–he gives us more sci-fi laden empathic space travels across the universe, seeking the answers to dead worlds.

Iron Fist #7 (Marvel) – Everybody has been hating on Marvel lately, but they still remain one of the top players in the comic book world and attract top talent (Disney must offer a hell of a health insurance plan). A prime example is Ed Brisson taking over and bringing life back to the Iron Fist character. This latest arc teams him up with Shang-Chi Master of Kung Fu; plus Mike Perkins’, dark colored, action packed art is a visual thrill.

Doom Patrol #8 (DC’s Young Animal) – True, it’s not Grant Morrison’s DP, but Gerard Way’s new take stands on it’s own, and has enough weird to keep me coming back month after month.

Seven to Eternity #9 (Image) – This sci-fi western fantasy by Rick Remender has become one of my favorites. I miss Opena’s art, but Harren is filling in the job nicely.

Postal #22 (Image/TopCow) – Hill and Goodhart are bringing things to a head as the town folk of Eden ready themselves for all out conflict with the FBI.

 

Brett

Top Pick: Poppies of Iraq (Drawn & Quarterly) – So many good books this week, but this is the absolute top of my list. This graphic novel is Brigitte Findakly’s chronicle of her relationship with her homeland of Iraq and the history she experienced there. Can’t wait to read this and see her take.

Ab Irato #5 (Lion Forge Comics) – Lion Forge’s “Catalyst” line of comics is making headlines but this series is some of the smartest writing in comics right now looking at a political uprising from the ground perspective.

Beirut Won’t Cry (Fantagraphics Books) – An artist’s view of the summer of 2006 Israeli attack on Lebanon. While I probably won’t agree with everything said, I want to see what’s said.

Dastardly and Muttley #1 (DC Comics) – Garth Ennis taking on the classic pair. It sounds insane and I can’t wait to read it.

Lazaretto #1 (BOOM! Studios) – A pandemic strikes a dorm complex at a small college and it’s quarantined with kids trapped inside. Sounds like an amazing concept.

Graphic Policy’s Top Comic Picks this Week!

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Wednesdays are new comic book day! Each week hundreds of comics are released, and that can be pretty daunting to go over and choose what to buy. That’s where we come in!

Each week our contributors are choosing up to five books and why they’re choosing the books. In other words, this is what we’re looking forward to and think you should be taking a look!

Find out what folks think below, and what comics you should be looking out for this Wednesday.

Javier

Darkseid Special #1 (DC Comics) – Given that we celebrate Jack Kirby’s centennial this week, this book is auto selected as my number 1 pick. Penned by Mark Evanier (Kirby’s biographer), and with Paul Levitz, it includes Granny Goodness, an OMAC short, and a classic Kirby Fourth World story.

Deadly Class #30 (Image Comics) – 1980s big hair and depression. Remender delivers.

Crosswind #3 (Image Comics) – Gail Simone and Cat Staggs breathe new life into the old body switcheroo story gimmick, with a murderous hitman twist.

Animosity #9 (Aftershock Comics) – Marguerite Bennett’s post-apocalyptic animal ruled world blends action and drama with Latorre’s spellbinding art.

Victor Lavalle’s Destroyer (BOOM! Studios) – There’s definitely some hubris in including the writer’s name in the comic book’s title, but this is the Victor Lavalle who wrote ‘Slapboxing with Jesus’ and ‘The Ballad of Black Tom’. His graphic update on Shelley’s Frankenstein is potentially the BOOM! sleeper hit of 2017.

 

Brett

All-Star Batman #13 (DC Comics) – All-Star Batman has been one the most consistently entertaining comics from DC and one of the best comics on the market. A character study in comics and a must read.

John Carpenter Tales of Science Fiction: Vault #2 (Storm King Comics) – Great science fiction horror action that ups the tense setting and story.

Return of the Dapper Men (Top Shelf/IDW Publishing) – The award winning graphic novel is reprinted with new material. If you missed it the first time, now is your chance to get it.

Star Wars #35/Star Wars: Jedi of the Republic – Mace Windu #1 (Marvel) – Some of the best comics Marvel has been producing has been their Star Wars comics and this week we get two releases that I’m sure are entertaining if the past releases are any indication. Add in a comic just focused on mace Windu and I’m totally in.

Transformers: Optimus Prime #10 (IDW Publishing) – IDW’s Transformers comics have been knocking it out of the park with political intrigue, action, lots of drama, and some of the best science fiction allegories being produced today. These comics feel like they have more in common with the original Star Trek than they do the 80s cartoon.

 

Preview: Mother Panic #10

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Mother Panic #10

(W) Jody Houser, Jim Krueger (A) Shawn Crystal, Phil Hester, Ande Parks (CA) Tommy Lee Edwards
In Shops: Aug 23, 2017
SRP: $3.99

Back to full strength, Violet Paige hits the Gotham City party scene to dig up more clues for the people behind Gather House. What she finds is a figure from her past who she thought was long dead. Meanwhile, Violet’s allies discover something disturbing about her mother…

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