X-Men #21
(W) Jonathan Hickman (A) Russell Dauterman, More (CA) Leinil Francis Yu (VCA) Russell Dauterman, Phil Jimenez, Emanuela Lupacchino, Lucas Werneck
32 PGS./Rated T+
In Shops: Jun 09, 2021
SRP: $3.99
THE HEROES OF KRAKOA DEBUT!
It’s a changing if the guard as the first X-Men team of Krakoa debuts! One era ends as a new one begins, and the handoff happens here.
Batman: Black & White #5
Written by: Mariko Tamaki, Lee Weeks, Kieron Gillen, Jorge Jimenez
Art by: Jorge Jimenez, Emanuela Lupacchino, Lee Weeks, Jamie McKelvie
The penultimate issue of the acclaimed return to Batman Black & White is here with a look at some of Gotham City’s most twisted and compelling souls. • Superstar Batman artist Jorge Jimenez writes and illustrates a story starring Bruce and Damian Wayne as they try to prepare for a sting operation as Batman and Robin, with Damian questioning Bruce’s methods every step of the way. • Multiple Eisner Award-winning writer of Detective Comics Mariko Tamaki and fan-favorite artist Emanuela Luppachino show what’s become of Gilda Dent, former bride of Two-Face and current scourge of super- villains. • Jamal Campbell, acclaimed co-creator of Naomi and Green Lantern Jo Mullein from Far Sector, tells a story that spans the full history of Nightwing. • Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie, the celebrated team behind Phonogram, Young Avengers, and The Wicked + the Devine, make their DC debut with a story that pits Batman against the Riddler in a way you’ve never seen before! • And finally, legendary comics artist Lee Weeks writes and draws a story that has the ghosts of Jim Gordon’s past coming back to haunt him!
Rooster Teeth and DC join forces once again, this time to combine the worlds of their popular anime/manga series with the World’s Greatest Super Heroes in RWBY/Justice League! RWBY/Justice League will be released in print as a monthly seven-issue series launching Tuesday, April 27. For fans wanting to jump into the story a few weeks before print issues arrive, four digital chapters of RWBY/Justice League debuted digitally this week, with new digital chapters publishing weekly on Tuesdays.
Written by Marguerite Bennett and featuring art by Aneke, Stephanie Pepper, and Emanuela Lupacchino, this seven-issue monthly miniseries brings Team RWBY face to face with DC’s paragons of justice!
RWBY/Justice League introduces fans of manga and superheroes to the Bruce Wayne, Clark Kent and Diana Prince of Remnant, fighting with Team RWBY. A new Grimm is running rampant across the island of Patch, and Ruby and Yang must team up with a young red and blue-clad farm boy to stop it! Meanwhile, Blake meets a mysterious woman who’s suddenly appeared on Menagerie, but her purpose for being there remains a secret. And why does she act like she hasn’t been around modern society?
Featuring stunning covers and character designs by Mirka Andolfo and a card stock variant cover by Simone Di Meo, this unique team up is sure to be a hit with fans of superheroes and manga alike!
Future State: The Next Batman #4
Written by: Paula Sevenbergen, Vita Ayala, John Ridley
Art by: Aneke, Emanuela Lupacchino, Laura Braga
The next Batman goes head-to-head with the Magistrate’s shock troops to protect the…guilty?! It’s a savage running battle across Gotham City, and it will have the next Dark Knight fighting overwhelming odds to prove that justice still lives in the heart of a broken city.
In the finale of “Batgirls,” after discovering the person locked in the high-security cell is the one who’s been sending out “Batman Lives” signals to the Resistance, Stephanie Brown and Cassandra Cain must work together to make sure they take that person when they escape their prison!
Plus, in the conclusion of “Gotham City Sirens,” Catwoman and the new android Siren hide out in Poison Ivy’s newly built paradise, where they discuss their past relationships, including what Catwoman has—or had—with Batman. But when Peacekeeper forces arrive, the new Siren will have to make a sacrifice to save her friends.
Iron Fist: Heart of the Dragon #2 (of 6)
(W) Larry Hama (A) Dave Wachter (CA) Billy Tan (VCA) Emanuela Lupacchino, Marcos Martin
Rated T+
In Shops: Feb 17, 2021
SRP: $3.99
THE HEAVENLY CITIES ARE COMING TO EARTH, AND THEY’RE BRINGING HELL WITH THEM!
• Danny voyages into the Heart of Heaven, only to find his destination lies elsewhere…the hellish, hidden Eighth City!
• What is the dark force behind the ancient gate that stands locked in the heart of the Eighth City?
• The only way to stop the ravaging hordes is to bring the Heavenly Cities to Earth, but will even that be enough?
Following gen:LOCK and the first RWBY, Rooster Teeth and DC are joining forces once again, this time to combine the worlds of their popular anime/manga series with the World’s Greatest Super Heroes in RWBY/Justice League, a weekly Digital First series debuting on participating digital platforms such as Comixology, Amazon Kindle and Apple on Tuesday, March 9, with new chapters released every week. RWBY/Justice League will also be released in print as a monthly seven-issue series, launching Tuesday, April 27. Each print issue will contain two digital chapters.
Written by Marguerite Bennett and featuring art by Aneke, Stephanie Pepper, and Emanuela Lupacchino, this seven-issue monthly miniseries brings Team RWBY face to face with DC’s paragons of justice.
RWBY/Justice League introduces fans of manga and superheroes to the Bruce Wayne, Clark Kent and Diana Prince of Remnant, fighting with Team RWBY. A new Grimm is running rampant across the island of Patch, and Ruby and Yang must team up with a young red and blue-clad farm boy to stop it! Meanwhile, Blake meets a mysterious woman who’s suddenly appeared on Menagerie, but her purpose for being there remains a secret. And why does she act like she hasn’t been around modern society?
Featuring a stunning cover and Justice League character designs by Mirka Andolfo and a card stock variant cover by Simone Di Meo, this unique team-up is sure to be a hit with fans of superheroes and manga alike!
Future State: The Next Batman #2
Written by: Vita Ayala, Paula Sevenbergen, John Ridley
Art by: Aneke, Emanuela Lupacchino, Laura Braga
In this second Future State: Batman chapter, wearing a mask in Gotham City is now a crime-and when it’s compounded with murder, it can be a shoot-on-sight offense! Batman is on the trail of a murderous couple but quickly finds that all is not as it seems…and finds himself in the firing line of the Magistrate and their Peacekeepers! The gritty, street-level adventures of the new Dark Knight continue! Also in this issue, Batgirls Cassandra Cain and Stephanie Brown find themselves in a prison where the Magistrate throws heroes and villains alike! What no one knows, though, is that Cassandra was sent there with a mission… And in a story of the Gotham City Sirens, some girls just want to have fun-so what do you do when you find Gotham City in turmoil and overrun by Cybers? You go shopping, of course! Join Catwoman, Poison Ivy, and a new Siren on a gal’s night out. They’re on the town, looking for trouble…and finding it!
Generations Shattered #1 is an interesting comic. As a standalone miniseries, the story would be quite compelling and engaging. But, with its release of “Future State”, the comic isn’t released in a vacuum. Spinning out of Dark Nights: Death Metal, the story involves a villain using the messed up time and history to shape their own. A group of heroes throughout time are gathered to save the day.
The concept of Generations Shattered #1 and where it goes would be an event miniseries I’d take a lot of interest in normally. But, it’s a bit of an oddity with the release of all of the other “Future State” comics. While they focus on possible future events, this one features a villain attempting to shape a new reality and history. Where it fits into this reshaping of the DC Universe and history is a bit of a headscratcher. While time seems to have mended as per other comics, maybe not? It’s a little unclear how this fits into what’s going on.
Written by Dan Jurgens, Andy Schmidt, and Robert Venditti, Generations Shattered #1 brings the heroes together in an oversized first issue. Dragged out feels like a better way to describe it. The issue is mostly the heroes being gathered as time is erased as it’s being rewritten. Over 45 pages are dedicated to this creating a slow build and long way to get to the point. Other comics have done the “gathering of characters” and their introduction quicker and in a much more entertaining way.
What this does though is give a massive amount of artists to stretch their legs. Each segment is handled by a different team giving the comic a jam-session sort of feel. That could be interesting as well if any of the art really popped. There’s not bad but there’s little that’s exciting either. Still, it’s fun to see the different styles and takes on the characters from so many artists.
Generations Shattered #1 is an oddity of a comic. It’s hampered by its release along “Future State” making its story a bit confusing. The concept is quite good and entertaining, especially where it leaves things. But, it takes forever to get to the interesting part. It’s a comic I both felt like a chore to read but at the same time I want to see where it goes.
Story: Dan Jurgens, Andy Schmidt, Robert Venditti
Art: Ivan Reis, Joe Prado, Scott Hanna, Fernando Pasarin, Oclair Albert, Aaron Lopresti, Matt Ryan, Emanuela Lupacchino, Wade Von Grawbadger, Bernard Chang, Yanick Paquette, Kevin Nowlan, Dan Jurgens, Klaus Janson, Paul Pelletier, Sandra Hope, John Romita, Jr., Danny Miki, Doug Braithwaite, Rags Morales, Klaus Janson, Mike Perkins
Color: Hi-Fi Letterer: Tom Napolitano
Story: 6.0 Art: 7.0 Overall: 6.0 Recommendation: Read
DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Purchase: comiXology – Amazon – Kindle – Zeus Comics
S.W.O.R.D. #1
Story: Al Ewing
Art: Valerio Schiti
Variant Cover: Emanuela Lupacchino, Terry Dodson
Rated T+
In Shops: Dec 09, 2020
SRP: $4.99
ONE GIANT LEAP FOR MUTANTKIND!
The Mutant nation of Krakoa has quickly become a major force on the world stage… but why stop there? Krakoa has relaunched the Sentient World Observation & Response Directorate – a fully independent organization dealing with all things extra-terrestrial on behalf of all of Earth. Al Ewing and Valerio Schitti, the team behind EMPYRE, bring us the tale of Mutantkind looking to do for the galaxy what Krakoa did for the planet.
Black Widow: Widow’s Sting #1
(W) Ralph Macchio (A) Simone Buonfantino (CA) Emanuela Lupacchino
Rated T+
In Shops: Oct 28, 2020
SRP: $3.99
Something’s stirring in the criminal underworld. Maggia boss SILVERMANE is making his move. S.H.I.E.L.D. has sent an agent in to investigate, but they’ve disappeared. It’s time to call in the heavy hitters. It’s time to call in the BLACK WIDOW. And the plan NATASHA ROMANOFF will uncover is far deadlier than any of them realized. Don’t miss this all-new tale from the dangerous, deep-cover days of the Black Widow!
