BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA V. 1: THE HELL OF THE MIDNIGHT ROAD & THE GHOSTS OF STORMS (review) AT FORCES OF GEEK

Big Trouble In Little China V. 1:

The Hell of The Midnight Road & The Ghosts of Storms

Story by John Carpenter and Eric Powell

Written by Eric Powell

Art by Brian Churilla

Colored by Michael Garland

Lettered by Ed Dukeshire

Cover by Eric Powell

Published by BOOM! Studios
Publication Date: June 03, 2015
UPC 978160886716551499
Buy it HERE
Available on Comixology

John Carpenter’s Big Trouble in Little China returned last year in comic book form thanks to Carpenter himself (story) and The Goon’s Eric Powell with Brian Churilla (The Sixth Gun) on art.

BOOM! Studios released the first volume of continuing adventures of The Pork Chop Express last month. Jack is back, baby and he’s born ready to rock!

Let him regale you with tales of his ex-wives as he deals with a pet demon named Pete takes on the evil Wing Kong with his pal Egg Shen.

Issue #12 is out today but to get the party started, check out Volume 1 collecting issues 1—4.

“Have ya paid your dues, Jack?”

“Yessir, the check is in the mail”.

[READ MORE AT FORCES OF GEEK]

Dig Boston and League Podcast Comics Picks of the Week for Wed. July 1, 2015

COMICS

Matt Wagner (Grendel, Batman) picks up Will Eisner’s The Spirit and places him in a brand new #1 from Dynamite! Here’s to a version of Denny Colt for a brand new set of pulp fans! …Chew #50 is the story of cops, crooks, cooks, cannibals, and clairvoyants. The capital culinary comic confuses and confounds with it’s capillary clogging cantankerousness! … Canada is being invaded 100 years into the future by the US in Brian K. Vaughn (Saga) and Steve Skroce’s (Matrix) We Stand on Guard #1!… Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com!

THE ROCKETEER: THE COMPLETE ADVENTURES TPB (review) - at FORCES OF GEEK

THE ROCKETEER - THE COMPLETE ADVENTURES TPB

By Dave Stevens

Coloring by Laura Martin

Lettering by Carrie Spiegle

Volume 1 art assist by Jaimie Hernandez

Co-writers of Volume 2, chapters 2 & 3: 

Danny Bilson & Paul Demeo

Volume 2 art assist by: Art Adams, 

Geof Darrow, Gary Gianni, Mike Kaluta,

 Stan Manoukian, Sandy Plunkett, and Vince Roucher

Volume 2, chapters 2 & 3 covers by: Dave Stevens

 and painted by Dave Dorman and Paul Chadwick

Edited by Scott Dunbier

Collected Edition by: Justin Eisinger and Alonzo Simon

Cover by Dave Stevens

IDW Publishing

Release Date: March 18, 2015

Cover Price: $19.99

UPC: 978163140227251999

Buy It HERE

Available on Amazon Kindle

Summertime is the best time to catch up on reading! One of the classic comic characters I have always wanted to know more about, since seeing his 1991 film was The Rocketeer. 

The pulp hero, inspired by art deco design and the creations of Howard Hughes (see The Aviator) was the titular work of Dave Stevens, a cartoonist and storyboard artist that passed away in 2008.

IDW released an accessible paperback volume of our hood ornament of a hero with The Rocketeer The Complete Adventures in association with the Stevens Estate. The publisher and Stevens before his death tapped the talented Laura Martin to remaster the colors for the hardcover edition.

This book is the best independent comics has to offer, a legendarily rare creation with extraordinary art and dogfight action.

The Rocketeer wasn’t created in the time of the pulps, but instead captures the spirit of that high-flying time in American history with Cliff Secord,  The Rocketeer and his sometime pin-up gal pal Betty.

Back in 2013, we covered Mark Waid’s Rocketeer & The Spirit: Pulp Friction. The two heroes are a perfect pairing for an adventure, but this was all I knew of Cliff and Peevy the mechanic besides the film.

Reading the ‘real’ Rocketeer makes me itch for more of these kinds of tales, hopefully Waid, Langridge. Samnee and J. Bone continue to work on more tales of Cliff under the IDW imprint.

[READ MORE AT FORCES OF GEEK]

Dig Boston and League Podcast Comics Picks of the Week for Wed. June 24, 2015

COMICS

Mickey Mouse heads out on The Lost Explorers Trail with help from Goofy and Eurasia Toft in a brand new Mickey Mouse #1 from IDW! … We all remember 1992, right? Well, maybe some of you were just born. This was a time when comics had more hologram covers and pouches than you can shake a Mjolnir at. X-Men ‘92 #1 transforms us to that magical time when En Vogue ruled the airwaves. … Nathan Edmondson and Mitch Gerards’ Punisher #19 closes in on Frank Castle’s last days, hot on the heels of him Jon Bernthal being cast as Big Pun in Daredevil Season 2. … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com!

THE COMIC BOOK HISTORY OF COMICS (book review) at FORCE OF GEEK

The Comic Book History of Comics

By: Fred Van Lente and Ryan Dunlavey

Type: Graphic Novels

Publisher: IDW Publishing

Pub. Date: May 23, 2012

UPC: 978161377197652199

BUY ON AMAZON OR KINDLE

Pencils down, True Believers!

As the The Rise of Superheroes and Their Impact On Pop Culture edX course winds down, my extra curricular activities have not stagnated.

In fact, I’ve dusted off a few academic books about comics to further my station (in an audited class—I was never one for impressing actual teachers).

A few weeks ago we talked The DC Comics Guide to Writing Comics.  This week, I completed Fred Van Lente and Ryan Dunlavey’s illustrated Comic Book History of Comics and am still processing what they’ve done.

By breaking down the history of comics in the selfsame sequential art medium, they have achieved nerd nirvana.

Not since Scott McCloud’s Understanding Comics have I felt such a connection with the books I love so much.

I was lucky enough to speak with the ‘Evil Twin Studios’ artist Ryan back in 2013 for the debut of Action Presidents #1(George Washington).

[READ MORE AT FORCES OF GEEK]

Dig Boston and League Podcast Comics Picks of the Week for Wed. June 17, 2015

COMICS

The Shadow knows! Before comics there were the pulps full of rich heroes taking on the criminal set in the night with a mask on. Dynamite’s The Shadow #100 celebrates the anniversary with pulp fans Matt Wagner, Howard Chaykin and Francesco Francavilla. … With Secret Wars, many Thors have surfaced. We got a frog, a horse, a lady and a Hemsworth. Check out all the Asgardian Hammer Gods in Thors #1 this week. … Jason Shawn Alexander (Abe Sapien) unleashes a new sci-fi/horror series with The Empty Zone, set in a haunted dystopian future Empty Zone #1 is from Image Comics, the Vertigo of the new age! … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com!

Triple Shot: CONSTANTINE: THE HELLBLAZER #1, CLARENCE #1 & NEGATIVE SPACE #1 AT FORCES OF GEEK

Triple Shot: CONSTANTINE: THE HELLBLAZER #1, CLARENCE #1 & NEGATIVE SPACE #1

Three new number ones this week for our Triple Shot!

Ming Doyle teams up with James Tynion IV for the DCYou take on Constantine: The Hellblazer, Liz Prince (Tomboy) and artist Evan Palmer (Munchkin) step into the world of Cartoon Network’s newest creation, Clarence and we preview next month’s Negative Space #1 from Ryan K Lindsay.

CONSTANTINE: THE HELLBLAZER #1
WRITER: Ming Doyle, James Tynion IV
ART:  Riley Rossmo
Publication Date: June 10, 2015
Price: $2.99
Publisher: DC Comics
UPC: 76194133011200111
Buy it HERE

 

New creative team Ming Doyle (Mara, The Kitchen)
and James Tynion IV (Talon, Batman Eternal) relaunch Constantine for the #DCYou.

The much beleaguered title and main character has to be an
intimidating one — Constantine has seen many forms, from
a Vertigo comic to a movie starring Keanu Reaves (what?)
and riding the recent wave of comic book television with 2014’s Constantine (RIP).

Getting a handle on the character is no easy task —
Vertigo writers in the past include Garth Ennis, Warren Ellis,
Peter Milligan, Andy Diggle and many more.

Constantine in the DCU is a younger character and Doyle and Tynion
are allowed to play him that way, hopefully to generate a new
audience for Constantine as well as bridge the gap with older readers.

This being a DC Comic and not Vertigo hurts the book in my opinion.

John Constantine should be able to swear and be raunchy.

Issue #1 isn’t a bad go at the old guy, though.
Our demon whisperer shows up naked in a clothing shop covered in blood
and brains. Later in the story, he is drafted by Blythe for a quick shag
and his first ‘mission’ against some demons.

Riley Rossmo has great stylistic choices for his art, including a
landscape splash page cutaway view of the club and by the end of the book gets to draw some cool looking demons.

I’m interested to see where this goes, issue #1 had enough bite to
want me to pick up the next issue. This book doesn’t seem to be
pandering to any fans of any Hellblazer incarnations — that could be a blessing or a curse once the story develops more.

[READ MORE AT FORCES OF GEEK]

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Dig Boston and League Podcast Comics Picks of the Week for Wed. June 10, 2015

COMICS

The Second issue of Robin Hood: Outlaw of the 21st Century hits devices today on Comixology. The League’s own Matt Dursin’s reboot of the classic Robin Hood tale has Robin stealing from the doctors and giving to the sick! Both issues available today on Comixology’s Submit platform as well as Kindle and hard copy if you ask nice. Issue #2 Cover by Jaush Lingel! …Let’s Be Real with Ghostbusters Get Real #1 from IDW. Peter, Ray, Winston and Egon confront THE REAL Ghostbusters! … Gilbert Hernandez (Love and Rockets, Bumperhead) drops a one-shot mostly wordless comic book Blubber #1 guaranteed to blow your mind (anytime)! … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com!

Get $1 off your purchase of 3 or more tickets to Jurassic World with promo code: TREX. Offer valid 6/2 - 6/14 11:59 PM PST or While Supplies Last. Terms Apply.

SPY (review) at FORCES OF GEEK

Produced by Paul Feig, Jessie Henderson,

Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping

Written and Directed by Paul Feig

Starring Melissa McCarthy, Jason Statham,

Rose Byrne, Miranda Hart, Bobby Cannavale,

Nargis Fakhri, Allison Janney, Jude Law

Melissa McCarthy’s latest movie Spy is a treat.

Director Paul Feig graduated McCarthy from supporting player in 2011’s Bridesmaids, to co-star in 2013’s The Heat and now, badass leading lady in Spy. 

The comedic sendup of the classic James Bond formula goes back at least as far as the original 1967 Casino Royale and Get Smart but also was reinvented in the ‘90s by Mike Myers in Austin Powers.

Gadgets, plane fights, prat falls and cat-lady sweaters are what populatesSpy.

Next year, Feig will take McCarthy into her next showbiz tier with Ghostbusters, where she’ll get her doctorate in ‘ensemble cast’.

Susan Cooper is a CIA Agent, working as an assistant to field agent Bradley Fine (Jude Law). She witnesses Fine’s brutal murder via a very unrealistic ‘contact lens camera’ as she’s guiding him through his final mission. 

When the CIA is made aware of a possible leak, the only thing left to do is send someone after his murderer Rayna Boyanov (Rose Byrne). Hothead agent Rick Ford played by Jason Statham is a braggart and bumbling parody of the usual roles the actor plays. 

Ford goes rogue when the agency picks the unassuming analyst Susan Cooper to go out into the field to Paris to gather intel on that “Thundercunt” Rayna, her bosses and a nuclear bomb!

[READ MORE AT FORCES OF GEEK]

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FOG! Chats With MIDNIGHTER Writer STEVE ORLANDO #DCYOU - AT FORCES OF GEEK

Today launches the New #DCYou continuity and one of the books debuting is Midnighter.

Midnighter was created by Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch in 1998 as part of Stormwatch. He’s been featured in The Authority as well as a short lived mini Grifter & Midnighter and his own series before being a part of the DC’s New 52Stormwatch and Grayson books.

Steve Orlando (Undertow, Image Comics) reintroduces Lucas Trent and his alter-ego in the latest from DC Comics and is here to tell us about what it means to have an openly gay male superhero hit the shelves!

FOG!: Fans of The Authority and Stormwatch might know Midnighter, and of course we’ve seen him in Graysonrecently fighting Spyral. But really, Who is this guy?

Steve Orlando: He’s a fighter! Midnighter has been engineered to be the greatest, and he’s a weapon, a sword. That’s part of his core. But he’s found a way to make it into a positive, and he fights for those that don’t have anyone to listen to them, or fight for them. 

Midnighter is a community character, on the street, connecting with the people he helps and making himself available to even more people. When he saves you, you can become part of his Network, bringing situations to his attention, and helping him bring the Midnighter experience to even more people.

He’s the clenched fist that’s on your side when maybe no one else will hear you. Midnighter’s past was stolen, and in its place he was programmed to be a fighting machine.  And he doesn’t want anyone else to go what he went through. He’s fighting to make sure no one else has to become another Midnighter.

Midnighter is the guy that is puts the fear into the fear mongers.

[READ MORE AT FORCES OF GEEK]

Get $1 off your purchase of 3 or more tickets to Jurassic World with promo code: TREX. Offer valid 6/2 - 6/14 11:59 PM PST or While Supplies Last. Terms Apply.

Dig Boston and League Podcast Comics Picks of the Week for Wed. June 3, 2015

COMICS

I am Groot, I AM Groot. I am GROOT. Groot #1. Its so not a big deal that Midnighter #1 is the first openly gay hero in the DC Universe but yeah it IS a big deal at the same time. Spinning out of Grayson is Midnighter — taking on Spyral Agents and written by Steve Orlando (Undertow), for fans of espionage and heroes like The Punisher. … Airboy #1 breaks the fourth wall for James Robinson (Starman, FF) and Greg Hinkle as the depraved comics creators are forced to by Airboy himself to put the plug in the jug after an all out rager! … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com!

Triple Shot: FRESH ROMANCE #1, OLD MAN LOGAN #1 & SANDMAN OVERTURE #5 at FORCES OF GEEK

Fresh Romance is in the air, courtesy of Janelle Asselin. Bendis opens up three old wounds on each hand with Andrea Sorrentino on art in Old Man Logan (Secret Wars) #1 and don’t forget about The Endless Dreaming with Sandman: Overture #5 in this week’s edition of Triple Shot!

FRESH ROMANCE #1
WRITER: Sarah Kuhn, Kate Leth, Sarah Vaughn
ART:   Arielle Jovellanos, Sarah Winifred Searle, Sally Jane Thompson 
Publication Date: May 27, 2015
Price: $4.99
Publisher: Rosy Press/Janelle Asselin
UPC: 70985301875900111
Buy it HERE: RosyPress.com / Comixology

As I’m learning in my current comic book class with professor Michael Uslan, Romance Comics as genre came to prominence after the end of World War II.

Everyone hung up their collective capes, and even Stan Lee, Jack Kirby and Joe Simon filled the newsstands with tales of heartbreak, secret crushes and handkerchief hand wringing.

These days, superheroes dominate the scene and the big screen, but former DC Comics editor Jannelle Asselin is resurrecting the genre over at Rosy Press and also utilizing her vast established audience for Kickstarter funding for this special project.

[Read an amazing FOG! interview with Jannelle over here with Stefan Blitz, conducted after the project was funded!]

This inaugural issue of Fresh Romance is an anthology book highlighting 3 separate stories from some of the best talent around. Kate Leth (Adventure Time, Bravest Warriors, Edward Scissorhands) starts off with a classic high school tale of locker talk and Mean Girls swagger. I’m most looking forward to the next installment for the twist introduced at the end of these pages.

Upcoming talent Sarah Vaughn (Alex + Ada) goes back to the post-Revolutionary War days for an impending tale of arranged marriage from ye olde tymes. I wasn’t expecting to go back to the age of AMC’s Turn but it was a nice place to visit and Sarah Winifred Searle’s art is divine. 

‘The Ruby Equation’, the final tale by Sarah Kuhn and Sally Jane Thompson was perhaps my favorite. Without spoiling, this was the most comic-booky of the tales. Modern day cupid meets coffee shop barista. Very cute story with more to come.

Congrats on getting the ball rolling—this was a fun book, and I may have been quoted as saying, “I hate stupid love stories because they are stupid”.

Yet again, I was wrong.

[READ MORE AT FORCES OF GEEK]

DC COMICS GUIDE TO WRITING COMICS By Dennis O'Neil (book review) at FORCES OF GEEK

I’ve been fascinated by the credits pages of comics for longer than I can remember, and the all important “Writer” title is the one I have aspired to.

Fortunately for you, dear readers, this eventually shifted to the comics critique and ‘reporting’ steadfastly disappointing you here each and every week! 

Writing is hard. Scripting is hard. You guessed it, making comics is hard work. Drawing comics is probably much harder than it looks.

As much as I thought my dogeared copy of How To Draw Comics The Marvel Way (1978) by Stan Lee and John Buscema would have me at the drawing board for 8 hours a day like an Extreme Studios understudy, that was not my path in life either.

I’m always up for a good challenge, though.

Upon urging from my colleague Matt Dursin (an actual published comics writer!) I have audited The Rise of Superheroes and Their Impact On Pop Culture MOOC with Stan Lee’s and Michael Uslan course of study. 


In preparation, I dusted off 2001’s The DC Comics Guide to Writing Comics by industry giant, and writer of my favorite Batman tales, Dennis (Denny) O’Neil.

[READ MORE AT FORCES OF GEEK]

Dig Boston and League Podcast Comics Picks of the Week for Wed. May 27, 2015

COMICS

Tyler Durden lives in Fight Club 2 #1 from all star team of Chuck Palahniuk, and Cameron Stewart with David Mack. The first rule is to tell all your literati friends about this as Chuck writes the much anticipated sequel in comics form! … Bendis takes on an elder Wolverine in Old Man Logan in a new #1 — drawn by Andrea Sorrentino (Green Arrow). This ain’t no party, this ain’t no disco, Bub! … Sabrina is about to turn 16 but that doesn’t mean candles in this version of Greendale. It means blood moon baptisms into the Church of Night! Check out the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (The Teenage Witch) #3 this week! … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com!

BATMAN: EARTH ONE Vol. 1 & 2 (review) AT FORCES OF GEEK

Shortly before The Dark Knight Rises closed the chapter on director Christopher Nolans’ cinematic take on Batman, DC Comics released the hardcover original graphic novel Batman: Earth One (2012) written by Geoff Johns and drawn by Gary Frank. 

Johns, protege to Superman: The Movie’s Richard Donner, became famous for his Green Lantern, JSA and The Flash runs before becoming DC Comics’ Chief Creative Officer. The Blackest Night scribe also is the link between comics and movies across the lot at Warner Bros., consulting on everything from Green Lantern to Batman v. Superman and down to the successful Flash and Arrow programs on CW. 

Gary Frank, artist for Batman: Earth One drew an uncanny Christopher Reeve as Clark Kent/Superman in 2009’s pre-Flashpoint Superman: Secret Origin. While many artists have taken on the iconic DC heroes, Frank’s style rises to the top as a modern master. 

Batman: Earth One Volume 2 featuring the same creative team was released earlier this month.

Batman: Earth One Volumes 1 & 2 are out of the current DC continuities as we know it, are perhaps meant as chain bookstore (mass market) sellers but the two great hardcovers make great gifts for Batman fans of varied interest levels. Everyone from the enthusiastic FOG! crowd to your more causal The Dark Knight Trilogy or Gotham tv series fans will get lost in this version of the Caped Crusader.

[READ MORE AT FORCES OF GEEK]

BATMAN UNLIMITED: ANIMAL INSTINCTS (review) at FORCES OF GEEK

The strange Batsuits with angular black and yellow emblem we’ve been seeing at Target from Mattel have been finally been brought to life by Warner Bros Animation and DC Comics. If you were off-put by the Batman and Robin (1997) look of the things, you are not alone.

My expectation of an eventual animated property were that of a Joel Schumacher ice rocket, plummeting further into the abyss.

Expectations mean a lot to Batman fans, and we especially take note when they are exceeded. 
Bat-fans may be surprised by this with the latest offering, Batman Unlimited: Animal Instincts.  

Keep in mind though, this isn’t New 52 Batman, this movie is geared toward a younger all-ages crowd.

Roger Craig Smith reprises his role as Batman/Bruce Wayne from the video games Lego Batman 3 and Batman: Arkham Origins. Charlie Schlatter returns to The Flash role from Superman: TAS and The Batman, Green Arrow appears alongside Nightwing, Red Robin, and Alfred for an alliance that is more Outlaws than Justice League to face down Penguin and the ‘Animalitia’.

[READ MORE AT FORCES OF GEEK]

Dig Boston and League Podcast Comics Picks of the Week for Wed. April 20, 2015

COMICS

 
Awww, Shucks! Donald Duck is ready to be a private dick but will Uncle Scrooge and the nephews get in the way? Check out Donald Duck #1!  She-Hulk leads the ladies into the breech with A-Force #1 series debut that is already causing quite a stir! A-Force is written by Ms. Marvel scribe and Dig emeritus — the lovely G. Willow Wilson! … We can’t pretend not to care about the end of The Ultimate Marvel Universe in Ultimate End #1… Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com!

Dig Boston and League Podcast Comics Picks of the Week for Wed. May 12, 2015

COMICS

Last week was Star Wars week, so this week, we popped in Guardians of the Galaxy to come down from that Force high. This week, Peter Quill aka Legendary Star Lord has 12% of a plan in issue #12 as he is still reeling from the Black Vortex. Mark Waid’s Insufferable first took tablets by storm in Thrillbent app chapters, now the social media star Galahad and his old school partner Nocturnus come to IDW in Insufferable #1, glad to see more people will enjoy one of my favorite comics of 2014. Cullen Bunn and Tyler Crook from The Sixth Gun give you an Southern Gothic horror story focused on paranormal activity in Harrow County #1. … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com!

ADAM EGYPT MORTIMER Goes BALLISTIC on The Cosmic Treadmill at FORCES OF GEEK

Adam Egypt Mortimer is a filmmaker, author and co-creator of Black Mack Studio’s Ballistic with Transmetropolitan’sDarick Robertson. Black Mask just reloaded a clip in the form of a beautiful looking trade with the first arc featuring repairman Butch and his sentient Gun.

Adam hops aboard the Cosmic Treadmill today to talk about garbage island that is our dystopian Repo City State and how it might feel to have an addictive personality lodged into your gun as you battle the cities fiercest gangsters.

FOG!: Thanks for Joining us today, Adam! Black Mask Studios just released the trade for Ballistic by you and The legendary Darick Robertson (The Boys, Transmetropolitan, Happy). How did you guys meet?

Adam Egypt Mortimer: I met him at San Diego Comic-Con! We were both drinking late at night at the Hyatt bar — this was years ago when they still had an outdoor patio, before the eventual death crush of overcrowding forced them to shut down that whole scene. Darick and I wound up chatting, he introduced himself — this was back when he and I both still lived in New York. He was in Williamsburg at the time and I made fun of him for it. 

Somehow that brought us together and we started hanging out a lot in New York, hanging in bars together, talking life, the universe, and comics. Many years later — at another Comic-Con — I pitched him the idea of Ballistic and he fell in love with the bat-winged cars.

[READ MORE AT FORCES OF GEEK]

Ant-Man

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Dig Boston and League Podcast Comics Picks of the Week for Wed. May 6, 2015

COMICS

Forget Hitchhikers’ Guide, the real crazy happened in Douglas Adams’ Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency #1 from IDW. Dirk arrives in San Diego and hopefully doesn’t have to deal with a horse in his stairwell! … Frank heads back to L.A to do what he does best, #punishment in Punisher #18. The nerd starter kit starts here with Valiant Universe Handbook 2015! For the secret origins of all of your favorite Valiant heroes past and present! OHOTMU Beware! … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com!

Ant-Man

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