Month: August 2018

I was delighted to see Back Issue #107 [TwoMorrows; $8.95] devoted its September 2018 issue to Archie Comics. Not the modern versions that, as regular readers of this column know, leave me cold. Nope. Editor Michael Eury’s topic for this latest issue is “From the groovy ‘70s through the big ‘80s, Archie Comics in the Bronze Age!” The issue went immediately to the top of my reading pile.

Although Archie Comics didn’t always get credit for its attempts to expand its characters and its impact in the comics marketplace, the company did a lot of interesting things during those two decades. I used to talk to the late Michael Silberkleit a bit back then and, even when we disagreed, I thought he was a smart cookie. It’s sad I never got to do a full-on interview with him.

The line-up of subjects and writers in this issue is spectacular. Jack Abramowitz kicks things off with a wonderful overview. There are Jerry Boyd interviews with Stan Goldberg and George Gladir, who were exceedingly kind to me. Gladir gave me rare issues of Bats and other comics for my 1000 Comic Books You Must Read. I was working on a new comic-book series tailored for Goldberg at the time of his passing. I want to return to it soon, but where will I ever find anyone as perfect for it as Stan?

Steven Thompson has a fun article about the various Archie clones published by other comics companies. Kurt Heitmueller, Jr. does a two-page strip about his love of Archie comics. There are articles about Sabrina the Teenage Witch (Christopher Larochelle), Archies on television (the amazing Andy Mangels), That Wilkin Boy (Mark Arnold), Red Circle Sorcery (Ed Catto), Red Circle Superheroes (Steven Wilber), Cheryl Blossom (Jerry Smith) and a neat collection of rare artwork curated by Boyd. Indeed, my only quibble with Back Issue is that I want to see writers credited for their articles on the contents page and not just in the “special thanks” section. I have favorite Back Issue writers and would love to be able to go to their articles first.

Back Issue #107 is my pick of the week. If Archie Comics ever gets away from dark and largely lacking in humor soap-opera, I’d love to be a part of that movement. You can move forward without abandoning the core values of these classic characters.

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Since I’m not the kind of comics reader who goes to a comics store every Wednesday, picks up the new releases and immediately goes home to read them, I seldom review individual issues here. Still, every now and then, one of those issues tickles my fancy and makes me want to share it with out.

Secret Weapons: Owen’s Story #1 [Valiant; $3.99] focus on Owen Cho, a psiot whose power doesn’t seem particularly useful. Owen conjures objects out of nothingness, but he has no control over what kind of object he conjures or even when it will materialize. It’s the super-powered equivalent of the mystery boxes sold at comics conventions. He never knows what he’s going to get.

In a fun story by writer Eric Heisserer with art by Raul Allen and Patricia Martin, Owen’s life and power are closely examined. While I don’t want to give away too much, let’s just say there might be a method of sorts to this madness.

Valiant published a nice bunch of titles every month. The universe of these titles keeps growing, but the writers do an excellent job keeping readers old and new in the storytelling loop. I enjoy them quite a bit. If you have found other comics universes not to your liking, I recommend you give the Valiant titles a shot.

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I’ve been reading a great deal of manga lately, looking for series to replace some recently-concluded favorites. One that caught my eye was Bizenghast: The Collector’s Edition Volume I by M. Alice LeGrow [Tokyopop; $19.99]. It’s a gothic adventure drama series. I got this volume, which collects the first three books in the seven-volume series through my local library system and it hooked me early on.

Fifteen-year old Dinah Wherever’s parents were killed in an accident and now she lives with her aunt in a haunted estate that includes a former hospital and a former boarding house. Both her aunt and her doctor believe Dinah is schizophrenic. But the grounds are, indeed, haunted. Dinah has been charged with freeing the ghosts who linger there. If she fails, she will remain there forever. Assisting her in this calling is Vincent, her only friend.

The characters and stories are intriguing. Before long, some other supernatural creatures show up to help Dinah. The perils of what she must do grow with each new adventure.

LeGrow’s art is gothic Lolita. The storytelling is a little rough in places – this is her first comics work – but I’ve been enjoying this series. Though this first collectors edition might be difficult to track down, it’s worth the effort.

ISBN 978-1-4278-5690-6

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My next public appearance will be a first for me. I will be doing a reading from my Black Lightning: Cold Dead Hands mini-series in a nightclub setting. If you’re going to be in the Cleveland area on Saturday evening, September 1, think about coming to this event:

Tap Dance Killer’s Comic Book Cabaret

Hero Tomorrow Comics is throwing a loving farewell for the Phantasy complex featuring a vaudeville show of rock and theatre performers, dancers, poets, and comic book writers! It’ll be a night like you’ve never seen!

The Symposium Nightclub
11794 Detroit Ave
Lakewood, OH 44107

The doors open at 6 pm. The show runs 7 pm to midnight. Admission is $5 at the door. If you’re under 21, it’s $8 at door. This venue is cash only.

Yeah, this is a little out there for me. But, barreling towards 67, I remain committed to trying new things, spreading my “brand” far and wide and always, always going forward.

I’ll be back next week with more reviews.

© 2018 Tony Isabella

We’re three issues into the “new” MAD [E.C. Publications; $5.99 per issue]. That strikes me as a reasonable sampling to assess how the legendary humor magazine has and hasn’t changed.

Mark Fredrickson’s cover for the third issue is fairly brutal. I do  quibble at the inclusion of Roseanne Barr. Yes, she’s awful. But,  unlike the others, she’s not, to the best of my knowledge, a serial sexual predator. If the left-leaning politics are more noticeable in MAD these days – and I admit they are – is because the Dumpster gives them so much to work with.

The MAD movie and/or TV parodies are still a monthly feature. This issue’s “Messy Layered One” by writer Desmond Devlin and artist Tom Richmond was entertaining…and I haven’t even seen the movie that it was mocking.

The writers are a mix of old faithfuls like Dick DeBartolo and new folks like Tammy Golden, who, with artist Jon Adams, has revived the classic Dave Berg “The Lighter Side Of…” feature. It’s not up to Berg’s standards, but it was good enough that I’d like to see it again become a regular part of MAD.

“Spy Vs. Spy” – or this issue’s, “Spy Vs. Spy Vs. Spy” isn’t doing much for me lately. I’m a fan of Peter Kuper’s work but it’s harder to laugh at espionage humor when our highest elected official is a Russian agent.

I’m loving “Potrzebie Comics” a lot. “Infant Terrible” by writers Paula Sevenbergen and Allie Goertz with art by Pauline Ganucheau is a gem. Kerry Callen’s “The Origin of Spidery-Man” was excellent. I am on the fence when it comes to Bob Fingerman’s “Boonies Burbs and Burgs” which is sometimes more gross than funny.

Along with the usual great contributions by Sergio Aragones and the Al Jaffee fold-in – both never cease to amaze me – there’s a nice tribute to the late Nick Meglan in the issue.

MAD remains what it ever has been. It has some brilliant material. It has some material that bombs. It has decent material in between those two extremes. It’s still a great magazine, one to which I am delighted to subscribe. It’s my pick of the week. If you want to imagine me pulling a dripping copy of MAD out of my nose, feel free to do so. Because, you know, it’s MAD.

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Turning super-heroes dark has become as much as a cliche as those pure-as-angels champions who dominated the 1950s and 1960s. As someone who believes the genre is essentially an optimistic one, twisting classic characters into dark versions of themselves does not appeal to me. However, sometimes good writing can hook me into enjoying even the darkest of super-hero comics.

They don’t come much darker than Injustice: Gods among Us: Year One – The Complete Collection by writer Tom Taylor and a dozen artists [DC; $24.99]. Based on a video game – something else that generally doesn’t appeal to me – this hefty tome collects the Injustice: Gods among Us digital chapters #1-36, published in comics as Injustice: Gods among Us #1-12 and Injustice: Gods among Us Annual #1. This volume was published in 2016, but is still available from our lovely sponsors at InStock Trades.

You probably know the starting point of Injustice, but I’ll avoid any spoilers beyond this: Superman suffers a terrible loss at the hands of an iconic villain. His response is extreme, leading to his decision to save the world by dominating it. Some heroes join him. Others oppose him.

Taylor is the star here. He makes a convincing case for Superman’s renunciation of his previous moral code. That Superman doesn’t see it that way is part of what makes the story convincing. Almost all of the other heroes and villains are much like their traditional selves, but twisted into non-traditional actions. Even if Injustice didn’t feature a take on Black Lightning that mostly works for me, I think I would want this book for my collection. I know I will be checking out the succeeding volumes.

With the cautionary note that this collection does contain graphic violence, I recommend it to older readers.

ISBN 978-1-4012-6270-2

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Catching up on my reading, Power Man and Iron Fist Vol. 1: The Boys are Back in Town by David F. Walker with artists Sanford Greene and Flaviano [Marvel; $15.99] was a hoot-and-a-half. Collecting Power Man and Iron Fist #1-5 from 2016, it’s just your basic fun “buddy book” with Luke and Danny getting back together to help out an old friend. Unfortunately, that old friend is playing them.

This book has Luke and Danny getting together to help their former secretary Jennie, released from prison for a crime she committed while possessed. She asks them to retrieve a family heirloom from crime-boss Tombstone. Except it’s actually a mystic amulet. With which Jennie and her former cellmate Black Mariah plan to use for their own gain.

The book is equal parts action and comedy. Jennie’s new powers make her a formidable foe. Tombstone sends various goons after Luke and Danny. Jessica Jones (Luke’s wife and the mother of their child) keeps making fun of him for teaming up with Danny once again. Danny  keeps asking Luke why Jessica hates him. We get heroes and villains as guest stars. There’s a nice parallel between the bond that ties Jennie and Mariah and the continuing bromance of the former Heroes for Hire. I was grinning most of the time I was reading this book with the occasional laugh-out-loud moments.

Is it a classic collection? No, but it’s a thoroughly entertaining volume and that’s plenty good for me. Check it out.

ISBN 978-1-302-90114-1

I’ll be back next week with more reviews.

© 2018 Tony Isabella

Puerto Rico was devastated by hurricanes and, sadly, the President, Congress and even much of the American public has failed to assist that part of America in sufficient manner. We’ve watched the death toll grow from the small numbers originally and falsely reported. We have seen our government fail to repeal repressive laws that would have helped our fellow Americans recover and rebuild faster. We’ve seen the plight of our fellow citizens ignored by the media as they focus on whatever dumb thing Trump did or said today. If I were Oliver Queen on the TV show Arrow, I’d look at myself and my country with scorn and intone “You have failed your countrymen.”

Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez celebrates the spirit of Puerto Rico and the need that exists on the island in Ricanstruction: Reminiscing & Rebuilding Puerto Rico [Somos; $19.99]. Working with his super-hero creation La Borinquena, an impressive roster of comics writers and artists, and DC Comics’ generous use of some of its legendary super-heroes, Miranda-Rodriguez has put together an anthology that is remarkable in its purpose and its quality.

La Borinquena is a terrific creation. The environmentally-powered super-hero represents the courage, the drive and the spirituality that is key to Puerto Rico.

The short stories and other artwork include comics super-stars and lesser (but not less talented) creators. That list includes Frank Miller, Gail Simone, Tony Daniel, Greg Pak, Reginald Hudlin, Denys Cowan, Ken Lashley, Bill Sienkiewicz, Tara Strong and others. The anthology contributors even include celebrities like Rosaro Dawson, Ruben Blades, Kirk Acevedo and more.

La Borinquena has some powerful super-friends helping her in this great undertaking: Wonder Woman, Superman, Batman, Aquaman, Flash, Supergirl, Harley Quinn, Green Lantern, Static, Icon, Swamp Thing and more. Every story is a delight in one way or another. Despite the grimness of the situation, these are stories about good people pulling together in the cause of light.

I love Ricanstruction and recommend it to one and all. One hundred percent of the proceeds from this book go to the efforts in Puerto Rico. You’ll be doing good by buying this great comic book. And, if you would, please consider donating to the organizations continuing the work our government left unfinished.

ISBN 978-0-692-09221-7

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The Simpsons is the most popular animated show in U.S. history and the longest running scripted American TV series period. Springfield Confidential: Jokes, Secrets, and Outright Lies from a Lifetime Writing for The Simpsons by Mike Reiss with Mathew Klickstein [Dey Street Books; $27.99] is a sure contender for its claim of being “the ultimate fan guide” to the show, but it’s also the story of a writer’s life.

Reiss is the longest-serving writer and producer of The Simpsons. He still contributes to the show, flying in from New York City once a week. He’s written for movies and other TV shows. He’s written children’s books. One of those kids’ books – The Boy Who Looked Like Lincoln – was met with considerable and ridiculous criticism. Naturally, I’m hoping to read it soon.

As a writer, I’m fascinated by the autobiographical parts of this book and the detailed descriptions of how episodes of The Simpsons are conceived, birthed and nurtured on their way to my TV screen. The trivia alone would make Simpsons Confidential a must-have book for Simpsons fans. Throw in globe-trotting to the unexpected lands where The Simpsons is a hit (and one place where it is not) and the “ultimate fan guide” doesn’t seem far off at all.

The book has a forward by Judd Apatow as well as interviews with Apatow, Conan O’Brien, Al Jean, Nancy Cartwright, Dan Castellaneta and others. It doesn’t diminish the magic of the show; it enhances it. If you’re a casual or even a lapsed viewer of The Simpsons, you will enjoy this book.

Simpsons Confidential would make a terrific gift for Simpsons fans and for those interested in the behind-the-scenes creation of that and other shows. It should definitely have a place in your more hip public and school libraries. I recommend it highly.

ISBN 978-0-06-274803-4

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My pick of the week is My Brother’s Husband Volume One by Gengoroh Tagame [Pantheon; $24.95]. Work-at-home divorced dad Yaichi raises his daughter Kana in suburban Tokyo. Yaichi’s gay twin brother Ryoji, who left Japan and moved to Canada, has passed. A knock on Yaichi and Kana’s door changes their lives.

Canadian Mike Flanagan was married to Ryoji and has come to Japan to connect with his late husband’s country and family. Yaichi has some difficulty wrapping his head around the presence of his twin’s husband entering their lives, but invites him to stay with him and Kana. The young girl is over the moon with joy at meeting her new uncle and the two bond quickly.

This frankly beautiful story of acceptance, love and respect does not shy away from the prejudice gay people face, a prejudice that is quietly magnified in Yaichi’s conservative world. Yaichi makes the effort to overcome his prejudice, but is still deeply concerned when the parents of some of Kana’s friends don’t want them to play with her because of Mike and even more so when Kana asks her father if girls can marry other girls the same way Mike and Ryoji married.

Tagame is an openly gay comics creator, so there’s an authenticity to the story. His stories and art have been published and displayed all over the world. I’m looking forward to see more of his comics.

My Brother’s Keeper is an all-ages title, but, as with any comics, parents should make their own decisions as to whether or not this series is suitable for their children. They don’t get to make that decision for other people’s children and I would urge them to look at this manga with open eyes. It is a brilliant work that has won a 2018 Eisner Award and the Japan Media Arts Award for Outstanding Work of Manga from the Agency of Cultural Affairs.

This is another comics work that should be read by anyone who loves great comics. It belongs in public and school libraries, though it will doubtless be challenged by some. Great comics art, like great art period, makes us think. Closed minds will never be conducive to that process.

I’ll be back next week with more reviews.

© 2018 Tony Isabella

I took an extended lunch break one day last week, going to my local multiplex movie theater for an early showing of Teen Titans Go! To the Movies. This was my reward to myself for completing a somewhat challenging comics script. This was a delightful experience on so many levels that I knew I’d have to write about it.

I’m going to eschew the spoiler warnings because I don’t need them to do this animated feature justice. In fact, the only spoiler in this week’s “Tony’s Tips” column is in the Internet Movie Database synopsis of the movie:

A villain’s maniacal plan for world domination sidetracks five teenage superheroes who dream of Hollywood stardom.

This will ramble a bit because I want to share that fun afternoon with you. As I said, I went to an early showing figuring I’d grab lunch at the Regal Stadium 16 in Medina, Ohio. The t-shirt I wore had the Black Lightning logo from the TV series. The guy at the refreshment stand saw my shirt and excitedly asked:

“Do you know the guy who created Black Lightning lives right here in Medina?”

I confessed that I did know this and added:

“I’m him.”

The guy showed me his own art on his phone. I gave him some quick advice and then ordered what turned out to be a very tasty pizza. That was another pleasant surprise.

The individual theater showing the movie was almost empty. Besides me, there was a young woman with four kids. I got a kick out of how excited they were and how much they enjoyed the film. I enjoyed it as much or more than they did.

Robin and his team are miffed they aren’t on the guest list for the premiere of a new Batman movie. How they get seats at this showing is one of the best gags of the feature.

Robin is humiliated by the disrespect shown him. He dreams of being the star of his own movie. His teammates try to bolster his self-esteem in ways both heartwarming and hilarious. There’s some real heart and soul to this movie, deftly mixed in with the crazy humor and the occasional musical number.

I’m not going to give away of the gags. Some of them are aimed at older viewers. Some had me laughing out loud. The movie as a whole was incredibly inviting to most longtime comics readers like me and to the youngsters who probably only know these characters from the cartoons and movies and TV shows. We got a very satisfying ending, which made me love the film even more.

Kudos to writers Michael Jelenic and Aaron Horvath for a smart and funny script. Kudos to directors Horvath and Peter Rida Michail. Kudos to the great Teen Titans voice actors –  Greg Cipes, Scott Menville, Khary Payton, Tara Strong and Hynden Walch – and to all the fantastic guest voice actors. To the actor who also played a certain flame-headed motorcyclist of my acquaintance, I’m so happy you got to fulfill one of your dreams in this movie.

Teen Titans Go! To the Movies is my pick of the week. Starting in 2019, the Eisner Awards should start honoring comics-based movies and TV shows. This animated feature should be the first nominated, followed by Ant-Man and the Wasp, Black Lightning, Black Panther, Lucifer and Luke Cage.

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Tenements, Towers & Trash: An Unconventional Illustrated History of New York City by Julia Wertz [Black Dog & Leventhal; $29.99] was a New York Times Notable Book of 2017. Based on Wertz’s columns for  The New Yorker and Harper’s, it combines comics storytelling with meticulous drawings of buildings, streets and all the architectural vibrancy that mark past and present-day New York.

This 284-page tome is perfect for displaying on your coffee table and picking up whenever you’re in the mood for a charming lesson on the Big Apple. Wertz makes much of this history personal. It made me wish I was with her on her exploratory walks around the city she called home for many years. Here and there, when she draw a part of the city I knew from my much shorter time there, I felt a yearning to see those places again.

The book is just plain gorgeous. I could look at it for hours and re-read some parts of it again and again. I think it would make an outstanding gift for someone you love who lives in New York City or who has lived in New York City or who wishes they could live or, at least, visit New York City for an extended time. It makes me want to arrange my schedule to spend a couple weeks in my old hood. What would it be like to be writing and making deadlines in the same area where I wrote so many of my Marvel and DC Comics stories? But I digress.

Tenements, Towers & Trash: An Unconventional Illustrated History of New York City gets my recommendation. It’s a fine book.

ISBN 978-0-316-50121-7

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Heavy Vinyl by Carly Usdin, Nina Vakueva, Irene Flores and Rebecca Nalty [BOOM! Box; $14.99] is a collection of the first four issues of the comic book, though the first three issues went by the name Hi-Fi Fight Club. This isn’t a book for which I have much affinity, which won’t stop me from recommending it here. Not every comic book has to be tailored for me.

Here’s the back-cover sales pitch:

When Chris joins the staff at her local record store, she’s surprised to find out that her co-workers share a secret: they’re all members of a secret fight club that take on the patriarchy and fight crime!

Starry-eyed Chris has just started the dream job every outcast kid in town wants: working at Vinyl Mayhem. It’s as rad as she imagined; her boss is BOSS, her co-workers spend their time arguing over music, pushing against the patriarchy, and endlessly trying to form a band. When Rosie Riot, the staff’s favorite singer, mysteriously vanishes the night before her band’s show, Chris discovers her co-workers are doing more than just sorting vinyl. Her local indie record store is also a front for a teen girl vigilante fight club!

Follow writer Carly Usdin (director of Suicide Kale) and artist Nina Vakueva (Lilith’s World) into Heavy Vinyl, where they deliver a rock and roll tale of intrigue and boundless friendship.

The music background didn’t do anything for me, but that’s on me. As I get older, I don’t listen to music while I’m writing. If it’s in English, it’s too distracting. When I do listen to music, it’s instrumental, Japanese or salsa. Go figure.

The characters are likeable, the writing is good, the art is good. The back-issue blurb about this story showing “that girls can be both smart and tough” got a snort out of me because there are now a few dozen comics that do the same thing. Yes, Heavy Vinyl is one of those comics, but it’s far from alone in this welcome change to the comics industry.

Basically, Heavy Vinyl isn’t my thing, but I can recognize it as a quality comic book and realize that a great many readers will like it better than I did. If this mention puts those readers together with this book, I’ll be delighted.

ISBN 978-1-68415-141-7

I’ll be back next week with more reviews.

© 2018 Tony Isabella