Every week PREVIEWSworld calls attention to those books and graphic novels which stand out from all the rest. These titles can be found at your local comic shop on September 21! Titles include strongRevolution #1/strong!
Source: PREVIEWSworld’s Featured This Week Comics & Graphic Novels for 9/21
Spider-man/Deadpool #1
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Writer: Joe Kelley
Art: Ed Mcguinness(Pencils), Mark Morales(Inks), Jason Kieth(Colors)
Synopsis:
Deadpool and Spider-man walk into hell together… O.K. so The story starts with a pretty hilarious exchange between Spider-man and Deadpool, who are tied up in web fluid, hanging upside down. We find out that it’s Hell, and they have been captured by Dormammu on the eve of his ascension.
Then we get a flashback to how they got there, starting with Spider-man battling Hydro-man. Again funny premise where Hydro-man has taken the form of New Yorks raw sewage, threatening to drown New York in it. Then we’re back to Dormammu, and of course Spidey thinks he has died and gone to Hell, especially since Deadpool is there. In a nutshell they get that all cleared up, and there’s is actually a touching exchange at the end, but we’ll get to that later.
Review:
All in all this is a solid read. The art and writing fit the comic. Nothing really spectacular. The writing is a little wordy, for a Deadpool comic, but not a Spider-man comic, and really that’s Joe Kelley developing a story. Joe Kelley’s one liners and jokes sometimes fall flat, while others make you stop and think, and others just make you laugh instantly. One of my favorites was Deadpool telling Spider-man “Boom. We just overthrew Hell with the discarded brains of entitled millenials.” I have talked to so many people my age(42) and older on this topic that it just really resonated, and I’ll be writing a blog post on this entitled millenials idea. I don’t think this issue was done quite as well as the Ultimate Spider-man Cartoon featuring Deadpool, which was an instant classic(“Un-alive them” because they can’t say kill in a cartoon).
From Ultimate Spider-Man on Disney XD
Opinion:
Marvel is cashing in on the Deadpool name, and franchise. This is the third Deadpool comic book to come out in as many weeks, with a fourth due in Februiary. You have the main ongoing Deadpool, The mini-series Deadpool Cable Split Second, Deadpool/ Spider-man ongoing, and Cullen bunns upcoming Deadpool Mercs for Money mini-series. Then you have about 6 or so True Believer(Marvels version of the 1 for $1) Deadppol that reprint various momentous stories in Deadpools past. That’s a lot of Deadpool! Marvel is taking the risk of flooding the market, as they usually do, especially with the risky Ryan Reynolds Deadpool Movie coming out next month as well(not to mention he’s in the Avengers now). I think one of the most interesting things is seeing all these writers giving Deadpool a different and distinct voice with each one of these comics. This really works for the characterization of Deadpool as he’s actually insane, and has different voices talking to him in his head. So it all really works, but will we get reader fatigue? Only time will tell.
Here’s a few of the variant covers:
Action Figure Photo Variant
Christopher Action Figure Variant
Johnson Hip-Hop Variant
Sliney Variant
Michael Del Mundo Variant
Here are our 4 comics this week:
Here’s the pull list video for the Central Oregon Comics Outreach Alliance for 1/6/16:
Four Eyes is set in the depression era Chicago area, 1934. About a boy and his dragon. The era is spot on, and the feel is depression era America. But a dragon? there’s the twist. Writer Joe Kelly, and artist Max Fiumara bring us a tale about a boy growing up in hard times, trying to find his way. Though this comic could stand alone, it is the second arc in the story of Enrico. In the first arc(that I haven’t read yet) it tells of Enrico, the main protagonist, trying to take care of his mother. He decides he’s going after fame and fortune, so he can take care of her, by getting, training, and fighting a dragon, in the dragon fighting pits. The first arc follows him to finding and eventually capturing a dragon. This arc starts with him wanting to train that dragon.
I’m not quite sure yet what Joe Kelly is trying to say in this book. A statement on racism is one thread. Obviously racism was prevalent in the 1930’s, as this was the time when you had whites only bars, diners, bathrooms, and even drinking fountains. One of the first images you get is of a scene outside the building with protestors, and the police, and signs that say a century of progress but not for negroes. Then it takes you to an office in the building where what appears to be an executive is talking down to the African American mail boy. Interestingly “Mister Savarese”, as he’s asked to be called, appears to be of Asian decent. We cut to Enrico, our main protagonist, who is praying in Italian, kneeling before his fathers picture. We are then introduced to Mr. Fawkes, who appears to be an African American farmhand, that is knowledgeable in training dragons. Four eyes is the dragon that Enrico has, named for the four eyes he has. Interestingly four eyes, and Enrico’s gloves, are the only images in the book that have color, other than black and white. From there Mr Fawkes takes Enrico to an African American dragon training facility, to learn more about training dragons. What Enrico sees horrifies him. We end the book with a twist introduction to someone who could be the antagonist of the story.
So Like I said there are several themes, from racism, to animal cruelty, to immigrant orphans. They all pretty much lead up to oppression. Enrico, Mr. Fawkes, Four Eyes, the dragons training, the African Americans training the dragons, and even to a certain extent Mister Savarese in the beginning is oppressed by Tully the head of the corporation he works for. The separation between those who have, and those who have not.
All in all this is a great little beginning to a story that really has something to say. I would definitely suggest this as a read, for all ages, though some themes might be a little high to grasp. I can’t wait to read the next issue.
Chris Columbus picks:
#1. Deadpool #5
#2. Spider-man Deadpool #1
#3. Star Wars #14 (Vader Down)
#4. Darth Vader #15 (vader Down)
Wendy Woods picks:
#1. Paper Girls #4
#2. A-Force #1
Krista Glover picks:
#1. Vision #3 – “The best All New All Different Marvel title to be released”
#2. Bitch Planet #6 “New Story Arc!”
#3. Giant Days #10 “Cause it’s Giant Days”
#4. A-Force #1 “A is for all the asses these ladies are going to kick!”
Makes sure and check out our new products coming in for all the latest releases!
Here’s the previews PDF:
Download here: newreleases
Click to view:
Print these out to use as a checklist!!
Obi Wan And Anakin #1
Writer: Charles Soule Art: Marco Checchetto
This is an all new story in the new Expanded Universe(EU). This is really, I think, the first story, even in the old EU, that takes place in the time between episode I and Episode II, of the Star Wars movies.
Here’s the Previews solicitation: Before their military heroism in the Clone Wars, before their tragic battle on Mustafar, and many decades before their final confrontation on the Death Star…they were Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and his Padawan learner, Anakin Skywalker. It’s been a few years since Obi-Wan pledged to train the young “chosen one,” but even as they have grown closer through training, it has been a difficult road. Now, called to a remote planet for assistance, Master and Padawan may be pushed to the breaking point. Writer Charles Soule (Lando, She-Hulk, Daredevil) and artist Marco Checchetto (Star Wars: Shattered Empire, Avengers World, Punisher) bring us a tale of the Jedi at the height of their power…
Rated T
So Anakin and Obi Wan are stranded on a remote planet, that’s been pretty much cut off from the entire galaxy, that has a great resemblance to earth. Not much in the way of action happens from there, save for a flashback scene. We do get introduced to a “new” humanoid species by the end of the book.
I was incredibly excited for this book. #1 – Charles Soule writing. He did great with Lando. #2 – Marc Checchetto art work. His run on Punisher was Phenomenal; Spider-man – Excellent; Star Wars Road To The Force Awakens Shattered Empire(longest title ever!) was solid! #3 – IT’S STAR WARS!!!
I opened the book and the artwork is absolutely Gorgeous! The colors are amazing. You are instantly transported to new world in a galaxy far far away. Bravo Mr. Checchetto. this book is dripping with beauty. The dialogue from Anakin and Obi-wan are spot on. They sound and feel like you would think Obi-wan and Anakin would sound and feel. I could even hear Ewan McGregor’s voice with Obi’s dialogue.
Then This happened:
STEAMPUNK BALLOON PLANES??!! WHEN DID STAR WARS GET STEAMPUNKED???????
And that was my first reaction. From that point forward it didn’t feel Star Wars at all to me. There are other steampunk star wars comics like Steam Wars from Antartic Press. And that’s cool if you’re into that. But this is an Obi-wan and Anakin story. Now I’m not sure how I feel about this comic. The steampunk balloon planes, and the shotgun toting(yes shotguns not laser rifles) punk looking species were a bit hard to swallow in the star wars universe. Now I’m not an elitist, or a purist when it comes to Star Wars. That being said there’s a certain logic to the Star Wars universe. One where every reach of the galaxy has been explored. Every species has had some sort of introduction to technology, like laser rifles and flying ships that run on some other ort of power like ion engines. Who’s idea was this? Did Marvel see Antarctic Press sell comics and decided they wanted a piece of the pie? Or was this entirely Charles Soule? Either way I just didn’t buy it, within the context of the Star Wars universe.
This story does have a message as well. A couple of them, actually. the first smacks you upside the head, where this world is a metaphor for earth. Soule says it directly in the dialogue from Obi-Wan “The people on this planet destroyed themselves many generations ago.” A word on pollution, and industrialization. The second meaning in this book is a little deeper and to me a more personal one. It’s on growth and coming of age, for Anakin, as we see him grow in flashbacks. The third is about questioning the status quo, politicians, and the government. They do the third through Obi-Wan’s and Anakin’s dialogue “I don’t like it either. But yes, the system is… not perfect.” Obi tells Anakin, and Anakin responds “Then the system should change.”
The Verdict:
This is the first Star Wars book to come from Marvel I haven’t been a huge fan of. Star Wars, Darth Vader, Lando, Chewbacca, and to an extent Princess Leia, have all been fantastic. Does that mean I’m not going to buy the book? No. I’m a lifelong Star Wars fan. If Star Wars is on the title, I’m buying it. Good or bad. I will say after discussing this in our COCOA video, I think Matt Funk has convinced me to give it a second chance and take it on it’s own merits. The biggest highlight by far in this book is the artwork from Marco Checchetto. If for nothing else buy it for that.
Did you read it? What did you think? let me know in the comments.
Here’s a few other variant covers(my favorite is the Skottie Young):
NOWLAN CLASSIC VARIANT
JOHN TYLER CHRISTOPHER ACTION FIGURE VARIANT
SKOTTIE YOUNG VARIANT
MOVIE VARIANT
SIYA OUM VARIANT
Issue #2 coming out 2/3/16
Issue #3 due 3/9/16
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