I literally clapped my hands together and said OhMyGodYesssss when the friendly staff member at my regular shop held this book out to hand it to me. Allan Heinberg and Jim Cheung finally - finally - return to this title with a nine issue limited series. I will spare you paragraphs of pontification and cut to the chase: it's not just good, it's the best thing Marvel has going, period.
Gail Simone writes team-ups that I love to read. And her treatment of female characters is excellent, not for the fact that she brings a genuine female sensibility to the writing, but because every woman meets a personalized balance between bitchiness and heroism. Under her pen, the sass required from a character becomes the reason they take on the bad dudes, which goes deeper than the way many writers just do "I'm an empowered female. I kick ass." I knew I'd love Birds of Prey before I popped open the cover, but damn, Simone outdid herself on this first issue. More gushing, after the jump.
Blackest Night #8. of 8. The Grand Finale. The first day of the rest of everyone's lives. Purportedly bright ones. Blackest Night's over, and the future of comics is indeed bright.
Spoilers and sometimes my opinions, after the jump
You guys may recall I was a bit cranky about Northstar and his lack of lovin' about a year and a half ago. In fact, at the time, I issued a challenge to Marvel to get him a kiss by June 2009 or I would declare him not really gay.
I have not forgotten about this.
However, when the X-men moved to San Francisco this year, we were teased with the existence of what looked to be Northstar's boyfriend (and manager), so I delayed judgment until we could see more.
Since then, Northstar hasn't had a lot of major appearances, as there have been about a thousand major crossover events in the Marvel universe in the last six months, and each one tends to disrupt the normal storyline for most books, including the many X-books. So I waited.
Our patience seems to have been rewarded! Artist Tim Fish revealed on his blog that his upcoming story in Nation X #2 (which comes out in Jan.) is a story about Northstar, and will feature Kyle, his boyfriend in an 8-page story. I'm not sure if an actual kiss is in it, but it's implied that there is some lovin' going on. Check out some sketches of Northstar, Kyle, and Aurora below, and we'll keep you up to date when we get closer to Jan.
I'm now convinced that I have the mutant power to start talking about something right before it happens, as I was talking about Northstar just last week. I'll call it my 'Foot in Mouth' powers.
Anyway, for those who haven't grabbed books this week, I highly recommend you pick up Uncanny X-men #508, as it brings Northstar back to the team. We discover he's been living it up as a famous snowboarder in Canada, with a boyfriend apparently. Wolverine recruits him and his sister for the team. There is some fantastic dialogue that I won't spoil at this point since it just came out, but it's very well written, so thanks should go out to Mr. Matt Fraction. Based on what happens I have a sneaking suspicion that it was written to clear up some of the angst surrounding Northstar's treatment in the last few years.
So now we've seen Northstar with a love interest, can a kiss be far behind? Will it make it in time for Pride month? We'll see. Go read it!
Manhunter is certainly going out with a bang! While the series may be coming to a close, it's given us a glimpse of what the future of DC may be like. Including the fact that Kate's son, Ramsey, is apparently going to be gay! And dating another legacy hero!
Issue 37, which should be out in stores now, shows Ramsey, Kate, and crew about 15 years down the line. You can check out some scans over at Heroes 'N' Hunks. (Please note, this link is work safe but the rest of the site may not be)
Well last week Ruby Summers blasted the competition easily for Moment of the Week! Just like the old saying goes, never underestimate a girl made out of living gemstone with laser eyes.
This week we take a look at some astounding moments from last weeks Spider-Man: Secret Invasion, Wolverine, New Avengers, Final Crisis: Rogue's Revenge, Ultimate X-Men and Thunderbolts. (Marvel heavy, last week)
So join me after the jump, and be warned. Spoilers lie beyond. So if you still have to pick up any of these books, don't read ahead because it'll ruin the surprise!
Our winner last week? Secret Invasion! Maria Hill takes the gold! (I still want that T-shirt. Get on that Marvel!)
This week we take a look at scenes from Incredible Hercules, The Brave and the Bold, Uncanny X-Men, and the Layla Miller spin-off. So join me after the jump, and be warned. Spoilers lie beyond. So if you still have to pick up any of these books, don't read ahead because it'll ruin the surprise!
Well, I was expecting Dark Willow to trounce the competition with her godlike powers, but last week the winner was none other than the Authority, for the touching moment between Apollo and Midnighter in this apocalyptic world that Wildstorm has become.
This week we take a look at scenes from Fantastic Four, Runaways/Young Avengers, Captain Britain, Green Lantern Corps, Secret Invasion, and Final Crisis: Revelations. (whoo that's a lot!) So join me after the jump, and be warned. Spoilers lie beyond. So if you still have to pick up any of these books, don't read ahead because it'll ruin the surprise!
For the month of June, we have selected Boy Meets Hero as this month's LGBT comic. Creators Chayne Avery and Russell Garcia have done a fantastic job with their comic (now available as a graphic novel from their site). In the book, we are introduced to closeted superhero Blue Comet and his boyfriend, comic geek Justin. Justin's sister is Blue Comet's superhero partner, Sunstar and his parents are retired superheroes as well, which leaves poor Justin as the black sheep without any powers.
With Justin's help, Blue Comet begins the process of coming out and being comfortable with his own sexuality.
I really enjoyed this series, as it had the right mix of humor and drama. Chayne Avery wrote on his website:
I want my characters to be fun and really enjoy the colorful world they live in. I also felt it is important to include sensuality in the character's intimate moments by showing that their love-making is a positive experience, neither explicit nor pornographic.
The basic focus of Boy Meets Hero is the positive relationship that Blue Comet has with his boyfriend, Justin, the people in their lives, and the ups and downs they experience along the way... Enjoy!
It's rare to see such meaningful homosexual relationships portrayed in comics and I applaud the creators for this, as it serves to inspire anyone fighting against discrimination and homophobia.
As I've written before, the more exposure we have for LGBT characters, the more we all benefit as creators and fans, and I can only hope that the LGBT comic book community continues to expand all of our horizons.
You can buy the trade from Amazon (make sure to buy from the PK Amazon store!), but I'd recommend buying it directly from the creators' website, as they have a limited amount of signed copies available.
There's a moment in issue #5 of Frater Mine where you can see true genius at work. The author, Sean McGrath, and the artist, Juan Romera, work seamlessly together to bring a truly goosebumps-inducing series of panels. I literally felt a chill as one of the main protagonists woke up from a nap and watched a number of black shadows silently marching down her staircase.
Mysticism, angst, and relationships are combined in Mr. McGrath's first two story arcs, which encompass issues 1-6 (issue 6 is forthcoming and should be published soon). The first story arc (issues 1-3) finds main character Matt, an unhappy high school teacher, being called back for an unexpected reunion with his former mystical friends. With a focus on nostalgia and the ties that bind friends together, McGrath takes us on a magical romp through heaven and hell. While this first arc is engaging, albeit confusing at some points (there's a lightsaber, an angel, and a few betrayals involved in the confusion), McGrath shines in his characterizations in the second story arc.
In issues #4-#6, the story takes an unexpected, yet welcome, focus on Matt. The mysticism is still there (in the form of a supernatural force that threatens Matt's family life), but it takes a backseat to McGrath's brilliant multi-faceted portrayal of a frustrated man trying to find his place in the world as he balances his family life. Heavier on the drama and character relationships, the second arc also sees Romera's pencils improve with each issue. By issue 6 both writer and artist have reached remarkable levels of professionalism and storytelling. [Editor's Note: I was fortunate enough to receive an advanced copy of issue 6]
But wait, you may be thinking, what the hell does all this have to with the LGBT community?
Though it's not the main focus of the series, Matt's homosexuality is often referred to throughout the book and McGrath's subtlety in his portrayal is much appreciated. Frater Mine serves to continue to demonstrates the variety of LGBT portrayals in comic books.
And so, with great pleasure, we induct Frater Mine as our LGBT Comic of The Month. No, you read that correctly. We're changing our format to give each LGBT comic more exposure.
Make sure to order your copies of Frater Mine via IndyPlanet.
This week's LGBT Comic of the Week is none other than writer Tommy Roddy's Pride High. Now in its 6th issue, Pride High is set in a high school full of super heroes that compete in squads (think New X-Men: Academy X) in a championship. The titular squad consists of entirely LGBT and LGBT-friendly characters.
Now let me start off by saying that the comic book has its share of flaws. The art at first didn't work for me, as guys were drawn with exaggerated bums and prominent crotches, but as the series went on, the art (thankfully) focused less and less on the over-sexualization of these characters. There's a time and a place for that type of art (I'm thinking more adult titles that are easily available at certain shops) and it seemed at odds with Roddy's story. There were also too many cuts, confusing panels, and way too many indistinguishable characters that were introduced (I don't know if it was just me, but I struggled to identify K.O., Kid Mischief, Beowulf, Smash, Crash, and the new freshman).
OK. That's the bad. Now for the good, and for the reasons as to why you should pick up this title!
As most television and comic book series, Pride High starts to hit its stride later on around the end of issue 2. The characters start working as a team and you can see the dynamics within the group. It is when the story focuses on the team and the main cast that Roddy's writing shines. The messages about friendship, tolerance, diversity, and love are interwoven into an engaging story arc that finds our heroes depending on each other in order to win the ISC (Inter-Squad Championship). Once I knew who the key players were, I went back and re-read the series and I was able to follow it a lot easier. I was incredibly disappointed when I reached the end of the available issues, only because I had found myself hooked!
Review: Avengers: The Children's Crusade #1
I literally clapped my hands together and said OhMyGodYesssss when the friendly staff member at my regular shop held this book out to hand it to me. Allan Heinberg and Jim Cheung finally - finally - return to this title with a nine issue limited series. I will spare you paragraphs of pontification and cut to the chase: it's not just good, it's the best thing Marvel has going, period. Read on for the pontification and petty quibbles!...
