#Savage/Barbarian Danny

[perilusjax]

DC X DP prompt

A savage winter

The JL attempted to summon the ghost king Pariah Dark. Yet when the summoning happened instead of the Tyrant a different being appeared in front of them.

His dark skin skin was covered with tattoos of constellations. In the middle of his chest was an eight pointed star. He wore a red and blue furred cape and a furred skirt over his pants.

Standing above the entire JL was a savage looking spirit with long braided white hair. An Aurora borealis danced around him, images of various animals appearing in and out of it.

Looking down at the ensemble of heroes, the spirit asked, "Who has summoned me, the embodiment of the Winter Sky,"

[satoshy12]

Vandal Savage is Jack Fenton

That pretty much is it.

Vandal Savage assumes the identity of Jack Fenton after a particularly intense fight. Vandal decided to take a break and go on vacation to escape the stresses of trying to conquer the world. Vandal was more intriguing when driven by the desire to find activities that relieve him of the boringdom of being immortal.

Resulting in a variety of changes from hero to villian over the years, as he was a boisterous Barbarian or the calculating mastermind Villain. The Jack identity was kind of was a blend of his barbarian nature and his genius. - Scandal is the older sister of Jazz and Danny, so Maddie thinks she was his child before they were together, and she told Scandal to just call her Mom.

[acourtofwritingandreading]

May Reading Log

One Savage Knight The Wrong Road Home Ice Planet Barbarians Barbarian Alien F is for Finn G is for Gerry Chase and the girl who came back Libby Lane Intensive Bear Unit The Unseelie King's Rebel Crying Wolf Anchor Strong Safety Guardian Falling Embers Dragon Found Guarded

May was a big month for me! I published my second book!

Once again I don't remember half of these. I'm still having trouble wanting to start longer books, but then I start these smaller ones and they're super rushed sometimes.

I'm glad I tried a couple more Ice Planet Barbarians.

G is for Gerry deals with someone who had to have their leg amputated, and a writer who did no research on mobility aids. I can't get over her saying showers are impossible because she can't stand up. Meanwhile I literally am using a shower bench right now because I can't stand up.

Strong Safety was good but I wish the hero had showed up before the cops.

Catherine Cowles just moved her whole catalogue to Kindle Unlimited and I'm super excited even though I've only read one so far.

Dragon Found was promising, but I stopped reading the sequel because I got an arc for Guarded and now I don't think I'm going to go back and finish it.

GUARDED OH MY GOODNESS. NEW HELENA NEWBURY BOOK.

I spend most of my life searching my TBR and social media ads for the next book that's going to feel even close to a Helena Newbury book. It's no easy task, let me tell you. She is my favorite author. No one and I mean NO ONE does suspense romance like her. Now this being said, JD was the member of Stormfinch I was the least excited for. Nothing against the man, he's just not my favorite of the bunch, especially after how mean he was Danny in Off Limits. But it's a new Helena Newbury book! So I cleared my night and got to reading...

Holy crap. For a character I wasn't excited for, I COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN. JD doesn't hesitate when someone's in trouble, he springs right in, and he springs right into feelings he's not ready for. He's exactly what Lorna and Cody need, and they're what he needs if he can just get out of his own way. Meanwhile there's fun new characters, lots of old characters, and twists I DID NOT SEE COMING! More importantly my love Rufus gets to come on the adventure! Even if his new best buddy had to stay home. I hope Cody gets a dog of his own one day. This is another fantastic installment in Helena Newbury's shared universe.

Frankly the only problem with Stormfinch is there's only one single man left on the team. Clearly they need more members so there can be more books!

[raeynbowboi]

How to Play as Daenerys Targaryen in DnD 5e

Get your jumbo-sized nametags ready because today we’re building the lady with too many names herself, Daenerys Stormborn of the House Targaryen, etc. By the end of our build, we want Daenerys to be a conqueror who can ride a dragon into battle. Now, there are two important things to remember: We cannot break the rules of DnD, and Daenerys is going to be a really shitty character to play if you’re too faithful to her. Daenerys cannot fight. She relies entirely on her dragons, and DnD Daenerys is going to have to actually pick up a weapon and do some fighting herself. Otherwise, you’re just playing a dragon with a lady attached.

RIGHTFUL QUEEN OF THE ANDALS AND THE FIRST MEN

Time to rip off the bandage, we can’t get fire immunity. Maybe if your DM is willing to swing it as homebrew, you can get it, but there’s no way Daenerys can acquire fire immunity naturally. We can pick up fire resistance, but immunity is going to require a lenient DM. Otherwise, we’re building the Daenerys from the books who is not fireproof.

Daenerys is a Valyrian, which is just another type of human, but Valyrians are special in Game of Thrones so we’ll make her a Variant Human with +1 WIS, +1 DEX. We’ll give her Intimidation for her free skill, and Prodigy for her free feat. Prodigy gives Daenerys proficiency with Deception, expertise in Persuasion or Intimidation (whether you’re feeling more Mhysa or Dragon Queen), and she gets a bonus language. As a Valyrian, she should speak Old High Valyrian, which in DnD terms would be Elvish.

For her background, she may be the beggar princess at the start of the series, but it still has princess in the title. We’ll make her a Noble, swapping out her Position of Privilege feature for Retainers so that Daenerys can be accompanied by her advisors, courtiers, and/or handmaidens. As a Noble, we get proficiency with History and Persuasion, and like any good noble, when she married for political power, Danny learned to speak her husband’s language. Khal Drogo and the Dothraki are a ‘savage’ tribal people, which sounds like Orcish to me

KHALEESI OF THE GREAT GRASS SEA

Ranger

Daenerys starts her epic conquest by marrying Khal Drogo of the Dothraki Horselords, and while one could argue they are more akin to Barbarians or Fighters, for the purposes of this build, we’ll say they are Rangers. Rangers get to choose three skills from the Ranger skill list, we’ll give Daenerys Animal Handling, Insight, and Perception.

If we want to rule over everyone, it’s a good idea to be able to crush anyone regardless of race with the same ruthless efficiency. We’ll substitute Favored Enemy for Favored Foe, letting Daenerys choose one poor soul to be the focus of her ire for 1 minute. However, if you want to give Daenerys Favored Enemy, choose Humans and Halflings at level 1, Undead at level 6, and Dragons at level 14 to be the victims of Danny’s Fire and Blood. Favored Enemy gives Daenerys extra languages, but aside from adding on Ignan to let Daenerys speak the language of fire, there’s no other languages that Daenerys can speak, so just pick whatever languages feel appropriate.

If you prefer Natural Explorer, we’ll start with the Dothraki preference at level 1 and select Grasslands, Desert at level 6 to cross the Red Waste, and Arctic at level 10 to brave The North.

If you prefer Deft Explorer, you can choose a skill to become an expert in at first level, choose either Intimidation or Persuasion (whichever one you didn’t pick from the Prodigy feat). They get a climbing and swim speed at 6th level, and at 10th level, Daenerys can skip sleeping all-together by recovering Temp HP and removing exhaustion as an action.

At 2nd Level, Daenerys gets to select a fighting style. Dothraki prefer to use their Arakh (Scimitar) swords for Dueling, but Rangers tend to favor Archery, so pick one of those two for Daenerys’ fighting style.

Neither Primeval Awareness nor Primal Awareness is very in-character for Daenerys, but one could flavor Primeval Awareness as Dothraki tracking skills, while Primal Awareness as Valyrian magic that comes from Danny’s draconic bloodline. Pick whichever you prefer. 

At 10th Level, Nature’s Veil is better, but turning invisible isn’t really one of her abilities, so on that front, Hide in Plain Sight is more in-character. Again, choose whichever you prefer.

MOTHER OF DRAGONS

Conclave of the Drakewarden

The Targaryens are the legendary dragon-riders of Westeros, and the same is true in DnD. You get a drake at level 3 that you can form a bond with and summon to your side, and learn to speak Draconic. Technically, it can’t fly yet, but that’s okay. Drogon is still a newborn, and he’ll learn to fly on his own later. Yes, we only get the one dragon, and Summon Draconic Spirit is not a Ranger spell (though if your DM is cool with it, I won’t say anything). I suppose you could give each dragon a different breath attack and treat each one as a separate dragon that Daenerys can call to her aid, as the drake can choose a different breath attack type each type it’s summoned, but that’s purely flavor, up to the player to decide. But to best be Daenerys, we’ll be sticking with the Fire breath attack. At 7th level, Drogon can grant his mother Fire resistance (or whatever other element you have him breathe), grows wings and gains a 40 ft flying speed, and his bite deals an extra 1d6 Fire damage. At 11th Level, Drogon learns to breathe fire, creating a 30 ft cone of 6d6 fire damage. At 15th level, the breath attack increases to 8d6, Drogon grows to Large size, making him big enough to ride on, Drogon’s bite increases to 2d6 Fire damage, and while you and Drogon are within 30 feet of each other, you can give each other resistance to any type of damage either of you is hit with by using your reaction. While the class doesn’t say this, when you get Drogon at level 3, the stat block has it as a Small Dragon, then at level 15, he just suddenly becomes Large. If your DM will permit it, I’d instead suggest that Drogon’s size is always increasing, being Small at 3rd Level, Medium at 9th Level, and Large at 15th Level.

STATS STR 8 DEX 20 CON 10 INT 8 WIS 20 CHA 16

HP 124 AC 15 Initiative: +5 NoA: 2

SKILLS Animal Handling Deception Insight Intimidation* Perception Persuasion*

LANGUAGES Common Elvish (Valyrian) Orcish (Dothraki) Draconic

Daenerys’ Spell List

1 Hunter’s Mark, Ensnaring Strike, Hail of Thorns/Searing Smite* 2 Cordon of Arrows, Magic Weapon 3 Elemental Weapon, Flame Arrows, Flame Stride 4 Dominate Beast 5 Conjure Volley, Swift Quiver/Steel Wind Strike*

Honestly, if we were building Daenerys accurately, her only good stats would be Wisdom and Charisma, but we needed her to be viable for DnD, so we stretched things a bit. But hopefully, she and Drogo can be a power duo, and together you can take back your throne with Fire and Blood. Just watch out for that family curse. It’s pretty crazy.

[geekcavepodcast]

IDW Publishing Announces New “Transformers” Comics

IDW Publishing has announced two new Transformers comic miniseries - Transformers: King Grimlock and Transformers: Shattered Glass -  and new story arcs for Transformers and Transformers: Beast Wars starting in August 2021.

Transformers: King Grimlock hails from writer Steve Orlando, artist Agustin Padilla, and colorist Jeremy Colwell. The five-issue miniseries is set in a world of fantastical beasts and magic. Dinobot Grimlock and Arko the human barbarian are in a savage world where the strong rule...a perfect place to prove who is the strongest. But the two will learn that sometimes brute strength just isn’t enough.

Transformers: King Grimlock #1 features a Cover A by Cary Nord, a Cover B by Padilla, and a Retailer Incentive Cover by Mateus Santolouco.

Transformers: Shattered Glass hails from writer Danny Lore, artists Guido Guidi and Dan Khanna, and colorist John-Paul Bove. The five-issue miniseries is set in a parallel universe where war raged from Cyberton to Earth - “a war between Decepticon laborers-turned-freedom fighters and the power-hungry Autobot autocrats. Many kilocycles after the blue planet was devastated and the Decepticons were brought to heel, the evil Autobot bodyscrapper named Blurr hunts a new bounty… one who holds a piece of information that could reignite the war!” (IDW Publishing)

Transformers: Shattered Glass #1 features a Cover A by Alex Milne, a Cover B by Khanna, and a Retailer Incentive Cover by Sara Pitre-Durocher.

Transformers #34, from writer Brian Ruckley and artist Anna Malkova, will begin a new “Sea of Rust” storyline. Set during the early days of the war on Cybertron, Megatron learns that Termagax, Megatron’s former mentor, holds a key artifact that could help eliminate the Autobots once and for all, but first he has to find Termagax.

Transformers #34 features a Cover A by Winston Chan, a Cover B by Susan Margevich, and a Retailer Incentive Cover by Andrew Griffith.

Transformers: Beast Wars #7, from writer Erik Burnham and artist Winston Chan, will begin the new story arc “Pod.” The Maximals and Predacons are regrouping after with first battle when they are alerted to a new protoform pod descending. Enter Blackarachnia.

Transformers: Beast Wars #7 features a Cover A by Fico Ossio, a Cover B by Ed Pirrie, and a Retailer Incentive Cover by Gavin Guidry.

(Images via IDW Publishing - Transformers: King Grimlock Cover A by Cary Nord, Transformers: Shattered Glass Cover A by Alex Milne, Transformers #34 Cover A by Winston Chan, Transformers: Beast Wars Cover A by Fico Ossio) 

[oosteven-universe]

Berserker Unbound #2

Berserker Unbound #2 Dark Horse Comics 2019 Written by Jeff Lemire Illustrated by Mike Deodato Jr. Coloured by Frank Martin Lettered by Steve Wands     Ripped from a savage world ruled by magic and dropped at the outskirts of a modern city, feared warrior the Mongrel King is found and rescued by a homeless man who guides him through a new land with new vices and hardships.     I was rather intrigued and impressed by the first issue of this. We have seen time tossed barbarians stuck in a modern era before, granted not quite like this. Jeff does manage to take the idea and put his own personal spin on this to create something that is dynamic, more than a little misunderstood and facing his own inner demons for the way he has handled himself. I don't at any moment in time during this story, thus far, feel as if this is some copycat take on something I have already seen before.     I like the way that this is being told. The structure we see through the story & plot development and character development as they intertwine, deviate from and work around each other the way they do is stupendous to see. When you take the pacing and add it into this mix it creates this ebb & flow to the story that almost lulls you into this comfortability in the sheer storytelling aspect. The characterisation here is marvellous and it's interesting to me to see them speak such different languages and that while it is a barrier it doesn't seem to be very much of a hindrance. Of course they kind of move through things like the blind leading the blind but hey that's okay. Also for a homeless man who drinks wine out of the bottle in a paper bag he is such a friggin hoot!     For a minute I was thinking there would be some divine intervention or back at where he arrived he'd find a rune that would allow him to understand English. I am glad that didn't happen and there is some of the most incredible dialogue that happens throughout the entire issue. Doesn't matter who is speaking either what we see will make you laugh out loud, chuckle under your breath as it were and actually smile at the frustration of the characters who cannot understand each other. For anyone who's worked with the public can tell you the language barrier and guessing games aren't funny when you are involved only when it's other people.     Sweet mother of pearl. Oh my Lord & Taylor, and Bite into a Magnum the interiors here are breathtakingly beautiful to behold. Mike's linework the lays down here has some of the most extraordinary utilisation of the lines through their varying weights to create this attention to detail. The to allow Frank to use his expertise and let his colour work also create some attention to detail as well. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show this masters eye for storytelling. The colour I touched upon but seriously it is a complete wow factor unto itself. I mean to see these muted tones and hues in the backgrounds and still be impressed by them, the trees and the leaves good god almighty. There is so much within the colour work within all the tones and hues and how we see them that blows my mind. The way the panels are composed and how we see depth perception and scale is beautifully done. I mean those leaves falling, find them you'll understand.     It kind of feels like this is Arnold and Danny Glover, the Conan role and the Predator 2 role respectively, and it comes close to what I think. However, that being said, it doesn't really resemble either but it's has this buddy feel to it so that in my mind I created something that it would recognise to keep myself from obsessing about it. ​     There is nothing not to love about this, it has this intelligence behind how it's being told and quite honestly some of the most deserved of award winning interior artwork.

[movieswithkevin27]

The Man Who Would Be King

John Huston's The Man Who Would Be King is a film that is so grand in scope and so absurd in how it is realized that it is impossible to not come away torn. Is this a satirical comedy or is it a straight-forward epic adventure romp through the mountains of the Middle East/Asia? Honestly, there may be a bit of a mix between the two as Huston's film shows the efforts of two men - Danny (Sean Connery) and Peachy (Michael Caine) - to become the Kings of Kafiristan in the late 19th Century. Both former members of the British Army, the two men traverse snowy mountains and go to war with various small sects in the country in their quest to become King. In the course of all of this, Danny gets mistaken for a god and the long descended son of Alexander the Great, which of course proves to be greatly beneficial to their chances of becoming King. Exploring classic Huston themes regarding nature and human nature, The Man Who Would Be King also serves as quite the apt satire and mocking of colonialism efforts by western powers.

In classic Huston fashion, The Man Who Would Be King's themes are largely centered around human nature with mother nature doing her worst in the background. Traversing arduous terrain to reach the country they believe can easily be laid claim to, both Daniel and Peachy must go through snow, deserts, and dangerous encounters with natives. It brings them to their limit as men, forcing them to dig deep down within themselves to be able to fight back against the brutality of mother nature. Yet, the brutality of nature itself is nothing compared to human nature, as Huston often argues. Drawing parallels to The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, The Man Who Would Be King's depiction of two men who become King of a far-off land is one that allows them to come into contact with great riches. Bestowing upon Daniel all of the riches the Priests believe to be his, the two have tons of gold thrust upon them with rubies as big as their heads sprinkled on top like strawberry sprinkles. Splitting the wealth between themselves and translator Billy (Saeed Jaffrey), the two are unable to stop themselves from always wanting more. While Peachy wishes to take his spoils and leaves, he is convinced by Daniel to stick around until Daniel is married to the woman he chose. Seeing this as Daniel getting a bit greedy, Peachy nonetheless sticks around. By the time they finally are able to run-off - with just Peachy's spoils in tow - they do so with their lives barely in tact and a legion of Priests hot on their tail. Naturally, it is not long before the gold is spilled and gets lost among the mountainside. Echoing The Treasure of the Sierra Madre in its depiction of humanity's greed and even matching how that film dispatches of the reason for humanity's greed, The Man Who Would Be King shows the perils of wanting more than one's own fill and never being satisfied. Had they left when they knew should and before their secret came out, both Daniel and Peachy would be rich and healthy. Instead, they are left with nothing, merely waiting to hit the bottom.

In its rather comedic tone, The Man Who Would Be King often satirizes colonialism. With both Daniel and Peachy being former soldiers in the British military stationed in India, it is easy to see how Huston introduces this idea of imperialism from the very beginning. Showing the comedic value and sheer insanity of two men wanting to go conquer some random land, Huston draws parallels to just how silly and idiotic the notion of a country doing the same is, yet that is not scoffed at by anybody. Desiring gold, God, and glory, Daniel and Peachy go off on their mission and unite tribes, fight, and act like the heroes they believed the country needed. Their actions in rising to the throne by building a rapport with a local leader only to quickly resolve to either make him a puppet or just dispatch with him entirely, the two act exactly how the British would if they had invaded the country with the full force of the military.

Acting like gods who bring civility to these people, it is only natural that Daniel and Peachy face the same level of revolt that the British had in countries across the globe. Promising everything and acting as though they are Jesus incarnate, it takes no time at all for the natives to quickly realize that these are just humans who can be torn down just as with anybody else. There is no need to stand for their tyranny and lies when one of their own could do the job just as well (and had done it for centuries). For Daniel and Peachy, however, they see the people of this nation as nothing but savages. Appalled by their frequent beheadings, sporting traditions, and offerings of their children as sexual favors, both frequently lament about the incivility of the people they are surrounded by, which only furthers their belief that they are gods. While, deep down, they know themselves to be ordinary men, they are unable to stop their own human nature in "believing their own hype".

Daniel, in particular, comes to truly believe himself to be divine. Amidst this sea of, what he believes to be, barbarianism, it is not surprising to see Daniel believe himself to be royalty. Peachy, similarly, harbors this feeling of superiority to the natives that he is unafraid to express. As a result, though the natives begin to show some doubts and unrest, neither Daniel nor Peachy ever shows any sign of doubt. As the Christian men from England who are trained in soldiery, they believe themselves to be safely in the right. The savagery and inhumanity of the people of this nation are proof of their superiority and the fact that they are rightfully put in charge of this lawless and ruthless nation. Exacting justice and adjusting to local customs, Daniel believes himself to be the best ruler since Alexander and the worthy heir to the throne, even if he knows deep down that these are just lies. Embodying imperialistic belief of national superiority to the "uncivilized", The Man Who Would Be King's critical stylings are hard to ignore given just how prominently Huston parallels the plot to Britain's actions in India or any number of other nations.

Though, at its core, a critique of British imperialism and a further study of the human inclination towards greed, The Man Who Would Be King is hard to ignore as a comedic work. Playing up the absurdity of these men's behavior and actions throughout the film, the story is told via narration by Peachy. Referring to himself in the third person, Caine's Peachy is an odd-ball of a man. Rambunctious and eccentric, Peachy is largely what delivers the film's comedic tilt, but Connery's Daniel similarly feels comedic due to his considerable hubris. The characters feel real at their core, but entirely heightened beyond how humans truly act. Farcical and comical as a result, Huston's decision to have both actors exaggerate their characters' behavior to the point that it is nearly impossible to take seriously is what really gives this film its comedic edge. Even the actions of the natives feel entirely tongue-in-cheek with them playing polo with severed human heads or them believing Daniel to be a god due to his freemasons necklace. It is a film that may be critiquing real things, but does so in a way that is unmistakably satirical and, throughout, it works. The Man Who Would Be King is not a film that, on paper, seems as though it will be funny, but it absolutely is thanks to Connery and Caine's committed performance.

A thrilling adventure romp, a companion piece to The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, and a satirical look at British imperialism, John Huston's The Man Who Would Be King is likely his best work outside of the Golden Age of Hollywood and one of his best films, period. Featuring excellent performances from Sean Connery and Michael Caine as the leads, The Man Who Would Be King greatly succeeds in becoming a truly entertaining film from beginning to end.

[thecomicsmultiversetu]

Spotlight on local creator Charles Santino

Spotlight on local creator Charles Santino

  In this post, the Local Creator spotlight shines on Charles Santino. Santino is no stranger to the comic book industry.  Most of the local creators I feature here on the blog are one that I run into at local comic cons. Charles was the one that actually contacted me directly, which I am glad he did and I look forward to meeting him in person soon.  Charles Santino has written and packaged…

[gokinjeespot]

off the rack #1306

Monday, March 23, 2020

 I don't know how much longer I will be able to write off the rack. New comics are still being shipped every week but the store is cutting back orders and rack copies are going to be very restricted. I have already been borrowing comic books from dear friends Ryan, Rebecca and Doug, with their permission when there are no copies left after pulling subscription service orders. This pandemic is a wake up call for all of humanity. No super heroes are going to swoop in to save the day. It's up to us to be careful and stay safe. I have not left our house except to go for walks since last Tuesday when I went to work to receive the new comics. I will be going to work tomorrow and then coming straight home after. I hope everyone is okay wherever you are.

 Runaways #31 - Rainbow Rowell (writer) Andre Genolet (art) Dee Cunniffe (colours) VC's Joe Sabino (letters). Part 7 of "Canon Fodder" concludes this lengthy story with the evil Doc Justice showing his true colours. The villain may have been defeated but Doc Justice might live on. It's this possibility that will keep me reading.

 Batman #91 - James Tynion IV (writer) Rafael Albuquerque, Jorge Jimenez, Carlo Pagulayan & Danny Miki (art) Tomeu Morey (colours) Clayton Cowles (letters). The Designer is a puppet master who has manipulated the Penguin, the Riddler, Catwoman and the Joker into taking over Gotham City. I like the unpredictability of what the four puppets are going to do. Next issue's feature villain is the Riddler and I can't wait to see what riddles he has in store for Batman.

 The Red Mother #4 - Jeremy Haun (writer) Danny Luckert (art) Ed Dukeshire (letters). This is a really good creepy comic book. Daisy's visions are getting worse, which I'm hoping will lead to the appearance of the Red Mother. But I want to meet the black smoky scary guy with the white smiley face mask.

 Marvels X #3 - Alex Ross & Jim Krueger (writers) Well-Bee (art) VC's Cory Petit (letters). Spider-Man and Daredevil try to get the last human being on Earth into the Baxter Building to see if Reed can find a cure for whatever is giving everybody super powers. I don't see how the kid is going to survive given who has him in his clutches now.

 Year of the Villain: Hell Arisen #4 - James Tynion IV (writer) Steve Epting (art) Nick Filardi (colours) Travis Lanham (letters). This issue's conclusion convinced me that I dislike the Batman Who Laughs a lot and I don't care what Perpetua does to the multiverse. But if you care, continue to read the story in Dark Nights Death Metal #1, the first of a 6-issue mini hitting the racks May 13.

 Archie #712 - Mariko Tamaki & Kevin Panetta (writers) Laura Braga (art) Matt Herms (colours) Jack Morelli (letters). I'm reading this Katy Keene story because I miss Fashion Television.

 Outlawed #1 - Eve L. Ewing (writer) Kim Jacinto (art) Espen Grundetjern (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). This $4.99 US one shot is a prelude to the return of the Champions to the racks. But now the kids are going to be on the wrong side of the law. The government has banned all activity by under-aged super heroes because of a major disaster. That feeling of déjà vu you're getting is because Marvel did this already with the New Warriors. If you want to see these youngsters fight against the Child hero Reconnaissance And Disruption Law Enforcement organization or C.R.A.D.L.E., pick up Champions #1 April 8.

 DCeased: Unkillables #2 - Tom Taylor (writer) Karl Mostert (pencils) Trevor Scott, Neil Edwards & Karl Mostert (inks) Rex Lokus (colours) Saida Temofonte (letters). Now that the good guys and the bad guys have to work together to survive the zombies this story got more interesting. I like the familial element with Shiva and her daughter Cassandra/Batgirl and Deathstroke and his daughter Rose. I really liked how Vandal Savage meets a gruesome end. I can't wait to see what new hell is unleashed in next issue's conclusion.

 X-Ray Robot #1 - Michael Allred (writer & art) Laura Allred (colours) Nate Piekos (letters). This science-fiction story about a scientist and his interdimensional travelling robot invention is typical Michael Allred whacky fun. There's a lot of crazy kinetic energy in these pages and you have to pay close attention so you don't get lost. Doctor Max Wilding is a hero in waiting.

 Spider-Woman #1 - Karla Pacheco (writer) Pere Perez (art) Frank D'Armata (colours) VC's Travis Lanham (letters). I'm sad that my friend Gord McDougall, who passed away last year, isn't around to see his favourite super hero get back on the racks in this excellent debut. I really like the new costume. Jessica is hired to protect a billionaire's daughter at her sweet sixteen birthday party on a mega yacht (that spelling baffles me). When kidnappers attack we see how awesome Jess can be. The art is gorgeous and I'm going to add this to my "must read" list. The back-up story with art by Paulo Siqueira (pencils) and Oren Junior (inks) shows us how Jessica gets her new costume. There's something funny going on with it and this subplot makes this $4.99 US debut seem cheap at twice the price.

 The Resistance #1 - J. Michael Straczynski (writer) Mike Deodato Jr. (art) Frank Martin (colours) Sal Cipriano (letters). J. Michael Straczynski, now that's a name that I haven't seen on the racks for a while. I'm so glad he's back. This is the comic book of the week if not the year. It starts off with a global pandemic which immediately pulled me in because of what's currently happening in real life. By the end of this first issue I realized that what happened in the comic was just a way to grant random people super powers all at once all around the world. Not a new concept I know, but it's being done by one of my favourite writers and a very good artist. I'm adding this 6-issue mini to my "must read" list. This book is from brand new publisher AWA which stands for Artists, Writers and Artisans. I will be looking for their books by Frank Cho, Peter Milligan, and Garth Ennis when they hit the racks in the future. You should too.

 Conan the Barbarian #14 - Jim Zub (writer) Roge Antonio (art) Israel Silva (colours) VC's Travis Lanham (letters). The explanation of how Conan survives being run through with a sword made me groan but I read on. Conan and the remaining warriors must work together to survive the rest of the gauntlet but one of them is a treacherous killer. Who that is keeps me interested.

 Something is Killing the Children #6 - James Tynion IV (writer) Werther Dell'Edera (art) Miquel Muerto (colours) AndWorld Design (letters). A new story starts here. It looks like we're going to get Erica's origin story and I'm looking forward to finding out more about Ms. Slaughter.

 Guardians of the Galaxy #3 - Al Ewing (writer) Nina Vakueva, Chris Sprouse, Belen Ortega & Juann Cabal (pencils) Nina Vakueva, Karl Story, Belen Ortega & Juann Cabal (inks) Federico Blee (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). In the aftermath of Peter's "death" (he'll return eventually I'm sure) the rest of the Guardians must get on with their lives. A new client hires them but I see a big conflict of interest in their new mission. Their new client made me wonder if a copyright infringement was being made by Marvel. Someone over there forget about Bucky O'Hare? Is Blackjack related? Okay, a quick search confirms that Blackjack O'Hare first appeared in a Marvel comic in May 1982 and Bucky first appeared in the Continuity Graphics title Echo of Futurepast #1 in May 1984 with some sweet art by Michael Golden. Law suits averted.

 Fantastic Four #20 - Dan Slott (writer) Peco Medina (art) Jesus Aburtov (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). This is a great one-shot story for fans thinking about adding this book to their sub. The Four return from their space adventure on Spyre with Johnny's soul mate Sky. Then the new couple goes to help Wyatt Wingfoot with an attack by the Mole Man. Everything is wrapped up nice and neat in this one issue and you will get the warm and fuzzies getting to know Marvel's First Family. I still like this book.

 Valkyrie #9 - Jason Aaron & Torunn Gronbekk (writers) Ramon Rosanas (art) Jesus Aburtov (colours) VC's Joe Sabino (letters). How many times can Jason Aaron bring about a Ragnarok-like event? As many times as he wants as far as I'm concerned. Here we have Tyr unleashing an ancient dark power and now it's up to Val to stop it. This title is still top tier.

 X-Force #9 - Benjamin Percy (writer) Joshua Cassara (art) Dean White (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). I continue to read books that I feel aren't that great for a variety of reasons. I'm not fond of the art in this title and the missions that this team goes on are okay, not great. I do however, like that Domino and Wolverine are on this team. Their behaviour in this book will determine how long I stay a fan.

 Robin 100-Page Super Spectacular - These one-shot anthologies are a great way to catch up on characters. There are 10 short stories featuring the 5 Robins: Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Tim Drake, Stephanie Brown and Damian Wayne. There are a couple of retro stories by Marv Wolfman and Chick Dixon that were hokey. I preferred the current stories by James Tynion V, Peter J. Tomasi and Robbie Thompson. The last story made me curious about what's happening with Damian leading the Teen Titans. Pick up this $9.99 US 80th Anniversary book to get a nice picture of one of comics' iconic sidekicks.

[meira-3919]

What if the dannies are all winter spirits? Dani is the winter frost or winds, Dan is the winter storms

DC X DP prompt

A savage winter

The JL attempted to summon the ghost king Pariah Dark. Yet when the summoning happened instead of the Tyrant a different being appeared in front of them.

His dark skin skin was covered with tattoos of constellations. In the middle of his chest was an eight pointed star. He wore a red and blue furred cape and a furred skirt over his pants.

Standing above the entire JL was a savage looking spirit with long braided white hair. An Aurora borealis danced around him, images of various animals appearing in and out of it.

Looking down at the ensemble of heroes, the spirit asked, "Who has summoned me, the embodiment of the Winter Sky,"

[gokinjeespot]

off the rack #1302

Monday, February 24, 2020

 Jee-Riz will be busy the next couple of weekends. We will be at the Jim Durrell Arena for the Capital Trade Show on Sunday, March 1. Stop by our tables for some comic books at bargain basement prices. Then we'll set up at the Delta Hotel for the Capital Comic Book Con on Sunday, March 8. This is where we'll have our premiere selection of back issues for sale. I hope the old bod can handle all that lifting.

 Runaways #30 - Rainbow Rowell (writer) Andre Genolet (art) Dee Cunniffe (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). The Runaways' stint as the J-Team seems to be winding down with the revelation that their leader and benefactor is nothing more than an old glory hound. Unfortunately, one of them might be paying the ultimate price. Talk about a cliffhanger ending.

 Legion of Super-Heroes #4 - Brian Michael Bendis (writer) Ryan Sook & Mikel Janin (pencils) Wade von Grawbadger & Mikel Janin (inks) Jordie Bellaire (colours) Dave Sharpe (letters). We interrupt this origin story of the Legion of Super-Heroes for a very important message about Aquaman's trident. I want to know who has it.

 The Red Mother #3 - Jeremy Haun (writer) Danny Luckert (art) Ed Dukeshire (letters). Man, I love this fantasy/mystery. The art is gorgeous. The main character Daisy is intelligent. I want to help her figure out what's going on with the red visions. This is a comic book that I think more people should be buying.

 Conan the Barbarian #13 - Jim Zub (writer) Roge Antonio (art) Israel Silva (colours)

VC's Travis Lanham (letters). Part one of "Into the Crucible" finds Conan trapped in a maze with other warriors. There are death traps at every turn. The surprise on the last page was a shock and it made me want to read the next issue as soon as possible.

 Archie #711 - Mariko Tamaki & Kevin Panetta (writers) Laura Braga (art) Matt Herms (colours) Jack Morelli (letters). I don't watch the CW TV shows but I do like the comic books. The teenage angst and drama makes me cringe sometimes but the art right now is what's keeping me coming back for more each issue.

 The Old Guard: Force Multiplied #3 - Greg Rucka (writer) Leandro Fernandez (art) Daniela Miwa (colours) Jodi Wynne (letters). This is another comic book that I think more people should be buying. Andromache (Andy for short) and her immortal pals are ambushed by someone from her past. We're talking way past. Centuries. If you can't find these on the racks right now, wait and buy the trade. You won't be disappointed.

 Daredevil #18 - Chip Zdarsky (writer) Jorge Fornes (art) Nolan Woodard (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). I like the leaner, meaner Owl that wants to be kingpin of Hell's Kitchen. He's going to have a hard time taking control with the hired muscle that the Stromwyns have hitting the streets. I'm calling them Marvel's Fatal Five.

 Batman #89 - James Tynion IV (writer) Carlo Pagulayan, Guillem March & Danny Miki (art) Tomeu Morey (colours) Clayton Cowles (letters). Speculators are all drooling because this issue features the first appearance of the Joker's newest main squeeze. She appears in two panels in extreme close-up so we don't know what she looks like or who she is. Harley's here too but she's a good guy now. I'm more curious to find out who the Designer is and how he's connected to Catwoman.

 Fantastic Four #19 - Dan Slott (writer) Sean Izaakse (art) Marcio Menyz & Erick Arciniega (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). The conclusion of "Point of Origin" starts off with a prelude to the next adventure for the team back on Earth. Meanwhile 44 light years away, Reed and the Overseer of Spyre engage in fisticuffs but then have a Kumbaya moment that made me roll my eyes. All is well that ends well for their space adventure and so it's homeward bound with an extra passenger, Johnny's soul mate Sky from Spyre. The next story has some classic FF characters that we haven't seen in a while. I'm looking forward to it.

 Valkyrie #8 - Jason Aaron & Torunn Gronbekk (writers) Cafu (art) Jesus Aburtov (colours) VC's Joe Sabino (letters). A new story starts here featuring All-Father Thor. A darkness deep within the earth threatens to overwhelm the planet. Val and Thor dig deep to find it and uh-oh. Resistance is futile. The Anti-Life is a new Norse myth that we haven't seen yet. I want to know who set it off. No, it's not Darkseid.

 Wolverine #1 - Fans have been clamouring for the mutant runt to get his own book again and here it is. The big $7.99 US number one has two complete stories. One is a mystery and the other is Wolverine doing what he does best.

 "The Flower Cartel" by Benjamin Percy (writer) Adam Kubert (art) Frank Martin (colours) and VC's Cory Petit (letters) has Wolverine and X-Force tracking down stolen shipments of Krakoan drugs. The trail leads to Alaska and someone named The Pale Girl.

 "Catacombs" by Benjamin Percy (writer) Viktor Bogdanovic (art) Matthew Wilson (colours) and VC's Cory Petit (letters) sends Wolverine to Paris where he meets vampire killer Louise that sets up a confrontation with Dracula. Hordes of vampires are dispatched.

 The Pale Girl intrigues me more than Dracula but I don't know which story will continue in #2. The stories don't seem to be related so we'll have to wait and see.

 DCeased: Unkillables #1- Tom Taylor (writer) Karl Mostert (pencils) Trevor Scott, Neil Edwards & John Livesay (inks) Rex Lokus (colours) Saida Temofonte (letters). This 3-issue mini has a DCU infested with the Anti-Life Virus. It's DC heroes and villains fighting zombies featuring the uninfected Jason Todd/ Red Hood and Cassandra Cain/Batgirl for the good guys and Deathstroke and Vandal Savage for the bad guys. The art is very nice and I'm a fan of Tom's writing so I'm going to keep reading.

 Plunge #1 - Joe Hill (writer) Stuart Immonen (art) Dave Stewart (colours) Deron Bennett (letters). I wasn't going to read this new DC Black Label book until I saw Stuart Immonen's name in the credits. I love his art. This is a story about a marine disaster way up near the Arctic Circle. There's a ghost ship, scientists and seas creatures. The marine biologist in me is curious.

 Guardians of the Galaxy #2 - Al Ewing (writer) Juann Cabal (art) Federico Blee (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). Well that didn't take long. The team's mission to save the galaxy from dark Zeus and save Hercules ends with the threat neutralised and a surprise sacrifice. Tears are shed. I'm not worried though. Rocket didn't die on the last mission.

 Marauders #8 - Gerry Duggan (writer) Stefano Caselli (art) Edgar Delgado (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). Bishop retrieves the dead mutant from last issue with the help of Iceman, who takes some revenge on the humans. Storm takes the death hard as well but to me it's just empty theatrics because every mutant can be brought back to life. I'm just wondering if there will be changes to this hero when they're resurrected.

 Joker: Killer Smile #3 - Jeff Lemire (writer) Andrea Sorrentino (art) Jordie Bellaire (colours) Steve Wands (letters). The good Doctor Ben succumbs to the Joker's mind games and helps the clown prince of crime escape from Arkham Asylum. There was one part of the story that bugged me even though I understood the urgency of Batman going to save the doctor's family. Other than that, this was a good psychological thriller.

[gokinjeespot]

off the rack #1282

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

 We left for a trip to the US of A last Friday and returned home last evening. Spent most of our time in South Freeport, Maine (motto: So Free Me, get it?) Freeport has the big L. L. Bean campus of stores which are open 24/7, 364 days of the year. They only close Christmas Day. I did not buy anything there. We also went into Portland where I discovered Casablanca Comics, a clean and spacious store down a few steps from street level. I got a copy of "Is This How You See Me?" by Jaime Hernandez that they fortunately had in stock. It was their last copy. Unfortunately, I fell ill and spent the last 24 hours of our trip in bed back at the motel. I am so happy to be home now.

 The Immortal Hulk #24 - Al Ewing (writer) Joe Bennett (pencils) Ruy Jose, Belardino Brabo, Marc Deering & Roberto Poggi (inks) Paul Mounts (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). We've seen a lot of changes since this book hit the racks and there are plenty more to come. This is a crucial issue and you don't want to miss it.

 Daredevil #12 - Chip Zdarsky (writer) Marco Checchetto (art) Nolan Woodard (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). Matt tries to rescue a bogus Daredevil from some crooked cops but he's out of shape and practice. His new teacher lends a helping hand. I haven't felt this good about a reunion since Bruce and Selina got back together. Meanwhile Mayor Fisk trying to go legit finds it hard to let go of old habits. How is he going to cover up this impulsive act?

 Absolute Carnage Immortal Hulk #1 - Al Ewing (writer) Filipe Andrade (art) Chris O'Halloran (colours) Travis Lanham (letters). Now this is interesting. We get a recap of the most recent goings on in The Immortal Hulk for most of this issue and then the big surprise on the last page raised so many questions in my mind that I feared it would explode. This is a one-shot so I wonder where this new Hulk is going to go. The end doesn't line up with what I just read in The Immortal Hulk #24. I hate when that happens.

 Superman Up In The Sky #4 - Tom King (writer) Andy Kubert (pencils) Sandra Hope (inks) Brad Anderson (colours) Clayton Cowles (letters). Here's a story that I am reading only because it's so well written and drawn. There's no reference to Action Comics or Superman but I care about what's happening to Clark and Superman in this issue because they've become separated somehow. Meanwhile, the little girl Superman wants to rescue finally shows up again.

 Runaways #25 - Rainbow Rowell (writer) Andres Genolet (art) Federico Blee (colours pages 1-9, 13-20) & Matthew Wilson (colours pages 10-12) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). We meet a possible new mentor for the young heroes and it's not who I thought it was based on the cover. Plus it's moving day. These kids are a lot less super hero-y than Young Justice. Maybe that's why I like them so much.

 Fantastic Four #15 - Dan Slott (writer) Paco Medina with Bob Quinn (art) Jesus Aburtov (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). Introducing The Unparalleled: Sidearm, Elementa, Kaylo, Kor, Belter, Citadel and Sky, protectors of the planet Spyre. Where are the FF? Don't worry, they show up after the introductions of these new super heroes and their powers and there's a big fight of misunderstanding. Then Reed gets the translators working and off we go with a new adventure. I think that's it's cool that when the FF first appear on the planet that their word balloons have alien lettering to show that the Spyricans can't understand what they're saying but I felt ripped off not being able to read the FF's dialogue. Especially since there was a lot of FF dialogue. Please don't do that.

 Young Justice #9 - Brian Michael Bendis (writer) Andre Lima Araujo (art pages 2-11, 15-18) John Timms (art pages 1, 12-14, 19-22) Gabriel Eltaeb (colours) Wes Abbott (letters). They're still stuck on Earth-3 fighting evil versions of themselves but this issue also tells the origin story of Keli, the sort of Green Lantern of the team. They're going to be here for a little longer because Red Robin has decided he wants to kick some evil twin ass.

 Spider-Verse #1 - Jed MacKay (writer) Juan Frigeri & Carlos Lopez (art pages 1-4, 16-17) Stacey Lee (art pages 5-6) Arthur Adams & Federico Blee (art pages 7-8) James Harren & Dave Stewart (art pages 9-10) Dike Ruan & Carlos Lopez (art pages 11-12) Sheldon Vella (art pages 13-15) VC's Joe Sabino (letters). So you say you liked the animated feature with Miles, Spider-Gwen and Peter Porker from last year. Well, this comic book is for you. The Web of Life & Destiny is sick and Miles must save it. I'm sure there is going to be lots of action and plenty of villains. I know there's going to be mucho Spider-Folks. If that's your poison then enjoy. Me, not so much.

 DCeased #5 - Tom Taylor (writer) Trevor Hairsine (pencils) Stefano Gaudiano (inks) Rain Beredo (colours) Saida Temofonte (letters). This is it folks. The penultimate issue and it looks like all is lost. When the Flash is infected Superman is the only one who can stop him from infecting the remaining survivors. But in doing so, the Man of Steel bends. I don't know how the human race is going to keep from going extinct.

 House of X #6 - Jonathan Hickman (writer) Pepe Larraz (art) Marte Gracia & David Curiel (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). The Council of Krakoa, the new Mutant Nation, start making laws and sits in judgment of one of their own. Sabretooth is charged with crimes against humans. Read this to find out the verdict and punishment. I really liked the use of the 9-panel grid for the heavily dialogued pages. Now that this mini is finished I anxiously await the next project that Pepe Larraz gets to draw. (Pepe just informed me that it's a one-shot but he couldn't tell me anything more)

 Batman #80 - Tom King (writer) John Romita Jr. (pencils) Klaus Janson (inks) Tomeu Morey (colours) Clayton Cowles (letters). They're back in town and ready to rumble. Batman and Catwoman return to take back Gotham City from Bane. I await their reaction to the news of what happened to Alfred. The art disappointed me. It had a boring sameness quality that turned me off. The threat on the final page didn't even move me. I hope this story doesn't end with a whimper.

 Contagion #1 - Ed Brisson (writer) Roge Antonio (art) Veronica Gandini (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). The Thing fighting off infected Moloids on the cover looked interesting and the art inside looked good otherwise I would have passed on this new 5-issue mini. Then I read the first page and went ugh. Someone in the mystical city of K'un-Lun saying to the blindfolded Yu-Ti "there is something you need to see" really bothered me. Then he says "you can see" two pages later. She's blind folded! "I need to show you something" would have been better and the "you can see" wasn't even necessary in that word balloon. Boy, did that burn my britches. I don't know what it is about all these infection type stories on the racks these days like Absolute Carnage and DCeased, but they're not very appealing to me. The Fantastic Four are featured this issue and Iron Fist and Power Man the next. I'm going to let the CDC take care of the rest of this one.

 Lois Lane #4 - Greg Rucka (writer) Mike Perkins (art) Paul Mounts (colours) Simon Bowland (letters). It's therapeutic to read something good after something not so good and boy, is this ever good. I love this depiction of Lois. I'm jealous of Clark now. When a writer makes me care about a character so much that's when I'm happiest reading a comic book. It also helps that I think the art is really good too.

 Ghost-Rider #1 - Ed Brisson (writer) Aaron Kuder (art) Jason Keith (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). Fans of the Spirit of Vengeance rejoice, Johnny Blaze is back on the racks. Here he's the current King of Hell and he's back on Earth hunting escaped demons. Danny Ketch even makes an appearance. Meanwhile back in Hell, Lilith is fomenting a coup. If those names don't mean anything to you but you like mystical fantasy on the dark and bloody side you might enjoy this. I thought the art was fantastic.

 Legion of Super-Heroes: Millennium #2 - Brian Michael Bendis (writer) Nicola Scott, Jim Cheung & Jeff Dekal (art) Tomeu Morey & Jordie Bellaire (colours). There was no list of creator credits so I don't know who lettered this issue. This 2-issue mini was a great way to introduce the new team even though you don't get to see them until the end of this issue. I loved how Rose & Thorn was used and the sneaky way that Booster Gold was snuck into this story. I am so looking forward to the regular Legion book with art by Ryan Sook.

 Future Foundation #3 - Jeremy Whitley (writer) Will Robson & Paco Diaz (art) Greg Menzie & Triona Farrell (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). The word count in this issue is huge. Find out everything you need to know about Rebecca "Rikki" Barnes as her origin story is told as a prelude to the kids getting out of their current predicament. The surprise on the last page will make you gasp.

 Savage Avengers #6 - Gerry Duggan (writer) Kim Jacinto (art) Tamra Bonvillain (colours) VC's Travis Lanham (letters). Not even in the good old days of Marvel Team-Up would we have seen an adventure with Conan the Barbarian and The Punisher, but here we are. Frank is bringing the remains of his family home while Conan goes off exploring when they part ways. This would be a fitting end to this title but the next issue teaser has a beautiful rendition of Elektra by David Finch so now I can't wait to read it.

 Black Cat #5 - Jed MacKay (writer) Travel Foreman (art) Brian Reber (colours) Ferran Delgado (letters). The fight with Blastaar takes up most of this issue and I don't remember what Felicia was trying to steal from the Fantastic Four. I had to read the last issue recap to find that out. I think the heist was a success. Now to see what's next.

 Marvel Comics #1001 - There aren't 1001 writers, artists, colorists and letterers listed on the credits page but way too many to list here. Just turn to the back page to see who did what. I liked reading these one-pagers because I'm a Marvel Maniac and get all of it. If you're not a Marvel fan then you might be scratching your head at some of the references. Maybe it may make you want to seek out the old comic books to read about some of those old timey characters or see where these heroes and villains started from. The Eternity Mask is supposed to be the big deal with this title and I am still curious to find out what the heck that thing is going to be.