Comics

Welcome back to Critical Blast’s long-running weekly look at what new comics you should check out each week.   Just a warning, I make these picks pretty much a week BEFORE I actually get to read any of these comics, so if something is a stinker, I take no blame on that.  Let's get to it!

Editorial cartooning. It's been the hallmark of American politics since before we even signed the Declaration of Independence. It can be on point, humorous, and skewer the opposition just as viciously as any sword. A picture, truly, is worth a thousand words. God bless the First Amendment!

But just because speech is protected from being silenced doesn't mean it's protected from criticism. When Sarah Palin famously put cross-hairs on states that were having elections, urging people to get out and vote, it was seen by many as an advocation of violence. Cross-hairs, after all, were indicative of guns, and guns meant shooting. Thus, it was reasoned that Sarah Palin was calling for violence against the opponents in these states.

From the Hollywood Reporter:

Fire up your 2-Way Wrist TVs! Heat Vision can exclusively reveal that Archie Comics is bringing Dick Tracy back to comic books with a new series focusing on his early days as a detective, launching next April.

The monthly series will be co-written by Archie Comics co-president Alex Segura and Michael Moreci, whose résumé includes Image Comics’ Roche Limit and Hoax Hunters and the upcoming novel Black Star Renegades, with art from New York-based illustrator Thomas Pitilli, who has previously worked on covers for Riverdale and The Archies.

Welcome back to Critical Blast’s long-running weekly look at what new comics you should check out each week.   Just a warning, I make these picks pretty much a week BEFORE I actually get to read any of these comics, so if something is a stinker, I take no blame on that.  Let's get to it!

From Buzzfeed:

BuzzFeed News can exclusively reveal that Marvel Television is working on Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors, an upcoming feature-length animated film about a new generation of diverse superheroes.

Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors is part of a new, multi-platform animated franchise starring the next generation of Marvel heroes set to launch in 2018. The program will launch with six, four-minute digital shorts (which will follow Spider-Gwen with her new secret moniker, Ghost-Spider). Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors will premiere later in 2018.

Welcome back to Critical Blast’s weekly look at what new comics you should check out each week.   Just a warning, I make these picks pretty much a week BEFORE I actually get to read any of these comics, so if something is a stinker, I take no blame on that.  Let's get to it!

A few weeks ago, we had published a story that C.B. Cebulski had been named the new Editor-in-Chief of Marvel Comics.

Welcome back to Critical Blast’s weekly look at what new comics you should check out each week.   Just a warning, I make these picks pretty much a week BEFORE I actually get to read any of these comics, so if something is a stinker, I take no blame on that.  Let's get to it!

Many comics fans have been looking forward to this mysterious comics event ever since REBIRTH #1 came out. What older comics fans may not realize is that they've actually been waiting almost 30 years for this series, ever since Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons closed the iconic series WATCHMEN with the most loaded open-ending ever to grace the four-color pages. Would The New Frontiersman realize what they had in the mysterious package titled "Rorschach's Journal" or would it be tossed upon the trash-heap of crank rantings? And where exactly did Doctor Manhattan go when he spoke of his renewed interest in human life? (We have our own theories on that one!) 

Welcome back to Critical Blast’s weekly look at what new comics you should check out each week.   Just a warning, I make these picks pretty much a week BEFORE I actually get to read any of these comics, so if something is a stinker, I take no blame on that.  Let's get to it!

From The New York Times:

Marvel Entertainment, the home of Captain America, Spider-Man and the X-Men, among other colorful heroes, is undergoing a change in leadership. The company released a statement Friday announcing the appointment of C. B. Cebulski as editor in chief. Mr. Cebulski is replacing Axel Alonso, who served in that role since 2011 and is leaving Marvel.

PACKS OF THE LOW COUNTRY is a six-chapter graphic novel set in a world where monsters have, relatively recently, become a reality--the dreamchild of creators John Dudley and Don Cardenas, two Chicagoans with a love of the comics art form and a passion for telling stories.

Currently, the two have begun a Kickstarter campaign to put their six chapter tale into a hardcover format, and thus far the response has been positive and on track to meet that goal.

We sat down with Dudley to discuss the origins of this latest entry into the monster-fighting genre, to learn what makes it stand out from its competitors and how the book went from idea to reality.

How did you and Don come together to work on this project?

Welcome back to Critical Blast’s weekly look at what new comics you should check out each week.   Just a warning, I make these picks pretty much a week BEFORE I actually get to read any of these comics, so if something is a stinker, I take no blame on that.  Let's get to it!

"Nazi piece of s***. Be seeing you at Gotham Pizza motherf*****."

If you were planning to be at Gotham City Pizza and received this message prior to showing up, you would understandably be concerned. But this was the message sent via Facebook to comics artist ETHAN VAN SCIVER right before a planned event at Gotham City Pizza in Ormond Beach, Florida. According to store manager, MARCO FALLETTA, van Sciver let him know that he was receiving the threats.

Welcome back to Critical Blast’s weekly look at what new comics you should check out each week.   Just a warning, I make these picks pretty much a week BEFORE I actually get to read any of these comics, so if something is a stinker, I take no blame on that.  Let's get to it!

Comics shipping this week

To be honest, I am a few weeks behind on my comics reading, and I am on vacation this week, so I am not going to cover that many books in spotlight.

Welcome back to Critical Blast’s weekly look at what new comics you should check out each week.   Just a warning, I make these picks pretty much a week BEFORE I actually get to read any of these comics, so if something is a stinker, I take no blame on that.  Let's get to it!

Comics shipping this week

All in all a pretty light week, but a couple of big new titles to talk about.

Just because you're a god doesn't mean you can't change -- several times, in fact, for reasons of environment, fashion, or unexpected plot twists.

The Norse god of thunder, Thor, isn't immune to these changes, having gone from a clean-shaven "Goldilocks" to a close-cropped bearded Avenger to...a frog? And later, a woman?

Thor isn't one afraid to turn and face the strange ch-ch-changes! And the folks at HalloweenCostumes.com have put together a nifty little infographic that helps you trace all the different looks he's taken on over the years. Adjust your cosplay accordingly.

A few years back, I got to speak with cartoonist Tom Batiuk about the fortieth anniversary of his strip, Funky Winkerbean. And then something happened that doesn't often happen to comic strip artists.

Tom got nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. And then he was a finalist for the award.

The notice came for Tom's work on the Funky Winkerbean strip that focused on a longtime favored character developing breast cancer. The strips were collected into three volumes, to bring LISA'S LEGACY to the world.

So when I was told that Tom was going to be in St. Louis on a book signing tour, I jumped at the opportunity to talk with him a little bit more (and couldn't resist bringing my first four volumes of THE COMPLETE FUNKY WINKERBEAN with me, because it couldn't hurt, right?) about this incredible journey he's been taking through the funny pages.

Welcome back to Critical Blast’s weekly look at what new comics you should check out each week.   Just a warning, I make these picks pretty much a week BEFORE I actually get to read any of these comics, so if something is a stinker, I take no blame on that.  Let's get to it!

Okay, full disclosure.