David tagged posts

Artwork by Sam Keith
Colors by Ronda Pattison
Additional inks and finishes by Jim Sinclair
Letters by Mike Heisler, Dennis Heisler, and Shawn Lee
Edits by Scott Dunbier

I’ve said this before, I love The Maxx. Many people do, something that actually comes up in the fourth story of this 100-page special. This release has a few purposes. First off, it is part of the celebration of IDW’s 20th anniversary. Second, it’s an excuse to advertise the Batman/Maxx crossover mini-series, Arkham Dreams, as well as The Maxx: Maxximized collected editions. Lastly, it serves as an introduction to a character that enthralled readers, but that, until recently, has been largely dormant for decades.

With this book, we get Issues #1, 21, 23, and a story from Hero Comics 2014...

Writer: Magdalene Visaggio
Artist: Corin Howell
Colorist: Valentina Pinto
Letterer: Zakk Saam

Published by Dark Horse Comics

I’m going to start at the end of this issue. Writer/Co-Creator Magdalene Visaggio give a personal look at how Calamity Kate come from her need for “creative self-destruction.” I’m torn between wishing that missive had opened the book, and loving that it was at the end because it drastically changes how I looked at the rest of the story.

This is the story of Kate Strand, redefining herself. Recently divorced, she heads west and shows up on the doorstep of her former roommate, and best friend, in L.A.

The story is a poignant look at rebuilding a life from the ruins of abandoned bridges of the past. Oh, and monster killing.

The story in issue #1 is a bit disjointed, but...

Conceived and Written by J.G. Birdsall
Illustrated by Thomas Garbarini

As I write this I’m in the middle of nowhere with no cell service or wifi. Normally when I review a comic book as clearly marked “Series 2” as this I would try to find out what “Series 1” was all about. That’s not an option, which gives me the opportunity to take this on its own without checking its history, or even the Kickstarter campaign that funded it.

The only history I did get was a “history so far” blurb and a two-page timeline of major historical events. With those included, I was able to at least epic together a bit of what I was walking into. Short version: government and corporations clash, corporations take control of the government...

Writer: Mark Russel
Art: Stephen Byrne
Letters: Dave Sharpe

WONDER TWIN POWERS… ACTIVATE!

Despite being moderately obscure, intentionally underpowered, sidekicks, that were created to appease the growing “all cartoons need an educational/moral message” crowd that would ultimately be the death of the Saturday morning cartoon. The Wonder Twins somehow have managed to nostalgically stay along the peripheral of pop culture for over 40 years now.

Well, they are back in an all new series. I’m not entirely sure what continuity this book takes place in, and I’m not entirely sure I care. Mark Russel’s story and dialogue both have a distinctly Superfriends feel to it, with the more established heroes taking on a more lighthearted tone than currently normal...

I have what the kids today call “a sad”. As near as I can tell, The Mighty Crusaders may be the end of Dark Circle Comics. Neither their website nor their Facebook page has been updated in some time (like, before this collection came out). I get it. The Fox didn’t do much, the planned Web series never materialized, Hangman died without closure, The Sheild was great, and the TPB (at least) said continued in The Mighty Crusaders. The only thing that seems to have had any legs, and rightfully so, was The Black Hood. So knowing that no matter how amazing this book was going to be, there won’t be more sucks.

In writer Ian Flynn’s introduction, he says that The Mighty Crusaders is a spiritual successor to New Crusaders (put out under the previous Red Circle digital imprint) but not a direct sequ...