The 176 page trade paperback collection of Dynamite Entertainment’s The Shadow: Fire of Creation arrives in comic shops on Wednesday, November 7th.
Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows! It’s 1938 and The Shadow returns in a tale of blazing action and deadly intrigue, as a night of carnage on the New York waterfront plunges the mysterious vigilante into a conspiracy involving the fate of the world itself. As storm clouds gather across the globe, American Military Intelligence meets with a certain Lamont Cranston, determined to beat a host of spies and assassins to the greatest prize of all… but what that might be, only the Shadow knows.
Collecting the first six issues of the hit series written by Garth Ennis and drawn by Aaron Campbell, featuring Garth Ennis’ script to issue #1 as well as a complete cover gallery featuring art by Alex Ross, Jae Lee, John Cassaday, Ryan Sook, Howard Chaykin, and more.
Spoken to the intro of The Adventures Of Superman…
Faster than a speeding police pursuit! More powerful than a community organizer! Able to leap tall GOP bullshit in a single bound!
Look, up in the White House! It’s an African! It’s a Muslim! It’s Black-Man!
Yes, it’s Black-Man! Strange visitor not from Hawaii but Kenya if you believe Fox News, who came to Washington with promise and abilities far above those of Herman Cain.
Black-Man!
Who can change the discourse of any discussion; kill Grandma with his bare hands! And who, disguised as a Socialist, mild mannered President for the 99% leads a never-ending battle for truth, justice all to prove he’s an American and deny he’s gay!
Yes! This column is about comics.
Unless I’ve missed my deadline, today is Election Day. Since I’m on the west coast and my column goes up in the afternoon east coast time the polls should be closing within a few hours.
So in a matter of hours we will either have a new President or Wednesday morning we will wake to a Donald Trump news conference where he demands Obama prove he did not kidnap and kill the Lindbergh baby.
Absolutely, I’m an Obama supporter but no, this article is not about why I hate Romney and I’m voting again for Obama. Yes, I worked hard to get that last sentence in. That said, this article is about the comics industry and who or what we are or we are not.
Remember four years ago the zillion comic books featuring Obama? There were books just about him or about his wife or kids or books where he was hanging out with everyone from Spider-Man to the Savage Dragon.
Remember that super bad ass Alex Ross painting and tee shirt?
Love him or hate him, the comic book community overwhelmingly backed Obama. I came late to the party, having been a Clinton supporter, but eventually I was taken in by the Obama enthusiasm within the industry.
It was something palpable about the industry support for Obama. As an example, the San Diego Comic Con the summer before the election was brimming with Obama fever and those Alex Ross tee shirts were everywhere.
At my annual SDCC party, Samuel L. Jackson almost jacked Art Tebbel of MDW Pop Art fame for his Alex Ross Obama shirt. Yeah, that Sam Jackson and that Art Tebbel.
It seemed everyone in comics was on the Obama love train during the last election but four years later that train has long left the station. Yes, I’m fully aware that everyone in the industry does not back Obama; people I like and respect (Batton Lash and Billy Tucci high among those people) differ greatly with Obama, which is their right.
I don’t want to give the impression that everyone in the industry was an Obama fan, they were not. To me however, it sure seemed the majority of the comic book world was firmly in Obama’s corner.
Whatever Obama Kool-Aid the country was drinking last time is gone. The wave of freshness and optimism, now, as compared to the last election, is laughable.
The comic industry portrayed Obama as a superhero now his opponents portray him as a Muslim (as if that’s evil) who is not even really a citizen. The industry that was damn near universally behind him has shut up like a Ho whose pimp just caught her stealing money. The best thing that Ho can do is just shut up because nothing she’s says can help her but it could make things worse. The comic book realm deserted Obama like Alpo would abandon Michael Vick is he were their spokesman.
That got me thinking (the non existent peep this year about anything political after the craziness of the last election got me thinking, not the Ho) what, if anything, has ever seen that kind of comic book industry support?
Was the industry just getting on the band wagon to sell some books or was the Obama movement really something that energized the business and if so, are we a bunch of pussies that withdraw that support because it was only fun while it lasted?
Look, I’d be writing this column if Hillary won instead of Obama. If she generated the kind of support industry wide that Obama did, yes this piece would be about her. Would I be writing this if a Republican won and generated the excitement that Obama did?
Yes, but come on! What Republican (with the exception of Lincoln after he was capped in the head) ever generated that type of excitement?
Consequently, I’d really like to know, regarding comics, what kind of industry are we?
What, if anything, do we stand for?
What’s our purpose except selling superheroes with an occasional Road to Perdition and Maus thrown in to give us a reason to say at parties “Comics are far more than just silly superheroes. Have you seen Road to Perdition? Well, that’s from a comic book or more appropriately, an graphic novel!”
Are we political outside of what’s cool and fresh?
Do we pride ourselves on the artistic merits of the business?
I’m not talking about big name individuals who do all of the above, as evidenced by any Alan Moore interview or the occasional rant by Frank Miller putting something or someone in the industry on blast.
I’m talking about the comic book industry as an entity as a whole, are we anything more than collection of people who draw funny books?
Does, for lack of a better term, the comic book industry have any redeeming value?
Does the industry have a soul?
WEDNESDAY MORNING: Why Mike Gold Didn’t Cold-Cock Walter Simonson
Peter Cannon Thunderbolt is back and Dynamite delivers it with style with a new number one that came out last month.
Dynamite has done a great job with taking old pulp concepts like Lord Of The Jungle and bringing them back with a new look and style, yet remaining true to the concept.Peter Cannon is no exception.
Issue one opens with the Thunderbolt battling a dragon.Experiments with nuclear testing caused adragon to appear in the sky.It was subdued (for the moment) by the Thunderbolt and led countries to talks about nuclear disarmament.We flash forward two years later and Peter is looking miserable as he prepares to be interviewed on another talk show.The thunderbolt identity is known to the world.Peter did this to stop people from being hounded by reporters – now finds himself facing the challenges of celebrity and fame.Things didn’t go quite as expected and Peter seems to be searching for a way to overcome the distractions in his life.
Along the way, new and old acquaintances to the previous thunderbolt series make their appearances, foreshadowing future issues to come.The conclusion is unexpected and in a good way.Steve Darnall and Alex Ross managed to capture a lot of the qualities that made the character so intriguing, and manage to build an intriguing mystery to keep you coming back for more.Jonathan Lau’s Thunderbolt is impressive, but I think my favorite panel in the issue is peter, alone in his dressing, head down and drowned in shadow.In conveyed his personal happiness better than anything else in the whole issue. It’s the little storytelling things that make or break a good book and that little panel was a nice touch.A credit should also be shared with Vinicius Andrade for that as well.
Beyond the main story, Mark Waid introduces Pete Morisi Thunderbolt story never before published.A little bit of that Charlton fanboy in me squeed at reading this retelling of Peter Cannon’s origin.Who better to tell it then Morisi himself?
Originally, this story was going to be published for DC Comics in the Secret Origin’s anthology that Mark Waid was editing at the time.Due to unforeseen circumstances, the story never was published until now.In it you meet Peter Cannon, and get a great re-telling of his origin.You see him train and master the ancient scrolls to become the Thunderbolt.The hooded one, the man studying the scrolls before Peter was chosen for them, also appears and begins to become a thorn in Peter’s life, from his trials to the main plot of the first story.
Using his telepathy, the hooded one manipulates Lucifer Barnes into hatching a dinosaur egg and sets it loose in the city.As the thunderbolt, Cannon foils the plot and vows never ever to be that man again…until next time.
Additionally, there is an essay written by Steve Darnall called Pete’s Dragon, which talks about the influences for the main story in the book which is a fascinating read.
You’d be very hard pressed to find a book this week worth the money paid for then with this.Two comic stories – including a Peter Morisi comic, a promising first issue and one of the amazing four covers for the book, all in all a great comic worth reading.
Peter Cannon Thunderbolt is back and Dynamite delivers it with style with a new number one that came out this week.
Dynamite has done a great job with taking old pulp concepts like Lord Of The Jungle and bringing them back with a new look and style, yet remaining true to the concept.Peter Cannon is no exception.
Issue one opens with the Thunderbolt battling a dragon.Experiments with nuclear testing caused adragon to appear in the sky.It was subdued (for the moment) by the Thunderbolt and led countries to talks about nuclear disarmament.We flash forward two years later and Peter is looking miserable as he prepares to be interviewed on another talk show.The thunderbolt identity is known to the world.Peter did this to stop people from being hounded by reporters – now finds himself facing the challenges of celebrity and fame.
Things didn’t go quite as expected and Peter seems to be searching for a way to overcome the distractions in his life.
Along the way, new and old acquaintances to the previous thunderbolt series make their appearances, foreshadowing future issues to come.The conclusion is unexpected and in a good way.Steve Darnall and Alex Ross managed to capture a lot of the qualities that made the character so intriguing, and manage to build an intriguing mystery to keep you coming back for more.Jonathan Lau’s Thunderbolt is impressive, but I think my favorite panel in the issue is peter, alone in his dressing, head down and drowned in shadow.In conveyed his personal happiness better than anything else in the whole issue. It’s the little storytelling things that make or break a good book and that little panel was a nice touch.A credit should also be shared with Vinicius Andrade for that as well.
Beyond the main story, Mark Waid introduces Pete Morisi Thunderbolt story never before published.A little bit of that Charlton fanboy in me squeed at reading this retelling of Peter Cannon’s origin.Who better to tell it then Morisi himself?
Originally, this story was going to be published for DC Comics in the Secret Origin’s anthology that Mark Waid was editing at the time.Due to unforeseen circumstances, the story never was published until now.In it you meet Peter Cannon, and get a great re-telling of his origin.You see him train and master the ancient scrolls to become the Thunderbolt.The hooded one, the man studying the scrolls before Peter was chosen for them, also appears and begins to become a thorn in Peter’s life, from his trials to the main plot of the first story.
Using his telepathy, the hooded one manipulates Lucifer Barnes into hatching a dinosaur egg and sets it loose in the city.As the thunderbolt, Cannon foils the plot and vows never ever to be that man again…until next time.
Additionally, there is an essay written by Steve Darnall called Pete’s Dragon, which talks about the influences for the main story in the book which is a fascinating read.
You’d be very hard pressed to find a book this week worth the money paid for then with this.Two comic stories – including a Peter Morisi comic, a promising first issue and one of the amazing four covers for the book, all in all a great comic worth reading.
So it came to my attention by way of an amazingly nice lass that some forward thinking teacher-types are slowly coming around the bend. Yup, they are looking toward comic books, those evil things, as potential fodder for their classrooms. Gasp! And, as it would seem, this very nice girl asked me – little old me – to give my two cents on the matter. And because I love killing two birds with one stone, I figured this outta make a great li’l rant to share with you, my adoring public. Of course, I realize now I admitted to the glee I feel when I commit aviaricide. Well, there went my fan-base. Tally ho!
I know back in the olden days, comics were largely seen as kitchy wastes of ink and paper. Kids buried in them were potentially violent sociopaths just waiting to commit crimes of laziness. But by the time I was in school they were starting to be called graphic novels. Thanks in large part to the artsy works of Art Spiegelman, Joe Kuburt, and Will Eisner, the medium as a whole was slowly pulling itself out of the low-bro.
That being said, I was never assigned a graphic novel to read for a class. Nor was I able to select one for independent book reports or the like. Even within the realm of studio art classes I was nixed the ability to cite Alex Ross as a major influence without scoffs. But as Bob Dylan sings, “The times, they are a changin’.”
If I were to suggest opening up a classroom to comics, well, it’s a simple issue – do it. Comics are easily one of the best gateways to literacy I can think of. Truth be told, the first books our parents read us (and I’m reading to my own boy now) are gloriously illustrated. Dr. Seuss, a one-time newspaper comics guy, is just panel borders away from sharing shelf space with Daniel Clowes. In the earliest of classroom settings I’d start with the recognizable. Art Baltazar and Franco’s Tiny Titans is as accessible a comic as I know of. But more than just being kid friendly, the book is funny, bright, and charming. So much so that I was an avid reader of it long before I was even married, let alone a father. And because it uses semi-recognizable super hero sidekicks, it’s easy for kids to relate, and learn to read.
Tiny Titans aside, there’s always Jeff Smith’s tome of toonage, Bone. The long running series blends laughs, mysteries, and adventure. If kids can’t find something to love there? Well, then I’ll eat my hat. Come to think of it, I don’t own hats anymore. Note to self…
Beyond the early readers, the always-tough-to-please nine year olds (perhaps through 13 or 14?) are going to start dividing themselves. Girls have cooties. Boys are messy. The division of the sexes may make many a teacher feel like comic books will degrade into the capes and cowls for the boys and leave nothing for the girls. Nay, I say. Nay! Both the boys and girls can take heed that I myself grew to love comics at this tender age due to the long-running Archie series. And Archie, unlike his more heroic counterparts, seems to have found a way to stay with the times, without diverging into the too-real, too-gritty, or too-angsty. Consider also the Adventures of TinTin. Long before it was a computer-animated movie, it was a comic. A great comic. And don’t we all laugh a bit when we recount the Scrooge McDuck comics of yesteryear? That book was doing Inception long before Chris Nolan was firing up the vomit-comet to film anti-gravity fight scenes.
The real meat and potatoes for me though come right at adolescence. Here, our kids are primed to learn that comics are more than just good fun. The Pulitizer Prize-winning Maus (by the aforementioned Spiegelman), Jew Gangster (by the late and beyond-great Kubert), and A Contract With God (by Will Eisner) all help teach that the medium of comics transcends the super power set. And sure, they all hold quite a bit of Jewish lore to them… so allow me to expand beyond Judaica.
Mike Gold himself turned me on to Stagger Lee by Derek McCulloch and Kings in Disguise by Dan E. Burr. They are both amazing reads. And please, don’t get me wrong – comics at this tender age need not be without a twinge of the supernatural. Watchmen might as well be a high school freshman class in and of itself. Frank Miller’s Sin City and or 300 are far better on page than on screen, and on screen they were both pretty amazing.
And let’s not leave Marvel out of this. Kurt Busiek’s Marvels singlehandedly brought me out of a four year freeze of comic book reading. It’s insightful, and a beautiful take on super heroes from the human perspective. And I’ve little column space left to suggest even more here… Empire by Mark Waid and Barry Kitson, Astro City, Batman: Year One, RunawaysandY: The Last Manall spring to mind. But I digress.
Suffice to say, introducing comics to a literature program shouldn’t be that hard to tackle. The fact is the medium itself makes open discussion far easier to instigate. More work to enjoy than watching a movie, without the scariness of endless pages without something beyond words to look at means less barrier to entry. For those learning to read (or who have trouble with it) comics are a gateway drug to amazing new worlds. For those already well versed in literature, comics offer an endless string of independent authors bringing original takes on the world that combine their plots with art that tends to force us to stop and appreciate. Akin to indie films, comics at any age offer more than the commercial world. Thanks to a bit of knowledge gained at this year’s Harvey Awards (thank you, Ross Ritchie), I leave on this thought:
“The French codified it well: they call it “The Ninth Art.” The first is architecture, the second sculpture. The third painting, the fourth dance, then there’s music, poetry, cinema, and television. And ninth is comic books.”
Now, the question is: if it is indeed the ninth art of our world, comics should not be considered for the classroom. They should be compulsory.
Dynamite Entertainment‘s full December 2012 solicitations will be released soon, but the publisher has released a limited number of first looks at some of their pulpy offerings. Comic book shops and bookstores are pre-ordering these titles now to be in store in December. If you want your local shop to carry these titles, please let them know now.
Join pulp heroes like Green Hornet and The Shadow, pulp warriors like Dejah Thoris, the Lord of the Jungle, the Lone Ranger, and Red Sonja as they battle the forces of evil this December. Click on covers for a larger view.
THE SHADOW #9 32 pages FC • $3.99 • Teen + Written by Victor Gischler Art by Aaron Campbell Covers by Alex Ross (25%), Michael Golden (25%), Tim Bradstreet (25%),Francesco Francavilla (25%) Revolutionary Part 2 (of 4) – The Shadow finds himself face to face with George Orwell smack dab in the middle of the Spanish Civil War, but his mystic powers fail to illuminate what significance this literary legend holds for the world. No time to figure that out! The Shadow’s campaign against a murderous gang of gun runners takes him on a tour of Barcelona’s underbelly where he meets the beautiful and dangerous Black Sparrow! But is he really an old friend in disguise? Pause to ponder that and you might miss the deadly dogfight over the Spanish countryside. Pack a parachute, Shadow, because you’re going to need it!
THE LONE RANGER VOL 2 #12 32 pages FC • $3.99 • Teen + Written by Ande Parks Art by Esteve Polls Cover by Francesco Francavilla The epic conclusion of the Native Ground arc. The Lone Ranger has traveled through Indian lands in search of a healer for his friend Tonto. Now, the healer has been found, and she is not at all what the Ranger expected. Has the Ranger come all this way just to watch his friend die? The battle for Tonto’s life and soul will be resolved. Your understanding of this iconic character will be forever changed.
THE GREEN HORNET: YEAR ONE SPECIAL #1 40 pages FC • $4.99 • Teen + Written by Nate Cosby Art by Ariel Padilla Cover by Sean Chen Ruby’s thirteen. She sells newspapers for pennies. And she’s got The Green Hornet’s gun. Will Hornet and Kato find Ruby before the mob does…or can THE GREEN GUN GIRL save herself? The original Green Hornet in a super special tale from writer Nate Cosby (Cow Boy)!
LORD OF THE JUNGLE #13 32 pages FC • $3.99 • Mature Written by Arvid Nelson Art by Roberto Castro Cover by Lucio Parrillo The savage ape-man clashes with Russian super-fiend Nicholas Rokoff in the shadow of the legendary city of Opar. Don’t worry! It’s only the fate of the free world hanging in the balance. Rokoff is holding the ape-man’s true love hostage, and he won’t hesitate to kill her. But wait – the savage denizens of Opar are out for vengeance following the ape-man’s escape from their clutches, and they could ruin everyone’s plans. Lord of the Jungle #13: Through the Valley of the Shadow!
RED SONJA #75 32 pages FC • $3.99 • Teen + Written by Eric Trautmann • Art by Marcio Abreu Covers by Mel Rubi (cover A), Erik Jones (cover B), Walter Geovani (cover C)(Fans – each cover has it’s own UPC so you and your retailers can order the Special Anniversary Covers of your choice!) SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY ISSUE! On the snowy steppes of Hyrkania, Red Sonja faces off against an army bent on crushing her homeland. Old scores are settled, alliances are broken, and rest assured, with the She-Devil With A Sword entering the fray, blood will surely flow.
THUN’DA #5 32 pages FC • $3.99 • Teen + Written by Robert Place Napton Art by Cliff Richards Cover by Jae Lee The war with the Monkey Men reaches a climax as Roger Drum calls upon a dangerous power to defend Pha and the Shareen against the ruthless incursion of the talking primates! The concluding chapter of Thun’da’s first adventure! THE FINAL ISSUE!
WARLORD OF MARS: DEJAH THORIS #22 32 pages FC • $3.99 • Mature Written by Robert Place Napton Art by Carlos Rafael Covers by Paul Renaud (50%), Fabiano Neves (50%) Dejah and Gunbor’s shocking discovery of Mortus’ true plan for Barsoom leads them into an unlikely alliance with some of Barsoom’s most dangerous assassins!
For a full listing of Dynamite’s October Release, visit them at www.dynamite.net.
No, no no, no…. That’s the title of a very famous song by the Marvelettes. You may be too young to know it by just the title, but I’m pretty sure if you heard it you would recognize it. If you or your parents own any greatest hits albums by Motown then this song is bound to be on there.
If you are really young and a geek fan boy (as am I) let me save you some time. Don’t bother goggling the Marvelettes. They were a singing group, not an all girl or gay men superhero group from Marvel. Now that I think of it, that could work…
But (Peter, I swear I’m writing you a check) I digress.
After the great speech Bill Clinton gave at the Democratic National Convention, “Don’t mess with Bill” could easily have been the heading of a piece about Clinton. Alas, as hard as I tried I could not think of any way to weave a comic book narrative from his speech. Well, I could but that would have meant I’d have to be clever and after the week I’ve had clever would be pushing it.
Trust me, you don’t want to know.
The Bill I’m talking about is my dear friend for over 20 years (since I was five, Jean) Bill Sienkiewicz.
I met Bill when he was doing Moon Knight. I was not a fan; I thought he was one of a long line of artists who were doing their best to copy Neal Adams. We met at Marvel Comics one day when he was bringing in pages. I think it was Denys Cowan who introduced us and Bill showed me some of his work. I remember thinking two things. The first was the comic book reproductions did not do his work justice. His originals were far and away much better to look at. The second thing I remembered is, yes, his work looked a lot like Neal Adams but that look was just surface deep. There was uniqueness to his work that was all Bill.
After that meeting I went and brought all the back issues of Moon Knight I could and, yeah, by “bought” that means I asked one of my contacts from Marvel to hook me up. Yeah, I got them free, but I would have paid if I had too.
The next time I saw Bill at Marvel he was delivering a painting. It was a New Mutant cover all I could think is; “Shit, this motherfucker can paint also!”
Yeah, I was a bitter bastard. Age and good living has mellowed me, and by mellow I mean “tequila.”
Bill and I had a cordial if not friendly relationship… until one day at some industry event we started talking about illustration. That’s when we clicked. Bill was not a comic book artist who wanted to be an illustrator Bill was an illustrator who was doing comics.
That’s common in the industry now. What people seem to forget is that Bill started that trend. I say without hesitation Bill Sienkiewicz’s art changed the way comic art was done and if not for Bill and his pioneering bad ass work the industry may look different today.
For my money Bill is the artist/illustrator who paved the way for comics to have the depth and artistic reach they have today. Yes there have been comic artists that have painted covers or done innovative designs within the story lines but Bill’s cover work and later his graphic novels elevated the art form to another level. Unlike those who may have dabbled in comics as mainstream illustration up to that point what Bill was doing stuck and spread.
Andy Helfer was a big time editor at DC in the 80s. Denys introduced me to Andy and I showed Andy my painting portfolio.
Andy looked at my work and said “You could be our Bill Sienkiewicz.” Andy was not saying that because my worked looked like Bill’s – it didn’t – he was saying it because the kind of work Bill was doing over at Marvel was in a class by its self. That was said by one of comics leading editors working at one of the two biggest comic book publishers during the second silver age of comics.
That’s like giving props to John, Paul, George and Ringo before they became the Beatles. Andy saw clearly that Bill was changing the industry.
I look at all the new talent and groundbreaking work being done today and often think, yeah, that’s nice but Sienkiewicz did that shit 20 years ago.
As with anyone, if you are so good for so long some people tend to not really acknowledge you as you should be acknowledged. And when I say some people I mean young stupid artists. Some people even resent your success if you are the best at what you do and have been doing it for a while. Case in point: people don’t just dislike the Yankees, they hate the Yankees.
I’ve have not run into any people who hate Bill but at this year’s Comic Con I did hear this young artist dismiss Bill’s work and even say “He’s no Alex Ross.” True. But with all due respect to Alex, if there was no Bill Sienkiewicz there may have been no Alex Ross.
I took a moment to look at the artist’s work and told him he was neither Alex Ross nor Bill Sienkiewicz and talk is cheap, like the portfolio his work was in. I was a bit harsh, but in my defense I was out of tequila…
There really should be an admissions policy to get into artist’s alley. I mean…ugh.
Take a moment to reflect on the immortal words of Dr. Dre…
Nowadays everybody wanna talk like they got something to say
But nothin comes out when they move their lips Just a buncha gibberish
And muthafuckas act like they forgot about Dre…
People forget that Bill changed the game. And he is still changing it.
Bill is one of the greatest artists who have ever worked in comics. I don’t say that because he’s like family to me. I say that because it’s true.
Bill, if you are reading this (and I know you will be because I’m posting it on your Facebook page) if I told you this every day for a year it still would not be enough. You, my friend are a true living legend and I’m proud to be your friend.
But…the next time I give a party at Comic Con and your ass doesn’t show up I’m posting those photos (you know those photos) on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and the Society of Illustrators website.
WEDNESDAY: Mike Gold Gushes Poetown and Teases An Announcement
Peter Cannon Thunderbolt is back and Dynamite delivers it with style with a new number one that came out this week.
Dynamite has done a great job with taking old pulp concepts like Lord Of The Jungle and bringing them back with a new look and style, yet remaining true to the concept. Peter Cannon is no exception.
Issue one opens with the Thunderbolt battling a dragon. Experiments with nuclear testing caused a dragon to appear in the sky. It was subdued (for the moment) by the Thunderbolt and led countries to talks about nuclear disarmament. We flash forward two years later and Peter is looking miserable as he prepares to be interviewed on another talk show. The thunderbolt identity is known to the world. Peter did this to stop people from being hounded by reporters – now finds himself facing the challenges of celebrity and fame. Things didn’t go quite as expected and Peter seems to be searching for a way to overcome the distractions in his life.
Along the way, new and old acquaintances to the previous thunderbolt series make their appearances, foreshadowing future issues to come. The conclusion is unexpected and in a good way. Steve Darnall and Alex Ross managed to capture a lot of the qualities that made the character so intriguing, and manage to build an intriguing mystery to keep you coming back for more. Jonathan Lau’s Thunderbolt is impressive, but I think my favorite panel in the issue is peter, alone in his dressing, head down and drowned in shadow. In conveyed his personal happiness better than anything else in the whole issue. It’s the little storytelling things that make or break a good book and that little panel was a nice touch. A credit should also be shared with Vinicius Andrade for that as well.
Beyond the main story, Mark Waid introduces Pete Morisi Thunderbolt story never before published. A little bit of that Charlton fanboy in me squeed at reading this retelling of Peter Cannon’s origin. Who better to tell it then Morisi himself?
Originally, this story was going to be published for DC Comics in the Secret Origin’s anthology that Mark Waid was editing at the time. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the story never was published until now. In it you meet Peter Cannon, and get a great re-telling of his origin. You see him train and master the ancient scrolls to become the Thunderbolt. The hooded one, the man studying the scrolls before Peter was chosen for them, also appears and begins to become a thorn in Peter’s life, from his trials to the main plot of the first story. Using his telepathy, the hooded one manipulates Lucifer Barnes into hatching a dinosaur egg and sets it loose in the city. As the thunderbolt, Cannon foils the plot and vows never ever to be that man again…until next time.
The final thing in here that’s kind of neat is the essay in the back written by Steve Darnall called Pete’s Dragon, which talks about the influences for the main story in the book which is a fascinating read.
You’d be very hard pressed to find a book this week worth the money paid for then with this. Two comic stories – including a Peter Morisi comic, a promising first issue and one of the amazing four covers for the book, all in all a great comic worth reading.
I’ve noticed lately the fine columnists here at ComicMix are paying tribute to a lovely woman I wish I could have met. It got my wheels turning. I’ve done plenty of moaning, groaning, hyping and griping up until now… but I’ve never paid tribute to those who helped shape me as I am. The desire to tell you all about my family is tempting, but it might be more apropos to give some love to special someone who directly changed the course of my career (and all of the subsequent creative endeavors). But enough preamble, eh? I want to pay homage to an amazing educator and mentor… Dean Auriemma.
Mr. Auriemma, or just Mr. A, was my high school art teacher for my sophomore and senior year in high school. Unlike your stereotypical art educator you might think of, he taught those willing to learn that art is a scholarly endeavor as much as math or science. A bit of backstory: The “art track” at my high school was a true four year journey, meant to be taken chronologically, ultimately ending with A.P. (that’s Advanced Placement, or college level) Studio Art. Well, the art bug bit me a year late, so I ended up taking both the junior and senior level courses both in my senior year. It wasn’t unheard of (as I recall one other student joined me in this undertaking), but it was certainly challenging. But I digress.
Mr. A made art hard. For me, this was (and still is) the most exhilarating concept I’ve ever wrapped my head around. You see, I was a very good student. Took all honors classes. Graduated in the top 5% of my class (of over 600 students). I’d happily admit that I coasted throughout High School without sweating over tests, and grades, and memorization. Not that I didn’t work hard mind you, but no class outside of Mr. A’s A.P. Studio Art ever put me in my place quicker. Mr. A never pulled a punch.
During critiques, he would tell me that I couldn’t draw my way out of a paper bag. He said my artistic prowess could best be described as “Craposition”… a term so beloved by the class, we used it as the title to our class mix tape. Best of all? His words rang true, because they absolutely were. I sucked. Beyond the harsh words though, came true support. Mr. Auriemma took time with me to show me where my strengths were, how to hone (and hide) my weaknesses, and explore not only technical proficiency but conceptual development at the same time.
One fond memory that sticks in my craw even today were Mr. A’s dreaded Gallery Journal entries. He forced our class to go to galleries every month and truly look (and write about) art. He challenged us to critique accepted “masterpieces” instead of simply enjoying them. He deconstructed a world most simply adhere to accept. In short, he forced each and every one of his students to take an intellectual leap beyond “I like this.” Most important, when I spoke and wrote of my love of comic books, and that art form, Mr. A did not once scoff. He knew that masters like Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, and the modern artists that inspired me like Alex Ross and Mike Mignola, should be studied as much as Renoir, Titian, or Bacon. All art was equal in his class, so long as you could apply the lessons he taught to them.
The best panels and issues of modern comic books utilize complex composition, juxtaposition of focal points, value balance, and harmony all to visually communicate what only a 1000 words might. Again, I can’t hit on this fact enough; where some art teachers hand you a canvas and a brush and tell you to let your mind go wild… Mr. Auriemma did it too, but forced you to use the skills and tools honed over time to produce more than whimsy and feelings.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out Mr. A’s lesson plan. Tough love gave me the drive to do better. His “acceptance” was earned through hard work and dedication. It was a tribute to these abilities that drove so many of us alumni to trek back to the hallowed halls of Homewood-Flossmoor High just so we could show him what we were doing in college. Certainly when Unshaven Comics published its first graphic novel, I raced back to his class room to show that I’d learned to draw out of that paper bag. OK, I won’t lie. Matt drew the first book… I just colored, lettered, and co-wrote it. But like JD looking for that hug from Dr. Cox on Scrubs, I wanted that approving “Good job, buddy” like Courtney Love wants attention.
Not even a few years after I’d been away at college, Mr. Auriemma got his masters in Education, became a top-notch school administrator, and is still to this day (to the best of my knowledge) now a principal. I dare you to find another Art Teacher that took that path. I bet you find a bunch of paint-strained smocks, and some weed.
Suffice to say, Dean Auriemma instilled in me a drive and determination that exists to this day. In fact, I happily admit that my love of A.P. Studio Art was so great, Matt and I still meet every Friday to work on our art projects. We may have grown beards, got wives, had sons, and bought houses… but thanks to Mr. A, we’re still just two kids in class, hoping one day to make it in the business. And if this bit of brown-nosing doesn’t land me that damned ‘A’ I’ve been after… I don’t know what will.
In the first issue of the new ongoing The Shadow series, it’s 1938 and The Shadow returns in a tale of blazing action and deadly intrigue, as a night of carnage on the New York waterfront plunges the mysterious vigilante into a conspiracy involving the fate of the world itself. As storm clouds gather across the globe, American Military Intelligence meets with a certain Lamont Cranston, determined to beat a host of spies and assassins to the greatest prize of all… but what that might be, only the Shadow knows. Be sure to get The Shadow #1 in April 2012!
Written by Garth Ennis with art by Aaron Campbell. Cover art provided by Alex Ross, Howard Chaykin, Jae Lee and John Cassaday.
