September Truck-Friendly Shows

My latest blog post for Vintage Truck Magazine is live HERE.

Sorry not to have posted this sooner, there were some great shows around the country over Labor Day Weekend, and I hope you were able to attend one. Winter is coming, so get out and enjoy events with your club while you can.

Review Wonder Woman #4

The "Year One" storyline continues in Wonder Woman #4 as writer Greg Rucka reinvents the Amazonian games that produce the island's champion. And while the winner is no secret to readers, longtime fans will appreciate the script's fluid efforts to incorporate prior tellings of Wonder Woman's origins. Rucka has included nods to the golden and silver age, the television show, and the works of fan-favorite creators, including George Perez, Phil Jimenez, and Brian Azzarello.

Nicola Scott's art is a study in character development. Themyscira itself is a fully realized character, and Scott's thoughtful depictions of Amazonian society create a more comprehensive picture than has ever been attempted before. Why is that so vital to the story? Because the champion of the Amazons will not simply be chosen to return Steve Trevor to his people--once she leaves the island, she can never return. 

My full review is live on Comic Book Resources.

Review Scarlet Witch #9

The relationships between siblings in comics are often strained, and in Scarlet Witch #9 writer James Robinson and artist Joelle Jones use the events unfolding in "Civil War II" to push Wanda and Peitro to their breaking point.

Beautifully rendered by Jones and deftly scripted by Robinson, Wanda has emerged as her own person. And she'll make her own decisions as to whether or not to join in on the mayhem. The series has been one large journey of personal healing and discovery for Wanda, and with this issue, she demonstrates a new level of self-acceptance and self-confidence that she quickly puts to good use.

My full review is live at Comic Book Resources.

Comic Book Resources Reviews for May 11, 2016

I'm thrilled to be writing reviews for the good folks at Comic Book Resources, and I should be cranking out two reviews per week. I'll try to post them here. Clicks are appreciated and I'd love it if you'd share these via your social media outlets. (There are buttons at the top of the reviews for that.)

For the books that debuted May 11, I reviewed:

Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #6 and
 Guardians of the Galaxy #8

More updates next week!

DC Comics Reveals Details of "Rebirth"

DC Comics unveiled its plans for Rebirth, and it starts with "DC Universe: Rebirth" an 80-page one-shot from Geoff Johns that hits shelves on May 25.

It's no secret that the publisher's sales numbers are lagging far behind those of industry-leading Marvel Comics. Just take a look at the latest figures on Comichron. January is always a tough month, but Batman was the only title to sell more than 100,000 copies. Clearly, the publisher needs to kickstart interest in its titles.

Rebirth will rearrange the DC lineup of comics. Interestingly, all comics will have a price of $2.99. But many will move to bi-monthly publishing schedules, which will likely have an impact on sales. Action Comics and Detective Comics will return to their previous numbering systems -- and the New 52 numberings will become an interesting asterisk for the folks at the Overstreet Comic Book Guide to deal with, I'm sure.

HERE is the full press release from DC Comics.

Staff Picks for February 10: The Eltingville Club

The Eltingville Club hardcover debuts Feb. 10 from series creator Evan Dorkin. If you're familiar with his collaboration on Beasts of Burden with Chicago-based artist Jill Thompson, you know that Dorkin is a fine storyteller.

In his Eltingville Club series, Dorkin examines the darker side of comics fandom. The ugly stereotypes that perfectly describe some real fans are his playground. You've met them at your local comics shop, you've smelled them in line at your favorite con, and you've been appropriately appalled at their antics. And in Dorkin's hands, these archetypes are the heartbeat of a comic that uses them in the finest tradition of underground comix--to make us take a hard, humorous, and sometimes uncomfortable look at ourselves.

The Eltingville Club hardcover from Dark Horse Comics is my staff pick this week for Broken Frontier, and you can read the full preview HERE.

Staff Picks for February 3: Sherlock Holmes Crime Alleys

Sherlock Holmes is a longtime favorite, so it was a no-brainer to select Dark Horse Comics' newest release featuring the world's greatest detective. Sherlock Holmes: Crime Alleys is the third installment from writer Sylvian Cordurie in his Holmes series, and I hope it's a sign that Dark Horse will make mysteries a priority. The company does them so very well, that in their post-Star Wars environment, I hope Dark Horse stretches out and tackles all facets of mysteries. I know a whole noir lineup would be too much to ask for, but why not? I'm asking.

For my full preview of Sherlock Holmes: Crime Alleys, go HERE.