Comics

St. Louis native James Gunn makes superhero movies the way you wished they would have when you were a kid.

Presumably raised on the traditional diet of St. Louis—too-thin pizza topped with cheese that tastes like it’s still wrapped in plastic (In My Opinion, see?), toasted ravioli, frozen custard, “Old Vienna Red Hot Riplets” potato chips and Vess soda—and stacks of comic books to read while hiding indoors from the miserable summer humidity, Gunn's body of work includes the very offbeat Super (2010) and the zany Guardians of the Galaxy films for Marvel. As brilliant as the Marvel Cinematic Universe is, the creators all know that they're free to make their film the way they want provided it meets with the overarching blueprint of visionary MCU maestro Kevin Feige.

Once upon a time there was a masked YouTuber who went by the moniker of That Umbrella Guy. He broadcasted engaging livestreams about the state of the comic book industry, and one of the highlights of his shows would be when his young daughter, Elizabeth (aka Little Umbrella Girl) would join the show and tell her stories. You never knew where these were going to go, and sometimes they just ended in the middle of things. Such is the mind of a child. But it gave That Umbrella Guy -- TUG to his viewers -- the idea to merge both of these loves -- comics and his daughter -- into a project they could do together.

And so was born The Case of the Littlest Umbrella, wherein TUG would be a masked detective aided by his eldritch "Little One" to investigate supernatural events. The book was crowdfunded on Indiegogo with over $100,000 raised by fans.

Horror comics have tradtionally been hosted by a personality: The Crypt Keeper, Cain, Abel, The Midnight Philosopher and Ariadne. Sometimes the host is a licensed character, like Elvira, who is the front-and-center star of this comic from Dynamite, which shows us an Elvira in a somewhat more prosaic life. And by prosaic, I mean it shows her from a real-world perspective: a horror hostess pitching her horror hosting gig to networks so she can keep her career going, while at the same time encountering supernatural phenomenon complicating her life.

Frank Miller disinvited from Thought Bubble comic book event after complaints from Zainaib Akhtar that she did not feel safe around the creator of SIN CITY and 300.

A graphic novel, correctly done, engages both sides of the reader's brain by merging the process of reading with that of absorbing and appreciating art. It's the only medium that can do this.

But the creators of AIRITH: THE KENTILAN WAR want to take that a few steps further, and deliver a more immersive experience to the reader by adding tactile, auditory, and even olfactory components. The graphic novel, currently funding its second volume on Indiegogo,  not only delivers an embossed cover but also includes a soundtrack of Fleetwood Mac covers and an air freshener. all with the goal of taking the reader deeper into the cyberpunk / multidimensional environment of the story.

We sat down and interviewed the creator of the series to go a little deeper into this world and find out just how far things might go for the series.

Miskatonic High is the ongoing story about a group of teenagers who, voluntarily or otherwise, are participants in their school's Community Service Club. On their very first outing, they were transported through time and space to witness an arcane ritual, and their lives have never been the same since. In this issue, "Reflections out of Time," an encounter with a device that might have been designed by Jack Kirby and M.C. Escher during a three-day drinking binge once again hurtles the friends through history -- this time, however, landing in the bodies of their parents.

In each era, they encounter the device -- and the monster that apparates out of it -- with their numbers gradually dwindling as fewer of their ancestors exist in the Arkham Society, until ultimately only one remains -- in a past so distant it predates human civilization.

2021 marks the 80th birthday of Marvel's patriotic Avenger, Captain America. The brainchild of comic legends Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, he almost became known as Super-American, until Simon nixed it in favor of what has now become a household name, due in no small part to the string of successful movies produced by Marvel Comics.

Captain America: The First 80 Years is a by-the-decade retrospective of the hero's journey, detailing his origins, his evolution and adaptation to the threats of each decade, and his retroactive continuity changes that turned him into a beloved comic book hero. The crew at Titan have gone out of their way to not only tell the story of Captain America, they've nestled it in the story of the comic book industry and American 20th century history as well, so that a full and appreciable context exists.

EL KRUDO is a comic book you probably haven't found at your local comics shop. That's understandable if your store doesn't carry a lot of indy books, or doesn't make available titles that were created through crowdfunding campaigns; you can always get it yourself from Indiegogo, or directly from the publisher's website, ElKrudo.com.

The story is set during the Vietnam war. The focal villain is Major Deng, a sadistic warlord who distributes opium. And the hero? The hero is a special U.S. Marine trained orangutan.

Save the puns about "gorilla warfare," we've already used it.

Although gambling remains a largely adult form of entertainment, it can often be seen in movies, cartoons, video games, and comics too. There are many examples of gambling in Anime and Manga with one young character, Akagi, trying to take down the Yakuza, and he is only thirteen years old.

Other Anime characters who gamble include Tsunade from Naruto. Not only is she a terrible gambler but she is so irresponsible that she has the nickname ‘The Legendary Sucker’. Perhaps the writers are trying to discourage their younger audience from playing cards or mahjong.

There are many other characters from comics and video games who enjoy a bet or two. Some of them do it for entertainment, some because it is part of who they are, and others because it is how they toy with their victims.

Here are a few characters who for one reason or another enjoy cards, dice, or just tossing a coin.

Cluster is a retired superhero -- a not very nice man who went around doing good things (if by good you mean killing the bad guys). His halcyon days have darkened his mood even further as he finds himself a widower and estranged from his grown children.

The Coronavirus pandemic left a mark on almost every industry including arts and entertainment. One media genre that has been severely affected is the comic book industry, especially independent comic stores. The anthologies and physical issues associated with comic books have worsened the situation for sellers. Luckily, technology and innovation have produced digital comics allowing readers of almost any language access the best comic magazines directly in the web browser or by dedicated comics apps. The rise of smart gadgets such as tablets, smartphones, and other portable devices has led to the sudden boom in comic book apps that let you read and organize comic books on your device.

So a while back we did a pre-review of MONSTER M.D. based off the first 22 pages of story and art. Time has passed, and that preview has grown into a fully-blown graphic novel with a backup story and bonus comic. Furthermore, it's been delivered into our hands, and is a handsome, hefty looking comic that a simple flip through reveals to contain great art and dynamic action.

Right. So then, let's rip it a new one, now, shall we?

Monster M.D. has no subtitle and no numbering, and is a complete story unto itself. So if we never meet up with Dr. Wyatt Black again, it will certainly be a crime but at least we won't lack a sense of closure.

Tony. Alana. Max. Rosie. Four punk rock rabbits looking for their big break in the music industry. But a chance encounter has cursed our band of bunnies to forever encounter the supernatural until they discover the song that will break their curse.

In this second issue of The Wraskles, the band travels to Ireland for the Balor Music Festival. Max can't wait to try all the food, while Rosie and Alana can't wait to take in the culture and the shopping. But for Tony, the whole trip is about one thing: Tony. Determined to finally get the opportunity to show people the star talent he is certain he possesses, he is crushed when they arrive to find the festival cancelled.

The 1990s were a boom market for independent creators, riding the rising tide of comics sales bolstered by a flood of new talent entering the comics industry. The boys who would later go on to build Image Comics were pulling in a lot of eyeballs -- and a lot of dollar bills -- for Marvel and DC Comics, emboldening a lot of imitation and a fair amount of parody.

One of these titles took to skewering the popular Marvel title X-Force, new to the stands and the spawn (no pun intended) of fan-favorite Rob Liefeld. X-Force was yet another spin-off of Marvel's X-Men franchise, which was already starting to over-expand on comics shelves, and became an overnight success, thus ripe for parody. And that's what Parody Press looked for: the perfect target.

Brian Pulido, the creator behind Lady Death and other iconic comic book properties, makes his return appearance to CROM CON this Saturday, April 24.

The appearance marks the one-year anniversary of the monthly online convention and, fittingly, the one year anniversary of Pulido's previous appearance with the event.

CROM CON -- the Comics Related Madness -- is a monthly online show founded by "Pops" Van Zant which runs for three days, live, on the event's Facebook and YouTube pages, and features a revolving door of independent comic book industry talent. 

Before The Doctor regenerated into a female form portrayed by Jodie Whittaker on the popular BBC series, Doctor Who, the possibility of transgendered regenerations was telegraphed by the newest incarnation of The Doctor's greatest nemesis -- the Time Lord who went by the label of The Master. Although, once female, the name was hardly appropriate, as the newly rechristened Missy (Michelle Gomez, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) stated emphatically.

Ever since the classic Vertigo series, The Sandman, had run its course, there have been a handful of attempts to recapture that lightning and put it once again into a bottle -- an intentional allusion, as The Sandman begins with Morpheus having been captured in a glass prison much like a bottle for several decades. The attempts have had varying degrees of success, with most being hollow copies of the style and some just not getting the gestalt at all.

Enter Joe Hill. Already quite a name for horror in the comics industry, for graphic novels like Basketful of Heads and the Hill House titles written for DC Comics, Hill brings to readers a new and exciting chapter in his Locke & Key series, and is joined in that endeavor by that book's co-creator, Gabriel Rodriguez.

Dan Abnett has been writing one story from intersecting trajectories for the past few months. With Red Sonja: Superpowers, he has used the Project: Superpowers team to bring the She-Devil with a Sword into their overarching continuity. Meanwhile, in Vampirella: The Dark Powers, we've seen Vampi join the team after her own plural Earth (number 0666, naturally) is discovered. Both stories have been similar -- members of the same team traveling to parallel Earths, meeting our vixens, having an adventure, and recruiting them to their ranks.

Spinning out of the Absolute Comics digital miniseries The First Daughter comes First Defense, where Tasha Tasker, the teenaged daughter of newly elected President Brad Tasker discovers her role as a super-powered First Kid isn't perhaps as unique as she thought it was.

It turns out the gray alien, Nom, who instilled her with superpowers, has been busy for a number of years, dating all the way back to the Lincoln administration -- back when he gave superpowers to First Daughter Abby Lincoln.

What's that? There was no "Abby Lincoln?" Well that's exactly what you're supposed to believe. Because every Presidential kid given super powers had to be kept so secret, they were systematically removed from history completely.

Comic books have helped give birth to a selection of iconic characters over the years. From the likes of the Joker to Captain Marvel, numerous heroes and villains have been born thanks to the success of comic books and the subsequent movies, books and TV shows which tend to be released alongside them.