This week on Prejudged! we’ll be looking at titles that all have been or will be (or are in line to be) adapted into big blockbuster movies, like Batman, Jonah Hex, Iron Man, and the X-Men. It’s another big week in comic books, folks!
JONAH HEX #56
Written by Justin Gray & Jimmy Palmiotti
Art by Phil Winslade
Cover by Darwyn Cooke
Coinciding with the release of the Jonah Hex movie, this special issue shows Jonah’s savage origins (one of many) along with another tale that sees Hex having a hand in American History.
It’s good to see this book finally get the recognition it has long deserved, what with the movie coming out and all. I’ve always said that Jonah Hex has been one of DC’s most consistent titles, and incidentally the easiest title to jump onto with its done-in-one issues. This is a fun book that should make for one helluva movie.
INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #27
Written by Matt Fraction
Art by Salvador Larroca
Cover by Salvador Larroca
Continuing the “Resilient” story arc, this issue has lots of things going on, from Tony building his empire, Pepper going under the knife, the Hammer girls making their move, and Detroit Steel.
This cover is clearly trying to bank on the success of Iron Man 2, having the familiar image of Iron Man and War Machine back to back. A little disappointing to see a more run-off-the-mill cover with this issue though, considering the radical covers this title has been going with for the past few issues, but still a great book.
UNCANNY X-MEN #525
Written by Matt Fraction
Art by Terry Dodson
Cover by Adi Granov
We’re now neck-deep into Second Coming and all hell has broken loose. With the mutants trapped within Bastion’s forcesphere, Cyclops and his X-Men are now in the biggest fight for the future of their species. Lives have been lost and everyone is looking to Hope to save the day.
With the new X-Men movie finally getting its wheels turning, it won’t be long until we welcome back our favorite mutants onto the big screen. Soon enough, we’ll all be playing “Casting” games with our friends about who’s playing who, and we already even have our younger Professor Charles Xavier in the form of James McAvoy.
BATMAN #700
Written by Grant Morrison
Art by Tony Daniel, Andy Kubert, David Finch, Richard Friend & Frank “Effing” Quitely
Cover by David Finch
That’s not a typo, people. “700”. That’s SEVEN HUNDRED Batman-tasic issues, and Bruce Wayne isn’t even back yet. This issue also marks the return of Grant Morrison to the title since leaving after Batman R.I.P. and we all should be happy to have him back, in all his mind-blowing glory. This also features three tales from three different Batmen; Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson, and Damian Wayne.
On the cinematic front, the Messiah, Christopher Nolan, has gone on record to say that he has no intentions of bringing back the Joker for the series’ third installment. However you feel about that (I’m pretty bummed out, personally), there’s still a chance for the Riddler to be played by Hugh Laurie.
And there goes Prejudged! If you have any thoughts about any of the movies mentioned above, or about any other upcoming superhero movie, feel free leave your thoughts and ideas in the comments section below.
Welcome back to a special edition of Prejudged! This week we look at indie graphic novel releases from big name creators. These types of releases allow these creators get back to their roots and experiment with new ideas that have branched out of working in the mainstream comic book industry.
MOVING PICTURES
Written by: Kathryn Immonen
Art by: Stuart Immonen
Cover by: Stuart Immonen
TK favorite Stuart Immonen, along with his wife Kathryn, brings us this tale set in two timelines.
Solicitation:
During World War II the Nazis pillaged much of Europe’s great art collections. Museum curator Ila Gardner and SS officer Rolf Hauptmann are forced by circumstances to play out an awkward and dangerous relationship in a public power struggle. Moving Pictures unfolds along two timelines which collide with the revelation of a terrible secret, an enigmatic decision that not many would make, and the realization that sometimes the only choice left is the refusal to choose.
A GOD SOMEWHERE
Written by: John Arcudi
Art by: Peter Snejbjerg & Bjarne Hansen
Cover by: Peter Snejbjerg & Bjarne Hansen
A tragic Super Hero tale as seen through the eyes of those closest to them, from the mind of Hellboy artist John Arcudi.
Solicitation:
After a mysterious disaster, a young man named Eric finds that he has just as mysteriously developed extraordinary abilities. He starts out trying to help people, but his solitary position in the world isolates him in ways no ordinary human could understand. This original graphic novel written by John Arcudi (B.P.R.D., WEDNESDAY COMICS) charts the arc of Eric’s evolution from man to…something else, as seen through the eyes of his family and his best friend, Sam.
THE PRO
Written by: Garth Ennis
Art by: Amanda Conner & Jimmy Palmiotti
Meet the world’s first superhero/prostitute. Once again, Garth Ennis screws with your head and the genre, with the spectacular art of Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti.
Solicitation:
Reintroducing the outrageous story of THE PRO in a paperback version of the deluxe hardcover edition. Just when you think GARTH ENNIS has gone too far, just when you thought it was safe to walk the streets, just when you thought no one would go near the idea of the world’s first superhero prostitute… here comes THE PRO! Plus, in “The Pro Meets the Ho,” our plucky heroine faces a super-powered “soiled dove” whose powers of perversion exceed the Pro’s own!
See you guys next week!
It’s another big week in comics and Prejudged! is here to shed some light on a few of them.
SECRET AVENGERS #1
Written by: Ed Brubaker
Art by: Mike Deodato
Cover by: Marco Djurdjevic
Marvel’s Heroic Age is in full swing with this week seeing the debut of Steve Rogers’ Secret Avengers. Moon Knight, Black Widow, Nova, War Machine, Beast, and Valkyrie. I don’t recall an Avengers team as badass as this. With Brubaker and Deodato on board, now it’s the heroes’ turn start breaking some heads. Although I hope Deodato doesn’t give War Machine “ass armor” like he did for the Iron Patriot.
MYSTERY SOCIETY #1
Written by: Steve Niles
Art by: Fiona Staples
Cover by: Ashley Wood
If you’re a sucker for underground cults and such, you might want to jump onto this new series by acclaimed horror writer Steve Niles. Based on the solicitations, the Mystery Society are Nick Hammond and Anastasia Collins, who like to spend their time and money infiltrating secret bases like Area 51. I’ve never read anything that mashed up Horror with Espionage before, and Mystery Society should be interesting.
GREEN HORNET #4
Written by: Kevin Smith
Art by: Jonathan Lau
Cover by: Alex Ross
This title has been surprisingly good. It’s good that Kevin Smith turned the Green Hornet and Kato into legacy characters. Female Kato is a very nice touch too. The artwork by Jonathan Lau is solid and captures the mood of Green Hornet’s world. Anyone who was a fan of the original TV series should definitely pick this up. Also, if you can, grab the one with the J. Scott Campbell cover.
POWER GIRL #12
Written by: Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti
Art by : Amanda Conner
Cover by: Amanda Conner
Here it is. The last issue of Power Girl for Palmiotti, Gray, and Conner. It’s very sad to see this team leave this title, especially Amanda Conner’s art. I really suggest that DC should collect this entire run into one big hardbound edition, complete with Palmiotti and Gray’s script and Conner’s sketches.
So, that’s it for this week’s Prejudged! See you next week, True Believers!
John, Alex, and Migs return with a boatload of reviews with their spotlights (eew?) shining on Power Girl #9, Devil #1, and DoomWar #1. After a hefty round of quick shots, the boys discuss the recent big changes in the big offices with Dan Didio, Geoff Johns, and Jim Lee each getting title upgrades. The show is capped off with a panel discussion about the komikeros’ expectations for the New Heroic Age and Brightest Day. Listen and learn, kids.
Download the episode here
John, EJ, and Alex return with the weeks hottest books and discuss a bunch of quick shots after the main reviews — Ultimatum #1, Terra #1, and Gigantic #1. Election season is over, so the boys also tackle such key issues such as the Gotham titles being cancelled/concluded in 2009, Loeb getting axed from the Heroes creative echelon, and Jenna Jameson’s Zombie Strippers feature. What?
Download the episode here
In this episode, the komikeros review:
We also have a round of War of Thumbs discussing the recent influx of TV-show comics, political content in comic books, and the censorship of All-Star Batman #10. To cap it off, we crossfired points about the difference between comics and graphic novels… assuming of course that there really is one.
You can also download the episode here
