Upcoming/Quick Review: GOTHAM CENTRAL by Ed Brubaker & Greg Rucka (DC Comics)

December 9, 2022 Civilian Reader Review, Upcoming Comics, DC Comics, Ed Brubaker, Gotham Central, Greg Rucka, Grime, Michael Clark, Michael Lark, Must Read 2023, Police Procedural, Stefano Gaudiano, Thriller

Writers: Ed Brubaker & Greg Rucka | Art: Michael Lark, Stefano Gaudiano, & Michael Clark

This isn’t really a review. But, I’ve been reading the Gotham Central series over the last couple of weeks, and I wanted to just give it a quick mention on the website. I also noticed that DC Comics are publishing a new omnibus edition next year (something they’ve been doing for a number of their classic, best-selling, and completed series). First, here’s the synopsis:

Gotham City: a town teeming with corrupt cops, ruthless crime lords, petty thieves… and just a small handful that would oppose them. Grizzled veteran Harvey Bullock, Captain Maggie Sawyer, Detective Renee Montoya and the GCPD are the law force that stands between order and complete anarchy.

Gotham’s Finest work around the clock to not only keep the world’s most psychotic criminals off the street… but also cleaning up the mess left behind by Batman’s one-man war on crime.

This Eisner Award-winning series follows the detectives of Gotham City’s Special Crimes Unit as they navigate against the city’s greatest villains–in the shadow of Batman himself. Collects issues #1-40.

If you are a fan of crime fiction, and certainly if you’re a fan of Brubaker’s crime, thriller, and mystery comics, then I think you’ll find a lot to love in this series. It focuses on the lives and work of Gotham City’s M.C.U. (major crimes unit), and follows them as they navigate their jobs in a city that has become overrun by “freaks” (meta-humans and super-criminals). As with all of Brubaker’s and Rucka’s best work, it is also as much about the characters’ personal lives as it is about chasing the Joker, the Mad Hatter, or other villains. The series provides a fascinating and engaging glimpse into how law enforcement operates in the shadow of the Batman — both grateful that he is able to do things that they can’t, but also angry that he often gets in the way, or makes them look bad. Continue reading →

Books on Film: THE SANDMAN by Neil Gaiman

July 24, 2022July 24, 2022 Civilian Reader Video Books On Film, Boyd Holbrook, Comics, DC Comics, Gwendoline Christie, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Mason Alexander Park, Most Anticipated 2022, Neil Gaiman, Netflix, Patton Oswald, Sam Keith, Sandman, Stephen Fry, Tom Sturridge, Vertigo Comics

Upon escaping after decades of imprisonment by a mortal wizard, Dream, the personification of dreams, sets about to reclaim his lost equipment.

The trailer for Netflix’s long-awaited, highly-anticipated adaptation of Neil Gaiman‘s The Sandman was unveiled at ComicCon yesterday. My interest, already very high, has only increased. Can’t wait to watch this!

The comic series, which was illustrated by Sam Keith, is published by DC Comics (originally Vertigo), and is available in newly re-issued and re-coloured collected editions, as well as the Absolute Sandman and Annotated Sandman editions. Here’s the synopsis for Preludes & Nocturnes, the first volume in the series (which I highly recommend):

In PRELUDES and NOCTURNES, collecting issues #1-8, an occultist attempting to capture Death to bargain for eternal life traps Death’s younger brother Dream instead. After his 70-year imprisonment and eventual escape, Morpheus goes on a quest for his lost objects of power. On his arduous journey Morpheus encounters Lucifer, John Constantine and an all-powerful madman. This book also includes the story “The Sound of Her Wings” which introduces the pragmatic, perky Death.

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New AQUAMAN and SHAZAM! trailers dropped at SDCC…

July 23, 2018July 23, 2018 Civilian Reader Movies, Upcoming Amber Heard, Aquaman, David F. Sandberg, DC Comics, Djimon Hounsou, Henry Gayden, James Wan, Jason Momoa, Mark Strong, Most Anticipated 2018, Most Anticipated 2019, Patrick Wilson, Shazam, Warner Bros, Willem Dafoe, Zachary Levi

Two new trailers for upcoming DC Comics movies dropped at SDCC, and both have certainly grabbed my attention, not to mention increased my anticipation. First up, Aquaman, Jason Momoa’s first solo outing as the titular hero:

Aquaman stars Momoa, Amber Heard (Mera), Dolph Lundgren (), Patrick Wilson (Orm), Willem Dafoe, Djimon Hounsou and more. The movie was directed by James Wan, and the screenplay had input from a number of people, including Wan, Geoff Johns (who wrote the Aquaman comic for a while, and is responsible for guiding Hollywood overall around the DC universe and its characters).

And second, Shazam!, which isn’t a comic I’m familiar with, but nevertheless looks like it could be a lot of fun:

It’s been a while since I last saw Zachary Levi in anything, but I am a huge fan of Chuck, so I’m sure I’ll enjoy his part in this, too. The movie also stars Mark Strong (he of the best voice in film, and playing a bad guy again), and some younger actors I’ve never heard of before. The movie is directed by David F. Sandberg, and was written by Henry Gayden. Interestingly, Djimon Hounsou is in this one, too.

Much has been made of the gloomy Zack Snyder DC Comic movieverse, some of which I have liked and some of which I didn’t. While I am not against gloomy, gritty superhero movies (The Dark Knight, for example), and generally my issues with the DC movies have not been related to the atmosphere/texture of the movies, I am glad we’re getting some lighter fare in the coming months/years.

I’m really looking forward to both of these movies.

Quick Review: WONDER WOMAN Vols. 2-3 (DC Comics, Rebirth)

August 19, 2017August 19, 2017 Civilian Reader Comics, Review Bilquis Evely, Comics, DC Comics, Graphic Novels, Greg Rucka, Hi-Fi, Laura Martin, Liam Sharp, Penguin Canada, Renato Guedes, Romulo Fajardo Jr, Superheroes, Wonder Woman, Year One

A new origin, and a conspiracy to discover the location of Themyscira…

Writer: Greg Rucka | Art: Liam Sharp, Renato Guedes, Bilquis Evely, Laura Martin, Romulo FajardoJr., Hi-Fi

The definitive and shocking tale of Diana’s first year as Earth’s protector. Paradise has been breached, Ares stirs, and the Amazons must answer with a champion of their own…one who is willing to sacrifice her home amongst her sisters to save a world she has never seen. Wonder Woman’s journey begins in this epic origin story!

Collects: Wonder Woman #2, #4, #6, #8, #10, #12, #14

In Volume 2 of DC Comics’ latest Wonder Woman reboot, Greg Rucka takes a break from the storyline seeded in the first collection. Instead, he and his colleagues on the art-side pull out all the stops for (yet another) origin-type story. Subtitled “Year One”, it re-introduces us to the two main characters (Diana and Steve), updated for a modern setting. There are some parallels between this book and the recent Wonder Woman movie (if you haven’t see it yet, do so — it’s great), but it is by no means slavish or engaging in recycling. I was just frequently put in mind of certain elements of that movie while reading. Continue reading →

Quick Review: MOTHER PANIC, Vol.1 (Young Animal/DC)

July 28, 2017July 27, 2017 Civilian Reader Comics, Review Batman, Comics, DC Comics, Jean-Francois Beaulieu, Jody Houser, Mother Panic, Penguin Canada, Shawn Crystal, Super-Heroes, Tommy Lee Edwards, Work in Progress, Young Animal

Writer: Jody Houser | Artists: Tommy Lee Edwards & Shawn Crystal | Colors: Tommy Lee Edwards, Jean-Francois Beaulieu | Covers: Tommy Lee Edwards

The shadow of the Bat falls over all of Gotham City, from its dark alleys to its glittering high-rises. But a new vigilante has just stepped away from that shadow, and she has her own brand of violent retribution to deal out to the city’s corrupt elites.

Meet Violet Paige, a rich young celebutante with a bad attitude and a worse reputation. No one would ever suspect that this tabloid-fodder wild child has a secret hidden beneath her spoiled heiress exterior — a secret that has driven her to become the terrifying force of vengeance against her privileged peers known as Mother Panic!

But even as Violet launches her all-out assault on the rich and twisted, her shaky allies threaten to betray her, and every one of Gotham’s guardians — from Batwoman to the Dark Knight himself — is hot on her trail. Will Mother Panic continue to strike terror into her enemies’ hearts? Or will her violent quest for justice reach an equally violent end?

Collects: Mother Panic #1-6

This is the first title that I’ve read from DC’s new Gerard Way-controlled Young Animal imprint, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I had been under the false impression that this was aimed at younger readers. After just a few pages, I realized this was very much not the case. Aside from the occasional swearing, this is a pretty brutal series. It also a very intriguing first arc. Continue reading →

SDCC: New JUSTICE LEAGUE teaser trailer

July 22, 2017 Civilian Reader Uncategorized Aquaman, Batman, Comics, Cyborg, DC Comics, Flash, Justice League, Most Anticipated 2017, Movies, Warner Bros, Wonder Woman

Save for the superb Wonder Woman movie, DC’s cinematic output hasn’t been too well received. I’ve quite enjoyed each of the movies (though, I still haven’t seen Suicide Squad), and so I’m very much looking forward to Justice League. Warner Bros. has just unveiled a teaser trailer at San Diego ComicCon, featuring a lot of Steppenwolf, some parademons, and of course the League. Here it is:

Justice League should hit theatres in November 2017. During SDCC, a new poster was also unveiled, and I couldn’t agree more with io9, it really does look like an Alex Ross painting brought to life:

The new Justice League poster is basically an Alex Ross painting brought to life: https://t.co/3Qb7VRHl4W pic.twitter.com/8WBlpm4RmV

— io9 (@io9) July 22, 2017

Review: WONDER WOMAN, Vol.1 (DC Comics, Rebirth)

July 17, 2017July 17, 2017 Civilian Reader Comics, Review DC Comics, Greg Rucka, Jeremy Colwell, Jodi Wynne, Laura Martin, Liam Sharp, Matthew Clark, Penguin, Rebirth, Sean Parsons, Wonder Woman

Writer: Greg Rucka | Art: Liam Sharp, Matthew Clark, Sean Parsons, Laura Martin, Jeremy Colwell | Letters: Jodi Wynne

Heroic. Iconic. Unstoppable. Armed with her Lasso of Truth and imbued with the power of the gods themselves, Princess Diana of Themyscira –known to the world as Wonder Woman — is one of the greatest superheroes in history.

But who is she… really? Not even Wonder Woman herself knows for sure. Diana’s links to both the Amazons and the Gods of Olympus have been severed. Her memories are a tangle of contradictions that even her lie-detecting lasso cannot untangle.

To solve the riddle of her origin, she must embark on her greatest quest of all: finding a way back to her vanished home. To get there, she must team up with her greatest enemy, the feral beast-woman, Cheetah. Will this unlikely alliance shine the light of truth on Diana’s darkest secrets, or bury them-and her-forever?

Collects: Wonder Woman #1, #3, #5, #7, #9, #11; Wonder Woman: Rebirth one-shot.

An interesting start to the most recent Wonder Woman series, written by returning scribe Greg Rucka, one of my favourite comics writers. This is a pretty good starting point for anyone new to the character, whether you’ve seen the excellent new movie or not. Although, of course, as this is a first volume, you are mainly getting an extended introduction to larger events still to come. Continue reading →

WONDER WOMAN opens in one month(ish)! (Whither the marketing blitz?)

April 30, 2017 Civilian Reader Random DC Comics, DCU, Gal Gadot, Most Anticipated 2017, Movies, Warner Bros, Wonder Woman

As has been pointed out by quite a few commentators and fans — most recently SyFy Wire and The Mary Sue — there has been relatively very little publicity push for the upcoming WONDER WOMAN movie. Actually, a pathetic amount of marketing. Given the veritable avalanche of teasers, posters, online, television and print advertising we were subjected to in the run up to Batman vs. Superman, Suicide Squad, all of the new Star Wars movies and even less-blockbuster-offerings, the paucity of Wonder Woman advertising is puzzling. Continue reading →

Quick Shot Reviews: Catching up on Graphic Novels

August 6, 2016August 6, 2016 Civilian Reader Comics, Review Action, All-New X-Men, American Vampire, Black Magick, Charles Soule, Christopher Moeller, Daredevil, DC Comics, Dean Ormston, Dennis Hopeless, Extraordinary X-Men, Francis Manapul, Geoff Johns, Greg Rucka, Horror, Huck, Humberto Ramos, Image Comics, Jason Fabok, Jeff Lemire, Jerry Ordway, Jim Lee, John Paul Leon, Jon J. Muth, Justice League, Kevin Maguire, Lazarus, Lucifer, Mark Bagley, Mark Millar, Marvel, Michael Lark, Mike Carey, Mitch Gerads, Nicola Scott, Owen Freeman, Peter Gross, Phil Jimenez, Rafael Albuquerque, Ron Garney, Ryan Kelly, Scott Kolins, Scott Snyder, Scott Williams, Sheriff of Babylon, Super-Heroes, Tom King, Vertigo Comics

Despite the near-total-silence on the graphic novel/comics side of things, I have continued to read a whole bunch of new and old collections. Generally speaking, though, I haven’t been overly impressed. Here are mini-reviews for ten stand-out collections I’ve read recently. [I’ll hopefully do a few more posts like this in the not-too-distant future, as I try to catch up with recent titles.]

Featuring: All-New X-Men, American Vampire, Black Magick, Daredevil, Extraordinary X-Men, Huck, Justice League, Lazarus, Lucifer, Sheriff of Babylon Continue reading →

WONDER WOMAN at SDCC

July 23, 2016 Civilian Reader Upcoming, Video Chris Pine, DC Comics, Gal Godot, SDCC, Trailer, Warner Bros, Wonder Woman

Over the past couple of days, San Diego ComicCon has unveiled a typical volume of teasers, posters, trailers, etc. Two that caught my attention: a new poster for Wonder Woman (above) and the first trailer (below). I’m very much looking forward to this movie.