Saturday 30 April 2016

Diane Darcy's Pull List April 2016

Title: Poison Ivy: The Cycle of Life and Death #4
Story: Cycle of Life and Death
Characters: Poison Ivy (Pamela Isley)
Creators: Amy Chu (writer), Robson Rocha (artist), Ethan Van Sciver (artist)
Publisher: DC Comics
Publication Date: April 2016
Available In: Print | Digital

Thoughts: The last three issues of Poison Ivy focused on the dual nature of Ivy's character: what makes her a good person, and what makes her a villain. For this issue, writer Amy Chu picks up the main storyline, which is the murder mystery surrounding both Ivy and the lab she works in. For this part, Chu brings in Selina Kyle (Catwoman) who is established as a friend of Ivy in this issue.

Saturday 23 April 2016

Legend of Wonder Woman Artist and Writer, Renae De Liz, Nominated for an Eisner Award

© www.renaedeliz.com
It has been an interesting week to be a comic book fan. Amongst the top conversations that took place this week was perpetual Hollywood racism in the form of whitewashing Japanese characters from Japanese manga and anime in an industry that already offers little opportunities to Japanese actors. To top that story was DC's infamous firing of respectable executive editor, Shelly Bond, from Vertigo, sparking an angry enough response from fans and industry professionals alike by publicly exposing DC group editor Eddie Berganza as the serial sexual harasser they continue to employ despite the real damage and trauma he caused to various women who worked for DC over the years. The outrage was so strong, his name was trending on Twitter for 24 hours, much to DC's shame.

With all that's happened this week, there is a lot to be embarrassed about in both the entertainment industry and comics community. Despite all the gunk and rubbish that surfaced this week, however, there is one very bright light at the end of this dark tunnel of comics news that is worthy of celebration: the nomination of Legend of Wonder Woman writer and artist, Renae De Liz, for an Eisner Award for Best Digital/Web Comic.

Wednesday 20 April 2016

Wonder Woman Wednesday: The Legend of Wonder Woman #4 Review

Title: The Legend of Wonder Woman #4
Story: The Legend of Wonder Woman Chapters 10-12
Characters: Diana Prince, Etta Candy, Duke of Deception
Creators: Renae De Liz (writer/artist), Ray Dillon (artist)
Publication Date: April 2016
Available In: Print | Digital

Summary: Diana has left the familiar boundaries of Themyscira and into the world of the unknown. Throughout her life she heard horror stories of constant strife in the outside world and the untrustworthy nature of men. It was assumed that a combination of both ingredients would result in the death of all life in the outside world. But what Diana finds upon opening her eyes in this new world is anything what but the Amazons described.

Even with the existence of strife--the strife known as World War II--the outside world is actually flourishing with life. The sun remains as bright, the grass is just as green on the other side, and the people she meets are full of life, love, and happiness. What is this strange new world and why have the Amazons told her otherwise? As Diana begins her sojourn into the outside world, she meets all kinds of people who will become her greatest friends and allies, and even some of her most dangerous foes. Everyone from the elderly couple that nursed her back to health after a turbulent storm knocked her off course, to the flamboyant Etta Candy and the Holliday Girls, to the infamous agent of Ares, the Duke of Deception!

Saturday 16 April 2016

Earth-2: Society #11 Review

Title: Earth-2: Society #11
Story: One Nation Indivisible
Characters: Fury, Hawkgirl (Kendra Muñoz-Saunders), Green Lantern (Alan Scott), Flash (Jay Garrick), Huntress (Helena Wayne), Kara Zor-L (Power Girl), Red Tornado, Sandman (Wesley Dodds)
Creators: Dan Abnett (writer), Federico Dallocchio (artist)
Publication Date: April 2016
Available In: Print | Digital

Thoughts: It is increasingly getting harder and harder to review this comic every month. In part because the story is taking too long to pick up pace as a consequence of a limited page space and the fact that there are essentially three storylines happening within this limited page space. The other thing that's frustrating me about this comic is the premise and how that's negatively affecting the individual characters. Since these characters are burdened with restarting their civilisation entirely from scratch, not only do they feel too far removed from the characters we associate with the Justice Society (even by Elseworlds standards), but it severely limits their opportunities for meaningful character development if they are constantly preventing war for reasons that range from limited resources to people simply not agreeing with the way things should be.

Wednesday 13 April 2016

Earth-2: Society #11 Preview

EARTH-2 SOCIETY #11
Written by DAN ABNETT
Art by FEDERICO DALLOCCHIO
Cover by JORGE JIMÉNEZ
Green Lantern learns that even a god can sometimes be powerless in the face of ordinary men. With the new world escalating toward war, Batman, Red Arrow and Ted Grant confront the double menace of Hourman and The Mist. Meanwhile, in distant Amazonia, Hawkgirl learns the dark and dreadful secret of the Amazon nation! Action, adventure and power-plays on a global scale!
APRIL 13 | RATED T | $2.99 PRINT | DIGITAL






Friday 8 April 2016

The Best of the Huntress: Wonder Woman #286 Review

Title: Wonder Woman #286
Story: Karnage Is The Name
Characters: Huntress (Helena Wayne), Charlie Bullock, Charlie Karnage, Edgar Stenville
Creators: Paul Levitz (writer), Joe Staton (artist)
Publication Date: December 1981
Available In: Print | Digital

Summary: The Huntress had just stopped a hospitalised convict from killing her boyfriend, Harry Sims. Helena Wayne had just started growing closer to her father's ward, Richard Grayson. Yet, she walks alone on a chilly day in Gotham introspecting about the limitations of the superhero life. She enjoys the thrill of being able to stop a crime from happening, but she also enjoys having relationships in her life. Which is more important to Helena, and which is she willing to sacrifice?

As the Huntress thinks about the choices she's made, she's quickly met with a new adversary--a man named Charlie Karnage, or simply just 'Karnage' as he prefers to be known. Why does he personally hate the Huntress and why does he want her dead so badly? After all, this is the first time they've met. Or have they? Has the Huntress done some kind of damage to Karnage to warrant his attack on her? Does he know she is Helena Wayne as well if he knew where to find her in her civilian identity? And who is his mysterious employer? Things are about to get turned upside down for the Huntress as an encounter from the past is about to turn deadly.