In 2021 I’d like to cross over the 1,000 comics review barrier, meaning reviews that I (Mike Clarke a.k.a. pghhead) contribute to the blog. That’s what this odyssey is about, beginning January 01, 2021. Wish me luck. . . .
# GOAL FOR AUGUST 31 . . . 667 comics documented
CURRENT COUNT . . . . . 610 comics documented
For me, a FCBD title is successful when it creates enough curiosity that the reader seeks out the monthly title. Every offering should do what it can to help the comic shop sell more books, titles that readers wouldn’t automatically pick up without the help of a preview. Publishers also need new readers.
I’m trying to be a little more objective in these reviews, as I may have read more FCBD titles than others because of my shop-visiting job. I’m trying to share what I’ve learned about coming attractions. However, be aware that the subjectivity is bound to work its’ way in through the cracks.
More FCBD reviews to come, missing the ratings. (It’s harder to be objective if I have to rate it). Just consider this an info dump. Hopefully, you find it useful.
There’s also a preview of the next version of Hulk. R.I.P. Immortal Hulk, I will miss you. Ryan Ottley’s art is amazing here, in a big story featuring Modok and A.I.M. with Donny Cates spinning the yarn. Hard to tell with this smash fest preview where he might take the character of the Hulk/Bruce Banner but I suspect it will be interesting places.
#596 BATMAN SPECIAL EDITION FCBD (DC)
James Tynion still at the helm, and still coming up with creative storylines. Here’s a preview of Fear State with Scarecrow ramping up his game and taking not just Batman, but all of Gotham. Looks good, although that checklist showing the storyline running through Nightwing, Catwoman, I Am Batman and other titles is kind of intimidating. Who’s up for this? You’ll just need to pick up 35 comics between August and December.
The other story is a preview of I Am Batman #0 by John Ridley and Travel Foreman which I picked up and enjoyed. A somewhat fresh take on Batman with Jace Fox (son of Lucius) wearing the Batman armored suit. The preview shows Jace in action but doesn’t cover his background, training and personal mission as explained in the full issue.
I’m still on the fence about this title, not sure I want to read another Batman book. But I’m interested enough to keep reading for now.
Members of this elite group wear partial face masks with teeth painted on. They all go by the last name of Slaughter; but they are not from the same family, or related. Their mission in a nutshell: “You wear the teeth of the house of slaughter. You are a monster that kills monsters.”
Jason, the only black mask “in good standing” gets an assignment he may not like as he is judged responsible for agent Erica’s “failure and overreach in the North Woods.” So far, Erica seems to be the only one in this preview issue doing her job. Everybody else is standing around and talking shop. Stylized minimalist art that is quite interesting.
#598 JUST BEYOND: MONSTROSITY FCBD SPECIAL (Kaboom!)
With the Kaboom! label, a Disney+ original series sticker, and R. L. Stine’s name all on the cover - it’s a pretty safe bet who the intended audience is. (Yep, not my age group.) Credit the prolific Mr. Stine for making horror stories palatable for younger readers. Looks like this should do the same.
A father of two middle-schoolers and his brother purchase a classic movie studio where old horror movies were filmed. The creepy groundskeeper gives the teens a tour. They quickly get lost, run into some hazards plus a movie monster.
New writers are coming onboard for both of these series. This gives a preview of each title plus a bunch of text announcements in the back pages.
Zep Wells and Patrick Gleason introduce a new costume for Spidey and a new person underneath that I won’t spoil. Super-villain Bushwacker reminds me of an old X-Man villain with guns/cannons for hands.
Ram V. and Al Ewing with cool art from Bryan Hitch are taking over Venom, where it appears that young son Dylan will be playing a much larger role. A new threat is introduced that may upset the whole apple cart, naturally.
Aside from a new cover, the announcement of the trade paperback in September plus a new mini-series for Winter 2021 - I’m not sure what else is new here. I read the full series awhile back and no longer have my copies (sold them) so I can’t check to see if any new pages have been added. The prologue may be new but I just don’t recall (some of us have short-term memory, just like dogs).
For anyone not familiar with the story, which got a lot of attention and perhaps a bit hyped, this is an easy way to find out if it’s for you. If you love dogs, you’ll appreciate this. I loved the story, just not as much as some of the endorsers did.
BLADE RUNNER 2019 (definitely not the 2019 that I remember) and BLADE RUNNER 2029 both feature the same character ten years apart. Aahna “Ash” Ashina, is a former Blade Runner who quits and rejoins the LAPD Blade Runner department to hunt down fugitive Replicants. Her loyalties are divided. The six-page story here is complete and serves as a good introduction.
So does the back-matter which includes character sketches and profiles of both Ash and Cal Moreaux, the pre-Blade Runner L.A. detective hunting down the first Replicant to ever rebel ( a model Nexus 5 prototype) in BLADE RUNNER ORIGINS (beginning in 2009). Moreaux is featured in the other story in this FCBD preview.
Both stories feature a minor (but important) character thirty years apart, who has encounters with both detectives. Overall, this is one of the better FCBD titles for giving new readers a good background and preview of what’s in store in the main titles.
Into today’s world of political correctness and cancel culture, I’m a little surprised I haven’t heard of any backlash. My apologies to any decent human beings who made the choice for whatever reason to purchase a mobile home or trailer and live in a cluster park. Seems like Canadians can be as biased and cruel as Americans when it comes to stereotyping groups of people. A more sensitive title for this comic and series would be “The Functionally Illiterate Buddies” but that just doesn’t trip off the tongue the same as “Trailer Park Boys”.
This series is a mash of Beavis and Butthead, Dumb and Dumber, and Cheech and Chong with a little black comedy since the participants are mostly all criminals. My favorite story here is “Speculator Boom”,where the trio break into a friend’s storage garage to steal and sell his comic collection, only to learn that it’s all worthless ’90’s books (like “Youngbrood”). I also enjoyed the “Cuss Word Crossword” puzzle, although I didn’t try to complete it. A little bit of this goes a long way.
Rather than focus on one or two characters in the Valiant Universe, this special presents short previews of four series. Which on the surface isn’t a bad idea, as some of these books are seriously neglected. I know that many readers of superhero titles would warm up to these books if given a chance. On the other hand, sometimes the short preview doesn’t show enough to hook new readers.
The preview that I thought did the best job was Shadowman, which isn’t a story preview at all but some sketches and an interview with writer Cullen Bunn that reveals more about the character and upcoming storyline than the other previews did.
I’ll follow all of these at some point, maybe in trade paperback. Although I’m not sure I like the direction Dennis Hopeless is taking X-O Manowar. The stylistic art in both the new Ninjak and Harbinger series may also be off-putting to some readers. Time will tell.
CRITICAL ROLE is a creator-owned role-playing web series where professional voice actors portray Dungeons & Dragons campaigns. It’s a big fantasy world that has spawned Vox Machina and now The Mighty Nein. In this preview, a young boy laments the absence of his heroic mom (part of the Nein) while a horned blue woman tries to console him with tales fo her bravery.
The back-up feature is a complete Witcher short story where instead of doing his usual drawing of weapons, the Witcher tires to use diplomacy to resolve a conflict over a stolen pig. This was more interesting than the main feature.
The premise is that once a year Highlander makes a big public announcement about all the heroes leaving to battle some dire intergalactic threat. Then, they actually retreat to a vacation spot where the prostitutes are waiting and have a big orgy. The Boys have the place under surveillance, especially awaiting the new arrivals from D.C. and their assignment: take down a prominent White House figure.
After a hyperspace disaster Lily, a young Jedi Knight, helps displaced civilians relocate to the newly inhabited planet Banchii. That’s the beginnings of The Edge Of Balance.
The Guardians of the Whills are two Jedi of opposing methods, base Malbus and Chirrut Imwe. In this introduction to the series they must deal with an alien lizard man who is claiming to be a Jedi and making a public display. Diplomacy over force.
Both of these manga-styled series are slow to develop, with simplistic art that rarely shines and focuses way too much on head shots. In short, I was bored.
This was a lot more interesting than the Star Wars manga FCBD from Viz Media. The art is very visual, explosive and expressive. The stories are interesting, although in typical manga style battles go on for page after page. Between the two offering, this is the better one to check out.
Both stories here feature a single scene from their respective graphic novels. If you like the video game, the Dynasty story seems to veer closer to canon. The Blood Brothers are two very competitive (and violent) Scandinavian brothers. Their story doesn’t reveal a connection to Assassins Creed.
I’m a fan of Jeffrey Brown’s appealing stories and art for younger readers. I’m read some of his earlier, more adult work. This is better, and he really seems to have found his niche. This features the opening pages of the original graphic novel (November release) in which young Damien Wayne begins school. There are funny moments here, but I enjoyed Darth Vader and Son more than this. I think it was the short episodic nature of that book compared to the longer narrative here.
In the Amethyst preview, the princess of Gemworld gets caught misbehaving and is banished to earth where she has to act like a human and adapt to middle school life. The graphic novel also drops in November.
I think it’s a good idea to publish Star Wars adventures featuring teen characters as a way to introduce younger readers to the vast world of Star Wars. However, these stories can get just as complex as the ones intended for older readers.
Two continued stories are featured here featuring different characters and the return of a familiar one, Yoda. The art and colors are very appealing.
This wraps up my look at Free Comic Book Day 2021. I saved the best of the bunch for last . . . . . . .
#610 WE LIVE: THE LAST DAYS FCBD (AfterShock) This is my absolute favorite 2021 FCBD title and it’s not because of my part-time job. These are the reasons this is my #1 pick:
- This is a complete in one issue story that thoroughly entertains. There’s also a quick recap/summary on the credits page that makes it easy for new readers to follow. This represents a perfect way to introduce the world of WE LIVE. All good FCBD titles create interest and orders for the comic shop.
- Fans of the original series get a neat little reward, compliments of the publisher and the participating comic shop: a brand new story. Based on the popularity of WE LIVE, this could easily have been released as a regular one-shot issue and would have sold well.
- A bit of good news for fans. The FCBD title uses the occasion to announce the next WE LIVE series: Volume Two - The Age Of Palladions coming this winter.
THE LAST DAYS introduces four new young characters, a quartet of friends searching for a rescue pod in the last days of a dying planet Earth of 2081. There are only 5,000 pods released across the globe that will provide bracelets for 5,000 lucky children, who will be lifted to a new planet courtesy of a benevolent alien race. Greed still exists in this post-apocalyptic society, as there are criminal mobs willing to pay big bucks to vigilante bracelet diggers.
There’s a familiar character from the original series who makes an appearance that I won’t spoil the identity of except to say that he did not receive enough page time in WE LIVE.
Imaginative world-building by Inaki & Roy Miranda continues with gorgeous highly detailed art from Inaki. The color work by Eva De La Cruz is simply exquisite.
It required three issues of the original series for me to fall in love with the young main characters and begin to worry for them. I already love the new characters here, especially after learning of the generous act they bond together over in the final pages.
If you already have reached your allotment of FCBD titles from your local comic shop, consider making a modest donation of 50 cents and asking if they have any remaining copies of THE LAST DAYS. You won’t regret it.
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