Hey, Mom! The Explanation.

Here's the permanent dedicated link to my first Hey, Mom! post and the explanation of the feature it contains.

Sunday, May 3, 2020

A Sense of Doubt blog post #1902 - Comic book Sunday - Weekly, May 3, 2020


A Sense of Doubt blog post #1902 - Comic book Sunday - Weekly, May 3, 2020

Here we are for another weekly comic Sunday page.

I took pictures of my recent reading, catching up on Wonder Woman comics, which has been a project for the last three Sundays.

Above is the first batch, directly below the second half of that back log batch, and the remainder with, at the end, those remaining: five issues starting with #750.

I need at least some time every Sunday to relax and read comics. That's the trade off for sheltering in place. I may not have had as much time to read today as I would have liked, but I am making this cool blog, and I did enough. I finished the Wonder Woman comics. Next up Justice League Dark and Nightwing -- big back logs in both.

We re-watched Only Lovers Left Alive last night, which is such a good movie, DETROIT props. And then got halfway through Byzantium, which is also fabulous, and we will finish that tonight.

I have a bunch of great comic stuff for you today to remind you all to stay home and read comics AND to support your favorite, local comic shops.

I grab a lot of Twitter to share comic stuff, but this time I started a list of accounts, which I will expand next week (unless I get one of those other posts done that I keep promising to finish).



I second this emotion by BENDIS about staying home, reading, and supporting local comics shops.
TODAY'S SOUNDTRACK




My friend Nicholas Prom is taking the time while sheltering in place to catch up on COMIC REFLECTIONS, one of my favourite comic book podcasts.



So, I am still doing the other posts I have been promising, Planetary and  PHANTOM STRANGER part two.

But here's a bunch of comic art and great comic posts via Twitter, mostly from Bendis this week. Some more comic book newsletters as well as a great post The Peerless Power of Comics on Gene Colan's last comic book, ever.

OH, and there's a JACK KIRBY MUSEUM????
So awesome...

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Most of today's contributors

https://twitter.com/TomBrevoort

https://twitter.com/BRIANMBENDIS

https://twitter.com/samhumphries

https://twitter.com/Earth1610Spidey

https://twitter.com/SienkiewiczArt

https://twitter.com/tulalotay

https://twitter.com/subversivegirl




Jack Kirby Museum & Research Center

There's a JACK KIRBY MUSEUM???

https://twitter.com/JackKirbyMuseum

https://kirbymuseum.org/


Q: Where Is …?
A: The Museum is currently a virtual, web-based entity, open to the public on a 24-7 basis, 365 days a year. The online image database and Museum publications are the primary educational resources available to Museum members and the general public. The Museum is also a frequent participant at comic conventions and takes part in academic workshops and seminars.
Q: What is the Museum’s Mission?
A: The Museum and Research Center was organized exclusively for educational purposes; more specifically, to promote and encourage the study, understanding, preservation and appreciation of the work of Jack Kirby by:
  • illustrating the scope of Kirby’s multi-faceted career,
  • communicating the stories, inspirations and influences of Jack Kirby,
  • celebrating the life of Jack Kirby and his creations, and
  • building understanding of comicbooks and comicbook creators.
To this end, the Museum sponsors and otherwise supports study, teaching, conferences, discussion groups, exhibitions, displays, publications and cinematic, theatrical or multimedia productions.












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https://peerlesspower.blogspot.com/2020/05/gene-colans-final-story-for-marvel.html

Friday, May 1, 2020

Gene Colan's Final Story for Marvel


Artist Gene Colan, who passed away in June of 2011, turned in his final full-length comics work just over two years earlier, capping a career spanning over six decades (which included commissions work, to the delight of his fans) and bidding farewell to a red, white and blue character he worked on with Stan Lee from mid-1969 until the early '70s.


With no inker assigned to the story, the issue is a splendid showcase of Colan's talent in its purest form, even well past his prime--with colorist Dean White helping to bring the pages to vivid life. As for the story itself, however, it might leave you with the impression that the issue is something of a one-shot, with Colan's large, canvas-style scenes curtailing any scripting nuances which writer Ed Brubaker provides, while Brubaker himself appears to be giving Colan a wide berth and providing narrative and dialog only as needed. As such, the story regrettably suffers, both in conception and in execution--a tale of vampires attacking a Belgium village, along with the remnants of two U.S. army platoons within which Cap and Bucky are stationed. Not the usual fare we would expect in a wartime flashback tale, though the type of story which The Invaders had opened the door to often enough.



The story's events stem from a present-day conversation between Nick Fury and Bucky, involving the conflicts of the Civil War crossover which had heroes on both sides of the conflict turning on one another--which then serves to segue us to the past, where our soldiers are being turned into vampires and preying on their fellow soldiers, with Cap's priority being clear: find the vampire who is to blame for the initial attack and destroy him. But Brubaker, taking his cues from Colan's art, is obliged to offer one red herring after another in the search for the principal vampire before finally revealing the true culprit to Cap and Bucky--only to abruptly end the story seconds after the climax has begun to unfold, while offering only token resolution in the form of Bucky providing a piece of trivia to Fury (which we'll get to in a moment).

During the post-Stan Lee part of his career, it's fair to wonder if Colan was ever in the habit of conferring more closely with the writer of the book he was working on in order for both writer and artist to be on the same page, as it were, in regard to having a more detailed understanding of the plot beyond the basic characters involved, given that this doesn't appear to be the case here.* That said, Colan arguably lays sufficient groundwork for the writer to pen at least a more coherent story, which might have benefited from less of an impulse to let the art stand on its own.




*It would certainly be helpful to have the thoughts of this book's editor at the time, Tom Brevoort, on the subject.


But with our focus primarily on Colan, his work here makes for a splendid final act to make his exit on. Reportedly suffering from glaucoma and progressively reduced vision since the '90s, the quality of Colan's work nevertheless spoke for itself, and one would have been hard-pressed to detect any hint of his condition in these pages. To have seen this story followed up with a Dr. Strange tale... well, a guy can dream.

The clues that Cap and Bucky gather eventually lead back to a village child who's been seen carrying food and water, and who was last seen in the company of one of the latest victims. Yet it turns out this child hasn't been among the living for four years.





As we've seen, the story ends abruptly as Bucky brings ourselves and Fury back to the present, where he offers one last tidbit of information: Bucky and Cap didn't return with the platoons to join up with Gen. Patton in the south, but were instead sent back to England to guard an experimental plane--an assignment which led to Zemo's island in the English channel, and a pivotal moment in time for Captain America.

Your mileage may certainly vary as to what degree this story worked for you, though I'm hoping your one takeaway is the caliber of work which its distinguished artist has produced at the twilight of his career. Do take the opportunity to sample Mr. Colan's talent in any number of other comics forums where he surely has a presence--though you can be assured that you'll see his renowned and unique artistry continue to be featured in the PPC.
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http://sequart.org/magazine/70400/jonathan-hickman-avengers-3-garden/


Jonathan Hickman’s Avengers #3:

The Garden

by  | in Articles | Mon, 27 April 2020
Jonathan Hickman’s Avengers run consists of multiple mini-arcs that all build and culminate with Secret Wars. Avengers #3 is the action-filled climax and the culmination of his first arc.
On Mars, readers are treated to the birth of Ex Nihilo’s New Adam, a new and improved human who Ex Nihilo intends to restart human life on Earth after he finishes terraforming it.  Abyss promises Thor that his world will be destroyed and reborn, although while Ex Nihilo is pure creation and Aleph is pure purification, she is more chaotic and feels no need to be “marooned between such shallow choices.” She entreats Thor to run away with her and husband a new pantheon. In reply, Thor offers to spare her when the inevitable reckoning comes upon the trio on Mars.
As “Adam” is born, he begins to speak a mysterious language, which Abyss calls “Builder machine code.” Abyss worries that something is wrong, while Ex Nihilo glories in the fact that something unexpected happened. This comment about the “unexpected” happening provides a well-constructed scene transition, as Ex Nihilo is hit with an energy blast. In the first panel on the next page, Captain America says, “How’s that for unexpected?”
In a callback to the first issue, Cap attacks the Aleph, stands on top of him, and says, “Yield” (although he is blasted off by the Aleph). Abyss sics the Hulk on Hyperion while Smasher attacks Ex Nihilo who then creates some creatures to attack her. Tony, still tied up, asks Cap, “I thought the plan was to call everyone?” Cap responds, “It was. I did.” Eden then appears transporting the rest of the Avengers.
The Avengers attack. As they do, a panel focuses on Captain Universe. She seems confused, and for a moment, the face of her host is seen, who recounts the memory of a car crash, indicating the trauma she has gone through. The reason Captain Universe has chosen this woman as a host seems to be that both of them share in brokenness, for as readers will find out in the course of Hickman’s run, the Marvel multiverse itself is dying.
As the captured Avengers are freed, there is some fun banter between Spider-Man and Wolverine. One thing that attentive readers who know something about comics during this time will notice as Hickman’s run proceeds is the transition between the Amazing Spider-Man / Peter Parker and the Superior Spider-Man / Doc Octopus, who during this era stole Peter’s body and replaced him for a time. This will become obvious in Spider-Man’s interaction with the other Avengers in later arcs.
Many of the Avengers have a time to shine. Sam Wilson realizes that the creatures Ex Nihilo has created to fight them are part bird, and so he convinces the creatures to leave (since he can communicate with birds, a power that fans of the MCU version may not be aware). In another nod to Hickman’s love of creation myth imagery, Ex Nihilo sees his creatures leaving and asks, “Who leaves their creator’s garden willingly?” Meanwhile, Thor gets free and strikes the Mars trio with lightning. Thor’s actions here are beautifully illustrated. There’s a cinematic quality to them. Hyperion, a Marvel analogue for Superman, beats the Hulk who reverts to Bruce Banner, while Shang-Chi cuts through the leg of the Aleph.
The focus returns to Captain Universe who looks at Ex Nihilo’s New Adam and exclaims, “Oh! Systems!” Hickman lays the groundwork early on in his run that there are multiple systems operating throughout the universe, whose purpose is to protect and balance the universe. Ex Nihilo, Abyss, and the Alephs represent one such system. Later on, Hickman will incorporate ideas from Marvel’s New Universe (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Universe) initiative into his story, noting that those concepts are also systems meant to self-regulate the universe.
Captain Universe then releases a burst of power that causes Ex Nihilo, Abyss, and the Aleph to pause. Ex Nihilo and Abyss recognize and acknowledge Captain Universe as “Mother,” “Goddess,” and “the Universe herself.” Captain Universe declares that the systems meant to balance the universe are broken, foreshadowing the arrival of the Builders in Hickman’s Infinity event, and ultimately the destruction of the Marvel multiverse leading into Secret Wars. She commands the trio on Mars to cease destroying or transforming anymore worlds, while also making an odd reference to pie (a reflection of the desire of the traumatized host within). While Ex Nihilo and Abyss are compliant, the Aleph remains combative, refusing to obey, and is destroyed by Captain Universe, although not before the Captain tells the Aleph, “The end is not what you think it’s going to be,” something she could very well be telling the reader. With the Aleph destroyed and Captain Universe floating in the air, Tony tells Steve to remind Jarvis to make sure that he keeps plenty of pies stocked up.
As the Avengers prepare to leave Mars, taking Adam with them and instructing Ex Nihilo and Abyss to transform Mars at their pleasure (as long as they leave Earth alone), Ex Nihilo asks Captain America a question. Given that he has transformed so many worlds without the universe intervening, “What is it that makes your earth so special?” Captain America answers with his best guess, using the very title of this first collection of issues from Hickman’s story: “It’s an Avengers World.”
Hickman ends this first arc on a hopeful yet ominous note. Earth is indeed the first Avengers World, and the Avengers legend, he says, “grew in the telling.” He goes on: “The great idea was expansion. And it started with two men. One was life (Steve).”
“And one was death (Tony).”
This indicates not only the close to Hickman’s final Avengers issue three years later, but the intertwining of the themes of life and death. While the first arc of Hickman’s story begins with hope and expansion, there are indications that all not is well.
If Hickman’s Avengers title highlights “life,” New Avengers will reflect the death lurking underneath the surface.ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Matthew Brake
Matthew William Brake is the creator and founder of Pop Culture and Theology and the series editor for the book series Theology and Pop Culture from Lexington Books. He holds degrees in Interdisciplinary Studies and Philosophy from George Mason University and a Master of Divinity from Regent University. He has published numerous articles in the series Kierkegaard Research: Sources, Reception, Resources. He has chapters in a number of books on philosophy and pop culture, including Deadpool and Philosophy, Wonder Woman and Philosophy, and Mr. Robot and Philosophy.
See more, including free online content, on .




http://sequart.org/magazine/70395/stayhome-with-sequart/

#StayHome with Sequart

by  | in Sequart News | Sun, 26 April 2020
We know the current crisis is taxing for everyone, and we all could use a little joy while we stay home. Sequart would like to help, in our own small way.
So beginning this Wednesday, from our library of 30+ books, we will release a different free .pdf every week until the end of the year. Every Wednesday, we will put up a tweet HERE and a Facebook post HERE. If you want that particular book .pdf, just retweet or share the post, and we’ll DM you the download link. (The link will be via WeTransfer, and it will expire the following Wednesday.)
From all of us at Sequart, please stay safe and #StayHome.


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Culture doesn't fit in a box. Neither do we.

As with every industry going forward, the comic industry will emerge from the current crises looking a little different from before. Hopefully, there will be changes for the better, especially when it comes to valuing its creators and customers.
In the meantime, we can continue to support comics in all its forms. If you're not able to access your favourite floppies right now, digital comics are still available to you. If you've been focused on mainstream comics, why not take this time to discover some very cool indie comics, manga, and webcomics? 
WWAC contributors are busy building their portfolio all over the internet. Check out what our writers have been up to this month:
PATREON EXCLUSIVE ESSAY: Happily Ever After? A Fables Retrospective by Cori McCreery
Each month, WWAC helps you keep up with the industry by offering columns devoted to various publishers in the field. By reporting on individual publishers’ news and releases each month, our dedicated experts help you spot not only exciting issues to look out for, but also how shifts in management affect the industry overall. Read all of our Pubwatches and you’ll probably know everything you need to know about comics.
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Stellar Streaming Storytimes for When You Are Stuck at Home by Emily Lauer
What Happens After You Bid for #Creators4Comics? by Kat Overland
Four-Colour Faves: The Marvelous Ms. Resha Talks Ms. Marvel
What Fence! Didn’t Learn from Sports Manga by Masha Zhdanova
Social Distance and Watch Charmed by Alenka Figa
[Exclusive] Little Josephine: A Memory in Pieces from Humanoids
Recreate Your Favourite Comic Moments for the #WWACchallenge 

INTERVIEWS

Kate Karyus Quinn, Demitria Lunetta, and Maca Gil Bring Two New Heroes to Gotham in DC Kids’ Anti/Hero by Wendy Browne
Kaylee Rowena on The Scent of May Rain by Masha Zhdanova

REVIEWS

Marvels Snapshots Fantastic Four #1: It’s My Party and I’ll Cry If I Want To by Rachel Knight
John Constantine: Hellblazer #5 Perfectly Ends an Arc Without Solving Anything by Melissa Brinks
Big Punk #1 Review: Life on the Wild, but not Queer, Side by Louis Skye
Dr. Love Wave and the Experiments #1 Hits All the Right Notes by Wendy Browne
Blue Flag Studies Relationship Geometry by Masha Zhdanova
“Gloria” is Glorious as Katy Keene Gets her Mojo Back by Lisa Fernandes
How to Make a One-page Zine by Rosie Knight
3 Reasons to Reread (Not Inject) Bleach by Paige Lyman
Tokyopop (Gay) Manga Review: Still Sick and Don’t Call Me Daddy by Masha Zhdanova
Cover Girl: Phantom Thief Jeanne Volume 1
Charmed, Sexual Assault, & the Medusa Myth by Alenka Figa
Virtual Book Clubs for Readers Who Want to Connect by Emily Lauer
Remembering Charlee Jacob: Cities and Guises by Doris V. Sutherland
Yes, It’s True: The Death of Nancy Drew #1 is a Disaster by Louis Skye
[Exclusive] The Brontës: Infernal Angria from Headless Shakespeare Press
Revisiting the American Century with Stephan Franck’s Palomino by Wendy Browne
Wolverine #2: Won’t You Be My Weapon? by Rosie Knight
X-Men/Fantastic Four #3: You Gotta Love Doom by Kate Tanski and Rachel Knight
Wicked Things #1: Something Wicked (Cool) This Way Comes by Paulina Przystupa
A Reread, a Recommendation, and a Rando: Reviews of Recently Acquired Manga by Paulina Przystupa
Portrait of an Artist: Georgia O’Keeffe Is a Lush Account of the Mother of American Modernism by Sabina Stent
The #VaultColorUp Colouring Book Is a Good Way to Kill Some Time by Wendy Browne
The Amazing Mary Jane #6: Thoroughly Modern Mary Jane by Claire Napier

From the Archives: Universal FanCon: Peeling Back the Layers by Jazmine Joyner and Rosie Knight

Universal Fan Con was meant to be a celebration of inclusivity and fandom. But as the show was unceremoniously canceled a week before it was expected to occur, fans are asking what happened. Many find themselves left out of pocket, having backed the Kickstarter and booked often non-refundable flights. We, Rosie Knight and Jazmine Joyner, have compiled a comprehensive investigation into Universal Fan Con and what went wrong. We’ve utilized the now-deleted Fan Con website, Twitter, Kickstarter page, interviews, and emails that were shared with us to put together this piece which we hope will help people gain a better understanding of what happened. [Read More]

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- Bloggery committed by chris tower - 2005.03 - 10:10

- Days ago = 1765 days ago

- New note - On 1807.06, I ceased daily transmission of my Hey Mom feature after three years of daily conversations. I plan to continue Hey Mom posts at least twice per week but will continue to post the days since ("Days Ago") count on my blog each day. The blog entry numbering in the title has changed to reflect total Sense of Doubt posts since I began the blog on 0705.04, which include Hey Mom posts, Daily Bowie posts, and Sense of Doubt posts. Hey Mom posts will still be numbered sequentially. New Hey Mom posts will use the same format as all the other Hey Mom posts; all other posts will feature this format seen here.
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