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Posted on June 2, 2016 by Courtney Downs — Leave a comment
Courtney's Pullbox: May 2016
[Warning: this post contains spoilers]
This month's pullbox had quite a few good comics, including a new one that I saw while waiting in line at Free Comic Book Day. Here's the list:
Faith #1 (New to the box!)
Disney Princess #2 and #3
Steven Universe and the Crystal Gems #2
A-Force #5
Jughead #6
Archie #8
Starfire #12
Title: Faith
Written by: Jody Houser
Art by: Francis Portela and Marguerite Sauvage
Published by: Valiant Entertainment Comics
Summary: "Orphaned at a young age, Faith Herbert – a psionically gifted "psiot" discovered by the Harbinger Foundation – has always aspired to greatness. But now this once ordinary teenager is taking control of her destiny and becoming the hard-hitting hero she's always known she can be – complete with a mild-mannered secret identity, unsuspecting colleagues, and a day job as a reporter that routinely throws into her harms way! Well, at least she thought it would… When she's not typing up listicals about cat videos, Faith makes a secret transformation to patrol the night as the City of Angels' own leading superhero – the sky-soaring Zephyr!
But flying solo is going to be tougher than Zephyr ever thought when she uncovers a deep-rooted alien conspiracy. Two-bit burglars and car thieves are one thing, but when the world needs a hero to stave off a full-blown extraterrestrial invasion, will Faith find herself in over her head…or ready for her biggest challenge yet?"
I saw this comic when I was waiting in line at Free Comic Book Day at Maximum Comics. I am always keeping my eyes peeled for comics starring plus size girls and seeing Faith on the cover made my heart soar. I immediately got it and I can't wait to keep reading more about her. She's a plus size journalist and superhero so it's pretty much everything I could ever want. Her outfit is practical for fighting, something I'm always trying to commend. It's also super cute and it's not revealing at all. I love the art style in general for this comic and it makes me feel like Faith could be my friend and a real person.
When it comes down to the story, it's pretty basic at it's core and I can't wait to see what challenges Faith/Zephyr will face. I hope that they do play up into the fact that she is a plus size superhero, something that people on the Internet will argue can't happen in any stretch of reality. I also might cosplay her one day because she's just so awesome.
Disney Princess #2
Title: Disney Princess
Written by: Amy Mebberson, Patrick Storck, Georgia Ball and Pat Shand.
Art by: Amy Mebberson
Published by: Joe Books
Summary: "The hit series continues! Disney's beloved heroines have returned in this hilarious collection of Disney Princess comic strips! Featuring laugh-out-loud stories from the worlds of Ariel, Belle, Rapunzel, Tiana, Cinderella, Aurora, and more, this charming ongoing series will make all your royal dreams come true."
I really like this comic series, it's full of quick and easy reads. The stories aren't hard to follow and they are fun to read. I love Disney Princesses, my favorite of which probably being Snow White. Sadly, Snow White is just on the cover and is not in the actual stories, but I can easily get over that.
I have to say my favorites of the short stories were Cinderella's, Tiana's, and Mulan's, but this plays into my pet peeve, because Mulan is technically not a princess. Shang is not a prince, he's just an army general. He's not a son to the emperor where I could at least could see it in a technicality, but she's not. Moving on from that though, I'll go briefly into those stories.
In Cinderella's story, she was super sick. Prince Charming and Cinderella are supposed to host someone important, but Cinderella still wants to be a good hostess though she is super sick. This comic really plays up the time period that her movie was released in. It was very common of women of that time period to want to be a good hostess and keep the house well. Cinderella also has a kind and loving heart, so being sick hinders her ability to make others happy. In general, sick Cinderella was adorable!
In Tiana's story, she's listening to Charlotte talk on and on about what she is wearing to a parade and about a man she met, while Tiana is trying to find the perfect hot sauce for her grits. Eventually she finds the hottest one in the whole restaurant and desperately searches to find water after not listening to warnings about how hot the sauce was. It's hilarious to see this go on and I'm glad that she did try different things to try and calm the burning in her mouth (milk ultimately does the trick).
In Mulan's story, she's arm wrestling with Chien-Po, Ling, and Yao, and she doesn't do a good job. Mushu teaches her a way to win: distraction. I think it's funny that that's the option Mushu goes for. This is something that Mulan can easily do since she knows the three men really well. I really liked this story and found it very cute… even though Mulan is not a princess.
Title: Steven Universe and the Crystal Gems
Written by: Josceline Fenton
Art by: Gale Galligan
Published by: Kaboom! Comics
Summary: "After Pearl's story of the glass monster, Steven has started having nightmares that it is real. What will he do when the people of Beach City start turning to glass?"
The Gems tell Steven a creepy story, and it's clear that Steven is genuinely scared. Amethyst is also terrified by the story, even though she is more of an adult compared to Steven. I liked that she didn't brush off Steven's fear as something that is childish.
I also did enjoy the fact that he did go to Ronaldo about it. It's very much something a child would do: avoid going to parents/caretakers about something scary. It's very cute and it's very sweet that Amethyst does come and help him out to stop the monster.
The art in this comic is worthy of high praise. It looks so much like the show and the colors are so beautiful. I love comic art that looks similar to the original television series, and this is the perfect example of one done right.
Overall, this comic is a light read, but it's really good.
Title: A-Force
Written by: Kelly Thompson
Art by: Ben Caldwell
Published by: Marvel Comics
Summary: ""Rage, Rage Against The Dying Of The Light" STARTS NOW! When a massive dragon attacks a small coastal town, SHE-HULK, CAPTAIN MARVEL, MEDUSA, DAZZLER, NICO MINORU, and SINGULARITY spring into action. But this dragon is more than she seems and has her sights set on more than just one small town. In fact, she's got her sights set on one of A-FORCE. Meanwhile, Dazzler's got a big secret and the strangest ally ever is going to help them in this fight… or maybe try to arrest them."
I continue to love this comic!
The all girl team is amazing and adding a new character, Thor, to the group makes the dynamic all that more powerful and impressive. The women are designed beautifully, even though Thor and Dazzler do look alike. The girls getting along and drinking together is nice, and it was really sweet Captain Marvel promised to help Thor get back to Asgard after they were all done.
These girls have a strong connection, so it was heart breaking to find out that Dazzler is dying and, save Thor, she hasn't told anyone. Nico's betrayal was also really hard on the heartstrings. The women seem to be growing to care about each other, and it saddens me to know that these next few issues will be filled with betrayal and hurt.
The art is very beautiful, like always. All of the women look amazing and I like that they do look sort of human (but in a supernatural sense) with normal proportions.
Simply put, this comic is just amazing.
Title: Jughead
Written by: Chip Zdarsky
Art by: Erica Henderson
Published by: Archie Comics
Release Date: May 18. 2016
Summary: "The time has come. It's JUGHEAD VS. PRINCIPAL STANGER: THE FINAL SHOWDOWN! With the whole gang at his side, Jughead puts it all on the line: Either Stanger goes, or Jughead does! You won't want to miss this!"
I was upset that Jughead appeared to just give up at the sight of defeat, but I was glad about what actually happened. I really loved that he noticed that Veronica didn't have to follow the strict new rules that were in place and went to Moose's father and Veronica's father, Mr. Lodge.
The way the author has been writing the characters is hit or miss. Moose was one of the ones that was brainwashed by the principal, which makes perfect sense because Moose is dimwitted, and with Veronica, her brainwashing makes sense due to the fact that she is very privileged. Principal Stanger is characterized as a discharged spy, which is a really good touch to his character. But things get weird in this comic with Dilton. The comic says that it is "canon" (meaning that it's in line in the story and it is something that is fact) that he is a great dancer. It was so random and unnecessary to mention this.
I lost it when Jughead began singing Whitney Houston's "Greatest Love of All" when his plan was coming together. I was listening to music and talking to someone, but I turned off everything, and just sat there to absorb it. It was so abrupt, but so funny – I had to figure out how to react. I have to say it is my favorite little panel from the comic.
This plot line in this issue is really good. The brainwashing-thing through music was a really good concept, though it was done before in Josie and the Pussycats (the movie). I'm glad that they finally got there so that way the story can move forward. I can't wait to see what happens next.
My favorite stories from this adorable, quick read were Snow White's, Sleeping Beauty/Aurora's, Mulan's, and Belle's. There are a lot of smaller stories, some not even being more than three panels, but the ones mentioned are varied in size.
In Snow White's, she is walking in the forest and trying to harmonize all the birds she runs into while she's singing. She ends up getting them all together in a concert like set up and gets them to sing together with the dwarves catching her. I love how in spirit this comic is to the movie. I love Snow White so much and this was so cute! Between the art and the way she's written, this Snow White comic was adorable.
In Aurora's story, she's exploring the castle with her fairies, leading her to find the king's last secluded room away from everything. This comic is very adorable as well, but to be honest, Aurora is my least favorite princess. This comic reminded me of my relationship with my own father, as my dad tries to be alone when he gets home.
In Mulan's story, she's trying to enhance everyone's fighting skills through meditation with Mushu ruining it with his talking. This ends with him having to have his mouth tied shut. I really like this comic for the main fact of how it explores the differences between Chien-Po's, Ling's, and Yao's different preferences over where their meditation place is. Again, Mulan still isn't a princess, but this comic was very good none-the-less!
In Belle's story (which is near the end), Belle is getting frustrated with the enchanted items always doing things for her. She wants to be able to do some things for herself so she goes to Beast, who ends up being like a middle man with the enchanted items. I really like the expressions in this comic. Beast's expression of sadness and worry when he knocks over her books on the shelf is shown really well. It's also very sweet and considerate since it shows Beast does care for her.
Title: Archie
Written by: Mark Waid
Art by: Veronica Fish, Andre Szymanowicz, Jen Vaughn, and Jack Morelli
Summary "Veronica's father (and Archie's arch-nemesis!), Hiram Lodge, is running for Mayor of Riverdale! But will he save, and even improve the town-or will he destroy it? Find out in this next installment of the hottest comic of the year!"
Though the summary implies that this comic is heavily about the campaign, the story is more about the fact that Mr. Lodge hates Archie and is trying to send him and his family away to Singapore for a year.
Archie looks like a huge jerk to everyone in this comic, putting Veronica first because he's supposedly in love. He ignores the fact that this new job in Singapore could give his father the opportunity to provide Archie with a college fund and a wonderful life. He ignores that he will be far away from his best friend, Jughead. He ignores the fact that he will be away from Betty and her new boyfriend, Sayid. None of this crosses his mind really because he's worried about never seeing Veronica again.
The icing on the "Archie is acting like a jerk" cake is when he goes off on Mr. Lodge. It's disrespectful and it's so selfish…I couldn't stand it. Because of this outburst, Archie can be with Veronica so long as they aren't near him.
This is my least favorite issue. It doesn't match what they say it's about and Archie is an asshole. No thank you.
Title: Starfire
Written by: Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Conner
Art by: Elsa Charretier
Summary: "Starfire is finally figuring out the world around her as she surrounds herself with her new friends and extended family for a romantic and wild end to her Key West adventure."
It is so hard to say goodbye to this series. I do love Starfire so much and though she will be back for Titans Rebirth, I love seeing her as a main character. She's so strong and dynamic that it is hard to move on.
Seeing her say goodbye to everyone and making promises to come back makes it hard to read, as I know it's the end. I can understand why she would need to leave. I understand that Stella's aunt has to move in and she has MS so there won't be enough room for everyone. I understand that she lost her job at the aquarium, but seeing her bring Beth back to the ocean, and swim with the porpoises made my heart soar.
Starfire is such a sweet and loving character. Seeing her accept her faith, but it opening up for new adventures, gives fans hope for a wonderful Koriand'r in Titans Rebirth. I'll miss her until we see her once again!
Tune in next month when I review my June pullbox!
Tags: a-force, archie, archie comics, disney princess, faith, joe books, jughead, kaboom! comics, Marvel Comics, starfire, steven universe and the crystal gems, valiant entertainment comics
Posted on April 22, 2016 by Courtney Downs — Leave a comment
Courtney's Pull Box: April 2016
[Warning: this post contains comic book spoilers]
My April Pull Box included some great new comic issues, and this month I've added some new comics! Here is this months list:
A-Force #1-4 (New!)
Steven Universe and the Crystal Gems #1 (New!)
Art by: Erica Henderson and Jack Morelli
Publisher: Archie Comics
To figure out more about Principal Stanger and his plans, Jughead and his friends enlist the help of Wade, a side character who has been held back because he has bounced from high school to high school. One of those years, he was a principal in another near by city.
Reggie helps the gang get to that city to further investigate, and there they meet people who are basically their gender opposites. This was definitely one of my favorite parts of the comic because I like the idea of alternate universes and gender reversals. The characters did have little nods to the originals, like girl Jughead who had a little crown barrette in her hair. This plot line was interesting and I hope that they continue with it.
This month's comic is basically what I've been asking for from this series: to move with the plot and show me a story. Before, it seemed much more focused on the references of the dream sequences, which is great and all, but stories are really helpful when it comes to comics. The dream sequence looks like it might reoccur in the next comic, so it will be interesting to see how that will further the plot.
As far as the art is concerned, the art style in this comic issue is good…as always!
A-Force #1-#4
Written by: G. Willow Wilson and Kelly Thompson
Artist: Jorge Molina
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Release Date: #1 on January 6, 2016, #2 on February 3, 2016, #3 on March 2, 2016, and #4 on April 13, 2016
There's a place called Battleworld and a part of it, there was a paradise called Arcadia, and it was protected by the A-Force. Now that Battleworld is gone, so is the A-Force, and it is up to Singularity to bring them back together to stop Antimatter.
The team is comprised of Medusa, She-Hulk, Singularity, Captain Marvel, Nico Minoru, and Dazzler. I'm torn as to who my favorite character is. I love everyone because they each are an important part of the team, even if they don't originally remember already being a part of a team. I particularly really love Singularity – she reminds me a lot of Starfire in that she is an innocent, naive, fish out of water type character. I also really love space and galaxies, and her whole body is just a galaxy.
I love the art in this comic. I wanted to say that Medusa was my favorite just based on looks alone, but everyone looks unique and beautiful, which makes my heart smile more than this amazing girl team. Dazzler reminded me of one of my friends, which is wonderful since superheroes are often scrutinized for not looking realistic. It's nice to see that some of them do look sort of human (or as human as you can get).
When it comes to the story, the fight with Antimatter seemed really long. I know they prolonged it in order to properly introduce the whole team, but I feel like it could have been done in fewer comics. That aside, I did really enjoy this comic.
Steven Universe #1
Written by: Josephine Fenton
Art by: Chrystin Garland
Publisher: Kaboom! Studios
Steven and the Gems decide to go on a camping trip, much like how Steven and his dad use to. While on the trip, Steven teaches the Gems typical camp traditions like setting up the tent and making smores. They even tell ghost stories and Pearl tells the story that they (Pearl and Garnet) told Amethyst to keep her from running off.
I haven't watched much of the show, but from what I've seen, I loved it. Amethyst is my favorite character and I do see my own locked-away rebellious nature in her. The only character whose personality is really shown in this comic is Amethyst, but we do learn a little bit about Pearl, who is very levelheaded and can be strict. I hope the other stories will expand on Garnet's reserved and quiet personality.
I thought the story was super short. I know that this is a comic for children, but half of the book is a preview for Over the Garden Wall. Really? There's no need for it. Children don't have that short of an attention span – they are more than able to read a fuller sized comic, especially when it's a comic created for them.
Art by: Veronica Fish
Now that Veronica's father, Mr. Lodge, has found out that Archie was the one who destroyed their mansion (thanks to Reggie), Mr. Lodge forbids Veronica from dating Archie. Archie desperately is trying to fix the relationship with both Mr. Lodge and Veronica with very little luck. Archie decides to go to Jughead at Pop's to try and see what he could do about fixing the problem. Pop apparently is very trustworthy and holds secrets about everyone in Riverdale so without revealing anyone's secret, Archie realizes what he must do. Sadly, when he tries it, he runs into mishaps, and this leads to a question that is probably on a few fans' minds: #WhatDidReggieDo
I really like how this story is progressing and I can't wait to see what happens with Reggie. I really have been enjoying the story that Archie has created. I really like the fact that even though Archie is vying for Veronica, the writer doesn't try to make Betty look like the bad guy when it seems like she has found someone new. They could have easily had Archie be mad about it or be judging her, but instead, it does seem like he is at least wanting to find out about the guy she's with on a carrying about without being an intrusive ex boyfriend.
Sadly, I do have to end on a sour note again, because much like in the first comic of Archie, they have another hashtag that they want the hip young millennials to interact with, much like the #LipstickIncident. Although this instance was not as blatant as Archie facing the reader and asking for them to do it, it's still trying way too hard to get that younger audience. I find it a little lazy to try to connect with their audience in this way, and the pandering is annoying to those of us who like Archie but are not in their target demographic. I would like to think that teenagers aren't also into this pandering, either. This reeks of the same thing that is suppose to be done with ads for Truth.Org's campaign to end smoking. You don't need memes or hashtags to get your audience.
Written by: Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti
Starfire, Atlee, and Stella are still on Atlee's home planet, and they're celebrating their victory with a girl's weekend. While out on the girl's weekend, Stella becomes overwhelmingly honest with Starfire at a spring that has water that will make you honest. She tells Starfire a few truthful things that make Starfire question what she's doing and her current situation on Earth in Key West.
I'm not enjoying the work of the current artist who is working on this comic, but that's a minor thought. I like the old style, which is shown on the covers, better. I believe that the comic art should match the cover art, but this doesn't affect the story or anything.
Stella is a character that I'm liking less and less as the comic goes on. I understand being a cop character, but she's just so unnecessarily overprotective, bossy, and nosy. She is such an overpowering main character, which is one of the reasons why I don't enjoy this series as much. I still love this issue, don't get me wrong, but it left a sour feeling in me knowing that Starfire has to requisition everything because Stella reflects her own insecurities on Starfire.
Tags: a-force, archie, archie comics, jughead, kaboom! comics, Marvel Comics, starfire, steven universe, steven universe and the crystal gems, the legend of wonder woman
Posted on March 30, 2016 March 30, 2016 by Courtney Downs — Leave a comment
Courtney's Pull Box: 'Archie', 'Jughead', 'Starfire' & More!
I have a pull box at the comic book shop I frequent, which ensures that I will get all of my current favorite comics immediately when they come out. In addition to this I can get discounts on graphic novels and a free comic on my birthday! Pull poxes are great, so I highly recommend talking to your comic shop to see what they offer.
My current pull box list includes the following comics:
Archie – current incarnation with no digests (older comics)
Jughead – current incarnation with older comics at the end of issue
The Legend of Wonder Woman
Even though I love getting these comics, some of them do have their problems. Occasionally these comics will frustrate me or include something I don't like, so I've decided to summarize each comic and explain the pros and cons of each one.
Summary: Archie is now set in modern day Riverdale High. Archie and Betty have been together since kindergarten and are absolutely enamored with one another…that is, until the #LipstickIncident. The whole school is abuzz trying to find out what happened, but things get further complicated when Archie lays eyes on new girl Veronica Lodge, whose famous millionaire family just built their mansion in town. Will Betty be able to convince Archie that Veronica is not all she seems to be?
Pros: This series proves that Archie characters will always translate well in nearly every situation. Bringing these characters into modern times may encourage younger readers to be more interested in reading comics, and older fans will be happy to see that Archie can still be interesting and new.
Archie has been redone in a new art style that works amazingly well, much like how Afterlife with Archie and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina did – each have their own distinct styles, but still work very well.
The Archie characters are still who they always have been, regardless of the era: Archie is still the clumsy, slightly clueless lead that makes him the perfect every man, and Veronica is still the spoiled, rich girl who always gets her way thanks to her father and his money.
Cons: Some of the references to modern day things are a little difficult to deal with. I felt really ridiculous typing out #LipstickIncident, and it felt as if the writers were trying too hard to get teens into this series. At the end of the first comic Archie even directly asks the readers for their suggestions on how he could get out of his predicament by using @archiecomics on Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
There's no need for the writers to pander to the audience by relying on hashtags and self promoting – people will send in their suggestions if they find it good enough.
Summary: When the principal is replaced with a military-type tyrant who changes everything about their school (including stricter policies and the food), it's up to Jughead and the gang to find out what happened to Mr. Weatherbee and stop the new principal's rule.
Pros: Jughead is done in the same art style as Archie, and like Archie it ended up translating really well. I thought Jughead looked cute in this art style when I read the first issue of Archie, and after reading Archie I wanted to see more of him. The story is perfect for Jughead since it puts him in a new situation where he looks like a bad kid. To be honest, I mainly bought this comic because Jughead is Archie Comics first openly asexual character, which is awesome because I always did imagine him that way. Jughead is seemingly more in love with food than people, and he's only ever been seen with a few girls throughout his run, so I was happy when it was announced that he was indeed asexual.
Cons: The story really doesn't seem to be going anywhere yet. There's been a few things Jughead has done to further the plot, but as of right now the story seems to be slightly more focused on his dream sequences having references than plot development. These dream sequences are all very similar and each seem to cement the fact that Jughead is asexual. I would still recommend this series, but I hope that the story goes further.
Summary: Starfire has escaped from being a prisoner and has come to Earth. She tries her best to blend in with normal people and gets a job at the aquarium, but ultimately she ends up being a hero for the planet. Starfire tries to learn about the Earth, which you can see through her very cute thought process of idioms.
Pros: I am in love with the art style of this comic, and this is the cutest interpretation of Starfire that I've ever seen. Some of her outfits match her very sweet thoughts and personality, while other outfits are bold and reinforce the fact that she is still very strong. I really love this story because Starfire is the perfect fish out of water character, and the way she interacts with people and discovers things is really sweet and cute.
I really loved this comic all the way around, and I'm sad that it's ending soon.
Cons: The New 52 story line has a huge plot hole. Half way through the comics Starfire meets Grayson, who, according to the New 52 line, she hasn't met. She was never in the Teen Titans so she doesn't him, but in this story, she apparently mourned over him and knew him. I didn't miss any of the Starfire comics either, so I was very confused by this – it didn't make any sense.
The New 52 plotline also altered the fact that Starfire's sister was the one who sold her to where she was imprisoned, instead having Blackfire and Starfire being very close.
Summary: Sabrina Spellman is just your average teenager growing up in the 1960s… except she is half mortal, half witch. She lives with her aunts, Hilda and Zelda, and her cousin, Ambrose. As her sixteenth birthday approaches, Sabrina must decide if she wants to be a mortal or a witch.
Pros: This story is definitely darker than the Sabrina the Teenage Witch series that aired in the 1990s. It has a similar art style as Afterlife with Archie, but it has a Rosemary's Baby feel to it, especially in the first comic. Sabrina looks more like her older comic incarnation, which looks wonderful with this art style. The art is very creepy and perfect for Sabrina's story. If you like creepy stories then I definitely recommend this series, but if you don't, then I would incline you towards Archie and Jughead.
Cons: Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is amazing, but release dates for this series are very long and sparse. It's hard to keep up with when this series will be released unless you are constantly checking Facebook for the next release date.
Issue number 5 is set to be released on May 18th.
Summary: These are short little comics that feature a large range of Disney princesses, each of whom has her own story, making it difficult to accurately summarize these comics. These comics are unique in that they are held vertically, rather than horizontally.
Pros: This is definitely the cutest comic that I'm currently reading. There's no fighting or action, and it's a perfect comic for those who want to get into comics but don't know where to begin. I had low hopes of seeing Snow White (one of my favorites) since she is an older princess, but I was so excited when I saw her in this comic! There's good mix of the older princesses and the newer princesses, so Disney fans old and new will feel right at home.
Cons: There are no cons since only one issue of this comic is out, and as such there isn't much to judge on.
Summary: This is Wonder Woman's origin story as told as far back as the beginning of the Amazons. Readers are treated to a young, mortal Diana who is destined to be queen. However, Diana shows the strength of her mother, and she wants to be trained.
Pros: There's only two issues of this comic out right now, but I already love it. Diana as a child is the absolute cutest thing I've ever seen, but at the same time she's very strong. I love the art style, which is a lovely mixture of Greek-style art and comic book art. It makes a beautiful collaboration and it's something I could stare at forever.
Cons: There are only two issues of this comic currently out, so as of right now there are no cons.
Which comic are you most likely to pick up? Let us know in the comments!
Categories: Comics, Courtney's Blog, Geeky
Tags: archie, chilling adventures of sabrina, comics, disney princess, jughead, pull box, sabrina, starfire, the legend of wonder woman, Wonder Woman