I don't know whether anyone's reading my SuicideGirls journal yet, but I do a Weekly Comics Hype on LJ and recommend a new book each week. There's an Amazon link to the book for ease of ordering, but I also recommnend you give your local comic shop a try, because I'm a nerd about supporting local businesses.
Its time again for another Weekly Comics Hype. Im doing these alphabetically, but skipping around a bit, and today brings us to a really neat superhero adventure set in postwar America, as the Truman administration looked forward to a bright future for the United States and the costumed mystery men who protected the homefront from saboteurs and spies while our boys fought the Nazis find themselves a little unnecessary. Thats exactly what Americas enemies are counting on in The Golden Age by James Robinson and Paul Smith.
DC, or one of its antecdents, has been publishing superhero comics since the late 1930s. While some of their heroes have had to suffer occasional continuity revisions to keep them eternally young it wouldnt do to have a ninety year-old Batman scaling walls many of their heroes have been tied to the World War Two era, where they formed a supergroup called the Justice Society of America, and defended our country during the war.
In The Golden Age, an Elseworlds-line adventure which is not strictly in-continuity, many of these heroes hang up their capes after the war for civilian life. Others find there is still some celebrity to be had in their notoreity, and Tex Thompson, who, as the Americommando, joined US forces in Europe, makes a name for himself in politics, where he becomes obsessed with ferretting out communists in our shores, and exhorts his former colleagues to join him.
But some of the superheroes find a lot to question in Thompsons motives, especially when Paul Kirk, the Manhunter, finally arrives in America after spending years on the run throughout Europe. Hes got a frightening tale to tell about Thompson, and the revelation that one of Americas greatest enemies has got a score to settle with the Justice Society...
The Golden Age is a fantastic story which darts in unexpected directions as the story unfolds. It has a simply huge cast, but dont be put off by it. James Robinson juggles the characters extremely well and keeps the story flowing, without any unnecessary confusion. Some of the heroes, like Captain Triumph and even Tex Thompson, were actually unknown to me, but I was able to follow it just fine. Paul Smiths artwork is really great. Older fans might remember him as following Dave Cockrum on X-Men in the mid-80s, and I always liked his work. With a huge cast to draw in a period setting, Smith rises to the challenge and creates a moody, defined pace which really draws you in.
There was no real follow-up to The Golden Age, which was originally published in four parts in 1992, but Robinson used some of this continuity as the background for his remarkable Starman, which was one of the three or four best superhero comics DCs ever published. If you enjoyed the adventures of Jack Knight in that book, you will certainly enjoy seeing how Robinson established the world of the Knights and the other superheroes who left a legacy for younger men and women to inherit. From the successful Starman comic, Robinson, David Goyer and Geoff Johns relaunched the Justice Society in their own series, which is still running and is one of DCs best-selling books.
The initial printing of the collected Golden Age is out of print, but it was reissued this year with new trade dress to tie it into DCs successful JSA series. It is available from Amazon by clicking the link below. Alternately, your local comic shop would enjoy your custom; new books ship each Wednesday, so why not stop in after work tonight?
The Golden Age at Amazon
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And an addendum this week about some forthcoming titles:
*
I mentioned last month that the first three in the new line of Rebellion 2000 AD books will ship to stores in October. These, which you can reread about hereare expected either 10/26 or 11/2. Rebellion has further confirmed, with new cover images, the next three books, which were solicited in the September Previews:
Nikolai Dante Volume 3: The Courtship of Jena Makarov
Robbie Morrison, Simon Fraser, Charlie Adlard and John Burns
144 pp
11.99 ($18.99 US)
Paperback
Year of the Tsar 2668 AD and the sound of wedding bells is in the air. Jena Makarov, the daughter of Tsar Vladimir the Conqueror, is betrothed to Mikhail Deriabin, media tyrant and patriarch of the House of Bolshoi. Nikolai Dante is less than happy with the announcement.
Now, assigned to be Jenas bodyguard, Dante has to protect her from more than his own passions as those who would seek to bring about war set their sights on Russias fairest...
Written by Robbie Morrison (The Authority) with art by Charlie Adlard (The Walking Dead), John Burns (The Bendatti Vendetta), and Simon Fraser (Richard Mathesons Hell House), this is the third book continuing the adventures of Russias greatest love machine!
Judge Dredd: Total War
John Wagner, Colin MacNeil, Henry Flint and Jason Brashill
144pp
11.99 ($18.99 US)
Paperback
In the Grand Hall of Justice a chilling ultimatum is issued to the Judges: Remove yourselves from power or face the consequences. Somewhere in Mega-City One the terrorist organisation Total War have planted two hundred thermonuclear devices and as long as the Judges stay in charge they will detonate them one by one.
Total War is an explosive epic from Judge Dredd co-creator John Wagner (A History of Violence) with art from Colin MacNeil (Devlin Waugh), Henry Flint (Judge Dredd Vs Aliens) and Jason Brashill (Shaun of the Dead).
The Red Seas Volume 1: Under the Banner of King Death
Ian Edginton and Steve Yeowell
80pp
9.99 ($15.99 US)
Hardback
When pirate captain Jack Dancer and the crew of The Red Wench raid a Spanish Galleon they little realise that within their plunder lies the missing chapter of a feared occult tome listing the nine million names of God. Dr Orlando Doyle, a fearsome sorcerer, has the rest of the book and together with his zombie crew he plans to retrieve the missing piece of this infernal puzzle. Using any means at his disposal he intends to utilise the dreaded book in a devilish deal to bring about the downfall of creation itself!
Written by Ian Edginton (Scarlet Traces, Richard Mathesons Hell House) and illustrated by Steve Yeowell (Zenith, The Invisibles), The Red Seas is an irreverent take on the pirate yarn spiced with full-blooded horror.
Discussion thread.
Its time again for another Weekly Comics Hype. Im doing these alphabetically, but skipping around a bit, and today brings us to a really neat superhero adventure set in postwar America, as the Truman administration looked forward to a bright future for the United States and the costumed mystery men who protected the homefront from saboteurs and spies while our boys fought the Nazis find themselves a little unnecessary. Thats exactly what Americas enemies are counting on in The Golden Age by James Robinson and Paul Smith.
DC, or one of its antecdents, has been publishing superhero comics since the late 1930s. While some of their heroes have had to suffer occasional continuity revisions to keep them eternally young it wouldnt do to have a ninety year-old Batman scaling walls many of their heroes have been tied to the World War Two era, where they formed a supergroup called the Justice Society of America, and defended our country during the war.
In The Golden Age, an Elseworlds-line adventure which is not strictly in-continuity, many of these heroes hang up their capes after the war for civilian life. Others find there is still some celebrity to be had in their notoreity, and Tex Thompson, who, as the Americommando, joined US forces in Europe, makes a name for himself in politics, where he becomes obsessed with ferretting out communists in our shores, and exhorts his former colleagues to join him.
But some of the superheroes find a lot to question in Thompsons motives, especially when Paul Kirk, the Manhunter, finally arrives in America after spending years on the run throughout Europe. Hes got a frightening tale to tell about Thompson, and the revelation that one of Americas greatest enemies has got a score to settle with the Justice Society...
The Golden Age is a fantastic story which darts in unexpected directions as the story unfolds. It has a simply huge cast, but dont be put off by it. James Robinson juggles the characters extremely well and keeps the story flowing, without any unnecessary confusion. Some of the heroes, like Captain Triumph and even Tex Thompson, were actually unknown to me, but I was able to follow it just fine. Paul Smiths artwork is really great. Older fans might remember him as following Dave Cockrum on X-Men in the mid-80s, and I always liked his work. With a huge cast to draw in a period setting, Smith rises to the challenge and creates a moody, defined pace which really draws you in.
There was no real follow-up to The Golden Age, which was originally published in four parts in 1992, but Robinson used some of this continuity as the background for his remarkable Starman, which was one of the three or four best superhero comics DCs ever published. If you enjoyed the adventures of Jack Knight in that book, you will certainly enjoy seeing how Robinson established the world of the Knights and the other superheroes who left a legacy for younger men and women to inherit. From the successful Starman comic, Robinson, David Goyer and Geoff Johns relaunched the Justice Society in their own series, which is still running and is one of DCs best-selling books.
The initial printing of the collected Golden Age is out of print, but it was reissued this year with new trade dress to tie it into DCs successful JSA series. It is available from Amazon by clicking the link below. Alternately, your local comic shop would enjoy your custom; new books ship each Wednesday, so why not stop in after work tonight?
The Golden Age at Amazon
*
And an addendum this week about some forthcoming titles:
*
I mentioned last month that the first three in the new line of Rebellion 2000 AD books will ship to stores in October. These, which you can reread about hereare expected either 10/26 or 11/2. Rebellion has further confirmed, with new cover images, the next three books, which were solicited in the September Previews:
Nikolai Dante Volume 3: The Courtship of Jena Makarov
Robbie Morrison, Simon Fraser, Charlie Adlard and John Burns
144 pp
11.99 ($18.99 US)
Paperback
Year of the Tsar 2668 AD and the sound of wedding bells is in the air. Jena Makarov, the daughter of Tsar Vladimir the Conqueror, is betrothed to Mikhail Deriabin, media tyrant and patriarch of the House of Bolshoi. Nikolai Dante is less than happy with the announcement.
Now, assigned to be Jenas bodyguard, Dante has to protect her from more than his own passions as those who would seek to bring about war set their sights on Russias fairest...
Written by Robbie Morrison (The Authority) with art by Charlie Adlard (The Walking Dead), John Burns (The Bendatti Vendetta), and Simon Fraser (Richard Mathesons Hell House), this is the third book continuing the adventures of Russias greatest love machine!
Judge Dredd: Total War
John Wagner, Colin MacNeil, Henry Flint and Jason Brashill
144pp
11.99 ($18.99 US)
Paperback
In the Grand Hall of Justice a chilling ultimatum is issued to the Judges: Remove yourselves from power or face the consequences. Somewhere in Mega-City One the terrorist organisation Total War have planted two hundred thermonuclear devices and as long as the Judges stay in charge they will detonate them one by one.
Total War is an explosive epic from Judge Dredd co-creator John Wagner (A History of Violence) with art from Colin MacNeil (Devlin Waugh), Henry Flint (Judge Dredd Vs Aliens) and Jason Brashill (Shaun of the Dead).
The Red Seas Volume 1: Under the Banner of King Death
Ian Edginton and Steve Yeowell
80pp
9.99 ($15.99 US)
Hardback
When pirate captain Jack Dancer and the crew of The Red Wench raid a Spanish Galleon they little realise that within their plunder lies the missing chapter of a feared occult tome listing the nine million names of God. Dr Orlando Doyle, a fearsome sorcerer, has the rest of the book and together with his zombie crew he plans to retrieve the missing piece of this infernal puzzle. Using any means at his disposal he intends to utilise the dreaded book in a devilish deal to bring about the downfall of creation itself!
Written by Ian Edginton (Scarlet Traces, Richard Mathesons Hell House) and illustrated by Steve Yeowell (Zenith, The Invisibles), The Red Seas is an irreverent take on the pirate yarn spiced with full-blooded horror.
Discussion thread.