Latest Action Comics #900 Cover!

Superman will be back next April on the issue of Action Comics #900 and will finally replace Lex Luthor as its main protagonist. Yep, Lex has been in the pages of Action Comics for over a year now and truth be told, it was an amazing run for The Man Of Steel's greatest adversary. Got to thank Pete Woods and Paul Cornell for that.

And of course, a much anticipated return needs a spectacular cover. Here is the amazing variant cover art for AC #900 courtesy of superstar painter Alex Ross:

Now how sweet is that?

For those of you who don't know why this cover is such a big deal for Superman fans (including me), it is because of the fact that this variant is a throwback to the classic Action Comics # 1 cover by Superman co-creator Joe Shuster (the other was writer Jerry Siegel) - which a by the way costs between $1 - $1.5 million USD, depending on the quality - making it the most desired comic book for collectors.

Comic Book Review: Marvels

 Marvels

Writer: Kirk Busiek

Artist: Alex Ross

Issues: 4

Published by Marvel Comics

A tale of how the Marvel Universe came to be, starting in the 1930's with the original Human Torch and Namor the Sub-Mariner, to the 40's with Captain America and his sidekick Bucky, to the forming of the original Avengers and Fantastic Four, finally to the age of mutants in 1979, starting with the world-famous X-Men. Alex Ross (Kingdom Come) and Kurt Busiek (Superman: Secret Identity) gave me more than what I could have asked from a 200-page Marvel comic book. It showcases heroes and villains in one full story through the eyes of Phil Sheldon - an aspiring photojournalist who goes on to witness everything from his bachelor years until he raises his own family.

Seeing these through an everyman's point of view was the perfect storytelling vehicle. Using these classic characters go at it in New York City, Busiek manages to answer the question: What if superpowered beings and mutants were living with us everyday? What would we feel  How would we respond? Will we embrace them with open arms or are we going to turn them away and think of them as threats to our families and our entire world? That was the whole point of the book, to make you feel like you are in the middle of the scene, of all the action as if they were happening at that moment. And Kurt Busiek didn't waste anytime doing just that right from the first few pages with his simple, yet great storytelling and dialogue. 

The X-Men's Archangel

Artistic-wise, Alex Ross proved at the creation of this book that he is one hell of a painter/illustrator. This was the book that literally put him right on the map of the comic book world, with his intricate & classic style of illustrating. He really made this as realistic as it could possibly get, using his friends to pose as models in order for him to create the realism needed for these characters. Of course, Ross would follow this up  later with the DC blockbuster Kingdom Come with Mark Waid, further solidifying his status as the best comic book painter of his era.

Reed Richards' (aka Mr. Fantastic) and Susan Storm's (Invisible Woman) wedding

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It was a great read (and truly so, because the book was a smash-hit when it was released, launching the careers of both Busiek and Ross) and tribute to all the creators of all these characters we all knew  and loved, and so thanks to Ross and Busiek for giving us a classic that would never be duplicated. A definite must read for anybody - old and young, especially for those who are looking for a fresh start with Marvel.

Comic Book Review: Kingdom Come

Familiar right? You've heard the phrase in the Bible a million times and you even  say it in your everyday prayers (assuming you pray). But we're not gonna talk about religion here, because  I don't want to discuss anything about that convoluted subject, and plus were not here to argue with each other. LOL . Ok, back to the show - this is a review (obviously) of another DC comic book named Kingdom Come, 4 issue comic book published in 1996 by DC Comics and is written by Mark Waid with the art done by Alex Ross. And here folks is the absolutely stunning cover art by the superstar painter:

 (image courtesy of DC Comics)

As you can see from the cover, this is not your ordinary superhero comic book. The artist does an exceptional job of painting these superheroes in great detail, from the eyes, built, wrinkles, to the emotions that they express in the story. Nobody illustrates superheroes like Alex Ross, and i mean, no one. He draws and paints them in a realistic kind of way, and it is as real & good as you can possibly get. Obviously I like his take on Supes right here he is quite older than what we see in the comics continuity, with strands of white hair on the sides.

You're maybe asking why is that. It is because the story is set some 20 years in the future of the DC Universe at the time. Mark Waid plays with the idea of a growing animosity and conflict between the old-timers or traditional superheroes (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash, etc) and a group of new superheroes or what they call "metahumans" who are dangerously irresponsible and rampant, led by a new "hero" named Magog. I'll stop right there because it would be ugly if I tell the whole story here. And continue reading, you might be in for a real treat at the end of this review.

I forgot to mention, that the story too shouts of the Bible, especially the Apocalypse, Armageddon (or whatever you wanna call it), similar to the Book of Revelation and believe it or not, the main character of the story is not Superman or Batman.. or any superhero. It is an elderly human... a pastor named Norman McCay who also narrates the story and the events as they unfold before your very eyes, so you, the reader is kinda watching with him as well as the battle of the Titans builds up.

Another important thing I would like to comment on is that I believe that the whole novel is some sort of potshot at the gritty and dark comic book stories of the 80s - such as the Dark Knight Returns, Sin City, and Watchmen to name a few - and serves a vessel of Ross' and Waid's commentary on it. Its like they're saying: "hey, we're tried of all the chaos and darkness running around here for a while, so let's bring back the light-hearted and hopeful tone of comic books and these classic heroes". 

In totality, Kingdom Come is an awesome read with the big blowout being the artwork You just can't miss this. 5/5. 

Luckily, for those who are not able to download comics over the internet, or buy a trade paperback of this book, a guy on Youtube under the username of mglittlerobin decided to make a visual audiobook of this classic story for a person who has an obsessive compulsive disorder. Now that's very nice. The voice acting is perfect, and the narration is smooth, and it perfectly reflects the comic book so its a definite watch on Youtube. Check out part 1 and follow the rest on YT, or you can buy it directly from Amazon and support them: Amazon.com - Kingdom Come Audiobook