Saturday, July 24, 2021

WWE to Welcome the New Year (2022) from State Farm Arena in Atlanta

WWE® Kicks off 2022 in Atlanta

STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--WWE® (NYSE: WWE) will kick off the new year at State Farm Arena in Atlanta on Saturday, January 1, 2022, marking the first time in history that a WWE pay-per-view event will be held on New Year’s Day. The event will stream live on the night of New Year’s Day at 8 pm ET exclusively on Peacock in the United States and on WWE Network everywhere else.

    “I don’t know about you but I think New Year’s Trae would be a great name for the event, and I can’t think of a better way to bring in 2022 than with the WWE Universe”

“I don’t know about you but I think New Year’s Trae would be a great name for the event, and I can’t think of a better way to bring in 2022 than with the WWE Universe,” said Atlanta Hawks All-Star Point Guard Trae Young, who exclusively announced the New Year’s Day event during tonight’s Friday Night SmackDown.

“State Farm Arena is a phenomenal venue with a long history of hosting world-class events,” said Scott Zanghellini, WWE Senior Vice President, Revenue Strategy & Development. “We’re excited to deliver this pay-per-view to the people of Atlanta and the many that travel to the city to celebrate New Year’s.”

Tickets for the New Year’s Day pay-per-view event go on sale Friday, August 27, 2021 at 10 AM ET via Ticketmaster.com. The event will feature Superstars from both SmackDown and Raw including WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, WWE Champion Bobby Lashley, SmackDown Women’s Champion Bianca Belair, Raw Women’s Champion Nikki A.S.H, WWE Intercontinental Champion Apollo Crews, Raw Tag Team Champions AJ Styles and Omos, SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos, United States Champion Sheamus, Women’s Tag Team Champions Natalya and Tamina, Drew McIntyre, Charlotte Flair, Randy Orton, Riddle, Sasha Banks, Seth Rollins, Alexa Bliss and many more.


About WWE:
WWE, a publicly traded company (NYSE: WWE), is an integrated media organization and recognized leader in global entertainment. The Company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family-friendly entertainment on its television programming, pay-per-view, digital media and publishing platforms. WWE’s TV-PG programming can be seen in more than 900 million homes worldwide in 28 languages through world-class distribution partners including NBCUniversal, FOX Sports, BT Sport, Sony India and Rogers. The award-winning WWE Network includes all live pay-per-views, scheduled programming and a massive video-on-demand library and is currently available in more than 180 countries. In the United States, NBCUniversal’s streaming service, Peacock, is the exclusive home to WWE Network. The Company is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Orlando, Dubai, London, Mexico City, Mumbai, Munich, Riyadh, Shanghai, Singapore and Tokyo.

Additional information on WWE (NYSE: WWE) can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com.

Trademarks: All WWE programming, talent names, images, likenesses, slogans, wrestling moves, trademarks, logos and copyrights are the exclusive property of WWE and its subsidiaries. All other trademarks, logos and copyrights are the property of their respective owners.

Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, risks relating to: the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on our business, results of operations and financial condition; entering, maintaining and renewing major distribution agreements; a rapidly evolving media landscape; WWE Network (including the risk that we are unable to attract, retain and renew subscribers); our need to continue to develop creative and entertaining programs and events; the possibility of a decline in the popularity of our brand of sports entertainment; the continued importance of key performers and the services of Vincent K. McMahon; possible adverse changes in the regulatory atmosphere and related private sector initiatives; the highly competitive, rapidly changing and increasingly fragmented nature of the markets in which we operate and greater financial resources or marketplace presence of many of our competitors; uncertainties associated with international markets including possible disruptions and reputational risks; our difficulty or inability to promote and conduct our live events and/or other businesses if we do not comply with applicable regulations; our dependence on our intellectual property rights, our need to protect those rights, and the risks of our infringement of others’ intellectual property rights; the complexity of our rights agreements across distribution mechanisms and geographical areas; potential substantial liability in the event of accidents or injuries occurring during our physically demanding events including without limitation, claims alleging traumatic brain injury; large public events as well as travel to and from such events; our feature film business; our expansion into new or complementary businesses and/or strategic investments; our computer systems and online operations; privacy norms and regulations; a possible decline in general economic conditions and disruption in financial markets; our accounts receivable; our indebtedness including our convertible notes; litigation; our potential failure to meet market expectations for our financial performance, which could adversely affect our stock; Vincent K. McMahon exercises control over our affairs, and his interests may conflict with the holders of our Class A common stock; a substantial number of shares are eligible for sale by the McMahons and the sale, or the perception of possible sales, of those shares could lower our stock price; and the volatility of our Class A common stock. In addition, our dividend is dependent on a number of factors, including, among other things, our liquidity and historical and projected cash flow, strategic plan (including alternative uses of capital), our financial results and condition, contractual and legal restrictions on the payment of dividends (including under our revolving credit facility), general economic and competitive conditions and such other factors as our Board of Directors may consider relevant. Forward-looking statements made by the Company speak only as of the date made and are subject to change without any obligation on the part of the Company to update or revise them. Undue reliance should not be placed on these statements. For more information about risks and uncertainties associated with the Company’s business, please refer to the “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and “Risk Factors” sections of the Company’s SEC filings, including, but not limited to, our annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q.

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Friday, July 23, 2021

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from July 18th to 24th, 2021 - Update #17

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS:

TELEVISION - From Deadline:   CBS has revealed a first-look teaser trailer for "CSI: Vegas," the sequel to its long-running, "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation."

CULTURE - From Slate:  BY Dahlia Lithwick: "We Are All Our Own Militia Now": The new Texas abortion law, paired with rising vigilantism and the ideas that fuel “stand your ground,” points to a frightening future.

MUSIC - From YahooTheRoot:   The first Prince album to be released posthumously will be available for streaming beginning July 30th.  Prince died in April 2016, and the album, entitled "Welcome 2 America," was apparently recorded 11 years ago.

MOVIES - From RollingStone:   A year from now, July 22, 2022, Jordan Peele's next feature film will debut ... says Peele.  He releases a teaser poster for the film with a title, and the title is "Nope."

STAR TREK - From WeGotThisCovered:  While the streaming series, "Star Trek: Picard," is currently in production of its second season, rumors say that there could be as many as three more seasons.

MOVIES - From Variety:  Rob Zombie has provided a first look at the makeup and costume design for his big screen adaptation of "The Munsters."

TELEVISION/OLYMPICS - From Deadline:   The site offers the Tokyo Olympics full TV & streaming schedule: how to watch everything from gymnastics to track & field, basketball and soccer on NBC, Peacock and more.

SPORTS - From YahooSports:   The Milwaukee Bucks are the 2021 NBA World Champions.  They beat the Phoenix Suns 105-98 in Game 6 on Tues. July 20th to win the best-of-seven series, 4 games to 2.  Star player Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 50 points.  This is the Bucks first NBA title since 1971.

CELEBRITY - From APNews:   HarperOne will publish Oscar-winning actress Viola Davis' memoir, "Finding Me," April 19, 2022. Davis is currently working on the memoir.

SCANDAL - From ABCNews:   This morning (Tues., July 20th), New York State Dept. of Corrections officials handed over convicted rapist, Harvey Weinstein, for extradition to California to face sexual assault charges there.

COVID-19 - From THR:   Hollywood’s major studios and guilds have come to a tentative, short-term agreement on new on-set COVID-19 protocols, finally taking vaccines into account.

CELEBRITY - From YahooLife:   Grammy-winning recording artist, Megan Thee Stallion, is the cover stallion on the 2021 edition of the "Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit" issue.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Lionsgate has acquired worldwide rights to Kevin Smith’s "Clerks III," which is in pre-production in New Jersey and will begin production next month.  The film will be a sequel to his 1994 cult hit classic, "Clerks," and to he first sequel, 2006's "Clerks II."

MOVIES - From Collider:   Warner Bros. releases a bunch of character posters for its upcoming blockbuster film, "Dune," which is due October 22nd in theaters and on HBO Max.

MOVIES - From Collider:   Actor Bill Skarsgard (Pennywise the Clown in "It") is joining "John Wick 4."

BOX OFFICE - From Variety:   The winner of the 7/16 to 7/18/21 weekend box office is "Space Jam: A New Legacy" with an estimated take of 31.6 million dollars.

BUSINESS - From Deadline:  There are rumors of a Comcast/ViacomCBS merger and NBCUniversal/Lionsgate merger, among others.

ANIMATION - From THR:   There will be at least two animated series based on "Game of Thrones." While a single animated project was previously reported to be in development in January, HBO Max is now working on at least two more potential shows.


Review: "SNAKE EYES" is for G.I. Joe Fans ... Only

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 46 of 2021 (No. 1784) by Leroy Douresseaux

Snake Eyes (2021)
Running time:  121 minutes (2 hours, 1 minute)
MPAA – PG-13 for sequences of strong violence and brief strong language
DIRECTOR:  Robert Schwentke
WRITERS:  Evan Spiliotopoulos, Joe Shrapnel, and Anna Waterhouse; from a story by Evan Spiliotopoulos (based on the characters from Habro's G.I. Joe)
PRODUCERS:  Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Brian Goldner, and Erik Howsam
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Bojan Bazelli (D.o.P.)
EDITOR:  Stuart Levy
COMPOSER:  Martin Todsharow

ACTION/SUPERHERO/FANTASY

Starring:  Henry Golding, Andrew Koji, Haruka Abe, Takehiro Hira, Eri Ishida, Iko Uwais, Peter Mensah, Ursula Corbero, Samara Weaving, Samuel Finzi, Steven Allerick, and Max Archibald

Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins is a 2021 action and superhero fantasy film directed by Robert Schwentke.  It is the third film based on characters from Hasbro's G.I. Joe media franchise.  Snake Eyes is an origin story for the title character and a G.I. Joe spin off film.

Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins opens in the past.  We meet a boy (Max Archibald) who watches a group of men kill his father (Steve Allerick).  The leader of the men uses a pair of dice to decide the father's fate, and the dice come up “snake eyes.”

Years later, the boy has become a mysterious lone underground fighter known only as “Snake Eyes” (Henry Golding).  He falls in with Kenta (Takehiro Hira), a gang leader and gun smuggler who says he can help him.  Kenta claims to know how to find the man who killed Snake Eyes' father, and Snake Eyes has spent years seeking revenge.  After he falls out with Kenta, Snake Eyes befriends Thomas “Tommy” Arashikage (Andrew Koji), the presumptive heir of the Arashikage ninja clan.  Tommy takes Snake Eyes to Japan and offers him a chance to join the clan – if he can past the “three tests.”

However, Snake Eyes finds his loyalties constantly being tested and his motives questioned, especially by Akiko (Haruka Abe), who is in charge of security at the Arashikage compound.  Snake Eyes will soon find that his secrets and lies have him caught between two competing covert organizations, the counter-terrorist G.I. Joe and the terrorist Cobra.

I am not a big fan of the G.I. Joe media franchise although I have read a few of the comic books published by both Marvel Comics (1982-1994) and IDW Publishing (2008-present).  I watched a few episodes of the syndicated animation television series that ran from 1983 to 1986.  I have even watched the two live-action G.I. Joe films, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009) and G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013).  However, I have always been curious about the rival characters Snake Eyes (G.I. Joe) and Storm Shadow (Cobra).

Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins is an origin film, acting as the story of Snake Eyes.  It is also a reboot film, restarting the G.I. Joe film franchise, and it even includes the appearance of both the G.I. Joe and Cobra organization and the appearance of new versions of a few of the characters.

I can keep this simple.  Snake Eyes is for G.I. Joe fans.  I'm not sure that even people who were or are causal fans of the earlier G.I. Joe films will like this.  The fight scenes are good, with a few (the car chase fight) being quite spectacular.  The character drama is junk, and even the opening section about the murder of Snake Eyes' father fails to really resonate the way the killing of a protagonist's parent should.  None of the characters' motivations and few conflicts seem genuine; everything seems contrived or, at least, badly written.  It does not help the drama that most of the acting is … let's say “average” to be nice.

Like the previous G.I. Joe films, I think Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins will have a long life on cable television or however long cable TV has left as a viable medium (which is another story).  In fact, I like the fight scenes and actions enough to kind of like this movie.  I think that there is a great story to be told of the origin of Snake Eyes, but that great story just isn't in this movie.

5 out of 10
C+

Friday, July 23, 2021


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved.  Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Wednesday, July 21, 2021

Comics Review: "DARK BLOOD #1" is Hot Blooded

DARK BLOOD #1 (OF 6)
BOOM! STUDIOS

STORY: LaToya Morgan
ART:  Walt Barna
COLORS: A.H.G.
LETTERS:  Andworld Design
EDITOR: Dafna Pleban
COVER: Valentine De Landro
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Juni Ba; Dan Mora; Valentine De Landro; Marcus Williams; Javan Jordan; Mico Suayan; Felix Icarus Morales with Robert Nugent; David Sanchez with Omi Remalante; Karen S. Darboe; Ingrid Gala; Marco Rudy
24pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S.(July 2021)

Dark Blood created by LaToya Morgan

Dark Blood is a new six-issue comic book miniseries created and written by screenwriter LaToya Morgan (AMC’s "The Walking Dead," "Into The Badlands").  Published by BOOM! Studios, the series is drawn by Walt Barna; colored by A.H.G.; and lettered by Andworld Design.  The series focuses on an Black World War II veteran who discovers that he has strange new abilities.

Dark Blood #1 opens in Alabama, 1955.  It's night.  Avery Aldridge, also known as “Double A,” is leaving his job at the diner, “Hardy's Eats.”  In the alley, he has a fateful encounter with a racist.  Double A is a highly decorated World War II soldier, a former fighter pilot, a member of the soon-to-be-legendary “Red Tails.”  He is expected to act like a boy … when he is actually a very powerful, grown-ass man.  But this is “The Night of the Variance,” and everything is going to start to change – even the things some don't want changed.

THE LOWDOWN:  As I much as I love the original Star Wars movies and a number of classic Walt Disney animated features (Peter Pan), my all-time favorite movie moment occurs in 1967's In the Heat of the Night.  Involuntarily assigned to a homicide case in Sparta Mississippi, Philadelphia police detective Virgil Tibbs (played by Sidney Poitier) is interviewing a suspect, a local and powerful rich white man named Endicott (Larry Gates), when Endicott slaps him in the face.  Tibbs slaps him right back.  The first time I saw Tibbs slap Endicott, it took my breath away … and it still does.

Television writer-producer LaToya Morgan (AMC's "TURN: Washington's Spies") offers a sci-fi/horror spin on Tibbs' slap as the spine of the first issue of her new comic book, Dark Blood.  This time, the confrontation is longer, and Avery Aldridge's response is made a bit more complicated, partly because he seems unstuck in time.  Morgan does everything to tell her readers a lot by whetting their appetites for more, because they don't know the half of it, and she makes that “it” intriguing.

For all that I am intrigued by Dark Blood #1's story and concept, this first issue is also a showcase for the art team of illustrator Walt Barna and colorist A.H.G.  Barna's compositions are some of the most convincing period art that I have seen in a modern comic book in years.  Barna's Alabama, 1955 looks so “old-timey” that I could believe that it is something Barna drew at least half-a-century ago.  Barna's aerial sequences depicting Aldridge's time as a Red Tail reminds me of the comic book art one might find in EC Comics' legendary war comic book, Aces High (1955).

A.H.G.'s colors are gorgeous and also from a time machine.  If I didn't know better, I would say he hand-colored this comic book and manually separated those colors in a back office at a NYC-based comic book publisher – in days gone by.  Seriously, his colors shimmer, but are also earthy, and they make the storytelling's time periods look and feel authentic.

And I always enjoy Andworld Design's lettering, which is always stylish in a way that brings immediacy and power to the drama.  So LaToya Morgan, Walt Barna, A.H.G., and Andworld Design are off to a most excellent start, and Dark Blood #1 sparkles with promise.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of modern science fiction and dark fantasy comic books will want to drink Dark Blood.

A

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


Dark Blood trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzzXIYr_FrA&feature=youtu.be
Dark Blood first loook: https://www.boom-studios.com/wordpress/archives/dark-blood-1-first-look/
https://twitter.com/MorganicInk
https://twitter.com/WaltBarna
https://twitter.com/AHGColor
https://twitter.com/andworlddesign

https://twitter.com/boomstudios
https://www.boom-studios.com/wordpress/
https://www.facebook.com/BOOMStudiosComics
https://www.instagram.com/boom_studios/


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Tuesday, July 20, 2021

Comics Review: DEJAH THORIS VERSUS JOHN CARTER #1

DEJAH THORIS VERSUS JOHN CARTER, VOL. 1 #1
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: Dan Abnett
ART: Alessandro Miracolo
COLORS: Dearbhla Kelly
LETTERS: Simon Bowland
EDITOR: Nate Cosby
COVER: Lucio Parrillo
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Joseph Michael Linsner; Alessandro Miracolo; Sebastian Fiumara; (Rachel Hollon cosplay)
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (July 2021)

Rated Teen+

Based on the characters and stories created by Edgar Rice Burroughs


Dejah Thoris and John Carter are characters that first appeared in the serialized novel, Under the Moons of Mars (The All-Story, 1912), written by Tarzan creator, Edgar Rice Burroughs.  When it was first collected and published in hardcover, the novel was re-titled, A Princess of Mars (1917), the first of Burroughs' “Barsoom” novels, which were set on Barsoom, a fictional version of Mars.

Dejah was the title character of A Princess of Mars, the princess of the Martian city-state/empire of Helium.  John Carter was a Confederate veteran of the American Civil War who was transported to Mars via “astral projection” where he got a new body that was similar to the one he left behind on Earth.  John makes several trips back and forth between Earth and Barsoom, and Dejah and John were married and had two children.

John Carter first appeared in comic books in the early 1950s, and Dejah has been a prominent comic book character beginning in 2010 via Dynamite Entertainment.  Now, the star-crossed lovers are the stars of Dynamite's new comic book, Dejah Thoris Versus John Carter.  The series is written by Dan Abnett; drawn by Alessandro Miracolo; colored by Dearbhla Kelly; and lettered by Simon Bowland.  The series finds Dejah and John caught in a war to save Mars from an ancient race that has returned to reclaim Mars.

As Dejah Thoris Versus John Carter #1 opens, Dejah Thoris reigns as Queen of Helium, after overturning the regime of the tyrant, Kurz Kurtos.  Now, she must deal with his ally, the rogue scientist, Rotak Gall.  Dejah and her forces travel to Dar Shadeth, far in the distant west.  However, before she faces Gall, she must face the beasts of “The Longborn,” the ancient and mysterious race of immortal gods that have arrived to reclaim Barsoom/Mars.

Meanwhile, John Carter worries about the status of his relationship with Dejah, after having betrayed her during her war with Kurtos.  John was in the thrall of the Witch-Queen, and he believes that means he is a liability.  Will Baroom's (former) greatest champion remain or return to Earth?

THE LOWDOWN:  Dynamite Entertainment's marketing department recently began providing me with PDF review copies of some of their titles.  One of them is Dejah Thoris Versus John Carter #1.  I must admit that other than being aware of Edgar Rice Burrough's “Martian Series” or “Barsoom series,” my only substantial experience with these stories is the 2012 Disney film, John Carter.

I find Dejah Thoris Versus John Carter #1 likable, and the art by Alessandro Miracolo reminds me of the kind of art that readers would find in a Flash Gordon comic book.  Through her colors, Dearbhla Kelly creates the idea that the story takes place on a different planet simply by making the atmosphere and lighting look like they are part of an alien biosphere.  Simon Bowland's lettering catches the eccentric and shifting nature of the dialogue and calmly presents it to readers.

Writer Dan Abnett, a veteran comic book scribe, delivers a script filled with modern comic book storytelling elements and plot points.  There is a mission, Dejah's, that builds on mystery before delivering a cliffhanger.  Meanwhile, there is the appropriate soap opera drama focusing on John Carter's shame and self-doubt.  Abnett also makes me want to come back for the second issue, so I'll recommend Dejah Thoris Versus John Carter #1.  The series does have potential.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Dynamite's Dejah Thoris and Barsoom comic books will want to try Dejah Thoris Versus John Carter.

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


https://twitter.com/DynamiteComics
https://www.dynamite.com/htmlfiles/
https://www.facebook.com/DynamiteComics/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNOH4PEsl8dyZ2Tj7XUlY7w
https://www.linkedin.com/company/dynamite-entertainment


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Comics Review: JAMES BOND: Agent of SPECTRE #5

JAMES BOND: AGENT OF SPECTRE #5
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: Christos Gage
ART: Luca Casalanguida
COLORS: Heather Moore
LETTERS: Simon Bowland
EDITOR: Matt Idelson
COVER: Luca Casalanguida
VARIANT COVER ARTIST: Luca Casalanguida
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (July 2021)

Rated T+

Based on the characters and stories created by Ian Fleming


“James Bond” is a fictional British Secret Service agent created by Ian Fleming, a British writer and novelist.  Fleming introduced James Bond in the 1953 novel, Casino Royale, and featured the character in 12 novels and two short-story collections.  Of course, most people know Bond because of Eon Productions' long-running James Bond-007 film series, which began with the 1962 film, Dr. No.

Over the past 50+ years, Bond has made sporadic appearances in comic books, but Dynamite Entertainment has been steadily publishing James Bond comic books since early 2016.  Their latest James Bond comic book is the five-issue miniseries, James Bond: Agent of SPECTRE.  It is written by Christos Gage; drawn by Luca Casalanguida; colored by Heather Moore; and lettered by Simon Bowland.   The series finds James Bond taking sides in a civil war within SPECTRE, the international criminal organization that has long been Bond's enemy.

Titania Jones, an upstart American member of SPECTRE, is attempting a coup, threatening to depose its longtime leader, the criminal mastermind, Ernst Stavro Blofeld.  Titania is on guard against Blofeld's men, so to take her out, Blofeld recruits a wild card, James Bond!  With Blofeld threatening the life of his friend, CIA operative, Felix Leiter, as leverage, Bond agrees.  However, Bond has a plan to use this internal strife to bring SPECTRE down once and for all.  Will he succeed, or is this a dark path from which even 007 cannot return?

James Bond: Agent of SPECTRE #5 opens on the Island of Meraki, Greece.  It is the location of the ancestral home of Blofeld, and it is the site of the final showdown between Blofeld, 007, and Titania Jones, the would-be new leader of SPECTRE.  This “SPECTRE Civil War” reaches its explosive conclusion, but who will come out on top, the established Blofeld or the upstart Titania?  And will 007 survive this struggle, and can he use it to bring SPECTRE down from within?

THE LOWDOWN:  The only Dynamite James Bond comic book series I have read is Warren Ellis' twelve-issue run, James Bond, Vol. 1 (2016-17), which is comprised of two story arcs, “Vargr” and “Eidolon.”  Dynamite Entertainment's marketing department recently began providing me with PDF review copies of some of their titles.  One of the first batch is the fifth and final issue of James Bond: Agent of SPECTRE.

James Bond: Agent of SPECTRE #5 is the first issue of the series that I have read.  I used the Diamond Comic Distributors' “Previews” listings to get the lowdown on the previous four issues of the series.  I figured out enough about the story line to say that writer Christos Gage has brought James Bond: Agent of SPECTRE #5 to a satisfying conclusion.  Gage also sets up some interesting threads for future James Bond comic books.

The art team of Luca Casalanguida and colorist Heather Moore are good, but Casalanguida's compositions are a little too impressionistic for this story.  I do like Casalanguida's interpretation of James Bond as a burly, brawny, meaty man who can throw his fists around.  Moore's coloring tends towards the garish a few times.  Simon Bowland's solid lettering keeps the art and graphical storytelling from being too off the wall.

I can say that James Bond: Agent of SPECTRE #5 suggests to me that this series might make for a fun read as a trade paperback.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of James Bond comic books will want to try James Bond: Agent of SPECTRE.

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


https://twitter.com/DynamiteComics
https://www.dynamite.com/htmlfiles/
https://www.facebook.com/DynamiteComics/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNOH4PEsl8dyZ2Tj7XUlY7w
https://www.linkedin.com/company/dynamite-entertainment


The text is copyright © 2021 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

------------------------------

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Comics Review: VENGEANCE OF VAMPIRELLA Volume 2 #20

VENGEANCE OF VAMPIRELLA VOLUME 2 #20
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: Thomas Sniegoski
ART: Michael Sta. Maria
COLORS: Omi Remalante, Jr.
LETTERS: Troy Peteri
EDITOR: Joe Rybandt
COVER: Lucio Parrillo
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Ben Oliver; Stephen Segovia; Michael Sta. Maria; Rachel Hollon (cosplay)
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (July 2021)

Rated Teen+

Vampirella is vampire and female superhero created by the late author and science fiction and horror expert, Forrest J Ackerman, and comic book artist, Trina Robbins.  Vampirella first appeared in Vampirella #1 (Sept. 1969), the debut issue of a black and white horror comics magazine from Warren Publishing.  Writer-editor Archie Goodwin changed the character from a hostess of horror comics to a leading character in her own stories.

Vampirella publications were published by Warren into 1983, and after Warren's bankruptcy, Harris Publications obtained the character and published new and reprint Vampirella comic books into the mid-1990s.  In 2010, Dynamite Entertainment obtained the character and has been publishing new Vampirella material since then.

One of Dynamite's Vampirella comic book series is Vengeance of Vampirella, which was also the title of a Harris Comics series.  Vengeance of Vampirella Volume 2 is (currently) written by Thomas Sniegoski; drawn by Michael Sta. Maria; colored by Omi Remalante, Jr.; and lettered by Troy Peteri.  The series focuses on a reborn Vampirella who fights the forces of chaos to save humanity.

Vengeance of Vampirella Volume 2 #20 opens on the day after the fall of Mistress Nyx.  The war between Order and Chaos has come to an end, and as the dust settles, humanity begins the process of rising from the ashes.  However, what is to become of “The Infernal,” the dark forces that Nyx led?  Without her, they are leaderless and could continue to cause problems.

Meanwhile, what of Vampirella, the woman born of darkness to serve the light, who killed Nyx?  Vampirella was also forced to kill Adam, her lover who sided with Nyx.  What has this done to her?  Will Vampirella regain her lost humanity or will she fall to darkness?

THE LOWDOWN:  Dynamite Entertainment's marketing department recently began providing me with PDF review copies of some of their titles.  One of them is Vengeance of Vampirella Volume 2 #20.  It not only the first issue of this series that I have read, but it is also the first Vampirella comic book that I have ever read.

Strangely, I find myself drawn to this comic book and to its star character.  In theory, Thomas Sniegoski's script for this issue could seem like story decompression and padding for a trade paperback.  However, he makes the struggles within and without Vampirella seem engaging and important.

The art and storytelling by Michael Sta. Maria both recalls classic Warren Publishing Vampirella and captures the intensity of her struggle with the power of the forces arrayed against her.  Omi Remalante, Jr. impressionistic colors strike the right tone, and letterer Troy Peteri brings sanity to the wildness of the graphics by keeping things in order.

Having finally tasted a Vampirella comic book, I want more Vengeance of Vampirella Volume 2.  I won't call this a great comic book, but it certainly seems like something worth spending money on … if you like vampire comic books.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Vampirella will want to try Vengeance of Vampirella Volume 2.

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


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