Comics Review: THE SILVER COIN #5

THE SILVER COIN #5 (OF 5)
IMAGE COMICS

STORY: Michael Walsh
ART: Michael Walsh with Gavin Fullerton
COLORS: Michael Walsh and Toni Marie Griffin
LETTERS: Michael Walsh
EDITOR: Chris Hampton
COVER: Michael Walsh
VARIANT COVER ARTIST: Maya McKibbin
28pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S. (August 2021)

Rated “M/ Mature”

The Silver Coin is created by Michael Walsh, Ed Brisson, Jeff Lemire, Kelly Thompson, and Chip Zdarsky

“Covenant”

The Silver Coin is a horror comic book anthology published by Image Comics.  It is the creation of artist Michael Walsh and writers Ed Brisson, Jeff Lemire, Kelly Thompson, and Chip Zdarsky.  Each issue of this five-issue miniseries tells a tale of terror that is set in a supernatural world in which the mysterious “Silver Coin” changes the lives of those who take possession of it.  The fifth issue is written by Michael Walsh; drawn by Walsh with Gavin Fullerton; colored by Walsh and Toni Marie Griffin; and lettered by Walsh.

The Silver Coin #5 (entitled “Covenant”) goes back to the origin of the coin and its cruel curse.  In a small New England village, Rebekah Goode helps her neighbors with her special powers.  When a roving, witch-hunting minister, Cotton Dudley, comes to town, he manages to get Rebekah's friend, a simple girl named Martha, to speak ill of her friend – for the price of a silver coin.  Now, Dudley and Martha will see the true extent of Rebekah's power.

THE LOWDOWN:  As I wrote in my reviews of the first four issues of The Silver Coin, I am a big fan of horror comic book anthologies.  That includes everything from the classic EC Comics titles to later titles like DC Comics' Ghosts and House of Mystery, Kitchen Sink Press's Death Rattle, and Approbation Comics' Amour, to name a few.

Now, dear readers, I will have the opportunity to keep telling you about The Silver Coin.  Series co-creator, Michael Walsh, announces at the end of The Silver Coin #5 that the miniseries will become an ongoing series with the release of the sixth issue.  Walsh closes out the miniseries arc of The Silver Coin with a powerful old-fashioned tale of weird fiction that is filled with betrayal and the dark craft of magic that can be both good and cruel.

I enjoy these one-off, standalone tales, but I wouldn't mind some more narrative meat on the bones of the stories of the Silver Coin.  This miniseries finale, “Covenant,” is a bit of fun, but the truth is that this 24-page tale does what classic horror comics short stories did in six to eight pages.  Still, let's see where the coin shows up next.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of classic horror comic book anthologies will want to spend The Silver Coin.

A-

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


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Comics Review: RED SONJA Black White Red #2

RED SONJA BLACK WHITE RED #2
DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT

STORY: Jonboy Meyers; Jeff Parker; David F. Walker
ART: Jonboy Meyers; Natalie Nourigat; Will Robson
COLORS: Jonboy Meyers; Natalie Nourigat; Will Robson
LETTERS: Pat Brosseau; Natalie Nourigat; Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
EDITOR: Nate Cosby
COVER: Lucio Parrillo
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Jonboy Meyers; David Nakayama; Tabitha Lyons (cosplay)
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (August 2021)

Rated Teen+

Based on the characters and stories created by Roy Thomas, Barry Windsor-Smith, and Robert E. Howard

Conan the Barbarian #23 (cover dated: February 1973) saw the debut of a high fantasy, sword and sorcery heroine, Red Sonja.  Created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Barry Windsor-Smith, Red Sonja was loosely based on “Red Sonya of Rogatino,” a female character that appeared in the 1934 short story, “The Shadow of the Vulture,” written by Robert E. Howard (1906-1936), the creator of the character, Conan the Cimmerian.

Red Sonja remained a fixture in comic books from then until about 1986.  In 2005, Dynamite Entertainment began publishing comic books featuring differing versions of the character.  One of those is Red Sonja Black White and Red, an anthology comic book featuring stories from well known comic book writers and artists, with the art presented in black, white, and red.

Red Sonja Black White and Red #2 is comprised of three stories.  The first is “Proelium Finalis” by Jonboy Meyers and Patrick Brosseau.  Next is “Edible” by Jeff Parker and Natalie Nourigat.  The final story is “Listen Close” by David F. Walker, Will Robson, and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou.  I'll review each story separately.

THE LOWDOWN:   Dynamite Entertainment's marketing department recently began providing me with PDF review copies of some of their titles.  One of them is Red Sonja Black White and Red #2, which is the first issue of the title that I have read.  I have seen listings for it, but did not pay attention.

“Proelium Finalis” by Jonboy Meyers and Patrick Brosseau:
The plot involves “The Lemurians” who return from the bowels of the Earth in a bid to end both the Hyborian Age and the world of man.  They are led by the wizard, Kael Al-Ammon, but the humans are led by Red Sonja.

Meyers makes sure that Red Sonja's hair is red, but otherwise, he uses the color to splash across the pages of his sharp artwork in order to signify violence and gore. “Proelium Finalis” is a beautifully drawn comic book short story, but I'd like to see the team of Meyers and Brosseau smash us in the face with a miniseries version of this.

“Edible” by Jeff Parker and Natalie Nourigat:
The story introduces a tribe of humans that have settled in a valley with which they were not familiar.  Near the valley is a bog, and members of the tribe have gone into the bog and never returned.  The latest missing tribesman is a girl named Tanira or “Tan,” for short.  Once in the bog, Red Sonja discovers that a strange, seemingly unbeatable organism rules the area.

“Edible” is a clever story, and it is probably the closest that anyone will come to an all-ages Red Sonja story that is actually a Red Sonja story.  The pretty art is drawn by Natalie Nourigat in a clean style that readers will generally find in children's comics.

“Listen Close” by David F. Walker, Will Robson, and Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou:
“Listen Close” is a bedtime story about Red Sonja.  An African-American father tells the story to his red-haired daughter, who wants to be “just like Red Sonja.”  The “She-Devil with a Sword” has been summoned by King Assuman, who promises her great riches if she can rescue his bride-to-be, Ophelia, from a “vile creature.”  But there is more to this rescue mission than Red Sonja has been told...

“Listen Close” is this issue's second clever tale, and it is also blessed by Will Robson's ornate art with its detailed composition.  David F. Walker, who is currently known for his comic book, Bitter Root (Image Comics), offers a nice middle-grade appropriate Red Sonja tale.

It's hard to pick a favorite story of the three offered in Red Sonja Black White and Red #2.  Each story has at least one thing about it that I really like, so I'll just recommend the entire issue.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Red Sonja will want to try Red Sonja Black White and Red.

A-

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


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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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"The Conjuring" Cinematic Universe Surpasses Two Billion Dollars in Worldwide Box Office

New Line Cinema’s “Conjuring” Universe Surpasses $2 Billion at the Global Box Office

Visionary filmmakers James Wan and Peter Safran’s hugely popular franchise has crossed the major milestone and remains the most successful horror series of all time

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Amidst the global pandemic, New Line Cinema’s “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It,” which kicked off the summer as theaters continue to open around the world, has taken in more than $196 million worldwide, pushing filmmaker James Wan and producer Peter Safran’s “Conjuring” Universe past the $2 billion mark at the global box office, with the film still to open in such markets as Thailand, India and Japan. The announcement was made today by Toby Emmerich, Chairman, Warner Bros. Pictures Group.

In making the announcement, Emmerich said, “Our thanks to James, Peter, all the casts and crews and Walter, Richard, Dave and the team at New Line—you’ve delivered one of the scariest and most artfully crafted horror franchises in history. These phenomenal results showcase the support of audiences and genre fans from all over the world and we congratulate you on your incredible success.”

Since it launched A Nightmare on Elm Street, New Line Cinema has created an unparalleled legacy in horror and has remained at the forefront of the modern era of the genre. Globally, all seven films in the “Conjuring” Universe rank among the top 25 horror movies of all time, with four of the titles in the top eight. The worldwide theatrical grosses for the previous “Conjuring” Universe films stand as: “The Nun” at $366,172,824; “The Conjuring 2” at $321,571,936; “The Conjuring” at $320,219,495; “Annabelle: Creation” at $306,776,383; “Annabelle” at $257,670,907; and “Annabelle Comes Home” at $231,402,409.

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Comics Review: GEIGER #5

GEIGER #5
IMAGE COMICS/Mad Ghost

STORY: Geoff Johns
ART: Gary Frank
COLORS: Brad Anderson
LETTERS: Rob Leigh
EDITOR: Pat McCallum and Brian Cunningham
COVER: Gary Frank with Brad Anderson
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Jerry Ordway with Brad Anderson; Paul Pelletier and Norm Rapmund with Alex Sinclair; Gary Frank with Brad Anderson
32pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S. (August 2021)

Rated “T+/Teen Plus”

Geiger created by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank

“God Bless America”

Geiger is a comic book series from writer Geoff Johns and artist Gary Frank.  Published by Image Comics, Geiger is set on a dying Earth in the years after a nuclear war ravaged the planet and focuses on a “walking bomb” hero.  Colorist Brad Anderson and letterer Rob Leigh complete the series' creative team.

Geiger is set 20 years after the nuclear conflict known as the “Unknown War” ravaged the planet, turning Earth into a dying world.  In the state of Nevada, desperate outlaws battle for survival in a world of rapidly disappearing resources and supplies.  In Boulder City, Nevada, there resides the fearsome man known by many names:  Joe Glow, The Meltdown Man, and the Walking Bomb, to name a few.  But before the war, he was simply a man named Tariq Geiger.  So who or what is Geiger, now?

Geiger #5 (“God Bless America”) opens with a recitation of the story up to this point.  Then, after a hard encounter with “the Organ People,” Geiger is in a state of radioactive disarray, and the children, Hailee and Henry, are in the custody of remnants of the old world.  These mysterious new figures are excited to now have the “nuclear football” that was in the children's possession, but they want to know how their late mother, Carolina, came to have it.

When a heartbreaking revelation causes Geiger to break with this happy paradise, their new pals call upon an ancient warrior.  Meanwhile, the King, formerly “the Prince,” and his “Nuclear Knights” continue to track Geiger.

THE LOWDOWN:  As first issues go, Geiger #1 was mostly an introduction, kind of like a prologue.  It introduced the title character, Geiger, giving readers a look at who he was in the past and a glance at who he is now.  Geiger #2 went inside Las Vegas.  With Geiger #3, Geoff Johns began to excavate the heart of the character drama and the passion of old grudges and conflicts.  With Geiger #4, Johns executed his first game changer – in terms of Geiger and the children's fates – and readers got a Mad Max 2/The Road Warrior action sequence.

Geiger #5 is the penultimate issue of the series' first story arc.  Geoff Johns offers the series' most emotionally fulfilling chapter, and he elevates the children from mere pawns into major characters that deliver turning points in the narrative.

As in the third issue, Gary Frank's art captures the emotions and passions of intimate moments and of pivotal scenes in Geiger #5.  The storytelling pours the hotter blood of the relationships of the past that shape the present of Geiger's narrative.  Close-ups are painfully familiar, but that makes this fifth issue in which things seem to matter the most.

I'm all in on Geiger now, and I highly recommend it.

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of Geoff Johns and Gary Frank will want to check out Geiger.

A

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


https://twitter.com/geoffjohns
http://www.madghost.com/
https://twitter.com/1moreGaryFrank
https://twitter.com/ImageComics
https://imagecomics.com/


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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