Monday, June 3, 2024

Comic Books, Magazines and Books from Diamond Distributors for June 5, 2024

COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS

MAR242102 A CONDITION OF LOVE GN VOL 08 (C: 0-1-1) $10.99
APR241326 A PILLBUG STORY GN (C: 0-1-2) $19.99
FEB242039 ACID TOWN GN VOL 06 (MR) (C: 0-1-2) $13.99
APR241656 ALLEY OOP AND THE BRAIN BUTCHER TP $27.50
APR241657 ALLEY OOP FIRST TIME-TRAVEL ADVENTURES 1939-1942 HC (C: 0-1- $99.99
APR241559 AND MANKIND CREATED THE GODS GN (C: 0-1-1) $39.95
APR241017 ARCHIE & FRIENDS BLOCKBUSTER MOVIES ONESHOT $3.99
JAN242167 AS A REINCARNATED ARISTOCRAT USE APPRAISAL SKILL GN VOL 10 ( $10.99
MAR241766 ATTABOY GN (C: 0-1-0) $17.99
FEB241200 BAD DREAMS IN THE NIGHT GN (C: 0-1-0) $24.99
MAR248264 BEAR PIRATE VIKING QUEEN #1 (OF 3) 2ND PTG $4.99
APR240446 BEAR PIRATE VIKING QUEEN #2 (OF 3) $4.99
APR241761 BEST OF 2000 AD TP VOL 06 (OF 6) (MR) (C: 0-1-2) $22.99
MAR241060 BEYOND THE PALE #1 $4.99
APR241712 BIGFOOT & NESSIE GN VOL 01 ART OF GETTING NOTICED (C: 0-1-2) $7.99
APR241713 BIGFOOT & NESSIE GN VOL 02 HAUNTING OF LOCH NESS CASTLE (C: $7.99
MAR241440 BIO MECHS #2 (OF 5) CVR A LIMA (C: 0-1-1) $4.99
APR241915 BLADE OF THE MOON PRINCESS GN VOL 04 (C: 0-1-2) $11.99
MAR241065 CANTO A PLACE LIKE HOME #1 CVR A ZUCKER $3.99
MAR241066 CANTO A PLACE LIKE HOME #1 CVR B HEIDHOFF $3.99
MAR241343 CATALYTIC CONVERSIONS TP VOL 01 INFINITE WHEATPASTE (C: 0-1- $22.99
MAR241809 CEMETERY KIDS DONT DIE #4 CVR A IRIZARRI $4.99
MAR241810 CEMETERY KIDS DONT DIE #4 CVR B WARD $4.99
APR241635 CHARRED REMAINS #6 $4.99
APR242195 CHERRY MAGIC GN VOL 11 (MR) (C: 0-1-2) $14.99
MAR241432 COINS OF JUDAS THE GAMBLER #1 (OF 2) CVR A KALNINS $4.99
MAR241433 COINS OF JUDAS THE GAMBLER #1 (OF 2) CVR B CARPENTER $4.99
FEB241417 COMPLETE WEB OF HORROR HC (C: 0-1-2) $49.99
FEB240889 CRASHDOWN #4 (OF 4) CVR A TEMPLESMITH (MR) $3.99
FEB240890 CRASHDOWN #4 (OF 4) CVR B MACK (MR) $3.99
FEB240891 CRASHDOWN #4 (OF 4) CVR C DESJARDINS (MR) $3.99
APR241668 CULT OF THE LAMB #1 CVR A DALMAU (C: 0-1-0) $4.99
APR241669 CULT OF THE LAMB #1 CVR B LITTLE (C: 0-1-0) $4.99
APR241670 CULT OF THE LAMB #1 CVR C FLEECS (C: 0-1-0) $4.99
APR241671 CULT OF THE LAMB #1 CVR D BA (C: 0-1-0) $4.99
APR241672 CULT OF THE LAMB #1 CVR E SKETCH VAR $4.99
FEB241403 DF FERAL #1 FLEECS SGN (C: 0-1-2) $29.99
FEB241404 DF FERAL #1 HORROR MOVIE VAR FLEECS SGN (C: 0-1-2) $29.99
OCT231737 DF GI JOE REAL AMERICAN HERO #1 HAMA CUT CGC GRADED VAR (C: $82.00
JAN241638 DF TMNT SECRET #1 LTD BURNHAM GOLD SGN & UNSIGNED COPY (C: 0 $40.00
JAN241637 DF TMNT UNTOLD DESTINY FOOT CLAN #1 LTD BURNHAM GOLD SGN (C: $40.00
AUG231898 DF TRANSFORMERS #1 CGC GRADED (C: 0-1-2) $84.00
FEB241394 DF X-MEN 97 #1 FOXE SGN (C: 0-1-2) $29.99
NOV231739 DOOR TO DOOR NIGHT BY NIGHT TP VOL 02 $19.99
MAR241135 DUNGEONS & DRAGONS FORTUNE FINDER TP (C: 0-1-1) $19.99
MAR241136 DUNGEONS & DRAGONS SATURDAY MORNING ADV II TP (C: 0-1-1) $16.99
MAR241778 EDENFROST TP (MR) (C: 0-1-1) $17.99
FEB241286 EDIE #4 (OF 5) $5.99
APR240390 FALLING IN LOVE ON PATH TO HELL #1 CVR A BROWN $4.99
MAR241609 FANTAGRAPHICS UNDERGROUND HURRICANE NANCY TP (C: 0-1-2) $30.00
APR242230 FREAKING ROMANCE GN VOL 02 (C: 0-1-2) $19.99
SEP232042 GINSENG ROOTS COMPLETE BOX SET (C: 0-1-1) $69.99
MAR241142 GODZILLA RIVALS MOTHRA VS HEDORAH #1 CVR A CORNILLON $7.99
MAR241143 GODZILLA RIVALS MOTHRA VS HEDORAH #1 CVR B ANN $7.99
APR242116 GRANDMASTER OF DEMONIC CULTIVATION GN VOL 06 (C: 0-1-1) $19.99
APR240358 GUMAA BEGINNING OF HER #7 (OF 7) CVR A JEEHYUNG (MR) $4.99
APR240359 GUMAA BEGINNING OF HER #7 (OF 7) CVR B JEEHYUNG (MR) $4.99
APR240360 GUMAA BEGINNING OF HER #7 (OF 7) CVR C JEEHYUNG CONCEPT ART $4.99
MAR240468 GUN HONEY COLLISION COURSE #1 CVR I CHEW FOIL (MR) (C: 0-1-2 $13.99
MAR240380 GUNSLINGER SPAWN #32 CVR A RANDAL $2.99
MAR240381 GUNSLINGER SPAWN #32 CVR B GRANT $2.99
APR241694 HAPHAVEN DLX ED HC $24.99
APR241515 HOGBOOK & LAZER EYES HC (RES) (C: 0-1-2) $19.99
FEB241187 HORROR COMICS #34 (C: 0-1-1) $4.99
FEB241292 HUMBABA #3 (OF 4) (C: 1-0-0) $5.99
APR240482 I HATE FAIRYLAND #15 CVR A BEAN (MR) $3.99
APR240483 I HATE FAIRYLAND #15 CVR B BEAN UNCENSORED VAR (MR) $3.99
APR242122 IDEAL SPONGER LIFE GN VOL 16 (MR) (C: 0-1-2) $12.99
MAR240388 INFERNALS #4 CVR A PEARSON (MR) $3.99
MAR240389 INFERNALS #4 CVR B ROXAE (MR) $3.99
APR241922 KAIJU NO 8 GN VOL 10 (C: 0-1-2) $11.99
FEB241188 KAMEN AMERICA STARS & STRIFE ONE SHOT JAPANESE ED $9.99
APR240486 KAYA #19 CVR A CRAIG (RES) $3.99
APR240487 KAYA #19 CVR B MAHFOOD (RES) $3.99
APR242125 KEMONO JIHEN GN VOL 11 (C: 0-1-2) $13.99
APR241906 KINGS BEAST GN VOL 13 (C: 0-1-2) $11.99
FEB241295 LAND LEFT BEHIND #2 (OF 5) $5.99
APR242127 LAST GAME GN VOL 05 (C: 0-1-2) $14.99
APR240493 LAST MERMAID #4 $3.99
APR241908 LETS DO IT ALREADY GN VOL 01 (MR) (C: 0-1-2) $11.99
SEP238338 LILO & STITCH HC VOL 01 OHANA $19.99
SEP238339 LILO & STITCH TP VOL 01 OHANA $13.99
APR241779 LIVE FOREVER GN VOL 02 (C: 0-1-0) $19.99
APR242128 LONELY CASTLE IN MIRROR GN VOL 03 (C: 0-1-2) $13.99
APR240497 LOVE EVERLASTING #15 $3.99
APR241629 MAMMOTH #1 (OF 5) CVR A ARJUNA SUSINI $4.99
APR241630 MAMMOTH #1 (OF 5) CVR B JESSICA FONG $4.99
APR241631 MAMMOTH #1 (OF 5) CVR C KEVIN WADA $4.99
APR242198 MAN AND HIS CAT GN VOL 11 (C: 0-1-2) $14.99
JAN241521 MASK OF HALIYA HEIR TO THE WARRIOR MOON HC (C: 0-1-2) $45.00
MAR241095 MINOR THREATS FASTEST WAY DOWN #3 CVR A HEPBURN $4.99
MAR241096 MINOR THREATS FASTEST WAY DOWN #3 CVR B SAUVAGE $4.99
MAR241097 MINOR THREATS FASTEST WAY DOWN #3 CVR C FOIL HEPBURN $4.99
MAR241150 MONSTER HIGH PRIDE 2024 #1 CVR A COLA $5.99
MAR241151 MONSTER HIGH PRIDE 2024 #1 CVR B GODFRIED $5.99
DEC231011 MORTAL TERROR #4 CVR A BERGTING $4.99
DEC231012 MORTAL TERROR #4 CVR B SERRA $4.99
APR241924 MY HERO ACADEMIA GN VOL 38 (C: 0-1-2) $11.99
MAR241719 NEUROCRON #4 (OF 4) (C: 0-1-2) $5.99
JAN241674 NEW YORK CITY OUTLAWS TP (RES) (C: 0-1-0) $29.99
APR241824 NIGHT STORIES FOLKTALES FROM LATIN AMERICA GN (C: 1-1-1) $11.99
APR242089 OFFICIAL WEBTOON PRIDE COLORING BOOK COLLECTION SC (MR) (C: $14.99
APR242022 PARALLEL PARADISE GN VOL 18 (MR) (C: 0-1-1) $14.99
APR241266 PECULIAR WOODS GN VOL 02 MYSTERY OF INTELLIGENTS (C: 0-1-0) $12.99
APR241267 PECULIAR WOODS HC GN VOL 02 MYSTERY OF INTELLIGENTS (C: 0-1- $21.99
FEB241506 PHANTOM THIEF RED GN VOL 03 $8.99
JAN241209 POWERS GN VOL 06 (C: 0-1-2) $29.99
APR240410 PRECIOUS METAL #1 (OF 6) CVR A BERTRAM $5.99
MAR241779 PRINCESS GWENEVERE AND THE JEWEL RIDERS GN VOL 01 (C: 0-1-0) $14.99
APR242050 QUALITY ASSURANCE IN ANOTHER WORLD GN VOL 08 (C: 0-1-2) $12.99
APR241904 QUEENS QUALITY GN VOL 19 (C: 0-1-2) $11.99
APR241905 RAINBOW DAYS GN VOL 10 (C: 0-1-2) $11.99
APR241531 RUNE TALE OF A THOUSAND FACES GN (C: 0-1-0) $15.99
APR241927 SAKAMOTO DAYS GN VOL 12 (C: 0-1-2) $11.99
APR240402 SCARLETT #1 (OF 5) CVR A FERRARI $4.99
APR240403 SCARLETT #1 (OF 5) CVR B JONES $4.99
APR240409 SCARLETT #1 (OF 5) CVR H BLANK CVR $4.99
MAR248368 SCARLETT #1 (OF 5) CVR I HOWARD EU ANNV VAR $4.99
MAR248369 SCARLETT #1 (OF 5) CVR J HOWARD B&W EU ANNV VAR $4.99
MAR241518 SECOND HAND LOVE GN (MR) (C: 0-1-2) $24.95
APR242033 SEIREI GENSOUKI SPIRIT CHRONICLES GN VOL 07 (C: 0-1-1) $15.99
APR241751 SINK OR SWIM GN (C: 1-1-1) $14.99
FEB241606 SIXTH GUN OMNIBUS TP VOL 03 $39.99
APR241268 SLICE OF MALLOW HC GN VOL 01 (C: 0-1-0) $11.99
APR241907 SNOW WHITE WITH RED HAIR GN VOL 26 (C: 0-1-2) $11.99
MAR240433 SPAWN SCORCHED #30 CVR A KEANE $2.99
MAR240434 SPAWN SCORCHED #30 CVR B GLAPION $2.99
APR241821 STAMPED FROM BEGINNING GN (C: 1-1-1) $24.99
MAR241170 STAR TREK SONS OF STAR TREK #3 CVR A BARTOK $4.99
MAR241171 STAR TREK SONS OF STAR TREK #3 CVR B HARVEY $4.99
MAR241173 STAR TREK STRANGE NEW WORLDS SCORPIUS RUN TP (C: 0-1-1) $19.99
APR241168 STRANGERS IN PARADISE TP VOL 04 (OF 4) (C: 0-1-1) $26.95
MAR241174 TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES ALPHA #1 CVR A BURNHAM $6.99
MAR241175 TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES ALPHA #1 CVR B SMITH $6.99
MAR241176 TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES ALPHA #1 CVR C ESCORZA $6.99
DEC230856 TENGEN HERO WARS GN VOL 02 (C: 0-1-2) $12.99
DEC231369 TERRY & THE PIRATES MASTER COLL HC VOL 07 (C: 0-0-1) $100.00
OCT231597 THE ACCURSED #3 (OF 4) CVR A DAVID CAMESCASSE (MR) $4.99
OCT231598 THE ACCURSED #3 (OF 4) CVR B JUAN SANTIAGO (MR) $4.99
OCT231599 THE ACCURSED #3 (OF 4) CVR C DAVID CAMESCASSE (MR) $4.99
APR241578 THE CANNIBAL GN (C: 0-1-1) $17.95
JAN242008 THE SICKNESS #5 CVR A JENNA CHA $6.00
JAN242009 THE SICKNESS #5 CVR B ANWITA CITRIYA $6.00
APR242163 THIS IS SCREWED UP REINCARNATED AS GIRL GN VOL 12 (C: 0-1-2) $12.99
MAR241190 TMNT BEST OF TMNT COLLECTION TP VOL 04 (C: 0-1-1) $24.99
MAR241191 TMNT JENNIKA FIFTH TURTLE TP $29.99
MAR241189 TMNT SOURCEBOOK #3 $7.99
APR242059 TYING KNOT WITH AN AMAGAMI SISTER GN VOL 05 (C: 0-1-2) $12.99
FEB241262 VIGIA #1 (OF 3) RELAUNCH $5.99
APR240556 WALKING DEAD DLX #90 CVR A FINCH & MCCAIG (MR) $3.99
APR240557 WALKING DEAD DLX #90 CVR B ADLARD & MCCAIG (MR) $3.99
APR240558 WALKING DEAD DLX #90 CVR C WU (MR) $3.99
APR240559 WALKING DEAD DLX #90 CVR D TEDESCO (MR) $3.99
APR242227 WELCOME TO DEMON SCHOOL IRUMA KUN GN VOL 08 (C: 0-1-2) $12.95
APR241324 WHEN THE LAKE BURNS GN (C: 0-1-1) $25.00
MAR248206 WHITE TREES (ONE-SHOT) 2ND PTG $5.99
APR242171 WHO MADE ME A PRINCESS GN VOL 06 (C: 1-1-1) $19.99
FEB241296 WICKED TALES #1 CVR A GIUSEPPE DELIA (MR) $6.99
FEB241297 WICKED TALES #1 CVR B JAY REED (MR) $6.99
FEB241298 WICKED TALES #1 CVR C ESCOBAR & CAMPANO (MR) $6.99
FEB241299 WICKED TALES #1 CVR D MIGUERU HOSE (MR) $6.99
FEB241300 WICKED TALES #1 CVR E GONZALEZ & HUVE (MR) $6.99
FEB241301 WICKED TALES #1 CVR F DAMIAN L FELITTE (MR) $6.99
APR242061 WIND BREAKER GN VOL 06 $12.99
APR241706 WINX CLUB GN VOL 02 FRIENDS MONSTERS & WITCHES (C: 0-1-0) $14.99
FEB241263 WORKING CLASS WIZARDS DOUBLE ISSUE (4 & 5) $7.99
APR241019 WORLD OF BETTY & VERONICA JUMBO COMICS DIGEST #33 $9.99
FEB241186 WORLD WAR 3 RAID ON TOKYO VOL 2 #5 (OF 5) (C: 0-0-1) $4.99

MAGAZINES

APR241727 CARTOONS MAGAZINE #51 FEAT EVEL KNIEVEL (C: 0-0-1) $8.99
MAR241504 COMIC SHOP NEWS (100CT BUNDLE) #1920 (Net) $PI
MAR241797 NON SPORT UPDATE VOL 35 #3 JUN/JUL 24 (C: 0-1-1) $8.99

BOOKS

APR242031 ASCENDANCE OF A BOOKWORM SHORT STORY COLL SC VOL 01 (C: 0-1- $15.99
APR242177 BALLAD OF SWORD & WINE SC NOVEL VOL 01 (C: 0-1-2) $19.99
MAR241954 BIOGRAPHIX SC GEORGE PEREZ (C: 0-1-1) $20.00
MAR241955 COPYRIGHT VIGILANTES INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY HOLLYWOOD SC (C: $30.00
APR241752 D&D SPELLJAMMER MEMORYS WAKE HC NOVEL (C: 1-1-1) $28.99
APR241546 DONALD DUCK LITTLE GOLDEN BOOK COLL HC (C: 0-1-0) $11.99
APR242038 FRAGRANT FLOWER BLOOMS WITH DIGNITY GN VOL 01 (C: 1-1-1) $13.99
APR242183 KUMA KUMA KUMA BEAR NOVEL SC VOL 18 (C: 0-1-1) $15.99
FEB241886 KUNON SORCERER CAN SEE THROUGH LIGHT NOVEL SC VOL 03 (C: 0-1 $15.00
APR242185 MIMOSA CONFESSIONS SC NOVEL VOL 01 (C: 0-1-2) $15.99
APR242032 MY FRIENDS LITTLE SISTER IN FOR ME L NOVEL VOL 09 (C: 0-1-1) $15.99
MAR241956 SHAOLIN BREW RACE COMICS & EVOLUTION OF SUPERHERO SC (C: 0-1 $30.00
APR241422 STAR WARS YOUNG JEDI ADV POP UP BOOK HC (C: 0-1-0) $12.99
APR241750 STORM DAWN OF A GODDESS HC NOVEL (C: 1-1-1) $20.99
APR242161 TALE OF THE SECRET SAINT GN VOL 06 (C: 0-1-1) $12.99
APR242034 TEARMOON EMPIRE LIGHT NOVEL VOL 10 (C: 0-1-1) $15.99
APR241661 WORLD OF READING SPIDEY & FRIENDS ANT THIEF SC (C: 0-1-2) $5.99
APR242193 YES NO OR MAYBE WHERE HOME IS SC NOVEL (MR) (C: 0-1-1) $15.99

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DC Comics Shipping from Lunar Distributors for June 4, 2024

DC COMICS:

Barda TP, $16.99
Batman #148 (Cover A Jorge Jimenez), $4.99
Batman #148 (Cover B Woo-Chul Lee Card Stock Variant), $5.99
Batman #148 (Cover C Yasmine Putri Card Stock Variant), $5.99
Batman #148 (Cover D Skylar Patridge DC Pride 2024 Card Stock Variant), $5.99
Batman #148 (Cover E Homare Card Stock Variant), AR
Batman #148 (Cover F Gabriele Dell'Otto Card Stock Variant), AR
Batman And Scooby-Doo Mysteries #6 (Cover A Dario Brizuela), $2.99
Batman Justice Buster Volume 3 TP, $9.99
Batman The Court Of Owls TP (DC Compact Comics Edition), $9.99
Birds Of Prey #10 (Cover A Leonardo Romero), $3.99
Birds Of Prey #10 (Cover B Francesco Francavilla Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Birds Of Prey #10 (Cover C Sweeney Boo Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Birds Of Prey #10 (Cover D Serg Acuna Card Stock Variant), AR
DC Pride A Celebration Of Rachel Pollack #1 (One Shot)(Cover A Various), $9.99
Green Lantern Volume 1 Back In Action TP (2023 Series)(Ivan Reis Direct Market (Cover), $19.99
Green Lantern Volume 1 Back In Action TP (2023 Series)(Xermanico Book Market (Cover), $19.99
Hawkgirl Once Upon A Galaxy TP, $16.99
Identity Crisis 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition HC (Michael Turner Book Market Cover), $49.99
Identity Crisis 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition HC (Rags Morales Direct Market Cover), $49.99
Kneel Before Zod #6 (Of 12)(Cover A Jason Shawn Alexander), $3.99
Kneel Before Zod #6 (Of 12)(Cover B Lucio Parrillo Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Kneel Before Zod #6 (Of 12)(Cover C Ian Churchill Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Little Endless Storybooks Box Set, $35.99
MAD Magazine #1 (Facsimile Edition)(Cover A Harvey Kurtzman), $3.99
MAD Magazine #1 (Facsimile Edition)(Cover B Blank Variant), $4.99
My Adventures With Superman #1 (Of 6)(Cover A Carli Squitieri), $3.99
My Adventures With Superman #1 (Of 6)(Cover B Gavin Guidry Card Stock Variant), $4.99
My Adventures With Superman #1 (Of 6)(Cover C Riley Rossmo Card Stock Variant), $4.99
My Adventures With Superman #1 (Of 6)(Cover D Blank Variant), $4.99
My Adventures With Superman #1 (Of 6)(Cover E Character Design Card Stock Variant), AR
Poison Ivy #23 (Cover A Jessica Fong), $3.99
Poison Ivy #23 (Cover B Chris Bachalo Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Poison Ivy #23 (Cover C Frank Cho Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Poison Ivy #23 (Cover D W. Scott Forbes DC Pride 2024 Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Poison Ivy #23 (Cover E Nimit Malavia Card Stock Variant), AR
Poison Ivy #23 (Cover F Frank Cho Black & White Card Stock Variant), AR
Prez Setting A Dangerous President TP, $16.99
Scooby-Doo Where Are You #128 (Cover A Derek Fridolfs), $2.99
Shazam #12 (Cover A Dan Mora), $3.99
Shazam #12 (Cover B Tom Reilly Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Shazam #12 (Cover C Daxiong Card Stock Variant), $4.99
Shazam Volume 1 Meet The Captain TP (2023 Series), $16.99
Suicide Squad Kill Arkham Asylum #5 (Of 5)(Cover A Dan Panosian), $4.99
Suicide Squad Kill Arkham Asylum #5 (Of 5)(Cover B Ariel Olivetti Card Stock Variant), $5.99
Suicide Squad Kill Arkham Asylum #5 (Of 5)(Cover C Rafael Albuquerque Card Stock Variant), $5.99
Boy Wonder #2 (Of 5)(Cover A Juni Ba), $5.99
Boy Wonder #2 (Of 5)(Cover B Chris Samnee), $5.99
Titans Volume 1 Out Of The Shadows TP (2023 Series), $16.99
Watchmen TP (DC Compact Comics Edition), $9.99

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Saturday, June 1, 2024

Comics Review: "KILLADELPHIA #34" - Return of the King, Again

KILLADELPHIA #34
IMAGE COMICS

STORY: Rodney Barnes
ART: Jason Shawn Alexander and Germán Erramouspe with Robert Melendrez
COLORS: Lee Loughridge
LETTERS: Marshall Dillon
EDITORS: Greg Tumbarello; Chris Robinson
COVER: Jason Shawn Alexander with Lee Loughridge
VARIANT COVER: Jeremy Sorrell
36pp, Colors, 3.99 U.S. (March 2024)

Rated “M/ Mature”

Killadelphia created by Rodney Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander

“Death Be Not Proud” Part IV: “Every Father's Sun”

Killadelphia is an apocalyptic vampire and dark fantasy comic book series from writer Rodney Barnes and artist Jason Shawn Alexander.  Published by Image Comics, it centers on a conspiracy in which vampires attempt to rule Philadelphia.  The series is currently written by Barnes and drawn by Alexander and Germán Erramouspe.  Colorist Lee Loughridge and letterer Marshall Dillon complete Killadelphia's creative team.

There is a war between the Light and the Dark in Philadelphia, also known as Killadelphia.  The human, James “Jim” Sangster, Jr.; Anansi the Spider-God; Toussaint Louverture and his army of killers; and a menagerie of fighters and gods and monsters are on one side or the other or both in the vampire invasion of Philadelphia.  Of note is a special young vampire (Tevin Thompkins a.k.a. “See Saw”), and his activities have summoned the most famous Hellspawn, a Savage Dragon, and now, a most infamous vampire king.

Killadelphia #34 (“Every Father's Sun”) opens at an abandoned convenience store and gas station.  A Black family is about to experience black-on-black crime, when the criminals open the wrong box.  Enter Blacula.

Meanwhile, Malcolm Dragon has a meeting of the minds with his father, the original: “The Dragon.”  And pops has something to say about right and wrong.

Elsewhere, an embittered Lord Satan frets over how Spawn destroyed his legions.  Seeing an opening, Dracula, recently condemned to the realm of Satan, convinces Satan that his problem is really... Blacula.

Finally, See Saw gets a chance to reconcile with Ray, a friend he feels he betrayed, ultimately causing Ray's death.  Ray has the good news, however.

THE LOWDOWN:  I have had access to PDF review copies of Image Comics titles for a long time now.  Killadelphia #34 is one of them.

Writer Rodney Barnes continues to build the intensity of this – the seventh story arc of the series.  I don't want to spoil too much, but the addition of the classic blaxploitation character, Blacula, who appeared in two film, Blacula (1972) and Scream Blacula Scream (1973), is especially sweet.  Killadelphia co-creators Barnes and Jason Shawn Alexander produced a Blacula original graphic novel (OGN), Blacula: Return of the King, that was published in early 2023.

So where is Killadelphia going?  And where is Blacula going with it.  Dear readers, let's stay on this dark side.

[Killadelphia #34 is also available in a “Noir Edition,” featuring black-and-white line art interiors.]

I READS YOU RECOMMENDS:  Fans of vampire comic books and of exceptional dark fantasy will want Killadelphia.

[This issue includes an 11-page installment of “Johnny Gatlin” by Rodney Barnes, Syzmon Kudranski, and Marshall Dillon.]

A+

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


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The text is copyright © 2024 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: "BAD BOYS FOR LIFE" Takes a Bit to Come to Life

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 24 of 2024 (No. 1968) by Leroy Douresseaux

Bad Boys for Life (2020)
Running time:  124 minutes (2 hours, 4 minutes)
MPA – R for strong bloody violence, language throughout, sexual references and brief drug use
DIRECTORS:  Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah
WRITERS:  Chris Bremner, Peter Craig & Joe Carnahan; from a story by Peter Craig & Joe Carnahan (based on characters created by George Gallo)
PRODUCERS:  Doug Belgrad, Jerry Bruckheimer, and Will Smith
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Robrecht Heyvaert (D.o.P.)
EDITORS: Dan Lebental and Peter McNulty
COMPOSER:  Lorne Balfe

ACTION/CRIME/COMEDY

Starring:  Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Vanessa Hudgens, Paola Núñez, Alexander Ludwig, Charles Melton, Kate del Castillo, Nicky Jam, Joe Pantoliano, Jacob Scipio, and Theresa Randle

Bad Boys for Life is a 2020 American action, crime, and buddy cop film directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, better known as “Adil & Bilall.”  It is the third entry in the Bad Boys film series, which began with 1995's Bad Boys, and it is a sequel to Bad Boys II (2003).  In Bad Boys for Life, Detectives Lowrey and Burnett, the “Bad Boys,” face off against a mysterious killer whose campaign of revenge is centered on Lowrey.

Bad Boys for Life opens in Mexico at the Santa Maria Ixcotel Prison.  There, Isabel Aretas (Kate del Castillo) escapes with the help of her son, Armando (Jacob Scipio).  Isabel is the son of the late cartel kingpin, Benito Aretas, and she wants revenge against the men who helped take down her husband twenty-four years ago.  Armando, a highly-skilled criminal, savvy fighter, and vicious killer, is the instrument of her revenge.

One of those men is Detective Lt. Michael “Mike” Lowrey (Will Smith), and Armando comes close to killing him.  Mike is a hard man to keep down, and he wants payback.  His boss, Captain Conrad Howard (Joe Pantoliano), wants Mike to let a new, tech-driven police unit, called “AMMO” (Advance Miami Metro Operations), hunt the shooter.  Mike doesn't like that, especially as his former girlfriend, Lieutenant Rita Secada (Paolo Nunez), is head of AMMO.  Even worse, Mike's longtime partner, Det. Lt. Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence), has retired and wants to stay that way.  But when things get worse, will the Bad Boys be forced to unite for one last ride?

I still laugh at the fact that the film that became 1995's Bad Boys was originally written for actor-comedians, Dana Carvey and Jon Lovitz.  Bad Boys would go on to become a signature entry in the filmographies of both eventual Oscar-winning actor, Will Smith (King Richard), and Martin Lawrence, who would go on to star in such films as Big Momma's House (2000) and Wild Hogs (2007).  The duo eventually reunited for 2003's Bad Boys II.  Because the fourth entry in the Bad Boys series, Bad Boys: Ride or Die (2024), is about to be released, I decided to go back and watch and review the one film in the franchise that I had not seen in its entirety, Bad Boys for Life (2020).

A close friend told me that he thought Bad Boys for Life was bad.  I did find the first hour to be rather poorly developed.  After all, Lowrey and Burnett seem pretty slow in figuring out that the shootings of Lowrey and others are obviously related.  All these veteran cops and young, smart, new-school law enforcement are working on this case, and they are as clueless as can be.

However, in the film's second hour, directors Adil & Bilall make the most of their creative cohorts, especially their stunt coordinators, lighting department, and film editors in order to deliver a film that is fast-paced and slickly violent.  The filmmakers also bring out all of the colors and life in both the Miami and Mexican locations  Adil & Bilall do their best to summon the spirit of Michael Bay, the director of the first two films.  I wonder what he thought of the new directors' homage to his style.  I must say that Adil & Bilall eschew Bay's over-the-top theatrics for a slick visual, action style that is more focused on the characters than on sweeping shots and a deafening score and soundtrack.

In some ways, Bad Boys for Life is this series' best entry.  Yes, Martin Lawrence looks a little pudgy in the face, but his comic timing and humor eventual rev up.  Will Smith still looks lithesome and on the edge.  While it starts clunky, Bad Boys for Life doesn't show its age, but it does show that – surprisingly – there is still life in these cinematic bad boys.


7 of 10
B+
★★★½ out of 4 stars

Saturday, June 1, 2024


NOTES:
2021 Image Awards (NAACP):  1 win: “Outstanding Motion Picture” and 1 nomination: “Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture” (Will Smith)


The text is copyright © 2024 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for syndication rights and fees.

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Review: "BAD BOYS II": What'cha Gonna Do 'Cept Watch This

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 114 (of 2003) by Leroy Douresseaux

Bad Boys II (2003)
Running time:  147 minutes (2 hours, 27 minutes)
MPAA – R for strong violence and action, pervasive language, sexuality and drug content
DIRECTOR:  Michael Bay
WRITERS:  Ron Shelton and Jerry Stahl; from a story by Cormac Wibberley & Marianne Wibberley and Ron Shelton (based upon the characters created by George Gallo)
PRODUCER:  Jerry Bruckheimer
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Amir Mokri (D.o.P.)
EDITORS:  Roger Barton, Mark Goldblatt, and Thomas A. Muldoon
COMPOSER:  Trevor Rabin

ACTION/COMEDY/THRILLER/CRIME

Starring:  Martin Lawrence, Will Smith, Gabrielle Union, Joe Pantoliano, Theresa Randle, Jordi Molla, Gary Nickens, Jason Manuel Olazabal, John Salley, Henry Rollins, and Dan Marino

Bad Boys II is a 2003 American buddy-cop film and action-comedy from director Michael Bay.  It is a sequel to the 1995 film, Bad Boys, and is also the second film in the Bad Boys film series.  In Bad Boys II, loose-cannon Detectives Burnett and Lowrey investigate the flow of illegal drugs into Miami and end up on the middle of a battle for control of the ecstasy trade.

In a crowded field of auteurs, director Michael Bay (The Rock, Armageddon) strives to become the director god of action movies; indeed, he may already be there.  He returns for the sequel to Bad Boys, the film that put him on the map as a big time director of insane gunfights, fiery explosions, and slow motion ballets of unabashed violence.  And since we must not worship any god before the god, this Zeus of adrenaline films unleashes a film of wall-to-wall mayhem that overwhelms the audience to paranoiac exhaustion just to show us what he can do.

Bay is fortunate (if a god can ever be called fortunate) to have two talents who are very good at what they do, Martin Lawrence and Will Smith.  It’s ironic that these roles weren’t originally written for them, but the two actor/comedians have made the bad boys, Marcus Burnett (Lawrence) and Mike Lowrey (Smith) of Bad Boys II, their own because Burnett and Lowrey could not exist without them.

The plot is a confused half-assed muddle involving stereotypical Russian, Cuban, Jamaican, and redneck drug dealers battling it out in Miami for control of the ecstasy trade.  If that wasn’t addled enough, Marcus’s sister, Sydney (the beautiful and sexy Gabrielle Union), is an undercover DEA agent caught in the middle of some mismanaged surveillance operation of a Russian and Cuban money-laundering scheme.

Smith and Lawrence are absolutely wonderful as the bad boys.  They have to be because they’re on a very short list of actors whom Michael Bay cannot overwhelm with his thunderous conflagrations of balls-to-the-walls violence.  Smith is pure bravado, sweating confidence with cartoonish machismo.  His physical bearing and rapid-fire delivery of his dialogue create a seamless presence in the film that leads you to believe that Smith is always Lowery, even when you know that a stunt guy has to step in every now and then.  He’s no bossy director’s action marionette or pretty boy A-list actor frontin’ like he’s all that.  Smith is all that.

When he has good material, Martin Lawrence is a riot act of physical and facial humor.  He’s a comedian, born to make us laugh despite his own personal demons.  Lately, he’s sold himself for movies that treat him like a minstrel, when he’s at his best skewering the mainstream.  In Bad Boy II, he reveals himself to be the best graduate of the Richard Pryor school of facial contortions, which Lawrence uses to grand effect to make us believe that the film’s juggernaut of violence actually scares him.

Even the overwhelming performances of Smith and Lawrence are almost no match for the overwhelming violence of Bad Boys II, but the actors are game.  They do an admirable job keeping up with the exploding body parts, flying corpses, decapitated corpses, defiled corpses, gunshot wounds, gratuitous ass shots, the bare breasts of a naked corpse, flying cars, disintegrating cars, exploding cars, car wrecks, car crashes, and flesh wounds to the buttocks.  There was a point early in the film when I was sure that Michael Bay was a fabulous artist of the absurd, cinema his canvas, and wanton violence his raw materials.  The action was great and invigorating, the violence was cathartic and deliriously funny, and I wanted to revel in the excess.  Lawrence and Smith were so on that I screamed with the kind of laughter I reserve for classic Richard Pryor, Mel Brooks, Marx Brothers, Lenny Bruce, and Burns and Allen.

After awhile, I realized that this was as much popcorn cinema as it was art.  I still believe that Bay is on to something.  One day, we will see him a great filmmaker who pushed the envelope with his inventiveness and imagination, but in Bad Boys II, he went too far too soon.  It’s more popcorn than an even an audience ravenously hungry for Circus Maximus bedlam can stomach.  With this film, Bay made the mistake that Martin Scorsese did with Gangs of New York:  end the picture early enough and he has a cinematic classic, a truly great film.  Overstay his welcome, and the director spoils his film.

As mean-spirited as this film gets, I’d still recommend this to die hard action fans and fans of Smith and Lawrence.  I’d only recommend that they just have a bib ready for when you spit up from overeating this cinematic pandemonium.

6 of 10
B
★★★ out of 4 stars

Edited:  Monday, July 1, 2024

NOTES:
2004 Image Awards (NAACP):  3 nominations: “Outstanding Motion Picture,” “Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture” (Will Smith), and “Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture” (Gabrielle Union)

2004 Black Reel Awards:  1 nomination: “Film: Best Soundtrack”


The text is copyright © 2024 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: "BAD BOYS" Has Had a Surprisingly Long Life

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 113 (of 2003) by Leroy Douresseaux

Bad Boys (1995)
Running time:  119 minutes (1 hour, 59 minutes)
MPAA – R for intense violent action and pervasive strong language
DIRECTOR:  Michael Bay
WRITERS:  Michael Barrie, Jim Mulholland, and Doug Richardson; from a story by George Gallo
PRODUCERS:  Jerry Bruckheimer and Don Simpson
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Howard Atherton
EDITOR:  Christian Wagner
COMPOSER:  Mark Mancina


ACTION/COMEDY/THRILLER/CRIME

Starring:  Martin Lawrence, Will Smith, Tea Leoni, Joe Pantoliano, Tcheky Karyo, Theresa Randle, Marg Helgenberger, Nestor Serrano, Julio Oscar Mechoso, Saverio Guerra, Michael Imperioli, and Karen Alexander

As usual, a cog in the Hollywood system had written an action/comedy for Jon Lovitz and Dana Carvey, two funny white men.  Perhaps, the white studio bosses never thought of persons of colors playing the parts and playing them not only well, but also better than the actors of the default skin color.  By happy accident, two tremendously talented comic actors, who also happened to be men of color inherited the parts, and, thus was born Bad Boys.  Lord knows, we can never again think of Lovitz and Carvey, two milky-white Americans, as proper for these roles, not that there’s anything wrong with one’s skin color being that white.

Bad Boys is a 1995 American buddy-cop film and action-comedy directed by Michael Bay.  Bad Boys focuses on two savvy, Black detectives who try to protect a witness to murder while also investigating the theft of heroin from their police precinct’s evidence room.

Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) and Mike Lowrey (Will Smith) are two hip detectives; at least they seem cooler than their Miami PD colleagues, but they can take the heat that comes with their job.  As the film begins, they’ve already made a major heroin bust, but a gang of well-equipped thieves breaks into the precinct’s evidence room and steals the dope.  Obviously, the raid is an inside job, so the precinct takes the blame.  Burnett and Lowrey’s Captain Howard (Joe Pantoliano) feels the heat and returns it to the boys, putting the onus on them to find the dope.  Making matters more complicated, they get saddled with protecting Julie Mott (Tea Leoni) a murder witness somehow connected to the smack thieves.

According to stories from the set of Bad Boys, director Michael Bay, Lawrence, and Smith hated the script, so they ad-libbed a lot of the dialogue.  This was Bay’s first feature film, but he’d made a name for himself directing music videos for Tina Turner and “Wilson Phillips” (among others) and commercials for Nike and Budweiser (among others).  Bay brings all the visual flair and clichés you could expect from music videos: quick-cut editing, dark alleyways full of steam, sexy chicks, and hot cars.  He mixed in car chases, tremendous explosions, cartoonish violence, and gunfights with hundreds of rounds of ammunition.  Smith and Lawrence brought the comedy and the hip sensibility to play the characters so over the top that you’d think they were heroes right out of a comic book.  It works to an extent.  Bad Boys is a very funny, exciting, and visually agile action movie.

If anything, it’ll be remembered for its African-American leads, unusual for an cop buddy movie/action flick.  Beyond that, Bay introduced his over the top visual style that he would bring all his heart-pounding, action vehicles:  slow motion camera buzzing around a posing action stud, panoramic shots of the sky, narrow escapes from devastating fire balls, etc.  Bad Boys is pleasant and fun, nothing important, but it stands out in the white bread world of Hollywood action romps.  Certainly, Lawrence and Smith are more believable as renegade cops than say, Josh Hartnett or Ben Affleck.

6 of 10
B
★★★ out of 4 stars

Edited:  Friday, June 28, 2024


The text is copyright © 2024 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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A Negromancer June 2024

Welcome to June 2024. Welcome to Negromancer 2.0.  This is the rebirth of the Negromancer, the former movie review site, as a movie review and entertainment and culture news blog.

All images and text appearing on this blog are © copyright and/or trademarks of their respective owners.

Also, my first original graphic novel, THE WRATH OF KARAPACE: A BIG SPIRITS EPIC, co-created by Carter J. Allen, is now on sale at Amazon and Barnes and Noble online.




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Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like this, MOVIES PAGE, and BUY something(s).