Alright, I’m going to really try to start blogging. I promise.

You guys know I love new comics, so this will be one more chance to look at new Comics. I’ll write about a new book or two I’ve picked up just to check them out, and give you the list of what I’m waiting for until the end of the month mail order shipment.

First up:
El Diablo #1
Written by Jai Nitz
Pencils by Phil Hester
DC Comics

This book had 2 things that made me want to pick it up.

1. Phil Hester. I love Phil Hester’s artwork. I’m in fact a bit gay for Phil Hester’s artwork. If he’s doing art, the book at least makes it to the first consideration pile. This book is no exception. Of course, a large part of the beauty of Hester’s work is the inking by Ande Parks. You’ve probably seen them work together on Green Arrow, The Irredeemable Antman, or recently Nightwing. Hester and Parks’ work especially well when the book has a slightly darker look, which this book does. So it’s hitting on all cylinders with some especially great iconography when the main character Chato becomes El Diablo.

2. Luchador Masks Okay, the first issue only has one Luchador style mask, but that’s enough for me. I really hope we see more though. i just love the Luchador aesthetic. Of course, this book actually has nothing to do with Luchadores, aside from a tangential link that Chato is an American of Mexican descent, Luchador is associated with Mexico. Thus Chato’s costume resembles that of a luchador. Weak, I agree.

At least, Jai Nitz tries to quickly move past the necessary and usually overwrought origin story. By the end of this issue, we have our hero in costume, we know what his schtick is. We know why he does it. We get the “why we should care despite the lead being a gang banger at the beginning” story. And a intro to what I can only presume will be his first villain and the mystery of who’s behind it. So when issue 2 arrives we should be able to hit the ground running.

unfortunately all the problems that come from compressing a story in that way appear hear as the main character tells us “why we should care despite the lead being a gang banger at the beginning” instead of showing us why we should care about him. But at least the origin’s not decompressed to a six issue series.

Overall I’d give it a 6/10 on the being too harsh but at least I didn’t leave it on the shelf scale.

What else will I be waiting on from this week?

AAM MARKOSIA
N-Guard #2, $3.50

DARK HORSE
Buffy the Vampire Slayer #18, $2.99

DC COMICS
Green Lantern #34, $2.99
Vinyl Underground #12, $2.99

IDW PUBLISHING
Angel After The Fall #12, $3.99
Galaxy Quest Global Warning #2, $3.99

IMAGE COMICS
Noble Causes #36, $3.50
Savage Dragon #137, $2.99 (which yes, I’m getting just for the cover.)

MARVEL COMICS
Dead Of Night Devil Slayer #1 (of 4), $3.99

I also picked up Fringe #1, which I may review tomorrow, if I think of it.

Anyways, what should I name this column? Weekly Ones? Weekly Progress Report? The Try Pile?
Name the new column, get a free prize. It’ll be cool I promise.

Thanks to those of you that still check in with Comics Radar.

I finally have a space in my schedule where I can start doing the show again. Maybe even, dare I say it, LIVE!!!!

In fact, There would be one now if I hadn’t had to scavenge a bit of my podcast setup for my work setup. I’ll be moving over the next week or so, but after that I’ll be back behind a mic, with hopefully some cool new stuff.

((Trying to get back into my journalism ways. I wrote this to suit the style of the reviews my local newspaper publishes. Comments and criticisms greatly appreciated.))

When the Wachowskis set out to recreate a 40 year old cartoon, you have to think they were aiming at two audiences, preteens that just want to marvel at the flash and bright colors screaming across the screen and their disaffected parents that want a small splash of that childish innocence they held so long ago.

I have good news for the first group. From before the opening ‘Paramount’ scrawl, Speed Racer bathes you in color and lights keeping a fast and light feel for the entire two hour journey. From the brightly clad costumes and neon raceways flying by, it is more fun and cartoony than most recent big screen cartoons. And this is before adding in the intensity of the Imax experience available at some theatres.

But parents will want to watch for one underage middle finger extension and a few mild curse words.

For the second group, if your fond memories derive from the heavy handed drama of whether or not speed racer will be knocked out of the race (he never was) or who really is Racer X, you may enjoy this adaptation as every non-action scene attempts to slam you with melodrama as to how important this race really is. That, and a few touch scenes that call back to the original cartoon is all the nostalgia you’ll find.

Everyone else will find a lighthearted action movie that’s passably acceptable if you can leave your brain at the door as Speed, Emile Hirsch, tries to win races to protect his family and live up to the memory up his super racer brother, Rex.

The cast treats the material with respect. John Goodman acts with a sensible intensity. Hirsch and Christina Ricci, Trixie, have a certain romantic chemistry that would be great in a more serious piece. Roger Allam, Royalton, is as evil and as slimy as possible without becoming a farce. And Paulie Litt, Spritle, with the assist of the monkey Chim Chim, Willy, provide some of the most entertaining moments of the film.

By the time the credits roll, you’ll be either be wishing for an air sickness bag or bouncing around singing the Speed Racer theme song. Either way, it’s one heck of a ride.

 

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show notes by Monday.

 

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Interviews with:
Alp Altiner of Team 14 from Digital Webbing
Richard Moore of Fire & Brimstone from Antarctic Press
Mark A. Smith of Aqua Leung and Kill All Parents from Image Comics
and Rantz Hoseley of Vix and Displaced Persons GN from Image Comics
and we talk about whatever else in previews that looks cool and anything else that comes across our minds.

 Ebook: Download

As promised, here is a 24 page preview for Kill the Revisionist by Chad Lambert & Christopher Steininger.

 

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My personal favorite episode so far, despite a couple audio issues.
This is the first podcast with my new studio setup, let me know what you think of it.
The Skype was fired up and going as Matt and I call:
Wayne Cordova (RadioWayne Podcast) to talk about Megacon and CONning in general.

Chad Lambert to talk about his new OGN, Kill the Revisionist.

Barry Levine, President and Publisher of Radical Comics about their new slate of books

and we call a couple comic shops to see if they’ll be ordering Radical Comics.
Big Dog Comics in Ft. Pierce, FL and
X-treme Comics in Boca Raton, FL

 

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This was recorded in early march, but I haven’t had a chance to sit down with it. So, this is a quick edit version, because we’re recording tomorrow and it’s going straight to tape. Hope this works.

Umbrella Academy
Hellboy: Oddest Jobs
DC: Final Crisis
DC Universe Zero
Joker Half-size Bust
Green Lantern Corp Figure
Sky Doll
Avengers/Invaders
Hulk
Guardians of the Galaxy
Secret Invasion
Captain Britain & MI-13 #1
New Universal
Firebreather
Wildguard: Casting
PVP 10th Anniversary
TopCow Pilot Season
Salem #1
Jim Balent
Dabel Brothers’ Dresden Files, Frankenstein, Wildcards
Damned
100 girls
I was Kidnapped by Lesbian Pirates from Outer Space
Radical Comics Hercules & Caliber

Be Kind Rewind: The Movie
Jumper sucked.

Theme Music: Bad Attraction by Brad Sucks

 

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I’m an idiot. I thought this episode was already uploaded, but I was wrong so here it is. Meanwhile episode 37 is still not showing up on iTunes. Don’t know why. Still waiting to hear from iTunes people.

This episode we hear some excellent listener feedback.
first from Ben UK Check out his blog.
and we got a mention on the farpoint recap
and then we respond to some feedback about Matt’s comments on McDuffie’s JLA from dafixer (check out his podcast) which went from good intentions but somehow set us on a course to offend as many people as possible for the rest of the episode.

then we call some semi-local comic shops to find out what they’re seeing with Brand New Day.

Picture from the Brooklyn Paper

I have an interview coming up with Jay Faerber about his Noble Causes 5 year jump. And you lucky reader/listener get an early look at the cover and first 5 pages.