JLA Earth 2 - Grant Morrison & Frank Quitely

The good guys always win. Evildoers are doomed to a life of failure. Superman always defeats Lex Luthor, Batman always kicks Joker’s ass. Traditional superhero comics have focused, for decades, on the triumph of the forces of good. Any reader knows this, but this is isn’t a surprise, after all, even when we go to the movies we expect to see the good guys victorious at the end. 

Obstacles can be hard, villains can be dangerous. None of it matters. If you have your heart on the right side, then you shall be blessed with a happy ending. Grant Morrison, like any other reader, knows this. But instead of simply ignoring the conventionalisms of the superhero genre, he tweaks them a little bit. If superheroes are the undisputed champions of our world, what would happen in a mirror dimension, in which everything works backwards?

Crime Syndicate of Amerika / Sindicato del Crimen de Amerika

In this second planet Earth, the good guys always lose, evil plans are always successful. The Crime Syndicate of Amerika reigns supreme in a world plagued by corruption, depravation and malevolence. Ultraman (the equivalent of Superman) has defeated Lex Luthor over and over again. But as Earth’s last superhero, Luthor must never surrender; and so he uses his genius and his intellect to subdue the CSA. Luthor’s strategy is brilliant. Using alien technology he travels to our world, a world inhabited by noble men and women, a world protected by the Justice League of America. 

The first time I saw the Crime Syndicate of Amerika was in the pages of Crisis on Infinite Earths. Ultraman (Superman), Owl-Man (Batman), Superwoman (Wonder Woman), Johnny Quick (Flash) and Power Ring (Green Lantern) are powerless before the antimatter wave that is devouring the universe. And although their appearance is brief, there was something very appealing about this group of villains inspired in the world’s greatest heroes. 

Morrison, of course, explores the fascinating dynamics of a world dominated by the CSA. And what’s even more impressive is the way in which the Scottish writer fleshes out the personalities of these 5 despots. Ultraman is the opposite of Superman, he has no respect for privacy and with his superior abilities he spies on every single person in the world. He is the Orwellian Big Brother but exponentially more powerful.

Superwoman’s secret identity in this parallel dimension is Lois Lane. But she isn’t the Lois Lane we know: a honest, hardworking and loyal reporter. She is a liar and a provocateur. In fact she cheats on Ultraman all the time, mostly with Owl-Man, but that barely covers her nymphomaniac urges, and she even participates in a degenerate game of fetishism and voyeurism with a very perverted Jimmy Olsen.

Owl-Man is Bruce Wayne. His greatest enemy is his own father, Thomas Wayne; and his greatest ally is Commissioner Gordon, the most corrupted man in Gotham City. Johnny Quick has super-speed thanks to his addiction to a mysterious substance, a drug that he shoots in his arm with the ferocity of a junkie. Power Ring is also a slave of his ring, so instead of the will power of Green Lantern his main characteristic is his submissiveness.

Lex Luthor

When the JLA visits Earth 2, they think they can help this world. They even beat the CSA. But soon they understand that even without the tyrants, everyone in this world is a potential dictator, murderer or criminal. Nothing they do can ever work there. And what’s worse, during this visit, the CSA manages to break the dimensional barrier and they invade our Earth. 

I was very seduced by the idea of fatality. By the notion that, no matter what Lex Luthor does as a hero, he is doomed to fail. And fail he does. Because not even the JLA can bring peace to a tormented world. But, at the same time, when the CSA attacks our dimension, they are easily defeated by Aquaman and Martian Manhunter. Because that’s the way it always works in the comics: the good guys win; the bad guys never have a chance, no matter how much effort they put into it or how effective their stratagems are. Although, at the end of this original graphic novel we can’t really talk about the JLA’s triumph. Sure, they manage to save their world, but they lose the fight in the parallel dimension. There, the CSA continues to reign supreme. And this encounter between two different realities and two different states of mind has left a profound scar in those who defend justice and those who preserve injustice.

Frank Quitely has some truly extraordinary pages here. I love the design of Lex Luthor’s office, and the decoration of the CSA’s bathroom. The scene between Superwoman and Jimmy Olsen is terrific, you can almost see the guy drooling over her. Morrison and Quitely once again prove why they’re one of the most sought-after creative teams. JLA Earth 2 is one of the most creative and entertaining DC graphic novels of the past decade.
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Los buenos siempre ganan. Los malhechores están condenados a una vida de fracasos. Superman siempre derrota a Lex Luthor, Batman siempre le patea el trasero al Joker. Los cómics tradicionales de superhéroes se han enfocado, por décadas, en el triunfo de las fuerzas del bien. Cualquier lector lo sabe, esto no es ninguna sorpresa, después de todo, incluso cuando vamos al cine esperamos que los buenos salgan victoriosos. 

A strange bathroom meeting / una extraña reunión en el baño

Los obstáculos pueden ser difíciles, los villanos pueden ser peligrosos. Nada de esto importa. Si tienes el corazón del lado correcto, entonces serás bendecido con un final feliz. Grant Morrison, como cualquier lector, lo sabe. Pero en vez de simplemente ignorar los convencionalismos del género superheroico, los retuerce un poco. Si los superhéroes son los campeones indisputados de nuestro mundo, ¿qué pasaría en una dimensión paralela, en la que todo funciona al revés?

En este segundo planeta Tierra, los buenos siempre pierden, los planes malévolos siempre son exitosos. El Sindicato del Crimen de Amerika reina supremo en un mundo plagado por la corrupción, la depravación y la malignidad. Ultraman (el equivalente a Superman) ha vencido a Lex Luthor una y otra vez. Pero al ser el último superhéroe de la Tierra, Luthor jamás debe rendirse; así que usa su genio y su intelecto para someter a la SCA. La estrategia de Luthor es brillante. Usa tecnología alienígena para viajar a nuestro mundo, un mundo habitado por hombres y mujeres nobles, un mundo protegido por la Liga de la Justicia de América. 

La primera vez que vi al Sindicato del Crimen de Amerika fue en las páginas de "Crisis en Tierras Infinitas". Ultraman (Superman), Owl-Man (Batman), Superwoman (Wonder Woman), Johnny Quick (Flash) y Power Ring (Green Lantern) eran impotentes ante la antimateria que devoraba el universo. Y aunque su aparición era breve, había algo muy atrayente en este grupo de villanos inspirados en los más grandes héroes del mundo.

Morrison, por supuesto, explora la fascinante dinámica de un mundo dominado por la SCA. Y lo más impresionante es la forma en la que el escritor escocés perfila las personalidades de estos 5 déspotas. Ultraman es lo opuesto a Superman, no tiene ningún respeto por la privacidad y con sus habilidades superiores espía a todas las personas del mundo. Él es el gran hermano Orwelliano pero exponencialmente más poderoso.

Superwoman & Jimmy Olsen

En esta dimensión paralela, la identidad secreta de Superwoman es Lois Lane. Pero ella no es la Lois Lane que conocemos: una reportera honesta, trabajadora y leal. Ella es una mentirosa y una provocadora. De hecho, le saca la vuelta a Ultraman todo el tiempo, sobre todo con Owl-Man, pero eso apenas cubre sus necesidades ninfomaníacas, e incluso participa en un juego degenerado de fetichismo y voyerismo con un Jimmy Olsen muy pervertido.

Aquaman versus Power Ring

Owl-Man es Bruce Wayne. Su mayor enemigo es su propio padre, Thomas Wayne; y su más grande aliado es el comisionado Gordon, el hombre más corrupto de Gotham City. Johnny Quick tiene súper-velocidad gracias a su adicción a una misteriosa substancia, una droga que se inyecta en el brazo con la ferocidad de un adicto. Power Ring (Anillo de Poder) es también un esclavo de su anillo, así que en vez de tener el poder de voluntad de Green Lantern su principal característica es su sumisión.

Cuando la JLA visita Tierra 2, creen que pueden ayudar a este mundo. Incluso vencen a la SCA. Pero entienden que sin los tiranos, todos en este mundo son dictadores potenciales, asesinos o criminales. Nada de lo que hagan podrá funcionar allí. Y lo peor es que, durante esta visita, la SCA se las arregla para romper la barrera dimensional e invadir nuestra Tierra.

Me sedujo mucho la idea de la fatalidad. La noción de que, sin importar lo que haga Lex Luthor como héroe, está condenado a fracasar. Y fracasa. Porque ni siquiera la JLA puede traer la paz a un mundo atormentado. Pero, al mismo tiempo, cuando la SCA ataca nuestra dimensión, son fácilmente derrotados por Aquaman y Martian Manhunter. Porque así es como el asunto funciona siempre en los cómics: los buenos ganan, los malos nunca tienen ni una oportunidad, sin importar cuánto se esfuercen o qué tan efectivas sean sus estratagemas. Aunque, al final de esta novela gráfica original no podemos hablar realmente de un triunfo de la JLA. Claro que salvan su mundo, pero pierden la pelea en la dimensión paralela. Allí, la SCA continúa al mando. Y este encuentro entre dos realidades diferentes y dos estados mentales deja una profunda cicatriz en aquellos que defienden la justicia y aquellos que preservan la injusticia.

Frank Quitely tiene algunas páginas verdaderamente extraordinarias. Me encanta el diseño de la oficina de Lex Luthor, y la decoración del baño de la SCA. La escena entre Superwoman y Jimmy Olsen es estupenda, casi podemos ver cómo el chico se babea por ella. Morrison y Quitely una vez más demuestran por qué son uno de los equipos creativos más premiados. "JLA Earth 2" es una de las novelas gráficas de DC más creativas y entretenidas de la última década.

Mudman # 1 - Paul Grist

Last month I decided to review Grant Morrison’s St. Swithin’s Day, a strong allegory about the Thatcher era illustrated by Paul Grist. Paul is not only an inimitable artist, but he’s also a writer in his own right. Mudman is his newest foray into the world of superheroes and comic books but, of course, since it’s Paul’s book you already know that this is not your typical superpowered crime-fighter. Not by a long shot.

The protagonist of Mudman is Owen Craig, a somewhat gawky teenager that is infuriated by the thought that summer is over and he has to go back to classes. After some juvenile pranks in an abandoned house, something strange happens to Owen, or rather to his body.

And then comes morning and regular routine… except that contact with water turns Owen’s skin into mud. Or is he just imagining all of this? So life goes on as usual, including masturbation jokes courtesy of Owen’s father: “Teen age boys, eh? You’re worse than Emily! I don’t understand how you can manage to spend so long in the bathroom… and yet still have mud behind your ears”.

First day at school is as bad as school usually gets, but Owen seems very concerned about returning to the abandoned house to find out what happened to him. He feels odd, and he starts fearing that perhaps he’s not merely imagining things, changes are indeed occurring in his body.

I have no intentions of spoiling this funny and enticing first issue, suffice to say that it ends on a rather powerful cliffhanger which seems to me like a lost art in most of today’s comic books. I’ve often talked about current writers’ obsession with 6-issue arcs that can fit in nicely in a hardcover and then a trade paperback, many famous scripters seem to have forgotten that every issue can be somebody’s first issue. If you happen to pick up a random title and it doesn’t draw you into a new world, or it doesn’t make you care about the characters, then chances are you won’t be getting back to it. The comic book industry just lost a new customer, and since everyone now writes 6-issue arcs, it’s very hard for new readers to get interested in all these titles that have ‘part 1 of 6’ printed somewhere in the cover.

“But I’m not ‘Writing for the Trade’, I’m writing for the comic. The single issue”, affirms Paul in his introduction. And I couldn’t applaud him more for his decision. Congratulations Paul, for not following the trends and for giving us a very promising and unique title. I recommend Mudman to everyone who’s willing to try something new and especially to those who do not profess that rare dogma of ‘waiting for the trade’.
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El mes pasado decidí comentar "St. Swithin’s Day" de Grant Morrison, una fuerte alegoría sobre la era de Thatcher ilustrada por Paul Grist. Paul no sólo es un artista inimitable, sino también un escritor por derecho propio. "Mudman" es su más reciente incursión en el mundo de los cómics de súper-héroes pero, desde luego, como esta colección es de Paul, ya imaginarán que aquí no verán a los típicos justicieros enmascarados.

El protagonista de "Mudman" es Owen Craig, un adolescente torpe que está furioso ante la perspectiva del fin de las vacaciones y el inicio de clases. Luego de algunas bromas juveniles en una casa abandonada, algo extraño le sucede a Owen, o más bien, a su cuerpo.

Al día siguiente todo es como siempre... excepto que el contacto con el agua convierte la piel de Owen en lodo. ¿O es solamente su imaginación? La rutina diaria continúa, incluyendo algunos chistes sobre masturbación cortesía del padre de Owen: "Chicos adolescentes, ¿eh? ¡Eres peor que Emily! No entiendo cómo te las arreglas para pasar tanto tiempo en el baño... y aún así tener lodo detrás de tus orejas".

El primer día de colegio es tan malo como se pueden imaginar, pero Owen parece estar muy preocupado por regresar a la casa abandonada para averiguar qué fue lo que le sucedió. Se siente extraño, y empieza a temer que algunos de los cambios que ocurren en su cuerpo tal vez no sean productos de su imaginación.

No tengo intenciones de arruinar las sorpresas de este divertido y simpático primer número, basta con decir que termina con un 'continuará' de los que ya casi no se usan. Y es que la obsesión de los escritores actuales es completar arcos argumentales de 6 ejemplares que sean recopilados rápidamente en un tomo de tapa dura (o blanda), muchos guionistas famosos parecen haber olvidado que cualquier número puede ser el primer número de alguien. Si de casualidad compras un cómic y no sientes que te sumerges en un nuevo mundo ni te interesan los personajes, entonces lo más probable es que no regreses. Es decir, la industria del cómic acaba de perder un nuevo cliente, y como ahora todos escriben historias de 6 números, es muy difícil que un nuevo lector se sienta interesado por este títulos que llevan el letrerito de "parte 1 de 6" en alguna esquina de la portada.

"Pero no estoy 'escribiendo para el tomo recopilatorio', estoy escribiendo para el cómic. El número suelto", afirma Paul en su introducción. Y no podría aplaudirlo más por esa decisión. Felicitaciones Paul, por no seguir la moda y por darnos un título único y prometedor. Recomiendo "Mudman" a todos los que estén deseosos de probar algo nuevo y en especial para aquellos que no profesan el raro dogma de 'esperar por el tomo recopilatorio'.

July Comic Books / cómics julio

July was a good month for comics. Out of the 17 issues I bought, I can say I enjoyed Witch Doctor tremendously, as well as the beginning of a new arc in Hack / Slash. Image’s new miniseries The Vault had a very interesting first issue. Alan Moore’s League of Extraordinary Gentlemen was absolutely great. Butcher Baker Candlestickmaker has everything I love about Garth Ennis; and the second issue of Fly was, again, a very pleasant surprise. Boom’s Elric sure seems promising, but not as much as Joe Hill’s new miniseries: Clockworks and The Cape, although with very different tones, these first issues hooked me since page one. And now, without further ado, here there is the complete list of my July comics (as per solicitations):



100 PENNY PRESS WORMWOOD GENTLEMAN CORPSE #1
Ben Templesmith (w & a & c) Ben Templesmith, 30 Days of Night and Fell co-creator, brings his beloved creation Wormwood, Gentleman Corpse, back in an all-new miniseries this month. And for just a single dollar, you can also experience the first issue of Wormwood's initial miniseries and see just how the little corpse-possessing worm got his start.
 BOYS BUTCHER BAKER CANDLESTICKMAKER #1
Writer: Garth Ennis Penciller/Inker/Covers: Darick Robertson The story of Billy Butcher, the Boys' mysterious leader, is told at last. From the backstreets of London's East End to the carnage of the Falklands War, from the heights of love to the depths of tragedy, the most violent man in comics reveals the terrible nature of the forces that drive him. And when he's done, he'll be ready... to finish things once and for all. MATURE THEMES

CAPTAIN AMERICA #1
Written by ED BRUBAKER Pencils & Cover by STEVE MCNIVEN Cover by STEVE MCNIVEN Variant Cover by OLIVIER COIPEL Variant Cover by JOHN ROMITA SR. Variant Cover by NEAL ADAMS Movie Variant Cover also available Blank Variant Cover also available Bestselling Cap writer Ed Brubaker and superstar artist Steve McNiven bring you the next huge chapter in Steve Rogers life, and it's a perfect jumping-on point for fans of the Cap movie. A funeral for a fallen friend turns into a race against time as the original Captain America makes his explosive return! 32 PGS./Rated T+


ELRIC THE BALANCE LOST #1
(W) Chris Roberson (A) Francesco Biagini (C) Francesco Mattina, Benjamin Carre Afterword by Neil Gaiman! For 40 years comic fandom has thrilled to the exploits of Elric since his introduction in Marvel Comics' Conan the Barbarian in the early 1970s. Neil Gaiman called Elric's creator Michael Moorcock 'my model for what a writer was' while Warren Ellis said he is one of the 'eight core sites in my creative genome.' Now the godfather of the Multiverse teams up with hot New York Times bestseller Chris Roberson (Superman, iZombie, Stan Lee's Starborn) for an ongoing series that sees a crisis break out across multiple worlds with Moorcock's other two most famous fantasy franchise characters, Corum of the Scarlet Robe and Dorian Hawkmoon! The workings of Fate are being tampered across the Multiverse, upsetting the Cosmic Balance. Elric is on a quest to restore The Balance and save the Multiverse from ruin! Elric, Corum, and Hawkmoon are forced into action far and wide, but will they fight on the side of Law... or Chaos?


FLY #2 C CVR ERIC J (MR)
Written By Raven Gregory Artwork By Eric J Colors by Michael Garcia Cover C By Ale Garza If your fix on superheroes isn't being whetted by the Big Two, take a taste of Raven Gregory's FLY. One dose and you'll be hooked. - Aint it Cool As a teenager Eddie Patron had thought he'd seen it all. That is until his nerdy friend Francis Keiser introduced him to the drug FLY. Now the sky's the limit and Eddie is about to be introduced to a whole new world. A world that is not without it's consequences. From the mind of the writer of Image Comics THE GIFT, Zenescopes WONDERLAND TRILOGY and THE WAKING comes Raven Gregory's latest tale of suspense set in a world where superheroes aren't really heroes at all... How far would you go to FLY?


HACK SLASH #6 CVR B BELLEGARDE (MR)
story TIM SEELEY art DAN LEISTER cover A DAN LEISTER & RACHELLE ROSENBERG cover B NATE BELLEGARDE 'FAME MONSTER,' Part One Every time Cassie falls asleep, she dreams of another celebrity murder. And when she wake up, she finds it has actually happened! The cast of 'Douche Beach,' the Pouperheus Sisters, Lady Art Projekt, even teen heart throb Kendall Schipp and his millions of 'Worschippers'... none are safe from the Fame Monster!


HAUNTED CITY #0 CVR A RYAN
Peter Johnson - Writer / Michael Ryan - Art / Peter Steigerwald - Colors In the corners of our minds, we find ourselves asking? who protects us from the unknown® Detective Tom Whalen is a 'lifer' on the force, as well as a veteran of the decrepit streets of New York City?along with all the freaks that come with it. Yet, the city might not be anything close to what he thinks it is, in fact-it might just be far worse than he ever imagined! Journey through the supernatural origin and expansion of America's most famous metropolis, New York City, in this introductory HAUNTED CITY zero issue that will uncover those which dwells in the shadows of the paranormal, and also reveals why Detective Whalen may not be able to survive the city he's spent his entire life protecting. Aspen Comics proudly teams up with producer and director McG's Wonderland Sound and Vision to bring you this all-new story that sets the stage for the brand-new HAUNTED CITY #1 issue heading your way next month. Make sure to get in on the ground floor of this incredible new series that's set to take comics and Hollywood by storm! Complete with an additional sketchbook section, never before seen art, and a stunning cover by series artist Michael Ryan, this special #0 issue is not to be missed!


JOE HILL THE CAPE #1 (OF 4)
Joe Hill & Jason Ciaramella (w) o Zach Howard (a) o Howard, Nelson Daniel (c) A line has been crossed. After years of failure, Eric has finally found something he's good at, and is determined to let the world know. The follow-up to December's critically acclaimed, quickly sold-out one-shot, this new miniseries is again written by Jason Ciaramella and Joe Hill, with art by Zach Howard and Nelson Daniel. Explore your dark side.


KIRBY GENESIS #2
Writer: Kurt Busiek Penciller/Inker: Alex Ross, Jackson Herbert Covers: Alex Ross (main), Ryan Sook (1/10) The Midnight Swan is on the loose! The Wanderer has reached Earth! The Godrealms are opened, the Lightning Lady is freed, and dark alliances are formed that even Silver Star and Galaxy Green may not be able to stand against. And in the middle of all this, one young man searches for his lost friend -- only to run afoul of Thunderfoot, the Half-Human. The explosion of cosmic wonder and unbridled adventure ramps up, as Kirby: Genesis continues! Also featuring Captain Victory, Dragonsbane and the Mythics, the Pioneer Two and more!


LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN CENTURY #2 1969
CHAPTER TWO takes place almost sixty years later in the psychedelic daze of Swinging London during 1969, a place where Tadukic Acid Diethylamide 26 is the drug of choice, and where different underworlds are starting to overlap dangerously to an accompaniment of sit-ins and sitars. The vicious gangster bosses of London's East End find themselves brought into contact with a counter-culture underground of mystical and medicated flower-children, or amoral pop-stars on the edge of psychological disintegration and developing a taste for Satanism. Alerted to a threat concerning the same magic order that she and her colleagues were investigating during 1910, a thoroughly modern Mina Murray and her dwindling league of comrades attempt to navigate the perilous rapids of London's hippy and criminal subculture, as well as the twilight world of its occultists. Starting to buckle from the pressures of the twentieth century and the weight of their own endless lives, Mina and her companions must nevertheless prevent the making of a Moonchild that might well turn out to be the antichrist.


LOCKE & KEY CLOCKWORKS #1 (OF 6)
Joe Hill (w) o Gabriel Rodriguez (a & c) Colonel Adam Crais's minutemen are literally trapped between a rock and a hard place; in the first days of the Revolutionary War, they find themselves hiding beneath 120 feet of New England stone, with a full regiment of redcoats waiting for them in the daylight... and a door into hell in the cavern below. The black door is open, and it's up to a 16-year-old smith named Ben Locke to find a way to close it. The biggest mysteries of the Locke & Key series are resolved as Clockworks opens, not with a bang, but with the thunderous crash of English cannons.


MARKSMEN #1 (OF 6)
story DAVID BAXTER & DAVE ELLIOTT art JAVIER ARANDA, GARRY LEACH & JESSICA KHOLINE OF IMAGINARY FRIENDS STUDIOS cover TOMM COKER Sixty years ago the oil ran out and debts were called in. Civil war followed that splintered America into warring fiefdoms. New San Diego is a technocratic utopia that offers the last bastion of peace and prosperity, provided you live within its walls. Drake McCoy is its best protector. McCoy, an expert marksman, defends the city from the numerous threats in the wasteland outside the walls. But when the oil rich Lone Star state sends a powerful army to steal New San Diego's energy technology, even Drake's leadership and skill may not be enough to fend off the siege.


NETHERWORLD #1 (OF 5) CVR A (MR)
Top Cow Productions, Inc. and Heroes and Villains Entertainment present the next evolution of supernatural noir! It's the message on the walls. It's the feeling in your gut. In this city, 'We are all lost.' Ray certainly is; a former cop turned private eye and junkie, haunted by his past in a city with no sun and no hope. A beautiful woman and a slick criminal both offer him the same job: Find a girl named Madeline and bring her to them. Ray doesn't want the job, but he can't just leave this girl in the middle. Thrust into the city's twisted underbelly, Ray will unveil Netherworld's darkest secrets and come face-to-face with his past. Beware, Ray. If you seek the truth, you just might find it. From masters of supernatural terror Bryan Edward Hill and Rob Levin (Pilot Season: 7 Days From Hell, Broken Trinity: Pandora's Box) and the art team of Tony Shasteen and colorist JD Mettler (Witchblade: Annual, Stephen King's Talisman) comes a haunting supernatural noir epic like nothing you've ever seen before.


RED WING #1 (OF 6)
To stay alive in the future, the best fighter pilots in the world not only have to perfect their skills and master their aircraft, they also have to know how to travel through time. Brought to you by award winning writer JONATHAN HICKMAN and possibly the best new talent of the year, NICK PITARRA, the Red Wing is the story of the greatest battle in the history of the history of three worlds.


VAULT #1 (OF 3)
story SAM SARKAR art GARRIE GASTONNY color SAKTI YUWONO cover BAGUS HUTOMO A small team of treasure hunters struggles to excavate a dangerous and legendary treasure pit before a massive storm hits Sable Island, the 'Graveyard of the North Atlantic'. Equipped with all the latest technology, the scientists believe they are prepared against all of nature's fury, but nothing can prepare them for what they are about to unleash from The Vault.


WALKING DEAD #87
story ROBERT KIRKMAN art / cover CHARLIE ADLARD & CLIFF RATHBURN / BW We learn to carry on without them. RETAILER WARNING: MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES


WITCH DOCTOR #2 (OF 4)
story BRANDON SEIFERT art / cover LUKA KETNER Another foray into medical horror from ROBERT KIRKMAN's Skybound Originals line! Is your baby really your baby - or is it a camouflaged monster that's feeding on you while you sleep® An infestation of Cuckoo Faeries is spreading through the nurseries of Arkham, Oregon, and it's up to Dr. Vincent Morrow, the Witch Doctor, to stop it! So why doesn't he want to bother® Plus: Shark cage diving with sea monsters!

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Julio fue un buen mes para los cómics. De los 17 ejemplares que compré, puedo decir que disfruté tremendamente con Witch Doctor, así como con el inicio del nuevo arco argumental de Hack / Slash. La nueva miniserie de Image, The Vault, tiene un comienzo interesante. League of Extraordinary Gentlemen de Alan Moore fue absolutamente genial. Butcher Baker Candlestickmaker condensa lo que más me encanta de Garth Ennis; y el segundo número de Fly fue, de nuevo, una muy placentera sorpresa. Elric de Boom parece prometedor, pero no tanto como las nuevas miniseries de Joe Hill: Clockworks y The Cape, aunque con tonos muy diferentes, estos primeros números capturaron por completo mi atención desde la página uno. Y sin más preámbulos, aquí va la lista de mis cómics de julio:


100 PENNY PRESS WORMWOOD GENTLEMAN CORPSE #1
¿Cuál es el origen de esta criatura capaz de poseer cuerpos?


BOYS BUTCHER BAKER CANDLESTICKMAKER #1
Esta es la historia de BILLY BUTCHER, el misterioso líder del grupo. Desde los callejones del bajo Londres, a la carnicería de la batalla; de la cumbre del amor hasta los abismos de la tragedia, todo es revelado al fin.


CAPTAIN AMERICA #1
El funeral de un amigo se convierte en una carrera contra el tiempo en el explosivo regreso del Capitán América original.


ELRIC THE BALANCE LOST #1
Una crisis amenaza con destruir múltiples mundos, amenazando la balanza cósmica. ELRIC buscará la ayuda de CORUM, el de la túnica roja, y DORIAN HAWKMOON para restaurar el equilibrio, ¿a favor de Caos u Orden?


FLY #2 C CVR ERIC J (MR)
Como adolescente, Eddie pensaba que lo había visto todo. Hasta que su amigo Francis lo introduce en el consumo de la droga FLY. Ahora el cielo es el límite y Eddie pronto conocerá un mundo absolutamente nuevo.


HACK / SLASH #6 CVR B BELLEGARDE (MR)
Cada vez que CASSIE duerme, sueña con el asesinato de una celebridad. Y cuando despierta descubre que, de hecho, así ha sucedido.


HAUNTED CITY #0 CVR A RYAN
Tom es un veterano detective en las decrépitas calles de New York. Sin embargo, la ciudad no es lo que él cree que es. Empieza el viaje que narra el origen de la sobrenatural expansión de la metrópolis más famosa de América.


JOE HILL THE CAPE #1 (OF 4)
Una línea ha sido cruzada. Después de años de fracaso, Eric finalmente ha descubierto para qué es bueno, y todos sabrán qué es.

KIRBY GENESIS #2
El Cisne de Medianoche ha escapado, El Errante ha alcanzado la Tierra, los Reinos Divinos están abiertos, la Dama del Rayo está libre, y ni siquiera Estrella de Plata y Galaxia Verde podrán enfrentar las oscuras alianzas que se han formado. Y en medio de todo ello, un joven busca a una amiga perdida…


LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN CENTURY #2 1969
En la vorágine psicodélica de Londres durante 1969, el ácido es la droga que todos eligen. Los bajos mundos se sobreponen uno encima del otro. Los viciosos gánsteres de los bajos fondos londinenses entran en contacto con una ‘contracultura subte’, de místicos y medicados hijos de las flores o amorales estrellas del pop al borde de la desintegración psicológica y con interés en el satanismo. Alertados sobre una amenaza sobre la orden mágica que investigaron en 1910, una moderna MINA HARKER y su menguante liga de camaradas intentarán navegar por los peligrosos rápidos de la subcultura hippie y la criminal, al igual que el mundo del crepúsculo de los ocultistas. A punto de ceder por las presiones del siglo XX y por el peso de sus propias vidas inmortales, Mina y los suyos deben evitar a toda costa el nacimiento del Niño Lunar, que bien podría ser el anticristo.


LOCKE & KEY CLOCKWORKS #1 (OF 6)
En los primeros días de la guerra revolucionaria, los hombres de Adam Craig se encuentran escondidos bajo 120 pies de piedra de Nueva Inglaterra; y un regimiento de chaquetas rojas los persigue. Con las puertas del infierno abiertas, Ben Locke deberá encontrar la forma de cerrarlas.


MARKSMEN #1 (OF 6)
Hace sesenta años el petróleo se acabó y las deudas mundiales fueron cobradas. Una Guerra Civil despedazó Norteamérica. Ahora, Nuevo San Diego es una utopía tecnocrática, el último bastión de paz y prosperidad para aquellos que viven al interior de sus muros. Con una perfecta puntería, Drake protege a la ciudad de las numerosas amenazas que vienen de afuera. Hasta que el estado petrolero de la Estrella Solitaria manda un ejército.


NETHERWORLD #1 (OF 5) CVR A (MR)
El mismo mensaje se repite en las paredes “estamos perdidos”. Al menos para un ex policía que ha caído en desgracia, así parece ser.

RED WING #1 (OF 4)
Para permanecer vivos en el futuro, los mejores pilotos del mundo no sólo deberán perfeccionar la navegación sino también el viaje temporal.


VAULT #1 (OF 3)
Un pequeño equipo de buscadores del tesoro excava en un legendario pozo antes que una peligrosa tormenta los alcance. Armados con tecnología de punta, están preparados para todo excepto lo que encontrarán.


WALKING DEAD #87
Aprendemos a sobrevivir sin ellos.


WITCH DOCTOR #2 (OF 4)
¿Es tu bebé realmente tu bebé? ¿O es un monstruo camuflado que se alimenta de ti mientras duermes? Doctor Morrow versus la plaga.