Showing posts with label IDW Comics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label IDW Comics. Show all posts

September 12, 2018

August Comics / cómics de agosto

My first week in California has been great, and since school hasn't started yet, I had enough time to read August's comics. I'm excited to see classics like Halo Jones recolered, or to see such seminal stories like Kraven's Last Hunt in a deluxe edition. Thor, Hit-Girl, Cinema Purgatorio and Jeepers Creepers were also quite good. There were a lot of amazing comics this month, like the conclusion of the 6-issue arc of The Highest House, Marvel 2-In-One (just as good as Byrne's epic run on the FF) or the third issue of The Magic Order (which keeps getting better and better); however, my favorite comic of the month is American Gods # 5. 

By the way, I already updated the post about July comics, which you can find here:

http://artbyarion.blogspot.com/2018/08/july-comics-comics-de-julio.html

And now, without further ado, here are August comics as per solicitations:


AMERICAN GODS: MY AINSEL #5 
(W) Neil Gaiman, P. Craig Russell (A) P. Craig Russell (CA) Glenn Fabry. Shadow joins the search for a missing girl while continuing to learn about the town he is now calling home. Another 'Coming to America' tale from Mr. Ibis walks us through the troubling history of the African slave trade in the late 18th century, and how a young girl named Wututu brought the beliefs of her homeland with her. The Hugo, Bram Stoker, Locus, World Fantasy, and Nebula Award-winning novel and hit Starz television series by Neil Gaiman is adapted as a comic series!

BALLAD OF HALO HONES TP VOL 02 
(W) Alan Moore (A) Ian Gibson. Comic legend Alan Moore's highly-influential classic of British comics, presented to a new generation colored and remastered for the very first time! 'Where did she go? Out. What did she do? Everything…' Bored and frustrated with her life in 50th-century leisure-ghetto housing estate 'The Hoop,' 18-year-old everywoman Halo Jones yearns for the infinite sights and sounds of the universe. Pledging to escape on a fantastic voyage, she sets in motion events unimaginable; a spell on a luxury space-liner, a brush with an interstellar war - Halo Jones faces hardship and adventure in the name of freedom in the limitless cosmos.

CINEMA PURGATORIO #15 
(W) Alan Moore & Various (A) Kevin O'Neil & Various (CA) Raulo Caceres. Join a master class of sequential artisans as they spin stories to terrify and delight in the finest anthology in comics. Now showing: Cinema Purgatorio by Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill, A More Perfect Union by Max Brooks and Gabriel Andrade, Code Pru by Garth Ennis and Raulo Caceres, Modded by Kieron Gillen and Nahuel Lopez, and The Vast by Christos Gage and Gabriel Andrade. Each story has its own cover by the series artist and there is also an Ancient Tome Premium edition limited to 1000 copies.

DC NATION #3
(W) Tom King & Various (A) Clay Mann & Various (CA) Jorge Jimenez. These stories will appear only in this comic book and will not be reprinted in another comic book before each series' collected editions. Only the first printing of this issue will have a cover price of $0.25. This issue will ship with four covers. Please see the order form for details. Just in time for Free Comic Book Day, this special comic priced at just $0.25 US features three brand-new stories from a lineup of superstar talent-and each tale serves as a prelude to some of the biggest DC events of 2018! First, find out how The Joker reacts when he discovers Catwoman has turned her back on crime and plans to marry his archnemesis. Can the Clown Prince of Crime stand to see Batman happy? Writer Tom King and artist Clay Mann set up the events that lead to BATMAN #50! Then, DARK NIGHTS: METAL shook the DC Universe to its deepest foundations-now it's time to rejoin legendary writer Scott Snyder, along with all-star artist Jorge Jimenez and co-writers James Tynion IV and Joshua Williamson, for the prelude to JUSTICE LEAGUE: NO JUSTICE! Discover what universe-shattering mysteries have emerged from the most wondrous and chaotic corners of the cosmos to hunt the Justice League in DC's summer blockbuster event! And get your first glimpse at Superman's new world in this exclusive preview of the upcoming six-issue miniseries MAN OF STEEL, written by Brian Michael Bendis with art by José Luis García-López. With Truth, Justice and the American Way all under attack, both Superman and Clark Kent find there's never been a more important time to stand up for what they believe in.

HIGHEST HOUSE #6 
(W) Mike Carey (A) Peter Gross (CA) Yuko Shimizu. The creators behind The Unwritten, Mike Carey and Peter Gross, bring their latest masterpiece to a stunning conclusion! A slave boy named Moth has made a pact with a powerful entity called Obsidian that promises advancement and happiness. Clearly, Obsidian has a hidden agenda, but Moth has ambitions and plans of his own. But which one will emerge triumphant? *Retailers: See your order form for incentive information.

HIT-GIRL #6 
(W) Jeff Lemire (A/CA) Eduardo Risso. HIT-GIRL'S IN CANADA.On the second stop of her crime-fighting world tour, Mindy is locked, loaded, and ready to seriously mess up some Canadians. JEFF LEMIRE and EDUARDO RISSO take on MARK MILLAR's psychotic, 12-year-old Hit-Girl as she unravels a drug trafficking operation in the frozen north-and leaves a trail of blood in her wake.

JEEPERS CREEPERS #4 
(W) Marc Andrekyo (A) Kewber Baal (CA) Stuart Sayger. The Secret History of the Creeper continues! Over the centuries, the immortal monster has left a path of misery, despair, and death and as our intrepid researcher Devon uncovers more and more, the Creeper gets angrier and angrier.

MAGIC ORDER #3 
(W) Mark Millar (A/CA) Olivier Coipel. With each wizard brutally murdered, Madame Albany comes another step closer to seizing the dark power of the Orichalcum as her own. The next kill on her list: Leonard Moonstone. Is her gruesome assassin powerful enough to destroy the leader of The Magic Order?

MARVEL-TWO-IN-ONE #8 
(W) Chip Zdarsky (A) Paco Medina (CA) Jay Anacleto. NEXT OF KIN CONTINUES! A new life in a new town on a strange world. Everything has changed for the broken people once known as BEN GRIMM and JOHNNY STORM. But can they repair things before one of their oldest villains puts the nail in the coffin of THE FANTASTIC FOUR? Rated T+

SPIDER-MAN KRAVENS LAST HUNT HC
(W) J.M. Dematteis & Various (A) Mike Zeck & Various (CA) Mike Zeck. One of Spider-Man's greatest stories is re-presented in one deluxe package as J.M. DeMatteis and Mike Zeck craft the ultimate tale of revenge! Kraven the Hunter has stalked and killed every animal known to man. But there is one beast that has eluded him. One quarry that has mocked him at every turn: the wall-crawling web-slinger known as Spider-Man. In his last hunt, Kraven will prove he is the Spider's master - by defeating him, burying him…and becoming him! Plus: DeMatteis and Zeck's soul-searching sequel! Kraven's dazzling debut! And more! Collecting AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (1963) #15 and #293-294; WEB OF SPIDER-MAN (1985) #31-32; PETER PARKER, THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN (1976) #131-132; MARVEL TEAM-UP (1972) #128; AMAZING SPIDER-MAN: SOUL OF THE HUNTER; WHAT IF? (1989) #17; and material from SENSATIONAL SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL '96, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (1999) #634-637 and WHAT THE--?! #3. Rated T+

THOR #4 
(W) Jason Aaron (A/CA) Michael Del Mundo. THOR & THE VALKYRIES TAKE ON THE QUEEN OF CINDERS IN THE WAR FOR HEL! The Queen of Cinders and her fire goblin army have invaded the land of the dead. To keep the afterlife from going up in flames, Thor and his brothers will have to forge alliances with some of their greatest enemies and seek to unlock the secrets of Valhalla and the mighty Valkyries! Rated T+
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Mi primera semana en California ha sido estupenda, y como las clases aún no han comenzado, tuve tiempo suficiente para leer los cómics de agosto. Me encanta ver clásicos como Halo Jones con un buen tratamiento a color, o ver historias tan fundamentales como La última cacería de Kraven en una edición de lujo. Thor, Hit-Girl, Cinema Purgatorio y Jeepers Creepers estuvieron bastante bien. Hubo muchos cómics increíbles este mes, como la conclusión del primer arco de The Highest House, Marvel 2-In-One (tan buena como la épica etapa de Byrne en FF) o el tercer número de The Magic Order (que sigue mejorando cada vez más); sin embargo, mi cómic favorito del mes es American Gods # 5.

Por cierto, ya actualicé la publicación sobre cómics de julio, que podéis encontrar aquí:

http://artbyarion.blogspot.com/2018/08/july-comics-comics-de-julio.html

Y ahora, sin más preámbulos, aquí están los comics de agosto:

AMERICAN GODS: MY AINSEL #5
Shadow se une a la búsqueda de una niña desaparecida mientras continúa aprendiendo sobre la ciudad que ahora llama hogar. Otro relato del Sr. Ibis nos lleva a través de la inquietante historia de la trata de esclavos africanos a fines del siglo XVIII, y sobre que trajo las creencias de su tierra natal con ella.

BALLAD OF HALO JONES 2
Un clásico altamente influyente de los cómics británicos, presentado a una nueva generación en color y remasterizado por primera vez. '¿A dónde fue? Fuera. ¿Qué hizo? Todo... Aburrida y frustrada con su vida en la urbanización de guetos de ocio del siglo 50, Halo Jones, de 18 años, anhela las infinitas vistas y sonidos del universo. Prometiendo escaparse en un viaje fantástico, ella pone en movimiento eventos inimaginables; un hechizo en un crucero espacial de lujo, un desastre con una guerra interestelar: Halo Jones enfrenta penurias y aventuras en nombre de la libertad en el cosmos ilimitado.

CINEMA PURGATORIO #15
Únase a una clase magistral de artesanos secuenciales que crean historias para aterrorizarse y deleitarse con la mejor antología de cómics.

DC NATION #3
(W) Tom King & Various (A) Clay Mann & Various (CA) Jorge Jimenez

HIGHEST HOUSE #6 
¿Cuál de las facciones emergerá triunfante?

HIT-GIRL #6
En la segunda parada de su gira mundial de lucha contra el crimen, Mindy está armada y preparada para aniquilar seriamente a algunos canadienses. Ella va a desenredar una operación de tráfico de drogas en el helado norte y dejará un reguero de sangre a su paso.

JEEPERS CREEPERS #4
¡La historia secreta de la criatura continúa! A lo largo de los siglos, el monstruo inmortal ha dejado un camino de desdicha, desesperación y muerte, y mientras nuestro intrépido investigador Devon descubre más y más, el monstruo se enfurece cada vez más.

MAGIC ORDER #3 
Con cada brujo brutalmente asesinado, Madame Albania da un paso más para apoderarse del poder oscuro del Oricalco como propio. La próxima muerte en su lista: Leonard. ¿Es este asesino horripilante lo suficientemente poderoso como para destruir al líder de la Orden Mágica?

MARVEL-TWO-IN-ONE #8 
Una nueva vida en una nueva ciudad, en un mundo extraño. Todo ha cambiado para los angustiados Ben y Johnny. Pero, ¿pueden reparar las cosas antes de que uno de sus villanos más antiguos ponga el clavo en el ataúd?

SPIDER-MAN KRAVENS LAST HUNT HC
Una de las mejores historias de Spider-Man se presenta nuevamente en una edición de lujo. Kraven el Cazador ha acechado y matado a todos los animales conocidos por el hombre. Pero hay una bestia que lo ha eludido. Una presa que se ha burlado de él en todo momento: el trepamuros conocido como Spider-Man. En su última cacería, Kraven demostrará que es el amo del Hombre Araña, al derrotarlo, enterrarlo... ¡para luego convertirse en él!

THOR #4
Thor y las valquirias se enfrentan a la Reina de las Cenizas y su ejército de duendes de fuego, que han invadido la tierra de los muertos. Para evitar que este reino se incendie, Thor y sus hermanos deberán forjar alianzas con algunos de sus más grandes enemigos y tratar de descubrir los secretos del Valhala y de las poderosas valquirias.

May 23, 2018

April comics / cómics de abril

April was a very special month! I remember, years ago, how I would talk with my friends about the historical day in which Action Comics # 1000 would be released. Although in recent years I’ve lost my interest in the Man of Steel I still enjoyed reading this giant-size special that includes some of the best writers and artists of the comic industry. Batman Creature of the Night continues to surprise and delight me, and the new Kick-Ass is starting to grow on me. The Further Adventures of Nick Wilson #4 was a great issue. American Gods, Diablo House and Astro City were really good, but if I had to choose, my favorite issue of the month would be The Highest House #3. And now without further ado here are April comics as per solicitations:

ACTION COMICS #1000
(W) Brian Michael Bendis & Various (A) Jim Lee & Various (CA) Dave Gibbons. Celebrate 1000 issues of Action Comics with an all-star lineup of top talent as they pay tribute to the comic that started it all! From today's explosive action to a previously unpublished tale illustrated by the legendary Curt Swan to the Man of Tomorrow's future-this very special, oversized issue presents the best of the best in Superman stories! FEATURING ALL-NEW ART AND STORIES BY: • BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS • JOHN CASSADAY • OLIVIER COIPEL • PAUL DINI • JOSE LUIS GARCIA-LOPEZ • PATRICK GLEASON • BUTCH GUICE • GEOFF JOHNS • DAN JURGENS • TOM KING • JIM LEE • CLAY MANN • BRAD MELTZER • JERRY ORDWAY • TIM SALE • LOUISE SIMONSON • SCOTT SNYDER • CURT SWAN • PETER J. TOMASI • MARV WOLFMAN ...AND MORE! DECADES-SPANNING OPEN-TO-ORDER VARIANT COVERS BY: • STEVE RUDE (1930s) • MICHAEL CHO (1940s) • DAVE GIBBONS (1950s) • MICHAEL ALLRED (1960s) • JIM STERANKO (1970s) • JOSHUA MIDDLETON (1980s) • DAN JURGENS (1990s) • LEE BERMEJO (2000s) ...PLUS A BLANK VARIANT COVER!

AMERICAN GODS: MY AINSEL #2 
(W) Neil Gaiman, P. Craig Russell (A) P. Craig Russell (CA) Glenn Fabry. The bizarre road trip across America continues as our heroes gather reinforcements for the imminent god war! Shadow arrives in Lakeside, a small town with more snowdrifts than residents. As he is welcomed by the town's denizens, Shadow becomes more and more drawn into the warmth and safety of his alter ego, Mike Ainsel. The Hugo, Bram Stoker, Locus, World Fantasy, and Nebula Award-winning novel and hit Starz television series by Neil Gaiman is adapted as a comic series!

ASTONISHING X-MEN #8 
(W) Charles Soule (A) Paulo Siqueira (CA) Mike Deodato. A MAN CALLED X Part 2 • One of the most terrifying adversaries the X-MEN have ever faced has returned. • CHARLES XAVIER may have made the greatest mistake of his life. • Still reeling from their narrow escape from the SHADOW KING and the loss of a crucial ally, how will the mutant heroes face an enemy with the power to remake the world? Rated T+

ASTONISHING X-MEN #10 
(W) Charles Soule (A/CA) Aco. A MAN CALLED X Part 4. Evil doesn't always know it's evil. Proteus has a wonderful gift for the world - all he needs is a little time for the finishing touches. The X-Men race north to stop him, and choose their field commander for the battle to come. It's the mutants unleashed at last, fighting Proteus' army for the fate of the planet. Evil doesn't always know it's evil. Rated T+

ASTRO CITY #51
(W) Kurt Busiek (A) Brent Anderson (CA) Alex Ross. Our three-part look into the lives of Astro City 'survivors' continues. A woman coping with a devastating loss joins the support group Michael Tenicek has been running for years. But will Michael help her, or will she tear the group apart? For those damaged by life in Astro City, hope and wonder are elusive things. Featuring Honor Guard, the Hanged Man and more.

BATMAN CREATURE OF THE NIGHT #3
(W) Kurt Busiek (A/CA) John Paul Leon. Bruce Wainwright isn't a child anymore-but the trauma that shaped him, and the monster he created, is still with him! Has Bruce grown enough to deal with the shock when he learns that one of his most closely held beliefs was a lie?

CAPTAIN SWING
(W) Warren Ellis (A/CA) Raulo Caceres. From the sparking-mad mind of Warren Ellis, the creator of TRANSMETROPOLITAN and PLANETARY, comes an electrical romance of a pirate utopia thwarted! In the London of 1830, newly-minted copper Charlie Gravel keeps seeing things he's not supposed to: a crooked Bow Street Runner with a flintlock revolver, high-flying vessels that are not supposed to fly, and the violent Scientific Phantasmagoria popularly known as Spring-Heeled Jack. With the coming of Captain Swing and his Electrical Pirates, history shall never be the same! This crackling new graphic novel is illustrated by Raulo Caceres in a stunning woodcut style, capturing the classic literary feel from days of yore. Available in softcover and hardcover formats, with illustrated covers by Raulo Caceres.

DIABLO HOUSE #4
(W) Ted Adams (A/CA) Santiperez. Do you believe in magic? Many magicians have visited Diablo House to pull back the curtain on unimaginable secrets. Do you dare give it a tug?

FURTHER ADVENTURES OF NICK WILSON #4 
(W) Eddie Gorodetsky, Marc Andreyko (A) Steve Sadowski (CA) Ian Churchill. When a mysterious crippled stranger appears on his doorstep, Nick Wilson discovers that the ramifications of his super-powered past actions have unfolded in unexpected ways.

HIGHEST HOUSE #2 
(W) Mike Carey (A) Peter Gross (CA) Yuko Shimizu. The creators behind The Unwritten, Mike Carey and Peter Gross, invite you into The Highest House, the story of a slave boy named Moth, who makes friends with a powerful entity called Obsidian that promises advancement and happiness. Clearly, Obsidian has a hidden agenda, but Moth has ambitions and plans of his own... * From the creators of The Unwritten, which was twice nominated for the Hugo Award! * Series covers by award-winning illustrator Yuko Shimizu!

HIGHEST HOUSE #3 
(W) Mike Carey (A) Peter Gross (CA) Yuko Shimizu. The creators behind The Unwritten, Mike Carey and Peter Gross, invite you into The Highest House-the story of a slave boy named Moth who makes friends with a powerful entity called Obsidian that promises advancement and happiness. Clearly, Obsidian has a hidden agenda, but Moth has ambitions and plans of his own...

HIT-GIRL #2 
(W) Mark Millar (A) Ricardo Lopez Ortiz (CA) Amy Reeder. Hit-Girl's wreaking havoc in Colombia. Armed to the hilt, she kidnaps the country's most notorious killer-for-hire and sets out to slaughter every gang member and criminal lowlife in Palmira. This is the gloriously violent, frenetic return of the world's most bloodthirsty 12-year-old assassin. MARK MILLAR and RICARDO LÓPEZ ORTIZ join forces for the second installment of Mindy's Colombian adventure.

KICK-ASS #3
(W) Mark Millar (A/CA) John Romita. KICK-ASS IS BACK. Patience Lee's shaking up the city's organized crime rings to feed her family and give stolen money back to the community. But the enemies she's making have friends in low places, friends that will avenge their bosses come hell or high water. The city's most violent offender is fresh out of jail, and he's got Kick-Ass in his sights. The third installment of the high-octane, blood-soaked return of KICK-ASS from MARK MILLAR and JOHN ROMITA JR.

MARVEL-TWO-IN-ONE #5
(W) Chip Zdarsky (A) Valerio Schiti (CA) Nick Bradshaw. FATE OF THE FOUR Part 5 • The Multiverse itself is on the brink of destruction! Ben and Johnny rise up to and stop the ultimate threat of two of their greatest foes! Rated T

RICK VEITCH THE ONE # 3
(W/A/CA) Rick Veitch. Superior War! Charles, Amelia, and Bog, super soldiers who possess extraordinary power and a questionable grip on reality, stalk each other across the globe, setting the stage for an apocalyptic clash of civilizations. Meanwhile, The One, claiming to be a manifestation of humanity's collective consciousness, discovers his shadow side, The Other, lurking in Benway's son. And if that's not enough, Double gives Little Larry the ride of his life-a magical journey to the North Pole that will change him, and perhaps all mankind, forever.
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¡Abril fue un mes muy especial! Recuerdo que, hace años, solía hablar con mis amigos acerca del histórico día en el que se publicase Action Comics # 1000. Aunque en años recientes he perdido mi interés en el Hombre de Acero, de todos modos disfruté leyendo este gigantesco especial que incluye a algunos de los mejores escritores y artistas de la industria del cómic. Batman Creature of the Night continúa sorprendiéndome y deleitándome, y el nuevo Kick-Ass empieza a mejorar. The Further Adventures of Nick Wilson #4 estuvo estupendo. American Gods, Diablo House y Astro City han estado muy bien, pero si tuviera que elegir, mi cómic favorito del mes sería The Highest House #3. Y ahora, sin mayores preámbulos, ahí van los cómics de abril:

ACTION COMICS #1000
¡Celebrad 1000 números de Action Comics con una alineación de estrellas de los mejores talentos que rinden homenaje al cómic que lo inició todo! Desde la explosiva acción de hoy hasta un cuento inédito ilustrado por el legendario Curt Swan hasta el futuro del Hombre del Mañana, este especial gigante presenta lo mejor de lo mejor en las historias de Superman. DESTACANDO EL NUEVO ARTE Y LAS HISTORIAS DE BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS • JOHN CASSADAY • OLIVIER COIPEL • PAUL DINI • JOSE LUIS GARCIA-LÓPEZ • PATRICK GLEASON • BUTCH GUICE • GEOFF JOHNS • DAN JURGENS • TOM KING • JIM LEE • CLAY MANN • BRAD MELTZER • JERRY ORDWAY • TIM SALE • LOUISE SIMONSON • SCOTT SNYDER • CURTA SWAN • PETER J. TOMASI • MARV WOLFMAN ... ¡Y MÁS! • Portada variante DAVE GIBBONS (1950)

AMERICAN GODS: MY AINSEL #2
¡El extraño viaje por América continúa mientras nuestros héroes recogen refuerzos para la inminente guerra de los dioses! Shadow llega a Lakeside, una pequeña ciudad con más acumulaciones de nieve que residentes. Mientras es recibido por los habitantes de la ciudad, Shadow se ve cada vez más atraído por la calidez y seguridad de su alter ego, Mike Ainsel. ¡La novela galardonada con el Hugo, Bram Stoker, Locus, World Fantasy y Nebula Award y la exitosa serie de televisión Starz de Neil Gaiman se adapta como una serie de cómics!

ASTONISHING X-MEN #8
UN HOMBRE LLAMADO X Parte 2 • Uno de los adversarios más terroríficos que ha enfrentado los X-MEN ha regresado. Charles Xavier pudo haber cometido el mayor error de su vida. Aún tambaleándose al escapar del SHADOW KING y tras la pérdida de un aliado crucial, ¿cómo enfrentarán los héroes mutantes a un enemigo con el poder de rehacer el mundo? 

ASTONISHING X-MEN #10
El mal no siempre sabe que es malvado. Proteus tiene un maravilloso regalo para el mundo; todo lo que necesita es un poco de tiempo para los toques finales. Los X-Men corren hacia el norte para detenerlo, y eligen su comandante de campo para la batalla por venir. Los mutantes están desatados por fin, luchando contra el ejército de Proteus por el destino del planeta.

ASTRO CITY #51
Nuestra mirada en tres partes sobre las vidas de los 'sobrevivientes' de Astro City continúa. Una mujer que lidia con una pérdida devastadora se une al grupo de apoyo que Michael Tenicek ha estado funcionando durante años. ¿Pero Michael la ayudará o separará al grupo? Para aquellos dañados por la vida en Astro City, la esperanza y la maravilla son cosas esquivas. Con Honor Guard, The Hanged Man y más.

BATMAN CREATURE OF THE NIGHT #3
Bruce Wainwright ya no es un niño, ¡pero el trauma que lo formó y el monstruo que creó todavía están con él! ¿Ha crecido Bruce lo suficiente como para lidiar con el shock cuando se entere de que una de sus creencias más íntimas era una mentira?

CAPTAIN SWING
¡De la mente de Warren Ellis, creador de TRANSMETROPOLITAN y PLANETARY, surge un romance eléctrico de una utopía pirata frustrada! En el Londres de 1830, el policía novato Charlie Gravel sigue viendo cosas que se supone que no debe ver: un fugitivo retorcido con un revólver de chispa, naves de alto vuelo que no deben volar y la violenta fantasmagoría científica conocida popularmente como Jack de talones alados. ¡Con la llegada del Capitán y sus piratas eléctricos, la historia nunca será la misma! Esta nueva novela gráfica es ilustrada por Raulo Cáceres en un impresionante estilo de grabado, que captura la sensación literaria clásica de antaño.

DIABLO HOUSE #4
¿Crees en la magia? Muchos magos han visitado la Casa Diablo para cerrar la cortina de secretos inimaginables. ¿Te atreves a darle un tirón?

FURTHER ADVENTURES OF NICK WILSON #4 
Cuando aparece un misterioso forastero lisiado en la puerta de su museo, Nick Wilson descubre que las ramificaciones de sus acciones pasadas, cuando tenía poderes, se han desarrollado de maneras inesperadas.

HIGHEST HOUSE #2
MOTH intenta adaptarse a las exigencias del clan.

HIGHEST HOUSE #3
¿Qué significa el primer enamoramiento para un esclavo?

HIT-GIRL #2 
HIT-GIRL está causando estragos en Colombia. Armada hasta las rodillas, secuestra al asesino a sueldo más notorio del país y se dispone a matar a todos los miembros de la banda y delincuentes criminales en Palmira. Este es el regreso gloriosamente violento y frenético del asesino de 12 años más sanguinario del mundo. MARK MILLAR y RICARDO LÓPEZ ORTIZ se unen para la segunda entrega de la aventura colombiana de Mindy.

KICK-ASS #3
Ella está sacudiendo al crimen organizado de la ciudad para alimentar a su familia y devolver el dinero robado a la comunidad. Pero los enemigos que está haciendo tienen amigos en todos los lugares, amigos que vengarán a sus jefes, caiga quien caiga. El delincuente más violento de la ciudad acaba de salir de la cárcel y tiene a KICK-ASS en su punto de mira.

MARVEL-TWO-IN-ONE #5 
¡El Multiverso mismo está al borde de la destrucción! ¡Ben y Johnny se levantan y detienen la amenaza final de dos de sus más grandes enemigos!

RICK VEITCH THE ONE #3
Guerra superior. Charles y Amelia, súper soldados que poseen un poder extraordinario y un control cuestionable de la realidad, se persiguen por todo el mundo, preparando el escenario para un choque apocalíptico de civilizaciones. Mientras tanto, el Uno, que afirma ser una manifestación de la conciencia colectiva de la humanidad, descubre su lado oscuro, el Otro. Y si eso no es suficiente, el Doble le da al pequeño Larry el paseo de su vida: un viaje mágico al Polo Norte que lo cambiará a él, y tal vez a toda la humanidad, para siempre.

December 16, 2012

Frankenstein Alive, Alive # 2 - Steve Niles & Bernie Wrightson

Frankenstein might be an unnatural monster, but he also has enough intelligence to suffer for his condition as an outcast. Attempting to kill himself, he approaches an erupting volcano and is engulfed by the lava. Years later, an expedition led by doctor Simon Ingles rescues the monster from his petrified tomb. 

Frankenstein’s first reaction is pain and despair, because his suicide has been a failure. However, he finds in doctor Ingles a kind and caring soul, a friend at last. Steve Niles reconstructs the darker sides of society’s perception and the condemnation of an intelligent, although monstrous, creature. 

Legendary artist Bernie Wrightson  proves once again why he’s one of the best illustrators in the comic book industry, and unlike many of his contemporaries, he has not only maintained a tremendously high level of quality, he has surpassed it. I’ve followed Wrightson’s work: I’ve seen his Swamp Thing from the 70s, his Freak Show from the 80s, his Creepy collaborations, his work for Marvel in Spider-Man Hooky… And I can’t remember the last time I felt so impressed with his art. Without a shadow of a doubt, “Frankenstein Alive, Alive” is the best artistic creation of 2012 (and probably 2011 and 2010 as well).
the graveyard / el cementerio

So let’s take a look at Wrightson’s pages, starting with the first one. We have a very ominous figure (Frankenstein petrified), able to confuse the emotions of the men in the expedition (should they be worried, intrigued, frightened?). Then we have a double page spread divided in three horizontal frames. The first one shows all the solemnity and majestic architecture of a secluded British mansion. The second one shows Dr. Ingles surrounded by hundreds of embalmed lizards and desiccated animals of impossible features, like a museum of the occult, every single piece here reminds us of horror movies or arcane myths.  

We get to appreciate the magnificent collection of Dr. Ingles in another extraordinarily beautiful double page spread. I stared at this powerful image for several minutes, imagining the natural habitat of that gigantic crocodile dangling from the ceiling, guessing the magical properties of the two-headed monster just above the crocodile, trying to discern the content of dozens of glass jars (in some of them we can see brains, in other fetuses of creatures that have never existed in real life, but in others we can only suppose what’s inside…), counting the skulls and canisters in the shelves, admiring the skeletons of several animals that might (or might not) have existed in the 19th century, wondering what is the origin of a strange mummy that seems to have been screaming at the moment of his mummification, observing the sculptures, statues and totems that the doctor has acquired after a decades-long search.  
click to enlarge / hacer click para agrandar
When Frankenstein explains to Dr. Ingles that he never had the chance to receive a proper education his benefactor considers that illiteracy is a malady “but a malady for which there is ample medicine”. When I saw the doctor’s library I was as amazed as Frankenstein, I was so mesmerized by the amount of books that I took the liberty of counting them, and there are roughly 480 volumes there (does anyone else feel like counting them so that we can compare notes?). But what surprises me the most is the composition and the complete dominion over perspective required to depict such a somber and labyrinthine library. Many artists nowadays simply draw a square with a computer software and create divisions inside of them that can resemble books (I should know, I’ve done that), the resulting image is always insipid and uninspiring, what Wrightson does is calculate every angle, and his thorough brush work adds unique texture, depth and density to all the old manuscripts we manage to see. 
inside the mansion / dentro de la mansión
In the final page we get to inspect the doctor’s extravagant laboratory. Test tubes and potions are a clear homage to classic horror films, and as readers we can only wonder what kind of horrific experimentations does the doctor practice with the blood of the unborn fetuses… he says he’s searching in those “protean humours” a cure against the aging process that affects every cell in our body… but how far will he go in order to rejuvenate himself?

Currently I do try to read my comics calmly, paying attention to the hidden visual clues some artists like to leave in their drawings. Most of the time, however, there is nothing relevant about most pencilers’ work, as it obeys only the most basic functionality of telling the story. Bernie Wrightson doesn’t simply tell a story, he shows us every conceivable aspect, every monster, every nightmarish relic; he creates a mood, an atmosphere, he bends light and shadows like a master, and ignites the power of our imagination like no one else could. 
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Frankenstein puede ser un monstruo antinatural, pero también tiene la inteligencia suficiente como para sufrir por su condición de marginal. Al intentar suicidarse, es engullido por la lava de un volcán en erupción. Años después, una expedición guiada por el Dr. Simon Ingles rescata al monstruo de su tumba petrificada.
the labyrinthine library / la biblioteca laberíntica
La primera reacción de Frankenstein es de dolor y desesperación, porque su suicidio ha sido un fracaso. Sin embargo, encuentra en el doctor Ingles a un alma bondadosa y amable, en definitiva a un amigo. Steve Niles reconstruye los lados más oscuros de la percepción de la sociedad y la maldición de una criatura inteligente pero monstruosa.

El legendario artista Bernie Wrightson demuestra una vez más por qué es uno de los mejores ilustradores de la industria del cómic, y a diferencia de muchos de sus contemporáneos, no sólo ha mantenido un nivel de calidad tremendamente alto, sino que lo ha superado. He seguido el trabajo de Wrightson: he visto su Swamp Thing de los 70, su Freak Show de los 80, sus colaboraciones para Creepy, su trabajo para Marvel en  Spider-Man Hooky... Y no puedo recordar la última vez que quedé tan impresionado con su arte. Sin ninguna duda, Frankenstein Alive, Alive es la mejor creación artística del 2012 (y probablemente del 2011 y el 2010).
the doctor's laboratory / el laboratorio del doctor

Así que miremos las páginas de Wrightson, y empecemos con la primera. Tenemos una figura muy ominosa (Frankenstein petrificado), capaz de confundir las emociones de los hombres en la expedición (¿deberían estar preocupados, intrigados, asustados?). Luego, tenemos una página doble dividida en tres viñetas horizontales. La primera muestra toda la solemnidad y la arquitectura majestuosa de una mansión británica. La segunda muestra al Dr. Ingles rodeado de cientos de lagartos embalsamados y animales disecados de rasgos imposibles, como un museo de lo oculto, cada objeto aquí nos recuerda a películas de terror o mitos arcanos.

Podemos apreciar la magnífica colección del Dr. Ingles en otra página doble de extraordinaria belleza. Me quedé mirando esta poderosa imagen por varios minutos, imaginando el hábitat natural de ese gigantesco cocodrilo que cuelga del techo, adivinando las propiedades mágicas del monstruo de dos cabezas que está encima del cocodrilo, intentando distinguir los contenidos de docenas de potes de vidrio (en algunos vemos cerebros, en otros fetos de criaturas que nunca existieron en la vida real, pero en otros sólo podemos suponer qué es lo que hay adentro...), contando los cráneos y las redomas en las repisas, admirando los esqueletos de varios animales que podrían (o no) haber existido en el siglo XIX, fantaseando cuál sería el origen de una extraña momia que parece haber estado gritando al momento de su momificación, observando las esculturas, estatuas y tótems que el doctor ha adquirido tras décadas de búsqueda.

Cuando Frankenstein le explica al Dr. Ingles que nunca recibió una educación apropiada, su benefactor considera que la ignorancia es una enfermedad "pero una enfermedad para la que hay abundante medicina". Cuando vi la biblioteca del doctor quedé tan asombrado como Frankenstein, también quedé hipnotizado por la cantidad de libros y me tomé la libertad de contarlos y hay alrededor de 480 volúmenes allí (¿alguien más se anima a contarlos para comparar notas?). Pero lo que más me sorprende es la composición y el dominio completo de la perspectiva requeridos para darle forma a esta sombría y laberíntica biblioteca. En la actualidad muchos artistas sólo dibujan una rectángulo usando algún software y crean divisiones que se asemejan a libros (yo mismo lo he hecho alguna vez), pero la imagen resultante es siempre insípida y poco inspiradora, lo que Wrightson hace es calcular cada ángulo, y su pulcro pincel añade una textura única, una profundidad y una densidad a todos los manuscritos que podemos ver.

En la página final podemos inspeccionar el extravagante laboratorio del doctor. Los tubos de ensayo y las pociones son un claro homenaje a las películas clásicas de terror, y como lectores nos queda preguntarnos qué tipo de horrendos experimentos practica el doctor con la sangre de fetos nonatos... él dice que busca en esos "humores proteicos" una cura contra el proceso de envejecimiento que afecta a todas las células del cuerpo... ¿pero qué tan lejos llegará para rejuvenecerse?

Por lo general, intento leer mis cómics con calma, y presto atención a las pistas ocultas visuales que algunos artistas dejan en sus dibujos. La mayoría de las veces, sin embargo, no hay nada relevante en el trabajo del dibujante de hoy, que obedece a la funcionalidad más básica de la narración. Bernie Wrightson no cuenta una historia simplemente, él nos muestra cada aspecto concebible, cada monstruo, cada reliquia de pesadilla; crea un estado, una atmósfera, retuerce la luz y las sombras como un maestro, y enciende el poder de nuestra imaginación más que ningún otro.

December 14, 2012

November comic books / cómics de noviembre


It took me a few days to read my November comics, but I’d like to share with you my opinions before I start reviewing them. This month I got to read some very interesting first issues, such as Great Pacific and Clone, which I’ll continue to buy. Sadly, that’s not the case with Bedlam, although I really enjoyed the script and the ideas presented in this first chapter, the art simply let me down. I’ve already written about Happy # 2 this week, but I intend to do the same with Lot 13, damn that was really great! I’m already writing about Frankenstein Alive Alive, which was delayed a few months but it was so amazing that it was totally worth the wait. 

Locke & Key Omega was also a very compelling first issue, although I can’t say the same about IDW’s Judge Dredd which lacks the sophistication and humor that only British authors are able to imbue in the lawmaker from the future. November also marks the end of The Boys with issue # 72, easily one of the best titles I’ve read in the past 6 years, and personally my favorite work from Garth Ennis. I’ll really, really miss it. And I promise to start reviewing it in 2013, because I just need to share with others how fascinating this was. And now, without further ado, here are November comics as per solicitations.

BEDLAM #1 
(W) Nick Spencer (A) Riley Rossmo (CA) Frazer Irving. Fillmore Press was once Madder Red, a homicidal maniac and criminal overlord who terrorized the town of Bedlam for years. Then he got better. This is what happens next. A double-sized introduction to a blood-soaked cityscape of murder, mayhem, and mystery by NICK SPENCER (MORNING GLORIES, THIEF OF THIEVES) and RILEY ROSSMO (REBEL BLOOD, GREEN WAKE)! 

BOYS #72 (MR)
(W) Garth Ennis (A/CA) Darick Robertson. THE FINAL ISSUE! The long day closes on the Brooklyn Bridge, as our hero finally meets his destiny. There's one last deal to be done, As Stillwell finds out the real cost of doing business, and one last surprise for Rayner too - as she begins her long-dreamed of political career. The Boys' story comes to an end in this final issue containing 24 pages of story! Contains 5 pin-up pages of brand-new art as well as a complete cover gallery!

CLONE #1 
(W) David Schulner (A/CA) Juan Jose Ryp, Felix Serrano From ROBERT KIRKMAN's Skybound imprint, comes a sci-fi story like you've never seen before! Dr. Luke Taylor's perfect life comes to a dramatic halt when an identical, bloodied version of himself arrives at his doorstep with news that he is one of many clones… and they're all after his pregnant wife and their unborn child!

COLDER #1 (OF 5) (MR) 
(W) Paul Tobin (A/CA) Juan Ferreyra Declan Thomas's body temperature is dropping. He never gets sick, never feels pain. An ex-inmate of an insane asylum that was destroyed in a fire, he has the strange ability to step inside a person's madness and sometimes cure it. He hopes to one day cure his own, but time is running out, because when his temperature reaches zero . . . it's over. 

FASHION BEAST #3 (MR)
Writer: Alan Moore Cover & Art:  Facundo Percio  Battered and bruised, Doll discovers that to defy Celestine is to look death in the eyes.  The world is on the precipice of nuclear annihilation and society focuses a vehement anger upon the extravagances of a fashion driven culture.  But as the tarot cards are turned, Doll finds that her obstinance has put her front and center among the playthings of a powerful madman.  And to be at the top is an invitation to be in the crosshairs.  Fashion Beast brings Alan Moore's unearthed masterpiece into the limelight after nearly thirty years!  Available with a Regular or Wraparound Cover by series artist Facundo Percio or Haute Couture Incentive (by Percio) or the very rare Tarot (by Paul Duffield) Incentive cover.

FATALE #4 (MR)
The surprise hit of 2012 continues! FATALE's first arc veers dangerously toward its crushing end... all the pieces are in place, Josephine and her lover are prepared to execute their plan, but only one of them knows what kind of men (or demons) they're dealing with. Nothing will go as planned, and there will be blood. And remember, FATALE is packed with extras - text pieces, art, paintings - that are only included in the printed comics, so don't miss an issue! 
My drawing / mi dibujo

FLY VOL II #1 (OF 5) A CVR MACK (MR) 
(W) Raven Gregory (A) TBD (CA) David Mack Written By Raven Gregory Cover A By David Mack Wizard World, Pop Culture Addict, Comic Buzz, Talking Comics and Geekadelphia - Best Comic of 2011 The series that everyone is talking about returns and a BRAND NEW STORY ARC BEGINS!!! After the life shattering events of the last volume of FLY, Eddie is now a broken man set on a path of self destruction he may not escape. Meanwhile Francis sets his end game plan in motion and the Hero is about to get a deadly taste of his own vengeful medicine. The critically acclaimed series continues! Set in a world where the super heroes aren't really heroes at all...How far would you go to Fly® From the creative team of the hit series Alice in Wonderland and featuring three incredible covers by the legendary David Mack (Kabuki), Ale Garza (Deadpool) and Darick Robertson (The Boys).

FRANKENSTEIN ALIVE ALIVE #2
(W) Steve Niles (A/CA) Bernie Wrightson
Legendary artist Bernie Wrightson returns to Frankenstein with a comic series that picks up at the end of Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley's classic novel, hailed as one of the greatest horror stories of all time. Frequent Wrightson collaborator Steve Niles provides the script for this epic, decades in the making.

GREAT PACIFIC #1 (MR)
(W) Joe Harris (A/CA) Martin Morazzo. 'TRASHED!' Part One Chas Worthington dreams of big things, solving bigger problems, and making his mark on the world. Only no one takes the twenty-one year-old heir to one of the biggest oil fortunes in history very seriously. That is, until he turns his back on his cushy life of wealth and prestige, and seeks to solve an environmental disaster twice the size of his native Texas known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. The epic sci-fi adventure and survival tale begins! 

HAPPY#2 (of 4) 
(W) Grant Morrison (A/CA) Darick Robertson. Trapped in a mob hospital at the mercy of the cold-eyed torture expert Smoothie and his team of dedicated sadists, the only hope for Nick Sax is Happy the Horse! With three days to Black Christmas, can our unlikely duo stay together long enough to stop Pedo-Santa's rampage?

HIT-GIRL #4 (MR) 
(W) Mark Millar (A/CA) John Romita. Mindy finally gets an ultimatum: No more Hit-Girl or else. But when danger lands on her doorstep, Hit-Girl may face her biggest challenge yet: not spilling blood on the living room carpet. Meanwhile, Red Mist lives out his Bruce Wayne fantasy abroad. A limited edition variant by Geof Darrow will be released for this issue.

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #517 
(W) Matt Fraction (A/CA) Salvador Larroca • If Tony Stark isn't Iron Man, then who's the guy in the suit® • Zeke Stane digs for he truth • Spymaster racks up his victims 

JUDGE DREDD #1 
(W) Duane Swierczynski (A) Nelson Daniel, Paul Gulacy (CA) Zach Howard & Various In the 22nd century, crime runs rampant in Mega-City One, home to over 400 million citizens, robots, criminals and lunatics. The only line of defense between anarchy and chaos are… the Judges. And Judge Dredd is the toughest of them all. In this, Judge Dredd's 35th anniversary year, IDW is proud to re-introduce Judge Dredd to America in this all-new ongoing series.

LOCKE & KEY OMEGA #1 (OF 7) 
(W) Joe Hill (A/CA) Gabriel Rodriguez The Locke family's story began in 2007 in Welcome to Lovecraft, and after five years of tension and terror, there are only seven issues left to their story. The beginning of the end starts here. Dodge has the Omega key, and nothing can stop him from using it…

LOT 13 #1 (OF 5) (MR) 
(W) Steve Niles (A/CA) Glenn Fabry • A terrifying new horror series from the ghoulish minds of Steve Niles (30 Days of Night) and Glenn Fabry (PREACHER)! • A family making a cross-country move makes a horrifying discovery in an old apartment complex. Can they survive the night?

UNWRITTEN #42 
(W) Mike Carey (A) Peter Gross (CA) Yuko Shimizu. The land of the dead is just a story, but Tom Taylor is going there anyway on a rescue mission that hasn't been tried since Orpheus - provided he can get the door to open in the first place. And provided the worlds of story are still there... A hungry vampire and two misfit lovers gather around the campfire in 'Live Like Lazarus.'

UNWRITTEN #43 (MR)
(W) Mike Carey (A) Peter Gross (CA) Yuko Shimizu. What do Baron Munchausen, a Jane Austen heroine, a homicidal bear and three bad rabbits have in common? They're all either helping or sabotaging Tom Taylor on the next leg of his quest to find Lizzie and bring her back from the land of the dead...

WALKING DEAD #104 (MR)
(W) Robert Kirkman (A) Charlie Adlard, Cliff Rathburn (CA) Charlie Adlard. If you won't handle this... I will. 
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Tardé algunos días en leer mis cómics de noviembre, pero me gustaría compartir mis opiniones antes de empezar a reseñarlos. Este mes leí algunos primeros números muy interesantes, como "Great Pacific" y "Clone", y seguiré comprándolos. Lo triste es que ese no será el caso con "Bedlam", aunque realmente disfruté con el guión y las ideas presentadas en este primer capítulo, el arte me desilusionó. Ya he escrito sobre Happy # 2 esta semana, pero mi intención es hacer lo mismo con "Lot 13", qué buen número, demonios. Ya estoy escribiendo sobre "Frankenstein Alive Alive" que se atrasó algunos meses pero fue tan asombroso que la espera valió la pena de todas maneras.

"Locke & Key Omega" tuvo un primer número cautivador, aunque no puedo decir lo mismo del Judge Dredd de IDW que carece de la sofisticación y el humor que sólo los autores británicos son capaces de imbuir en este justiciero del futuro. Noviembre también marca el fin de "The Boys" con el ejemplar # 72, sin duda uno de los mejores títulos que he leído en los últimos 6 años, y mi obra favorita de Garth Ennis. La extrañaré mucho, de verdad. Y prometo empezar a reseñarla el 2013, porque necesito compartir con otros lo fascinante que fue. Y ahora, sin mayores preámbulos, aquí están los cómics de noviembre.

BEDLAM #1
FILLMORE PRESS fue alguna vez Rojo Enloquecido, un maníaco homicida y un señor del crimen que aterrorizó a la ciudad de BEDLAM por años.

BOYS #72 (MR)
El largo día termina en el puente de Brooklyn. ¿Cuál será el destino final? Hay un último trato que debe hacerse, y una última sorpresa.

CLONE #1
La vida perfecta del doctor Luke Taylor se ve alterada cuando una ensangrentada versión idéntica a él toca su puerta, se trata de uno de muchos clones suyos que lo persiguen a él y a su esposa embarazada.

COLDER #1 (OF 5) (MR)
La temperatura del cuerpo de Thomas está bajando. Él nunca se enferma ni siente dolor. Tiene la extraña habilidad de meterse en la locura de los otros, y a veces curarla. Y espera, un día, poder curar la suya.

FASHION BEAST #3 (MR)
Maltrecha y golpeada, DOLL descubre que desafiar a CELESTINE es mirar a la muerte a los ojos. El mundo está al borde de la aniquilación nuclear y la sociedad se enfoca con ira vehemente en las extravagancias de una cultura dominada por la moda. Con las cartas del tarot, DOLL descubre que su obstinación la coloca en medio de los planes de un poderoso lunático. 

FATALE #4 (MR)
Todas las piezas están en su lugar. El plan está listo para ser ejecutado, pero ¿a qué clase de hombres (o demonios) se enfrentan?

FLY VOL II #1 (OF 5) A CVR MACK (MR)
Luego de los impactantes eventos del primer volumen, Eddie es ahora un hombre arruinado y rumbo a la autodestrucción. Mientras, Francis empieza con sus planes, el héroe obtendrá una cucharada mortal de su propia medicina. En un mundo inmoral, ¿qué tan lejos llegarías con tal de poder volar?

FRANKENSTEIN ALIVE ALIVE #2
La historia inicia justo donde termina la obra de Mary W. Shelley.

GREAT PACIFIC #1 (MR)
Chas sueña en grande, sueña con solucionar problemas serios y dejar su marca en el mundo. Pero nadie se toma en serio a este chico de 21 años, heredero de una fortuna petrolera. Hasta que él la da la espalda a su cómoda vida, y trata de resolver el desastre medioambiental de Texas.

HAPPY#2 (of 4)
Atrapado en un hospital de la mafia a merced de un torturador experto y su equipo de dedicados sádicos, la única esperanza de Nick es el Caballo Feliz. Faltan tres días para la navidad negra, ¿podrá este curioso dúo mantenerse unido y detener al Papa Noel pedófilo?

HIT-GIRL #4 (MR)
Mindy recibe un ultimátum: los días de HIT-GIRL se terminaron. Pero cuando el peligro llega a casa, ella enfrentará su más grande reto. No derramar sangre en la alfombra de la sala. Mientras, RED MIST se va de viaje. 

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #517
Si Tony no es IRON MAN, ¿quién es el tipo dentro del traje?

JUDGE DREDD #1
En el siglo XXII, el crimen asola a Mega-City Uno, hogar de 400 millones de ciudadanos. La única línea de defensa entre la anarquía y el caos son los jueces. Y JUDGE DREDD es el más duro de todos.

LOCKE & KEY OMEGA #1 (OF 7)
El principio del fin está aquí. Dodge tiene la llave Omega.

LOT 13 #1 (OF 5) (MR)
Una familia que se muda al otro lado del país descubre algo horroroso en un complejo de departamentos. ¿Podrán sobrevivir esa noche?

UNWRITTEN #42 (MR)
La tierra de los muertos es sólo una historia, pero Tom Taylor irá allí de todos modos en una misión de rescate que no ha sido intentada desde los tiempos de Orfeo… siempre y cuando pueda abrir la puerta. Un vampiro hambriento y dos amantes marginales se reúnen en “Vive como Lázaro”.

UNWRITTEN #43 (MR)
¿Qué tienen en común una heroica Jane Austen, un oso homicida y tres conejos malos? Ellos ayudarán o sabotearán la misión de Tom Taylor. 

WALKING DEAD #104 (MR)
Si tú no arreglas esto… yo lo haré.

July 22, 2012

Frankenstein Alive, Alive # 1 - Steve Niles & Bernie Wrightson

When I was 11 or 12 years old I snuck out of my school library a collected edition of Bernie Wrightson’s Freakshow. I had been reading horror stories for a couple years, but this was the first comics that actually scared me. There was something unique about human deformity and ugliness, and the way Wrightson would portray such a motley crew of misfits. Monsters can be heterogeneous, and that’s what Bruce Jones and Bernie Wrightson had in mind when they produced one of the best horror classics of the American comic book industry. In a similar venue, that’s exactly what Tod Browning tried to communicate to us when he directed Freaks in 1932, which is already a classic of the American film industry.

So it’s all about classics here, and what greater classic of fantastic literature than Mary W Shelley’s Frankenstein? Bernie Wrightson had already adapted the novel a couple of decades ago, and now with the help of writer Steve Niles, he revisits a character that has been immortalized in movies and even TV shows. “Frankenstein or the Modern Prometheus” was a novel written in the 19th century. At the end of the book, the monster created by Victor Frankenstein is ridden by guilt. After the demise of his creator, the monster feels compelled to find his own death and vanishes into the North Pole.

This is the starting point for Frankenstein Alive, Alive. Here, the monster has already tried to freeze to death to no avail. Committing suicide is not easy for an unnatural creature such as himself. Eventually, he ends up in a circus, he’s part of the freak show and is displayed alongside bearded women, hydrocephalic men, genetically deformed people, horrors of nature that are now part of a show for civilized people. The scenario is very similar to the one we’ve seen in Wrightson’s Freakshow or Browning’s Freaks, although here Frankenstein is more horrible and repulsive than any of the other freaks.
The freakshow / el espectáculo de los fenómenos
Frankenstein is like Borges’s Minotaur in “The House of Asterion”, he’s well aware of the hatred directed towards him, he’s human enough to suffer as an outcast but at the same time his monstrosity prevents him from dying: “My very appearance in any town or village provoked such agitation, fear, and hostility that I was quickly run out of town. I had done nothing. Their fear was solely based on my appearance”.
Frankenstein in the circus / Frankenstein en el circo
This is not a story about humans chasing down a monster, this is a story about a monster who considers himself human although his physiognomy is evidence of the contrary. IDW has had the brilliant idea of publishing this miniseries in glorious black and white. We can appreciate every artistic detail in this edition. Wrightson uses pencils, brushes and nibs and Chinese ink. The result is of such a captivating beauty that one can’t stop thinking about masters such as Goya or Rembrandt.  
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the modern Prometheus / el Prometeo moderno
Cuando tenía 11 o 12 años, saqué de la biblioteca de mi colegio un tomo recopilatorio que incluía "Freakshow" de Bernie Wrightson. Había estado leyendo historias de terror por un par de años, pero estos fueron los primeros cómics que realmente me podían asustar. Había algo único en cuanto a la deformidad y la fealdad humana, y el modo en Wrightson retrataba a una horda de desadaptados. Los monstruos pueden ser heterogéneos, y eso es lo que Bruce Jones y Bernie Wrightson tenían en mente cunado produjeron uno de los mejores clásicos del terror de la industria del cómic norteamericano. De modo similar, eso es exactamente lo intentó transmitir Tod Browning cuando dirigió "Freaks" en 1932, que es ya un clásico de la industria del cine estadounidense.
a lonely monster / un monstruo solitario

Así que estamos hablando de clásicos, y ¿qué mayor clásico de la literatura fantástica que Frankenstein de Mary W Shelley? Bernie Wrightson ya había adaptado la novela hace un par de décadas, y ahora, con la ayuda del escritor Steve Niles, retorna al personaje que ha sido inmortalizado en el cine y hasta la televisión. "Frankenstein o el Prometeo moderno" fue una novela escrita en el siglo XIX. Al final del libro, el monstruo creado por Victor Frankenstein es asediado por la culpa. Luego de la muerte de su creador, el monstruo siente la necesidad de encontrar su propia muerte y se desvanece en el Polo Norte.
trapped on ice / atrapado en el hielo

Y este es el punto de inicio de "Frankenstein Alive, Alive". Aquí, el monstruo ha intentado congelarse hasta morir sin éxito. El suicidio no es sencillo para una criatura antinatural. Eventualmente, termina en un circo, como parte del espectáculo de fenómenos, y es mostrado al lado de mujeres barbudas, hombres hidrocefálicos, personas deformadas genéticamente, horrores de la naturaleza que son un espectáculo para la gente civilizada. El escenario es muy similar al que hemos visto en "Freakshow" de Wrightson o en "Freaks" de Browning, aunque aquí Frankenstein es más horrible y repulsivo que cualquier otro fenómeno.

Frankenstein es como el Minotauro de en “La casa de Asterion”, es muy consciente del odio dirigido hacia él, es lo suficientemente humano para sufrir como un marginado pero al mismo tiempo su monstruosidad le impide morir: "Mi sola apariencia en cualquier poblado o villa provocaba tal agitación, miedo y hostilidad que era rápidamente expulsado del pueblo. No había hecho nada. Su miedo se basaba enteramente en mi apariencia".

Esta no es una historia sobre humanos que cazan a un monstruo, esta es una historia sobre un monstruo que se considera a sí mismo humano aunque su fisionomía demuestre lo contrario. IDW ha tenido la brillante idea de publicar esta miniserie en glorioso blanco y negro. Podemos apreciar cada detalle artístico en esta edición. Wrightson utiliza lápices, pinceles y plumillas, y tinta china. El resultado es de una belleza tan cautivadora que uno no puede dejar de pensar en maestros como Goya o Rembrandt.