Comic Cover Of The Week: The Human Target #1

Welcome back, fellow fans of fantastic fiction, to another cool, compelling and creatively compulsory – Comic Cover Of The Week! And what a cover we have for you this week, the deftly defined drawing skills of gregarious – Greg Smallwood are put to sublime use in the premier issue of DC’s Human Target, and combined with the superstar scripting scribe that is – Tom King (Mister Miracle/Strange Adventures) this fantastic first issue is an absolute must buy!

Christopher Chance has made a living out of being a human target, a man hired to disguise himself as his client, as to invite would be assassins to attempt his murder. He’s had an absolutely remarkable career, that is until his latest case, protecting Lex Luthor, when things go sideways. An assassination attempt that Chance did not see coming leaves him vulnerable and left trying to solve his very own murder! Now he has just twelve days to discover just who in the DC Universe hated Luthor enough to want him dead (Seriously! I mean that would be pretty much everyone, right?)

Human Target is a hard-boiled detective noir tale, with absolutely gorgeous visuals by Greg Smallwood, and yet another sublime story from the palpably persistent pen of astounding auteur – Tom King, and if that wasn’t enough awesome for one issue, this titanic tale also benefits from the presence of THE greatest line up in Justice League history – the infamous and incorrigible – Justice League International! I mean, who can say no to the brilliance that is Blue Beetle and Booster Gold, Fire and Ice, Mister Miracle and Big Barda, Rocket Red, Captain Atom, Guy Gardner, Gnort, Martian Manhunter, Black Canary, and, of course… The Batman!

The Human Target #1 Is Available To Buy From Your Local Comic-Book Emporium Right Now!

Comic Cover Of The Week: Supergirl – Woman Of Tomorrow #4

Welcome back, oh fellow fans of fantastic fiction, to another cool and compelling compendium of comic cover collectables as we highlight this weeks outstanding offering from the bedazzling and bodacious – Bilquis Evely!

Supergirl: Woman Of Tomorrow has been a delirious delight from its very first issue onward, the Tom King penned opus has been a resounding success for fan and critic alike, but that was never really in any doubt when you have the superstar scribe behind such classics as Mister Miracle and Strange Adventures. But for this particular fan of the Woman of Steel it has been the absolutely vivacious visuals of Bilquis Evely that sold me on the series, they are stunning to behold, beautiful in-depth line work and detail, which in turn are ascended to even greater heights by the bold and gorgeous colours of Matheus Lopes… this magnificent mini-series is the absolute definition of high art!

This impeccable issue finds Supergirl setting her sights on The Brigands, a group of iniquitous nomads hell-bent on slaughtering all they come across. Now Kara must follow in their path of destruction to find the fugitive they’ve been concealing, whom initially set her on this on this intergalactic odyssey in the first place. Supergirl: Woman Of Tomorrow #4 is another sublime chapter in the stunning series by King and Evely, and if you haven’t already taken the plunge on this breathtaking book, then why not don your red cape and boots and super-speed over to your local comic-book emporium and ask, nay demand, that the proprietor hand over a copy tout-suite!

Supergirl: Woman Of Tomorrow Is Available From Your Local Comic-Book Emporium Right Now!

Precinct1313 Recommends: Rorschach #1

He’s Back! and I’m not necessarily talking about this series’ titular protagonist, but the brilliance that is writer Tom King, the Mister Miracle, Adam Strange and Batman scribe attunes his incredible skill towards Watchmen’s uncompromisingly violent masked vigilante, Rorschach, with this brand new 12 issue Black Label maxi-series.

Tom King and Jorge Furnes’ thematic transposition of Alan Moore’s sociopathic anti-hero Rorschach takes its cues from a myriad of other sources aside from the original groundbreaking 80’s Watchmen series. The recent (and really quite brilliant) HBO Watchmen series is a definite influence upon the narrative contained within this first issue, with many of the exemplary plot-lines and story beats from the television show appearing as canon to the unfurling saga of King’s take on Walter Kovacs’ unstable alter ego.

The premier issue reads very much like a sociopolitical police procedural drama, this apparent new variant of Rorschach actually dies in the very first pages of the book, with his identity later assumed to be that of a reclusive comic-book creator, whom for years after his success as a writer of popular pirate comics, hid himself from public scrutiny. This is obviously a nod to the great Steve Ditko, the Spiderman creator who also ushered into existence the DC Comics character – The Question, who in turn was Alan Moore’s eventual inspiration for Rorschach… meta narrative is king here!

A compelling and intriguing beginning for DC’s newest take on a classic character, the narrative certainly plays upon the growing political dissonance perpetuating in the media in the real world, the story itself is based during a presidential election in 2020. Tom King is an absolute master of weaving current political and media discourse into his comic-book chronicles, and Rorschach appears to be following that sublime template. Jorge Furnes’ art compliments King’s writing beautifully, characterful and expressive, his style absolutely fitting to the world that is Watchmen, yet still manages to retain its own individuality.

Rorschach #1 is a must buy if you’re in anyway shape or form a fan of Rorschach or Watchmen, another engrossing and profound tale from superstar scribe Tom King, with fantastic art by Jorge Furnes. The first issue is most definitely a slow burn, but sets up a complex and compelling plot exquisitely, but then I expect no less from the writer that recently gave us the superlative Mister Miracle series. Highly recommended.

Precinct1313’s End Of The Decade Geekstravaganza

Well hi there fellow agents of Precinct1313, and welcome to the majestic mansion of mystery’s infamous Comic Crypts. I hope you didn’t have too much trouble finding your way down through the Precinct’s convoluted and ever changing hallways and chambers, that’s the problem with running a comic blog from a supernatural entity posing as a resplendent residence, oh and the fact that we are located at the edge of  existence also doesn’t help with navigation, as most Sat-Navs don’t appear to cover that… surprisingly!

And yet here you all are, so welcome, to Precinct1313’s End Of The Decade Geekstravaganza! That’s right, the decade draws itself to a close and we’re here to steer you through some of our favourite geeky moments from the past ten years, so pull up a tombstone (these are the comic crypts after all) and let’s all relive our favourite things of the past decennium…

Our Favourite Comic-Book Series: Mister Miracle 

Masters of the miraculous – Tom King and Mitch Gerads deserve every bit of praise thrown their way by their peers, critics and fans for this superlative series, a groundbreaking, emotional and touching 12 issue maxi-series that took one of DC and Jack Kirby’s most beloved second tier characters, and thrust him headlong into the deserving limelight. We wrote a review on this tenacious tome recently, so we shall leave you a handy dandy link right here .

Starfire 

 Though we feel that Miracle was without a shadow of a doubt, the greatest Superhero story released since Watchmen (really!) we couldn’t leave this particular post without mentioning our other comic-book love from the past ten years – Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti’s tantalising and terrific take on our absolute favourite orange hued alien princess, sizzling Superheroine – Starfire! Conner and Palmiotti are a dynamic duo of some renown in the wonderful world of comic books, a husband and wife team with a wild and wacky sense of humour that light up any character they get their talented hands upon, from Power Girl to their award winning run on Harley Quinn, everything these terrific twosome touch is utter comic-book gold, especially their 2015 maxi-series -Starfire.

Endlessly endearing and wonderfully witty, Starfire’s 2015 series is a gift that keeps on giving, Conner and Palmiotti (along with the series’ fantastic artist – Emanuela Lupacchino) have bestowed upon us humble comic fans, the greatest take on Tamaran’s lost Princess since she was first unleashed in 1980 by her superstar creators, George Perez and Marv Wolfman. An origin tale, a laugh out loud stranger in a strange place fable, Starfire is a beguiling and winsome take on a beloved DC character. Quite possibly the funniest and most captivating series from DC in many a year, the Precinct unequivocally recommends this touching and hilarious series.

(Favourite Comic-book series runners up – Doomsday Clock, Supergirl: Being Super, Wonder Woman: Rebirth)

Our Favourite Comic-Book Movie: Wonder Woman

Can you believe it took seventy five years to finally get one of the most popular, significant and important fictional characters of all time onto the big screen, a primary reason for this according to some producers, directors, movie studios and overall decision makers (all of whom were talking nonsense, of course) was that a female led Superhero movie stood little chance of success… well, I’m pleased to say that those negative naysayers were completely wrong in their assertions, because Patty Jenkins and Gal Gadot’s 2017 Wonder Woman movie most assuredly was an exquisite example of, not just a top tier translation of character to silver screen, but a film that also carried a compelling message of love, hope and empowerment.

Gal Gadot and Patty Jenkins more than made up for Diana’s seventy five year cinema snub by giving us, not just a superlative and accurate representation of the Themysciran Titan, but also THE greatest Superhero movie of… all… time! 

(Favourite Superhero movie runners up – Batman v Superman, Aquaman, Shazam)

Our Favourite Comic-Book Artist: Amanda Conner

I have been reading, collecting and immersing myself in comic-book worlds since the mere age of six, my first dalliance with a Superhero was the Batman, from there I went on to discover the thrilling tales of the Themysciran titan Wonder Woman and have, over the decades become a devoted stalwart of DC Comics. Not being content to just absorb these wonderful stories of heroism and emancipation, I was also always interested in the compelling creational process behind the formation of these thrilling and titanic tales, from the literary scripting and especially the wonderful artistic endeavours.

From an early age some of my very favourite artists included such luminary delights as – Neal Adams, Brian Bolland, Nicola Scott, Emanuela Lupacchino, Norm Breyfogle and Adam Hughes. Picking a favourite from these amounted to an impossibly herculean task… that is until I discovered the astonishing art of one Amanda Conner. From that point on anyone enquiring as to who my all time fave artist was would not be able to shut me up as I enthused and rhapsodised over her astounding artwork. Quirky, zany, fun and instantly recognisable, Amanda’s incredible artistic style (for me) stands head and shoulders above her peers.

(Favourite Comic-Book artist runners up – Emanuela Lupacchino, Stanley Lau, Nicola Scott)

Our Favourite Non DC Comics Movie:

Mmmmm, now this is a difficult one, I mean sooooo many great movies have been released over the past ten years, how in the name of Zeus’ beard are we able to pick just one? We can’t, so here (in no particular order) are a few of our fave non DC Comics based films of the past decade…

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets:

A tremendous movie conversion of the classic French comic-book ‘Valerian and Laureline’ that was first published in 1967, created by the talented duo of Pierre Christin and Jean-Claude Mezieres. Stunning effects, decent acting (though Clive Owen, who is usually great, was rather uninspiring in this one) and an engaging, wild and zany plot make this definitely one of our top fave films from the past ten years.

Alita: Battle Angel:

Another comic-book classic given the silver screen treatment, Alita is originally a manga series created by the great Yukito Koshiro in 1990. A post apocalyptic, cyber-punk stylised story that was brought to vivid life at the talented hands of Robert Rodriguez.

Groundbreaking visual effects bring android Alita to the big screen through some jaw-dropping motion capture of the movie’s phenomenal lead actress – Rosa Salazar, who puts in an outstandingly impassioned performance, and with a back up cast that includes such thrilling thespians as Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly, Maershala Ali, and Jackie Earle Haley, Alita is more than deserving of your free time.

Franklyn:

British cult movie ‘Franklyn’ is a genre defying delight, part superhero saga,  noir thriller, romance, and horror, it takes great pleasure in flouting any kind of atypical filmic categorisation.

Franklyn is a visually rich movie, set across the dual dystopian parallel dimensions of Meanwhile City and contemporary London. It is within these dark, ethereal realities that we encounter four protagonists, each a lost soul, and on an intertwined and fated path to ultimately affect each others lives, be that for good or ill.

Unfortunately, as is the case with a large number of movies emanating from the UK, Franklyn never achieved the audience or status that it truly deserved. With a standout cast that includes Eva Green, Bernard Hill, Sam Riley and Ryan Phillippe, Franklyn is a film the Precinct heartily recommends. We reviewed the movie at the time, so if you find your interest piqued, then a link to our review is right here  

(Non DC Comics movie runners up: Dredd, Halloween 2018, Super, Solomon Kane)

And there you have it, fellow fans of fantastic fiction, I mean we could go on, but then this post would end up novel length, and I only have so much time to get it published before the end of 2019! With that, may I just say a big thank you to all of the Precinct’s followers and readers for the likes, comments and visits to the site over the past five years, it really is so, so appreciated. Happy New Year to you all!!

Oh, and as ever… Make Mine DC!

Mister Miracle – The Greatest Comic-Book Series Since Watchmen!

Having just finished reading the Tom King and Mitch Gerads masterpiece comic series – Mister Miracle for the third time, I reasoned it was be about time for an impassioned plea as to why (if you haven’t already, of course) you should rush out to your local comic-book emporium right now and scream at your local comic shop employee until they hand over a copy of the collected version of this stunning story (please don’t actually scream at them, that was just hyperbole on my part, and screaming at someone is very, very bad and could end up with you – getting kicked out the shop, derided by your peers, or even locked in a padded cell, and you aren’t a super escape artist like Mr Miracle… so it’s probably best not to!)

You may be thinking to yourself that this post’s title is a tad controversial considering how many fantastic comic-book tales have been rendered over the decades since Alan Moore’s seminal opus ‘Watchmen’ released in 1986. Of course all views are subjective, and opinions are just that – opinions, but I am definitely not alone in my view that Moore’s daring and controversial take on the popular Superhero medium was (and still is) the greatest literary take on costumed vigilantism of all time, and despite all the stunning storylines and thrilling tales that have been wrought upon the spandex loving comic-book populace over the years, for me, Tom King’s recent 12 issue series for DC Comics ‘Mister Miracle’ is the greatest piece of comic-book fiction since Moore’s superlative scope.

Tom King and fellow master of the miraculous – artist Mitch Gerads’ Mister Miracle monthly maxi-series was unleashed unto the fans in August of 2017, in honour of the literal King of Comics – Jack Kirby’s 100th anniversary since birth. Jack Kirby was an American comic-book writer and artist, who is widely regarded as the most influential and innovative creator of the medium, ever!

Kirby has created some of the most famous heroes and villains in comic history, aside from our eponymous protagonist Mr Miracle, Kirby also created The New Gods for DC Comics (which is currently being turned into a movie by director Ava Du Vernay, with a script co-written by Tom King) but it’s his work for Marvel Comics that really brought his genius to the forefront for most fans. Kirby ushered into virtual life well loved characters such as Silver Surfer, Fantastic Four, Captain America and many, many others for DC’s rival comic book giant. Yet the bubble eventually burst for the Marvel stalwart, after creating, illustrating and writing a plethora of characters, with his books always in high demand, and critically praised by both fellow peers and fans, behind the scenes things were very different for Kirby during his long tenure at Marvel.

Kirby ultimately (and quite rightly) felt he was being unfairly treated by Marvel, his perception was that he was being treated as a mere writer/artist for hire by the company as opposed to what should of been his status as it’s foremost creator having given the company the majority of their most beloved and best selling creations, so, in response to Marvel’s apathy on the subject, he left the company in 1970 to join it’s rival, DC Comics.

Initially signing a three year contract with DC, Kirby went on to create some of his most memorable heroes and villains, from the aforementioned New Gods, plus Etrigan the Demon, The Forever People, Morgaine Le Fay, through DC’s biggest SuperVillain – Darkseid, and of course the titular star of this post, one Scott Free, better known by his costumed moniker Mister Miracle, a super escape artist, whose creation (as I have posited once before) could be seen as the perfect allegory for Kirby’s flight from Marvel to DC, breaking the shackles of his previous employment to forge new horizons.

Phew! after that exhausting (yet hopefully entertaining ) look into the initial creation of Scott Free by his cosmically compelling creator, let’s move on to the latest (and also prodigiously talented) creative team charged with bringing his fans, the next chapter in Miracle’s convoluted life as a super escape artist and costumed hero – Tom King and fellow comic conspirator, Mitch Gerads. King and Gerads’ awe inspiring take on Kirby’s esteemed creation has been an absolute delight from the premier issue onwards, returning us to the daedalian, poignant and ultimately tragic life of the fourth world paragon. 

Miracle has always been an immensely popular second tier character for DC, with a myriad of mini-series and ongoing monthly titles. He was also a welcome addition to the ranks of the Justice League (alongside his wife – Big Barda) in the mid to late eighties version of the team by the excellent Keith Giffen and J.M DeMatteis. The much anticipated return of Scott Free has, thankfully, not only exceeded all expectation but has, quite frankly, blown said expectations out of the water, the torturous wait for Miracle’s heralded return is worthy of it’s Kirby heritage, of that there is no doubt.

Mister Miracle is a masterfully woven tale of anxiety, depression, ardour and ultimately family, it is an uplifting fable that eschews the atypical and familiar Superhero tropes to deliver an inspirational and enlightening chronicle about a man ill at ease with the world, searching for meaning beyond what is. King and Gerads’ Miracle is wholly different beast from what many people believe that godlike heroes are, it’s a story about subsistence. Throughout this tour de force of mental dissonance, Scott is represented as just a man, not a new god (as he is) or a Superhero, just a person attempting to make sense of existing, it’s a startling and ultra realistic take on mental health instability, written with a knowing authority yet, compassionate and impassioned to the cognitive disability. In fact the very first chapter begins with Scott (apparently) surviving an attempt to take his own life, the renowned super-escape artist, cheating death itself (possibly)

As Scott’s beleaguered chronicles continue, his depression becomes more pronounced, with it’s effects on his nearest and dearest, especially devoted wife Barda explored profoundly by the creative duo of King and Gerads. It’s not just the narrative of Miracle though that strays from the well worn path of Superhero fiction but also its astonishing artwork, Gerads experimental illustrations are phenomenal throughout, with my favourite being the distorted panels occasionally punctuated through the story representing Scott’s reality being called into question. In fact fourth wall breaking is brilliantly played in Miracle with at one point in the narrative, Scott literally touching the hand of his own creator as he encounters Jack Kirby’s Hollywood star on the sidewalk of Hollywood Boulevard.

 

Emotional, poignant, groundbreaking are well deserved superlatives to describe this narrative work of absolute genius, from the exemplary talents of Tom King and Mitch Gerads, an unreserved masterpiece and a must have in any ones literary collection… THE greatest piece of comic-book fiction since Watchmen!

 

Precinct1313’s End Of The Year Geekstravaganza…

Welcome fellow Agents of Precinct1313, and thanks so much for joining us in the malefic mansion of mystery’s infamous Halls of Quaffing for our regular yearly round up of geeky goodness from the space year 2018. So why not pull up a chair, grab a flagon of your favourite beverage and re-live some of our favourite nerdy necessities in comic-book form, from the past twelves months…

Precinct1313’s Favourite Comic-Book Series Of 2018…

And hoo boy has it been a stand out year for stunning storylines, in fact there have been so many amazing comic-books released this year that picking just three was almost impossible, yet we have managed to do just that with these particularly cool, compelling and consummate creations…

Mister Miracle…

Scintillating scribe – Tom King was without a doubt the finest choice for taking one of DC Comics’ most beloved Superheroes, expert escapologist Mister Miracle, not only because Tom is one of the very best writers in comics today, but also because his surname ably pairs him with Miracle’s genius and legendary creator – Jack ‘The King’ Kirby!

To honour the 100th anniversary since acclaimed creator (and in our humble opinion – most important figure in comics, ever!) Jack Kirby’s birth, DC Comics alongside writer Tom King and artist Mitch Gerads reunited us with one of Kirby’s most captivating and heralded heroes – super escape artist Mister Miracle, through a 12 issue series that also featured The New Gods from DC’s classic Fourth World Saga.

Miraculous is most definitely the word to describe Tom King and Mitch Gerad’s superlative take on Scott Free’s convoluted life, emotional, poignant and groundbreaking also come to mind when describing the extraordinary genius that this series has been. An unreserved masterpiece, and an emotionally charged, breathtakingly brilliant read every single issue. BUY… IT… NOW!

Doomsday Clock…

If you’ve been following Precinct1313 for awhile now, you probably realise that Watchmen is unreservedly our favourite comic book of all time. When I first encountered Alan Moore’s trailblazing series in 1986 I was blown away, it was a unique and contemporary take on the Superhero genre, a treatise on social anxiety and a complete deconstruction of Superhero conceptualisation. It was different to everything that came before it, and is almost single-handedly responsible for transforming the face of the comic-book medium for both future creators and readers… a veritable masterpiece!

Thirty two years later and writer Geoff Johns and artist Gary Franks effortlessly transport us back to the wonderfully dark and grimy world set up by Moore, through DC’s 12 issue maxi-series Doomsday Clock. Stylistically the comic evokes the original material perfectly from the dialogue set through to the originals nine panel layout, both visually and tone wise this feels perfectly at home with its peerless predecessor.

If you’re a fan of Watchmen and can get past the apparent controversy that a sequel to the seminal original exists, then this is a must buy. Johns and Franks have presented an excessively well written, dark but at times amusing sequel to the originals world of masked vigilantes, chaos and deep rooted fears and anxiety, and I for one have enjoyed every moment of my stay in its fatalistic presence.

Supergirl: Being Super…

(Ok, Ok, this technically came out in 2017 – but I didn’t personally experience it until the beginning of 2018, hence its place on this list)

Origin Tales have been, let’s be honest, spectacularly overused in both the comic-book scene and their spin off movie counterparts, I mean how many times do we really need to witness Batman losing his parents to the gun barrel of Joe Chill or Spiderman being bitten by a radioactive arachnid, these characters are now so iconic that even non comic-book fans are overly familiar with their backstories.

With that said, you may feel slightly bemused by my inclusion of a series that dynamically delves into the past of Superman’s famous cousin, Kara Zor-El, but there is a genuinely good reason for that… because it’s fantastic!! In fact, it’s not only one of the greatest Supergirl comics to have ever released, but, one of the greatest comic-book series ever published… period!

Supergirl: Being Super is the Mariko Tamaki penned opus that transcends Kara’s origins by offering us a fresh take that focuses more upon her relationships, trials and tribulations of everyday life as a teenage girl growing up in a small american town. It’s a slower burn as a comic, with less super heroics but more angst, sass and quirky dialogue, as we follow Kara in an engaging and fantastically well written coming of age tale. 

If you approach the series with atypical expectations of copious amounts of explosions, super speed and heat vision, you’re going to leave disappointed, this is a tale that spotlights the person behind the iconic “S”  symbol and it’s all the better for it. Supergirl: Being Super is another stunning revelation in Superhero story telling, and my favourite iteration of the classic character thus far.

Precinct1313’s Most Popular Posts Of 2018…

Phew, what a year huh… I have to say that we haven’t output as many posts this year as we did in 2017, but, unfortunately, sometimes life just gets in the way right? That said, 2018 has been the year where the Precinct’s readership and followers have increased exponentially more than any other year thus far. By far the most viewed posts emanating from the majestic mansion of mystery have been the World’s Finest interview series, which, by the way are also my absolute faves to write! We also dipped our creative toes into the oceanic depths of YouTube unboxing videos with the Vlog1313 vids, where we endeavoured to share with you our unparalleled love for the stunningly realised physical forms of our beloved heroes and villains.

The most popular and perused of our World’s Finest posts this year was the Death interview, starring Morpheus’ soul guiding sister – Didi. Which I’m sure you are all dying to relive right here: World’s Finest: An Exclusive Interview With Death

My personal favourite to write was the Circe interview, an amazing and in my opinion underutilised Wonder Woman foe with a marvellous mythologically rich backstory and a power set that easily rivals her titular foe. Delight in her damnation of our hapless interviewer right here: World’s Finest: An Exclusive Interview With Circe

The most viewed of our V-Log1313 videos also has my favourite statue I have yet procured for my collection, the remarkable recreation of Amanda Conner’s stunning Starfire #1 cover from the fantastic 2015 12-issue maxi series. You can view my amateurish first steps to video authoring right here: V-Log1313: Amanda Conner Starfire Statue Unboxing

And with that, all that’s really left to say is Happy New Year to all of the Precinct’s followers, readers and fellow bloggers, as ever it is you that makes this entire endeavour worthwhile! Oh, and as always… Make Mine DC!

The Week In Geek… With Precinct1313

Welcome fellow agents of Precinct1313 to another episode of The Week In Geek where we love to share our favourite – Comic Book, Video-Game, and Cult Movie news for your perusal and pleasure. And so once more unto the geek dear agents, once more…

Legendary Scribe Tom King To Tackle Superhero PTSD In New Mystery Project For DC…

Sensational scribe – Tom King has revealed at the recent DC In DC convention that he will be spearheading a new mystery project titled Sanctuary, that aims to explore the long term pyschological effects that are wrought upon the minds of those brave few who choose to pursue a career in costumed crime-fighting.

Of course, few writers are able to match King’s literary grasp upon the psychosomatic effects of fighting crime. He has proven his erudite skills of profundity in his most recent projects for DC with the bombastic ongoing Batman Rebirth monthly and the (quite frankly) groundbreaking Mister Miracle 12 issue maxi-series. 

During a panel discussion about PTSD in comics and comic-book writing King said –

“The DCU has a bunch of Superheroes and all they do is fight, all the time, and that must have a psychological effect on them, right? You can’t live a life of violence and not feel that violence in your heart. We also have a group of heroes, the Trinity (Bats, Wondy, Supes) who care about these other heroes. They sort of feel like parental figures, the foundations that stand beneath them. And they care about them for two reasons – one, because they’re good people, but also, two, if Superheroes experience trauma and it drives them mad, that’s a real danger. So they have set up something called Sanctuary, a place, modelled on veterans’ crisis centres where you can go and discuss the inherent trauma involved with crime-fighting, where Wonder Woman, Batman and Superman can endeavour to help you”

Sounds intriguing, and with the venerable Tom King at the helm there is an absolute certainty that this will be yet another legendary project for DC.

Shazam Movie Reveals New Villain And Release Date…

DC’s incoming movie based upon the popular Billy Batson alter ego – Shazam, will debut on the silver screen in April of 2019. In recently uncovered casting call notes for the Wizard Shazam (the mystical character who grants Batson his magical powers) we also discover casting cues for the entire Sivana family, including, of course, that of Billy’s arch-enemy, the villainous Dr Sivana.

And with that said, as of the time of writing this article, fantastic British thespian Mark Strong has just been cast as the eponymous villain. Strong is no stranger to playing miscreants (well he is British after all, we’re really good at the ol’ evil bad guy stuff apparently) he was the antagonist in the original Kick Ass movie, and lest we forget he has also portrayed another classic DC villain, Sinestro, in the much maligned (but hey, we liked it!) Ryan Reynold’s Green Lantern movie.

Shazam is currently in production directed by David F. Sandberg, and stars Zachary Levi as its titular star, alongside Asher Angel as his 12 year old alter ego Billy Batson… plus the possibility (please, please) of Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson as Shazam’s longtime super powered rival, Black Adam.

12 Years A Slave Writer Is Penning A Series For DC That Explores The DC Universe Through The Eyes of It’s Marginalised Characters.

Oscar winning writer – John Ridley has been tasked with writing a series that explores the intimate and mostly concealed stories behind the DC Universes’ many characters who don’t represent the overused comic book staple of white, straight, male protagonists, with a mini-series titled – The Other History Of The DC Universe.

The series itself will feature many of DC’s famous Superheroes of colour including the likes of Japanese anti-hero – Katana, African-American Green Lantern – John Stewart and black female Superhero – Vixen. The Other History Of The DC Universe aims to examine the “sociopolitical perspective of heroes who come from traditionally disenfranchised groups, at it’s core, the series will focus on the lives behind the costumes and their endeavours to overcome real world issues, The Other History Of The DC Universe isn’t about saving the world, it’s about having the strength to be who you are”

Of course there are plenty of classic costumed crimefighters that Ridley could potentially call upon for this project, as DC have a rather diverse roll call of characters throughout their history. I for one hope to see one of my personal favourite characters Kate Kane, one of the first overtly popular lesbian  Superheroes – Batwoman, making an appearance at some point during the run.

Why Not Join Us Again Next Time Friends, For More Week In Geek.

Precinct1313’s End Of The Year Geekstravaganza

Ah, welcome fellow agents, you’re probably wondering why I’ve called you down here through the interminable depths of the malefic mansion of mystery known as Precinct1313, why you have had to negotiate it’s herculean hallways and cavernous crypts, wending your way past such iconic areas as the astonishing Amphitheatre of Awards, and the Movie Mausoleum, whilst taking in the majestic sights of the Comic Crypts and the Ancient Amazon Archives.

It is often said that Precinct1313 is a dilemma within a mystery contained in an enigma, it’s been three and a half years since this entity first welcomed us into it’s dark ceaseless corridors and herculean hallways and today we are making our way through it’s unending profundity to a room we haven’t visited for close to a year – The Scrying Chamber, within this portentous room sits a single stone table upon which resides an ominous black crystal ball, which not only has the power to decipher the future, but also recreate the past in vivid memories. So please, make yourselves comfortable, as we gaze deep into it’s sanguine depths and relive the Precinct’s favourite moments from 2017.

Wonder Woman’s Cinematic Debut Is A Triumph In All Kinds Of Ways…

Diana Schools Disney On What Princesses’ Really Should Be – Bold, Brilliant, Fearless, Compassionate, And Empowering!

Forget Disney and it’s vision on what a Princess is, Diana successfully schools them in every way possible on how to portray a strong forceful female warrior with the strength and fortitude to turn the tide of a great war, yet also the compassion and love to convert the hearts of the most staunch human soul… Wonder Woman has been empowering her fans for over 75 years in comic-book, animation and television, and this summer received her long overdue silver screen outing, and it was… outstanding!

Gal Gadot and Patty Jenkins brought William Marston’s much loved Superheroine to life magnificently, finally giving the much loved Amazon the attention and adoration she deserves, delighting fans both new and old with a tale that encompasses a gamut of emotions and emancipation. This film is important on so many levels – firstly proving to the world that female led comic-book movies can easily match their male counterparts, approaching the now staid Superhero movie franchises with a new high in how to tell a canonical origin story with a real emotive centre and a poignant yet impassioned and powerful tale that encompasses everything we love about the Themysciran Titan. This film turned out even more magnificent than we could have ever imagined, and for us, is the stand out best movie of 2017… in fact ever!

Comic Book Writer Tom King Blew Us All Away!!

Phew, what a year for comic books 2017 has been, notable mentions need to go to Greg Rucka, Liam Sharp and Nicola Scott for their sterling work on the astounding Wonder Woman Rebirth series, Gerard Way’s (yes the front man for My Chemical Romance, now a wildly successful comic book author for DC Comics!) Young Animal imprint, and, more recently, Geoff Johns’ sequel to Alan Moore’s opus Watchmen with Doomsday Clock. Yet one man has decided to top all of these, with his literary genius abounding in the two greatest comic-book offerings of 2017 – Batman Rebirth and Mister Miracle – the elaborate and intricate tales woven by master creator Tom King have sat at the head of this particular DC fans table, and I for one cannot wait to see what other spectacles of fantastic fiction he has in store for us in 2018.

The Precinct’s Head Agent Was Almost… Beaten To A Pulp By A Giant Mallet, Schooled On Venerable Verbosity By A Vaudevillian Vigilante, And Eaten By A Ferocious Feline!!!

2017 was the year that the Precinct threw open its doors to the villainous, the vigilant, and the Superheroic (and their Super-Pets) when we deigned to interview some of Comicdom’s most treasured Superheroes, Supervillains, Costumed Crimefighters and Dimension Dwelling Demons, when we premiered our “World’s Finest – An Interview With A Superhero” series.

And it’s proven to be huge hit, with more views than any article or post we have ever put out, though our hapless interviewer has really been put through his paces with his erstwhile attempt to extract those interesting facts and truths from the variety of costume clad individuals invited onto the show each week… he has been – in an alliteration battle with a master, dodged getting smushed by the giant mallet of hellacious Harley Quinn, and almost the main course for feline Supervillain Cheetah, yet he comes back each and every time, ready to once again verbally duel whatever guest is invited onto the Precinct (so he’s obviously an idiot!)

So which of these exceptionally excessive episodes were the most popular? unsurprisingly the Harley Quinn instalment has easily garnered the most views of them all to date. The most fun to write was without a doubt the V episode, and my personal favourite? absolutely the Cheetah one, I unreservedly adore the character, so it was fun channeling her ferocious feline awesomeness!

Happy New Year to all our Special Agents, readers and everyone else who visits the Precinct, 2018 brings more DC Comics cinematic greatness in the form of the ocean dwelling King of Atlantis – Aquaman, plus the production begins on three new DC movies, Wonder Woman 2, Shazam, and Flashpoint, so lots of things to get overtly excited about and geek over. Until then, as always… Make Mine DC! 

Comic Cover Of The Week: Mister Miracle #5

Miraculous is definitely the word that describes not just the newest ongoing saga in Scott Free’s convoluted life as a super escape artist and costumed hero, but also the prodigiously inordinate talent of it’s writer – Tom King.

I mean, just how on Earth does this sensational scribe managed to outdo himself each and every month? sheer unadulterated talent, that’s how! He’s the equivalent of a world record breaking sprinter, smashing his own record month in and out to the point that he’s going so fast that time seems to stand still, allowing us all to peek at his immaculate genius in all it’s notable finery. And as prosaic as that statement may sound… King’s impressive literary skills are deserving of it, and more, so much more.

DC’s twelve issue Mr Miracle maxi-series has been a delight from its first issue on, returning us to the Daedalian, poignant and yes, ultimately tragic life of Jack Kirby’s much beloved Fourth World paragon. 

Mister Miracle #5 continues King’s awe inspiring take on Kirby’s creation, this issue really is a standout in not just literary terms, but also for artist Mitch Gerads astounding artwork, like King, Gerads manages to surpass himself every… single… issue! His vivid, redolent art captures perfectly every single emotion that our two main leads, Scott and wife Barda, are going through as they spend their last day together before his impending execution at the behest of the new Highmaster.

“How do you spend your last night on Earth? Why, with the one you love of course! Having been condemned to death by the new Highmaster, Mister Miracle is going to have to return to New Genesis for his execution. Before he does, he and Big Barda go on one last date. But if Scott Free is truly infected by Darkseid, as Orion says, you can certainly bet some dark force will intervene – but to what end?”

Emotional, beautiful, poignant, groundbreaking… there really are not enough superlatives to describe this work of genius from the extraordinary creative talents of King and Gerads. If any series was a must buy, then this is it. An unreserved masterpiece in the making, and an emotionally charged, rollickingly fantastic read every single issue… buy it… NOW!

Mister Miracle and Images Are Copyright: DC Comics.

Comic Cover Of The Week: Batman Rebirth #35

This weeks captivating cover celebrates an astonishing 800 issues of Batman! For those not especially versed in comic-book lore, allow me to elucidate that even though this magnificent milestone in the Caped Crusader’s long and tumultuous history as Gotham’s very own grim guardian is a significant landmark, he has actually been the titular star of its sister comic “Detective” for an even more astounding 942 issues, since his first appearance in the May 1939 issue of Detective Comics #27!

Batman Rebirth #35 is the lucky recipient of the honour of the 800 issues award, and finds the two most significant women in the Dark Knight’s life duelling for his affections, as Selina Kyle, better known as Catwoman, and the daughter of the demon – Talia Al Ghul face off in a splendidly savage sword fight.

As a background for why these two classic characters would be crossing blades for the intimate endearment of the pointy eared vigilante, their actual romantic entanglement with Batman spans many, many decades in the comics.

Bruce Wayne and Talia (daughter of Batsy’s nemeses – R’as Al Ghul) produced a son together (Damian Wayne, the current holder of the title of The Boy Wonder – Robin) and have a long and convoluted fervid history. Though, even their lengthy and tumultuous relations is eclipsed by Bruce and Selina’s even more protractedly intimate involvement. As a testament to the Bat and the Cat’s everlasting dalliance, Bruce recently proposed to Selina, and the two costumed creations are now seemingly on a one way trip to marital bliss (and most probably, considering this is the world of The Baman – conflict and contention.)

“Part three of “Dream Of Me” finds the Dark Knight past the point of no return. It turns out he’s definitely going to need a little help from his friends, but this help comes with a significant downside: Batman’s true intentions will ultimately be exposed!”

Writer Tom King once again proves his worth as one of DC’s greatest current creators with yet another fantastic issue, he is a sensational scribe of almost unparalleled level, and I for one would be more than happy if he continued to write Batman’s ongoing quest for revenge and redemption forevermore! Interior art by Joelle Jones is also great, with the sword fight between Selina and Talia being a particular highlight, flowing beautifully with King’s concurrent dialogue.

Batman Rebirth #35 is available at your local comic-book emporium right now.

Precinct1313 Recommends: Mister Miracle #1

Tom King is without a doubt the most fitting writer currently working in comics today to take on the legend that is Mister Miracle, not just because he’s a scribe of almost unparalleled talent, but his surname ably pairs him with Miracle’s genius creator – Jack ‘The King’ Kirby! 

To honour the the 100th anniversary since Jack Kirby’s birth, DC Comics along with aforementioned writer Tom King, and artist Mitch Gerads are reuniting us with one of Kirby’s most beloved and successful creations – super escape artist Mister Miracle, in a 12 part maxi-series that also features The New Gods from DC’s Fourth World Saga – which is widely hailed as being one of the sources that classic sci-fi movie Star Wars was inspired by.

Jack Kirby was an American comic book artist and writer who is one of the most influential and innovative personalities in the medium. Aside from Mister Miracle and The New Gods for DC Comics, Kirby also created such iconic characters as – Silver Surfer, The Avengers, Fantastic Four, Captain America, X Men and many, many other too numerous to mention.

Kirby initially was a Marvel stalwart, creating, illustrating and writing a myriad of storylines for the publishing giant, his titles always had high sales and even higher praise, but behind the scenes a different picture was being painted. Kirby felt he was being unfairly treated by Marvel, his perception was that he was seen more as a writer/artist for hire by the company as opposed to one of it’s foremost creators and innovators, and in response in 1970, he left Marvel and joined its arch-rival DC Comics.

Signing a three year contract with DC Comics Kirby created some of his most memorable characters, from The New Gods, Etrigan and The Forever People, through DC’s big bad – Darkseid and of course – Scott Free (the perfect moniker, let’s be honest) better known as Mister Miracle, the super escape artist whose creation could almost be seen as the perfect allegory for Kirby’s flight from Marvel to DC, breaking the shackles of previous employment to forge new horizons.

Miracle has been a popular character for DC since his inception, with a slew of ongoing and mini-series, and was an exceedingly welcome addition to the ranks of The Justice League (alongside his wife – Big Barda, which is a whole other post we can’t wait to get to!), during the excellent Keith Giffen and J.M DeMatteis late eighties entry of the World’s Greatest Superhero team-up.

The much anticipated return of Scott Free is, thankfully, not only been worth the torturous wait but manages to exceed all expectations with a fantastically written tale that gives us a very much grounded portrait of a Superhero, a quirky yet flawed individual who is ultimately struggling to find his raison d’etre.

As fantastic as the writing is, the art by Gerads is definitely no slouch in comparison, in fact it’s superb! Gerads is an extremely flexible penciller which shines through in his art in this first issue, which at times evokes an almost pitch perfect Kirby-esque feel in the art style.

Mister Miracle #1 is a must buy, featuring one of Jack Kirby’s (definitely my favourite) greatest creations,and a first rate creative team who bring us a powerfully emotional tale that entices you in and holds you entranced until the final page… dammit why isn’t issue 2 out yet!?

Comic Cover Of The Week: Batman Rebirth #24

The Bat, The Cat… And Wedding Bells!

Where exactly do Superheroes get married anyway?… mmmmmm, I’m getting ahead of myself here. Welcome my comic collecting cohorts to another instalment of Comic Cover Of The Week, and this week our splendiferous spotlight of excellence falls upon Batman Rebirth #24. This illustriously illustrated issue is brought to you by those ceaseless composers of comic-book craft – Tom King, Danny Miki and David Finch.

Writer Tom King sure knows how to weave a compelling tale or two, it has to be said, his run on the the Rebirth Batman title has been nothing less than astonishing. His prodigious writing talents run the gamut of horror, thriller, good old fashioned heroics and comedy… narrative-wise, he really is the King (pun most definitely intended!)

Batman #24 is an emotionally charged issue from beginning through to emotive end, the Bat, the Cat and wedding bells? it’s certainly a possibility as Gotham’s grim guardian sensationally gets down on one knee to propose to the feisty feline felon known as Catwoman. So will this mean a happy denouement to the trials and tribulations of the dark and scary one’s overtly complicated and melancholic life? Maybe, but I wouldn’t hold your breath, this is the Batman we’re talking about here, when has his life ever involved anything more than tragedy and vicissitude.

“Aftermath!” Gotham City is at peace… but a war is coming. Armed with the terrifying knowledge gained from the mysterious button, Batman must prepare for the coming storm by making a proposition to one of his enemies… one that may change everything for the Dark Knight and his allies.”

Batman #24 is available at your local comic book emporium right now.