Comics: It's Going to Be the Future Soon

by Dee. 7/14/2023

Welcome back, I have a treat for you: it's a comics review!

I have three different options for you today: from DC Comics, DC Pride Through the Years, from Marvel, Loki, and from Image Comics, the upcoming Schlub.

DC Pride Through the Years (DC Comics): DC has represented LGBTQIA+ interests for over 30 years, and this issue is a reflection of the characters and plots that have shaped the political narrative within DC comics. This 76 page collection is of those issues, so the art style ranges from modern to iconically classic. The introductory essay mentions each of the issues to follow, so the transitions are a quote from each comic.

The Batwoman issue is probably my favorite, as it is visually stunning as well as being a good story arc. The panel layout in the action sequences is a really interesting way of highlighting the fast pace.

Loki (Marvel Comics): This is an excellent first issue, crafted with a strong narrative voice and quality prose. I'd expect no less from Marvel, as there's cheeky humor and serious drama in equal helpings. Loki, formerly the God of Lies, has now become the "benevolent" God of Stories. He has been spending his time (uncharacteristically?) teaching the residents of Jotunheim how to read, with the goal being to spread the knowledge of the Nine Realms. Two of his cronies/students, however, get the bright idea to hijack his war boat made of the fingernails of the dead (yes I said that correctly).

Some of the extended art panels could easily be made into posters, and the color scheme is bright. Jotunheim is in scenes with a lot of blue, which tracks. The best part of this is the minimal callbacks to other comics, which I appreciate. I don't usually have a ton of time to do lots of back issue reading (sadly).

Schlub (Image Comics): A new comic from the likes of Ryan Stegman (Vanish, Venom) and Kenny Porter (Superboy, The Flash) which reads like the plot to "Freaky Friday" with an interesting twist: let's body swap with a superhero and a regular Joe Schmoe. This first issue sets up exactly how much of a schlub dentist Roger Dalton is, before he switches bodies with the world's greatest superhero.

Ryan Stegman clearly loves what he's doing, and what he's doing is great. Tongue firmly in cheek, Roger Dalton is portrayed as a miserable person. He's not angst-ridden, he's just sad. Which somehow makes it funnier. This preview was an "ashcan copy", which means that it wasn't in color. I have a feeling that the color scheme for this comic will be bright, and have dramatic lighting to highlight the "gilded-lily" nature of this extraordinary story.

Release date: August 23, 2023.

So long, farwell, etc etc,
Dee