Showing posts with label WicDiv. Show all posts
Showing posts with label WicDiv. Show all posts

February 4, 2015

The Wicked + The Divine # 1-5 - Kieron Gillen & Jamie McKelvie

The boy to my right falls to his knees, cum leaking from his crotch”, the girls fade out, hyperventilating, it’s the perfect orgasm, it’s what a total orgasm should feel like, and the only one who resists such an intense input of pleasure is Laura, a 17-year-old girl who loves the new and old gods that now walk upon the Earth: Amaterasu, Lucifer and the others, barely teenagers who claim to be the living incarnations of the most ancient divinities in the history of humankind.

But these gods and goddesses are not here to reenact empty rituals or demand reverence. On the contrary, they’re here to shine, brighter than the Apollonian sun, and to cast a shadow as deep as the Erebus night. They’re here to rock, they’re here to be pop idols, and their cult following is just beginning to increase.

“Once Again” (June 2014) is the first chapter of this magnificent exercise of creativity, brought to us by two of my favorite British authors: Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie. They had already dealt with the difficult transit from adolescence to youth in the pages of 2013’s best ongoing series: “Young Avengers”. And now they’re back, reaffirming their indy roots, paying homage to other deities, making us remember that “Phonogram” is not over yet.

In “The No-Pinkie Pinkie Swear”, we see Laura trying to find Ananke “the absolute ruler of all destiny and fate, for both gods and mortals”. Nevertheless, Lucifer has another mission for Laura. As we’ve seen before, all gods are pop stars, worldwide famous, extremely popular figures, teen idols with millions of followers. Except for the Morrigan, an underground divinity that is always hard to find. “I’ve seen all the gods… except the Morrigan”, explains Laura.

“Chthonic Homesick Blues” explores even further the nature of these teenagers turned into gods; and how they rely on popularity and fans instead of orthodox worshipping; because the young deities never set foot on a temple but rather on the stages of hugely publicized concerts. In “The Immoral of the Tale”, Laura has the opportunity to visit Woden’s (Odin) Valhalla and meet the rest of the pantheon: Sakhmet, Minerva, Ananke, Baal and Amaterasu. Finally, in “Sympathy”, Lucifer is murdered in cold blood by Ananke. Her death is an unexpected plot twist, and it puts even more weight onto Laura’s shoulders.
Lucifer & Laura

Perhaps one of the greatest virtues of this new series is how it works as a “spiritual successor” to Young Avengers. As Joe Drake explains “If YA was high school, where you’ve got a specific end goal (graduate, get into a good school, etc.), WicDiv strikes me as the reeling period that comes next, whether you’re in college, working a job, or travelling”. Indeed, I also feel as if WicDiv is that amazing and yet completely chaotic transitional period between the high school era and the “what comes next?” moment that defines the lives of young adults.

At the end of “The Faust Act”, Laura understands the motivations of the gods better than ever. At the same time, the pantheon must mourn the loss of one of their own. As Gillen explains in the epilogue “Death sits there waiting, without even the polite offer of a game of chess before unceremoniously showing you the exit […] The question becomes how do you choose to spend that infinitely brief, precious time?”. 

Fresh and vibrant, the art of Jamie McKelvie becomes the ideal ally to Gillen’s scripts. McKelvie is so perfectly suited to draw young people that his pages add on to the juvenile energy of The Wicked + The Divine. I already had the pleasure of admiring his lines in the pages of Young Avengers, and here we can also welcome his creative character designs. I’m absolutely convinced that the second arc will be just as good as this one. 
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The head of the Morrigan / la cabeza de Morrigan

El chico a mi derecha cae de rodillas, el semen se chorrea por su entrepierna”, las chicas se desmayan, hiperventilando, es el orgasmo perfecto, es el orgasmo total, y la única capaz de resistir un placer tan intenso es Laura, una chica de 17 años que adora a los nuevos y viejos dioses que ahora caminan por la Tierra: Amaterasu, Lucifer y los demás, apenas adolescentes que claman ser las encarnaciones vivientes de las más antiguas divinidades en la historia de la humanidad.

Pero estos dioses y diosas no están aquí para recrear rituales vacíos o demandar reverencias. Por el contrario, están aquí para brillar, más luminosos que el sol de Apolo, y para proyectar una sombra tan profunda como la noche del Erebo. Están aquí para el rock, para ser ídolos pop, y el número de sus seguidores va en aumento. 

“Una vez más” (junio de 2014) es el primer capítulo de este magnífico ejercicio de creatividad, elaborado por dos de mis autores británicos favoritos: Kieron Gillen y Jamie McKelvie. Ellos ya habían lidiado con el difícil tránsito de la adolescencia a la juventud en las páginas de la mejor serie mensual del 2013: “Young Avengers”. Y ahora están de vuelta, reafirmando sus raíces independientes, rindiendo homenaje a otras deidades, haciéndonos recordar que “Phonogram” aún no ha terminado. 

En “El no juramento del dedo meñique”, vemos a Laura intentando encontrar a Ananke “la que domina absolutamente todo el destino tanto para dioses como para mortales”. No obstante, Lucifer tiene otra misión para Laura. Como hemos visto antes, todos los dioses son estrellas pop, mundialmente famosos, figuras extremadamente populares, ídolos juveniles con millones de seguidores. Excepto Morrigan, una divinidad 'underground' que siempre es difícil encontrar. “He visto a todos los dioses… excepto a Morrigan”, explica Laura.
Valhalla

“Blues nostálgico Chthonico” explora aún más la naturaleza de estos adolescentes convertidos en dioses; y cómo se apoyan en la popularidad y en sus fans en vez de en la adoración ortodoxa; porque las jóvenes deidades nunca ponen un pie en un templo sino más bien en los escenarios de conciertos precedidos de muchísima publicidad. En “Lo inmoral del relato”, Laura tiene la oportunidad de visitar el Valhala de Woden (Odín) y conocer al resto del panteón: Sakhmet, Minerva, Ananke, Baal y Amaterasu. Finalmente, en “Simpatía”, Lucifer es asesinada a sangre fría por Ananke. Su muerte es un inesperado giro argumental, y pone aún más peso sobre los hombros de Laura.
The death of Lucifer / la muerte de Lucifer

Tal vez una de las grandes virtudes de esta nueva colección es que funciona como un “sucesor espiritual” de Young Avengers. Como explica Joe Drake “Si YA era la secundaria, en donde tienes una meta final específica (graduarte, entrar a una buena universidad, etc.), me parece que WicDiv es el periodo vacilante que viene a continuación, ya sea que estés en la universidad, trabajando, o viajando”. De hecho, yo también siento que WicDiv es ese periodo de transición asombroso y no obstante completamente caótico entre la época de la secundaria y el momento que viene después, que define las vidas de los jóvenes adultos.

Al final de “El acto de Fausto”, Laura entiende las motivaciones de los dioses mejor que antes. Al mismo tiempo, el panteón debe llorar la pérdida de uno de los suyos. Como explica Gillen en el epílogo “La muerte se sienta allí, esperándote, ni siquiera con un amable ofrecimiento de un juego de ajedrez antes de mostrarte la salida sin ceremonia alguna […] La pregunta se convierte en ¿cómo eliges gastar ese infinitamente breve y precioso tiempo?”. 

Fresco y vibrante, el arte de Jamie McKelvie es el aliado ideal para los guiones de Gillen. McKelvie es la opción perfecta para dibujar a jóvenes, y sus páginas suman energía juvenil a The Wicked + The Divine. Ya había tenido el placer de admirar sus trazos en las páginas de Young Avengers, y aquí también podemos darle la bienvenida a sus creativos diseños de personajes. Estoy absolutamente convencido de que el segundo arco será tan bueno como este.

January 21, 2015

December Comic Books / cómics de diciembre

December was a pretty good month for comics. Sandman Overture had the best art I’ve seen in months. I can finally binge read Punk Rock Jesus. The next issue of The Unwritten will be the last one and I’m sure it’ll be amazing. Busiek’s The Autumnlands: Tooth & Claw fulfills my expectations. And I really enjoyed the beginning of the new arc of The Wicked + The Divine. However, if I had to choose the best comic of the month I wouldn’t have to think twice: Alan Moore’s Crossed Plus One Hundred # 1. Extraordinary! And now, without further ado, here are December comics as per solicitations:

CROSSED PLUS 100 #1 (MR) 
(W) Alan Moore (A/CA) Gabriel Andrade Writer: Alan Moore Covers and Art: Gabriel Andrade Alan Moore returns to monthly comics in epic fashion with Crossed +100! Set 100 years in the future, Moore has created a whole new world and history with a stunning attention to detail. Examining how civilizations rebuild and how generations grow, Moore weaves a rich tapestry of humanity evolving under extreme hardship, all of which is lushly rendered by Gabriel (Ferals) Andrade. Archivist Future Taylor leads a salvage team working to rebuild the historical record of the original Crossed outbreak. She's seen them in videos, but never any live ones, the Crossed are part of the distant past. Until suddenly, a handful appear, and the blood begins to flow. All is not as it seems as a horrific mystery unfolds and once again Alan Moore redefines the medium. This masterwork is a self-contained whole new world, no prior knowledge of the Crossed series is needed. All the covers for the series have been planned out by Alan Moore, with the images enriching and expanding on the series. Clues and glimpses of what came before, and what might be, are found throughout the variant covers. American History X Wraparound - Each of these will depict a specific time in the past hundred years, showing how things have changed and offering a peek at some key events. Each cover will display the year in which it takes place to help build the full picture. Crossed Culture - These are all images of how the Crossed have changed the way they live. With few humans left to hunt, and the animal kingdom thriving with predators, even the thrill-driven Crossed have had to make adjustments to their lifestyle. Future Tense - Each cover is an homage to a famous work of science fiction, and each of those original works ties into themes of this issue. New World Order Wraparound - These are not for the faint of heart or delicate of constitution. We can't even picture them in this catalog, they are visions of what an ideal all-Crossed world would be. If the madmen have their dreams come true, what would the everyday life look like® These covers are brutally intense images of true horror and may have scenes of torture, depravity, and nudity. These are clearly for adults only. Each copy of this edition will ship in a sealed polybag with a protective slip cover over the actual image to assure it can be racked in stores. The graphic pictured here is the slip cover only. Due to all these special protective measures this edition is strictly limited to initial orders. Also available with a rare Black Leather cover, and Retailer Incentive covers of Red Crossed and Design Sketch, showing the original works of series artist Gabriel Andrade. Don't miss out on the ultra-rare CGC Numbered Edition as well! 

PUNK ROCK JESUS DELUXE EDITION HC (MR)
(W/A/CA) Sean Murphy. Sean Murphy's acclaimed 6-issue miniseries about reality TV show starring a clone of Jesus Christ is now collected in a Deluxe Edition hardcover, with over 100 pages of new, bonus material and new cover art!  J2 causes both outrage and adulation. Religious zealots either love or hate the show, angry politicians worry about its influence on the nation, and members of the scientific community fear the implications of cloning a human being at all, let alone the Son of God.  

SANDMAN OVERTURE #4 (OF 6) COMBO PACK (MR) 
(W) Neil Gaiman (A/CA) J. H. Williams. In an asylum in the City of the Stars, Morpheus comes face to face with the creature at the center of the war that will destroy the universe. Time is running out... This issue is also offered as a combo pack edition with a redemption code for a digital download of this issue. 

TOOTH & CLAW #2 CVR B ROSS (MR) 
(W) Kurt Busiek (A) Ben Dewey (CA) Alex Ross. After the shattering disaster last issue, the Great Champion of ancient legend is reawakened. And things get worse.       Plus! A special variant cover by ALEX ROSS, painting more animal-people at once than he ever has before!

UNWRITTEN VOL 2 APOCALYPSE #11 (MR) 
(W) Mike Carey (A) Peter Gross (CA) Yuko Shimizu. The end is near, and the final battle is about to be fought - and Tom is back where he never wanted to belong. But if he's going to die tomorrow, then tonight he's got some unfinished business - withthe most derivative boy wizard in all the worlds. 

WICKED & DIVINE #6 (MR) 
(W) Kieron Gillen (A) Jamie McKelvie, Matthew Wilson (CA) Matthew Wilson, Jamie McKelvie. THE FAUST ACT is over. Welcome to FANDEMONIUM.  The second arc of THE WICKED + THE DIVINE begins in its traditional manner (i.e. a ludicrous pun.) We'd say something like 'nothing will ever be the same again' but if you think about it, you can say that about literally everything, ever. Er...also some comic story. Probably. 
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Diciembre fue un mes bastante buenos para los cómics. Sandman Overture tiene el mejor arte que he visto en meses. Finalmente puedo leer de una sola sentada Punk Rock Jesus. El próximo número de The Unwritten será el último, y estoy seguro que será asombroso. The Autumnlands: Tooth & Claw de Busiek cumplió mis expectativas. Y realmente disfruté el comienzo del nuevo arco de The Wicked + The Divine. Sin embargo, si tuviese que elegir el mejor cómic del mes no tendría que pensarlo dos veces: Crossed Plus One Hundred # 1 de Alan Moore. ¡Extraordinario! Y ahora, sin más preámbulos, aquí están los cómics de diciembre: 

CROSSED PLUS 100 #1 (MR)
100 años en el futuro, Moore ha creado un nuevo mundo y una historia con una asombrosa atención hacia los detalles; examinando cómo las civilizaciones se reconstruyen y cómo las generaciones maduran, Moore teje un rico tapiz de una humanidad que evoluciona en las condiciones más adversas. Taylor, archivista, lidera un equipo de salvamiento que intenta reconstruir el brote de la infección. Ella ha visto a unos cuantos infectados en video, pero nunca a uno vivo. Hasta que repentinamente aparece un puñado de infectados, y la sangre empieza a fluir. 

PUNK ROCK JESUS DELUXE EDITION HC (MR)
Punk Rock Jesus #1-6. Por Sean Murphy.

SANDMAN OVERTURE #4 (OF 6) COMBO PACK (MR)
En un asilo en la Ciudad de las Estrellas, Morfeo ve a la criatura que está al centro de la guerra que destruirá al universo. El tiempo se acaba.

TOOTH & CLAW #2 CVR B ROSS (MR)
Después del impactante desastre del capítulo anterior, el Gran Campeón de la antigua leyenda es despertado. Y las cosas empeoran. 

UNWRITTEN VOL 2 APOCALYPSE #11 (MR)
El fin se acerca, y la batalla final está a punto de ocurrir – y Tom está de vuelta en un lugar al que nunca quiso pertenecer. Pero si va a morir mañana, entonces esta noche tiene negocios por concluir con el niño hechicero más derivativo de todos los mundos.

WICKED & DIVINE #6 (MR)
El acto de Fausto ha concluido. Bienvenidos a Fan-demonio, el segundo arco argumental que empieza de manera tradicional (es decir, con un chiste ridículo). Diríamos algo así como “nada volverá a ser igual”, pero si lo pensáis, se puede decir eso sobre cualquier cosa incluso una historia de cómic.