Friday, February 24, 2017

Friday Slice of Heaven, Slice into the Woods 2/24/2017

Welcome back, Donist World Denizens! For those of you new to our site, I’m Donist, and I am joined by Donist World CFO the Reverse Obie* (my friends’ Boston terrier whose fur recently swapped colors) and by our marketing director / administrative assistant / party planner / Titan workout enthusiast Tulip (my dog, Reverse Obie’s sister). Dang, Denizens, it is sooooo much easier to write this blog on the trusty ol’ MacBook Pro versus the iPad Pro with its groovy keyboard. I’m sure there’s an app to handle such things, but Amy the intern (my wife) and I were up in Avila Beach celebrating 20 years together, and I just didn’t want to take the time to look too deep into the matter. We brought Tulip with us, and Reverse Obie was kind enough to hold down the fort at the corporate office (Mom’s basement) where he kept an eye out for signs of flooding and worked to maintain our status as a Fortune 320,000 company. It was nice to get away, but it’s also good to be back. So stay dry while preparing for the next rain storm, stay positive, have a beer or a strong ginger ale, RESIST, take care of yourself, and while you’re at it check out some great comics. Thank you for reading!

*Obie, through his dabbling in arcane magics mixed with ancient corrupt business practices, has had not just the colors of his fur switched, but a complete overhaul of his work ethic as well…I think I’m kinda okay with the mishap.

***Possible Spoilers Below***

Friday Slice of Heaven


Descender #19

Written by Jeff Lemire, illustrated by Dustin Nguyen, lettered and designed by Steve Wands, published by Image Comics. It’s always cause for celebration when a new issue of the Donist World Darling Descender shows up in the ol’ comic pull. I usually pour a beer — I had a Ballast Point Red Velvet, an interesting beer for sure — and it’s always the first book I read. I have a lot of expectations going into each issue, but as is to be expected, I was not at all disappointed. You have prophetic visions, imposter stowaways, guilt-ridden robots, angry humans, angry aliens, and a continuance of the heavenly story that has had me captivated since the first issue. The narrative alone is reason enough to read what is my favorite comic hitting the stands, but the gorgeous watercolored art by Nguyen makes this series a must read. My only minor complaint is that I wanted to see more of Nguyen’s lush backgrounds, but since the majority of the issue focuses on the more dramatic side of things, I am fine trading stunning backgrounds for the more intense emotional interactions and strong character acting. You need to be reading this tremendous sci-fi series. The rich, complex story and characters Lemire and Nguyen have beautifully crafted remind me of the style and tone of the best sci-fi works — both comics and film — of the ’80s, which is very high praise. You can quickly catch up with the three available trades and see for yourself why Descender has been the number one Donist World comic for two years in a row. So dang good. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Future Quest #10

Written by Jeff Parker, illustrated by Ron Randall, colored by Veronica Gandini, lettered by ALW’s Dave Lanphear, published by DC Comics. Midway through this 12-issue storyline, I had a minor running complaint that too many characters were being added, each requiring already limited space to allow an introduction and backstory for those not already familiar with them. I honestly worried that juggling this many characters would muddy the story that I had fallen in love with after the first couple of issues. There’s nothing to worry about; Parker has this story completely under control. Now that we know all of the great characters and creatures running around, things have been moving fast. Everyone has a place in this thrilling adventure comic, and everyone looks to get their moment to shine. Mightor’s role in the battle with the horrific Omnikron is shocking, and the secret of his club even more so, but I can’t wait to see Space Ghost finally whup some ugly monster butt once and for all. Oh yeah, it’d also be nice to see Bandit (the bulldog) get in on the action, too! I never thought I would ever say that most of my favorite comics coming from DC happen to be from the Hanna-Barbera line, and Future Quest is a solid reminder that comics can have stakes and be a fun-filled, roller-coaster ride; the last two issues can’t get here soon enough. If you missed out on the initial floppies, then never fear, the first trade of the first six issues is available now. Chic-a-chic-a-check it out! VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!


Thanos #4

Written by Jeff Lemire, illustrated by Mike Deodato, colored by Frank Martin, lettered by VC’s Clayton Cowles, published by Marvel Comics. Ahhhh…it’s just me, a book centered around one of my all-time favorite characters, and one of my favorite comic book creators; what more could I ask for? Not only that, but we’re four issues in, and no events in sight. Let’s hope it lasts. The crazy thing about this issue is that the title character, Thanos the Mad God, only shows up on the final splash page. Instead, this issue focuses on Thane (Thanos’s son) and The Champion, with brief appearances by Nebula and Starfox. The thing, Denizens, is that I know next to nothing about this Thane guy, but after reading this issue, for the son of Thanos, he sure is a wimp. It’s kind of staggering how easily this guy caves when under pressure or threat. If it wasn’t for the backing of the nearly-naked Hotness Death…sorry, I meant Mistress Death, Thane would still be eating rats in a jail cell. I guess I should do a little research on the kid seeing as how he’s a huge part of the storyline and all. Although the old adage, “Like father, like son,” doesn’t seem to apply quite yet, I still enjoyed this issue. Deodato’s artwork continues to be a dark and perfect match for a book about Thanos, and his style, especially when focused on Hotness Death…dang, I mean Mistress Death, reminds of art that could be found in Warren Magazine, which is a huge compliment. It was also nice to see the return of the halftone dots in this issue. Thanos will please Starlin fans like myself, and I’m excited to see what comes next…and to see more Hotness Death. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Slice into the Woods


The GOP and Their Man #45 - Going to try to stay positive and not go into it, but all the hiding from their constituents, not listening to their constituents, and standing beside Comrade #45 is simply shameful.


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Saturday, February 18, 2017

Friday Slice of Heaven, Slice into the Woods 2/17/2017

Welcome back, Donist World Denizens! For those of you new to our site, I’m Donist, and I am joined by Donist World CFO the Reverse Obie* (my friends’ Boston terrier whose fur recently swapped colors) and by our marketing director / administrative assistant / party planner / nevertheless persisting puppy Tulip (my dog, Reverse Obie’s sister). Yes, Denizens, yes…keep your shirts on — unless you live in superheated Arizona or something — I realize I am a day late, but I have good reason. You see, it was Amy the intern and my 20th anniversary of being together this past Sunday, and in celebration we fled Santa Barbara for the calm tranquility of Avila Beach. Of course the massive storm followed us here, but it’s cool, we’ve been holed up in our groovy hotel room with episodes of The Magicians, The Americans, and Riverdale to keep us busy, as well as plenty of comics loaded onto to ol’ trusty iPad via Comixology — who’s currently having a nifty Warren Ellis sale going on right now, so get yourself some Authority and Planetary on the cheap! Anyhow, this week’s post is going to be somewhat abbreviated as Tulip has informed me I should spend time with my wife for a change as opposed to solidifying Donist World as a Fortune 320,000 company. I’ve been secretly communicating with Reverse Obie via text and FaceTime whenever I can, but Tulip is right: Amy, Tulip, and I left town to get away, relax, and celebrate two decades of being together. So, Reverse Obie’s holding down the fort, this post is going to be relatively short, and we’re going to chillax some more as the heavens rain down upon us. So, take time to appreciate those you love, stay warm, stay positive, have a beer or a strong ginger ale, RESIST, take care of yourself, and while you’re at it check out some great comics. Thank you for reading!

*Obie, through his dabbling in arcane magics mixed with ancient corrupt business practices, has had not just the colors of his fur switched, but a complete overhaul of his work ethic as well…I think I’m kinda okay with the mishap.

***Possible Spoilers Below***

Friday Slice of Heaven


Sex Criminals #16


Written by Matt Fraction, illustrated by Chip Zdarsky, edited by Thomas K, published by Image Comics. Dang, Denizens, it has been a loooooong time since we last saw an issue of this Donist World darling, and it was a loooooong time between issues before that, but despite beginning each new installment with a smidge of irritation at the lengthy delays, I’m usually smiling, or laughing, or feeling my heart break by the third page. I still love this dang funny book somethin’ fierce. Because of the length of time between issues and the fact that coworkers who don't necessarily read comics (but should!) might be reading this post and preparing to sic HR on me, I should probably explain what Sex Criminals actually is. Sex Criminals is a comic about John and Suze who separately discover they have the ability to stop time after they experience the…uh…little death. Growing up with this ability is cool at first, escapist in fact, but they each feel a sense of detachment and isolation until the day the meet each other and fall in love. The “criminal” side of things comes into play when the pair decide to use their time-stopping powers to steal money from the bank that is going to seize and tear down Suze’s beloved library, where she works. Her father also worked at the bank but was killed by a delusional employee at the start of the financial crisis. John hates the bank because he works there and his boss is a total douche. They succeed in stealing the money, but soon learn there are others with similar powers, a Sex Police if you will. Anyhow, the comic is so much more than that. It is a sex-positive, inclusive look at how awkward, bizarre, and wonderful sex can be. On top of all of that, it’s funny as heck, while being so charming, so utterly earnest that I fall in love with the characters every time I hang out with them in each new issue. Fraction’s writing and voice are phenomenal and Zdarsky’s illustrations gorgeous, especially when his colored work depicts “The Quiet,” the time-stopped world that is both ethereal and lovely. If you’re closed minded, then this is not the book for you (come to think of it, why are you even here?). If you are under 18 or immature, then this is not the book for you. If you are open to the fact that sex can be a positive and even humorous adventure, and you like great characters in laugh-out-loud funny situations, then you have to read what TIME Magazine called the number one comic of 2014. You can easily catch up via the first three trades. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Written by Warren Ellis, illustrated by Jon Davis-Hunt, colored by Ivan Plascencia, lettered by Simon Bowland, published by Image Comics. Okay, everyone should know by now that I absolutely love Ellis’s The Authority and Planetary with all my heart. Heck, Planetary is next up on my reread list for the seventh or eighth time. So, to have the creator of those much-revered series returning to that universe with drastic new twists to the characters, there was no way I could pass on this new series; I’m sooooo glad I read this. Now I wasn't a total Wildstorm fanatic, so there are going to be more than a couple characters who I don’t recognize, but even for those characters who I do recognize, like Angela Spica, they have been overhauled, tweaked, revamped into something with just as many differences as they have similarities. We only have one issue thus far and although I don’t completely understand what the heck is going on, I cannot wait to see what happens next month. The writing is compelling as heck, and the art is stunning. Even without my love for the series that came before, the mystery of what is happening and the promise of a different type of superhero book has me most intrigued. Now, if we happen to get The Engineer, Jenny Sparks (she's coming), Jack Hawksmoor, The Doctor, Swift, Apollo, and The Midnighter all in one book once again, I would be a very happy camper. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Slice into the Woods




I Want to Keep Things Positive, But - The GOP has been very busy the past few weeks working with the person who won the electoral vote yet who bigly lost the popular vote. Too bad most of the members are avoiding or refusing to hear what their constituents have to say. Sad.

Trying to Compose This Post on an iPad Pro - I am writing this little blurb after the original post and on my actual computer. Now, I love my wife’s iPad Pro with the keyboard and Apple Pencil and all, but I have to say that composing this entry on the iPad Pro was a chore. A lot of formatting issues, many problems typing once I reached a certain page length. I was actually able to get something posted, but mostly after throwing in the towel by jumping into Google Docs, typing my post, copying and pasting it into Blogger, and going from there. Very messy, but doable as a last resort. If I ever do get an iPad Pro, I would have to do a minimal post, that I later brought into my main computer for fine tuning and image addition. Ugh. It should not have been this difficult.


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Friday, February 10, 2017

Friday Slice of Heaven, Slice into the Woods 2/10/2017

Welcome back, Donist World Denizens! For those of you new to our site, I’m Donist, and I am joined by Donist World CFO the Reverse Obie* (my friends’ Boston terrier whose fur recently swapped colors) and by our marketing director / administrative assistant / party planner / nevertheless persisting puppy Tulip (my dog, Reverse Obie’s sister). <sigh> I would say everything is awful, but seeing as how Amy the intern (my wife) returned from her northernly work conference with a 12-pack of Russian River Brewing Co’s Pliny the Elder, I really can’t say everything is bad. Right? We also bought four comics this week, read three of them, but only one made it in this week’s post, so we beefed-up all things heavenly with two amazing trades we just read. Anyhow, we at Donist World need to not fall into hopelessness and will thus continue to focus our energies on maintaining our status as a Fortune 320,000 company. So take a deep breath, stay warm, stay positive, have a beer or a strong ginger ale, RESIST, take care of yourself, and while you’re at it check out some great comics. Thank you for reading!

*Obie, through his dabbling in arcane magics mixed with ancient corrupt business practices, has had not just the colors of his fur switched, but a complete overhaul of his work ethic as well…I think I’m kinda okay with the mishap.

***Possible Spoilers Below***

Friday Slice of Heaven


Black Science #28

Written by Rick Remender, illustrated by Matteo Scalera, colored by Moreno Dinisio, lettered by Rus Wooton, edited by Sebastian Girner, published by Image Comics. Boy howdy, the creators of Black Science were right when they said their comic is a mix of Lost in Space and Indiana Jones, but as of late it has actually morphed into so much more. It is no longer solely a sci-fi rollercoaster ride of parallel universe-hopping weirdness. Since its beginning, the story has evolved into a family drama of damaged relationships, disappointments, and Grant McKay’s numerous attempts to fix the damage he has wrought. But then there’s also the trans-Eververse threat of malicious ghosts, wicked witches, swords and sorcery, and now superheroes. It’s all a bit much to handle, but this is Remender we’re talking about; juggling this many genres in a single book ain’t no hassle. The funny thing about the current arc is that we haven’t even seen the main character for the past couple issues as we follow Grant’s recently reunited children, Pia and Nate, and the story remains as compelling as ever. This is especially true now that we have the addition of the cool superhero twist. Scalera’s art is simply incredible — it always is — but where I usual extol the character acting and storytelling, this issue stands out because of the detailed backgrounds, cool technology, and stunning character designs. As a black and white comic, this issue is worth your time, but it is a marvel with Dinisio’s colors, especially during the near-psychedelic scenes involving the witch. Black Science is a fantastic series that fans of sci-fi, Remender, Scalera, or just great stories in general must check out. You can jump in with the five available trades, or go bigly with the oversized hardcover. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Superman Vol. 1: Son of Superman (Rebirth)

Written by Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason; illustrated by Patrick Gleason, Doug Mahnke, Jorge Jimenez, Mick Gray, and Jaime Mendoza; colored by John Kalisz, Wil Quintana, and Alejandro Sanchez; lettered by Rob Leigh; published by DC Comics. Okay, Denizens, when was the last time I mentioned a Superman comic book of some sort? Well, I did a quick search and found that it was in 2011. Over five years ago. I read a couple issues of Action Comics and a heartwrenching issue of Superman starring Krypto, but after that…nothing really jived. The Man of Steel and I just weren’t meant to be; that was until I received a surprise copy of this trade paperback from a good friend. I read it in one sitting. I had no idea of what went down with the New 52 version of Superman, and I honestly really didn’t need to know. This seven-issue trade immediately clues you in that the new Superman is dead, the old Superman is back, and that Clark and Lois have a young son. Why is the old Supes back? How did he come back? Yeah, I’m not totally certain, but I also stopped caring once I became immersed in the story after but a few pages. The Eradicator, or rather an Eradicator, made a great enemy to Clark and his family. The story is thrilling, has actual stakes, and most important of all is fun. I wasn’t even irritated by the addition of a kid to this superhero comic, which is something that usually comes off as cheesy, but not here; the family theme feels right at home. The art is solid, the colors vibrant and — I never thought I would ever say this — I am eagerly awaiting the next installment of Superman. If you are a lapsed Superman fan like I was, then there is no better time to jump aboard than with this super “Rebirth” title. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Scooby Apocalypse Vol. 1

Written by Keith Giffin and J.M. DeMatteis; illustrated by Howard Porter, Dale Eaglesham, Welllinton Alves, and Scott Hanna; colored by Hi-Fi; lettered by Nick Napolitano and Travis Lanham, published by DC Comics. I believe my initial thought upon seeing the first issue of this comic on the stand was, Absolutely no freaking way will I ever read that stupid book. Then I read some things. Then I heard some things. Those “things” were praise for this comic. Being a huge Scooby Doo cartoon fan as a kid, I broke down and decided to give the first trade a shot. Holy Pliny the Elder, Denizens, am I glad I did. I love everything about this book. Porter’s reimagining of the characters was a bit shocking at first, but a few pages in and I was 100% fine with Shaggy’s beard and tattoos, Daphne’s mercenary outfit, and Scooby’s headgear. The Mystery Machine as a heavily-armored assault vehicle? Heck yeah, sign me up. The monsters, though, daaaaaang…Porter delivers some groovy-as-heck monsters, but they positively spring from the page once graced with Hi-Fi’s lively colors. Beautiful visuals aside, if someone is going to mess with my Scooby Doo, they’re going to have to do a dang fine job of it, and Giffin and DeMatteis do not disappoint. I adore the new personality traits of the characters and the crazy events that bring them all together. I also like that the creators are taking a risk by bringing us a slightly more mature book — kids can read this comic, but there is extreme violence and death, so parents should be aware — one that succeeds in making you laugh while stepping up the ol’ heart rate during the more intense sequences. I love love love Scooby Apocalypse and I cannot wait for volume two. Hanna-Barbera is killing it with The Flintstones, Future Quest, and now this fine comic. Zoinks! Jeepers! Give this a read! VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Slice into the Woods


President-Neglect Donald Drumpf - GOP…even with all your gerrymandering and machinations, has it occurred to you yet that every day you allow Drumpf to pretend he is President and allow Bannon to even set foot in the White House you are not just shedding future votes by the day, but possibly setting us all up for some very scary and dangerous times? I’m talking more than just lost seats, I’m talking even more pissed off, nuclear type threats. Impeach his ass. Get Drumpf and Bannon out of there now. Do something right for a change.

DeVos and Her Recently Purchased Position as Education Secretary - To the corrupt, Republican senators who voted in Betsy DeVos: go fuck yourselves. Now we actually really need to make America great again.


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Friday, February 3, 2017

Friday Slice of Heaven, Slice into the Woods 2/3/2017

Welcome back, Donist World Denizens! For those of you new to our site, I’m Donist, and I am joined by Donist World CFO the Reverse Obie* (my friends’ Boston terrier whose fur recently swapped colors) and by our marketing director / administrative assistant / party planner / princess of resistance Tulip (my dog, Reverse Obie’s sister). Well, wouldn’t you know it…this week in our country pretty much sucked as much as the last one, but let’s try not to dwell. We need to remain positive. We need to continue resisting the many, many evils going on in this country; the good guys could really use some wins right about now. We at Donist World also need to not fall into hopelessness and will thus continue to focus our energies on maintaining our status as a Fortune 320,000 company. <grrrrrr> Oh,  wait…look at that. Tulip brought me the Superman: Rebirth trade a good friend sent me last week (LOVE it so far, btw) and Reverse Obie has brought me a Stone Brewing Ripper pale ale. Whatever would I do without my puppy executive team? So take a deep breath, stay warm, stay positive, have a beer or a strong ginger ale, take care of yourself, and while you’re at it check out some great comics. Thank you for reading!

*Obie, through his dabbling in arcane magics mixed with ancient corrupt business practices, has had not just the colors of his fur switched, but a complete overhaul of his work ethic as well…I think I’m kinda okay with the mishap.

***Possible Spoilers Below***

Friday Slice of Heaven


The Flintstones #8

Written by Mark Russell, illustrated by Steve Pugh, colored by Chris Chuckry, lettered by Dave Sharpe, published by DC Comics. Don’t get mad, Denizens, but The Flintstones is the best thing currently coming out of DC. Chill, I say. Chill! Yes, I’m sure there’s a bunch of great superhero comics I’m not reading — if so, let me know which ones, by golly — but after coming off of the tremendous and all-too-relevant Prez, I could not help but adore The Flintstones. The comic contains all the characters we’ve grown to love over the ages, only with a heaping spoonful of social commentary beneath laugh-out-loud funny situations. You might expect a book of this nature to come off as preachy, but I’m happy to tell you it doesn’t. The story has much to say about men and women, economics (these sequences especially cracked me up), consumerism, politics, immigrants, differing cultures, defunding vital programs to pay for needless war, and so much more, but the site gags and clever situations keep you laughing all the way to the end. Pugh’s art is a huge reason for the laughs with his beefy cavemen, the ridiculous Clod the Destroyer, visually stunning creatures, and lovely women. Chuckry’s colors bring an upbeat, liveliness to the series that makes it all the more enjoyable. The Flintstones is a thinking person’s comic, but it also happens to be a blast to read. You can read the trade of the first six issues near the end of March, and you can look forward to reading Russell’s new Hanna-Barbera offering Snagglepuss (I can’t wait) later this year. If the current state of America has you down, then this is definitely the pick-me-up book you need. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Paper Girls #11

Written by Brian K. Vaughan, illustrated by Cliff Chiang, colored by Matt Wilson, lettered and designed by Jared K. Fletcher, color flats by Dee Cunniffe, published by Image Comics. Dang, it’s been a fairly brutal wait since the conclusion of the second arc which saw our four paper girl heroines finally reunited; it was worth the wait. If you thought things had gone bananas in the ’80s, wait until you see the weirdness of the prehistoric past, especially the new character with the circuit board necklace. There’s another adult from the future with groovy Apple products, but what she has to do with the story or what in the actually going on is beyond me. The thing about Paper Girls is I’m cool being lost in this series, Denizens. I have faith the creators will fill us in little bits at a time as more mysteries arise; it’s all part of the fun in this great series. Chiang’s art is a jewel of character acting and storytelling, and Wilson’s mostly flat coloring schemes bring so much depth to the characters and the world — I am still in awe of his knockouts* for the lines of his characters faces. If you love Vaughan’s work on Saga and The Private Eye, then you simply must read this sci-fi, adventure comic about four paper girls from the ’80s dealing with weirdness, monsters, and time travel. Two inexpensive trades are currently available. So much fun. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
*knockouts are when you color the actual black of the inked line art to soften areas of the art for effect.

Deadly Class #26

Written by Rick Remender, illustrated by Wes Craig, colored by Jordan Boyd, lettered by Rus Wooton, edited by Sebastian Girner, published by Image Comics. Holy. Schmoly. Denizens…dude… After reading this issue, I think I need to go for a walk. Strike that. I think I might go for a three-mile run instead. Or at the very least do a bunch of freakin’ jumping jacks to blow off some of this gnarly tension. <arrgh!> Okay. I feel better. If you read this issue, then you know exactly what has me all messed up. Dang! If you haven’t read this issue then I am not going to spoil things, other than to say I suspected one thing might happen, but I was completely taken aback by a second thing. Criminy. You just have to read it. I will say that Craig has managed to reach another level, which is pretty unimaginable as his work is always magnificent. I am also lovin’ on Boyd’s monochromatic and analogous color schemes with the occasional complementary accent. The creators give us one of the best issues to date, and I am SO very on board for whatever comes next. If you aren’t reading this series about a high school for assassins, then, by all means, get the first four trades or supersize your comics meal with the lovely oversized hardcover as soon as you possibly can. Dang…just dang. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Slice into the Woods


President-Neglect Donald Drumpf - <sigh> Hasn’t this sociopath been impeached and imprisoned yet? What’s taking so damn long? Hasn’t Bannon keeled over after a Big Mac / Coors tallboy bingefest of epic proportions? No? Crud. Something needs to happen soon before these wicked and deplorable buffoons cause even more damage to America and the world.

Where’s Melania Trump? - Part of me says I shouldn’t care — since she knew exactly what she was getting into when she married that creep — but after all the footage of her looking angry and devastated and lost in Drumpf’s presence maybe someone(s) should go check on her; preferably not one of Bannon’s Drumpf’s people. Is no one worried? Is she okay?



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