I apologize for not having previously done my annual overview of Free Comic Book Day 2 1/2 weeks ago, but here we are, better late than never. We'll do some today, and the rest next time.
Marvel offers a sneak peek at two forthcoming animated series, both headed to DisneyXD.
Avengers Assemble replaces Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes on the schedule, and is aimed at younger viewers. In other words, it's a step up from the Super Hero Squad Show, now airing in reruns on The Hub, and a flight or two below the last series. The comic, of course, seeks to capture the appropriate artistic style, and works in that capacity. Meanwhile, Hulk & The Agents of S.M.A.S.H. is someone's idea of taking recent events in Hulk's books and trying to set up the green goliath to form his own team. She-Hulk returns, but TV audiences will have to get used to Hulk's old nemesis, General "Thunderbolt" Ross, in his new guise as Red Hulk, and Rick Jones Hulks out as well, as the blue-skinned A-Bomb. Yeah, that happened in the books, too. Rounding out this monster cast is Skaar, who was introduced as the son of the Hulk in the books a couple of years back. When you consider that Bruce Banner's wife, Betty Ross, is now the Red She-Hulk, well, some would think she'd be more than a bit upset over her hubby's cheating on her on another world. Yeah, I know, too much information.
Too many Hulks, though, actually spoils the legacy of the character. No rating, as we'll review the shows themselves when they debut on DisneyXD.
Meanwhile, over at DC, this year's DC Nation Super Sampler offers a peek at the forthcoming Beware The Batman, and marking the comics debut of writer-producer Mitch Watson as a plotter. Serviceable, but one needs to get used to seeing Alfred clean-shaven in this series. Anarky, a villain of a sort who debuted in the 90's in the books, is the big bad here, and it'll be interesting to see where this goes. Latest word says Cartoon Network will debut this show sometime in the summer. Meanwhile, Teen Titans GO! is represented by an inventory piece from the defunct book of the same name, which is a little easier on the ol' eyeballs than watching the chibi-animated silliness airing twice weekly on CN (previously reviewed in Saturday Morning Archives). Rating: B.
Papercutz checks in with another round of Smurfs, with the movie sequel due soon. If you still have the issue from 2011, this is a continuation, although this time, Papercutz also adds an adaptation of the CN series, Annoying Orange, among the backup features. Papercutz also has an issue starring Tinker Bell and her fairy friends. If you've seen the DTV movies with these characters, well, this should be worth reading to your little girls. Both books merit an A rating.
We'll finish part one of our FCBD review with Action Lab's NFL Rush Zone, which adapts the Nicktoons series of the same name. I haven't seen the show yet, but I did get a pretty good idea of the concept. Kids, all I have to tell you is to let your imagination run wild if you're an NFL fan. Rating: B-.
From Dynamite comes Damsels: Mermaids, which bows with a 0 issue on FCBD, meaning that issue 1 is right around the corner. It's a stand-alone series separate from the regular Damsels book, and if you've been following that, you'll gravitate over to Mermaids with no problem. Nice art, but if this isn't a licensed title, like most of Dynamite's line, they could stand to lower the price. Rating: B+.
Shifting gears and going to my personal reading pile.
Dynamite Entertainment is expanding its line of licensed heroes titles. The results, though, have been hit or miss.
Veteran writer Mark Waid is the latest to take on Green Hornet in an all-new series borne out of the Hornet's appearances in the Masks limited series. Waid appears to be setting up friction between the Hornet & Kato in what would be a case from early in the Hornet's career. I'll take a chance. Rating: A-.
June Tarpe Mills created Miss Fury during the Golden Age, and the character's last appearance was for Malibu or one of its sister labels in the 90's. Now, she's being reposited as Dynamite's answer to Catwoman, but I am so not digging the opening arc, which has Marla Drake (Miss Fury) shifting in time between 1943 and 2013. For what, well, you'd have to keep reading. Dynamite, though, should have marked this series as "recommended for mature readers" because of brief sex scenes and a near nip slip, the latter in issue 2. Apparently, the writer likes the idea of Marla getting busy out of costume, if you catch the drift. Rating: C-.
The Black Bat's been around since the Golden Age, too, but writer Brian Buccelato, formerly with Marvel, lays it on mighty thick, as if the Bat is meant to be Dynamite's cross between DC's Dr. Mid-Nite and Marvel's Punisher, except that the Bat can see because of an eye transplant, but, well.......! Rating: B.
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