Tag C2E2

Epic Covers: Venom and Batman by Clayton Crain

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By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

Venom as a patriotic, flag-waving hero? Stranger things have happened, I suppose. At the very least, Clayton Crain juxtaposed the black and white of the Venom character with the bright colors of Old Glory for this C2E2 exclusive variant cover for 2020’s Venom: The End #1.

This cover is pretty epic on its own. But what brought it to my attention this week was the recent revision Crain did for it on his Instagram page, featuring yet another “dark” hero in the same pose with the American Flag…

Who wore it better? You make the call.

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

A One-Star Squadron #2 Micro-Review – Sympathetic Yet Comedic

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***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

One-Star Squadron 2, cover, 2022, Steve LieberTITLE: One-Star Squadron #2
AUTHOR: Mark Russell
ARTISTS: Steve Lieber, Dave Stewart (Colorist), Dave Sharpe (Letterer)

RELEASED: January 4, 2022

This issue does a nice job of making Minute Man, who we spend most of the issue with, sympathetic yet comedic. That’s not necessarily an easy balance to strike.

Minute Man goes to a comic book convention in this issue. *sigh* I miss conventions. Namely C2E2.

Mark Russell does a great job of making One-Star Squadron genuinely funny. As such, it’s a joy to read. I’m not sure how nice it is to Power Girl and Red Tornado from a character perspective. But that’s another matter entirely…

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

Astonishing Art: Karen Hallion’s He/She Series

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By Rob Siebert
Has great taste in art. Just sayin’.

Every year during C2E2, Mrs. Primary Ignition and I make sure to drop by Karen Hallion’s table over in Artist’s Alley. The wife is a big fan of hers, so naturally I became one too.

As far as that tradition is concerned, this was a pretty special year for us. We purchased a pair of very special prints that I’m happy to say are currently hanging in our living room.

The above two selections are from Hallion’s “She Series” and “He Series” respectively. The premise is fairly simple: Hallion draws profile shots of inspiring people, role models, etc. Next to them she places a verb associated with that individual. “Lead” next to Harriet Tubman, “Care” next to Fred Rogers, etc.

If I’m not mistaken, this concept started with Hallion using powerful female fictional characters, such as Disney princesses and Marvel superheroes. For my money, the concept is much more powerful with real-life heroes and role models.

As a new father, it warms my heart to see these every day. Because naturally, one day my daughter will ask who these people are. And we’ll be able to tell her about some of the best minds, hearts, and souls to ever grace humanity.

For more from Karen Hallion, check out her web site or her Etsy shop. She can also be found on Instagram.

Hallion also has a children’s book coming out called Never, Never Quit, which was funded via Kickstarter. It can be pre-ordered here.

Email Rob at primaryignition@yahoo.com, or check us out on Twitter.

Astonishing Art: TMNT by Royden Lepp

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By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

I’m usually turned off when artists get too cute with the Ninja Turtles. I like my TMNT a little darker and grittier. That’s more or less how they were originally conceived, after all. But of course, there are exceptions that make the rule.

As it turns out, Royden Lepp is one such exception. I’m a big fan of Lepp’s Rust books. So perhaps it’s no coincidence that this digital rendering of the TMNT features a little bit of the sepia tone Lepp uses in Rust.

The Turtles are all wearing their red bandanas here (again, as they were originally conceived). Thus, it’s harder to tell who is who. I’m sure Lepp knows for sure. But my theory is from left to right it’s Donnie, Mike, Leo, and Raph. I can just picture them running alongside Jet Jones, a trail of fire and smoke in their wake.

Rust: Soul in the Machine, the final installment in the Rust series, is out now.

Email Rob at PrimaryIgnition@yahoo.com, or follow Primary Ignition on Twitter.

Astonishing Art: Classic Justice League by Mike Mahle

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***In “Astonishing Art,” we spotlight a particular work or series of works from a specific artist or creative team. The only requirement? That the work be simply and purely astonishing!***

By Rob Siebert
Editor, Fanboy Wonder

Mrs. Primary Ignition and I stumbled across Mike Mahle’s table at C2E2 this year, and were immediately struck by what we saw. Specifically, posters featuring his digital renderings of DC Comics superheroes in their unabashedly colorful glory. These pieces celebrate the iconic looks of characters like Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, with a delightfully retro (and often retro-futuristic) flair.

We purchased a print of Mahle’s take on Superman, as I found myself hopelessly drawn to it. In an era where so many want to darken the character, or make him a moody brooder, Mahle casts the Man of Steel in the idealistic light he was meant to be shown in. This is the true face of Superman.

Mahle actually sells a collected book of these DC posters, which is the size of a standard comic book. It’s got his tributes to most of the big DC names, as well as some of the lesser known characters. Booster Gold, Power Girl, Captain Atom, etc.

Particularly popular at the convention was Mahle’s take on Batman: The Movie, with Adam West and Burt Ward (shown left). Like so many, my first exposure to the character came from the 1966 show. So this one hit me right in the feels. Especially now that Adam West is gone.

Mahle’s art isn’t limited to retro DC stuff, of course. In his portfolio, you’ll find more modern takes on comic book heroes, including Marvel’s cast of characters. You can also find his take on posters for both classic and current films. Mahle has also crowdfunded his own book, Empire City, an art and design collection scheduled for release later this year.

Mike Mahle’s work can be found at MikeMahle.com. I’d also recommend checking out his Instagram and DeviantArt for his latest stuff.

Email Rob at PrimaryIgnition@yahoo.com, or follow Primary Ignition on Twitter.

The Fanboy’s Closet: Nightwing Crew Socks

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***”The Fanboy’s Closet,” I pull a geeky item of clothing from the closet, snap a pic, and then see what subjects it takes us into. Why? Why the hell not?!?***

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

Yeah, I post pictures of socks here now. What can I say? I’m a sock enthusiast.

I picked these suckers up at C2E2 last weekend. From the fine folks at SuperHeroStuff.com. Pretty good quality.

Once in awhile, somebody on Twitter will ask if people prefer Nightwing with the blue V-stripe or the red one. Or as I call them, Blue Nightwing and Red Nightwing. It’s not even a question, really. Blue Nightwing is the only Nightwing.

To me, Red Nightwing (i.e. the New 52 version) evoked Robin too much. Red is so closely identified with that character and that costume. A major part of Nightwing’s story is that he gave up being Robin to break away from Batman and become his own man. That independence is extremely important to the fabric of the character, and putting red on him almost takes part of that away.

Red Nightwing first appeared in 2011’s Nightwing #1, drawn by Eddy Barrows. While I really enjoy his work (he’s currently on Detective Comics), that pose on the cover (shown below) will never look natural to me…

Email Rob at PrimaryIgnition@yahoo.com, or follow Primary Ignition on Twitter.