R.E.B.E.L.S. : The Son and the Stars REBELS 10 11 12 13 14 TPB Blackest Night crossover

Covers  by Kalman Andrasofszky

RATING 3.9 out of 5

Let me tell you...I didn't know a thing about REBELS until I bought Issue 10, now it will be hard for me to ever give it up.  The writer Tony Bedard has found his niche and delivers a excellent romp with a wide cast of characters. He is also able to give a dialogue for each character that is all their own.

What is R.E.B.E.L.S.? Revolutionary Elite Brigade to Eradicate L.E.G.I.O.N. Supremacy
"Eh?" was my first reaction too.

The main character in the R.E.B.E.L.S. series, is Vril Dox, who is a clone/son of Brainiac, who is a big bad guy in the DC universe. Vril Dox leads L.E.G.I.O.N., a group that is basically "Hero's for Hire." If the price is right, they'll help. Some of the crew actually are there just to keep a eye on Vril Dox, others... because of promises that Vril Dox may, or may not, make good.

Another great thing about this particular TPB, is that it gives a blurb at the beginning of issue 10 that brings you up to date on what is going on. Also, something I like, is it has the tags on a character when they first appear in a issue,  telling their name, their power, and what world they are from.


These issues are not all-in-one issues, but the trade paperback, REBELS: The Son and The Stars can be read as a all-in-one and has a complete storyline.  If you are buying the separate issues, I would say you would have to buy all 5 issues to get the complete story.

 SPOILERS:

Issue 10 starts a crossover with the big mega storyline that DC was producing at that time, Blackest Night. Don't worry, Tony puts a short explanation in the dialogue about Blackest Night.
For Bedard's storyline, he had the deceased mother of Vril Dox's only child come back to life. When she was alive...they didn't get along.  So as a dead zombie trying to rip Vril's heart out, she had more
than few ...extra last words from the grave.

Vril Dox was more then ready to accept the Yellow Lantern ring of fear, when it came knocking, but to find out why he lost it you'll just have to buy the TPB.

In the storyline we also find out that his son. Lyrl Dox/Brainiac 3, had a thirst for the domination of the universe, and he wishes to get back at his father for thwarting his plans, so he sides with Starro The Conqueror (Bedard also gives you brief info on Starro's background).


I love the interaction between the egos of Virl and Lyrl, plus all the other egos that are tossed in the mix. I would say that this is a really fun storyline and well worth the money for the trade paperback, you might even find yourself hooked on Vril Dox and needing another fix of  R.E.B.E.L.S.

R.E.B.E.L.S. : The Son and The Stars
Writer for all issues: Tony Bedard
Issue 10: Artist: Andy Clarke
Issue 11:  Penciller: Claude St Aubin, Inker: Scott Hanna
Issue 12: Penciller: Geraldo Borges, Inker: Scott hanna
Isue 13 and 14: Penciller: Claude St. Aubin, Inker: Scott Hanna
For all issues:Colorist Jose Villarrubia,Letterer: Swands, ass Editor: Rex Ogle, Editor: Brian Cunningham
Publisher: DC Comics
Jan, Feb, March, April, May 2010

Review: STARBORN #1: Stan Lee Presents, Boom Studios

Rating 3.9 out of 5

From the moment I opened Starborn #1, my thoughts were, 'I want this art team for Batman Beyond.' It's perfect futuristic art. I'm ga ga over it.

Out of the three Boom studio titles presented by Stan Lee in the past three months, Starborn is by far the best.

At this point, the plot seems too simplistic, or done before, but the characterizations were very enjoyable, and dialogue was smooth, so.. I also want Chris Roberson to write Batman Beyond.

I can't wait to get  the next issue.


Full Review, and Spoilers below:

BOOM Studios should have had this title out first, because I almost didn't pick this up. I had been following the Stan Lee presents titles, but Traveler was meh...and even though the first issue of Soldier Zero was intriguing, the second issue was just okay. If this had been a big week at DC, like it had been in October, I would have cut it out of my pull list.  I'm sure others felt the same way.

I"m glad that didn't happen, because the art and the writing were great, and even though this storyline seems over done, I'm excited for the title.

Even if it has been done before, I think Roberson could possibly pull off a new take on the same old story, after all he did write the  Vertigo's Cinderella: From Fabletown with Love, which I haven't read, but I have heard good things about it.

Major spoilers:
A geek writes a book. He finds out it is similar to another book written years ago.  He gets attack at his office cubical by...the characters from the book that he wrote. Yeah, I kinda saw all this coming.
 
I guess I'm kinda jaded by movies like The Matrix, and Inkheart.
BUT to be honest, I haven't seen this plot device in comic form. I can only remember movies that...Wait wasn't Cool World a comic... no just about a cartoonist being pulled into his own created world.

Lets face it, NOT many stories haven't been done. AND some stories we beg to be done again and again because they are so... good.  Batman's story has been told over and over, in various kinds of ink.  Since... it's that time of year... lets remember a good one... Christmas Carol. It's been retold in varies different ways and we could always use one more, with our own favorite actor, maybe even with Ryan Reynolds.

 Just about every one of Shakespeare's plays have been done over and over, in different ways and in different eras.

Coming soon is the new Tron Movie, but ah... technically its Tron II, not a redo.

What about the Green Lantern Movie, any of you going to see it? Oh I am...Ryan Reynolds makes me smile... or was that giggle. 

STARBORN #1
Grand Poobah: Stan Lee
Writer: Chris Roberson
Art: Khary Randolph
Colors: Mitch Gerads
Letters: Ed dukeshire
Cover A: Gene Ha, Cover B: humberto Ramos with edgar Delgado, Cover C: Khary Randolph with Etienne Midtown comics Exclusive Variant: Paul Rivoche
Graphic Designer: Brian Latmer
Editor: Bryce Carlson
Editor-in-cheif: Matt Gagnon
Publisher: Ross Richie
BOOM studios, Stan Lee's POW! Entertainment
December 2010