BWOOOOFFF

Art by Jim Lee and Scott Williams, colouring by Alex Sinclair, lettering by Patrick Brosseau, Justice League #1. Cover date October 2011

Jim Lee draws smoke bombs exploding.  Well, I think that’s what happens.  There’s a sound effect, and in the previous panel Batman fired some things at the helicopters, and there’s black smoke in the air around the helicopters, so we’ll guess that Jim Lee has drawn a smoke bomb exploding.  Granted, it must be hard to draw a smoke bomb exploding.

New project: The New 52

So the journey with the TARDIS and its visits to scenes of explosion is over for now, although we may return to it in the future if time and space allow…but now it’s onwards and upwards in the here and now, and with DC Comics making the news headlines with their New 52 relaunch of their entire line, why not look at how many explosions they cram into each number one they launched back in September. So our next journey will take us through the very modern US comic art of late 2011.

Here’s the comics that DC published.  We’ll look at this list at the end of the journey and tally up the explosions and work out what it says about the industry, if it says anything at all.

1. JLA #1 
2. Action Comics #1 
3. Superman #1
4. Superboy #1
5. Batman #1 
6. Detective Comics #1
7. Batgirl #1
8. Batwoman #1
9. Catwoman #1
10. Red Hood And The Outlaws #1
11. Batwing #1
12. Nightwing #1 
13. Batman And Robin #1
14. Adventure Comics DC Universe Presents #1
15. Green Lantern #1
16. Green Lantern Corps #1
17. Green Lanterns: New Guardians #1
18. Red Lanterns #1
19. Animal Man #1
20. Swamp Thing #1
21. Legion Lost #1 
22. Birds Of Prey #1 
23. Teen Titans #1
24. Savage Hawkman #1
25. Blue Beetle #1
26. Supergirl #1 
27. Wonder Woman #1 
28. Fury Of Firestorm #1
29. Aquaman #1
30. Mr Terrific #1
31. Flash #1
32. Green Arrow #1
33. Justice League International #1
34. Captain Atom #1
35. Grifter #1
36. Legion of Superheroes
37. OMAC #1 
38. Batman: The Dark Knight #1 
39. All-Star Western #1 
40. Justice League Dark #1
41. Demon Knights #1
42. Frankenstein: Agent Of SHADE #1
43. Resurrection Man #1
44. I, Vampire #1
45. Voodoo #1
46. Static Shock #1
47. Hawk And Dove #1
48. Sgt Rock And The Men Of War #1
49. Stormwatch #1
50. Deathstroke #1
51. Suicide Squad #1
52. Blackhawks #1

Saturday Series: A panel from 2000 AD

“The Ballad of Halo Jones: Part 9; I’ll Take Manhattan”, prog 384, 22 September 1984. Art by Ian Gibson

Ah, Ian Gibson.  It took me a while to get into this strip, first time round I just didn;t like it, sailed right over the twelve year old me.  But once Transvision Vamp sang a song about it, I went back and got it.

Then, without warning — the eternal night of space becomes, for a few seconds, the brightness of day!
Pencils by Howard Chaykin (layouts) and Rick Hoberg (finished art), inks by Bill Wray, Rick Hoberg and Dave Stevens (uncredited), colours by Paty, lettering by Carol Lay and Mike Royer, Star Wars #6. Cover date December 1977
And from one science fiction supernova to another. From Doctor Who to Star Wars, and the climatic explosion of the Death Star as represented by a whole host of artists in typical Marvel fashion.  It’s very word heavy, and the scale is somewhat lacking.  I don;t care where you are sat, that explosion is going to look ten times bigger than the X-Wing at the very least.  Still, artistic license counts, I guess. It’s big, it’s bright and brash and it works in all its disco glory.

KA-KROOM!

Art by Dan McDaid, colours by James Offredi, letters by Roger Langridge, Doctor Who Magazine #437. Cover date 24 August 2011

It’s a beauty. Another jaunty angle, a TARDIS that spins in space rather than just hangs, gorgeous blacks that leave enough space for Offredi to work some magic with a blue palette, and the TARDIS Vworp Vworps away from us for the time being…

Quick inside the TARDIS!

Art by Dan McDaid, colours by James Offredi, letters by Roger Langridge, Doctor Who Magazine #437. Cover date 24 August 2011

Well, goodbye to Martin Geraghty then, and hello to Dan McDaid’s scratchy, moody, angular art. There’s more detail, more black, and it emphasises a darker tone than previous panels seen on Skpow. McDaid’s setting the angle askew and giving the TARDIS an imposing solidity on the right of the panel. We’re right in the scene, almost able to feel the flames crawl over us.  As a single panel, this is probably the most evocatively explosive we’ve seen from the colour Dr Who panels.

From the diary of James Francis Hurley

Art by Martin Geraghty and David A. Roach, colours by Adrian Salmon, letters by Roger Langridge, Doctor Who Magazine #389. Cover date 12th December 2007

Another shot of the TARDIS hanging in space, again enhanced by the colours of Salmon. The gradients on the face of the sun are wonderful.

No need to thank me.

Art by John Ross, colours by James Offredi, letters by Roger Langridge, Doctor Who Magazine #353. Cover date 22nd August 2007

The TARDIS imposes itself on the left of the scene in this well composed panel that seems to observe the golden rule of thirds quite tidily.

Saturday Series: A panel from 2000 AD

“Luke Kirby: The Old Straight Track; part 3”, prog 956, 8 September 1995. Art by Steve Parkhouse

Watercolour art from Steve Parkhouse. A well observed scene of mourning.

You sure that’s it, Doctor?

Art by Mike Collins and David A. Roach, colours by James Offredi, Doctor Who Magazine #376. Cover date 6th December 2006

I never know if it is the colorist or the letterer who creates some of the sound effects.  It’s probably worth mentioning that Roger Langridge is the letterer on the Doctor Who Magazine comic strip!

Collins’ TARDIS is more blocky, slightly wider than I prefer aesthetically speaking.