Second Coming: An Interview with Mark Russell

Welcome to the Oblivion Bar where the first round is on me and the pretzels are free! I’m your tavern barkeep Dispatch, which you can find me on Twitter @dispatchdcu as well as on the award-winning Weird Science Marvel and DC Comic sites. 

Our guest tonight at the old watering hole is Mr. Mark Russell, which you may recognize from such comics as Prez, The Flintstones, Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles, and currently Wonder Twins! Most recently, AHOY COMICS just released Mr. Russell’s Second Coming, which readers can find at your LCS as of Wednesday, July 10th, 2019. 

Be warned: like the pickled eggs at the bar, this interview is going to SPOIL parts of Second Coming #1 rotten. So let’s sit back, relax, and toss back a few glass sandwiches and some laughing waters as we get to know Mr. Mark Russell. Without any further ado, here’s the discussion.

Dr. Fate #2 (1988) Review

THE NIGHT OF BRAHMA, PART ONE:
SUNSET

Writer: J.M. DeMatteis
Penciller: Shawn McManus
Inker: Mark McKenna
Cover Price: $1.25
Release Date: November 15th, 1988

Review by Joey Casco of TheWineStalker.net

Kent Nelson is dead but Nabu inhabits Kent's corpse to mentor the new Dr. Fate, Eric Strauss, who was a 10 year old boy aged up to an adult by Nabu. But the catch is that Eric must merge with his stepmother Linda in order to become Fate. Joined by a shapeshifting demon named Petey and a lawyer named Jack Small, Nabu and Eric and Linda must face the Lords of Order and stop them from allowing chaos to win. It's kind of like Shazam meets Firestorm meets Justice League Dark.

Oh, there's also vampires! And the issue opens up with them, narrated by the vampire the last issue closed with.

The Flash #74 Review and *SPOILERS*

Slow Down and Tell Me Where the Turtle Man Touched You

Written By: Joshua Williamson, Howard Porter
Art By: Howard Porter, Hi-Fi
Letters By: Steve Wands
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: July 10, 2019

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

It has been a while since I was this hyped up for an issue of The Flash. I was all down on this Year One storyline for a long time and while I still agree that the beginning of the story is not very good, it has all led to this confrontation between Barry and Turtle from the future and I am so excited to see where this story takes us. The cliffhanger from the previous issue really set the tone for what I want to see from this book and if Williamson and Porter can deliver, I will be overjoyed. Let’s stop talking about how excited I am for this book and instead, jump right into it.

Catwoman #13 Review

Blood Sugar Sex Magik

Writer: Joelle Jones
Artist: Joelle Jones, Fernando Blanco, Hugo Petrus, John Kalisz, Laura Allred, and Saida Temofonte
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: July 10, 2019

I was really into this series when it started, but I've been slowly losing interest in it since.  The overall story has been dragging and really isn't that interesting overall and while Joelle Jones has done some really good character work with Raina Creel, most of the other characters are just forgettable at best.  So, does this issue get things going in the right direction?  Let's find out...

Batman and the Outsiders #3 Review

Training Day

Writer: Bryan Hill
Artist: Dexter Soy
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: July 10, 2019

I am a Bryan Hill fan and really have liked this series so far.  How much have I liked it?  Well, enough to get blocked on Twitter by Tony Isabella for defending it!  Seriously, that guy hates the player, the game and just about everything else!  Oh well, I liked what we got in the first two issues of the series and am excited to pick up from the cool cliffhanger of the last issue.  So, how was this issue?  Let's find out...

Supergirl #32 Review and *SPOILERS*

The Big Rematch

Written By: Marc Andreyko
Art By: Kevin Maguire, FCO Plascencia
Letters By: Tom Napolitano
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: July 10, 2019

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

Supergirl has slowed down for me significantly for the first time since Andreyko took over. All the stuff I liked about the series has been thrown aside to tie into this crossover with Superman. For the first time since I started reviewing this book, I found myself disinterested in reading this issue. However, I like to see each issue as a new opportunity and hopefully that is the case with this book. I’ve been enjoying it so much that I really hate to see what they’ve done with it in the most recently issues. We are still stuck in the middle of this crossover however so that might hold things back. Regardless, let’s just jump into this issue and see where it takes us.

Wonder Twins #6 Review

The Yolks on You!

Writer: Mark Russell

Art: Stephen Byrne and Dave Sharpe

Price: $3.99

Release Date: July 10th, 2019

The Scrambler has given the world one month to fix everything-or else suffer "The Great Scramble," in this week’s all-new WONDER TWINS #6 by Mark Russell. Will the Wonder Twins put a stop to the Scrambler's plan or will an unexpected twist put Jayna in conflict with the Justice League? Let’s jump in and find out!

Justice League Odyssey #11 Review

Writer: Dan Abnett

Artists: Will Conrad, Ivan Plascencia, Pete Pantazis, Andworld Design

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: July 10th, 2019

Review by Joey Casco of TheWineStalker.net

This issue is part of the whole "The Offer" thing in The Year of the Villain, only the offer can't be made. Lex wants to bring Darkseid into the deal but Brainiac insists that Darkseid is so weak that he's a nonfactor and that Brainiac himself has made sure that Darkseid can't rise again because he hid and protected all of the relics needed to bring Sepulkore (Darkseid's contingency plan and new Apocolips for when the source wall is destroyed) into fruition. Lex says that it's a shame because Darkseid would be useful. But Darkseid was watching in on their conversation whole time on Sepulkore. He swipes right to turn them off and returns to the Odyssey team.

Wonder Woman #74 Review

Writer: G. Willow Wilson

Art: Jesus Merino, Xermanico, Romulo Fajardo Jr., and Pat Brosseau

Price: $3.99

Release Date: July 10th, 2019

Wonder Woman's journey through the broken realm reaches its end in this week’s WONDER WOMAN #74 by G. Willow Wilson. However, who waits for her there and what exactly created this dimension in the first place? Let’s plunge into the issue and find out!

Red Hood: Outlaw #36 Review

That's The End Of That Chapter

Written By: Scott Lobdell

Art By: Pete Woods, Rex Lokus, Troy Peteri

Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: July 10, 2019

What's the casino driven life of Jason Todd going to look like now that Bunker went and let Penguin out of his cage?  Well, that's what we're going to find out in this issue that is not only an ending to this chapter in Red Hood's life, but possibly a new beginning with the Offer aspect to this story.  Will Jason Todd take up Lex Luthor on what he's offering?  I'm not telling, but let's check out this issue.

Hawkman #14 Review

To Light A Candle Is To Cast A Shadow

Written By: Robert Venditti

Art By: Pat Olliffe, Tom Palmer, Jeremiah Skipper, Starkings & Comicraft

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: July 10, 2019

Now that we're done diving into the past of Hawkman, which I'm not sure we're actually finished with yet, it's time to tie this in with everything else going on at DC Comics and that means it's time for someone to get an offer from Lex Luthor.  That's actually the weirdest part of this book for me because it's going to be a villain of Hawkman, but we've spent over a year without really showing any villains for Hawkman beyond his original army from millions of years ago.  With that being the case though, why not jump into The Offer strong by giving us one of Hawkman's classic baddies...... The Shadow Thief.  Let's jump into this issue and check it out.

Young Justice #7 Review

Worlds Apart

Written By: Brian Michael Bendis

Art By: John Timms, Dan Hipp, David Lafuente, Gabe Eltaeb, Wes Abbott

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: July 10, 2019

Now that we're done with Gemworld and all its nonsense, it's time that we travel the Multiverse with our Young Justice gang....... the only problem is, I've seen Brian Michael Bendis do this before with Jon Kent in Superman and it didn't feel right there so I really don't have high hopes for what we'll get with a team that really doesn't make a lot of sense to me with their continuity.  Maybe he'll prove me wrong and this will be amazing........... I'm not holding my breath though.  Let's jump into this issue and check it out.

Detective Comics #1007 Review

Leg Work Sucks!

Writer: Peter J. Tomasi
Artists: Kyle Hotz, David Baron, Rob Leigh
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: July 10th, 2019

Review by Joey Casco of TheWineStalker.net 

The Cult of the Divine Hand has taken Jim Corrigan, and the Spectre has asked Batman to help in retrieving him. Batman doesn't like Spectre's murderous approach, but Spectre cannot solve this one himself. He needs the world's greatest detective to find his other half.

Naomi #6 Review

Don't Get Me Started!

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis and David Walker
Artist: Jamal Campbell and Wes Abbott
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: July 10, 2019

I have liked Naomi since the beginning of this series.  Yes, I am just talking about the character here and even with the snail's pace of character reveals, there has always been something about her that is very likable.  With this first "season" coming to a close, however, I need more.  Do we get it here?  Let's find out...

Superman #13 Review

Coming Clean

Written By: Brian Michael Bendis

Art By: Brandon Peterson, Ivan Reis, Joe Prado, Alex Sinclair, Dave Sharpe

Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: July 10, 2019

Jor-El, friend or foe?  That's still the question as we continue are adventure into the Superman titles.  Previously, we saw Jor-El being attacked by not only Rogol Zaar and his Kryptonian allies, but by Thanagarians, Khunds, and the Trillium Collective, but up until this point, we had no idea why any of these groups, besides for Zaar and his hatred for Kryptonians, were after Jor-El in the first place.  Let's take a trip down memory lane this issue and see if anything can become any clearer for us.  Let's check it out.

Batman #74 Review and *SPOILERS*

Sons and Fathers

Written By: Tom King

Art By: Mikel Janin, Jordie Bellaire

Letters By: Clayton Cowles
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: July 10, 2019

*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*

Batman is in an interesting place. For the first time in a while, there are hanging threads that I’m interested in seeing where they go. That said, several of those have been left behind and instead we got Thomas Wayne and Bruce walking through the desert. Again, there are things about these scenes that I look forward to getting to know better, but as for right now, it’s hard to not criticize this book for leaving those cliffhangers unanswered for so long now. That said, we’ve got a brand new issue and that means we have a brand new opportunity to make this book into something that we all want. So, without further ado, let’s jump into this issue and see where it takes us.

Event Leviathan #2 Review

Primary Suspect

Written By: Brian Michael Bendis

Art By: Alex Maleev, Josh Reed

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: July 10, 2019

Alright, let's get back to the event that is so big and bad that it even has event in the name, Leviathan is here and its time for Batman and his detective squad to get to the bottom of who and what this new iteration of this group is and to do that....... we'll hopefully move the story forward more than we did in the last issue.  Let's jump into this and see what Batman is doing with Red Hood and if this issue will move beyond anything we've already seen from Action Comics or DC's Year of the Villain.  Let's check it out.

Batman #74 – And Now, We Rise

Written by: Tom King

Art by: Mikel Janin
Colors by: Jordie Bellaire
Letters by: Clayton Cowles
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: July 10th, 2019
Reviewed By: J. Dawn

*SPOILERS WITHIN*

With a final traipse across the desert, we’ve reached our finale to The Fall and the Fallen. This arc has acted as an expository addendum to King’s run, ensuring that readers are caught up and all on the same page before the doors careen off their hinges with the City of Bane. Was this a the conclusion that’ll satisfy and tantalize, or did it fail to build upon the monumental cliffhanger we were last left with? Let’s join our maligned dynamic duo and find out.

PREVIEW: The Flash #74

Written By: Joshua Williamson
Art By: Howard Porter, Hi-Fi, Steve Wands
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: July 10, 2019

“The Flash Year One” continues! The Turtle has made his grand entrance, and it’s about to bring down the house! As an untested hero with the mastery of his abilities still in its infancy, Barry Allen will face the toughest challenge of his life to defend Central City from the invading forces of those who seek its destruction. Our hero is faced with the fateful choice to either become a superhero or die trying!

PREVIEW: Wonder Twins #6

Written By: Mark Russell
Art By: Stephen Byrne, Dave Sharpe
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: July 10, 2019

The Scrambler has given the world one month to fix everything—or else suffer “The Great Scramble,” a dastardly plot that would swap the consciousnesses of everyone on the planet. As the scramble before the scramble commences, the Wonder Twins must team up with the Justice League to put a stop to the Scrambler’s plan! But an unexpected twist puts Jayna in conflict with the Justice League—will she choose the path of justice even if it means losing her best friend?

PREVIEW: Wonder Woman #74

Written By: G. Willow Wilson
Art By: Jesus Merino, Xermanico, Romulo Fajardo Jr., Pat Brosseau
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: July 10, 2019

Wonder Woman’s journey through the broken realm has reached its end—but who waits for her there? And what exactly created this place between dimensions in the first place? The answer will shock Diana and provide the missing piece of a puzzle that’s defined her entire life!

PREVIEW: Supergirl #32

Written By: Marc Andreyko
Art By: Kevin Maguire, FCO Plascencia, Tom Napolitano
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: July 10, 2019

The conclusion to the SUPERMAN/SUPERGIRL team-up is here! As the House of El is united, Superman, Supergirl, Superboy and Jor-El struggle to defeat the seemingly unstoppable Rogol Zaar, who is now teamed up with General Zod, Jax-Ur and even Gandelo! New alliances are forged and betrayed, and Kara must fight battles on two fronts: alongside her cousins and inside herself, as she faces her own rage and the corrupting influence of Zaar’s axe! If she survives it all, who will be the Supergirl who emerges on the other side? Join us on the epic finale to Supergirl’s space-opera adventure!


Also, if Brainiac is in the Hall of Doom, why is Lex Luthor upgrading an old Brainiac drone body? And why is the drone calling itself the true Brainiac?

PREVIEW: Red Hood: Outlaw #36

Written By: Scott Lobdell

Art By: Pete Woods, Rex Lokus, Troy Peteri

Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: July 10, 2019

There’s no way to plan for every contingency...even for a son of the Bat like Jason Todd. His goal was to take down the Penguin and assume his role as the prince of Gotham, but the best laid plans go awry when Oswald Cobblepot gets the last laugh—and the last bullet! And not even the Red Hood and his posse can stop him. (How could they with the Iceberg Lounge under siege and Bunker, Wingman and the Sisters Su too busy to help Jason deal with a Penguin ascendant?) Don’t miss the startling conclusion to “Prince of Gotham!” 


What can Lex Luthor offer former sidekick Jason Todd? Sidekicks...broken, battered and catastrophically dangerous sidekicks. The Teen Titans they’re not!

PREVIEW: Hawkman #14

Written By: Robert Venditti

Art By: Pat Olliffe, Tom Palmer, Jeremiah Skipper, Starkings & Comicraft

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: July 10, 2019

Carl Sands returns as the new, improved Shadow Thief! Newly upgraded by Lex Luthor, he’s now the undisputed master of shadows. Meanwhile, Hawkman continues to be haunted by horrific memories of his past lives. Could Shadow Thief be the cause of his nightmares? Or is it something more sinister?

PREVIEW: Superman #13

Written By: Brian Michael Bendis

Art By: Brandon Peterson, Ivan Reis, Joe Prado, Alex Sinclair, Dave Sharpe

Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: July 10, 2019

Superman, intergalactic hero! A major chapter in the galaxy-spanning “Unity Saga” begins as Superman reluctantly takes the lead in a quest for peace bigger than he has ever tried before. It’s Superman, Superboy, Supergirl and a cast of thousands in a fight to keep the universe intact. But it’s this issue’s final page that will have fans everywhere talking. It’s a moment almost a thousand years in the making...


Deadly plans, murderous schemes and evil dealings. Each of Lex Luthor’s offers means doom for the heroes. So why is Lex now talking to Lois Lane?

PREVIEW: Event Leviathan #2

Written By: Brian Michael Bendis

Art By: Alex Maleev, Josh Reed

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: July 10, 2019

“The Detectives”! EVENT LEVIATHAN, the new miniseries by the award-winning team of writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Alex Maleev, continues! As the mystery of Leviathan continues to rock the very foundations of the DC Universe, the world’s greatest detectives gather for the first time anywhere to solve the mystery before it’s too late! Lois Lane leads Batman, Green Arrow, Plastic Man, Manhunter, the Question and a couple of genuine guest sleuths in the search for who Leviathan is and how their plans have already unfolded. This issue also guest-stars Red Hood, Batgirl and more!