A-force #5
shit it took forever for this to come out
jumping on for Caldwell
>>82479790
oh god singularity
I'm kinda ok with Just Dazzler my shit up
>>82479989
>Carol drinking soda
nice touch.
>>82480030
Can't resist, the mist
>>82480095
Say countess what are going to do today
>>82480144
Medusa's thighs
>>82480125
I wonder: is Contessa based on anybody?
>>82480191
That is all
>>82480168
I'm enjoying this book but thick Medusa is 15 /10
>>82479689
>Dat nico minoru
Dropped.
>Dat Ghostbusters dazzler
Is there such a thing as a double dropped?
>>82480125
>>82480144
>>82480168
Am I the only one tired of having the magic user be the one to be brainwashed/possessed/corrupted etc? We just had Morudin in New Avengers and now this. At this rate we should bet money whenever Jericho gets his turn in autumn or winter.
>>82479633
Huh, wasn't Dazzler dead?
>>82479923
Dis thick as fuck Medusa!!!
>>82480125
>>82480144
>>82480168
...porn when?
>>82480338
What is wrong with Nico?
>>82480456
It is always the strongest member of the team or the one that could cure brainwashing that gets brainwashed. That just happens to be magicians most of the time.
>>82480518
She got better
>>82479923
>>82480540
>>82479633
Who the girl that looks like Beth Ross.
>>82480568
>It is always the strongest member of the team or the one that could cure brainwashing that gets brainwashed. That just happens to be magicians most of the time.
It's just cliche at this point.
Besides, jobbing is, well, jobbing.
And, if I have to be honest, after last two books Nico was in I'm kida sick of seeng writes try to turn her in particular to the dark side. It's just...I was really hoping she gets to kick ass and here she just gets mind-controlled. And solicits made it sound like she is not even going to have a chance to beat Countess up once the rest sets her free.
At least they didn't use that fucking arm aside mocking it.
>>82480095
>Don't tell the team
Uuuh
Medusa is right there honey
>>82480014
Singularity can't hold her liquor.
>>82480702
I like that in a girl
>>82480221
>What happens next?
Whorzler dies a heroic noble sacrifice therefore teaching an import and valuable, not to mention somewhat homoerotic lesson to Allison Blair
>>82480761
More likely Dazzler dies and thorzzler drops dead in her place and they find out that dazz survives by sacrificing alt dazzlers.
>>82479689
Captain Marvel is literally a man and Medusa is a fat fucking pig. What the fuck is wrong with Marvel
>>82479820
Bitch clearly didn't get the memo.
>>82480969
>not liking dyke Carol and obese Medusa
Shit taste.
>>82479923
Thick Medusa is best Medusa. Who do we have to thank for this. Allred? I remember Allred starting the trend.
What's with She-Hulk's random ass haircut?
>>82479820
>>82480969
Did you miss out on Carol Dadvers knocking up Spider-Woman?
>>82479972
I see my decision to claim Singularity as my waifu continues to pay dividends.
>>82480518
One of Dazzler's powers is that when she dies, an alternate universe Dazzler dies in her place and she comes back. Presumably Dazzler is going to finally find this out during this arc, considering how many times it's happened in the past for her to just shrug it off and not question the mechanics behind it.
>>82480969
>hating on thick Medusa
Nigga you gay.
>>82480168
>Dun dun dunnnnn!!!. ;)
New Dazzler-Thor is a cutie
Nico's lips looked awesome in this
>>82481822
How it is that Nico in this book seems to attract people with oral fixation?
>>82482332
did you see her luscious fat lips
>>82482733
Even before that. We had people saying they want to do lewd things to her mouth when cover for #2 was released. You know, the one where she is stuffing her mough with food? For me it looked more cute than lewd. Guess I'm not into that.
>>82482833
>it looked more cute than lewd
But anon, that's what makes it so lewd.
>>82483386
But Nico is not for sexual.
>>82483518
>Nico is not for sexual.
Chase, victor, and Alex beg to differ
>>82483619
And Karolina
And Singularity probably too.
>>82483518
>>82483518
That is literally what she's for.
>>82483785
>>82483742
...I hate this board.
>>82483803
I love you too anon
>>82483619
>>82483668
Nico truly is the team bicycle.
>>82480568
>What is wrong with Nico?
What's wrong with the Runaways big sister who defined her entire character by saving her friends from each other's evil (but sympathetic ) families and has basically kept them all alive and together through one gut wrenching tragedy after another, that goth girl that learns that true power comes from your ability to face your pain, and that she needs that power so that she can save her loved ones and thus embraces it fully, being downgraded to the jubilee duty of CUTESY MAKEOVER SPELLS and CHORFING PIES EHL OH EHL brigade?
Well, for starters, she isn't goth any more.
>>82485368
>the youngest and most inexperienced hero isn't team mom
There is nothing wrong with her hanging with singularity she did the same with molly.
>>82485368
>Well, for starters, she isn't goth any more.
It really did lend itself to a character and theme that you don't see represented much, and a flamboyancy that only good comics can really capitalize all that well on.
Instead you get this generic ass k-pop look that Kate Bishop wouldn't be seen slumming in.
Then there's the fact that she's even here at all. Nico is an ensemble concept, not an independent hero, her entire being depends on the specific way her specific character interacts in a specific group with other specific people with specific traits that balance her out, or draw out the best in her.
You can't just pick her up and graft her onto another team to fill the magic quota. Arena did it, to a lesser extent, (even if undercover did not) but the whole point of that book was how much it screwed with her being cut off.
>>82485548
Yes. To molly.
Being team mom, being in the runaways, and being distrustful of adults is as core to Nico as dead parents are to Batman
I haven't read this book since the first issue, this was nice. Is this the first issue Caldwell has been on so far?
>>82486579
yes this is also the first issue without willow co-writing
>>82479989
anyone else notice the waitresses' apron says "askgard about our specials"?
>>82480125
I get this feeling that the Contessa IS Nico (a Nico from Battleworld, naturally).
>>82485807
"You can't hang out with TWO groups of people!"
From 65,000 to 30,000 in 5 issues.
I wonder they're ever crack the top 50 again...
>>82487448
These days a comic can coast around 20-25 and still be considered a success.
Though the fact that it's going to lose She-Hulk may hurt it more.
>>82487448
Probably not, the battle world one got tons press way more than any of the other tie ins and it did well. This got a lot less buzz and people didn't like that willow wasn't going to be full time. It could stabilize and hold out though.
>>82487520
I hope it does. Because:
1) I like it, flaws and all.
2) It may be Nico's last chance for a few years now (thanks, Hopeless).
>>82487507
"in the world of publishing 30k is considered a hit" -Brian Micheal Bendis
>>82487507
the only reason i was interested in this book was because of Jen
>>82487650
A fair reason.
>no jen
>>82479765
okay, I don't hate this.
>>82487448
>From 65,000 to 30,000 in 5 issues.
That's a pretty standard drop in today's market. What matters is if they can maintain that 30k. Sales of the first ~3 issues of any given comic largely don't matter, it's how the sales look once the book stabilizes. If it stabalizes below the cancellation point, or worse, doesn't stabalize at all, then it's as good as dead.
Stabilizing at ~30k 5 issues in is actually pretty good for a non-a-list book. High enough that it won't be getting cancelled and low enough that Marvel doesn't start fucking with it because it's a big seller.
>>82480095
BLUEBERRY IS SHIT
dropped
>>82487448
34k at #3 is good nowadays
>>82487853
This cover caters to my catfight fetish and I FULLY APPROVE!
>>82480570
I love it.
>>82481108
Not canon
>>82485368
Nobody can stay teen and goth forever. Perhaps being among adults has helped her grow up.
>>82480014
>He was still a duck?
Is this a reference? I haven't read much she-hulk.
>>82479765
She hulk looks so sex with that hair
>>82480190
reminds me of Satana
>>82487853
> more singularity bondage
YES
E
S
>>82480806
then Dazzler takes up Lightbringer
>>82485707
>actually trying to defend Arena
Hopeless, go to hell, thinking that book had ANY point at all ad pretending you thought it so deeply is insulting to the intelligence of every single person who read it.
>>82490920
>>82485368
>Well, for starters, she isn't goth any more.
She never was jsut goth, Nico is a nerdy girl who takes a lot of inspirations from various subcultures, mainly goth, yes, but also elements of emo, punk, scene etc. I take these designs over Walker's uninspired "first thing that pooped up when I googled goth" shit.
>>82491495
Too bad she only has one Moonstone instead of two then. Loss of joke.
>>82487853
When did that dropped?
>>82479765
Singularity is the best.
>>82491579
I saw it on the wiki, it didn't have a solit. Probably showed up in a preview on some site
>>82480052
>Then again I don't stay dead
Believe in yourself, Dazzler. It'll be fine!
>>82479633
she-hulk
>Oh wait im a hulk not a hawk
>>82481395
Medusa is my favorite female comic character
>>82480190
Could she be an AU of Amora/Enchantress?
>>82492743
possibly, Battle world had no unique characters everybody was a universe variant of someone from the 616.
>>82480052
>Dazzler's got the M-Pox
>She-Hulk gonna die cause Bendis a asshole
This team is gonna get hit hard soon. I feel bad because they seem like a pretty balanced and likable crew. Fuckin' Bendis.
Captain Marvel is just straight-up a dude in this.
>>82492992
She is a futa.
>>82493249
If they have no tits and a manface it's just a man.
>>82479765
Singularity is legal.....right?
http://www.newsarama.com/29133-redacted-destroys-pretty-much-all-of-redacted-in-a-force-5.html
>This week, a new creative team takes over Marvel’s all-female Avengers spin-off A-Force. Along with writer Kelly Thompson taking over sole writing chores, artist Ben Caldwell joins the book as the regular (implying) series artist.
>Caldwell is bringing with him his eye for personality and character development, reflected in new character designs he’s created for Dazzler and Nico Minoru. Caldwell shared some of his developmental sketches for those designs with Newsarama, along with a few hints at what lies ahead for A-Force.
>Hint: There will be some heartbreak, plenty of explosions, and pie. So much pie…
>Newsarama: Ben, you’ve taken over as the artist on A-Force with #5. What’s your approach to depicting a team full of such visually dynamic characters?
>Ben Caldwell: I have a "cartoony" background, which for some reason seems to be considered an insult in comics, but in my case it means that I try to boil down every character, or scene, or whatever to their most characteristic basics, then rebuild from there. In this case, it meant making sure each character had a face, body, etc. that was a clear reflection of who they are. I also try to express that through characteristic expressions and body language for each of them. These physical clues affect a reader as much as the actual plot and dialogue - that is, if I'm doing my job properly, which is always a debatable point.
>And one of the things I really focus on in my work is the relationships between characters. I mean, I have no idea if it works or not, but enough editors have decided that it does to keep me busy. So a lot of the fun for me is having the A-Force characters play off of one another. There's no shortage of personality on the team!
![nico_body_blank1b[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/OHyHdDb.jpg "nico_body_blank1b[1].jpg")
>Nrama: You’re no stranger to drawing superpowerful women – in particular, you’ve got quite a history with Wonder Woman. What draws you to that subject matter, and how has it influenced your art style?
>Caldwell: I just like drawing interesting people, and lots of interesting people aren't white dudes. It was never a particular plan!
>In general, I try to infuse my characters with a certain grace and simplicity. I suppose that translates well with female heroines. It probably helps that I think of them as characters first and women second. That is, this is a group of extremely fit and photogenic women, and obviously part of my job is to show that, but it's always within the larger context of what these individual people are trying to do, and why readers should care about that.
>Nrama: A-Force has an all-killer, no-filler roster that draws from every corner of the Marvel Universe. Which characters have you really connected with? Who do you think is the best reflection of you on the page?
>Caldwell: That's not really a fair question! They're all already interesting characters, and part of my job is to connect with everyone I'm drawing, so I can do a decent job of drawing them. Dazzler has great emotional range, Carol has a crisply elegant body language.
>But I guess She-Hulk is the most fun to draw. She punches dragons and drinks like a fish! Also, she talks a lot with her eyebrows, and I can really respect that.
>Nrama: A-Force #4 teased new looks for Dazzler and Nico Minoru. Did you have a hand in those designs? Have you (or will you) flexed those muscles for A-Force?
>Caldwell: I did redesigns for Nico and Dazzler. Though some characters (like Captain Marvel) wear specific uniforms at all times, those were two characters who were more likely to wear something more akin to street clothes. Although in each case I wanted something that was distinctive enough to work as a costume, and also hold up against the other costumes in the group.
![aforce_hostess_spot[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/X74SizP.jpg "aforce_hostess_spot[1].jpg")
>The general new direction for Nico was suggested by G. Willow Wilson. I worked off of modern Japanese fashions to give her a series of different but clearly related outfits. I think the idea was to move her in a more (subjectively speaking) "sophisticated" direction to reflect her evolution.
>Dazzler's design was simply an extrapolation of her current look, and trying to reflect where she is in her life right now. I also looked into a lot of styling reference from the late ‘70’s and ‘80’s. Not only was that the original inspiration for Dazzler, but that was an interesting point where a lot of musical acts were moving from a raw DIY feel to something more sleek. It seemed like a natural fit for Dazzler, both for her origins and her current situation, and I've done several designs for her that range from the current punk style to something brighter and more light-oriented. And blue-r.
>Nrama: Simultaneous with you coming on board, Kelly Thompson has taken over as sole writer on A-Force. What’s it been like working with her? Have you found each others’ voices yet?
>Caldwell: I've worked with Kelly before on illustrations for her "storyteller" novel, and we've been friends ever since she covered my “manga Wonder Woman" pitch years ago. So I think she knows what to expect from me, and she has a pretty open writing style that I think fits my own sensibilities well. We're pretty much on the same page in terms of the sort of storytelling we like, and also what sort of sparkly armor pseudo-Norse mutants from alternate dimensions should wear. That goes a long way.
>Nrama: Who’s the rest of your art team for A-Force? Are you inking or coloring yourself, or do you have some support?
![dos_ravens_logo1[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/5GxqHd5.jpg "dos_ravens_logo1[1].jpg")
>Caldwell: I penciled and inked the first issue, but with the schedule we are on that wasn't a long-term plan. Scott Hanna will be inking from #6 on, while Ian Herring is doing the coloring duties for the book. Occasionally, I have specific notes or suggestions, especially for costume design, but they know what they're doing!
>Nrama: There are some big, cosmic concepts at the heart of A-Force – alternate realities, sentient universes – what are you most excited to draw coming up?
>Caldwell: Apparently I'm not allowed to draw the White Rabbit. But outside of that I’m just excited to see what Kelly throws my way. The unique thing about comics is that if someone can dream it, someone else can draw it!
>Nrama: Without getting too spoilery, what’s on your drawing board right now?
>Caldwell: Well, I just finished a scene with [REDACTED] destroying pretty much all of [ALSO REDACTED]. It was a fun departure from what people usually associate with my work. And there's some evil architecture. Well, it's too soon to tell - perhaps it is simply morally apathetic architecture.
>And a quick cover (Some ladies kicking stuff, just as a change from my usual work).
>But the fun thing with comics (or the horrible thing?) is that you never know what you have to draw. So you're always trying and learning new things, whether you want to or not!
>Nrama: Moving forward, what can fans expect from A-Force? What are your goals with the series?
>Caldwell: Don't ask me, I'm just the monkey with the pencil! But several of the characters will be put through the wringer, which is great because you'll get to really see who they are, and also because that involves explosions! Also, based on history I'd say there's a 79% chance that Dazzler will be dead for at least a few panels. Pie gets eaten, but I don't want to say what kind of pie because I think the readers would rather experience that in the story.
>For me, the guts of the stories are (as always) this group of people - all the designs, and splash pages, and even scenes and stories are just the delivery system for getting people to love or hate them, and follow them through their monthly lives. I've been lucky that all the writers I've worked with - who have a very broad range of styles and interests - have always managed to put the characters out there in a clear way, which makes it easier for me to figure out how to squeeze the most drama or humor or explosions out of any given page.
>Also, you can probably expect lots of odd cameos and fictional company logos, because apparently that's a thing I do.
>>82487853
>>82491686
Interview with Kelly Thompson:
http://www.newsarama.com/29087-civil-war-ii-packs-an-emotional-gut-punch-for-a-force.html
>>82493641
Someone likes pie I guess
>>82480030
>I call her Light Bringer
You call your HAMMER "lucifer", not your Morningstar?
Yes I know it's a reference to what Dazzler does but again, Hammer.
Call it Smashspark or something, I dunno.
>>82487853
I don't understand why artists are still drawing Carol with that faux-hawk shit. Anka specifically redesigned her hair to be simpler to draw for all artists to get on the same page on what it's supposed to look like, yet you've still got all these artists doing the weird constantly changing faux-hawk that never looked good.
>>82493266
>implying Buck Angel is a man
>>82493974
Cause it still looks good and it's like drawing wolverine without sideburns
>>82480125
I don't understand her outfit. Is her chest bare?
>>82494191
No.
>>82494191
She has pale skin but it's clearly a different color than the white on her outfit.
>>82480125
I'd really dig her "boots and skull kneepads" combo if the artist had bothered to actually draw them.
Also: Jesus, did they really fight that dragon/woman-shapeshifted-into-a-dragon for ONE page?! I'm not saying every superhero comic should be 30 pages of brawling, but come on.
6/10.
>>82489871
How old is Nico supposed to be now?
>>82479740
>That Captain Marvel
what the fuck
>>82493636
And people say she's not a goth anymore. This looks pretty gothic to me.
>>82494386
if a teen hero is not specified to be an adult and has no specified age, they are between 15-19. In Nico's case 16-19 since she was introduced as 16-years old.
>>82490451
Probably something about Howard - Shulkie's been featuring a lot in his comic (Zdarsky loves him some greenskins).
>>82493584
No.
She is, like, less than one year old.
>>82480969
>not wanting to pork the royal swine
>>82492743
I'm actually guessing a vampire of sort.
I wonder what the Council of Cross-Time Draculas think of it.
>>82495199
ill take my chances
>>82479972
how lucky she hulk must be to grab singularitys ass
>>82496519
she's a naked singularity, too, so given the position of Shulkie's hands, she's totally fingering her asshole.
>>82487853
>Singularity bound in Medusa's hair
N-no boner! She's for cute, not for sexual!
... I'm a fucking monster.
Thanks, OP.
>>82487431
Nico can't. Yes, it's a flaw. It's part of what makes her beautiful.
>>82480338
>Dat Ghostbusters dazzler
I think you mean:
>Dat roller derby Dazzler
>>82493641
>her in a more (subjectively speaking) "sophisticated" direction to reflect her evolution.
WHAT EVOLUTION, FFS REEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
>>82497636
why is she borrowing japanese fashion, she's born and raised from Beverly Hills, California and she's got no japanese friends, and the only surviving family she's got left is deeply estranged.
>>82491429
I'm not complementing Arena, I'm insulting this book by fucking up something not even Arena did.
>>82494470
>This looks pretty gothic to me.
You have no idea what a goth is, do you?
>>82497763
When they picked her up she was living in japan with her estranged family. Have you actually read the previous chapters?
>>82497961
No, she was trying to cozy up with her estranged family, perhaps in exchange for some support or something, but she wasn't living with them
If she was, that's even more retarded use of her character on top of the already gaping plot surrounding her presence
>>82493649
>Apparently I'm not allowed to draw the White Rabbit.
What is the meaning of this?
That this was a character person wanted to use but was shot down?
