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Review: Severed #6
Albert Einstein once said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting the same results. By this definition, the creative team on Severed is Aileen Wuornos crazy. Check the hyperlink and you will see that’s not a good thing.
Starting at the very cover the same styling is repeated in this book as it has been the past five issues. There’s the torn cover to signify the Salesman biting through it with his sharpened teeth.
Then there’s the same bisected frame of the Salesman driving his car. I complained about the ill-structured trick when used in issue 5. The art is okay. Some of the illustrations of the Salesman kind of remind me of the Crypt-Keeper from EC Comics’ Tales from the Crypt.
This issue’s story continues Jack’s journey with the Salesman. After a fight with the creepy old man who has teeth filed down so he can eat babies, Jack traps the man in a house and absconds with the car.
The lad finds his father’s house, but there’s a dark secret waiting for him there.
Like the last issue, there’s not enough horror to be a fun horror book. And there’s not much else circulating to keep me interested. When I reviewed issue 5, I though that this story may be too broad to encapsulate within the comic medium. Now I think that it’s like the dud firework in the great big package that only shits a few sparks when lit.
Score: 1/5
Writers: Scott Snyder and Scott Tuft Artist: Attila Futaki Colorist: Greg Guilhamond Publisher: Image Comics Price: $3.99 Release Date: 1/11/12
WTF Review: Heart #3
“Rooster” is finally a loser ….
He loses a match, becomes a janitor at the gym, lives with his mom in the basement with his brother and gets more tattoos. He's all "heart" baby!
Score: WTF!?
Writer: Blair Butler Artist: Kevin Mellon Publisher: Image Comics Price: $2.99 Release Date: 1/11/12
Review: H.P. Lovecraft’s The Dunwich Horror #4
Lately, horror books are polarized. They can be great like The Theater or abysmal like Severed. H.P. Lovecraft’s The Dunwich Horror #4 contains two stories that parallel the current state of horror comics: one’s a blast and the other’s a turd. “The Dunwich Horror” follows four spell casters who venture out to contain the elder-god Yog-Sothoth. Yog’s a protean creature of darkness doing terrible things like munching the heads off bunnies. Joe Lansdale, the writer of this story and other great tales of the macabre, launches us right into the fight to get out the spell of containment.
The art effectively uses dark tones. The light and shadowing works to perfection in this tale, especially when we have the candlelights mixed with flashlight beams out in the countryside under a starry night.
There’s ample gore to please, and the depiction of Yog-Sothoth works as well as the South Park depiction of Cthulhu.
The spell casting doesn’t go well for the four. I won’t say anymore because I don’t want to spoil the story. If you are a fan of Ash from The Evil Dead series, you will get a kick out of this story.
Lovecraft would be proud of this one.
“The Hound” pissed me off. The art is great—dark and moody. Motion blur and watercolor type textures make for a gripping visual style.
The type, though, is illegible against the background. I gave up trying to read because of the thin white cursive on the black background makes the words indistinguishable. A shame.
Score: “The Dunwich Horror” 5/5; “The Hound” 2/5
Writers: Joe R. Lansdale, Robert Weinberg Artists: Peter Bergting, menton3 Publisher: IDW Publishing Price: $3.99 Release Date: 1/11/12
Review: Darkness #97
The Darkness and Witchblade are two books and concepts that I’ve always enjoyed. That being said I haven’t been enjoying the slow moving events in the Top Cow universe. Thankfully Phil Hester’s Darkness run has remained detached from the events in Artifacts and has been one of the best runs on the series to date. In fact its the best since the first forty issues. Much like with Witchblade I tend to jump on and off this series a lot, but with it approaching issue 100 I wanted to get back in touch with the book. Jackie has… gone through a lot as the current Darkness barer. He’s died, come back to life and now he’s traveled to the dimension that is home to the Darkness power itself by essentially killing himself again. He arrives in a land with lush forests and rocky terrain only to be greeted by Sonatine, the man he’s been trying to destroy for most of Hester's run on the series. Sonatine acts as a guide for him in the world and explains that on this second “level” of the world there is a war brewing between the green and the black. He also explains that everyone there is either a previous Darkness holder or was killed by the Darkness, which explains a little about how Sonatine arrived there.
Soon Jackie finds him fighting against the “green team” and making quick work of them. He’s approached by a Lord for the “black team” about joining them. Sonatine begins speaking on Jackie’s behalf, but the Lord cuts him off and has Sonatine feed his giant worm stead. He cuts off his own arm to feed the beast which is apparently the way they do things around there. From there Sonatine tells Jackie what he needs to do next to basically take control of the heart of the Darkness, but it’s unclear whether or not this is all part of Sonatine’s master plan or not.
The story was very good and even though it spent a lot of time explaining this new world that Jackie finds himself in, it was understandable due to the circumstances of the issue. We’re essentially relearning the world of the Darkness so extra explanation is needed. Hester does a good job of keeping it clean and simple. He doesn’t over explain anything and sticks to just Sonatine explaining everything rather than having everyone Jackie meets give their two cents on it. Hester really has left his mark on the Darkness and in a very good way. The art is very good and really I don’t have much to say about it. It’s exactly the quality you’d expect from a series that’s approaching 100 issues and artist Romano Molenaar is the right choice to get them there.
This is part two of “Total Darkness” which I’m guess will take the series up to 100. That said this is where I’ve started with the book completely missing the previous issue and frankly it sounds like it was mostly fighting and brawling. I’d recommend starting on this book if you want to be on board for the landmark issue. If you’ve stopped reading the series because you felt it was stale then I encourage you to give it another shot. Hester is doing some great things with this character that will change the course of the book for years to come.
Score: 3/5
Writer: Phil Hester Artist: Romano Molenaar Publisher: Top Cow/Image Comics Price: $2.99 Release Date: 1/11/12
Review: Seven Warriors #3
This series really started off on a high note, but with the second issue I should have written my prediction for the ending and sealed it in an envelope to prove that I knew exactly where the story was going. If you’ve yet to check the series out then I would actually recommend reading it in trade paperback form as it would have a much more natural flow to it rather than having this issue leave you with the feeling of a slow let down. What’s left of our escaping outfit is about to storm a small camp of men and take their camels. This is one of the few battles that don’t result in someone dying which was becoming a predictable formula. After that the desert sage Izza predicts a sand storm and gets everyone to cover so that they’re not lost in the sand. During the storm the remaining women have time to reflect upon their previous battles and lost partner wives. It turns out that leaving them alone with their thoughts is not the best thing to do. Afterwards they reach their destination only to find the sacred palace ransacked by their enemies already, but don't worry there is still food and supplies for five years that they didn't touch.
Okay this next part is spoiler territory so you’ve been warned. Remember in the first issue when I talked about a weird scene where the Prince was locked up with all of his female protectors? Well they were drugged and got it ON! Why? To guarantee that the blood line continued no matter what, but also the Prince dies. If you couldn’t have guessed that by the end of the second issue then you're probably enjoying this mundane ending.
"With the direction of the sun I would say I'm full of @$&^!"
My problem with the ending is that A) it was very predictable and B) full of plot holes. The Prince is killed by one of his protectors because she’s stricken with grief over losing her wife. Really? Frankly I’m surprised only one of them stabbed him and that it took three issues to do it. The jackass never even showed remorse or sympathy for their loss, so yeah I can see him getting run through.
As for the plot holes there are many, for instance how the hell did the Prince knock up eight women in one night? This book quickly became all about Izza with the second issue, but everything about her character is too convenient. She just so happened to know where the exit to the underground passage was and didn’t get caught going through the city by herself to get there. She just so happens to be good with a sword and use to live in the desert and knows the path to the hidden palace. What the fuck doesn’t she know?
One bit that super bothered me was when the women discovered that they had secretly been impregnated (don’t ask), and Izza basically says that she too is pregnant and everyone else accepts it as “matter of fact.” Here’s a problem, we as the reader know that she was impregnated before the others and the simple fact is she was an unexpected addition to the group. But no one calls out this detail and really everyone just moves on and begins dealing with the fact that their having unwanted children.
I cannot give this book a good score which is a shame since it started off with high marks. I personally bought the first two issues, but I will not be picking up the last issue. If you’re a completionist or really need to finish the series than go for it; for everyone else I would again just recommend the trade which will give you a much fuller reading experience, but as a standalone issue though it’s not very good and in general the ending brings down the quality of the series.
Score: 2/5
Writer: Michael Le Galli Artist: Francis Manapul Colorist: Christelle Moulart Publisher: Boom! Studios Price: $3.99 Release Date: 1/11/12
Review: The Occultist #3 (of 3)
This issue left me with just one question… where the hell is my Occultist ongoing series? Honestly I’m disappointed that this is all of the character and the world that I have to enjoy until the next outing. You may recall after the release of the second issue that we were privy to an exclusive preview of this, the third issue. If it didn’t excite you for the conclusion then I question your taste in comics. Seeley has been knocking it out of the park as of late. The second issue was very exciting and character driven, then his run on Witchblade began and it too was very good. So how does the conclusion of The Occultist measure up? This issue actually takes a step back to events that took place in the first issue as we find several (probably too many) police officers examining the dead body of the murdered mage. After that we travel to the dimensional pocket of Eilat Cohen. She was the character that was warming up to Rob aka The Occultist in the last issue. That is before she pulled a gun on him. Rob begins talking to her and asking her to read him since he’s now one with the book and her talent is reading. He begins to get through to her when his new cop friend knocks her ass out with a big “Ki-yah!” Everything seems okay for a moment before Rob is grabbed out of the dimension by the serpent woman trying to kill him. It’s then revealed that Rob cast a spell on his girlfriend so that she wouldn’t leave him. He breaks the spell and the serpent’s power over him by planting a big kiss on the detective. Then it’s just him and the sword versus the deadly serpent that already has a few notches in its bedpost from killing mages.
This book was worth the wait and that’s really the best thing I can say about any mini-series. When you know that a book is going to come to an end and you just have to wait for it, it’s terrible when you get to the end and it’s bad. Thankfully, The Occultist has a great conclusion that leaves the book open to future stories or as I would prefer monthly issues. The potential for this character and world is huge and if Dark Horse manages it properly they could have their next big franchise. Regardless, this is the end for The Occultist for now and writer Tim Seeley did a bang up job of delivering the goods yet again.
Victor Drujiniu has also been very consistent with the art from beginning to end. He has a wonderful photorealistic style that is not only perfect for comics, but for this genre. He really brings the characters to life and gives them emotional facial expressions with believable body language. His work on this book has far exceeded any of his previous work and hopefully we’ll see a lot more of him in 2012. If you missed this series then I encourage you to pick it up in digital and get caught up. In fact if you like you can pick all three up today and read them in one setting, which I bet makes for a better read overall.
Score: 3/5
Writer: Tim Seeley Artist: Victor Drujiniu Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Price: $3.50 Release Date: 1/11/12
Review: The Strange Talent of Luther Strode #4
You know that feeling that overwhelms you when you find a comic book that you are absolutely bat-shit for? You’re so stoked to pick it up and bag and board that bitch that you damn near piss your pants. You read all of your other shit first and save that “gem” for last. Well I got news for you, Luther Strode is that comic and issue #4 is that book. Last time we left Luther he was fresh off an ass beating that he dropped on some unlucky scum bag named Vin. Now he is standing toe to toe with The Librarian , who demands Luther to “Finish Him”. Luther refuses to kill the man and that decision angers The Librarian, thus leaving them to have a little “man dance”. Now for the first time Luther is experiencing someone with the same power as him and is receiving the beating of a lifetime.
Later at the hospital, Vin’s buddies show up to see their boy in intensive care. They attempt to inquire what happened and who did this until The Librarian gives them a call and lets them know that Luther was the one who delivered the beating and screwed with their money flow. In an attempt to control Luther into doing his bidding, The Librarian threatens his family by telling Vin’s gang where they could get revenge.
That’s the short version. The real meat and potatoes of this issue is the explanation that The Librarian gives Luther on “the rules to the Universe” if you will. Justin Jordan the writer of Luther Strode has dubbed this book the explanation issue. For me it works for the book. To really drive home his point, he compares the explanation to Star Wars and whole limiting midichlorians debacle and I couldn’t have said it better myself. Well I could, but only if I said--sometimes less is more and you don’t always have to have a why. The fun part and most of the time, the best is always that touch of the unknown.
Maybe that’s why I dug this issue so much. It opens up that world just enough to wet your whistle and leave you wanting more. That’s the ground work being laid for something that could become very big and you know if you’re a fan of this book it only gets better from here. The one and only reason I want this mini to wrap up right now is so they can hurry up make this ongoing.
Score: 5/5
Writer: Justin Jordan Artist: Tradd Moore Colorist: Felipe Sobreiro Price: $2.99 Release Date: 1/11/12
Review: Transformer - More Than Meets The Eye #1
Optimus is dead; Chaos is over and now Transformers opens up two new series: More Than Meets the Eye and Robots in Disguise. I’ve been reluctant to read Transformer because it’s all a dog and pony show lately and no substance. It most likely will continue because that’s what selling. The basis of the story is after Optimus's death and Chaos being over and there being no more Decepticons to worry about. Ultra Magnus and Rodimus are getting ready to launch to find the Knights of Cybertron. Rodimus makes a huge speech on how this day will go down in history. But it actually leaves the Autobots divided those going and those staying. It jumps around to different characters and story's. It also jumps around in the timeline now and 6 million years in the past. The launch happens and something goes wrong.
Where do I begin? The story jumps around way too much to follow. Relies on an old story for one character to make sense. And why is everybody seem angry at everybody? There is a lot of anger for a time of peace. To top it all off the art kills me, it’s wrong for Transformers. It’s more of cartoonish style not mechanical. It like they are trying too hard to make the robots appearance humanoid. It’s hard to even recognize each character from one another. The cover art would work thru the book but it’s not like that at all.
Not worth the price on the cover even if the cover is the only good thing but I can still pick it apart. Jumps around too much and it’s hard to read when the art doesn’t fit. What can I say let’s hope Transformers can die and get a restart they deserve with good stories not recycled and art the show what they are.
Score: 1/5
Review: House of Night #3
I’m beginning to wonder if I’m the only person that’s enjoying this book? I’ve yet to see another site covering it much and the reviews of have been few and far between. It makes me wonder if people are that scared of the vampire genre, that they’re just not willing to take a chance on it. Have Twilight and The Vampire Diaries really tainted the genre so much that people ignore quality books such as House of Night? I hope not, I for one enjoy the vampire genre and if you haven’t been paying attention I’ve enjoyed this series quite a lot. The series has established a strict formula with the third issue that goes as such: Zoey wonders what her next lesson will be, but is soon presented with a conflict. She inevitably solves the conflict in the worst way possible using magic, and then learns about the “founder” of that magic ability. After that she applies what she’s learned to resolve the situation in a better way than before. What continues to make the story interesting is Zoey’s growth as a character and these “founder” stories.
This issue introduces Zoey’s family and more importantly her little brother. Her step-dad rounds up the church goers and they head to the school to protest. Stupidly they choose to do this at night when the Vamypre’s are their strongest. After one of the teachers tries to peacefully resolve the situation, Zoey loses her temper and makes it flood scaring them off. Alright, she messed up and now we get a history lesson! Seriously the stories set in past are my favorite part of the comic. This issues tale is about a vampyre by the name of Circe that helped Odysseus home from his journey… after they got it on a lot!
I’m not going to make you read another long paragraph about how well the story and art is, you should know that by now if you’ve been reading the reviews. I will continue to say that this is a great series and even though it’s following an obvious formula, it’s more about the journey than it is the execution. I get the strong feeling that a lot of people aren’t reading this series and they need to pull their head out of their asses and check it out already. I promise you there’s no glitter inside.
Score: 4/5
Story: P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast Writer: Kent Dalian Artist: Joelle Jones and Daniel Krall Publisher: Dark Horse Price: $2.99 Release Date: 1/11/12
Review: The Activity #2
The Activity is one of those books that give you gooses bumps while reading. The intensity keeps you on the edge of your seat until you realize you’re reading a comic and need to place your back against the chair again. It’s the spy movie that Hollywood has dreamed of, but in comic book format. Personally I have to compare The Activity to the first Mission Impossible film. The intrigue of the mystery and the level of wits against wits in that movie are still enjoyable to this day. Every scene and every feat was intense and the only thing to give me that same feeling since has been The Activity. We were introduced to our newest member of Omaha, Fiddler in the first issue and now we see her hazed by Sigint team as they fill her locker with cleaning supplies. Fiddler doesn’t have much time to think about it as they’re pulled for another mission. The mission is to find out if a captured spy is one Master Sergeant Drivas. Drivas has been MIA for four months undercover in Amsterdam and the team needs to find him. With some intel from the Sigint team they discover his location in the basement of a terrorist bar. Weatherman and Fiddler stumble in pretending to be drunk, once inside Switchfoot creeps in and tranqs everyone in sight. They continue on their non-lethal mission hoping for no mishaps, but who knows what else is waiting for the team.
There’s a lot going on in this book and it would be really unfair of me to ruin a spy book for you. Edmondson has delivered a book that the comic industry needed. This is the type of book that shows you don’t need a superhero on the cover or any other pitfalls that people think of when they say the word “comic.” This is what I think of, this book. A story that is original with solid characters and a storytelling style that fits the genre 100%. The Activity will be for Edmondson what Animal Man is for Grant Morrison, mark my words this series is going to be great.
Of course what is a great story without a great artist? Mitch Gerads owns this issue. The character movements are fluid from page to page giving them a sense of movement and life. At any one time a page can have upwards of five different facial expressions and that adds to much of the personality of the book. Gerads nails the mixture of action driven scenes while also exceeding at the “planning” scenes as well, striking the needed balance between the two.
This is a great week for comics and this book is definitely a highlight within that week. It has story, action and intensity while staying true to the spy genre. In my last review I implied that this book reinvents the genre, but now I would have to say that it doesn’t. It just does it right for the first time since coming to comics. Make a note everyone, if you want to make a spy comic… this series is your bible.
Score: 4/5
Writer: Nathan Edmondson Artist: Mitch Gerads Publisher: Image Comics Price: $3.50 Release Date: 1/11/12
Review: Whispers #1
It’s rare that I will post an advanced review for a book this far out from release; the simple fact is that Whispers is scheduled for the beginning of 2012 so talking about it now almost comes across like me yelling “first” or just teasing that I’ve read it. But that’s not the point of this review. After finishing this book I really just needed someone to talk to about it and since I had no one the review was the next best thing. That’s how excited I was about this book and honestly I can’t wait till its release. If I end up playing some small role in increasing the orders for the series than good, because this is going to be one of the best new series of 2012. The story follows Sam Weber, an obsessive-compulsive college age kid that is stuck outside a coffee shop because he can’t touch the door. He has a close call with a couple that walks up to the door and nearly bumps into him, but finally he makes it inside. He sits down with his ex-girlfriend and her friends as they comfort her about her hospitalized father. Sam interrupts going off about a dream he had the night before in which he visited everyone at the table including his ex’s father. Rico (the only other man at the table) continues to attack Sam verbally until finally he causes an outburst and reveals a personal secret of Rico’s that he may or may not have witnessed in his dream. That night after washing his hand numerous times he lays down to sleep and soon after nodding off he finds himself floating above his own body.
That’s all you get of the story, but trust me when I say that it’s not even the tip of the iceberg. The story progression is very natural and really eases the reader step by step as Sam discovers this phenomenon that’s new for him. Fans of the Luna Brothers previous series will probably be shocked by this solo effort from Joshua Luna. Frankly I found it to be refreshing as this book is really different from his previous work. The most noticeable change is the fact that the story has a male protagonist. In most of the Luna Brother’s work the lead has always been a female, even Girls which started with a male protagonist really shifted over midway through the book as the female cast took over.
I have to say that I enjoyed this more than any of Joshua’s previous work with his brother and I have to wonder if they were strangling their own creative process by working together. Ultra was good, but writing for women is not one of their strong suits. Girls was fourteen issues too long and I couldn’t get past the first issue of Sword, but with Whispers I’m dying for more of this book and I know I won’t get to read it until February if I’m lucky. That’s how rich the story is with characters and dialog. This is one of the few books that I could actually find myself craving more characters, they’re all that interesting. That’s not to say their dialog is 100% perfect or real, but I liked it and something was compelling about the overall package.
The art is very different and at first you wouldn’t say that it’s "Luna" art. After all, their last three creator-owned series all had a very distinct look, but with Whisper the art has finally grown and matured. The coloring no longer looks like a beginner colorist’s work, but rather someone who has developed and is experimenting as they grow. In general the art was some of the strongest I’ve seen in a while and it was very refreshing. It gave the book a very realistic look to it and played to the storytelling style.
Hopefully I don’t lead anyone astray when I tell them to pick up this book when it releases. It’s not a superhero book or even a "feel good" indie book. It’s a supernatural/sci-fi story that has exaggerated real-world elements to it, but that’s a strength for it in my book. Because of those exaggerated elements it comes across like a TV drama and that gives it an openness that other comics don’t have. I could see this book if marketed right, not only appealing to comic fans but also TV fans that love their hour-long dramas. If you’re interest is piqued (and it should be), then make sure that you show interest in this book at your comic shop; don’t let this be a slow build like Girls was. The story will only suffer and frankly I’m very interested in seeing what happens next.
Score: 5/5
Writer/Artist/Creator: Joshua Luna Publisher: Image Comics
Review: Lobster Johnson - The Burning Hand #1
Lobster Johnson is quite possibly my favorite character to come from “the pages of Hellboy.” There is just something cool and classic about his character, almost as if he were a cross between Batman (the one that used guns!) and The Phantom (he also uses guns!). If like me you were wondering where the follow-up to Who Is Jake Ellis was, well it looks like artist Tonci Zonjic was busy putting together this throwback pulp inspired book set in the universe of Hellboy. Our story opens with a couple walking home from a movie date. They’ve just watched the first Buster Keaton movie with sound, when they come across a police officer tied to a lamp-post and scalped. Before they can flee, ghostly painted Indians try to attack them. The couple corner themselves at the end of an alley and are about to face certain death when Lobster Johnson busts through a window and shoots the crap out of the ghost Indians. The next day the police are left with a pile of dead “ghost” Indians that are actually Italian mobsters. The only person that seems to have a clue as to what’s happening is Cindy Tynan from the Herald Tribune, which could land her in a mess of trouble.
Hey you know who’s a great writing team? Mike Mignola and John Arcudi! These two didn’t put out a stink all last year and they’re off to a great start with this mini as well. I think it’s some of the smartest story and business strategy to have a constant flow of mini-series in the Hellboyverse. What also makes this book stand out is the attention to the detail that it pays. Giving readers a historical reference with the Buster Keaton movie is a nice touch and shows that thought and research went into this timeline.
Since we already know so much about the writing team and their numerous talents, I figured I would just move on to the art. If you followed me at my pervious site, you’ll know that I really like Tonci Zonjic’s work on Who Is Jake Ellis, but with any creator though you wonder if you’ll enjoy their next work as much. Thankfully Zonjic has another impressive display. His style is a bit different for this series as it adapts to the type of story, but his overall style is still there and still good. With Jake Ellis he used a ton of thick lines and solid colors, but with Lobster his line work is much more refined and the coloring is more fitting of a classic pulp comic than anything else.
I know that I gush about the Hellboyverse a lot, but there is a reason that this franchise has lasted this long… it’s that damn good. What other franchise has lasted this long while existing as mini-series and one shots? I doubt you could come up with another title. If you like Hellboy, crime fighting, pulp or sassy reporters that actually talk like reporters than give this book a shot. If you don’t like things that are good then pull your head out of your ass and give this book a shot any ways. If anything you should check it out for the amazing last panel of the book.
Score: 4/5
Writer: Mike Mignola and John Arcudi Artist: Tonci Zonjic Colorist: Dave Stewart Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Price: $3.50 Release Date: 1/11/12
Review: Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic: War #1
This is a new series put out by Dark Horse Comics in the vast Star Wars stories out there. The Republic Navy has been dealt defeat after at the hand of the Mandalorians and now the Jedi are getting involved to try to turn the tide of war. What caught my attention to read this book is that it is a war with the Mandalorians which the only history I know is Bobba Fett’s armor that he wears. The story begins as the navy and the Jedi led by master Kace are on the Outer Rim looking and taking out Mandalorian strong holds. Master Kace and the Jedi head out before the rest of the navy lead by Captain Morvis and a band of Phaeda militia as they hit the beach. In this militia contains one person known as a Jedi washout Zayne Carrick. Carrick and Captain Morvis butt heads as Morvis takes out all Mandalorians armed or not. Carrick rather be peaceful than war but destruction and bad luck follows him. Master Kace comes back to report the Mandalorians are on the run and are in the mountains. He and the Jedi are heading to finish them there if the navy will help to clear them out of the forest. At this point Carrick doesn’t believe in the fight and heads to the forest to warn the Mandalorians. This is where he finds a secret which leads to destruction and deceit.
The story is an interesting one. Actually keeps you reading and moving which sometimes can get lost in Star Wars due to a lot of background or history that can tie in with the story. The characters are well written Captain Morvis is a "flat military destroy everything to win a war" type leader. But Carrick has depth which is good for a main character as he tries to hard to do everything right. The story keeps moving along well and progresses to get to the twist with no hang ups.
The art is like most Star Wars book I have seen done very well with detail but one thing seems missing and that's the detail of the Mandalorian armor. You can see the basics of what we know about the armor, but it’s very basic. This is where I was disappointed. I know all the warriors don’t have to look like Jango and Bobba Fett but a few would have been nice. The art did capture the action and didn’t exaggerate the characters features to show the action. Nothing really pops out for me in the art to be super impressed, but it fits the book.
Overall it’s a good book to read and if you’re looking for a new Star Wars series try this one. Me I may pick up the second book to see how it progresses. It was just a very average book for me. I’m waiting for a Star Wars bounty hunter series out there which I hear there is one coming out.
Score: 2/5
Writer: John Jackson Miller Artist: Andrea Mutti Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Price: $3.50
Review: Operation Broken Wings, 1936 #3
Another of Boom’s translated ports from Europe ends this week. I guess in order to continue this review I’m going to have to instantly give a SPOILER warning. That is the unfortunate nature of this beast. This book is so revealing that I can’t even tell you what emotion I felt towards the end of it, without possibly spoiling the series for you. I will try to save it for the end, but hey… it could slip out sooner. The Major finishes his daring escape only to head back into the city. He meets with a waitress in the back of a bar who’s going to help him plant something… a gun. He hands her some money and tells her to leave town. Then after all he's done, daring escape and drive through the water ways of the city, he sits down at a café and orders a coffee. Of course the army shows up and we get the now classic image from the second issue cover of every gun pointed at him while he sits waiting patiently. From there he’s dragged to prison and tortured daily leaving you to wonder for the moment, “What’s his plan?”
The ending to this book was a bittersweet. Overall it’s been a good series, but the last issue suffers from the same problem as Seven Warriors, its better as a whole rather than a standalone issue. Really all I can say without just saying the ending is that if you haven’t read the first two issues don’t just pick up this issue. It was entertaining and the Major is definitely a badass, but to be honest the book fell a bit flat with this issue and the ending felt rushed and awkward even if the results were appropriate.
Score: 2/5
Writer: Herik Hanna Artist: Trevor Hairsine Publisher: Boom Studios Price: $3.99 Release Date: 1/11/12
Review: Star Wars: Agent of the Empire #2
I would find this comic absolutely balls-out cool… IF I lived on the ice planet Hoth and never heard of James Bond. Most of issue 2 of Agent of the Empire (AoE) takes place in a dinner party. Jahan Cross has been sent by the Empire to investigate the illegal droid market and the elusive “Iron Eclipse”. In-Ga 44, his droid, helps fill in the clues about the partygoers. Then, through conversations where the characters blab their plans like agents of SPECTOR, Cross uncovers connections among the Stark family.
After striking out with uber-babe Elli Stark, Cross goes to private quarters to interrogate Dah’Lis Stark. And by interrogate I mean shove his dick in her blue tentacles body. After the hentai session is over and Cross chows on some calamari (if you know what I mean), an unseen interloper stuns Cross. The agent of the empire wakes up to find Dah’Lis dead and the cops there to arrest him—just like in Goldfinger.
So Cross escapes on a speeder bike and In-Ga gets a stun baton up her keister like Kim Kardashian did from Ray-Jay.
The art is great—no problems there. The story lacks because the action is relegated to a moot chase scene at the end of the ish. Essentially, we are passively told what we need to know. That’s bad storytelling.
I gave this book one point for the art and one point for the man-on-blue octopus chic sex.
Score: 2/5
Writer: John Ostrander Artist: Stephane Roux Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Price: $3.99 Release Date: 1/11/12
Review: Snake Eyes #9
Marvel Comics did something awesome in issue 21 of their G.I. Joe run by having the issue free of any dialogue. The mute Snake Eyes invades Cobra headquarters to rescue Scarlett. This issue had not one word and also featured the first appearance of Storm Shadow. We’ve had a slew of shows, movies, games, and comics without any spoken dialogue. But there was something about that comic that made an impact on me. From then on, my fascination with ninja’s was unfaltering. It made Snake Eyes stand out in a zone of Chappy Sinclair coolness above all the other Joes.
While IDW’s Snake Eyes #9 does have dialogue, it reminds me of how amazing Snake Eyes can be--just like he was in Marvel’s issue 21. The silent but deadly nija takes on a convoy of H.I.S.S tanks all by himself. He fights a mech suit just like in Avatar. And in a fit of gorilla-nasty lovemaking, he un-gays Rosie O’ Donnell.
The Joes are forced to occupy Fort Baxter after their place was wrecked by a kegger where the Omega Moos showed up and knocked shit around. General Hawk leaves Duke in charge of the Lambda Lambda Lambdas. Hilarity ensues. Meanwhile, Snake Eyes and a small team of Joes infiltrate Nanzhao, the country Cobra looks to occupy for their endless of supply of Rice Krispies and Opium. This is nowhere near where those bastards kept Doug Masters’ dad captive.
Snake Eyes proves to have his own agenda when he ditches the group to invade Cobra H.Q. And Storm Shadow ends the issue. Cool.
The story moves fast, works well, and supplies all the vehicles, characters, and action a reader could ask. Out of Cobra, A Real American Hero, and Snake Eyes, this book feels like the creative team jives. There are no hang-ups to provide explication. That’s a strength when handling an action book like this. With the addition of some interesting tech and adult themes, this book can be the frontrunner of any 80s-lover’s nostalgia kick.
Score: 3/5
Writer: Chuck Dixon Artist: Alex Call Colorist: J. Brown Publisher: IDW Publishing Price: $3.99 Release Date: 1/11/12
Artist Feature: John Staub - Concept Artist
Here we are again with another creator feature, this time with the artist who honestly inspired this entire concept for an article. We featured his Medieval DC Trinity pieces on the site for our final edition of Art Friday and I liked them so much I had to track down the man responsible. I didn't know much about him until reading the interview so I won't introduce him too much right now, but I will say that John Staub is a hell of an illustrator and that you should check out his work at any of these fine sites: Dustsplat Blogger, Dustsplat DeviantArt or CGHub. CB) Your Medieval DC pieces really caught my attention and I'm sure they're very popular on the web. What was the inspiration for the pieces and why did you pick the DC Trinity?
JS) The original purpose of the pieces was to to see what i could do with the designs of these iconic characters. A preconceived notion of these characters are already embedded in peoples minds and i wanted to try and capture that feeling when they think of these characters but in a different design that fit the era and world i wanted to place them in.
CB) What's your background with art? Are you self taught or did you attend a school?
JS) I attended the Academy of Art in san francisco majoring in illustration.
CB) I'm guessing that you use a computer program for your art, if so what do you use?
JS) For programs I mainly use photoshop.
CB) Follow up to that one, do you do any hand drawings or do you find that its a faster process to go straight to the computer?
JS) When im at home doing my own work or sketching for myself i prefer hand drawing. When i'm at work however, i work straight on the computer because its just faster and more in tuned with the company's work flow.
CB) When you're not making awesome DC pics, what do you do?
JS) I work as a full time concept artist and i also work on a bunch of personal art related projects at home.
CB) Where do you see yourself taking your art?
JS) Hmm, that's a big one. i just try to keep working and keep my options open and see where the opportunities i receive take me.
CB) What's your history with comics? Do you currently read any titles?
JS) Back in the late 90's and early 2000, I bought read a lot of comics. However it became difficult to keep up with all the story arcs and multiverses that became established, so now i just tend to follow and buy comics by artists that i like.
CB) Are there any artists (comic or non-comic) that inspire you or that you use for inspiration?
JS) Too many influences, but recently i have been looking at Iain Mccaig and Carlos Arellano, as well as Ilya Repin and Richard Sschmidt and a whole lot of european comic book artists. When actually working on something however, i try to put away my heroes and try to look to real life as much as possible. -- Again we'd like to thank John for talking to us and allowing us to once again spotlight his incredible pieces. We look forward to seeing more of his work, be it comic inspired or not!
Creator Feature: Mike Morrison - The Man That Gets Wolverine
Last Friday I talked about featuring artists and creators on the site rather than just pooling their art on to one post. That way you can see cool art, but also get to know the person that's creating the pieces you're enjoying. Well it's Monday and here we are already with our first feature. Mike Morrison is the writer/artist with his own Wolverine web-comic entitled "Wendigo Cries." He sent me the link via Twitter to read the first six pages of the story and I was impressed by it. It made me laugh and gave me that innocent joy of reading Wolverine that I've longed for. Instead of feeling that Wolverine was unstoppable and thus uninteresting, I felt that he was a badass. I asked Mike some questions about the series and his aspirations in the comic industry so that's what we have for you today. Feel free to stop by his blog Planet Web-Head or his deviant art page CB) With "Wendigo Cries" it seems that you're take on Wolverine is of the 80's and 90's. Were there any stories that influenced your comic? Or perhaps the 90's cartoon show?
MM) I am a big fan of Chris Claremont and Frank Miller Wolverine/Patch stories. I feel like Chris Claremont really defined and fleshed out the world that the mutants exist in, and I love how gritty Frank Miller's work from the 80's is. I also liked the 90's cartoon a lot. It was cool because it was so character driven. Those are some of the elements that made Marvel stories classic. What I took from those is that physically Wolverine is nearly invincible, so to really present him with a challenge you have put him in a mind-fuck scenario to throw him off balance. Couple that with a big mean monster for him to fight and you should get a pretty sweet Wolvie story.
CB) My favorite page was the fifth page with the blood effect. I loved how the blood was so powerful that it almost disregarded the narration and basically everything became secondary to the blood. What was the desired effect you were going for with this page and what did you use for the blood?
MM) I love how in several Kubrick films he shows blood splats on white. It's such an intense image that conveys a tremendous sense of violence to me. I think solo Wolverine comics should be kind of like a grindhouse movie or really brutal action movie. When he's with the X-Men, that's a whole different thing. But solo Wolverine should be totally savage. I just used regular red ink for the blood. It took me like 4 tries before I got a page I was happy with.
CB) How long will "Wendigo Cries" run for?
MM) It started off as something just to kind of get some exercise in drawing/writing. Then the idea evolved into a possible series pitch to Marvel called "Wolverine - Colorblind". The premise is similar to something like Batman - Black and White. Short stories by several writers and artists, drawn in a mono-chromatic color scheme. I'm gonna do 3 more 5-6 page/monthly releases that will wrap this story up.
CB) What are your art and writing influences?
MM) As far as comic artists go, Jim Lee inked by Scott Williams is pretty much the apex for me. I like old Todd McFarlane stuff, the Kuberts, Richard Corben, Neal Adams, Jim Steranko, and I'm pretty sure that Jack Kirby is to comic art, what the Beatles are to rock music. As far as comic writers: Alan Moore is probably my favorite. Old Frank Miller. I like Steve Niles pretty well and there are a bunch of fairly new writers out now that are really good.
CB) What's next for you creatively after your Wolverine tale?
MM) I'm currently finishing a 24 page D.I.Y. one-shot comic called "Secrets In The Ashes". It's a noir story that takes place 60 years after World War III. It's really dark. Both visually and in content. It's kind of like a sci-fi detective story with a little bit of David Lynch style weirdness. Some of the splash pages are up on my Deviant Art page. Other than that, I'm putting together a series called "Soldato". It is a fictional, monthly series that centers around the Philadelphia Mafia in the late 70's throughout the 80's.
CB) Where would you like to see your comic career go? Do you see yourself working in the corporate structure or self-publishing your original work?
MM) I'd love to do some stuff for the big companies. It could be fun to try to repair the damage done to the Marvel universe. I'd also love to have the opportunity to try to get people to like Superman again. And of course I'd love to write Batman for a while. Simultaneously I'd like to continue to put out my own stuff out without having to clear it with anybody. Ultimately, working for the big companies is really just a way to expose yourself as a creator to a wider audience while fine-tuning your craft. The characters are familiar and established. So you just have to come up with stories, and then concentrate on the technical end of scripting. How to make the panels work for you, leading the eye, etc. If you're lucky enough to get to work on a franchise series for a while, you'll eventually build the resources to do whatever you want to do as an independent creator.
CB) Okay be honest, are you enjoying Jason Aaron's run on Wolverine? Personally, I haven't enjoyed Wolverine since Sean Chen left the series and think that people just buy it due to the name alone.
MM) I've only read a few of the early issues that he did. I liked some of it, but not enough to keep buying the series. With characters like Wolverine, I don't think it's a good idea to get real abstract with concepts like going to hell to fight past foes again and all that stuff. That's more like Silver Surfer and Dr. Strange material. Cool Wolverine stories are generally pretty basic adventure tales. However, I am a fan of Jason Aaron. Scalped is badass and I love what he's doing with The Incredible Hulk right now. -- We'd like to thank Mike and encourage you to support his projects as well!
Review: Red Lanterns #5
I’ve wanted to read this series since it was announced, but had to wait till the New 52 were released. What peaked my interest was it was a comic based on another set of rings other than the green that wasn’t going to be a mini-series but ongoing. Who wouldn’t want to read about rage any way which is behind all heroes in some way, but now it’s in the forefront. Let’s dive right in. Atrocitus just found out Krona had disappeared and he is going to find out who took him. His first guess is Bleez but she didn’t. She is put on the task to round-up the other from the blood ocean. This is where we get our introduction to the Red Lantern Corp; Ratchet, Skallox, and Zilius and one more. A lot of the story is how each one received their rings. The final lantern comes from earth. They are out for retribution being the judge, jury, and executioner.
To be honest this is probably the fastest issue of the series thus far as the others were much slower. The story has jumped around a lot getting everything established with why all the characters want retribution with their back ground stories. The art in the book is really focused on the character detail which can draw away from the back ground and colors. What little colors there are, since is it mainly red and shades of red.
I wish I had more to tell but there isn’t it took five issues to set up background stories. Which can be interesting on their own, but it just wasn’t always easy to follow. I wish I could say this will bring you back to the Red Lanterns if you left but it won’t. This issue just sums up previous issues and maybe now we can finally get to a real story of interest.
Score: 2/5
Writer: Peter Milligan Artist: Ed Benes Publisher: DC Comics Price: $2.99 Release Date: 1/4/12