Trailer Time: About Time

A time traveling rom com you say? What the fuck is this doing on the site? Well I love time travel, so suck it. Also I can find a very nerdy connection to this film, it stars Domhnall Gleeson who was also in Dredd. There, there's your damn nerd connection so stop judging me and watch the trailer... also Bill Nighy is in it and he's been in a ton of nerdy franchises so there again! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OIFdWk83no

Going To Wizard World Chicago? Then Why Not Grab This Ethan Van Sciver Cover of The Walking Dead

It's just a reprint of the first issue in case you were wondering. I'm sure the entire world has read that issue by now it's been given away so many times. I'm pretty sure it's free on all digital platforms as well. I find this interesting due to the fact that I can't recall Van Sciver working outside of DC comics ever before. I'm wondering if this is the beginning of the end of his career at DC and if he'll be moving out on his own. That's the most interesting part to me because the cover is just okay, but that's just the jade Walking Dead fan inside me talking. Via Major Spoilers

Fan Cut Trailer Meshing Godzilla and Pacific Rim

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3Qygyy4204#at=17 I had a fun time watching Pacific Rim, it's not a good movie and missed the mark on what a giant robot monster movie should be, but that's my opinion. I'm still glad they gave it a shot because it's a genre that I love. This trailer is awesome and actually fools me into wanting to watch the movie again... I won't though.

Via io9

Review: Akaneiro #3

Review by: Connor Russell This is a series where I started having no idea what to expect. The cover for the first issue looked kind of cool when I first saw it and as they say the rest is history. It’s a series that for me that would hit average and sometimes above but really not much more than that. My main gripe with it was the writing, things feeling rushed and all over the place and characters could get a little annoying, but for me the art would pick it up. Anyways I should stop rambling and really get on with the review so here I go.

Our Little Red Riding Hood has awoken her demon slaying fighting skills and realised the people she originally thought were helping her were in fact demons in disguise. She basically becomes a crazy killing machine with eyes that glow. She has the two Red Hunters that were looking for her catch up only to have the demon king descend from his mountain, and when all seems lost, all the Red Hunters join the fight that is sure to make history...

Akaneiro #3 CoverJustin Aclin wrote this series. I'm unsure of how much was his originality and how much was predetermined from the game so I find it a little hard to say too much negative against him. He still did write these characters and how they acted and reacted with each other and the unfolding events, and I found myself constantly feeling annoyed rather than attached to the characters. Little things however like the protagonists' evolution did help pick up the quality and the series did teeter off well towards the end finishing on a higher note than how it started.

Vasilis Lolos was the man behind the art. It’s an art that definitely has its own style, if he continued in this vein I could probably guess whenever something was his work. It has a flair that makes it recognisable. Sometimes the art looks really good and the demons generally look slick but I found he fell a lot with humans, especially in the area of faces. They wouldn't look right.

I know it seems I picked a little more on the negatives and I'm sorry if it seemed a little one-sided but that’s how I felt. There are some positive pointers to this team on this trio of books but to me it still sits as an overall average as the downs outweighed the highs. I may check the game out, I don't know.

Score: 3/5

Writer: Justin Aclin

Artist: Vasilis Lolos

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

Price: $3.99

Release Date: 7/31/13

Review: Hunters – The Shadowlands #3 (of 5)

Out of all the books connected to the Unleashed story arc this is the one I find myself looking forward to each month. I’ll be honest, I don’t really know why. It’s not that it’s amazing or anything, but there is something about it that keeps me coming back. Hell, I’m not even reading Unleashed, but I assume that this is taking place prior to those events. The issue starts with “The Being” as I guess he’s called and Samira and her Werewolf. They talk, but they don’t say anything. Back with the Hunters they’re dealing with the creatures that their captive called forth. All the while Roman has left them for dead and gone back into his cabin to talk to his skull. Here’s where he gets stupid. After leaving his friends for dead, his friends that had no control over how long he’s been there or even how long they’ve been there, he has a change of heart. After hearing real human voices the skull voice is no longer good enough for him so he decides to save them. After the battle with the roach monsters is done the Hunters head into Roman’s cabin and he kind of explains that he’s been talking to a skull, but it doesn’t talk to anyone else nor can anyone scenes anything from it other than “dead.” Also he summoned a Rhino thing to scare the roach monsters off… yeah.

After that each of the Hunters takes a turn at threatening Roman. I’m not joking; all of them except Sela take a crack at this dude. The part that I had to laugh at was when Van Helsing grabbed Roman’s dick and began asking about his backstory or something. Maybe she didn’t, but he sure as shit gave his entire backstory all while she tightened her grip on his penis and sweat poured down his face. It had to be one of the weirdest scenes I’ve ever read in a comic book. No one else in the room acknowledges this and once she lets go things go back to normal. I guess Roman is just into that kind of thing.

GFTHunters_3_coverAI really couldn’t get into the other half of the story. I read it and understand what happened, but it was pretty boring. Basically the Being steals Prometheus’ internal flame (why the fuck he’s in the Shadowlands is beyond me) and then walks up to the monsters of the Shadowland and basically says, “what’s up fuckers you work for me now.” Most of them are like, “yeah cool you look evil and powerful so whatever” while a few are like, “Fuck you maggot face.” And then he kills them and makes the rest of them kneel before him because it’s a comic book and everyone finds that amazing when people are forced to kneel. Thanks Zod!

The comic isn’t terrible, but it kind of is. It’s like a ‘B’ movie, you know that it’s bad but you still like it. The thing about ‘B’ movies is that they don’t know they’re bad and I get the same impression with this series. I mean the entire dick grabbing scene was just fucking weird and yet that made it to print. Literally the artist had to draw Roman sweating like he was about to cum because of the script and the dialog was all about Roman’s past; his sister being kidnapped by werewolves and turning into one and then coming back and killing his family years later. I couldn’t take it seriously. Here’s the crazy part though, it’s basically his sister’s skull that he’s been talking to or at least that’s the impression I got.

The art was as good as the other two issues. It’s not mind-blowing, but it’s decent enough to support the story and while there were some rough edges, for the most part it was smooth. Prometheus exploding was pretty cool.

The thing about this series is that it basically doesn’t try to get new readers. It’s made for fans that Zenescope already has and I guess that works for them. If it keeps the power on and everyone gets paid then who can tell them to change their formula. It just doesn’t create interesting stories or progress the medium at all. In a way it points out a problem with the entire industry. If like me you read the first two issues and there was something about them you liked then go ahead and grab this issue, but if you haven’t read it then I would just give it a pass.

Score: 3/5

Writer: Raven Gregory

Artists: Julien Noirel and Marco Itri

Publisher: Zenescope Entertainment

Price: $3.99

Release Date: 7/31/13

Review: Curse of the Mumy #2

I found the first issue of this comic nothing more than a self-aggrandizing platform for child actor Bill Mumy to take a break from autographing headshots at conventions long enough to make himself believe he was someone important. So why did I come back for issue 2?

Blue Water Comics, the publishers behind this masterpiece, will be publishing a book on Paula Deen.  Seeing as how I love to watch controversy blow up, I feel I owe the company some payback for giving me some free entertainment.  Since Blue Water makes a comic about everyone who is famous or near famous, the Paula Deen comic may get lost in the mix behind the A-Rod book and the Ed Gein Annual.  But when you can’t sweeten your prejudice with a stick of butter, you duck your head down and bake your way to reimaging yourself.  That’s why I want an autographed #1 issue of Deen’s comic outing.

CurseMumy_Cvr02revisedOkay, here’s the rundown on Curse of the Mumy.  The story focuses on Bill Mumy as he mentally projects into different heroes to fight Hitler on his moon base.  With characters like the leader of the 3rd Reich, a robot named Row Bot, and Shadowman, you know you’re in for some truly unexceptional fun.

Hitler lets loose that he’ plotting to bring the Anti-Christ to reality and end all times.  To combat that, Mumy’s buxom girlfriend does the only cool thing in the book; she consults three skulls for guidance like Sly used the three seashells in Demolition Man.  When Mumy gets rolling with his alternate state heroes, the Illuminati come in and bust things up.

I love preposterous.  But I only appreciate preposterous done right like in Mars Attacks.  That book incorporates weird notions in subtle, well-paced deliveries that add to the overall storyline.  CotM has too many oddities going on at once, and that drowns the reader.  On top of all that, I laugh at the notion of Bill Mumy making himself the focus of the book.  That would be like Stephen King writing himself into every one of his books—and making himself the conquering hero.

So don’t mind this book.  Leave it on the shelf where you keep your untouched reruns of Lost in Space.

Score: 2/5

Writer: Bill Mumy

Artist: Ron Stewart

Publisher: Blue Water Comics

Price: $3.99

Release Date: 7/31/13

Review: Liberator #2

I received a super early look at this issue, but then because I’m apparently poor at managing my time it turned into just an advanced look at this issue. Either way it was cool! I liked the first issue of this series, but I had doubts and concerns due to the plot and overall construction of the world. Let’s just say that I liked the second issue more and it was due to the fact that it put to rest some of my doubts. In the last issue we met Damon. From his outer appearances he’s just an average dude that works in a coffee shop, but we learned that he’s a hardcore animal rights activist. Instead of protest lines and approaching the community to get involved, Damon takes care of business himself. In the first issue we saw him rescue a bunch of dogs that were being forced to fight and then burn down anything involved with the operation.

In this second issue we kick off with him at odds with his douchie co-worker Randy. I like Randy because I hate him so much. He’s a very realistic character and even though I can’t really figure out why he’s so involved in the story, I think it’s coming soon. After getting yelled at by the boss for fighting they leave each other alone and continue working.

After work we see Damon gearing up for more night activities that include surveillancing his next target a huge fur farm. Also Damon has what I believe is a ‘Strike Anywhere’ poster in his room so he gets kudos for that. While at the farm he runs into someone unexpected and suddenly the covers all begin to make sense if you catch my drift.

Now there are elements of this issue that feel a lot like the first issue. Especially since there’s another segment focusing on Jeanette’s backstory, but this time it’s more of the real reasons she wants to protect animals. I like that Damon has been left a bit of a mystery and that there are bigger eyes watching him and keeping tabs on him. It’s interesting because he thinks that he’s covering his tracks so well that he’ll never be found, but obviously that’s not the case.

Liberators #2-1There’s a second animal raid in this issue and I really enjoyed the amount of thought and detail that the characters/writer put into it. Things like warning people about acid/gas and other measures that they take in order to make sure no one gets hurt, but that the message about animals is delivered. It was a very good issue and I’m excited to see what happens with the rest of the series now. Matt Miner was right when he told me the second issue would answer my questions from the first, so if you had doubts let this second issue put them to rest.

I liked the art more in this issue. There was a ton of artistic flair to the issue and in particular I enjoyed the scenes at the fur farm. The close up on Damon made him look like a bad-ass ninja rather than an animal rights activist, but that was cool. The reveal with Jeanette was definitely my favorite page, but not just because of the line work. The coloring on the moon, sky and the trees was great and stole the show for me. Sure it helped that Jeanette has a “come with me if you want to live” look and body language to her, but in general it was a powerful scene.

Hopefully you’re checking this series out because it’s a very unique comic book. I’m so glad that it is a comic book because I think it shows how wonderful the medium can be. It also helps show that comic books don’t just need to be superheroes or crime fiction. I mean this series is about kick-ass animal rights activists that dress like ninjas and do some major property damage in the name of animals. Where else would you find this story? Give it a shot because it’s pretty damn cool, but also well written with great art accompanying it too.

Score: 4/5

Writer: Matt Miner

Artist: Javier Sanchez Aranda

Colorist: Jaoquin Pereyra

Publisher: Black Mask Studios

Price: $3.50

Release Date: 7/31/13

Review: Next Testament #3

Haemi Jang’s art is explosive in this issue. I am happy to say that these opening pages are the best gore art I have seen in a long time. It is unbelievable how creepy this makes me feel. Thinking about sitting at this dinner party with blood and guts as the main course makes me sick. Wick is a total god, in the sense that he rules over these people and this world. He has powers that we haven’t seen thus making him a god.  Maybe this comic just clicks for me but I am huge fan. All of this series has been a quick read. It is very easy to pick up the book and finish it within a matter of moments. I enjoy the quick read and think the story packs a punch. Clive Barker and Mark Miller don’t try to fill pages. It seems as if they have total control of this tempo not the ads or the audience. Not many comics can capture that rhythm.

So we met up back at the dinner party. Wick just killed one guest and now he is on a mission to kill. Elspeth and Tristan escape through a secret passage way. Julian is surprised to see what his lover, yes I am convinced these two are getting it on, is doing. Wick challenges Julian to make a choice. This is probably my favorite scene in the comic. Wick is letting Julian choose. This is a play on fate for me. Although Wick holds all the cards, Julian can still decide to leave. Is it destiny, fate, free will, or is it Wick controlling the situation?

NextTestament_03_preview_Page_1Julian makes a choice and probably thinks that his choice was made on his own...but who knows. It could all be controlled not even by Wick but some other form. Julian will have to make many more choices including ones about his son. And since Julian seems to hold the knowledge behind Wick he could hold answers of how to destroy him. That just gave me a random thought that if you want to destroy god you must first destroy his beliefs. Who better to lead this fight than the devil? Anyway, just a thought.

Elspeth and Tristan escape to find answers. They grab the first flight out. Wick is left at the house with the cops approaching. He is exciting for the challenge ahead, as am I. This comic offers something new. It takes an idea and turns into something completely different. Although the comic only took place over an hour or so, you have to ask yourself not what happened but what didn’t happen here? It is jam packed with action and issues about what will happen. I don’t know if everyone will dig this comic, but you should jump on now because it is about to get crazy. Next issue should be a whirlwind of events. Some people’s lives are on the line and Julian may have something to say before the day is through.

Score: 5/5

Writer: Clive Barker and Mark Miller

Artist: Haemi Jang

Publisher: Boom Studios

Price: $3.99

Release Date: 7/31/13

Review: Captain Midnight #1

Any book that has a Polar Bear eating a dudes head is a “win” in my book. Seriously though, this book was a fantastic read. Dark Horse has been promoting the series and to an extent hyping it  which can set a series up for failure if it doesn’t deliver. For me that wasn’t the case here. This book delivers in spades and finds a balance between the campy bygone era of comics and the gritty darker modern age. The two parallels may not be 100% transparent to everyone, but they are there and it’s a great experiment in storytelling that pays off. The issue begins in the past, 1942 to be exact, as we find the Secret Squadron attacking Hitler’s North Pole base. One of his best men Herr Shark says that he’ll stay behind and buy them time as long as his daughter is taken away. SPOILER, Herr Shark is the dude that meets his end at the… mouth of a polar bear. It’s pretty rad.

In the present, we find the continuation of the zero issue as Joyce’s granddaughter climbs a cliff in Nevada and discovers the Secret Squadron’s secret headquarters. The headquarters are amazing looking, but they’ve been forgotten about and time has not been kind. It made me wish that we were following the story from Captain Midnight’s point of view because I’m sure it was a heart breaking scene for him to discover. A base that he built and maintained with his friends and companions left to rot. Even without his point of view it’s still a strangely tragic splash page to behold.

After Joyce’s granddaughter Charlotte gets inside of the base, the story cuts to 24 hours earlier with Charlotte and Joyce talking. Joyce basically guilt’s her granddaughter into finding Captain Midnight and after their conversation we discover the Feds storming the base just behind her. They’re about to secure her when Rick vouches for Charlotte… because she’s his ex-wife and all. They begin to look in the base all the while Captain Midnight is listening in on them.

Captain Midnight #1 CoverThe writing was very strong for a first issue and while it’s kind of not the first issue, it was still good. First issues can be kind of weird because they’re trying to set up the world and explain everything it possibly can in one issue so that readers want to come back. With this issue it’s kind of assumed that you bought the zero issue or read the zero issue in its broken up form in Dark Horse Presents. If you didn’t you won’t be lost, but because of that this issue doesn’t spend the entire time explaining the world to you just the goal of the issue: find Captain Midnight.

As I said, the issue captures the bygone era of comics with the opening. The overall campy feeling of comics then, but still maintains the maturity of modern comics i.e. deaths being brutal. While the modern time line is mostly gritty and realistic it also has a level of campiness to it as well; Rick and Charlotte’s banter being the best example. Also it’s clear that Charlotte and Rick are destined to replace Captain Midnight’s former partners since they’re already filling the roles without even knowing it.

The art also plays an important role in the split era of comics. Aside from the art style changing slightly between the two era’s, the biggest change being the increased use of shadowing in the modern timeline, there is the coloring. In the past the coloring has a faded newspaper print look to it that is very intentional, while the modern era is of course the modern standard of coloring. Its helps play to the two timelines very well. Overall the book is beautiful regardless of which era it’s representing.

I’m very interested in this series. There are some indicators of where the story is going, but the biggest thing that has me interested is Captain Midnight’s limited role in the story thus far. I don’t know what he’s thinking or planning, just that he’s a super fucking genius and stubborn as hell. I mean he had a day and he improved upon a modern jet that he’s never seen before. That’s cool. I think this story is awesome and I’m looking forward to more for sure. It’s easy to compare it to Captain America, but there’s something new and exciting about this. I would recommend it to someone that likes Captain America and I wouldn’t be surprised if they ended up liking it more.

Score: 5/5

Writer: Joshua Williamson

Artist: Fernando Dagnino

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

Price: $2.99

Release Date: 7/31/13

Review: Amala’s Blade #4 (of 4)

There are rewarding endings and then there are rewarding endings if you know what I mean and this falls into the latter of the two. I fell in love with this series in a big way and I’m bummed to see the mini-series ending. I don’t want it to end, but in talking to writer/creator Steve Horton it sounds like there is a possibility for more Amala’s Blade, but it now depends on the sales for the trade paperback. Now I’m not saying you shouldn’t pick up this issue, because you should totally pick up this issue, but I am saying that if you know someone who missed the series and would like it then encourage them to pre-order the trade. I’ll remind you again at the end of the review because I really need more of this series. Destiny took a hold of Amala in the last issue and now she finds herself riding a metal plated giant snake-ish creature towards the neutral zone where the Modifiers are hiding waiting to attack the Purifiers. They open fire on the snake and Amala flips off its back to tell them to stop firing and she won’t hurt them… and then the snake runs away. This leaves Amala against an army of Modifiers… until the bridge between the two zones activates and a Purifier army arrives!

The Modifiers’ leader looks worried and Amala offers to go talk to them to prevent a battle, he gives her five minutes and says after that they “go to die.” She heads over to the other side and talks to the Purifiers’ leader who she’s very familiar with and says that she wants to lead them into battle for a pardon. I didn’t see this coming at all and it was a terrific element to add to the story.

Amala's Blade #4 CoverThere’s plenty more to read as I’ve only taken you up to the seventh page. There are quite a few story twists and so many things that you’ll just never see coming. It’s clear that there is potential for more stories after this, but the creators made sure not to hold back for that possibility. That’s why this has been a terrific series, it’s never held back and at times asked you to just trust it and keep running forward. Well I’m glad I did.

Horton’s writing is as strong now as it was on the first issue. Amiss the ending and the fighting he still manages to find time to develop Amala and some of her supporting cast. Again, the ending is wrapped, but Horton leaves the world with a fresh start. There are small clues to what will happen next and the vague possibility Amala will even fully embrace her destiny. She’s accepted elements, but only the parts that suit her which is perfect for her character. If the series does return, she would be very different and that’s fascinating to me. Creators that are bold enough to make real changes with their characters should always be rewarded.

I’ve become a huge fan of Dialynas’ work and will likely follow him (and Horton for that matter) to whatever he works on next. I mean have you seen his TMNT designs? They’re fantastic. His art is breath-taking and as the story became more and more epic so did his art. It’s not that he delivered more with this issue than the others; it’s just that there was a natural evolution to the growth of his style in the series. It’s going to take me a bit to get used to not seeing his work each month, but I’m glad to have discovered him through this series.

Again, if you’ve been following the series you should definitely buy this issue. I could go back and forth on which of the four are my favorite, but I continue to lean towards this issue probably because it’s the freshest in my mind. You will not be disappointed. If you missed it all together I’m going to say something I’ve never said before and that is don’t buy the single issues. Pre-order the trade which I know will look great and it will help everyone get more Amala’s Blade and that’s what’s important. You hear me Dark Horse!? More. Amala’s. Blade.

Score: 5/5

Writer: Steve Horton

Artist: Michael Dialynas

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

Price: $3.50

Release Date: 7/31/13