Review: The Deep Sea (One-Shot)

Review by: Connor Russell Stories involving the seas are something that has always intrigued me. I think a main reason to this is that even though we aspire to push as far as we can go away from our own planet, there are still so many mysteries under the surface of our doorstep. Even though the oceans may be a focal point to a story, any genre can use it as a canvas so you don't know what you may get.

The story would most likely fit into the mystery genre with a turn of almost horror towards the end. An elderly man by the name of Paul Barry has been approached by some people to come out and meet them on a ship from his past. Paul then narrates his story, a young team of deep sea scientists were descending in a diving bell (he was meant to go as well, but injured his leg), something happened, ripping off the crane and they were reported dead fifty five years prior. Or so the world thought, turns out those young scientists have been found and nothing about them has changed since that day. Paul reconnects with his old love and the ship then comes under attack from a giant monster, with reports it has happened to all ships in the area.

The Deep Sea #1 CoverJimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray were the writers for this comic. Although I found the pacing to be done quite well and the story interesting, I found it difficult to feel any connection or sympathy for Paul (telling his sad story) and the shock his old team were clearly going through with all the changes. Something about the way these characters were written and the showing of their emotions just didn't feel right.

Tony Akins was the man behind the wheel for art duties. His art is good to look at and generally consistent throughout the issue although sometimes his quality drops with faces, whether close-up or from a distance. But these are just subtle things and don't really do anything in bringing the book down, I'm just nit-picking. Paul Mounts was in charge of colors for this book. It works well with the art and the issue as a whole.

My main problem with The Deep Sea is even though it says it is a one-shot, it isn't really. At the end it says “End. (for now)”. This slightly annoys me because it isn't truly a one-shot and self-contained story; it’s obviously going to lead into a graphic novel or mini-series. Just do it as that; an issue one or the first chapter for a graphic novel. Sorry I'm nitpicking again. I am interested in seeing where the story is going to go and I will continue to read it. Check it out.

Score: 3/5

Writers: Jimmy Palmiotti & Justin Gray Artist: Tony Akins Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Price: $2.99 Released: 5/22/13

Group Review: The Bounce #1

The Bounce has been teased and talked about for several months now. Joe Casey has promised a very different take on the Superhero genre by building it from the ground up. The different writers of Comic Bastards have come together to let you know if promises were kept or if this is another super hero title with “the ultimate slacker” at the helm. They each give it a score of: Buy, Borrow or Pass. As always, before we begin here’s a blurb about the book from Image: Meet the ultimate slacker superhero for the 21st Century! Jasper Jenkins is a super-head AND a super-hero! He's relatable AND reliable and he's embarking on the adventure of a lifetime! The sensational debut of the new feel-good hero of the decade! You can't afford to miss it!

Samantha: Buy

Jasper is exactly what I would picture a 20-year-old superhero as; he smokes lots of weed and eases into every situation. He is a regular dude and I love it. Instead of taking that approach of great reasonability, we get a boy who just has fun and happens to beat up some bad guys in the process.

I love Bounce’s costume. I think it is the simplicity of it. The art is pretty trippy too. In the first pages we get huge shaken screen shots of the city. It sets the tone for how the comic will be and makes me feel like I am bouncing right along.

The issue is a buy for me and maybe not many people will agree, but it is a fun take on today’s superheroes. I would like to see where the whole drug addiction takes Jasper. It seemed at the end that the drug leads to other dimensions, so maybe it really is just a get away from our world.

Carl: Pass

Writer Joe Casey and artist David Messina collaborate on a new story about a world of emerging heroes in which a good guy, The Bounce, battles the bad guy, The Crunch.  As his name implies, The Bounce has the power similar to Marvel Comics’ hero Speedball.  Namely, he has a kinetic force that allows him to propel like a Superball.  The Bounce happens to be pot smoke Jasper Jenkins.  Yawn.

Since this is Image, there are plenty of bad words.  Unfortunately, they feel forced.  Think of a kid who is unattended for a few minutes and just listened to a NWA album for the first time. Some guy in a suit eats a lizard and talks to army men about creating a Stargate looking device to help him achieve “a new measure of perception.”  After that cryptic and uninteresting interlude, we go back to Jasper investigating drug sales from a Rastafarian known as “The Fog.”  Taking a hit off “The Fog”, Jasper wakes in his Bounce outfit far away from his secret hideout, The Bounce House.”

Bouncey realizes he’s in a futuristic looking world with superheroes aplenty.

There are too many ideas being tossed around, and none of them are very catch-able.  The cliché businessman making the super weapon, the villain appearance, the world just starting to have superheroes all form tropes we’ve seen before.  Kick-Ass kept popping into mind when I read the book.  Unfortunately, this comic takes itself serious. For the second week I encountered a book where the hero smokes out and goes off on his journeys.  And for the second week I am unimpressed.

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Steve: Buy

My box has been abuzz for this book ever since its solicit ricocheted into my lap, mostly because the last time I came across Joe Casey’s stuff, it was reviewing his Rock Bottom hardcover, which was fucking brilliant. At the same time, The Bounce promised to be one of my favorite low-rung characters, Speedball, literally on drugs, and that prospect equally intrigued me. I wasn’t prepared, however, for how true that second part was going to be. This thing starts off like its solicit reads: a feel-good stoner superhero story for the 21st Century, or a modern take on the masked man as unwanted vigilante in a newly-powered world ... but it sure as shit doesn’t stay that way.

It quickly, and pretty jarringly, tumbles into extra-dimensional, drug-fueled, reality-bending oddity; that’s not a bad thing, but it is pretty weird. I do like the cut of the jib on this series’ lizard-eating, chocolate milk-swigging villain, The Darling, as well as the concept of the living drug known as The Fog, but I am hazy as hell as to where their inclusion is headed and really what the fuzz is going on in The Bounce. I’m not sure if this is an origin story or just one big hallucinogenic trip / trap, but with stunning art from David Messina bopping all over the page, with crisp figures and a sharp, almost reflective shine, and a story that has me asking a lot of questions, I’ll definitely be sticking around for next issue to see just what in the blue hell is really going on here.

Dustin: Pass

I was looking forward to this series, mostly due to the art. Casey’s “promise” of it being a very different take on the superhero genre sounded like fluff the first time he said it and I never put any stock into it after. The thing about this book is that it’s not very different from any other superhero title that’s been explored outside of the “big two” and really even the “big two” books for that matter. Drugs and super powers is nothing new and having a slacker character that for some reason likes to play hero is a huge contradiction. Slackers don’t do anything and they sure as hell wouldn’t put their necks on the line for others, so he’s not a slacker, he’s a drug user and that’s nothing new. Both Speedy’s were users pre-DC reboot and even Colossus in Ultimate X-Men was shooting up in order to have super strength. Prior to this The Victories handled the subject of drugs and powers and it was amazing, but this not so much.

The other major problem I had with the series was the self-aware nature the power wielders had. The villain of the story sticks around hoping that a hero will show up. Here’s a secret about any villain worth reading… they don’t think they’re a villain. Everyone is the good guy in their own story and they’re just “forced” to do bad things. They don’t go, “goody, I found a nemesis.” Also the character that called himself The Darling was just too much. I couldn’t pretend to care about what he was saying and his entire introduction was horrendous. I almost gave this a borrow, but honestly I don’t see it changing much in the next issue so why over commit to it.

Sergio: Pass

Not only has this idea of a slacker superhero been done but there's even a shit movie the follows the same concept starring the Fresh Prince. I almost don't have the balls to say a bad word about Joe Casey. He's a household name that has been in the business of superheroes much longer than I've been into comics. I'm just a bastard with an opinion but The Bounce didn't do anything for me. After reading the issue I looked up Joe Casey just to make sure it was the same guy. The story just didn't make any sense to me at all.

Giving credit where credit is do is important and to that I tip my cap to artist David Messina. The Bouncehas great art and could face off against any artist that's drawing anything for the big two.

Jordan: Borrow

The Bounce #1 is a strange first issue in that it doesn’t really feel like a first issue much at all. The story introduces us to the adorably alliterated Jasper Jenkins, a guy who on the outside looks like just your average 30 something bong ripping low life-- BUT LO!-- our man is actually The Bounce! One of the coolest looking superheroes I have ever seen with one of the silliest looking superpowers I’ve ever seen. Seriously, why does he have to be rolled up in a ball to use this ability? It looks like something from a Saturday morning cartoon and contrasts starkly with the adult situations and super badass costume design.

Art is okay but everyone looks strangely cute and similar which was a bit jarring. Story was cool but all over the place especially for a first issue. This book felt like it couldn’t quite decide what to cut in post-production. All in all though, it’s a fun story that I’d read a second issue of.

Score: 3 Passes, 2 Buys and 1 Borrow

Writer: Joe Casey Artist: David Messina Publisher: Image Comics Price: $2.99 Release Date: 5/22/13

Group Review: Half Past Danger #1

First issues can be a tough sell for any comic and that’s why we like to pull our resources and offer as many opinions about an issue as possible. The charm of a group review is that there are things that everyone picks up on and things that we all see different. With that said the writers of Comic Bastards have come together to review Half Past Danger and will each be giving it a score of: Buy, Borrow or Pass. Before we dig into the reviews though, here’s a quick blurb about the boom from IDW: DAMES. DINOSAURS. DANGER. Summer, 1943, and in the midst of a war waged by monsters, Staff Sergeant Tommy ‘Irish’ Flynn never expected to encounter a real one. But on a remote island in the South Pacific, Flynn and his squad come face-to-fanged-face with creatures long thought dead.

Steve: Buy

Half Past Danger starts off as one thing, becomes something else entirely (with dinosaurs!) and finally settles into something even more different, the overall effect of which equals pretty fun times! With story elements like espionage, super soldiers, anachronistic technology, mother-fucking dinosaurs and a stereotypical drunk Irishman, mixed in with a high-energy, Poppy visual style, this sort of feels like a slightly more reserved Steranko SHIELD book ... and I likes it, I do! Going in, however, I wasn’t so sure, thanks to its first phase as a pretty banal WWII book, but as soon as the Tyrannosaurus Rex starts eating the fuck out of the army ... well, who wouldn’t be sold on that? Again, this feels very, very familiar, but it’s hard not to get swept up in this clear team-building book, which, after its muted start, never slows down, particularly in its action. My only real gripe is with some of the book’s coloring, which at times comes across as pallid and lazy, but if you like machine guns vs. dinosaurs and fights that feature a bar filled with Irish soldiers vs. Steve Rogers and Bruce Lee, then you might want to pick this little guy up. Oh, and also? That last page, in particular its final panel, is pretty damn spectacular. Pimms?

Carl: Buy

Stephen Mooney does everything including writing, illustrating, creating, and selling you this book at the local comic book store.  Whew.  That guy’s earning his pay. In the South Pacific in 1943, a band of American soldiers uncover a Nazi camp.  Unable to fight, the men retreat to a nearby jungle to await reinforcements.  That’s when the GI’s run into a dinosaur.  Yeah, this book just got awesome.  Throw a dinosaur into anything, and I am a happy reviewer.  Don’t believe me?  See what it did for Kiss Solo #3.

Did you ever see Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah?  I can’t help but thinking of the scene where the Japanese forces on the Pacific island come across the Godzillasaurus that helps them. Anyways, the men square off against the dinosaur.  Okay, stop reading this review and go buy this book.  Buy three copies.  It’s funny, exciting, and well-written.  The artwork is solid, and has the look and feel of a pulp-novel of the twenties with modern influences. I can’t wait to continue reading this series!

Ed: Borrow

It seems like there’s a lot of WW2 or 1930s era pulp adventure comics coming out these days and Half Past Danger is firmly entrenched in that genre, telling a ‘Dirty Dozen’ style war story with a ‘Jurassic Park’ twist. For a first issue it's quite light on plot, though there's an enjoyable dinosaur/jungle-chase sequence and an extended fight sequence to cap the issue. The walk-and-talk scene and the final fight could   perhaps   have been a little shorter to allow for another scene but to be fair to  Stephen  Mooney it's all in service of good fun and establishes the identities and surface characteristics of the “team” the series seems likely to be following in future issues.

I like Mooney’s precise line work and the way he frames his panels, contrasting areas of heavy shadow and open space. His action sequences pack a lot of punch too, especially when the (minor spoiler alert) T-Rex busts in on the soldiers and Mooney really cuts loose with his layouts, showing the confidence to let his inks go a little wilder on the page. Aside from a couple of awkwardly phrased passages of dialogue I think Mooney’s writing is generally pretty good, giving his artwork plenty opportunities to shine and trusting the reader to pick up the story without too much exposition, but overall I thought this issue is a little too decompressed for my taste. Maybe it suffers, in my mind, from being the latest of many pulp comics I've read or reviewed in the last few months.

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Jordan: Buy

Half Past Danger tackles a hell of a lot and I’m happy to say, does a hell of a lot right. Dinosaurs, Nazis, super Brits, it’s all there. And despite how it may sound I felt a refreshing amount of purposeful direction on this comic. It’s doing a lot or at least being versatile but it knows just what it wants and gives us just enough of each thing to inspire intrigue. Pair that with a cool hero in Sargent Thomas Flynn and some pretty damn awesome art by Stephen Moony and a fit for the Bond universe aesthetic and this book ends up being a hell of a ride.

Samantha: Borrow

This issue’s main job was introduction. We see dinosaurs attacking WW II soldiers in the South Pacific, a ninja appear in a bar fight, an alcoholic vet, and a woman admiring her nails while the boys discuss business by bashing each other’s heads in. We start to see some character development and a basis for the adventures about to come. The art gives a certain vibe of Indiana Jones, which gets me pumped for archeological missions. I always enjoy the knowledge that comes along with comics, movies, and books that explore history. I hope Half Past Danger can capture that same respectable genre. I think this series will be tight once it gets off the ground, but for now the issue is a borrow.

Dustin: Buy

Thomas Michael Flynn is a man after my own heart! What a great character. He gets thrown through a window and he bums a drag off of a bum’s cigarette before jumping back inside to continue the fight. What’s not to love about this guy? Half Past Danger was way more than I was expecting it to be. Nazis, Dinosaurs and a golden age backdrop, I fell hard for this title.

Admittedly I hated the first pages and didn’t shed a tear when the rookie was eaten because he was a pecker-head. Everything after that was very cool and the pacing kept the book going. I enjoyed the over the top characters and the fantastic art. I don’t know why this book was under hyped, but I hope that you’ll check it out and see why this formula really does work.

Sergio: Borrow

"Half Past Danger: Extra Pulp!” sorry, just thinking about what that would look like on an orange juice carton. Anyways, this was a really fun read and was a great intro to what seems like is going to be an interesting six issue mini-series. Since getting into comics I've really enjoyed old timey, action packed stories, that are set in the 40's-50's. Half Past Danger being set in WWII was just an added bonus for me, and it having elements of sci-fi with the addition of the  dinosaurs was like combining Christmas and my birthday all in one.

It's clear that Stephen Mooney is a man of many talents seeing that the book was created, written, and drawn all by him. Although many people in the comic industry try to wear all three of those hats at once, many of them don't do half as well as creating a total package that you can really sink your teeth into. At this point you have to be thinking, "What the fuck does he mean by borrow?" Well to be honest I feel that this would be great when completed in a nice hardcover or trade paperback edition, it's nothing that is a must have for your collection as far as single issues are concerned.

Score: 4 Buys and 2 Borrows

Writer/Artist/Creator: Stephen Mooney Publisher: IDW Publishing Price: $3.99 Release Date: 5/22/13

Review: Mind MGMT #11

To say that this issue was everything that I wanted and expected from this issue is a lie… it was so much more. The best way to look at this book is like a massive connect the dots drawing; only we’re working from the inside out and we’ll only begin to fully understand the complete picture at the very end. The reveals in this issue are incredible and for those that haven’t been paying attention to the backup story are going to wish that they had. Also I wanted to point out that I find it very impressive that Kindt has managed to work the cover of the previous issue into the new cover each month since this story arc kicked off. It’s incredibly clever and I’m sure there’s some hidden correlation that I’m missing, but I’ll keep looking until it becomes clear. We begin with Meru meeting with Duncan on her own. She wants to convince him to come with them, which leads to him telling her why he doesn’t want to go. It’s simple; he doesn’t trust anyone that’s ever been associated with Mind MGMT. He goes through a bit more of his backstory and his start with the agency. He talks about his mission to prove himself in which he was sent to test his ability of killing someone with just his finger. He walks into a prison and kills a death row inmate, but that’s only half of his task. Little did Duncan know that the second half of his task would change everyone’s future.

There is this building plot that I can only describe in the vein of “My Two Dads.” Meru hasn’t a clue that both Lyme and Duncan are her guardians and that both of them look at her like a daughter. The difference is Meru is beginning to look at Lyme like a father figure. To me, this plays a part in why he doesn’t want to help the others. He doesn’t want to butt heads with Lyme over Meru and even more importantly… he doesn’t want to see her get hurt.

Mind MGMT #11 CoverThere is plenty more I could talk about that isn’t that revealing, but because the reveals in this issue are huge I’d rather you read it. The read is so immersive that you’re likely to forget to blink a few times while you stare at the page wondering if what you just read really happened. Did the story really just go there? Yes, yes it did those two dots that were sitting next to each other this entire time that you thought couldn’t possibly be connected… were already joined. This issue is also scary in a lot of ways because if Kindt is revealing this much now… what else does he have in store for us? How much bigger is this about to get?

It really looks as if Kindt’s art style is growing. He’s always had a simplistic style that plays to the strengths of the story and personally looks fantastic, but there are little things in this issue that are incredibly detailed. When Duncan looks at his finger like it’s a weapon for the first time or when he outlines a car and gives it the appearance of disappearing or being fuzzy from Duncan’s mind. It’s incredible. There is still the close attention to details in the layout as well. When Duncan’s visiting the prison the people he visits are always in the black and even when Duncan is draped with shadows, he’s still standing in the light which is a nice touch. Kindt’s layouts and artistic style continues to appease the comic reader that doesn’t want their comics full of beef and cheese cake and can appreciate the art form.

The last bit of this issue is killer, it makes my heart ache it’s so tragic. Once again I find myself wanting to tell you everything I saw or experienced in this issue, but perhaps I’ll save it for the podcast. I said on my review for Revival, that I save this series for last. It’s because of issue like this were the excitement is too much; it’s too much to read and be forced to wait another month. I’ll tell you right now when the completed series is collected into an omnibus; I will be the first in line to buy it. If you’re still not reading this series then that’s fine… you’re only missing out on comic history in the making. I guarantee that by the end of this series it will be on everyone’s must read list.

Lastly, a huge thank you to Matt Kindt and Dark Horse… they know why.

Score: 5/5

Writer/Artist/Creator: Matt Kindt Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Price: $3.99 Release Date: 5/22/13

Review: Revival #10

I think this book is giving me an ulcer. I don’t know how many “oh shits” I said while reading this, but there were enough to raise eyebrows and disturb slumbering cats. Especially as I read the last page thought of all of the consequences that will be playing out in the next issue. I know that everyone loves Saga (myself included) and a few other Image titles, but for me, this is the best title that Image is currently publishing. You can argue with me all you want, but the reading experience I have with this series is unlike any other title. Usually I switch my reading up between enjoying my favorite books first or last. Sometimes if the week is heavy I like to get the favorites out of the way first so that they’re not distracting me from other titles. Other week’s I save them for the end because they’re the best. Revival, much like Mind MGMT I save for last every time. Yes they’re both that damn good, but it’s mostly because I can’t take reading them sometimes. I get to the end and I think my heart is going to explode. I literally put this issue down twice because I couldn’t believe what I was reading. Seeley isn’t afraid to fuck with these characters and there is no guarantee that you favorite will make it out of this series. And yes putting the book down is the equivalent of looking away from the screen and saying “Did just see that.”

In the last issue we spent some time with the three brothers that are renting Derek’s garage. What they were doing in there was cutting up a reviver in order to sell his body and none of them seemed to be bothered by it… because they are a family of psychopaths. They had some unfortunate witnesses in the last issue and now we find two of the brother’s digging a grave and talking about their father. There is a connection there.

revival10_coverThe story heads to the hospital where we find May Tao trying to visit Mrs. Vang, but instead she ends up passing the room of the man who tried to kill her and Martha. They have a great conversation that Tao mostly ignores, but it is interesting that he’s not under arrest. As is the norm of the series the story checks in with another character and this time it’s Ibrahaim as he’s been sent to do a door-to-door check on his own to Edmund Holt’s house. You may remember him as the guy with all the guns in the last issue. The bulk of the story is focused on the three brothers as Dana drops Martha off at Derek’s house to go help Ibrahaim that’s managed to step in an animal trap. The results are… breath taking.

This is Tim Seeley’s masterpiece. Hands down it is the best thing he has ever written. Each and every issue is better than the one before, because it imitates life. I know that sounds crazy since there are supernatural elements to the story, but the way the characters and world respond to these elements is very realistic. The pacing is perfect and seriously other writers, veteran or just starting off, should study this series. It’s a goddamn masterpiece. Every issue you read is literally a piece of a modern classic and I wonder if this is the same sensation that people had when reading Watchmen upon its original release.

Norton’s art in this issue is very cinematic. The opening scene begins with close-ups as it slowly pulls out to reveal what the two brothers are working on and it only intensifies the panic you’ll have for the characters that you know are in their care. I’m reading about fictional characters, but due to Seeley’s expert writing and Norton’s realistic illustrations; I feel like their real people and I forget. It’s like watching a TV show each issue, but so much better than anything on TV (Although Hannibal is really fucking good).

I hope the creators aren’t sick of my raving reviews because I don’t see them stopping anytime soon. This is definitely one of if not tied for the best comic being published monthly. It’s definitely Image’s top book in my mind and seriously… I think it’s giving me an ulcer. The next issue is going to be amazing. There’s no way it can’t be and the consequences are going to be jaw dropping. Buy this book. Now.

Score: 5/5

Writer: Tim Seeley Artist: Mike Norton Publisher: Image Comics Price: $2.99 Release Date: 5/22/13

Review: Kiss Solo #3

What’s so great about a comic book about a rock group that started in the 1970’s? First off, Kiss created a persona in rock and roll music because of their make-up and stage theatrics.  Each band member took on a different role: Gene, The Demon; Paul, The Starchild; Ace, Space Ace; and Peter, The Cat.  With lyrics seething in entendres, the group evolved to perform some of the most fun rock songs in the last few decades.

The ongoing comic book does a great job of capturing that fun.  Four spiritual beings, The Four Who Act As One, fight an evil entity known as the Destroyer.  The heroes possess different forms as they battle.  So far they have been gangsters, teenage girls, and so on.  No, they haven’t been infants—yet.

Kiss_Solo-03-pr-1For a gimmick comic book based on a gimmick band, the work has been outstanding.  Unfortunately, the solo one-shots have not.  My biggest criticism on the two previous books has been that the one-shots did not add anything to the individual characters.  We get nothing to advance the overall story of the great battle between the Destroyer and the Elder, nor do we get any added information about the heroes.

The Celestial and his crew rocket through space on the trail of the Talisman of power lost during the battle with the Destroyer in the ongoing series.  Arriving at an intergalactic casino, the Celestial finds the talisman in the clutches of a “psychotic dinosaur space-biker” pirate using it as a wager on a card game.

Unfortunately, Xanjack the space-pirate tyrannosaurus won’t give it over without a fight.

While this one shot also does little to advance the background of the Celestial character, it was way more fun than the previous two issues.  I caught a lot of the in-jokes that reflect the fights Ace Frehley had with his real-like Kiss counterparts.  Those not as familiar with the band and their lyrics will be missing out on an awful lot of allusions.

Those who are jumping on board will get a better-than-average story of a heroic character in a Mos Eisley type setting.

This whole series reflects the band’s attempts at solo albums: they could be a whole lot better, but there are some things about them that will leave you pleased.

Score: 3/5

Writer:  Chris Ryall Artist: Alan Robinson Publisher: IDW Publishing Price: $3.99 Release Date: 5/22/13

Review: Lobster Johnson: Satan Smells A Rat (One-Shot)

Here’s something that’s kind of embarrassing: I have never read a full issue of Hellboy, B.P.R.D. or anything else written within the Mike Mignola-verse, up to and including Lobster Johnson. That’s right, a dude named “Lobster Johnson” is popping my cherry. Oh my god, you guys, dreams DO come true! But seriously, it is pretty scoundrelly that I haven’t yet picked up anything within this expansive family of books, but in my defense, it’s one of those that has a history which is almost toorich. I’ve always wondered where to start ... well, other than “at the beginning,” but that takes a lot of time and a modicum of effort; not to mention a fair few wampum. Still, it was inevitable that I would cut my teeth on this universe at some point.

So, when I saw this week that Lobster Johnson (whose name, in my lysdexia, I always want to write as Robster Lohnson) was up for grabs, I decided it was time to take Dustin’s advice, take shit by the horns and jump aboard the Mignola train, mid-chug. And you know what? I’m glad I did. I should interject here, before we go forward and for the sake of clarity, that my shit doesn’t actually have horns.

Lobster Johnson Satan Smells a Rat CoverI really like this Lobster Johnson fella. He’s got the kind of stone-faced, hardboiled pulp gristle and shoot-first-ask-questions-later spunk I like to see in my depression-era adventurers. Now, again, I’m basing my judgement on this guy off of this one comic, so I have no idea whether this is true or not, but he seems like a pretty static character, motivated by a strict moral code that is set in stone, not beleaguered with anything so effeminate as “grey areas.”

I also appreciate the considerable lengths of mind-fuckery he is willing to go to in order to psyche out what turns out to be a very naughty man, by packing this semi-professional body mover’s car with a fine assortment of his greatest hits, which Lobster took the time to dig up for him. Finally, there’s the fact that he leaves his mushroom print on his victims’ foreheads in the form of lobster claw brands. Now that’s marking your territory!

To write a character like this well, you’ve got to write him sparingly, and that’s just what Mignola and Arcudi do here; he’s a stone-cold sonuvabitch who neither takes nor gives guff. Interestingly, that makes him the unflappable force of nature in this story, around which the more “morally flexible” personalities of his villains are given greater room to maneuver.

They actually represent the humanity of the story, albeit a misguided one, particularly in the desperation of crippled financier and model town enthusiast, Mr. Podell, and in the scientific thirst for knowledge from his second in command and attending physician, Dr. Andres. It’s equally fun and frustrating to watch the villains’ cold but valid arguments crash against Lobster’s unmovable wall of white-hot justice!

While it didn’t really grasp me during my first read, the art in this book from Kevin Nowlan struck me as pretty damn good on subsequent flip-throughs. He’s definitely working to the less-detailed Mignola rubric, and while it couldn’t be called intricate, it does a great job of hosting this intimate story.

With things like the end of prohibition and genetically-modified human vegetables afoot, this story of Lobster Johnson (whose name, in a rare yet welcome move, beautifully melds the worlds of crustacean sea-life and male adult film stars) has officially opened up the world for me. I’m not saying this is the ideal place to jump into bed with Mignola,  but even this, the 13th part of a series, offers a good enough first bite of Lobster to tempt me for more.

Score: 3/5

Writers: Mike Mignola & John Arcudi Artist: Kevin Nowlan Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Price: $3.50 Release Date: 5/22/13

Review: TMNT – Micro-Series #2: Baxter Stockman

Although I love TMNT and this new villain micro-series, Baxter Stockman’s story was a little slow for me. I loved the Krang issue but I have never been a big Baxter fan and never understood his mad scientist tendencies. His back story never got told hence why I was interested in where this new TMNT comic would take it. Like any other crazy boy, Baxter has daddy issues. The comic starts with Baxter explaining how he plans to take over Krang and be somebody. His dad taught him that. We get our first flashback of him and his dad playing chess. The comic interjects flashbacks of the same scene only Baxter gets older and smarter in each one. When we first see him, his father is beating him in chess trying to teach Baxter about how to get power by laying out your moves. Baxter is being verbally abused by his father in each panel.We go back to present day and Baxter is being verbally abused by Krang. Krang has somehow taken the spot of Baxter’s father. He clearly cannot function unless he is being ruled over, but constantly fights the notion in his mind thinking he is more powerful. It is sad really; thinking Baxter has the power to break free but he will always need that abuse in order to survive, thrive. Baxter is trying to somehow out maneuver Krang’s Technodrome. I do like seeing the Technodrome idea coming back into the TMNT series. I think it was always this huge allusion as to what it was actually capable of.

TMNT-Baxter-pr-1Baxter develops Flyborg to help him achieve his goal. This creature is like the Mousers but instead it is fly-like. He uses this robot to distract Krang into getting top secret information about the Technodrome. We then have the next flashback of Baxter as a young teenager getting angry at his father because his father is taunting him during chess. The whole Stockman clan has anger issues no doubt. Well, the Flyborg goes crazy and Baxter explains to us how the Flyborg processes strength of great multitudes; it can always out move all of its opponents. I think this part of the comic really relates to the chess match. The Flyborg being the Queen, being the strength and unbeatable, and Baxter is the King, the protected. He creates these machines in order to protect himself and ultimately win. The story ends with one more flashback to the chess match. Finally, Baxter has decided to take control of his moves and defeat his father. The game isn’t chess though but rather something bigger. It shows Baxter’s true nature come out and being taught this anger by his father.

Overall, the story wasn’t horrible by any means. It just lacked some action. I don’t need asses being kicked but at least some better mind maneuvers. It all seemed too predictable.

Score: 3/5

Writer: Erik Burnham Artist: Andy Kuhn Publisher: IDW Publishing Price: $3.99 Release Date: 5/22/13

Review: Dia de los Muertos #3 (of 3)

You know what I think Jim Valentino wanted to do when his Shadowline imprint took on Dia de los Muertos? He wanted to give Riley Rossmo a stage on which to show how fucking good he is, and for that, as something of a pretty big fan of the vast majority of Rossmo’s stuff, I am grateful. Once again this is a book of completely unassociated short ghost stories, written by a revolver of different authors, with Rossmo handling the entirety of art duties. The first story of the book, “Return of the Dead,” written by Alex Grecian, is visually, in my opinion at least, its best. That may have something to do with the fact that it’s pretty much all art, with only a few word balloon-framed pictograms to contend for space. Otherwise completely wordless and monochrome, apart from small, focused splashes of color, this tells the story about a kidnapper / butcher of children who finally gets his comeuppance via some very disgruntled Caspers.

Rossmo allows himself to be particularly grave here (no pun intended) by structuring himself within the harsh contrast of black and white that so beautifully begets the power in his style. The content here, directed by Grecian, simultaneously makes you feel grim and vindicated, all pressed within a nice, tight package.

In “Lonesome,” the second story, here written by the ever-impressive Kurtis J. Wiebe, Rossmo shows the other prominent side of his style: that which is smudged in glutinous stains and blanketed beneath ethereal lacerations, looking like flotsam shaken from the story itself. In a way that is reflected by its art, this is the book’s most emotionally sonorous entry, calling into question the idea of who is haunting whom in the tale of a relationship that was cut off before its time.

diamuertos03_coverWiebe and Rossmo, having collaborated before to great effect both in this title and in two similarly stellar books, Green Wake and Debris, show the strength of their own unique relationship, and how amazing they are at filling in each other’s’ silences. The feels in this one come thick, without Wiebe being overly treacly, and I love how Rossmo’s work here makes each panel appear like some old photograph; snapshots, almost, of these star-crossed characters’ lives.

Finally is a story written by Joe Keatinge and colored by Megan Wilson called “Day of the Dead 3000,” which I think you’ll agree is a pretty shit-hot title. This is, however, my least favorite of the stories in this issue. Don’t get me wrong, the idea of a Mexican deathgod superhero named Ultra Muertos fighting the morbid machinations of Mother Slaughter and her army of Reaper Bots gets me very “mojado.” I also like the innocent, almost hokey cadence of the characters and the matching Kirby-esque spirit Rossmo conjures in his art.

But this just felt a bit over the top for me after two solid, fairly grounded stories, and I don’t think this is the one they should have gone out with, when there were much stronger stories elsewhere. The end provides a nice enough twist, but it was all a bit too loud for my liking. This series has worked best when its darkness was more subdued.

Another thing that would have been nice is if there had been some kind of commonality linking these stories together, other than the quite loose association with the traditional Mexican holiday after which it was named. I think that would have made this seem more like a cohesive whole rather than just a bunch of (still mostly solid) ghost stories.

Altogether, Dia de los Muertos has been a fun read for me - which is impressive for a series about Death - and it’s always nice to salivate over Rossmo’s art. There have been a few hiccups here and there, but nothing too toxic, and I’m looking forward to this (hopefully) coming out in trade format. That’s gonna be a hell of an addition to anyone’s shelf.

Score: 4/5

Writers: Alex Grecian, Kurtis J. Wiebe & Joe Keatinge Artist: Riley Rossmo Publisher: Shadowline/Image Comics Price: $4.99 Release Date: 5/22/13

Review: Jirni #2

This is by far my favorite new series this year from Aspen (so far). Yes a great deal of that is due to the art, but I’m also enjoying the story and the world that it’s creating. This issue in particular stalls the progress of the plot some, but it has a TV quality to it because of that. It actually ends up being a good thing because the way the first issue set up things between Ara and her mother it seemed like it would be a long time until we had some resolution. The issue kicks off with Ara and Nylese exiting into a desert area. Nylese asks about Ara’s kingdom Janna and Ara describes it as any other great city. Nylese lets her know that she’s never been in a city and has only lived in nomad camps. Ara strangely feels no compassion for her, but takes pity on herself since she’s basically in the same boat now. The story flashes back to Janna and King Graim’s attack on the city. We see the big ass Genie from the first issue attacking and killing everyone in his path without pity or remorse. Ara and her mother are running throughout the palace; her mother hides her in a storage room and tells her to stay in no matter what. Her mom then runs into some ninja warrior dudes (not the cool ones from the show that fall in water and have great upper body strength), she’s about to go all genie on them when the evil King Graim pulls out her vessel and summons her back inside. As Graim takes off having what he wants, the ninja dudes bust in and find Ara. In her panic and fear she transforms for the first time into her kick ass genie form and beats their asses… probably kills them too, but who knows.

JIRNI-02b-Reserved-PhilipTanFrom there Ara and Nylese come across a small village to rest for a moment, but no sooner than arriving Ara takes on a task. A woman with foresight has lost her vision due to a monster that took her child long ago and now lives in the dried out well. It’s killed all those before, but Ara is unlike any to attempt the feat.

The backstory was good and I enjoyed having a few more pieces of the Ara/genie puzzle to play with, but Ara and Nylese’s relationship kind of sucks. I get why Nylese has to stick around since she’s alone and Ara kills anything that moves, but Ara is way too cold towards her. Nylese has lost all of her family and has never had a place to call home; while Ara has kidnapped family and lost her home. You’d think they’d be two peas in a pod, but instead she’s strangely cold towards her. The second half of the story was predictable, but perfect to show the hero inside of her. Even though she’s way behind her mother’s captor she still takes the time to help someone and that says a lot about her personality.

The art is an eyegasamic! Oh man every page is to die for it’s so good-looking. When Ara “Hulk’s” out for the first time it’s pretty cool. I also enjoyed that she’s walking around in full genie mode the entire time like she’s that pissed off. She’s a beautiful character, but also comes across as confident and strong at the same time. I really enjoy the thick line work of the penciling as it gives the book a great look and matches the story’s tone. The coloring is spectacular and in particular the starry looking clothing and armor that Ara wears is gorgeous. I will literally be heartbroken if the art changes on this series.

It’s not a perfect issue, but it has a ton of good going for it. I continue to love the world that it’s set in and crave more time getting to know Ara and her companion. The next issue seems like a battle is coming and I can’t wait to see what Ara can do against the giant city destroying genie that Graim has control of. This is a gorgeous series and the best part is that the story is just as good making them the perfect fit. If you missed the first issue, then what the hell is wrong with you? It was only a dollar. Pick it up on a digital storefront or in a back issue bin and get caught up on what’s currently Aspen’s best monthly title.

Score: 4/5

Writer: JT Krul Artist: Paolo Pantalena Publisher: Aspen Comics Price: $3.99 Release Date: 5/22/13

Review: Hunters – The Shadowlands #1 (of 5)

I’m really on the fence about this issue. I’m struggling to decide if I like it or if it was just meh. It’s definitely an okay issue as it does a lot of interesting things, but then it also has this weird mixture of experimentation with the storytelling that doesn’t pan out. The other strange thing is that it felt like a long issue when in fact it was only twenty-two pages. I’m not sure what that’s a testament to, but it’s something. There’s a recap in the beginning in case you’re not following the Unleashed series and have missed out on the prior events, aside from a few vague mentions you don’t really need the main series to understand this one. It begins with Roman Asher a werewolf hunter, landing in the Shadowlands after the events in Unleashed. The thing is… he landed alone. There were four other Hunters with him, but now he finds himself stranded, solo and S.O.L. He begins surviving because it’s the only thing he can do. Time passes randomly in the Shadowlands so he has no idea exactly how many days it’s been, but he keeps track regardlessly. He finds a house with a dead werewolf inside and takes residency. After 5,475 days… the other Hunters arrive.

The story flips over and introduces Sela Mathers, Liesel Van Helsing, Masumi Yamamoto and Elijah Jones. They’re instantly attacked by a sand Kracken and their journey only gets worse from there. We follow them as they carry on fighting werewolves, then vampires and finally take their first loss as Masumi falls to a school of mermaids. After that Elijah disappears during a rain storm leaving Sela and Liesel to fend for themselves… for a few pages at least.

GFTHunters_1_cover DigitalThe problem with the story is that the narration isn’t evenly distributed. Roman has the bulk of the narration and then it switches to Sela when she’s on the page, but then switches again to Elijah when it follows him briefly. Typically when there’s a narration it’s one character or one omniscient voice; granted it can be shared between characters, but the key word is shared. The narration isn’t shared it’s just convenient and doesn’t pan out.

There were also huge issues with the pacing. We spend a lot of time with Roman, so much so that when the other Hunters show up I had to wonder why. Literally the issue could have ended there, but it switches over and instead of the slow going pace in the beginning it’s sped up. With Roman we were seeing how much time had passed in order to likely show his mind going, but with the others it was rapid fire. This happened, then this, then this and then finally this. When the characters began to reunite and explain where they were, I kind of didn’t care. For me they were only gone a page or two so it was like shut up and join the group already.

The art was actually very strong and not the normal looking style that you see in a Zenescope title. Everything was very light and the line work was soft and rounded. I didn’t even recognize Sela at first, but that was mostly due to the costume being drawn different. I liked her look because it was far more realistic and didn’t make her look like a sexy librarian, but more like a damsel that said, “Fuck it, let’s get this adventure going!” The art really saves the story and it’s by far some of my favorite interior work that the company has produced.

If you can’t tell, I still have mixed feelings about this book. I really wanted to follow Roman in his I Am Legend isolation for the entire issue as it was the best part. Everything afterwards came across as a strange experiment in storytelling that didn’t blend with the opening. The art on the other hand-held my attention and made me crave more. I’ll definitely keep an eye on this series, but it’s not as strong as it could have been which is starting to become a trend with the tie-in series.

Score: 3/5

Writer: Raven Gregory Artists: Tazio Bettin, David Cutlre, Renato Mapa Jr. and Oscar Celestini Publisher: Zenescope Entertainment Price: $3.99 Release Date: 5/22/13

Review: Dark Horse Presents #24

How can you not like this monthly anthology? Or any anthology really, but in particular Dark Horse manages to produce a high quality and interesting anthology month in and month out. Sure a lot of the books manage to get collected in to one-shots at the end or even do well enough to get a continuation outside of the series, but there is cohesiveness to the production. The issue kicks off with the cover story Black Out written by Frank Barbiere and art from Micah Kaneshiro. I was pleased to see Kaneshiro’s art again; I really dug his work on Broken Pieces. The story dumps you into the scene with our costumed man in black running from a bunch of security guards. He charges something up and creates a black hole to go into as the guards stare in disbelief. He pops out and takes care of a few of the guards which is kind of jacked since he can easily slip away and the guards are really clueless idiots. After his scuffle he figures out that when he’s in his subspace/black hole area he can run through stuff and makes his way to where he wants to go… only to have a gun pulled on him. I liked the story, but I’ll definitely need to stick around and read more. There’s not a lot to go off of and since it’s just starting and asking you to catch up (which I like) it means that you have no backstory. It’s a good start and I’m looking forward to more.

I’m going to briefly talk about Alabaster “Boxcar Tales” since it blew my mind. Actually that’s all I’m going to say. I’m confused and my entire world may have been flipped upside down and it’s cool either way. I’ll just say “Damn.”

The second chapter of Bloodhound from Dan Jolley and Leonard Kirk was very good. Clev figures out that the killer is invisible, but still has a physical body. He inspects one of the victims and discovers that there’s a bruise on the back of his neck which leads them to an inventor that’s working on a device that shoots medicine into the skin (like Star Trek). Basically the killer has been running around shooting air into people’s necks and killing them. It’s a pretty awesome story and I like how Clev’s mind works. It’s interesting to see how he connects the dots and it really makes me want to go back and read the first volume again.

DHP #24 CoverI’ll be honest; I didn’t like Brain Boy in the last issue. This time however, Van Lente and Williams II got me. Brain Boy calls his handlers to inform them about the situation of gun men storming the hotel to kill everyone and kidnap the President. A call center literally answers and begins going through a script to instruct him and it’s quite funny. He decides he doesn’t like their answer though and actually chooses a course of action. Like I said, I wasn’t sold on this story, but now I’m enjoying it. Williams II’s art is always good so there’s that as well.

Trekker from Ron Randall premieres in this issue. It’s an interesting story as it has this classic comic feel to it, but still manages to fit the modern era. You can tell it has a history and due to the way its set up it reminded me a lot of Mister X. The story follows our Trekker as she hunts a bounty. In the year 2226, Trekker’s are bounty hunters and they basically take the jobs that the police can’t solve. After completing a job Mercy is dragged on vacation by her friend Molly, but as they’re boarding the train she spots a man being escorted by two Feds. She’s worried that their obvious nature will make it easy to spot them to others and spell trouble for the train. It was a good story and Randall’s art is killer. It’s very photorealistic and Mercy is glamorous and reminded me a little bit of Milo Manara mixed with Dave Stevens.

Usually I don’t do this, but I really feel like cover all of the stories I can so let’s continue.

Next up is King’s Road which was the Peter Hogan and Phil Winslade joint from the last issue. The story picks up in a High school P.E. class with the daughter of the family we previously meet. She’s shooting arrows (of course) as class wraps up. As she’s heading inside her mom calls and tells her to pick up her brother and take him to dinner and a movie, she protests at first like all teens do. Her mom tells her that her uncle is dead and that wins her over, the problem is… she didn’t know she had an Uncle. This is a very cool story and I like where it’s going. The art has a great look to it and it’s really the perfect fit.

After that is “City of Roses” which is from the Crime Does not Pay series. It’s a pretty general story about crooked cops and drug deals. You’ll weep for society knowing that this series is likely a more accurate reflection of society than it is fiction.

Part two of Nexus “Into the Past” beings our slope to the end of the anthology. Nexus consorts with… I don’t know. Whatever it is, they’re huge and they have a similar costume to Nexus. They discus time travel the creature milks the energy from a red dwarf star to send Nexus back in time to stop his killer. When he lands he spooks everyone by flying around and then he visits Sherlock Holmes. It’s a fun tale and I’m digging the direction it’s going in. Rude’s art is great.

I don’t know if this is Hunter Quaid’s first appearance or what, but I loved it. He’s on the trail of a missing husband and he’s tracking someone through the sewer system. When he gets to the end it’s not what he was expecting to say the least, but in a strange way he didn’t expect any less either. It was quite humorous and Quaid is a physical character that punishes his body, but always wins in the end. It was a fun story with great artwork.

They saved the best for last as my personal favorite Villain House returns from Shannon Wheeler. The story is called “Blind Mole-Rat King” and it’s about a super powered family of “Four” that decide that the Blind Mole-Rat King is a communist and evil. He’s organized all of the blind mole-rat people and basically just wants to be left alone. The fantastic family arrives and removes him from power and put a democracy in place, after a vote they go to war with the surface mostly because they all look the same and no one knew who the hell they were voting for. It’s so fucking funny. You’ll seriously never look at the Fantastic Four again in the same way. It of course has Wheeler’s twisted ending to it, but really it’s a great statement about what makes a villain and a lot of it boils down to how they look in comics and nothing more. Great story and this really does continue to be my favorite story in the anthology.

There you have it. All of the stories covered so you shouldn’t have any questions about what to read and enjoy when you pick up the anthology. Also, for as much as I’ve said, I’ve left plenty out of each story for you to read and enjoy.

Score: 4/5

Writers: Frank Barbiere, Cailtin R. Kieman, Dan Jolley, Fred Van Lente, Ron Randall, Peter Hogan, Phil Stanford, Mike Baron, Donny Cates and Eliot Rahal, Shannon Wheeler Artists: (In reverse order) Shannon Wheeler, Melissa Curtin, Steve Rude, Patric Reynolds, Phil Winslade, Ron Randall, Freddie Williams II, Leonard Kirk, Steve Lieber, Micah Kaneshiro Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Price: $7.99 Release Date: 5/22/13

Review: G.I. Joe: Cobra Files #2

If you are looking for all out action G.I. Joe… this isn’t it. This is more a psychological mind bender with rogue agents and intelligence extraction. I don’t think this is everybody’s cup of tea for the series but definitely something different and worth taking a shot on.  It’s also nice to see someone other than the popular characters highlighted in the series. In Las Vegas at the Joes secret base they have one man captured. Who is he? He is the son of the former Cobra Commander.  As he regains consciousness, he’s startled by Lady Jane’s and Ronin’s presence and their rapid fire interrogation. As they are escorted from the room, Chameleon enters to use her approach. Chameleon is still looking for a challenge for her abilities and she uses her tactics to get one piece of information: the independent ex-military and intelligence contractors the Tiger Team.

CobraFiles_02-pr-1Tomax has his plans to gain and shift power in his favor while working for the Joes. He insults Chameleon in front of Clockwise, playing off of his love for her. It works as Clockwise becomes riled up and spies on her via the security cameras. Little does Clockwise know that Tomax is using him like a pawn on a chess board.  Flint executes his own ideas to use another independent team The Night Creepers to test their skills and he’s in luck as they’ve been spotted finishing a job in New Mexico.

This story isn’t gripping and exciting. The one thing that flows and peaks any interest, is the Night Creepers. It’s that the story isn’t focused on the popular characters; I know Flint and Lady Jane are involved, but they are not the main focus.  Chameleon has her dark past, but definitely knows her craft as it take her hours where it would take others weeks. The art is aesthetically pleasing but nothing jumps at me.

This isn’t like any other Joe books out right now. It’s more about the under belly inside recruitment and intel. The art is the best of the three series I’ve been skimming through, but if you are buying this for your normal Joe you will be disappointed.  I would get this for a difference in story and characters in the Joe universe.

Score: 3/5

Writer: Mike Costa Artist: Antonio Fuso Publisher: IDW Publishing Price: $3.99 Release Date: 5/22/13

Trailer Time: Best Trailer So Far For The Wolverine

That's right, Jean Grey is back! Nah, she's just a nightmare that Logan's having. Of course with X-Men 3-1/2 underway still, who knows who is dead or alive in the X-Men franchise. I liked this trailer. A few things became clearer with it and it's probably the comic book movie I'm most looking forward to at the moment.

New R.I.P.D. TV Spot Shows The "Training"

I swear if I read one more person say, "It looks like (fill in the blank)" I'm going to upper-decker their toilet. There are six stories in the world and we just find new ways to tell them so it's kind of a "duh" that this looks like something else you may be familiar with. Anyways, I liked this trailer and I want to see the movie. I'm I expecting it to be the best comic book movie ever? No, but it's not a Marvel or DC movie so it's worth a shot. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBU6t7-s8ww

Review: Man-Gull #1

When you read comics all of the time, it can be hard to find something that grabs your attention and shakes it like a new born baby. But when I stumbled across something called “Man-Gull” I was instantly enthralled. It was strange, it was new, and it was exciting. Plus with a name like Man-Gull, it had to be good. In the town Pleasant Point, a loving couple by the names of James and Debbi sit by the lake at night and enjoy each other’s company; but then all of a sudden from out of the darkness, James is attacked by an unknown assailant. After the chaos ends, Debbi finds her boyfriend half dead without his arms.

Detective Nick Obecks drops by the hospital as he’s been assigned to the dismemberment case of James Moxon. Nick talks to the doctor but don’t really get any insight on what the attacker used to sever the arms.  James is alive, be it on life support with an armed guard in front of his room.

mangull01After that Obecks heads back to the station to check in on James’ girlfriend, Debbi who has been in questioning for hours. But she has no idea what attacked them and ends up being no help. Frustrated, Nick called his ex, Julie for some insight but again Nick gets nothing that really helps. Out of options he heads back to the hospital.

Once there Nick notices that something isn’t right when the officer guarding James’ door has a broken neck. Nick goes to investigate James’ room only to find Man-Gull attempting to finish James off.

Then after that, is one the most exciting sequences to take place in comics that I’ve seen in a very long time.

What drew me to this book? Was it the badass cover of Man-Gull attacking a woman with a knife?  Was it the name of the book that tickled my curiosity? Actually it was both of those things. One of the best things about Man-Gull is that it’s a story that would be a normal run of the mill police/crime procedural.  But Miller does you one better and offers one of the best and refreshing twist (antagonist wise) in the business and somehow it works.

When you do something exciting and daring as Man-Gull you should be rewarded with all the riches in the world! It had been a long time since I smiled ear to ear while reading a comic and chuckling at the sheer brilliance of it all. This book has a seagull with a man’s arms kicking ass. Think about that for a moment, pretty cool huh?

There’s not too much I can really say about this book because it has to be experienced. You can listen to me rant like a raving idiot about on the CBMFP episode 82. So if you’re looking for a comic that goes that extra mile in creativity look no further that Man-Gull.

Score: 5/5

Writer/Artist: Rian Miller Publisher: Stock Pile Price:  $2.00 (Digital PDF) $5.00 (Physical)12

Official Trailer For Batman: Arkham Origins and New Pics

I have to say that this opening action sequence is pretty impressive. Not only was the action smooth, but it was fitting of the characters. Let's hope that the story is as good in the game huh? There are a bunch of other pics of the game including a few showing it in action, ie: group fights and utility belt usage, but the rest are just of the Unreal Engine doing work and making everything all beefy looking. Lastly, don't let the length of the trailer scare you away, it's worth view. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=str5rCkuT-U