Review: Unstoppable Tuff-Girl #2

The Unstoppable Tuff-Girl you may recall is a book that I picked up earlier in the year at Wonder Con. It had an all-ages comic throwback feel to it with solid art and writing. Well I stumbled upon the second issue at one of my local shops (House of Secrets) this week and instead of picking up some reboot book I opted to continue the adventure with Tuff-Girl and her dog Wichita the Tuff Mutt. The main thing I like about Tuff-Girl is that the issues are broken up into smaller stories. You’re given more exposure to Tuff-Girl and her world, rather than be stuck on one plot the entire time. It works very well since it’s a new character and the world is still being defined. This issue starts off with the story on the cover about Amazon Cheerleaders! Tuff-Girl has been invited to judge a cheerleader championship at the Silver Biscuit Casino along with a dude named Doctor Dockter that is supposed to be a cheerleading expert. They watch an amazing act then go back stage to decide the winner, but DD is no help and Tuff-Girl picks Stanton High as the winner on her own. As they’re giving out the trophy Doctor Dockter uses his witchcraft/voodoo/bad-guy-magic to turn the cheerleaders into super powered Amazons to beat up Tuff-Girl. The story is kind of cheesy, but Tuff-Girl has some good lines and the action is decent.

The second major story stars Tuff-Girl and Wichita as they’re asked to find an Army General’s missing son. They track him to a junk yard where they find a hideous oil monster. Nearly everyone, including Wichita falls victim to the monster and is covered in oil leaving Tuff-Girl to figure the best way to defeat the beast and save the kid. It was a decent story as well and mostly developed Tuff-Girl as a character which I liked. There were a couple of moments when she was in some dudes face and it was pretty cool.

The book has some other short stories starring Little Tuffy that are fun and short and there is also another “How to Draw” section in the book as well. I kind of liked the first issue better, but I’m still enjoying the series as a whole due to golden age feel that it has. The writing tends to be a bit cheesy, but it’s more intentional than anything else. Tuff-Girl is actually a solid femail rolemodel and never plays the damsel in distress. The refreshing thing is that neither do the male characters! I know right? Everything just works together to solve the case and no needs to be the weakest link in order for the story to continue forward. The Rogue’s gallery is growing which is good, but I would like to see the first adventure be longer than the others since it’s more of the serious storyline in the series.

The art is still great and I wouldn’t expect any less. There are essentially three different art styles in the book for the different story aspects and each one is great on its own merits. The first story has the true golden age look and is very detailed; everything from backgrounds to character designs. The second story I would say falls in line with more of an all-ages book; not quite an Archie look, but in the same vein. Little Tuffy has a cartoon strip style to it, but it’s very adorable and well-drawn as well. Mon's range of abilities is worth buying the book alone.

For a self-published indie book by two men with full time entertainment jobs, I think this series is very good. It comes out when it comes out and that’s okay because it’s worth the wait. The charm of Tuff-Girl is that it’s a simple superhero tale without all the real world hold ups that have invaded modern comics. There’s a bad guy and Tuff-Girl hits that bad guy until they give up and that’s all you need in order to enjoy the story. I like the character and the world and it’s worth checking out. Contact the creators or your local comic book shop to see how you can get a copy.

Score: 3/5

Writers: Merrill Hagan and Bryan Mon Artist: Bryan Mon Publisher: Monster Enterprises Price: $2.95 Websites: Monotonae.blogspot.com and Merrillhagan.com

Do Want: Ghost Ride The Whip!

I have an affinity for fonts and typography so when I see cool shit using cool fonts I tend to really like it. This shirt is not yet available, but it's pretty fucking cool right? It's the Ghost Rider 90's comic book cover font used in a clever way. Also it glows in the dark! You can purchase it on Tonypsd.bigcartel.com when it becomes available, but in the mean time check out the other shirts that are both comic and video game related.

Review: The New Deadwardians (TPB)

There has never been a zombie/vampire story that has interested me more than The New Deadwardians and it rejuvenated my faith in both genres. I know that some of you just sighed as you realized that yes this story does deal with both horror genres that I’ve listed, but trust me… you’ll want to read this series after hearing the concept. Simply put the world is overrun by zombies and the only cure for it is vampirism. The catch is that the cure isn’t given to everyone; mostly the rich and the privileged while the rest of us are left living with a twinge of fear about both groups. It’s 1910 in London and our main character George Suttle is lying in bed unable to sleep. He makes vague mentions, but it’s soon clear that he’s a vampire; just not one by any traditional sense of the word. He hears a ruckus downstairs and calls for his butler and housekeepers. The butler arrives and it becomes clear that something has gotten into the house. George heads downstairs and runs into the kitchen to discover a “restless” eating his housekeeper/cook. He tells his butler to fetch the night patrol police and grabs his service rifle in the meantime and shots the zombie/restless’ head off. Around this time the police arrive and they question him about his firearm since this is London and they’re not common place. George presents his badge and it’s revealed that he’s the lone member of the police forces Murder Squad aka Homicide division.

George checks the rest of the hose and discovers that his other housekeeper has been bitten. She begins to panic not wanting to turn into a restless, but George tells her that he’ll arrange for her to take the “cure.” The cure is being transformed into a vampire or as they’re called “Young.” The next morning George checks in on his bed-ridden mother who is unaware of the previous night’s events. He bails out of the conversation with her so that he can leave for work and she asks him if anyone actually dies anymore. From there George takes his housekeeper to receive the cure and get checked up himself. He receives a blood transfusion and asked if his teeth need filing down, but then the real question is asked, “Are you experiencing any tendencies?”

At work we see George head to the Murder Room where his desk in the back corner is the only one not covered by a sheet. His boss comes in and asks about his trouble the night before and checks on him to make sure he’s sleeping and such. Another officer comes in with an actual murder for George to look into, but everyone’s ready to rule it as anything but. George heads to the crime scene to find a naked man dead and missing his right hand. Here we learn about the protests of Zone B which is where the “Brights” live. The “Brights” are normal living breathing people that haven’t had the cure and are not dead and Restless. From here George discovers that the murder victim is from nobility and his first murder case in several years is about to become very complicated.

What makes this story come to life is the cultural vocabulary used. The terms like “Young” for vampires and “Bright” for humans are essentially class labeling hidden in slang; even the term "Restless" for the zombies in a way represents the lowest of classes. Nothing about this book is simple, there is layer after layer of social commentary hidden within the class system that unwraps as the mystery does. George’s case also continues to become more complex and tie into other story elements as he gets closer to solving it. With it being nobility of course the government and higher ups just want the case to go away, but George is not willing to simply sweep it underneath the carpet.

The writing is superb and some of Dan Abnett’s best. As a solo writer he’s quite thorough and meticulously maps together the plot from beginning to end including all your questions about how vampires can function in daylight. I refuse to spoil all those fun details for you becaue there are just so many details and elements to cover with this book, that it’s as much fun to talk about as it is to read and that’s really telling of the quality. Abnett has wonderful dialog that captures the dialect and mannerisms of London; the simple consistent pattern of people checking in with George about his health and urges has that classic English charm to it. The murder plot is not overly complex, but the plot elements that come from it are. It was an interesting back drop that was quite efficient for the story.

The art is gorgeous as it captures the era in which the book is set. What was great about the art was that the restless are unthreatening. They lurk and sit just outside the gates of the city within constant view of the citizens, but for the most part are rarely acknowledged. When it is acknowledged it’s usually by a Bright that’s sitting with a Young and the art captures the awkwardness of the situation with the body language between the two people. The book for the most part has a gloomy hue to it and quite color tones that play to the deadening feel the story has.

I have to say that I was really taken by this story. It’s a great twist on two classic genres that will captivate you to the very end. The plot twists are many and always interesting and the art is consistently good and very detailed. What’s even better is that it’s a one and done style of story meaning that everything is wrapped up and concluded within the volume with no messy sequel set up. I’m sure the world could be revisited, but frankly the book is so rewarding that it would be a shame to ruin a good thing. We all know that there is a ton of vampire and zombie stories out there in circulation on a consistent base, but this book is so different that it’s hard to group it in with all the others. Even if you’re not a fan of horror you should pick it up it’s so damn good and if you are you'll love it even more.

Score: 5/5

Writer: Dan Abnett Artist: Ian Culbard Publisher: Vertigo Comics Price: $14.99 Release Date: 2/12/13

Super Fuckers: Episode 1 - Sweet Mystery

Well the first episode of Super Fuckers is up on Cartoon Hangover. It was alright. I didn't laugh out loud at any of the jokes, but I think that might have been due to David Faustino's delivery. He really seemed unsure of every line he was saying and only nailed it when he was swearing or saying "Bitches". But hey, for a free show that's on the internet every Friday, I will continue to check it out. The uncensored episode is after the jump for you to watch it yourself. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGlF4eBR_z8

Top 5 Alternative Superhero Comics That Deserve Your Attention

Written by: Ed Allen It shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone that there’s a whole galaxy of superhero comics outside of the publishing giants of Marvel

or DC and it's a galaxy that's rich in thrilling stories and incredible artwork. Unfortunately many of these comics are often overlooked by dedicated fans of the Marvel or DC universes, while some readers of indie comics automatically assume that the problems they have with the output of those two publishers are still present in less popular examples of the genre.

For the sake of encouraging superhero diversity, here’s a list of five outstanding cape comics from outside the 'big two' that are more than deserving of your attention...

Glory (Image Comics - ongoing)

Under the capable hands of Joe Keatinge and Ross Campbell Glory has gone from being the generic Wonder-Woman ‘inspired’ eye-candy she was in the 1990s to one of the most remarkable female characters in American comics. To call her “imposing” wouldn’t do justice to Glory’s physique - she’s a 8 foot tall tank of pure muscle and she puts that power to good use throughout the series. Born from the union of two warring alien races, Glory was raised to rule the planet Thule but grew restless and left home to fight evil on Earth during WW2 and as relations between the two factions on Thune turned sour our world is drawn into their conflict. The story so far has covered a lot of ground very quickly, with moments of touching pathos give way to Campbell’s astonishingly well drawn combat scenes, which are among the most viscerally satisfying I’ve ever seen. Rumour has it that Glory is set to be cancelled after issue #33 and if that’s true I’m going to sorely miss it when its gone. It’s an epic story spanning over 500 years and I would love to see it reach its natural conclusion. Marvel and DC pay attention: Glory is dark superheroics done right.

Glory is published by Image and currently available in trade paperback form, with more monthly single issues still to come. Like the other Liefeld/Extreme properties relaunched this year the series continues its numbering from the 90s - so be sure to start your reading with issue #23.

TMNT (IDW Publishing - ongoing)

Forget any nostalgia you might have for the cartoons, movies or older comic book incarnations of the Turtles - IDW’s ongoing TMNT series is the real deal and is strong enough to make this list even if it weren’t part of a beloved franchise. TMNT is never short of action but it’s also got a lot of heart to it as well and the artwork so far has been nothing less than phenomenal, you owe it to yourself to check this comic out. It’s co-written by Kevin Eastman, one of the Turtles’ original creators, so it should feel suitably authentic to fans of the old comics too.

TMNT is available in trade paperback collections and monthly single issues from IDW.

Mudman (Image Comics - ongoing)

Written and drawn by Paul Grist, Mudman is his personal take on the teenaged superhero sub-genre. It’s a fun, breezy read with a healthy mixture of action and humor, set in a sleepy English seaside town. It also manages to be suitable for all ages without resorting to childishness or patronising the reader and that alone is worth celebrating. If you’ve ever wondered what a British Spider-man might be like, Mudman is the comic for you.

Issues 1-5 are available as a trade paperback, with more monthly issues still to come from Image Comics.

God and Science: Return of the Ti-Girls (Fantagraphics - graphic novel)

Jaime Hernandez, famous for his Love and Rockets work alongside his brother Gilbert, has produced God and Science, a weird and charming handling of the superhero genre. Set in a world where only women have superpowers, the Ti-Girls come out of retirement to save the world after its most powerful hero becomes its greatest threat. Hernandez plays around with the familiar genre tropes of cape comics but does so in a way that’s unique to his storytelling talents. Fans of the Hernandez Brothers might be surprised by Jaime’s decision to play the superhero genre straight - especially since most of his work covers more ‘realistic’ subjects - but God and Science is just as quirky and deeply personal as anything else he’s produced.

Currently available as an original graphic novel, published by Fantagraphics.

The Bulletproof Coffin (Image Comics - miniseries)

In terms of plot, I’m not sure if there’s any comics more difficult to describe than David Hine and Shaky Kane’s The Bulletproof Coffin; it’s a surreal, multi-layered and self-referential story within a story within a story which pays homage to the Stan Lee and Jack Kirby era of superheroes as it simultaneously celebrates and parodies the genre. Hine’s script does a fine job of making such a potentially confusing story flow seamlessly while Kane’s artwork - made up of thick lines and extremely bold, lurid colors - creates a dynamic retro-grotesque aesthetic that’s clearly inspired by Kirby’s work. Nothing I can say will really do justice to this masterpiece of a miniseries (or its follow-up mini The Bulletproof Coffin: Disinterred, where things get even weirder), so you’ll just have to check it out for yourselves.

The Bulletproof Coffin and The Bulletproof Coffin: Disinterred are currently available as two trade paperback collections from Image Comics.

So there you have it folks, that’s my top five list of alternative superhero comics and each one is well worth your time and deserves your support. An honourable mention should go out to Robert Kirkman and Ryan Ottley’s Invincible which could easily have been included but it’s already popular enough that it doesn’t need any help from the likes of me. If you’re feeling tired of Marvel and DC’s fare or if you’re just looking for a fresh superhero experience you can’t go wrong by trying one of the comics I listed above. Happy reading!

Start Your Morning Right With This Kick Ass Poison Ivy Cosplay

It's Friday... let's all just enjoy some good cosplay and a pretty lady as we end our week huh? Yeah, that's all I have to say.

Just Under The Wire - Superhero Movember

It's unfortunate that I didn't find this sooner, but hey the last day of Movember still counts so fuck it. Here's some super heroes rocking their mustaches and such and I thought it was pretty damn cool.

Review: Arrow - S1:E7 - Muse of Fire

Well, well, well… this episode had a ton of reveals and GA universe re-tweakings and I liked it! There is literally no way to talk about this episode without spoiling it so you’ve been warned and should probably go watch it on one of the many available to you. What we can talk about right away is the Huntress, who made her big premiere and frankly it was meh, but something else happened that was awesome and amazing for comic book fans and we’ll get to it later! The episode kicks off with some foreshadowing of Ollie on a motorcycle (it’ll make sense in a moment). He gets a call that he needs to meet his mom for lunch and heads to Q-Core or whatever they fucking call it on the show. Then a second biker appears and drives along the side-walk with a gun drawn and shoots at the mobster that Ollie’s mom was blowing off. Why the foreshadowing on the bike with Ollie? I don't know, but it's a common TV show visual device. The biker kills the man and nearly hits Ollie’s mom sending her to the ground. Ollie sprints over and checks on her then takes off after the bike which is moving incredibly slowly for having just shot someone in broad day light. After a daring attempt the biker gets away!

In the really boring love triangle storyline of Tommy and Laurel (who is supposed to turn in to the Black Canary before the end of the season by the way), we find Tommy and a pizza delivery guy both at her door. They have some boring dialog about food which is only there to act as a buffer as comic fans shit their pants upon learning Tommy’s last name! If you’re familiar with the comics then you’ll know who Merlyn is and I will give you a moment to connect the dots. Okay then, for those who don’t read the comics Merlyn is the evil archer that Green Arrow faces off against and since "Identity Crisis", has played a huge role in fucking with GA. In fact he blew up Star City like a total badass. The gist is that Tommy Merlyn is going to become the evil archer that appeared in all of the leaked photos this week. The rest of the episode is Ollie trying to find the shooter and falling in love with a mob bosses daughter who is of course Helena aka the Huntress aka weird teeth.

The actual Huntress and costume don’t appear in this episode, but we can see in the preview for the next episode that Ollie basically creates everything for her as both of their secrets are already revealed to each other. Huntress was meh, the storyline was just an excuse to put the two together and everything cool was just for comic fans and happened in the background. The other major reveal? Tommy’s dad is Count Vertigo (not the case in the comic, but fuck this is cooler) which makes things even more interesting between the two families.

The episode was probably the weakest one of the season thus far. Yet another person knows about Ollie’s alter ego and we still have to listen to his family drone on and on about not trusting him and how different he is. Maybe they’ll get over that with this episode as it’s alluded to in a conversation between mom and Speedy, but we’ll see. It’s an easy personality trait for them to go back to when none of the characters have anything real to say to each other. I’m still enjoying the show and I’m looking forward to seeing how the new villains play out, but more interested in seeing how Laurel can pull off Black Canary because I don’t think she can.

Score: 2/5

Injustice: Gods Among Us: Slade "Deathstroke" Wilson Gets It In

Look everyone, Mr.  Slade Wilson made the cut in the upcoming superhero fighter-- Injustice: Gods Among Us. Not to sure how I feel about the armor ( they should have used his New 52 look if you ask me). Check out the video after the jump and watch him do work on a bunch of chumps!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DD0DRMzJdmg

Marvel Is Suing Ghostface Killa For 20 Million

I can actually speak for Kevin on this one and say that we're big fans/supporters of the Wu Tang Clan and their members side projects. Ghostface in particular has had some of the best solo LP's of the group and it's a known fact that he's a huge fan of Iron Man. So huge that his video is playing in the background on Tony Stark's plane in the first movie. He even has an album titled "Iron Man" in very Iron Man-esc font. Well he was on MTV this week promoting Wu Block (which is okay, but I need to listen to it more) and he brought up that Marvel is suing him for sampling the music from the Iron Man theme song on his 2000 album "Supreme Clientele". I'm guessing it's from the shitty 90's cartoon that the theme song was sampled from, but I don't know for sure. Go ahead and hum a few bars I'm sure we'll all know it once you do... no, no, that's Black Sabbath go ahead and try again... yeah no one knows this fucking song. Too bad because as I said Ghostface has been a long time fan of the character and I'm just saying he watched the movie and liked it; he actually has an entire story as to why he relates to the character. I guess Marvel and Disney just don't like people playing with their toys and all those Star Wars fans should probably watch out! You can watch the video from MTV after the break.

Get More: Ghostface Killah, RapFix Live, Full Episodes

Episode 57: I Don't Know Why You're All Jazz Hands And Shit

The CBMFP is go! This week we bring you what little news occurred during the holiday week including Marvel's detailed Age of Ultron event, also some Dark Horse comics news and sales as well. Then we tackle a bit of news about Batman: Earth One volume 2 and wind down the news segment with the Top 10 of Bleeding Cool Magazine's recent release of the Top 100 in the comic industry. As for books we've read, hold on to your hats as we talk about the new Captain America,Clone, Comeback, Dragon Age: Those Who Speak, The Grand Duke and our Hardcover Indie Corner pick of Contropussy!

Review: Mind MGMT #0

If you pay close attention to the site then you’ve probably noticed that I’m a pretty big fan of Mind MGMT a series written and drawn by Matt Kindt. The zero issue arrives this week and really there is no reason for you not to buy this issue if you’re into the series or even a new reader. It’s a collection of shorter stories that piece together so many extra details from the first volume which has just wrapped last month. The other reason is because it will entice you to go back and re-read the first six issues once again, which may prove to be important as the next story arc prepares to start. The first story is something I’ve already reviewed and loved. It was the digital exclusive that Dark Horse released just before the first issue and even after re-reading it again I still loved it. You can read my full review for that segment here. The next short is narrated by Meru as she talks about her first book and how she “single-handedly” cracked the case. It’s a great story that if you’re familiar with the series you’ll see all of the details that Meru is unaware of that fit into the larger picture. Meru’s story ends with her chasing down a killer and actually being the one to bring him to justice. The final story is narrated by one of the first men to become an immortal and it’s a very interesting story that once again reveals a lot of the history for Mind MGMT in the process.

Part of me wishes that these tales involving Meru took place after the first volume, but in my heart of hearts I know that it doesn’t. That’s why this issue is as fantastic as it reminds you by the end of it just how much of Meru’s story is just Lyme’s story that he’s projecting through her. Kindt’s writing is as great as it always is and the shorts are a worthy investment and not simply filler as they easily could have been. They really develop Meru’s character and clarify details about Mind MGMT, giving a rewarding read. I would go on and on about the art, but if you’ve read any of my other reviews then you’ll know that it’s great and there is no change here.

At first I thought this issue was just going to be a reprint of the one digital issue that Dark Horse had released, but I was pleasantly surprised to find a ton of additional content. This is a great read and will give you your Mind MGMT fix until the story continues. This series is a piece of comic history happening before our eyes and that’s something special to witness, don’t miss out on it.

Score: 5/5

Writer/Artist/Creator: Matt Kindt Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Price: $2.99 Release Date: 11/21/12

Episode 56: Is She A Chunky Brewster

This week we talk about the “controversy” that is Tony Harris and his “no fat chicks rule”. There’s a G.I. Joe reboot in case you didn’t know. Oh and Honey Boo-Boo has a comic, yeah that’s a thing. Have you seen the covers Five Weapons? It looks pretty darn cool huh? There’s a touch of Wonder Con news we bring up. Books that get read are DC’s Lot 13, The All New X-Men, Chasing the Dead, Where is Jake Ellis! Wow what a rush?! CBMFP is GO!

Episode 55: Oops, I Drank The Ruffie

Hidey ho comic book fans! This week we talk about a ton of news. There’s some dude writing episode 7. IDW is dropping some new Ghost Busters. DC lets the world have at their entire library in digital format. The Hellblazer book runs its course. My Little Pony book does some ridiculous pre-order numbers. The books that we cover are: Colder, Pinocchio: Vampire Slayer, Voyaga and so much more!

Review: Heroes of the North #1-2

Heroes of the North is actually a series I checked out a while ago, but due to how life works I never got around to reviewing it. It’s best described as an anthology book about the heroes and villains of Canada. The first issue focuses on introducing us to the majority of the characters, while the second issue begins featuring them in new adventures. It has this great balance of mature dialog and humor, mixed with at times cartoonish artwork. It gives the book a very unique feel to it that’s very entertaining. The first issue kicks off with Alpha Q who is basically the brains of the superhero organization in Canada. He’s being interviewed and the story essentially sets up the introduction of the other characters appearing in the series. The next story is the origin for Fleur-De-Lys, pronounce that how you want since I haven’t got a clue. Her origin is pretty tragic and the story paints the picture of her being perfect, but has a great twist ending. The next tale follows Velocity Victoria who is the speedster of the group. Her story is full of strong narrations as she stops a jewel heist from happening.

The twist of the book is that it switches to introduce the origin of the villains. The first being introduced is The Hornet which is a busty blonde that eliminates her business competition dressed in Hornet colors. She’s actually on trial for murder, but has a televised alibi. The case is obviously bogus and just there to introduce her ruthlessness; the story has another great twist ending. I’m going to jump ahead to another villain introduced and that’s Madame Doom. She’s an ex-fashion model turned mobster. She’s conducting some shady business and decides to eliminate her partners, but one of them gets the better of her and burns her face ruining her career and sending her deeper into the underground.

I hadn’t read the second issue until recently so it was far more entertaining for me being that it was newer. The first story stars Black Terror who is a drug using anti-hero that has the tendency to sleep in dumpsters. He wakes up in a drug induced state where everything is very Saturday morning cartoony. He begins killing his usual enemies, most of which have been introduced in the series by now. The entire time he’s accompanied by his cartoon heart who leads him into a trap in order to teach him a lesson.

The next story is another origin tale, this time for Acadia who has a suit that can turn her invisible. It begins with her days of just a common pick pocket, but after choosing the wrong mark she winds up a lab assistant. The professor she’s helping ends up becoming the father she never had, but after telling her ex-boyfriend too much he betrays her and the Hornet comes to steal the suit. It’s a good tale even if it doesn’t have the most believable storyline.

The next character introduced is Nordik, another busty blonde that wears all black leather. She’s good with guns and not so great with English. Her and 8-Ball have come across a series of murders all involving ice and call girls. It’s a fun tale with a sexy ending!

Each issue is $5.99, but I have to say that you get a lot of content for that price. The stories vary in length, but all of them are entertaining. Some of the stories don’t take themselves very seriously, while others are very serious. It’s a fun balance as it shows that the creators are willing to have fun with the world they’ve created. Some of the stories suffer from convenient storytelling like the pick-pocket that becomes the lab assistant, but for the most part the origin stories felt like the creators getting it over and done with. They tell as much as needed in order to continue using the characters in their more important stories later.

Each story has a different artist and there are ton of stories so it goes without saying that there is a variety of art styles. None of them are bad so I’ll get that out of the way first. There are some that are very cartoony, while others are dark and gritty. Literally between the two issues they capture practically every art style you’re familiar with in comics today. I particularly liked the art for the Black Terror on the first issue, but there are several other styles that I enjoyed as well. There’s a great Archie inspired story that is picture perfect to the series of inspiration.

These books are a lot of fun and very entertaining. The most impressive thing is the amount of stories that each issue delivers and that you really can’t get bored with it since an issue rarely repeats the use of a character. There are times when a character is used twice, but then the two stories have a completely different tone that again makes them entertaining. The books aren’t available digitally so you’ll have to check them out in print and I highly encourage you do so; especially if you’re looking for superhero stories that you grew up with, but with a mature theme to them.

Score: 3/5

Writers: Yann Brouillette and Michel Brouillette

Artists: Marcus Smith and Olivier Raymond (Issue #1), Geof Isherwood, Dan Parent, David Cutler, Gibson Quarter, Zach Fisher, Guillermo Ortego, Daniel Wong, Keiren Smith, Aljoša Tomić, and Zen (Issue #2)

Publisher: Ardden and MSD Publishing

Price: $5.99 each

Website: HeroesoftheNorth.com

Episode 54: Skeletor Is A Total Vagina

We this week we tackle that big ass news of  Marvel and the Brooklyn Nets teaming up for a comic book! Nah just kidding do talk about that, but the big news is Disney buying Star Wars! Then we bring you some Comics On Your TV where we cover Arrow, the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and a little bit of The Walking Dead. As for books we've read we've got Whispers #4, Deadhorse #6, as well as some early books Freelancers #1, Shadowman #1!

Review: All Crime Comics #1

Good crime fiction should be scary. It should leave you thinking about how messed up the world is and more so how dark the creative team is. Where did this dark, violent story come from and why is it so damn good. There are really only a few comic creators attempting to keep the crime genre alive in comics today, it goes through resurgences but almost always tappers off again. It’s one of my guilty pleasures in comics as I enjoy seeing what dark and demented world has been created. All Crime Comics is pretty dark, but has an ending that is almost uncharacteristic of the genre. The issue stars a character by the name of Dodger which is a great name for a crime guy. He and his Russian associate Marko are working over some goons looking for answers which ultimately lead him to Kansas. He’s planning a job and is meeting some trustworthy friends there to discuss killing Louie Derose. The story cuts over to Louie who’s in prison and waiting for Dodger to break him out, but instead Dodger is going to break in and murder him.

The story flashes back to Dodger and Louie’s past. They two men actually met in high school; Dodger was the out-of-place tough guy and Louie was the small guy everyone tried to pick on. On one such occasion Dodger came to Louie’s rescue and the two bonded from there. Soon enough they were selling drugs to all the cool kids while standing outside their party. In high school they both began pining over the same girl who in a way has led to Dodger’s betrayal.

The beginning of the story starts off kind of rough. It’s not until the meeting where Louie’s death is discussed does everything become clear. The flashback was great though and even though it takes up the bulk of the story it made the third act worth reading. Even though Dodger has done a lot of bad shit you get the feeling that he’s done it so that he can be a part of the woman he loves’ life. It’s that twisted sense of logic that makes crime fiction so great and this issue captures that. The narration is the driving force behind this book and because of that the dialog can be off-putting at times. Since we’re dealing with Dodger so much in the narration when you pop out of it everyone tends to blur together with their dialog. It’s not very noticeable, but it could hinder the experience in future issues if not flushed out more. Everyone should be very dynamic in comparison to Dodger so that they’re memorable and interesting, otherwise why are they there.

There are actually two artists on the book; Ed Laroche illustrates the first and third chapters and gives the book a modern crime look. He has a great style that while familiar, I just couldn’t put my finger on it. It reminded me of some 12 Gauge Comics I’ve read and also Black Diamond. Very good style and was the perfect fit for those chapters. The middle chapter is drawn by Marc Sandroni who I became familiar with on Dames in the Atomic Age. His style is a bit different in this book which shows just how much range he has as an artist. He captures the era of the story and draws some amazing looking classic muscle cars. What was even better about this section of the story was the intentional old-fashion coloring style. It looks like a comic printed from the era it takes place in and that helped set the atmosphere for the story. Both artists did a fantastic job and their storytelling was captivating.

I really liked this book and the ending. I almost find it bizarre that the main character is returning in the second issue, but I’m willing to check it out. If you like crime comics and haven’t gotten your fill from the departure of Criminal, then check this book out. It’s a fast paced read, but hits all the right beats for the genre.

Score: 4/5

Writer: Art of Fiction Artists: Ed Lacoche and Marc Sandroni Pubisher: Art of Fiction Price: $3.95 Release Date: March 2012 Website: ArtofFiction.com

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