[Zacharie]

Title: Blue Beetle (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Tony Bedard (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Doug Zawisza (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" This is a fabulous book for a first issue..."
Review: Blue Beetle #1

The hardest part of this whole relaunch for me is unclenching the previously established continuity and opening my mind to the “New 52” of it all. I’ve got to admit, it was a lot tougher on this book, featuring Jaime Reyes as the Blue Beetle, since the character was originally introduced just six years ago.

Fans of the old “Blue Beetle” series by Keith Giffen, John Rogers, Cully Hamner, and (eventually) Rafael Albuquerque will find a lot of familiar faces here: Jaime and his family, Brenda Del Vecchio, Paco, La Dama/Tia Amparo, and the Reach. New writer Tony Bedard gives each of these characters a chance to shine, do a little spin in front of the crowd, and take their place on stage. Bedard also introduces the conflict between the Reach and the Green Lantern Corps, and puts the scarab that powers Blue Beetle firmly on Earth.

Beyond that, Bedard brings in some new cast members, like Joey Gonzalez, set to be a high school jerk-face to Jaime Reyes like Flash Thompson was to poor puny Peter Parker. He also drops in a plethora of baddies, among them Warp, Plasmus, Phobia, and Brutale. Seasoned DC fans will be pleased to see the pages of this book so full of DC Universe characters, and newer readers coming to this book from Blue Beetle’s appearances on “Batman: The Brave and the Bold” or “Smallville” will find a world filled with wild, exciting new characters.


Ig Guara and Ruy Jose set the bar high right from the first panel, which happens to occur on an alien world with a panicked crowd fleeing for their lives. The level of detail in this book is astonishing, from the freckles on Brenda’s face to the method which the scarab joins to . . . well, that would be telling. Let’s just say, the scarab fuses to someone and the visuals for that transformation are jaw-droppingly drawn and magnificently colored by Pete Pantazis. Pantazis does a good job with this whole book, propelling it into the hues and shades of superhero storytelling, but I wish he wouldn’t just apply pattern to Paco’s shirt. That maneuver is a tad distracting as it doesn’t account for the shape of Paco’s arms and shoulders under the shirt.

Rob Leigh brings the lettering feel from the last “Blue Beetle” series into this book, but this time out, the “scarab-speak” is nothing more than a fancier font. I’m personally hoping we get the scarab font as the scarab begins to interact more intensely with its host.

This is a fabulous book for a first issue, but I have one minor concern. The major characters in this title are all teens, and as such there are spots of humor that tends to be on the level with teens, including teen innuendo, which is every bit as bothersome on the printed page as it would be in real life. Sure, you could argue that it makes Bedard’s characters more believable and real, but I could provide just as much of an argument that that pair of throwaway lines torpedoes what could have otherwise served as a strong all ages read. I’ll leave it to you to decide, once you read this book, if you want to share it with younger readers or hold onto it for yourself. This is a great introduction to a wonderful world and a spectacular universe. Blue Beetle’s back, and it’s up to you to make sure he stays around this time.

More info:

Story by Tony Bedard
Art by Ig Guara, Ruy Jose
Colors by Pete Pantazis
Letters by Rob Leigh
Cover by Tyler Kirkham, Sal Regla, Nate Eyring

Publisher:

[Zacharie]

Title: Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): James Roberts and John Barbar (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: PS Hayes (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" Very entertaining, lots of great art, and a couple of nice shocks and surprises thrown in for good measure."
Review:

Even though this book is titled Transformers: The Death of Optimus Prime, it should really almost be called Transformers #0. Why? It’s a launching point for IDW Publishing’s brand new direction of the Transformers franchise, and do they go out/start out with a bang! Writers James Roberts and John Barbar do a fantastic job of both closing up the previous Transformers storyline AND starting off a brand new direction for everyone’s favorite robots in disguise.

Honestly, I don’t know how hardcore Transformers fans are going to react to this. It’s VERY different from anything that we’ve seen before and it basically does away with everything that we’ve always known and loved about the mythology of the Transformers. I liked it quite a bit, but honestly, I can see “Transfans” not being happy with this. But, I recommend you give it a chance.


On the art side of things, Nick Roche does a SPECTACULAR job bringing the Transformers to life. There’s lots of new designs and new characters, and with Transformers, it’s easy to make them look similiar, but Roche succeeds in making everyone look unique. He also gets a chance to draw Cybertron in a whole new way, and hits a home run doing it. I look forward to his work on the upcoming Transformers: More Than Meets The Eye in a couple of weeks.

All in all, a pretty solid issue. If you’ve never read the Transformers comics, this is the issue you’ll want to pick up. And, if you’re a die-hard Transfan, you’ll want to pick this up as well. Very entertaining, lots of great art, and a couple of nice shocks and surprises thrown in for good measure.

More info:

Story by James Roberts, John Barbar
Art by Nick Roche
Colors by John Burcham
Letters by Shawn Lee
Covers by Vicktor Deak, Nick Roche, and Livio Ramondelli

Publisher:

[Zacharie]

Title: Singularity 7 (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Ben Templesmith (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: B. Nagel (Review 1) and Klaw (Review 2) (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" Pure asskicking cyberpunk eyecandy. "
Review 1:

Templesmith is a master artist and conceptualist, but Singularity 7 shows that he still needs some work on storytelling and characterization. Some of the characters are hard to tell apart, and no character ever comes out as a lead. I have no problem with emsemble pieces, but there were characters that seemed like they were only in the story to serve as a lead, then never got to be one. The boy with the dragon tattoo on his face, for example (those who've read this will understand).

Negatives aside, Templesmith's art has always been exceptional, and he does not break from that here. Plus, the concept of the story is extremely engaging, even when the characters are not. It's too bad that this is a self-contained story, because the story could have gone on as a series for quite some time. I have high hopes for his current series, Shadowplay, and hope to see that published as a collection soon.

Review 2:

Overview: Ben Templesmith is known more for his horror work, as his first books 30 Days of Night are now being made into a movie this fall... about vampires in Alaska taking advantage of the long winter nights to extend their feeding. His most celebrated and mature work is Wormwood, Gentleman Corpse... about a wiseass zombie controlled by an alcoholic worm... who operates like Constantine fighting off various demonspawn inside a netherworld strip club. Singularity 7 hasn't gotten as much fanfare primarily since it doesn't focus on horror themes, with only hints of Cthulu-like tentacles and the zombie-like nature of the evil Singularity being. Check more of his work here: viewtopic.php?p=890486#890486

The Setting: S7 is very similar in set-up as the Matrix, in that we have a dystopian world overrun with malicious alien nanite machines. the nanites randomly find one human they transmogrify into their official representative. This being becomes the "one" or the "singularity", and at first attempts to help mankind with the alien tech by purifying the air and ending war. Eventually things change for the worse, as great power corrupts greatly, and the Singularity essentially nukes the earth with nanites, wiping out the majority of life as we know it. the nanites themselves are drawn as small camera-insects, so in the dystopian wasteland, there is constant surveillance by the SIngularity. the science of the humans that survive is high-end ubiquitous information age tech, with advanced underground cities similar to the Matrix trilogy.

The Story: the alien nanites hitch a ride to earth on a meteorite, which then take over a designated Singularity, who in turn can now control this nanite army, and thereby alter all matter at a molecular level... becoming in effect a god. There is a resistance, and our heroes are a mutant band of 7 "special" (quasi-mutant) humans who develop a physical resistance via mutated anti-body nanites (with some degeneration in the process), and are immune to the "dissassembly process" by which the nanites may vaporize anything. After the earth is wiped, the singularity somehow has a thrall arsenal of borg-like creatures wandering the wasteland... called Gosiodo. They are Unreal Tournament looking baddies, that spew forth more nanite insects from their mouths, similar to the creatures in Vampire Hunter D. There are also huge oversized nanite bees floating around... in fact the nanites take a variety of odd sizes, not always microscopic.

The few living human scientists invent an anti-virus which our team must deliver in person to the Singularity himself, who is in the process of building a massive City/DockingTower to welcome the original alien ships who sent the nanites. the aliens themselves eventually arrive and give a hearty "WTF!" to the singularity for the insane necropolis he's built, as it turns out their nanites were misused for their planned benign terraforming, and in turn decide they need to wipe the planet for this technical error.

Plot development: the story is fairly vague as some elements such as the wasteland creatures are never explained if they developed naturally or by design ... which is consistent with Templesmith's style, you are simply thrown head first into the story. Overall the story is fairly simplistic... it's evil overlord, underground freedom fighters, "magic bullet" virus to take out said uberalien tech alas Independence Day... big badaboom, the end. the story suffers by being so short, had this been continued as a series it could have been a little deeper, with more characterization. Here the 7 human "specials" that go to fight the Singularity are barely hashed out other than 2 chicks, mask gun guy, big guy, new guy, old guy, tiny girl with some sort of Jean Grey/Phoenix radial blast power.

The Artwork: This is the price of admission as Templesmith's artwork is really killer. It's not for everyone, as some old school fans find it sloppy, personally I find the abstract style adds to the mood and makes it much dirtier and grittier. For those familiar with Mike Mignola the artworks feel is similar in comic off-the-cuff-in-the-middle-of-hell tone as Hellboy... where all the characters including the evil-doers say common everyday words and sayings... making them all the more badass, of course. But the visuals are incredibly dynamic and Templesmith's penwork is very expressive... he doesn't need to draw much to tell you a lot. So the very "sketchy" look to the drawings give you more than say a fully realistically rendered image. Subtle touches such as everyone having green glowing circuitry tribal tattoos on their faces due to the nanite invasion is nice, and overall all the electronics in the story seem to have an eerie glow to them.

Conclusion: I gave S7 an 8 although it could be considered lower due to the rather flat main characters, as they all seem interchangeable. Overall it isn't especially philosophical, as it's mainly an action movie in graphic novel format... but it is pure asskicking cyberpunk eyecandy.


EDIT: Although there is some Borg tech involved in the story that touches on cybernetics, I came across this recently that adds a little more depth to the title's meaning, although I still believe the story to be pretty much a visual rocketsled...



Technological singularity refers to the hypothetical future emergence of greater-than-human intelligence through technological means. Since the capabilities of such intelligence would be difficult for an unaided human mind to comprehend, the occurrence of a technological singularity is seen as an intellectual event horizon, beyond which events cannot be predicted or understood. Proponents of the singularity typically state that an "intelligence explosion" is a key factor of the Singularity where superintelligences design successive generations of increasingly powerful minds.

This hypothesized process of intelligent self-modification might occur very quickly, and might not stop until the agent's cognitive abilities greatly surpass that of any human. The term "intelligence explosion" is therefore sometimes used to refer to this scenario.

The term was coined by science fiction writer Vernor Vinge, who argues that artificial intelligence, human biological enhancement or brain-computer interfaces could be possible causes of the singularity. The concept is popularized by futurists like Ray Kurzweil and it is expected by proponents to occur sometime in the 21st century, although estimates do vary.


The visuals are ultra moody, ultra abstract, and ultra violent. Templesmith uses scratchy spidery inkwork (similar to Ralph Steadman who illustrated Hunter S. Thompson's books) and also photoshops a lot of his work adding textured backgrounds, blurred panels, and irradiating his normally dark tones with saturated colors to really capture an industrial post-apocalyptic mood. If you are a fan of the first Matrix, I cannot overemphasize how awesome the artwork is, it does not disappoint.

More info:

Singularity 7 (4 volumes + prequel/epilogue)
Rating: 8 out of 10
Written and Drawn by: Ben Templesmith
Published: 2004
Degree of Cyberpunk visuals: High
Correlation to Cyberpunk Themes: High

Publisher:

[Zacharie]

Title: The Fountain (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Darren Aronofsky (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: J. D. Estrada (Review 1) and Olga (Review 2) (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" The Fountain deserves more than one read. "
Review 1:

Most run of the mill love stories are fruity lame half attempts at conveying a true story. The Fountain is not run of the mill and it rewards an audience with an open mind and the willingness to read or watch more than once (depending on what version of the story you are enjoying).

As a fan of the film, to me buying the graphic novel was a no brainer and if anything comes through both works is that Aronofsky has great love for this story and it was a project that was just a pain to get done.

In comparison to the movie, there are differences in the story and the strengths of film are explored in its theatrical version while the best things of a graphic novel are used in this incarnation.

As a fan of Aronofsky, I know I'm biased but as a fan of graphic novels, I know the difference between a great one and a run of the mill one. The artwork is simply beautiful and I think the art does justice to the story and vision of Aronofsky.

Now if you didn't like the movie, I'm wondering why you're even looking at this product description, much less a review from someone who is a fan. But if by any chance you got here, by all means check the previews or go to a Barnes and Noble or Borders and browse the first ten pages. If you like what you see, buy it because like some of the best graphic novels, The Fountain deserves more than one read.

Review 2:

Darren Aranofsky’s The Fountain (published by Vertigo Comics in 2005) is a visually interesting over-sized graphic novel based on the movie of the same name. Published a year before the film was released, Aranofsky’s intentions were to preserve a part of his project just in case Hollywood “f**ks him over.” A prudent notion, considering his film was met with mixed (and confused) reactions.

Having never watched the film, I borrowed The Fountain from the library thinking I could read this instead and get pretty much the same thing, albeit with ninety percent less Hugh Jackman. The film runs at about an hour and a half; in today’s world of thirty hour Lord of the Ring marathons, this is a fairly quick watch. But at 176 big pages full of cool drawings, the graphic novel wins. I think I read this in under an hour.

As can be imagined, the story is similar to the film. It revolves around the same couple in three different time periods—1535 Spain and Central America, present day, and “the future” wherein we will all be riding around in giant space bubbles in the nude, if Aranofsky gets his way.

The central theme of all three stories is the loss of the great love. Tomas traipses through each time period, bellowing, crying and nearly stamping his feet in effort to save the woman he loves. Inevitably, they all die, though. Sorry, I didn’t give away the ending. It’s pretty much a given.

I wasn’t terribly impressed with the graphic novel, and I can understand why the film was met with mixed reviews. The story is a great idea. It has so much Romeo-and-Juliet potential, it could be Romeo and Juliet. But the execution falls flat on its face. The novel is drawn by Kent Williams, an artist widely respected in the industry. While some images are visually spectacular, there are parts of the graphic novel wherein background characters are little more than drawn lines. Perhaps one could argue that Williams and Aranofsky are trying to emphasize Tomas’s intense focus on his love, and so the rest of the world appears little more than hazy outlines, but it just looks unfinished.

See for yourself:


Each story ends with Tomas’s love dying in some fashion. In 1553, she sacrifices herself for the glory of her queendom. In the present day, she quietly dies in a hospital bed as Tomas receives word that they have found a cure for her cancer. Most bizarrely, in the future (remember, floating through space in a bubble), she is sacrificed to give life to the tree inside the bubble.

That I don’t get. The first two, I’m cool on. Tragic, romantic, ideas I can grasp. The final pair I can’t come to terms with. Why are they in that bubble? What’s the point of her dying if Tomas is just going to float through space alone?

Perhaps it’s just too meta for me.

More info:

Darren Aronofsky, Ari Hendel story, write
Jared K. Fletcher letter
Kent Williams art, cover inks

Publisher:

[Zacharie]

Title: Golden Cup: Daytona (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Daniel Pecqueur (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Hans Stoovelaar (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" An exciting, nicely drawn story."
Review:

A car comics, playing in the future. Drawings from Henriet in color, text ballons from Pecqueur. A young talented driver fled the family home towards Daytona USA to make career as a driver. Simultaneously, a millionaire's daughter is kidnapped and a private detective - under pressure - put on the case. An exciting, nicely drawn story. The font style, layout and language, make this album very suitable for young people beginning about 13 years. The story is continued in a subsequent section, '500 thousand horsepower'(2009).

More info:

Written by Daniel Pecqueur
Art by Alain Henriette

Publisher:

[Zacharie]

Title: Gene Pool (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Marv Wolfman and Len Wein (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Arnold T. Blumberg (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" ...very real people in a very real world..."
Review:

He's been in the industry press a lot lately for waging a battle with Marvel over the rights to his creation, Blade the Vampire Hunter, but now Marv Wolfman is running the show with an all-new franchise. Co-created with fellow comic book writer Len (X-MEN, SWAMP THING) Wein, GENE POOL focuses on a team of reluctant superheroes who are pursued relentlessly and must band together to protect each other and survive.

The property is so highly regarded that Helkon International Pictures (HIP Films) has teamed with Tri-Pictures and Eagle Pictures to secure the motion picture rights. Wein and Wolfman are drafting the feature length screenplay based on their creation, drawing on their combined years of experience in the comic book and entertainment industries.

"Len and Marv gave the world some of the most memorable comic book characters and classic storylines during their years with DC and Marvel, including Wolverine, Storm, Nightwing, and CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS," says Lee Solomon of Helkon. "We see GENE POOL as the next big franchise opportunity in that genre. We are very excited to be in business with two of the best."


Talking with CINESCAPE, Wolfman pointed out that his paramount concern at this early stage is character development.

"Because the GENE POOL members are new characters, we're working very hard to make certain they are multi-layered from the beginning," says Wolfman. "We don't have 100+ issues of a comic to work them out and so we're spending our time up front to understand these characters, to know what they want, what they need and even what they fear. We're trying to make these very real people in a very real world and yet retain the fun [that] Len and I have done in our comics, from SWAMP THING to THE NEW TEEN TITANS."

Wolfman also has a website under construction, which currently features some news and a tantalizing tidbit about his original plan for resurrecting the Barry Allen Flash following the events of CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS.

More info:

Written by Marv Wolfman and Len Wein
Pencils by Steven Cummings

Publisher:

[Zacharie]

Title: Delicate Creatures: A Most Uncommon Fairy Tale (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Michael Straczynski (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Midwest Book Review (Review 1) and Dora (Review 2) (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" A beautifully illustrated fantasy story..."
Review 1:

Delicate Creatures a beautifully illustrated fantasy story, written by the versatile and talented author J. Michael Stranczynski of television (Babylon 5) and comic book (Rising Stars) fame. A fairy tale existing parallel to human world, Delicate creatures is not a picturebook for very young children but rather a parable for all ages about the strength to change the world that lies in the smallest, most fragile, and most fleeting of things. The artwork of Michael Zulli and Steve Firchow wonderfully showcases a truly engaging fairytale destined to become a modern classic. Delicate Creatures is enthusiastically recommended for anyone who has ever thrilled to the tales of the Brothers Grimm or gone along on a wonderland adventure with Alice.

Review 2:

Once upon a time there was a castle. The focus of the story is on Trifle, the smallest of the fantastic creatures who dwell within the walls, who loves the human Princess who lives within the castle. Trifle doesn't understand the things she hears the Princess talk about, and neither she nor any of her kind is permitted to reveal themselves to humans, but she loves them anyway, content to watch them. Until the day the Green Men arrive. And unless you're ready for a particularly difficult conversation or two, you shouldn't read this to any young children just yet. But one day.

In fact, Delicate Creatures manages to be stirring on a level with V for Vendetta; the concept of who we are, the decisions we make, the ideas we have, and what impact they have on the world around us... this is potentially a very heavy story for how short it is. Like most of Straczynski's work, the narrative almost butts up against the edge of being too heavy-handed in its symbolism, but mercifully never quite manages to break the spell. The end result is a story that manages to stay with you much longer because of how delicately it's told than it would have had the details been clearer.

Of particular note should be the art on display here; the book doesn't showcase any violence, but the characters wear their hearts on their sleeves. Trifle, in particular, manages to communicate shock and horror in key scenes in such a way that your heart breaks a little along with hers.

Does a spoonful of sugar really help the medicine go down? After all, it's just a fairytale... right? I mentioned that you shouldn't read this book just yet to any little ones you might have, but you might want to keep it handy. Because one day, everyone should learn the wisdom in turning away from their rage... and the power of even the smallest idea.

More info:

J. Michael Straczynski story, write
Michael Zulli art, cover
Steve Firchow ink, colours

Publisher:

[Zacharie]

Title: All Ghouls School (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Marc Sumerak (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: goodreads (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" And you thought Algebra was scary..."
Review:

Becca Norman has everything a high school Sophomore could ever want: beauty, brains, money, and popularity. But when she finds herself caught in the middle of a major cheating scandal, Becca's perfect little world comes crashing down around her There's only one way to redeem herself - by spending the summer at a creepy old boarding school called Darkmoor Academy. Too bad Becca doesn't realize that Darkmoor Academy is secretly a finishing school for young female monsters... and she's been selected as the school's first human student Unfortunately, Becca's creepy new classmates aren't too happy to have a human lurking in their shadows either. At her old school, Becca was at the top of the food chain, but at Darkmoor she's no more than a midnight snack Only with the help of some freaky new friends will Becca be able to unseat the school's queen of mean, Elle Diablo, and restore some order to the most chaotic classroom in history. And you thought Algebra was scary

More info:

Written by Marc Sumerak
Art by David Bryan

Publisher:

[Zacharie]

Title: Guardians (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Marc Sumerak (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Tim Stevens (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" The one problem that I have is caused by the series transition from ongoing to mini."
Review: Guardians #5

There is not a lot about Guardians that I can say that I have not said before. The art remains clean and the easter egg color palette continues to be a good fit. There is still strong characterization, although it does take a backseat this issue to the upswing in action necessary to bring the story to a close.

There is a lot of ground to cover and Sumerak does it admirably. Over the course of 22 pages, the Guardians break into an alien cruiser, face the morality of war in the real world, one gets captured, then rescued, an artifact is retrieved, and the Guardians find a new reason to stay in space. It could feel rushed or overstuffed, but somehow dodges that particular bullet.


The one problem that I have is caused by the series transition from ongoing to mini. Clearly Sumerak was building this series to last and, as a result, everything does not wrap up nicely in a neat little bow. For one, there is the aforementioned issue of the Guardians not yet returning home. Besides that, Dre\’kk\’s true motivations are revealed and the earthbound search for Charlie has ensnared her boyfriend as the likely culprit. These further plotlines are intriguing, particularly the new spin put on Dre\’kk\’s vendetta against the Alliance. However, with no obvious follow up on the horizon, they become annoying dangling narratives with little chance of resolution. I appreciate that Sumerak did not rush the finale to satisfy everything, it was the right choice. That, however, does not make its transition from ongoing to limited any less awkward. It\’s still quite good, you just wish that Marvel had either decided it was a miniseries in the first place or let it run a few more issues.

More info:

Casey Jones cover
Marc Sumerak writer, artist
Casey Jones penciler, inker
Dave Sharpe letterer
David Self colorist
Dan Buckley production
Andy Schmidt, Tom Brevoort, Nicole Wiley, Joe Quesada editor

Publisher:

[Zacharie]

Title: Bram Stoker's Dracula (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Fernando Fernandez (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Kevin L. Powers (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" Even the casual gothic horror lover will love this book and should add it to their collection."
Review:

Now we've all read Bram Stoker's DRACULA or at least know the story really well. Vampire buys a home in London. Vampire terrorizes a bunch of people in London. Vampire hunter from out of London comes to kill vampire and make London safe again. Nothing new here but the story has transcended time from generation to generation captivating readers (and even film viewers) time and time again no matter how old the story is and like the vampire Dracula himself his story is as immortal as time. Is it little wonder that Fernando Fernandez' adaptation of the classic novel doesn't really offer anything new yet is still as captivating as the immortal Dracula himself regardless of the current time.


Although the story offers nothing new it is Fernandez' lush visuals and colors and make his adaptation stand out amongst all the others. Originally published in 1984 but brought back to life in 2005 by Del Rey Books Fernandez' DRACULA has such striking visuals due to the realistic painterly style that you can't help but to stop and take notice. This is one of the reasons why I picked up the book in the first place. Having already read the novel and other adaptations several times before I really wasn't interested in another version until I opened the book and was awestruck by the artwork inside. I've never read anything else Fernandez has done but I will definitely be on the look out for more.

This over-sized graphic novel is short but the story is lush and Fernandez crams a lot of info in the text in case he happens upon the odd person who has not read or know the story. Fernandez did pick one of the better stories to adapt enabling him to reach a far wider audience then something more original (this graphic novel caught my eye). Although I'm not a big fan of the vampire genre those that are will enjoy this book and even the casual gothic horror lover will love this book and should add it to their collection.

More info:

Fernando Fernandez art, write

Publisher:

[Zacharie]

Title: Batman Beyond Unlimited (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Adam Beechen (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Gilbert Short (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" Pick this up!"
Review: Batman Beyond Unlimited #1

A new era begins with the debut of the oversized, monthly BATMAN BEYOND UNLIMITED, featuring the print debut of the new Justice League Beyond!

In the Batman Beyond chapter, legendary Batman artist Norm Breyfogle returns to draw the Dark Knight of the future with best-selling writer Adam Beechen. In “10,000 Clowns,” an onslaught of new Jokerz is plaguing Gotham City – and the implications of this chaotic clown menace could have disastrous consequences for Terry McGinnis and Bruce Wayne!

And the debut of the Justice League Beyond is here, courtesy of the BATMAN: STREETS OF GOTHAM art team of Dustin Nguyen and Derek Fridolfs, as the first two digital-first chapters are available in print for the first time! Batman Beyond is a new recruit in the mighty Justice League, but the team will be immediately tested by a very Neo Gotham-related enemy! How will the team work together to combat this threat?

I’m starting to think that DC really loves the 90’s. This is more proof. They’re definitely trying new things, however, as this was originally released digitally only to see print later.

Let’s see how this book translates from medium to medium, shall we? Follow the cut for more.


I bought this book with the feeling I was going to hate it. A book, reprinting a digital comic featuring an all but dead portion of the Bat-Franchise that hasn’t been relevant since the cartoon went off the air in the beginning of the previous decade (for those of you playing the home game, that means 2001). There were a smattering of appearances in both animation (Static Shock, Justice League Unlimited) and comics (Superman/Batman), but the future universe held no significance at all anymore.

Then this book came out. Simply put, this book is a lot of fun. It’s an action packed book with lots of story and beautiful art. But since there are two stories in this book, we’ll focus on one at a time.

First, there’s the solo "Batman Beyond" story, with a yarn seemingly ripped from the scripts of the animated program. The Jokerz, a gang of teenagers who idolize the Clown Prince of Crime are descending upon Neo-Gotham from all over the country, ranging from Star City to San Francisco. Bruce and Terry don’t seem to be sure why, and there’s no way to tell, so they’re going to do what they can to prepare. While this is the weaker of the two stories in my opinion, it’s certainly not terrible by any stretch of the imagination, it’s told just as well as the following story, but the art just isn’t as good as the next book. More on that later, but that’s not a condemnation of the art by Norm Breyfogle by any stretch of the imagination. The art, while great in its own right, doesn’t match the spirit of the original property as well as the JLB story.

But while it isn’t necessarily “as good,” it’s still a a breath of fresh air to see a book where it feels like stuff happens. The book moves at a brisk pace throughout the first half of the book, not lacking in the action as the Batman of the Future or living life as Terry McGinnis and Bruce Wayne. There’s even an appearance by the once-Batgirl, Barbara Gordon, who is still the commissioner of the NGPD. There is so much respect for the cartoon that you can’t help but enjoy it and flash back to the series itself.

But while I enjoyed that portion, the JLB section is the real draw.


First of all, the involvement of Dustin Nguyen gives the story a real shot in the arm. If there was ever an artist whose very style seems to have birthed the entire franchise (short of Bruce Timm), it’s Dustin Nguyen. The colorful characters against a stark and seemingly dystopian future setting with lots of grays, blacks, and whites made them jump off the page and the dynamic poses felt like it was animated in its own right. Can someone find a way to have Nguyen animate everything?

The plot, just like the art, felt really in tune with the Justice League Beyond’s status quo as a somewhat darker version of its predecessor the JLA (heh, JLA…JLB). The mystery is also a bit more interesting than the plot in the Geoff Johns book (admittedly, according to whom you talk to, especially on this site, that may not be an impressive feat) filled with intrigue and a pretty big twist in the end.

Perhaps the biggest strength of this book is the value, however. In an industry where prices steadily rise and books steadily shrink, this book proudly clocks in at 40 pages of book with a $3.99 price tag. That’s a mere ten cents for each glorious page. While I usually balk at spending that much on one book, this one felt like it was WORTH IT. DC crammed about as much value as you can stand for the price, and let me tell you, it gets an extra point based on that alone.

It could stand to have more Superman punching T-Rexes though.

This book is one of the biggest surprises I’ve read this month, and you should check it out. It’s fun, with explosive action and great art on both accounts. While I DID love the second story more, that may simply be because I am always crying about Kryptonians and the Airbender Green Lantern is one of the coolest Green Lanterns I’ve ever seen. Pick this up!

Final Verdict: 8.8 – Buy!

More info:

Written by Adam Beechen
Pencilled by: Norm Breyfogle
Inked by: Norm Breyfogle
Lettered by: Saida Abbott
Painted cover by: Dustin Nguyen
Colored by: Andrew Elder

Publisher:

[Zacharie]

Title: Sword of My Mouth (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Jim Munroe (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Robert J. Wiersema (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" There is much more to these black-and-white illustrations than initially meets the eye."
Review:

With Sword of My Mouth, Jim Munroe returns to the post-Rapture dystopia he introduced in 2007's Therefore, Repent! Working with illustrator Shannon Gerard (who takes over from Salgood Sam for this instalment), Munroe has created another stunning, thought-provoking work that will linger in the reader's mind.

Sword of My Mouth serves as a companion to the earlier work, rather than a true sequel. Set in Detroit an indeterminate time after the events of the earlier book, it follows Ella and her infant son. After their apartment burns down, Ella takes up with a small collective of urban farmers who are producing pesticide-free food and trying to avoid the attention of the army of angels that has come from heaven to do clean-up duty following the Rapture. But then Andre, Ella's partner, returns home from Chicago, where he has been volunteering in the war against the angels, and Famine arrives in town with nefarious plans of his own.

Munroe's unfettered imagination is given free rein here. Sword of My Mouth includes an angelic occupation of New York, magic and mutations, post-Rapture evangelicals ("Damn Rapture ate up half my flock. Don't know whether to be flattered that it was so many, or offended that it was only half..."), and astral travel. However, Munroe grounds the work in identifiable human concerns: food, parenthood, companionship, loss, and community. The narrative is well served by Gerard's deceptively simple artwork; there is much more to these black-and-white illustrations than initially meets the eye.

Which is true, in fact, of the book as a whole: Sword of My Mouth is a complex work masquerading as a relatively straightforward narrative (complete with a well handled twist ending).

More info:

Written by Jim Munroe
Illustrated by Shannon Gerard

Publisher:

[Zacharie]

Title: Deadenders (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Ed Brubaker (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Hilary Goldstein (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" Shows the incredible potential of the series and is a complete tale in itself."
Review: Deadenders: Stealing the Sun

Ed Brubaker's imaginative tale of an apocalyptic future didn't last long. Dead Enders never had a chance to hit i's stride and was cancelled after the first year. To add further insult to injury, only the first four issues were collected. It's too bad, because at the time this was just about the best thing going for Vertigo.

Set twenty years after the mysterious cataclysm that blackened the sky, America was separated into dozens of sectors. Barricaded, each sector gained its own personality, largely based on wealth. Those sectors with cash could afford to operate weather machines, that provided simulated sunlight to brighten the day. But for the poorest, like Sector 5, there was no machine. Instead, day and night was shrouded in a brown haze the covered the sky. The lack of daylight spawned a hedonistic youth culture and an high level of fatalism.


Beezer, an Amp dealer, is a reckless kid with nothing but disregard for authority. He is also blessed with visions of the world before the cataclysm, which appear before him at the most inopportune times. Beezer is a wanted man, hunted by the government because of his rare gift. Amidst it all, Beezer must contend with his failing relationship with his girlfriend and a tragic accident that leaves his best-friend at the edge of death.

Learn more about IGN Comics' rating system.

Stealing the Sun shows the incredible potential of the series and is a complete tale in itself. However, it won't answer the majority of questions raised. You won't know what caused the cataclysm, why Beezer has his visions or what any of it really means. That might prove too frustrating to merit a purchase. But if you're interested in seeing Brubaker's earlier work, and a great one at that, you may want to give this a try.

Rating: Must Read.

More info:

Written by: Ed Brubaker
Drawn by: Warren Pleece
Publisher: DC/Vertigo

Publisher:

]

[Zacharie]

Title: 30 DAYS OF NIGHT (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Steve Niles (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: LJK (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" I have really become a fan of IDW comics..."
Review: 30 Days of Night #1

Steve Niles returns with his new ongoing series of the hugely successful '30 Day of Night' franchise. However the setting has moved from its origination in Barrow,Alaska, to Los Angeles.

The story opens with a letter being typed to the main character 'Alice Blood', warning her of the impending danger of her newly started website. Alice is warned 'they are real' and that if she really seeks them, she will be found. We are not provided any narrative on the sender other than she is based in a snowy climate.

The story then increases pace with a group of vampire 'elders', who are gathered and fast becoming impatient waiting for a group of younger breeds to arrive. When they arrive led by a weapon wielding 'Jill', their impact is immediate with the massacre of the elders.

The reader is finally introduced to Alice who is carrying a large amount of correspondence from her websites viewers. The website is called 'Desperately Seeking Vampire', and I think the title says it all. Alice is shown to be bright, strong and aware (at least she thinks she is) of the risks involved with a search like hers.


We then learn more about the vampire power struggle. Jill maybe leading the battle, however we are also introduced to 'the father' who's plotting has led to these actions. He is not content with their species having to live in secret, he is aware of their superior position in the food chain and he wants to make sure they return to their rightful place on top. The last segment concludes with a human hanging from the ceiling, arteries cut providing the drink that they toast their plan over. This is the first sign of the fate that could be awaiting the human race if they succeed in their plans of dominance.

The comic closes with Alice meeting with Dean Ikos who claims to have seen a vampire. Although she is clearly distracted by his good looks, she hears his tale of surviving an attack with his Uncle as a child. He is aware of how the story may sound, and the lack of evidence didn't help validate it, however it was the mention of Barrow, Alaska that regained her attention. Alice remembers the letter she received with the reference of Barrow, and verbally attacks Dean for wasting her time for his entertainment and leaves.

Although fuming, she still thinks he is 'hot' before turning back to speak to him. However, she can see a figure on the rooftops stalking Dean. We are introduced to our first attack and sees Dean being feasted upon by the stalking vampire. The final twist of the tale is that Alice is revealed as a FBI agent.

I have really become a fan of IDW comics. Not only do they have some great stories, but the quality of the paper is great. Sam Keith's artwork suits Niles's dark story perfectly as does the colouring by Jay Fotos. The dark shading set a tone of decay and loss which fits the story being told. First issues are always harder to judge then later issues as the writer needs to provide enough narrative to bring the reader to speed, although they have ensure nothing gets lost.

More info:

Art: Davide Furno and Jay Fotos
Writer: Steve Niles

Publisher:

[Zacharie]

Title: War of the Independents (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Dave Ryan (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Steven Surman (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" Though I found it predicable at points, I admired the first issue of War of the Independents. "
Review: War of the Independents #1

Dave Ryan’s War of the Independents is a true exercise regimen for the mind: it is pure science fiction and superhero bravado both in its general plot as well as its premise and theme. The book even taps a metatextual level in order to force its readers to comprehend what exactly is unfolding. What’s real and what’s not? Who owns what as intellectual property and how does that ownership conform to concepts of a Jungian collective unconscious and imagination?

Unfortunately, I can’t really describe the plot of War of the Independents in great detail because there are simply too many different players to keep track of. Oh, there’s certainly a war brewing, a great and powerful war that will shake the foundations of time and space. This book is not unlike the major events that Marvel and DC have been hosting in their respective universes to sell more of their products, and it’s somewhat apparent that creator Ryan is tapping into this.


But with War of the Independents, Ryan is waving his arms and shouting: “Hey, don’t forget about us. This is where all great creators—writers and artists alike—start in their careers: on the frontlines of the independent scene!” I admire this message (that’s, of course, so long as I’ve interpreted Ryan correctly and am not putting words in his mouth) because I see a lot of independent material and greatly admire most of it for its originality and craft.

The general plot of Independents is simple: it’s all about war, as mentioned above, and the good guys are collecting heroes from parallel comic-book worlds to join up for the grand epic battle. For a teaser, I’ll mention that Jeff Smith’s Bone is involved. It does sound a bit generic, and I’m the first to admit it. If a fault were to be pinpointed in the book, it would be that the lines of good and evil are too linear and too parallel against each other.

But Ryan places a lot of painstaking effort into nearly all of the illustrations in the book, capturing all of the unique details that differentiae the large ensemble he’s pulling together. I’d love to know what efforts he had to undertake in order to gain copyright access to all of these characters. It must have been a lot of work, because at the book’s end he credits all of the different properties and their creators.

Though I found it predicable at points, I admired the first issue of War of the Independents. The comic’s very concept is what will carry it forward in its run. And I can’t argue with a book that bravely includes a cameo from Gumby.

Yes, that Gumby.

More info:

Words: Dave Ryan
Art: Dave Ryan
Colors: Wilson Ramos Jr.

Publisher: