Title: Planet of the Apes (Click to go to the release post)
Writer: Daryl Gregory (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Doug Zawisza (Don't click it, read the review here... )

Review:

Planet of the Apes #1
The latest comic book series to attempt to celebrate the planet ruled by apes comes from BOOM! and they’ve decided to go retro. This series calls more to the 1968 origins of the “Planet of the Apes” franchise than the Tim Burton remake from 2001.
Not content to simply stay in the “retro” realm, Carlos Magno contributes some stunningly detailed, photo-influenced (but not traced) art that makes this book an absolute visual treasure. The faces of the apes are distinct and discernable, from chimpanzee to gorilla to orangutan, they’re here, they’re well drawn, and they’re magnificent. Magno’s art is detailed and real, but carries in it sensibilities of art nouveau. That makes the details seem more detailed but cleaner and refined. The end result is a book that flirts with being cluttered visually, but stops at simply dazzling the senses. There are details on the details in this book, demanding to be studied, analyzed and soaked up. “Planet of the Apes,” despite the dystopian setting and the gruff relationships depicted within it, is a beautiful looking book.
It’s a darn good thing that the story matches the magnificence of the art. This story fits the world established in 1968, but adds in more intrigue and suspense. Daryl Gregory limits the number of characters he gives voice to in this issue, but he fills the world with color and character through those select few. Add in the assassination of the Lawgiver as depicted in the preview here on CBR and this book has a lot going for it beyond the simple juxtaposition of humans and damn dirty apes.
That assassination takes borderline trust and magnifies it, giving each side reason to cast suspicion upon the other. There are problems that have been lurking under the surface within this world, that much is clear in this issue, but the killing of ape (allegedly by human) threatens to scratch off the scab that has been holding back the oozing sore of inequality.
There’s been a bit of flurry surrounding the upcoming “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” film. This book doesn’t play off of that, in front of that, or tie into it, save for the “Planet of the Apes” brand. This is “Planet of the Apes” boiled down to what made it successful the first time around: ape and human engaged in philosophical conflict that becomes embodied by physical conflict. This is an exciting and gripping story that grabbed me by the nape of the neck and locked me for an intensely uninterrupted read.

Planet of the Apes #2
With the first issue designated a sellout before it even hit the shelves, it’s safe to say this second issue is highly anticipated. You can check out the start of this latest issue in the exclusive preview we had posted late last week.
The first time I ever saw a white gorilla was in the pages of “Ranger Rick,” a magazine about animals geared towards younger readers. The article showed Snowflake, a now famous (and unfortunately departed) white gorilla from the Barcelona Zoo. The images in that article – and the images I’ve since found through other research and personal interest in his story – have added to a stunning visual assemblage in my mind’s eye. In this issue, Daryl Gregory and Carlos Magno introduce Nix, a white gorilla, and a former soldier who, for reasons yet unrevealed, has spent time imprisoned. Freed from his bonds and given the task of tracking down the Lawgiver’s assassin, Nix quickly establishes himself as the alpha male in both mind and body. Although we’ve just met him in this issue, he makes a distinct, lasting impression, just as Snowflake did with me lo those many years ago.
This book continues to impress me with its raw, robust connection to the now classic “Apes” films despite the fact that it has yet to use any previously recognizable characters. Sure, apes bearing firearms and riding horses may seem virtually interchangeable, in theory, but Gregory gives these characters life beyond Magno’s drawings. The two creators did not take long to gel on this title, and the “Planet of the Apes” brand is certainly better for it.
Nolan Woodard’s colors play up the light of many outdoor scenes, washing out – or threatening to wash out – many of the backgrounds with a hazy sunshine. The overall effect is a striking visual that transcends printed page, giving those scenes a “captured still” feel, as though the scene was clipped directly from a heretofore unseen “Planet of the Apes” film. The visuals on this book – the line art and the color art – are stunning and worthy of the cover price alone. Lucky for us all, however, the story rises to the level of the art.
With two great issues already published, I’m genuinely excited to see where this series takes the franchise, the characters, and, most importantly, the readers. If these first two issues are any indication, this is going to be one memorable series.

More info:

Written by: Daryl Gregory
Artwork by: Carlos Magno
Publisher: Boom! Studios

 

Title: Hellraiser (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Clive Barker and Christopher Monfette (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Reviewer/source: Greg McElhatton (Don't click it, read the review here... )

Review: Hellraiser #1

Despite having never seen any of the Hellraiser movies, I was a big fan of the comic from Marvel’s Epic imprint back in the day. A friend introduced me to the relatively new series when I was in college; when I protested that I’d not seem the films, he told me it didn’t matter, that they were some shockingly good horror comics. And when you consider that early issues included creators like Bernie Wrightson, John Bolton, Ted McKeever, Scott Hampton, Kevin O’Neill, John Van Fleet, and Dave Dorman—to name but a few—you can get an idea of the pedigree of Hellraiser. So hearing that Clive Barker had come on board for a brand-new Hellraiser comic? Well, color me interested.
Barker and his co-author Christopher Monfette (the pair of whom also worked on the Seduth one-shot at the end of 2009) start the comic with a back-to-basics moment. We get to see one of the demonic puzzle boxes that summon the demonic Cenobites, and in the blink of an eye the first victim of the series is claimed. But this scene does more than just re-introduce the Cenobites; it also sets up something greater, with the introduction of an individual using the boxes to kill his captors, someone who clearly knows just who Pinhead and company are and what they’re capable of. It’s a logical step, and one that holds some potential.
From there we move between Hell and Earth, seeing both a plan of Pinhead’s to walk on Earth once more with the help of the Nebraska farmer who is killing people via puzzle box, and a painter whose art indicates that she knows something about the Cenobites as well. Writing wise, it’s a good introduction to Hellraiser; we’re getting the players on the field, and some of the greater cosmology (like the massive Leviathan that the Cenobites worship, or the fact that there are those out there destroying the puzzle boxes) is already being presented. It’s the latter that I think is particularly important, because it shows the reader right from the start that this isn’t just a simple slasher/monster story, but a much larger and intricate setting.
For longtime readers of the book, it also feels like Barker and Monfette are revisiting the concept of the Harrowers, a plot thread that Barker created for the later issues of Epic’s Hellraiser comic. The idea of a team of people fighting the Cenobites was always better in concept than actual execution, so it would be nice to see a soft reset of them in the new Hellraiser. I think Barker and Monfette are smart enough to not require people to have read comics that are over 15 years old, so chances are this is a fresh start for the name and potential group.



Leonardo Manco, probably best known for his long run on the similarly-titled Hellblazer, is on the art and it’s just what you’d expect for a horror comic. Manco’s photo-real art works at its best with the tight close-ups on people’s faces, the worry and fear reflected back at the reader. It’s some of the more expansive images (like Pinhead standing in front of the demonic organ) which feel a little weaker because there’s so much detail crammed onto the page that it’s actually a little hard to make out some of the finer points. It’s still good overall, though, and when it comes to some of the more interesting visual moments (the slow approach to the captive woman; the look from above at Samuel’s crops) it really sings.
It’s a little funny that the two supplemental pieces attached to Hellraiser #1, though, that are my least favorite things about the new comic. First, it preview 16 pages of one of the stories due to appear in Hellraiser Masterpieces Vol. 1, which promises reprints of the Epic series by creators like Barker, Neil Gaiman, Dave McKean, Alex Ross, Kevin O’Neill, and Mike Mignola. The story they reprint from, though, is by Larry Wachowski and Mark Pacella, from the Hellraiser Spring Slaughter special in 1994. I can understand the idea behind finding a story by Wachowski (who of course went onto projects like The Matrix), but Pacella’s art looks hideous and not in a good way. This is hardly a good enticement to pick up a collection that promises so many better potential stories.
There’s also a free online exclusive prelude to Hellraiser #1, which won’t show up in print until the collection. It’s just all right; it gives the reader a good look into what Manco’s art is like, but Barker and Monfette’s story feels much more standard and run of the mill. The writing is much stronger in Hellraiser #1, and it’s a shame this prelude isn’t quite as good so that potential buyers can get a better idea of what they’re in for. Still, at the end of the day, it’s the main comic itself which has me interested in seeing what Barker, Monfette, and Manco are up to next. Horror and Hellraiser fans, I suspect, will discover the same thing as well for themselves. It’s nice to see Hellraiser returning, and in good form. I’ve missed my little Cenobite stories, and this promises to scratch that itch.

Supplementary info:

Written by Clive Barker and Christopher Monfette
Art by Leonardo Manco
40 pages, color
Published by Boom! Studios

Title: White Tiger (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Tamora Pierce (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Toby Baldwin (Review 1) and D. Covart (Review 2) (Don't click it, read the review here... )

Review:

Review 1 - I have not read any of Tamora Pierce's prose fiction, though I've heard good things. I came to this volume somewhat familiar with the history of the comic character White Tiger from the Hector Ayala storyline in the excellent Brian Michael Bendis run on Daredevil (storyline collected here...Daredevil, Vol. 3, among other places) and I was expecting and hoping for good things here. Unfortunately, I think it is a prime example of a likely quite good fiction writer not working well as a comic writer.

I like the character, the nice artwork by Briones et al, and the plot does seems to have potential. But I had to force myself to read all the way through this trade. The rhythm of the writing in the captions (and to a lesser extent, the dialogue -- y'know, word balloons) is way off. Ms. Pierce absolutely abuses italics -- on the last word of almost every sentence. If you made this into an audiobook, and had the narrator emphasize every word that was italicized, it would be comical -- downright Shatneresque. Example (using caps for italics):

"Before I was in the FBI, I was in the NYPD for for YEARS. If you're a del Toro, you're a COP, or a martial ARTIST, or BOTH. You KNOW the NYPD."

"The 'FAIR and BALANCED' BUGLE, my rosy red TUCHAS. I bag GUNRUNNERS and the paper bills me as CHEESECAKE."

Hell, it's almost iambic pentameter! It makes the writing extremely choppy, and in a comic with 1980s-style level of exposition/commentary (read: way too much)...it ain't pretty.

If the italic issues were resolved and the pictures were allowed to carry the story more, maybe that would have turned this whole thing around. But like bad voice-over in a movie, the writing kept pulling me right out of the story. It was a tough slog.

Another thing I couldn't get over -- and this will probably only make sense if you've read this or other comics -- was the appearance of Angela's "Tio Danny" -- Danny Rand, the Iron Fist, who appears to be about the same age as her. The uncle-niece relationship seems forced and weird here. As do most of the superhero cameos by Spidey, Daredevil, Emma Frost from the X-Men, etc.

All told, this was disappointing. Marvel can't seem to keep enough books going centered around female characters, so this feels like a wasted opportunity. Maybe this character could be salvaged at some point down the line -- though current readers of the Daredevil will be familiar with recent developments that make this unlikely, at least for a while.

Review 2 - I bought this comic book mainly for the fact that Tamora Pierce was an author for it. I didn't expect world wind adventures like I may find in one of her books because, let's face it, it's a comic book that starts and ends in 6 issues. The plot line was good, I got a little lost in a few places because I hadn't read certain issues of certain series, and the images were as well. I personally like having all the issues in one book as opposed to each individual issue which I tried for a while but kept misplacing them. Some of the extra covers they include from each of the issues are beautifully done and I'm glad they included them.

All in all, it's a good short read and nice to look at. Not one of the better comics I've read, I didn't expect it to be, but if you buy it for a reasonable price (I ordered mine from a separate seller for relatively cheap, I think the amazon price makes it almost not worth it) I think it's well worth the price.

More info:

Written by Tamora Pierce
Story by Timothy Liebe
Art by Phil Briones

Title: Flashpoint: Batman: Knight of Vengeance (Click to go to the release post)
Writer: Brian Azzarello (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Chad Nevett (Don't click it, read the review here... )

Review: This is not the first time that Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso have handled Batman, but it seems like the most natural. Gotham City has always had that dark, cynical, downright nasty edge to it, and that’s something that Azzarello and Risso always brought out in their trips there. However, something often felt off; things were a little too dark and cruel for the DCU. There’s a fine line and they seemed to cross it. They still made some entertaining and good comics, but something wasn't right. Here, though, they seem right at home with an old bastard like Thomas Wayne.

We first see Wayne as a looming figure, scowling face in the shadows, hair graying, an unseen voice saying “You seem to have some anger issues,” while he mumbles “Mmmrrr...” He mumbles a lot in this issue, never happy, never satisfied, living out a life he almost certainly never wished for: Gotham’s protector, both as Batman and the owner of the privatized police force, and owner of a casino that allows him to keep tabs on criminals. There’s a lot packed into this issue and little of it is spelled out. The reader is expected to pick up on the details that are dropped into conversation. The status quo of Gotham is clear and this genuinely feels like the beginning of a new story arc within the ongoing world of this Batman.

There’s an emptiness to Wayne’s mission here. His discontent is different from the darker versions of Batman we’re used to: he seems like a man who’s backed himself into a corner and is stuck there. He allowed grief and vengeance to rule his life and, now, he’s a bitter old man who went from a philanthropic doctor to a casino owner that’s getting threatened by a judge. And, yet, when he finally dons the cape and cowl, that worn down bitterness isn’t present. He’s a vicious thug that takes on a monstrous Killer Croc with a violent streak that would make the regular Dark Knight hunt him down and toss him in Arkham.

Risso and colorist Patricia Mulvihill create a bleak, almost washed out look for Gotham. It’s not so much dark as colorless. The few spots of color from the casino seem garish by contrast, while a discussion between Wayne and Jim Gordon at dusk is vibrant with orangey browns. Gotham reflects the mood and inner state of Thomas Wayne, a place that keeps functioning, but finds itself mumbling a lot.

Risso’s characters are so expressive: Wayne in his lack of expression, Oswald Cobblepot in his simpering creepy looks, and Harvey Dent in his frantic, over-the-top rage at his twins being kidnapped by the Joker. Risso’s art is so clear in telling the story that it’s easy to say there’s a disconnect between the writing and art, but it’s more of a duet that sometimes falls into harmony, each playing off one another, accentuating certain parts, while remaining apart.

It’s a shame that “Flashpoint: Batman: Knight of Vengeance” is only three issues long. Already there seems enough depth in this Gotham and its protector that it could easily carry an ongoing series.

Title: Orbit: Stephen King (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Michael Lent and Brian McCarthy (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Ryan K. Lindsay (Don't click it, read the review here... )

Review:

Have you read Stephen King’s memoir “On Writing?” It’s one of the greatest books about writing ever fashioned – and by a guy many pan as not being a very good writer. King infuses all his writing, even this craft guide, with personal history and depth to make every moment a sheer delight to read, be it informative or entertaining. I wish I was reviewing that book because I’d have five stars all lined up for it; you really should check it out. However, I’m not reviewing that ode to prose glory, instead I’m looking over a comic that picks pieces from it like a scavenger bird over a month-old dead racoon.

You can’t really say this book is poorly written because most of it is just slabs of direct prose from King’s work. However, it is poorly assembled. Sections aren’t so much taken out of context as they are ineffectively used. Punchlines are fumbled like a drunk at the end of an unsuccessful date and moments are dropped in as if a pure glut of highlights will make a cohesive narrative. Admittedly, it would be hard to pack in 50 years of a man’s life into 22 pages. Perhaps editing could have focused the book and made us care, instead of throwing everything but the kitchen sink into the book.

The framing device is the brutal moment where a minivan smashes into a walking King. It was the accident that nearly killed him and so the comic obviously chooses to show it in glorious detail not once but twice. There isn’t room for decades worth of the man’s life but we get to see him turned upside-down by a moving vehicle from two different angles. It’s the sort of sensationalistic storytelling that makes you question whether the comic wants to shock you or inform you. It really doesn’t feel like it has the strength to do both.

It’s not all bad because some of it is so overplayed you can’t help but enjoy it. King’s childhood is rendered in almost mythic tones with his walkout father given a devil’s tongue and piercing red eyes. His face always obscured by shadow, he leaves the family behind without any cash and you know it’s bad because King’s older brother watches it happen while clutching his stomach full of hunger pains. It’d be hilarious if it weren’t so sad. The moment where a young King witnesses a friend get hit by a train includes one strange panel that actually adds something to the overall mood of the moment.

Watching a man type for decades would obviously be boring, and even though King’s life has been extremely interesting, this book decides to make everyone better-looking versions of themselves. I would have preferred to see King as the man-mountain he truly is rather than just some average guy. In the end, it’s the little things that don’t add up: King chucks out a failed manuscript with one page in the bin, he rides his motorbike into sobriety to play with an unexplained band, a strange lady in the crowd thinks about how cute King is in a creepy sort of way. These moments detract rather than add anything.

The art relies on snapshots like this is a montage rather than an actual story. If the book actually knew which way to fall, you could say this was a successful device used. Instead, this is like a simply sketched album of King’s life. The panels are layered on the page like photographs assembled, and many panels are crowded so no backgrounds are needed.

If you are a diehard fan of Stephen King you might enjoy this, but most likely you’ll just pick it apart for not being very good. If you aren’t a fan of King then I doubt this disjointed shuffle knows how to turn you into one. King has been written about many times over the years, and quite well most of the time, so this book has the esteemed honor of being both sub-par and superfluous. Unless you plan on making a drinking game out of it, avoid this book. Save your dollars for “On Writing.”

More info:

Story by Michael Lent, Brian McCarthy
Art by Kent Hurlburt
Cover by Micha Szyksznian
Publisher Blue Water Comics

Title: Deadman Wonderland (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Jinsei Kataoka (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Timothy Callahan (Don't click it, read the review here... )

Review:

Deadman Wonderland Volume 1
Sure, I'll throw out the word Kafkaesque to get things started here, because that's what you're supposed to do when you're writing a review about a protagonist who enters into a nightmarish world after being absurdly convicted of a crime there's no way he could have possibly committed.
But did Kafka have beautiful young girls in nude-looking body suits that would magically appear? Did Kafka have prisons run like game shows? Did Kafka have giant pendulums swinging to and fro, unleashing death upon those below?
No. (Though E. A. Poe had some of that pendulum action, while Kafka just had Beetleman, the first proto-Vertigo fan fic ever written.)
"Deadman Wonderland" is a crazy concoction of the nightmare uncertainty of Kafka, the prison theatrics (and spectator sport) of "Running Man," and the gratuitous titillation of, well, plenty of manga on the shelves of your local Barnes & Noble.
The protagonist, Ganta, is just a kid -- a kid who saw his entire class slaughtered by the "Red Man," a mysterious apparition in armor, chains, helmet, and tattered cloak. The fact that he's colored red seems to have some kind of significance in the series, because they keep mentioning it, even though it's a black and white book. Though with the moments of gore in volume 1, the lack of color is probably for the best.
Ganta gets falsely accused for the brutal murder of his classmates, and he ends up with the death sentence, a sentence that will be carried out in Deadman Wonderland, a madhouse/amusement park of a prison where credit points are used to get the antidote that keeps you alive, as the collar around your neck poisons you every day.
It's a great concept for a series, and it was enough to get me to give the first volume a try, but the scenes seem too discordant, the characters thrown into the fray without much depth of characterization. When the enigmatic Shiro appears, a petite girl ghost and/or crazy person, it's just another layer of mystery that feels like excess. The whole volume is sickeningly excessive, not in a too-gory way, a too-action-packed way, but in a way that feels piled on. As if there wasn't enough at the story's core to make for compelling reading, more details were added on top. In that way it reminds me of the atrocious quality of some of the mainstream superhero comics of the mid-1990s. Those often felt hollow and overly flashy, but in an ultimately ugly way.
This isn't quite that bad, but it left behind a vaguely similar feeling.
Volume 1 looks great -- Kazuma Konduo is an artist who can go big and small, who can capture pathos and spectacle -- but it's overstimulated. Overindulged. Or the story is too thin to keep up with the pace of the visuals.
There's almost enough here to get me to come back for Volume 2, but just barely. And unless the tightly-wound world of "Deadman Wonderland" opens up a bit and lets some life inside, I don't think I'll make it much beyond that.

More info:

Story by Jinsei Kataoka
Art by Kazuma Konduo
Cover by Kazuma Konduo
Publisher TokyoPop

Title: Jonah Hex series (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): John Albano and DeZuniga (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Erik Norris (Don't click it, read the review here... )

Review: Jonah Hex #68
Jonah runs into trouble in Cottonwood.
I've yet to find a story in Jonah Hex that I haven't enjoyed. Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti have been putting on a clinic in how to write quality, meaty done-in-ones since this series started. Issue #68 continues that tradition. But with that said, Jonah Hex #68 is dragged through the mud a bit by the artwork of Rafa Garres.

The real problem I have with Garres' art is that it seems to devolve over the course of the issue. In general, Garres' sketchy style is probably not for everyone, but if you like artwork that exaggerates the human form and adds a stylistic twist to panel composition, then there is plenty to enjoy in Garres' craft. But it's hard to defend Garres' art when everything starts to fall apart as you progress further into the issue. Panels become muddy messes and characters become impossible to tell apart. This is a real shame because the story of Jonah Hex #68 reaches the same level of quality we've come to expect from Gray and Palmiotti.

Is Jonah Hex #68 worth picking up? Absolutely. You're still getting a great 20-page story here. It's just that your eyes are not going to be happy with what they're looking at.

More info:

Writer: John Albano
Artist: Tony DeZuniga
Company: DC Comics

Title: The Age of Insects Not Human (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Sparky Greene (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Nikau (Review 1) Arie (Review 2) and (Don't click it, read the review here... )

Review:

Review 1 - I've been reading graphic novels, comics, comic strips since I was a kid and I've never read anything like Age Of Insects: Not Human. Start off with that gimlet stare from the cover - Ben Templesmith channeling every rebel that ever spat in society's face - then turn a few pages to find out exactly what it is this kid's spitting and you'll see what I mean. Okay, the story's complex and the bugs might creep you out but what really sends a chill to the liver is the behavior of us humans. Do we deserve the planet? Not according to Greene, Pieper and Templesmith. Will we hang onto our place at the top of the food chain? That may be up to the story's reluctant hero, Flynn Morgan who has more in common with the insects he studies that he wants to admit. The face-off between the Eco-purists and the hybrids is gory and fierce but it wouldn't be a graphic novel without any of that stuff. What makes AOI so interesting (and makes me want Book Two to hit the stands right now) is its scale - this is an epic. And worth every star.

Review 2 - These four books that make up the age of insects series are absolutely fantastic. The story makes for a great read, and I was entertained the entire time. I really enjoyed every part of these books, and have even re-read them a few times. It was such a breath of fresh air to read something with an ending that wasn't easily predictable. All of this would be a great reason to read these books, but I haven't even begun to review the art work. The art is so great! Every panel is incredibly visually stimulating, and dynamic. Each book is really action packed, I loved the overall art design and it really fit the tone of the story. I would definitely recommend them to anyone and everyone(well mature audiences anyway).

More info:

Written by SPARKY GREENE
Art by LOUIS PIEPER

Title: Xombi (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): John Rozum (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Greg McElhatton (Don't click it, read the review here... )

Review: Xombi #3

After two top-notch issues, I was a little worried when I got to the halfway point of "Xombi" #3. It wasn't bad at all, but the issue felt much more straight-forward and by the book than I was used to from "Xombi." Had it lost its spark? Was it just another superhero slugfest?

Then I got to the second half of the issue, and my faith was quickly restored. Catholic Girl and Nun of the Above would be proud.
A lot of "Xombi" #3 is devoted to learning the long-term plan of bad guy Roland Finch, and how he set up most of what led David Kim and company to this bad situation. And while it's fun to see how Finch has been quietly manipulating everyone involved, it's a little dry, lacking a lot of the wit and strangeness that I expect from John Rozum's scripts. Sure, the Maranatha is a terrifying monster and it's nice to see our characters struggling against something so powerful, but it didn't particularly stand out the way the first two issues did.
But as David starts healing from an extremely bad wound, we get a two page sequence about what life really is, and what it matters. In another writer's hands this would have felt trite and ridiculous. From Rozum, it feels like poetry. It's the centerpiece of "Xombi" #3, and it's something that both the reader and the character will benefit from. In many ways it's a reminder to David about why he needs to let the nanomachines bring him back to life over and over again, and what he's fighting for. Who knew a line of dialogue about the smell of dew on the grass would be so poignant?
And then, even more elegantly? Rozum folds this part of the issue back into the main story. David using this knowledge about the meaning of life to defeat an enemy is a great moment, and by the end of the issue I had a big grin on my face. It's a great conclusion to the issue, and a reminder about some of the attraction of "Xombi" in general.
Frazer Irving continues to bring gorgeous art to every page. Maranatha looks amazingly cool, the flames-as-mane licking around its head, and exuding just sheer power as it tears through our heroes (figuratively and literally). There's just something about Irving's art that fascinates me; maybe it's the way he draws people's faces that looks so realistic but at the same time not at all like a photo, or perhaps it's the tight integration of the coloring into the overall look of the comic. Whatever it is, though, another month with new Irving art is a good month for comic books in general.
In an ideal world, we're going to hear that "Xombi" is building up its sales every month. There's nothing else quite like it on the market right now; it's smart, funny, touching, and beautiful. If you aren't reading "Xombi" yet, scoop up the first three issues. You're in for one doozy of a ride.

More info:

- Story by John Rozum
- Art by Frazer Irving
- Colors by Frazer Irving
- Letters by Dave Sharpe
- Cover by Frazer Irving
- Publisher DC Comics

Title: Dungeons & Dragons (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): John Rogers (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Andrew Uys (Don't click it, read the review here... )

Review: Dungeons & Dragons #7

Everyone in the comic book industry is looking at Image Comics. Between its strong run of hot hits and bold exclamations of a new “Big Three” of comics publishers, they have positioned themselves well — but if we consider the whole spectrum of comics, it must be said that rival publisher IDW has established just as exciting a line up of fantastic comics. Focusing on licenses, and “re-developing” stagnating properties, IDW has had some major success with GI Joe, Transformers, and less-mainstream-but-even-hotter Suicide Girls comic. None of these series come close to matching the fun and excitement that IDW has returned to… Dungeons & Dragons.

Yup, break out your four, twelve, and twenty-sided dice, and pick up their on-going series that features the best RPG-comic story that I have ever seen. This comic utilizes to all the usual stereotypes that even non-D&D players will already pick up on as fantasy-geek-chic rolls through mainstream culture. Then the comic takes these stereotypes (and reader expectations) and inverts them just enough that you find yourself laughing both at the story, and at yourself for being suckered in so easily. It’s like the joke is on you for believing in stereotypes, and yet, by having believed in those stereotypes, the story is that much funnier and nuanced. I’d say I’m reading too much into this fun sword-and-sorcery adventure comic, but I really don’t think so.

Dungeons & Dragons is perfect for new readers who pick it up randomwly, but even more satisfying for those who have know and enjoyed the D&D game for years. The only drawback to this comic is that it is heavily tied into the 4th edition of the role-playing game. For newer fans of the game system, the extra notes at the back, designed to help you recreate or reuse elements from each issue, are probably a lot of fun. I certainly wish there had been a book like this for me 15 years ago. Still, for more ‘experienced’ fans like myself, who like most older folks, keep claiming that “It’s only best when it’s XX edition” (personally I’m still pretty happy with 3.5), this material serves to remind us how much D&D is being directed at the vid-gamer crowd these days.

Still, when the only major complaint about a comic is the bonus material (and how it makes me feel old), the series is doing something right. Written by John Rogers, with art by Horacio Domingues, JUANAN, and Andrea Di Vito; Issue #7 might not be the best jumping in point. Middle of adventure, the characters flashbacking/time travelling through the story, and alliances shifting from moment to moment, the issue might be a little tough to open and dive right in. Then again, if you liked the wildness and the “who knows what could happen next” aspect of role-playing games, then this might be exactly the perfect issue to pick up and discover the new Dungeons & Dragons series.

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writer John Rogers
artist Andrea di Vito

Title: Green Hornet Aftermath (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Jai Nitz (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Ray Tate (Don't click it, read the review here... )

Review: Green Hornet: Aftermath #1

Nigel Raynor's artwork is the best thing about Green Hornet: Aftermath. Raynor grants Kato the right amount of kinetic command and recalls Bruce Lee's energy. I know that a new actor took over the role of Kato in the Green Hornet movie, but I suspect Lee is still Raynor's model. Seth Rogan is clearly Raynor's source for the Hornet.

The comedy in the book is hit or miss. At least it's not vulgar like Kevin Smith's attempts. If this title were patterned on the '60s television series, the Black Beauty wouldn't have run out of gas because Britt forgot to fill the tanks. That's just dumb. Both the Hornet and Kato would be determining the fates of the drug dealers. Britt would not be out of breath, arriving way past the nick of time. Of course, given that he would have kept the Black Beauty fueled, this scene would not have been necessary.

On the other hand, Kato's use of a little girl's pink bike, complete with basket, to face off against the punks on hogs? Pretty funny, and his willingness to ignore the ridiculousness of the situation and use the bicycle as a weapon is reminiscent of some of the more outrageous moments in Hong Kong chopsocky.

Homeland Security shows up when the broken bodies lie strewn on the ground at dawn. I suppose drugs crossing the border now falls under their jurisdiction. I would have still thought the FBI would be pursuing such activity, but whatever. The point is that the ladies aren't very bright. They base their determination of the Green Hornet's identity on the flimsiest of evidence. It would be more logical for them to deduce that the reporter simply has a pipeline to the Hornet. Instead, they leap to the conclusion that Sentinel columnist Cullen Hurtt is the Hornet.

I'm unlikely to buy Aftermath again, but I can't say that this was a real disappointment because I really didn't expect much. A few of the jokes in Aftermath made me laugh, but most of them made me groan. Whatever the case, you should be laughing with the Green Hornet as he decimates crime from within, not laughing at him.

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writer: Jai Nitz
artist: Nigel Raynor, Inlight Studios (c)
publisher: Dynamite

Title: Irredeemable (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Mark Waid (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Stephen Joyce (Don't click it, read the review here... )

Review: Irredeemable #1

In Irredeemable #1 we are introduced to a world where the Plutonian was the first and greatest superhero. He inspired almost every hero that followed him. Unfortunately something caused the Plutonian to snap. Now the greatest hero the world has ever seen is the worst villain imaginable.

I have to say this was a lot better than I could have imagined it to be. The story uses the classic archetypes of heroes very well. The characters may be new, but due to the archetypes they are recognizable and have a have a feeling of comfort to them. The Plutonian is obviously a take on Superman and we've all seen evil Superman stories, but Irredeemable seems very different from other versions of this kind of story. The Plutonian is very much cold, calculating, and ruthless. Even to the extent that he doesn't pause to kill another hero and his family. One thing a lot of villains fail to show is that they are ruthless. Writers would rather let them talk and explain things than have them do what they plan to do. Mark Waid doesn't do that at all. We don't get much dialogue from the Plutonian. Instead his actions speak plenty for him.

I have to thank Waid for not trying to get us to sympathize with the Plutonian. He was able to establish that this character was suppose to be the best hero ever, but other than that doesn't give us any background on that character. This approach really helps the feeling that this guy is devoid of any positive emotion now. I expect that the reasons for the Plutonian's turn to evil will be explained as the series goes on, but for the first issue it worked perfectly to make it where you had no real attachment to this character.

The art in this book is very well done. The one thing that really stood out to me was the coloring in this issue. It was used perfectly and had a great effect for the tone of this book. All the scenes that took place in the present were dark and all the flashback scenes were much brighter. I'm sure this was intentional. The present was suppose to be dark to reflect the Plutonian turning evil and the past was obviously much brighter because he served as that beacon of light and hope.

Final Word: This is an amazing book! I cannot stress how much I truly enjoyed it. Mark Waid has crafted a tale that has captured my attention and left me wanting more.

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Writer: Mark Waid
Artist:Peter Krause, Andrew Dalehouse
Publisher: BOOM! Studios

Title: Incorruptible (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Mark Waid (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Ryan K. Lindsay (Don't click it, read the review here... )

Review: Incorruptible #19

Mark Waid has spent a lot of time making "Incorruptible" and "Irredeemable " one of the coolest one-two punches in the comic industry. These two titles exist within shared continuity, revolve around opposite sides of the same initial premise, and deliver a dynamic and enjoyable read each and every month. “Incorruptible” might be lesser champion of the two books, but that doesn’t hold it back from being great most of the time.

For those who don’t know, this title follows Max Damage, the major villain gone good while the good guy in “Irredeemable” has gone bad. Having the villain stop on a dime and attempt the good guy schtick is something that happens plenty in the major sandbox universes, but here Waid explores the concept with some level of depth and honesty. This issue showcases this by showing Max trying to play nice with someone he wronged quite severely in the past. There’s no way this man can or would ever forgive Max, but for Coalville to ever get any better maybe he has to at least put it aside, painful as that might be.

The interaction between the two leads in this issue goes back and forth in a gruelling duel that doesn’t look like it can ever be resolved. Then, just as it goes bad, it gets infinitely worse. It’s yet another seeming audible that Waid has no fear calling on this title because he can do whatever he likes. “Incorruptible” is a prime example why creators should keep a little creator owned on the side because they can play the game for complete stakes rather than always playing retconned/resurrected safeball elsewhere. Waid doesn’t need to sell these books as continuations of the status quo, so he shakes them up at will and watches the scattered remains slowly float down in new and amusing patterns.

The other thing Waid does so deftly in these books is expand his universe in divergent and creative ways. This issue gives time to some more of the new villains he’s created and they’re an interesting and wild bunch. They’re more action than character, at the moment, but they offer an erratic heart to this otherwise rehabilitated title.

Marcio Takara keeps his tone and pencil relatively in line with the previous stewards of the art on this title, and yet still makes things his own. His storytelling is definitely clear and he delivers the wide scope of Waid’s cast easily. There’s no confusion as to who each character is. There’s not much he’s doing wrong with the art, but he could stand to try a few different things, mix up his boxed panel layouts, or attempt a page in a meaningful style. His expressions are generally emotive but he could spend more time fleshing out each background, not just the establishing shots.

This issue races by, as they all do, because they are good. After reading this, stand back and slowly flip through it. Soak in just how much Waid fits into only one issue. He advances many scenes and plays through plenty of the main drive of the tale. This isn’t a comic that wastes a lot of time. It feels like Waid would get bored, so he moves onto new ideas and weaves them through everything else to make a very long and linear narrative. This is a good comic that’s rarely disappointing. Buying consistency is a solid investment, and your money is safe with this book because you never know where it’s going. You just know you want to be there to find out.

More info:

Story by Mark Waid
Art by Marcio Takara
Colors by Nolan Woodard
Letters by Ed Dukeshire
Cover by Garry Brown
Publisher Boom! Studios

Title: Let Me In Crossroads (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Marc Andreyko (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Ryan K. Lindsay (Don't click it, read the review here... )

Review: Let Me In Crossroads #1

This Dark Horse title is a tie-in comic that is helping to world build for the up-coming movie “Let Me In,” which in turn is based on the fantastic novel “Let The Right One In.” It is a tale set in 1982 in middle America. It is going to expand the character of the lead vampire girl and her human man-servant as they quest to find her blood. They’re calling this an essential piece of the entire experience but I have to disagree, so far. This comic isn’t bad but it doesn’t offer much that is good. I can’t help but think it’ll read better in trade as they focus on the audience more likely to buy it collected than monthly.

The original book is a phenomenal piece of writing and something that should be read, whether you do or don’t like the comic or the movie. The prose carries you along through the minds of the characters and it’s absolutely mesmerizing. This comic, however, does not employ any narrative captions and that is a truly missed opportunity. You don’t expect the comic writer to ape the style of the original author but placing the tone in the same world would have gone a long way to bridging this to the success of the source material.

As a prelude, I want to learn more about the main characters in focus. Instead, we are offered a good idea of the town they resided in 30 years ago and a deep study of the real estate agent trying to buy their land. I completely get him as a character but I’d much rather understand the people I actually read this comic to learn about. It feels like a massive tangent and while it sets up the story it doesn’t give me what I want. The setting should be simple; The main reactions are what I want.

Reynolds is in a tough spot because he’s adapting visuals from a movie. However, he has plenty of space to move because this tale is set earlier (though the vampiric lead would not have changed) and the movie hasn’t come out yet so the faces of the actors aren’t burnt onto our retinas just yet. Reynolds manages to make his characters not look photo referenced and so they are more free to act. He scratches the landscape well and Stewart’s colors certainly help to make this prelude feel like an older tale.

As a first issue, it would have been nice to get dropped into the tale in media res. Show us exactly what sort of death dealers we are reading about. Instead, this issue spins its wheels setting up external factors effectively but not in the direction that we want from this title. We don’t get into the minds of the characters, we don’t get a sense of anything too new here, and it’s a shame because these characters are interesting. Instead, this just feels like a pretty generic vampire tale, thinly written, and focused in the wrong direction. It does what it does well, but it’s not doing much that matches what the comic should.

More info:

- Story by Marc Andreyko
- Art by Patrick Reynolds
- Colors by Dave Stewart
- Letters by Clem Robins
- Cover by Sean Phillips
- Publisher Dark Horse Comics

Title: Superboy (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Jeff Lemire (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Joey Esposito (Review 1) and Popgun Chaos (Review 2) (Don't click it, read the review here... )

Review:

Review 1 - Superboy #8 - After a brief interlude with Doomsday, Superboy is back to figuring out the ongoing problem of Smallville. Turns out, there's a demonic group of baddies living hundreds of feet below the quaint middle America town. Who knew? In all seriousness, Jeff Lemire's Superboy has seen some serious pickup as of late. The supernatural angle is strange to be sure, but I can't deny that it's lovely to see Phantom Stranger in a recurring role, let alone in an unexpected title. Though the script is still too wordy for my liking, Lemire has narrowed his focus a bit and has decided to tell us where this story is headed. Giving Smallville a strange, secret history is fun. I can see where it would strike some people as silly, and it is, but just as everything else in Lemire's run so far – Psionic Lad, thought balloons, the Superboy/Kid Flash race – it all builds to a certain tone that finally becomes apparent in this issue.

The return of Pier Gallo, though I've called out some of his problems in the past, is welcome. Superboy #8 feels vastly improved visually over its predecessors. The new supernatural direction allows for more expression from Gallo, as he toys with bizarre character designs and creepy imagery. While a lot of his facial work leaves much to be desired, I felt like his attention to detail and panel composition had increased exponentially since the last issue he did.

Superboy is only scratching the potential that it's capable of despite it being nominated for an Eisner. Here's hoping it can find itself in the coming months before everything changes in the DCU.



Review 2 - Jeff Lemire’s Superboy – the comic I’m loving

I’ve had enough of complaining about comics. Let’s talk about a comic that everyone should read. From Rafael Albuquerque’s first cover for Superboy #1, I knew that I would be in love with this series, but then again, I’m biased.

Just before I really started getting into comics with Green Lantern #50, my interest in comic books was sparked by the Death of Superman. I remember crying when the first real superhero in the world was killed by Doomsday, but I immediately connected to Superboy (who insisted on being called “Superman”). Looking back, his fashion was horribly dated by 90′s cliche, but he had attitude, so I was in.

When Geoff Johns was writing Teen Titans, I read the book because Superboy was one of the lead characters. He had grown up a little bit and Johns added a layer of depth to his character by including the revision that his DNA was half Superman and half Lex Luthor. Suddenly, he was much more than just a clone, but a teen with the very real problem of trying to find his place in the world. If we are ruled by our DNA, then Connor has a 50/50 shot of becoming the world’s greatest hero or its greatest villain.

Johns has always had a knack for giving characters emotional weight and his characterization of Superboy speaks volumes to his talent as a writer. Before Teen Titans, Superboy really had no other name other than “Superboy.” By the time Johns was done with him, he became known as “Connor Kent” and he was much more relatable than the leather jacket wearing poster boy for 90′s attitude.

When Johns returned to Superboy in the pages of Adventure Comics, he covered much of the same ground that he did in the pages of Teen Titans, but it was more because of the abrupt nature of Connor’s death in the pages of Infinite Crisis. Connor had never come to terms with his dilemma of being Superman and Lex Luthor, so Johns and Manapul’s collaboration on Superboy closed that chapter on Connor’s life. His soul finally at ease with the knowledge that he can choose his own destiny, Connor could move on to new stories and a new life.

Jeff Lemire and Pier Gallo are the creative team on Superboy and they have taken the core ideas that Johns established and improved upon them. They have shown that Superboy can have a lot of heart on his own and without the narrow focus of questioning his destiny. The Johns run was necessary to establish a foundation for the character, but Lemire is taking Connor beyond and into the realm of the hero he is meant to be. It’s a journey that you should be apart of.

Along the way, Lemire has improved upon characters that Johns introduced in his run and he has done the impossible . . . he made Smallville interesting. First, lets look at the cast of characters:

Simon Valentine – Simon was introduced during the Johns run, and it was hinted at that he would become Connor’s best friend but also his greatest enemy. It’s been established that Simon possesses a brilliant scientific mind and is clearly passionate to act heroically, and Lemire has done an excellent job of making the character’s intentions somewhat ambiguous. He has already figured out that Superboy and Connor Kent are one in the same and it seems as if he wants to team up with Superboy, but Pier Gallo penciled an excellent haunting expression on Simon’s face when Connor informs him that they can’t hang out together at school. The rift is already beginning.

Simon is responsible for my favorite moment in the series thus far (I know we’re only four issues in, but its still cool) when he creates an army of frogs with Parasite’s powers. Its a moment that not only shows Simon’s intellect, but also given that he is utilizing a Superman villain’s powers, it shows that he might be a bit evil, and finally, it is such a fun and silver age type idea that it makes the reader smile.

Lori Luthor – Lex’s niece has been established as Connor’s love interest for the series, but it has recently been revealed that she has latent psychic or telekinetic powers of her own. While she could easily fall into the role of a Lois Lane, it’s pretty clear that Lemire has bigger plans for her. Also, since she has figured out that Connor and Superboy are the same person (really not too tough to figure out, I suppose) Lemire is making it clear that he doesn’t want to go down the same old road of “will she figure out that he is a hero?” that we’ve seen time and time again. It’s a refreshing change and just one of many ways that Lemire is trying to subvert the stories that we all know and love.

Psionic Lad – Not really sure how long he’ll be part of the book, but Psionic Lad traveled back in time from the year 2216 to learn how to be a hero from Connor . . . or did he? The mystery that Psionic Lad offers is exciting and I can’t wait to see how this one plays out!

Smallville – More than all of the individual characters though, Lemire has given Smallville a laugh of its own. While Metropolis clearly has its own unique place in the DCU, Smallville has always felt like an afterthought to me. Most of the time, it is depicted as nothing more than just the Kent farm, but Lemire has put together a mystery about the secret life of Smallville that Superboy must uncover that really appeals to me as a midwesterner.

The idea of mystery and magic lying beneath the surface of a rural town is a theme that Lemire explored within Essex County, and it’s a perfect fit for this series. Its unknown exactly what is going on in Smallville, but it has the Phantom Stranger worried and it features alien Mennonites, so it’s going to be crazy and awesome by the end.

I wish this book had come out when I was a teen. It strikes a nostalgic chord and it is a book that has a lot of heart. Definitely check it out and tell all your friends because I don’t want Lemire to leave.

More info:

Written by JEFF LEMIRE
Art by PIER GALLO
Cover by KARL KERSCHL
Publisher: DC Comics
Genre: Superhero Comic
Lifespan: August 2010 - Current