Title: Lady Death - Bountless (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Brian Pulido and Mike Wolfer (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Keith Davidsen (Don't click it, read the review here... )

Review: LADY DEATH #9

When we decided to relaunch LADY DEATH with an ongoing series, one of our most important goals was to put out the series in timely monthly intervals. Here we are, still steamrolling along and living up to that commitment… as exemplified with tomorrow’s release of LADY DEATH #9!

Written by Brian Pulido and Mike Wolfer, with delectable artwork from Gabriel Andrade, LADY DEATH #9 continues the story of our ivory-skinned heroine’s consolidation of forces in the Under Realm. As summarized in our Previews catalog listing:

“Lady Death’s war against the mischievous Death Queen continues! After learning that the kingdom ruled by Satasha had entered into a secret alliance with Death Queen, Lady Death was determined to burn New Aberffraw to the ground. But the unbridled wrath of the albino goddess has been momentarily redirected, as Death Queen’s unstoppable enforcer, Behemoth, his legion of undead warriors and giant, lava-spewing spiders launches a terrifying offensive upon the city in a search for Lady Death and the rebel leader, Wargoth. As the earth-shaking battle commences, secrets will be revealed, lovers will die and double-crosses will be exposed, but will there be anything left of the besieged kingdom for the blood-splattered victors to rule?”

More info:

Written by Brian Pulido and Mike Wolfer
Artwork from Gabriel Andrade

Publisher:

 

Title: Classified Secrets Of Infestation (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning[/url] (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: wiki (Don't click it, read the review here... )

Review:

A distress beacon recovered in Sector 7-G of the Rigil Kentaurus system contains a message from Scourge. The Seeker ship he's on is in dire straits, needing repairs to the nav-thrusters and leaking energon into the void of space. Scourge isn't certain he's going to be able to return to Earth and the systems feedback is inconclusive. As is the distress signal which degrades into gibberish at that point.

Later, the signal is resumed. Scourge's tone is more aggravated as he refers to there being something on board. Something that's both not alive and alive at the same time. Whatever it is, it seems it came aboard when the ship made contact with a cloud of space debris. Debris that was both frozen and robotic in nature. Scourge and his Sweeps took samples. And now strange noises are emanting from the cargo bay where the samples are stored. The signal is lost again...

Only to resume later still, as a more-overtly panicked Scourge states that the stuff from the samples isn't dead. In fact it's inside the Sweeps and tearing the ship apart. Scourge requests immediate assistance. Stating that this is something new and unfamiliar. At this point, Scourge's transmission degrades into mostly gibberish once more before the transmission ends with a plaintive request to keep a door closed.

This was an 8 page promotional flyer for IDW's forthcoming Infestation event. As such, it had single page stories focusing on each IDW property that would be involved with the event. As per TFWiki policy, only the Transformers section has been included here.

More info:

Publisher: IDW Publishing
First published: November 24, 2010
Written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning
Art by Nick Roche
Continuity: IDW continuity
Chronology: Current era (2011)

Publisher:

Title: Infestation (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Jorge Solis (Don't click it, read the review here... )

Review: INFESTATION #1

IDW Publishing presents INFESTATION, an ambitious crossover event that will tie in with their popular TRANSFORMERS, STAR TREK, G.I. JOE and GHOSTBUSTERS titles. This first-ever event ignites a zombie uprising that threatens to tear the universe apart. Fans will undoubtedly enjoy an all-out massive battle between zombies, vampires, ghost hunters, space cadets and giant robots.

In the hot desert of New Mexico, an ammunitions storage facility has been the secret hiding place for a government laboratory. A horrible catastrophe leaves all the doctors, the scientists and nurses dead inside. The military arrives in the midst of chaos, firing a storm of bullets at the reanimated cadavers.

Because their mission is to protect humans from the supernatural, CVO (Covert Vampiric Operations) has been assigned for clean-up duty. The top-secret squad of vampire agents investigates the cause of the disaster while wiping out the undead, who are roaming around in the abandoned building. While team leader Cross directs the annihilation of the zombie army, Benny, the “brains” of the operation, discovers the source of the incident. He finds out that the scientists were working on an interdimensional portal, a gateway to Dimension Z.

A voice in the darkness calls out to Benny, tempting him to betray his teammates. He suddenly loses his sanity while attempting to shut off the portal. The army of zombies are linked to a hive consciousness, called the Undermind. This unstoppable force has a never-ending appetite for fresh meat and knowledge. Bent on world domination, the Undermind intends to use the portal to spread through other dimensions.



Writing duo Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning grab hold of the reader’s attention with their blood-soaked opening. The narrative builds to an epic confrontation between CVO and the Undermind, leaving fans anxiously anticipating the next action-packed issue. The writers have also cleverly supplied enough material to keep their audience engaged to follow the other IDW titles.

The artwork by David Messina is rich in character design, providing each CVO member a specific look to reflect their personality. Every single page is littered with intense zombie action. Messina’s cinematic angles keep the eyes focused on zombie bites, arm dismemberment and heads being blown off.

With the groundwork set, INFESTATION #1 becomes a phenomenal event that will surely have comic book and horror fans buying every single issue. Readers shouldn’t be expecting BLACKEST NIGHT or another CIVIL WAR; this is a zombie outbreak done absolutely right, full of carnage and nonstop action!

From January 19 to April 6, INFESTATION spreads onto TRANSFORMERS, STAR TREK, G.I. JOE and GHOSTBUSTERS. This writer anxiously hopes Snake Eyes (Yo Joe!) will slice and dice zombies with his swords. To see the Ghostbusters team use their proton packs against a zombified Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, that’s worth buying alone!

More info:

Written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning
Art by David Messina

Publisher:

Title: Ghostbusters Infestation (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Erik Burnham (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: Ghostbusters: Infestation #1

Who you gonna call when zombies take over New York?

It's no secret that zombies have saturated the pop-culture market. They're everywhere in movies, television and especially comics. That's why I was initially disappointed when I opened the first page of Ghostbusters: Infestation to find a, well... infestation of zombies in the book. However, writer Erik Burnham does a good job in this first issue selling me on the concept of Ghostbusters going up against zombies, pointing out that zombies are the absolute antithesis to everything the Ghostbusters usually confront. This makes zombies a fresh idea when taken in the context of the Ghostbusters universe. And after having that epiphany, I just strapped in and enjoyed the ride for what it is.

Erik Burnham's handling of the Ghostbusters cast shows that he understands what makes his group entertaining. They are constantly playing off one another, cracking jokes and making comments even in the face of danger. The plot Burnham has concocted in Ghostbusters: Infestation even has some touches of originality in regards to what happens when a wandering spirit meets a soulless undead roamer. This plot development made me sit back and admire its cleverness.



A large reason why this comic is so enjoyable is because of Kyle Hotz's art. Hotz puts a great cartoony spin on the entire Ghostbusters cast that helps place the book's charm and playful demeanor front and center. But Hotz isn't afraid to bust out the gruesome zombie carnage when necessary. In addition, Hotz deserves further recognition for his depiction of a terrifying zombie cat that puts the one found in the Pet Cemetery movie to shame.

I had my doubts about Ghostbusters: Infestation #1. But I went in with an open mind and found an enjoyable romp waiting to be ingested. The only thing I can complain about is the last page cliffhanger. Erik Burnham has proven he can write an interesting Ghostbusters story, he doesn't/shouldn't need to turn to an over-used monster from the franchise in order to push copies.

More info:

Written by Erik Burnham
Art by Kyle Hotz

Publisher:

Title: GI Joe Infestation (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Mike Raicht (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Shin Densetsu (Don't click it, read the review here... )

Review: GI Joe Infestation #1

The preview for GI Joe Infestation #1 in the pages of Infestation #1 suggested that GI Joe Infestation would take on a dark tone. This issue is indeed, decidedly darker than Infestation #1. Simply put, everything goes to hell for all GI Joe and Cobra operatives involved.

The Baroness sets the tone for this issue, as someone in her party is quickly killed in the first few pages, followed by the immediate capture of Psyche Out. Baroness and crew have raided the seemingly unassuming boat that Psyche Out and his team are sailing on.

Until this issue, we haven’t seen Psyche Out and Interrogator used much, so their roles in this issue are appreciated. It was also interesting to see how soldiers working under the Baroness react to her orders.

Baroness is portrayed as a ruthless Cobra operative, aided by Cobra Eels and Interrogator. Along the way, two new would-be Joes, Dolphin and Hound, are very briefly introduced.
We mentioned new would-be Joes introduced in this issue, but they aren’t the only new additions, as a new BAT design is shown. These BATs are worked on by Dr. Zych and Dr. Mitchell of Cobra. The BATs have surgical implants from animals to boost their sensory functions. While Mitchell is reluctant to perform the surgeries, Zych demands that the surgeries continue, for her own reasons….



It turns out that Psyche Out was transporting mysterious cargo, cargo that is of interest to the Baroness. Against Psyche Out’s warnings, the Baroness sends off the cargo to Dr. Zych to study.

What results is everything going south for everyone stuck on the Cobra Cottonmouth base, and possibly an unholy alliance formed for survival, in the next issue.

In some way, this issue is similar to Infestation #1 in that it’s unpredictable and that things go haywire for the main characters. This kicks things off well because the odds are against them, and this may force both GI Joe and Cobra forces to team up. Premises like that are usually entertaining.

The artwork was handled well, with J. Brown’s colors accentuating Giovanni Timpano’s artwork rather well. Timpano’s use of spot black inks is good, it aids in conveying the dark tone of the storyline. His rendition of the Baroness is rather appealing as well.

Overall this issue combines good artwork with an intriguing story and overlooked/underrated characters. It’s definitely a unique GI Joe comic worth checking out.

More info:

Publisher: IDW Publishing
Writer: Mike Raicht
Art by: Giovanni Timpano
Colors by: J. Brown
Letters by: Chris Mowry
Editor: Andy Schmidt
Assistant Editor: Bobby Curnow

Publisher:

Title: Star Trek Infestation (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Scott Tipton and David Tipton (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Miguel Perez (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" a perfect example of how an event can successfully find it's way into a property without feeling shoehorned."
Review: Star Trek: Infestation #1

While this starts out feeling like a standard Star Trek adventure, the Infestation event quickly makes its presence known. Yet thankfully the premise lends itself perfectly to this property, which is something I never thought I'd say. Star Trek: Infestation #1 contains a traditional horror movie setup that leads into an undead adventure for Kirk and his crew; resulting in one of the most enjoyable reading experiences I had all week.

Similar to Infestation #1 and Transformers: Infestation #1, the tone of this book is entirely serious. But unlike the aforementioned books, the somber approach actually works well within the context of the Star Trek universe; feeling far more like a natural extension of the original source material. Star Trek lends itself wonderfully to the horror genre, possibly because the characters are more grounded in reality than Transformers could ever be.

This actually turned out to be more graphic than I expected, particularly Barnes' grotesque transformation. Kudos to Gary Erskine and Casey Maloney for the great job they did rendering such a disturbing scene and conveying a great horror movie vibe throughout the entire issue.

The one complaint I have is that events move too quickly during the final pages. The group escapes a zombie horde and travels 5 kilometers, all within a handful of panels. Other than that misstep, this represents a perfect example of how an event can successfully find it's way into a property without feeling shoehorned.

More info:

Written by Scott Tipton and David Tipton
Art by Casey Maloney
Cover art by John K. Snyder III

Publisher:

Title: Transformers Infestation (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: James Hunt (Don't click it, read the review here... )

Review: Transformers: Infestation #1

Just when you think that “Marvel Zombies” and “Blackest Night” have milked the zombification of pop-culture icons dry, along comes “Infestation,” IDW’s own Zombie-fuelled crossover. It’s hard not to feel a little fatigued.

In fairness, Zombie Transformers is a concept that we haven’t really seen, so in that sense, there is something new here, but at the same time, if you’re coming into this story with nothing but pure, un-jaded enthusiasm, it’s hard not to be a little envious.

It’s a little disappointing to find that in a comic that combines giant transforming robots and a zombie plague, everything is played with absolute, straight-faced seriousness. Abnett and Lanning have absolutely no problem orchestrating an epic, but when it comes to letting a concept’s inherent fun out, they apparently plan to err on the side of caution rather than risk undermining the concept with comedy.

In fairness, perhaps they’re keeping the comedic take for the “Ghostbusters” crossover issues -- in which case, the Transformers are well-suited for a big action story, and that’s roughly what we get. It’s hard not to feel like the characters are misused, though.



For instance, in a normal Transformers book, neither Kup nor Galvatron would typically express much fear -- the former is too stoic, the latter simply too insane -- but in this story, both are gibbering wrecks at the prospect of the zombie infestation. Clearly, the intent is to reverse these characters’ normal attitudes as a way of conveying the scale of the threat, but it vastly over-eggs the pudding. It doesn’t work, because their reactions are so extreme that they don’t feel believable.

It doesn’t help that Nick Roche’s artwork seems to veer off model quite frequently. Prime’s initial appearance is so distorted that it actually distracts from the story, and from there on in it seems as though no character is drawn the same way twice again. Similarly, the art is so busy that it gets tough to follow. Clearer storytelling or coloring would help make the book easier to read, as the sheer volume of robots running crammed onto the page can easily lead to confusing visuals.

Perhaps worst of all, although the book appears to be trying to stand alone, the final-page twist relies on a story detail from “Infestation” #1 only covered on the recap page, and since I read this prior to “Infestation” #1, it was unclear what questions I was supposed to be asking of the twist. That alone, seems like bad form for a comic labelled issue #1, and it’s unfortunately indicative of the comic’s quality as a whole.

More info:

Story by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning
Art by Nick Roche
Colors by Joana Lafuente
Letters by Robbie Robbins
Cover by Terry Dodson

Publisher:

Title: Dungeons & Dragons: The Legend Of Drizzt - Neverwinter Tales (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): R.A. Salvatore and Geno Salvatore (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: kitty (Don't click it, read the review here... )

Review: Dungeons & Dragons: The Legend Of Drizzt #1

This is an interesting comic. It’s written by R.A. Salvatore, the writer of the hugely popular Drizzt novels (of which I am a fan). And it takes place between the recent Gauntlgrym novel and the upcoming Neverwinter. How much of an impact this will have on Neverwinter remains to be seen but if it is directly referenced in Neverwinter then this could be extremely interesting. But even if it’s not referenced, it still ends up being a nice part of the story for fans of both the novels and comics.

Comic book fans, who are not fans of the book, will be lost though. If you didn’t read Gauntlgrym, then you would have no idea what is going on in this story. But then, if you’re not a fan of Drizzt in the books, would you be checking this out?

Possibly. There’s always a chance that a comic book fan could have heard of Drizzt, never read the books, and picked this up wanting to know more about the character. In that regards, this book has two negatives going for it.

The first negative is that it relies so much on the reader having read Gauntlgrym. The second negative is more important, the title character only appears in the last two pages. The majority of this book is about Thibbledorf Pwent waking up in the ruins of Gauntlgrym and realizing what evil fate has befallen him.

Has Pwent wanders the ruins, we get some flashback images of the last chapters of the novel. It’s a nice refresher for those that read the book, but for those that didn’t, it’s just confusion added to more confusion.

And thats what makes this so interesting. This book has a chance of becoming a first. Taking a story that was started in one media and continuing it in another, then returning to the original. It’s a good idea and can help bring two genres together and I hope to see ads in Neverwinter for the comic book and how to order the trade.

But in a way I wish this was more accessible to new readers.

The story itself is a very quick read. It’s hard to get a handle on how the Salvatores will be as comic book writers (it’s not R.A.’s first foray into comics but I believe it is his first as a writer). It’s definately not a traditional first issue. This story relies so much on the reader being an established fan that the traditional hooks are not there.

I’m a fan of novels and was excited to see Drizzt in comic form, and am a little disappointed that I still have to wait to see Drizzt. I like that it’s tied to the novels but part of me wishes this had been independent stories of Drizzt.

The art by Padilla is solid. He’s got an interesting style that does have some excitment to the linework. The problem with a comic like this, based on a series of novels, is that the reader gets a mental idea of what a character should look like. This is not how I pictured Pwent’s armor. It’s always been described as a series of plates and seeing it as a bunch of spikes was a bit of a let down.

But again, it’s probably something that only works in mental pictures and wouldn’t work in actual pictures.

The Legend Of Drizzt #1 receives
3.5 out of 5

It’s a solid issue but because it relies so much on knowledge of the novels it’s not as good as it could have been.

More info:

Written by: R.A. Salvatore & Geno Salvatore
Art by: Agustin Padilla
Colors: Leonard O'Grady
Letters: Chris Mowry
Cover Art: A- Gonzalo Flores; B- Tim Seeley w/ Leonard O'Grady
Editor: Denton J. Tipton

Publisher:

Title: JLA Primeval (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning[/url] (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Tim Morse (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" Read it. Be satisfied. I was!"
Review:

When you look at the cover of JLA: Primeval does it speak out to you? Does it shout “Read me! Pick me up and read!” No? it didn’t do that for me either. A month or so ago I took a chance and bought a huge amount of comics. 6 long boxes full to be exact. It was a gamble and one that I broke even on. Sifting through the books I came across this. I looked at it, thumbed throughout it quickly and then put it on the stack and forgot all about it. I’m beginning to see a trend here. I’ve done this with other issues before and you know what? Those issues end up being some of my favorites. This book is no exception I’m happy to say.

I love how this book started out. In a hospital in Dallas Texas, we witness a police standoff. A patient who calls himself Disciple, has killed his hostages and is giving worship to whatever ancient gods he believes in to help him escape. And those gods do help and Disciple begins to wreak havoc across the globe. The JLA comes in, separated in groups of three, and with each encounter, they get shot with Disciples staff. No harm is done but Disciple manages to escape. Unbeknownst to our heroes, they have been harmed. Each one begins to regress to some sort of primeval form. Flash can’t slow down and becomes a blur. Superman de-evolves back to some sort of primate, as does Batman and Green Lantern. This happens to each of the members of the JLA. Before they regress too far they have to figure out how to not only save themselves, but the planet as well.

Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning really wrote a great story here. With it being a stand-alone story, they had the freedom to write a lengthy narrative and not suffer from having to cut it down to the point where it would make no sense. They used every page of this issue to it’s fullest. When it starts, they really put the effort to get your attention. It worked on me that’s for sure. As the story progressed, I really enjoyed how they portrayed each member of the Justice League de-evolving back to their respective primal instincts, and creatures for that matter. Unlike other issues that came out in the 90′s, this one does not feel dry or rushed. As I was reading, I really felt anxious to get to the next page. I also liked the fact that Abnett and Lanning focused on some of the other characters more then the main three, being Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman. The A-listers are in there, but it’s not just about them. If you can pull that off in a DC book, let alone a Justice League book, you’ve got my attention.



Ariel Olivetti’s artwork didn’t quite grab me at first. It almost felt as if he drew the characters too wide. Sounds funny I know, but when you read the issue, you’ll see. Getting past that, there were some really great sections of the issue that he drew wonderfully. I really liked how he drew the tattoos on Disciple. It gave the impression as if they were flowing around him. On each panel, they were in different places. Whether it was intentional or not, I thought it was pretty cool. I also enjoy very much when an artist can draw emotions with a great deal of skill. Ariel does that flawlessly.

I really need to take this piece of advice to heart when it comes to comics. “Never judge a book by its cover.” That statement is very true in this case. At first glance, it really doesn’t seem like it would, or could be a good issue. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Of course it has action. Yes, it has suspense. Drama even makes an appearance, but what it has the most is that hint of chance. Pick it up. Read it. Be satisfied. I was!

More info:

Writers: Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning
Artwork: Ariel Olivetti

Publisher:

Title: Turok – Son of Stone (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Jim Shooter (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Iann Robinson (Don't click it, read the review here... )

"it’s a tremendous title that announces itself with great style."
Review: Turok, Son of Stone #1

Turok, Son Of Stone, was originally published in 1954 via Western Publishing. The character was a Native American who, with his brother Andar, became trapped in the dinosaur age. This week Dark Horse is revamping the character with a 48-page book from legendary writer Jim Shooter and artist Eduardo Francisco.

Turok, Son Of Stone #1 is an interesting attempt by Dark Horse to do something that feels like a Golden Age comic but with a more sinister and violent edge. That way I see it, this new Turok puts in all the things kids in 1954 wish they could’ve seen. Some of the original events have been altered slightly but nothing that hurts the legacy of the character.

In the original comic, the relationship between Turok and Andar is established up front and a maniacal tribe out isn’t chasing the two in order to sacrifice Andar. In an odd twist in this first issue, Turok names Andar because the boy can’t say his own name out loud for fear of violating his tribes’ laws.

There’s also the lack of a magical cave delivering the two warriors to the dinosaur age, instead they get there through a dark and evil storm. All the changes here really just add some new dimensions to the original idea, dimensions that allow for the story to be violent and dark. It also modernizes the straightforward story arcs of the Golden Age.



The brilliance here lies with Jim Shooter, an old school comic author who writes an old school story. Shooter keeps the dialog very much in a Golden Age rhythm, but allows just enough room for the newer story to grow. It’s not easy re-introducing a seemingly benign character to a new audience, especially one not wowed by the world of Indian warriors and dinosaurs.

Shooter knows he has to bring in the old school fans and so he weaves the dialog around the plot, letting it carry the weight of the original legend, while the story brings Turok and his tale into a more modern age. It would’ve been easy to have Turok speak in a modern tongue, or even to make the whole thing “Tribal Futuristic”, but Shooter never takes the easy way out. His need to hold fast to old school comic rules, even while writing masterful, modern stories, is part of why his run on Legion Of Superheroes didn’t last. It’s just a little too smart for most people.

Another solid play from Dark Horse was to have artist Eduardo Francisco draw this up like an old seventies comic. It’s an interesting idea to bring in the seventies era of comic book art, combine it with a modern story and then add a batch of Golden Age dialog. If even one of these aspects were out of place, the whole house of cards would come down. Instead it blends perfectly and never takes you out of the story. The art has those same sharp edges and bold lines that the seventies comics had, plus the colors are muted in much the same way. Every so often Francisco will hit the panels with a modern vibe but for the most part it feels and looks like seventies, newspaper printed, comics.

As an added bonus, a reprint of the original Turok, Son Of Stone is the backup story for issue #1. I don’t know If all of this smart planning from Dark Horse or bold artistic steps from Shooter and Francisco will lead to Turok becoming a major book, but for now, it’s a tremendous title that announces itself with great style.

More info:

Written by Jim Shooter
Art by Eduardo Francisco

Publisher:

Title: Optic Nerve #12 (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Adrian Tomine (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Royal Nonesuch (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" Another great entry in the Adrian Tomine catalog"
Review:

We all want think about doing something greater, bigger, and more successful than whatever we're up to right now. How many people are really all that satisfied with what they're doing? Whether it's art or industry, we're always thinking about doing something better.

Harold certainly feels that way, and he's chosen to do something about it. In "A Brief History of the Artform Known as Hortisculpture," the first short story in Adrian Tomine's new Optic Nerve #12, Harold is a modest gardener who is sick of having to settle for mowing lawns and trimming hedges for money. He is struck by inspiration and one day decides to create a brand new artform: hortisculpture. The portmaneau is obvious; Harold creates a type of "living sculpture" where he combines growing plant life and man-made materials to bring about something new. As Harold himself puts it: "It's a synthesis of nature and craft; a marriage of the wild and the man-made; a living, breathing 'objet d'art." As he goes off into the world (or at least into the small town he lives in) trying to blow everyone away with his new ideas and new creation, Harold's earnestness is infectious, and it's easy to root for him as he runs into resistance and opposition. As excited as Harold is about hortisculpture, he doesn't find any support anywhere. His wife is more concerned about the bills getting paid, his neighbors find his work ugly and obtrusive, and a friend even makes a joke comparing hortisculpture to the common Chia Pet. Harold is unable to sell a sculpture; he's literally unable to give them away. In fact, he goes years without anyone ever telling him that what he's doing is in any way interesting or worthwhile.

The stirring emotional truth and the quick, concise wit are vintage Tomine. Now that he's married and has a small child, Tomine is putting the modern issues of young relationships on hold for a bit to tell an older man's story. The remarkable thing is that not much changes from one age group to the next. We always want to do something greater, and want to be recognized and loved for it. Watching Harold become so embittered by his experiences with his problematic suburban existence is rather heartbreaking, but Tomine doesn't make Harold the virtuous, all-knowing Prince Among Men either. Tomine's hallmark of character construction is how three-dimensional he makes them, and how the contradictions all fit together so seemlessly (at one point, Harold is grumbling about lowered standards while binging on cheap supermarket junk food). Visually, Tomine's simple but clear line drawings look as confident as ever. The interesting thing he does with "Hortisculpture" is that he presents the story using the visual grammar of newspaper comic strips, right down to the figure drawing. The story is broken up into a series of black and white, four color strips punctuated every seven strips by a full page, four color sequence (a lá the Sunday funnies). The format displays Tomine's trademark concision, as each strip represents its own chunk of storytelling, with its own beginning, middle, and end.



The second story in Optic Nerve #12, entitled "Amber Sweet," is a melancholy modern tale of a young woman who his heckled and cat-called everywhere she goes. She eventually finds out that the reason for all this attention is that she happens to bear a striking resemblance to a porn star named Amber Sweet. Certainly, things are really difficult for her as her identity pretty much becomes co-opted by who and what people, including a steady boyfriend think she is. The story is sad and difficult, but takes a poignant turn when she gets a chance to actually meet and spend a day with the real Amber. For this story, Tomine reverts to his natural, expressive style and full color, and everything looks so big and vibrant compared to "Hortisculpture" that the issue becomes a study in contrasts. In fact, Tomine shows off his versatility even further with a funny two-page autobiographical story at the end, wherein he actually goes all the way back to his old shaggy mini-comics aesthetic from early in his career to detail his new life as a cartoonist and comic book creator who prefers to publish single issues while his contemporaries all go into creating hardcover, perfect bound graphic novels the current market favors.

An Adrian Tomine book is always welcome partially because so much time passes between each one, but also because his work has a knack for eliciting that "yeah, I've been there" reaction from the reader. The characters and interpersonal relationships in his "slice-of-life" stories really feel like they're happening right outside your window. Tomine really cuts to the core not only of his own characters, but of the reader's experience. His level of craft is really remarkable, and Optic Nerve #12 really is another great entry in the Adrian Tomine catalog.

More info:

Art and story by Adrian Tomine

Publisher:

Title: Friday the 13th (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Dave Caroleo (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" You just can’t keep a good guy down."
Review:

You know him!! You love him!! The man… the legend… Mr. Jason Voorhies. You know how he died. You know how he came back. You even know how he got his mask. But do you know.. how many others have died at Crystal Lake? …Have drowned in her icy waters? Do you know how many others Crystal Lake has brought back? Do you know how long the killing has been going on? Do you know how it started? Do you know that it started waaaaaay before Jason??

This series answers these questions. And in doing so, adds to the Friday the 13th mythos. Sure there are naked chicks, teenage dialogue, and lots of juicy mutilations, (this is Friday the 13th after all). But there is something else here. Something deeper. Something darker. Legend. For the first time ever get a glimpse into the history of Crystal Lake; the atrocities that took place there centuries ago, and the vengeful spirits that reside there now, in the waters where Jason drowned as a boy. If this comic was developed into a Friday the 13th movie, it would easily be my favorite of the series. Hands down. No questions asked. Personally, this was the best of the horror series that Wildstorm released in 2oo6 outdoing both Texas Chainsaw Massacre, & Nightmare on Elm Street. Especially “Nightmare on Elm Street” I don’t know what happened with that series. They just don’t compare. Hell, not even Brian Pulido’s take on the Friday the 13th series, released by the Avatar label under the “House of Horror” moniker, can compare to this. Gray, Palmiotti, & Archer outdid everyone who’s ever touched this series with this installment. This is my opinion of course, not fact, so don’t get all up in arms just yet.

A new snobby entrepreneur, looking to cash in on the camp’s infamy, gets this idea in his thick skull to re-open “Camp Crystal Lake”, Jason’s old killing-ground, as “Camp Blood”, a tourist attraction. A sleepaway camp with a real boogeyman. What better way to make money than to exploit the deaths of hundreds. Even before the doors are open this guy’s got “I Survived Camp Crystal Lake” T-shirts made. I Survived Camp Crystal Lake (yeah like that’s ever happened). He brings in a group of teenagers to clean up the premises, get it ready for it’s grand opening in three weeks, and then like any given asshole takes off. It’s the usual rag-tag band of character-types who would never hang out together. The stoners, the survivor-girl, the jock, the badass, the nerd, the bitch, you know the rundown. The regular bunch that normally attracts slashers like moths to a light-bulb. Before work they decide to take a dip into the lake of legend. This is where this tale deviates from the myriad of redundant sequels. Something grabs survivor girls foot. I won’t say what, but I will say this is the greatest scene in the comic, and if they could commit this to film it would be astounding. Anyway this scene is the precursor to the violence that ensues. Jason, everyone’s favorite momma’s boy, eventually shows up, and starts hacking everybody to fun-size pieces. In business we call this a “financial complication”. That’s right the cash-cow has come home to slaughter the staff just like the good ole days.



As I’m sure you can imagine this title is extremely gory in the fashion of the “Friday the 13th” movies. It contains a whole shit load of deaths, but unlike the movies… you can stare at them as long as you want in fully lighted detail. I loved that it kinda did a mini-history piece on Camp Crystal Lake. It was an element that gave an extra edge to an already surprisingly competent entry into a thoroughly retreaded franchise. Just tidbits, mind you, that acted as a neat little intermission between bouts of blood. But if you love Friday the 13th for it’s death scenes you certainly won’t go dry. The gore was right up in your face… and so were the boobies. That’s right. On top of all the geysers of gore, it had bundles of naked boobies… scoff all you want, comic boobies are fantastic. I think anyone that’s a hardcore Voorhees fan needs to read this as soon as they can.

The art by Adam Archer, as his name suggests, is spot-on. William Tell on paper. Every panel is perfectly detailed. The guy’s a surgeon with a pencil instead of a scalpel. I love the way he illustrates character faces. It’s almost reminiscent of Billy Tan’s work. In fact I’d say the two are very comparable. In one scene Mr. Voorhies plunges a steak-knife into this kids mouth, and you see the shattered teeth, the severed tongue. the whole sha-bang. The characters are what you’ve come to love and expect. Their dialogue is juvenile, sure, but it’s surprisingly enjoyable. Horror heavies Justin Gray & Jimmy Palmiotti (frequent collaborators) who worked on Hill Have Eyes: The Beginning for Fox Atomic, & Random Acts of Violence for Image never seem to disappoint. They know what horror fans want, and they deliver it like a pipe-bomb to your front door. To say the least; the writing has a natural flawless flow. It keeps things moving. It never gets stale for even so much as a panel. It keeps you guessing, as well as cheering.

As a long-time fan of the movies, I was expecting the same old song and dance here. And it is, don’t get me wrong. It’s got that nostalgic familiarity we all love. But damn has it got a few new moves it’ll surprise you with. It’s nice to see an old series that still has a few tricks up it’s sleeve; that Jason hasn’t gotten rusty with age. That his blades are as sharp as ever. If you’re a fan of the movies, you won’t be disappointed. And if you hated the movies…….well then what are you doing reading this?!?! So sharpen that old machette, and hang up the holiday corpses, ’cause Jason is back in town baby!!!!!!!!!!

MORAL OF THE STORY:
You just can’t keep a good guy down.

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Written by: Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti
Illustrated by: Adam Archer

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Title: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Bruce Logan (Don't click it, read the review here... )

"grips the reader right at the outset and doesn’t let go until the last panel of the last page"
Review: Texas Chainsaw Massacre #4

Man, this just keeps on getting more and more gory, doesn’t it? Kicking off with the rather sedate "man hung like a slab of meat" opening (issue #1), this series has progressively gotten more and more, uh, extreme, with this issue just being the latest and probably most expletive in terms of the aforementioned extremeness, with just about every character involved getting on with their rendition of the always impressive "chainsaw" act.

As sickeningly impressive as it is to see the characters go up against one another, it is their interactions (more than their individual identities) which interested me more. While A Nightmare on Elm Street has Freddy and Friday the 13th has Jason, Texas Chainsaw Massacre for me has always been about a nameless faceless chainsaw wielding giant of a man going around hacking the life (literally) out of anyone unfortunate enough to wander within his Range o’ Hacking. However, even though he is still the big-bad here, Mr. Chainsaw has the rest of his brood join in with a rather appreciable part (as against the relative "eye candy" part of the movies).



With the Chainsaw-family finally making its move against them, the F.B.I. agents get cut down soon enough, all except Banes and Hooper. From these two, Hooper is the one who gets off easy (for now), although given where he is now, even his time alive seems to be just about out. As for Banes, after a mishap in the underground tunnels and Hooper’s running out on him, he manages to get above ground only to chance upon the rendering just about to go at the Blair Meat Co. plant, (a carryover from the ending of the previous issue). Coming in between the distraught and panicking out of her mind Kim, Banes gets into an all out chainsaw-off, one which he wins, just barely. Not even as he catches his breath let alone tended to his wounds that he is confronted with, well, you know who, thus ending this issue.

There is a fluidity and pace to the artwork (Wes Craig, Randy Mayor) that not only adds visuals to Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning’s words, it also injects it with life, and I don’t mean that "gone in a slash of the saw" kind but one that grips the reader right at the outset and doesn’t let go until the last panel of the last page.

Conclusion: As far as reading tastes go, the Texas Chainsaw Massacre is the most serious of all three movie-horror titles currently being published by Wildstorm Productions.

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Writers: Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning
Artist: Wes Craig, Randy Mayor (colors)

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Title: Mass Effect: Conviction (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Mac Walters (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: R. B. LeMoyne (Don't click it, read the review here... )

"if you’re already a fan of the Mass Effect series, you’re going to want to read Mass Effect: Conviction"
Review:

Let me get this out of the way now: I’m a BioWare fanboy. Each video game they’ve released over the years has topped the last, and their RPGs are intricate and masterful in their execution. It’s their storytelling that hooks me every time. The action is great, of course, but their focus on story tickles the writer in me. So when a BioWare writer works on a comic book that ties directly into one of their games, you can bet it’s going to be a great comic.

Mass Effect: Conviction is a 10-page digital mini-comic produced exclusively for the Dark Horse Comics Digital Retailer Exclusive promotion, much like the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9 one-shot comic I reviewed last month. And just like that previous comic, the plot to this one is very simple, yet includes a lot of subtle detail. This one-shot is our prelude to Mass Effect 3 and introduces the reader to a new character in the franchise, James Vega. It drops some pretty significant clues as to how this third and final installment of the game will begin, and the last page had me smiling with two understated reveals.

Mass Effect 3 logoThe comic as a whole reads like a cinematic from the game, but that’s no surprise. It’s written by Mac Walters, lead writer of the wildly successful Mass Effect video game series, and it shows. Right from the first page, he establishes where this story fits into the series’ continuity and what the status quo is at this time. Walters introduces James as a man with few words, but his actions speak volumes. The fight sequence that results shows what this man is capable of, though it’s ended abruptly from a figure straight out of James’ past, Admiral Anderson. The banter between the two of them reveals more of Vega’s past, if only in bite-sized pieces, as the admiral recruits him for a very special guard duty…



If the comic reads like a cinematic, the tag team of Eduardo Francisco and Michael Atiyeh craft the storyboards of that cinematic. While the former is new to the franchise, Atiyeh has colored each of the previous Mass Effect comics with excellent attention to detail. I really like Francisco’s work on illustrating this story, from the alien races to our featured protagonist, though his treatment of the fight scene was a little spotty once James got injured taking it out to the street. Having seen head injuries up close, the cut in his hairline would have been bleeding much sooner than it was portrayed in the comic. For the most part, though, it’s not hard to follow what happened and to who, always tricky when dealing with big groups in fight scenes. Major kudos for that, Francisco!

Mass Effect: Conviction coverAll in all, I’m pretty pleased with how this mini-comic played out. It gave me plenty of information on what kind of character this James Vega is, even when there was no dialogue, and completely whet my appetite for more. However, there’s not enough here for a new reader to really get caught up to speed with the game. That’s my only real critique of these digital one-shots that Dark Horse has been releasing, they’re far too short and rely on the reader having prior knowledge of the series to fully appreciate them. You’d think promotional comics would do more to bring new readers into a series they might not otherwise pick up outside of this digital exclusive. However, if you’re already a fan of the Mass Effect series, you’re going to want to read Mass Effect: Conviction to get a quick fix until the game comes out.

To get this free digital comic, visit the Dark Horse blog for a list of participating retailers! And be sure to stay tuned to Comic Booked for more Dark Horse Comics news from the lovely Nicole Sixx!

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Script by Mac Walters
Art by Eduardo Francisco

Publisher:

Title: XIII (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Jean Van Hamme (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Richard (Don't click it, read the review here... )

"It’s classy, exciting, wonderful fun. Couldn’t really ask for more."
Review: XIII Volume 6 – The Jason Fly Case

Okay; the quick version…. XIII is an amnesiac who washes up on the East coast of the US, with no memory of his past or his identity. For some reason there’s a roman numeral XIII tattooed on his collar bone and he’s in possession of a vast variety of physical and combat techniques, all of which points towards some specialist, covert role.

This 19 volume series takes a few initial ideas from Jason Bourne and then goes batshit crazy with Van Hamme filling the series with every possible twist and turn he can – every volume puts XIII in some new situation, with some possible clue to his own identity dangled in front of him, the whole thing usually going spectacularly wrong to the sound of gunfire, explosions, running and breaking things.

Now go back and read those two paragraphs without pause for breath and as fast as you can.

That’s the XIII experience. And I’m a big, big fan:

“.. I’m still grinning from ear to ear with childish joy after reading it, swept along by the sheer exuberance of van Hamme’s writing as he puts his protagonist through every brilliant thriller hoop he can think of.” Volumes 1 & 2.

“If my other favourite Van Hamme series Largo Winch cranks the excitement up to 10, then XIII just did a Spinal Tap and set everything to 11.” Volume 3.

“I know Van Hamme will continue to throw complication and tortuous twists and turns in my way until that very final volume 19. And it’s something I’ll look forward to happening each volume as I sit there relishing every insane twist, every complex turn.” Volume 4.

“But even though the ending was, in my humble opinion, rushed and flawed, having just read Volumes 1-5 all over again for writing this review, I’m still convinced that … XIII is a classy and classic piece of intriguing thriller.” Volume 5.

Volumes 1-5 put XIII right in the middle of a very high profile political conspiracy supported by beautiful Major Jones and rugged, knows a lot more than he’s letting on Lee Marvin-a-like General Carrington. XIII is pretty much bang to rights as the assassin of a Kennedy-esque US President, and consequently spends a lot of the time on a desperate run from all manner of people with asssorted weapons and plans for causing harm. And I did think the ending seemed rushed and a bit of a let-down. But I’m putting that down as a blip.

Well, this volume is the come down from XIII’s post conspiracy plot climax. A perfect time to plunge into XIII, unafraid of getting too confused. This is a simple one – XIII is off to pursue another lead to his identity – the Jason Fly persona.

(A relaxing trip to the psych, trying to investigate the mystery of his past life/lives – all beautifully rendered by Vance, and notice the subtle, much used this volume, shift between present and flash-back – all in the panel corners. Quite simple, yet Vance and Van Hamme tell the story so well, it’s completely natural. XIII Volume 6: The Jason Fly Case by Van Hamme and Vance, published by Cinebook)



But the post climactic comedown lasts a whole 5 pages before we’re back on track. This is, after all, Jean Van Hamme’s XIII, and if you really thought he was going to let up the pace so early on, you really haven’t been paying attention.

No, XIII gets right back on the action thriller horse, investigating this Jason Fly identity in the sleepy town of Green Falls in a story that introduces a lot of new characters, and surprise surprise, there’s some old mystery and conspiracy that threatens to blow up the minute XIII walks (back?) into town.

Very quickly XIII is back doing what Van Hamme gets him doing so well, Major Jones heads back with important information and we spend a great deal of the book in flashback, filling in the moments between the end of the presidential conspiracy and now, where XIII, Jones, Carrington and XIII’s psychiatrist attempt to fill in the past and help XIII put together his possible life as Jason Fly.

(Oh dear – that’s the psychiatrist done in. Being around XIII and not being one of the major characters does tend to have that result. From XIII Volume 6: The Jason Fly Case, by Van Hamme and Vance, published by Cinebook)

It shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone with a passing interest in XIII that Jason Fly probably isn’t going to be the final, revealed in Volume 19, identity of XIII. It also shouldn’t come as a surprise that the journey to get there, is everything that makes XIII so much fun. This volume reads slightly differently, mostly due to the structural elements – mixing so many flashback sequences into the action really alters the feel of it.

And in lesser hands it may have ruined the volume. But Van Hamme and Vance pull the thing off so spectacularly well. There’s nothing to point out the extensive flashbacks aside from a subtle shift in the shape of the panel corners. But the storytelling of both men is so strong, so good, that it just naturally flows.

XIII Volume 6 is simply another volume in a fantastic series. And that’s a horrible, damning with faint praise way to describe it. But 6 volumes in of the 19 and I’m still looking forward to every new volume more than most things that cross my desk right now. It’s classy, exciting, wonderful fun. Couldn’t really ask for more.

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Story by Jean Van Hamme
Art by William Vance

Publisher: