[Zacharie]

Title: The Cleaners (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Mark Wheaton and Joshua Hale Fialkov (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Pop Syndicate (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" This one will appeal to fans of horror, crime and procedurals, character-driven drama, AND the supernatural"
Review: The Cleaners #1

Now this is intriguing. A new series about something very interesting that I know absolutely nothing about, created by people I have never heard of, and published by a company that doesn’t do this sort of thing all that often. How could I not check it out? And now that I have just finished reading it, all I can say is “wow”. Not in that way that implies something is so bad or wrong that you can’t help but be ensorcelled by its utter lack of redeeming qualities. No, this would be in that way that means that I am at a complete loss for words when it comes to describing how impressed I am right now. But now that I’ve had a few more minutes to process what I have just read I’ll do my best to elaborate further.

The Cleaners is all about those whose job it is to tidy up places that have experienced a great deal of ‘trauma’. Simply put, locations where copious amounts of blood and other body fluids have somehow found their way out of the nice fleshy bodies that they once called home. Specifically it’s about one group of these specialists in particular, Robert Bellarmine’s Restoration & Reclamation. We follow Mr. Bellarmine through what must be a typical day, watching him apply his craft to crime scenes that the local authorities are finished with. Through Robert’s conversations with his clients we learn a great deal about the process and how important it is that it be done properly. What’s probably most horrifying about this book is the thought of how easy it must be for just one of these messes to contaminate the surrounding area with all kinds of deadly organisms. This comic will certainly not allay any fears you might have regarding blood, germs, or your local drinking water, that’s for sure.



But there’s so much more to this story than just the fascinating factoids. There are glimpses into Bellarmine’s past as a doctor, introductions to the rest of his crew and his girlfriend, and a grisly interlude with a madman who might be behind the carnage at Robert’s recent job sites. Writers Mark Wheaton and Joshua Hale Fialkov have told more story in one issue than many books do in an entire arc. There’s such great pacing and set-up here that you’ll find yourself voraciously tearing through each page all the way to its sinister ending, and you will be wanting more. After just twenty-eight pages I’m so hooked that I can’t help but find it a shame that this is only a four issue series, and that it is on a bi-monthly schedule.

The book is just as strong on the visual end courtesy of artist Rahsan Ekedal and colorist Jon Graef, who both have the eye for detail that a story like this requires. Every panel is sharp: the characters feel real, the backgrounds and angles are beautiful, and all the grimness is appropriately gritty. The cover is very eye-catching and menacing, and should go a long way toward selling extra copies right off the shelf. There’s no doubt at all that this entire creative team is on the same page, and they make the wait until issue number two all the more agonizing.

So what we have here is nothing less than one of the best new books of the year, brought to us by folks whose names I think we’ll be seeing a lot more of in the future. This one will appeal to fans of horror, crime and procedurals, character-driven drama, AND the supernatural. I strongly recommend giving it a shot and passing it around-this could be the one that gets all your friends who are hooked on shows like and Dexter into the world of comics.

More info:

Writers: Mark Wheaton and Joshua Hale Fialkov
Artist: Rahsan Ekedal

Publisher:

[Zacharie]

Title: Batman and Philosophy-The Dark Knight of the Soul (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Mark D. White (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Larry Mark (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" Reading it will spur great discussions on the new Batman film, and you will learn more about philosophical ideas than you thought possible. "
Review:

The editors and authors of this book have loved Batman since he is human and without super powers; he is so complex, he can be used as a vehicle or ploy to discuss philosophical concepts. I know little of formal philosophy, but this book was a good introduction to so many concepts, and quite intellectually funny at the same time. There are Six Parts in this book. Part One: Does The Dark Knight Always Do Right?; Part Two: Law Justice and the Social Order; Where Does Batman Fit In?; Part Three: Origins and Ethics: Why Become The Caped Crusader; Part Four: Who Is The Batman?; Part Five: Being The Bat: Insights from Existentialism and Taoism; and Part Six: Friend, Father.. Rival?: The Many Roles of The Bat.

Of course, much of this book was above my head and bat ears. But the parts I thoroughly enjoyed were quite informative. For example, in the first chapter, the author asks whether Batman is a Utilitarian or a Deontologist? Why doesn't Batman just kill the Joker, if he knows that he will merely kill again and kill close friends? Is the death of one Joker better than hundreds of innocent victims? The authors tell the story of a runaway trolley and a person who stands at the switch. The train can hit and kill five bystanders if you do nothing, or you can divert the track and the train will kill just one person. Can you get involved and kill fewer people? Are those parties deemed morally equivalent? Deontologists judge the morality of an act, regardless of the consequences (the ends do not justify the means). The second chapter looks at Ethics, in "Is it Right to Make a Robin?" "What should Bruce Wayne? How should he Live his life? What sort of person should he be?... Is it right (ethical) for Batman to take an orphan and train him to fight crime instead of turning him into social services? Can we excuse Batman for throwing a young man at vicious criminals in a spandex outfit? In this chapter, the reader learns about Kant, Mill, Bentham, Plato, and deon(duty)tological ethics, virtue ethics, universal ethics, and categorical (without exception) ethics. (Can Batman lie to the Joker? Can he choose to be ethical only some of the time?) In Chapter 3, the author looks at Aristotle and virtue ethics and Batman's hatred as a virtue. Batman, a loner, makes a virtue of vice, perhaps. The author asks whether Batman is virtuous or does he merely DO virtuous things?



In "Governing Gotham" the authors look at Batman as a reaction to the failure and incapacity of the government to control crime and protect Bruce Wayne's parents from being murdered. They throw in Max Weber's view of state legitimacy, as well as Hobbes' Leviathan. Plus they throw in Nietzsche and his views on the state as a threat to liberty and self expression. Can only the state use force to bring law and order? Or can Batman use force as well? In Chapter 11, the authors ask whether Batman Could Have Been the Joker?. They discuss identities and ModAl and metaphysics (the study of what exists and how it goes about existing). That was too deep for my pea sized brain. The same holds true for Chapter 12, in which Wittgenstein's ideas on identity and language are brought to bear on Batman. Chapter 18, on the nature of friendship (Batman and Superman), Aristotle, loyalty, and Nietsche's ubermensch were easier for me to understand. All these just skim the surface of the wealth of ideas and explanations found in this book. Reading it will spur great discussions on the new Batman film, and you will learn more about philosophical ideas than you thought possible.

More info:

Mark D. White (Editor)
Robert Arp (Editor)
William Irwin (Series Editor)

Publisher:

[Zacharie]

Title: Green Lantern vs Aliens (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Ron Marz (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Daniel V. Reilly (Review 1) and Shaun O'Donnell (Review 2) (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" This might be one for fans, but is fun to read if given a chance. Check it out. "
Review:

Review 1 - With a title like Green Lantern Versus Aliens, you should be expecting a slobberknocker battle, and that's pretty much all you get...

After an opening chapter that sees former Green Lantern Hal Jordan, along with a squad of other Lanterns, battle the marauding Aliens, we move on to the real story: Rather than kill the Aliens, Jordan and company deposited them on an uninhabited planet. 10 years later, a ship crashes on that World, and a group of former Lanterns enlist the NEW Green Lantern, Kyle Rayner, to help them save the crew. After all, the Aliens wouldn't be there, if not for the GL Corps....

Well, that's the plot.....how's the action, you ask? Well, Ron Marz and Rick Leonardi tell a brisk, fast-paced story; we have to accept the "Green Lantern loses his Ring" contrivance, but without that, there would be no story, right?

The opening chapter is a nice stroll down memory lane, and it was GREAT to see my favorite GL, Kilowog, in action again. While Green Lantern Versus Aliens doesn't offer much in the way of originality, it is a well-told story, and a good solid beat-em-up. You could certainly do worse.



Review 2 - This is one of those crossovers that are fun to read but not the best. It starts off with the Green Lantern Hal Jordon assissting the other Green Lanterns in a search foir one of their kind murdered, only to encounter the Aliens. However they choose not to kill this intergallactic monster and instead leve it on an uninhabited planet. Flash forward ten years later and with core gone and only one lantern left, it's up to the new Lantern to take out what the former would not do.

Actually his orgional goal is that of a rescue mission, but in the end it's survival of the fittest in an amazing aray of power, used to the fullest extent.

This might be one for fans, but is fun to read if given a chance. Check it out.

More info:

Writer: Ron Marz
Penciller: Rick Leonardi
Inker: Mike Perkins

Publisher:

[Zacharie]

Title: Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom (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: Doug Zawisza (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" future issues will truly showcase the creative talent of this book. "
Review: Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom #1

That was. . . disappointing. Having heard, read, and presumed awesomeness about "Solar" ("Doctor" or otherwise) in the past, I was stoked to try out a whole new world. Unfortunately that world was filled with art that featured phototraced (or so they appear) characters that are inconsistently rendered through their burdensome origin stories. The revelation of Doctor Phil Solar's transformation during his conversation with Doctor Malcolm Clarkson took four pages and was little more than swirly colors around talking heads. For four pages! I understand the need for sharing the origin with the readers, but I'm also convinced there are snazzier ways to do it.

The rest of the issue features a plot that seems unnecessarily clichéd as one man's imagination comes to life in the real world. That rip in reality does get a slight twist as we learn who set the circumstances in motion that allow the anomalies in.

Those anomalies, sprung from the mind of a comic book writer (really) named Whitmore Pickerel, come in the form of Leviathan, a behemoth with hideous fashion sense, and Glow, the Venusian Temptress. Depicted as prototypical comic book characters, these two tip the fragile mind of the writer, but not before causing some comic book style havoc.

Stepping back for this review, it doesn't seem as bad as it did while I was reading it. Shooter is a much better writer than this first issue projects. The story was lumpy and uneven. The action was overly posed with frozen figures incapable of motion.

Calero's art hit some great high notes and scraped bottom a few times. This is most obvious during the conversation between Solar and Clarkson, as both men are subjected to facial malformations that would be expected by the likes of Plastic Man. Calero proves that he has the skill and the vision -- the single panel of Phil Solar floating in his living room is stunning -- but Calero doesn't bring that vision to the entirety of this issue.

Dark Horse tossed in the original first appearance of Doctor Solar for the second half of this issue. That's a nice bit of nostalgia with timeless art. I found myself more interested in the further adventures of that Doctor Solar than the one in the lead feature for this issue. That said, there is potential here, and maybe with the burden of a secret origin out of the way, future issues will truly showcase the creative talent of this book.

More info:

Writer: Jim Shooter
Artist: Roger Robinson, Dennis Calero
Colorist: Dennis Calero, Wes Dzioba
Cover Artist: Michael Komarck
Genre: Science-Fiction, Action/Adventure

Publisher:

[Zacharie]

Title: Kwaidan (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Jung and Jee-Yun (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Greg McElhatton (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" I may not ever read Kwaidan again, but I’ll definitely look at its art over and over again."
Review:

Ghost stories are often centered around the emotion of love. It makes sense, if you follow the idea that ghosts are kept in our world through a strong emotion. It’s what Jung and Jee-Yun use in their graphic novel Kwaidan, as a pair of spirits in 12th Century Japan are killed prematurely and struggle to be reunited even after death. What we get here, though, is a bit more than it first appears.

Setsuko is a young girl in 14th Century Japan who was born without facial features. Forced to wear a mask and shunned by all, her life is miserable and meaningless until she begins to discover the true nature of her birth and her connection to two spirits that died two hundred years earlier. But can a girl without a face and a blind artist somehow defeat the witch whose immense powers have already held the spirits captive for two hundred years?

Jung and Jee-Yun’s story in Kwaidan is certainly inventive, forever shifting alliances and introducing new characters. The idea of Orin’s love for Nanko driving her to such extremes to come back to life comes across really well, and provides one of the most dramatic scenes of the book. Once the book shifts over to Setsuko, though, the book loses some of its strength. It seems to almost lurch from one encounter to the next, and Setsuko herself seems a strange combination of dimwitted and flighty, abandoning others and ignoring advice at the drop of a hat. There are a lot of great ideas in Kwaidan, like the army of demonic children or Orin’s ghost being tied to the water, but they never seem to all come together in a strong manner.



Where the story in Kwaidan ultimately fails, the art succeeds wonderfully. This is one of the most attractive books I’ve seen published all year, Jung drawing anything and everything imaginable. Characters don’t so much move as they almost flow across the page, drawn with a real sense of grace about them. Every panel is full of detail, bringing a strong sense of realism to otherwise impossible events. Scenes of submerged tombstones and bamboo forests are drawn so perfectly it’s like you’re actually there, bringing menace or tranquility as needed by the script. Even the coloring is masterful, giving a soft glow to underwater scenes or a bright, harsh red to a blood demon striking without warning. I don’t know what else Jung has drawn before Kwaidan, but I must say that I am desperate to find out the anwer.

Ultimately Kwaidan‘s story just doesn’t come together, which is a real shame since it’s paired up with such gorgeous art. With stronger writing this would have been an obvious choice for Best of 2004 lists everywhere, but in the end Kwaidan will really just be remembered for its art. With art as beautiful as Jung’s, though, I can’t fault Dark Horse for printing the book. I may not ever read Kwaidan again, but I’ll definitely look at its art over and over again.

More info:

Written by Jung and Jee-Yun
Art by Jung
144 pages, color

Publisher:

[Zacharie]

Title: Predator vs Judge Dredd (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): John Wagner (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Michael Pappalardo (Review 1) and Inspector Gadget (Review 2) (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" A total waste of time! "
Review:

Review 1 - First off...I can't really say I'm a fan of Judge Dredd. Great concept, but I could never get into the comic. Being a Predator fan and knowing a little bit about Dredd I thought it would be an entertaining read, and it actually was.

Far in the future, when a post-apocalyptic earth is mired in lawlessness, three 'Mega-Cities' come from the darkness. The last remnants of humanity come together in these cities, and to enforce the law, the Judges are set loose on the streets. When a Predator comes to Earth for the hunt, Judges start disappearing and are found to be the victims of the Predator's grislty hunt. Dredd takes it upon himself to hunt this killer down, only he has no idea what he's up against, and it could very well be the fight of his life.

Its a surprisingly decent story...I wasn't expecting much out of it but it kept me reading. I really enjoyed it, and the art work was pretty good too. The cover is pretty hilarious...and don't worry, no giant Predator eats Judge Dredd. But as for odd things, Dark Horse is usually right there with bizarre, almost ridiculous plot turns. One of the characters in the book is a descendant of Dutch Schaefer, Arnold's character form the Predator film. Dark Horse has a penchant for just putting these bizarre twists in their stories which don't make them better, but actually take the quality of the story down. But overall, Dredd vs. Pred is pretty good and I recommend it to any Dredd or Predator fan.

Hopefully Dark Horse will improve its comics...Dark Horse has utterly ruined the Terminator comic franchise with ridiculous stories, and Predator and Alien have done nothing but take a big plummet the past few years.



Review 2 - Originally a 3-part comic-book series in late 1997, Predator vs Judge Dredd is about...practically nothing! You think I am joking.

The Pred lands on Earth. He stalks around Dredd's Megacity. He kills a few people. Dutch Schaefer's great, great grand-daughter is called in for her PSI skills. She drinks Predator blood. She telepathically knows where Pred is hiding. Dredd goes there and kills him. THAT'S IT!

It's way too short for it's own good. There is no pathos. Slight humor. Bland artwork. A lame story and sudden, truncated ending. Why is Dutch's grand-daughter in it? What does that have to do with anything? Of all the crossovers and franchise blending this one has to be the most tepid. No effort was put into this whatsoever and it can be read from front to back in less than 10 minutes.

A total waste of time!

More info:

John Wagner (Author)
Enrique Alcatena (Artist)

Publisher:

[Zacharie]

Title: The 13th Son (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Kelley Jones (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Sleazy G (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" I considered passing on the series, and now I'm really glad I didn't"
Review: The 13th Son #2

I still remember the first place I ever came across the art of Kelley Jones. It was back when DC turned ACTION COMICS into a weekly 48-page title that told a few different continuing stories, and Kelley did an eight-part Deadman story. I'd never seen Deadman before, and was immediately wowed. His work was unlike anything I'd seen in comics before, and his bizarre, disjointed style blew me away. I met him a few years later and told him so, and he said he was actually unhappy with his work there because it was so rushed. It's easy to be critical of oneself, of course, and I can understand why he felt that way, but it didn't color my opinion at all. I know that was a pivotal project for him in the minds of fans like me, editors over at DC/Vertigo, and for fans-to-become-editors like Dark Horse's Scott Allie. Since then I've followed Jones from project to project, including work on SANDMAN, his creator-owned THE HAMMER, a ZOMBIEWORLD one-shot, and all the way up to his newest creator-owned project, THE 13TH SON. What keeps me coming back again and again, be it a Big Two project or his own concept, is that he is one of the most uniquely creepy creators working today.

Kelley Jones' love of the grotesque is his work's biggest selling point. There are some artists who spawn imitators or who inspire others to work in a similar fashion, but I've never seen anyone who comes even close to what Jones has developed over the last two decades. He certainly has his share of detractors - there are those who find the proportions ludicrous, or take issue with the lopsided camera angles used, or think his work is too heavily lined, or that it's too lumpy, or find something else to nitpick about. These detractors are entitled to their opinions. They are also idiots. There is an energy and vibrancy to Kelley's work that grabs me every time I read an issue of his work. Huge, muscly warriors lost out of time, monsters clawing their way out of others' guts, zombies gnawing on peoples' brainpans, impossibly curvy women who should be condemned due to structural issues - this stuff is all visually arresting and vastly entertaining.



Jones is an entertaining writer, as well. This far into his career he's clearly got a favorite subject matter, but he is forever honing his skills when dealing with that subject. THE 13TH SON is another creator-owned project that allows him to have fun working in a genre he clearly loves. It's a fairly straightforward concept so far: a journalist is writing a book based on tales of something called "The 13th Son", apparently a legendary creature like the wendigo or the werewolf. Except, of course, that he likes to go around killing those creatures for reasons yet to be revealed. It's pretty clear, though, that it isn't because he's a "good guy", so to speak - he's butchering the creatures for his own reasons, not to save anyone, and his intentions may be just as foul as theirs.

In the second issue of this series, we get a little more background on The 13th Son, including his origin and a little time spent with his mother, a witch who's been alive for over 300 years (which gives us a rough idea of how old No. 13 himself is). Like most kids, Sonny still wishes mom would just leave him alone to live his life as he sees fit, and like most moms, she can't help meddling - which in this case involves calling up a wendigo to eat her kid and brings us to the centerpiece fight of the issue. This guy does hulking behemoths like nobody's business, and he's got a real knack for viscera, so there's plenty of fun to be had. Like with his previous Dark Horse mini, THE HAMMER, there's plenty to look at, and like that series, we have no real reason to trust the protagonist, both of which are major selling points. If there's any one criticism I have of THE 13TH SON, it's that it's missing a little bit of Jones' usual black humor. If he's just keeping it in check, or if he wanted to tell a more serious story, that's cool too, but I hope we see at least of the odd moments he usually uses to lighten the grim proceedings up a bit. Other than that, though, this is another fun horror-action romp from a creator who stands in good company at Dark Horse along with the likes of Mike Mignola and Guy Davis, among others. If you're not a Kelly Jones fan, this isn't a book that's suddenly going to change your mind. If you've ever enjoyed his art or writing, though, or if you're looking to try something a little different, give the first two issues of this four-part mini a shot. I considered passing on the series, and now I'm really glad I didn't

More info:

Writer: Kelley Jones
Artist: Kelley Jones

Publisher:

[Zacharie]

Title: 300 HC (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Frank Miller (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Keith Phipps (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" 300 is precisely the sort of series that should reach anyone who still questions the validity of comic books as an art form."
Review:

Throughout the '80s, comic-book writer and artist Frank Miller (The Dark Knight Returns) played The Replacements to Watchmen and Swamp Thing writer Alan Moore's R.E.M. They were both clearly the writers who mattered most, and both were doing more or less the same thing, making non-underground comics writing smarter and more interesting than it had been before. But both had such distinctively different approaches that there was really no mistaking one for the other. In the '90s, both have grown more selective in their projects, with Moore, not always by choice, devoting most of his energy to his excellent Jack The Ripper series From Hell and Miller working mostly on a bunch of self-created miniseries. All in all, it has worked out pretty well, with Miller's creative freedom allowing him to do work on par with the stuff that made him famous in the '80s, a fine example being the recently completed five-issue miniseries 300. He's shown a tendency to repeat himself a bit too often (e.g., the umpteen variations on Sin City and Give Me Liberty), but when Miller does create something new, it tends to be drastically so. As far removed as possible from Sin City's noirish environs and Give Me Liberty's quasi-dystopian future, 300 tells the story of the battle of Thermopylae, one of the early flashpoints of the Persian invasion of Greece in 480 B.C. Led by the Spartan king Leonidas, 300 Spartan soldiers and local allies held the pass at Thermopylae for three days, a crucial battle that, though lost, led the way to future victory. Though the Spartan way of life seems terribly harsh to modern eyes, which tend to drift toward the more seemingly forward-looking intellectual advances of the Athenians, Miller does a terrific job portraying it sympathetically, dedicating the first three issues to the events leading to the battle. He makes human, particularly in his portrayal of Leonidas and the centrality of storytelling, a culture that at first seems modeled after an insect colony. Itself a triumph of storytelling, with Miller providing the art in his beautiful, familiar style, 300 is precisely the sort of series that should reach anyone who still questions the validity of comic books as an art form.

More info:

Written by Frank Miller
Art by Lynn Varley

Publisher:

[Zacharie]

Title: Abe Sapien: The Drowning (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Mike Mignola (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Steven M. Bari (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" This was my first full story in the Hellboy universe and I enjoyed every page of it. You will too."
Review: Abe Sapien: The Drowning #5

Abe Sapien heard the warning from the old woman echo in his mind, but nothing could stop him from trying to set things right. The servants of the ancient Cedu-Barra have stolen the souls of the townspeople of Saint-Sebastien, including his fellow BPRD agents, and hold their master’s earthly vessel up in the church at the island’s peak. As they get ready to pull the dagger from their master’s body, thereby resurrecting him, Abe pulls open the church doors and sees the unearthly face of God.

If you thought Abe Sapien was in over his head before, this final issue of Abe Sapien: The Drowning out does them all. Finally, Abe has mustered the courage to stop the minions of Cedu-Barra from releasing their master. Although the endeavor has a bullet-in-the-head solution, Abe’s resolve in the face of the horrific supernatural exemplifies his bravery and delivers a gratifying denouement.

Mike Mignola has written a compelling and developing narrative / history for Abe in this series. As this story comprises Abe’s first mission without Hellboy, we see the change in character, his growth as a person and willingness to undertake responsibility in the most bizarre and frightening situations. In issue #1, he was hesitant to even step into his boss’s office without knowing what he was getting called in for, but by issue # 5 he’s ready to enter a church full of deadly enemies to save the day. Moreover, it is his trust in the old woman who attacked him in that very first issue which allows him to defeat Cedu-Barra.



Yet, Abe Sapien is not a boastful figure. He does not relish in the victory, but broods over what he could not do and mourns the failure of his inability to be omnipotent; “I should have been more careful,” Abe laments. "If we hadn’t come here for that dagger, none of this would have happened.”

Failing his fellow agents hangs over Abe, even as Professor Bruttenholm tries to comfort him. This impressionable quality highlights Abe’s naiveté and makes this adventure all the more believable as his first. He didn’t win by shear luck or happenstance, but by trusting those who reached out him and summoning the fortitude to face the enemy head on. And even then things were not tied in a neat little bow.

As for the art of the issue, and series overall, Jason Alexander and Dave Stewart have illustrated this melancholic horror / adventure superbly. The moody atmosphere of the island reflects the murky real world and the uncanny coming together, but also foreshadows the gloomy conclusion. The high contrast of darkness acts a visible manifestation of the evil hanging over the island town. Furthermore, Abe’s shadowing is so intense that it reflects the burden of his journey. The scene is either muted or exaggerated by the colors, which expertly allocates normality with light yellow and beige, and delineates mysticism and evil in deep reds and blues. For example, Bruttenholm’s reassurance of Abe is colored in yellow and sandy brown, while the entrance of Cedu-Barra, who is wrapped in flame-like squid tentacles, appears in glowing red.

This was my first full story in the Hellboy universe and I enjoyed every page of it. You will too.

More info:

Creators: Mike Mignola
Writer: Mike Mignola
Artist: Jason Shawn Alexander
Colorist: Dave Stewart
Cover Artist: Mike Mignola
Genre: Horror, Action/Adventure

Publisher:

[Zacharie]

Title: Adventures of Luther Arkwright (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Bryan Talbot (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: grovel.org (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" Experienced readers will be thrilled though, and anyone who has seen and enjoyed Talbot's art in mainstream comics has a wonderful book waiting for them."
Review:

While there was a lot of interest around works by Alan Moore and Frank Miller back in the 80s, there were other creators around, producing work aimed at an increasingly adult audience. One such individual was Bryan Talbot, whose Adventures of Luther Arkwright was perhaps the first graphic novel to come out of Britain, and certainly the first specifically targeted at a mature readership.

The story is complex. It's set in a 'multiverse' of parallel universes, each of which have suffered differently at the hand of fate. This has changed each parallel slightly, changing the course of their individual histories in subtle ways. So on a basic level, there would be universes out there in which Hitler won the Second World War, alongside others where Hitler's parents would never have met.

Luther Arkwright is a kind of trans-dimensional agent who exists in only one parallel universe at a time and can cross between them at will. This is a handy ability to have when one of the most stable parallels detects that an ancient doomsday device, Firefrost, has been discovered and activated, and only Arkwright has the means to stop it.

Luther's character starts off as a James Bond-like womaniser, expert in both combat (physical and psychic) and lovemaking. The hunt for Firefrost takes Arkwright on a journey of his own though, and his character develops as the story moves along, leaving behind his philandering as he comes to understand the importance of his destiny.



The parallel in which most of the action takes place is one in which, following the English civil war, the monarchy was never restored. Oliver Cromwell's line continues to rule England with an iron fist, though the puritan religious fervour has a distinctly dark side to it. At the same time, a royalist uprising is gathering momentum and a second civil war looks likely.

The black and white artwork is brooding and detailed, especially Talbot's London, which has been skewed under a puritan regime while remaining instantly recognisable. If there's anything that's slightly annoying about the art it's probably Arkwright's hair, which has a 'just stepped out of the salon' curl to it - some of the fashion travesties of the 80s could evidently cross parallel universes.

It is often the way when comic creators take on both the writing and drawing of a book, but this is a great example of art and literature mixing effortlessly into one. There are few moments when Talbot's art is anything but a joy to behold while his plot and dialogue can stand proudly amongst science fiction work in any media. The one aspect we might frown upon is its accessibility. This is a dense work with a complicated plot that shouldn't be attempted by the beginner. Experienced readers will be thrilled though, and anyone who has seen and enjoyed Talbot's art in mainstream comics has a wonderful book waiting for them.

More info:

Words by Bryan Talbot
Art by Bryan Talbot

Publisher:

[Zacharie]

Title: Alice in Sunderland (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Bryan Talbot (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Publishers Weekly (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" Talbot is a remarkable raconteur, even if what he's presenting is more of a variety show than a story. "
Review:

Talbot's freewheeling, metafictional magnum opus is a map of the curious and delightful territory of its cartoonist's mind, starring himself in multiple roles. The starting point is the history of his hometown, the northeast English city of Sunderland, along with his lifelong fascination of the myths and realities behind Lewis Carroll and Alice in Wonderland--potentially dry material, but Talbot pulls out all the stops to keep it entertaining. He veers off on one fascinating tangent after another. The book encompasses dead-on parodies of EC horror comics, British boys' comics and Herge's Tintin, walk-ons by local heroes like Sidney James, extensive analysis of a couple of William Hogarth prints, a cameo appearance by "the Venerable Scott McComics-Expert" and even a song-and-dance number, drawing a three-dimensional web of coincidences and connections between all. It's also a showcase for hte explosive verve of Talbot's protean illustrative style, with digital collages of multiple media on almost every pagy: pen-and-ink drawings in a striking variety of styles, photographs, painting, computer modeling, and all manner of "found" images. The book's only real weakness is its scattered focus, but Talbot is a remarkable raconteur, even if what he's presenting is more of a variety show than a story.

More info:

Creators: Bryan Talbot
Genre: Graphic Literature

Publisher:

[Zacharie]

Title: Driver For the Dead (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): John Heffernan (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Michael Koopmans (Don't click it, read the review here... )

"If you’re looking for a fun ride, look no further. DRIVER FOR THE DEAD #1 literally puts the pedal to the metal, plows through anyone (or anything) in its way and never looks back."
Review:

If you judge this book by its cover, DRIVER FOR THE DEAD #1, published by Radical Comics, seems like just another surfer on the neverending wave of zombie titles. But those nasty flesh-munchers are just a fraction of the ghouls, ghosts, gremlins, creatures, incantations and crones on display in this balls-to-the-wall action/horror effort.

The book opens in Louisiana, where we’re introduced to Moses Freeman, a calm and collected elderly gentleman (bearing a suspiciously spot-on resemblance to Morgan Freeman) who we quickly learn is a voodoo priest, about to perform a very complex exorcism on a young boy. Freeman doesn’t survive the ordeal, which provides a segue to the introduction of our hero, Alabaster Graves, a professional hearse driver who specializes in delivering both the dead and the undead to their final resting place via his souped-up hearse, lovingly named “Black Betty.” Graves’ latest job is to deliver Freeman’s corpse to the family crypt; however, the carcass isn’t his only passenger. Chosen for this assignment because numerous creatures of the night are determined to possess the magical remains, Graves must also deal with Freeman’s great-granddaughter, Marissa, who insists on accompanying her relative during his final journey. The most vicious of the monstrosities pursuing his cargo is Fallow, a creature with the ability to absorb another’s supernatural powers.



This book’s formula is not unlike that of your typical action film: numerous over-the-top, highly energized setpieces with short, plot-progressing dialogue scenes sprinkled throughout. After I did some minor research, I discovered this series’ writer, John Heffernan, was the original writer behind SNAKES ON A PLANE. I wouldn’t be surprised to find that the potential for this comic to become a Hollywood blockbuster script had been in the back of Heffernan’s mind since day one. All the elements are here: the troubled hero, a girl who wants nothing to do with him at first but begins to change her mind as the plot unfolds, a super-bad-ass vehicle and, to top it off, a nice little role for Academy Award winner Freeman! But the breath of fresh air that lifts this one above uninspired mass-market fare is its hardcore horror aspects.

Argentinean illustrator Leonardo Manco is no stranger to the world of fright comics; there are echoes here of his previous work on HELLSTORM, WEREWOLF BY NIGHT and HELLBLAZER (particularly the latter, as the main character reminds a bit too much of John Constantine). However, his creature-and-carnage pencils don’t leave much to be desired for fear fans: Corroded zombies, stylish vampires, a very Lovecraftian snake creature and a biker gang of demons are complemented by decapitations, impalements, plucked-out eyeballs, and one damn impressive melting face. What else could you ask for? I’m not a huge fan of painted comics, which are becoming more and more popular these days, but this one wasn’t as distracting as usual. Kinsun Loh and Jerry Choo’s colors aren’t any better or worse than others’, so it must be the fast-paced action and dripping horrors that render the images easier on the eyes. It would still be interesting, though, to see how this one would have come off if colored in a more traditional manner.

If you’re looking for a fun ride, look no further. DRIVER FOR THE DEAD #1 literally puts the pedal to the metal, plows through anyone (or anything) in its way and never looks back. It’s nothing you’re going to remember a few years from now, but it sure is entertaining as hell while it lasts.

More info:

Created by: John Heffernan
Written by: John Heffernan
Pencils by: Leonardo Manco
Colors by: Kinsun Loh & Jerry Choo
Lettering by: Todd Klein
Cover art by: Leonardo Manco

Publisher:

[Zacharie]

Title: Ryder On the Storm (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): David Hine (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... )

" This comic is smart, fast, haunting, and damn well created."
Review: Ryder On The Storm #1

You should never judge a comic by its title. “Ryder On The Storm” is a devious new comic that draws you in for a moment and then punches you in the kidneys while you aren’t looking. That's all before proceeding to cut them out of you and leave you in a retro-organic virus infested bathing swamp with a gin headache and the need to know how you and your new alien friends got there.

Ryder is our man on the scene, an investigations hound, a man with a thirst for action. He’s called into a case where a man apparently commits suicide by drilling himself in the head. Eleven times. It’s a perfectly disgusting entry point to this dirty world. Ryder is a Chandler man investigating a Lovecraft mystery in a Philip K Dick reality as seen through a Jeunet lens. He’s generally underspoken in this debut but what he does say, and do, speaks volumes about who he really is. Or at least who he thinks he is. Hine does a great job of not overwriting the character because all preconceptions need to be broken by issue’s end anyway.

The writing and the art do a fantastic job of world, and genre, building from the very first scene. Ryder’s home base looms in the background like a Sanctum Sanctorum, and the neo-noir water taxis add a detailed touch that helps immerse you into the entire reality of this fiction. Every scene pops with a little extra something to make you understand and appreciate all things. This comic is a mash-up and, while those are notoriously difficult to make feel coherent, this entire package comes across as a clear tale. Hine doesn’t play anything for a gag; this is straight and real and everything is for keeps.



There’s a lot to digest in this issue, but the 51 pages of story help to space it all out. Radical has created an excellent format where the cost is more than an average comic, though only just, but the amount of content is so much more. There is so much story here that it feels like three of any average Big Two issues. It also presents with at least three great cliffhanger ending points that it decides to steamroll through to only get to a better moment. This comic doesn’t pad out any page; the story starts and then twists so many times I wouldn’t be surprised if back matter included a map and some Hickmanesque info-pieces. Though they would not be necessary as everything you need to follow the tale is right on the page.

‘New Pulp’ seems to be making an upward trend in comics today and, while this is somewhere between “Criminal” and “Incognito,” it is definitely its own beast as well. This is a good comic for so many reasons and a silly pun title should not deflect you from the fact this might be the best thing Radical has put out so far. It’s also the best tale about a gumshoe investigating a possible daemon lineage that controls the city while also teaming up with a very fatal femme. Considering this will only be three issues, I’d pick “Ryder On The Storm” to become the best mini series that you need to be reading. This comic is smart, fast, haunting, and damn well created.

More info:

Created by: Radical Publishing
Written by: David Hine
Pencils by: Wayne Nichols
Colors by: Kinsun Loh
Lettering by: Richard Starkings & Comicraft’s Jimmy Betancourt
Cover art by: Francesco “Matt” Mattina

Publisher:

[Zacharie]

Title: The Thing – The Northman Nightmare (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Steve Niles (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Ryan Turek (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" Steve Niles and Dark Horse have done it again, truly an amazing book"
Review:

On Sept 20, 2011, Shock informed you that Dark Horse was publishing a prequel to The Thing prequel called "The Thing: The Northman Nightmare." What we didn't know then is that you can get it today...for free! Always good, right?

Read on for the goods...

Dark Horse Comics is pleased to announce that it has created an exclusive digital comic to serve as a prequel to the thriller “The Thing,” in theaters October 14. Starting today, the comic will be released in three parts on September 21, September 28 and October 5 and is available FREE online at Digital.DarkHorse.com and via the free Dark Horse Comics mobile app. The Thing: The Northman Nightmare tells the origin story of pioneering Norsemen who discover a shape-shifting creature that is hiding in a desolate village with few human survivors.

In December 1991, Dark Horse Comics first published The Thing From Another World #1. In the style of Aliens, Predator and Terminator, Dark Horse Comics picked up where John Carpenter’s classic 1982 film left off. Now, 20 years later, Dark Horse shares a much earlier story about this creature from beneath the ice.

Taking us into frigid Greenland, the comic introduces us to a group of Norsemen who find themselves caught in a game of survival when they discover a terrifying creature. The shape-shifting monster has the ability to turn itself into a perfect replica of any living being. It can look just like you or me, but inside, it remains inhuman. And it hides somewhere in a desolate village with few human survivors, among them a strange group of women...


Said editor Scott Allie: “This property consistently generates much excitement from fans, which made it easy to round up an incredible team for this prequel comic. This is a sincere horror story by guys who know how to knock it out of the park.”

The Thing: The Northman Nightmare is written by Steve Niles (Criminal Macabre), with art by Patric Reynolds (Serenity), colors by Dave Stewart (Hellboy) and a cover by Menton3 (Silent Hill). The Thing: The Northman Nightmare comes to readers as a prequel to Universal Pictures’ upcoming prelude to John Carpenter’s classic 1982 film of the same name.

“Steve Niles and Dark Horse have done it again, truly an amazing book,” said Menton3. “I am extremely proud to be a small part of it.”

The first eight-page installment of The Thing: The Northman Nightmare can be downloaded digitally from the Dark Horse Digital Comics App or at http://www.digital.darkhorse.com today FOR FREE!

About “The Thing” film: Antarctica: an extraordinary continent of awesome beauty. It is also home to an isolated outpost known as Thule Station. There, a crew of international scientists has unearthed a remarkable discovery. But elation quickly turns to terrifying paranoia in the thriller “The Thing,” as the group of researchers encounters something inhuman that has the ability to turn itself into an exact replica of any living being.

More info:

Writer: Steve Niles
Artist: Patric Reynolds
Colorist: Dave Stewart
Cover Artist: menton3
Minimum age: 16
Genres: Horror, Action/Adventure

Publisher:

[Zacharie]

Title: Michael Turner' Fathom Blue Desent (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): David Schwartz (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: JasonClyma (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" Aspen’s family soap opera is not only entertaining, but worth investing in. "
Review: Michael Turner's Fathom: Blue Descent #3

The true heritage of Aspen is revealed within the Citadel of the Black.

It’s hard to judge a series and story arc when one jumps right into the thick of it with absolutely no previous knowledge of the book. It’s a testament to the skill of Michael Turner’s Fathom: Blue Descent writer, David Schwartz, that he is able to not only create a solid single issue within the greater arc, but is able to catch readers up on the history, characters, and plot threads of their story.

Fathom: Blue Descent focuses on the breaking down of Aspen’s family. Her mother, Eilah, has been captured by the Black in an attempt to recreate the power of Aspen, by forcing Eilah to foster a new child of mixed Blue-Black heritage. While the idea of a maniacal antagonist going to any length necessary to destroy mankind may seem tired, the familial history revealed as a result more than reconciles the plot device. Aspen’s true heritage as a daughter of two underwater enemies, and therefore is in fact more powerful and a savior because of it, opens the floodgates on possible storylines and directions for the series. What makes this new direction and reveal all the more interesting, moreover, is the begrudging acceptance by Aspen’s adoptive father that the Black may be speaking the truth.


Considering the dark and dank setting of the issue, artist Alex Sanchez does a great job of maintaining interest throughout the issue. The drab color palette and limited variation of settings could have easily led to boredom, but between mixing small action scenes and character moments together, the issue succeeds on many levels. The highlight of his art, moreover, is the high level of detail in the backgrounds, which keeps each setting interesting. The Citadel of the Black is packed with giant cavernous walls and sprawling spires, while an unfamiliar language is etched into massive stone doors. Sanchez’s character style, however, can be a little rough and inconsistent at times, but it never distracts from the overall storytelling.

A certain level of confusion is to be expected when jumping into a series halfway through. David Schwartz and Alex Sanchez are able to acquaint new readers, however, to their story and characters both quickly and easily. The story and art work well together to create an issue packed with intrigue and conflicted choices. Aspen’s family soap opera is not only entertaining, but worth investing in.

More info:

Words: David Schwartz
Art: Alex Sanchez
Colors: John Starr and Peter Steigerwald

Publisher: