Title: Dean Koontz' Nevermore (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Keith Champagne (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Diamond Comic Distributors (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" A marvelous flight into breathless suspense, mind-bending imagination, and chilling terror not to be missed."
Review:

Bobby Godric quit school, built a tech empire from scratch, and became a multi billionaire by the age of thirty-two. Tireless, inventive, and skilled at surrounding himself with brilliant minds, it seems there is nothing he can't do, except save his beloved wife, Nora, from brain cancer. But Bobby will not allow even death to stand between him and his one true love. And if there's no way on this Earth to bring her back, he'll find another Earth. Devoting his vast fortune and an extraordinary team of scientists and visionaries to the task, Bobby finds the holy grail he so desperately seeks: proof that infinite parallel worlds exist in other dimensions, and the means to reach them. But his sideways journey through time to mirror Earths where history and fate have taken shockingly different turns is fraught with danger. A single misstep could leave the intrepid inter-dimensional traveller and his team hopelessly stranded on a parallel Earth subjugated by dictatorship, ravaged by barbarism, or worse. Every leap between alternate realities is a life-or-death gambit. But rescuing his lost love from a world where destiny has not doomed her is all that matters to Bobby Godric until he encounters a monstrous alien race systematically annihilating humankind and claiming planet Earth, again and again, on a murderous march of conquest across the dimensions. Unless the multi-verse of duplicate Earths can be rallied against the invaders, the next world to fall will be our own.

Conceived by New York Times bestselling author Dean Koontz and adapted and illustrated by a duo of Marvel and DC Comics veterans writer Keith Champagne and artist Andy Smith. Nevermore is a marvellous flight into breathless suspense, mind-bending imagination, and chilling terror not to be missed.

More info:

Writer: Keith Champagne
Artist: Andy Smith

Publisher:

 

Title: Godzilla Gangsters And Goliaths (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): John Layman (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Dustin Cabeal (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" if you’re into John Layman’s writing then you’ll really enjoy his take on Godzilla.
"
Review: Godzilla: Gangsters & Goliaths #1

When I first heard about this book at Wonder Con, I have to admit I thought it was stupid. The idea and title are still stupid, but you can’t judge a book by its cover. So I didn’t. Gangsters & Goliaths is not only a great Godzilla story, but it also manages to be a good human story. Everyone knows that humans are just added to the monster genre so that the viewer will have someone to relate to as the monsters destroy everything. They’re rarely interesting and usually it’s the same thing over and over again, except for Godzilla: Final Wars.

That is where G&G excels, in that for once the monsters are not the catalyst for the story. In fact they hardly appear in the story that takes place mostly on Monster Island. We open with Detective Sato washing upon the shore of the Island. He’s quick to his feet as the Triad gang members that have kidnapped him are now shooting at him. They seem to have made a critical error in allowing him to swim to shore, thinking that it would take the fight out of him… it didn’t. He begins to hide in the jungle as the gangsters spread out looking for him. Eventually everyone runs into Godzilla the King of the Monsters and the one of the gangsters opens fire on his foot. It’s a mistake that is not soon repeated as Godzilla fires back at the minor annoyance killing everyone except Detective Sota, who is rescued by Mothra.

The story has an interesting narrative as it jumps back and forth from the past to the present, usually triggered by dialog from one of the characters. It gives it a heist movie feel when it does this, but it works really well to progress the story forward and keep everything interesting. John Layman (Chew) keeps the pacing interesting and the world believable. Even as Detective Sota makes a horrible decision it doesn’t feel out of character or even forced. It feels organic in the way the story has been unfolding. Layman also does a great job of using a lot of the monsters and elements from the Godzilla movies, but not in a campy homage way. He uses them very seriously as the movies try to do.

The art is insane! The amount of details on everything makes it the book really come to life. I’m not just referring to the overly detailed cover by Geof Darrow, but also the intense pencils of Alberto Ponticelli on the interior art. Ponticelli does a great job of keeping everything in proportion, which is extremely important when doing a monster book of this size (cue the cymbal). He also spares no detail on the humans in the story and gives all the characters distinguished looks, which in a way makes them a bit over the top, but it works with the story.

I wasn’t sure how this first mini-series starring the King of the Monsters was going to stack up, but it’s very worthy of the Godzilla name. It’s in a very different world from the ongoing series, but the setting it’s in is both familiar and amazing on its own. If you’re into Godzilla then you probably pre-ordered the book, but if you’re into John Layman’s writing then you’ll really enjoy his take on Godzilla.

More info:

Story by John Layman
Art by Alberto Ponticelli
Colors by Jay Fotos
Letters by John Layman
Cover by Geoff Darrow

Publisher:

Title: Captain Atom (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): J.T. Krul (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Matt McGloin (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" Definitely pick this up, and give it a good reading or two!"
Review: Captain Atom #1

J.T. Krul plants the seed of something incredible with the debut of Captain Atom #1.

The issues sees the premiere of quite possibly the most powerful known creature in the entire DCU, a pure energy being who goes by the name Captain Atom, and one who is only limited by the vast power at his command.

Krul skips a straight origin story, and it works here, as he gives you just a small amount of backstory to explain Captain Atom's inception. It works because the creation is not central to the character or the story. It simply happened, cause and effect - at least how I read it. Instead, Krul goes to the heart of the matter in that Captain Atom is forced to wield his powers, while at the same time they might lead to the cause of his death. And as the book is built around that tug-of-war, the supporting cast and setting is introduced.

Besides Captain Atom, the only other character to play a central role is the brilliant yet mysterious Dr. Megala. Megala struck me as being akin to a Stephen Hawking, as not only are they both wheelchair-bound, but disabled in a similar manner, as well. Megala plays the role of the "answer man," and at the same time heads what looks to be a top-secret research facility - get this - based out of Kansas, where Captain Atom's powers first emerged.


Not only does Krul give the reader a good basis for Captain Atom's powers through seemingly impossible acts of transmutation, but a hero is presented, and I would say a classic super hero in that, as Captain Atom thinks of others first, and comes across as having a degree of humility. With the power at this man's disposal, none would be able to stand against him (hint hint: think of the possibilities!).

As the issue is essentially a set up for things to come, we are also witness to the birth of a truly disturbing and grotesque creature. Krul doesn't give us much on this, saving it for subsequent issues, but does touch upon it in the opening pages. Just what this is and the reason behind it remains to be scene, but should make for interesting reading, to say the least.

Finally, as the issue draws to a conclusion we see Captain Atom in a struggle for his life. As the teaser blurb for the next issue states, will Atom come out of this a man - or something else entirely?

The art is in the more than capable hands of Freddie Williams, as he provides a rather dark and gritty approach to Captain Atom. It's not a bright book like the Green Lantern family, but includes softer tones and shades. Captain Atom is particularly eye catching in each panel he is present in, but not as to come across as too distracting, a too intense glowing aura of light. Cool blue colors mixed with whites give the off a perfect brilliance reflective of his power basis, which is nicely accented with the glowing red atomic symbol set on his chest.

There is a lot contained within this story, and a lot is left out. And that is a good thing. Krul captures your imagination, and at the same time leaves you longing for more. Definitely pick this up, and give it a good reading or two!

More info:

Writer: J.T. Krul
Art: Freddie Williams II
Colors: Jose VillarrubiaLetterer:
Rob Leigh
Cover: Stanley "Artgerm"

Publisher:

Title: B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth: Russia (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Mike Mignola and John Arcudi (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Henchman21 (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" Don’t be like me, waiting for the right time to start reading. The time is now."
Review: B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth: Russia #1

I’ve read plenty of Hellboy stories before, but no actual B.P.R.D. comics before, so I was excited to dive into the B.P.R.D. part of the Hellboy universe, which is exactly what I have done with B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth: Russia #1 (of 5). I was a little worried that I wouldn’t be able to follow the story or would get lost within it. The main reason I haven’t read any B.P.R.D. before is that even though I knew where to start, I was intimidated by the amount of stories that are out there. As it turns out, I didn’t have worry.

The most impressive thing about this issue was the accessibility of it. I was aware of a lot of the cast, whether from the Hellboy comics I have read, or from the movies or from just hearing about the characters from other comics fans. The recap page did a great job of catching me up to speed, and the story just took off from there and explained anything else I needed to know.


The actual story written by Mike Mignola and John Arcudi intrigued me from the start, with a creepy opening, an exciting middle section, and what I am assuming is a good cliffhanger (this bit probably would have hit harder if I have read more of the series in the past). In a few short pages, I was introduced to the world and interested enough to pick up the rest of the series.

Artist Tyler Crook came to my attention just last month when he did fill-in for an issue of Oni’s The Sixth Gun. He has a nice rounded, cartoony style that captures all of the emotions of the characters, even if they are only a glass head with a ghost inside. He captures the horror of the situation perfectly and tells the story well. Crook may not be the most well-known artist at this point, but he has a bright future ahead of him.

So, it doesn’t matter if you’ve never read an issue of B.P.R.D. or if you’ve been reading the series from the beginning, this is an issue for you. This one is getting a 5 out of 5. It has great art, a great story, and is the perfect jumping-on point. There’s a reason people love this series and this is an excellent place to start. Don’t be like me, waiting for the right time to start reading. The time is now.

More info:

Written by Mike Mignola and John Arcudi
Art by Tyler Crook
Letters by Clem Robins
Covers by Dave Johnson

Publisher:

Title: Atomic Robo: Deadly Art of Science (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Brian Clevinger (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Dean Stell (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" Atomic Robo is always fun."
Review: Atomic Robo: Deadly Art of Science #3

The Story: Robo learns adventuring techniques under the tutelage of crime fighting gunman, Jack Tarot.

What’s Good: This fifth volume of Atomic Robo is showing off Robo’s early life in the early 1930′s before he became an international action hero. He very much reminds me of a husky, 14 year old boy in these stories as he chaffs under Telsa’s strict (but loving) rules and wants to go learn about adventuring and crime fighting from the dashing Jack Tarot (and possibly love from his comely daughter).

What really makes this issue sing are the things that have defined this series since it began: Robo’s awkwardness and desire for adventure and Tesla being the ultimate geek dad. Seriously, Telsa would be the most embarrassing dad a teenage robot could have with all his idiosyncrasies. Just the saltine cracker eating is off-the-charts weird. And you have Clevinger’s humorous dialog such as a scene where Jack Tarot doesn’t want to train Robo due to a misadventure they’d had the night before with a huge robot: “You nearly got me killed!“, yells an exasperated Jack. A humble/smug Robo just says, “And I nearly saved your life! Kinda balances out.” There is at least one panel on every page that makes me snicker with its understated humor.


Of course, none of this would work nearly as well without Wegener’s clever work with Robo himself. He manages to tease a lot of acting and emotion out of Robo and that’s impressive because Robo doesn’t even have a mouth or eyebrows (or many of the other tools artists can use to show emotion). Everything seems to come from the eyes/eyelids, the tilt of his head and the basic body posture and you always know whether Robo is happy, sad, deep in thought, etc. Love it.

What’s Not So Good: There’s nothing bad in this issue, but I always feel a little unfulfilled when Robo doesn’t fight some robot or dinosaur and we only get to see that in flashback in this issue. It’s understandable since this is issue #3 out of 5 and you must have some dramatic flow to the series, but I still miss it.

I also found the love angle for Robo a little odd. Not odd as a conceptual idea. I can completely see how a cloistered young lady might be attracted to Robo, but I’m not sure if I would have gone there because once we actually see that on the page, my brain instantly wonders, “Now how the hell does that work?”

Conclusion: Atomic Robo is always fun. This issue has a bit more character development for the metal guy without losing the trademark sense of humor that this series is known for.

More info:

By: Brian Clevinger (writer)
Scott Wegener (art), Ronda Pattison (colors)
Jeff Powell (letters)
Lee Black(editor)

Publisher:

Title: Bonnie Lass (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Tyler Fluharty and Michael Mayne (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Cassandra Rose (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" It will be a series worth buying in the near future."
Review: Bonnie Lass #2

Busty modern day pirate Bonnie Lass is on a quest to find out what a mysterious scroll and an even more mysterious map have in common, in her suped-up pirate ship complete with GPS and manly crew. In a world where sea monsters exist and pirates are wanted by authorities, Bonnie Lass is the most famous pirate captain to sail the seven seas.
bonnie_lass2.jpg

In this second issue based on its digital predecessor, the locals are celebrating the Leviathan Festival, during which party goers pour beer into the sea as an offering to the sea monsters to keep them at bay. Since it is a modern world with pirates, it seems that the pirate mythology still exists as well: sea monsters, mermaids (or manatees depending on your inebriation level), and treasure. In addition to this, we get some insight into Bonnie’s past and her daddy issues. Much like the boy band Menudo, Bonnie is no longer welcome on her father’s ship when she hits puberty.

There is a distinct feeling while exploring the plot that Tyler Fluharty and Michael Mayne not only aimed this series at a younger audience, but an older audience who sees this issue as reminiscent of older action-adventure comics. Fans of the Golden Age of Comics will appreciate the swash-buckling sagas and others will appreciate the more tender moments in which Bonnie struggles with expected social mores.

Mayne’s art is interesting, because it constantly puts me in mind of manga, with the big hair, over sized hands and feet, and exaggerated expressions. It also helps that it’s windy all the time, and as we know, in manga it is constantly windy. Apparently it is also constantly windy when one is one a pirate ship equipped with turbo engines.

I am quite torn with this series. In the first issue I found the art to be juvenile, but it’s vastly improved in this issue and I found myself enjoying how unique, although a tad reminiscent of Kingdom Hearts it is. Fluharty’s plot isn’t that engaging, but his flashback to Bonnie’s childhood is touching and a tad feminist. As a whole, this was a stop and go issue, but this series is certainly improving and if it continues on its upward trajectory, it will be a series worth buying in the near future.

More info:

Written: Tyler Fluharty and Michael Mayne
Art: Michael Mayne

Publisher:

Title: Batman Haunted Gotham (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Doug Moench (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Thomas Braaksma (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" Art is messy, the panels are boring, and the story itself is just plain ridiculous. "
Review:

Imagine that Bruce Wayne grew up with his parents until he was in his mid-20s and during this time was trained in all different types of self defense. Then picture that instead of the well-known story of his parents dying by gunshots from a robber after leaving a theater, they are killed by a werewolf after they left a scientist’s demonstration of turning a corpse into a zombie. Then picture that Bruce Wayne’s dad comes back as a ghost to…

Wait! Why would anyone ever want to picture this alternate reality? Well that question is beyond the creators of Batman Haunted Gotham, since it is exactly what is presented in this haphazard account of The Batman’s life.

Batman Haunted Gotham follows a different reality for the city of Gotham that imagines the city is the gateway to hell and has been closed off to heaven. The Joker is actually a Frankenstein type of character that is made up of Bruce’s dad’s head and the body parts of a secret society that was trying to kill off the demon presence in Gotham and reopen it to the rest of society. Catwoman is a gypsy that helps Batman along the way and can change her form into what appears to be an extra from The Thundercats. Alfred gets lost in a painting, while Bruce’s mother haunts Wayne Manor. And last but not least, a baby Bruce Wayne – who looks like a bald midget in a diaper – stands next to a bat and states, “I am the Bat and you are the man, together we shape the dark destiny of Haunted Gotham.”


Aside from a confusing storyline that is presented with basic yet sometimes offsetting panels, the art can’t save the story from itself. The story reads like it was written by a person who has watched too many old scary movies and thought that they would make the ultimate monster mash-up with Batman. At some level, this idea sounds like it could have been interesting, even awesome, but with bad art and all-around corny storyline this far from the case.

The art muddles the story since at times it is hard to understand what emotion or action the artist was trying to portray with the characters. The characters seem to change height and stature, leaving them horribly misshapen in some panels. The zombies, werewolves and demons all look alike due to laziness, and the lack in details. And a very annoying characteristic is that Batman’s ears are constantly changing sizes, not to portray different emotions but due to a lack of keeping track of details.

The trade as a whole comes off confusing and corny from cover to cover. Art is messy, the panels are boring, and the story itself is just plain ridiculous. Unless truly concerned about how Batman fights off clay looking zombies, Frankenstein Joker, and his Mom’s stegosaurus-resembling corpse, then Batman Haunted Gotham might better left on the shelf.

More info:

Writer: Doug Moench
Artist: Kelley Jones

Publisher:

Title: Arkham Asylum – Living Hell (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Dan Slott (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Jason Todd (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" One of the best Arkham based stories since Arkham Asylum"
Review:

Arkham Asylum: Living Hell, written by Dan Slott and featuring artwork from Ryan Soot, is a story about a man known as Warren "The Great White Shark" White, a man infamous for being one of the worst men in the world (as pointed out by numerous people including the murderous Clown Prince of Crime, The Joker.) Warren is on the path to the big house after facing massive counts of fraud, when he decides to plead insanity. Sounds like someone should've warned Warren that in Gotham City it's better to be a criminal than insane. He's shipped straight off to Arkham's Asylum, home of the Criminally Insane.

There's alot more to this story, but the basic question is, do the insane go to Arkham or does Arkham breed the insane? One of the best things about this book is the fact that it shows MASSIVE character development, and this is one of the best displays of character development I've read in a while. So many characters joined the Batman Mythos here, including Warren White, Jane Doe, Doodlebug and so many more make their first appearances here. But they're also joined by longtime favorites, Commissioner Gordon, Batgirl, Jason Blood, and Batman, abeit for only a few pages. One would think the lack of Batman hurt the story but actually, It made the story stronger for not utilizing The Caped Crusader much.


Not everything about Arkham Asylum: Living Hell was great though. One of the letdowns was the ending...a strong start but it tripped just short of the finish line. The story was... over-complicated to say the least. I understood it but I wouldn't recommend it to someone without prior knowledge of Etrigan. But all in all, the Character Development, the fact the story was for the most part well written, and the art of course have made this story stand out as one of the best Arkham based stories since Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth. Thats Why I give Arkham Asylum: Living Hell a solid 8/10 score.

More info:

Written by Dan Slott
Artwork from Ryan Soot

Publisher:

Title: Atomic Robo (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Brian Clevinger (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Beetle (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" Save yourself dough and eBay frustration and just get this collected volume NOW."
Review:

Atomic Robo is a Tesla-designed Earth-saving badass robot. “Atomic Robo” is a Red 5 Comics-designed badass comic book title. Learn it, live it, love it.

Brian Clevinger spins heart-warming, humorous, and mission-impossible tales for Atomic Robo, the sarcastic and lovable, albeit physically heartless, main character who saves the world on behalf of a grateful nation. What? Not for dough? Well of course not, what would a robot spend his hero dough on anyway? Clevinger proffers “Helsingard” whom I assume will be a recurring arch-villain / nemesis. Helsingard is a brain-with-no-body “B.P.R.D”-ish antagonist, but definitely distinct, thanks to Clevinger-born, salty, intimate, non-stop, hero-vs-villain banter that tastes of history we are not yet privy to. The lines throughout are not memorable, but only because there are SO MANY that crack you up. They are carelessly quipped by the characters, and at such a rate that, while you may be immediately endeared and giggling to Robo and his supporting cast, you’re doomed to replace each dialogue moment with the next FRAME’s drop-dead funny line. Clevinger jumps back and forth in Robo’s history of adventures, taking breaks from the intimated hunt-for-Helsingard grind to bring us period tales of WWII dogfights or Mars landings. Clevinger has brilliantly succeeded in writing fresh and extreme adventure comic book tales with a wonderful hero who has impenetrable verbal wit to go along with his indestructible metal hide. I just cannot wait to read the the Atomic Robo stories scattered across “history” that Brian Clevinger will eventually bless us with.

Scott Wegener draws your socks off. The art, at first glance, is cartoon simple with obvious Mignola flavor. Pay a bit more attention, and you realize that Wegener did too. His “cartoony” ends up being not too far from “realistic”. Weapons are weapons. Physics are respected. Robo looks and feels like a robot. The expression picked up from Robo’s eyes, however, is spot on with emotes. Action sequences can be naturally followed. The framing and angle of scenes is very well matched to, if not singularly defining in some cases, mood. Wegener, on more than one occasion, totally nails “irony of the situation”. Or, “you gotta be shitting me”. Completely absent of dialogue even. Wegener’s detail is just enough throughout—this guy is a master at line conservation. While I would normally prefer significantly more blacks for lighting contrast / effect, Wegener appears to intentionally hold his blacks in reserve, so that when he whips them out, it REALLY means something. His not-so-heavy style goes well with the light nature of Clevinger’s dialogue anyway. Hrm. I’m now a fan.

Ronda Pattison, with her thoughtful and themed coloring, does a wonderful job at adding just enough depth to Wegener’s art. “Atomic Robo” owes much of its visual liveliness to her. Jeff Powell’s lettering is clean and solid, and does a splendid job of distinguishing Robo’s speech, radio chatter, and HUGE sounds. Nice touch, and a great rounding out of the team.

So yeah, this was GREAT! The “Atomic Robo Vol 1” TPB collects issues 1-6 of the wildly popular, and for good reason, “Atomic Robo”. You’ll be challenged to find individual first printing issues of this killer title. Save yourself dough and eBay frustration and just get this collected volume NOW.

The mission-to-Mars was my favorite tale of the bunch in this book, BTW.

Atomic Robo: “I know it seems like a small thing, but I’m gonna need more than FIVE MAGAZINES to entertain myself for a TWO YEAR ROUND TRIP.”

More info:

Writer: Brian Clevinger
Artist: Scott Wegener.

Publisher:

Title: Disney's Hero Squad Ultraheroes (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Giorgio Salati (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: The Insomniac (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" Ultraheroes is a fun children’s comic that includes enough interesting tidbits to keep traditional comic book fans happy."
Review: Disney’s Hero Squad Ultraheroes #2

Turning Disney characters into super-heroes is nothing new: Super-Goof has been around since my father was a kid. The Disney’s Hero Squad Ultraheroes just extends that tradition to the rest of the Disney characters cast. Iron Gus, Super-Goof, The Red Bat, Super-Daisy, The Duck Avenger, and Cloverleaf band together to battle the evil of Roller Dollar and the Phantom Blot!

The story itself is fairly cartoonish and fun. Mickey Mouse hunts for Scrooge McDuck’s money bin, while the Ultra-Heroes match wits with the Roller Dollar and Phantom Blot to hunt down a series of Ultra-pods. What is really interesting about this particular comic is that, in many ways, it throws back to the Stan Lee and Steve Ditko comics of the 1960’s.

Writer Giorgio Salati includes references to old issues in narrative boxes and hilarious nicknames, much the same way that Lee used to do in their original Marvel Universe stories. The splitting up of the super-team to all fulfill separate missions and face different villains is reflective of old-school Avengers and Justice League comics, many of which are now available in large black and white volumes. The inclusion of The Origin of Super-Goof at the end of each comic plays into the comics kitschy nostalgia.

Roberta Mighelli’s work is traditionally Disney, bright colours, and heavy ink lines. The one knock I would have against the art is that many of the super-hero costumes looks the same, and it can get difficult at times figuring out which characters are which. Some variation in the costume colour schemes and layout would have made the comic much more interesting to look at.

Still, Ultraheroes is a fun children’s comic that includes enough interesting tidbits to keep traditional comic book fans happy

More info:

Written by Giorgio Salati and Ricardo Secchi
Art by Roberta Mighelli, Stefano Turconi
Covers by Magic Eye Studios

Publisher:

Title: Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time - New Spring (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Chuck Dixon (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Ryan Senese (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" If you're a Wheel of Time junkie like I am, you will not be disappointed with this adaptation."
Review:

Being not too much of a fan of western comics, I nevertheless enjoyed this quite a bit. The art, panel layout and design for the first five chapters are exquisite. This is definitely a level of quality that I can see Robert Jordan approving of. The sheer scope and detail of some of the page spreads is breathtaking. Moiraine almost looks *too* beautiful, though I doubt anyone is going to complain...

Chuck Dixon's adaptation is generally quite good, though it tends to info-dump at times via internal monologuing. Wheel of Time is undoubtedly a very difficult franchise to translate into graphic form yet some of the information could probably have been imparted less clumsily (e.g. Tamra's explanation of who the Whitecloaks are). There's a sentence in one of the later chapters that includes the wording "the Saidar flowed into her" and at the risk of sounding nit-picky, that is wording that Robert Jordan would never have used. Despite all of this, Dixon's work is passable at worst and quite good at best.


It's obvious that the last few chapters (6-8) were rushed. Panel layout is considerably less complex and I'd also say less detailed as well. Furthermore, no kind of satisfying conclusion is felt at the denouement because we arrive there so fast. I'm not sure who is to blame for the frenzied pacing of the last couple chapters, but it's as if the publisher just wanted to end the project as quickly as possible.

A little more on the art in the last few chapters: while it's definitely a step down from the first five, chapters six and seven are not in any way bad. They're just not as exceptional as the work of the first artist. Now the eighth chapter is quite terrible, there's no doubting that. There is no panel consistency between character models AT ALL! Moiraine looks *OK* sometimes, but then in the next panel she looks as though she gained 40 pounds. Characters look painfully awkward in almost every scene.

In conclusion, this graphic novel is worth your time if you are already a fan of the Wheel of Time. The first five chapters are nearly flawless and contain some of the best art I've seen in a graphic novel. Chapters 6-7 are still quite good, though not as exceptional. Finally, the last chapter is definitely the low point of the novel in all respects, which is a rather big disappointment in a lot of ways.

If you're a Wheel of Time junkie like I am, you will not be disappointed with this adaptation. For fans new to the series, I would definitely recommend reading the books first.

More info:

Story by Robert Jordan
Written by Chuck Dixon
Art by Mike Miller

Publisher:

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

" Proposition Player is amusing enough to be satisfactory. "
Review:

Would you sell your soul for a beer?

Do you believe you have a soul? Do you believe it so much that you wouldn't sign it over to a friend for the price of a beer? Bill Willingham's Proposition Player kicks into high gear when 32 Vegas casino workers eagerly agree to signs theirs souls over to a friend for around of beers. It's a joke of course -- what could signing a napkin mean outside of a free drink? But when card shark Joey Martin wakes the next morning, he finds himself in a curious position. He indeed owns the rights to 32 souls and both Heaven and Hell want to take the claim.

As the brutish agent of God tries the scared straight tactic, the voluptuous seductress of Satan speaks to Joey's heart -- through his crotch. Who should get the souls, how much are they really worth and is there any way for Joey to avoid eternal damnation either way?

Over the course of the uneven six-issue miniseries, Willingham offers up a number of ingenious moments, such as when Joey has to define how the universe was created. But the characters are generally unlikable, making it difficult to care what happens to Joey. The main character is an ass, remiss of any endearing or empathetic qualities. Only the strength of curiosity ("what happens next?") pulls the reader through to the clever finale.

Willingham had the opportunity to leave some ambiguity in the agents of Heaven and Hell. Instead of being unsure which side each works for, it's laid out plainly early on. You know the side of God and the side of the Devil. The "twist" is that every malicious act is harbored by agents of Heaven, while Hell seems like a pretty swell place for a vacation.

For all the ingenuity of the set-up, Proposition Player has mediocre follow-through redeemed mainly by its humor and final. Those looking for something on par with Fables will be disappointed, but as an afternoon read, Proposition Player is amusing enough to be satisfactory.

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Written by: Bill Willingham
Drawn by: Bill Willingham & Paul Guinan

Publisher:

Title: The Isle of 100,000 Graves (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Fabien Vehlmann (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Hypergeek (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" I can’t recommend this book highly enough, I don’t think I’ve laughed this much at a comic in years!"
Review:

The Isle of 100,000 Graves is a 56-page graphic novel written by Fabien Vehlmann, illustrated by Jason, and coloured by Hubert. The book is published by Fantagraphics Books, and will be in comic shops on June 15th. However, it looks like it’s already available on the book market, as it is listed as in stock on Amazon.

Five years ago, little Gwenny’s father found, inside a bottle, a map with instructions on how to reach the mysterious Isle of 100,000 Graves and its legendary treasures — and then he vanished. Now Gwenny, having stumbled across another bottle-shipped map, enlists the dubious help of a ship full of pirates, sets out to find the island, and her long-lost dad.

Little does she realize that the Isle comes by its ominous name honestly, as the location of a secret school for executioners and torturers, where apple-cheeked youngsters are taught the finer points of extracting information from prisoners… and then putting an end to their lives in a wide variety of gruesome ways. And they’ve reached the point in their studies where theory should ideally give way to practice, so an influx of uninvited visitors comes as a blessing to the faculty.

I’m a humongous fan of Jason’s work, and own nearly everything that he’s ever done. This book is different from Jason’s usual work though, in that he’s only drawing the book, and not writing the story. The story is written by Fabien Vehlmann, who while not that well known in North America, is incredibly popular in France, and highly acclaimed, even being dubbed “The René Goscinny of the third millennium”. Some North American readers may have read BOOM! Studios’ English translation of his collaboration with Sean Phillips - 7 Psychopaths. If you haven’t then make sure to order a copy, because it is a fantastic high-octane thriller that will blow your mind! Anyway, I was pretty intrigued to see how Jason’s illustration would work with someone else’s writing. The short answer is that it works amazingly well. The long answer is…


The story presented is a darkly humorous tales, centered around the incredibly original concept of a secret school for executioners and torturers. The school is based on a remote island, and so doesn’t tend to get many visitors, especially those guilty of a crime. Therefore, the school lures pirates (clearly guilty of something) to the island, by dumping bottles into the ocean, which contain maps to a secret buried treasure on the island. Then when they arrive, they are used as guinea pigs in the school’s torture and execution classes. Genius! When the story opens, our protagonist finds one of these bottle on the beach, and so heads off in search of her father, who went missing years before, while in search of this same treasure. It’s a fantastic premise that while a pretty dark in nature, is presented in a lighhearted and whimsical way. The story is brilliantly told, with great pacing, and sharp and witty dialogue. Vehlmann’s characters certainly talk a heck of a lot more that Jason’s do, typically to deliver hilarious, deadpan lines. The humour here is mostly gallows houmous, and Vehlmann delivers every line with perfect comedic timing. It’s not all laughs though, as Vehlmann also delivers a number of incredibly emotional scenes, particularly the final one, which may just bring a tear to your eye.

Jason’s artwork on this book is nothing short of spectacular. He uses his typically style of illustration on the story – understated and minimalistic, featuring anthropomorphic characters whose eye’s have no pupils. You wouldn’t think it, but this style seems to lend itself well to any genre, adapting itself perfectly to the nature of the story. One slight difference with his style on this book is that the colours a lot brighter than they are typically, thanks to the wonderful colouring job by Hubert. The more colourful artwork seems to work really well here, by acting as a bright counterpoint to all the torture and execution going on. I mentioned earlier that Vehlmann delivers lines with perfect comic timing, well this is accentuated by Jason’s artwork on the story. I love the fact that his characters’ expression hardly ever change – even when they are delivering ludicrous lines, their expressions tend to remain blank, which seems to make the lines that much funnier.

The Isle of 100,000 Graves is an inventive and original tale, filled to the brim with absurd and hilarious dialogue, delivered with impeccable timing by Fabien Vehlmann. The story is brought to life with wonderful artwork by Jason, and eye popping colours by Hubert. I can’t recommend this book highly enough, I don’t think I’ve laughed this much at a comic in years!

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written by Fabien Vehlmann
Illustrated by Jason
Coloured by Hubert.

Publisher:

Title: Alone (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Fabien Vehlmann (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: hyjoo (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" Recommended."
Review:

I knew 'Alone' by name until the pre-publication of Volume 6 in Spirou Magazine. I had heard good things, but seen the covers, I imagined the series to be aimed at a younger audience. This is actually not necessarily the case.

The idea is fairly standard in itself and probably already covered in other works: the hero or group of heroes who finds himself isolated in a more or less hostile. Following the discovery of opportunities for young children when parental authority is totally eclipsed, seen that too. Then just come out of trouble.

The obstacles to a happy life are led by Fabien Vehlmann crescendo. In the earlier volumes, especially if the threat comes from other animals or people who also enjoy / suffer from the absence of adults, the real "bad guys" and the events closely linked to the disappearance are treated later. A little too late for my taste, even if the reader has read so many of the protagonists and that this time is necessary to put the pieces in place.
I appreciate the well proportioned ambiguity surrounding the role of certain characters (Saul, Selene and Alexander ...). These levers are very good triggers effective the different events of the story. They are often unexpected.


Unexpected, in fact, it is also the general impression that emerges from the series: first volumes of "good child" that depict very young kids (8 to 13 years, no more), it evolves into events, sometimes violent, that may seem shocking. Say it out loud: "Only" is about murder, fatal accidents, even torture. If they are not graphically depicted (well, not in full), they are central to the plot. And the work that seems open to younger is actually intended for an audience a tad more mature (well, what teenager). I personally have some difficulty in defining precisely what is the target audience, but I think the authors broad sweep.
Despite the violence that rumbles in the background, "only" carries a bunch of good intentions portrayed in the group of hero (brotherhood of the children despite their different social backgrounds, support, culture, etc..) Which are often conflicting practices questionable antagonists.

Drawing, Gazzotti (SODA illustrator, mainly) adopt a related chubby, which will be familiar to readers just younger. The square jaws are not in the game, probably reserved for adults. The style remains consistent throughout the volumes.
The decorations of the city abandoned are often detailed, the plot depicts many different environments: urban, rural, circus, theme park, church, buildings, and so on.
Without being extravagant, the drawing can navigate easily and discuss the scenario as the main attraction of the series.

Finally, 'Alone' is a comic book accessible to a minimum warned, and smart enough that depicts a scenario in which the hook is certainly commonplace, but the course promises to friendly developments with the rest of the story. Recommended.

(TransGoogled - G)

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Original title in French: Seuls
art by Bruno Gazzott
written by Fabien Vehlmann
colours by Cerise

Publisher:

Title: Demons of Sherwood (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Robert Tinnell (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Dave Ferraro (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" I've read very few comics on-line, but if there are more like this out there, I am so there."
Review:

Demons of Sherwood is a webcomic that has been serialized since December, but the entirety of the graphic novel is now available for your viewing pleasure at ComicMix for free. The book is written by Robert Tinnell, with some really gorgeous artwork by Bo Hampton. The story follows a washed-up Robin Hood, over a decade since his heyday stealing from the rich to give to the poor, Marian having run off and left him to find comfort in a bottle. But news has come his way of a trio of women who are to be burned at the stake for witchcraft, one of whom is the love of his life he's been searching for all these years: that fair maiden herself. As the story progresses, we see demons attacking Robin and his Merry Men as they strive to protect the three accused witches and deliver them to a sanctuary overseen by a former comrade. There are plenty of great ideas throughout this book, with some fantastic action scenes and disturbing images of true horror. The characters of the book are thoroughly engaging and the plot absolutely intriguing...I felt horrible for having not given the creators a cent for the privilege of reading through this fantastic adventure, but I'm sure to seek out more work from the duo and I'll definitely buy this book in a collected format should it become available in the future. Really, it's free, so there's no excuse not to check this book out. The art is of high quality and the creators really know how to pace a story with all of the elements you want out of a good piece of genre fiction, seamlessly blending comedy and romance into the mix for a stunning final product. The dialogue is smart and true to the time period, with some fun banter between the characters at various points. I've read very few comics on-line, but if there are more like this out there, I am so there.

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Story by Robert Tinnell
Art and colours by Bo Hampton

Publisher: