Title: Batman – No Man’s Land (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Greg Rucka (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: MajorJJH (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" The story is nothing short of fascinating..."
Review:

One of the biggest comic crossover events that was not Universe wide is the Batman: No Man’s Land event that took place during 1999. Preceded by Batman: Cataclysm, the crossover took place in all the Bat-universe books, including the four monthly Batman titles — Detective Comics, Batman, Batman: Shadow of the Bat, and Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight — as well as the larger Batman family like Robin, Catwoman, and Nightwing.

This may be deemed as a bit of a cheat, attributing to Rucka the success of No Man’s Land, as when you look at the full list of authors behind this massive event, he is just one of many. However, with issues of the two main comics under his belt — Batman and Detective Comics — Rucka definitely had a lot to say in this series. And when you look at the credits on the trade paperbacks, Rucka’s name appears in all of them.

No Man’s Land was epic, nothing short of it. Gotham City is hit by a massive earthquake that sees destruction everywhere. Over the next few days and weeks, it would become evident that Gotham would not be making a quick recovery. Eventually, the United States of America declares Gotham City a No Man’s Land — meaning that it is no longer part of American territory. People are asked to leave, and many hundreds of thousands do.

Naturally though, not everyone leaves. Criminals and low life’s stay around, but so do those who have lived in Gotham all their lives, and know it is their home. Add to that a force of Gotham PD and the Bat family, and you have the makings of a great story.

Territory is divided between some of the biggest criminals Gotham has faced including Two Face, Poison Ivy, the Penguin, Killer Croc, and more. But the GCPD also take a stake, and try and reclaim what they can, as does Batman. So the story unfolds and keeps you spellbound all the way.


The story is nothing short of fascinating, as the DC writers tasked with writing No Man’s Land investigated what life would be like in a city with so little. Power has been cut, food is scarce — if it’s existent at all — crime is rife, and life is cheap. But as you get to watch characters like Oracle, Jim Gordon, Catwoman, and the Huntress — the second tier of Bat characters — as they deal with the situation and help, it is really quite fun to read.

Of course Batman is cracking skulls left right and center, with Robin and Nightwing on their own much of the time trying to lay down a measure of law and order.

Other characters like Rene Montoya, Harvey Bullock, Sarah Essen (Jim Gordon’s wife), and the Joker play massive roles. And by the end of the series you have seen pretty much every living criminal that has ever crossed through Gotham. It’s almost as if they wrote a series finale you’d find in a TV show like Star Trek; with all the old characters coming back to say goodbye.

You can get the trade paperbacks for No Man’s Land (plus Cataclysm, which is necessary) from InStockTrades.com. They were good enough to supply us with copies of all of them for this Rucka week, and we thank them, for this tribute to Rucka would not have been possible without them.

But it is Greg Rucka’s immense talent that has entertained me these past few weeks and months as I’ve prepared for this, and to him I say an even bigger thank you.

More info:

Written by by Greg Rucka

Publisher:

 

Title: Final Crisis: Revelations (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Greg Rucka (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Rob Siebert (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" I enjoyed this book quite a bit."
Review:

This book was the best thing to come out of DC’s big Final Crisis event comic in 2008. Grant Morrison’s story was confusing and convoluted, and the stuff Geoff Johns did was uncharacteristically…blah.

But Greg Rucka’s story about The Spectre, and God’s almighty plan ultimately stole the show. Johns even called it the best thing Rucka had ever written. It’s odd, because superhero comics and real-world religion/spirituality aren’t always the best things to mix. But Rucka pulls it off with a story that’s actually quite touching.

Revelations stands on its own, but to get the full scope, you really should read (or maybe just skim) Final Crisis, as well as Rucka’s work on the Gotham Central books. Long story short, Central mainstay Renee Montoya has become The Question, the DCU’s resident crime-noir detective, and has been targeted by the Religion of Crime as their chosen leader. Montoya ultimately sought to bring down the group, but nevertheless has caught the attention of The Spectre…God’s angel of vengeance, which has attached itself to the spirit of her dead partner, Crispus Allen.

During his time as a spirit, Crispus Allen has grown furious with God, as He ordered The Spectre to kill Allen’s own son, because he murdered the man who killed his father. Thus, Allen’s faith in his new duty has been put to the ultimate test, and when he is ordered to kill his old partner, the test only gets harder.

While this is all going on, the spirit of Cain (yes, THAT Cain), has been reincarnated into the body of supervillain Vandal Savage, who seeks vengeance on The Spectre for marking him as a murderer. And while THAT’s going on, Darkseid has turned the majority of the world’s population into mindless zombies via the Anti-Life Equation.


Didja get all that?

Though the plot is multi-layered to say the least, Rucka does a masterful job keeping all the plates spinning. It really is one of his best works. In some circles he’s probably best known for his gritty crime fiction, but he’s perfectly capable of working in the realm of the supernatural. Oddly enough, he incorporates both in this book by using characters from the former and incorporating them into the latter.

Obviously, the element that might turn some readers off is the religion factor. The Spectre is “God’s hitman,” and in addition, we also get a look at Radiant, God’s angel of mercy. There are some Bible passages quoted, an image of Jesus on the cross, and even an image of The Question going into action with a large cross behind her. Though it’s a great work, Revelations has the potential to make a lot of people uncomfortable. But at its core, it’s really not about Christianity, or any particular religion. It’s about keeping your faith and hope, even in the most dire circumstances. And it doesn’t get much more dire than a sadist zombie apocalypse.

Philip Tan’s work has been hit or miss for me lately, but he gets a hit with this book. The facial close ups are nice, especially on Vandal Savage and Batwoman. Because the world is coming to an end in this book, Tan and the inkers had to deal with a lot of dark atmospheres. I normally don’t get into comics that cake on the black stuff, but this team balances it out quite nicely with bright colors. For instance, the a supernatural entity using his powers often comes with a bright flash of red or blue.

As you may have noticed, I enjoyed this book quite a bit. Probably not a good gift for the Athiest in the family, but as someone who considers himself spiritual as opposed to religious, I liked it a lot.

Plus, there’s a scene where we see Batwoman and Catwoman acting slutty all over Vandal Savage. There’s a border-line religious experience right there.

More info:

AUTHOR: Greg Rucka
PENCILLER: Philip Tan
COLLECTS: Final Crisis: Revelations #1-5
FORMAT: Trade Paperback

Publisher:

Title: Impaler Volume 2 (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): William Harms (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Nathan Wilson (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" Impaler is horror comics and vampire fiction done right."
Review:

This has been a great month for hardcover and collected trade releases, and the publication of William Harms and Matt Timson's Impaler volume 2 deserves the attention of readers who either may have missed out on the single issues or series fans who want to learn more about the creative process and concepts behind its creation.

Even for someone like me who did not read the first volume (but definitely will now), Impaler is horror comics and vampire fiction done right. Unencumbered by superhero continuity and constraints that often reduced the impact of horror sequences in Marvel Zombies or DC's Blackest Night, Top Cow's Impaler creates an atmosphere and environment where the threats are significant and the consequences lasting. Most of this landscape is largely crafted by the amazing and talented work of artist Matt Timson. Building off writer William Harms' solid script, which fans get a glimpse of in the Bonus Material section, Timson's digital artistry is horrifically beautiful in his depiction of vampires, cityscapes, and average, everyday humans. Not relying simply upon formulaic gore or bloodshed, Timson's art evokes responses from readers due in large part to the textures, lighting, coloring, and details he provides in each panel. Detractors of digital comics art should pay attention to Timson's work in this series. Having only previously experienced Timson's work in Gutsville #2, his efforts in Impaler have secured him a valuable position in the contemporary comic art industry.


Focusing on the efforts of Victor and Vlad to combat an ensuing invasion of the United States by vampires, Harms creates a narrative that juxtaposes their efforts alongside those of a select group of military agents to halt the vampires' progression outside of the eastern seaboard. While readers familiar with the characters and the plot from volume 1 may have a greater connection to the story and the figures involved, Harms succeeds at building intriguing and interesting characters that newcomers can easily follow and appreciate. Harms also deserves credit for luring fans and enticing them to want to learn more about the backstory and cast. Whether or not some of this information is revealed in the first volume is unknown at this time, but Harms has planted important seeds that only a sequel can fully address.

Although definitely more action heavy than plot driven, Harms also does a magnificent job of fleshing out (no pun intended) secondary stories within the larger vampire hunt fest that occupies most of Impaler. For example, in the teases as to the villain's origin and connections to Vlad, as well as in the shorter sequences with Darlene, audiences obtain just enough story to balance out the main thematic focus on the major players.

With an excellent introduction by Jonathan Maberry and a Bonus Material section that includes a deleted scene and related script pages, artist pin-ups, cover gallery, concepts and designs, and most importantly, a detailed guide by Timson on his digital process, new readers and longtime fans cannot go wrong with this book. Here's hoping that Top Cow will reunite Harms and Timson for the next phase of Impaler.

More info:

Words: William Harms
Art: Matt Timson

Publisher:

Title: Impaler Volume 1 (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): William Harms (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Robert Thompson (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" Impaler is a great concept that fails to deliver on its promise."
Review:

Acclaimed horror writer William Harms (Bad Mojo, Abel) teams with Nick Marinkovich (Nightwolf), Nick Postic (Underworld) and award-winning artist Francis Tsai (Marvel Comics Presents) to breath new, horrifying life into the classic vampire myth…


When one of the worst blizzards in modern history descends upon New York City, the blinding snow and wind are the least of the city’s problems. For hidden in the weather is a growing army of ravenous vampires, and humanity’s only hope lies with Vlad Tepes, the “historical Dracula”…

“Impaler” has received accolades from countless sources, including Rue Morgue magazine, Ain’t it Cool News, Cinescape, IGN Comics, and others. “Impaler” was also a finalist for the prestigious International Horror Guild Award .

CLASSIFICATION: Part vampire story and part end-of-the-world tale—think I Am Legend meets 28 Days Later with a little bit of Dracula mixed in—“Impaler” is for readers who like their horror grim, bloody, and visceral…

FORMAT/INFO: The “Impaler” Volume One Trade Paperback is 160 pages long and contains issues #1-3 of Impaler as well as the final three chapters of the initial storyline not available anywhere else. The graphic novel also includes an introduction by F. Paul Wilson, the award-winning author of the Repairman Jack novels; an Afterword by William Harms; a Cover Gallery; the story’s Original Pitch with a different ending; a Deleted Scene; Character Designs & Sketches; and a 5-Page Preview of the new ongoing Impaler series that debuts on December 31, 2008.


“Impaler” was created and written by William Harms. Chapters 1-4 were penciled and inked by Nick Postic with Nick Marinkovich providing the coloring and inks for Chapters 1-3. Francis Tsai handled the penciling, inks and colors for Chapters Five and Six. The graphic novel was released to comic book stores on November 5, 2008 and made available on Amazon.com on November 14, 2008. “Impaler” is published by Top Cow.

ANALYSIS: “Impaler” is an interesting concept that revolves around two main ideas: One, that Vlad Tepes—the Prince of Wallachia, also known as Vlad the Impaler or Dracula—sacrificed himself in 1460 to become an immortal warrior against the forces of darkness, blessed with supernatural powers. The other is that vampires are actually the bloodsucking spawn of a powerful demon that cannot be killed, only imprisoned. And unlike the vampires we are familiar with, these can “turn into shadows and morph their bodies into tentacles”, and seem mostly hell-bent on destroying everyone in the world. Cool right? Well it would be except the rest of the graphic novel is not up to par with the actual pitch…

The first problem is with the writing. Now William is pretty solid when it comes to developing the character of Victor Dailey, writing believable dialogue, and setting the stage for the vampires’ takeover of New York City and the subsequent chaos to follow, but in other areas he comes up short. For instance, Vlad Tepes as a vampire hunter is a wonderful twist, except as a character he’s flat and one-dimensional. This is because so little time is spent establishing the Wallachian prince aside from two very brief flashbacks. Not only that, but both Vlad and the vampires are plagued with unanswered questions like: What abilities does Vlad possess? How did he know that vampires had landed in New York City? Why can’t the Great Vampire be killed? Where did the demon come from? And so on. I’m sure a lot of these questions will be answered in the ongoing series, but still, William could have given readers a little more to go on. I also think the book would have benefited from a narrator, because at times the story is confusing and it’s hard to know what character we’re supposed to be following.

The second, and much bigger problem, is with the book visually. For starters, there are two artists penciling the graphic novel, each with vastly different styles, neither of which really complements the content, so there is little consistency. Of the former, Nick Postic’s artwork is wonderfully abstract and atmospheric, perfect for the subject matter, but is a liability when it comes to storytelling which is at times baffling and chaotic. Francis Tsai meanwhile, has a much smoother and more coherent style that I personally prefer. It’s just not a style that works well with horror. Matt Timson, the artist chosen for the ongoing series, seems like a cross between the two, which is a nice compromise, but the artwork could still be much better. And in a graphic novel—where artwork is just as, if not more important than the writing—it’s a major issue, and a large reason why “Impaler” is unable to rise above mediocrity and into something more…

CONCLUSION: “Impaler” is a great concept that fails to deliver on its promise. That said, William Harms has intrigued me and I’ll be keeping an eye on the ongoing series to see how it develops. In the meantime, someone needs to get the film rights to “Impaler” because the graphic novel would make an awesome movie

More info:

created and written by William Harms
Chapters 1-4 were penciled and inked by Nick Postic
Nick Marinkovich providing the coloring and inks for Chapters 1-3
Francis Tsai handled the penciling, inks and colors for Chapters Five and Six.

Publisher:

Title: Batman: Hong Kong (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: Patrick King (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" Another fine addition to the ever-expanding Batman universe"
Review:

In the spirit of Halloween, I've decided to look at yet another Batman import in case anyone needs more ideas for cool costumes this year. The spooky holiday has always been one of my favorites, not only because it takes place five days after my birthday, but because it also is more about getting candy and enjoying the cool fall weather (here, at least) than worrying about finding presents for other people.

And now you know my priorities. Presents for me, candy for me. Two of my life's most important pursuits.

So, back to the Batman book I'm holding here.

As you may have noticed, I also reviewed Kia Asamiya's Japanese take on the Batman mythology, with his Child of Dreams graphic novel. Now we'll take a look at Tony Wong's Batman: Hong Kong, adapted into English by Doug Moench.

Being such a large fan of the Dark Knight, it really doesn't take much to make me happy when it comes to a story about the greatest fictional detective to grace a page since Sherlock Holmes. So long as the key elements of a good Batman yarn are present, I'm sold. These elements, for those who may be wondering, are rather simple: First of all, there must be a good story to ground everything. For this to happen, there must secondly be interesting characters. One trait of Batman's adventures throughout the years is that his battles are as much psychological as they are physical. He's a powerful person, skilled in multiple styles of martial arts, but his greatest villians aren't always brutes, but mentally afflicted individuals. Thus, instead of supernatural abilities being the focus of the story, human frailties are far more common, and the stories tend to be that much more believable.

The final key to telling a good Batman story is the look - everything must be appropriately creepy, dark, and dreary. The Batman is a creature of the night, and the proper visual surroundings are necessary to complete the mood of the piece.

I'm happy to report that everything is as it should be for this particular Batman adventure. The writing is smooth and readable, lacking the sometimes-awkward overabundance of narrative possessed by some of the other adaptations of Chinese comics into English.

The story is equally solid. After an innocent hacker discovers a real-time streaming snuff film and goes to the Gotham City authorities, Police Commissioner Gordon dismisses his tale as wildly unbelievable.


By the time Batman becomes involved, it may be too late for the poor computer user. Soon enough, however, the clues lead our hero to Hong Kong. Unfortunately, Batman is far out of his element in the huge city and has trouble making progress in solving the crime. Luckily, some local help calling himself the Dragon appears in the nick of time to aid him, but can Bat and Dragon stop the killer before he strikes again?

You won't see any familiar criminals here, but getting an original story with new characters is just as nice as having a tale with known elements. It also helps that the characters introduced are just as interesting -- and some are just as twisted -- as any classic villain you'd care to name.

Unlike Kia Asamiya's book, Tony Wong's is in full color, painted in his gorgeous style. While everything is in color, certain panels are given far more attention than others, painted in a way that actually seems more beautiful than real life. Wong uses fine lines in his artwork, lending a very meticulous look to the world he's created for Batman to live in. The more detailed panels are eye-catching enough to warrant hanging on your wall.

Another visual detail Tony Wong excels at is his skill at illustrating battle scenes. There's a reason why these are called Kung-Fu comics, and Batman rarely moves in such a realistic way. This style meshes perfectly with Batman's character, and the entire book feels very natural.

I was a little disappointed that there weren't any extras in this release, but then I wouldn't have expected any if the Asamiya book hadn't included sketches and an interview. This is also a much shorter work for the same cost as Child of Dreams, but then it's also completely in color.

Altogether, this is another fine addition to the ever-expanding Batman universe, and I'd recommend that longtime fans get it, so they can see the Batman from a new point of view. Fans of Tony Wong would also do well to pick this one up, between volumes of The Legendary Couple. It won't let you down.

And, finally, if you've never read or seen Batman in any form...well, you're missing out on something quite extraordinary. That is, except for the Joel Schumacher films. Skip those. I'm not sure who suggested that it'd be a good idea for everything in Batman's reality to have a touch of neon, but that person was horribly horribly wrong.

In any case, have a great Halloween and make yourself a batch of Bat-cookies for the occasion. And then get back to working on that costume!

More info:

Writer: Doug Moench
Artist: Tony Wong

Publisher:

Title: Samurai Heaven and Earth (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: Richard George (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" Entertaining, light on meaning, and lifted high by amazing art."
Review:

Sometimes if something is pretty you don't care how stupid it is. That's the basic impression I had of Samurai: Heaven and Earth. It is a basic tale of a man trying to find his wife after she is taken during a fierce battle. Along the way he meets an assortment of characters, but the general idea is that he is chasing his loved one. Although straightforward, Samurai proves to be a fast and interesting book, and it is recommended provided you're looking for a good action/adventure tale.

There is not a lot to say about the Samurai story. Shiro is the lone Japanese survivor of a Chinese assault on his master's castle. During the battle he is trapped under some rubble. When he awakens and escapes, he discovers his friends and comrades are dead and his wife is missing. Rather than take his life due to the shame of losing the battle, Shiro chooses to honor a promise to his wife - to follow her, whether in life or death. His pursuit leads him through China to France, where he runs afoul of the French king, a devious plot by the Spanish to assassinate the French king, and the musketeers. Despite the complications along the way, this is basically a single-minded pursuit. Shiro is not exactly a complicated character; he chases his wife like a Sentinal might chase a mutant. His purpose is singular which limits the range and depth of the book. Writer Ron Marz steers the plot well despite the narrow focus. It might have been a little more interesting to see some permanent characters established. It is clear that no character is meant to last for more than a few pages - whether due to Shiro's journey or his sword.


Marz is clever with how he plots this adventure. When there is a lull due to an impediment in Shiro's movement, Marz inserts a massive action sequence. Marz keeps the battles unique; we see one-on-one combat, massive wars and several rounds where several musketeers fight our samurai hero. It works for what it is and feels realistic enough that Shiro does get injured. Despite the fact that we know Shiro will triumph, there is still a good feeling of tension due to the realism that Marz injects.

Samurai is lifted to new heights because of Luke Ross and Jason Keith. Together the artwork is absolutely brilliant, invoking a style incredibly similar to Greg Land and his colorists. Like Land, Ross and Keith capture the best elements of pencil and paint. Each page is absolutely majestic in presentation. The art makes the book in this case. It is hard to say if Ross and Keith can match Land's versatility given the grounded nature of Samurai, but I look forward to seeing more of their work. Samurai features some of the best artwork I have ever seen in a comic.

Ron Marz delivers a linear plot that manages to be entertaining because of its setting and style. Marz throws plenty of amusing moments into Shiro's adventure, and keeps the action varied enough so that it does not get too old. It is really difficult to say if this series could really have any strength past this collection; Shiro is basically running from location to location, killing the majority of people in his way. Despite a plot that could quickly grow stale for some readers, the artwork will never do that. Ross and Keith seal the deal on this book; it is worth buying just for the visuals. Aside from being aesthetically stunning, most will find Samurai: Heaven and Earth a worthwhile journey; the story is capable enough, and the art will take care of the rest.

More info:

Written by: Ron Marz
Art by: Luke Ross
Publisher: Dark Horse
Genre: Action

Publisher:

Title: Sky Doll (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Alessandro Barbucci and Barbara Canepa (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Kyle Posluszny (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" I cannot recommend Sky Doll #1 enough"
Review: Sky Doll #1

Sky Doll #1 is the first release from Marvel’s new partnership with French publisher Soleil and it leaves me wondering exactly what kind of audience Marvel hopes to reach with this series. I had heard of this critically acclaimed series a while back and, while the first issue gives me the feeling that it deserves the praise, I could easily see Sky Doll becoming a lightning rod for controversy if the mainstream media got wind of it. Allow me to explain what I mean a bit before getting into the review, as I hope it will give everything I write a bit more clarity.

Under a colorful, futuristic, cartoon aesthetic, Sky Doll is, at its core, a pointed criticism of religion, sexual taboos, and society. To be honest, I could probably write pages and pages about the themes and imagery found in this first volume alone, but for simplicity’s sake let me just make clear that this is not a comic for kids, the easily offended, the very religious, or those uncomfortable with (possibly gratuitous) nudity or violence. This work just feels out of place amongst the rest of the Marvel lineup, though by no means do I consider that to be a bad thing. It’s just that Sky Doll is something very unique, very controversial, and, in some ways, groundbreaking both for it’s overall storyline as well as it’s interesting mix of both subtle and blatant dialogue/imagery. I highly recommend this series for anyone with an open mind, while at the same time I urge readers to be ready for something quite a bit different than anything you’ve read before. Now, on to the review…

Sky Doll tells the story of a doll named Noa who discovers that she is quite a bit different from all the other dolls. The “dolls” in question are bought and sold for various tasks or for sexual pleasure, and Noa decides that she’s had enough of life as it is and aims to prove that she is more than just a thing to be used. She stows away, in hopes of a better life, on a ship being used by Roy and Jahu, two emissaries of Papess Lodovica, the religious leader/icon of the city. In addition to the story of Noa and Roy, Sky Doll #1 also introduces us to the fanatical religious climate that permeates through all aspects of the society. Religion is politics, politics is religion, and the media exists to further the ideology through public displays of power like miracles and, what looks like, sacrifice. This is a very radical, possibly oppressive society and the book does not shy away from pointing out the dark side of religious devotion. There are hints throughout the book that Noa truly is much more than her label as a doll and it will be interesting to see how this is developed into what I can only imagine will be a challenge to the society as a whole.


The artwork in Sky Doll is something people will either love or hate. I thought the art was fantastic, as the colorful, vibrant, futuristic world really comes to life thanks to the almost Disney-like style and color palette. This book is extremely eye-catching, though I caution parents again that this is not a kids book, as the character designs are quite risqué, suggestive poses are common, and nudity is quite frequent. I could see someone arguing that the cartoony characters and world do not fit the grim, controversial subject matter, but I don’t think anyone could argue that this book is dull, boring, or uninteresting from a visual standpoint.

As I’ve mentioned before, the world of Sky Doll truly feels both alive and fully realized. The dialogue is realistic, the fanaticism is both understandable and disturbing, and the religious politics on display help to set the stage for Noa’s story and the world she lives in. The realistic, emotional, and, at times, deep, dialogue created memorable characters and relationships that I actually want to see develop. I especially enjoyed both the connection between Roy and Noa and the tension filled friendship of emissaries Roy and Jahu. This was just a strong read all around thanks to the combination of strong characters and a fully realized setting.

Overall, I cannot recommend Sky Doll #1 enough. This was an incredibly strong debut for the Soleil/Marvel partnership and I can only hope that this level of quality continues. I recommend Sky Doll for anyone looking for something unique and something that can be read a bit deeper than your average comic book. The world, the characters, and the art come together in a way that makes me think this series can really be something special. Pick this one up if it sounds even the least bit interesting to you.

More info:

By Alessandro Barbucci and Barbara Canepa (Story, Art & Colors)

Publisher:

Title: X-MEN SCHISM Complete 2011 Empire (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Jason Aaron (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Jesse Schedeen (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" Schism is a largely successful start to this latest X-event."
Review: X-Men: Schism #1

No matter what other big event storylines might be unfolding, the X-Men always seem one step removed from the rest of the Marvel Universe. Even as Fear Itself consumes most of their world, the X-Men face their own trials in Schism. In his first issue, writer Jason Aaron proves this particular storyline is well worth paying attention to amid all the other events on the market right now. But that's not to say this issue doesn't have a few flaws worth noting.

Readers have no doubt been wondering exactly what threat emerges in Schism that will manage to drive a wedge between Cyclops and Wolverine. What were the X-Men so afraid of in the Prelude to Schism mini-series? This issue doesn't provide definitive answers, but it offers a general idea and builds towards a larger conflict. Aaron employs several villains in tandem, including some returning favorites like Kid Omega and one entirely new character. It's the new character who truly stands out at this early stage. Aaron has a talent for crafting quirky, memorable villains in a very brief span of pages, and that talent is readily apparent with Kade Kilgore. By comparison, Kid Omega's return is a bit underwhelming. I'm all for the noble cause of keeping Grant Morrison's New X-Men creations in print, but here Kid Omega is little more than a means to an end. This issue merely reaffirms my belief that this particular character has run his course.

The X-Men are a long way from splintering, and Aaron makes use of his opportunity to showcase the entire team at once. His "Wolverine vs. the X-Men" arc suggested Aaron was a natural fit for a team-oriented X-book. Schism is reinforcing that notion. Aaron has a firm grasp on the many disparate team voices. Even Hope and her crew factor heavily into the script. Aaron looks to be positioning Idie as the next recruit in Wolverine's long line of young, female sidekicks. Hopefully that arrangement will benefit both characters. While the tone of the issue is fairly grim, Aaron does include a fair bit of humor to keep things from growing too dark too quickly. The script has a few sly jabs at readers, poking fun at Schism's perceived similarities to Civil War and the faction of readers who want Storm and Black Panther's marriage to be dissolved.

Above all, the relationship between Cyclops and Wolverine forms the core of the story. This is exactly as it should be. Aaron successfully and efficiently highlights how far the characters have come and how strong their current bond is. There was a worry that Wolverine's actual importance among the X-Men was being exaggerated for the sake of this story, but Aaron's treatment feels natural enough. There's little doubt that the emotional payoff will be high once these two friends and comrades come to blows.


But while this issue is largely successful in what it sets out to do, there are some problems beneath the surface. Aaron could have done more to define the threat against the X-Men. The scenes of enemies marshaling against the X-Men come across as a little sillier than they should. Without giving too much away, Aaron escalates tensions between humans and mutants once again, but the script doesn't convey why this latest political disaster is so much worse than certain other events in X-Men history.

The art is also a bit underwhelming. Carlos Pacheco's work has been very sporadic since returning to Marvel recently. To date, no book has matched the cinematic quality and detail of his early issues of Ultimate Comics Avengers. Here, while his pages are neat and clearly defined, his figures are uncharacteristically simple. Frank D'Armata's colors mesh better with the art than I might have expected, but nor do they flesh out the figures as well as they should.

Finally, this is one case where cover price becomes a concern. Marvel is charging $4.99 for Schism #1. While this issue is longer than your average monthly comic, it isn't hefty enough to justify that cost. Not when books like Amazing Spider-Man #600 and the Invincible Iron Man Annual offer several issues' worth of original content for the same price. Has the industry reached the point where $3.99 is now the standard for a 22-page book, and anything longer automatically warrants an extra dollar? That's a sobering thought.

In the end, the creative team have no control over external factors like price, so I can't hold that against them. Schism is a largely successful start to this latest X-event. Aaron seems to have his characters well in hand, and the only question now is whether the conflict will properly coalesce in issue #2.

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writer: Jason Aaron
Ar: carlos Pacheco

Publisher:

Title: Jonny Quest Series (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Bill Messner-Loebs (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Lyle P. Blosser (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" Comico did a respectable job in trying to duplicate the feel of the original TV show."
Review:

#1, June 1986: The Sands of Khasa Tahid
Part 1 "The Sands of Khasa Tahid": Doug Wildey (writer, artist, inker, colorist, letterer, etc.)
Part 2 "City of Time Lost": William Messner-Loebs, writer; Steve Rude, artist; Mike Royer, inker; Matt Wagner, colorist; Bob Pinaha, letterer; Diana Schutz, editor

This is the next-best thing to seeing a brand-new JQ episode -- a JQ comic drawn by Doug Wildey! (Well, at least half of it was -- more on that later.) The cover, also by Wildey (click on the image or title to see the complete image), is pure vintage JQ, and while reading the first half of the book, one can almost hear the character's voices and that wonderful Hoyt Curtin underscore. Wildey scores a coup, here, by including nearly every character that appeared more than once in the classic TV show in his story: Jonny, Hadji, Bandit, Race, and Dr. Quest, of course, but also Jade and Dr. Zin (the only TV show repeat character not in this story is Mr. Corbin, Race's boss at Intelligence-1). In doing so, he set the stage for the rest of the books, and how they would be constructed. We couldn't have asked for a better start!
The second half of the book picks up the tale started in the first half, and does a creditable job, IMHO, although it does suffer by comparison to the Wildey lead-in. The characters aren't drawn quite the same, although they're pretty good, and the dialogue and atmosphere come very close to Wildey's standards. It's a shame Wildey couldn't have done more for this series (he did do two more covers, as well as all the work in re-creating three TV episodes in the "classics" series), but Comico did a respectable job in trying to duplicate the feel of the original TV show.

Trivia:Wildey makes it official in this issue -- Jade's nickname is "Jezebel." Although widely accepted among classic JQ fans, this was never mentioned in the TV episodes. (She was always simply referred to as "Jade.")


#2, July 1986: Enter Race Bannon
William Messner-Loebs, writer; Wendy Pini, penciller; Joe Staton, inker; Bob Pinaha, letterer; Rick Taylor, colorist; Diana Schutz, editor; Steve Rude, cover

We were never told, in the original TV series, what happened to Jonny's mom. All we know is this: in the episode titled "Mystery of the Lizard Men" the intelligence personnel charged with protecting Dr. Quest and Jonny mention that Jonny's mother died. In "Jonny's Golden Quest," that movie's makers attempted to answer that question, but in the opinion of many, handled it very poorly, involving Dr. Zin in her death.

Now, in issue #2, COMICO gives their version of what happened, and, at the same time, tell how Race Bannon became assigned to the scientist and his son. Sensitively told, with much affection for the characters, this second issue bodes well for the series, even though the artwork is a little "flatter" than the Doug Wildey or Steve Rude productions, but it still is quite decent, all the same. And the cover makes nice use of a shadow to "mask" one character's appearance, so not too much is given away.

More info:

Bill Messner-Loebs writer
Steve Rude artist
Doug Wildey writer, penciler, letterer, inker, colorist, cover
Matt Wagner colorist
Bob Pinaha letterer
Terry Austin, Mike Royer inker
Diana Schutz editor
Published by Comico, 1986-1988.

Publisher:

Title: The God Machine (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Chandra Free (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: gordon (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" A book that I enjoyed more than I thought I would."
Review:

It’s always nice if you can come up with a soundbite to head a review. A short, pithy summing up that allows the casual reader to glance at the headline and decide if they want to read further. The best of them let people know what the story is about while at the same time making you want to read more. The best ones end up on the back of the book.

So, Neil Gaiman’s Sandman for the Twilight generation is the blurb that I’ve come up with for The God Machine. I thought long and hard before deciding to go with it. It contains a reference to one of the finest graphic novel series ever, and is high praise indeed, but then I go and spoil it all (for some) by mentioning in the same breath the mainstream phenomenon that is Twilight.

The comparisons are both meant to be complimentary. There isn’t a suggestion of dumping down here, rather, a new approach to the world that the gods inhabit as they wile their time away, amusing themselves with the lives of the mortals.

The God Machine tells the story of Artie, member of the Goth Society. His girlfriend Sith, died (maybe) and he is spiralling into a grief fuelled suicidal depression. Meanwhile, in the heavens, Good God, Bad God and Limbo God play games with each other and stumble across Artie at midnight while he visits Sith’s memorial. He can see them, he shouldn’t be able to and so something is not right. There’s also some interdimensional demons whose entry into this world is somehow tied up with Artie.


Enter Satan (no, he’s not Bad God, he’s someone else) and things start to go seriously awry. Not least for Artie whose life is falling apart, but also for Good God as those interdimensional demons spell bad news for everyone. Even the gods.

What’s good about t – it’s charming and entertaining. Artie’s blacker moments are very well written and drawn, you’re taken down into the darkness of his moods with him. The idea of the otherworlds and the Good God/Bad God is smart, and there’s a nicely realised back cast of characters, suitably glum, nihisilistic and well, Goth.

What’s bad about it. To counter balance the darkness of Artie and his cohorts Good God and Bad God verge on the annoying and the twee. There’s an emo-y cutenesss about God that some will find irritating. Not as irritating as the author’s frequent intrusions into the story. When an author breaks the fourth wall by making an ‘ironic’ comment on breaking the fourth wall then it’s a step too far. It’s not witty and anarchic, it self-important, self-indulgent and plain annoying. Stop it for the next instalment.

Special mention must go to Free’s artwork, which even given the cutesy gothness of the gods is excellent. Artie’s descents into depression is wonderfully and evocatively drawn and take the book into a higher plane. For artists, The God Machine will be a joy to leaf through.

All in all a book that I enjoyed more than I thought I would. There are lots of little things here to annoy, but the good far outweighs the bad, and I will be keeping an eye out for the next volume. I can’t think of anything quite like this out in the market place at the moment and that alone is enough for you to buy it.

More info:

Written and illustrated by Chandra Free

Publisher:

Title: Batman: The Chalice (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: Hilary Goldstein (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" This one isn't worth picking up. "
Review:

Monty Python had a better Batman Holy Grail story and it didn't even include the Dark Knight.

Religion is one area comics have always misrepresented. Characters are either agnostic or devout, as if there were no in-between. Batman is, in many respects, a character that could be ripe for religious conflict. However, that's never really been the case with Batman as religion has been almost non-existent in the Batman mythos. That makes a Holy Grail story a tough sell.

Bruce Wayne is, apparently, from a long line of Grail guardians. One day he receives a package addressed to his father. The contents, the Holy Grail. Batman is immediately examining the cup for scientific evidence of its spiritual veracity, but at the same time is professing to be a believing in Christ. There's certainly nothing wrong with Batman being a Christian, but it seems totally out of nowhere. Batman believing in a higher power? Who knew? Answer: No one.

The Chalice, written by veteran Chuck Dixon, is not an Elseworlds tale -- this happens in-continuity and features a number of Batman villains all trying to stake a claim on the cup that caught Christ's blood. It seems that the location of the Grail could be kept secret for millennia until it went through the postal service and wound up on Wayne's door.


The majority of baddies, including the non-descript Merivingians (who claim to be blood-descendants of Christ) feel thrown in just to make things interesting. The only foe that works is Ra's Al Ghul, who's obsession with immortality includes a health amount of fervor for the Grail. His vast intelligence, however, is transformed into crude thuggery.

The Chalice poses an interesting idea -- What if Batman were given the Holy Grail? However, the Bat doesn't want to do anything with it, just keep it safe. So what makes this a "Batman" tale? Nothing. This could have been a non-superhero tale and probably would have been better. Though Dixon is trying for something profound, The Chalice is just a bunch of loose ends wrapped around the holiest item known to modern man. It doesn't help that John Van Fleet's art feels muddy and distilled, instead of showing the power of the events surrounding the hunt for the Grail.

If you must have a tale of Batman on a holy crusade, just watch an Indiana Jones flick and pretend Harrison Ford has bat-ears. This one isn't worth picking up.

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written by Chuck Dixon
Art by John van Fleet

Publisher:

Title: Batman: Absolution (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): J. M. DeMatteis (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Now read this (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" In a career that has seen some truly unforgettable comic stories this is one that perhaps should be."
Review:

This original graphic novel is a passable adventure with great aspirations that regrettably falls short of its intentions. Early in his career Batman survives a terrorist bombing of the Wayne Building which kills many of his employees. His helplessness amidst the tragedy resonates with the night a ten year Bruce Wayne couldn’t stop his parents from being murdered. When a video message from “The Children of Maya” claims credit for the atrocity he has a face and a name to hunt…

Over the next ten years he almost catches Jennifer Blake a number of times, but always she eludes him. Each time however he gets a little more of the puzzle and he knows that one day she will pay for her crimes. Eventually he tracks her to a mission in India, but once cornered she reveals a stunning secret. She has reformed, seen the light. In fact the locals believe her to be a true saint…

The attempt to bolt on a deeper meaning is painfully heavy-handed in places as DeMatteis’ usual subtlety seems to have deserted him in this tale which careens from obsessional parable to mystery-thriller, and Brian Ashmore’s painted art is painfully hit-and-miss, varying from moody brilliance to rushed and insubstantial daubing.

In a career that has seen some truly unforgettable comic stories this is one that perhaps should be.

More info:

Written by J. M. DeMatteis
Art by Brian Ashmore

Publisher:

Title: Madame Mirage (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Paul Dini (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Tom Slaski (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" Madame Mirage is fun, and at the same time, gritty and hard-hitting with awesome artwork and a lot of potential."
Review: Madame Mirage #2

The chameleon-like Madame Mirage chooses a face and a body that men will die for, and that bras will want to hide from.

Paul Dini, the Emmy-winning creator of The Batman Adventures cartoon series, teams up with very talented artist Kenneth Rocafort to create Madame Mirage, a new superheroine for Top Cow.

Madame Mirage can change her appearance, and seemingly, the appearance of others. She can change her clothes at will and look exactly like any other person she is around. It may be as simple as her just seeing them. She can change into inanimate objects as well and also different masses do not seem to be a problem. She is taking out a criminal organization one peg, henchman, at a time.

These events pick up right from issue #1, and we learn all we need to from the banter between Madame Mirage and her sidekick, whose name we don’t learn in this issue. We’ll learn even more about the Madame in the next issue, including her shocking past.

Dini seems to want the reader to use their eyes, and wits, to follow the story, rather than spoon-feeding them the whole thing. I like, want, and respect that. He is taking it slow in this issue, letting us get a feel for Madame Mirage. It’s nice seeing her work her magic and using her brain at the same time.


The artwork is a beautiful spectacle. Rocafort’s style is like Howard Chaykin meets Leinil Francis Yu with moments of Travis Charest. His work is not inked in Madame Mirage, but wonderfully colored, and complimented, by Imaginary Friends Studios.

Rocafort creates some very imaginative, fun framing techniques. He also incorporates the design and beauty of the architecture into the panels. This is done particularly well on the cover, but throughout the book as well.

There was at least one establishing shot missing, and some of the guns throughout the issue didn’t seem to be aimed where they should have been. One very opportune panel in which Madame Mirage is surrounded by a roomful of people with guns was an easy call for a bird’s eye view, and it doesn’t even have the correct perspective. That’s just being picky though, the pages are great to look at, and Rocafort’s version of Madame Mirage is extremely hot.

This adults title, mostly for cursing and violence, disappointingly not for sexuality, is 21 pages of great artwork and exciting story with a nice, simple twist ending that you don’t see coming, even though it makes perfect sense.

Madame Mirage is fun, and at the same time, gritty and hard-hitting with awesome artwork and a lot of potential. I’m glad this Mirage is for real.

More info:

Written by Paul Dini
Art by Kenneth Rocafort
Colors by Imaginary Friends Studios
Letters by Troy Peteri
Top Cow Productions

Publisher:

Title: The Path (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: publishersweekly (Review 1) and A Customer (Review 2) (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" Readers will want to open the book again just to look at it. "
Review:

Review 1 - One of CrossGen's more distinctive-looking titles, this work is a dark version of samurai manga, set in a mythic land that resembles almost-Japan and not-quite-China. Obo-san, a young monk, has his faith destroyed when "the gods" kill his brother, who had just received one of the CrossGen power-enhancing sigils. Snatching up the murder weapon, Obo-san sets off to find something better to believe in. He's pursued by those who want the weapon he seized: agents of the mad (or maybe possessed) emperor and creatures who serve his country's enemies. But the monk hates the gods and disdains to use either the weapon or the sigil he inherited. Finding a path that will let him survive honorably is bound to be hazardous for Obo-san and for those who throw their lot with him, including a female samurai and a misplaced Viking warrior whose story is told in an homage to the Bayeux tapestry. The action is fluid, with stoic personal commitments set against wild superhuman menaces that lurk everywhere. The impressive art matches the threatening mood. Sears first draws vigorously with a thick black marker, Pennington "finishes" the art by adding fine line work, and then Atiyeh colors the results with a limited, somber palette. The result is lively but brooding, full of fire, shadows and journeys across misty landscapes where the Earth's bones poke through rags of snow. The story is intriguing enough, but readers will want to open the book again just to look at it.


Review 2 - If you're even reading this review you probably already read comics. This is one of the most interesting approaches out there. Sears and the rest of the art team are creating a new language for graphic storytelling here. Most comics (at least Western comics with which I am familiar) try to trick the reader into forgetting that he's observing a series of static images. The Path revels in this -- most pages are constructed around a single central image or event which may be depicted in multiple ways, and time does not necessarily progress across the page from left to right. Other pages might be constructed of a dozen tiny panels, none of which make much sense individually but which, when taken as a whole, give the reader an almost visceral insight into the chaos going on in the characters' lives. The book simply presents these images and the reader fills in the intersticies. This allows the story to bypass all the analytical tricks readers have developed to help them understand "what's going on"; instead, the story aims its way directly into your head. The excellent and surprising script by Ron Marz complements this presentation, and the static graphic presentation is echoed in the stubborness of the each of the characters.

Some may worry that a reader of "The Path" will miss out if he doesn't get all of the other CrossGen books. While I recommend each of them as worth at least sampling, "The Path" is totally different than any of the others (even the Marz-written Scion and Sojourn) and stands on its own. Yes, the main character of "The Path" is marked with a sigil, a mysterious symbol which gives the bearer great power, just like characters in other CrossGen books, but that's really all you need to know about those other titles. (As to the sigil's origins or purpose, this hasn't been revealed in any other CrossGen book either.) Ultimately, there is considerably less connection between most CrossGen books than there is in a typical month between Spider-Man, Daredevil, and the Avengers. "The Path" is not what you are expecting, but you owe it to yourself to give it a try.

More info:

Ron Marz / Author
Bart Sears / Illustrator
Mark Pennington / Illustrator

Publisher:

Title: Batman - Houdini: The Devil's Workshop (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Howard Chaykin and John Francis Moore (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Justin (Review 1) and Kristy (Review 2) (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" The Devil’s Workshop is excellent."
Review:

Review 1 - The Devil’s Workshop is excellent. Though this story takes place in the first years of the twentieth century, this Elseworlds tale doesn’t fall within the continuity of Gotham By Gaslight and Master Of The Future. The references to Roosevelt, Freud and the Wright brothers are splendid. Alfred is African American, which is a great idea for a Batman story taking place in the era this one does. Vicki Vale makes an appearance, which is stellar. Best of all is that Batman teams up with Harry Houdini for this adventure to beat the Joker, who is the henchman of a vampire! And Batman’s outfit is better in The Devil’s Workshop than in the other 19th century Batman Elseworlds tales. The trench coat is brilliant!

So, really, DC, howzabout you start putting out a regular monthly Elseworlds series about what would happen if Batman started his crime fighting in, I dunno, 1887 or 1888? Seems like you have it all set up, no? I’ll forgo royalties if you’ll just send me new issues as they come out. You’re welcome! Cheers!


Review 2 - An Elseworlds comic, with Batman emerging in Gotham in the 1930's. Houdini is booked for a two-week stint, and being quite clever, figures out who Batman is. They work together to solve the mysterious disappearances of children in a poor area of Gotham.

Oh, I wish it were longer. The first third is actually fairly confusing and uninteresting; the watery art is absolutely lovely, but makes it hard to tell characters apart until you get used to it. Once Houdini and Batman team up (reluctantly), then the gold begins. I wish there were more, to address the idea of a 1930's Gotham and Batman, though I love that it focuses on Houdini as the exposer of fake spiritualists rather than as a magician, and the author clearly did a lot of research on his life instead of just going "hey, Houdini is neat and does magic and stuff!"

It also has some great tension between Houdini and Batman by addressing an issue I haven't seen before in a Batman context - Houdini was a poor boy who had to work for everything he has ever gained or accomplished, while Batman, though having a sordid past, has never had to worry about money or physical needs. The tensions between poor and rich are excellently played here. I definitely need to pick up "Gotham By Gaslight," which is in the same Elseworld context as this one.

More info:

Written by Howard Chaykin and John Francis Moore
Illustrated by Mark Chiarello

Publisher: