[Zacharie]

Title: WAR ANGEL (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Brian Pulido (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Leland Burrill (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" Something truly over-the-top."
Review:

Pulido cuts loose with an exciting new book set a few hundred years in the future at a special introductory price! Technology has failed man and there is a return to the medieval times, but with a twist. Instead the world is populated by all sorts of supernatural beings and monsters. Into this supernatural wasteland comes War Angel, a cold-hearted killer who shows little remorse or regard for life. Her past is unknown, but she has no conscious, a quick temper and a taste for mayhem. This special intro book features an all-new story where War Angel comes to Las Vegas, now renamed Sodom, and gets in between two warring supernatural gangs who deal the drug Grace. War Angel pits the gangs against each other, but in the end she may have to kill them all! Also, get an inside look at War Angel material not seen in the Pulido FCBD book including character designs, a cover gallery, an introduction by creator Brian Pulido, and more!


Avatar Press publisher William Christensen challenged Brian Pulido to come up with “something truly over-the-top.” Pulido responded with the genre-busting War Angel. War Angel’s aggressively amoral anti–heroine Serenity drinks hard, fights hard, and wears a bikini top with spike-like horns where her nipples would be.

She lives in a future America called Necromerica populated by supernatural beings, strange critters, and even some normal humans. Serenity herself appears normal enough (for a Pulido girl), except for the black feathered wings sprouting from her back, which she is sometimes depicted without.

This preview volume contains a five-page character intro story, wherein Serenity blows up Seattle’s Space Needle to avenge the death of a man she just met yesterday and can barely remember today, six pages of finished artwork from issues #1 and #2, and four pages of cover art by Walter Geovani, Ron Adrian and Juan Jose Ryp.

More info:

Story: Brian Pulido
Art: Walter Geovani
Readership: All ages

Publisher:

[Zacharie]

Title: Operation – Broken Wings, 1936 (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Herik Hanna (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Dustin Cabeal (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" You will find this book fascinating as well so pick it up."
Review: Operation Broken Wings, 1936 #1

There’s something strangely compelling about this book, the way the story and main character linger in your thoughts after reading it. While sitting at work my mind would wander to different scenes in the book. I found this strange because I liked the book but I didn't feel the need to shout from the mountain tops about it. It was no Pinpoint for sure, but there was something that really got its hooks in me and didn't let go. Perhaps it was the all too familiar World War II setting, or the witty narrative of a Nazi spy on the verge of defecting from the third Reich. Whatever it is, it worked and I’m glad that Boom brought the book over to the states.

The story opens with a man addressed only as Major at the time arriving at a home in Austria. He’s making some sort of deal with the man and his son, but it’s about to turn bad as both parties are plotting to kill the other. After the Major refuses to drink his poisoned tea the man’s son pulls a gun on him; too bad for the son that the Major is a trained assassin and makes quick work of the son. The father makes a break for the woods, but the Major takes aim with the gun and shoots him in the leg. He’s not done with the old man as he puts his leg in a tourniquet and drags him back to the house for interrogation.

After the Major receives the information he wants he heads back to Germany to check in from the real mission he was sent on. Here we see him go through several meetings and run-ins that all appear normal on the outside. The fact is that the Major is a very loyal Nazi, but his narration and thoughts allude to him being anything but. The story is good there is no denying that, it incorporates the time its set very well but doesn’t get lost in trying to show how jacked up the world was at the time. Writer Herik Hanna drops reminders of the fear and danger of Germany during the time, but he relies on your knowledge of the Holocaust and history to fill in the gritty details because he’s trying to do something different with his story. That’s not to say he downplays events at all, if anything the little bit he offers of the world is quite scary and makes you wonder how anyone made it through when they could easily be taken away.


This is some of Trevor Hairsine’s best work and it makes me wonder what he could have done with his career if he hadn't worked at Marvel. Let’s be honest, nothing he did at Marvel was that good and it all looked like his best attempt at copy Bryan Hitch (I’m sure Marvel told him to do that). This has a great style to it that is detailed, but full of grittiness that plays well to the era. In particular I like the way the main character looks in every scene. He has an arrogance to him that doesn't come off in the dialog, but rather how he stands and his mannerisms. I’m really looking forward to the rest of the series to see Hairsine at his best.

I was on the fence about this book before it came out. Like I said previously Hairsine’s Marvel work was less than thrilling, so who knew he would deliver the goods with this series. The creative team is really solid and there is just something about this story and way it was presented that I really enjoyed. I’m glad that I checked it out and this is yet another great Boom book to release back to back (See Seven Warriors #1). I think there’s a part in all of us that find WWII fascinating and trust me, you will find this book fascinating as well so pick it up.

More info:

Written by Herik Hanna
Drawn by Trevor Hairsine

Publisher:

[Zacharie]

Title: What a Wonderful World! (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Inio Asano (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: ChibiNeko (Review 1) and Bill Sherman (Review 2) (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" If you like good quality manga, buy this series right now."
Review:

Review 1 - What a Wonderful World!, Vol. 1 - And I think to myself...

This manga only has one thing wrong with it- that it is in danger of getting passed over because it isn't as slick or flashy as the other stuff out there right now. While readers of Asano's other works such as 'Solanin' will be used to his understated yet powerful manga, those who haven't yet discovered his work might not notice it because it doesn't have a ninja or busty young woman on the cover.

The stories in this first volume are varied, yet all interact in some format. The same picture might be seen by two different people in different places. A location frequented by one character may be visited by another. Very few of the characters actually meet one another but the stories are all entwined in their own special ways. The first story of the volume features a young tomboyish woman who wishes her life was a shojo manga as she aimlessly wanders through her life. Other stories include a schoolgirl who is bullied not only by her peers but also by a mysterious black bird & a tale about a trio of teen boys who each wonder if they'll ever get the chance to realize their dreams.

I really enjoyed this manga, but then I knew I would. Asano's work is incredibly powerful. His artwork isn't the typical "big eyes, small mouth & panty shots" style that is so prevalent in today's manga, which is why most of his stories work so well. The art is pretty lifelike & as a result the characters are all more believable for it.

I also liked how his characters interact with each other. There's no huge moral, no super character that saves the day & no happy go lucky girl who succeeds without really trying. People hurt & get hurt in these stories. Not every story has a gung-ho happy ending. But every story is satisfying, even when the stories may not end as you hoped that they would.

If you like good quality manga, buy this series right now. Luckily for us, both volumes of this series have been released at the same time, so you can snap them both up right now- no waiting for the next volume to be released. This guy is the real deal- Asano is going to be one of the names that people will be touting years later as "one of the best".


Review 2 - What a Wonderful World!, Vol. 2

The second volume of Inio Asano’s two-book mini-series,What A Wonderful World! (Viz Media), is very much of a piece with the first: more elegantly rendered intertwined vignettes (a.k.a. "tracks") about urban kids and young adults, struggling to make sense of a world where random catastrophe and cruelty exist alongside cherry blossoms and the simple pleasures of a bowl of ramen noodles. Though primarily realistic in his storytelling approach, Asano is not averse to slipping in a few fantastic elements: a possible hallucination by a battered man who may or may not have an encounter with a shinigami, a mysterious epidemic that makes “you totally stop thinking.”

“In a way,” one of World’s battered young protagonists thinks about the latter as he prepares to take his afflicted sister out to view the spring blossoms, “it’s a pretty convenient illness for the modern man.”

As with the first book, several telling motifs pop up in volume two: references to cram school, Japanese society’s childhood destroying educational sausage factory; the risks of Samaritan action; substance abuse and ruinous family miscommunication. In the volume’s title story, a convenience store clerk sees a stray dog with two arrows in it — the work of punk kids using the mutt for target practice, he thinks. He lets the dog loose without bothering to try and remove the arrows. “I didn’t say I was going to rescue you,” he tells the animal, yet later, when he sees it bandaged and in the company of a homeless man he’s heartened by the sight. “The world’s not all that hopeless, after all,” he says with a smile, even as the reader realizes that the guy hasn’t done a damn thing himself to alleviate that sense of hopelessness.

In another “track,” the acting editor of a porno mag half-successfully tries to balance his job responsibilities with his role as a husband and father: the crass and the humane both competing for his attention. That Asano is able to give both sides their due is a large part of the art in this crafty manga mini-series.

More info:

Inio Asano artist, writer
Serialized In (magazine) Sunday GX (Shogakukan)
Published by Shogakukan, VIZ., 2009.

Publisher:

[Zacharie]

Title: Zatanna (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): PAUL DINI and Adam Beechen (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Susan Damon (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" I can’t stop talking about how much I love his books"
Review: Zatanna #14

Now, I’m going to warn you all right off the bat, this is kind of a gushing love letter to the creative team of Zatanna #14. I’m not saying that because one of my favorite writers in comics, Adam Beechen, was on this issue. I’m also not saying it because the cover was done by Adam Hughes (you’d have to be new to Comic Impact to not know how much I love him). I’m saying it, because this team, artists and all, were able to get me to LIKE the character of Zatanna! I know. When does that happen to me? Never is the answer to that question.

I think I liked Zatanna because she was snarky, sarcastic, and feisty. Even when the best writers are writing her, she always comes off as condescending and holier-than-thou to me. Luckily, one of the best sees things my way, and I was pleased to see that Beechen was able to get me on Zatanna’s team for once. Plus, he threw in Zachary Zatara (who I love to hate) in opposition to his cousin. Zachary gets into his normal antics, but this time a succubus is involved. That’s right – a succubus! Everyone loves a demon that preys on the stupidity of the opposite sex. At least, I know I do. On top of it all, Zatanna had to be clever in order to beat this demon. I feel like a lot of times, this book relies on creepy things and magic. Not saying it shouldn’t. The title character is a magician, after all. I just feel like there’s a lot of clever writing without a clever character. Beechen finds this amazing balance of using his talent as a writer to channel a more witty and resourceful version of Zatanna herself. If she was Beechen’s version every time, I might get behind reading this book with more regularity.


I don’t know how long this team will be on Zatanna, but I will take a moment to enjoy it while it lasts. I had a really amazing time with a version of this character that I was rooting for rather than just reading because it was there. I like the other writers’ versions fine. In fact, there have been some excellent people on the Zatanna books. However, Beechen gets me on her side for the first time ever, which is a feat no one else has accomplished. I hope to see many more awesome things from him, because I can’t stop talking about how much I love his books! Love letter complete. Are you all totally grossed out?

More info:

Written by PAUL DINI, ADAM BEECHEN and others
Art by Stephane Roux, CHAD HARDIN, JAMAL IGLE, CLIFF CHIANG and others
Cover by ADAM HUGHES

Publisher:

[Zacharie]

Title: Tende Freeze! (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Isutoshi (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Ahzure (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" This series is one of my favorites and I've re read it countless times."
Review:

On his way home Kikusui Umehachi bumps into the beautiful Koyuki Kuyou and inadvertently catches a glimpse of her inner thigh. While making various pit stops (before heading home) Umehachi can’t seem to shake the feeling that he’s being followed. He is more than a little shocked to find that it’s the lady he bumped into that’s following him and he’s come up with three possible scenarios as to why she might be tailing him:


1. His body is found floating in river (the next morning) with a note pinned to his back ”This is what happens to Perverts.”
2. She threatens to beat him senseless unless he hands over some cash for trying to catch a glimpse of her underwear.
3. In the third scenario she rushes up to him hugs him tight and professes her love (to him)

While Umehachi dismisses the third scenario and admit that the other two seem more likely Kuyou rushes up then pulls him out of harms way just as robber flees the scene of a crime.

Umehachi is even more ecstatic the next day when Kuyou grabs him tightly against her chest stopping him from stepping into a spot where two cars just collided into each other. After treating Kuyou to lunch (thanking her for saving his life) he gathers his courage and asks to go out with him. Much to Umehachi’s surprise Kuyou said yes. Now all he think about is how shocked and jealous all his friends will be when they see him with a beautiful girl like Kuyou.


Koyuki Kuyou
Kuyou a young woman who has the ability see the future unfortunately she’s only able to discern the most unpleasant things that will happen to a person. When Umehachi bumped into her Kuyou’s “vision” expanded showing her how she could profit from the misfortune of others. She’s able to surmise that her touch is enough to excite Umehachi, activating his ability which in turn amplifies her own ability. Kuyou works for a secret organization that uses people with special powers to better the world, she has to keep them in the dark about Umehachi's amplifying ability.


Kikusui Umehachi
Umehachi is a 17-year-old high school student, who loves porn, games and ogling women. One thing that always counts against him is his height; his little brother is all ready a lot taller than him. In fact, even Kuyou mistook Umehachi for an elementary school student. He really likes Kuyou and is completely unaware that she might be using him. Wait until you meet his mother.

This series is one of my favorites and I've re read it countless times. It is only four volumes long and the ending is not too bad. Tende Freeze was the first time I was exposed to Isutoshi's work.

More info:

Written and illustrated by Isutoshi

Publisher:

[Zacharie]

Title: Transformers Autocracy (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Chris Metzen and Flint Dille (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Graham (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" It’s worth checking out"
Review: Transformers Autocracy #1: “Law and Disorder”

As the “digital” format for comic books gathers momentum, IDW Publishing adds “Transformers Autocracy” to its line of titles… its first digital-only Transformers series.

Hype!

Comic books published in the “digital” format are nothing new. But since the release of the Apple iPad and the Comixology App in 2010, publishers have increasingly sought to widen their audience by embracing this new format. IDW Publishing has been spearheading “digital” comics since it first released its Transformers movie tie-ins a couple of years ago for the iPhone. The time has now come to push things a little further, and IDW has decided to release a digital-only comic for the first time…

The Cover

Reviewed: IDW Transformers Autocracy #1: "Law and Disorder" (Terms like “cover” and “interior pages” seem redundant for a digital comic, so while I try to update my vernacular, please bear with me. It’s my first time, after all.)

Livio Ramondelli, “interior” artist provides the “cover” illustration. Of course, its the Transformers brand’s most iconic character, Optimus Prime. Keen-eyed readers will notice Prime’s in his (ancient) Cybertronian form… indicating the time-frame of the story that follows.

The Creative Team

Livio’s unmistakable style from the “Chaos” four-parter (Transformers Ongoing #24, 26, 28, and 30) is used to full effect to illustrate the darkened streets of ancient Cybertron… and perfectly fits the mood of the story.

This style seemed to polarise opinion when “Chaos” was published, and views won’t be changed with “Autocracy”. All the trademarks of Livio’s style are there, and whether that enhances or hinders your enjoyment will be entirely down to your own preferences. One benefit to the “digital” format: brightness control.

“Autocracy” is written by Chris Metzen and Flint Dille. Chris is a newcomer to the Transformers universe, while long-time fans of the original Transformers cartoon will remember Flint for writing “Five Faces of Darkness”. With just eight pages to play with, these two keep the script tight and straightforward.

Without the luxury of space, the script at once gets to work. Anything perfunctory is trimmed away. That said, the opening chapter to “Autocracy” tells enough story to set itself up. In many ways, it exudes a certain back-up strip charm.


“Face it, Autobot–You’re not just part of the problem… you are the problem.”

The Story

Following on from the “before the war” segments of “Chaos Theory“, this first chapter of “Autocracy” focuses on Orion Pax and his enforcement team (Hound, Bumblebee, Ironhide and Prowl) as they scour the streets of Cybertron for Decepticons. It’s a simple enough set up, but the real strength of the plot is the political slant given to the story, the tension already apparent between the cast, and how all eyes are now on Orion and judging his every move.

In many ways, “Autocracy” reads like it could be the other side of “Megatron: Origin” only more thoughtful. Really, with just eight pages, it’s difficult to gauge.

The Verdict

I fear that “Autocracy” won’t be judged on the quality of its own merits but rather its chosen format. At just 99¢ (69p) via Comixology–which means it can be read on all the iOS devices, Android and on a PC/Mac using the Flash interface on the web site–it’s worth checking out. As the initial chapter of a fortnightly-published story, everything in this first issue points to “Autocracy” becoming a tense, political thriller.

More info:

Written by Chris Metzen and Flint Dille
Art by Livio Ramondelli

Publisher:

[Zacharie]

Title: The Romita Legacy (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Tom Spurgeon and Brian Cunningham (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: dynamite (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" Perfect for every Spider-Man fan young and old! "
Review:

John Romita Sr is as synonymous with Marvel as is Stan Lee. Stan was the definitive writer and visionary of the Marvel Universe, but Jazzy John was the ultimate catcher to all of Stan's pitches. Arguably the most important contributor to Marvel canon with Jack Kirby, and arguably the definitive Spider-Man artist, John Romita has left his mark creating, defining and/or designing some of Marvel's most, well, Marvelous characters. From being (in our humble opinion) the definitive Spider-Man artist to helping design many of Marvel's major characters from Wolverine and the Punisher to Spider-Woman, The Kingpin and so many more. And, though it was Stan Lee and Steve Ditko who co-created Spider-Man and Peter Parker, and helped us love the boy with the problems we all grew up with, it was Jazzy John who allowed Peter to grow up and have the same problems many had growing up, and glamorized Peter Parker and rounded out his stable of characters from Gwen Stacy and Harry Osborne, and who also gave us the unbelievable entrance by Mary Jane Watson, showing us just how Peter had hit the jackpot!


And John Romita Jr. has also created a rich body of work that few can follow in his footsteps. Having outgrown the shadow of his father early in his career, John Romita Jr. has shown the world why he is "Mr. Marvel". From his early days working with Bob Layton on the Iron Man issues featuring the controversial issues of Tony Stark's alcoholism, to his jump to stardom in the early '90's on the Uncanny X-Men (almost a decade after his first stint on the Uncanny X-Men with Chris Claremont), to his unbelievable work on
Daredevil: Man Without Fear with Frank Miller and Al Williamson, John proved that he was one of only a few artists who can shine working with a master such as Frank Miller. Moving in to the new millennium, John's work on Thor was nothing short of amazing, as well as working on Daredevil with Ann Nocenti and Al Williamson. But nothing has been more tailor made for John Jr's art than Marvel's flagship title - Spider-Man! His return on Peter Parker, Spider-Man proved that he was Marvel's best choice for a Spider-Man artist, and when Joe Michael Straczynski took hold of Marvel's flagship title, it was John Jr's art that made the great stories shine as well as they did! One thing that's kept John's art fresh is his ability to move from character to character. It definitely is bitter sweet to see John leave Spider-Man and run around the Marvel Universe on characters such as The Eternals (with Neil Gaiman), proving that once again, John Jr. is the artists artist who can tackle such great projects, and even on his run on the World War Hulk (yes, Hulk does indeed Smash!), one is mesmerized by his incredible artwork. What's amazing is, that as of this writing, John Romita Jr. will be returning to Amazing Spider-Man #568, and this fan, Nick Barrucci, President of DYNAMIC FORCES, feels the excitement and energy to his return. These are the things that we live for in comics. It's rare to know when a series is going to be great because a great artist is working on it. We are fortunate to be on the ground floor, again, but the anticipation is something that will only be quenched with the first read of a series that will be great.
The Romitas are one of the few royal families in comics. If you haven't had a chance to fully appreciate their work, here's your chance. It's a fun ride. I hope you enjoy it as much as we have in putting this book together! With an introduction by Alex Ross and an afterword by Stan "The Man" Lee, this hard cover book is perfect for every Spider-Man fan young and old!

More info:

Written by Tom Spurgeon and Brian Cunningham
Cover by John Romita
Art by Mark McNabb

Publisher:

[Zacharie]

Title: VOLTRON (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): BRANDON THOMAS (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Scott West (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" Verdict: Buy!"
Review: VOLTRON #1

Voltron. For many of us who grew up in the 80s, the name conjures images of epic space battles between robotic lions and monstrous alien robeasts. And, while I’m sure the epic battles will eventually appear, Dynamite Entertainment’s new ‘Voltron’ series brings the aliens, giant robots, and the heroes that pilot them down to Earth for a new twist on the classic cartoon’s origin tale.

The issue opens in the year 2124 as pedestrians are watching the fully formed Voltron battle an attacking robeast in the middle of New York City. As Voltron battles the alien, we’re gradually introduced to the five members of the Voltron Force: Keith, Hunk, Lance, Princess Allura, and Pidge. (Fans of the cartoon will note the absence of Sven, the original pilot of the blue lion.) As the pilots are revealed, it becomes clear that none of them are actually inside their cockpits and piloting Voltron as they did in the cartoon. When the title of the first story is revealed to be “This is Voltron – The Sixth Pilot,” it begs the question… is there another pilot or is this Voltron a sentient being?

Meanwhile, in the year 2012, a scientist has been taken by the US military after a supposed terrorist attack that left half of California uninhabitable. The doctor is introduced to the President who tells him the truth. The attack wasn’t masterminded by terrorists… aliens have attacked Earth. Knowing that the aliens plan to return to Earth, the President asks the doctor to help create something to defend the planet. And thus the seeds are planted that this incarnation of Voltron was created on Earth to defend against extraterrestrial threats.


Writer Brandon Thomas has brought Voltron from the planet Arus, where the cartoon was set, to Earth. It’s still unclear yet what part Arus plays in the new continuity since the next issue is titled “Beware the Man from Arus.” What is clear is that Thomas plans to take Voltron in a bold new direction with a new mythology that, even with only one issue under its belt, is clearly aimed at the fans of the original that have grown up now. The story is more mature and the motivations for the characters, especially the villain, is much more interesting than in the past.

The artwork from Ariel Padilla is great for this kind of book. His lines are very kinetic, which plays perfectly to the battle scenes between Voltron and the robeasts. The style comes across as a realistic version of a cartoon and that matches Thomas’ story so well that its uncanny.

If you’re a fan of the classic ‘Voltron’ television series, be sure to pick this book up. It’s a great interpretation of the characters so far. The television show has a hardcore following in certain communities and I expect that this title will be on all their lips as the new mythology builds over the first couple of story arcs.

Verdict: Buy

More info:

Written by BRANDON THOMAS
Art by ARIEL PADILLA
Covers by ALEX ROSS, SEAN CHEN, and WAGNER REIS

Publisher:

[Zacharie]

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

" ...completely crushes a very promising series. "
Review: The Emissary #4

Is it possible for a series to jump the shark after only four issues? Emissary was one of our can't-miss comic books. That is until this issue, which completely crushes a very promising series. Everything about this issue was a misfire, from the racist, abusive husband to the unwarranted sex scene. None of it felt natural. And worse, none of it seemed original. It's a shame, because this series was quickly becoming a favorite of mine. This issue betrays much of the cliché-free story elements that made the first three acts so strong. I can't imagine there's any way the story can recover from this unfortunate series of events. Hopefully I'm proven wrong.

More info:

Written by Christopher E. Long
Art by Juan E. Ferreyra

Publisher:

[Zacharie]

Title: Nightwing (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Kyle Higgins (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: RJ Schwabe (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" I can’t put my finger on why I like this so much. But I really did."
Review: Nightwing #2

My fear is not that I’m going to get sick of doing reviews of comic books, but more that I’m going to run out of boring introductions. And then where would I be.

I read and reviewed the first issue of Nightwing for my blog, last month. And I was pleasantly surprised. I am a huge fan of Dick Grayson, ever since my years with Wolfman and Pèrez’s New Teen Titans run. When I first read about Dick Grayson putting on the Nightwing costume again, and returning to Haley’s Circus, I groaned. I think I’ve read, Dick Grayson returning to the circus at least four times in my years as a comic book fan. But, Kyle Higgins made it his own, and provided some real intrigue to the story.

I’m still not sure I like what has been done to Nightwing from an editorial standpoint, over the last few years. I don’t really accept that Dick would have left the Nightwing persona to become Batman (for the second time), because Gotham City would suffer from the lack of the mysterious “Batman.” And I REALLY don’t accept that Dick would accept being ‘downgraded’ from that role after Bruce’s return. (So Dick was in the Justice League while Bruce was gone, but as Bruce is back, he just says, “Yeah, you do that, I’m going to go back to having fun as Nightwing”).

But, with those constraints, I thought the issue was written very well, and showed some interesting new sides to Dick Grayson. And here’s hoping that it continues.

In the last episode, Dick Grayson has completely shed his temporary Batman persona, and is now living on his own in Gotham City, and is looking to re-establish himself as Nightwing, with a new costume and everything. Coincidentally, the circus where Dick used to perform is performing within the city limits for the first time since his parents were killed. Dick revisits the circus meeting some old friends, specifically a girl named Raya. Dick is confronted by an assassin while coming home from the circus, accusing him of being a killer. Dick changes into his Nightwing costume, and confronts the assassin.

Synopsis

Nightwing is able to fight off the assassin, who fires an explosive into a car forcing Nightwing to save the bystanders instead of defeat the villain.
Raya convinces Dick to travel to Atlantic City to see Mr. Haly the owner of the circus. Dick takes her by private jet.
Haly is dying and gives control of the circus to Dick after he’s deceased. Also mentions that he knows that Dick is Nightwing.
After a tryst with Raya, Dick is contacted by the assassin, named Saiko, that he knows he is Nightwing after torturing Mr. Haly.
After a fight with Saiko, the warehouse explodes and Dick saves Mr. Haly who dies in his arms.

Questions and Answers

Question: How did Saiko realize to go see Haly the same night that Dick and Raya did. That seems very coincidental. Is Saiko connected to Raya?

Question: Saiko seems connected to not only Gotham, but also to Haly Circus. What is the connection?


Analysis

I liked this issue even more than last issue, much to my surprise. I thought that the intrigue at the end simply was enough to pull me in for one more episode, and then I’d be done, and crawling back to something else that I liked a little better. But this really worked for me.

The fight scene was pretty good. I’m not sure that I agree with the idea of Nightwing having an electric charge inside his costume, but it was unique. But I really dislike the idea that an assassin would have an explosive round in his sleeve. Don’t remind me that I’m reading a comic book by destroying my suspension of belief.

And somehow I doubt that people who had their car set on fire would just thank Nightwing for saving them, without being rather mad that it was set on fire to begin with.

This is the first time that I’ve ever seen Dick Grayson pull the spoiled rich brat routine before. It’s a unique take on Dick Grayson.
Okay, Raya is really too convenient in some way. She happens to be able to leave the circus for a few days? She happens to have a boyfriend that would LET her go away for two days? She happens to be a childhood friend of Dick’s. Happens to be the one person that Haly asks to bring Dick to Atlantic City. And happens to let Dick put the moves on her in the plane. I’m hoping the convenience is because Kyle is trying to start the story quickly.

I would have liked to have some back story as to how Mr. Haly knew that Dick was a superhero. I buy it completely, but just some random statement that he saw Dick fly, that isn’t enough for me. So, Dick is given some mysterious explanation as to why Mr. Haly is giving the circus to him. No sense of intention? No sense of why give a circus to a millionaire’s ward? No idea of why the circus would have gone to his parents? There’s no way that Dick would have left without more answers. And other than to have a sex on the plane visual, why would Dick decide to leave Atlantic City that quickly. I mean it’s night when they leave, and night when they’re flying back.

Dick Grayson having sex with Raya on the plane. Dick Grayson having sex with a girl with a boyfriend. A hero ignoring the bro code and seducing another man’s woman. It’s 2011, and I’m not suggesting it’s not realistic. I’m not even suggesting that it makes Dick immoral. But, it is amazing how far comics have come. But it’s definitely obvious that an initiative of the new DC Universe is to make it more sexual.

Okay, Saiko is a lousy name. It only exists to be a pun. You can do better people! But Saiko gets shocked by an electric jolt, and gets kicked under the chin twice in one day, and he’s still moving the same?

The motivations of everyone really worked here. And for the most part, the artwork was pretty good. I thought there were a few cheesy moments, but otherwise, it all worked.

Verdict

I can’t put my finger on why I like this so much. But I really did. Maybe it’s because this doesn’t feel like a story arc. It doesn’t feel like it’s trying to redefine the hero, or reboot a character. It just feels like a comic book. And a good comic book at that.

More info:

Writer: Kyle Higgins
Pencils: Eddy Barrows
Inks: JP Mayer
Colors: Rod Reis
Letterer: Carlos M. Mangual
Cover: Barrows, Mayer and Reis

Publisher:

[Zacharie]

Title: A Man Called Kev (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Garth Ennis (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: darklordzden (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" You don't want to miss "A Man Called Kev" if you're a fan of Garth Ennis. "
Review:

The third volume of the adventures of Kev Hawkins, a character originated by Garth Ennis during his brief segues into the world of 'The Authority', finds everybody's favourite, hapless, homophobic ex-SAS man being given his marching orders from the UK following the fallout of the events from volume two and the discovery of a rather pornographic episode from his army career by his former intelligence paymasters.

Depressed, Kev meets up for a pint with his former SAS mucker, Bob, who has fallen on hard times as an author of Andy McNabesque fiction following a very drunken and highly scatological imitation of a primate at a high-profile publishing party (you have to read it to believe it. Carlos Ezquerra's artwork had me in convulsions of laughter). Bob has recently been in contact with an old regimental mucker of their acquaintance who is apparently hiding out with his Tiger in California. Following the loss of a good deal of money on a bum racing tip, Kev decides to cross the pond and make the pilgrimage to California.

However, a shady character from Kev's past is gunning for both Kev and Bob and no-one is going to walk away from this particular encounter unscathed...



I suspect that readers familiar with Kev Hawkins previous shenanigans will thoroughly enjoy what is purported to be the final adventure of this singularly amusing character. If you're not familiar with him, you really do need to pick up the first two volumes of his adventures (Authority, The: Kev and Authority, The: The Magnificent Kevin (Authority (Graphic Novels))) as this book draws heavily on the events, characters and mythology of those books.

As usual, Garth Ennis is spot-on with his portrayal of the British soldier. As someone who had the pleasure of working and drinking with various members of HM Signals and Parachute regiments for many years, I can confirm the authenticity of the dialogue, barrack room preoccupations and sense of humour.

I can also confirm that "Freckle" is actually a real pastime amongst the more drunken members of HM forces - but the less said about that, the better.

A thoroughly enjoyable, foul-mouthed, gloriously politically incorrect and occasionally touching insight into the mindset of a soldier let loose in civvie street, you don't want to miss "A Man Called Kev" if you're a fan of Garth Ennis.

And if you're anything like I am, you'll still be laughing over the "Bob The Monkey" sequence, days later.

More info:

Writer: Garth Ennis
Draws: Carlos Ezquerra
Colors: David Baron
Letters: Phil Balsman

Publisher:

[Zacharie]

Title: Army Of Darkness - Ashes to Ashes (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Andy Hartnell (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Jon Condit (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" A groovy alternative to satiate your Army of Darkness fix."
Review:

Depending on which one of the countless versions of Army of Darkness you've seen, there are only two conclusions director Sam Raimi ultimately burned to celluloid. When we last left Ash – resourceful, bumbling hero of the Evil Dead trilogy – he was either trapped in a ravaged, distant future England or blowing away fine Deadite ass at his place of employment, S-Mart. It's this latter scenario scribe Andy Hartnell and illustrator Nick Bradshaw have chosen to start their overly familiar nonetheless very welcome Ashes 2 Ashes, the first mini-series in Dynamite Entertainment's now on-going Army of Darkness line. Hartnell has captured the voice of our witless, chainsaw-wielding "promised one" so that it's both true to Raimi's universe and respectful to the enormous fan base out there who have been cravin' more Ash antics, in turn, Bradshaw's art is an appropriate compliment to the slapstick narrative. Better still, it's got a jaw-dropping amount of detail I never expected even if it does sometimes work against the reading experience.

Ashes kicks off on the right foot for the sake of the uninitiated by recapping the events of Evil Dead II and AoD. Ash goes to cabin. An unseen force possesses his girlfriend. Possesses his hand. He chops it off. Gets a chainsaw. Goes back in time. Retrieves the Necronomicon. Is returned to his own time. Alright, now we're back up to speed, but something is…off. After blowing a few holes in the aforementioned Deadite at S-Mart, Ash finds the Wise Man has traveled from 1300 A.D. to inform our hero that he arrived in his time too damn early – which means that Ash has returned home before the events of Evil Dead II and has to act all Marty McFly to ensure his other self - I'll call 'im "Ash 2" - follows his destiny.


As Ash reiterates time and again, I hate time travel, especially when it's relied upon as a major plot device. The narrative could get too complicated for its own good and lose its reader (or viewer, whether it's cinema or comics). Here, however, Hartnell dispenses with the time travel bullshit quickly and before ya know it, Ash is back in the woods giving it to some possessed, cackling animals boomstick-style and going chainsaw-to-chainsaw with his future self until Ash 2 is thrust into the time portal and whisked off to the 1300s where the events of AoD will unravel. (Confused? It's harder for me to explicate than ya think, knucklehead, so bear with me.) His mission in the can, Ash and the Wise Man become a two-man "fellowship" and travel to Egypt with the Necronomicon, the only place on Earth where the book of the dead can be destroyed; naturally a resurrected army of corpses march in the way of accomplishing this task. Without a medieval army of his own to stand behind him, can Ash give the Evil Dead the slip one more time and save his ass in the process?

Let's be clear about one thing upfront. Ashes 2 Ashes stinks with the trappings of a sequel. Ash runs through some recognizable scenarios and runs through the grocery list of all of those instantly quotable lines of dialogue we've heard in the previous films. You can forgive Hartnell for the somewhat rehashed material, however, because it's actually done right. And I've always believed if you're going to tread down a familiar path, at least do so with a new approach, which Hartnell does with a maniacal sense of pace. Besides the utter geeky glee ya get from seeing Ash do battle with himself, we're introduced to some new abilities Ash can pull off with his metal hand as well. Then you've got some choice Ash mannerisms, cheesy machismo, one-liners and bucket loads of blood to satisfy every famished gorehound out there. Capturing the zany appeal of Hartnell's script, artist Bradshaw overloads each page with enough action to make you really pause and take notice before moving on to the next. The flow of the paneling can throw ya off at times but the respect I have for the time Bradshaw put into the art far outweighs this minor quibble. It's cartoony. It's appropriate. I would hope Raimi and Bruce Campbell would approve as should those fans of the Evil Dead series who are awaiting a fourth cinematic chapter that may never come. And if it doesn't, Ashes 2 Ashes is a groovy alternative to satiate your Army of Darkness fix.

More info:

Written by Andy Hartnell
Illustrated by Nick Bradshaw

Publisher:

[Zacharie]

Title: Avengelyne (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Mark Poulton (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: geekadelphia (Review 1) and Niall Doonan (Review 2) (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" A good comic that has a lot of potential."
Review:

Review 1 - Avengelyne #1


When the infamous “Bad Girl” craze swept over comic books in the 90’s, Avengelyne was there, front and center giving everyone a little T&A. The book was never much of a comic, just bad storylines and dialogue mixed with incompetent art and photo covers featuring Cathy Christian. There was a seed of a good idea, but it was lost under all the boobs and big swords.

Liefeld has decided to resurrect Avengelyne in a new series from Image and thankfully, he has left the creative duties to Poulton and Gieni. After reading the first issue, the two just might be capable of letting that seed grow into an actual good comic book. Poulton doesn’t give us a reboot, but picks things up where they left off. No knowledge of the book is necessary though to enjoy Avengelyne. Just dive right in and enjoy the ride. The art by Gieni is about as far away from the original style used on the title as can be, and that is a good thing. It has a manga vibe but is firmly American in sensibility. Plus the women look like women, and not over inflated balloons.

Avengelyne #1 is a good comic that has a lot of potential. Hopefully it won’t fall prey to what happens to most Liefled properties and disappear in three months, never to be seen again.


Review 2 - Avengelyne #3


This issue sees the conclusion to the Devil in the Flesh storyline, the story that has seen the Red Dragon take control of Avengelyne’s body while also giving power to the sadistic torment killer, thus leaving the real Avengelyne stuck in the body of porn star, Heaven Starr.

Confused yet? No, good.

This issue is the best so far, with the Avengelyne (Heaven) and Passover being pitted against Red Dragon and Torment. The battle is cool and both Torment and the Red Dragon are suitably weird and creepy. The colouring has a great hand done feel to it for the darker scenes and vibrancy for other elements such as the costumes of Passover and Avengelyne. The only time the art slips is when Passover is shown without his helmet and it is revealed that he looks like a complete idiot, with a ridiculous faux monk haircut.

There’s also some fun humour in Poulton’s script, such as Red Dragon’s send off and a comment on a lack of pouches on a dress which is surely a nod to Liefeld’s trademark costume design.

This story turned out to be a better introduction to the series than I first suspected. The key characters and villains have been introduced and we end up in a good place to move forward from, hopefully Avengelyne will build on this and continue to improve.

More info:

Writer: Mark Poulton (Koni Waves)
Artist: Owen Gieni

Publisher:

[Zacharie]

Title: Army of Darkness: Shop Till You Drop Dead (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): James Kuhoric (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Sam Moyerman (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" Fans of the character and series probably won’t be disappointed."
Review:

Ash must be starting to feel like the Godfather, because as soon as he thinks he’s out…the Necronomicon pulls him right back in.

Why can’t this poor guy catch a break? Having just returned home from another adventure through the Necronomicon and eliminating any Deadite threat, Ash has to go see his boss about the damage incurred by his store, S-Mart, during the battle. And of course, right after hearing the bad news, the Deadites show up to cause some more damage. So with the help of a few co-workers Ash once again attempts to end any Deadite threat, do as little damage to the store as possible, and save both his girlfriend and her opponent for his attentions. But before he can do that, Ash is forced once again through the Necronomicon and into a rather unusual setting.

The stories of Ash are a little formulaic. Ash complains, the Deadites show up, the Book of the Dead causes havoc, and he kills lots of zombies, most of the time with a chainsaw. This isn’t to say that there’s anything wrong with that. In fact, it provides for a lot of fun opportunities for quirky situations and even funnier dialogue. And James Kuhoric once again proves up to the task. His characters, lacking the need for total three dimensional characterizations, provide some very witty dialogue. Ash is a very easy hero to root for. No ifs, ands, or buts about it, it’s fun to watch him kick ass and take names. The rest of the characters provide nice sounding boards for him as well. His girlfriend Sheila’s words are intentionally out of time to the point of being hysterical, and the random co-workers that show up in the story each provide unique viewpoints. The only problem within this book is the sudden sharp change of setting it takes. Moving along at a fairly quick pace, the sudden change two chapters in will leave you a little disjointed. It may be a standard for these stories to do something like that, but it seems like the book would have worked better if it had stayed in the store the whole time. Also, on a personal note, it was a little disappointing to learn the fates of his coworkers. But again, I don’t think we could call this an Army of Darkness story without it happening.


For some, when they see two different pencillers on a book it turns them off. The artwork doesn’t match and it only serves to really break up a sometimes good story. For anyone worried about that here, let your fears be put away. Because in this book, unless you’re actively looking for it, you won’t be able to tell there was a change. Both Nick Bradshaw and Sanford Greene use almost the exact same style here. Once again the artwork pushes more into cartooniness, to focus on the humor of the situation. The artists get to have a little fun with caricatures and spoofs in the store of S-Mart, and their depiction of each character is dead-on. Even the demons and deadites look like they should. They keep up with Kuhoric’s good pacing, and even, when the story provides, get to have some fun with their storytelling and page design. And neither falters at all when asked to illustrate an action scene. Vibrant and alive, the images are incredibly gory, but drawn so well you can’t help but stare.

As a finished product, this book really only suffers in that major detour it takes. Fans of the character and series probably won’t be disappointed. But for someone looking to check out this franchise for the first time, you may want to read up with some of the other books first.

More info:

Words: James Kuhoric
Art: Nick Bradshaw & Sanford Greene
Inks & Colors: Etienne St. Laurent, Jim Charalampidis, & Scott Kester

Publisher:

[Zacharie]

Title: Army of Darkness vs Re-Animator (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): James Kuhoric (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Tristan Jones (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" Those of you out there who enjoyed any of the previous three stories will really enjoy this one."
Review:

After such a promising start in Dynamite Entertainment's Re-Animator comic, Army of Darkness vs Re-Animator is another jumbled mess that falls into exactly the same traps as it's predecessors.

Continuing on from where we left off in Army of Darkness: Shop 'Til You Drop Dead, Ash is institutionalised for life in Arkham Asylum (The Lovecraft one, not the Batman one), blamed for the deaths and destruction of the previous story. Of course, his doctor is the overzealous Herbert West, but thankfully, it's not one of those bizarre coincidences that many of these cross-overs tend to rely on to match up their characters. You see, for those who are unable to get their hands on the Re-Animator one-shot Dynamite put out just before the release of this arc, Herbert West, the one you see here in the pages of Army of Darkness vs The Re-Animator, is not really Herbert West. Explanation time…

Many years earlier, the real Herbert West was replaced by an evil, psychotic doppelganger from The Forbidden Realm, thanks to Professor Whately, who is trying to bring about the return of The Old Ones through the use of the Necronomicon. Whately is using West to help get his hands on The Chosen One (Ash), who, for a reason that's never quite gone into properly, will help shatter the barrier between our dimension and that which imprisons the Lovecraftian deity; Yog-Sothoth. Before Yog-Sothoth can come through, the world of the living must be cleansed of life, which is where the Deadites come into play… partly at least. Evil West wants to use the Deadites in his Re-Animator formula experiments as well.

Alright, a lot of thought has gone into the backstory, but unfortunately it cramps up what could have been split into three (yes, three!) really good main stories. While the idea of Ash going up against Herbert West is one even I find really interesting, the execution simply isn't what anyone would expect. What you have here are two franchises running around crazy-style with very loose reigns. Pretty much all the tricks the Army of Darkness have pulled before are here, wreaking havoc with West's re-animated monsters. That element of the larger story should be enough to appease surface fans wanting a quick fix of either franchise, however purists (especially those who love their Lovecraft) are likely to be disappointed by the fact that with everything going on, only a few surfaces are barely scratched.


I know I've voiced my opinion on the use of the Army of Darkness itself in previous reviews, but this book could have got away with not even including the Deadites. They feel as though they were simply thrown in because they had to be. Then you've got the second layer of the story, the Lovecraftian one. Sure, Re-Animator is Lovecraft already, but Khuhoric seems to have made the link and taken it one step further than necessary (for this story at least). Whately is a great villain, straight up. The problem is that not enough time is spent building this great character. Basically we are told/shown that he's evil and wants give our world to The Old Ones. Whately could have had a whole arc with him as the sole antagonist. It'd be awesome, Ash going up against The Old Ones, and even though that's sort of what's going on here, it's hampered by the Re-Animator story. Then, on top of all this, Army of Darkness vs Re-Animator goes the way of Shop 'Til You Drop Dead, and throws Ash into The Forbidden Realm briefly. Sounds cool, except that the Forbidden Realm, the place where the Deadites are supposedly coming from, is a twisted Wonderland (the Alice kind). The reason being that when the Deadites "swallow your soul", your personality becomes part of their group conciousness. This is all explained by H.P. Lovecraft himself, who, along with the original Herbert West and Sheila (Ash's medieval girlfriend) is also trapped in the Forbidden Realm. He also explains that the reason everything is all "Alice in Wonderland" is because Lewis Carroll has just been assimilated by the Deadites. Again, great idea, but why cram it into one issue of an already maxed out story?

Kuhoric's dialogue is a step up from Shop Til You Drop Dead, although a couple of jarringly nonsensical lines become stumbling blocks along the way (at one point, a Deadite White Rabbit screams at Ash: "My what big teeth I have!" to which Ash responds "All the better to bitch slap you with!"…uhhh…?), as do one or two editorial errors regarding spelling continuity, and the Deadite habit of "Roaarr!"ing early on feels a little uninspired. He's clearly a dude with some great ideas, it's just a pity that they all get mashed into a single four-issue story, when they would make even better individual arcs. It was the same problem with the sequences set in the future and the Tron sequences in Shop Til You Drop Dead. Another thing I can see being a problem for the more casual fan is the fact that at no point does Kuhoric make allowances for those who haven't read the Re-Animator one-shot, which could potentially leave a lot of people wondering what the Hell is going on in regards to West and Whately.

Unfortunately, the art suffers from the same problems as Shop Til You Drop Dead as well. The first issue has Sanford Greene on pencils, then issues two and three feature Nick Bradshaw in top form, then we're given Greene again for the final issue. A lot of people can deal with this, but I'm personally not a fan. Sanford Greene is capable of some really great work, but the style employed here simply doesn't suit Army of Darkness or Re-Animator. In all honesty too, his work really doesn't stand up to Bradshaw's, and when you get the better parts of the story pencilled by Bradshaw, it really doesn't do Greene any favours.
My gripes with the Army of Darkness comics have been pretty much the same since the first story. They've all had moments of greatness, but have so far failed to completely deliver a satisfying Army of Darkness experience. I'm positive that the series has it's fans (otherwise it probably wouldn't be into it's fifth miniseries with a sixth on the way), and I'm sure that those of you out there who enjoyed any of the previous three stories will really enjoy this one. I just find it a shame what starts off so well with the Re-Animator one-shot ends up being more of the same.

More info:

Written by: James Kuhoric
Pencils: Sanford Greene and Nick Bradshaw

Publisher: