Title: Trio Grande: Adios Palomita (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Olivier Vatine and Alain Clement (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Frederik Tang (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" A splendid presentation of his skills in the comic book world."
Review:

Olivier Vatine's comic book "Trio Grande" is a splendid presentation of his skills in the comic book world. The book is set in a hot desert scenario with a fantastic spaghetti western style. I was actually a bit surprised to read this one because it was funnier than the previous one "500 Rifles" which has a much rougher story line, but non the less also very recommendable. If you should happen to like his style I can recommend his other series called "Aqua Bleu". Vatine's skill at drawing (and women in particular) is more than just amazing. He is one of my few gods.

More info:

Olivier Vatine and Alain Clement story, write
Isabelle Rabarot colours
Fabrice Lamy and Olivier Vatine art, pencils, cover
Publisher by Delcourt, Heavy Metal, 1991.

Publisher:

 

Title: The American Way (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): John Ridley (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Tom Knapp (Review 1) and Joshua Koppel (Review 2) (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" Definitely one for fans who like some intelligence in their comics."
Review 2:

The superheroes were real. The superheroics were not...

It's the early 1960s, and the United States is nervous. Communism is spreading, the Cold War is in full swing, and Russia has put a man in space and missiles in Cuba. On the home front, racial tensions threaten to tear the country apart. It's a time for heroes, and luckily America has some -- a few genuine superpowers mixed with the products of genetic labwork and scientific trickery.

But they're far too valuable as public icons to risk in actual combat with dangerous villains, so -- apart from the occasional mugger or street thug -- the Civil Defense Corps engages in violent, newsmaking battles with ... actors. Yes, actors. The government has created villains to provide foils for the CDC, giving the credulous public something to cheer for. After all, there's no reason to worry about Russia when the likes of Phobos, Freya, Ole Miss, Old Glory and Amber Waves are here to protect us.

And then things start to go wrong. A hero dies. An inconvenient spouse is murdered. A killer is let loose, but fails to follow his programming. And an accidental unmasking reveals a popular new hero to be "colored" -- and America isn't ready for that shocking truth.

Nor, it turns out, are many of the other heroes.

"The American Way" is a tense, gripping story set in a volatile time. Following in the gilded footsteps of Alan Moore's classic "The Watchmen," writer John Ridley gives us heroes who suffer the same failings and bigotries as the "normal" people around them. Some will rise above those failings, while others, of course, will surrender to them.

Destined to be a classic, "The American Way" is an exciting, sometimes heartbreaking tale.

Review 2:

It is the Cold War and America has a team of super heroes to help protect justice and the American Way. An ad man who lost his job due to bad timing has been recruited to work for the government and handle PR for the super team. It is then that he learns that while the heroes do exist their reputation is false. The minor crime they stop is real but all of the super-villain battles are carefully scripted and acted out. But as tensions build between America and Russia, America is also being subjected to the buildup of racial tensions between blacks and whites. That is when the ad man comes up with the idea of creating a black super hero. He will be masked at first to win the trust of the country and then it will be revealed that he is black.

But an accident reveals the secret too soon and racial tension on the team goes through the roof. How can the situation be diffused? Will extreme sanction be required for all the super heroes? Is there any action that will not make matters worse? All these questions and more make up this fascinating story. Set against real-world events this is a gripping tale of a volatile period in America's history. An interesting new spin on the super hero story but with better grounding in reality than most. Definitely one for fans who like some intelligence in their comics. Check it out.

More info:

Georges Jeanty penciler, cover
John Ridley writer
Karl Story inker, cover
Kristy Quinn, Ben Abernathy editor
Pat Brosseau letterer
Randy Mayor colorist, cover

Publisher:

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

" It didn’t work for me."
Review:

Description:

Angela is blessed by a happy-go-lucky childhood. Her life is turned upside down overnight when Jason, her Mum’s former lover, returns after an absence of twelve years. He then talks her into joining him, with her daughter, in order to exploit his mining concession. When they fail to strike gold, everyone is disheartened. Their last hope, a particularly audacious hold-up...

My Review:

I was a bit disappointed with this one. Angela’s mother was a gold-digger and couldn’t care less about her husbands feelings. And what she did to her husband was unbelievable shocking. I thought we see more of Angela, I mean the title is named after her, but we didn’t see much of her up to the last minute where her character changed into a sincere young woman. It didn’t work for me.

More info:

Oliver Vatine art
Oliver Vatine, Daniel Pecqueur story, write
Isabelle Rabarot, Oliver Vatine colours

Publisher:

Title: Three Shadows (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Cyril Pedrosa (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Jamie S. Rich (Review 1) and Andy Shuping (Review 2) (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" Touching, vividily imagined, and beautifully drawn."
Review 1:

This book reminds me of the early work of Scott Morse, particularly SOULWIND, both in terms of some of the fantasy elements but also in the storytelling influences Cyril Pedrosa brings into his narrative. You will see shades of Disney, European comics, and traditional Japanese painting.

The story involves a family living on a remote farm in an imaginary country who one day see three horses and riders in the distance. Believing they have come for his son, the father tries to take the boy far away, hoping to outrun these dark harbingers. The plot is largely about the bonds of family and the strange people along their journey who run counter to their beliefs and their mission. At times, the structure meanders a bit, particularly in a side story near the end that actually follows the three shadows on a misadventure, but these are forgivable quirks. THREE SHADOWS is otherwise touching, vividily imagined, and beautifully drawn.

Review 2:

Cyril Pedaroa is a former artist for Disney, but has since transferred his creative and artistic talents to the world of graphic novels. Three Shadows is a story of life, a family's love, grief, and death rolled into an all too short novel. A small farming family, father, mother, and their young son named Joaquim. They live an ideal life with all that they could ever need in their lives. Until the day Joaquim approaches his parents and tells them of the three shadows outside watching him. The father takes Joaquim and journeys in hopes of escaping the shadows. Joaquim's father is willing to do anything to protect his son, including giving up his own life.

In the end, all of the characters introduced in the novel, find that no matter how hard you try, you can't escape death. The story itself would appear to be a simple one, but the twists and turns of the lives portrayed make it a compelling story. Although the story is more father and son, the mother's love is evident by her sacrifice to allow father and son to undertake their journey. Both parents handle the situation as best as they know how and exemplify a family's love for one another. The story's overall message is that even in death, you can find hope, and that even though death may come, life will still go on.

What really sells the story and draws the reader in, are the illustrations. The illustrations in the novel are simple black and white line drawings, but through Pedrosa's use of lines they convey emotion and energy. Even without words, the drawings are able to convey joy, fear, grief, and love through the characters expressions and movements. The reader becomes not a mere witness to the story, but a participant, feeling a sense of the place, the time, and the people. The characters cease to be mere drawings on the page, but become real to the reader, as if we could meet them in real life.

More info:

Cyril Pedrosa art, cover, story

Publisher:

Title: Ezra – Evoked Emotions (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Sean O'Reilly (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: J. W. De Bolt Jr. (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" I think it’s a shame that the women in their great outfits could not have been penciled by someone more… Hornish. "
Review:

In this historical fantasy/sword and sorcery tale, Ezra is a mercenary in medieval times. She is the sister of the recently deceased Erik, with whom Ezra had originally appeared in the title Kade (with the name Ravyn, but that had to be changed for copyright reasons). Sean O’Reilly thought Ezra a strong enough character to have her own miniseries. And this is not simply a desultory spin-off, but a solid, if unoriginal, quest tale, where Ezra is hired to obtain a mystical amulet, the Serpent’s Eye, by trading the Sword of Turrin (or Turin, depending on which issue you look at) with Nephilia, a self-proclaimed goddess. Meanwhile, Ezra is developing a sense of her own inner power.

O’Reilly makes Ezra and the other characters speak in contemporary speech, which is OK, since otherwise we’d have to be reading medieval Egyptian or something. And the art has a fun look that is appropriate for Ezra’s constant joking. The humor should bring an audible chuckle from the reader.

I see some character inconsistencies — or at least inexplicable factors — in that she doesn’t seem to be mourning for her brother and that at the end of the series she makes a declaration not in line with her attitude.

Greg Horn drew the cover of issue #1, which is probably the main reason I bought this miniseries. The art of Alfonso Ruiz within, however, disappointed me. Now if Horn had drawn the entire series — that would have been something to see. But it would not have fit the dialogue and storytelling within.

Ezra is a curvaceous milk-white heroine, but the art seems quick and safe, slightly manga-ish (manga-nese?). But the action is depicted excitingly and the people made of stone look more stone-like than flesh does flesh. Finally, you may like the fan art in the back of the issue.

This is a fun adventure and the quips are quippish and the action active. Perhaps the cartoony-looking Ruiz art will appeal to you. But I think it’s a shame that the women in their great outfits could not have been penciled by someone more… Hornish.

Notable Quote: “Good thing you were born in the Dark Ages. You look terrible in the light.”

More info:

Writer: Sean O’Reilly
Artist: Alfonso Ruiz, Master Rove & Eve
Ink: Gabo
Colors: Benny Fuentes, Greg Horn

Publisher:

Title: The Clockwork Girl (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Sean O'Reilly (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Nicola Manning (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" Young and old alike with love this wonderful story. "
Book Description

Having sold more than 300,000 copies in a series of five comic books, The Clockwork Girl is now a luscious graphic novel. It’s a tale unlike any other, a journey into a faraway land where the Clockwork Girl lives—a ticking robot girl with mechanical limbs and a voice of her own.

Against all odds, she finds companionship in Huxley, the amazing mutant circus boy who risks his life to be with her. Together they tackle questions like what man can feel that a machine or mutant can’t, what loneliness is, and what love is.

But can a robot girl feel true love? Will this futuristic Romeo and Juliet survive the threats of their warring families?

Review

Reason for Reading: I've enjoyed other books by Sean O'Reilly and this one sounded wonderful, plus I wanted to read the book before seeing the movie (which doesn't have a release date as of yet).

First of all, an absolutely beautiful book. Illustrations are gorgeous and the book is just pleasure for the eyes to read. It's book like this I'd never trade for an ereader. The story centres around two scientists who live next door to each other, one who is a technical scientist building robots and automatons, whilst the other works with biological science creating new forms of life. They are enemies. Last year Dendrus won the annual fair with his "mutant boy" named Huxley. This year he has come with Huxley and to watch his students' presentations but without an entry himself. But The Tinkerer has finally created his masterpiece "The Clockwork Girl" who later names herself Tesla. Tesla and Huxley meet at the Fair and develop a friendship later secretly meeting between their respective castles, though their fathers are warring with each other, ala Romeo & Juliet.


The robot and the mutant like each other but it isn't anything more than platonic, there is a third child involved who it is unclear but I think is either Dendrus' assistant or own son. I'm glad the story doesn't enter into a romance as I'm not fond of that sort of thing, though the plot does enter the dramatic and intensiveness of a life and death situation such as is found in Romeo & Juliet. The plot actually has quite a few Shakespearean elements and is honestly, just a wonderful story to read. The characters are all quirky and fun, from the children to the adults to the creatures. The fair is a wonderful chapter with all sorts of weird and wacky inventions being displayed and causing trouble. But ultimately it is a story of lonely people, finding happiness in friendship and the despair one will only find in feuding with others. An adorable story suitable for all ages, some scenes may be too intense for little ones but otherwise young and old alike with love this wonderful story.

More info:

Sean O’Reilly, Kevin Hanna writer
Grant Bond penciler, inker, colorist
Shawn DePasquale letterer
Stefani Rennee editor
Mike Thomas, Grant Bond, Karen Krajenbrink, Mirana Reveier, Kevin Hanna artist(s)
Published by Arcana Studio, 2007-2008

Publisher:

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

" Surreal science fiction technology including some that may or may not be magic."
Review:

A soft science fiction graphic novel written by Alejandro Jodorowsky and illustrated by Fred Beltran. The book is published by French publisher Humanoids , set in the same universe as Jodorowsky's other science fiction comics, The Metabarons and The Incal . Megalex is a City Planet ruled by a royal family and an elite noble class. The common people are kept addicted to drugs and kept in line by police clones programmed to be loyal to the ruling class and implanted with control tabs that will kill them after four hundred days of life. The common folk can only live to forty, while the ruling class can hope for at least four hundred years, and the actual royal family will live for over four thousand.

The entire surface of the planet except for the oceans and a small area of forest (known as the Chem Forest) is covered in urban sprawl with absolutely no organic matter. But beneath the city, the tunnel-like ruins of the old city lead to a series of massive, unfathomed caverns seven thousand feet below the surface, teeming with underground life. The rebels live in the caverns, occasionally venturing to the surface to raid the city.


The first protagonist we are introduced to is the an anomalous police clone who is almost twice the size of the rest of his brethren, spared customary termination by an alien attack on the city that drew the cloning factory overseers away from their duties. He is rescued from the surface by the lovely freedom fighter Adamâ, and brought down to the subterranean world. There, he meets a resistance leader named Zerain. Zerain is a mutant with a hunchback who also seems to be destined to lead an open rebellion on the surface. He also seems to be in love with the main antagonist, the princess Kavatah. Kavatah herself is a beautiful woman who hates everything about the Chem Forest and the underground rebels.

Like all of Jodorowsky's work, Megalex features surreal science fiction technology including some that may or may not be magic. It's not as dark as The Metabarons, but still quite brutal and featuring plenty of gorgeously-drawn nudity and Scenery Porn. Beltran uses a hybrid hand-drawn and computer-generated style that gives the whole book a unique look. Three volumes have been released so far, only the first in English as of yet.

More info:

Written by Alejandro Jodorowsky
Illustrated by Fred Beltran

Publisher:

Title: Hammer of the Gods (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Michael Oeming (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Stephanie (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" I can’t wait to read more books from the IDW/ComicMix team-up."
Review: Hammer of the Gods: Mortal Enemy

In honor of the blockbuster film, Thor, I decided to review a graphic novel with a similar theme (Nordic mythology) and even a guest starring appearance by Thorr (in this book he has the extra ‘r’). Hammer of the Gods: Mortal Enemy, however, does not actually star the Nordic gods. They play a crucial role in the book, but the main character is a mortal named Modi. As a baby, Modi was given the gift of superhuman strength from a mysterious woman (whom we later find out is a Valkyrie named Skogul). There was only one condition: he could never “wield a weapon” or else he would forever lose his soul. Modi’s parents raise him to never touch a weapon and he travels the world, spreading his love of the Nordic gods across the globe. His favorite god is Thorr (obviously) and he builds many shrines in honor of the god.

Unfortunately, when Modi returns home he finds that his parents (and entire village) have been murdered by giants. This sets the rest of the book in motion as Modi is extremely angry at the gods (understatement of the year) and makes it his new mission to find the gods and punish them for “abandoning man to an evil fate.” The majority of the book is dedicated to Modi’s journeys (which involve a lot of battles with giants) and his eventual confrontation with the gods (including Thorr).

One thing I particularly enjoyed about this book was that you did not need to know a lot about Norse mythology in order to understand the plot. Oeming & Wheatley do an excellent job of explaining what you need to know when you need to know it. Actually, the story is one that could be applied to any major religion. The primary idea is that of a man who is disappointed by the gods/God for abandoning people to an evil fate. As is discussed by Peter David in the introduction to this book, this anger/disillusionment is one that can be found in almost any religion. Modi lost his parents and believes that the gods could have prevented it. He wants to find out what the gods were doing when these awful things happened on earth and why they would let something like this happen to him after he’s been such a faithful devotee. Again, something with which many people can sympathize.


Of course, Modi has the superhuman strength that allows him to battle giants (without the use of a weapon) and eventually make his way to Valhalla. I don’t want to spoil the ending by telling you what happens when Modi meets up with the gods, but I was pleasantly surprised by the conclusion Oeming & Wheatley provide. Also? I absolutely love the character of Loki in Nordic mythology so I was very excited to see him play a crucial role in the whole story.

Aside from the story, the art is gorgeous. The colors are primarily dark in order to properly reflect the cold winter that is a constant throughout Modi’s journey. My favorite part about the art, however, is the scale of every page. I would guess that about a quarter of the book is composed of pages that are one-to-two page spreads of only one-to-two panels. That doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of pages that have multiple panels on each page. There are. However, the majority of the pages seem to contain panels that are practically bursting out of their pages. This style works beautifully with the epic, grandiose nature of Modi’s story.

Another solid independent graphic novel that I recommend checking out. Even if you’re not a fan of Nordic mythology in general this book appeals to anyone who enjoys epic stories of man (and woman) trying to better understand his/her place in the world. The art is beautiful and the story is heartbreaking and fun. I can’t wait to read more books from the IDW/ComicMix team-up.

More info:

Written by Michael Oeming
Script and leyyers by Mark Wheatley

Publisher:

Title: Mercy Thompson: Homecoming (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Patricia Briggs and David Lawrence (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: goodreads (Review 1) and Mel Odom (Review 2) (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" Readers new to the series will probably find a lot in this urban fantasy world to enjoy..."
Review 1:

Mercy Thompson is a walker, a magical being with the power to transform into a coyote. She lives on the fine line dividing the everyday world from a darker dimension, observing the supernatural community while standing apart.

When Mercy travels to the Tri-Cities of Washington for a job interview, she quickly finds herself smack-dab in the middle of a gang war between rival packs of werewolves. And as if fangs and fur weren’t bad enough, Mercy must deal with the scariest creature of all: her mother, who is convinced that Mercy is making a mess of her life and determined to set her daughter on the right course.

The thrilling adventures of Mercy Thompson–Moon Called, Blood Bound, and Iron Kissed–have topped the New York Times bestseller list. Now Mercy makes her comics debut in an exclusive new story created by Patricia Briggs. Mercy Thompson: Homecoming is sure to please longtime fans and capture new ones with its mix of unforgettable characters and thrilling supernatural intrigue.

Review 2:

I wasn’t sure how Mercy Thompson would translate to the comics page. I like her voice on the book pages, the way she thinks and the way she sees her world. I didn’t know if I was ready to have that world I’d already interpreted for myself rendered in colorful pages that would still be limited compared to what I can do for myself.

I was also concerned how it would be to read a story I was already familiar with when the Mercy Thompson stories are organic in the books and keep marching forward. I was a little relieved to discover this volume would concern itself more with how Mercy arrived at her little corner of the supernatural world that fans have come to be so familiar with and love. Subsequent volumes are going to retell the novels, and I’ll be interested in seeing how well that goes over with stories I’m already acquainted with.

In some ways reading this graphic novel was like watching a rerun. I knew most of the story but there were some action bits and character bits thrown in that weren’t relayed in the first Mercy novel. I liked the chase sequences, especially the one in the beginning where the werewolves have Mercy cornered while she’s in coyote form and are about to bring her down. Those sequences were well rendered by the artist (Francis Tsai), and enjoyed watching the change from coyote to human, though the “shift” was really fast.

One of the later “shifts” really strains credulity, though, because it shows Mercy getting chased in coyote form and managing to change into a human before a werewolf can run her down at full speed. And manage to snatch up a revolver and start blasting away. (There is a problem with that scene too that involves technical accuracy. The dialogue calls for a .38, a revolver, but the panel shows a semi-automatic.)

In places, though, the artwork feels too cartoonish. The images just don’t square up. I loved the color though.

The story sets up everything that takes place in the first Mercy novel but doesn’t really introduce anything for long-time readers. All the characters and pieces are there, and we get to see stories acted out that we only heard about before, so that’s kind of nice. Readers new to the series will probably find a lot in this urban fantasy world to enjoy (although it takes place outside the city), and I encourage them to hurry on down to the bookstore and pick up the novels.

More info:

Written by by Patricia Briggs and David Lawrence
Illustrators: Francis Tsai, Amelia Woo

Publisher:

Title: Project: Kalki (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Arjun Gaind (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Timothy Callahan (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" It's worth a look."
Review: Project: Kalki #1

In 1874, an artifact is found -- a tiny portion of remains from the god Rama. Over one hundred years later, Dr. Shyama Bhalla attempts to create a clone from that ancient DNA. As you might imagine, it's not such a good idea.

First of all, she's working for a bad guy. It's one of those Faustian bargain situations: he's supporting her research, and she's cloning an avatar of Vishnu. You can tell he's a bad guy, because he's got really gnarly teeth. Plus, he wears a fedora and trenchcoat. And he's all shadow. And, he has red, mind-control eyes. He's certainly a menacing figure, an evil being who was present at the original excavation back in 1874. He had no qualms about killing archeologists back then, and in the present he snaps a kitten's neck without hesitation. He wants the clone of Rama for apocalyptic reasons.

This comic is filled with religious overtones about salvation, but it isn't burdened by them. It's a pulpy story of mysterious characters, secret science, and the end of the world. Even if the themes are heavy, the pace of the comic isn't. "Project: Kalki" #1 is a good first issue, intelligently scripted by Arjun Gaind and drawn in strikingly bold images by Vivek Shinde. This isn't a fully-painted comic like "Ramayan: Reloaded," but rather a moody, Michael Gaydos-inspired visual narrative. It looks like an issue of Gaydos's "Alias," actually, although with a heavier use of black. Mignola meets Gaydos, perhaps -- not a bad combination from Vivek Shinde. Although the figures are somewhat stiff, such poses of the Rama clone serve the story. The character, hyper-aging a year every few days, might indeed stand with the awkward stiffness of a mannequin.


The plot is simplistic, focusing on Dr. Bhalla's attempts to create a clone from the Rama DNA and then her care and concern for the rapidly growing blue child, but the emotional subtext is strong. Gaind gives Dr. Bhalla some depth -- she's been in a wheelchair since she was young, and her loneliness has led to her devotion to science, but it's also left her without the possibility for a child of her own. Until she cradles the infant Rama in her arms, she didn't realize how much her loneliness had affected her. It's a nice moment, and it sets up later plot developments as she realizes that she must protect this beautiful creature from what her evil benefactor has planned.

I don't know anything about the Hindu mythology upon which this series is based, but that doesn't matter. Gaind and Shinde present their version of the story clearly and effectively. It's not a heavy-handed "religious" comic book. It's the story of a woman who has sacrificed too much to achieve what she has, and who may ultimately doom humanity because of it. And it's the story of an innocent, a clone who seems able to channel the emotions around him and convert it into energy. I don't think the character will don a costume and jump from rooftop to rooftop punching jewel thieves -- his destiny is to be a greater hero, no doubt, although the path will be anything but easy.

If you've been avoiding comics from Virgin because you feared they might be inaccessible to Western readers, you needn't worry. "Project: Kalki" #1 is a good example of a mythological world that transcends geographic boundaries. It's worth a look.

More info:

Story by Arjun Gaind
Art by Vivek Shinde
Colors by R. Gavaskar
Letters by B.S. Ravikiran
Cover by Mukesh Singh
Publisher Virgin Comics

Publisher:

Title: Stephen King's and Joe Hill's Road Rage (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Chris Ryall (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: cGt2099 (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" I highly recommend giving this one a look. "
Review: Stephen King's and Joe Hill's Road Rage #1

Road Rage is a collaboration between Stephen King and his son, Joe Hill. Initially published as a novella and then audiobook in 2009, the publication compiles the collaborative story Throttle, and the short story which it pays tribute to, Duel by Richard Matheson. IDW is in the process of publishing their comic book adaptation of Road Rage, and the impact of the first issue is solid and memorable.

Road Rage #1 is the first chapter of King’s and Hill’s Throttle. The story follows a biker gang known as the tribe, led by Vince, with a range of characters brought to life in vivid visuals. Also a member of the gang is a man called Lemmy, clearly named – and artistically designed – after the memorable frontman from Motörhead.

On the road, the Tribe are on an expedition seeking profit from a bad meth deal. In the process, a truck catches up on them, and begins to take vehicular vengeance upon members of The Tribe – leaving the bloodied remains of bikes and bodies strewn across the highways.

Resembling all of Stephen King’s work, the story is incredibly firm and electrifying. The demeanor of the characters and of the plot itself is entrancing, and sucks you in very early on. It is truly compelling reading, with concise attention to detail, considerable attention made to essential foreshadowing, and a style that has King’s imprint all over it. Also being a collaboration with his son makes the tone of the story eerie, yet interesting.


Chris Ryall‘s adaptation of the story is well done, with an outstanding epilogue at the end of the comic explaining how the effort was planned out. Nelson Daniel‘s artwork for the story is of a high standard also, with the addition of the interesting application of Ben-Day dot texture used for shading. This is clearly deliberate; perhaps to hearken back to the 1970′s and 1980′s when Duel was initially televised, to capture the retro feel of the epoch. It is a fitting touch, and noticed with much nostalgia by this aging comic book reviewer.

The subject matter of Road Rage is most certainly not for young children. The harsh language, drug themes, and sexual allusions are all directed at a mature audience. Road Rage is essentially: Breaking Bad meets Sons Of Anarchy meets Duel meets Any Stephen King Novel. Full of suspense, with the appropriate touch of horror-style gore, a bit of action, and a whole load of drama, it is a damn entertaining read, and an absolute page turner – with no harsh criticisms I can offer on this collaboration, I highly recommend giving this one a look.

More info:

Written by Stephen King and Joe Hill
Adapted by Chris Ryall
Art by Nelson Daniel

Publisher:

Title: Monocyte (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Menton3 and Kasra Ghanbari (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: The Geeks of Doom (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" An artistically stunning yet one dimensional dark fantasy comic"
Review: Monocyte #1

Let me start off by saying Monocyte is dark, I mean really dark. With the exception of some spilled blood here and there the entire comic is done monochromatically. Characters’ bodies are either detailed masses of flesh and bone painstakingly drafted in black and grays, or they are huge black masses with unidentifiable torsos. Of course there will be H.R. Giger comparisons to artist Menton3‘s style and scope, and in this lies my issue with Monocyte. Each panel is so beautifully drawn and inked that they deserve to be single-standing illustrations, the words within each panel seemed like an afterthought. This was enhanced more by the fact that with art so meticulously rendered, the story seemed rushed and unevenly paced at many points in this issue.

Monocyte follows the war between two immortal cultures, The Olignostics and The Antedeluvians. Both races have become immortal and use humans as a form of sustenance to keep themselves undying. To top that off each race uses an army of weaponless, naked human slaves to do their fighting for them. It’s not a stretch to say that the human experience is not valued very highly among The Olignostics and The Antedeluvians. The simple fact that the reader has no one to connect to besides these super intelligent, completely apathetic beings makes Monocyte a very hard comic to care about. The introduction of the one-eyed “hero” Monocyte (mono-sight get it?) Azrael’s immortal minion is possibly the point were I was suppose to latch onto someone to root for, but the lack of background and development made Monocyte no more than a puppet for death in my eyes.


When writers Menton3 and Kasra Ghanbari could have fleshed out Monocyte‘s character and actually developed him as the anti-hero we need, they instead created gorgeous page filling illustrations with no more dialogue then “Meet Me By Nature” scrawled across them. I am a huge supporter of comics written artistically and poetically, but only if characters and stories are being full developed within the poetry. I know Monocyte is there to bring back the glory of death, and I know that Azrael is tired of the immortals but in no way do I care which side is obliterated and which side is victorious.

Within this issue there was also two sample chapters of other Monocyte storylines “The Chronicle of The Shepherd” and “The Chronicle of The Messenger.” The Shepherd had far to little in all aspects to be called a proper storyline. However The Messenger was a very solid piece of writing that set us up for a strong character driven story in the future.

Of course this is only issue #1 of Monocyte and there will be much time to develop characters that I can stand behind. But for now Monocyte stands as an artistically stunning yet one dimensional dark fantasy comic worth picking up for the art but not so much for what’s holding it together.

More info:

Created and written by Menton3 and Kasra Ghanbari
Art by Menton3

Publisher:

Title: Battle For The Cowl – Oracle – The Cure (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Kevin Van Hook (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Iann Robinson (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" These off shoot titles are really going to set the stage for our new Dark Knight."
Review: Oracle: The Cure #3 of 3

Battle for the Cowl: Oracle The Cure started off with a serious bang. The story was exciting, well written and seemed to be playing into the whole mystery surrounding what happened to the Anti-Life Equation since the defeat of Darkseid in Final Crisis. There had even been a bit of intrigue around the Oracle issues themselves with DC Comics only shipping the minimum amount needed to fulfill subscription orders. Why would DC do that? Would this three-issue arc be so important to the Batman story that DC needed to shroud it in mystery?

Sadly, that isn’t the case.

The most disappointing thing about the end of Oracle: The Cure is that it turns out to be just another Batman Universe story. Nothing in this story arc moves the entire Battle for the Cowl story along except maybe by getting Oracle back to Gotham or being a lead in to the new Batgirl title that’s starting up. Perhaps by some miracle having to do with the Anti-Life Equation Barbara Gordon gets the use of her legs back and tries to become the female Caped Crusader again but I doubt it.

When we left Barbara in issue 2 she was trying to face down the master criminal The Calculator who was using the world of virtual reality gaming to try and hunt down the remnants of the Anti-Life Equation in order to save his daughter. I waited for issue three to raise this common comic book tale into something with much more power but it never happened. The Calculator is a bad guy and Barbara Gordon is going after him, that’s it, that’s all that goes on.

Even the way the comic ties together runs from the boring to the altogether stupid. Setting the entire battle in some virtual reality world creates a total disconnect from anything going on with human characters. The Calculator’s “virtual” identity looks a lot like a cross between predator and the robot from the film Metropolis but sporting green shades, The other “virtual” characters look like Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, which renders any and all battles completely silly. Try keeping a straight face when Barbara brings a tiny dog into the virtual world that enters in a virus by peeing on the virtual wall. Oh yeah, it’s that kind of stupid.


When the end of Oracle finally comes to fruition it means nothing, you don’t care about The Calculator enough to even bat an eye when his final fate is realized. His daughter’s suffering comes in too late to really register as more than a plot device. In short the entire story feels like a gigantic waste of time. I was particularly unhappy with how the physical realization of the Anti-Life Equation looked like a cheap fake diamond necklace. I started thinking that maybe DC held back sending multiple issues because they knew just how bad this story was.

Writer Kevin Vanhook (Bloodshot, Superman & Batman VS Werewolves) does a competent job with the dialog but really loses steam plot wise with issue three. The first two issues really felt brisk and well paced while issue three feels clunky and rushed. The complete lack of payoff is really disappointing based on how well Oracle: The Cure started out. It some odd way it feels as if Vanhook just gave up, almost like this wasn’t his original story but something he was forced to do so he just phoned it in. Whatever the case he really fails with issue three.

The artwork by Julian Lopez is pretty solid and he maintains the Barbara-is-still-hot vibe started with the first two issues. Nothing here jumps off the page or makes you think Lopez is something special but you also don’t spend time analyzing how bad it is so it just becomes the necessary art for the story.

As Battle for the Cowl winds down and the days until we find out who the new Batman is grow shorter these off shoot titles are really going to set the stage for our new Dark Knight. DC needs this new Batman to hit the ground running if he’s going to have any staying power or interest with the fans. The world the new Batman operates in will be a huge part of how interesting his adventures are and I can only hope Oracle: The Cure isn’t indicative of what’s to come.

More info:

Writer Kevin Van Hook
Pencils Julian Lopez & Fernando Pasarin
Inks Bit & David Bryant

Publisher:

Title: Sexy Gun: The Squaw (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Fréderic Brrémaud (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Nagan (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" I am a little disappointed... "
Review:

Frederick Brrémaud invented a new genre: the western sexy humor. His story alternates between ridicule and humor. The dialogues are funny and are full of puns. He is not stingy, either in homage to the classic cartoon.

The graphic style of the young Mathieu Reynes manages to charm the reader (Her bare girls are they the cause?). More seriously, the designer creates an interesting dynamic in the action scenes in accentuating the characters' movements and playing on framing effects

I am a little disappointed with volume two (but I will seek to compare volume 1). I found the story very flat, very flat but then ... Flatter than that there is ... I'm looking for ... The links between the protagonists are fetched. And what is that cheap vision of the Indians? They massacre their tribe, four members fled, encounter white face on their way they try to slay logically ... but the narrator believes that it is not well and massacred the four Indian heroines and even go up 'to shoot them in the backs of two squaws when they break! Well I know, we wanted to show the reader that these are not girls who let themselves be pushed around ... But hey ... it does not please me.
The only thing that I like is the graphics, and even, sometimes bungled.

Summarized: (pout doubtful. yes I know, I am very doubtful pout. If you want to see my pout Commendation (which is not a pout) I only say one word: Blacksad)

More info:

Written by Fréderic Brrémaud
Art by Reynès, Mathieu
Colors by Vernay, Valérie

Publisher:

Title: Wulf (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Steve Niles (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Brandon Barrows (Don't click it, read the review here... )

" I will be reading more."
Review: Wulf #1

It's a frequent theme in fiction: the savage or barbarian thrown into civilized society. How will he react? Will he adapt? Will he go mad trying to understand the ways of these odd people? Various writers have come up with various answers to that, but few have added the extra twist of Wulf: what happens when a barbarian warrior is thrown into the midst of a modern city while pursuing a murderous wizard?

Wulf's world is ending. Oh, probably not the world itself, he muses, but certainly all life on it. He is not the only one who sees the coming disaster, but unlike them, the wizard Sanjon has the power and will to do something about it. Unfortunately for Sanjon, his methods leave something to be desired, as far as the warrior Wulf is concerned, and the chase leads both mage and warrior into something neither could have anticipated.


Written by Steve Niles, the book is nearly silent through much of its pages. Normally, I am not a tremendous fan of this in comics, as it requires a very good writer to pull such a thing off while hitting the target they are aiming for. Fortunately for Wulf, Steve Niles is a very good writer. The effect adds to the eeriness of some of the early scenes. We get a real sense of the devastation that has been visited upon Wulf's world, as well as a striking sense of the sheer power, and insanity, Sanjon possesses.

The art, by Nat Jones, is easily my favorite of the first series of the new Atlas Comics. It is lively, but dark and seemingly stained with the blood that Sanjon uses to cast his spells. I am unfamilar with any other work Nat may have done, but I have to say if this keeps up I will count myself as a fan.

As a fan of the original Wulf series, I am satisfied with this initial installment of the new series and beyond that, I do believe I will be reading more.

More info:

Writer: Steve Niles
Artist: Nat Jones
Colorist: Mai
Letterer: Richard Emms
Editor: Mike Grell

Publisher: