The graphic novels loved by children and adults alike
Mar 7th, 2012, 11:57 pm
Image


Title: Honey West (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Trina Robbins (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: admin (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" It’s sexy, funny, and delightful!"

Review: Honey West #1
    I’m into the type of comic that engages and focuses on a courageous, strong, funny, independent main character. And if it’s a female main character that possesses these characteristics, even better. I also have the tendency to pick a comic from the shelf in which the amazing cover captivates me (the work of art is key).

    Itching to start reading a new series of comics while on vacation, I was in search of a quaint comic shop that could fulfill my needs. I wanted something different from the superheroes theme (don’t get me wrong, there is NOTHING wrong with superheroes, but sometimes I’m in need for something…normal). I found my much needed shop, and proceeded to scope out every inch of the store. It was about 20 degrees outside, so I figured this was the best way to stay warm. I finally spotted a cover that stated, “… sexy noir blend of Marilyn Monroe and Mike Hammer.” The cover illustrated a very reminiscent version of Marilyn Monroe, holding a gun in a rather sexy, yet determined way. Being that I’m a huge Marilyn Monroe fan, I instantly bought the comic without knowing the premise of the series. While paying for this enticing comic, I inquired about it to the kind comic guru, but unfortunately he had no clue what the comic was about.

    I finally opened the comic and found myself captivated by the story line. The fact that a panther is the pet of a sexy PI named Honey West catches your eye automatically. Honey West inherited her father’s PI firm after he passed. She is hired by a high class stripper. The stripper resembles Pamela Anderson with voluptuous breasts, and big blond hair. She hires Honest West because she is under the impression that someone (an employee, an outsider) wants to eradicate her. Honey West takes the case and goes undercover as a stripper herself to get to the bottom of this mystery. I’m not a big fan of the 60-70s era, but that did not deter me from enjoying this comic. As previously stated, not only the story line, but the illustrations, and the humorous, hidden funny references bring to life the character of Honey West.

    To my surprise, the last page of the comic stated that Honey West was a television show back in the 60s. In further researching Honey West, it turns out that not only was there a television show, but a novel, first released in 1957. And the very first (and last at the time) Honey West comic book was released in 1966. Now, 44 years later, the second issue (and the one I’m excitedly reviewing) of Honey West has been released, titled: ”Killer on the Keys, Part 1: Bikini Death” (August 2010; #1).

    I recommend this comic to anyone who wants to laugh, and who wants a break from gratuitous gore, the zombies, or superhero themes. It’s sexy, funny, and delightful!

Image

More info:
    Writer: Trina Robbins
    Artist: Cynthia Martin

Publisher:
    Image

Image
Mar 7th, 2012, 11:57 pm
Mar 8th, 2012, 8:24 am
Image


Title: Vampirella Vs. Dracula (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Joe Harris (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Chad Bonin (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" Prepare to fight boredom..."

Review: Vampirella VS. Dracula #1
    Vampirella prepares to fight against Dracula while readers prepare to fight boredom.

    To start things off correctly, it's best to read the second story in the issue before the first. The mysterious and foreboding tale of the Draaagunsun in the main story, possibly Dracula, is a confusing tale of rebirth and returns. Once the precursor tale - a reprint of The New European story by Alan Moore and Gary Frank from Vampirella/Dracula: The Centennial a decade and a half ago - is read, things start to become coherenent. But not too much...

    For a story titled Vampirella VS. Dracula, there's little (if any, given the twists the book could give) interaction between the two characters, and they definitely don't fight. Only in the Moore/Frank reprint do we get a solidified intro to Dracula, and that story lacks Vampirella completely.

    The Moore/Frank story is pretty enjoyable; it's clear and consistent, and seeing some work of these two greats in their own right together is a surprisingly nice reprint. The Harris/Rodriguez story is less good: it's a mess of confusing plots, pacing and time shifts, and a large disappointment in that Vampirella is not presented as, well, a sexy vampire, something that defines the character.

    It's the early stages, but a few missteps at this point don't exactly encourage the reader to cough up another $4 for the next installment.

Image

More info:
    Words: Joe Harris
    Art: Ivan Rodriguez
    Colors: Adriano Lucas

Publisher:
    Image

Image
Mar 8th, 2012, 8:24 am
Mar 8th, 2012, 9:54 am
Image


Title: Night Force (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Marv Wolfman (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Greg McElhatton (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" It's a solid introduction."

Review: Night Force #1
    With "Night Force" #1, there's an interesting set-up from Marv Wolfman: a mysterious mansion and its two occupants, a series of bargains with unwilling participants, a woman being attacked by unknown persons. However, the big attraction for reading "Night Force" #1 has got to be the art, courtesy the talented Tom Mandrake.

    Mandrake's art here is stunning, starting on the very first page. His art style involves a lot of thin lines, laid out quite closely to one another. The opening splash for "Night Force" #1 shows that to great effect; they form the waves crashing over Zoe's head, the drift of her hair as the water pulls it around, even the shading on the hands around her throat. It's a strong overall effect, helped out by colorist Wes Hartman who uses a series of shades of blue to make you feel almost like you could reach out and touch the water itself.

    Mandrake continues to draw strong pages throughout the entire comic; the slightly older, tired look on Jim Duffy's face as he saves Zoe from her strangler is framed perfectly in the center of the page, drawing your attention to him even as you then stop and take in the scene unfolding above and below. The rooms in Wintergate Manor are simultaneously sumptuous with their fine carpets and furniture and decaying with the spread of cobwebs in the ceiling and ever-growing shadows on the walls. When those shadows attack, it's Mandrake at his finest.

    Image

    The thin lines that Mandrake uses help the shadows not only have substance but to slide across the page in a way a solid black form wouldn't be able to move. There's a real feel of motion and energy on these pages in a moment that could have come across as simple and unmemorable. Even the shifting and tilting panels on the page, which are an old trick, feel fresh and interesting because of the care in which Mandrake pivots them on a point on the page, rotating them around into a semi-circle to once again give that impression of movement.

    This isn't to take away from the writing of Wolfman. My only previous exposure to "Night Force" was seeing Baron Winters in "Books of Magic" #2 by Neil Gaiman and Scott Hampton back in the day, so I'd gone in with no expectations. The story isn't bad at all, planting the Baron as a master manipulator who seems to be losing control of the game. Everyone has secrets here and while it's a set-up where we'll need to start having some secrets revealed to keep things from getting too tiresome, it's a solid introduction.

    "Night Force" #1 has a good enough opening script, but it's the art that makes me dying to see more. Mandrake is an artist who deserves to be a superstar (the lack of a definitive collection of his and John Ostrander's "The Spectre" run saddens me and my bookshelf). He's just that good. Come for the premise of "Night Force," but definitely stay for the art.


Image

More info:
    Story by Marv Wolfman
    Art by Tom Mandrake
    Colors by Wes Hartman
    Letters by Wes Abbott
    Cover by Leonardo Manco, Wes Hartman

Publisher:
    Image

Image
Mar 8th, 2012, 9:54 am
Mar 8th, 2012, 1:28 pm
Image


Title: Stitched (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: Wade Christian (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" It shows potential."

Review: Stitched #1
    Garth Ennis, the king of shock comics, debuted his latest over-the-top creation last week with Stitched. Stitched is the story of some military personnel whose helicopter crashes in Afghanistan, where they meet up with some sort of supernatural killing-machine zombie things. Apparently, this was also made into a movie (which Ennis himself directed), but I haven’t seen it, so I’m not sure if it just tells this same story, or if it’s a related, if nonessential, story.

    Now, as the first sentence probably demonstrated, I don’t have a high opinion of Ennis. I feel like he tries to be shocking just to be shocking. I’m all for disturbing your reader, but I like for it to actually have a purpose beyond just being shocking. Whether it’s Preacher, Crossed, or The Boys, I don’t feel like there’s really much substance. This isn’t about his whole body of work, though, and something about the concept of this comic forced me to give it a chance, in spite of my disdain for the writer/series creator. Was the gamble worth it? Keep reading to find out.

    Image

    Stitched is a weird animal. It simultaneously feels like exactly what you expect from a Garth Ennis horror comic and like a (mild) change of pace. It has all of the gore and profanity that has come to be expected from this writer, but it never goes into Crossed territory. The story was pretty engaging, and there was a tense atmosphere throughout the entire issue. Though the issue starts as a rescue mission gone wrong, we obviously know it’s going to get much worse. We even see some pre-emptive carnage at the hands of these creatures, which helps heighten the tension, showing us what the soldiers will be up against, and delivering a sight that even disturbs these soldiers. I also have to commend Ennis for delivering a story where sound is an important factor in generating the tension (signaling the coming of the zombies), and actually making it work in a non-auditory medium. That may not seem to make much sense, but once you read the issue, you’ll understand.

    The art seems to follow the same trend as the writing: it’s what you expect but purposeful, not just for shock value. Don’t get me wrong, though. I mean, we still get detailed images of heads being blown apart, eyes sown shut, and a guy whose intestines were pulled out through his mouth, but it feels more necessary to the story than visuals in many Ennis-penned comics. It’s all pretty well drawn, and the bleak colors add to the atmosphere. If you’re squeamish, you should probably look elsewhere (though you probably knew that based on the plot and the writer); otherwise, you’ll probably walk away happy.

    Really, that last sentiment is kind of my overall assessment here. If this sounds revolting to you, it probably will be for you, but so would most horror comics. I think this series is off to a pretty solid start (and that’s coming from someone who is fairly biased against the writer), and I’m certainly pleased thus far. Who knows how long this story can keep up (The characters will theoretically die or reach safety eventually), but it shows potential. I give it a 4.25/5.


Image

More info:
    Written by Garth Ennis
    Art by Mike Wolfer

Publisher:
    Image

Image
Mar 8th, 2012, 1:28 pm
Mar 8th, 2012, 4:42 pm
Image


Title: Divine Right - Divine Intervention Xover Mini (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Jim Lee and Scott Lobdell (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: N. Kok (Review 1) and Richard Dansky (Review 2) (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" Highest Possible Recommendation! "

Review: Divine Right: The Adventures of Max Faraday
Review 1
    Divine Right: The Adventures of Max Faraday is one of Jim Lee's best creations! This DC trade paperback reprints Divine Right#1-7 and contains all the covers. This is the first comic book series where Jim Lee took the helm of both writer and artist. As Usual Scott Williams supplies the inks. Divine Right: Adventures of Max Faraday is about a struggling College Student named Max Faraday. He downloads a secret file called "The Creation Equation" on the Internet. The Creation Equation is suppose grant Max Faraday special powers and unlocks the secrets of the Universe! But the Evil Cardinal Lazerous is after "the Creation Equation" and he sends his minions after Max, his Best friend "Devon Lawless" and sister "Jenny Faraday". But The a superhero group known as "The Fallen" are sent to help Max and his friends. Together they journey to many places and discover the secrets of The "Creation Equation" Max Faraday also has an On-line love affair with a woman named "Suzanne Caste" She is Faradays internet friend and secret love-interest. Buy this book! One of Jim Lee's most interesting creations!Highest Possible Recommendation!


Image

Review 2
    Part of the problem with Divine Right: The Adventures of Max Faraday, is that we've seen it before, and better. We've seen it with the Beyonder, for one. Molecule Man, for another. Any comics junkie is going to be more than familiar with the notion of the all-powerful dweeb whose universe-spanning power is moderated by the love of a good, if large-breasted and incredibly good-looking woman. Max Faraday falls neatly into this category, a nerd who accidentally downloads into his brain most of the code that enables him to modify reality at will. The rest he sends off to his online girlfriend, Susanna Chaste (Obvious name symbolism alert!) who, in addition to being what the kids refer to these days as a smokin' hottie, is also a nerdette with no social life who nonetheless is madly in love with our hero, Max.

    And if that's all there were to it, fine. It's an old trope, but one that can be worked with effectively.

    Except, of course, that it isn't effective, because in addition to its tired origins, Divine Right is also heir to some of Wildstorm's worst excesses. Hypersexualized character concepts? Check. Creepy brother-sister incest implications? Check. Gratuitous head explosions, skimpy costumes, and obfuscatory growly macho dialogue? Check, check and check. And of course, mandatory crossover throwdown between every superteam available. Wearily, finally, check.

    One gets the feeling that Divine Right was put together as a way of tying together multiple plot threads from the various Wildstorm titles. There certainly are enough in here: Coda assassins, the Rath, Gen 13, WildC.A.T.S., and so forth. If that makes your head spin, then you don't want to dive any further into this one, as much of the series (12 issues, collected into two graphic novels) consists of lengthy bits of exposition disguised as on-the-nose dialogue wherein the whole thing gets laid out. Sort of.

    The plot, such as it is, involves a massive alien artifact called the Creation Wheel that happened to crash-land in the Middle East once upon a time, the heavenly VR world it created for no particular reason, and the efforts of various factions and critters within the Wildstorm universe to control the power the Creation Wheel represents. But it's poor hapless Max, with his goofball best buddy, cyber-heavy love life, and zaftig sister who vamps around in her underwear who ends up with it. That means everyone who was after the power starts chasing after Max, at least until he figures out how to use the power, at which point, well, they're still after Max. Everyone, that is, except for his girlfriend, who liked him better before he had huge cosmic powers.

    It all ends with a messy and pointless throwdown -- literally pointless, as the various super-teams go at each other with one mind-controlled until another character says "Enough" and breaks Max's telepathic hold, something he could have done at any time. Then Susannah shows up, armed with oversized weaponry and the conviction that only she can stop Max because he loves her, and thus will allow her to get close enough to filet him and save the universe. Only he doesn't, and the way it works out, complete with nonsensical happy ending, veers between overwritten and underexplained.

    Really, the biggest problem with the series is Max. Ostensibly an archetypal Peter Parker-like loser, he adapts to having complete control over the universe (and an attitude to match) in about six lines of dialogue. There's pretty much no character evolution, no pondering of what he's turning into, no self-reflection as to what he might or might not do. He just starts spouting brutish one-liners and metamorphoses himself into a heavily muscled Captain Atom clone. His declarations of godhood are whiny and unbelievable, his "self-realization" moment at the end entirely too convenient, and his uses of his powers pretty much sadly pedestrian.

    God, ultimately, should be interesting, even if he's really a nerd with a soft spot for old movies. Therein lies the ultimate failure of Divine Right. The rest, like the devil, is in the details.

Image

More info:
    Written by Jim Lee & Scott Lobdell
    Art by Jim Lee & Carlos Danda

Publisher:
    Image

Image
Mar 8th, 2012, 4:42 pm
Mar 8th, 2012, 7:37 pm
Image


Title: Wrath of the Spectre (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Michael Fleisher (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: comicvine (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" Fascinating for its fast pace and particularly distinguished for villains' horrific endings."

Review:
    The four issue mini series Wrath of the Spectre ran from May through August 1988. The series was a reprinting of stories featuring the Spectre from Adventure Comics (1973 through 1975) and one unrelated story from the House of Mystery (1970). The ink colors in this series are superb.

    A historical overview of the Spectre character along with the writers' perspectives in each of the four issues are also fascinating reading.

    Russell Carley, a talented artist, was initially responsible for creating the panels from the Spectre script text, and Michael Fleisher wrote the script. Russell Carley was responsible for the innovative panel where Eric, the women’s hair salon stylist from “Anguish of the Spectre,” was cut in half by the Spectre's enlargement of a pair of barber's scissors. Carley worked with Fleisher on Saturday afternoons for a year before he left the comic art profession. Fleisher remained in the field and was the writer for the 1970s Spectre stories. Fleisher sent the fast paced scripts to DC's Joe Orlando, who then forwarded them to Jim Aparo. Aparo did the excellent art work in the Spectre series.

    Unearthed Classics.

      Three unpublished stories were meant to be included in the Adventure Comics series in the 1970s. Unfortunately, Aquaman replaced the Spectre as the feature character in Adventure Comics. Jim Aparo in 1988 was at last able to ink these three stories, and they appear for the first time in the fourth and final issue of this mini-series. These stories are part of Michael Fleisher’s insistence on storyline continuity (Examples: Gwen Sterling making several appearances as a girlfriend and news freelance writer Earl Crawford attempting to document the Spectre's actions) running throughout in the series, something DC Comics rarely did during the 1970s. Marvel, by contrast, was doing storyline continuity with a few of their main superhero characters in the 1970s
    .

    Image

    Fleisher took his inspiration from the More Fun Comics printing of the earliest Spectre stories during the early 1940s. Not comedic. No battles against cosmic beings as in the later 1940s and the 1960s revival of the Spectre. In the 1970s stories, the Spectre returned to hunting down and punishing Earthly evil doers who had no extraordinary supernatural powers in an Old Testament sort of way. Also, Fleisher frequently uses the Spectre's transformation ability. In one memorable instance of his transformation ability, the Spectre turned someone into a wax candle and then caused the villain melt.

    Another major difference is that the 1960s and long-running 1980s series has Jim Corrigan and the Spectre with separate personalities. Fleisher returned to the 1940s character as his model so that Corrigan and the Spectre are the same personality, yet have different appearances.

    Two other major differences are worthy of note. The Jim Corrigan of the 1940s had a fiancée, Clarice Winston. In Fleisher’s series Gwen Sterling is a girlfriend in waiting. In the 1940s stories, Corrigan believes that he should have no recreational life or close relationships and breaks off his relationship with Clarice; he is only a divinely appointed executioner. In Fleisher’s series, Corrigan wants to have a normal life, but keeps being reminded somehow of his real purpose. Fleisher also reminds us that the Spectre operates as a judge and executioner. Fleisher's character, newshound Earl Crawford, reminds us that the Spectre's justice is rapid and always involves death; it is very different from the American justice system whereby two intervening steps are in place--arrest and trial by jury--before a judge assigns any punishment.

    This mini-series is fascinating for its fast pace and particularly distinguished for villains' horrific endings.


Image

More info:
    Michael Fleisher wrote the script
    Russell Carley did the art

Publisher:
    Image

Image
Mar 8th, 2012, 7:37 pm
Mar 8th, 2012, 8:04 pm
Image


Title: Dreamwar (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Keith Giffen (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Kid Kyoto (Review 1) and grifter78 (Review 2) (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" Grab your popcorn, sit back, and enjoy the special effects without worrying about the story. "

Review 1:
    When heroes from the DC Universe start showing up in the Wildstorm Universe war inevitably ensues. The JLA, the Justice Society, the Teen Titans and the Legion of Superheroes suddenly appear and come into conflict with the Authority, Gen 13, Stormwatch and the Wildcats. The DC heroes fair much worse, Batman is killed by woman warrior Zealot, the Atom is crushed to death, until the heroes finally come together to fight the real threat. In the end the reset button is pushed, and it all comes to nothing.

    A story like this can be a lot of fun. Since it does not 'count' writers can get away with anything. Batman can be impaled on a sword, several Legionnaires can be incinerated and everything will turn out OK. But the fights aren't really that clever. Master sorcerer Dr Fate, for example, is just shot to death. The book is much, much too crowded with dozens of characters fighting and more appearing every issue, no one really stands out. And some of the team-ups only highlight how many of the Wildstorm characters are thinly-veiled homages of their more famous DC counterparts.

    The art is fine throughout, and Giffin's dialogue is fine. But other than the thrill of seeing Wildstorm Characters kill DC ones (and even that isn't done too well) there isn't much of a reason to pick this up.

Image

Review 2:
    The title Dreamwar works on a couple of levels with this trade. First off, it could refer to "dream" match-ups between the two universes which pits characters against each other that fans have wanted to see. But the later explanation is not as simple as "it's all a dream" because it isn't exactly. However, when Keith Giffen first announced the project, he promised he had found a way to have the heroes from both worlds have a reason to fight each other. And in that, he did deliver.

    "The Good"
      I have to start by mentioning Lee Garbett's art which was solid throughout the whole series. He was given such a huge toy box of characters to play with and he did a great job with each one. And we do get fights, LOTS of fights in this series. And the level of brutality for some of the fights hit surprising levels. Especially for a fight in issue 3 that lit up the online message boards with its conclusion.

    "The Bad"

      Unfortunately, Dreamwar suffers from the trap that many crossovers do: relevance. There really is no relevance to this story in the grand scheme of things for both universes. And what compounds this further is that Giffen himself in interviews promised it would have lasting effects for the Wildstorm Universe. But I challenge the reader to find what it is.

    "Overall"
      Dreamwar's ultimate goal is met in that it brings the characters of the DCU and the WSU together in a story. It pairs characters that I'm sure fans always wanted to see paired. Once again, I will remind you that Lee Garbett's art is fantastic in this series and all characters from both universes are given amazing representation by his art. It does have an overall summer movie blockbuster feel where you just grab your popcorn, sit back, and enjoy the special effects without worrying about the story.

Image

More info:
    Story by Keith Giffen
    Art by Lee Garbett, Trevor Scott
    Colors by Lee Garbett, Randy Mayor
    Letters by Rob Leigh
    Cover by Giuseppe Camuncoli, Trevor Scott

Publisher:
    Image

Image
Mar 8th, 2012, 8:04 pm
Mar 8th, 2012, 8:51 pm
Image


Title: Ultimate: Avengers Versus New Ultimates (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Mark Millar (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Chad Nevett (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" An entertaining capstone to Millar’s tenure on this corner of the Ultimate universe."

Review: Ultimate Avengers vs. New Ultimates #2
    After last issue focused on the Ultimates, shifting from "Ultimate Comics Avengers 3" to this series, this second issue clues us in on what's going on with Nick Fury and his black ops group. The end of the first issue suggested that Fury had turned traitor, selling Super-Soldier Program secrets to China to fund his attempt to take over SHIELD. Mark Millar doesn't immediately address that insinuation, instead developing an alternate story surrounding the sale of Super-Soldier Program secrets. This creation of a parallel story that shows how the Avengers will be coming after the Ultimates is a smart way to build the story when we’ve already seen why the Ultimates will be coming after the Avengers.

    Just as the first issue came out of the end of “Ultimate Comics Avengers 3,” this issue goes beyond that series to show how the previous stories all lead to this one. Nick Fury gathers a black ops team made up of people from the previous arcs like the Punisher, Blade, War Machine, Hawkeye, and then turns them loose against the first Hulk. The building of the group to stop the sale of Super-Soldier Program secrets only for it to turn into a giant brawl between War Machine and the first Hulk comes off as very natural, and immediately poses the question: if Nick Fury is stopping the sale, then who is actually behind it?

    Image

    The brawl also gives us a chance to see a second round of War Machine versus Hulk after their first fight in “Ultimate Comics Avengers 2.” Once again, the Hulk comes out on top, but the fight is more competitive this time, and, then, has Blade using part of his vampire heritage in a pretty cool way. The fight between Rhodes and the Hulk is brutal and destructive, drawn in hard-hitting, quick-moving fashion by Leinil Francis Yu and Stephen Segovia. Segovia handles much of the fight and, though not as polished as Yu, he does a good job of working in Yu’s style, no doubt aided by the inking. If you weren’t told that Yu doesn’t draw the entire issue, it wouldn’t jump out immediately.

    The use of Yu on this issue is judicious; he draws some of the more important pages or ones that require the stronger artist. Since Yu was the artist that first introduced the original Hulk to readers, him drawing the final pages where the Hulk is returned to his human form is appropriate. He’s able to both show how it’s obviously the same man, but play up the contrast of size and age.

    Taken alone, it makes for a solid issue of Fury gathering some people to stop the sale, the mission taking an unexpected turn, and them still accomplishing the mission. In the larger context, it’s the other side of the first issue and further sets the Avengers and Ultimates on a collision course, a conflict that’s been coming since Fury announced his intentions to regain his former post as director of SHIELD at the end of “Ultimate Comics Avengers” #6. This is shaping up to be an entertaining capstone to Millar’s tenure on this corner of the Ultimate universe.


Image

More info:
    Story by Mark Millar
    Art by Leinil Francis Yu, Stephen Segovia, Gerry Alanguilan and more...
    Colors by Sunny Gho
    Letters by Cory Petit
    Cover by Leinil Francis Yu, Bryan Hitch

Publisher:
    Image

Image
Mar 8th, 2012, 8:51 pm
Mar 9th, 2012, 12:03 am
Image


Title: Hellboy: House of the Living Dead (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Mike Mignola (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: RoughJustice (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" A thrill to read."

Review:
    It seems like Mike Mignola and artist Richard Corben had one plan for their recent collaboration on Hellboy: House of the Living Dead. Pack the graphic novel with as many classic horror monsters as possible then have Hellboy beat them to a bloody pulp. Congratulations guys, mission accomplished, they were all there in a manner of speaking, vampires, monsters, ghosts, and let’s not forget Hellboy, kicking in all their skulls. Mignola expresses his affections towards classic B horror movies in his introduction and proceeds to craft a love letter to them through Hellboy: House of the Living Dead, a love letter written in the blood of several unfortunate ghouls.

    Now it would be unfair to paint Hellboy: House of the Living Dead as just a wall to wall action fest, in fact Mignola tells an almost forgotten chapter of Hellboy’s life that reminds us of how human he really is. Hellboy: House of the Living Dead, picks up after the events of Hellboy in Mexico, a one-shot Mignola did with Corben in 2010. Hellboy: House of the Living Dead tells the story covering the parts of Hellboy’s trip to Mexico he does not remember due to drunkenness or perhaps sorcery (with Hellboy it’s always a toss up). While in Mexico Hellboy had become close acquaintances with three luchador brothers, one of which he feels like he was responsible for the death of. In a whirlwind of booze and fists Hellboy takes it upon himself to replace his dead luchador friend and enter the ring. This is around the point were Hellboy: House of the Living Dead picks up, as Hellboy tosses around competitors it quickly becomes apparent that he is the best luchador around. He is soon approached and asked to wrestle the monstrous abomination that a doctor has created, of course if he refuses the doctor will murder an innocent girl. As you can imagine from here Hellboy punches, kicks, stomps, and pummels every bad thing in or around the mad doctors castle.

    Image

    Hellboy: House of the Living Dead does provide pages worth of action, however, beneath that is a story about Hellboy on his constant quest to forgive himself for the deaths of his friends and family. As Hellboy travels the world we can only get the sense that he is running from the brutal truth he must come to. Hellboy: House of the Living Dead puts Hellboy one step closer to that inevitable conclusion he must come to, which is that he is not at fault for the deaths surrounding him. What could have become a throwaway chapter in the Hellboy series is actually a study of the humanity that Hellboy must face now that he has chosen to become one of us. Mignola’s writing for Hellboy: House of the Living Dead is an odd mixture of the tragic and hysterical. When a lumbering monstrosity walks into the local bar you expect Hellboy to rip him to shreds, when in fact he orders the monster a drink instead. Mignola crafts scenes like this with such precision that we are left feeling truly sorry for Hellboy. The concept of two unholy monsters sharing a drink together after just recently beating each others brains out is a testament to the strange and often times very sad world that we all share with our favorite demon prince.

    Corben’s sense of atmosphere is stunning throughout the entire trade paperback. From the ancient stone castle to the mist consumed graveyard, Corben envelopes us in each and every location. Of course a Hellboy book wouldn’t be a Hellboy book if it were not filled with monsters and Corben makes sure it happens. His take on monsters that have been portrayed literally thousands of times is fresh and left me thinking about their hideous design long after I finished the book. The elongated features of the Frankenstein speak to Corben’s ability to make the familiar bizarre and frightening once again.

    Mignola has been taking the Hellboy franchise in a distinct direction lately that involves a close examination of the concepts of loss and forgiveness all while trying to accept ones humanity. Hellboy: House of the Living Dead is yet another example of these human ideals that Mignola is attempting to understand through his characters. As readers we are lucky enough to get to experience a portion of this journey in Hellboy: House of the Living Dead. Mignola and Corben have crafted a deeply introspective book wrapping it in a monster vs. monster slugfest that was at times tragic yet a thrill to read.


Image

More info:
    Story by Mike Mignola
    Art by Richard Corben
    Colors by Dave Stewart

Publisher:
    Image

Image
Mar 9th, 2012, 12:03 am
Mar 9th, 2012, 6:47 am
Image


Title: Infestation 2 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Tristan Jones (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Andy (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" Pick this up today and look forward to #2"

Review: Infestation 2- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1
    Lovecraftian horror has “infested” the IDW Universe (from Transformers to G.I. Joe), and while Infestation 2 may be hit or miss depending on what you’re into, this first issue of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles tie-in far exceeded expectations. It sounded cool to begin with- the TMNT going up against Lovecraftian horrors. Seems hard to screw up, and happily, Tristan Jones, Mark Torres, and Jay Fotos have done their jobs well.

    Understandably, many Turtles fans may think of passing on this one, considering the Donatello one-shot came out last week and #7 of the new ongoing series the week before, but anyone who has ever loved the Turtles- or H.P. Lovecraft- should give this first installment of a 2 issue mini-series a go. You won’t be disappointed.

    Torres draws with an almost Mignola-esque style, and the colors by Fotos really make his work pop. Both the art and the coloring are just as important as the writing in a horror story, and these guys really set the mood with what they present in this issue. From the detail in the background, to the expressions of the Turtles, the pacing of individual panels, and the look of the actual monsters themselves- this issue was a home run for the art team.

    Image

    Jones does a solid job finding individual voices with the Turtles, and this is especially evident with a scared-out-of-his-shell-but-tries-not-to-show-it Michelangelo, and an overly-interested-in-the-science-of-the-matter Donatello. He also leaves at the sewer door any corny jokes or euphemisms that would otherwise spoil the horror vibe. Fans will be grateful that Jones and his artistic team allow the Turtles to actually wield their weapons as they’re meant to be used- yes, this means Leonardo cuts and stabs things.

    This issue will also pique the interest of Lovecraft fans with references to Dunwich and Bloch, and the symbolism that goes with those proper nouns.

    As a side note, I have it on good authority that the creative team wanted to make this mini much darker than it actually turned out to be, but Nickelodeon kept putting the breaks on it and demanding re-writes due to it not meshing with their “kids friendly” Turtles mold. While it would have been cool to see this story go a step further into the darkness, it still pulls off the horror angle with an “A” grade, especially when considering it’s incorporating the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

    Pick this up today and look forward to #2, because the ending isn’t a bright one. Also, hope for a TMNT/Hellboy crossover one day, because that would be totally rad. Rating: 5/5


Image

More info:
    Writer: Tristan Jones
    Artist: Mark Torres
    Colorist: Jay Fotos
    Letterer: Shawn Lee

Publisher:
    Image

Image
Mar 9th, 2012, 6:47 am
Mar 9th, 2012, 11:46 am
Image


Title: Star Wars - Clone Wars (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Haden Blackman, John Ostrander and Scott Allie (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: JediMack (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" SOMETHING I RARELY DO... 5 STARS."

Review:
    This is a review of Dark horse TPB Star wars Clone Wars Volume 1 The Defense of Kamino (CW-DOK) and other tales. It collects Republic series 49 and 50 plus Jedi Mace Windu. It takes place 1 TO 3 months after the battle of Geonosis but before the excellent novel SHATTERPOINT, year -21 BNH on the timeline.

    It was amazing to read this comic jus a couple days after finishing Shatterpoint. The coordination between Dark horse and Del Rey is a thrilling thing. After the hideous results of NJO the whole Expanded universe prequel effort is spine chillingly amazing!

    Story one Sacrific. This story takes place 1 month after the battle of Geonosis and is another glorious effort from the team of Ostrander and Duursema. This story includes Zenex, who is of the same race as Xizor, future head of black sun. We also see Aalya Secura as a jedi after her trials and tribulations earlier and her master Quinlan Vos, a favorite of my son and I. The story and artwork are superior. The decision as to coloring is puzzling, as it seems to mute and darken the whole visual effect. And why color the light sabers in predominant white with only a hue of color around the energy blade? Dooku and our buddy Sidious are of course in this story.

    Image

    Story 2 The Defense of Kamino is broken up into 3 tales.

    Tales A. Brothers in Arms. Good story with impressive artwork and awesome coloring. The coloring is still done as if in a dark atmosphere, but the inker Parsons was created a richer for satisfying visual look than we saw in story one. The pencil work by Duursema is awesome as usual, and the drawings of Ben and Anakin are perfect.

    Tale B Jango's Legacy is very good, but I have one negative comment. Duursema must not have given Thompson the pictures of what Ben and Anakin look like because he didn't do a very good job. Stephen, you got to be more careful when drawing someone that everyone knows. Good job otherwise.

    Tales C. No End in Sight. This has an awesome space battle that is a visual marvel on all levels.

    Story 3. Schism. Features Windu and is another masterful job by Ostrander - Duursema and Parsons.

    ONE OF MY PET PEEVES HAS BEEN THE BINDING PROBLEMS WITH THE COMICS MADE IN CHINA. THIS ONE HAS SEEN SOME ABUSE ALREADY AND IT IS NOT FALLING APART IN MY HANDS.

    This story here ties into the movies and other comic so well and, with only minor complaints, is a visual marvel, is it OK to mention the enemy?, that I am awarding this comic SOMETHING I RARELY DO... 5 STARS.


Image

More info:
    Writer: Haden Blackman & John Ostrander & Scott Allie
    Penciller: Jan Duursema & Stephen Thompson & Tomas Giorello
    Colorist: Joe Wayne
    Editor: Randy Stradley

Publisher:
    Image

Image
Mar 9th, 2012, 11:46 am
Mar 9th, 2012, 3:01 pm
Image


Title: Stormwatch (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Paul Cornell (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Joshua Yehl (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" An excellent blend of tension, humor, and personal insight."

Review: Stormwatch #4
    Midnighter, Apollo, and Projectionist must stand against a giant alien monster that absorbed the rest of the Stormwatch team and their rather powerful abilities. Paul Cornell has not let up on the insane concepts and wild situations that Stormwatch is known for, and he has done well to focus on what works best – a tight concentration on the characters, development of obscure team dynamics, and a blooming romance between Midnighter and Apollo.

    Miguel Sepulveda gives the book a unique style that relishes in Cornell's wildly imaginative creations. The alien monster sporting the enlarged shiny green faces of each Stormwatch team member screaming out with blinding lights for eyeballs is truly captivating. His art has always been at its best when he goes big, and here he goes ginormous. The epic scale of the action would be well at home in a summer blockbuster movie, yet he takes just as much time to embellish the quirkiness of each character when it's time to get in close.

    The plot moves in a strange way that keeps the focus on the way the characters interact with each other instead of the actual threat at hand. That might seem odd, but Cornell does it wonderfully with an excellent blend of tension, humor, and personal insight. He understands that these are extraordinary people with equally extraordinary powers, and that is what is for the best.

Image

More info:
    Written by: Paul Cornell
    Art by: Miguel Sepulveda
    Colored by: Alex Sinclair
    Lettered by: Rob Leigh

Publisher:
    Image

Image
Mar 9th, 2012, 3:01 pm
Mar 9th, 2012, 4:38 pm
Image


Title: Nightwing & Huntress (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Devin Grayson (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: R. A. McDowell (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" Give it a try, and I don't think you'll be disappointed."

Review:
    I've always been a fan of Huntress, MUCH moreso after her involvement with Birds of Prey. (Birds of Prey, Vol. 1: Of Like Minds Birds of Prey Vol. 1: Endrun (Birds of Prey (DC Comics))) My brother turned me onto the Nightwing graphic novels, telling me that they were some of the best comics he's read in the last 20 years. I am happy to say that was NOT untrue. (Nightwing Vol. 1: A Knight in Bludhaven) The two characters are, of course, extended parts of the Batman family, and are certainly interesting characters to say the least. This graphic novels is basically a murder mystery, and a good one at that. Nightwing and Huntress get caught up trying to solve the mystery together, and the sparks fly. There is natural chemistry and attraction that comes from any shared trauma, and then the awkwardness that comes from two people who lead secret lives and are not sure how much of their guard to let down. And all of these things, the hook up angle and the plot and story, and a TERRIFICLY done mystery, are handled masterfully by Devin Grayson. And can I say, how perfect is it for a guy named Devin Grayson to write the character of Nightwing, who's secret identity is Dick Grayson, so well? Gotta love irony. LOL All in all, this is a fun little read, and a must have for any fans of Nightwing and/or Huntress. I thoroughly enjoyed it, enough so that I immediately went looking for more stories featuring each of them. Give it a try, and I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Image

More info:
    Devin Grayson (Author)
    Greg Land (Illustrator)
    Bill Sienkiewicz (Illustrator)

Publisher:
    Image

Image
Mar 9th, 2012, 4:38 pm
Mar 9th, 2012, 9:04 pm
Image


Title: Dominatrix (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Sean Taylor (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: evilgenius (Review 1) and James C. Cox (Review 2) (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" A magnificent graphic novel format that is highly recommended for mature readers."

Review 1: Dominatrix #1
    Lesson 1: “A Very Good Place to Start”

    Dominique Stern makes her living as a dominatrix, dishing out pain to those who find pleasure in it. But things get weird when a client accidentally spills that the world is being taken over. Despite not telling who’s doing the taking over, this knowledge makes Dominique a target. The client offers her some pills, “top secret weapons” which will increase her strength and speed. So when the client is attack immediately after he leaves, Dominique decides maybe he wasn’t a crackpot after all. But will these new powers be enough against Happy Jacq?

    Now, let’s be honest here…part of the appeal of this comic is a dominatrix superhero. This first issue does suffer from the perils of many a first issue, such as too much foreshadowing, but not enough action. There’s a bit of action and plenty of character development, but I can excuse it here because it’s a story of political intrigue. As Gene Simmons says, “it’s T&A meets CIA”.

    Hoffe’s art is fast, dynamic, and sexy supporting the concept of a dominatrix superhero. Alex Garner's cover is beautiful and eye catching. Sean Taylor has already created a character we find interesting and care about, and plenty of mystery and intrigue. I would have, admittedly, preferred a longer first issue to get to know Dominique a little better, but we have a decent first issue here.

Image

Review 2:
    Gene Simmons is more than just a tongue and a pretty face for the legendary rock group Kiss. He's also a gifted creator of a fiction/fantasy genre as evidenced by his coming up with the idea of Dominique Stern, a young woman with no family, few friends, a past, and makes a profitable (albeit unusual) career in the sex industry as a professional dominatrix. A woman who inflicts pain and humiliation on her clients at their request -- and expense! It's while servicing a client that Dominique finds herself having to become a superhero and dealing with government arrogance, a diabolical cabal, and dangers to herself, her friends, and her country! Engagingly written by Sean Taylor, superbly illustrated by the team of Flavio Hoffe and Esteve Polls, colored by Debora Carita, and with a superb staff of cover artists, letterers, and editors, "Dominatrix: You Want Me" first appeared as a mini-series of individual comics from IDW Publishing that has now been collected together into a magnificent graphic novel format that is highly recommended for mature readers.

    Image

    More info:
      Written by: Sean Taylor
      Art by: Flavio Hoffe
      Cover by: Alex Garner
      Concept by: Gene Simmons

    Publisher:
      Image

Image
Mar 9th, 2012, 9:04 pm
Mar 10th, 2012, 11:46 am
Image


Title: Star Wars - Clone Wars 2 (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Haden Blackman and John Ostrander (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Dave Thomer (Review 1) and MysteryLover (Review 2) (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" This is good. Buy it with vol.1."

Review 1
    Story: Obi-Wan leads a mission to assist Ohma-D’un, a Gungan colony moon orbiting Naboo. Upon their arrival, they discover the entire Gungan population dead, poisoned by a new Confederacy weapon. When Asajj Ventress and Durge turn that weapon on the Jedi, Obi-Wan and his fellow Jedi must fight their own bodies as well as their opponents, to prevent a horrific attack against Naboo and find an antidote for the deadly gas. Meanwhile, poor intelligence leads the Republic forces into a trap attacking the world of Brentaal IV. Shaak Ti must lead a small band of escaped prisoners, including old enemies and old allies, in a last ditch effort to turn the tide.

    Review: The individual pieces in this compilation continue the generally strong record of Dark Horse’s Clone Wars comics. With two writers, three pencillers and at least two unconnected storylines, I’m not sure that the whole is equal to its parts, but that’s a risk that collected volumes always run. Blackman’s story of the swamp gas plague on Ohma-D’un is a good one – using Naboo sets up some obvious psychological conflicts for Anakin, and the use of biological weapons is somehow a little more viscerally horrific than, say, blowing up planets from afar. And there’s even something for the slightly more sadistic fan, who are sure to enjoy a two-page spread filled with lots and lots of dead Gungans. The third chapter of the story is a bit of a jarring shift from the first two – there’s a different artist, a sudden jump forward in time, and an awkward use of flashback – but it’s still a solid story.

    Ostrander’s story is also good, connected fairly closely to the themes and characters he’s set up in his ongoing run. I’d have much preferred that Dark Horse find a way to collect more of the Ostrander/Duursema work into a more cohesive volume, which would undoubtedly make it easier for newer readers to pick up on some of the references.

Image


Review 2
    This comic- excuse me, 'graphic novel' is part of one of my favorite series. The artwork is OK, but some of the characters look a little odd at certain angles. However, the slight flaws in the art disappear form your mind as you get wrapped up in the plot and the new characters- Durge (he's really cool, even though he's really evil) and Asajj Ventress (who isn't technically new because she appeared on Volume 1. This was the first time she and Obi-Wan met) This one also interested me because Obi-Wan was the most featured character. Everyone mostly thinks about Anakin and his turn to the dark side, and not about the other important and interesting characters, like Mace Windu, Obi-Wan, Quinlan Vos, Darth Maul (yeah, he didn't last that long, but wasn't he cool anyway?) and General Grievous. At least Vol.1 had a lot of Mace in it. Anyway, the first story is about the Seperatists bio-weapon, and the first Obi-Wan vs Ventress fight. The second story is about Obi-Wan's mission to find the antidote to the weapon, and he teams up with four jedi legends to do it. We learn about their histories breifly, then a detailed acount of "how their histories ended" anyway, as a lame way to finish this, this is good. Buy it with vol.1 Image .


Image

More info:
    Writer: Hayden Blackman & John Ostrander
    Penciller: Thomas Giorello & Brian Ching & Jan Duursema
    Inker: Dan Parsons & Joe Weems & Curtis Arnold
    Letterer: Digital Chameleon
    Colorist: Joe Wayne
    Editor: Randy Stradley
    Designer: Darin Fabrick & Amy Arendts
    Cover Artist: Carlo Arellano

Publisher:
    Image

Image
Mar 10th, 2012, 11:46 am