The graphic novels loved by children and adults alike
Nov 25th, 2011, 9:44 am
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Title: Rasl (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Jeff Smith (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Ian McCabe (Review 1) and Timothy Callahan (review 2) (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" There really isn’t anything else like it."

Review:
    Review 1 - The legendary comic creator Jeff Smith, synonymous with the ever popular comic series Bone is back with his latest collection, RASL. But Bone this is not. There are no such little white cartoon men, dragons or cute furry creatures in this one. Instead RASL is a dark, noir themed thrill ride, full of science, violence and… Bob Dylan? ‘The Drift’ is the first chapter of what looks to be a long and interesting series.

    Growing up, I, like a lot of kids, was a huge fan of Jeff Smith’s epic adventure Bone which ran from 1991 to 2004. In fact, even now in my early-mid 20’s I still get a kick out of reading through the giant anthology which takes up about quarter of my bookshelf. A plush Fone Bone doll is a permanent fixture on my desk. It is a timeless tale of adventure, companionship and resolve, a great blend of humour and fantasy. It’s certainly an AMO favourite.

    Roll the clock back to March 2008 and I was pleasantly surprised to find Jeff Smith’s name adorning the front of a new comic. And of course, I had to check it out.

    That comic, RASL, has since spawned seven issues (with an 8th expected for a UK release in July) and two compilations, ‘The Drift’ ( issues 1-3) and ‘The Fire of St George’ (issues 4-7). In this review I’ll be taking a look at the first part of the arc, ‘The Drift.’

    First and foremost, for those who have yet to read RASL, don’t be expecting anything resembling Bone 2.0. RASL is a huge departure from it’s for all-ages predecessor – in many ways. Imagine the darkest themes within Bone… and multiply them by a hundred.

    The story appears to be set in modern-day America and follows the mysterious art thief Robert Johnson, aka Rasl. He spends his time ‘drifting’ through parallel dimensions, stealing Picassos in one and selling them in another, all via the use of a unique technology called the T-Suit (consisting of two large turbines and a Native American mask). Soon he discovers that he is not the only person with the ability to ‘drift’ and finds himself being chased and terrorised by a shady and dangerous government figure.

    That’s all I can really say about the narrative without giving anything substantial away, and even then I’d be hard pressed to describe much. ‘The Drift’ honestly doesn’t have a lot of story to grab on to, it’s actually an exposition piece to a larger story if anything. But that is in no way a knock on the book or the story. The mystery and the intrigue, especially surrounding the protagonist Rasl, kept me hooked throughout, even during the slower sections.

    As mentioned, RASL is set in modern-day America. A gritty, noir America. Each dimension is an exact copy of the other, with only the smallest of differences allowing Rasl to tell them apart (Bob Dylan does not exist in one dimension for example… what a crime!) Its basis, unlike Bone, is set in reality, and there’s nothing exactly overly science fiction about the story despite the talk of dimensions, drifting and technology (although Rasl’s nemesis does look quite lizard like) – the T-Suit and the science is all based on Nikola Tesla theories. Although only touched on briefly in ‘The Drift’, this creates an interesting and even educational read. Personally, I believe keeping the fantastical elements of the story rooted in reality adds a unique authenticity and credibility to the book.

    RASL, very much unlike Bone, is not for readers of every age and is instead aimed at a more mature, late-teen to adult audience. I did not expect this from a Jeff Smith piece when I originally picked the book up. There is violence, murder, alcohol, smoking and even a little bit of nudity and coarse language (but not too much, so don’t worry). But it doesn’t ever feel forced, it all works within the story (even a scene which takes place in a strip joint) and should not put anyone off. It’s still not quite Johnny the Homicidal Maniac.

    The Rasl character himself is one who is dealing with inner demons, with the narrative often ushered along via the aid of his narrating inner thoughts. There is an air of mystery and intrigue to him, especially when we are shown glimpses into his past as a clean-cut scientist. He also somewhat takes on the look of an 80’s action hero, buff, unshaven with scraggly hair. He even sports a tattoo of the word ‘Maya’ on his bicep. If we were going by appearances alone, in the Bone world Rasl would be seem more appropriate as the antagonist rather than the hero.

    The dialogue, as to be expected from a Jeff Smith piece, is quick and clever, although the monologues do often find themselves dangerously close to your typical droning speeches – but not quite. The art work is gorgeous black and white and the characters are given a less cartoonish look than those in Bone. The panels are spaced well and the content is never too cluttered, so you always know what you’re looking at, at first glance. The best thing for me – it still has that Jeff Smith look too it, detailed, clean and soft, yet with an edge to it.

    In Summary, ‘The Drift’ is only the beginning of the RASL arc. As the story goes, it only scratches the surface and although it builds up and begins to unfold towards the end (we manage to get a hint of who or what Maya is) there isn’t a whole lot explained to us once the final page has been turned. But still, just by reading these 122 striking pages, you’ll find yourself hooked by the mystery and wanting to go on with the adventure. There’s certainly a large-scale story arc to come with RASL. Whether Jeff Smith expects it to go on for 13 years like Bone did remains to be seen, but it has definitely whetted my appetite to continue on exploring the RASL universe.

    Please note, I may have given ‘The Drift’ a solid 9, had it not ended on such a cliff-hanger. If you’re going to purchase a copy, then please be warned that it really is an establishing part of a story on a much larger scale. Although, don’t let that put you off because it is still a very addictive book.

    If you are a fan of Jeff Smith and/or Bone, then do not expect this to be anything like Fone Bone’s adventures. The only link here is Smith himself. But if you’re into well crafted stories and comics, especially those with a slow unfolding plot which keep you on your toes, then this might be for you. There really isn’t anything else like it.

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    Review 2 - RASL #2
      I've read Jeff Smith's "Bone Image " series from start to finish three times. First, in single issues (well, I jumped on at issue #13, so I had to get the first two trades to get caught up -- but I read the single issues the rest of the way), second in the one-volume collected edition (which I bought for my wife, who read it in a single day), and third aloud, to my son (who was three or four at the time). And I just recently used slides of the interior pages of "Bone" #1 as an example of how to introduce characters and setting at a workshop I taught for the Norman Rockwell Museum. So I know how good Jeff Smith can be.

      And although "Rasl" uses very few of the same storytelling techniques as "Bone" and features a jarringly different tone, it's a very good comic. "Rasl" takes a more conventional approach to sequential narrative. It's Jeff Smith doing "realism," at least on the surface. Because it's not realism at all, of course. It's his version of a more reality-based setting. Houses that look like houses. Characters who go to strip clubs. Sex. But the entire series is built on a alternate-reality-hopping protagonist and the bizarre creatures who seem bent on tormenting him.

      Rasl, the gruff-looking hero with an apish upper lip and disproportionately large cranium, lacks a clear direction in his life. His dimension-hopping escapades in the first issue have landed him a Picasso painting, but for what purpose? Was it the thrill of the chase? Was it just to impress a girl, Annie, who realizes that she can't ever show it to anyone else? Rasl's opening narration expresses the restlessness and despair of someone who's looking for something, but doesn't know what: "We flit in and out of existence like sparks from a fire."

      Smith gives Rasl a direction by the end of issue #2, as the story takes a much darker turn and Annie is found dead. A fragment of the Picasso painting has been carved into a heart, drenched in Annie's blood. So the story seems destined to be a revenge drama, then. Rasl will pursue Annie's killer or killers, across parallel universes, thus giving him the purpose he's been longing for. But Smith surely has grander things planned for this series, and although the plot mechanism may have been kick-started by this quest for revenge, I wouldn't be surprised to see deeper mysteries revealed, and larger forces at work here.

      "Rasl" is more understated that Smith's previous comic book work, but it's a natural offshoot of his later issues of "Bone." "Bone" began as a rather dialogue-heavy affair, full of jokes and hysteria, but later turned into a much more quiet, stoic series about accepting one's fate. "Rasl" continues that theme, or so it seems, and provides a more nuanced view of the human condition. What's left unsaid between Rasl and Annie is as important -- or more important -- then the words they use to fill the spaces between them.

      Without a doubt, "Rasl" is worth your time.

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    More info:
      Written and drawn by Jeff Smith

    Publisher:
      Image

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Nov 25th, 2011, 9:44 am

Post rewarded by Ojay on Nov 25th, 2011, 5:12 pm.
Very Nice Review. 5 wrz$ reward. Thanks Zach!
Nov 25th, 2011, 1:36 pm
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Title: The Hobbit, or There and Back Again (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Chuck Dixon and Sean Deming (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: logankstewart (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" It's definitely worth the read."

Review:
    I picked this up on a Tolkien-high, interested in reading the graphic adaptation of the beloved novel it was based on. It had been a while since I read The Hobbit and had quite forgotten a few things, so I figured it was time to dive in.

    The biggest problem with this graphic novel is the amount of words per page. Comics almost never have multiple text boxes spread across a page, let alone a full novel's worth. Some pages were littered with these boxes, much to my annoyance. And some of these were ridiculously long. I don't think this would have bothered me as much if it were Tolkien's words, but Dixon lacks the charm Tolkien had.

    On the other hand, the illustrations are beautiful. Water-colored works of art grace the reader's eyes, always magnificent to look at. Indeed, David Wenzel did an amazing job of drawing the scenes and crafting the characters. Gandalf is perfect, as are the Dwarves and Bilbo. Smaug is awesome (when are dragons not?). The Elves weren't how I imagined them, but still fit the overall stylistic themes of the book.

    Taking these two together, the graphic novel of The Hobbit in no way compares with Tolkien's masterpiece, but it's definitely worth the read. I wound up skipping large blocks of "narration" text, letting the individual comic panes and character dialogue instead fill in the story. It was nice going back to the beginning of the journey that inspires The Lord of the Rings, and Charles Dixon's The Hobbit mostly met my expectations. Recommended for those interested in Tolkien, especially younger readers, but I would first recommend reading the novel before this one.

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More info:
    Created by J.R.R. Tolkien
    Adapted by Chuck Dixon and Sean Deming
    Illustrated by David Wenzel

Publisher:
    Image

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Nov 25th, 2011, 1:36 pm

Post rewarded by Ojay on Nov 25th, 2011, 5:12 pm.
Very Nice Review. 5 wrz$ reward. Thanks Zach!
Nov 25th, 2011, 2:57 pm
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Title: The Shade (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): James Robinson (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Andy Hunsaker (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" Robinson's story is compelling so far, giving us charming, intriguing characters and having fun with the form..."

Review: The Shade #1
    I'll start by saying I know next to nothing about The Shade. I know he's an erudite magic-wielding darkforce manipulator of some sort with a generally mischievous outlook and a criminal past, but I know nothing of the events of his history. So in James Robinson's The Shade #1, it's refreshing to see that even his closest friends don't know his history, either.

    In stark contrast to all the 'look how cool, different and edgy we are' hubbub of the New 52 in general, it's absolutely refreshing to open with one Richard Swift and his blue-skinned friend Mikaal just chilling out and having tea in Opal City while waxing melancholic about life in general and their places in it. It seems Mikaal is the new Starman, while Swift, aka The Shade, is struggling to remain upbeat with his artfully British wit while idling with nothing to do but his girlfriend, the free-spirited policewoman Hope O'Dare, who shoves him off his mopey duff and tells him to go find adventure. He's immortal, after all, and he requires his amusements. But while running into Deathstroke may seem an interesting diversion at first, it quickly becomes something very much un-fun for The Shade and ends with a very bloody surprise.

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    Meanwhile, German detective William Von Hammer is running around in a suit blowing away a team of Belgian assassins known as Les Diaboliques and being a complete badass. And he seems to know our Shade. Is he a descendant of Hans Von Hammer, the German fighter pilot hero known as Enemy Ace, much like Joseph Rock of Men of War is the grandson of Sgt. Frank Rock? Who knows, but I sure do love seeing international representation in the metahuman community. Belgian killers, the Kingdom, the Great Ten - we always need more of this kind of thing in comics.

    Robinson's story is compelling so far, giving us charming, intriguing characters and having fun with the form by having Von Hammer's narration actually seem as though he's addressing people in the middle of his firefight and having to take pauses to shoot people. Artist Cully Hamner also plays about by laying the opening conversation with The Shade and Mikaal out over the build-up to Von Hammer's gun-fest in he background. Slade vs. Shade is cool, if a little silly in its skullduggerous conceit on Deathstroke's behalf, but overall it's just a completely unexpected turn of events that most definitely has me interested in the second chapter of this 12-issue series.

    Everybody in this issue is simply likeable, which is more than I can say for Justice League.


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More info:
    Written by James Robinson
    Art by Cully Hamner

Publisher:
    Image

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Nov 25th, 2011, 2:57 pm

Post rewarded by Ojay on Nov 25th, 2011, 5:12 pm.
Very Nice Review. 5 wrz$ reward. Thanks Zach!
Nov 25th, 2011, 3:10 pm
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Title: The Tale of One Bad Rat (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Bryan Talbot (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: grovel (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" It's a powerful tale, crafted to perfection, capable of bringing a tear to the eye and a glow to the heart."

Review:
    The abuse of children remains one of society's great taboos, so finding thought-provoking, intelligent work about the subject, in any medium, is unusual. Tackling a matter like this is a great responsibility, as it's entirely possible that the abused might come across the work and perhaps look to it for guidance or hope. Creating a piece of fiction around something that could be a matter of life or death is a brave move for any artist.

    Yet this is what Bryan Talbot has attempted in this work. Treading a careful line between fiction and solid research, he has created Helen - a heart-wrenchingly believable girl, mentally torn apart by the actions of her father. The story follows her through the process of coming to terms with the abuse, recapping on the past through her memories as she tries to find a place for herself in a world full of people she can't talk to and is incapable of connecting with.

    The books of Beatrix Potter provide Helen with an escape route from her childhood hell and, as she grows up, she finds parallels between her life and that of the author. From her preference for animals (and particularly a pet rat released from the school science laboratory) to her vivid imagination, she gets inspiration and comfort from Potter's work, finding out more about the woman behind the books as she explores deeper into the writer's world.

    Talbot's fine balance between images and words is masterful, with speech pared down to a minimum when pictures are enough, but with enough dialogue in place as it's required. He uses the pet rat as a tool to get into Helen's brain: her affinity with the animal providing the only opportunity she has to talk out her problems. But it also provides us with an insight into the mind of the abused - an attempt to show us what might be going on inside this poor girl's head.

    It's a powerful tale, crafted to perfection, capable of bringing a tear to the eye and a glow to the heart. It's not going to be everyone's cup of tea - it's a modern fairy tale with serious themes that aren't all that pleasant to look upon, and it certainly can't be categorised as escapism. But it's an important piece of graphic fiction that any reader with a heart and a conscience will find more than worthy of their time.


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More info:
    Bryan Talbot penciler, letterer, inker, colorist
    Ellie De Ville letterer
    Neil Gaiman writer, penciler
    Randy Stradley editor

Publisher:
    Image

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Nov 25th, 2011, 3:10 pm

Post rewarded by Ojay on Nov 25th, 2011, 5:12 pm.
Very Nice Review. 5 wrz$ reward. Thanks Zach!
Nov 25th, 2011, 5:30 pm
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Title: Voodoo Child - Illustrated Legend Of Jimi Hendrix (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Martin I. Green (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: mike (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" A great read. I look forward to reading it again."

Review:
    Jimi Hendrix and Bill Sienkiewicz are a great match. The paint is everywhere. It goes out in every direction, it folds back in on itself, it darts from realism to quick cartoon. It's alive and insane. It is, of course, everything you'd expect from Bill. I should have been LISTENING to Hendrix while reading it, but I didn't have to. It was in the painting.

    Not to mention the text. Martin Green chronicles the major events of Jimi's life, to the detail of which order the songs came, where were the major concert appearances, what was Jimi trying to accomplish with each album. For me, not being that familiar with the facts, but loving the songs, it was really interesting. You empathize with Jimi. He may have been a rock god, but you get the sense that his short life was never particularly easy.

    As insanely abstract as Sinz. can get, the likeness he nails of Jimi is uncanny. It's obvious the artist really enjoyed painting him. There's about 1,000 beautiful paintings of Hendrix in this book. Some realistic, some hallucinogenic, some celebratory, and some sad.

    Rarely is this kind of comment said about a book...but the typesetting is great. Many comics don't even experiment with the lettering, it's just functional. But reality is, that it's too big a part of the experience to not inject some art into it. That's why movies spend millions on sound. Anyway, in this book, the lettering's just really intelligent. Hats off to letterer Bobbi Bongard with (I would imagine) much help from Sienkiewicz.

    One last touch I really like is the use of Hendrix's lyrics to accent the story. Every few pages, a scene from Jimi's life is accompanied by song lyrics. Often these were lyrics I was familiar with (Bold As Love, Freedom, Foxy Lady, Angel), but they're in a whole new light when set against the major events in his life. I can only suppose that Martin Green "guessed" at what many of the connections between Jimi's lyrics and his experiences, but I quite sure he often guessed right.

    A great read. I look forward to reading it again. This would be a great gift for someone who might not read a lot of comics, but loves rock. In another few passes, it may be my favorite work by Bill.

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More info:
    Writer: Martin I. Green
    Artist: Bill Sienkiewicz
    Publisher: Kitchen Sink Press (November 27, 1995), 128 pages

Publisher:
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Nov 25th, 2011, 5:30 pm

Post rewarded by Ojay on Nov 29th, 2011, 11:11 am.
Very Nice Review. 5 wrz$ reward. Thanks Zach!
Nov 26th, 2011, 10:16 am
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Title: Temperance (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Cathy Malkasian (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Greg Burgas (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" Temperance is a fascinating book to read... "

Review:
    Temperance is Malkasian’s quite sizable latest work (it’s 240 pages long), and it’s a fine bargain at $22.99. Fantagraphics, your source for fringe comics, brings this us. So what’s the deal? you might ask. I’m here to tell you!

    Temperance is a fascinating comic. Malkasian gives us an odd, fairy-tale-esque world where we must accept unreal things so that she can make her points. We can and do, but I should point the weirdness of the story right away, because this is a story in which the narrator is a tree, or at least a section of a tree. That’s just the kind of book it is! If you can live with that, you’ll have no problem with the rest of the book. It begins with two young girls, Minerva and Peggy, watching a man they call “Pa” chopping wood and building a sanctuary. Pa tells the girls that they need to prepare for the war that’s coming, even though Peggy tells Minerva that he’s lying. Pa hates Peggy, and when he attacks her, a man in the forest (whose name, we learn, is Lester) comes to her aid. He can’t save her, and Pa beats him almost to death and chops off part of his leg. Minerva begs Pa to let him save Lester, so he does. Minerva takes Lester inside the sanctuary that Pa has built, a bizarre place called Blessedbowl, and Pa disappears. So ends the prologue!

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    The meat of the story takes place 30 years later, as Minerva and Lester, now married, rule over Blessedbowl. Minerva knows that Blessedbowl is not the grand ship that Pa promised it would be and is actually immovable on land and not sailing the sea, and she also knows that there’s no enemy to fight, but she has created a fiction about Pa and the enemy and keeps up the pretense, sending the amnesiac Lester out to patrol the perimeter of Blessedbowl (which is a fully functioning medieval-type village), shooing away birds that he believes are enemy spies and making sure the moon, which he believes is a sniper, doesn’t pick any innocents off. Lester’s false leg is made from the wood of a tree Pa chopped down years before, and a knot in the trunk becomes the wood’s eye on the world. Minerva must deal with some factions inside the town who are opposed to each other, and Lester is beginning to regain his memory. She tries to keep him on her leash by stealing his wooden leg and carving it into a wooden doll that she names “Temperance,” but this backfires on her when the doll tries to escape with Lester hot on its heels. In the book’s third act, Temperance flees into the wide world, while Lester remembers his past and Minerva must deal with an uprising inside the walls of Blessedbowl. Isn’t that always the way?

    The summary of the book makes it sound kind of weird, and, frankly, it kind of is. Much of the narrative is dream-like, even for a fairy tale, especially when Temperance roams far and wide across a blasted landscape and becomes locked in a strange relationship with Pa, whom it finds wandering the wasteland. Malkasian, however, explores some very interesting ideas in the book. The most prominent one is, of course, the idea of creating an enemy in order to unite a people. This isn’t the most original idea, but it’s not a bad one, especially as Malkasian commits to it so well. Pa is a despicable person, but his scheme is not to accrue power to himself, because he remains, like Moses, outside the promised land of Blessedbowl. His disappearance is unexplained – he chops Lester’s leg off and walks away, and then we jump forward 30 years. Later, when he reappears in the story, we learn quite a bit more about him and Peggy and how they’re entwined. As Malkasian leads us to these final apocalyptic pages, the fable takes on a much more epic feel, and it’s fascinating how she manages to keep the focus on Pa’s misdeeds even as we gain new appreciation for him. The middle section, in which Minerva carries on Pa’s work even though she knows it’s a lie, remains the emotional heart of the book, as Minerva must lie to Lester and then watch as her world disintegrates. She knows the value of focusing everyone’s attention on an unseen enemy, but in the third part, she understands when it’s time to let go. Malkasian makes the point that people in general want to believe in something, even if it’s not real, and that makes them easy to manipulate. Minerva is a true leader of her people, as she slowly realizes that being a leader doesn’t mean telling people what they want to hear, but telling them what they need to hear. The path she takes to this realization is the triumph of the comic. And when she does realize it, Malkasian juxtaposes it with Temperance’s awakening to Pa and Peggy’s true natures. Malkasian does a fine job of grounding the tale of Blessedbowl in a real-world concern while still making sure it’s fantastical enough so a sentient wooden doll doesn’t seem too out of place.

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    Malkasian’s art is tremendous, as well. The medieval splendor of Blessedbowl, sitting on the edge of a cliff, looking like the ship Pa claimed it was even though it rests on dry land, is a wonder to behold. She manages to give Temperance a personality even though it’s a piece of wood, and she does a good job contrasting Pa’s ugly earthiness with Peggy’s ethereal beauty. Lester is a marvel, as well, as he moves through the early parts of his life in Blessedbowl with a maniacal verve that looks unreal, and then, when he begins to learn the truth, his face shifts first to despair and then to happiness as he understands what Temperance can give him. It’s amazing watching how his glee from earlier in the book is almost fake when compared to his true happiness later in the narrative – we know his commitment to his job is genuine, but we also know it’s built on a lie, and Malkasian does a nice job showing this in his face. Minerva, however, is the artistic star of the book. She’s certainly ugly, with her bulbous nose and downturned mouth, but Malkasian doesn’t let her be a stereotype. When she’s happy, her face lights up, and as she starts to understand that she must let the lie of Blessedbowl die, we see the burden lifted from her and she becomes, if not beautiful, much more attractive. She runs the gamut of emotions, and Malkasian sells them all. Minerva, unlike Pa (who’s a bit of a caricature and meant to be), is a fully realized human being, so we can see all the emotion that she’s feeling written all over her face. She and Lester have a wonderful relationship, and we they reunite toward the end of the book, we see the love they have for each other. Malkasian also does a fantastic job with the landscape and with movement in this book. The landscapes are often bleak, but they retain a stark kind of beauty. When people move or fight (as Pa often does), Malkasian stretches the figures and distorts their faces so that the figures become strange, surreal creatures, more like semi-solid smoke than people. It’s an odd choice, but it works very well.

    Temperance is a fascinating book to read, and while it’s not difficult to figure out, it does raise some important questions about society and what people do to live in one. Malkasian has a lot on her mind, and it’s impressive that she manages to get her real-world concerns into this fable without becoming preachy. Her use of Pa and Peggy is inspired in this regard, because her ideas take on much more mythic stature and makes it easier for us to digest them. Blessedbowl is a somewhat overbearing metaphor, but because of the strange, fabular structure of the book, it’s more acceptable. And it allows Malkasian to bring us these wonderfully weird characters and show us the depths and heights they can reach. It’s a very thoughtful comic, and I encourage you to check it out.

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More info:
    Written and illustrated by Cathy Malkasian

Publisher:
    Image

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Nov 26th, 2011, 10:16 am

Post rewarded by Ojay on Nov 29th, 2011, 11:11 am.
Very Nice Review. 5 wrz$ reward. Thanks Zach!
Nov 26th, 2011, 2:27 pm
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Title: Deal With The Devil (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Mike S. Miller (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Jimmy Lin (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" It could rock, it could suck, or it could just another serial-killer story."

Review: Deal with the Devil #1
    Ever since Ed Gein came into the public eye, serial killers have been a staple of crime drama. Norman Bates, Hannibal Lecter, Michael Meyers – we’ve seen a lot of variety and characters. The well’s running dry, but people keep going back to it. It seems that only one in a hundred “hunter” stories are truly unique – everything else is a just standard detective chase with a gimmick. The Cell – water. In Dreams – psychic powers. Copycat – well…copying.

    So in Deal with the Devil, we have a serial killer who’s promised to stop killing. Not before maiming the detective that’s chasing him down, unfortunately for Anthony Goodwin. Miller shows us the final chase and life after amputation, and that’s the bulk of the book. Agent Goodwin corners “Daniel” in a warehouse, is soundly trounced, hears the proclamation, and gets to see the face of a 36-time killer before being shot repeatedly in the legs.

    Cut to Goodwin’s apartment. It’s a hovel, of course – any former detective has to live in depressed squalor. There’s a news report about the “Red Letter Killer” adding 10 more to his scorecard since Goodwin got his lead injections. His son comes by, they talk, and the conversation gives us more exposition into this broken man’s broken psyche. The son leaves, and then we get the twist – “Daniel” shows up at Goodwin’s door.

    Issue 1 is so by the numbers that it leaves you in an interesting place – There’s really no indication of how well the rest of the story will go. It could rock, it could suck, or it could just another serial-killer story.

    A word about the art – like the story, it’s competent. Schwartzcock does a decent job giving us the aged, wheezing detective and the regretful killer. It’s not the masterwork of, say, Goseki Kojima, but Schwartzcock gives us a slightly cinematic treatment with enough panache to pull things through.

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More info:
    Alias Enterprises
    Created and Written by Mike S. Miller
    Art and Letters by Sherwin Schwartzcock
    Colors by David Curie

Publisher:
    Image

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Nov 26th, 2011, 2:27 pm

Post rewarded by Ojay on Nov 29th, 2011, 11:11 am.
Very Nice Review. 5 wrz$ reward. Thanks Zach!
Nov 26th, 2011, 3:08 pm
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Title: The Walking Dead Survivors Guide (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Tim Daniel (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: gordon (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" No score – this is one for fanboys only"

Review: The Walking Dead Survivors Guide Issue One
    One for the converted

    With the mainstream filled with assorted creatures of the night it was only a matter of time before Zombies had their turn. Thankfully when TV went looking for material they chose Robert Kirkman and Tony Moore’s excellent, award winning, The Walking Dead as their source.

    Unless you have been hiding out from the aforementioned zombies in a bunker somewhere with only canned food to keep you sustained, or if you don’t watch TV then you will be aware of the success of the Golden Globe nominated series.

    It tells the tale of disparate group of people as they try to survive the zombie apocalypse. Focusing on Rick Grimes, a police officer who wakes up from a coma, to find a very different world to the one he knew before. If you haven’t read it then it is recommended, especially if zombies are your thing.

    The Survivors Guide is an decent addition to your collection, if you’re a fan of either the books or the TV series. An ‘everything you wanted to know, but didn’t know who could tell you’ book, this will no doubt be pulled out to settle many a geeky argument in the months to come.

    If you’re a devotee then this is a perfect and must have addition to your collection. If you’re just an admirer, then it’s the sort of thing you may get in a gift, because you ‘have already got all the comics.# If you’re not a fan at all, then you may as well move on, there’s nothing for you here.

    There may be the faint whiff of cash in going on, but who can blame Image for that. If the profits here help to fund new comics then I’m not going to complain.

    No score – this is one for fanboys only

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More info:
    Written and designed by Tim Daniel

Publisher:
    Image

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Nov 26th, 2011, 3:08 pm

Post rewarded by Ojay on Nov 29th, 2011, 11:10 am.
Very Nice Review. 5 wrz$ reward. Thanks Zach!
Nov 26th, 2011, 7:15 pm
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Title: Abyss (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Kevin Rubio (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: John (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" Abyss is one of the few post-1990s comics that understands exactly what made fans want to read them in the first place: Action and fun."

Review:
    Given the fact that both Superheroes and Humor are somewhat “dead” genres in the world of independent comics, Kevin Rubio’s Abyss is a breath of much-needed fresh air that shows the mainstream comics world exactly what they should be producing monthly. The best way that I can think to describe Abyss is a combination of the following elements: Imagine the premise for Wanted (check my review if you don’t know it, and the movie doesn’t count!) being executed in a style that reminiscent of The Incredibles, “ The Tick“, and “Clerks: The Animated Series,” with a touch of “Robot Chicken”‘s referential and self-parodying humor. Are you intrigued yet?

    Abyss is the story of Eric Hoffman, a privileged teenager whose father (a military weapons contractor) kept a dastardly secret. After his dad’s tragic death, Eric finds out that Papa Hoffman was Abyss, the most feared and reviled supervillain in the world, and that the mantle must now be passed to him. He learns this from his very-much-alive father, who faked his death so that Eric could take over the real family business. Eric is not cut from the same cloth as Wesley Gibson from Wanted, however, and rebels. When Mr. Hoffman decides he’d rather kill his son than let him go, Eric steals the Abyss costume and jet and flies to San Francisco to stop a bomb his father planted from killing hundreds of innocent people. Imagine Eric’s surprise when his father’s arch-nemesis, The Arrow (and his plucky sidekick, Quiver) tries to apprehend and arrest him for supervillainy! And that’s just the first issue!

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    While Abyss shares an initial premise with Wanted, it is certainly a much more straightforward comic book tale than Millar’s groundbreaking “villain’s journey.” Eric doesn’t get savagely beaten or forced to butcher livestock, so he isn’t of the mindset to murder an entire precint house full of cops. I found him to be a far more identifiable character than Wanted’s Wesley Gibson/The Killer, which contributed greatly to my ability to enjoy the story. Even the villains of Abyss seem more well-rounded and interesting, with clearer and more reasonable motivations. Perhaps I’m being too easy on it (and too harsh on Wanted) by comparing the two, but with such similar story points it is difficult to avoid.

    Abyss is a parody of superhero comics, but not in that annoying (GENRE) MOVIE style that has saturated the film market over the past few years. It’s far more up the alley of movies like Shaun of the Dead or Hot Fuzz, as interested in telling its own story as it is at goofing on the genre’s conventions. Characters actually have dimension, and the gags never feel forced or contrived. It makes sense that Kevin Rubio would choose this style for his first major comics, since his most prominent non-comics achievement is a fan-made film called TROOPS, a parody mash-up of COPS and Star Wars. Jokes range from the cliche (calling superhero costumes homoerotic) to the spot-on (having the heroes drive around in a compact hybrid car because they’ve “gone green”), with most being fresh and clever. There’s even a bit of English language humor:

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      ERIC: “Quiver?! You can’t be serious.”
      QUIVER: “What? It’s a good name.”
      ERIC: “It’s a transitive verb that means ‘to shake or tremble.’”

    That joke cracked me up, and hopefully it at least gave you a chuckle. There are plenty of throw-away visual gags as well, especially during the scenes at a comic convention. My favorites are the sharks with laser beams attached to their heads and Pollack, a parody of Rorschach from Watchmen whose mask is haphazardly splattered with paint. There’s also a brief cameo appearance by fellow Red 5 Comics character Atomic Robo (whose series is written by Brian Clevinger, known for his webcomic 8-Bit Theatre.)

    Abyss is one of the few post-1990s comics that understands exactly what made fans want to read them in the first place: Action and fun. If Wanted left you with an unpleasant feeling, if you like wisecracking, relatable heroes and if you enjoy poking fun at the conventions of the superhero genre as much as (or more than) you enjoy the genre itself, Abyss is the comic for you.


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More info:
    Script: Kevin Rubio
    Art: Lucas Marangon

Publisher:
    Image

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Nov 26th, 2011, 7:15 pm

Post rewarded by Ojay on Nov 29th, 2011, 11:10 am.
Very Nice Review. 5 wrz$ reward. Thanks Zach!
Nov 26th, 2011, 7:22 pm
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Title: The question (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Dennis O’Neil (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Chompa (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" The Question stands out as one of my favorite heroes. If you get a chance to check him out, by all means – do so."

Review:
    The Question got started with Charlton comics back in 1967. I discovered The Question when DC resurrected the series in 1987 with Denny O’Neil doing the writing and Denys Cowan doing the art. I truly loved this series. I was reading it during my last years at college and even got a chance to meet Denny O’Neil at a retailers convention in Baltimore in the very early 90’s.

    Charles Victor Szasz, better known as Vic Sage is a journalist in Hub City. His alter ego, The Question is a crime fighter who wears a hat, trench coat and mask that makes him appear to have no face. In O’Neil’s reboot of the series, The Question has a rough first issue which ends with him being shot and dumped into the river. He’s saved by Lady Shiva who has taken an interest in him and sets up Richard Dragon (from the old series Richard Dragon, Kung-Fu Fighter) as his teacher. Dragon teaches him martial arts, meditation and some eastern philosophy. When the teaching is done, The Question has to fight Lady Shiva again so she can see if he was worthy of her interest.

    The Question returns to Hub City, which is largely based on East St. Louis. Hub City is the worst city in the country (in the DC universe) and is filled with corruption, crime, poverty and all the worst things you can imagine. Vic resumes his job as a reporter with the local news station. He discovers his old flame Myra is now married to the drunk and corrupt mayor.

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    One of the key characters in the series is a dirty cop named Izzy O’Toole, who eventually changes his ways and tries to redeem himself. I believe it was issue 5 where O’Toole finally realizes what he’s become and starts to work on becoming a better man. In my opinion, that single issue is one of the most memorable comics ever.

    The Question series by O’Neil ran for 30 some issues and had some annuals and later came out with some Quarterly comics. After that The Question kind of fell by the wayside. He was resurrected later on with a mini-series by Greg Rucka and then again in 52 where Vic Sage dies of cancer and Renee Montoya takes on the mantle.

    As I mentioned earlier, I had the opportunity to meet Denny O’Neil at a retailers convention in Baltimore around 1990 (1991?) and had about a ten minute conversation with him. My first impression of him was that he was nothing like I expected. The Question’s zen philosophy and the probing of social issues I was expecting a guy who looked like an aging hippie. Instead, he looked like a high school teacher (which he was at one point). The second thing I recall is making him feel old by referencing that I learned to read with Batman comics during his run with Neal Adams back in the early 70’s. O’Neil was the editor in charge of the Batman titles at the time and not doing much writing. He was in fact the editor in charge during the infamous death of Jason Todd.

    The Question stands out as one of my favorite heroes. If you get a chance to check him out, by all means – do so.


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More info:
    Written by Dennis O’Neil
    Art Denys Cowan

Publisher:
    Image

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Nov 26th, 2011, 7:22 pm

Post rewarded by Ojay on Nov 29th, 2011, 11:10 am.
Very Nice Review. 5 wrz$ reward. Thanks Zach!
Nov 26th, 2011, 8:50 pm
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Title: Action Philosophers! (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Fred Van Lente (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Louis Grube (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" Action Philosophers is a fantastic work that legal geeks should love."

Review: Action Philosophers Volume One
    During a conversation about comic books with my good friends at Infinite Monkey Comics and Games, It was suggested that I start reviewing comics that have some relation to the law. This is the first in a series of reviews that will hopefully pique your geeky side while satisfying your love for everything law related. Today we will look at Action Philosophers Volume One by Fred Van Lente and Ryan Dunlavey.

    Action Philosophers is a series of comics that look at the life and work of various philosophers in a just slightly less than accurate way. I say mostly accurate because these comics gain their entertainment value by playing up certain choice characteristics of each philosopher to make their stories more interesting. Saint Augustine, for example, is made to look like a party animal and a womanizer in order to make his religious transformation just a bit more interesting. Bodhidharma is made to seem aloof to the extreme. Some of these transformations are fantastic.

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    Most relevant to the readers of this blog is the historically important legislator, attorney, and Action Philosopher, Thomas Jefferson. Thomas Jefferson is portrayed as an inconsistent and politically confused politician and political philosopher. Themes covered include his dependence on slavery, his failed attempts at abolishing slavery, and his black and white perspective of the world that made it difficult for him to solve problems that didn’t fit into his worldview. Comparatively, Action Philosopher Jefferson’s portrayal has deep similarities to conflicted politicians of our day like Bob Barr, Mark Foley, and Elliot Spitzer.

    Action Philosophers is a fantastic work that legal geeks should love. Most of us went to college for philosophy of science anyway, right? I guarantee that anybody who reads this blog will enjoy the exploration of Joseph Campbell. According to Action Philosophers Volume One, Campbell is the guy who noticed the similarities between ancient myth, modern religion, and modern action/adventure films starring Keanu Reeves. They even include a human myth flowchart illustrated with scenes from your favorite Star Wars films to explain the way stories of these three genres are constructed. I guess the Jedi have more clout as a religion than we all thought.

    Go buy it!


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More info:
    Written by Fred Van Lente
    Illustrated by Ryan Dunlavey

Publisher:
    Image

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Nov 26th, 2011, 8:50 pm

Post rewarded by Ojay on Nov 29th, 2011, 11:10 am.
Very Nice Review. 5 wrz$ reward. Thanks Zach!
Nov 27th, 2011, 7:56 am
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Title: Reload (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Warren Ellis (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Steve Fuson (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" This book shows all of Warren Ellis' strengths."

Review:
    Originally released as a three part miniseries, done in a flipbook style (which Ellis also did with Tokyo Storm Warning / Red) the two short stories Reload and Mek show a simplified version of what makes Warren Ellis' stories great.

    The story of Reload begins with the assassination of the President of the United States and continues to get more intense. The assassin is incredibly well trained, and someone in the government seems to be covering for her. (And it's not the reason you think.) One secret service agent is stuck between stopping the assassin, who continues to attack government agencies, and the government he's trying to save.

    Despite the short length of the story, Ellis manages to drop clues as to where he's going, and gives enough characterization that you care about the people involved.

    Mek is a story about people augmenting their bodies with mechancial enhancements. Some Mek is used only for physical enhancements, on the level of tattoos or piercings, and some Mek is used for augmentation, such as enhanced eye-sight, or having a cell phone in your head. But then there's Bad Mek, military enhancements like guns, which are being obtained illegally and the results are violent wars between gangs and organized crime.

    Enter Sarissa Leon, who helped start the Mek movement as a way of enhancing culture. She moved to Washinton D.C. to continue to lobby for the rights of Mek users, but the violent death of her ex-boyfriend has brought her back into a subculture which barely recognizes her.

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    The story is obviously intended, at least partly, to be a metaphor for the drug culture. What started as something that artists and hippies used to expand their minds has become a source of violent crime, drug abuse, and death.

    Again the characterization is excellent, and despite the short space, Ellis manages to create a decent mystery.

    I would be remiss if I didn't mention the art work. On Reload Paul Gulacy and Jimmy Palmiotti illustrate thrilling action sequences. I can hear the gunfire and the explosions even though no onomatopoeia appears on the page. On Mek Steve Rolston and Al Gordon capture a wonderful techno-punk look for the characters, sort of goth cyborgs. And the cityscapes, while simple, are excellent, with varied sizes and shapes to the buildings, something sorely lacking in most comic book artists' repotoires.

    This book shows all of Warren Ellis' strengths. His ability tell a good story, his characterization, his counter-culture ideals.

    I read this book in one sitting, but I'm definately going to go back and read it again.


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More info:
    Warren Ellis (Author)
    Paul Gulacy (Pencils)
    Jimmy Palmiottii (Inks)

Publisher:
    Image

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Nov 27th, 2011, 7:56 am

Post rewarded by Ojay on Nov 29th, 2011, 11:10 am.
Very Nice Review. 5 wrz$ reward. Thanks Zach!
Nov 27th, 2011, 8:37 am
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Title: Madame Xanadu (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Matt Wagner (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Ana (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" Highly recommended. "

Review: Madame Xanadu – Volume 1 Disenchanted
    Summary: Legendary creator Matt Wagner (MAGE, GRENDEL, SUPERMAN/BATMAN/WONDER WOMAN: TRINITY) and rising star artist Amy Reeder Hadley, present Vertigo’s newest ongoing fantasy epic MADAM XANADU.

    Centuries long and around the far reaches of the globe, her tale winds before the ageless fortuneteller, whose powers of sight can change the course of human events.

    As the mysterious past of Madam Xanadu is slowly unraveled, Wagner takes us on a journey throughout her history, from a medieval kingdom beset by foul sorcery to the court of Kublai Khan. Eventually Madam Xanadu returns to Europe as mystic advisor to Marie Antoinette, and as political tensions begin to boil, the Phantom Stranger makes his return. This time he seeks to kick-start the revolution and ensures that Paris’s streets run red – a blood sacrifice that will keep certain demonic forces at bay.

    Review: Confession: I had no idea who Madame Xanadu was before reading this Graphic Novel as I am not a DC connoisseur ( I am a Marvel Girl – ha – all the way; except you know, for Batman) ; I only decided to read it for two reasons: the recommendation from Karen Mahoney and the fact that Death from The Sandman makes an appearance. I did do a bit of homework (read: Wikipedia-ed) , in order to get my bearings and learnt that she is a minor, supporting character in the DC universe who use magic Tarot Cards to predict the future and help other characters with their supernatural problems playing a role of advisor without ever directly interfering. She is immortal and has some magical powers of her own.

    In this new series by Vertigo, she is given a revamp and put in a central role. This first volume covers the first 10 issues in what can be described as an Origin story; it provides more information about the character throughout the ages and you can read only this first volume, as it has a definite ending in a self-contained story.

    The volume is divided into 5 stories, each set in a different era, following Madame Xanadu in critical moments of her life. Starting with her true identify as the nymph Nimue (Yep, THE sorceress Nimue), in Arthurian times, sister to Vivienne and Morgana and the person that has a major role to play in the fall of King Arthur by being the one to take Merlin out of the equation. In this retelling, she has good reasons (which portray Merlin as a *gasp* villain) for doing so but her meddling has serious consequences. In this first story, she also encounters for the first time (at least from her point of view) The Phantom Stranger, a powerful time-traveller, observer of events who will make appearances in all stories at key moments.

    The other stories follow Madame Xanadu as she spends time an advisor in the court Kubla Khan (in Xanadu hence her name), during the French Revolution where she befriends the Queen and will meet –and beat – Death, in London when Jack the Ripper is doing his worst and finally in America in the early twenties and her role in the appearance of The Spectre .

    It is in this last story that all becomes clear, the story comes full circle ,showing just how Matt Wagner played his hand (ha, I am full of the intended puns today) with intention and design from the start making it all connect including that A-Ha Moment I tend to love. For that, for the interesting story (or history?) , I just loved this collection.

    The insight into Madame Xanadu’s past is also an examination of history, of destiny and of will as with each encounter with the Phantom Stranger raises all of these issues. His fatalistic, inflexible attitude is in direct contrast to Xanadu’s indignation and frustration with they should or should not, do. Inaction vs. Action, Observing vs. Interfering , these are very intriguing concepts that interest me as a reader, and which pulled me right into the story. I also loved their tragic relationship: starting with a lot possibility and turning into antagonism over the centuries.

    With regards to the artwork – I thought it was absolutely brilliant. It definitely has a slightly Manga-inspired feel (look at her eyes!) and since I am a fan, I thought it worked quite well. The background colours, the richness of the details were stunning:

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    Not bad. Not bad at all!

    Notable Quotes/ Parts

    Ah, as a total Sandman and the Endless fangirl, I obviously LOVED the encounter between Death and Madame Xanadu.

    Additional Thoughts:

    This collection, following Xanadu through the ages reminded me a lot of another collection of stories: Fables and Reflections, volume 6th of The Sandman which also has Morpheus through the ages. Funny enough, there is a story set during the French Revolution as well.

    Also, speaking of Manga and of an Immortal who reads Tarot to help supernatural beings, if you like this combination, I highly recommend The Tarot Café by Park Sang-Sun.

    The Tarot Café is a series with 7 volumes (all already published ) that follow Pamela, the Tarot reader in question. I really liked reading it.

    Verdict: All in all, I really liked this volume: I liked learning about the character, like this specific story, loved the character’s interactions with the Phantom Stranger and LOVED the artwork. Highly recommended.

    Rating: 8 – Excellent

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More info:
    Author: Matt Wagner
    Art: Amy Reeder Hadley
    Genre: Graphic Novel/ Fantasy

Publisher:
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Nov 27th, 2011, 8:37 am

Post rewarded by Ojay on Nov 29th, 2011, 11:10 am.
Very Nice Review. 5 wrz$ reward. Thanks Zach!
Nov 27th, 2011, 12:53 pm
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Title: Top Cow Holiday Special (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Phil Smith (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: CBR (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" Top Cow greatest heroes banding together"

Review:
    Join the Witchblade, The Darkness, Angelus, Magdalena, Cyberforce, Hunter-Killer and other Top Cow Universe favorites in the TOP COW HOLIDAY 2010 SPECIAL! When a distraught mother surrenders her baby at a New York City fire station during a winter snowstorm, Sara Pezzini, Jackie Estacado, the Hunter-Killers, and other Top Cow Universe characters find themselves pulled together in the spirit of the holidays to aid the innocent newborn. What quickly becomes apparent is there are larger sinister forces at play here with the baby as the focal point of a supernatural event that will take Top Cow greatest heroes banding together to save, not only a city, but a single child as well.

    A fan favorite holiday character returns with JINGLE BELLE: GROUNDED! When Jing again breaks her parents rules, she is forced to spend Christmas Eve GROUNDED. But when Santa is also caught in a lie, he has to share the same punishment! Neither father nor daughter can leave the North Pole until they apologize, and with the contentious Kringles not speaking to each other, Christmas is doomed!

    The collection also features a preview from Marc Silvestri's new project SEPTEMBER MOURNING, new and never before seen short stories, pin-ups and one-page strips staring Polly, Super Rica and Rashy, Ida Red, and other characters from the extended Jingle Belle universe. As a special bonus, it reprints the popular book-length story “Jingle Belle: Santa Claus VS Frankenstein!”

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More info:
    tory by Phil Smith
    Art by Alina Urusov, Stephanie Gladden
    Colors by Alina Urusov, Felix Serrano
    Letters by Troy Peteri
    Cover by Alina Urusov, Stephanie Gladden, Felix Serrano
    Publisher Top Cow Productions

Publisher:
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Nov 27th, 2011, 12:53 pm

Post rewarded by Ojay on Nov 29th, 2011, 11:10 am.
Very Nice Review. 5 wrz$ reward. Thanks Zach!
Nov 28th, 2011, 6:57 am
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Title: Scalped Vol. 1: Indian Country (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Jason Aaron (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Pseudobyte (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" If you're looking for a new venue in crime fiction, this book is it. Buy it!"

Review:
    I've just finished a fresh re-read of the five issues collected in this trade specifically for prep in writing this review. Jason Aaron, previous to giving us Scalped, penned a mini-series called The Other Side, also published through Vertigo. Prior to that, Aaron was basically unheard of. The fact that he's hit a bullseye with his very first monthly series is incredible but I assure you, dear pondering reader, that it is a fact. Indian Country introduces us to Dashiell Bad Horse, a native to The Prairie Rose Reservation, South Dakota. The first thing Dash does is get into a fight with fifteen guys in a bar. With nunchaku, no less! He is, to put it mildly, looking for trouble. He's been off the Rez for fifteen years and has just come back for reasons made clear at the end of the first issue (or part I of the Indian Country arc). Right away Jason Aaron assaults the reader with abrasive language and since we're reading a Vertigo book, there are no asterisks, ampersands, question or exclamation marks to cover up the naughty words. It's hardcore, is what I'm saying, and it reads like real talk for real thugs and hoodlums.

    It isn't long before the main "villain" is introduced, Lincoln Red Crow. Red Crow is the Council Tribal President and essentially runs the reservation. His introduction leaves no question as to how ruthless a character he is but I don't like to use the label of villain to sum him up, hence the quotation marks above. Again, putting it mildly, he's complicated. In describing these two characters, I do hope I'm implying the excellence in Aaron's writing and characterization. All the characters in this book are, at best, morally grey. They're whole humans, not caricatures.

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    Without spoiling too much, we learn very quickly that Dash is back on the Rez for a reason, even if he knows he's in over his head. He's an undercover FBI agent who's been sicced on Red Crow by probably the most miserable and hateful FBI minder ever to "grace" South Dakota with his presence: Special Agent Nitz. Nitz has an axe to grind with Red Crow that goes back twenty some years to the murder of two FBI agents on the Prairie Rose Reservation. All of this is deftly explained over the course of this five part collection. Meanwhile we get to see Dash kick some teeth and break some heads as he's quickly hired on as Tribal Police under Red Crow. Through this, the character becomes re-initiated into life on the Rez and the reader gets a glimpse of what life might be like there.

    This is a crime story but it's told in a way that's as unique as it's setting; an American Indian reservation. Aaron uses some slick time displacement gimmicks to trade back and forth between past, immediate past and present as he brings us along on a ride through this poverty stricken wasteland. When we meet Dash's mother, Gina Bad Horse, all question about the tone of the book should be laid to rest. Gina's first reaction to Dash is to slap him and call him a fascist. Later on, Red Crow uses eloquent phrasing toward his own daughter, Carol. These are HARD people with no illusions and to go back to the title (a quote from Red Crow in part I) of this review, supremely disenchanted.

    Jason Aaron masterfully captures this cast off world and sucks the reader in and after reading the first five issues again, I'm craving more even though I've read up through issue sixteen already! Another thing I like is Aaron's use of Lakota dialogue (sans subtitles). It's little touches like that, especially without translating it for us, that lend to the authenticity of the book. But is it good? Yes! There's shootings, there's meth lab busts, there's rampant sex(!), there's organized crime intrigue, there's betrayal, there's scalping(!!), and there's plenty of meat on each perspective of each of the characters to satisfy all your crime/noir needs. R.M. Guéra (Heavy Metal) handles the art and his style totally fits the book. The facial expressions are perfect and the action scenes flow cinematically. Plus, he has a way of depicting the residents of Prairie Rose Reservation that clearly divides them as two tribes: young and old. It's interesting to note all the little touches he puts in and oh! His women look ridiculously sexy too. It's hard to compare him stylistically to other artists but if I had to do it, to save my life, I'd say he's very reminiscent of Eduardo Risso from 100 Bullets except less polished (not a knock).
    If you're looking for a new venue in crime fiction, this book is it. Buy it!

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More info:
    Written by Jason Aaron
    Art by R.M. Guera
    Cover by Jock

Publisher:
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Nov 28th, 2011, 6:57 am

Post rewarded by Ojay on Nov 29th, 2011, 11:10 am.
Very Nice Review. 5 wrz$ reward. Thanks Zach!