The graphic novels loved by children and adults alike
Dec 1st, 2012, 9:40 am
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Title: Penguin Pain & Prejudice (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Gregg Hurwitz (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Posted by Andrew Asberry (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" An enjoyable read at an affordable price"

Review:
    Fans of Batman’s most vindictive villain shouldn’t skip out on this one. Penguin: Pain & Prejudice collects not one, but two of the best Penguin stories in recent memory and it’s available at a very fair price.

    I reviewed this five issue series when it came out in individual installments and it reads even better collected here. Gregg Hurwitz does a great job of getting the reader to empathize with the villain we all love to hate. In recent years, Oswald has been relegated to being a fat tub who sits in an office until Batman shows up to beat him for information, never really doing anything of his own. So it’s good to see the character have so much more to do here.

    It’s a dark, gritty, and psychological tale that takes you all the way back to Penguin’s childhood and the abuses that turned him into the monster you see today. You’ll understand how and why Penguin sees the Batman as the one final bully he will never overcome and you’ll feel a great swell of pity for him as he finds himself incapable of trusting a potential love interest. The art by Szymon Kudranski and John Kalisz is absolutely perfect for the material. The world you see is a cold one and the overwhelming darkness reflects the way the light has gone out of Oswald’s life.

    The book does a fine job of capturing the look and feel of Gotham and the spirit of Penguin, but it also tries to act as an origin story and that’s where it first begins to slip. It fails to address some very key moments in the character’s history, moments that play a vital role in this very story. We see that Penguin is a brilliant tinkerer but never get any insight into how exactly he became such a brilliant engineer. Building robots ain’t easy! There’s a rather large chunk of his life that’s missing, one that would have been very interesting to see explored. The question I most want to see answered is how did Penguin rise to power in Gotham’s underworld? His troubled childhood is examined in great detail, but then we skip ahead a few decades and see him as the crime lord of the worst city in the world. How did he get there? Instead of addressing any of this the story takes a weird turn from dark character study to Batman Returns rip-off and suddenly Penguin is out to kill Gotham’s children in the most overly elaborate way possible.

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    Essentially, Penguin: Pain & Prejudice is a Penguin story that starts off great but by the end is merely okay. However, this book doesn’t only collect Penguin: Pain & Prejudice, it also features Batman: Joker’s Asylum tale He Who Laughs Last by Jason Aaron and Jason Pearson. These stories are remarkably similar. Both examine the villain’s childhood days and showcase a Penguin who goes above and beyond the call of vengeance to rip another person’s life to the tiniest of shreds. It’s also another love story in which Penguin becomes overly controlling and finds himself unable to trust. However, the girl he falls for in this book is far less perfect and as a result more believable than the blind girl who never asked questions in Pain & Prejudice. Jason Aaron and Gregg Hurwitz have an almost identical vision of the Penguin and the stories feel like they were made to be printed together all along. And honestly, how many penguin books do you have on your shelf?

    Supplemental Material - You’ll see a few early sketches and cover designs by Szymon Kudranski and of course there’s the added issue Batman: Joker’s Asylum: He Who Laughs Last. That added issue really gives you more bang for your buck as it is a great one-and-done tale.

    Value - These five issues would’ve set you back well over $15 bucks had you bought them in monthlies and this book collects all five plus the Joker’s Asylum story for the same price or, if you like to buy your books on the web, only $10.19 at Amazon. So it’s a pretty good deal.

    Overall - Everybody needs a good Penguin story on their comic book shelf and this book collects two. Penguin: Pain & Prejudice could’ve been a classic had it delved deeper into Penguin’s rise to power, but even though it comes short of greatness it’s still an enjoyable read at an affordable price.


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More info:
    Written by: Gregg Hurwitz
    Pencilled by: Szymon Kudranski
    Inked by: Szymon Kudranski
    Cover Color by: Szymon Kudranski
    Lettered by: Rob Leigh

Publisher:
    Image

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Dec 1st, 2012, 9:40 am
Dec 1st, 2012, 3:31 pm
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Title: Economix (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Michael Goodwin (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Robert Greenberger (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" This is not a classroom textbook..."

Review:
    Having never taken economics in college, I find the world of high finance needlessly complicated and confusing. You spend what you need to make a good; you sell it for a reasonable profit. Repeat. The problem, though, is that the world makes it far more complicated to determine how those goods are made or what a reasonable profit might be. And as globalization has altered the way everyone on Earth lives and works, things have grown ever more complex.

    Thankfully Michael Goodwin saw the need for a basic primary on how the economy currently works and how we got here. Better, he decided to really make it easy to follow thanks to using the comic format, hence the graphic novel Economix. Nicely illustrated by Dan E. Burr, best known for Kings in Disguise, the book from Abrams starts off in The Distant Past and walks us on a parallel path between what really happened and how the early economist philosophers thought it should happen.

    Along the way, Goodwin makes it clear that for too long, people hewed to theories that sounded great on paper but were impractical in the real world which is why the early bubbles occurred. He also introduces us to the keep economic and political players, and how he talks about them makes it clear which ones he finds laudable and which ones deserve mockery.

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    This is not a classroom textbook but has a distinct point of view so the result is that some people and events have their dimensionality stripped away, leaving a caricature to make his point. This trait is on display beginning with the Industrial Revolution all the way through the modern day economic woes (the book’s information is nicely current through mid-2011 so it remains relevant).

    He makes it clear that the bigger corporations got, the less and less they were to be admired. Instead, they prove to be the villains you expect in graphic fiction and while there’s a lot here that’s true, it’s certainly just one point of view. Goodwin is also harsh to many people, notably Calvin Coolidge and Warren G. Harding, who watched America’s economy grow, burst, and couldn’t figure out how to pick up the pieces. Using their own words against them, certainly sounds convincing.

    Where Goodwin excels is simplifying the verbiage so even guys like me can follow it. He also pauses to show what is happening around the world, since opening trade with Asia or the Russian Revolution certainly had a bearing on American dollars and cents. The book also doesn’t expect you to remember everything, constantly pointing you back to relevant pages such as “That’s right – we live in a mixed economy, not in pure capitalism. For instance, let’s take another look at modern New York. We saw on page 24 how trying to control everything wouldn’t work…”

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    Obviously, the most interesting chapters are the ones covering the times we live in. The book pointedly takes us from Reagonomics through the housing bubble, pausing to chart how our National Debt has grown through various presidential administrations and the decisions they made. Paul Volcker and Alan Greenspan both get taken task in this recounting. Clearly, today’s mess began in the 1980s and continues today. A large part of the problem was the repeal of the 1932 Glass-Steagall Act in 1998 and today, many a politician and businessman has come to regret that – note the comments sandy Weill made last week.

    Burr’s artwork nicely captures the text and makes it visually comprehensible with some fun portraits of how the economic machinery works, using iconic images of farmers, merchants, businessmen, and so on. He caricatures key figures and keeps his pages packed but not cluttered. On just a few cases his page layout and balloon placement challenge even the most veteran of comics readers so this might be a tough read for some novices but its well the effort.

    A text like this would certainly help high school and college students gain their first taste of financial literacy and it comes recommended for the rest of us.

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More info:
    Written by Michael Goodwin
    Art by Dan E. Burr

Publisher:
    Image

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Dec 1st, 2012, 3:31 pm
Dec 1st, 2012, 6:24 pm
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Title: Lot 13 (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Steve Niles (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Michelle White (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" If you’re looking for slow-burn, traditional horror story, this comic is worth a browse."

Review: Lot 13 #1
    You’ve read haunted house stories. You’ve read haunted hotel stories. How about a haunted furnished apartment story? That’s the plot of “Lot 13″ from DC Comics in a nutshell, and while things feel a touch superficial in the first instalment of this four-issue miniseries, the horror most definitely makes an appearance.

    • A terrifying new horror series from the ghoulish minds of Steve Niles (30 Days of Night) and Glenn Fabry (PREACHER)!
    • A family making a cross-country move makes a horrifying discovery in an old apartment complex. Can they survive the night?

    Moving cross country can be a bit of a pain, but by the end of this issue the cheery couple intent on settling into suburbia have a lot more to deal with than getting their stuff into a van and keeping the kids in line. Their problems, of course, are of the spooky nature, because when it turns out their house isn’t ready to move into yet, they rent out the nearest cheap apartment they can find…

    It’s not the most original of stories, but a standby premise can work pretty well when sympathetic characters keep it grounded. That, I think, is the main problem with this first issue of “Lot 13″: the parents, who banter quite a bit and get whole pages to themselves, come across as smug and self-assured rather than likable or interesting. Of course, this could very well be intentional (smug people are much more fun to terrify than the regular kind, I’m sure), but when the main characters of a story aren’t very compelling (at least, not so far), there isn’t much to keep one’s attention except the expectation that horrible things are going to happen to them. This is fair enough: plenty of horror stories are based on that premise, too. But if you’re a fan of character-driven tales, this issue will read like it’s missing something.

    What this issue does have in spades is deft pacing. An opening scene set in 1670 is perverse thrills all through, going straight for the jugular in depicting a trial that’s all kinds of disturbing. Directly after that we get to the wholesome banter of the modern-day parents, and from then on the creepy factor is dialed up bit by almost imperceptible bit. It all culminates in one hell of a final page, solidly setting up the premise for the rest of the series at the same time as evoking a tangible sense of dread.

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    Glenn Fabry’s art style vacillates between grotesque and understated here, and while the results aren’t exactly consistent, the overall style is effective in terms of getting across a sense of malaise peculiarly suited to suburbia. Which is to say, apart from the flashback scene I mentioned (which is gory as anything), the horror in this issue is of the quieter, slow-burn variety, saving the biggest shock for that final page. The faces are expressive to the point of being hyperrealistic, and this adds another layer of creepiness to the proceedings. Meanwhile, the oddly static quality to Fabry’s art works both for and against the prevailing mood, getting across an eerie feel but sometimes failing to engage the reader in the action.

    One odd thing about his issue is the lettering: whenever two characters are depicted conversing in one panel, their speech bubbles sort of nestle into one another in a way that’s as hard to describe as it is tough on the eye. The best lettering job (in my opinion) is the one that’s so smooth and intuitive that you don’t notice it on first read, and I’m afraid here the technique is more puzzling than innovative.

    Flaws aside, though, “Lot 13″ has a lot of potential. It may take another issue to see whether this one is worth sticking with until the end, but as things stand, if you’re looking for slow-burn, traditional horror story, this comic is worth a browse.


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More info:
    Written by Steve Niles
    Illustrated by Glenn Fabry

Publisher:
    Image

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Dec 1st, 2012, 6:24 pm
Dec 1st, 2012, 7:07 pm
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Title: Frankenstein Alive, Alive! (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Steve Niles (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: RoughJustice (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" Frankenstein Alive, Alive #1 is a fresh look into a subject matter that many people claimed was dead. "

Review: Frankenstein Alive, Alive! #1
    Steve Niles is a master of horror comics. His ability to craft deeply frightening, personal horror stories is second to none. Niles is able to capture the darkest moments that any person can experience and reduce them to a conversation or a handful of panels. So, when it was announced that he would be working on a Frankenstein comic with IDW, it was not all that surprising. Frankenstein is just as synonymous to horror as Dracula or zombies. The shocking part of Niles’ Frankenstein comic, Frankenstein Alive, Alive #1 came from the content within the comic. Instead writing Frankenstein Alive, Alive #1 as a horror comic, Niles has infused this comic with a story about sorrow, despair, and the agony of being a monster.

    Frankenstein Alive, Alive #1 takes place in the years after Frankenstein’s monster was washed away on his own funeral pyre. Niles picks the story up as the monster (affectionately named Frank) has begun working as a circus sideshow freak. In this portion of the story, Frank is portrayed as being finally happy, independent, and no longer an outcast among his fellow circus performers. Seeing the tormented monster finally at piece is a poignant moment for any horror fan. Films, television, and books are constantly attempting to paint the monster as a man who longs for understanding and freedom. However, most stories (read Van Helsing) force the monster to be a lamenting caricature of the haunted beast he actually is. Niles takes the character of Frank and crafts him into a truly devastated soul. This is a look at one of horror’s most infamous beasts through the lens of a man who understands isolation.

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    There could not be a better artist to tackle this subject matter than Bernie Wrightson. Every twisted feature and haunted landscape blooms under the pen of Wrightson. Over the course of this issue, Frank travels from the arctic into a volcanic eruption then later to a circus and Wrightson captures it all. There are dozens of characters and set pieces in this comic that are all illustrated wonderfully. Wrightson is a master of horror illustrations and it shows with every crashing wave and crumbling mountain.

    Frankenstein Alive, Alive #1 was surprising. It would have been incredibly easy for Niles to write a comic about a brooding monster that longs for friendship. Fortunately, Niles set his sights higher. This is a comic that strives to explore the journey of a monster that is truly desperate with subtle and emotional writing. Frankenstein Alive, Alive #1 is a fresh look into a subject matter that many people claimed was dead.


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More info:
    Written by Steve Niles
    Art by Bernie Wrightson

Publisher:
    Image

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Dec 1st, 2012, 7:07 pm
Dec 2nd, 2012, 7:56 am
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Title: Grimm Fairy Tales – Inferno (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Ralph Tedesco (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Chris Thompson (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" The writing and the art work together to highlight their weaknesses rather than to complement their strengths"

Review: GRIMM FAIRY TALES: INFERNO #1
    I’ve been reading Zenescope’s Grimm Fairy Tales and its associated books off-and-on since the beginning. Most have been quite good, and inspired me to dabble in some of their other titles, but recently I’ve fallen behind and lost track of it all. As a result, I come into this first issue of Inferno, the new Grimm Fairy Tales series, with completely fresh eyes. The sexy girls are still there, and they’re still riffing on classic tales from the past (in this case Dante’s Inferno), but how does this new series stack up against the rest?

    One of the things I’ve always liked about Zenescope Entertainment is the way they portray women. I’m not talking about the artwork and the covers – although I enjoy those a lot – I’m talking about the characters themselves. Most of the books feature female leads and, while there’s obviously a high titillation factor at play, the women are strong, capable and know how to hold their own. Grimm Fairy Tales: Inferno turns that on its head by presenting us with Grace Dante, the ultimate victim. She’s being harassed by her boss and beaten by her boyfriend, all while suffering from amnesia and crippling hallucinations that scare the hell out of her.

    It’s an interesting approach, but if this was your first Zenescope book you’d be forgiven for thinking all their women were like this. The art doesn’t help either as it makes Grace look vulnerable in all the wrong ways. Erik Jones does a great job in some scenes, but by combining the typical sexualised poses Zenescope is known for with a woman who is obviously not yet empowered, we get an uncomfortable view of Grace as a deer in the headlights – prey for the proverbial predator. If they were looking to explore this angle further and play with making the reader feel uncomfortable then I’d applaud them for it, but unfortunately I don’t think that’s the intention.

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    Instead, I think it’s a case where Grace will become the strong woman we expect – and will blend perfectly into the Zenescope-style they’re so well known for – but to make it work, this first issue really needed to stay away from that to begin with. That’s not the only problem with the art – there’s also some confusion in the storytelling and being able to follow exactly what’s going on at times. It’s a shame because it seems to be an increasingly common problem … There are artists who can do the ‘money shots’ and artists who can tell a story, but there are very few who can successfully combine the two. Jones does an admirable job, however, and I assume he’s still a fairly young artist who will get better with time. There are some stunning images which work well as stills, they just lack the flow to carry you through the book.

    This is where the writing comes into play and Ralph Tedesco has to do the heavy lifting to carry the story forward. Does he succeed? Not exactly. The pacing is okay, and the overall direction of the book is quite intriguing, but it falls flat in the scripting from page to page. The dialogue just doesn’t seem natural and it doesn’t have any smart storytelling to prop it up … The writing and the art work together to highlight their weaknesses rather than to complement their strengths. That probably sounds mean, but when you’re basing yourself on such classic material and you have a story which shows such promise, you can’t afford to be sloppy. My only hope is that Zenescope rise to the occasion as the series progresses and deliver the great work I know they can do (outside of the sexy ladies which they’ve already convinced me of). I’d give this issue 5 out of 10 based on the promise it leaves for next time … I’ll be back.


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More info:
    Writer: Ralph Tedesco
    Cover A by Joe Benitez

Publisher:
    Image

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Dec 2nd, 2012, 7:56 am
Dec 2nd, 2012, 10:26 am
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Title: Rapture (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Michael Avon Oeming and Taki Soma (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Lee Newman (Review 1) and Drew (Review 2) (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" Rapture is a stylistic delight. I recommend picking up the entire run of this mini for an entertaining read."

Review 1: Rapture #1
    One year ago the world ended. Something to do with all the superheroes finally having a big fight. Now the Earth is left in tatters and the survivors are just trying to get by.

    This book focuses on Gil, a singer, and Evelyn, his girlfriend. In the beginning, we see them in the process of breaking up. Evelyn gets on a plane. Her flight is some kind of focal point for the cataclysm that brings about the end of the world. She is then approached by a spear offering entity who orders her to save the world.

    All of this happens in a jumble of flashbacks and cryptic scenes from the story’s present. Got all of that? ... Good, could you explain it to me?

    There is a sense that this is a mystery that (hopefully) will unravel as it goes. I’m okay with that. The real problem with the book is it lacks any focus.

    There is, in the middle of the sequence of our couple breaking up, a newspaper article that explains the fight that the Champions have been the center of. Absolutely no other information about the metabeings is given, except for a shot of them (possibly) flying up to Heaven.

    Mushroom clouds, sappy songs, and unbelievably (no really, even the plane crash in Lost is slightly more believable now) long falls make up the rest of the action. The remainder of the book is a mess hinting at Gil’s unshakeable devotion to Evelyn, the female lead’s indecisiveness (and possible death?), and an unclear sequence or two with her mom.

    Making the book even harder to grasp, there is an eye catching sequence where reality may be shifting as Evelyn is coaxed into her ambiguous duty. All the while there is a distinct lack of characterization. It would be possible to be teased by the mystery if there were anything to latch onto and care about.

    The art, however, is stunning. Soma is credited with layouts and they are unique. Oeming is somewhere between his more familiar designs for Powers and his chunky Mice Templar lines. Finish it off with expert colors by Staples and even though I have no clue what is going on, it sure is nice to look at.

    Rapture is a stylistic delight. Too bad there seems to be no substance underneath all the dazzle.

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Review 2: Rapture #6
    Dark Horse’s mini-series Rapture comes to its exciting conclusion with issue #6, which hit stands yesterday.

    The whole package has been a fun ride from the team of Oeming and Soma. The art by Oeming has an interesting style, which is dark but has a pop-art vibe to it at the same time. The writing by Soma and Oeming is a good read, and with issue #6 they have penned a great conclusion. One of the real joys is just how much of the story they tell through just the panels with minimal words on the page, and still capture a mature tone. I personally find this refreshing in our medium, when it feels like so many titles have been pushing for a more literary-based storytelling style over the past few years.

    The story that has unfolded across the 6-issues tells the tale of a world after Superheroes and Villains, who have warred for years, pack up and leave the planet in ruins. Mankind has now begun the task of picking up the pieces on this Post-Apocalyptic Earth. Lovers Evelyn and Gil, who decided to take some space, begin their star-crossed search to reunite. This is fine until Evelyn is gifted with an angelic spear from a character named “The Word,” turning her into a powerful new champion amongst the common people. I don’t want to give away too much more if you haven’t read the series yet, but I recommend picking up the entire run of this mini for an entertaining read.

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More info:
    Writer: Michael Avon Oeming and Taki Soma
    Artist: Michael Avon Oeming
    Colors: Val Staples
    Genre: Action/Adventure

Publisher:
    Image

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Dec 2nd, 2012, 10:26 am
Dec 3rd, 2012, 9:02 am
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Title: Red Light Properties (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Dan Goldman (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Scott Thill (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" Goldman’s surreal, sometimes scatological humor shines through."

Review:
    The so-called Great Recession seriously sucks. But it’s even worse for the domestic misfits trying to exorcise Florida’s foreclosure-wrecked property market of paranormal squatters in Dan Goldman’s hilarious online comic Red Light Properties.

    The last chapter of Goldman’s self-described “tropical horror” series went live Tuesday, and he was cool enough to exclusively share the best of its head-tripping graphics with us in the gallery above. He’s also cool enough to offer all 196 pages of the full-length graphic novel as a recession-friendly freebie at Red Light Properties‘ official website. It’s a post-crash bonanza for comics fans lock-boxed inside the poorhouse.

    “I’m using the framework of ghost stories set in a sunny climate and a depressed economy to speak about the membrane between the world of the living and the dead, the memories of places after we’ve gone, and the roots of family during difficult times,” Goldman said in a press release. “The firm’s owners, Jude Tobin and his soon-to-be-ex-wife Cecilia, struggle to keep their own mortgage paid, their electricity on and their young son provided for, while the remains of the real estate market smolders around them.”

    It sounds heady, but Goldman’s surreal, sometimes scatological humor shines through. Red Light Properties has been syndicated for free on sci-fi heavyweight Tor.com, and is poised to turn as many heads as Goldman’s last web-to-print standout, Shooting War, once it dives out of the digital realm and into print. Lost in that translation will be the click-through interface that Goldman designed, which allows readers to serially unveil dialogue and panels, rather than decode an entire page at once.

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    Digital innovation is part of Goldman’s process. He created Red Light Properties by mashing 2-D vector drawings designed on touch-screen displays with 3-D modeling created on an architectural rendering engine. The result is a druggy blast inspired by Goldman’s heroes like Terence McKenna, Larry David and Wong Kar-wai.

    Still, Goldman says his hometown of Miami remains his biggest influence. “There’s a vibe there, a sun-bleached darkness I always dug, that had me peering into dark corners,” the digital comics innovator said.

    Click through the Red Light Properties pages above and let us know in the comments section if its post-crash experiment is enough to make you forget about the threat of a double-dip recession.


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More info:
    Writing and art by Dan Goldman

Publisher:
    Image

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Dec 3rd, 2012, 9:02 am
Dec 3rd, 2012, 1:34 pm
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Title: Aliens (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): John Arcudi (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: pozzyfreak (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" Aliens #2 is, in all honesty, about as generic as a comic gets."

Review: Aliens #2
    Some Thoughts Before The Review: Aliens #1 was pretty flawed, but it had enough potential to make me think that issue two would be worth checking out.

    The Story: The lone survivor from the vicious attack shown last issue receives a call for help. He responds to the call and finds himself face to face with a number of aliens.

    What’s Good: The best thing I can say about Aliens #2 is that it delivers on the alien action. It’s fast, it looks good, it’s violent, and it’s suitably intense. While it may not be as gritty as I’d like, it delivers in the ways that matter most. If you want alien action, Aliens #2 is the place to get it.

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    What’s Not So Good: Aliens #2 is, in all honesty, about as generic as a comic gets. It reads alright and features solid artwork, but there is absolutely nothing that makes it memorable in any way. I honestly wish I could write about it more, but I simply have nothing else to say.

    Conclusion: If you like the Aliens franchise and want to see some aliens getting killed, then by all means pick up Aliens #2. Just don’t buy it expecting anything special… at all.


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More info:
    By John Arcudi (Writer)
    Zach Howard & Gabriel Andrade (Pencils)
    Mark Irwin, Marcelo Mueller, & Zach Howard (Inks)
    Wes Dzioba (Colors)

Publisher:
    Image

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Dec 3rd, 2012, 1:34 pm
Dec 4th, 2012, 11:27 am
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Title: American Wasteland (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): R. D. Hall (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Brian Matus (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" If you like horror comics (why else are you reading this anyway?), you shouldn't miss this book."

Review:
    Finally, a horror comic!

    Seriously, I've been losing my faith in horror comics lately, but Hallelujah brothers and sisters, my faith has been restored!

    R. D. Hall e-mailed me a PDF of the first issue for review because he knows, as any pusher will tell you, the first times free, but once you're hooked, you're buyin'.

    First off, if you include the silhouette on page 1, the "vampires" (more on that in a minute) are on 15 out of 22 pages.

    This is not a comic featuring people talking about monsters, or philosophizing about monsters, or about the aftermath of a monster epidemic. This is a comic about monsters, and people fighting monsters.

    That's not to say that R. D. Hall skimped on characterization. Cletus's personality is shown as much through his dialogue with his mother and Sully (his mentor he meets on his journey), as his actions. His willingness to put himself in harm's way to save a stranger speaks volumes about his character.

    Not that's he's Rambo Jr or anything. If he's outnumbered, he'll just jump in a car & mow down some monsters.

    Sully lays down the law, for Cletus and the readers, pretty quickly. According to what we're told (and what we see) in this first issue, these "vampires" are more into eating flesh than drinking blood, sunlight has no effect, and we've no indication that there's any supernatural element, or that religious symbols or holy water would affect them either. Of course, this may not be the case, this is only based upon what's been revealed in the first issue.

    When a pack of them descend upon a herd of cattle like a school of piranha, we find out that they gorge themselves until they get "drunk" which is when they're easiest to attack - with a bullet to the head, giving this interpretation of vampires a little bit of zombie in it.

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    Fast, strong zombies, with a mouthful of razor sharp teeth!

    At least some of them can talk, and one of them appears to be the leader, with a definite agenda involving a boy named Sumbitch, which I imagine will be fully revealed over the course of the mini-series.

    Mark Kidwell's pencils remind me of a less exaggerated Kelly Jones or Kyle Holtz (two of my favorite horror comic artists), and Tony Bledsoe's inks add weight and depth to the scenes without losing any detail, unlike some lazy inkers who shall remain nameless. Jay Fotos' colors add a sense of realism to the book that would be lost in lesser hands, and while I'm not usually a fan of "sound fx", Thomas White's letters prove to be the exception to the rule. The best compliment I can give this art team is that none of them were obtrusive, distracting from the enjoyment of the story.

    By the way, as this is a mature readers title, they don't shy away from sheding blood on the page. In other words, NFTS (Not For The Squeamish).

    If it's not already obvious, I enthusiastically recommend AMERICAN WASTELAND: BLOOD AND DIESEL, and suggest that you pre-order it using Diamond code (DEC063298), found on page 216 of this month's Previews (if that doesn't make sense, just give the info to your shopowner), because you know how hard it is to find mature readers horror comics from smaller publishers on the shelves these days.

    And if you like horror comics (why else are you reading this anyway?), you shouldn't miss this book.

    If $3.95 feels a little steep, don't buy two comics that suck for $2.95 and buy this instead, and you'll be saving two bucks!


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More info:
    Written by R. D. Hall
    Pencils by Mark Kidwell,
    Inks by Tony Bledsoe,
    Colors by Jay Fotos
    Letters by Thomas White

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Dec 4th, 2012, 11:27 am
Dec 4th, 2012, 8:26 pm
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Title: Mars Attacks (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Len Brown (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Decapitated Dan (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" This book is perfection, I can not sum it up any better than that."

Review:
    “In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Mars Attacks, this comprehensive book is the first-ever compilation of the infamous science-fiction trading card series produced by Topps in 1962. Edgy, subversive, and darkly comedic, this over-the-top series depicting a Martian invasion of Earth has a loyal following and continues to win new generations of fans. For the first time, this book brings together high-quality reproductions of the entire original series, as well as the hard-to-find sequel from 1994, rare and never-before-seen sketches, concept art, and test market materials. Also included are an introduction by series co-creator Len Brown and an afterword by Zina Saunders, daughter of the original artist, providing an insider’s behind-the-scenes view of the bizarre and compelling world of Mars Attacks.”

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    Dying Breath: 5.0 out of 5
    This book is perfection, I can not sum it up any better than that. Collecting the original trading card series, the second series and some more amazing artwork, this book preserves a fantastic piece of horror history. A huge plus on why this book is so good, is because not only do you get to read the original trading card set, but you also get some commentary about what was going on when the series was created. That commentary had to be my favorite part of this book. Learning about what was allowed to go on this GORE-Geous card set and what wasn’t is often time silly to read by today’s standards. As a designer myself I have to talk about the layout of this book as well. The interiors are clean and crisp. The cards, if scanned, are perfect. The dust jacket is possibly the coolest I have ever seen. Mimicking a pack of the cards, I honestly tried to open it from the back, I thought it was real. Also there is a secret surprise I won’t ruin printed on the book itself under the dust jacket. Overall I can not recommend this book more. Collecting everything Topps put out with the original card set and more, this book has it all. So glad to have this in my collection, it is just what I needed.

    Artwork: 5.0 out of 5 • Story: 5.0 out of 5


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More info:
    Writer: Len Brown (Introduction), Zina Saunders (Afterword)
    Publisher: Abrams ComicArts

Publisher:
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Dec 4th, 2012, 8:26 pm
Dec 6th, 2012, 9:49 am
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Title: Wulf And Batsy (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Bryan Bough (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Lee Newman (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" Intriguing and original enough to have me back for the second issue and gets a tentative recommendation."

Review: Wulf and Batsy #1
    Cevin and Batsy just want to find a nice town to settle down in, but people don’t seem to like them. I t may have something to do with one being a werewolf and the other being a vampire, but no one is perfect. Moving into Eppworth Ruddy may prove to be more then our duo can handle.

    Bryan Baugh handles both the writing and art chores here. He is pretty good at both. The story is simple enough, with the two eponymous characters coming into town, the simple country folk freak out. To be honest there isn’t much in the way of characterization done with the leads and the town folk all seem to be some kind of stereotype.

    However, it is a worthwhile read in the details. Things like naming the hotel the Psalm, or a one eyed preacher. The best is when the story of the horrible monsters in town is told, one elderly gent yelps out "Haunted again!" It seems that our couple have come to the wrong town and by the end of the issue that is fairly prevalent. There are some odd things, like Batsy sleeps through part of the morning and then immerses herself in a tub full of water for the daytime sleep. This was curious and I hope it is explained in other issues.

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    The only other thing to say about the writing is that the book tries to take a humorous approach to the subject matter, but seems to fall a little flat.

    The art is where Baugh shows the most potential. The designs range from photo referenced to cartoony. Amazingly enough, the different kind of characters work. The black and white of the lines and the varied textures give the book a wood etched feel making you think that the action may happen in the Victorian age, but a fifties model sedan complete with Batmobile wings dashes hopes of it being a period piece. Maybe all burlesque bars have women dressed up like they are going to Renaissance Fair, but a little confused as to what the dark ages time period is.

    Again that brings us to the details, because that is where the story excels. The town where the preacher knows a new face for possible membership into his congregation at the Holy Light Church has a Burlesque club. It makes for a hard to pin down area and time period that is intriguing and original enough to have me back for the second issue and gets a tentative recommendation.


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More info:
    Words: Bryan Bough
    Art: Bryan Bough
    Inks: Bryan Bough

Publisher:
    Image

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Dec 6th, 2012, 9:49 am
Dec 6th, 2012, 10:51 am
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Title: 365 Samurai and a Few Bowls of Rice (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): J. P. Kalonji (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Dustin Cabeal (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" My biggest regret with this book is that I didn’t read it sooner..."

Review:
    The samurai genre is probably one of the most underappreciated,most misunderstood story genres in comics and movies. Thankfully writer/artistJ.P. Kalonji understands the genre and its power completely. The story is abouta samurai named Ningen who is on a journey to kill 365 samurai, then and onlythen will he have completed his travels and be able to attain his vengeance forthe murder of his master and school. Along the way Ningen’s legend grows and sodo his feats. Each season he finds love and companionship, but throws it awayto continue his quest of vengeance. 365Samurai is actually not about anything that I just described. I have liedto you and told you what happens in the story and not what the story isactually about. The simple fact is that I can’t tell you what the story isabout just that it is a spiritual journey for Ningen and that every battle and every drop of blood has a higher meaning.

    What I love about the book is that it literally takes a halfan hour to read. It’s not due to lack of content, it’s just the format and the waythat the story is told that makes for a fast read. Each page is one panel,meaning that this 379 page beast is actually just 379 panels of a comic.Traditional comics are laid out in a 3 by 3 grid which means there are 9 panelson a page, but a lot of times those panels lack detail and quality. With 365, each page has meaning and valuewithin the story. Each page is a work of art all on its own and Kalonji managesto make the story flow seamlessly from page to page. Literally I was readingthe book fast enough that at times it was like holding an animation in myhands. With action in comics a lot of it can be lost in the still frames of thepage, but 365 finds that balance sothat the action is as intense as it would be if you were watching a movie.

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    The other strong point of the book is that Kalonji nails thesamurai journey. He really understands that samurai stories don’t need a lot ofdialog with the exception of a few scenes here and there. For the most part theswords and the facial expressions do the talking and can really tell the storywithout a single word. A particularly great scene has Ningen facing off againstan army of bandits on a snow covered mountain and as they’re descending uponhim you can see the serious attitude on his face. I couldn’t help but feelsorry for that army because you knew from his attitude and the few words hesaid that he was going to do everything in his power to kill them all.

    My biggest regret with this book is that I didn’t read itsooner and you’ll bet your ass that I won’t miss the next book from Kalonji andDark Horse. If you’re a fan of samurai and let’s be honest practically everyonethat reads comics has a soft spot in their heart for them; do yourself a favorand get this book. It’s a fast read, but in the way that makes you want to readthe book again upon completion and the only other reading experience I can equateit to is Scott Pilgrim. That’s theonly other book I’ve read as fast and enjoyed as much, but this one has swordsand awesome Samurai battles from beginning to end which puts it on a different level altogether.


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More info:
    Written and illustrated by J. P. Kalonji
    Cover colors by Dan Jackson

Publisher:
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Dec 6th, 2012, 10:51 am
Dec 6th, 2012, 1:04 pm
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Title: Iron Sky (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Mikko Rautalahti (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Pekka Ollula (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

"I’m especially happy about how they expand the film experience and the Iron Sky universe."

Review:
    The comic is written by Mikko Rautalahti, whose previous work includes the blockbuster Xbox 360 game Alan Wake and the film Imaginaerum. It was illustrated by Gerry Kissell, who is the creator and artist for IDW’s best selling graphic novel Code Word: Geronimo, and has worked for IDW on Children of the Grave, The A-Team: War Stories, Army of Two, and created a graphic novel based on Alan Wake.

    “The three issues take place in different points in history, leading up to the film, so I needed something to tie them together. For that purpose, Wolfgang Kortzfleisch was perfect; as the film’s Moon Führer, he represents the decades the Nazis have spent on the Moon, so making him the focal point of these stories made perfect sense”, said Mikko Rautalahti about the plot of the comic series.

    “Each Iron Sky spin-off has to be of high quality and stand as an independent product”, said the head of social media and the producer of Iron Sky comics Pekka Ollula. “All the Iron Sky comics will be published as a single hardcover book, as well as a soft cover version for wider distribution. But before that, all the individual parts will be digitally distributed, and the first issue is free – or if you want to support the film, comes with a ‘pay what you want to’ price option.”

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    “Digital distribution is still often seen as a bogeyman, but we don’t think like that, seeing it as a great possibility instead. Personally, the ComiXology app gave me an access to Spider-Man comics from the 60’s for the first time, and made me spend a good amount of money on them. That was a real eye-opener, and made me want to see Iron Sky comics. I’m especially happy about how they expand the film experience and the Iron Sky universe.”

    Those who pay for the comic get an access to Iron Sky Sneak Peek (http://www.ironsky.net/sneakpeek/), where the subscribers can see how the first five minutes of the film are created – starting from the idea, progressing through animatics, green screen shoots and post production, and culminating to the subscribers getting to see the beginning of the film before anybody else. Iron Sky Sneak Peek subscribers get to read all three issues of the comics without extra cost as a thank you from the Iron Sky team.


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More info:
    Written by Mikko Rautalahti
    Art by Gerry Kissell

Publisher:
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Dec 6th, 2012, 1:04 pm
Dec 7th, 2012, 11:01 am
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Title: Airboy – Deadeye (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Chuck Dixon and Gianluca Piredda(Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Billy (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" Good artwork, and an interesting but very unique tone."

Review: AIRBOY: DEADEYE #1-3
    In the year 1942, a young boy was thrust into the spotlight of comics and war! Davy Nelson, A.K.A. Airboy, is a teenage pilot that not only has great skills, but also an unbelievable airplane to perform great feats that seasoned veterans can only dream of! His plane, Birdy, is such a fantastic piece of aviation wonder, that many have tried to duplicate it, but no one has had any luck in doing so. This Golden Age character was revived in the 1980s by Eclipse Comics, and had a 50 issue run starring the son of Davy Nelson. I was privileged enough to be asked to check out the first three issue of the current series (Antarctic Press) written by Chuck Dixon and Gianluca Piredda, with artwork by Ben Dunn!

    In the first issue, the action begins immediately. The teenage Airboy is dog fighting with another elite pilot who is unaware that the war is over (as it is now 1946). The bandit seems to be able to match Airboy move for move, but he doesn’t have the awesome airplane, Birdy, that Davy has! The bandit makes a hasty retreat to an unknown location, and Airboy, along with the others on the American base, are befuddled. Next, Airboy and a few of his friends go into the jungle to seek out this bandit on the ground. They find a Japanese soldier who thinks the war is still going on. After some persuasion, he relents with his attack, and agrees to surrender. Airboy eventually becomes friends with this soldier, Nakai, and after he returns to Japan, he’s visited by his new friend. Neither is ready for what awaits in the aftermath of the war, though!

    From an artistic standpoint, this issue was great. The cover really makes this issue jump off of the shelf at you (cover by Kelsey Shannon). The interiors were nicely done, as well, and even though the book is in black and white, it doesn’t hinder, but rather it gives the story a nostalgic feeling. The story itself is a war story of sorts, but with an emphasis on the lead character, Davy Nelson, and his technologically advanced airplane. A solid plot keeps things moving nicely, and it was nice to get some back story, as well.

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    The second issue provides more action, as Airboy and Nakai battle some Japanese thugs that are trying to get Japan back on its feet, but through illegal means. At first, the Japanese warlords try to entice Nakai into helping their cause, but he refuses. He basically is then branded a traitor, but then to maker things worse, Airboy gets captured by these men. It doesn’t seem so bad, until he escapes but remembers that they still have his one of a kind airplane, Birdy!

    The most recent book shows some betrayal, with Airboy falling in love with Nakai’s beautiful daughter. After meeting back up together, Nakai and Airboy must infiltrate an impenetrable complex, take out the thugs, and take back his plane without getting killed. Little do they know that the sinister scientists have already stolen some of the plane’s secrets and are putting them to use against them!

    All three issues were solid and moved nicely with even pacing, good artwork, and an interesting but very unique tone. One thing that stands out right away, is that just judging by the cover and artwork, you’d think this was an all-ages read. It definitely isn’t, though. Not to say that it’s a mature read, but it’s not light or whimsical, and the story is heavy enough for any adult. The creators, Chuck Dixon, Gianluca Piredda, and Ben Dunn, do a great job at bringing back this Golden Age hero! If you love period pieces or military themed books, this is for you! Give Antarctic Press a look, because they have an individual style and put out some interesting books!


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More info:
    written by Chuck Dixon and Gianluca Piredda
    Artwork by Ben Dunn!

Publisher:
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Dec 7th, 2012, 11:01 am
Dec 7th, 2012, 1:15 pm
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Title: Days Missing (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Phil Hester (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Cptn Tom Sonic (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" Don't miss it!"

Review: Days Missing Volume 1
    There are days missing from history. Days of tragedy, days of disaster, days which altered the course of history forever. You see, humanity has come close to the brink of extinction countless times, only to be pulled away at the last possible second by The Steward. Minor spoilers ahead.

    Imagine The Watcher meets Dr. Who, and you've got a basic understanding of the story Days Missing tells. However, this description does not do the book justice. He watches and guides the progress of the human race, only intervening when absolutely necessary. He then folds the days back so we, his charges, have no recollection of the events, only vague dreams and half forgotten memories. His influence has not only avoided disaster, but brought about advancements as well.

    Each issue is written and drawn by a different team, while being bookended by writer Phil Hester, who provides the strongest stories. The others are very good, but just aren't as powerful as Hester's efforts. Each issue tells of a different time The Steward has been forced to interfere and each expands upon his character as well as the rules surrounding his powers.

    The art is consistently good, though once again, some issues are better than others. However, this may be a storytelling device, as the art tends to correspond to the overall feel of the tale. For example, the first tale, which tells of the failing efforts of a scientific team trying to find the cure for a virulent strain of ebola, features art which is dark and sacrifices detail to give the story a frantic, apocalyptic feel.

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    The hardcover version of this book is heavy and beautiful, with glossy pages, a lovely dust jacket, and loads of extras. It is a book made to last, which is a good thing. I constantly find myself rereading it and lending it to freinds. While they look through my bookshelf and ask, "have anything I should read?" this is always the first choice.

    This book is perfect for mature readers looking for something other than the usual superhero fare, as well as fans of sci-fi, especially Dr. Who. I wouldn't recommend this for younger readers, as certain images may be unsettling for them and they may not be able to understand all of the themes in the book. The book also contains a more hopeful outlook than some of the other stuff I read (Ellis, Ennis, etc.) which is a welcome change. Even my girlfriend loved it, and she is new to comics and hasn't been exposed to much of the medium.

    The main reason I love this book, and I do love it, is because of the last few pages. I was along for the ride, enjoying the story, the art, all of that. But then out of nowhere comes this twist and you realize the whole book has been nothing but a set up to another, greater story. The first issue of this new story has just been published at the time of this writing, and finally got me off my duff to write a review for Amazon. Now is the perfect time to pick up Days Missing and start reading the new series, called Days Missing: Kestus.


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More info:
    Phil Hester (Author), David Hine (Author), Ian Edginton (Author), Matz (Author), Rob Levin (Editor), Frazer Irving (Author), Chris Burnham (Author), Hugo Petrus (Author), Lee Moder (A

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Dec 7th, 2012, 1:15 pm