The graphic novels loved by children and adults alike
Aug 7th, 2013, 8:29 am
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Title: Cindy The Demon Hunter (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Mathias Mann (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Andy Whitaker (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" A good range of characters with a fair amount of gratuitous violence and explosions..."

Review:
    ‘Cindy The Demon Hunter’ is actually a TV show that appears to be rather similar to ‘Buffy The Vampire Slayer’. It’s strange how the success of Buffy has led to the wide acceptance of demons as being nothing out of the ordinary. It is rather like the effect ‘Star Trek’ has had on people’s general perception. Nobody will be in the least bit surprised if someone unveils a ‘beam-me-up’ transporter next week. The phrase familiarity breeds contempt may have a grain of truth in it after all.

    This PDF edition of the graphic novel by writer Mathias Mann and artist Ash Jackson is traditional USA comic book format without even a hint of manga and is the better for it. The artwork and layout is good and adds to the atmosphere of what is actually a very good story. While it may be aimed at a teenage/young adult market, there’s something here for adults who just want a quick read.

    The first few pages are a bit confusing as page 2 is completely taken up with the quote ‘So, what’s the plan, Nick? We go in shooting—Putting an end to their demon shenanigans?’ Page 3 is taken up with a portrait picture of Cindy the Demon Hunter, Page 4 is another quote while page 5 is the opening sequence from the TV show. Things take a dramatically different turn on page 6 with the introduction of the main characters, Nick and Seth, entering a graveyard.

    The storyline involves a flashback to previous events and so we join the high school lads Nick and Seth in the graveyard part way through the story after they have got possession of a mysterious cross that gives the holder invulnerability. Possession of the cross at this point is probably a good thing as the night watchman is a little nervous and prone to shoot first and ask later.

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    The mysterious cross is also being searched for by a gang of half-blood demons. It is to be used in part of a ceremony to make them full demons and bring about the end of the world for humans. Once they learn that Nick and Seth have the cross, they pursue the lads to relieve them of it. Luckily, Nick was a fan of the TV series ‘Cindy The Demon Hunter’. He realises that series one is actually coming true and they could really do with the services of a proper demon hunter. The only problem is that the actress who played Cindy is rather a bit on the dead side having popped her clogs after series two.

    The plot follows the exploits of the two lads as they try to resurrect Cindy and stop the ceremony. There is a good range of characters with a fair amount of gratuitous violence and explosions. More importantly, while there is a definite ending there are enough loose ends for follow on novels.

    The main characters are Nick and Seth with Cindy being just one element of the story. One detail I did like was that Nick and Seth are just ordinary high school lads and not martial arts experts, trained assassins or gifted with special talents. With the novel titled ‘Cindy The Demon Hunter’, I wonder if there is enough for potential readers to differentiate between Cindy and Buffy. It is certainly not another Buffy rip-off but a good story in its own right and well worth a read.


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More info:
    Written by Mathias Mann
    Art by Ash Jackson
    Lettered by Kel Nuttall

Publisher:
    Image

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Aug 7th, 2013, 8:29 am
Aug 7th, 2013, 3:00 pm
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Title: Table for One (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Bosch Fawstin (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Bosch Fawstin (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" An ambitious body of work that could have been great had the story been better developed..."

Review:
      My work done my way. A private, personal, selfish, egotistical motivation. That’s the only way I function. That’s all I am.
      — Howard Roark, Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead

    Reading The Fountainhead Image can have a deep impact on your way of thinking and general approach to life. If you’re unfamiliar with the novel, it was written in 1943 by Objectivist Ayn Rand, about a young architect named Howard Roark who refuses to conform to societal expectations. Instead, he follows Shakespeare’s advice of “to thine ownself be true” to a “T” and is a true idealist. He works for everything he has, tries to appease no one but himself.

    Table For One is Bosch Fawstin’s attempt at emulating The Fountainhead. Fawstin’s self-published title is about a too-cute young writer named Will Howland who’s temporarily waiting tables at his crooked and insanely over-weight uncle’s Italian restaurant in downtown New York. He’s won a bet with Uncle Ritchie that he couldn’t last a year, and is expecting the $5,000 pay-out, which he plans on using to publish his book. The entire story takes place in the Sotto Terra Ristorante, and among a variety of mostly shallow, contemptible characters (minus a few redeemable types), Will shines through as the idealist, the individualist who exudes confidence because he knows who he is, what he wants and how to get it.

    About halfway through his last day at the restaurant, and more than halfway through the story, a mysterious former love interest named Venna arrives out of nowhere, and just in time to save Will’s life. Venna and Will have a heated tête-à-tête about their split. She wants him back, claiming she is no longer the same person. As she puts it, “I’m not that girl who played it dangerously safe in life and in art. Most of the ‘beliefs’ I’ve held have turned out to be convenient illusions. I’ve learned to see things as they are. I see you as you are”.

    This is just before Ritchie, who has apparently been hitting the bottle too hard, goes crazy at a staff meeting threatening everyone left and right about their jobs, which, as he describes it, require abandoning any idea of self and their souls. For Will, of course, this is the last straw, and he says he’s had enough and demands the money that he’s not only won fair and square, but has actually earned. It all boils down to a physical confrontation, and just as it seems Ritchie is going to literally choke the life from Will, Venna shows up holding the gun Ritchie had conveniently placed on his desk minutes before. Ritchie overpowers her, causing Will to go ballistic and beat the hell out of his uncle. He grabs the money from his uncle’s pocket, and takes exactly what he’s owed and not a penny more. He and Venna walk off into the starry night, hand in hand, and seal their rejuvenated relationship with a kiss. The End.

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    You know how after going to the theater to check out a really hyped-up flick, and after sitting through it, your only reaction is “So what?” That’s how I felt after reading Table For One. Yeah, the hero’s great, but nothing happens to him except a fist fight with his crazy uncle to get his money. There was no challenge, no external or internal struggle of consequence—the hero Will Howland is perfect from beginning to end. If the story’s about the individual’s struggle to remain true to himself even when “…in a crowded room, there’s not a soul in sight”, shouldn’t the individual undergo some kind of test?

    It would have been better if there had been some sort of substantial challenge for Will. Will needs to be faced with a major decision. Will he conform or stand by his convictions? Something should happen, there should be conflict, a test for the protagonist. If there was, there would be a reason for readers to be interested, to invest their time in this story. With Table For One, this reason does not exist.

    As for the artwork, it’s not the best, but I will say that the sequential movement is rather smooth. And though black and white may sound like boring, static colors to some, avid comic readers know what kind of amazing varieties can be wrought from the two under the hand of a deft artist. Table For One offered little variety in that respect. Everything was either black, white or grey, which gave the artwork a flat appearance. To make matters worse, there are way too many pages where the panels have no kind of real background, as if the story’s taking place in some void. The panel layout isn’t so original either, though there are a few successful attempts at breaking convention.

    Overall, Table For One is an ambitious body of work that could have been great had the story been better developed and more risks had been taken with the artwork. I admire Fawstin’s go-getter attitude with self-publishing this title, and it’s quite obvious that he’s a practitioner of Rand’s philosophy. I just hope that his next graphic novel has a tighter and more realistic story, with a protagonist that isn’t so perfect. Even Howard Roark had his moments of weakness.


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More info:
    Written bt Bosch Fawstin
    Art by Bosch Fawstin

Publisher:
    Image

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Aug 7th, 2013, 3:00 pm
Aug 8th, 2013, 10:43 pm
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Title: THE BUNKER (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Joshua Hale Fialkov (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Ambush Bug (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" Highly recommended."

Review: THE BUNKER Chapters 1-2
    If you had the chance to talk to yourself in the past, what would you tell yourself to do? That’s the question Josh Fialkov asks in this dark and interesting twist on time travel. A group of kids find a bunker as they are about to bury a time capsule themselves. Inside are notes to themselves telling them important details that may lead to the end of the world. Now the group must deal with this knowledge with no way of communicating with their future selves at all for questions or answers.

    Time travel stories usually make my brain itch, but Fialkov keeps this one low to the ground and real. We don’t get into heady concepts about rupturing the space/time continuum or anything like that. This is just a bunch of kids who happen upon knowledge dropped onto them from their future selves and how that knowledge burdens them.

    The cool thing about THE BUNKER is that it treats things in a patient and realistic way (given the one fantastic circumstance about a message from the future). The first two chapters focus on the kids coming to terms with this knowledge and even whether they believe it or not. These scenes are played out with a patient hand, showing character through each kid’s reaction to the notes. Some of the notes are very personal, in order to prove that the note writer is who he or she claims to be. Such is the case for one of the kids who is the focus of the second chapter. Fialkov’s dark description of an event only the writer and the reader would know (because they are the same person—you follow me?) are the stuff of nightmares and make for an extremely compelling read.

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    Everything is told with moody ambiance and scratchy character designs from Joe Infurnari. The artist does a fantastic job distinguishing these characters from one another, which is not always easy when you don’t have colorful costumes to rely on. Here, the artist varies body shape and size to distinguish each, making it easy to follow.

    All in all, THE BUNKER is shaping up to be one hell of a suspenseful read. The chapters are being released on its website and through Comixology upon completetion, with the first two chapters available now. Anyone who followed the unfolding story of Fialkov’s amazing TUMOR which was released by the chapter a few years ago knows that with indie work like this, that’s where Fialkov shines. Through some fantastic imagery from Infurnari, Fialkov’s return to suspense is the stuff spines like mine long to tingle for. Highly recommended.


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More info:
    Writer: Joshua Hale Fialkov
    Art: Joe Infurnari

Publisher:
    Self-published and through Comixology

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Aug 8th, 2013, 10:43 pm
Aug 9th, 2013, 9:51 am
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Title: The Goon Noir (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Various
Review source: IGN (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" It's The Goon like you've never seen it! "

Review 1:
    A few of the more notable names in comedic film and television join forces with comics' best and brightest to bring you a hilarious new perspective on the world of Eric Powell's The Goon, in this new three-part, black-and-white anthology series.

    When asked what possessed him to turn over the reigns to one of comics most rapidly growing series, Eric Powell says, "Dwight Albatross said he wanted to do a Goon anthology just to show how many people could do the Goon better than me. I threatened to smack him in the face with a cast iron skillet but then he said he already had Mike Ploog and Kevin Nolan interested. Seeing those guys draw the Goon sounded like a good idea, even from Dwight."

    In the first issue, humor expert Patton Oswalt (Comedy Central's Comedians of Comedy and Mr. Show) who's no stranger to comics (Bizarro Comics, JLA), scribes a short story of Goon's sidekick Franky, while legendary artist Mike Ploog (Werewolf by Night, Ghost Rider) provides the art.

    And that's just fer starters! Also included is a gooey helping of other short stories by the likes of Steve Niles and Ryan Sook, Bongo Comics' own Bill Morrison, and the first in a string of serialized shorts from series creator Eric Powell and frequent co-conspirators Tom Sniegoski and Mark Farmer.

    Other upcoming creators include: Brian Posehn, Tony Moore, Hilary Barta, Arvid Nelson, Guy Davis, Thomas Lennon, Tom Sniegoski, Mark Farmer, Roger Langridge, and more!

    That's right kids, akters from the tee vee box and all yer favorite funny book creators! It's The Goon like you've never seen it!

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Review 2:
    While this tome is mostly filled with several short stories created by fan's of the Goon, with some notable celebrities such as Patton Oswalt, Brian Posehn, and Thomas Lennon, giving us some pretty diverse fare, Eric Powell also lends a hand with a three part Little Unholy B@$t@rds tale. We get the pleasure of being introduced to Dwight T. Albatross, the TRUE creator of the Goon who lets Eric Powell ride on his mighty coattails, though Dwight is none to thrilled with the lack of female fans that exist in the comic book universe and is likely going to be moving in the direction of rocker next.
    Though this does not move the main storyline of the Goon along, it is a nice addition to the collection. Much like the first story on these pages, this serves as a great Roast for the Goon. (source)



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More info:
    Writers / Artists: Arvid Nelson, Brian Posehn, Thomas Lennon, Thomas Sniegoski; Art: Humberto Ramos, Tony Moore, Guy Davis, Eric Powell, Patton Oswalt, Thomas Sniegoski, Bill Morison, Steve Niles; Art: Mike Ploog, Eric Powell, Bill Morrison, Ryan Sook and others
    Genre: Humor, Horror, Action/Adventure

Publisher:
    Image

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Aug 9th, 2013, 9:51 am
Aug 10th, 2013, 3:05 pm
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Title: Down the Rabbit Hole (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Raven Gregory and Pat Shand (Click to see other books from these writers released on this site)
Review source: Adrian (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" A great read and a must-own for Zenescope fans."

Review: Down the Rabbit Hole #2
    The story so far according so Zenescope...(Contains spoilers unless you have read previous issues)

    After experiencing progressively intense and gruesome visions, Alice Liddle visits a psychiatrist to increase her dosage of medication. While Alice struggles to hold onto her sanity, she doesn't see her family ripping apart the seams around her. To make matters worse, Alice finds herself being manipulated by a ghastly childlike version of herself that no one else can see. Unable to quiet the voices in her head, Alice attempts suicide...just as her daughter walks into the room.

    What can you expect from this issue?

    In the spirit of Zenescope's Wonderland, you can expect a thrilling story as you enter Alice's world of torment. The pace of the story is ideal. A great combination of dialogue and narrative means you can't escape what Alice is going through. Gregory and Shand keep the reader on their toes with a lot of writing in this issue, but that said, I have found this series easier to read than some of the other Wonderland mini-series. Even though we are given a great story about Alice, we are taken on the beginnings of the journey that Calie and Johnny will eventually endure. Gregory and Shand have set this up well giving the reader great context to the Return to Wonderland series which is a must read for all Zenescope fans...after all, that is where it all started.

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    Illustration and colour have made this series a visual feast. Importantly, the art keeps you constantly connected to the story as a whole as well as to the individual members of Alice's family. Watson and Idris achieve this by providing the reader with drawings of the characters from multiple perspectives. The real success in the art work is how emotion is communicated to the reader. Some of the panel art display on this review demonstrate this.

    I tend to be critical of art work where the facial expressions of the characters are not consistent with the story being told. I did feel that while the art for the most-part was brilliant, some facial expressions seem rushed and can tarnish the page. There are a few examples where this happens in this issue.

    What did others think of this issue?

    I think Unleash the Fanboy made a fair assessment of this issue...

    When it comes to the realm of Wonderland there’s certainly a lot of insanity to be had for all the various players. But after this mini-series there’s a new level of fear that should add some more dedicated followers to this corner of the Grimm universe, as pieces to a grand puzzle slowly but surely fall into place.

    Raven Gregory and Pat Shand unite to tell a text heavy tale that’s simply charged with terror. We begin to see the growth of the various members of the Liddle family, as the chaotic influence of a faraway land slowly drags them all down. But what makes this script so good is the dialogue by the seasoned authors, it creates an atmosphere that’s infectious to the point that readers are sure to be instantly drawn into this sordid affair.

    The art by Gregbo Watson and Yusuf Idris for the most part more than matches the narrative quality but there were a few bumps in the road. I found myself underwhelmed by some renditions, specifically facial features, that just came off as rushed. Chaotic line work for the most part conveyed the inner intent of the piece but there were times where it just looked off when compared to the entire body of work. (source)

    So what do I give it?

    Easily 8 out of 10. I think the art at certain points lets this issue down. That said, it is a great read and a must-own for Zenescope fans.


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More info:
    Writers: Raven Gregory and Pat Shand
    Art: Gregbo Watson and Yusuf Idris

Publisher:
    Image

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Aug 10th, 2013, 3:05 pm
Aug 11th, 2013, 8:39 am
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Title: Zombies: The Cursed (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Troy Brownfield (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: reviewer (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" I want to see a zombie movie based on this comic and I’m sick of zombies. It’s that good."

Review: Grimm Fairy Tales: Zombies – The Cursed #2
    Last issue, zombie hunter Elijah was on the hunt for an heirloom although the majority of the issue took place in a flashback during the days when he was a slave. He fell in love with the plantation owner’s daughter and the dad was none too pleased. The backstory was particularly fascinating as it ties into a slavery voodoo zombie goodness.

    A super powered chick named Samantha was looking for Elijah too…but she doesn’t appear in this issue so I guess she doesn’t matter.

    Writer Troy Brownfield does a good job with dialogue throughout. The characters sound unique and realistic. There’s a bit of a slowdown in one sequence between a methadone mom and daughter, but for the most part it’s all slippery smooth.

    What Brownfield does exceptionally well however, is pace the hell out of this comic. Everything is nicely balanced culminating in one awesome ending. He naturally cuts to flashbacks and also at the same time gets Elijah and a new female character at the same place at just the right time. And it makes sense. Believe me, that’s not easy, and it all reads very naturally, which only makes the ending that much stronger.

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    I was pretty tough on artist Oscar Celestini in last month’s issue, mainly because his layouts were so repetitive, but it seems he’s fixed that this week. There’s good use of diagonal cutting panels that make the action scenes fluid with a bit more punch. They also relay a sense of Elijah being really good at zombie killing. When the the comic pointed out in narration “He was a fine hunter,” I actually thought, “Don’t need that thank you. The images gave me that.” A lot of the art looks less rushed too with clean lines and inventive gore explosions.

    On top of all that, I don’t think the first issue is that necessary to enjoy #2. The backstory continues, but it’s easy to infer the actions in the previous issue, plus the events in this issue advance things nicely. Part of this is because there’s a conclusion I wasn’t expecting in the slightest and it’s a pretty sick, twist ending. It also sets up a potentially awesome emotionally captivating confrontation in the third issue.

    I left this issue with plenty of awesome action, advancement of character development, a surprise ending and tons of zombie gore. Yah I’d call that a win.

    Is It Good?

    Yep. I want to see a zombie movie based on this comic and I’m sick of zombies. It’s that good.


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More info:
    Writer: Troy Brownfield
    Artist: Oscar Celestini

Publisher:
    Image

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Aug 11th, 2013, 8:39 am
Aug 13th, 2013, 4:50 pm
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Title: Zombie Tramp (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Dan Mendoza (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Dustin Cabeal (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" This book probably isn’t for everyone, but if you like zombies then pick it up."

Review:
    This past weekend I stopped by the Long Beach Comic Expo and basically used it as an opportunity to grab a bunch of very indie comics. One of those that caught my attention was Zombie Tramp. It seemed a little strange to have a sexy zombie so I took the bait and bought the graphic novel containing all three issues of the series. In hindsight I kind of wish I had bought the singles instead, but oh well the price was right.

    Zombie Tramp starts off with a man paying for a couple of prostitutes from a pimp. He shuffles the ladies into a van and something inside begins going to town on them brutally murdering them. Next we meet the star of the story one Janey Belle, the highest paid call girl in all of California. Tonight she is accompanying an up and coming actor to an award ceremony. We meet our third main character as she’s transported from prison. She's very well endowed in the chest region and as such her prison jump suit pops open; as the driver of the bus stares at her chest he crashes the bus. Xula (the prisoner) escapes from wreck and kills the two guards.

    Zombie Tramp #1 CoverJaney wakes up to discover that her “madam” has been arrested. She runs to visit him in the police station since he’s the only person to ever take care of her. Once there George the “madam” asks Janey to sleep with the corrupt police officer that busted him. Janey agrees since she’d do anything for George and prepares for the night that will change her life forever. The night she’s bitten by the cop’s zombie son and transformed into the first zombie to keep its soul.

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    The back of this book has one of the most accurate descriptions I’ve ever read for a comic/book and goes a little something like this: Warning! Zombie Tramp contains: Sexy Zombie outfits, strong Trampy language and gory Undead action! And for once the description isn’t exaggerating. The outfits are sexy and the action is gory as hell!

    Writer/artist Dan Mendoza has a great style that is very similar to Josh Howard’s, but with a wider range of skills. His art style is a bit cartoony, but it’s still very mature and works with the story. In fact I think that Mendoza’s style has room for growth and variety whereas Howard’s is locked in for the rest of his career. Personally I liked the art more than the story and really enjoyed one section in particular where Mendoza left the rough pencil lines in for the characters so that you could see the entire penciling process. It reminded me a lot of Hero Bear and the Kid which had a very unique style.

    Zombie Tramp TPB CoverThe story was decent; nothing amazing but it was memorable and tried something different with the zombie genre which I have never seen. Obviously with this type of book it’s not really about a long arc of character development, but Mendoza does manage to develop the character of Janey from an abused and used call girl to a confident free willed creature of the undead. It’s funny in the sense that she needed to die and become a zombie to gain confidence and break the shackles of her former life. The story seems like it would be goofy and it does have a few cornball moments, but for the most part it’s a pretty serious story from beginning to end and you really end up liking Janey and rooting for her.

    This book probably isn’t for everyone, but if you like zombies then pick it up. The cover also describes it as a grind-house adventure and I’d say that’s pretty accurate. The art has “adult” theme’s so I wouldn’t hand this to a little kid, but if you’re a comic vet or old enough to hand nudity then I recommend checking it out.


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More info:
    Writer: Dan Mendoza
    Artist & Colors: Dan Mendoza
    Letters& Edits: Jason Martin

Publisher:
    Image

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Aug 13th, 2013, 4:50 pm
Aug 14th, 2013, 9:27 am
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Title: Savage Beauty (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Mike Bullock (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Jason Wilkins (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" I highly recommend Savage Beauty to anyone who has a hankering for fast-paced, sultry jungle adventure."

Review: Savage Beauty #1
    If you’re a fan of monthly comics, then you have to love the value found in a book like Moonstone’s Savage Beauty. Not only is there a brand new story by fan-favorite scribe Mike Bullock featuring a pair of his newest creations but the book also boasts a slew of special features and a beautiful Tom Yeates cover – all for a measly $2.99.

    At first glance, Savage Beauty might appear a bit simplistic by modern standards. The plot is fairly straightforward, the art looks just a bit dated, and the characters are fairly typical. Despite this, Savage Beauty works. The reason why it works is that it doesn’t waste time or space trying to emulate what other mainstream books already do so well. There are no cheesy coloring FX here; no superhuman civil wars or multiversal crises to survive, although there are costumes of a sort. Savage Beauty is a sterling example of what its publisher Moonstone Books does best and that’s create genre fiction harkening back to a more primal form of storytelling, when conflicts and characters were both huge and painted in broad strokes.

    The trick with this approach to comics is to infuse just enough modern sensibility, either through the plot or the art, so that today’s finicky fanboys can still relate to the story and characters. This is something of which Bullock is very cognizant, thanks to his epic run on Moonstone’s Phantom books and the creation of his own pulp-influenced properties, such as Death Angel. In Savage Beauty, Bullock follows a long tradition of jungle adventure fiction featuring scantily clad women fighting their way through hordes of cannibals, poachers, and predators.

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    While Bullock craftily refrains from tinkering with the traditional structure of these stories, he does shift the plot segments around to create a sense of mystery and suspense. He seeds his story with socially relevant themes, secret organizations, and mysterious African deities. He confidently assumes his audience has already suspended their disbelief from the moment they paid the goggle-wearing, pimple-faced cashier and drops these plot points quickly and easily in the course of his characters’ dialogue. Unwilling to sacrifice a fast pace for pages of lengthy exposition, Bullock succeeds in quickly establishing the themes and mechanics governing his dangerous jungle paradise by dropping his readers directly into the story from page one.

    Now, if only Bullock’s artistic collaborator lived up to the standards achieved in the plot and pacing. While there’s no doubt Jose Massaroli’s style evokes that cool retro feel, his rendering felt a little too cartoonish, a little too eighties for the story. A solid artist who for the most part clearly translates Bullock’s script, I was a little disappointed that Massaroli stumbled a bit during the big double-page reveal of Anaya. It lacked that sense of opera promised by Yeates’ cover and was a little confusing due to awkward page construction. I couldn’t help but wonder how much better the book would have been if Yeates did the interiors as well.

    Despite this, I highly recommend Savage Beauty to anyone who has a hankering for fast-paced, sultry jungle adventure. Featuring not one but two stunning super-spies in animal print bikinis and a bunch of cool back-up features paying tribute to the history of sassy jungle heroines, Savage Beauty is a smart, affordable purchase that will remind you of that long-ago time when the goggle-wearing, pimple-faced cashier actually gave you change back.


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More info:
    Words: Mike Bullock
    Art: Jose Massaroli
    Colors: Bob Pedroza

Publisher:
    Image

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Aug 14th, 2013, 9:27 am
Aug 16th, 2013, 8:22 am
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Title: Fairest (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Bill Willingham (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Rockabore (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" I'm glad to have purchased it."

Review: Fairest #1
    I've been a Fables fan for years and when I heard about Fairest, a book solely devoted to the female fables getting to be better explored, I could not wait to get my hands on it! As excited as I was about this book, when I read the trade I felt more than a bit underwhelmed by it and I'll explain why, but first I would like to first explain why I'm glad to have purchased it.

    **This review contains Spoilers!**
    The very first story arc of Fairest issues 1-6 Briar Rose is woken up by Ali Baba's kiss, breaking the enchantment on the Snow Queen Lumi. They're accompanied by a bottle imp Jonah Panghammer who knows most everything there is to know. After initially showing Briar and Ali hostility Lumi plays the defrosting ice queen and eventually warms to the trio mainly because she is addicted to being told stories and Jonah is more than happy to take the role of storyteller to her, particularly regarding the story of Sleeping Beauty (which, as pretty much anyone should know is the tale of Briar Rose). Jonah, while telling the story, accidentally gets the group into trouble because he numerously references the true name of the wicked fairy who is always itching to start trouble. The fairy starts a fight and Lumi, who has begun to fall for Ali Baba, takes it upon herself to finish it. BUT in a twist that I really loved, it turns out that Briar is the only one who can rightfully vanquish the evil fairy through a loophole in her curse. In the end Briar Rose learns a very important lesson from Jonah about "true love" and a way of looking at her curse (only being able to wake from her curse-caused sleep by the kiss of a prince who's love for her is true) and Lumi is allowed the chance to start over and be happy with her new boyfriend Ali Baba.

    -So for the good, I found the parts with Jonah to be very entertaining. He was witty and his smart-ass comments made me laugh throughout the story. He was probably one of the story's highlights for me. But I also loved that we got to finally revisit Briar Rose and Lumi after they had been under the spell for a long time storywise (not to mention it had been a few years real world wise) so seeing them back was a treat.

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    I really have to give the writers props here for taking Briar Rose and giving her more depth than previously seen. Previously she was only really shown to be kind but gullible (for falling for Prince Charming's mooching off her wealth in order to become Mayor), NOW we are given an explanation for her trusting nature being that one of her fairies gifted her with "the wit of an angel" which as it turns out isn't so good for her. That aside I was very impressed by how Briar's confrontation with the evil fairy Hadeon was presented, she really put that villain in her place and I couldn't help but think, "Go Briar!" the whole time. And aside from that I really liked that she got to confront the frustrations of her always being let down by every one of her "True Loves" and was introduced to a new way of accepting that true love is only a start and real lasting love is the hard part but also takes more time.

    Besides enjoying Jonah and Briar, I liked the artwork by Phil Jimenez. It was different from what I'm used to with Fables. Not in a bad way, it just has a different, more realistic quality than the usual style I'm used to from Mark Buckingham. To be honest, I do prefer Mark Buckingham's style but for Fairest Jimenez's style fit very well since the atmosphere was so well-represented such as scenes with freezing cold or the banquet from the Sleeping Beauty flashback. My only nitpick would be that sometimes Lumi looked off and though we were supposed to see her gradually become less harsh she mainly stayed harsh, well up until the end where she had a horrible 80s outfit and poofy hair (I'm just not a fan of that look in general but she used to be so pretty, yikes!). It was all well done and I also loved the covers all of the covers by Adam Hughes were just stunning, he's got a beautiful style.

    -Now for the bad, the story as a whole had problems with pacing. The beginning dragged a bit and I don't know why the bit with the puppet soldier was needed other than for padding (pages which could have been used to fix the issues with Lumi and Ali Baba's story arc) when it got to the part where Jonah tells the story the book read very well, but afterward almost else seemed too go by too quickly. Also I really didn't sense much continuity when it came to Lumi. I can accept that Jonah showed her that the Adversary drugged her into loyalty, but earlier that choice seemed to be associated with her coldness and hostility after Jack Horner broke her heart by ditching her when she was pregnant. Speaking of the 2 Jacks you might think that after what happened to her son in the Jack of Fables finale he'd have gotten a reference. Having Jonah explain that she was always good all along was a let down and just felt like a way out of having her deal with her actions, and I found that to be a big let down since her motivation in this story felt half-baked. Her "romance" with Ali Baba was odd since they didn't interact much, yet she acted smitten and head-over-heals for him in the end. And his only interaction with her was him mistakenly kissing her rather than Briar Rose at the story's start. I didn't feel like there was enough going on between them to warrant the subplot. I could almost see if it were simply used as a parallel for the fake true love that Briar Rose complained about but it certainly didn't seem that way since it was presented as Lumi finally getting happiness. It was just disappointing and would have loved to have read a more engaging love story for the two.

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    One thing that I hadn't mentioned till this point is the one-shot story included in this trade, issue #7 Lamia, written by Matt Sturges with art by Shawn McManus. This story is unconnected to the previous story but takes place in 1946. The basics of this story are that Beast takes it upon himself to investigate a string of killings connected to a Lamia who he happens to be connected to because...
    **Spoilers Again!**
    The Lamia happens to in actuality be his wife, Beauty, who -long before meeting him- killed and took the form (and eventually spirit and gentle demeanor) of a real young woman of the same name. And occasionally her evil side will surface, in which case it's up to Beast to handle her and make sure she suppresses the Lamia.

    Now, I had to re-read this story a few times to figure out where I stand on it. On one hand, I really like Noir and I've always liked Beauty and Beast in Fables since issue 1 so having heard about the issue's premise it sounded really interesting and I still do find it an intriguing idea and maybe if this Lamia idea had been implied or hinted at earlier I could have felt better about it. However, as it is this story felt incredibly bizarre to me and I don't think like it. Having Beauty who was generally presented as a loving wife and well-intentioned deputy mayor suddenly --and with no previous indication-- be shown to have a serial-killing beast side seems like it was a needless addition to Beauty and Beast's storyline. And having the Lamia say to Beast, "The only one who could love a monster like me is another monster" that really makes me question their entire relationship. We've always believed that Beauty loved Beast because of the man behind the monster so the possibility of having it be reversed seems like it could have been a twisted turn of events, only here with these versions of characters being who they are it just doesn't fit at all. Maybe the story was meant to shake us up and leave us thinking "What the f---?!" and if that was the intended effect, they did a hell of a job there. I can't tell how much of that was Matt Sturges's idea or Bill's but it definitely felt like it didn't fit Bill Willingham's style or tone when writing a complex twist for such important characters. Making the only Fables who had an actual Happily Ever After, turn out to have their love be built on lies is a story you would think that the main writer would handle himself to insure it fits right and helps fans to accept it better. As it is I'm left very confused and weirded out by that story.

    *END SPOILERS*

    In conclusion, I rarely rate Fables books below 4 because typically they are all either good or very good but I honestly can't say this was up to par. I'd recommend it to fans of Fables, but only the fans who stick with the series enough to read everything since this relies on knowing previous stories and if you're just getting into Fables or plan to start reading Fables after getting introduced through Fairest, you really should read the regular series first. That aside Fairest TPB 1 was only just an OK book. Aside from the writing being off in the main story at times the one-shot at the end really didn't gel very well with the previous material. And aside from that for a book which claims to be focused on the Femme-Fables, it really didn't deliver in this volume. The first story arc was centered around Briar Rose but it really just as easily could have been looked at as focusing on Ali Baba or even Jonah Panghammer the bottle imp (he certainly did the most of the cast of that story) since neither she nor Lumi got a great deal of actual focus for the first half of the arc. Besides that the one-shot was a story that followed Beast, and even though it was sort of about Beauty it was mainly about Beast and his feelings about what was affecting her. To be positive though, I've heard great things about the next arc centering on Rapunzel, so I do really look forward to the storyline.


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More info:
    Bill Willingham (Author)
    Phil Jimenez (Illustrator)

Publisher:
    Image

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Aug 16th, 2013, 8:22 am
Aug 16th, 2013, 4:37 pm
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Title: Damsels Mermaids (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Matthew Sturges (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Various (Don't click the sources, read the review here... ;) )

" Jean Paul Deshong impresses from the first page to the final panel."

Review: Issue #0
    I’ve been tempted by the covers of the Damsels: Mermaids series for some time, so this week I decided to take a look at the free short story made available on Dark Horse’s website for Free Comic Book day. This is a strange point to make, but I really like the unembarrassed nudity—or at least the suggestion of it— on all the covers I’ve seen. It would be easy to make such a thing titillating, but instead they seem to be like artistic nudes, the kind you would see hanging in a museum.

    The art of the actual comic is coloured gorgeously, though the expressions are occasionally lacking—or rather, they seem more concerned with making our little mermaid look pretty as opposed to expressive. It’s largely nice though, and the colouring, as I mentioned above, is a beautiful paint-like blend of bleak oceanic tones. It feels like a storm has washed out the colours, which is perfect, and the colour shifts prettily with the mood.

    Story-wise, I think that anyone with an interest in fairy tales should like this. The basic plot – the little mermaid imprisoned by a cruel warlock who wants to harvest and sell her tears – reads like a fairy tale, but the details help it feel a bit more modern. Already I love the characters: the proud, defiant mermaid and the brave little tin soldier. They exist in a very harsh world, and I have to confess that I even got a little teary at the end. It’s just a good story, plain and simple, with engaging characters, lovely art and a finger very firmly on the pulse of the dark origins of so many fairy tales.

    Even if you have no interest in the series, I would encourage you to check out this free (repeat that: FREE) comic and enjoy it as a one-shot, because I think it absolutely works as a standalone. (source)

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Review: Issue #1
    This classic under the sea fairy tale has been reinterpreted quite a few times, but as this latest jaunt proves there’s always room for one more. As a rather strong creative team delivers a satisfying start to what could be an engaging experience for its devoted audience, I’m left with only a few minor complaints.

    The script by Matt Sturges carries enough meat to stand on its own as it highlights a characters that’s been only lightly played with in the main story line. I was thoroughly impressed with the depth he brought to her while keeping her tragic history largely in the shadows. Instead we focus in on this specific adventure in her life. Beyond that the inclusion of several new characters and creatures allow for a fitting extension of this universe in a way that doesn’t feel intrusive in any way.

    Jean Paul Deshong impresses from the first page to the final panel. The illustrator uses delicate but deliberate line work to create differences between the two converging worlds. His interpretation of our primary Mermaid offers a simpler but empathetic persona that emphasizes the sturdier aspects of this outing. Save for a few minor sequences, where her facial ques seemed a tad bit off from the text, this was an exemplary collection that made a skillful display.

    Damsels: Mermaids #1 is a good comic that earns a recommendation. (source)

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More info:
    Written by Matthew Sturges
    Art by Jean-Paul Deshong

Publisher:
    Image

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Aug 16th, 2013, 4:37 pm
Aug 17th, 2013, 12:48 pm
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Title: The Dark Horse Book of the Dead (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Mike Mignola, Evan Dorkin, Jill Thompson, Kelley Jones, Gary Gianni and more... (Click to see other books from these writers released on this site)
Review source: Various (Don't click them, read the review here... ;) )

" For me this book was money well spent and I'm buying the entire series."

Review:
    Anthologies are, by their very nature, an eclectic bunch of tales. Not all of them will appeal to you, nor are they supposed to. Instead, anthologies are meant to give you wonderful reads of short tales and, as a grab bag, give you something that you may truly love. In otherwords, your favorite story in an anthology might not even be the editor's favorite story in the book.

    A few years ago, Dark Horse comics decided to present an annual series of graphic Horror anthologies, in hard cover, and for a reasonable price. The series took off and this latest one, The Dark Horse BOOK OF THE DEAD, is a wonderful showcase of the top talents of the industry.

    • Well known comic veteran, Kelley Jones, takes the lead with his story and art in The Hungry Ghosts. Wonderfully told and in only six pages tells a tale of deceptive depth and trickery.
    • The second story, The Ghoul, is a Hellboy tale by Mike Mignola (HELLBOY: The Third Wish, HELLBOY) with our anti-hero-hero on the tail of a poetic ghoul.
    • Old Garfield's Heart is a Robert E. Howard reprint, about a near immortal, with illustrations by Gary Gianini.
    • Writer, David Crouse, and artist, Todd Herman, present the inner monologue of prescient roadkill.
    • Death Boy, veers to comedy with a story by Bob Fingerman and art by Roger Langridge.
    • The Wallace Expedition may be the darkest of the lot, with a creepy tale and art by Eric Powell (THE GOON).
    • Pat McQueen writes and draws Queen of Darkness in a tale of confidence, doubt, and decision.
    • Kago No Tori is a story by Jamie S. Rich with art by Guy Davis and tells a story of love after death that I've seen repeated by a number of writers more times than I can count. Davis artwork saves the tale.
    • The Magicians: A Devil's Footprints Story, by Scott Allie and artists Paul Lee & Brian Horton, demonstrates how the most powerful magic may still not be enough to answer one's burning questions, even from the source.
    • And finally, Let Sleeping Dogs Lie is a great zombie tale - and I know it's great because, again, it's been written so many times - told through the viewpoint of household pets. As such, it rises above what would have marked its territory as a mediocre story, had it been about humans. The story is by Evan Dorkin and the art by Jill Thompson.

    The interesting thing about this anthology is, while I certainly have my favorites, even the least on my list were entertaining. Like most anthology editors, Scott Allie included one of his own stories, but I found it to be a really good story and had no problem with it. Your mileage may vary, but for me this book was money well spent and I'm buying the entire series. (source)

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    This anthology is subtitled Nine cautionary tales of the risen and hungry dead and contains an illustrated text story by Robert E Howard (creator of Conan), "Old Garfield's Heart", supposedly a 'seldom-seen tale' though in fact it's always been available in The Dark Man Omnibus (1963), a Howard collection that's hardly ever out of print! The illustrations by Gary Gianni are pretty poor. There's a Hellboy tale by Mike Mignola, of course; probably the best tale in the book is "The Hungry Ghosts" written and drawn by Kelley Jones; goodies also include "The Wallace Expedition" by Eric Powell, "Kago No Tori" by Jamie Rich and Guy Davis, and the wonderful "Let Sleeping Dogs Lie" by Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson in which a witch-cat raises zombie dogs! This is a companion volume to The Dark Horse Book of Witchcraft and is in the same "shrunken hardback" format. I do wish publishers wouldn't piss around like this - don't they realise that it makes our shelves look untidy! I mean, Dark Horse didn't shrink their hardback of Gaiman and Zulli's Creatures of the Night, so why this? Anyway, despite this annoyance this is still a pretty good book which should appeal to Dark Horse fans and, who knows, maybe zombie fans too. So if you're, perhaps, a fan of the Skipp and Spector zombie anthologies Book of the Dead and Book of the Dead 2: Still Dead, or of George Romero's Night of the Living Dead trilogy of films, then this could be just your cup of tea. Recommended with caveats... (source)

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More info:
    Writers/Creators: Mike Mignola, Evan Dorkin, Jill Thompson, Kelley Jones, Gary Gianni and more...
    Artist: Various
    Letterer: Nate Piekos & Richard Starkings & Comicraft & Various
    Colorist: Michelle Madsen & Dave Stewart
    Editor: Scott Allie
    Cover Artist: Gary Gianni

Publisher:
    Image

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Aug 17th, 2013, 12:48 pm
Aug 17th, 2013, 3:11 pm
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Title: East of West (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Jonathan Hickman (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Greg McElhatton (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" It feels so rich and textured that it's hard to not want to see more."

Review: East of West #1
    It's almost a disservice to describe Jonathan Hickman and Nick Dragotta's "East of West" #1 as a story about the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, if only because it tonally feels so different from most attempts to create something from that imagery. Instead, this is a comic that's as much alternate-history as it is adventure, and the end result is something truly enthralling.

    Hickman's always been a good one to write the alternate timelines, and he doesn't disappoint here as he shows us how we get from the Civil War to 2064, and what would become the Seven Nations of America. In most hands, I think this would feel like an information dump, but Hickman's narration is gentle and inviting, and it instead feels interesting and keeps your attention grabbed from start to finish.

    When it's not telling us what happened up until this point, "East of West" #1 shows us where the Four Horsemen are (or rather, the Three Horsemen and the other one). Hickman introduces them all in a way that's appealing and eases you into the world at the same time; the mixture of high-technology and folklore keeps any of it from being too familiar, even while each piece is still recognizable. It's a good backdrop for these characters, none of whom are the sort of people you'd want to meet, even though they're all ones that are enthralling in their own right. There's a lot of barging into rooms in "East of West" #1 that results in massacres, but to Hickman's credit, it never feels tired or repetitious. Each scene is approached slightly differently thanks to the mix of personalities, and by the end of the comic, I felt like I'd gotten well more than my money's worth.

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    Hickman worked with Dragotta on "FF" and it's nice to see them together again. From the arrival of the Horsemen back on Earth to the body count strewn across the hallway at the end of the first issue, every scene is given special care to look different and unique. I love the mixture of old time West iconography along with the future technology of this world; it's a nice blending between the two, most notably in the form of Death. Death's companions are also especially striking, with Martin's use of a limited palette of just whites and blacks causing them to stand out on the page from the rest of the world around them. It's a neat end product, and it makes you sit up and pay attention every time they walk onto the page. This is definitely a comic that would benefit from a beautiful, oversized hardcover collected edition; you want to see every last little hint of art.

    What's especially nice about "East of West" #1 is that it's very clear by the end of this first issue that this isn't a thin story. There's an untold background hinted at, a hidden conspiracy that set everything in motion and of course the world-building that's going on to get us from our timeline to this one. Hickman and Dragotta are clearly telling an epic story, and it feels so rich and textured that it's hard to not want to see more. The comic is off to an extremely strong start, and it's a big victory for Hickman, Dragotta, and Image Comics. I'm definitely coming back for more.


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More info:
    Story by Jonathan Hickman
    Art by Nick Dragotta
    Colors by Frabk Martin
    Letters by Rus Wooton
    Cover by Nick Dragotta

Publisher:
    Image

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Aug 17th, 2013, 3:11 pm
Aug 17th, 2013, 6:05 pm
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Title: Punisher: In The Blood (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Rick Remender (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Benjamin Birdie (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" I’m looking forward to seeing how this one turns out."

Review: Punisher: In The Blood #1
    There’s a moment very early on in the first issue of “Punisher: In The Blood” where writer Rick Remender proves why his voice is so vital and necessary to superhero comics in general and the Marvel Universe specifically. It’s a passing line of dialogue, not much of import, but it speaks volumes about his tone, his sense of style, and how much he defers to any stodgy reverence some might have towards traditional, continuity-heavy comics.

    He has a neo-nazi skinhead call Dormammu “Dormarmaduke.”

    It’s an incredible bit of dialogue, instantly illustrating the frission that takes place when you put a character like The Punisher into the Marvel Universe of Stilt Men and Invisible Women. Because if you have a Punisher, you have common thugs, and what would common thugs make of someone like Dormammu? Or would they even know enough about him to remember how his name goes?

    Remender, throughout his superhero work (and in the preceding “Franken-Castle” especially), has been expert at couching the ground-level world of characters like The Punisher in the Baxter Building Terrace-level world of the 616 Marvel Universe. “In The Blood” features a lot less Monster-sized craziness (although the brief hint we get that he’s still operation out of the Monster Tunnels was a nice touch), but it’s still a lot more fanciful than any Max iteration of the character. Another great example of how Remender straddles these two worlds is a climactic sequence where Frank Castle whisks away from a prison in what can only be called “The Punisher Glider” right before he incinerates hundreds of prisoners in an explosion he set. It's the ridiculous right alongside the painfully sublime.

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    Artist Roland Boschi does fine work here. Along with Dan Brown’s colors, the art has a suitably gritty, loose tone to it, making the many scenes of violence feel a bit more vicious and giving the entire issue a simultaneously starkly edged yet fluid feel. Boschi is a long-time veteran of Remender and Jason Aaron’s work, and as always, his style fits very well with the work they do on their Marvel books.

    Remender has set up, with the prison explosion and the return of one of The Punisher’s oldest foes, a potentially very interesting five issue series here. Franken-Castle is gone. And while I’ll miss him, it seems like Remender is certainly capable of telling all kinds of different Punisher stories. I’m looking forward to seeing how this one turns out.


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More info:
    Story by Rick Remender
    Art by Roland Boschi
    Colors by Dan Brown
    Letters by Joe Caramagna
    Cover by Francesco Mattina

Publisher:
    Image

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Aug 17th, 2013, 6:05 pm
Aug 18th, 2013, 1:48 pm
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Title: Switchblade Honey (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: Daniel R (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" A tad under mediocre and nowhere near the best of Ellis’ writing."

Review:
    Why does Warren Ellis keep writing silly little one-shots and why do I keep reading them? Sometimes he seems to be the equivalent of Kurt Vonnegut using Kilgore Trout to ghostwrite his short story ideas in brief references. Only Ellis can find some hapless artist to flesh out a haphazardly written outline.

    Today I picked up yet another one, Switchblade Honey, assuming that it was some new little poppet of storytelling born of Ellis having too many ideas and not enough time to properly flesh them out. So low and behold, when I peeled that pesky shrink wrap off, I found that the copyright date was 2003. Eons ago in comic parlance.

    In the case of Switchblade, the grayscale art by Brandon McKinney is mediocre at best. Barely adequate. It almost smacks of a senior project rather than a professionally published trade, but then anything with Warren Ellis on the cover is guaranteed publication these days (and a piece of my wallet it seems.) Ellis lays it out in his typically drunken and irreverent fashion (and some might say terribly contrived—I mean he says, “Fucking England, Innit,” in the preface.)

    The whole story is naught but a middle finger to the bland Star Trek worlds of the time, with captains that, in his words, impersonate “. . . Katherine Hepburn impersonating William Shatner.” But Switchblade Honey also comes off as such, with the casting of a real life actor to fill a fictional role in his sci-fi story. Yep, again. Anyone remember the main character in Ocean?

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    In this case it’s Ray Winstone, famed British actor, a notable tough-guy with a perpetual “fag” hanging from his profanity laden lips. Let’s just do it all up in typical Ellis style by using an accepted format and then putting lots of BANG, SHOCK, FUCK, all bollocks, to make it edgy, shall we? With a bit of British not-so-charm added, eh? What?

    So, no, I did not care for Switchblade Honey.

    The art is bad and the story is piss-poor. It tries too hard, too many times, to be too few things, strangely enough. Ellis wants to make of all his characters heroes, who not only bucked authority but did it for noble reasons. He uses a vaguely pushed love interest intermittently but to no effect. The aliens are badly imagined and the world is meaningless.

    To top it all off, there’s the typical bit of 20th century obsession that future stories always have (a la those Star Trek shows Ellis professes to hate.) The characters make references to Viet Nam as if they were relevant in the year 2231. It overall reeks of bad story telling and poor writing. Still and all, there’s a bit of cleavage, some explosions, lots of anti-establishment, anti-authority dialogue, and a few nice space ship shots (okay, they’re mediocre), so it’s not a total loss. But then, I’m a sci-fi nut, so maybe that’s a little skewed.

    Long story short, if you find Switchblade Honey for fifty percent off, like I did, buy it for the five dollars if a) you are a die-hard sci-fi lit fan or b) you are a die-hard Warren Ellis fan. Otherwise, save your money for Orbiter (previously reviewed by Ian), or one of his other at least mediocre one-shots.

    Verdict:
      Overall I’d give it a 2 out of 5. A tad under mediocre and nowhere near the best of Ellis’ writing.

    Essential Continuity:
      Self contained. No outside continuity.

    Read first:
      No required reading before this title.

    Read next:
      I almost hesitate to put it in with Orbiter or Ocean. It could be argued that they had no better writing, but much better artwork.

    Ellis’ most well known work is Transmetropolitan, though he’s had successful runs on many titles. (Ian loves Nextwave, a total farce in the Marvel Universe.)


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More info:
    Written by Warren Ellis
    Art by Brandon McKinney
    Letters by Ryan Yount

Publisher:
    Image

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Aug 18th, 2013, 1:48 pm
Aug 21st, 2013, 3:14 pm
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Title: We Kill Monsters (Click to go to the release post)
Writer(s): Christopher Leone (Click to see other books from this writer released on this site)
Review source: Various. (Don't click it, read the review here... ;) )

" If you like monster fights, some drama and some humor mixed in, then this is right for you."

Review:
    Upon first glance at this basic story, you’re going to also find that it looks a lot like the television series Supernatural. Two brothers fighting monsters… how important can it really be on how they got to that point? They’re a rip-off of Sam and Dean, clearly, right? Wrong.

    The first interesting piece of this story is that the one brother- Jake- turns part monster and has a giant blue arm with exceptional strength. After this happens, he needs to eat the brain fluid of other monsters in order to keep up his strength. With a sort of straight laced, slacker brother in Andrew and his sort of girlfriend Vanessa, this story goes from one panel to the next with bizarre actions that are often hilarious. I think this story truly hit me right when Vanessa’s dad got killed. That was kind of an out-of-the-nowhere twist that made me feel good about reading this.

    Ultimately, this story reveals that these monsters were created by a cereal corporation (sort of) and there exists this giant mutant bunny thing that is more or less probably supposed to be like the Trix rabbit. The fact that this all ties in with cereal mascots just makes it one of my favorite stories ever and not just because I want Quisp to come to life (Evil or not, he’d so be my Facebook friend)

    This story is what is says it is: They kill monsters. If you like monster fights, some drama and some humor mixed in, then this is right for you. (source)

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    We Kill Monsters tells the story of two auto mechanics that find themselves improbably thrust into a world of monsters. One of the mechanics is bit by a monster and instantly notices some rather strange side effects. Their lives change from that point forward to hunting the monsters and, as the title would hint at, killing them in their search for a cure and the source of the problem. A talented creative team of Chris Leone, Laura Harkcom, Brian Churilla and Ronda Pattison come together for some humorous writing.

    The look and feel is that of a classic cartoon with some truly gruesome monsters mixed in for good measure. After re-reading this series I find myself enjoying more this time around, and I know friends that enjoyed the series right from the start. Published by Red 5 Comics, pick this collection up in stores if it sounds like your cup of tea. If it doesn't, that's my fault in the description and you should pick it up anyways. (source)

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More info:
    Writer: Christopher Leone
    Story by Laura Harkcom
    Art by Brian Churilla

Publisher:
    Image

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Aug 21st, 2013, 3:14 pm