(Monkeybrain Comics, 2014)
Illustrated by Eric Zawadzki and Chris Peterson
Colours by Eric Zawadzki and Marissa Louise
Written by Ryan K. Lindsay
Letters by Eric Zawadzki
Edited by Dan Hill
The mind is a mystery. Modern science has yet to understand why humans use only a small portion of their brains. That is part of the reason why it is such a ripe fruit for the picking when it comes to popular culture and entertainment. Continue reading
(Red Line Comics, 2013)
Script and Story – Brian Visaggio
Story, Art, Letters – Kevin Roberts
Story – Martin Krause
The business of comics is not easy to break into, and was even harder to do so a decade ago. But with the advent of new sharing technology, the popularity of sites like Comixology as a medium for comic reading and transfer of data, and the rise of social media like Twitter and Facebook, it has become possible for people to put their own projects out there. Continue reading
(5th World Studios, 2014)
Review by Brad Gischia
Written by Michael Moreci
Illustrations by Keith Burns
Color by Chris Beckett
Letters by Jim Campbell
*Moderate Spoilers
Happy New Comic Book Day! On this most joyous of weekdays, perhaps as you’re browsing about in the virtual bins at Comixology, you happen upon Hoaxhunters and remember that they’re on sabbatical. But how to get your Moreci fix? Continue reading
(Monkeybrain Comics, 2013)
Review by Cory Thrall
WRITTEN BY: Gabriel Hardman
ARTWORK BY: Gabriel Hardman
Releasing this Wednesday the 15th, “Kinski” has to be one of the most subtle and curious titles I’ve read in nearly 30 years of reading comics. While I can see someone flipping through this and not getting much out of it, I found that hidden ‘between the lines’ was an intricate character study, an engaging story that so far is totally not what would be expected. Continue reading
WRITER: Chris Roberson
ART: Dennis Culver
COLOR ART: Stephen Downer
The newest issue in the opus that is “Edison Rex”, issue #6, is to be released tomorrow, March 13th, from Monkeybrain Comics. I had a chance to read this issue prior to release, and was very happy to have done so. This is an exciting, somewhat tongue-in-cheek comic that has all a title needs in spades. Continue reading
(Marvel Comics, 2013) – Reviewed by J.G. Butler
By now, if you haven’t heard of the recent goings on within the Spider-Man titles you’re probably not reading this, since there is a pretty crappy internet connection under a rock, or you don’t care. I’m going to assume either one of those things are true, or that you’ve read it and know what the deal is. But, either way, this is more about “Superior Spider-Man” issue #5 than it is the whole debacle that was “Amazing Spider-Man” #700 (which I was personally a huge fan of). So, let’s look in on this new Otto Octavius Spidey and see how he’s been doing.
An old villain, previously saved from death by the earlier Spider-Man, returns and has one thing on his mind. His name is Massacre, so I’ll let you guess at that one. As per his name, he killed a large group of civilians in the previous #4, causing Superior Spidey to decide that he won’t fail as Peter previously had, and will end Massacre’s murder spree “at any cost”. It makes one wonder how far this Spidey might go. That question is answered in this most recent issue, #5.
This issue finds Otto continuing with his ‘one step forward, two steps back’ approach to becoming a hero, and – of course – a ‘superior’ one, at that. Although Otto has been making progress on the ‘real’ Peter’s social life, and even begins to fix his and Mary Jane’s relationship, he still has major flaws that are apparent in his attitude and treatment of what crimes ‘deserve’ his attentions, and which do not. Where the original Spidey would stop at nothing to take care of any type of problem he came across, Otto passes on some superhero duties with the justification of having already done more than Parker had during his career behind the mask. This of course drives the still-attached corporeal form of the real Peter Parker nuts, giving him more to nag Otto about. This ‘nagging’, which began with issue #2 of this title, was at first very annoying and whiny, but has since leveled out well, giving Peter moments to complain as well as giving Otto some inspiration and even compliments at times. Some things Otto really does do better than Peter had, and he acknowledges this. Peter actually talks a lot in his ghostly form, which Otto is beginning to notice more and more, it seems.
One of his main problems with filling the shoes of the usually charismatic and friendly Parker is that Otto is constantly talking down to fellow employees and superiors at Horizon Labs, which is creating more suspicion and anger at each turn. He literally bosses the boss around, treats the whole Lab like a group of morons, and feels no need to change a thing. He’s Otto, even under the suit and with his changing outlook, so the ‘I’m such a genius’ mindset that has always been a part of Doc Oc’s personality is still there, and most times its his main flaw. When belittling his superiors at Horizon, he is told that Parker never received his Doctorate, thus making Doc Oc not so much of a ‘Doc’ in Peter’s body. He feels completely robbed of his Doctor title, which is ironic since the whole reason this has happened is because he basically stole Peter’s body. So, Otto heads back to school, and is not too happy about having to do so. This further cements his opinion that Peter was a screw-up and a complete fool. It’s a little silly of a plot twist, but in this situation it’s the only viable option for him. His first day in school Otto finds himself bugged numerous times by an unseen woman offering tutoring. Finally, he gives in and goes to her home, planning to ask her to stop bothering him. He is surprised to find that she has been ‘waiting for him’ (she tells Otto/Spidey/Parker that he will need her if he’s going to pass a class taught by a Dr. Lamaze), and is what she herself describes as a ‘little person’. Add in the fact that she is a highly intelligent and quite witty woman and a ‘Science Chef’ (using chemicals and physics to create perfect dishes), and we have the makings of a great character. One might be so bold as to sense the possibility of love in the air for the Superior Spider-Man, but that has yet to be seen in any way. I do firmly believe she will be an integral part to the title, in one way or another, I’m just not sure how.
After a bit of a study and food with new study-buddy Anna, Otto turns his sights back on Massacre. As hinted at in #4, Otto’s plan is to get a hold of Uatu Jackson (a partner from Horizon Labs) and his new version of a facial recognition program, allowing the untold number of spider-bots at Otto’s control to search out Massacre by face alone. Eventually, the bots do in fact find him, and Spidey rushes off to his location. The finale of this story is quite a shocker, but maybe not as you might think. The ending alone makes this an important issue, maybe the most important since ASM #700.
While this issue was an enjoyable and exciting read, there were a few things that irked me. First of all, this title has already been adding Batman-type gadgets to Spidey’s arsenal, which to a degree would make sense, as Otto is much more savvy in the use of the tech available to him. It was a minor annoyance at first, but this facial recognition plan sure sounds a lot like Batman’s cellphone sonar trick used in the film “The Dark Knight”. Peter/Otto’s co-worker Uatu even states that it is ‘too much power for one man to have’, nearly the exact line said by Lucius Fox/Morgan Freeman in ‘Dark Knight’.
This is the second issue with Giuseppe Camuncoli on art, and I have to say I’m not enjoying his very straight forward style quite as much as Ryan Stegman’s intense line work. He is missed. I am much happier with Camuncoli’s version, however, of ‘ghost Peter’ appearing in more of a spiritual ‘smoke’/mist form, rather then the ice or glass he looks to have been made of previously. I just don’t like Camuncoli’s rendering of Spider-Man, as he looks like a bulky wrestler, or like he’s been spending a ton of time lifting weights. And could we please stop changing the size of his goggle lenses from one panel to the next? I want to believe that they have a purpose in doing so, but have been unable to see it in any consistent use throughout these issues.
Dan Slott’s writing continues to be solid and intriguing, making this title a fun ride so far. The characters are still believable as they are adapting to this new Spidey and Peter Parker. Slott’s dialogue and pacing is spot on, and gives the book a real depth, something not found in a lot of comics today. Even though Otto is a bad guy trying to be good, we feel for him in his plight, and maybe even feel a little sympathy. He’s killed hundreds of people (maybe more) over the decades, but something about seeing him so confused and vulnerable is refreshing and relatable. Not an easy task, especially with the way Otto became Peter Parker. Or his body. Or whatever. While the end scene was very effective, it did feel brought down by the whole ‘anti-publicity’ fast food logo scheme. This seemed more like a round table discussion where a silly idea gets bigger, until it eventually enters into the work. It just didn’t feel right. Also, that earpiece/cell phone idea – does the thing really need to be so large? Doesn’t Otto have the technological capacity to have some earbuds created for him? He’s a genius, surrounded by geniuses who also happen to make tools and gadgets for Spidey’s use, so this horrible idea makes no sense. It’s not only illogical, it also looks horrible and is far too large to even be the type of device it’s attempting to emulate. Bad choice there, and one I hope they fix or get rid of altogether very soon.
So, how will Spider-Man ever recover from all this damage? That’s the billion dollar question that has yet to even be addressed, but – please! – no time travel. Having no scene in this with Green Goblin (since his reveal at the end of #4) also left me wanting. He may know Peter Parker’s Spider-Man better then anyone, but can he take down Otto’s ‘Superior’ version? With the way things are progressing, it’s going to be a crazy battle no matter what.
This title has been consistently good, and I’m loving what Slott has been doing with this idea. It was far more creative than I had expected to begin with, and he has taken that idea and flown high with it. Another very entertaining issue of one of my favorite monthly reads.
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Follow J.G. Butler on Twitter: @Floor0272
Releasing on March 6th, Monkeybrain Comics has a new title by the name of “Artful Daggers”, and it’s an excitingly dark and fun one. Continue reading
(Monkeybrain Comics, 2013)
Reviewed by Cory Thrall
“High Crimes” is probably one of the most interesting comics I’ve read in a while, mostly due to the basic premise of the series. Continue reading
(Marvel NOW!, 2013) – Reviewed by Feral Fang
I should begin this with saying I am one who really enjoyed last year’s “Avengers Vs. X-Men” crossover event, and honestly think it was one of the most fun events since the whole ‘House of M’ imaginative craziness. That said, I am very excited and surprised at how Marvel has used the large number of crossovers it has had in the past decade or so and woven so much of them into current continuity. Titles from all over the Marvel spectrum have been the direct result of these events and major story arcs, like the “New Avengers” focus on the Illuminati, “Civil War” still being mentioned and the ramifications still felt. This is the kind of Marvel Universe they had always teased at since I was a kid. Instead of guest starring roles, hero-vs-hero battles, and team-ups to integrate the Universe, it feels to me like they have done a damn good job running the threads from these into the titles they have today. Which brings us to this title, “Uncanny Avengers”. This is one I came in a little late on, but since issue #2 I’ve had nothing but excitement for this book. I really enjoy the ‘casting’ so to speak, and feel they have already become a cohesive team. I was at first annoyed at Captain America being a member, but when he named Havoc as team leader I felt a bit better about it. It still bothers me a bit, but – hey! – it’s an “Avengers” related title, so you get what you get. Mainly, Cap and/or S.H.I.E.L.D. And that’s fine.
The first arc for “Uncanny Avengers” have been a blast, and that’s both a pun and a truth. After the events of “A vs. X”, Professor Xavier is dead, and the Red Skull has a plan – take Xavier’s brain, somehow attach it to his own, and gain Professor X’s psychic powers. The ‘Uncanny Avengers’ team, while being formed as a sort of publicity stunt to show the world mutants and humans can work together in peace, quickly finds themselves in their first adventure – and one that just might kill them. Red Skull, using the powers of Xavier’s brain as a device for mind control, sets his S-Men and the now-enthralled civilians of the surrounding area against the team, and even mutants as a whole. As people are given the ability to see the mutant in people who may or may not know it, they become a mob of murder, beatings, and blood. Heroes are beat to bulging versions of themselves, a God is controlled by Skull – so much goes bad in the first three issues that it left me waiting for this newest one with an almost ‘happy panic’. So, I got it, and read it. And, even with some things that stuck out in a bad way, I really, really enjoyed it.
Crafting such a smooth and excitingly told story in only four issues is a feat for any writer, I’d imagine, but Rick Remender once again rises to the occasion. The characters, while well known already, have found a new space to grow in this title, and Remender has used it to it’s maximum potential. Rivalries and tempers still flare from “A vs. X”, Havoc’s fear of failure is strongly developed, and given even more depth with a flashback scene of young Alex and Scott, surviving a horrible situation. In that tiny scene it explains the brother’s constant struggles without needing more (for now), or not being enough. The writing and script, through all four issues, is just like that, as well. Not too much or too little, just a well written arc with some very interesting character development and high-end action and drama. It really hits you as this story unfolds, the scale and scope of what is happening, and by the time you arrive at issue #4 you feel like you’ve been through the same violent and disturbing fight the team themselves had just been through. The story is rough, takes no prisoners, and is as brutal as it needs to be. Again, there’s that balance.
I do have one beef with the writing, and that’s in the way Remender handles Cap. As stated, I know it’s almost always a guarantee that he will be in any “Avengers” oriented book in one fashion or another. It’s his crew, I get that. But a lot of times, and especially in this title, he never really feels like more than a cardboard cut-out of Captain America, even when he fights aside or within whichever team. That’s why it disappoints me so much in this particular comic, because of the great character building that the title is filled with. Captain America has been around a long time, and his story and character has been explored in more ways than most comic book characters in history, but there *has* to be more, or something else you can add to the legacy. Really, there has to be growth, which I don’t see at all in “Uncanny Avengers”. It’s just stereotypical Cap doing what Cap does. The entire situation around him is becoming worse than a nightmare, and the only character not written like they’re actually in the midst of such a battle is, of course, Cap. It’s awkward, and makes me wonder why he’s even here in the first place.
My main problem with this title is, no matter how much I love it and enjoy reading it, I can’t get around John Cassaday’s art. His art is workable, and isn’t exactly horrible or even bad, it’s just boring. Sadly, as the issues go onward, his work gets a bit worse each issue, until we get the seemingly hyper-rushed mess that is the art in this fourth issue. Some scenes look pretty good, but then you’ll get a handful of panels that look more like rough sketches that were accidentally inked. His work is mostly clean and clear, as it tends to usually be, but some of the work in this title has made me even less of a fan of his, and to be honest I wasn’t really one to begin with.
This title is awesome, fun, huge, and deeply character driven in the down-time. It is one I will be gladly buying as they’re released. I just wish they’d get somebody else on the artwork. Sorry, Cassaday, but you and Cap are the weight on this otherwise effortless comic.
WRITING: 8 / 10
ARTWORK: 6 / 10
OVERALL EXPERIENCE: 7.5 / 10
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(DC Comics Digital Firsts, 2013) – Reviewed by Feral Fang
‘Lil’ Gotham’ has been one of my favorite comics since launch, especially at the unbelievable price of 99 cents an issue, but I may be heavily biased due to the fact that I am one of the largest ‘Batman Freaks’ I know of. Once I saw Dustin Nguyen’s beautiful Bat Family artwork surfacing, I instantly fell in love with its child-like humor and visual beauty. It was amazing stuff – painted lightly but with a range of color that would go from near pastel to deep, rich tones. While the character designs and look of the style were much like a children’s book, they were spot on, allowing it to be a weirdly perfect fit within the usually darker Batman universe. The figures were strong, with such well placed hints of detail that you instantly knew which character you were looking at. Upon seeing the release of the first installment of the digital only “Lil’ Gotham” series, I figured I had just found a new favorite comic. And I was very happy to be correct in that assumption.
Since last year’s opening Halloween-themed issue they’ve released 5 more, all based on and released near certain Holidays. I quickly found that the title was as genius and amazing I had hoped. And maybe even better. Written by Derek Fridolfs and Nguyen, so far we’ve seen stories for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, and Valentine’s Day. All of these have been incredibly fun reads, taking a classic innocent silliness and mixing it into hints of the darkly serious tone of the usual Batman title. I was amazed (and still am) at how well it worked.
Today saw the release of issue #6, which revolves around the Chinese New Year, and is one of the most well written issues to date. For me, this new issue is exactly what I needed after #5’s Valentine’s Day story, which I found to be too unoriginal of a concept and the weakest in the series so far. This issue opens with Damien, frustrated that his Father (that Batman guy) is too busy with business matters to train with him. Alfred takes him to Chinatown, where there are celebrations already going on, and assures Damien that he will be training, after all. Arriving at one of the original schools Bruce had trained at years prior, they are greeted and Damien finds Katana waiting there to train, as well. Upon learning of a sacred blade that was recently stolen from the school, the training turns to a mission to find it. This also cues Alfred to tell a story of his and Bruce’s past, in the first days of Batman. This flashback is painted in black, white, and greys, all the while still as vibrant and perfectly shaded as the color work. This flash has many great moments, including a very bitter-sweet nod to the ‘Flying Graysons’. And that’s the kind of series this is – it will make you laugh out loud, you will marvel at how wonderfully charismatic the artwork is, and – for the Batman fans in the crowd – you’ll get plenty of canon references and other things that have always made it such a treat to be a fan of the Batman Family. Expect to fall in love with these different but all too familiar versions of beloved characters, and – most of all – expect to fall in love with this title. Even if you’re not the biggest Bats fan or even one at all, this series has all the humor, artistic quality, and great stories that should ‘seal the deal’ for just about any interested comic fan. Brilliant, genius, and damn near perfect.
WRITING: 8 / 10
ARTWORK: 9 / 10
OVERALL EXPERIENCE: 8 / 10
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(IDW Publishing, 2013) – Reviewed by Ravingnerd
A while back I was asked what I was most looking forward too about the 2013 comic industry. While I couldn’t pin just one down, I knew for sure that the relaunch of the entire G.I. Joe franchise was up there. The team of Fred Van Lente and Steve Kurth delivered a nice start to one of America’s most iconic franchises. The art is definitely the best aspect of this book, vivid, vibrant, and alive, it captures piece by piece the drama and immense action this book delivers. I don’t think I can express just how fabulous the art is. While the art was fantastic, the story was much less dynamic. While it served as a fantastic introduction to the characters involved, the plot was set up poorly. The Joe’s were sent into a mission that was poorly explained. Thus the reveal that Cobra was in control of the town they visited ended up not being a big deal. There was plenty of humor involved with the issue, which was refreshing and nice, but the overall set up was poorly set up. That being said, it is still one of the best war comics to come out of comics in the past few years. The characters are dynamic, and the direction is clear. The comic simply stumbled upon execution of its first major hurtle.
Overall a solid read, and of surprising quality. While many have laughed, the relaunch of G.I. Joe seems to be just what the franchise needs. If you have ever been interested in the title or are just looking for a good read, then this is your comic.
WRITING: 6 /10 – Nice direction, but stumbled with the execution.
ARTWORK: 8.5 /10 – Surprisingly solid and well done.
OVERALL EXPERIENCE: 7/10 – Surprisingly successful and quite fun.
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(Marvel NOW!, 2013) – Reviewed by Feral Fang
My history with Nova as a character is somewhat spotty, but he’s always been one interesting enough to me to ‘dip in’ when I could. I’d find the random issues of the original series in the cheap-o comic boxes when I was a kid, and would usually pick up one or two. It wasn’t the greatest comic or most original idea (it was always targeted for being “Green Lantern” meets “Spider-Man” – Spidey due to Nova being a teenager, “Green Lantern” due to his being a member of a multi-species intergalactic police force – the Nova Corp), but I loved the character design, the look of the comic, and well – it was just fun. And cheap, too! When they brought the Richard Rider version of Nova back with the early 90’s “New Warriors” title, my interest grew even more. As that title went it’s own way and I ventured elsewhere, I noticed over time that Nova was showing up more and more in the Marvel Universe, even getting a few mini-series and titles here and there. Sadly, I never had the chance to pick up any of those series as they came out, but that’s just fine at the moment. Why? Because Nova is back. Sort of. No more Rider, enter Sam Alexander.
As a character, Sam is many things, and we learn this pretty early on. After a quick look into Nova Corp past, we open on modern day Earth. Sam is at school, where his Father – who may or may not have previously been one of the Nova Corp (Sam leans on the side of “not”) – is now the school Janitor, currently vomiting violently in the Boy’s bathroom. Acknowledging the fact that he’ll actually be the one to (once again) finish the cleaning for his drunken Father, Sam helps him up and off to his garage. He stands tall while his Father falls into a drunken sleep and in a telling shot, we see his Father’s old Nova helmet on a shelf behind him, tossed aside like forgotten sporting gear. A closer shot makes it clear that there are workings involving the helmet that have yet to come into play. To me, all of these short instances – beginning right in this first scene at the school – sums up Sam’s character perfectly. Though he hates the situation he’s in, and wishes more than anything to leave the small town of ‘Carefree’, he keeps it mostly inside and does what needs to be done. He is at once a caring son and a frustrated ‘nurse’ for his Father, even if the frustration is based on his fear for his Father’s life and safety. He is an older brother, with his sister Kaelynn, who he openly loves and watches over, joking with her about believing their Dad’s “stories” of his Nova Corp adventures. Though she is young enough to still believe in fantasies, she honestly fears that their Father will one day be called back by the “Novas”, as she calls them. She believes him to be the “Greatest Nova Ever”, something she says with awe and respect. There are major differences between these siblings, however. While Kaelynn is cute, gentle, and trusting, Sam is snide and quick tempered – especially with his Mother, who might even be quicker to anger than Sam is. She scolds Sam for not wanting Kaelynn to focus on such “fantasies”, eventually hinting at a greater story, stating that Sam has “no idea of the sacrifices” his Father had made. Sam’s personality begins to take shape at this point. He is a fighter, a care-giver, a jaded teenager and a loving brother. He is also a dreamer – but this time he just might get more than he’s ever wanted. It takes a love interest and a few colorful characters from the Marvel Universe to finally bring him to his apparent destiny – becoming the next Nova. Which is perfect, since he believes his Dad’s stories are completely fiction.
This new Nova – or rather, Sam Alexander – is written like an angst-filled teenager, which makes perfect sense given his life at the moment. I can understand that. Jeph Loeb’s script, however, made him more annoying than troubled, and a character that is pretty hard to like, even given his love and care towards his sister and Father. He’s whiny, selfish, and is written a bit unimaginatively, almost as if relying on the list of standard ‘disturbed teen’ cliches. The rest of the book is a nicely spun drama with perfect touches of action and emotion, all balanced very well between one story environment to another. While I enjoyed most of the script, I also felt it was missing something I couldn’t put my finger on. The pacing is slightly fast moving, and I feel it read a bit too quickly, even in these days of ‘movie trailer’ length 1st issues. An odd thing about this book is that I came into it not much of a fan of Ed McGuinness’ art, and left it very curious about what else he’s currently up to. McGuinness’ artwork in this title is crisp, smooth, and rarely showed the ‘bulge’ look a lot of his earlier work had. It really fit well, especially with the Nova universe backstory and ‘storytelling’ scenes. In the end, it makes for a nicely fluid action story mixed between scenes of dark drama, some of which you would not expect given the almost completely silly looking cover. All said, I enjoyed this title, and will be checking in for issue #2. I at least owe Nova that much, after all these years of neglect.
WRITING: 7 / 10
ARTWORK: 7 / 10
OVERALL EXPERIENCE: 7.5 / 10
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(Image Comics, 2013) – Reviewed by Feral Fang
I first saw “Snapshot” #1 solicited in ‘Previews’ not too long ago, and was instantly curious about this mini-series. Being a big fan of Jock’s artwork, I was excited to get this black & white Noir story in my hands. Not knowing much of writer Andy Diggle aside from his shining list of previous works, I was secure enough with the premise to pick this up the day of release. I was not disappointed, I can tell you that! The story is a simple but brilliant one – Jake, a worker at the local comic book shop ‘Near Mint Rhino’, finds a cellphone lying in the grass at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. Thinking he has found himself a good way to make some easy money, he pockets the phone and heads off. Arriving at the comic shop, we are introduced to Steve, who not only seems to be the store’s most loyal customer, but also somewhat of a friend to Jake. In the store they talk about some hard to find comics, until Steve is pulled away by a call from his girlfriend, who is back at home organizing what looks to be their part in an anti-war rally. While Jake is alone in the shop he decides to check out what he can find on the lost phone, and is very surprised by what he finds – possible photos of a murdered man, bullet to the head. This is where the story takes a turn for the dangerous, and where the core of this story really starts to take off.
Jock’s art is as crazy and fun and amazingly rendered as always, and the lack of color makes his lines and shading all the more important, and handles that weight in spades. His use of shadowing and light makes this seem like some old television show or film as seen through a modern gaze, telling a modern story. A number of the panels need to be posters of some kind, the art really is that strong and iconic. Put under a lot of other artist’s eyes, this could have turned out to still be a readable and enjoyable title, but Jock’s work really takes it for me. It’s just beautifully drawn black and white artwork. The many ways his style works for the tone and subject matter at hand is proof of how versatile an artist he really is. Coupled with a great script by Andy Diggle, this comic waves you through its pages, like riding a river of awesomeness. It’s not light fare by any means, but the way it is written, and the way the art is so perfect for the script, creates a comic that reads fast but leaves a long-lasting taste of grime and dirt in your mouth. It also makes you want to tear through the calendar and get a hold of the second issue directly after finishing the first.
I was not surprised in the least that I enjoyed this first issue as much as I did. I had been looking forward to it, creating my own hype in my head and to friends, and it has met all expectations. If you’re looking for a non-superhero book, or if you enjoyed Image’s recent “Happy!” mini-series, I really think you’ll enjoy – maybe even love – this title. I know I’ll be back for Issue 2, just as soon as I can get my eyes on it. A really outstanding book in all ways.
WRITING: 8.5 /10
ARTWORK: 9 /10
OVERALL EXPERIENCE: 9.5 / 10
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(MARVEL NOW!, 2013) – Reviewed by Feral Fang
I had been hearing a few hints and whispers about this title from all sorts of people and places, so I finally sat down with the first issue not too long ago and gave it a read. I was very surprised at this title, and how fun it can be. It isn’t “literature”, of course – I mean, it *is* the Hulk – but this title holds perfect ground between mindless SMASH and some pretty emotional drama. Now we’re up to issue #4 which, while it may not be the best one so far, still holds testament to the idea that makes this title the oddly workable premise it is. If you are new to this book, let me give you a quick run through: Bruce Banner has fully given in to the fact that he will never be rid of the Hulk, as everything that could possibly be tried to ‘cure’ him has been tried, and he sees no other options available of any kind. Using a surprise meeting with S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Maria Hill (in a diner, of all places), he runs an idea by her – if S.H.I.E.L.D. supplies Banner with all of the tech, Lab space, and workers he needs to fully realize his potential as a scientist, he will allow them to use the Hulk as a form of ‘weapon’ – just drop him in, point him in the right direction, and hope he destroys what you sent him to destroy. Banner sees this as a way to repay the world for all of the bad that Hulk has done over the years (as he says in this issue: “Hulk Breaks, Banner Builds”), while Maria Hill sees an interesting opportunity for S.H.I.E.L.D. The arrangement is made, and Banner begins to assemble his work, Lab, and assistants, while he is sent as the Hulk to handle missions not suited or safe enough for any normal agent. Oh, and eventually S.H.I.E.L.D. gives Bruce/Hulk a R.O.B. (Recording Observation Bot) to watch over him. There really hasn’t been enough of this ‘character’ to know here nor there on my opinion of it.
A.I.M. had reactivated the Quintronic Man – a “walking weapon of mass destruction” that Hulk has had quite the problem with in the past – and Hulk took him down, no problem. Now, Banner has the equally scary experience of meeting his new Lab Assistants, who may or may not be hiding interesting secrets and agendas. Giving them the “Banner is about to Hulk-out, what do I do???” test (which they all pass without flinching), Banner makes the creepy statement that the Hulk “does happen” and, if he does “you can get to safety…if you run.” To me that is what the whole book has been about – that fine line between Bruce and his other self, and the constant danger that, regardless of any helpful tech or other ways to curb his aggression, Banner can still become the Hulk at basically any time. Even in the safest of situations, he is a constant wild card. At this point in Banner’s life, it seems to have driven him to be a bit demented, maybe even darker. His humor is more jaded, his attitude more direct, and his want to create rather than destroy almost seems fueled by nothing but a deep guilt and regret at what his life has become. Now he wants that spot back, the Banner that he was before the accident. His seeing the Hulk as a bargaining chip with S.H.I.E.L.D. tells a lot about how he views himself, especially in that form. Expendable, unreliable, deadly and destructive. He may act as if he has found a sort of peace with his ‘problem’, but to me he reads as if he’s really just attempting to separate himself from the beast, allowing it to run free under S.H.I.E.L.D.’s loose control without Banner being fully responsible for his actions.
After Banner runs his new team through the Hulk Test, he meets with Director Hill to discuss an undersea city known as Lemuria, a place previously known as more of a rumor than a reality. Atlantean Warlord Attuma is attempting to seize control of the entire Pacific Ocean with the help of not only his impressive army and weaponry, but also giant sea monsters – ones that have been proven to originate from the legendary city. Hulk, in a specialized (and very Sci-Fi looking) suit, is sent off to deal with this attack, and a cliffhanger ending wraps it up nicely, with Attuma sending Hulk to his ‘death’. Which, of course, will *most likely* not be the case, but it’s still a fun cliffhanger to a great issue from one of new favorite titles.
WRITING: 7 / 10
ARTWORK: 7.5 / 10
COLOR ARTWORK: 8 / 10
OVERALL EXPERIENCE: 7 / 10
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(IMAGE / SHADOWLINE, 2012 – Present)
Review by Cory Thrall
“Comeback” is a 5 issue mini-series put out under the Image Comics ‘Shadowline’ imprint, and is a time travel story involving a company named Reconnect. Continue reading
(MARVEL NOW!, 2012 – Present) – Reviewed by Feral Fang
Marvel NOW! has turned me on to a number of characters that I never really paid attention to, for whatever reason. Another one of these is Thor who, after years and years of seeing him throughout the Marvel Universe, I have always thought was a dorky, useless character. I was either unknowingly wrong then, or this new title has upped the ante on Thor books and made this something both epically powerful and tightly character-driven at the same time. The writing from Jason Aaron (‘Scalped’, ‘PunisherMAX’, ‘Ghost Rider’, ‘Wolverine’) is tightly woven and never dips (as I had originally feared) too far into the things that made Thor annoying to me all this time – mostly the cheesy way Thor speaks. I get it, and it makes sense, but it is what it is. Not to mention I’m not really the biggest ‘Fantasy’ type. Another thing I was afraid of was how much the video game Skyrim might be an influence, since that game seems to have rekindled the ‘Fantasy’ genre pretty well, and across the artistic spectrum as far as mediums go. I went in with fears, and came out of the very first issue with all of my fears dispelled and an unexpected excitement. The artwork is by Esad Ribić (‘Silver Surfer: Requiem’, ‘Loki’, ‘Sub-Mariner: the Depths’) – and it is *beautiful*. With a mixture of seemingly painted panels and very well textured line art and detail, this is a book like none other I’ve seen from the ‘Big 2’, as far as being a main launch title, and not just a quick arc or graphic novel. It is stunning artwork, stuff that keeps me excited with each of the first four issues. Okay, the story. Thor is battling the Godkiller, who obviously kills – you guessed it! – Gods. The story takes place in three different time periods. One of the three is about an early, young Thor. The second is our modern Thor, and then a future Thor, who is near his death – he is now the Ruler of Asgard, but also the only living God still there. These three views of different ages not only all ties to the main Godkiller story, but do so without pause. They roll into each other so well, going from a couple of pages of one time period, then right into where we were at the story taking place in another. It’s perfectly paced for such an idea and, with the exception of issue #3 feeling a bit rushed, it has worked perfectly. This version of Thor is much more accessible to the average comic reader, I think, due to the strong art and captivating story. Having read through issues #1 through #4, I must say I am looking forward to issue #5, and I am excited to get it once it’s there for me to read. I highly suggest this to any Marvel fan, as this title won over a die-hard Thor hater, making this one of my favorite books Marvel is putting out right now. Go check out an issue, flip through it. You just might be pleasantly surprised with what you find inside! And, hey – look! – it is already the top scorer for our brand new review scoring system! Now, that’s got to tell you something, right?
WRITING: 9 / 10
ARTWORK: 9 / 10
OVERALL EXPERIENCE: 10 / 10
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Here’s some quick comic news blurbs and links for you!
– Visit ‘Dimension Z’ from the new Marvel NOW! Captain America title, with an interview from Marvel with writer Rick Remender, with some preview art from the amazing John Romita, Jr.! –> http://marvel.com/news/story/19853/captain_america_enter_dimension_z_pt_1
– Vote on the “Most Surprising (In A Good Way) Comic of 2012” Poll over at Bleeding Cool! Some great choices! –> http://www.bleedingcool.com/2012/12/16/most-surprising-in-a-good-way-comic-of-2012-nominations/
– Issue information (including an Art Adams cover!) from CBR for Robert Kirkman’s “Invincible” Issue #100, where I guess a lot of characters die! Kirkman is turning into a comic character serial killer! :D –> http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=42730
– ComiXology has announced a few new features, including ‘bookmark’ & ‘continue’ features, better sharing capabilities, and a new feature that allows continuing from where you left off on a different device! Read it all here: –> http://blog.comixology.com/2012/12/18/read-pause-continue-across-all-devices-with-new-comixology-feature/
– The awesome color reprints of the original (and not goofy like the cartoon) ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ has entered into Volume 3, with 128 pages of TMNT goodness! I’ve really been enjoying re-reading this after so long (though I do miss the black and white look somewhat, had a better feel to it for the style, etc.), and these collections are AWESOME. Get the info here: –> http://www.comicsalliance.com/2012/12/18/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-classics-vol-3-preview/
– Looking for that special something for that special comic fan in your life (or yourself)? Well, then check out Comics Alliance’s awesome “Holiday Gift Guide: Deluxe Editions, Omnibusses, and Art Books” – some very classic and great works represented on this monster of a list! –> http://www.comicsalliance.com/2012/12/18/holiday-gift-guide-deluxe-edition-comics-omnibus-art-book-2012/
– DC Comics have lost the rights to some classic characters such as the Spirit, Doc Savage, and the Avenger, but keep rights to the Spirit archives –> http://comicbook.com/blog/2012/12/18/dc-comics-retains-the-rights-to-the-spirit-archives-but-loses-pulp-heroes/
– Dan Slott, writer of ‘Amazing Spider-Man’, and especially the final storyline, has been receiving death threats. Yes, over a story in a comic. Read about the bull here on CBR –> http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=42731
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AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST – NOT NEWS, BUT AWESOMENESS!
Black Widow as drawn by amazingly talented artist Chris Bachalo (click to see a larger version)!
BAG & BORED 