Review: Klaus #5

(Boom! Studios 2016)

Written by Grant Morrison

Illustrated by Dan Mora

Letters by Ed Dukeshire

I’ve long been a fan of Grant Morrison, when Klaus came out I made sure to review the first issue.  Retelling a classic tale comes with a certain amount of baggage, the years of preconceived notions, and also a set of crosshairs from “the INTERNET”, which is ready to jump at the first sign of weakness.  Morrison has a pedigree that is among the highest in the industry, one that would allow him a measure of bulletproofing.  He doesn’t need it.

Review: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #2

(Boom! Studios 2016)

Written by Kyle Higgins

Illustrated by Hendry Prasetya

Colors by Matt Herms

Letters by Ed Dukeshire

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers is back, and the second issue is just as strong as the first, maybe even stronger. Jumping right in with its theme of “Who am I?” the comic starts off with Billy, the Blue Ranger, and Trini, the Yellow Ranger, working on the Dragon Zord.

REVIEW: ‘The Woods’ #4

(BOOM! Studios, 2014)

Created & Written by James Tynion IV
Artwork by Michael Dialynas
Color Artwork by Josan Gonzalez
Lettering by Ed Dukeshire

As a huge fan of James Tynion IV’s previous work, particularly his Batman related work and especially his collaborative efforts with Batman scribe extraordinaire, Scott Snyder, I was quite excited when I learned of the release of his more horror themed series, The Woods. Now here we are four issues into the

REVIEW: ‘Evil Empire’ #3

(BOOM! Studios, 2014)

Created and Written by Max Bemis
Illustrated by Ransom Getty and Andrea Mutti
Colored by Chris Blythe
Lettered by Ed Dukeshire

The altered reality is a constant source of inspiration for writers.  What better way to craft a convincing story than to build it on a foundation of truth?  And some of my favorite comic stories over the years, from Marvel’s What If…? series to DC’s Elseworlds line, covered characters with changed traits because of altered history.

REVIEW: ‘Big Trouble In Little China’ #2

(BOOM! Studios, 2014)

Story by John Carpenter and Eric Powell
Written by Eric Powell
Art by Brian Churilla
Colors by Michael Garland
Letters by Ed Dukeshire

Pass me my parachute pants!  Get me a bottle of Pepsi Clear!  Eric Powell (The Goon) hauls us back to the 80’s by the headphone cord of a Sony Walkman, and drops us smack in the middle of another Jack Burton adventure.

REVIEW: ‘Clive Barker’s Nightbreed’ #2

(BOOM! Studios, 2014)

Story by Clive Barker
Written by Marc Andreyko
Art by Piotr Kowalski
Colors by Juan Manuel Tumburus
Letters by Ed Dukeshire

Remember sleepovers in the 80’s when you would stay up all night long watching films your parents wouldn’t let you at your own house, hoping that in reality none of the images would be too scary for you to handle by yourself, in your darkened bedroom, the next night?  I have one friend whose birthday landed on Friday the 13th every couple of years, and he would treat us to those very types of movies.  My introduction to horror classics like

REVIEW: ‘The Empty Man’ #1

(BOOM! Studios, 2014)

Written by Cullen Bunn
Art by Vanesa R. Del Rey
Colors by Michael Garland
Letters by Ed Dukeshire

By page nine I was saying to myself…”What the f@#k is going on here?”  And that’s what we’ve come to expect, no to depend upon, when reading a Cullen Bunn comic book.

Bunn (The Sixth Gun) brings his own spin on a horror/contagion comic with The Empty Man, a new series from Boom! Studios.

REVIEW: ‘Big Trouble in Little China’ #1

(BOOM! Studios, 2014)

Story – John Carpenter and Eric Powell
Writer – Eric Powell
Artist – Brian Churilla
Colorist – Michael Garland
Letterer – Ed Dukeshire

It’s 1986 again, and Jack Burton has returned to rescue my summer.   Again.  Today marks the release of the long awaited and much-lauded Big Trouble in Little China from Boom! Studios.

REVIEW: ‘Clockwork Angels’ #2

(BOOM! Studios, 2014)

Written by Kevin J. Anderson
From a story and lyrics by Neil Peart
Illustrated by Nick Robles
Lettering by Ed Dukeshire

A month has already passed, like the tick-tocking of the proverbial (and literal) clock; it’s time to return to Albion, the world dreamt up by Neil Peart of Rush fame.  In the first issue we met Owen Hardy, the farm boy who decided to take his future in his hands and leave everything he knew and go to the city.

REVIEW: ‘Evil Empire’ #2

(BOOM! Studios, 2014)

Created and Written by Max Bemis
Illustrated by Ransom Getty
Inks by Ryan Winn
Colored by Chris Blythe
Lettered by Ed Dukeshire

I read a lot of comic books.  Most of them are not books that I’ve been reading for years, whose history has been imprinted on me from a very young age.  Most of the books I read on a monthly basis are new books from smaller studios like Boom!

REVIEW: ‘Clockwork Angels’ #1

(BOOM! Studios, 2014)

Written by Kevin J. Anderson
From a Story and lyrics by Neil Peart
Illustrated by Nick Robles
Lettering by Ed Dukeshire

“A single person in a perfect world is little more than an identical grain of sand or a tiny pebble alongside the road. Yet, if a grain of sand got into the eye, or a sharp pebble in a shoe, it could cause tremendous problems.” Owen Hardy is that grain of sand or sharp pebble. Welcome to the perfectly timed future of Clockwork Angels, released this week from Boom Studios.

REVIEW: ‘Evil Empire’ #1

(BOOM! Studios, 2014)

Created & Written by Max Bemis
Illustrated by Ransom Getty
Colored by Chris Blythe
Lettered by Ed Dukeshire

Comic books are an escape. For the reader they are, by their very nature, a way to have a scant 22 pages to yourself, quiet and calm no matter what may be happening in the pages. But flip that around to the writer and artists’ viewpoint, and they become the exact opposite. Like any other form of media