Review: Krampus Vol. 1

(Image Comics, 2015)

Krampus! Volume 1
Written by Brian Joines
Illustrated by Dean Kotz
Colors by Ron Riley
Letters by Charles Pritchett

If you think about it. The idea of Santa Claus is pretty creepy.   An old guy who breaks into your house and leaves things for your kids without you knowing who he is or what his criminal background is.  As if that weren’t bad enough some disturbed parents in the Alpine regions of Europe decided that their children, while mostly good for the month of December, did not have enough to worry about the rest of the year.  No gift from Santa was not sufficient penalty to keep them in line.  So they invented the Krampus.

I had never heard of the Krampus until about three years ago when I saw Rare Imports, a Finish film released in 2010 about something sinister inside a lonely, snow-covered mountain.  If you do a Google search on the subject, you will see some truly horrifying pictures of traditional Krampus parades in far-off countries.  The Krampus, for those who don’t know, it the yin to Santa Claus’ yang, the black to his white, the creature that comes on Christmas eve to punish bad little girls and boys in various sadistic ways. This book takes a decidedly lighter position on the Krampus.  I give you Krampus! Vol. 1from Image Comics, a collection of the first five issues of the series.

REVIEW: The Autumnlands: Tooth and Claw #2

(Image Comics, 2014)

Writer – Kurt Busier
Artist – Benjamin Dewey
Color Art – Jordie Bellaire
Lettering and Design – John Roshell and Jimmy Betancourt of Comicraft

Let’s get this out of the way first.  This is still the same book.  This is not a variant, this is not a spin-off, this is number 2 of Tooth and Claw, the next issue in the series that debuted last month.  The problem, so the press release stated, was that they messed up the trademark search.  So, easy fix, we’ve a new title.  The Autumnlands: Tooth and Claw #2 dropped this week.

The citizens of a fallen city sit around a small fire and hope for the coming of a legendary hero. Their city has crashed due to their magical fidgeting.  Now they are camped in the ruins and fighting amongst themselves, arguing about who their savior will be.  And then the Bison Tribes arrive and begin the wholesale slaughter of the “intelligent” ones.  

REVIEW: ‘Wytches’ #2

(Image Comics, 2014)

Story by Scott Snyder
Art by Jock
Coloring by Matt Hollingsworth
Letters by Clem Robins

Scott Snyder has a rabid fan base.  If anyone has read American Vampire you can see his love of horror fiction.  His run on Batman broke records and changed the way people look at the whole DCU.  As if ole’ Bats wasn’t a flagship property already, Snyder cemented that position for years to come.

REVIEW: ‘The Humans’ #1

(Image Comics, 2014)

Created by Keenan Marshall Keller and Tom Neely
Written by Keenan Marshall Keller
Drawn by Tom Neely
Color by Kristina Collantes

Motorcycle movies are mostly a thing of the past.  Not since Chopper Chicks in Zombietown have I had this much fun with a motorcycle story.  (Alas, I’ve not started Sons of Anarchy yet.)

REVIEW: ‘Tooth and Claw’ #1

(Image Comics, 2014)

Writer – Kurt Busiek
Artist and Cover Colors – Benjamin Dewey
Colors – Jordie Bellaire
Lettering and Design – John Roshell and Jimmy Betancourt

I’ve said this before, but I’ll say it again, I love going in to a new issue #1 with one idea and coming out on the other end with a completely new understanding of what is going on in a book.  Being surprised is really one of the greatest things in a medium where you think you’ve seen it all.

REVIEW: ‘Penny Dora and the Wishing Box’ #1

(Image Comics, 2014)

Writer – Michael Stock
Artist – Sina Grace
Colorist – Tamra Bonvillian
Letterer – Hope Larson

Wishing for things is bred into us from a very young age.  We’re told by our parents to wish on stars, birthday candles, when the clock hits 11:11, and if you’re like I was when I was little, I always wished for the same thing.  The Millennium Falcon.  The Hasbro one, with the chess table and spinning quad gun on the roof

REVIEW: ‘Dead@17: The Blasphemy Throne’ #2 (of 7)

(Image Comics, 2014)

Written by Josh Howard
Artwork by Josh Howard

Summary: Nara Kilday was just your average, ordinary 16 year old girl until she began seeing visions of the demons and figures. And began reciting a language even she was unaware of its origin. Then her life began to change

REVIEW: ‘Morning Glories’ #40

(Image Comics, 2014)

Written by Nick Spencer
Artwork by Joe Eisma
Color Artwork by Paul Little
Lettering by Johnny Lowe

Summary: Morning Glories is about a group of students who get shipped off to a school where things are not as they seem. And the more they learn, the more they must survive to keep a hold of their own sanity or lose everything precious to them.

REVIEW: ‘The Fade Out’ #1

(Image Comics, 2014)

Written by Ed Brubaker
Artwork by Sean Phillips
Colors by Elizabeth Breitweiser

There are people who are good at a certain thing, and there are those who are able to perfect an art form.  Ed Brubaker (need I list his accomplishments?), writer of great comics

REVIEW: ‘Trees’ #4

(Image Comics, 2014)

Written by Warren Ellis
Artwork by Jason Howard
Lettering by Fonografiks

I will admit that TREES is starting to grow on me a little. In four issues Warren Ellis has established the foundations of a story that for now, I can only describe as ambitious. Character development has been good all around, especially

REVIEW: ‘Dark Engine’ #2

(Image Comics, 2014)

Story by Ryan Burton
Art by John Bivens
Colors by Kelly Fitzpatrick
Letters by Crank!

The stories I like the most are the ones that connect with me in some way.  I’m a sucker for “what if…” storylines, for callbacks, homage, and all the stuff that can be deemed as cheap and tawdry stunts are things that

REVIEW: ‘Dead@17: Blasphemy Throne’ #1

(Image Comics, 2014)

Writer: Josh Howard
Artist: Josh Howard

Summary: Nara Kilday was just your average, ordinary 16 year old girl until she began seeing visions of the demons and figures. And began reciting a language even she was unaware of its origin. Then her life began to change

REVIEW: ‘Skullkickers’ #30

(Image Comics, 2014)

Writers: Jim Zub & Will Hindmarch
Artists: Jeff “Chamba” Cruz & Royce “FooRay” Southerland
Letterer: Marshall Dillon
Skullkickers created by Jim Zub & Chris Stevens

Summary: Skullkickers is a zany adventure story about two warriors and their search for fame, money, and all-around glory in battle. Set in a fantasy realm usually

REVIEW: ‘The Mercenary Sea’ #6

(Image Comics, 2014)

Writer: Kel Symons
Art & Colors: Mathew Reynolds
Lettering & Design: Pat Brosseau

The adventures on The South Seas (1938) of Captain Jack Harper and the crew of the Venture continues in The Mercenary Sea #6 when Jack and Evelyn Green, the British secret agent code-named “Top Hat”, are

REVIEW: “Dark Engine’ #1

(Image Comics, 2014)

Story by Ryan Burton
Art by John Bivens
Letters by Crank!

First issues should be eye-catching.  They should encapsulate enough of a story that a new reader wants more, craves it like a vampire does for the good old AB +.  The artwork should be dynamic, making it hard to turn the page even as you can’t wait to see what’s coming next.

REVIEW: ‘Nailbiter’ #3 / ‘Southern Bastards’ #3

(Image Comics, 2014)

Nailbiter #3
Story by Joshua Williamson
Artwork by Mike Henderson
Color Artwork by Adam Guzowski
Letters & Design by John J. Hill

Southern Bastards #3
Written by Jason Aaron
Artwork by Jason Latour
Letters by Jared K. Fletcher

It’s crazy to see so many good comics on the market, and extraordinarily frustrating, coming from the point of view of a reader.  You find a story that connects and want to stick with it.  Often those stories come from different companies with different release dates and that means a second trip to the shop and untold amounts of dollar books to sift through while you wait your turn…it all ends up costing you money.  (Gladly of course, that’s part of the thrill.)

REVIEW: ‘The Mercenary Sea’ #5

(Image Comics, 2014)

Writer: Kel Symons
Art & Colors: Mathew Reynolds
Lettering & Design: Pat Brosseau

The adventures of Captain Jack Harper and the crew of the Venture continue in The Mercenary Sea #5 as their mission leads them deep into enemy territory. Having rescued Evelyn Green, the British secret agent code-named

REVIEW: ‘Red City’ #1

(Image Comics, 2014)

Writer – Daniel Corey
Artist – Mark Dos Santos
Color – Chris Fenoalio
Letters and Logo – Dave Lanphear

What do you get when you take the grittiness of Blade Runner, the locale of Total Recall, and throw in the politics and strangely attractive alien girls of Star Trek?  You get Red City; the premiere issue of which released this week from Image Comics.

REVIEW: ‘Nailbiter’ #1

(Image Comics, 2014)

Writer – Joshua Williamson
Artist – Mike Henderson
Colors – Adam Guzowski

Return with me fellow readers, to Buckaroo, Oregon, birthplace of the highest concentration of serial killers in the continental United States, and official residence of Edward Charles Warren, a.k.a. “The Nailbiter”, who chewed his victim’s nails. Oh yes…their nails, before he killed them.

REVIEW: ‘Trees’ #1

(Image Comics, 2014)

Words: Warren Ellis
Art: Jason Howard

A whole lot of something.

I have the upmost respect for Warren Ellis. The man has written some of the most highly regarded stories in modern comics. With The Authority, Transmetropolitan, and Planetary being the most notable standouts in a very stellar body of work. So you can imagine that before reading Trees #1, I couldn’t help but be exited.