Comics
Advance Review: ‘Think Tank’ #1
To date every release Top Cow’s Minotaur Press imprint has been great. Last year the imprint released the criminally underrated horror series “Echoes” by writer Joshua Hale Fialkov & artist Rahsan Ekedal, which made many of Bloody-Disgusting’s writers year end lists. Now Ekedal has returned with Top Cow head honcho Matt Hawkins for the release of their new series “Think Tank”.
WRITTEN BY: Matt Hawkins
ART BY: Rahsan Ekedal
PUBLISHER: Top Cow/Minotaur Press
RELEASE: August 1st
“Think Tank’s” concept is simple; slacker scientist Dr. David Loren works for the military and makes a conscious decision to stop creating weapons of destruction. In effort to force Loren’s hand, the Military threatens to deport his best friend and make his life miserable. Loren succeeds in developing a device that gives users the ability to read minds, but refuses to hand it over. Fed up with his antics, the Military sets out to take down Loren and the device by any means necessary.
Writer Matt Hawkins does a good job of creating a compelling cast of characters that each play a important role in the overall story. As a lead protagonist Dr. David Loren plays likeable slacker perfectly and it’s easy for readers to identify with his plight. Hawkins dialogue is spot on, his pacing keeps the story moving and there is never a dull moment in the entire issue.
Ekedal’s artwork is simply stunning and he turns out some astonishing pages. The stark contrast of black and white mixed with Ekedal’s washes make the art pop off the page. His strong grasp on storytelling allow him to suck the reader in for the more intimate moments and also make the action sequences look epic in scope. Ekedal makes “Think Tank” look like a blockbuster movie on the printed page and he remains one of the hidden gems of the comic book industry.
“Think Tank” #1 has everything a good first issue needs and sets up the series with a nice cliffhanger ending. It’s impossible to read this issue and not be anxiously awaiting the next.
You can check out a preview for the book right here.
Rating: 3.5/5 Skulls
Reviewed By: Big J
Comics
‘Curse of the Where Wolf’ Bites Into August Release With Trio of Werewolf Theatrical Screenings [Exclusive Preview]
Larry Chaney‘s hairy misadventures are continuing in the sequel graphic novel Curse of the Where Wolf from creative team Rob Saucedo, Debora Lancianese, and Jack Morelli, and its author is celebrating with a trio of horror’s greatest werewolf films.
The Curse of the Where Wolf hits shelves on August 7 from Encyclopocalypse Publications.
That coincides with the launch of a theatrical screening event in Houston, Texas, featuring a trio of seminal werewolf flicks turning 45 this year: The Howling on August 7, Wolfen on August 14, and An American Werewolf in London on August 21.
Each screening features a “werewolf in film” presentation as well as a book signing from Where Wolf author and River Oaks Theatre artistic director Rob Saucedo.
In the new graphic novel, “Being a werewolf sucks. Reporter Larry Chaney wanted to be a hero. Instead, he became a werewolf. Now, caught between incredible new powers and a desire to eat everything (and everyone) in sight, Larry must find a cure for his curse. Or die trying.”
“With Where Wolf, I wanted to tell a whodunit set in a furry convention, so the story was pretty contained within a very specific setting and genre. With Curse of the Where Wolf, I wanted to celebrate everything I love about the possibility of comic books. Curse of the Where Wolf is a funny book, in every sense of the phrase, but it’s also an earnest look at a person’s struggle to become a better version of themselves, especially when the alternative is to become a literal monster,” Saucedo says of Curse.
The original graphic novel was previously serialized as the first webcomic hosted on Fangoria before being collected by Encyclopocalypse Publications in 2023 and has already been optioned for film, podcast, and television development ahead of launch by producers James Fino (“The Freak Brothers” for Tubi, “Rick and Morty” for Adult Swim) and Charles Horak (First Date for Magnolia Pictures).
Expect Larry to find himself in even weirder situations in the 362-page full color sequel; Saucedo has provided Bloody Disgusting with exclusive art pages from the upcoming graphic novel that showcase lupine humor.
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