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WRITTEN BY: Jeff Lemire and Matt Kindt

ART BY: Paolo Rivera

PUBLISHER: Valiant Entertainment

PRICE: $3.99

RELEASE: 25 March 2015

Time has run out for saving the world’s Geomancer Kay McHenry and only one man remains to defend her: the unkillable killing machine known as Bloodshot. No one has been able to slow down The Immortal Enemy Mister Flay. Not The Eternal Warrior, not Ninjak nor the combined might of the Valiant Universe’s combined heroes have done anything but be tortured and cast aside. Writers Jeff Lemire and Matt Kindt have built up an enjoyable tale and now it’s time to see if this unbeatable foe can actually be defeated.

The final throw down is a triple threat match that has it all: explosions, lots of guns and head shots, a really ghastly looking monster and a literal last minute twist and a save. It’s frantic and emotive once it all shakes out. There is a good dose of bittersweet heaped in there as well which really shifts down the whole story. Once again, artist Paolo Rivera shows off how he can draw so many real and unreal things in one story so well.

Another great part of this entire series has been the commentary pages at the end. This time, we get letterer Dave Lanphear’s insight as to how what steps he takes to help tell the story with maximum impact and effect. I’ve found this series to be an overall satisfying tale. With so many moving parts, it still feels like an intimate story with the fate of the world thrown in with the attempt to save one another. I felt like the quieter moments of characters on the run were more powerful than the big hero spreads mixed in here and there. I hope artist Paolo Rivera keeps making more beautiful Valiant books down the line as his work really captivated my attention throughout all four issues.

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Mr. Steele enjoys all things comics and imagination-based. Using his lifetime of comic-fu-dom for good, he imparts his knowledge for the universe to enjoy and for you, dear readers, to pass it on.

Twitter: @mrbradysteele

The post [Comic Review] “The Valiant” #4 – Deftly Refreshing and Epic appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Michael Moreci, Tim Daniel
ART BY: Colin Lorimer
PUBLISHER: BOOM!
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: March 18, 2015

“Burning Fields” is a unique blend of noir, political thriller, and horror.  In a way it feels like ideas got pulled out of a hat, but the execution is so on point that it is easy to get swept away and not get hung up on the oddness of it all.  This issue stands out to me, as I said, for being the most accessible in the series.  These killings are beginning to have a domino effect Kirkuk, Verge, and our protagonists and a new, uneasy alliance is formed between Dana, Aban, and Aban’s former cult associate Ghada.  Just as some real progress is about to be made on the case, conflict erupts between Decker’s people and the locals.  Emotions are running high on both sides since the murders started happening, and the tension surrounding the oil field is on the verge of erupting.

It is impressive to see how all of these factions and forces with their own motivations are coming together.  For a serial killer book, “Burning Fields” is pretty grounded.  There have been some not so subtle hints that things are going to take a turn for the supernatural (and I’m not even talking about that freaky-ass cover) and even though at this point I’d prefer it didn’t go that way, I trust these guys to do it in such a way that the book doesn’t lose focus or direction.  I feel like my investment in the series has been earned.

It is difficult to find anything to critique here, but I will say that Dana’s Decker speech got a little melodramatic for my taste.  In particular the page where we have a close up of her face on the left side of the page and her memories on the right.  It was effective, but felt too derivative to me and it followed a high energy scene, making it seems like the issue was slamming on the breaks.

I’ve been praising “Burning Fields” all along and I think #3 is the strongest issue yet.  There are a lot of serial killer books ongoing right now, but please don’t overlook this one. It offers something really unique that I think people should see.

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Eric Switzer  is an aspiring filmmaker and screenplay writer living in Los Angeles.  His work tends to focus on the lighter side of entropy, dystopic futures, and man’s innate struggle with his own mortality.  He can be found on twitter @epicswitzer or reached via email at ericswitzerfilm@gmail.com. 

The post [Comic Review] “Burning Fields” #3 Builds Tension Like No Other Comic appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Gabriel Hardman & Corinna Bechko

ART BY: Gabriel Hardman, Jordan Boyd

DESIGN BY: Dylan Todd

PUBLISHER: Image Comics

PRICE: $2.99

RELEASE: March 18, 2015

The story follows the aftermath of the Malory regime (a reference to Thomas Malory, compiler/author of Le Morte D’Arthur) as journalists try to find a story somewhere in the abject poverty the urban spaces have devolved into. As one reporter puts it, “the fall of the Malory Regime is hitting Avalon’s least fortunate the hardest.” But the locals aren’t interested in giving interviews to strangers looking to make a buck off of their misfortune, and even the journalists feel like they’ve “been through this kind of shit before. No need to pester the locals.” One among them, however, stumbles across some portion of the writings of Maia Reveron (Morgan le Fay?), cousin to Arthur McBride, as she relates who he was prior to politicking and how they ended up where they are now.

This book is filled with Arthurian easter eggs, and indicates that the creators have a close relationship with the original legends. It is, however, its own story, distinct and independent from that source material; this is not an Arthurian retelling that you’ve read before (trust me, I’ve read a few). The choice to update a classic and include political propaganda and futuristic spaces is a common technique, but not one I’ve experienced applied to this particular classic, and this book is working to find a good balance between its source material and the new content.

The greatest strength of this update is the art. Gabriel Hardman’s urban spaces combined with Jordan Boyd’s muted colors manage to convey something that is at once unknown and familiar, classic and futuristic, which is necessary for this book to succeed. The palette shift (as well as the lettering shift) that occurs with the flashback is bright and clean, and its contrast to the “modern” scenes point out just how far society has fallen; even when Maia and Arthur are poor, the sky is blue and the water is clear.

Not all of the Arthurian references are clear, especially to people who didn’t spend most of 4th grade avidly consuming every retelling they could get their hands on, and I’m not entirely sure where this story is going, but it’s strong and clever enough that I will absolutely be getting the next issue.

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Katy Rex writes comics analysis at endoftheuniversecomics.com, comicsbulletin.com, and bloody-disgusting.com. She really likes butt jokes, dinosaurs, and killing psychos and midgets in Borderlands 2. She has a great sense of humor if you’re not an asshole.

The post [Comic Review] “Invisible Republic” #1 – A Strong And Clever Debut Issue appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Fred Van Lente

ART BY: Clayton Henry

PUBLISHER: Valiant Entertainment

PRICE: $3.99

RELEASE: 18 March 2015

Having enjoyed writer Fred Van Lente’s previous works, I can attest to his creativity and its abundance herein. He knows how to tell a good tale of adventure, questing, twists, with a good dose of family and emotion thrown in to keep you invested in the character’s tale. Ivar and his newest accomplice, time travel inventor Neela, are literally scrambling to get their time travelling device, the Tachyon Compass. Like all good journeys through time and space, our hero is not as noble as they would initially appear.

This regaling may seem direr than the story reads. The other great thing this creative team can do is bring the funny out of nowhere. “I’ve got a robot brain and a silencer and I know how to use ‘em both!” and “Science, bitches!” are but a few choice moments to discover.

Clayton Henry’s art is crisp and exquisite in facial expressions and action so much so it’s hard to find a prime example in this month’s issue. Honestly, YOU go through the pages and tell me which one is your favorite. The best part of this is we’ll both be right no matter what panel we choose.

The covers have been iconic and beautifully simplistic from the get-go. This month’s beauty by Raul Allen is no exception. Each one looks like an oh-so enticing movie I know people would line up for. Thankfully, it’s selling something better than a movie…it’s a great comic book! Like every good 80s action romp, Ivar, Timewalker #3 keeps the good times rolling for all to enjoy.

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Mr. Steele enjoys all things comics and imagination-based. Using his lifetime of comic-fu-dom for good, he imparts his knowledge for the universe to enjoy and for you, dear readers, to pass it on.

Twitter: @mrbradysteele

The post [Comic Review] “Ivar, Timewalker” #3 Is Wild And Engaging! appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Matt Kindt

ART BY: Trevor Hairsine

PUBLISHER: Valiant Entertainment

PRICE: $3.99

RELEASE: 18 March 2015

Abram Adams has travelled farther than any other human and become something much more in the process. There seems to be nothing he cannot do now that he has returned to his home world. Can this much power in one person ever end well? For once, I want it to. Writer Matt Kindt has really made this made-made-God tale so compelling already that I want to see how far he’s going to push things before the inevitable break.

Trevor Hairsine’s art is helping in spades to show how cool this journey is to behold. Describing out loud how some people’s deepest desires manifest in this story could sound ridiculous. However, thanks to Hairsine’s art, you can still see the humanity where now only pure animal instincts remain. Flying, for example, has never looked so utterly poignant until you see the ‘Sergeant’, Divinity’s would attacker last issue, take flight.

This has so far been a refreshing take on the benevolent god making utopia on Earth. I’ve been very impressed with how Kindt and Hairsine’s arc and really want to see how things progress with each page. The fact that Unity, the MI-6’s elite tactical team and Valiant Universe’s team supreme, are entering the fray only adds to the anticipation I have for next month. Pick up this series and see how much change is coming, whether Earth is ready or not.

—

Mr. Steele enjoys all things comics and imagination-based. Using his lifetime of comic-fu-dom for good, he imparts his knowledge for the universe to enjoy and for you, dear readers, to pass it on.

Twitter: @mrbradysteele

The post [Comic Book Review] “Divinity” #2 – How Do You Deal With A God? appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Justin Jordan

ART BY: Kyle Strahm

PUBLISHER: Image Comics

PRICE: $2.99

RELEASE: March 18, 2015

There’s so much going on the entire issue it’s hard to know where to begin. First off it never feels jumbled or rushed, the plot unfolds organically and heinously. No and Ravello continue their bloody, unflinching battle amidst the three Spreadworms who, in a stroke of genius, Spread into each other forming one massive horrendous monstrosity. It’s a fucking glorious combination of expertly penned narration from Jordan and breathe taking visuals from Strahm and Sobreiro.

Moving from the enormous scope of that fight we’re thrown into Molly’s equally tense situation. The Preacher has baby Hope in his cold clammy hands, along with a knife which he intends to use to rend her little body asunder. Even though Hope is narrating all of this from the future the tension is not diminished in the slightest. It’s palpable throughout the entire issue, no one is safe in fact it feels as though anyone could die at any moment. Entirely new concepts and mysteries are also thrown at us during this whole altercation. We ever so briefly glimpse Molly and Hope someplace orange with Molly’s hair looking like spread tentacles, the Preacher also appears to have a flashback to a boy on an operating table with his chest cavity and brain exposed. What these mean is readily prevalent but more seeds for the future.

Spread is an exemplary horror comic and by far the number one body horror comic currently on the stands. Every page is a joy to behold for both the sublime art and the superb story. The trade collecting all 6 issues of the first arc is due out next month, I highly recommend any and all horror fans to buy it and spread it around.

—

Torin Chambers is a rad dude from the nineties who does film stuff or something. Thomas the Tank Engine is his favorite transformer. Find him on Twitter @TorinsChambers

The post [5 Skull Comic Review] “Spread” #6 Will Rip Your Face Off appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Swifty Lang
ART BY: Skuds McKinley
PUBLISHER: BOOM!
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: March 18, 2015

Wasting no time this issue picks up immediately where the last ended. Bahdoon crouches over the infected cook who just destroyed one of his fellow pirates (Disco) and almost Bahdoon himself. There he contemplates the strange consistency of the cook’s blood, it’s thick and sticky, almost like a syrup. While preoccupied with this new discovery he doesn’t notice the sinister looking worm that is birthed from the cook’s gaping face wound. It ominously crawls away, living to fight another day, or maybe even later this issue…

When he regroups with his fellow pirates they’re obviously ticked off about Disco’s death and Bahdoon’s true but fantastical tale does nothing to help his situation. The rest are ready to throw him to the dogs, so to speak, but luckily Stain stands up for him. He takes Bahdoon under his wing and together they split off (always a good idea in a terrible scenario) to continue searching the ship.

There’s some tangible character development delivered from this team-up, something the first issue was lacking. Bahdoon’s arc is excellent here. He really come into his own and turns into someone you want to root for instead of inspiring indifference.

Later in the issue there’s a decently large action set piece that I’m unsure about. It’s something that’s hard to judge because there are still two issues left but it feels like it’s too soon. We’ve barely had any encounters with normal infected people and after this monstrosity they’ll only pale in comparison from now on. I hope Plunder sticks with it and keeps going bigger and bigger, instead of taking us back to lowly peons again.

Plunder #2 improves upon issue #1 in every way, giving an all-around stronger story that body horror fans should definitely check out.

—

Torin Chambers is a rad dude from the nineties who does film stuff or something. Thomas the Tank Engine is his favorite transformer. Find him on Twitter @TorinsChambers

The post [Comic Review] “Plunder” #2 – Brings Big Body Horror Thrills appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Mike Johnson & Rafael Albuquerque

ART BY: Rafael Albuquerque

PUBLISHER: Dark Horse Comics

PRICE: $3.99

RELEASE: March 18th, 2015

In the snowy mountains, a killer from the future has been sent into the time-stream on a suicide mission. Desperate to save his loved ones, Joshua is under orders to assassinate his target, but the job won’t be any easy. Lost in an unfriendly environment, Joshua finds himself captured and with most of his memories gone. Will he put back together his scattered memories piece by piece in time? Or has his mission already failed?

My favorite part of the story is how writer Mike Johnson plays around with the nonlinear structure. Readers are asked to put the pieces of the puzzling story together, but it’s not told in a confusing manner. Because Joshua is an unreliable narrator, he is also answering the story’s own questions; we are figuring out what’s happening just as he is. In an emotional flashback, Johnson slows down the pace to develop Joshua and give him purpose.

Artist Rafael Albuquerque mixes elements from the past, present, and future, in a vibrant color palette. The plane crash in the opening pages is heart-pounding suspenseful as Albuquerque emphasizes the facial expressions in tight close-ups. The Meld is a mishmash of an apocalyptic future and prehistoric Ice Age. You get a sense of the environment but you’re never quite sure what the time period is.

“EI8HT” #2 is a must-read sci-fi mystery/thriller with phenomenal artwork. I cannot wait to see what happens in the next issue.

The post [Comic Review] “Ei8ht” #2 Is Must Read Sci Fi Mystery appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Ales Kot

ART BY: Langdon Foss, Jordie Bellaire

LETTERS BY: Clayton Cowles

PUBLISHER: Image Comics

PRICE: $3.50

RELEASE: March 11, 2015

The story, told in Ales Kot’s distinctive direct and yet psychedelic style, follows Mark, the president’s son, his boyfriend Gomez, and their girlfriend Nasia, as told by a bizarre and unreliable narrator who gives clues as to his or her identity with lines like “Sorry, I needed to scratch my butt*,” annotating to the helpful note “*Believe it or not, this is a clue.” Like any good speculative future, it has taken perceived strengths and flaws in the world today and amplified them, so sharing your life online is now default, privacy is opt-in, and people who don’t participate in the common culture are viewed with suspicion– after all, why wouldn’t you share your lifelog if you didn’t have something to hide? It embraces alternative sexualities, like that of Mark and his 3-way romantic partnership, and while it implies that Mark’s father doesn’t approve, it’s not clear if that has anything to do with the genders or quantity of Mark’s choices, or some other issue. The Surface, the concept after which this book was named, is as elusive and undefined as the narrator who describes it, but it’s also the goal that Mark, Gomez, and Nasia are working toward.

The book directly references several other works, including the author William S. Burroughs and the Transmetropolitan character Spider Jerusalem, in ways that are passing and not pointed but still manage to make their point; this book is about the generations that rebel, the generations that dream of revolution and the generations that are foolish enough to believe they will succeed without any particular plan in mind, and the generations that we look back at with nostalgia as though they in their cleverness and privilege really changed the world. It critiques the effectiveness of works that espouse ideals that are so quickly misinterpreted and castrated and boycotted, while at the same time being a work that espouses ideals open to misinterpretation, castration, and boycotts.

Kot and Foss are doing some unique work in the world of comics with this book. Many comics rely on cinematic strategies, using their panel layouts as enhanced storyboards, but The Surface contains propaganda and essays that are both on point with a modern world (“swipe right to keep reading,” one page says) and vaguely reminiscent of Brian Wood’s Channel Zero in the ways it incorporates words as images, prose as art. The cityscapes are exactly familiar enough to point out to the reader the way the flaws of this world echo the flaws of our own, the technology just a step more evolved than ours in a way that examines the ways technology can be both useful and harmful. The colors, especially when they focus on Mark & co, are lighthearted and a little artificial, but primarily reflective of their location, be it the busy palette of a city or the shades of beautiful monotone in a desert. Clayton Cowles’ letters are planned and effective. Tom Muller’s work seamlessly transitions from the different modes of storytelling, the advertisements and the propaganda and the q&a sessions with the author. The creative team is working together, collaboratively, to create a fresh product that wouldn’t work with anything less than each of their best efforts. This is an extremely solid first issue, and with so much more to learn about this world, it’s hard to have to wait another month for the next one.

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Katy Rex writes comics analysis at endoftheuniversecomics.com, comicsbulletin.com, and bloody-disgusting.com. She really likes butt jokes, dinosaurs, and killing psychos and midgets in Borderlands 2. She has a great sense of humor if you’re not an asshole.

The post [Comic Review] “The Surface” #1 Is A Smart Satire That Mocks Itself appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Cullen Bunn
ART BY: Brian Churilla
PUBLISHER: Oni
PRICE: $1
RELEASE: March 11, 2015

I would describe “Hellbreak” as an experience more on the side of the visceral and carnal rather than theoretical or metaphysical.  I make the distinction to let you know that what you are about to get into doesn’t ask a lot of hard questions or present anything especially high concept, but this isn’t my way of saying “Hellbreak” is low brow either.  This is a shoot first ask question later kind of book, and its really engaging and fast paced from beginning to end.  There aren’t a lot of big ideas here to sink your teeth into, but in the end, thats just fine with me.  “Hellbreak” is near the top of my “enjoy it for what it is” pile.

“Hellbreak” has the structure to be an incredibly imaginative and constantly changing book.  There are thousands of different hells, and Project Kerberos will have to explore tons of different scenes from demon dinner parties to post-apocalyptic wastelands to “Predator 2” style Los Angeles; you name it and its a potential battleground in this book.  The members of the special forces team that infiltrates these hells is introduced  “Ocean’s 11” style with a close up, a quip, and their role listed under their name.  None of them are particularly memorable or unique in the first issue, but they’re all pretty good at shooting demons in the face and I can get on board with that.

“Hellbreak” #1 is definitely more action than horror, and it will be interesting to see how dark and disturbing they decide to take things as the series progresses.  At this point even if its just a hell-of-the-month exploration I’m way into that.  You need a balance of light and heavy in your reading stacks, but that doesn’t need you have to sacrifice quality to get your action adventure fix.  In that regard, “Hellbreak” delivers

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Eric Switzer  is an aspiring filmmaker and screenplay writer living in Los Angeles.  His work tends to focus on the lighter side of entropy, dystopic futures, and man’s innate struggle with his own mortality.  He can be found on twitter @epicswitzer or reached via email at ericswitzerfilm@gmail.com. 

The post [Comic Review] “Hellbreak” #1 Is A Helluva Lot For $1 appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Matt Kindt

ART BY: Clay Mann and Butch Guice

PUBLISHER: Valiant Entertainment

PRICE: $3.99

RELEASE: 11 March 2015

There is so much going on here on many levels that reading it over and over reveals how much effort writer Matt Kindt has put into this book. You can see it all over this initial chapter. Kindt mixes things together so well that it looks effortless. Combining a look at Ninjak’s utility belt with his psychiatric assessment is a prime example. The seeding is rampant everywhere in this issue too. Simple one-off lines and off-center images are leading readers somewhere already down the line.

Kindt and his artists are working darn hard already to make readers feel they are getting value for their money. The main story is being drawn by Clay Mann, who is very capable of showing how fun this character’s world can be. There was one moment I wasn’t exactly sure how Ninjak did what he did to evade exploding bullets but I’ll let that one panel slide. The Lost Files done by former Captain America and current Velvet artist Butch Guice are an excellent addition to flesh out Ninjak’s early spy years when he was simply Colin King, rookie agent. Seeing how he became so smooth and polished will no doubt add to the depth of this character in the future. Both artists are perfectly cast in their respective eras so I’ve no doubt will be a beauty to behold month in and month out.

I really knew nothing of this character other than his cool-killer moments from The Valiant miniseries and all those old 90s hologram / prismatic covers from my formative years. Based on that and now Ninjak #1, I’m interested. The layering of story elements and crisp art tells me this is a solid read worth picking up. Once again, Valiant Entertainment is the all-star team putting out great book one after another.

—

Mr. Steele enjoys all things comics and imagination-based. Using his lifetime of comic-fu-dom for good, he imparts his knowledge for the universe to enjoy and for you, dear readers, to pass it on.

Twitter: @mrbradysteele

The post [Comic Review] “Ninjak” #1 – Is Another Stunning Debut From Valiant appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Bryan Lynch & Ryan North

ART BY: Jerry Gaylord & Ian McGinty

PUBLISHER: BOOM! Studios

PRICE: $2.99

RELEASE: March 11, 2015

The beauty of the original films was how totally different Bill & Ted’s experiences were both times. In the first film they have an excellent adventure through time, which is a total blast and sees them completely subvert people’s perceptions of time travel. Twisting it in their own special way. Next they go on a bogus journey through the afterlife, which is super rad and sees them distorting people’s perceptions of heaven, hell & the Reaper himself. They conquer the spiritual plane and in an impeccable pay off use their powers of time travel, learned in the previous film, to defeat the villain. Perfectly tying both films together, while each still has its own specific voice. That is what this comic is missing, it relies too heavily upon what came before instead of forging its own path. Scared or maybe unsure of how to continue on its own too legs, it takes one leg from each of the films and hobbles along on those.

Hardcore Bill & Ted fans will eat this comic up, there’s fun to be had here, especially with all of the self-referential humor. Filled to the brim with numerous little easter eggs that all those true Wyld Stallions can scour each and every page for. For their part Bill & Ted are perfectly on point, they sound and act just like you remember. Lynch & Gaylord have captured their mannerisms expertly and flawlessly transferred them to the page.

For what it’s worth the backup story by Ryan North and Ian Mcginty, ‘Bill & Ted And The Bogus Virus’, is superb. It takes way more chances and from an originality standpoint it’s much stronger than the main story. Focusing on Bill & Ted’s Robot Usses receiving an ‘e-mail’ from the future that mixes up their circuits, making them more apathetic and standoffish towards their masters. It uses time travel in a much more interesting way, having Bill & Ted circa 1991 visit their far off future and our present, 2015.

Bill & Ted are still Bill & Ted, if you love ‘em, you’ll love ‘em here. It’s the framework they are trapped in that truly holds them back. This is only the first issue in a 6 part series so things could totally turn around in the plot department. If you’re not already a fan there’s nothing here for you, but if you are I urge you to give this a read.

—

Torin Chambers is a rad dude from the nineties who does film stuff or something. Thomas the Tank Engine is his favorite transformer. Find him on Twitter @TorinsChambers

The post [Comic Review] “Bill & Ted’s Most Triumphant Return” #1 Is Mostly Triumphant… appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Christopher Sebela

ART BY: Diego Barreto

PUBLISHER: Boom! Studios

PRICE: $3.99

RELEASE: March 11, 2015

Th countdown has begun for Snake Plissken to stop the nukes from being launched. There are two sides in this heated battle and each one has enough reason to hate Snake. One half, the national guard, wants Snake dead because he is a wanted fugitive of the states The other half, led by the psycho twins, Romulus and Remus, just wants to see the whole world blow up. Will  Snake let Florida get nuked? Or will he stop the child lunatics from pressing the red button?

Writer Christopher Sebela focuses on Snake’s back-story and digs deep into his military background. Snake knows the soldiers in Romulus and Remus’ army are pawns, which is why he won’t kill them. Instead, Snake puts his reluctance aside and leads the charge, giving his troops something to fight for. Snake fights to take back control and become the leader he was trained to be.

Artist Diego Barreto keeps readers close to the action as the battlefield takes place. In detailed wide shots, we see tanks rolling across, missiles being launched, and bullets flying in the air. At the center of the page, Snake is running into battle with purpose. The action flows at an incredibly fast pace as Snake goes one-on-one against MeeMaw.

“Escape From New York” #4 closes on an exciting cliff-hanger. Can’t wait to see what happens in the next story arc.

Reviewed by Jorge Solis

The post [Comic Review] “Escape From New York” #4 Builds To An Exciting Cliffhanger appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Eric Powell and Tim Wiesch

ART BY: Eric Powell

PUBLISHER: Image Comics

PRICE: $3.50

RELEASE: 4 March 2015

These days, I tend to imagine each comic book I read in another medium for more people to consume and see. Comics have become the springboard for movies and TV series in the last fifteen years with no sign of slowing down. I can imagine this book being a hard sell but DANG it would be glorious to see. The scariest little person you’ve ever seen headlines this series from mastermind creators Eric Powell and Tim Wiesch.

One man, the little guy with no name, has been literally beaten into a hardened, bitter and violent threat to anyone and everything around him. TheBig Man no longer suffers fools since his life has taught him how to survive no matter what happens. Powell’s art shows how horrible one man can be treated by the world around him before revenge and grenades seem like obvious solutions.

This book is all kinds of messed up with dark, dark, dark humor and uber-ultraviolence mashed together. Shock and awe do not cover the things seen in these pages. This book is easily one of the more wicked I’ve read and I’m guessing it will make you drop your jaw a few times. Whomever is standing of the way of the Big Man Plans for respect better know how to fight dirtier than dirty. I don’t see how any of this will end well for any involved so enjoy the carnage this little man unleashes for the next three issues.

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Mr. Steele enjoys all things comics and imagination-based. Using his lifetime of comic-fu-dom for good, he imparts his knowledge for the universe to enjoy and for you, dear readers, to pass it on.

Twitter: @mrbradysteele

The post [Comic Review] “Big Man Plans” #1 – Tons Of Carnage In A Small Package appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Joshua Dysart

ART BY: Doug Braithwaite

PUBLISHER: Valiant Entertainment

PRICE: $3.99

RELEASE: 4 March 2015

The plans for this title must be staggeringly elaborate. This second chapter by writer Joshua Dysart feels so utterly different from the premiere last month but still oh so very connected at the same time. The main focus of this book, would-be-benevolent leader of the world Psiot Toyo Harada, doesn’t even appear in this issue. Not once. His fingerprints and footsteps, however, are ALL OVER every page. Harada’s Harbinger Foundation is his ears, his eyes and his fists all over this world. Their presence is definitely felt everywhere they appear.

The other side of this conflict is shown to us in the Operation: Rising Spirit’s field team, The H.A.R.D. Corps. They are black-ops, super-powered countermeasure to Harada’s world plans. It’s fascinating to see how the world would react to a superpower threat with actual super powers. Doug Braithwaite`s art compliments the storytelling taking place in this storyline. For example, the harshness and intensity shines through the central character Gravedog`s actions. His actions both on the battlefield and behind closed doors make him captivating to watch. For a series of complete unknowns to a new Valiant Comics like me, it`s completely captivating storytelling.

I cannot recommend the Valiant Entertainment books enough. They really are a hotbed for comics done well month in and month out. Imperium #2 continues to build up this universe with uninhibited ambition and scope. There are moves within moves herein that are worth reading over and over just to imagine what will happen next. Read this.

—

Mr. Steele enjoys all things comics and imagination-based. Using his lifetime of comic-fu-dom for good, he imparts his knowledge for the universe to enjoy and for you, dear readers, to pass it on.

Twitter: @mrbradysteele

The post [Comic Review] “Imperium” #2 Is Completely Captivating appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Ed Brisson
ART BY: Damian Couciero
PUBLISHER: BOOM!
PRICE: #3.99
RELEASE: March 4, 2015

We rejoin Samara and her band of misfits as the race against the clock to get back to prison before their punch expires and kills them.  Along the way they fight a giant worm, haggle with some indigenous black market traders, and have a run in with a formidable group of foes.  We find out that Greenwood, the warden-like figure of the the M.I.D., has a vested interest in Samara’s safety, which means there is a group “soldiers” on the hunt for our heroes whilst they rush back to the safety of…prison.  All of this is perfect fodder for the space adventure I think we were all hoping for, but then there’s more.

Halleran reveals to the group that what got him incarcerated was a knife fight over a bag of H that ended with him stabbing his best friend to death.  He describes having ended up that way after losing his wife and kids and had he just givin back the dope he stole, his friend wouldn’t have had to die.

Heavy.

I like 99.9% of my media to just ooze violence and nihilism and despicableness.  I eat that shit up, but here I found this admission to be shocking and out of place for the genre and style of the book.  It was as if on the way to kill the queen mimic in “Edge of Tomorrow” Tom Cruise mused about his battle with smack or if you found out Leia had to kick Han out because he backhanded her and called her a whore.

And then there’s the last two pages: flash back to that fateful night where Samara is being a spoiled rich party girl, giving her little sister shit for wanting to leave the club, mere moments before killing her in a drunk driving accident.  Yeah, lets go back there.

A book can be whatever kind of book it wants to be and I don’t critique stories on their subject matter, only their execution.  I’ve never seen anything with this sort of confluence of light and heavy before and that could be part of my reason for rejecting it.  It is too soon for me to say whether the book is trying something it shouldn’t or not, but I can tell you it was off putting to me.  In some ways I guess I’m guilty of wanting my art in clearly defined categories.  “Cluster” is a weird blend.  A weird, weird blend.

—

Eric Switzer  is an aspiring filmmaker and screenplay writer living in Los Angeles.  His work tends to focus on the lighter side of entropy, dystopic futures, and man’s innate struggle with his own mortality.  He can be found on twitter @epicswitzer or reached via email at ericswitzerfilm@gmail.com. 

The post [Comic Review] “Cluster” #2 Ends With A Gut Punch appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Donny Cates

ART BY: Daniel Warren Johnson

PUBLISHER: Dark Horse Comics

PRICE: $2.99

RELEASE: March 5, 2015

After his not so delightful ‘trip’ last issue Trace awoke in a parking lot alone. No truck, no dog and no idea where either could possibly be. Things could be better but he’s survived being shot in the head and left for dead so this isn’t going to keep him down for long. We’re brought up to speed on what’s transpired at the same pace as Trace. Rediscovering forgotten events as he does, figuring it all out with him step by step. It’s engaging, entertaining and feels fresh spending almost an entire issue with just Trace. Ward and Reno (the killer introduced last issue) are still present but only in the periphery, nicely bookending Trace’s story. Reno’s sections are especially funny in a morbid, childlike way.

While the Issue reads as a sort of refractory period from last month’s blast that does not make this an issue to skip or pass over. The stakes are raised exponentially by the issues end, putting a hell of a lot on Trace’s plate. No issue of Ghost Fleet has ever been a waste, each one always gets a major plot point across that pushes the momentum story faster. Bit by bit stakes are rising to a boil, never sacrificing its forward momentum.

The visuals stood out a bit more this issue, specifically the colours. They’re much more vibrant, dynamic and kinetic, going with and shaping to the action of the scenes. Sure they’re more unrealistic at times but there’s nothing wrong with that.

Ghost Fleet continues to be of the utmost quality, it’s a crime that it doesn’t have a bigger fan base. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, don’t judge this book before you’ve read it. It’s not a hoorah for beerguts, it’s an excellent action-thriller-mystery that a lot of comic fans would enjoy if they read it.

—

Torin Chambers is a rad dude from the nineties who does film stuff or something. Thomas the Tank Engine is his favorite transformer. Find him on Twitter @TorinsChambers

The post [Comic Review] “Ghost Fleet” #5 – Keeps Truckin’ On appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Jeff Lemire

ART BY: Dustin Nguyen

PUBLISHER: Image Comics

PRICE: $2.99

RELEASE: March 5, 2015

It’s a whodunit playing out on the galactic stage and it’s utterly enthralling. But the story isn’t the only draw here. The visuals are out of this world and very different from what you’d expect for a tale such as this. Dustin Nguyen brings his signature style to the table, realizing a vast galactic community in a way you rarely, if ever, see. Every page is beautifully rendered in flowing and vibrant water colours, giving an intriguingly natural feel to this incredibly unnatural space age world.

Opening on The Planet Niyrata, “the technological and cultural hub of the group of nine Core Planets known as The United Galactic Council” where everything’s dandy and everyone’s going about their normal day to day activities. That is before the unthinkable happens. A towering machine of massive scope appeares from nowhere, holding its position immediately before the planet. Think Galactus or The Celestials from Marvel, this thing is essentially standing next to the planet and towering over it. This also isn’t the only one, 8 more have taken up posts next to the other 8 planets that make up The United Galactic Council. All seem to be relatively harmless and entirely inactive. Enter Dr. Quon, the man who “practically invented modern robotics.” He’s their foremost expert, if anybody can decipher where and who these things come from it’s him.

That’s the basic set up from which the book truly takes off. I dare not say more and possibly ruin your experience, but trust me it only gets better. There’s more than a few twists and turns in this first issue that keep it readily engaging from start to finish.

I’ve only got a couple concerns. This first one’s almost paltry; there’s a robot that’s speech bubbles are neon teal with neon yellow text overtop, it’s no fun at all to try and read. The other is that there’s not a lot of diversity shown for the other races. This is a galactic community made up of numerous other races and besides a short reveal late in the book we only get a glimpse of 1 person that’s not human. My hope is going forward that we get to see a lot more of them.

Lemire and Nguyen have crafted an story that oozes style and originality. With a plot on the grandest of scales and refreshingly unexpected visuals Descender is sure to excite anyone who reads it.

—

Torin Chambers is a rad dude from the nineties who does film stuff or something. Thomas the Tank Engine is his favorite transformer. Find him on Twitter @TorinsChambers

The post [Comic Review] “Descender” #1 Begins An Enthralling Space Epic appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Shaun Simon

ART BY: Tyler Jenkins

PUBLISHER: Dark Horse Comics

PRICE: $3.99

RELEASE: March 4, 2015

A young man helps his son rehearse for his big school recital. With his wife occupied with her daily routine, the father attempts to console his child, who has a bad case of stage-fright, and build up his confidence. Unfortunately, the parental figure needs his medication to think clearly and make sense of things. Down to his last pill, the young father struggles to figure out what is truly real and unreal.

Writer Shaun Simon focuses on the relationship between adults and children. Simon uses his  main protagonist, who calls himself “Neverboy,” as an unreliable narrator who’s unsure what is reality. When the hallucinations start popping up during the narrative, Simon gives them double meaning, which works well because of the plot twist. Because the big surprise works the first time when you read Simon’s story, you start to see the connections the second time around.

Artist Tyler Jenkins has to illustrate two worlds, reality and fantasy, at the same time. In his character design, Neverboy is tall and grungy, as if he hasn’t matured past his slacker days. Using the coming-of-age themes, Jenkins depicts children with an innocent-like quality. Colorist Kelly Fitzpatrick enhances  the surreal aspects of the narrative, especially when Neverboy’s hair loses its tone, due to the lack of medication.

“Neverboy” #1 kicks off to a great start due to its surprising twist. I’m really hoping that the “Neverboy” can keep advancing the story without the surprise factor.

The post [Comic Review] “Neverboy” #1 Twists Fantasy Into Harsh Reality appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Lee Bremejo
ART BY: Lee Bremejo
PUBLISHER: Vertigo Comics
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: February 25, 2015

The general conceit of “Suiciders” isn’t anything we haven’t seen before, but thanks to Bremejo’s smart storytelling, the first issue isn’t really wrapped around the televised death of gladiators, but one warrior in particular The Saint. As a hero, we hardly get to see his face, and he’s often quite coy about revealing too much of his character. But, he’s an incredible fighter and speaks with a distinct charm that is difficult to resist. The Saint keeps the main narrative moving and as the most prized fighter in New Angeles, one wonders how he’ll come to change his mind about being the people’s champ.

Elsewhere we’re treated to the core defining characteristics of this new world. Bremejo keeps things vague, only speaking about “The big one”  in passing, but its clear it was a devastating earthquake. It seems most of Los Angeles was ceded to capitalistic pursuits shortly thereafter with plastic surgery defining the people and the business of the new ruling class. Outside of the metropolis of New Angeles we have the devastated Lost Angeles. This is a graveyard of our society with imperfect people lurking in the devastation and dreaming of a ticket to utopia.

It was this divide that I never quite expected of “Suiciders.” This title could have easily devolved into a gladiatorial combat showcase that would have been digestible and palatable for those still loving superhero comics. But Bremejo gives the comic some real weight by adding in a social conscious, and a huge divide between the have and the have nots. The debut is heavy on exposition, but thanks to serving as both the artist and the writer on the book the exposition flows with a natural perfection. The script and the art compliment each other in a way that allows both to breath.

There is a beautiful example of this late in the issue with how Bremejo tackles the idea of physical perfection in New Angeles. It’s a visual subtlety that builds into a near perfection explanation with each never overshadowing the other. The social issues within these pages are something any self aware consumer should be concerned with, and are ripe for discourse. They do feel a little imbued in the culture of the 80’s, but that’s to the book’s credit.

I can’t tell where this book is headed and I love that. I don’t really know where The Saint will fit into all of this class distinction or if he will simply remain the saint of excess. Part of me wants to see him as the catalyst for change but by the end of this first issue I’m not sure if the character’s capable of it, which is why I can’t wait for #2.

The post [Comic Review] “Suiciders” #1 – Brings Pathos To Televised Death appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: James Asmus

ART BY: Steve Lieber

PUBLISHER: Valiant Entertainment

PRICE: $3.99

RELEASE: 25 February 2015

Writer James Asmus knows funny. You can just feel it in almost every panel of this book. The back-and-forth between Quantum and Woody comes across as two brothers who genuinely get on each other’s nerves. Scenes are peppered all over the series which makes it an unpretentious treat to read. The fact that they are in couples therapy to become a better super team is too comical to not mention.

On top of that, their psychotherapist / fake counsellor Dr. Henrik Skinner is secretly manipulating them into showcasing how actually awful and terrible they are at being heroes. There’s even a tender moment or two to show that these would-be-heroes are not complete sociopaths and have real emotions. Those feelings are buried PRETTY deep, but they are in there somewhere. It feels like an episode of a sitcom that we’ve all seen before but somehow it’s completely fresh and absolutely unconventional.

Steve Lieber’s art keeps the tone light and off-the-wall. There’s comical, there’s ultra-violence, animals shooting and fetching, there’s dark rooms full of nasty, diseased and vengeful folks…there’s even a bed pan toss!

The only thing lacking is The Goat. You always need more Goat.

Once again, letterer Dave Lanphear steals the show by adding so much to the series. I particularly enjoyed the ‘Sweatpants!’ moment. You’ll know when you see it. If you don’t laugh, see a doctor.

So far, it feels like the Super-Human Trauma Coping Group is trying too hard to utterly destroy the World’s Worst Super-team. Their sneak attacks are on par with ye old Willy Coyote vs. The Road Runner. Meep Meep indeed. I can’t wait to see how they try to obliterate them next month.

—

Mr. Steele enjoys all things comics and imagination-based. Using his lifetime of comic-fu-dom for good, he imparts his knowledge for the universe to enjoy and for you, dear readers, to pass it on.

The post [Comic Review] “Quantum and Woody Must Die” #2 – Ups The Zany Accidental Heroics appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Ryan Ferrier

ART BY: Devaki Neogi

PUBLISHER: BOOM! Studios

PRICE: $3.99

RELEASE: February 25, 2015

It’s not clear if this is a future dystopia or a slightly warped present; the technology, if it’s different, is not accessible to our protagonists in their lower-socioeconomic-status burrough. The society is clearly different. Unlike today, where areas with a lower socioeconomic status are often some combination of a police state and a chaotic self-policed crime zone, the turf arrangements in this comic made by local gangs seem formal, the guides and codes meaningful, and the police presence nonexistent.

The story follows The Fever, an all-girl gang in Old Beach, a small and generally neglected burrough that they police themselves. These girls will kick your ass for hurting one of their own, but they function very much like a family, even to the extent that the crew members are called “aunt” by Betty’s little sister Sweet Pea. Each of the members has her own intro, all in the internal narrative of Betty Machete, the character this issue follows– but with the gang dynamic, it’s highly possible that next issue will focus on another member. We have:

Violet Volt, a young black convenience store cashier, who jumps on the stage at a punk show to scream Black Flag lyrics and kick over amps, and who cracks jokes because she thinks she’s funny and it doesn’t matter if anyone agrees with her.

Bloody Mary– not as young as Violet, but none of them seem older than 25– who talks herself up in the mirror and who’s taking care of her bedridden mother. Mary is Asian, and even though she would clearly die for the Fever, coping with her mother’s illness is something she seems to carry mostly alone.

Derby Girl, an adorable wild card who combines her slightly psychotic violent streak with cute floral dresses, who’s seen buying drugs from Nikola and who is always willing to launch an ambush on roller skates. Derby’s white, with a chip on her shoulder and a constant need to prove herself.

Daisy Chain, or “Aunt Daisy” to Sweet Pea, seems to be Sweet Pea’s secondary caregiver with Betty. She and Betty are not only raising Sweet Pea together, but they seem to be something like the parental figures to the gang, in a leadership capacity but without being controlling or condescending. Fittingly, her weapon of choice is a thick metal chain. Daisy could be Latina, or like Betty, she could be Indian– this crew is diverse but race never seems to be an issue amongst one another.

And finally, Betty, our narrator, whose family is from Bengaluru and who, despite being a maternal presence to her sister and to her crew, is not always in control of her impulses. Betty incites the narrative arc that this series will clearly jump off on by defending her turf from a rival gang, The Wrath, and getting a little carried away– and that’s where the name of the series comes in.

These characters are amazingly fleshed-out in the writing, but without the character designs, this book would not be such a shining example of comics getting it right. Devaki Neogi’s faces are crucially expressive, the women’s body types are all realistic, their body language tells as much a story of their closeness as the dialogue. A small part of the final fight scene seemed somewhat staged, wooden, but the physicality of the book overall is dynamic. The colors by Neil Lalonde create a neon bright punk-era atmosphere, shifting only slightly from the club scene to the beach. The art combines some traditional ink outlining with very stylistic splashes and cutouts, creating a fresh experience for a comic fan without distracting from the story.

This book is good. It’s not like nothing you’ve ever read before– what is, really?– but it’s new and fresh enough that people will be standing up and taking notice of this series, which it richly deserves.

—

Katy Rex writes comics analysis at endoftheuniversecomics.com, comicsbulletin.com, and bloody-disgusting.com. She really likes butt jokes, dinosaurs, and killing psychos and midgets in Borderlands 2. She has a great sense of humor if you’re not an asshole.

The post [Comic Review] “Curb Stomp” #1 – Commands You To Take Notice appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Marc Andreyko

ART BY: Emmanuel Xerx Javier, Devmalya Pramanik

PUBLISHER: Boom! Studios

PRICE: $3.99

RELEASE: February 25, 2015

The cause of Midian’s downfall and the prophetic savior of the Breed, Boone seems to have forgotten to find a new home for his lost tribe. With Lori back from the dead, Boone just wants to be with her. But now an old enemy has returned from the ruins of Midian. Ashberry, a former priest damned by the blood of Baphomet, is setting the stage for the next holy war.

Writer Marc Andreyko switches back and forth between Ashberry’s revenge story and the Breed’s search for the promised land. Boone is the reluctant hero who has doubts about his true destiny. I like how Andreyko draws the parallels between Boone’s character arc and Peloquin’s lack of faith in his missing leader. Wondering who he should give his loyalty to, Pelican feels betrayed and abandoned by Boone.

Because there are two artists involved, I always feel torn between artists Emmanuel Xerx Javier and Devmalya Pramanik. Though I enjoy Javier’s illustrations, I am drawn more to Pramanik’s group shots. In a four panel set, there is so much detail in the background and foreground as Pramanik captures Peloquin’s broken faith. It’s more about giving the monsters relatable emotions to express.

“Clive Barker’s Nightbreed” #10 will definitely shock readers with its surprising twists. Just reading the “Nightbreed” comic makes me want to watch the movie all over again.

The post [Comic Review] “Clive Barker’s Nightbreed” #10 Is Unpredictable, Uncharted Territory appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Michael Moreci

ART BY: Vic Malhotra

PUBLISHER: Image Comics

PRICE: $2.99

RELEASE: February 25, 2015

Wasting not even a beat we’re thrown back into the story, just as Alex throws himself into space to save Bekkah. Accompanied by some gorgeous cosmic art, Alex plunges headlong into the unknown and returns with an unresponsive Bekkah. In this moment there’s nothing he can do for her but make sure they land safely, relatively safely. Alex’s piloting skills fall more in the realm of “falling with style” than that of a professional. Even if they survive the ‘landing’ they’ve still got to find Bekkah’s soul, and they’re not the only ones.

While our heroes tackle reentry everyone’s favorite homicidal Russian Samurai Moscow is also on the hunt for Bekkahs soul and he’s got an army of mindless husks to do his bidding. Too bad for Moscow those currently in possession of the soul are not going to give it up without a fight. Gracie and her crew are locked and loaded, ready as one can be for what Moscow is about to throw at them. Ready to give their lives in defense of it, if need be.

All of that is only the first 5 pages of Roche Limit #5’s brilliant thrill ride. It only get more and more tense and action packed as the page count goes up. Lives are lost, with numerous casualties on either side and the universe of Roche Limit will be fundamentally changed from this point on.

Michael Moreci and Vic Malhotra have out done themselves yet again. This is a series that demands and deserves to be read by any and all Sci-Fi, comic and storytelling fans. Truly and genuinely, Roche Limit #5 is a phenomenal work of art.

—

Torin Chambers is a rad dude from the nineties who does film stuff or something. Thomas the Tank Engine is his favorite transformer. Find him on Twitter @TorinsChambers

The post [5 Skull Review] “Roche Limit” #5 Is A Phenomenal Work Of Art appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Jason Latour
ART BY: Robbi Rodriguez 
PUBLISHER: Marvel Comics
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: February 25, 2015

Even though I did not read her edge of spiderverse story, it was so big I ended up gleaming the important detail that Peter Parker is dead by osmosis. Lucky I did because for as excellent a job it does setting up Spider-Gwen it does not mention this detail. It’s almost baffling that there’s no mention of it on the ‘previously on’ page at the beginning. The only other gripe I have is that the first actual page of the issue features a blonde girl in a white hoodie who as it turns out is not Gwen but just some random girl. It’s an incredibly awkward choice that had me flipping between pages to make sure I didn’t miss something. Those gripes aside there is literally nowhere else Spider-Gwen missteps on it’s vibrant and fun journey.

Gwen’s humour is one of its biggest draws, I’d argue she’s funnier than Spider-Man himself, or at least recently. Cracking off great one-liners such as “Death from a butt.” She’s not necessarily carefree but more lighthearted and just plain fun. Becoming an instantly relatable character who’s got strong convictions and a lot of heart.

The visuals are off the chain in this book, reminding me heavily of Translucid from BOOM. With a vivid colour pallet that includes bright neon greens, blues, purples and pinks. Creating an engaging world that’s always a treat to look at and instantly differentiates itself from your mainstream Spider-Man books. It’s doing it’s own thing from top to bottom and it’s phenomenal.

People may have ragged on Latour for his run on Wolverine and The X-Men but if you gave any of them Spider-Gwen #1 they’d think twice about his writing abilities. He totally nails here creating a character who we can identify as being apart of the spider family but one who’s absolutely unique and endearing in her own ways. Spider-Gwen is something special and I hope to see it on the stands for years to come.

—

Torin Chambers is a rad dude from the nineties who does film stuff or something. Thomas the Tank Engine is his favorite transformer. Find him on Twitter @TorinsChambers

The post [5 Skull Review] “Spider-Gwen” #1 – Gives New Life To Spider-Man appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Fred Van Lente

ART BY: Clayton Henry

PUBLISHER: Valiant Entertainment

PRICE: $3.99

RELEASE: 18 February 2015

Ivar Anni-Padda already feels like a character who would kick you in the crotch to get whatever he wants, no matter how big or small that ‘want’ may be. Writer Fred Van Lente makes everything The Timewalker do feel not-so-noble. The enthralling part is that you still want to see what his plan is and why he does what he does to get there. Forcing young scientist / future villain Neela Sethi to try killing someone is an utterly captivating experiment in social behaviour and behaviour modification. There are so many levels to Ivar’s every step, it’s hard to decide his ultimate motivations.

The art so far has been impressive to behold. Artist Clayton Henry really makes every era, every weapon, every other time traveller seem matchless and fresh. For example, I hope we see more of the Anon-Lurker in the future. It was also cool to see another artist take our travellers to another time period. Robert Gill gave the WWI trench moments a certain level of grit and grime. Nothing felt clear or as black and white as you’d expect which was a great effect to help illustrate the story’s point. Read it, I’m not spoiling it for you and you’ll thank me later.

It’s thought-provoking to me that time travel always wants to change things that have happened in the past. Van Lente eloquently asks “Who doesn’t fanaticize about becoming the editor of their own life..?” Ivar, Timewalker #2 shows both sides of that argument so effectively that I still don’t know what side I come down on. I just know I want to see what this time traveller takes us next and if he’s really that clever

—

Mr. Steele enjoys all things comics and imagination-based. Using his lifetime of comic-fu-dom for good, he imparts his knowledge for the universe to enjoy and for you, dear readers, to pass it on.

Twitter: @mrbradysteele

The post [Comic Book Review] “Ivar Timewalker” #2 Is Tight Crisp And Funny appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

The post [Comic Book Review] “Bitch Planet” #3 – Proves A Very Special Third Issue appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Michael Moreci & Tim Daniel
ART BY: Colin Lorimer
PUBLISHER: BOOM!
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: February 18, 2015

There is a lot to like about this book.  The dialogue, for one, is sharp and gritty, the back-and-forth between Dana and Aban serves to distinguish their characteristics and background while having tons of noir style.  Tonally, the book is a blast to read because it feels so carefully and deliberately constructed.  As a reader I appreciate the evidence of the creators’ investment; I can be taken along for the ride because I trust that I’ll end up somewhere that’s worth it.  This is my impression of “Burning Fields” a quarter of the way in.  I feel confident this will be a satisfying journey.

The scope has swelled beyond just the field and those around it quickly, as we are introduced to a cultish group whose involvement is uncertain.  I was confused by the conversation between Verge and their leader.  It was the same kind of setup that confused me in the first issue, because there is such a noticeable lack of exposition in their dialogue and we are being so deliberately thrown into the middle of something with not context that it feels like I missed something.  The other thing that slightly tripped me up was in a classic crime drama moment Dana is clued into a worker abandoning the job site and referred to someone else for more information, only to track down that person and immediately be referred to someone else for more information.  Had it happened one more time I may have tipped my hat to the satire, however out of place it would have been, but as it stands its right on the line between useless and laughable.

For both issues I’m really tempted to give “Burning Fields” a perfect score.  It is shaping up to be a really great story, with sophisticated writing, interesting and engaging artwork, and the kind of originality that makes you crave something you didn’t ever know you wanted.  But along the way I the book has some bumps.  My feeling is when it is all over we will look back at the complete package and see that all the pieces are there.  Issue to issue, however, there are things here and there that take me out of the experience.  The book is ambitious and, if nothing else, supporting it with our dollars means we’ll get more fresh ideas in comics.  I highly recommend it.

—

Eric Switzer  is an aspiring filmmaker and screenplay writer living in Los Angeles.  His work tends to focus on the lighter side of entropy, dystopic futures, and man’s innate struggle with his own mortality.  He can be found on twitter @epicswitzer or reached via email at ericswitzerfilm@gmail.com. 

The post [Comic Book Review] “Burning Fields” #2 – Is An Absolute Must Buy appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Swifty Lang
ART BY: Skuds McKinkey
PUBLISHER: BOOM!
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: February 18, 2015

The book opens on them attacking another ship so they can steal from them, this alone shows that they’re bad. The problem isn’t that they’re all built up to be really bad, it’s that they are at the expense of the protagonist’s development. It just feels like a waste of space on the page for what are essentially cannon fodder for whatever horror they’re facing, space that the protagonist could be growing in.

Once everything’s set up our pirate party reach a ship that’s dead in the water. This is when the real fun begins and Plunder get’s increasingly more interesting with each passing page. As they descend deeper and deeper into the lifeless ship it becomes incredibly apparent something is not right here. An interesting dynamic early in their decent is how they mostly write off what they’re seeing as the work of another pirate group. It’s not all necessarily shocking to them, which is a cool perspective for a group to have in a horror story such as this.

When the monsters hiding below deck make their appearance they do not disappoint. Unsettling to the nines and creepy as hell, I can’t wait to see more. To see all the different forms they’ll take, there’s a lot of creative potential for monstrosities here.

Visually Plunder is a bit inconsistent at time but nothing earth shattering. The awesome moments definitely outshine the discrepancies overall. The major visual issue I had was that both of the pirates with glasses also both have yellow scarf’s and short sleeved grayish shirts. There’re a few pages where they’re in different parts of the ship and as it cuts between the two scenes I was initially confused as to how this guy was in two places at once. Also on only the first page our lead clearly has a striped shirt for two panels when for the rest of the book he’s wearing a solid white shirt. Those instances aside when it comes to gore and carnage Plunder looks rad.

A slow and clunky start gives way to an original and intriguing horror premise. Plunder is worth a look for any horror fan who’s tired of the same old routine.

—

Torin Chambers is a rad dude from the nineties who does film stuff or something. Thomas the Tank Engine is his favorite transformer. Find him on Twitter @TorinsChambers

The post [Comic Book Review] “Plunder” #1 – Is Damn Good Albeit Familiar Horror appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY:  Rafael Albuquerque & Mike Johnson

ART BY: Rafael Albuquerque

PUBLISHER: Dark Horse Comics

PRICE: $3.99

RELEASE: Feb 18th, 2015

In the snowy mountains, a young man has dropped all of a sudden from the sky. The man with no name has arrived in his spaceship for a specific mission. He is lost in the never-ending fields of snow, wondering which direction he is supposed to go. There are fragments of memories inside his mind telling him to do something. A killer has been sent from somewhere in the timeline, but he doesn’t know who his target is.

I really love how writer Mike Johnson played around with the nonlinear structure. Told from the point-of-view of the unreliable narrator, the mystery gains momentum, even while answering its own questions. When the narrator discovers his own real name, the story takes a dramatic left turn and surprises us with a another plot twist. We figure out what’s happening just when he is. I really like how the story makes readers question whether or not they should be rooting for the protagonist.

Artist Rafael Albuquerque captures a vibrant atmosphere with a variety of primary colors. Each color is supposed to have a deeper meaning as the protagonist meanders through his memories. The shades of blue and white enhance the coldness and isolation of the icy backdrop. In tight close-ups. Albuquerque depicts the protagonist’s struggle to understand his role and mission in his facial expressions. Albuquerque mixes elements from the past, present, and future, you keep guessing where in the timeline you’re supposed to be.

“EI8HT” #1 is an interesting sc-fi mystery/thriller with phenomenal artwork. I cannot wait to see what happens in the next installment.

The post [Comic Book Review] “Ei8ht” #1 – A Visually Stunning Mystery appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Caitlin Kittredge

ART BY: Inaki Miranda

PUBLISHER: Vertigo Comics

PRICE: $2.99

RELEASE: February 11, 2015

“Coffin Hill” is about the demons we face and the ones we choose to leave behind. As Kitteridge builds new arcs into the history of her characters, each new story seems to have more influence over the ones previous. This is no easy task for a comic series, but somehow the book makes it look that way. Eve is faced with a whole host of new trouble as Nate wakes up from a coma. She learns that she is even more connected to her estranged and insane aunt, and the ugly history of the town is further revealed through several more grisly murders.

Inaki Miranda’s art still oozes style on every page, but the digital inking process somehow lost something in the transition of this new chapter. Everyone feels a little too stiff, and the long bodies of the characters are oblong and strange when experienced against the circular paneling. It’s slightly distracting because this book often has dynamic and exciting art. This month feels rushed.

The new storyline is engaging and offers even more dark secrets behind the series titular town and family. I can’t wait to see what horrendous things are uncovered as the arc continues, and it’s always so remarkable to see the dark depths Kittredge is able to push herself to despite being such a sweet and approachable person in the real world.

The post [Comic Book Review] “Coffin Hill” #15 Offers A Stiff Beginning To A New Chapter appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Matt Kindt

ART BY: Trevor Hairsine and Ryan Winn

PUBLISHER: Valiant Entertainment

PRICE: $3.99

RELEASE: 11 February 2015

If your life feels like destiny heading towards the inevitable, what does that mean? Are you meant for big, world changing things? Do you know exactly what you’re supposed to do? If your dream becomes your reality, how can you possibly rejoin the rest of us on Earth? There are so many mind-fluxing concepts and ideas in Matt Kindt’s debut of Valiant Next’s newest character it takes some time for it all to sink in. After re-reading this mind-bender of a first issue, it feels like page one of a self-fulfilling prophecy. That makes it one of the more distinctive introductions I’ve read ever.

The visuals of this new god on Earth named Abram Adams are deftly handled by Trevor Hairsine and Ryan Winn. Hairsine and Winn make everything look as real or as surreal as it needs to be without going over the top anywhere. Abrams’ imagination comes through the pages as genuine wonder. What he does when he gets back to our planet looks like whatever he can think of becomes reality. This makes him a brand new powder keg in the ever-growing Valiant Universe. I can’t wait to see how the rest of this world reacts to his arrival.

Like Ivar, Timewalker and Imperium before it, Divinity #1 comes out of the gates strong. All of these debuts from the Valiant Next line have been very compelling reads indeed. Get a copy of this first issue (Prestige Format for regular price ta boot!) and let your mind bend to this new deity on Earth.

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Mr. Steele enjoys all things comics and imagination-based. Using his lifetime of comic-fu-dom for good, he imparts his knowledge for the universe to enjoy and for you, dear readers, to pass it on.

Twitter: @mrbradysteele

The post [Comic Book Review] “Divinity” #1 – Will Bend Your Mind appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Jimmie Robinson

ART BY: Jimmie Robinson

PUBLISHER: Image Comics

PRICE: $3.99

RELEASE: Feb 11th, 2015

In a post-apocalyptic world, Tanoor tries to survive in her hostile environment against the scorching sun and the hungry mutant beasts. Living in a barren wasteland, the last remains of humanity are struggling to find a new source of water and food. A stranger, who comes from “The Green,” suddenly drops into town. Tanoor has to ask herself if this creature is an angel sent to help them, or the devil come to finish them off.

I like how writer/artist Jimmie Robinson took the time to build his fantastical world. You understand why Tanoor has become hardened because of her harsh surroundings. Robinson then lays out the religious themes when Lila shows up and is quite eloquent when he has something to say. Because of their lack of chemistry though, I’m left wanting more from Lila and Tanoor as they wander off together onto their road trip.

In his art duties, Robinson has mapped out specific locations, from the desert landscape to the Green. In her character design, Tanoor looks like a mummy with the torn bandages around her body. The secondary characters all look strange with their bug eyes and exaggerated necklines. Robinson does a great job taking readers to another world, but everyone is so odd-looking.

“The Empty” #1 is off to a descent start. Hopefully, the protagonists will be fleshed out in the next installment.

The post [Comic Book Review] “The Empty” #1 Takes You To Another World appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Jason Aaron
ART BY: Jason Latour
PUBLISHER: Image
PRICE: $3.50
RELEASE: February 11, 2015

This second arc, “Gridiron” has humanized Coach Boss in a way I didn’t think was imaginable at the end of the first.  Boss represents a familiar archetype from the perspective of Earl Tubbs: a powerful, ruthless kingpin with an army willing to act on his behalf out of fear.  His troubled upbringing and sympathy-inducing backstory is not unexpected, but what is (and perhaps shouldn’t be) is the finesse and nuance Aaron brings to the villain’s origin story.

Young and old Coach Boss have the same blind tenacity and righteous indignation and his relentlessness on an off the field are clear indicators to his eventual rise to power, but Boss has a binary mind; he is steadfast and committed to the choices he makes.  This, I think, is his fatal flaw and part of what makes Boss such a complex and interesting character.

Altogether, I’m glad Daddy Boss’ involvement seems to have come to an end.  His part of the plot is surprisingly flat for this book’s standards, and as a spine for Euless, I found to be rather weak.  The abusive drunk daddy that will never be proud can be understood and acknowledged through even the subtlest context clues, I’m not certain how much his extended stay has benefitted to story at this point and I’d just as well be rid of him as Euless would.

I called “Southern Bastards” one of the best new series of 2014 because the book simply drips with authenticity and this issue is no exception.  This book is a good ol’ home cooked meal.  Deep fried and full of flavor.  It consistently rich with strong dialogue, perfectly executed story beats, and beautiful, blood soaked panels.  Consistently one of my favorites.

—

Eric Switzer  is an aspiring filmmaker and screenplay writer living in Los Angeles.  His work tends to focus on the lighter side of entropy, dystopic futures, and man’s innate struggle with his own mortality.  He can be found on twitter @epicswitzer or reached via email at ericswitzerfilm@gmail.com. 

The post [Comic Book Review] “Southern Bastards” # 7 – Makes You Feel For Coach Boss appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Kelly Sue Deconnick
ART BY: Agustin Alessio
PUBLISHER: Dark Horse
PRICE: $4.99
RELEASE: February 11, 2015

Kelly Sue Deconnick, who has served as a sort of show runner for “Fire and Stone”, pens this finale with art from Agustin Alessio and the first thing I want to talk about is just how god damn beautiful this issue is.  There has been some great art in this event, especially in “Predator” and “AVP”, but I was pretty blown away by how much life Alessio brought into these now familiar characters, how terrifying and disgusting the baddies are rendered and, though I’m not 100% on board with the ending (a point I’ll get to) Alessio really drives home a sense of hope and beauty.  The artwork here is almost moving and alone is worth the price tag.

There is a lot of story that needs to be told here and the extra pages do a lot to keep it from feeling too rushed.  Galgo and Angela have been barely surviving for some time now (along with a couple others whose purpose I’m not quite sure of) and Ahab has gotten in the habit of showing up just in the nick of time.  As far as Predator stories, this is the most I think we’ve ever gotten to know a Predator.  Giving him a name emphasizes how much personality and individuality this Predator has.  It is a departure, but not a jarring one.  He has just enough characteristics without violating the form and function of a Predator.  It works.

The crew is pretty terrified when Elden crash lands, and rightfully so, but something has changed: Elden has mellowed having completed his task to meet his maker and his perpetual existential crisis is wearing on him.  He is less bloodthirsty and more ready to get the fuck off of LV-223, and the crew, as well as Ahab, are on board.

This team up, and especially Elden and Ahab’s meetup, is so intensely satisfying after this long violent journey that the book almost gets full points just for bringing them all together and providing a moment of solace before heading into the fray for one last deadly mission.  Unfortunately, that final mission is a bit of a non-starter.  The stakes aren’t very high, there are a lot of questions left unanswered, and the whole thing is over before you know it without having accomplished anything at all.  Elden receives a fitting conclusion but as for the rest I was a little let down.  Things are left open for a possible return of Angela, Galgo, and Ahab in the future but I found this to be an unwanted adherence to comic book conventions.  It isn’t the events I’m questioning, but the execution.  We needed to spend a little more time in the mountain I think, it was in and out for kind of no reason.

“Fire and Stone” has been some of the most fun I’ve had ready comics in a long time.  It was action packed and nostalgic and innovative and added so much to the mythos of these franchises. “Fire and Stone” will be remembered for the careful crafting and interweaving of the different books and I can’t wait for more ambitious projects like this.
Where the fuck was the engineer though?

The post [Comic Book Review] “Prometheus: Fire & Stone Omega” #1 – Proves A Worthy Conclusion appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Kate Leth

ART BY: Drew Rausch

PUBLISHER: IDW Publishing

PRICE: $3.99

RELEASE: February 11, 2015

This issue follows Megs as she attempts to do what’s right: protect Edward’s preference not to leave his castle, but save the kidnapped boy from Eli anyway. This again falls solidly in the realm of giving children credit, allowing them agency, acknowledging their autonomy and motivations. Megs is a great character; she hasn’t been developed as much as one might like, this far into a series, but she’s strong, driven, and relatable. And after all the setup, exposition and background, this issue finally features a major conflict. Sure, it’s worrisome given that this series has been advertised as a 5-part arc, but if you love where this is going, it’s definitely a strong indicator that Edward Scissorhands can– and must– continue beyond this arc.

The art continues to be strong and consistent, creating an eerie feeling in the empty town even as the dialogue sets it up as off-putting. Travis Lanham’s letters do the work of giving Edward a voice. His strange, small, stilted letters convey Edward’s strangeness, his unaccustomedness to speaking, but also his childlike innocence. Rausch’s character design of the police officer behind the desk, to whom Megs is reporting Eli’s involvement in the kidnapping, is both a caricature and not out of place. His exaggerated and grotesque features are not jarring, but they set him up as a formidable barrier: he is characterized by his trope-ness, and is unlikely to budge his perspective in the face of reason (especially if it’s from a child).

The review from last issue was about the filler, a Third Issue Itch situation, and both because this issue continues to build the action and because the solicit for this series claims 5 parts, I can’t help but be nervous about a single wrap-up issue after so much build-up. But I’m hopeful that this is an ongoing series, beyond the fifth issue, and these recent turns of events certainly redeem last issue and give hope for great things going forward.

—

Katy Rex writes comics analysis at endoftheuniversecomics.com, comicsbulletin.com, and bloody-disgusting.com. She also writes scholarly articles for various academic journals. She really likes butt jokes, dinosaurs, and killing psychos and midgets in Borderlands 2. She has a great sense of humor if you’re not an asshole.

The post [Comic Book Review] “Edward Scissorhands” #4 Gives Hope For An Ongoing appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Joe Keatinge

ART BY: Leila De Duca

PUBLISHER: Image

PRICE: $3.50

RELEASE: February 11, 2015

Opening on Paris, France in 1889 during The Exposition Universelle. (A World’s Fair) We follow Jean-Paul Mignet and Magali who’re on their way to something much more exciting than The Exposition Universelle, they’re going to Prospero. Magali is more cautious and concerned about what they are venturing into but Jean-Paul inversely is ecstatic about the idea of Prospero. Seeing it instead as a fabulous and astonishing look into the future. An especially sinister looking man, machine or possibly a little of both takes them into Prospero, he/it’s possibly the one in charge.

He gives them a brief and foreboding introduction to Prospero, showing off a few key sights before unveiling the magnificent ‘Porticullis Hypnos’ of Professor Harold Rathborn. A magical machine that acts as an entrance to dreams! That’s really quite amazing and will be very key to future events but there’s a particular statement that the man/machine makes that intrigued me indefinitely. He states “Our impossible creatures, stolen from unknown realities…” Could this be a subtle hint at why Shutters world is so similar yet also fantastical? Could it be that their earth was just as ours but then sometime around the turn of the century a massive discovery was made that brought all those wondrous creatures to our world? It’s not 100% proof but it’s an alluring thought.

Leila De Duca’s visuals are on point as always, especially during the opening within Prospero, which looks absolutely stunning. The issue gets a wee bit psychedelic towards the end that I loved. If that is any indication Shutter #10 will be an absolute visual delight.

“Shutter” is back in top form this month.

—

Torin Chambers is a rad dude from the nineties who does film stuff or something. Thomas the Tank Engine is his favorite transformer. Find him on Twitter @TorinsChambers

The post [Comic Book Review] “Shutter” #9 – Proves Another Highpoint For The Series appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Dan Abnett

ART BY: I.N.J Culbard

PUBLISHER: BOOM! Studios

PRICE: $2.99

RELEASE: February 11, 2015

The ending is ultimately a brave choice and one that I believe pays off, although I’m sure many people will be put off by it. Your opinions about Wild’s End and your overall enjoyment of this series will hinge on how you take that final page.

Wasting no time Wild’s End #6 picks up right in the thick of it. Our heroes are still being chased by the alien light post but have put a fair amount of distance between them and the beast. They pull up onto the old Squire’s estate and quickly formulate a plan. Use his wheat harvester against the alien as Mr. Fawkes bravely volunteers to be the distraction, hopefully giving them enough time to figure out how to operate the machine.

Now Fawkes and Alph’s subplot here is one of my biggest gripes with this issue. For an incredibly frustrating and confusing reason Mr. Fawkes chooses Alph to ride shotgun and be his loader, for the shotgun. Out of everyone available he chooses the one person who has incredibly damaged hands, so much so that Alph couldn’t even use them at all last issue. He then only uses the shotgun once so what was the point? Why leave to be the distraction with an unloaded gun and then why force the one person who shouldn’t be physically able to load the gun, load the gun for you? Even with that mess aside why does Fawkes drive to the middle of a field, shoot at the alien lamp once then just sit there waiting there to be blasted? You could say this is all because Fawkes is a vagrant fool, but he’s proved himself quite capable numerous times leading up to this moment so that’s no excuse. Then on top of all that the alien lamp shoots their car, it flips over and that’s that. [SPOILER] Or apparently not, several pages later Fawkes just casually shows up to help finish the alien with no explanation of how he and Alph escaped their fate. I guess the alien just gave up and turned around after it flipped the car.

I have a couple other gripes, such as how the attack on the alien lamp doesn’t make sense visually, but that’s getting real nit-picky. Abnett and Culbard have overall created a delightful tale of Peter Rabbit meets War of The Worlds. It may have faltered in this final issue, but as a whole it’s a strong, original piece of work that I still wholeheartedly recommend.

—

Torin Chambers is a rad dude from the nineties who does film stuff or something. Thomas the Tank Engine is his favorite transformer. Find him on Twitter @TorinsChambers

The post [Comic Book Review] “Wild’s End” #6 Offers A Brave Ending appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Frank J Barbiere

ART BY: Chris Mooneyham

PUBLISHER: Image

PRICE: $2.99

RELEASE: Feb 11, 2015

Fabian is in the throws of full on vampire beast mode. Van Helsing does whatever he can to keep the monster at bay, and meanwhile Sebastian is in the lair of the mustache twirling villain. This third part of the new horror arc sees every character pushed to their absolute limits, and ends with one of the most enticing cliffhangers I’ve had the joy of experiencing.

Make no mistake; this is a full on battle issue. Fabian can hardly control himself and bounds on top of Van Helsin with superhuman strength. Mooneyham does well to make the fight engaging and dynamic will never feeling overwhelming. In fact he adds an incredible cinematic element to the showdown that bleeds emotion for both of these tormented men.

In the most climatic moment, we’re brought to a flashback of Van Helsing’s past. It’s something we’ve seen before in “Five Ghosts” but here it’s even more heartbreaking because we see how Van Helsing became a monster, hunting monsters. It’s painful to experience and the brief reprieve from his anguish is only a clever ruse.

Fabian is far from being in control, and this issue reminds us of his long journey ahead. It’s easy to lose sight of the charismatic hero’s journey, but at his core he’s still a deeply broken person. Despite having very few lines, the ugly truth of Fabian’s character is on full display here. See, Barbiere may take a back seat with the dialogue this issue but his masterful hand is still readily apparent in the way everything is plotted out. The fight scene and the flashback scene are meant to give this massive release of tension, but the aftermath is so much worse that you can’t help but feel a massive hole in your heart by the time you get to the final page.

Better yet, it’s a brilliantly paced read that fans of the series have become accustomed to, but it never feels overly crowded or difficult to digest. Instead “Five Ghosts” #15 reads like silk, and weaves brutality around you in circles. The result is a fantastic low point for the already dark storyline that proves these characters still have miles to go.

“Five Ghosts” is a perfectly oiled machine. The creative team is in perfect sync and the storytelling is near flawless. It’s a celebration of the mastery that can only come with creator owned comics, and somehow it continually raises the bar for itself. Every month it pulls of something entirely new and unexpected, but makes it look easy, making it one of the most compelling books being published at Image Comics.

The post [5 Skull Comic Review] “Five Ghosts” #15 Is Thrilling Action Cover To Cover appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

Hoax Hunters (2015) #1
Written by: Steve Seeley, Michael Moreci
Art by: Chris Dibari
Publisher: HEAVY METAL MAGAZINE
Item Code: JAN151482
In Shops: 3/25/2015

SRP: $3.50″Hoax Hunters” #1 does a brilliant job at reintroducing the series, but proves to be a bold new direction. There is a certain confidence to the script that doesn’t feel bogged down in over explaining anything. Instead the incredibly fun world of “Hoax Hunters” pours off every page creating an engaging read that doesn’t let up until the final page, and even then, the final panel. This is a fantastic reintroduction, and the perfect series for Heavy Metal to set the tone for their new comics branding.

The series picks up with what is left of the team moving through cases to investigate and debunk. The pathway seems clear, and then some crazy shit starts to drift in and fear takes hold. Its sublime, thanks to a much darker and grittier tone to the series that ever before. The colors are muddier the white of the gutters has bleed into a stained yellow, and the book reads like an old pulp adventure.

The team of Donovan, Regan, Murder and Ken are missing their regular leader, and the issue toys with that lack of leadership by giving an invigorated new direction. Except its from Donovan, a character who has proven in the past to be a little less than reliable. But he’s driven. So everyone heads off to Paris to investigate those beautifully haunting catacombs beneath the city. What becomes clear, is that as it gets more difficult to manipulate a reality show control starts to turn to a mess, and the issue kicks into high gear.

Below the streets of Paris, in a perfectly preserved world where nothing dies the Hunters are pushed against insurmountable odds and everything goes haywire. I’m trying my best to avoid spoilers here, but there a few things that happen in the back half of this issue that really sting. I don’t know where the team will be by the time I pick up the next issue, but I’m worried, really worried. Perhaps this is thanks to the wonderfully honest script by Moreci and Seeley. The two writers imbue an element of sheer… blindness to this new chapter. Without a leader, the Hunters are aliens in a job they’ve done many times before. It’s enjoyable to see, if only to watch the chaos that descends upon them by the end of the issue.

Chris Dibari’s art is really the star of the issue, though. He’s able to capture a pulp feel that perfectly embodies the feeling of the series. It not only enhances my enjoyment of the book, but adds a paramount element of fun, scratchy adventure, if that makes any sense. His art makes the book feel like “Five Ghosts” in the world of “Ghost Hunters” it’s a weird combination, but it works perfectly.

“Hoax Hunters” #1 is a welcome return of the series, that should be part of everyone’s pull list, new or old fan alike, there is so much to enjoy on these pages.

Here’s that handy recap too, now you have no excuse not to pick up this #1. HH_Recap

The post [Advance Comic Review] “Hoax Hunters” #1 – Offers A Brilliant Reintroduction To The Series appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Kieron Gillen

ART BY: Salvador Larocca

PUBLISHER: Marvel Comics

PRICE: $4.99

RELEASE: February 11, 2015

Knowing what we know now, there is nothing quite like seeing Darth Vader return to Tatooine to take care of business. His disdain for the planet can be felt with every panel. And throughout the entire first issue Kieron Gillen playfully reminds the reader of the character’s past. He roots the motivation of the story in something we already know but will now play out a different way.

Through the previews at the back of “Star Wars” #1 we already know that Vader comes face to face with Jabba The Hutt in this issue, and their showdown is a welcome one. I couldn’t think of two better characters to go head to head, and no one has proved a more formidable force against the gigantic Hutt.

Salvador Larocca’s art is impeccable at every single turn. His work is cinematic and detailed. Every character has layers to their appearance that speak volumes of the worth they live in. His framing choices make Vader look imposing and without question put the character in control. He compliments John Cassaday’s super realistic style and helps build out Marvel’s Star Wars universe in a unique and bold way.

The storytelling on display here is admirable, because it shows that everyone who was given a chance to play in this galaxy were at the same meetings. It’s a tightly crafted tale that had me pretty giddy in the first ten pages.

Only to stumble a little toward the back half thanks to some truly confusing jumps in time that don’t really add to the story but instead pull us out of what is going on only to remind the reader of what they already knew. Laying the groundwork of the original trilogy is something anyone picking up this comic should be spared of.

Consequently Vader’s plan is a little interesting knowing where the story is supposed to go. It’s interesting to see the character play against The Emperor for his own means and push his own agenda so hard. But, again, Vader is so unquestionably evil by this point that its hard not to have a one-dimensional character. Many stories have handled this well in the past, but here Gillen reduces himself down to retreading old ground.

For a first issue it’s a understandable but ultimately problematic choice. We’re treated to a whole assortment of things we already know, and are forced to see the character exactly as we have in the past. I learned nothing knew about Darth Vader through these pages, and I can’t help but long for something else more compelling to get me to return to issue #2.

The post [Advance Comic Review] “Darth Vader” #1 Proves A Little Too Familiar appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: J. Michael Straczynski

ART BY: Ardian Syaf, Sandra Hope

PUBLISHER: DC Comics

PRICE: $22.99

RELEASE: February 4, 2014

The story follows the contemporary Superman in a world that doesn’t trust him. Rightfully so, he deposed a dictator in another country and is the most powerful being on the planet. So Naturally people like Lex and Alexandra Luthor team with the military to find a way to take out the biggest threat to national security the world has ever seen. Enter Zod.

J Michael Straczynski understands how to make Superman modern. He takes contemporary fears and uses them against a god who walks amongst us. Sadly, he doesn’t treat this God like a human. Through stilted writing and extremely convenient plotting everything in this book feels alien.

Which is part of the charm with an Earth One Graphic Novel. It’s refreshing to see brand new takes on the age-old mythos. Lex Luthor and Alexandra Luthor provide a really compelling force of antagonism that is rooted in modern paranoia. Except their motivations crumble near the final act of the book, they act completely contrary to their established personalities, and somehow end in the same place these characters always do. I know that may seem hard to believe, but trust me Straczynski finds a way.

With Zod, the problems are only multiplied tenfold. Every single line of dialogue he utters is on the nose. After an introductory battle with Superman he outlines the strengths of his armor painstakingly. He never says anything other than what he is overtly thinking, and is often reduced to thinking outloud in order to convey his evil plan. “It looks like there’s something more powerful in the world than me… fear.” YAWN. Zod’s dialogue is horrificly cheesy and on the nose, often explaining everything with near precise precision, like how his suit works intimately, while expressly offering his thoughts to no one.

Most of the dialogue in the trade has little to no subtext. It’s all exactly what people are thinking seamlessly communicated out of their mouths. This makes everything feel alien. People don’t communicate like that, and certainly not when they’re trying to deceive one another. It’s a strange choice for the book, and one that really kills it before it achieves anything worth note.

Ardian Syaf is on art duties and he knocks his work out of the park. He adds his own distinctive lens to Clark, Zod and all the other iconic imagery of the Superman mythos. But, he seems to fail when it comes to packing far too much into action panels. Cramming more on the page isn’t always the answer, and the dynamic flow of good paneling feels disjointed and disrupted when it should flow with grace.

Ultimately “Superman Earth One: Volume 3” is a difficult read. It could have been so much more, but reduces itself to what we’ve seen before, and what has worked in the past. Except none of it works here. It feels lazy and uninspired, much more so than the two volumes that preceded it. Any contemporary issues that are explored are undercut by a all to convenient resolution to the story that ultimately brings the differences between Earth One Superman and New 52 Superman to a startling few. It’s a real shame.

The post Comic Book Review: “Superman Earth One: Volume 3” HC – An Uninspired Routine Superman Story appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Ed Brisson

ART BY: Damian Couceiro

PUBLISHER: BOOM! Studios
PRICE: $3.99

RELEASE: February 4, 2014

In the future you can get life in prison for just about anything.  Steal a lipstick?  Life in prison.  Get a YOLO tattoo?  Life in prison, well, hopefully.  But anyway you can imagine how many people are locked up.  Luckily, there is an out: serve 15 years defending a distant planet from hostile aliens while it gets terraformed and you’ll be given your freedom. For most, this isn’t even a choice.

Enter Samara, she apparently killed someone in a drunk driving accident here on Earth, and, years later, is finding it impossible to cope with that guilt.  On Midlothian, she is a natural leader and protector.  But when things go very wrong in their first mission, Samara and everyone else are desperate, scared, and in big, big trouble.

“Cluster” is hearty, straightforward, hard-boiled sci-fi.  Its space marines vs. aliens all the way.  And even if there is some intrigue, as the previews have suggested, all in all I’ve got this series pegged as a pretty easy breezy affair.  I’m not complaining or calling it uninspired though, I need a good mix of this and that to balance my stack.  For every “Intersect”, a “Cluster” makes a great palate cleanser.  And with its solid writing, engaging landscapes, and 2.5 dimensional characters, “Cluster” may be just the this to go with my that.  It isn’t going to blow minds or make you rethink the space opera, but its sincere and fun.  If you are into this genre, there’s no reason you won’t like “Cluster”.

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Eric Switzer  is an aspiring filmmaker and screenplay writer living in Los Angeles.  His work tends to focus on the lighter side of entropy, dystopic futures, and man’s innate struggle with his own mortality.  He can be found on twitter @epicswitzer or reached via email at ericswitzerfilm@gmail.com. 

The post Comic Book Review: “Cluster” #1 – Fight For Your Freedom Instead of Life in Prison appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Cullen Bunn

ART BY: Jeremy Haun

PUBLISHER:  Vertigo Comics

PRICE: $3.99

RELEASE: February 4, 2014

I can’t pinpoint where “Wolf Moon” staggers in the execution. On the one hand it’s a great premise that provides lots of action and on the other there doesn’t seem to be much depth outside the deaths on the page. We know that Dillon Chase is driven by vengeance, but we don’t know much else. Every interaction he shares with another person is driven by that vengeance.

In the off chance Cullen Bunn wanted to humanize Dillon he had many opportunities here and really only one of them work. There is a fleeting interaction with the exotic dancer, but he just presses for information. Later, though we see Dillon actually caring about the innocent bystanders in the mall it gives him some personality even as the werewolf tears the place to shreds.

There is a visceral beauty to “Wolf Moon.” Jeremy Huan takes death very seriously, and you can tell. His dizzying assortments of panels depicting death are the highlight of any issue, and he doesn’t really let up here. From the hallucinatory beginning to the final showdown in the mall, the ugly face of dismemberment seems to be a great home for Huan’s art. His clear and expressive work make death a total joy to behold, and I seriously couldn’t imagine anyone better suited for this series.

Every time I pick up an issue of “Wolf Moon” I’m excited. The premise is brilliant, the characters are well motivated, but I’m now starting to see some repetition at three issues in. I haven’t noted any growth in the characters, and there hasn’t really been any major surprises that compel me to keep reading, It’s a shame but the series has told the same story three times over, now.

I hope that the way this issue concludes provides a stage for a shocking turn of events at the midpoint of the series. I’m dying for some progression or reversal of expectations that will challenge everything I thought I knew.

For now, it’s giving me everything I know and love: the visceral action of a werewolf action movie but its forgetting the elements of any good horror story. A character needs to be compelling, challenging, and monstrous for okay horror to become something great. As it stands, “Wolf Moon” relies far too heavily on shock value to tell any sort of compelling story about the nature of man and beast.

It’s a missed opportunity, but not one that has to decide the fate of the entire series. Luckily we’re only three issues in, and the pacing might be the stuff of legend. I’ll stick around for a while yet; I just hope we dig a little deeper next month.

The post Comic Book Review: “Wolf Moon” #3 – Is More Of The Same appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Grant Morrison
ART BY: Chris Burnham

PUBLISHER: Image Comics

PRICE: $2.99

RELEASE: February 4, 2015

Reading Grant Morrison is a lot like trying to see the hidden image in a stereograph: If you try to force yourself to see it you’ll strain your eyes and become frustrated, but if you have patience, work the muscles, learn to recognize patterns, and let go of the normal way you see things the true image will slowly start to present itself.

I’ve read a lot of Grant Morrison’s work (“Animal Man”, “The Invisibles” “Flex Mentallo”) and I haven’t always understood it, but I’ve always found it endlessly intriguing, and meticulously plotted.  The characters in “Nameless” tend to speak in a natural way.  Scenes are disconnected and end abruptly.  It is difficult to follow things in a chronological way because characters seem to disappear and reappear and talk at length about things that don’t really make sense.  I think most of Morrison’s work is kind of hard to follow, and yet I am so invested when I read them.  Embracing the confusion is just something you sign up for when you read Morrison.  You won’t be able to see every detail, but when you step back the big picture becomes clear.  Themes and patterns stick in your subconscious and the book becomes a part of you in a way.  This is the genius of Grant Morrison.

So what is “Nameless” about?  The first 3/4th of the first issue follow a man on a surreal chase through time and space from four fish men.  The man has stolen a dream key from the Veiled Woman.  He meets up with his benefactor, and is told his task was a test to see if he would be capable of protecting a team living on the dark side of the moon that has a plan to save Earth from an asteroid.  Thats the best I can do at describing the plot, but I’m doing the book a huge disservice because there are dozens of other details, places, names, and happenings going on here that bewilder me, and yet, I am completely invested in this story that I really don’t understand at all.  The book sort of hypnotizes you.

Chris Burnham’s work here is equally incredible and hypnotic.  I get really excited about layouts and panelling that contributes to the tone and style of the book and “Nameless” has some really unique and interesting stuff going on.  The juxtaposition between his expressive, sort of cartoony style and the horrific content here is creepy and enticing.

“Nameless” isn’t for everyone.  It is not passive reading, it requires time and investment.  This is the kind of dense, literary stuff that I wish everyone was reading more of.  I’m tempted to call it your vegetables, but its not a chore to read.  I guess its the whole meal: steak, potatoes, whiskey, and some alien looking veggies you can’t quite figure out.  But they’re fucking delicious.

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Eric Switzer  is an aspiring filmmaker and screenplay writer living in Los Angeles.  His work tends to focus on the lighter side of entropy, dystopic futures, and man’s innate struggle with his own mortality.  He can be found on twitter @epicswitzer or reached via email at ericswitzerfilm@gmail.com. 

The post 5 Skull Comic Review: “Nameless” #1 – A Dense And Exotic Horror From Grant Morrison appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Joshua Williamson

ART BY: Andrei Bressan

PUBLISHER: Image Comics

PRICE: $2.99

RELEASE: February 4, 2015

A lot of comics would go from mid-battle in the previous issue to a single panel battle wrap-up so that the old issue can end suspensefully and the new issue can move on and be fresh. It’s a common strategy, and a logical one, and it’s one that I’m glad they completely ignore in issue #5 of Birthright. The issue starts with the battle between Mikey and Rya and the beast, in the past, and the battle between Mikey and the Ward, in the present. Both battles work to characterize Mikey as a whole and complex person; the past shows the boy he was and the innocence and compassion therein, and the present shows how far he’s willing to go, and his motivations for doing so. Plus blood and fire and swords are cool.

This issue also does a lot of work to develop the relationship between Mikey and Brennan. Brennan, in some strange way, still feels like the protective older brother of this full grown warrior man. He’s beginning to realize that Mikey is his brother and also might not be exactly what he seems. He’s dealing with this introduction of moral ambiguity exactly the way a big brother would; he’s not telling their dad, because that’s a tattletale move, and he’s not pushing Mikey on it, because he figures it’s secret for a reason, but he’s going to stand by his brother and protect him and maybe find out a little more about the secrets.

The art in this issue is consistent, and the character designs… I want to talk about the character designs, and the way they develop consistently with the characters as the characters change, but I don’t want to say what exactly I mean by that, because I don’t want to actually prepare you for the last panel of this issue. When you get there, you’ll see what I mean. As always, Adriano Lucas is kicking ass on colors, particularly the palette during the battle in the forest. The panel layout is creative enough to avoid monotony, but not complicated enough to inhibit the plot. The real strength, though, is very much the characters; the details of their appearance, their body language, their facial expressions, it all combines to convey the very real and complex human (and nonhuman otherworldly) characters realistically.

The main flaws I see in this issue are the parents. They are the least interesting, realistic, and believable characters of the series, but development over time could help flesh them out more and make them as engaging as the others. And not to repeat myself, but the last panel. You guys, the last panel. It’s a gorgeous splash, and it’s everything. It’s absolutely responsible for why I’m so mad about waiting two months for the next installment.

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Katy Rex writes comics analysis at endoftheuniversecomics.com, comicsbulletin.com, and bloody-disgusting.com. She also writes scholarly articles for various academic journals. She really likes butt jokes, dinosaurs, and killing psychos and midgets in Borderlands 2. She has a great sense of humor if you’re not an asshole.

The post Comic Book Review: “Birthright” #5 – Hang On For Final Reveal! appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Joshua Dysart

ART BY: Doug Braithwaite

PUBLISHER: Valiant Entertainment

PRICE: $3.99

RELEASE: 4 February 2015

Sure, enslaving mankind sounds bad when you say it out loud, but when you see the end results working out so well…maybe they should just take it all over. Thankfully, the Earth in the Valiant Universe has the powerful psiot Toyo Harada to bring about world peace HIS way. His subtle attempt, Harbinger, didn’t work out exactly as planned. Therefore, this time, Harada is employing more…morally loose individuals to achieve peace on Earth. This Imperium includes “an inhuman robot, a mad scientist, a murderous alien, and a super-powered terrorist”. Sounds like an excellent recipe for heaven on Earth, right?

Writer Joshua Dysart really has cooked up something special here to behold. This first issue shows us the happy ending at the very start. The world has never looked more idyllic and peaceful. It almost feels like the story is backwards but it’s just clever storytelling throughout. Half of this issue is in the future and half in the present. Seeing how the world gets to this utopia in the future looks to be an enthralling ride I’m eager to get into.

The art by Doug Braithwaite is a great choice. Braithwaite is terrific at future-tech scenery and designs as well as grimy war zones. The coloring by Brian Reeber and Dave McCaig really emphasizes the different eras skillfully. Plus the killer robot “Mech Major” who just wants to be called “Sunlight on Snow” looks big and scary and sounds like a comical serial killer. I can’t wait to see the other recruits and how they all mesh together.

Labels can be stifling at times. Hero. Villain. Maniac. Messiah. Psycho. Savior. History ultimately decides who is what. Having all these powerful individuals in one series certainly looks enthralling. Rooting for the bad guys looks like a trend on the rise for 2015 thanks to a book like this. Definitely another feather in the cap of the Valiant Entertainment line worth reading so pick it up.

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Mr. Steele enjoys all things comics and imagination-based. Using his lifetime of comic-fu-dom for good, he imparts his knowledge for the universe to enjoy and for you, dear readers, to pass it on. Twitter: @mrbradysteele

The post Comic Book Review: “Imperium” #1- Rooting For The Bad Guy Is On The Rise appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Eric Powell

ART BY: Eric Powell

PUBLISHER: Dark Horse Comics

PRICE: $3.50

RELEASE: 4 February 2015

The Goon and his gang have been really busy lately defending their town from all kinds of supernatural craziness. His enemies are definitely using some nastier tactics than his old adversary / now ally The Zombie Priest ever did. You break a man’s heart, you break his spirit. Does he now one of the oh-so-many lost that inhabit this mystically cursed, yet highly coveted locale? This new trek has the looks of some of the most dark and depraved seen in The Goon’s long history and that’s saying something.

Mastermind creator Eric Powell has made some perilous choices as the next plan of attack for our lug-headed hero. The lack of color only adds to the bleakness of this battle, its opponents and the general morale of those readers care about. As much of a downer as I’m making it sound, this book isn’t at all.

Powell is showing us how far gone The Goon and his state of mind are after his losses from the Occasion of Revenge storyline. It also shows us how truly terrifyingly dangerous he can be. Nothing is safe and it’s almost glorious to see an unhinged Goon take down everything in his way, including his own friends. Nothing and no one feels safe here which is thrilling to read. Get into this now and enjoy the mayhem and carnage that is sure to come.

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Mr. Steele enjoys all things comics and imagination-based. Using his lifetime of comic-fu-dom for good, he imparts his knowledge for the universe to enjoy and for you, dear readers, to pass it on. Twitter: @mrbradysteele

The post Comic Book Review: “The Goon: Once Upon A Hard Time” #1 – Promises Mayhem To Come appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.

WRITTEN BY: Donny Cates

ART BY: Daniel Warren Johnson

PUBLISHER: Dark Horse

PRICE: $3.99

RELEASE: February 4, 2014

Initially we’re treated to a flashback showing Ward and Trace in an incredibly different time. Wards been drinking heavily in his car, too ashamed or too scared to enter his own home. Until he hears a scream and goes rushing in, hand on his gun, ready for anything. Except to deal with his wife’s cancer. Turns out Trace and Sara have been waiting for him for hours as he’s been out drowning himself in the drink. Trace takes him outside in the friendliest way possible and lays it all out for him, how he’s gotta step up and really be there for his wife. This whole scene is a real gut punch I was never expecting from Ghost Fleet, but one I welcome with open arms. (maybe that’s how they gut punched me so easily)

Later in the issue things get really gnarly and supernatural but I won’t spoil any of it because it’s totally rad. Another character is also introduced this issue, he beautifully takes care of the balls to the walls action for this month. How he ties into everything isn’t very clear but make sure to keep an eye on his t-shirt, trust me.

Meanwhile Lauren Affe’s colors add a surreal texture to the book that you really can’t find anywhere else in comics. It straddles the line between a old school pulp book and new school awesome.

The concept of this series has evolved into something tremendous and has built with every subsequent issue. Now that we’ve reached the fourth chapter everything that has been teased is coming together beautifully in a way that doesn’t feel forced but organically challenges every thing that came before in brand new ways. This is one stellar read. If you come to the series for amazing action scenes, you’ll find plenty to love this month, but if you linger a little longer you’ll find yourself immersed in an emotional and surprising read.

Donny Cates and Daniel Warren Johnson have truly hit their stride now, this is the best Ghost Fleet issue yet and I’m craving that next issue more than my many chemical dependencies.

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