New Comics for the Week of 12-28-11

Tuesday isn't Monday but it will have to do, because its time for five new comics!

2000AD 1762. ALL-STAR WESTERN 4. ANNIHILATORS: EARTH FALL 4. 

LEGION SECRET ORIGIN 3. 

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: MICRO SERIES - MICHELANGELO.

2000AD 1762 - Lee Garbett returns to 2000 AD to produce an extremely striking cover for Angel Zero, a bit of a dull series. Which only goes to show, with the right artist, even the dullest series can look awesome.

ALL-STAR WESTERN 4 - A very moody, if busy, cover by Ladronn, an artist I've never heard of. Western bounty hunter Jonah Hex beset by sewer people. Very cool.

ANNIHILATORS: EARTHFALL 4 - An incredibly boring cover to cap off this uninspiring end to one of the greatest runs in modern comics. Whatever happens next for Cosmic Marvel, I probably won't be there for.

LEGION SECRET ORIGIN 3 - I assume they were running late getting the cover copy together for the preview that the logo won't be that pixilated in print. A fairly stock standard Legion cover, with some pretty good art by Tom Feister, a significant improvement over a horrible horrible cover last issue.

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: MICRO SERIES - MICHELANGELO -  A classic pose with Mikey leaping off a roof, nunchaku twirling ready for action. This David Petersen cover looks rather nice, but what I'm really interested in is the Andy Khun interiors. I love that guy since his work on Image Comic's Firebreather.

Review - Fables 112

Publisher
VERTIGO/DC

Writer
BILL WILLINGHAM

Artist
MARK BUCKINGHAM

What They Said
Don't miss the special holiday issue – and because you've been good all year, it's even got extra story pages! Christmas is here, and we know this holiday isn't always jolly for our favorite Fables. In this issue we get a glimpse into the future fates of our wild and dear Rose Red. 


What I Say
Its Christmas time for our plucky expatriated Fabletown residents, and they've received the greatest gift of all, a chance to go home.With the threat of Mr. Dark finally put aside, the Fables have returned to the upstate farm and are making plans for retaking their old residency in Manhattan. But before they move out they are taking a breather to celebrate the holidays. The Wolf family are also taking a break from the trials of choosing a new North Wind to spend possibly their last Christmas as a whole family. Meanwhile, Rose Red has an unexpected guest and goes on a Christmas adventure to see he possibly future as one of the newest Agents of Hope.

Over at DC proper right now, with their new 52 relaunch initiative there are a handful of titles priced at 3.99. Almost to a one they all feel lightweight and over priced. Some have back-ups, but some don't! 3.99 for 20/22 pages of story? What kind of insane madness has taken hold over there? This special issue of Fables is priced at 3.99 too. But that's okay because you actually get 30 pages of story. And not split over back-ups, but the actually meat and potatoes of the book. Reading this issue is satisfying. Its chunky and you really feel like you get your value out of it by the end. Remember issue 100? And how it cost 10 bucks for 100 pages? That was another really good deal too. Fables is nothing if not a really good value for your money. Stuff happens between its pages.

As to the story itself, I must admit I must have missed something along the way, because I was feeling a little clueless about Rose Red and her 'Agent of Hope' role. The fact that I don't recall the exact events that lead to this new chapter in her life is concerning. But regardless its certainly a change for the character, and its really interesting considering the character's storied history over the course of the book. The characters she meets on her journey, and what she learns about what it means to be an Agent of Hope is powerful stuff that's sure to shape her character and her fate for years to come. And yet, even with all this heavy life changing character stuff, there's still time for lighthearted humor and classic character interaction. Fables is nothing if not an ensemble book with many voices.

Mark Buckingham has always been a great artist, and his long run on this title has been nothing if not exemplary. That being said, a few things have been bugging me lately. First of all, the coloring just doesn't seem as eye popping as it once was (and lately I've been rereading the series in Deluxe Oversized Hardcover, and this change in coloring feels much more pronounced to me). And second of all the boarders. For those that don't know, for a very long time now pretty much everything Buckingham draws is constrained in a pair of static boarding images that often change with the portion of the story we're reading. For the most part its a very neat device for conveying the story's tone while we're reading. But lately I've just feeling like the boarders are compressing the art. There are no full-bleeds in Fables, panels are 'trapped' between these art boarders, and it makes things feel small and cramped sometimes. Full-page splashes are just end up being big panels, regular pages feel like they are losing valuable page real estate for more 'stuff'. The thing is, this has largely always been the case, but for some reason it been feeling more pronounced to me since issue 100. I'm honestly not sure why, but there you go.

I know it sounds like I'm bagging on a good thing, make no mistake Fables is one of my top titles every month. I'm not sure what I'd do without this contemporary fantasy stalwart on my pull list. A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE.

Review - Dark Horse Presents 7

Publisher 

DARK HORSE

Writers

MIKE MIGNOLA, ANDI WATSON, NEAL ADAMS, HOWARD CHAYKIN, M. J. BUTLER, STAN SAKI, TONY PURYEAR, BRANDON GRAHAM, FELIPE MELO, and CARLA SPEED MCNEIL

Artists 

MIKE MIGNOLA, ANDI WATSON, NEAL ADAMS, HOWARD CHAYKIN, M. J. BUTLER, STAN SAKI, TONY PURYEAR, BRANDON GRAHAM, JUAN CAVIA, and CARLA SPEED MCNEIL

Editor

MIKE RICHARDSON

 

What They Said 

Mike Mignola's Hellboy is the centerpiece for the 7th all-star issue of Dark Horse Presents!

In addition, this issue packs the beginnings of two new stories--200 People to Kill and Skultar, a brand-new Age of Reptiles story by Ricardo Delgado, a new Skeleton Key story by Andi Watson, and continuing stories by Howard Chaykin and Neal Adams!

* Brand new Hellboy story written and drawn by Mike Mignola!

* New Age of Reptiles and Skeleton Key stories!

What I Say
Contrary to what the solicitation text says, neither 200 People to Kill or Age of Reptiles appear this issue. In their place we appear to to have gotten a new Usagi Yojimbo by Stan Saki and a one-off story by Brandon Graham. I'm going to call that a win on our part.

Another issue of Dark Horse Presents is upon us, and once again it provides us with ten 8-page comics as only the most creative folks in comics can bring us. I'll break things down once again just to keep things concise.

HELLBOY: THE AZTEC MUMMY - Mike Mignola graces us with a one-off Hellboy tale that is largely an extended fight scene book ended by some exposition to explain the set-up. Other then Mignola's exceptional artwork I found this story a little thin on the ground, it didn't feel like it economize its space resrictions very well. But it's Hellboy and Mignola. So its still OKAY.


SKELETON KEY: LOST PROPERTY - Those adorable time and space traveling rascals; fox spirit Kitsune, schoolgirl Tamsin, and Mr. Raccoon find themselves completely lost and trapped in a museum of lost things and the only way out is to get even more lost. This is quickly becoming one of my favorite strips running in DHP. The art style, though deceptively simple, is full of life and energy. Sight gags, little background gags, and general madcapness makes this strip EXCELLENT.


BLOOD PART 6 - More incomprehensible madness. GAWD AWFUL.

MARKED MAN PART 7 - The penultimate chapter to a rather good hitman story. Lately I've been getting more and more interested in Howard Chaykin as a creator. I've really warmed up to his art style recently, and though sometimes figures look a little weird, and sometimes its a little hard to tell what characters are doing its always very unique to look at. I wish I could say the same about the coloring, which feels overly digital, with lots of very mood breaking brightness too it. This seems to be Chaykin's preferred coloring style at the moment, but I sort of wish it would get dialed back a bit. This installment sees a number of plot threads come together with LaFarge and Hecht meeting for the first time as LaFarge heads to confront the bastards who murdered his family. GREAT.

SKULTAR THE UNCONQUERED PART 1 - A new strip. I'm honestly not entirely sure what the make of it. It starts out with typical epic fantasy, with a Conan style hero, Skultar, saving a township from soldiers stealing all their male children for a far off war. But it soon turns to a bit of parody with Skultar's sidekick who interprets prophecy concerning Skultar the Unconquered, predicting how Skultar should conduct himself, how to act, and being self aware of their cliche situation. Only he gets things a little wrong in the end. Like I said, I'm, not sure about this strip yet. The art is only so so, a little muddy in places, but it has potencial. We'll see where it goes next month. WE'LL SEE.

USAGI YOJIMO: BUNTORI - Stan Saki brings us a spooky one-off story of ghostly samurai, who don't know they are dead, locked in eternal battle. And only the rabbit ronin Usagi can bring them their peace. Usagi Yojimbo is one of those great long running comics that is both storied and accessible. And this short-story is no exception. Easy to jump right into, and tells a complete story. That takes a special kind of talent. And Stan Saki has no shortage of that. His art style is at once cartoony, but lavishly detailed with bold lines. This particular story is also in color, which is a nice change of pace but I'm not sure it strengthens the piece. Maybe I'm just used to it in black and white. FANTASTIC.


CONCRETE PARK PART 1 - In the near future rapid population growth is driving up organized crime rates as the cities of the world face massive food shortages. Issac is a young tough who watches his sister get gunned down, while Luca is a young up and coming gang leader out to solidify her position by making a deal with another local gang. Being the first installment there are still a lot of lingering questions about what this series is actually about. Art wise its not that impressive or exciting but it gets the job done. Another WE'LL SEE.

THE SPEAKER - Ah, Brandon Graham you brilliant bastard. King City was one of the best sci-fi series of the last 10 years and while I wait patiently here for his next series (Extreme Studio's Prophet revival) we get this unexpected surprise. Presented in Graham's typically experimental style, it tells the story of a man's Voice who returns after the man has passed away. If that sounds crazy, it sure is. The world needs more comic creators like Brandon Graham, he does more cool stuff in 8-pages then most creators do in 80. Chestnuts like this are why I read DHP. AMAZING.

THE ADVENTURES OF DOG MENDONCA AND PIZZABOY PART 4 - I liked this installment of AoDMaP a lot more then last month's origin story conclusion. We still have the 'present day' book ends that are rather humorously tongue and cheek, but the main meat of the story was also in good fun. Plus we get to see a bit more of chain smoking monster girl Puzzal in action, who I really want to see more of. Seeing more of Dog in an afro would also be just fantastic. I'm starting to warm up to this series a lot more, though the art still seems a bit dark despite its very cartoonish style. I get the feeling its been shrunk down a bit from its original dimensions to fit, as apparently the Dog Mendonca series hails from Europe, and probably isn't drawn with US standard comic dimensions in mind. FUN.

FINDER: THIRD WORLD PART 7 - I finished reading Finder Library Volume 2 and Finder: Voice GN this month, so I have Finder on the brain pretty good at the moment. Jaeger is still at his delivery job, this time saddled with a nearly impossible task, even with his amazing skills as a tracker. He winds up in the back seat of a very particular car, and what happens next blows his mind. This particular installment felt a little light thanks to a pair of single page splash-pages that didn't do a whole lot to move the story forward. But overall its as good as it ever was. MCNEIL's artworks is completely off the chains, and seeing Finder in color is one of the cooler parts of its inclusion in DHP. AMAZING.

So there we go. Another fantastic issue of Dark Horse Presents. Next month sees the launch of Brian Wood's new science fiction series The Massive. And Mignola is back with a new BPRD short-story. Also more Beasts of Burden apparently. And the final chapter of The Marked Man. And more Finder. Basically the next issue is going to be the best issue yet. Which is pretty much the case with every new issue of Dark Horse Presents. This book drives me crazy with how great it continues to be. Why aren't you reading it?!

New Comics for the Week of 12-21-11

Thanks to going out of town to see family for Christmas I'm now hopelessly behind schedual. As much as I want to I'm never going to get through the backlog of week's I'm behind on. There are certain reviews I still want to write up, but the fact is I'm going to cherry pick them instead of doing them all. Its the only way at this point.

At any rate, it is a new week and that means Five New Comics!

DARK HORSE PRESENTS 7. FABLE 112. LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES 4. NEAR DEATH 4. SAVAGE DRAGON 177.

DARK HORSE PRESENTS 7 - Listen to this line-up. Mike Mignola. Howard Chaykin. Stan Sakai. Brandon Graham. Carla Speed McNeil. Good lordy that sure is a line up. Cover is very striking as Mignola is a master of cover design.

 
FABLES 112 - Tis the season. Long time series Fables brings in the holidays with this fab Joao Ruas cover. Santa! Death! Some little girl!

LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES 4 - This covers a little boring, but this book is on FIRE. Action! Adventure! Ultra-Boy!

NEAR DEATH 4 - Start of the series first two-part story. This series has some of the better cover designs on the stands. Some crazy rough and tumble gunplay going on here.

SAVAGE DRAGON 177 - Giant radioactive Osama Bin Laden. You're either going to loath it for its obvious shock value, or you are going to love it for its complete inanity. Either way Erik Larsen is in top form on the cover. Not sure I dig the old style logo though, and I've never been a fan of artificial 'weathering' of cover art. But some people dig it.

New Comics for Week of 12-14-11

For a second there I thought I was getting caught up, but woop woop I'm still a week behind on reviews! This is tougher then I thought. I shall attempt to have last week reveiws caught up by Wednesday. We'll see. Regardless, its MONDAY! And that means NEW COMICS SHIPPING FOR THE WEEK OF 12-14-11!

20TH CENTURY BOYS VOL.18. AVENGERS 1959 4. LEGION LOST 4. 

RESURRECTION MAN 4. STAR WARS AGENT OF THE EMPIRE 1.

20TH CENTURY BOYS VOL.18 - Naoki Urasawa is a comic genius, 20th Century Boys has been a continual bright spot in my comic reading diet. We're nearing the end game of this series now, and I can't wait to see how things tie up.

AVENGERS 1959 - Every time I think I've finally run out of Marvel titles to read, and my pull list will be Marvel-free for the first time ever, something grabs me. In this case Avengers 1959 blindsided me, more then likely because I was coming off a Howard Chaykin high from his Marked Man series in Dark Horse Presents. I'm also am a sucker for period pieces and cold war spy thrillers. Loving this cover, with Nick Fury and the Blonde Phantom running and shooting things, with sinister bad guy looming over. Chaykin's still got it.

LEGION LOST 4 - Over the last 6 months I've become a bit of a Legion of Super-Heroes fan, perhaps boarder-lining on the obsessive. Fabian Nicieza's Legion Lost has been, after a questionably shaky start, consistantly good. This issue is meant to spotlight Dawnstar. Probably my second least favorite Legionnaire. Lets see if Fabian can turn my opinion around. 
This cover's sort of stock, and considering this is a Dawnstar issue, her being MIA on the cover is a bit odd.

RESURRECTION MAN 4 - Dan Abnett is emphatically one of my favorite comic writers currently working. When paired with his buddy Andy Lanning, magic happens. From Legion Lost (the first one), to Nova, to Guardians of the Galaxy, to this, they are just the best duo in comics.
This is a fun girls with guns cover (who, btw, seem like really interesting characters, extreme fashion sense aside. Apparently they were characters in the original series), and my new favorite enigma, THE TRANSHUMAN. Can't wait to see what his deal is.






STAR WARS AGENT OF THE EMPIRE - IRON ECLIPSE 1 - Star Wars Rebellion Era + John Ostrander + James Bond = Perhaps a Star Wars title I can get behind. 
I'm... actually not to hot on this cover, the cover copy seems really busy with so many titles and subtitles, and the tag lines all over the place. But I'm very interesting it what this comic is about, I can forgive it.

Review - Spaceman 2

Let me preface and say I have not read 100 Bullets. Super sorry. The Deluxe Hardcovers are on my master 'to buy' list. I'll get to them at some point. I say this because I'm coming into reading Spaceman not as a Brian Azzarello/Eduardo Risso fan, as I'm sure many people reading the book are, but as a Science Fiction fan. That's right, the title's concept and premise were what got my attention, not the creative team involved. Shocking. I know. But if I've learned one thing reading Spaceman, its that I need to put 100 Bullets higher in my 'to buy' queue cause apparently these Azzarello and Risso cats are quite good.

Spaceman is story of Orson, a genetically modified human intended for Martian exploration. But instead of the red planet he and his brothers were built for, he got stuck on Earth with rampaging flooding from melting polar caps, huge class divides, and awful reality television. Spending his days salvaging wrecks and other junk from a bygone age from the vast growing ocean.

Last issue introduced us to Orson's world, and one of the key plot threads was the kidnapping of foster child, and popular star of a reality show (of which being part of the reality show is a prerequisite to being taken care of by her foster parents). Orson, while out salvaging, runs into the kidnapper, and gets a bullet for the trouble. Thing is, whatever Orson is is built tough. But while he's not physically hurt, it shakes something loose in his head. Since last issue we've been treated to flashes of Orson and his brothers on their Mars mission that never happened. What exactly these flashes are is a bit of a mystery, but wherever they're coming from they seem to correlate with whatever Orson is feeling at the time. I'm looking forward to seeing what those are all about.

What this book does well, and what I appreciate as a ravenous science fiction fan, is its world building. It presents a world that has become seriously damaged by the exploitation of mankind, but its still a world where society survives. There is still law and commerce, even in the face of ever increasing class stratification in a shrinking world striped of resources. A lot of thought has gone into this world and the people that inhabit it. The most obvious aspect of this world building is in the language characters use. Where most writers would just replace  few curse words and call it 'future speak', Azzarello has taken English and crafted a complex and believable future slag out of it. It takes some getting use to, but context is everything. Some people are going to find it obtuse and confusing, but I personally find it charming and really adds to the world. And individual characters have their own unique usage of the slang, so it gives different people from different backgrounds unique voices.

Good science fiction comics are often few and far between, especially ones as high profile as this comic (that $1 first issue was a brilliant marketing strategy, I hope it pays off). As a 9 issue mini-series, its going to be a very contained, manageable, series to invest your time in. I recommend checking it out. FANTASTIC.

Next: ACTION COMICS.

Review - Savage Dragon 176

Once upon a time there was a comic about an amnesic super-cop with a fin on his head. 176 issues latter... a lot has changed. That super-cop got fired, became a government agent, accidentally changed history, went on the run across a ravage America, saved the world, saved the world again, got married, accidentally let the world get enslaved, lost his wife, became a cop again, had his brains eaten, and then died. Now his kids protect the city of Chicago from the super-freaks that aim to control/destroy it. Its bombastic, violent, crass, and sometimes heartfelt comic storytelling at its finest. With the sort of storied history that captures a reader's imagination, drawing him/her into the web of adventure it provides.

It also sells on 5,000 copies a month, which is continuing miscarriage of justice bordering on the criminal.

This issue title hero, Malcolm Dragon, struggles with bullies. One of the high school blowhard type, and the other a power armor wearing enigma trying to reshape society in his vision, and failing miserably at it. Malcolm's troubles with a high school meathead showcases series creator (and writer/illustrator for 176 issues) Erik Larsen's ability to take a classic super-hero trope, in this case the hero's high school troubles, and turn it right on its ear. Malcolm can't hide who he is, and doesn't want too, but when he's getting picked on he can't just haul-off and slug the jerk either.

And then Overlord shows up. The original Overlord had a long history with Malcolm's dad, but since Savage Dragon 150, this new Overlord has been making rounds. Pushing for things like better human/freak relations, and generally playing the hero. Albeit a bit of a heavy handed hero, who's not afraid to kill and generally make a mess of things. His dream of better conditions for disenfranchised freaks and mutants hasn't been getting much traction within the freak communities. Many see Overlord as a phoney behind an iron mask, not to mention enjoy smashing and stealing things. Overlord wants to get Malcolm to help him, but when Malcolm blows him off (since Overlord was pretty much the one that killed his dad) Overlord reacts by trying to clobber Malcolm.

Ever since Malcolm, and his step-sister Angel, took over the title after their dad died there has been a conceited effort to build up an extended cast at least as good as Dragon always had. Overlord being a prime example of a good foil for Malcolm, without being and out and out villain. Though the big myster of who Overlord is, seems to have been going on for quite a while now. It'd be nice to get some resolution to that.

Also this issue, a 6-page back up feature by Gary Carlson and Frank Fosco, Vanguard. Carlson and Fosco are long time collaborators with Erik Larsen, having worked on numerous projects under Erik's editorial-ship. Vanguard has always been one of the better supporting cast members of Savage Dragon, and having him in a title of his own again (even if it only is a series of back-ups) makes for a seriously entertaining read. Between the main Savage Dragon feature, and the Vanguard back-up you really feel like you get your money's worth out of Savage Dragon.

Savage Dragon has continually been one of the most reliable comics I've ever read, the fact that it doesn't have the comercial success to go along with its continuing critical success is appalling. If you read one super-hero comic, make it Savage Dragon. You will never regret it. FINTASTIC.

Next: SPACEMAN.

Review - Near Death 3

I don't hesitate to say that without Jay Faerber I would not be the comic book fan I am today. His Noble Causes series was one of the first Image Comics I ever read, and it left a huge impression on me on how super-heroes could be written outside the normal tropes. Over the years he's come at us with different sorts of comics from Dodge's Bullets to Firebirds to Dynamo 5 to Gemini. And while I've unfortunately not read all of them like a good fan should, mostly because I've been going through a bit of a super-hero burn out, I respect the hell out of him as a comic creator. So when I heard about his new crime series, Near Death, its no surprise I jumped on top of it with both feet.

Near Death is the story of a hitman who has a near death experience that scares the hell out of him. Finding himself back among the living he vows to change his life around, and save lives instead of take them. So far each issue has told a self contained story as our lead 'hero', Markham, as he wrestles with his new found purpose in life. Attempting to save, not only the person looking down the wrong end of a gun, but the people pulling the trigger as well. Its this duality of purpose that intrigues me about this series. Markham seems to be trying to save everyone, most significantly himself. But he's still not sure of his motives or end goal.

This issue has Markham opening up some old wounds, by trying to save a Police Detective, Eliza Cahill, who's partner he killed while taking out a hit on an informant in witness protection. She want's Markham's blood and no doubt. But she's caught in a bind with corrupt cops trying to shut her up, and Markham help is all she has to rely on. I really liked this story and the dynamic between Markham and Eliza is fascinating considering their history. I get the feeling she'll be back soon enough, there's too much potential there to just leave it on the table.

Art wise I'm a bit more critical of. It has a gritty dark tone to it, which works for the sort crime thriller its suppose to be. But, there's just something stiff about it. Most faces seem sort of waxy and lifeless, and some backgrounds and vehicles are clearly drawn from reference (I won't go so far as to say 'traced' but its probable). Its not a deal breaker, but I wish the art had a bit more life to it.

Overall this is a great book, that I'll be following for a while. OUTSTANDING.

Next: SAVAGE DRAGON.

Review - Fables 111

On the topic of long running series. Fables is certainly getting up there. 111 issues is nothing to sneeze at in the sort of comic climate we live in. What with all the relaunches, retcons, and general numbering tom-foolery that goes on at the big-two. Issue 100 was a big milestone (and a big issue for that matter), but it lead into the... questionable Super Team arc. In truth the entire Mr. Dark storyline had felt a little off. Running for seemingly forever, and the pay-off wasn't exceptional. Though the rug-pulling of issue 100 was an interesting twist, if not for leading to Super Team, who's ending felt more of like a cop out then anything. But, interestingly, what spun out from that has been really good. Inherit the Wind has been a truly good arc, bring back much of the magic series has needed for the last year or so.

Inherit the Wind has the six children of Snow and Bigby Wolf going through a series of trials to determine who among them will be the new North Wind. Meanwhile former Fabletown Head Office clerk Bufkin the flying monkey has found himself as the self-appointed resistance leader against the Empire of Oz. Things are not going very smoothly in that regard.

The main story, sees the return of Bellflower (Totenkinder) and her new squeeze Dunster after their ordeal helping the old North Wind defeat Mr. Dark. Their picked up by Winter (one of Snow's daughters) who has some how blundered into the homeland of the North Wind. A place from which there is no return. Unless you know the dangerous winds that guard it that is. Meanwhile in Oz, Bufkin is to be executed for crimes against the Empire.

This storyline has had a chance to really flesh out the Snow and Bigby's kids, who by and large have never fully been in the spotlight (except Ambrose a handful of times). Given that chance, and the crowning of one of them as King of the North Wind, and how one of them reacts.  I still don't feel we've been given a good chance to get to know them individually beyond fairly simplistic archetypes. That being said, Snow and Bigby are in rare form, Snow her usual headstrong leader self, and Bigby seemingly out of his element for once.

All that being said, I'm seriously curious when the story will get back to reestablishing Fabletown. And dealing with what Mr. Dark left behind in the ruins of the last one. With Werewolves of the Heartland OGN delayed/cancelled again, I'm seriously wondering if that's still a long way off. I like the Homelands, and what they offer, but without a Fabletown to establish the Fables in our mundane world, it raises a lot of questions (like, why do they continue to stay here now that the Adversary is long out of the picture?) Really hope the series gets to that soon.

Next: NEAR DEATH.

Review - 2000 AD 1758

Ah. 2000 AD. Can't think of another title that can boast 1758 consecutive issues. Now granted has a bit of a leg up, being WEEKLY and all. But in my mind that makes it even more impressive. Every week it provides 30 pages split between 4-5 serials in full color, like clockwork. That is some impressive editorial managing. And yet even with such tight editorial control, it still manages to push out some the most creative and thrilling comics out there.

For those who might not know, 2000 AD is a serial anthology, each issue containing several (usually five) on-going stories. One of which is always the title's star, Judge Dredd. Some people might think getting serial comics in 5-page chunks would be annoying. But there are two things at work here; the weekly format means you get the next installment quickly and in regular intervals. Second, in 2000 AD the art of the cliffhanger is alive and well, not to mention economizing of space. There's no 'writing for the trade' style of writing going on here, where what you're reading is just a 50-page story cut into ten 5-page chunks with no regard for pacing (like many monthly comics do).

The cover of this issue is drawn by longtime 2000 AD contributors, Simon Davis. Illustrating inside strip Ampney Crucis Investigates. Lead character Ampney Crucis and his man servant Cromwell are strapped to a flying device as they try to escape a dead parallel Earth being chased by a multi- tentacled horror from beyond space and time. Its that sort of crazy crap that makes 2000 AD covers some of the most memorable in the industry

Being a serial anthology I will be reviewing each story individually briefly.

Judge Dredd: Day of Chaos - Elusive (Part 6) - Day of Chaos is the latest Dredd 'mega-epic' to run through the Judge Dredd series. In many ways a follow up to Tour of Duty, a major Dredd storyline that ran through 2009/2010. One of Judge Dredd's oldest and most elusive perps, the notorious serial killed PJ Maybe has broken out of his isoblock, changed his face, and is now running amok in Mega City 1. Mega City 1 is in the middle of electing a new mayor (PJ Maybe, having stolen the identity of the last Mayor and generally being the best Mayor Mega-City 1 ever had before the Judges caught on) and Maybe isn't pleased with is former party's new candidate name dropping him like they were best buddies. So PJ Maybe is out to put his replacment in the ground, and remind the Justice Department just how dangerous he is. John Wagner is the father of Dredd and still has the magic 30+ years writing the strip. Henry Flint's artwork brings the madness of Mega City 1 and the circus that their elections can become to life. EXCELLENT.

Ampney Crucis Investigates - The English Assassin (Part 9) - Ampney Crucis was a series I didn't like at first. Its about a proper English gentleman who investigates strange goings on, generally of a dark, mysterious, and evil nature all the while keeping his upper-lip stiff. Unknowable horror is no reason to lose your dignified. I thought the first episode or two were sort of formulaic, but the previous two have kicked things up a notch. With Ampney and Co. having become embroiled in international intriqued with the world powers getting into traveling between dimensions. Unfortunately the alternate universe they bored into happens to be a dead world acting as an incubator for a Cthulhu-esk horror looking to wiped out the multiverse. If only it had a convient doorway... opps. This episode concerns Ampney and his, probably possessed, manservant Cromwell trying to make their escape from this hellish world back to their world. Things don't go well. As exciting as that all sounds, this story does tend to move a bit rapidly and rely a little too much on happenstance to move things forward. Simon Davis's painted art style can look great, but often he goes for big panels with minimalist backgrounds, which make things a little dull to look at. But when he puts in the detail things can look really great. PRETTY OKAY.

Indigo Prime: Anthropocalypse (Part 3) - Indigo Prime was introduced in the late 80s and ran through the early 90s, written by John Smith and illustrated by Chris Weston. It involved an extra-dimensional organization who repaired damage to the multi-verse. Its run was brief, but memorable. Back in 2008 John Smith reintroduced Indigo Prime in the pages of Dead Eyes, and promised that Indigo Prime would return. Three years latter that time is NOW. Interestingly, these new Indigo Prime stories are the most in depth about the organization and what they actually do that the series has gone into. Sometime between the last Indigo Prime story in 1991 and now, the originization has taken some hits and lost significant personnel so they are on a kind of recruiting drive. Dead Eye's main character, and the only survivor of his particular reality, Danny Redman is the latest recruit and he isn't adjusting well to his new situation. Meanwhile, new character Doctor March is pulled out of semi-retirement. Indigo Prime is very deliberate in throwing made up words and being cryptic about what has lead to the organization's current status. That being said its a good kind of bonkers that makes you want to keep reading more. Series artist Edmond Bagwell has a really clean line art style that still manages to showcase all these crazy reality warping dangers going on. BONKERS.

Angel Zero (Part 8) -The 'action girl' genre has a long history at 2000 AD. Angel Zero is the latest of that sort of story. Once upon a time Maggie Roth was implanted with an alien life form known as an Angel that made her stronger, faster, and dangerous. She was then honed into a weapon. Eventually she escaped and had the angel removed, but her past eventually caught up with her. Now she's trying to clean up her demons to protect the people she now cares about. Having been captured by a rival gangster, the organization that's after Maggie makes mince meat out of these amateurs and Maggie finds herself looking down the barrel of a gun and someone looking to put her back into trained killer circulation. Kev-K isn't a high profile 2000 AD writer, but his previous series Second City Blues (from way back in 2005) was pretty good, and this has been generally good. What's interesting, and I wonder if its an experiment on 2000 AD's part itself, is that Angel Zero, instead of being the usual 5 pages long, is only 4-pages long for each of its episodes. It seems to work here, the story it told in a very tight and concise manner. It doesn't ramble. Series artist John Burns is an old hand at 2000 AD, his water color art style is usually pretty memorable. This series though sometimes feel a little stiff and might have used a more energetic artist on art chores. SOLID.

Low Life: The Deal (Part 9) - Low Life is a series I've read since its beginning (way back in 2004) and Rob Williams's Dreddworld story of undercover 'Wally Squad' Judges in one of the worst sectors of Mega City 1 has been continually excellent since its inception. Its cast of characters, notably series star Aimee Nixon and her insane cohort Dirty Frank, has been one of the more indeering in Dreddworld history. This series finds Dirty Frank traveling around the world to Hondo City to find his ally, friend, and fellow Judge Aimee. Who after recent events has found herself defecting from Justice Department to the Hondo City yakuza mob after the yakuza moved in and took over criminal activity in the Low Life. Dirty Frank doesn't know why Aimee defected, but he's determined to bring her back to Mega City 1. This episode Frank finally confronts Aimee and her yakuza handlers, but gets a gunshot to the leg for his troubles. Mean while his Hondo City undercover Judge allies make their move. Rob Williams is a treasure of a writer, the fact that he's gone Marvel exclusive recently is a great blow to comics in general. Fortunately he has a clause that he can keep working on Low Life. Series artist D'Israeli is also a treasure, one of the most impressive artists in 2000 AD stable, anything he works on is a treat. And this is no exception. DIRTY FRANK.

Phew, yeah... that sure was a lot of words for five 5-page (in one case 4) comic. But that's why 2000 AD is so great, there is just so much to love between its covers. This issue has many of its current strips reaching their crescendos for their big end of the years conclusions (Prog 2012 is nearing every week!). I can't wait to see what happened next week!

Next: FABLES 111

New Comics for the Week of 12-07-11

I know I'm running behind on last week's reviews, but this truck does not stop! Its Monday (Tuesday?!) and that means the New Comic Shipping List from Diamond is out! Lets see what's on the docket for this week!

2000 AD 1759. ACTION COMICS 4. MEN OF WAR 4. STORMWATCH 4. 

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES MICRO-SERIES: RAPHAEL 1.

2000 AD 1759 - Ok, truth time. This title's inclusion is a bit of a fudge on my part. It does not actually appear on this week's shipping list. BUT ITS SUPPOSE TO. Last month 2000 AD's publisher Rebellion promised that 2000 AD would be coming out weekly in North America. Since then... that has not actually happened. Usually its two issues every two weeks, and is generally pretty erratic. I have hope that someday it will actually come out weekly. That all being said, this is the issue that is suppose to come out this week in a perfect world. And its still possible, because 2000 AD is notorious for showing up in shops even if it doesn't appear on a Diamond shipping list. So... fingers crossed, but don't hold your breath. I will review it when I get it in my mitts though.

ACTION COMICS 4 -Young Adult Superman in the iron grip of what I can only guess is a Automaton crafted by Brainiac out of tin-cans and bubble-gum. Rags Morales is a pretty nice artist. This cover is pleasant.

 

MEN OF WAR 4 - If there's on thing Men of War has, its really slick cover design. The special ops soldier combined with the rank insignia is very sleek. If I had one complain its that all the white lettering doesn't really read from range.

STORMWATCH 4 - A sweet action cover by interior artist Miguel Sepulveda with team powerhouse Apollo in full-on rage mode. I like it.

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES MICRO-SERIES: RAPHAEL 1 - A very striking and if I may say 'indie' looking shot of one of the more interesting Ninja Turtles. I really like the coloring on this image.

Review - Invincible 85

Invincible is one of the few long running titles I've had the pleasure of reading from its first issue. If there's one constant of Invincible, its that it's never one to sit still. Always moving forward, always changing, never afraid to pull punches (often times literally). That being said, The Viltrumite War
epic brought me dangerously close to dropping the title. I'm not sure what never clicked with me with that story, but after all the build up and excitement when the actual War started I found myself bored more then thrilled. I think it was Ryan Ottley's amazing artwork that held me on through that (and I'm not an 'art guy' so that's saying something to the talents of Mr. Wya). But ultimately I'm very glad I stuck through it, as the post-Viltrumite War fallout has been nothing short of excellent. The struggle the title's lead character Mark is going through right now, and how he's dealing with his physiological stress at who he is and what his purpose in the world should be, has been fascinating to read.

Issue 85 of Invincible actually doesn't have anything to do with Mark, or anyone on Earth. Ryan Ottley needed a break, so instead of dropping a fill-in artist into the middle of the main storyline, or delaying the title for two months, instead we have the original Invincible artist (and title Co-Creator) Cory Walker drawing a two issue side-story dealing with Mark's father, Omni-Man and Mark's half-brother Oliver out in space working with the Coalition of Planets and insuring the continuing peace in a war ravaged galaxy. Cory Walker was there at the launch of the series, drawing the first six issues of the series, before handing the reigns over to Ryan Ottley. So having him back on this fill-in arc really feels right.

This issue focuses on Allen the alien's (the current head of the Coalition) struggle with the idea of the last surviving Viltrumites living out on Earth. Omni-Man makes his case but the Coalition is not pleased with this development, and Allen is conflicted between the good of the Coalition and his friendship with Omni-Man and Mark. Not to mention the fate of an entire planet of humans caught in the middle.

I really liked this issue, I like Allen, and his new position in the title makes him even complex. Cory Walker's art is in top form, and the way its evolved from Invincible's early days is significant. Invincible in general has been on the uptick over the last few months, and while The Viltrumite War itself was a bit of a letdown, the groundwork it laid has been paying off really well.

Next: 2000 AD 1758

Review - Usagi Yojimbo 142

Three months ago I suddenly came to a shocking revelation. I'd never actually read any of Stan Sakai's Usagi Yojimbo! Oooops! Not one to let such injustice stand I ran out and bought the first three collections. Going in I knew some of the basics, Usagi is a traveling masterless Samurai, also he's also a rabbit. The mix of fast paced action, quite introspection, physical comedy, historical drama, and fantasy adventure hit all the right notes for me and I immediately regretted not jumping on the title years ago. Along with working my way through the many (many!) collections I bit the bullet and hopped on the latest issue.

First off, one thing I really respect about Usagi Yojimo as a whole is its accessibility. Its stories typically are self-contained, either within a single issue or in a story arch. This latest issue illustrates this rather well. With Usagi wandering the Japanese countryside, as he does, and coming across people in danger and in need of assistance. In this case a team of runners in the employ of a local lord are rapidly transporting a precious cargo as a special gift to another lord. But their long over-land route is beset by bandits and wild animals. Usagi steps in to help, and finds himself taking up the duty of the runners though he has no personal ties to their lord. The beautiful elegance of this story is in its apparent straight forwardness, but taking a step back reveals its larger complex nature. Particularly where what drives Usagi to do what he does is concerned. At 24 pages long, it weaves a very satisfying narrative, that makes you long for other comics to have as much economy of space.

Stan Sakai might be a good writer, but he's also something of a deft hand with a pen too. The line work showcased in this issue is nothing short of inspirational. Characters are lively, backgrounds are detailed, motion flows from panel to panel you can definitely feel a lot of love goes into the creation of this comic.

After years of putting it off, I've finally jumped into this series with both feet, and have continued to find it rewarding. Its certainly the sort of on-going series I can see myself following for years to come, and this issue is a really good example of just why that is. EXCELLENT.

Next: INVINCIBLE (well... soonish. I don't actually have my copy yet. Its in the mail. Maybe not til the end of the week.)

New Comics for the Week of 11-30-11

I know I'm still working my way through reviewing last week's Five Comics (since I came up with the idea after last Wednesday). But its Monday, so that means FIVE NEW COMICS!

 

2000 AD 1758. FABLES 111. NEAR DEATH 3. SAVAGE DRAGON 176. SPACEMAN 2.

2000 AD 1758 - Cover lovingly painted by Simon Davis for the series Amphey Crucis Investigates. If you may recall from my Dark Horse Presents review, I have sort of a thing for serial anthologies. And 2000 AD is the Gold Standard.









FABLES 111 - Another finely painted cover of my new favorite Fable, Bufkin. This arc has been cooking with gas going back and forth between the North Wind and Oz story arcs. Fables is consistently good.









NEAR DEATH 3 - Jay Faerber is cooking up something really special here. And that cover by Tomm Coker is something else.











SAVAGE DRAGON 176 - 176 issues, and no end in sight. Erik Larsen is a trooper if nothing else. This issue promises to finally reveal who the new Overlord is. I have my suspicions, we'll see how off the mark I am. Erik Larsen is nothing else if not a genius at misdirection. Great homage cover harkening back to Savage Dragon 20.








SPACEMAN 2 - Spaceman is shaping up to be one doozy of a science fiction yarn. And in a landscape very thin on the ground of good science fiction I'll take all I can get. This cover also has some serious great composition.

Review - The Shade 2

James Robinson's Starman is arguably one of the more important comics to come out of the 1990s. In it the golden age hero-scientist Ted Knight, Starman, passes the torch to his reluctant artistic son Jack Knight. What follows is both a reinvention of a golden age hero and the creation of an all new hero for a modern age. Along with Starman, Robinson reintroduced another golden age character, the shadow manipulating Shade. An immortal that straddled the line between good and evil, he became one of Jack Knight's greatest allies, and one of Opal City's greatest protectors. But his history has always been kept in shadow (pun intended). Until now.

Robinson returns to Opal City with The Shade, a 12 part mini-series that will finally bring The Shade's origins to light (god, these puns). Last issue someone put a price on The Shade's head and sic'd Deathstroke the Terminator on him with rather dismembering results. This issue picks up with The Shade having evidently used a decoy to get Deathstroke off his scent as he begins investigating the mysterious figures who have put the price on his head. After some goodbye's with his local allies (and lover) The Shade is off on what is sure to be a globetrotting adventure.

James Robinson has taken some heat lately for some mediocre to bad DC stories, and there was a lot of speculation of which Robinson was going to turn up for this particular series. At this point its pretty clear Robinson is bringing his Starman-era A-Game to the table. You can really tell he's comfortable with these characters, and the sort of story their tied up in. The Shade is a likable know-it-all, sure in his actions, and new character Will Von Hammer has a sarcastic gunman streak I can't help but love. The story is definitely starting to delve into The Shade's past, with run ins with other shadow based meta-humans. I'm not sure if these are characters that have appeared in DC comics before (I suspect not), but I'm honestly curious about them.

Art-wise the book is rock solid, if not quite as experimental as the Starman glory days often showcased under the deft pen work of Tony Harris (who provides the covers for this mini-series). Cully Hamner has an almost animated style of artwork that is both at once colorful, but also moody. I like it.

So two issues in and already I'm hyped for this series. Its really great to see James Robinson back in the zone where it concerns the characters that made a name for himself. Can't wait to see where it goes. EXCELLENT.

Next: USAGI YOJIMBO

Review - RASL 12

Jeff Smith is without a doubt one of the greatest independent comic creators of this era. His classic epic Bone sits atop a very short list of 'best comics ever' in my mind. That it continues to be a hot selling property is a testament to its longevity. When Bone ended, Smith went on to do a great Captain Marvel mini-series at DC, but what really got me excited was his new creator owned series RASL. About a dimension hopping art thief named 'RASL'. That was three years ago. You many notice we're only on issue 12 at this point. Jeff Smith, though a modern master is a little slow on the output, often putting 3 or 4 months between issues. Which as a result can sometimes make you forget just what the heck is going on. As best I can recall RASL has been being hassled by lizard looking goons for his won-ton dimension hopping, during which he's had a run in with his death ex-lover in a different universe.

At this point RASL is out driving in the desert in a world where the experiment he was involved with is going critical. He intends to infiltrate the facility to stop the same thing happening to another world that happened in his. Most of this issue is an extended history lesson on the life and times of famed inventor Nikola Tesla. Which is fascinating in its own right as a brief biography. And it does showcase why Tesla and his research is so important to RASL's life. But it also feels like this issue is just a transition to the next. A well rendered, and lovingly fleshed out transition. But a transition none-the-less. Next issue looks to really heat up, and it is my understand the series is actually entering into its end game. It won't be running to many more issues.  Which is too bad for a couple reasons. The main on being that there just aren't that many good science fiction comics out there, RASL, though erratic in schedule, has been consistently entertaining. There just aren't a lot of comics out there like this. Which is too bad. SOLID.

Next: THE SHADE.

Review - Dark Horse Presents 6

Ah. Dark Horse Presents. I remember picking up the first issue on a whim, looking to expand my pull list, and curious about what this new on-going anthology offered. 6 issues latter and it now rests securely at the top of my comics pile. Dark Horse Presents is easily my most anticipated comic these days. Which is strange. Because while I appreciate anthologies, they often leave me cold. Usually anthologies are themed, or have a number of creators I'm interested in. But nearly universally the short stories are self-contained done-in-one style. And while I can enjoy that. It doesn't necessarily make me interested in picking up the next anthology collection.

So what is DHP's secret? SERIALS. DHP has no fewer then 8 serialized stories going on at this time. Serialized means I can expect to read more of a given story in the future. I can get invested in the situation and character, and get excited waiting for the next installment. And boy-howdy, what a bunch of stories we have in this issue. As this is an anthology I'm going to break the book down by each story. For those who don't know, an issue of Dark Horse Presents typically contains 80 full-color pages, broken into ten 8 page story chunks. So there is a lot to enjoy.

Resident Alien Part 3 - I've really liked this sci-fi murder mystery. Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse do a really good job at making a town live and breath. And I really like the lead character and his motivation. That being said, this third chapter ends on a cliffhanger, and doesn't appear to be continuing next issue, or the next few if the solicitations are anything to go by. Hopefully its back in a few months. Excellent.

Finder: Third World Part 6 - Finder is an exceptional series already, this series continues that trend in full color. Each installment seems to tell a self-contained story, but you can feel the entire thing is building to something. Carla Speed McNeil is very good at world building, and this series really lets her explore it more. Fantastic.

The Adventures of Dog Mendonca and Pizzaboy Part 3 - I'm not really sure what to make of this series. Its about a Private-eye who recounts his origins as a were-wolf captured by Nazis in WW2. Which sounds interesting, but the origin story is presented in a rather laid back fashion that I find hard to get into. The origin story is book-ended by the lead character saying and doing humorous things with his partners. Its those bookends I'm enjoying far more the meat of the story. I want to read about those guys. Juan Cavia brings some seriously good looking art to the table, but it runs the risk of being too busy. Entertaining.

Beasts of Burden: Story Time - The second in a series of Beasts of Burden one-shots brought to us by Evan Dorkin and Jill Thompson. This installment the Wise Dog tells a spooky story, that really is quite cleaver and epic. BoB is such a great series, I'm glad to see it here. Fantastic.

Change - Fabio Moon brings us a short one-off story that is poetry in comic form. I can't get over how cool this story was, in style and execution. And that art. To die for. Amazing.

Blood Part Part 5 - Oh, what can I say about Neil Adam's Blood. Not much that's very nice I'm afraid. A very confusing story, characters with no personality, a progression with no logic, muddy art that's mostly covered by dialog balloons. This series has been a dud since day one. But... if only one story is truly terrible I call that a win. Horrible.

Criminal Macabre: Die, Die, My Darling! Part 3 - I don't know much about Criminal Macabre the series, so this 3 part story has been largely hard for me to get excited about. The story seems to follow a pair of vampires given a task to perform by a strange supernatural being. The resolution felt rather rushed, and based entirely on the lead character's intuition then any kind of facts. Eh. Its okay I guess. Not really my sort of comic. Fine.

Number 13 Part 5 - This series took a little while before I really started to get excited about it. Its post-apocalyptic landscapes, strange twisted mutants, and strange cyberpunk designs finally brought me around. Robert Love's artwork is gorgeous. Unfortunately, like Resident Alien this appears to be the last installment for this series for the near future. And again, its another story that ends of a cliffhanger. Annoying. But I await its return! Fun!

Marked Man Part 6 - Two issues ago Howard Chaykin cemented himself as a creator I'm going to start paying attention to. With three pages he conveyed silent emotion in a comic like I've not seen in a while. Marked Man has been overall a decent series, Chaykin's art is nice to look at (though the shiny coloring can be really distracting), and the story of a hitman with a mark on his head has been largely interesting. Even though Chaykin sometimes leaves out some story transitions that could really make this series soar. As it is, its pretty good. But not exceptional. Solid.

Skeleton Key: Room Service - A very cute series, that's a sort of super-natural Doctor Who. With two girls traveling time and space with a magical 'skeleton key', spilling them into trouble wherever they end up. I really like Andi Watson's art style. Sort of whimsical. The series is presented as a series of one-offs, and appears to be sticking around for the near future. Adorable!

Phew, that was a lot of comics to mini-review. Dark Horse Presents is in my mind everything a monthly comic should be. High in content, high in talent, and low in price (80 pages for 8 bucks is a STEAL).

New Comics for the Week of 11-23-11

These are the five comics I was most interested in back on Monday the 21st.

The reasons I chose the following being...

DARK HORSE PRESENTS 6 - DHP has consistently been one of my most anticipated books for the last three months. It has a certain magic too it that many other comics don't manage.
INVINCIBLE 85 - Cory Walker's return to the title for a two-part fill-in arc has got my attention.
RASL 12 - This book doesn't come out nearly often enough. So every new issue is an EVENT.
THE SHADE 2 (of 12) - James Robinson's return to the characters that made him famous has so far been a treat. Lets see if the next issue keeps up the pace.
USAGI YOJIMBO 142 - I'm fairly new to Stan Saki's ronin rabbit. So I continue to get excited every time a new issue comes out.

So that's the five for this week. Tune in soon, as I run them down one by one.

Welcome!

Hello world!

I'm your host Jim Purcell. For a while now I've been looking for an outlet to blog about my passion. Comics. I can't get enough of comics. Comic books, graphic novels, web comics, digital comics; from America, Japan, Europe, or the UK it doesn't matter I love them all. It took a while for me to come up with a focused idea for starting a comic review blog, and for a while I thought I'd never find a hook. But then I realized I had a hook staring me in the face.

Every week, when new comics are announced by Diamond for shipping that week, I make a new 'Signature' image that I use on forums I frequent. Just to show a handful of comics out of the whole week's pull that I'm excited about. I like hunting for cover art, and shrinking them down as a little preview of my tastes. So here I have this image that I update every week like clockwork, that always contains the five comics that have really grabbed my attention that week. But why do I pick those particular comics? That sure sounds like a blogable topic to me!

So here's how it will work. On Monday of every week, when Diamond updates their shipping list, after I go through the process of making my signature image I will post it here and explain why I picked those particular titles.  Then when release day comes I'll read the books in question and post my thoughts about them, and if they lived up to my expectations.

Sound fun? I hope so.

Also I'm probably use this space to ramble a bit about the changing landscape of comics. We live in some very interesting times where comics are concerned. Their future both looks dire and wide open. And I have a few thoughts on the matter.

So welcome aboard. I hope you stick around!