New Comic Day:7/28/10

A decent week for some new titles: Time Bomb#1/3 , Scourge #0 , Artifacts#1/13 , WonderWoman #601 , I also picked up Alan Moore's Courtyard the prequel to Neonomicon.

1. Artifacts #1 (Top Cow) by Ron Marz 

premise: A spinoff of Witchblade , Artifacts is your everyday '13 ancient items and the 13th is the most powerful and some mysterious deadly force is trying to combine them all' type of comic. Some hand picked guardians are to prevent this evil being from obtaining it , anti hero is seeking redemption , so on and so on ..  the good ol formula : boobs+blooding fights+ancient shit= cool comic.

me: Now , I havent read Witchblade yet but I didnt feel horribly out of place reading this , it would definitely help but I wasnt left in the bog with my pants down.

Will I be getting #2?: yes , though the plot is cliched its still fun to watch it play out.

If I had $10 does this make the pull? Yes.

price/value: 3.99 ... It was good value , again Im extra critical of the $4 comic , you have to knock my socks off.

2. Time Bomb #1/3 (Radical) by 

premise: Current day world discovers a hidden underground city beneath Berlin , built by Hitler as a fallout bunker. Inside they discover the Nazi's doomsday device and accidentally detonate it... the world is doomed. The only chance is time travel back and try to stop this day from happening and since they dont have a Delorean they time travel under the theory of a missing scientist whom developed the "Time Bomb Effect"....

me: I was compelled and intrigued generally. I felt the general concept of a hidden nazi city beneath Berlin was brilliant , I actually felt the time travel idea took away from it.. but maybe they get more into the city in the next issues.

Will I buy #2-3?: Yes

If i had $10 do I buy this?: tough caz this is a $5 book.. but its good. This is a weak week , its a contender.

price/value: 4.99 .. If Im critical of a $4 book , so Im a soup nazi with $5 books. No ads , not until the last page , you get 50+pages... by the end of the day I dont think I'd rather spend that $5 any other way so it was solid value.

3. The SCourge #0 (Aspen) by 

premise: Very similar to zombie and vampire horrors except replace them with gargoyles. You have a bad boy cop fighting to survive this chaos and yet figure out the mystery of this plague. This plague is spreading by... you guessed it! bites and scratches .. if you can sense my cynicism then you can sense how I felt about the book in general.

Me: It was issue #0 which are basically mini prequels to the real story arcs. Its a little cliched , the main character seems cookie cutter as well , not sure if this series will stand out in any way. I havent been "hooked" yet.

Will I buy #1? maybe. If its a weak week.

If I had 10 bucks do I buy? I dont think so.

price/value? 2.50 ... poor value. Im sorry but for 12 page prequels things , these should be 1 dollar books. 2.50!?! when I was done I was thinking about other books I should've picked up.


4. Wonder Woman #601 (DC) by
more to come




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commentary:
So its official ,Im dropping all Avenger titles. Irony. I got back into comics because of the Avengers and now Im ditching them all. Im just so into the indy stuff now and finding myself less and less interested in the conventional superhero mumbo jumbo. Not to say I dont need my super hero fix , you need balance and variety in your pull list. Avengers just aint cutting it for me right now.

Weekend Paperback pick up: 7/25/10

I had a fantastic evening of graphic novelling as you can see.....

ignore my sock tan lines

First up ...
from Beckett Publishing , republished in paperback by Image Comics is Fade from Grace by Gabriel Bensen , art by Jeff Amano.

NO SPOILERS

premise: Its hard to describe a book without giving up "spoilers". What I can say it involves a devoted husband (John) and wife(Grace) , and how one discovers special powers and how their relationship and lives are effected together.

  One critique is I felt it lacked dialogue  , I went through this book quickly. The pacing was a little abrupt and that could've been because of the lack of panel story telling/dialogue. The art was very intimate and soft with a classic touch it all , much like a young Meg Ryan before she went all Frankenstein. It had an overall 1950s retro feel to it.

My other critique is the stale use of the all american blond blue eyed couple ... it gets tiresome , its suppose to be modern indy , if you're going to do a modern indy comic then be indy and stray away the generic concepts like the all american blond blue eyed couple.

cut to the chase...buy/borrow/bury?:
    Its a borrow for sure. Definitely worth checking out , its a different perspective on the whole love/superpowers thing. 
    If you are going to buy this , cover price is $15.. definitely not a $15 book , I bought mine for 11 bucks , Im a little bleh about that.. I would say its a 8 buck book , buy it used if you can. 135 pages.
     Its far from junk and garbage so dont bury this if you have a chance to take it out from the Library , borrow from a buddy or buy from bargain bin.

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then I got to vol.9-10 for The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman , art by Charlie Adlard

 SPOILERS

vol.9 -

    After a chaotic vol.8 that shook the foundation of not only the book but my heart and soul I expected a 'calm after the storm' like volume. Just to recap , everybody is dead except; Rick , Carl , Glenn , Maggie , Sophia , Andrea , Dale , the twins , and Michionne.

    This volume was focused on Rick and Carl , bringing to light to where Rick is and where Carl is going in this series.Carl goes through the emotional gautlet with his comatosed father. He reassures Rick that he can care for himself , then he blames Rick for his mom and sister's death , he gets mad at Rick for patronizing him caz he's a kid , he feels he's ready to go on his own. It all comes crashing down when he realizes how much he needs his dad still , Rick woke up .. Carl wasnt sure if he was a zombie or not , nor did he care he was prepared to accept his fate at the hands of his zombie father but Rick was ok. It was a powerful moment for Carl , it was a spotlight volume for Carl , Carl stepped forth from the background and became a primary player in the Walking Dead in this chapter.

      Eventually Rick and Carl  meet up with Michionne , Glenn and Maggie , they regroup at Maggie's old farm. Once again they were planning on making this their permanent home. New visitors change all that in a hurry , a big brute  Abraham , a scientist and a couple tag along survivors on their way to DC. After the two groups butt heads , they all agree to head to DC to find answers to the plague and for better security.

vol.10 -

    This was a volume that some of the characters come to some revelations about themselves and others , time really shows its age in this volume and the world is clearly taking its toll on them as well.

     Early on Glenn finds Maggie hanging from a suicide attempt , this was fucking tragic for my homeboy. Abe wanted to bullet her head immediately but Glenn insisted there's still a chance to revive her... Rick puts a gun to Abe's head to prevent the execution... Maggie wakes up. This shakes up Abe but it also draws some battle lines between Abe and Rick which leaves you unsettled for the on coming chapters.

      While at the crossroads  Rick , Abe and Carl  head back to Rick's hometown since they were near to A) check out Morgan (from volume1) and B)his police station to restock supplies.. while the rest wait.  Whilst on their way they get ambushed by some Deliverance hillbilly raping tards... they keep Abe at gunpoint , one wrestles Rick to a face to face bear heg  and the other attempts to rape Carl ... Rick's instincts go all Wolverine berzerker rage , he bites into the guys neck and rips his neck apart.. bloodbath ensues with three dead hillbillies with Rick , Carl and Abe A-OK. Afterwards Abe and Rick with Carl laying on his lap open up heart to heart with each other about their zombie experiences .... seemingly finding a mutual peace with each other. Carl also speaks and you get the idea of where all three are at and how far they've come from the person they were.

     They do find Morgan alive but  mentally and physically unstable due to his boy being zombiefied. They think Morgan kills his kid but he secretly let him loose .. seemingly harmless but I gets the feeling this will re-emerge further down the road in the story. ON their way to the camp they lead back a huge herd of zombies , they lose the car and run back leading the herd back with them.. Dale was all set on staying with Andrea  so he can finally start fucking his young girlfriend like a rabbit but they gotta pick up and go again.. Dale's  frustration with Rick is over boiling at this point and his distrust with Rick elevates by the second ... is Dale and Rick heading for a lethal confrontation? and the what the hell is in DC? and most importantly , who's next?

SPOILERS OVER

Im almost caught up with Walking Dead. Two more volumes.

New Comic Day: 7/21/10

After an amazing New Comic Book Day last week , it was back to a subdued routine week. Only 3 titles today: Black Widow #4 , Zatanna #3 , Neonomicon #1 .. and more significant drops from my pull.

1. Black Widow #4 (Marvel) by Marjorie Lui , ary by Dan Acuna

Sensational issue to the current story arc "The Rose". Fantastic cliffhanger ending to keep you drooling for #5 , I dont know if this is a 5 issue arc or 6.. I sure do hope its 6. Suffice to say if you've come this far into the series , might as well finish it.

2. Zatanna #3 (DC) by Paul Dini , art Stephane roux

I was a little disappointed that the arc is already over. I was hoping for at least a 4 part arc. It was a good nonetheless , a solid finale to the story. Again , they could've drawn this out a little longer. I hope they focus on Zatanna's co workers and friends more than her Justice Leaguer friends. Zatanna is an underrated character, not just because of her sex appeal but overall.. her goofy yet sexy magicians outfit under minds her comic books , once you indulge yourself , there's no looking back.

Will I continue to buy Zatanna? yes. Her sales have apparently picked up lately. 

3. Neonomicon #1/4 (Avatar Press) by Alan Moore , art by Jacen Burrows

The debut issue of Neonomicon and sequel to Alan Moore's Courtyard graphic novel. FBI agents Gordon Lamper , and Merril Brears pursue a copycat serial killer who's on the loose. They go "Silence of the Lambs" and seek help from the original killer whom was a former FBI agent Mr. Aldo Sax in lock up. They then go to  proceed on a  wild goose chase that leads them to the home of the suspect only to be confronted by some mind blowing shit at the end that will blow your shitty mind.. shit to leave you hanging for #2.

Ill repeat myself , debut issues are always tough caz you have to lay the groundwork for characters and plot. Therefore the end result is usually a slower paced issue than you want which is what we have here... slow but informative and in depth. Its building for a climatic conclusion.. too bad its only a 4 part series , the plot alone has potential for a 5-6 part series.

This is rumoured to be Alan Moore's last graphic novel/comic so this is a must have regardless for Alan Moore fans.

Will I get #2? of couse.

If I had $10 does this make the pull? Yes. Though its a weak week.

Noob Friendly? yes , I havent read the Courtyard and I didnt feel lost at all. That said I plan on reading the Courtyard soon.

price/value: 3.99 .. solid debut issue.. I didnt feel  ripped off or short changed.. decent value here.

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Other news with my comics:
I dropped Avengers off my pull list. I have now dropped Avengers , New Avengers , Avengers Academy , Young Allies , X-Men , ...UPDATE: I just learned Atlas is being put down like a limp horse by Jeff Parker himself after #5. I was going to drop it anyways so he's made this decision easier.

I also found a place online to buy comics HeavyInk , it works out to be cheaper ordering online than me buying from my local comic book stores. The only con is they dont bag and board their shipments so Im nervous and how they will arrive but Ill get into a full review of HeavyInk when my shipment comes in next week:

my order:

Hack Slash My First Maniac #2

I Zombie #2

Secret Six #19

Mindfield #1

Zombies vs Cheerleaders #1
total cost: $15.65 shipping included. $3 bucks a comic... thats cheap. 


NEXT WEEK'S PULL: Wonder Woman #601 , Artifact #1/13(Image) , Secret Avengers #3 , Mindfield #2(Aspen) , Fear Agent28 #1 (Dark Horse)

Weekend Paperback Pick up: 7/18/10

 I just finished reading Walking Dead vol.7-8 .. here's my raw reaction filmed 10 minutes after I read vol.8 filled with SPOILERS
The Walking Dead vol.8 Spoiler 7/18/10 from Gord Locke on Vimeo.


I placed my next order of graphic novels:UPDATE.. est arrival this friday 7/23/10

• Blacksad (dargaud) by  Juan Díaz Canales (writer) and Juanjo Guarnido (artist)       
• The Stuff of Legend vol.1 (Third World) by  Mike Raicht  Brian Smith(w) ,Charles Paul Wilson III (a)
• Fade from Grace (Beckett) by  Gabriel Bensen(w) , Jeff Amano(a)
• The Pro (Image) by Garth Ennis(w) , Amanda Conner(a)
  

total= $50 roughly. Im ecstatic for Blacksad and The Stuff of Legend. Fade from Grace and The Pro sound like fun reads recommended by a comic geek. Ironic caz there's so many other titles I want to get and I ended getting two no namers out of the blue.. but thats the fun of it.

New Comic Day: 7/14/10 part 2

  1. Chew #12 (Image) by John Layman , art by Robert Guillory

Excellent. Part 2/5 of the current arc , superb issue. This isnt a jumping on point , go buy Chew vol.1 TPB to see if you like it. If you do.. then catch up caz its so worth it.

This is argubaly my favourite comic book right now.

2. Hack Slash #2/4 (Image) by Tim Seeley , art by Daniel Leister
unavailable at the moment. My store had part of their shipment damaged including my one copy of Hack Slash.. warped the spine. Im the only guy who suscribes at my store. Nobody else has it either , I checked out a bunch of shops. Frak.*UPDATED .. finally came in today 8/3/10

Lets just say keep pulling this mini series , its faptastic.. in more ways than one!! seriously , I cant wait for the new on going series in the Fall and I cant wait for the new printings of the Omnibus's .. where have you been all my life Cassie Slash?!

3. Birds of Prey #3 (DC) by Gail Simone , art by Ed Benes

Strong issue. part 3/4 story arc with the mystery woman in white. You will be left hanging by the edge of your seat. If you bought into #1 , 2.. this is a MUST HAVE.

4. Mystery Society #1-2/5 IDW  by Steve Niles  art by Fiona Staples

Premise: Nick Hammond and Anastasia Collins are the Mystery Society and bring new meaning to "underground cult" status! Stealthily avoiding the authorities, this skullduggery duo spend their time and money righting wrongs committed in the world’s underbellies

Fantastic sleeper hit. I found this by fluke  as I was looking through some back issues  I saw this catchy cover from IDW Mystery Society #1 , never heard of it. Picked it up on a whim... wow. Faptastically fun. The next day I picked up #2 which came out this week too coincidentally.

Will I get #3? : Im on board 100%

If I had $10 does this make the pull? Its a contender in a tough week.

price/value: 3.99 .. this new refreshing story distracts me that its a $4 comic. Its decent.


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additional comments for the week:
I've decided to drop some major titles from my pull list. Too many comics Im into and so many more I want to get into. I had to make en executive decision and the truth of the matter is Im more into the non supehero books. Oddly I picked up zero Marvel titles and cleared out 4 Marvel titles off my pull list. Remaining Marvel pull list: Avengers , Secret Avengers , Scarlet , Young Allies , Atlas , Black Widow

Thanos Imperative - this is actually getting rave reviews but Im just not into it right now. Trade paperback perhaps.

New Avegers -  Too much of the same.


Avengers Academy - numbers game , I have to cut down , I want variety in my pull list. Too many Avengers titles and already pulling Young Allies.

X-Men - Mutants vs Vampires ... I still might flip flop on this dependant on how #2 goes but I still dont find myself excited at all for X Men books.

 Marvel you were shutout this week off my pull. Next Week Expected Pull : Avengers #3 , Atlas #3 , Black WIdow #4 , Zatanna #3(DC) , Neonomicon #1 (Avatar Press) , Traquility #1 (DC)

I still might drop Atlas from my pull.. see how it goes.

New Comic Day: 7/14/10 part 1

Crazy awesome day for comics. First and mostly my Walkind Dead came in the mail today!!! Im ready to fully catch up with the Walking Dead! now but Ill vlog tomorrow about Walking Dead. Onto the comics.. there were a crap load of  new series I picked up. Lady Robotika #1 , Widow Warriors #1 , Chtlulhu Chronicles #1 , Sixth Gun #1-2 , Stuff The Legend #1 ..also back issues I wont review ; Mystery Society #1 (IDW) , Zatanna #1 (DC). Tomorrow I will blog about Chew #12 , Hack Slash #2 , Birds of Prey.

1. Lady Robotika #1/3 Image by Jane Wiedlin and Bill Morrison

Premise: An Alien civilization obsessed with 80s popculture kidnaps Jane Wiedlin to perform a rock concert for his majesty.

Sounds crazy good? still does but the execution is a little sloppy. Im willing to cut Jane a break , its her first comic book ? Bill Morrison formerly from The Simpsons so you can get a sense of the style involved.

Will I get #2? I dont think I will unfortunately.

If I only had $10 does this make the pull? no.

price/value? $3.50 ... its a fun book , not sure why this book is more expensive than Chew , Walking Dead ,  and Turf. Hard to justify in comparison. I want to really like it caz Jane Wiedlin is one of the sweetest rock stars ever. Im finding it really hard to recommend this book

2. Cthulhu Chronicles Calling #1 Boom by Michael Nelson , art by Johanna Stokes

Premise: supernatural horror series with a decidedly modern spin from superstar writing team Michael Alan Nelson and Johanna Stokes! A cruise ship comes to port, hundreds are aboard dead - but why? Clayton Diggs is a pharmaceuticals salesman who discovers his sister has committed herself to an insane asylum; she's checked herself in, fearing she'll hurt herself or someone else.

This shit picks up half way through , I was getting a little nervous that I made a bad call on this pull but it came through towards the end to hook me like a pea brained trout. 

*edit UPDATE I read it again. Wow. Its a solid solid premiere issue. Absolute hidden gem. 

will I get #2? Yes , started  slow but ended really strong.

If I had $10 does this make the pull? It would be a yes in any other week. Very tough week to compete in.

price/value: 2.99 ... it was a solid debut issue. First issues are always difficult but this finishes strong and left me hanging .. mission accomplished.

3. Widow Warrriors #1 Dynamite by Pat Lee , Loyld Chao

premise: For generations, one fiercely-patriotic clan of warriors - the 'Yang' - battled bravely in the nation's defense. The widows of the clan pleaded with the Emperor, whose own court had become weakened by corruption and greed, to send reinforcements. But none came. Soon, the last remaining Yang soldiers were overwhelmed by a sea of bloodthirsty invaders.

Distraught and incensed, the Yang widows - a few hundred strong and many of whom also seasoned warriors - took arms and set off to the western border to kill the new king.

This totally reminded me of an 80s cantonese show from Hong Kong my parents use to watch and it was one of the few shows I liked. " Women Warriors"

will I get #2: yes. I still have hope the pace and depth will pick up.

If I had $10 does this make my pull?: no.

price/value: 3.99 .. I have to be more critical for $4 comics , higher expectations. It laid the groundwork for a promising series but fell a little short overall.

4. The Sixth Gun #1-2/6 Oni Press by Cullen Bunn , art by Bryan Hurt

 The Premise: Imagine Lord of the Rings in the wild west and exchange the rings with guns. 6 mystical guns were created , the 6th being th emost powerful... finds it way into a preachers' daughter's innocent hands. Now she is being hunted by the guns original owner and his horde of undead.

Outlaws , undead armys , crazed zombie general , a magic gun , ... fuck this shit just got real!

Will I get #3?: uhh hell yeah. What the hell is going to happen!?

If I had $10 does this make the pull?: Very tough week for competition.. definitely  contenders.

price/value: 3.99 .. #1 was originally released on Free Comic Book Day but I wasnt around for that so I had to pay for this one. One of the better $4 comics.

5. Stuff the Legend: The Jungle vol.2 part 1 Th3rd World Studios by Mike Raicht , Brian Smith , art by Charles Paul Wilson III

 Premise: think Toy Story + Wizard of Oz + Lord of the Rings + Toy Soldiers + Muppet Babies.... what does it =... fricken amazement. Its in much more grittier ,darker tone than some of the titles mentioned.

If I had this as a kid my brain would explode from the overload of imagination and creativity. 


will I get #2? fuck yeah , ill be pissed off if I dont.

If I had $10 does this make the pull? easily.. pick up of the week. Beautiful beautiful comic.

price/value: $4.50.. zero ads , its a beautiful comic. Story is awesome , art is amazing.. I cant imagine spending that $5 any way else. Seriously.

New Comic Day: 7/7/10 part 2

I also picked up: Turf #1-2

1. Turf #1-2/5 Image comics by Jonathon Ross , art by: Tommy Lee Edwards

    I heard a lot about this 5 issue series so I jumped on board a week after #2 came out. Image might be my favourite publisher right now , I am loving their non super hero titles ; The Walking Dead , Chew , Hack Slash and now Turf.

The Premise: Set in the late 1920s in New York during prohibition , a turf war amongst mafia families is on the horizon hence the title "Turf". 4 mafia families have run the crime syndicate in Manhatton for years .. and now a new family wants control of the entire city , the Dragonmirs ... a family of vampires. Eventually a third party wants in on the action.... aliens. All the while two seperate protagonist mob boss Eddie Falco and Gotham Herald reporter Susie 'Dontknowherlastname'  investigate the mysterious disappearance of significant mob families.  Mobsters v Vampires v Aliens v Cops= goods times.

Writing:Ross thought up the idea of lets have mobsters fighting with vampires over gangland territories ... and then we'll toss in aliens. This guy is a mad genius caz it works!! He focuses on two lead characters and balances it all quite nicely. There's pleny of dialogue but its there to move the story along and its done effectively.. those who complain go buy a colouring book you morons.

Art: Tommy Lee Edwards is working magic here with Ross , too bad Jonathan's name isnt Pamela. The art gets gritty when it needs to be , its dark and eerie when it needs to be , superb job at capturing the time period and atmosphere overall.. the style suits the story perfectly.

                                      Gotta love the play on words title!

Will I finish the series?: hell yeah. Did you not read the formula to this series?

recommend: Yes. Its always exciting jumping on a new series and seeing something special developing. This is such a great hybrid mix of horror/sci-fi /mobsters .. you gotta check it out for yourself.

noob friendly: yes. New series. 

price/value: 2.99.. superb bang for the buck , they also tossed in some pin ups. 

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 2. Young Allies #2 by Mckeever , art by: Baldeon

  Its a good super hero read. Its another teen superhero group attempt.  Im not  forseeing epic greatness but its not the car wreck it could've been either. Take it for what it is , a fun exciting read.

  The plot is decent for the genre , a group of deviant teen villians called the Basterds of Evil want to kill as many people as they can for no other reason than they are evil. The Young Allies whom have not really been formed yet meet up coincidentally trying to stop them. As the story arc moves along we learn a little more about everybody including the Basterds too. The Electro cameo was good , it was like Maury Povich 'Are you my baby's daddy?' , it was also a reminder that a middle tier baddie like Electro can ass wipe them.  Though its not a complex book there's a lot on the line dealing with this new threat to give the reader a sense of validity.

  Team members:  Firestar has a sentimental attachment to me , she's still wearing the same lamo outfit as she did on SMAHAF* , I see she's still in college  30 years later! Gravity , I dont know what to think of him thus far. I really like  Nomad and Arana , Im starting to think this should've been a duo comic , I like their stories ; neither have super powers , young and naive , troubled history ,.. they have good chemistry together. Finally , introducing a new hero; Toro.. bleh.. a big fracken Bull boy... whipdee.

will I be getting #3?: yeah , the worst case scenario I can pass this off to a young comic reader.

recommend: Yes , esp for young young readers looking for a teen superhero group to follow.

noob friendly:  Yes.

Price/value: 2.99 .. ok value , they have the preview for Shadowland in this too which to me is misleading when it comes to page count.

* reference; Spider-Man and his Amazing Friends , a saturday morning cartoon from the early 80s.

New Comic Day: 7/8/10 part 1

Fantastic week , lots of goodies. Today's pick ups: X-Men #1 , I Zombie #3 , Secret Six #23 , Scarlet #1

1. X-Men #1Marvel comics by Victor Gischler , art by: Paco Medina

  I dont collect X titles but I figure I would give this new series a try. I picked up the variant cover , too early to critique the story arc but a couple things I can comment on ...

the premise: A new terrorist threat hits San Francisco ... Vampires. Seriously a blood bomb goes off downtown and sprays a bunch of people with the vampire virus... shit just got real! . The X-Men are called in to investigate as one of their alumni Jubilee is seemingly targetted. 

Will I be getting #2?: .. yeah , they didnt lose me so that says something. However Im not hanging on the edge of my seat just yet either... maybe Im bored with vampires and X-men.

pet peeve: ... 4 pages of advertisements for other Marvel titles. You can easily fit all of them onto 1 page. Ridiculous.

price/value: 3.99 .. Im very critical towards Marvel's price value , I really would like to see more bang for the buck. Enough with the ads. They added a teaser for Shadowland , the first few pages.. Im not too crazy about teasers but its better than ads I guess.

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2. I Zombie #3 Vertigo comics by Chris Roberson , art by: Michael Allred

   UPDATED 7/8/10:  I picked up #1 today , still havent found #2. It helped lay the groundwork and fill some gaps for me. For 1 buck its a fantastic buy at the least.

 Picked this up on a whim. I was looking for something different thats non superheroish. Its hard to judge based on one comic but ....

The premise: Gwen Dylan is a young attractive zombie , and in order to maintain her sanity , she must dine on one brain per month dead or alive. She's not a killer so she works as a grave digger to get her snack on ... she doesnt enjoy it one bit. The side effect is she absorbs the memories of the brain she eats and in doing so she gets herself into some unfinished business for the departed. 

The writing:  is a little tweenerish , I guess Im not the target audience.The potential is there , good looking zombie that I would seriously boink with a weird eating habit. Anytime cute zombies need to eat brains to solve mysteries is ok in my book.The mysteries and puzzles are catchy , the characters are so odd and alluring. So far so good.

The art:  Im not sure if I like this style but it suits the writing. Definitely it has its own characteristics so thats a plus. Maybe its more the character designs that fail to wow me , I dunno but it can easily grow on me if the stories pick up.

There's so much potential here for a long lasting unique read. Gwen Dylan is an interesting character that I would like to see them develope further , this has the making for something special .

Will I be buying #4 ?: yeah . Its on my trial list still ....

recommend: yes , if you can find #1 for a buck.. hell yeah , its worth checking a title so bizarre and outlandish. 

noob friendly: yes brand new series.

price/value: 2.99:  ... Its ok . I really need to see #2 to fill the gap between the two issues.
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3. Secret Six #23 DC comics by John Ostrander , art by: RB Silva

This was a one shot issue that took place right before #19. Because of this I can rate this 1 issue book .

Plot: An old cliched set up.. secluded island for maniacal thrill seeking killers whom hunt down armed human prey for game. Remember that Ice Cube movie where he's being hunted by big game hunters? same shit. The guy running this island falsely hires the Secret Six to lure them into this trap to be his prized game for his cliental. Ensues some comic book fun...

Gail Simone took this issue off .. Im really hoping this is a vacation for Gail. Big dropoff in story from the previous arc.

The art was mediocre , for what the plot was .. there was some cool scenes. Im willing to give the artist a mulligan because of the source material , it wasnt the greatest story.

This will be a forgettable issue when its all said and done.

Recommend: ....no. However I strongly recommend the Secret Six overall but this issue is optional.

Noob Friendly: ..yeah ,  there's zero substance to the story so you dont need to know shit.

price/value: 2.99 still one of the best bangs for the buck. This was a one shot issue.
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4. Scarlet #1 Iconic by John Bendis , art by: Alex Maleev

   This was on my pull radar for weeks. Bendis and Maleev have been working on this for sometime and has garnered some attention along the way. It delivered.

     The art was brilliant , I love the water colour look , it looks so effect/ Maleev has a wonderful touch , I thouroughly enjoyed the atmosphere Maleev created , dark , gloomy , gritty ,...etc. Scarlet's look reminds me of a young Molly Ringwald with her appearance.

 

The writing was good , a cliched origin story.. girl loses love of her life , loses faith in justice and loses hope in mankind and decides to fight back. I enjoyed the 4th wall perspective , she was Ferris Bueller talking to the reader and walking them through her story. Feels like a memoir or something. Right from the opening scene you will say " this shit just got real". Bendis is one of the best in the business for a reason.

They added commentary and invertiew with Bendis at the end. They also added a couple pin ups as well , overall a nice debut. Its a unique and beautiful looking book , it might get lost in the shuffle of Shadowland and the Heroic Age but it has the potential to hold its own. Im very curious to see how this plays out... I havent a clue where this story is going but Im in for the ride.

Will I buy #2?: Yes I will.

noob friendly: brand new character and series... doesnt get more noob friendlier than that. 

price/value:  2.99.. Yes , a good buy , the art itself is worth the admission. .

Cartoonsday: Green Lantern : First Flight

Green Lantern First Flight

release: July 28 2009
written by: Alan Burnett , Michael Allen
studio: Warner Bros animation

First Ill do Spoilers then general commentary: I must say I am a novice Lantern fan. I only read Green Lantern Rebirth thus far.. I have very little knowledge of Green Lantern.

Spoiler Alert!

   I really liked the gritty edge to this show ... characters die!!! which is always a plus in my books. The betrayal by Boodikka was completely unexpected by me! I must be slipping.. I was genuinely shocked and suprised!!! just a great twist.

   They did a fantastic intro to Sinestro , showing his downfall into the evil sinister villian we know him as. The creation of the yellow lantern.. very epic. You really get a sense how colossal their battle was with the light show they put on in space with all the guardians and lanterns watching on with their fate at hand . 

    The whole Green Lantern corps is very reminiscent of the Jedi Knights in Star Wars , there's a high coucil , and the Lanterns are the guardians of the universe.. Sinestro conspires to over throw the Council to dictate a new order. The investigation of the Lanterns was very Star Wars prequel like as well.

The action sequences were great! the tunnel chase was magnificant this is where many Lanterns bite it. So intense , high paced , great hero shot for Hal Green to emerge. This movie only endorses green love for the Lanterns , its must see.

Spoiler Over

     This is the re-telling of the origin story for Hal Green's Green Lantern and the Green Lantern Corps. Hal Green is given the ring of a dying Abin Sir , the Lantern Corps investigate his death which turns out to be a murder. Green Lantern learns the ropes from the elite Lantern of them all... Sinestro. Its a great movie for old schoolers and noobs.. it may feel dumb down for the old timers at the same time some material might fly over noobs' heads... nothing that great action and drama cant compensate for. With the live action movie coming up this is a great time to educate yourself into the Green Lantern lore and this movie will have you covered.

In brightest day, in blackest night,

No evil shall escape my sight

Let those who worship evil's might,

Beware my power... Green Lantern's light!

Rating: 8.5/10 ... the only reason I dont give it a 9 ... it was only 74 minutes minutes... they could've pushed it to 90 minutes and added more depth to support characters.

Recommend: Yes , very highly for all ages. Though characters die its not graphic.. kids can easily watch .. give me a break , you cant shelter kids from death. If you're going to get into the live action movie educate yourself in the Green Lantern lore.

Buy it/Rent it/Bury it: For Superhero geeks ...Buy it. This should be owned in one way or another. Its a great superhero animated movie.

Weekend Paperback Pick Up : 7/04/10

1. Y The Last Man vol.2 'Cycles' vertigo comics - written by Bryan K Vaughan  art: Pia Guerra

Since I didnt write anything on vol.1 Ill just do an overall commentary so far.

Spoiler Alert !

So after the landscape of the book was laid out in volume 1 , I had my ideas on what would happen so forth.

    They built themselves a little "Wizard of Oz" crew which is a prerequisite for any good adventure story. You have the naive yet outspoken protagonist , Yorrick  , you have the brave protector in 355 , then you have the brains and morality in Dr. Mann .. and of course Ampersand the capuccin monkey.

     They had me for a sec when 355 cracked her head from the jump , I thought she was dead! , when Dr. Mann woke up and they showed 355 in a pool of blood with her head cracked open on a rock. I thought OH SNAP!  she survived but was incapacitated for the remainder of the volume ..though they did hint she might be developing feelings for Yorrick .

     I admit I was a aloof when it came to Maryville , didnt occur to me until Sonia confessed to Yorrick they were convicts. They hinted towards this secret to the town and I didnt have any ideas. Btw fyi I would bone Sonia faster than the speed of light. Anyhoos , Yorrick caught me off guard on his reaction to the news esp because they were becoming intimate just prior . He was much more authoritarian about it than I imagined.

   Again I was surprised when fricken Hero showed up at the house.. the Daughters of the Amazon caught up! the Amazonians and the convicts have a standoff over Yorrick . The convicts stood by Yorrik even after Yorrick blasted the convicts and Victoria making a strong  speech. Leading to an all out battle royale? I was on the edge of my seat...

   It didnt manifest like I hoped. Yorrick faced his sister and enemies face to face by himself. I was very surprised on how abrupt Victoria's character came to an end , they were building her up as a nauseating antagonist. Yorrick disheartened by his sister's betrayal kneeled to Victoria as she prepares to execute him. Victoria's end came at the hands of Sonia  , an axe to the skull ! faptastic!.. which in turn Hero retaliated Legolas style with an arrow to the heart of Sonia. It was over like that. The action sequences in Y The Last Man arent its strong points nor should it be.

      The most shocking element of volume II was the confrontation between Hero and Yorrick. Just like Yorrik thought I didnt think Hero was fully brainwashed  but she is. Now after the showdown and meltdown it looks like Hero will be the tragic villain to oppose Yorrick for the upcoming volume(s). We will see...

 Spoiler Over!

    Bryan K Vaughan really grabs your attention right from the first page with the cop pointing the gun at her head then with the whole countdown and it only picks up. A story of a guy and his monkey trekking across the map looking for his family and girlfriend.. sounds awesome right? oh yeah he and his monkey are the last two male animals on earth. Take a wild guess what kind of crazy shit they get themselves into.

     Im not crazy about Pia Guerra's art. I dont like how he makes everybody looks alike and overall character designs were blech. He doesnt know how to draw an asian woman , I had no idea Dr. Mann was asian until they actually mentioned it. His demo sketch looked better for Dr. Mann (they included some of Guerra's sektch work as a bonus). Guerra isnt horrible and he complimented Vaughan fair enough , but it could've been better and/or just not my cup a tea I guess.

    When you read Y The Last Man the bottom line you will be captivated , humored , intrigued , infuriated ,...etc which to me equals awesome entertainment. 

recommend: Yes. Adventurous sci-fi with suspense , humor and overall entertaining.

noob friendly:  Like all series , start from the beginning. Its a 10 volume series in TPB form. .

price/value: Great value. I recommend highly buying the TPB online, you'll save a bundle. $15-16 cover price but you can get them at $11-12 from Amazon.ca. Free shipping over $40.