Tag Archives: comic books

March 10, 2015 · 1:45 pm

Advance Review: FRANKENSTEIN UNDERGROUND #1

There are all sorts of horror to consume and a Mike Mignola horror comic book is one of the best across any form. And then you bring to that one the horror canon’s greatest, Frankenstein, and it sets up something worthy of taking notice. This is not, say Frankenstein vs. Superman or Spider-Man, as much fun as that can be. No, this runs much deeper as you have two distinct visions in horror coming together that have exceptional qualities that naturally fit together. It’s more akin to Boris Karloff bringing his unique sensibility to the character of Frankenstein’s monster. But let’s jump in and check this out.

First of all, I love the fact that this Frankenstein is not just about long stares and grunts. The guy can actually hold a conversation. And I’m intrigued by the additional bolts. He has two big bolts where his nipples should be. Is this for when he needs a really special electrical jolt? I’m just saying. So, this Frankenstein fits right into the quirky, dark, deadpan, and offbeat humor that is the universe of Mike Mignola. And what does the big buy have to say for himself? Basically, he’s not too happy. He’s feeling very regretful for what might have been as he wanders in search of greater meaning. Yeow, that’s more Mignola-speak coming out of the iconic monster than any fan has a right to hope for. So, for you newcomers, this is what to expect: a Frankenstein who is more freaky, intellectual, and downright moody.

This first issue, written by Mignola, drawn by Ben Stenbeck, and colored by Dave Stewart is a knock-out. Now, your hardcore Mignola fans can tell you about the roots to this story. They’ll direct you to that time when Mike Mignola’s celebrated character, Hellboy, got into the ring and actually fought Frankenstein in Mexico in 1956. Yes, Mexico in 1956! Mexico! 1956! You see, another wonderful trait in any Mignola story is the seemingly random pairing of an exotic locale with an obscure date. Why Mexico? Why 1956? It just is what it is. And it’s fun. Here’s the deal, way back when Hellboy fought Frankenstein, nobody knew for sure that it was indeed Frankenstein. But now we know that, yes, it is.

So, again, I ask you, why Mexico in 1956? Well, it’s actually a pretty cool backdrop. Not only do you have the pairing of Mignola and Frankenstein but you can also add to the mix all the magical and spooky Aztec tradition and, to top it off, you have the overall crazy that was the ’50s. Imagine a Day of the Dead celebration times one hundred. Because that’s what it would have been like in Mexico in 1956. So, all this is very geeky fun and yet another fitting tribute to one of the greatest characters in horror for all time, our pal, Frankenstein.

Frankenstein Underground #1 will be published by Dark Horse Comics on March 18, 2015. For more details, visit our friends at Dark Horse Comics right here.

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Filed under Comics, Dark Horse Comics, Frankenstein, Mike Mignola

Tagged as Boris Karloff, comic books, comics, Comics Reviews, Dark Horse Comics, Entertainment, Frankenstein, graphic novels, Hellboy, Horror, Mexico, mike mignola, Monsters, Pop Culture

March 4, 2015 · 12:48 am

Review: HALOGEN #1 (of 4)

How would you ever go about finding a dead god? What would a dead god look like? This is part of what’s going on in, “HaloGen,” a very quirky sci-fi adventure. Assuming that you can even perceive a god, which we’ll go ahead and assume, then you’ve got the backbone to quite a story. And our lead character, Rell, seems to be up for it. As far as I’m concerned, this girl could be a god of sorts herself.

The name of the game is find a dead god. It had been found. It was supposed to be taken away by the authorities, in the form of Securicorp. But now it seems to have vanished. It’s up to Rell and her team at HaloGen to make things right. In the course of making things right, there are a number of players set on doing the opposite. We follow Rell around as she engages in some snarky office banter with HaloGen staff and tries to explain meeting up the night before with a sexy dude from Securicorp. Was he really interested in her or was he trying to find out about her halographic powers? Maybe a bit of both.

Overall, the high quirk factor to this story by Josh Tierney is very appealing. The art by Afu Chan, with colors by Shelly Cehn, is also very pleasing. But, most importantly, this narrative flows really well and has a high level of clarity. We end up with a lot of things in play in this first issue. We’ve got data that’s been compromised and a dead god’s body in danger of being exploited. Lots of stuff going on. It’s great to know the creative team has a good handle on it. I look forward to lots more.

“HaloGen #1” is part of the Archaia imprint from Boom! Studios and is available as of March 4. Boom! Studios has published four books thus far in Josh Tierney’s Spera series because they love his characters and storytelling. Now, Tierney teams up with fellow webcomic creators Afu Chan (Spera) and Giannis Milonogiannis (Old City Blues, Prophet) for this new creator-owned, sci-fi adventure. For more details, visit our friends at Boom! Studios right here.

Review: NEVERBOY #1

It was a glorious childhood moment: just two boys creating their own solar system of planets, pretending to be Captain Galaxy and his trusty sidekick, Neverboy. All the beautiful colorful planets were hanging off branches in the backyard. And then that bully came along and trashed it. Sounds like something out of dream. “Neverboy,” a new comic from Dark Horse Comics, has a very intoxicating feel to it. This is one very dreamy comic!

Those two boys got over that incident with the bully. They had a sleepover and that took away some of the sting of having their worlds destroyed. This is what an all-grown-up Neverboy tells his son to console him after a bad day at school. The son responds well to that. Neverboy’s wife appreciates his effort. And then things start to slip away. It turns out that Neverboy, the boy and the man, may not really exist.

The story by Shaun Simon is very intriguing. You’ve got a character who appears to possibly be from some other world or is having difficulty maintaining his place in reality. His greatest wish appears to be to have a normal life. The art by Tyler Jenkins feels very much alive with a freshness right out of a sketchbook. Colors by Kelly Fitzpatrick are fittingly bold and vibrant.

What has been set in motion in this first issue is very promising. It’s not only Neverboy who is struggling. Apparently, his wife is having problems with being acknowledged too, maybe far worse–and spooky. It looks like people literally can’t see her. All signs point to this being more than just a story about a fractured family and one really good read.

“Neverboy #1” is available as of March 4. For more details, visit our friends at Dark Horse Comics right here.

Review: DESCENDER #1

“Descender #1” distinguishes itself right out of the gate by being a visual feast much in the same spirit as Jeff Lemire won us over with stunningly beautiful artwork in his own comics. This time around, it’s Jeff Lemire as writer on this project and Dustin Nguyen as artist. Let the art loose and do what it will do and all else falls into place.

Okay, okay, we’ve got a machines vs. humans story. Nothing new there, at first glance. But, of course, we’ve grown to expect great things from Jeff Lemire and he does not disappoint us here. And I’ll tell you now that the art is stand-alone outstanding and is made up of exuberant fun gestural work in watercolor or some digital equivalent. Looks to me to be hand-made goodness.

Jump right into the story: The United Galactic Council has banned all androids after an attack by a group of hyper-sophisticated giant robots known as the Harvesters. Just like all Japanese in the United States were instantly suspected of treason in World War II America, so we have all androids suspected of the same in this future world. And our focus falls on one particular android boy, Tim. With any luck, Tim will find his way to, Jin, a scientist who has fallen into alcoholism but who has awakened to a greater purpose.

That’s really all you need to know right now. If you frequent comic book shops, you know how much Image Comics means to a lot of folks. Image Comics has got a magic touch with publishing fanciful sci-fi stories, to put it in a nutshell. And “Descender” is your latest prime example and is available as of March 4. Go to it, and get yourself a copy. For more details, visit our friends at Image Comics right here.

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Filed under comic books, Comics Reviews, Image Comics, Sci-Fi, science fiction

Tagged as comic books, comics, Comics Reviews, Dustin Nguyen, Entertainment, graphic novels, Image Comics, Jeff Lemire, Pop Culture, Sci-Fi, Science Fiction

March 2, 2015 · 1:05 pm

Review: ROBERT HEINLEIN’S CITIZEN OF THE GALAXY #1 (of 3)

Here we have the “dean of science fiction,” Robert Heinlein, in the pages of this new comic book limited series, “Citizen of the Galaxy,” from IDW Publishing. Welcome to Jabbul. We follow Thorby, a slave boy who has just arrived off a slave rocket ship. He is put up at auction. No one is impressed, except for, Baslim, a beggar who buys Thorby at a great bargain. This strange planet of Jabbul is not Earth and yet it’s not so different, not when you pause to reflect on our own history. Slavery officially ended in America only 150 years ago, right? That’s what you call less than a blink of an eye in a historical perspective. On Jabbul, slavery is very much alive. And if Thorby stands any chance of carving out a decent life for himself, he had best listen to Baslim.

Adapted by Rob Lazzzaru and Eric Gignac, this is a great gateway to Heinlein. And the art by Steve Erwin, with colors and inks by Eric Gignac, provides a pleasing narrative all its own. You’ve got what amounts to an interstellar action/adventure coming of age tale. The pacing is nicely handled as we get to know our two main characters in this first act. Baslim, apparently a mere beggar, appears to have the best of intentions for Thorby, his new slave. For one thing, Baslim has a keen sense of where best to reside. Why not squat in what remains of an unfinished lavish amphitheater? And Balim proves to be highly intelligent. Before Thorby realizes it, he’s becoming something of a junior scholar under Baslim’s tutelage. This is all well and good as this tranquil period proves to be only temporary. Before long, Thorby must prepare for the next phase of his life away from Baslim.

“Citizen of the Galaxy #1” is a 32-page comic book, priced at $3.99, available as of March 4. For more information, visit our friends at IDW Publishing right here.

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Filed under Comics, Comics Reviews, IDW Publishing, Robert Heinlein, Sci-Fi, science fiction

Tagged as comic books, comics, Comics Reviews, Entertainment, graphic novels, IDW Publishing, Pop Culture, Publishing, Robert Heinlein, Sci-Fi, Science Fiction

February 26, 2015 · 1:17 pm

Kickstarter: Comic Book People 2: Photographs from the 1990s

Frank Miller, Neil Gaiman, Bill Sienkiewicz, Bernie Wrightson, and Dave Gibbons at the 1991 San Diego Comic-Con.

Jackie Estrada is a Comic-Con legend. She knows everybody. And she’s photographed everybody. Her work has appeared everywhere, including the recent PBS program on superheroes. She’s been a supporter of Comic-Con from the very beginning and administrator of its Eisner Awards since 1990. She has vivid recollections and has documented them in her first book, Comic Book People, which covered the ’70s and ’80s. Now comes Comic Book People 2 which covers the ’90s. It’s a perfect next step in seeing the history and behind-the-scenes fun that is Comic-Con International in San Diego as well as the Chicago Comic-Con, WonderCon, the Small Press Expo, and APE. And you can make this new book a reality by joining in support of the Kickstarter campaign going on now through March 13. Join in your support and visit the campaign right here.

Press release follows:

Continue reading →

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Filed under Comic-Con International, Comics, Jackie Estrada

Tagged as Art, arts, Books, Cartoonists, comic books, Comic-Con, Comic-Con International, comics, Entertainment, graphic novels, Jackie Estrada, Movies, Pop Culture, San Diego, San Diego Comic-Con

February 23, 2015 · 9:18 pm

Review: TALES OF LYLA #1 & #2, published by 10 Forward Productions

Van is just a journeyman wizard. And Pendle is a sorceress. The two of them have paired up and their prospects seem favorable, once they solve a most disturbing case of missing animals. It’s easy to get immersed into the world of fantasy conjured up by Amit Tishler, the creator of “Tales of Lyla.” With co-writer S. Frivolus, he has brought to life a mashup of Adventure Time, Dungeons and Dragons, and the Brothers Grimm. The artwork by Luke Ellison, with colors by Kristen Roberston, is lively and whimsical. It’s a winning combination of fanciful and grotesque.

What about those missing animals? To best understand this curious crisis, our story splits its time between the present and the events of one year prior. By going back one year, we get answers to some questions. And we also get questions that may have answers back in the present. Through this back and forth, we get a richer story with plenty of intrigue. We learn that Pendle is not so innocent as she is in too deep regarding the cause to all the animal disturbance. And we learn that Van is not quite as wimpy as he might seem.

With two issues in, Tales of Lyla shows itself to be a fun read with a keen sense of humor. This kind of work, with characters exchanging pithy remarks and various wondrous elements at play, is very appealing. It’s the bedrock of good comics. I love the quirky opening scenes with Van and Pendle stumbling into a village inn with only plans of falling asleep after a long day’s journey. That’s when they get their first bits of information about the animal caper.

Turns out somebody has been making off with sheep and geese at the inn. Right before Van and Pendle’s eyes, the innkeeper becomes aware that his own tenants are the one’s missing animals. Well, who ever said his tenants could keep animals in their rooms?! So, feathers fly, if there were any to fly. For the moment, Van and Pendle only care about sleep. With a room suddenly made vacant, they can do that, but not for long. Missing animals are not exactly new to them. This goes back a year when animals did not just disappear. They came back reassembled in a hodge-podge of their former selves!

Tales of Lyla comes to you from the animation studio 10 Forward Productions. You can purchase digital issues of Tales of Lyla through Amazon right here.

Review: EI8HT #1

Oh sure, anybody can travel back in time but Joshua is also equipped with a device that enables him to communicate back to the future. Pretty cool, except he can’t remember anything when his ship crash lands. It’s a spooky desert terrain that’s not ringing any bells for our hero.

And, truth be told, Joshua isn’t much of a hero. So begins an intriguing new comic. “EI8HT,” story by Rafael Albuquerque and Mike Johnson, is one of those quirky lean and mean adventures that’s a lot of fun to sit back and take in.

Artist Rafael Albuquerque (American Vampire) has that slicin’ and dicin’ style of his. His faces are like masterful pumpkin creations with a strategic slit here for a mouth and two sharp marks there for eyes. The same with backgrounds and assorted backdrop, all direct and razor-sharp. I like the way he draws dinosaurs too.

There are definitely plenty of dinosaurs where Joshua has crash landed. Writer Mike Johnson (Supergirl) gives us a tight script with a neatly stretched out premise: This is what happens when a sadsack is enlisted into a clandestine time travel experiment and is lost in some other dimension not too far from The Twilight Zone. In this case, this no man’s land is known as The Meld and it’s supposed to be a place where past, present, and future converge.

Do you want to know why this comic is entitled, “EI8HT”? Well, you can read the preview pages at Dark Horse Comics. I’m guessing there’s more meaning behind that. It does make for an awesome looking logo. I’m guessing we’ll deal with infinity later on. For now, it has to do with memory and it looks like this story is going to have a lot of fun with that theme.

Like the best episodes of The Twilight Zone, a lot of the enjoyment comes from just taking in the scene. I think that’s exactly what we’ve got here and we’re in good hands.

EI8HT #1 is available as of February 11, 2015. For more details, visit our friends at Dark Horse Comics right here.

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Filed under Comics, Comics Reviews, Dark Horse Comics

Tagged as comic books, comics, Comics Reviews, Dark Horse Comics, Entertainment, graphic novels, Mike Johnson, Pop Culture, Rafael Albuquerque, Sci-Fi, Science Fiction, Time Travel

January 18, 2015 · 10:51 am

Review: TALL TALES FROM THE BADLANDS #3

Cover art by Borja “Borch” Pena; Title Design by Adam Pruett

The great Western writer Max Brand had one of his characters say, “Words is worse’n bullets. You never know what they’ll hit.” That holds doubly true when you’ve got words and pictures telling your story. “Tall Tales from the Badlands #3″ explores the lore of the Wild West in this latest comics anthology published by Black Jack Press.

The stories are written by Mark Wheaton (Dark Horse Comics, horror novelist and screenwriter of “Friday the 13th” and “The Messengers”) Robert Napton (Dynamite, Top Cow), Matt Dembicki (Oni Press, Editor of the Eisner nominated “Trickster”) and Sean Fahey (Digital Webbing Presents, GrayHaven Comics, 215ink, Soaring Penguin Press, DC Comics). There is also have a great collection of artists on this book: Jerry Decaire (Marvel, Moonstone), John Fortune (Blue Water Comics), Ruben Rojas, Franco Cespedes and Ezequiel Rosingana (Blue Water Comics, Soaring Penguin Press). There are five stories collected here. Lettering throughout the book is done by Kel Nuttall, which enhances the book’s beautifully consistent look.

“The Judgment of the People” by Mark Wheaton and Jerry Decaire

“The Judgment of the People,” script by Mark Wheaton, art by Jerry Decaire, is a satisfying and spooky tale about justice gained by whatever means necessary. Wonderful pacing. Great build-up. The character of the malicious judge is perfect in his swine-like depiction.

“Apologies” by Sean Fahey and John Fortune

“Apologies,” script by Sean Fahey, art by John Fortune, packs a real punch with a story about a family in dire straits. There’s a delicious tension throughout as we see what looks like an ideal family on a downward spiral.

“Rustlers” by Robert Napton and Franco Cespedes

“Rustlers,” script by Robert Napton, art by Franco Cespedes, is a total knock out. The scope of this comic is very ambitious and lives up to its promising opening panel. With exquisite timing, you get a first-rate train robbing caper. And a fun surprise ending.

“All Mine” by Matt Dembicki and Ezequiel Rosingana

“All Mine,” script by Matt Dembicki, art by Ezequiel Rosingana, will bring to mind the feverish mania in the movie classic, “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.” Except, this time around, the crazed searching for riches leads to a supernatural connection. Wonderfully concise. Within the span of a few panels, you appreciate a bigger story being suggested and you care about the two main characters.

“Where The Heart Is” by Sean Fahey and Ruben Rojas

“Where the Heart Is,” script by Sean Fahey, art by Ruben Rojas, takes the cake with a really inventive twist on what happens when a homesteader family develops cold feet about living in the wilderness.

“Tall Tales from the Badlands #3” is one of the smoothest comics anthologies I’ve read. It is distinctive in how well it keeps to its thematic vision. It is quite a polished and professional book. Also included is a set of fun pin-up art by Mauro Reifschneider, Crash Landen, and Adrian Bago Gonzalez. This is a 52-page comic priced at only $3.99 for print and $1.99 for digital.

“Tall Tales from the Badlands #3” is available in print from Indy Planet. And in digital from DriveThru Comics and My Digital Comics. Visit our friends at Black Jack Press right here.

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Filed under Black Jack Press, Comics, Sean Fahey, Westerns

Tagged as Black Jack Press, comic books, comics, Comics Reviews, Entertainment, Franco Cespedes, graphic novels, Jerry Decaire, John Fortune, Mark Wheaton, Matt Dembicki, Max Brand, Pop Culture, Robert Napton, Sean Fahey, Westerns

January 15, 2015 · 3:03 pm

Seattle Focus: Emerald City Comicon (March 27-29, 2015) Embarks on First Year with ReedPOP

There has been a lot of buzz lately over Emerald City Comicon’s acquisition by pop culture events organization ReedPOP, a subsidiary of Reed Exhibitions. You can read Paul Constant’s report at The Stranger right here. Constant deems ECCC as “just the right size and not too super-intense. The comics professionals at the show always enjoy themselves, and so their interactions with the fans tend to be looser and more fun.” Now, there is no truly accurate basis for this but anyone can appreciate the enthusiasm behind such a remark. New York is New York. Seattle is Seattle. And so on. Each convention, large or small, offers its own unique dynamic. And, certainly, ECCC has its vibe.

According to The Stranger’s article on the sale of ECCC, its owner and staff will be retained by ReedPOP to act as consultants for all its comics conventions around the world. ReedPOP already runs such prestigious conventions like New York Comic Con. ReedPOP is, without a doubt, huge but they say they want to listen to any feedback. In April of 2014, it had to deal with controversy leading up to the first annual BookCon in New York which ReedPOP was responsible for. There was a panel of writers entitled, “Blockbuster Reads: Meet the Kids Authors That Dazzle” which touted an “unprecedented, power-packed panel” of the “world’s biggest children’s authors.” The panel of writers: Daniel Handler, Jeff Kinney, James Patterson, and Rick Riordan. All middle-aged upscale white guys. Moments after the news hit, the backlash ensued with leaders in the book industry crying foul on social media over the lack of diversity. And ReedPOP did indeed listen and responded with a panel on diversity.

For ECCC, it should be calm and steady waters ahead. Seattle is such a great location as we love our high and low culture from movies and television, to books, to games, and, of course, comics. We have more comic shops than some larger cities. We have more comics creators than some larger cities. ECCC definitely has an ideal location.

Talent headlining ECCC for 2015: Amanda Tapping. John Wesley Shipp. Dante Basco. Karen Allen. Clark Gregg. Anthony Mackie. Kevin Eastman. Gina Torres. LeVar Burton. Grant Imahara. Stan Lee. Emerald City Comicon is being held at the Washington State Convention Center on March 27-29, 2015. For more information, visit ECCC right here.