Tag Archives: Dark Horse Comics

June 20, 2012 · 4:38 am

Alabaster: Wolves #3 Review

“ALABASTER: WOLVES” is the latest comics project by writer Caitlín R. Kiernan, known for her fiction that favors the weird and unusual. Dark Horse Comics is lucky to have her and so are we. Of course, Dark Horse has a way of courting great writers. They inspired Kiernan to “reboot” her character, Dancy Flammarion, taking her from a 13-year-old “killer of monsters,” to a 17-year-old slayer. In Issue Three (3 of 5) we get a variation on one of Kiernan’s previous “Alabaster” tales. We get a good long look at what lurks inside a cage from a strange roadside attraction out in the middle of a dusty old patch of Georgia boondocks. That ain’t no panther they got locked up back in there.

Dancy is a fierce creature, a young woman who believes she is guided by an angel, and she won’t stop until she has fullfilled her quest. In this issue, Dancy is up to her eyeballs in hellacious demon fury. She gets thrashed about and gets impaled! Ah, but it’s only a very, very bad dream. She wakes up to find herself in the care of an old friend, well, not quite an old friend, more of a ghost who is hoping to score a favor from Dancy.

In return for the ghost’s hospitality, Dancy begins by telling her the tale of the panther kept locked up in a cage, except it’s not really a panther. It’s yet another test that Dancy must pass on her quest. Does she make the grade? You can decide. As for the art by Steve Lieber, it gets an “A-plus.” How can you go wrong with Mr. Lieber? Check out his work with Jeff Parker in “Underground,” or his team up with Greg Rucka in “Whiteout.” There’s a gritty realism that works so well with this Southern gothic tale.

Lastly, Kiernan has a lovely way with dialogue. These folks are serious Southern folks. When Dancy first encounters the roadside attraction, there’s just no telling how long it will take for her to get a straight answer from the proprietor. “You think I’m gonna put up a big ol’ sign sayin’ I got a live panther if I ain’t?” Well, huh, yeah, probably. Cause that ain’t no panther.

“Alabaster: Wolves #3” comes out today! Visit Dark Horse Comics.

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June 20, 2012 · 2:15 am

ANGEL AND FAITH #11 Review

“ANGEL AND FAITH” takes a definitive turn with the new arc, “Family Reunion.” There is a very animated feeling going in as Willow makes a surprise entrance which is such a game changer that, well, it totally changes everyone’s game! Willow knows what she wants but, alas, she can’t claim to know that she’s going to get it. She needs Angel’s help like it’s nobody’s business. But what would motivate him to help her in the first place? They aren’t exactly close.

It’s not long before it’s Willow vs. Angel! He’s had it trying to make sense of what Willow’s proposing. It’s too nutty and just plain too dangerous. Angel, ever the martyr, at first has a hard time making eye contact with Willow, given he and Buffy ended up wiping out magic in the world. But when Willow’s answer to that is to put Angel’s son, Connor, to work to bring back magic, that settles it. Willow would have Connor return to a form of hell so scary that even demons avoid it. Quor’toth was where Connor grew up and eventually escaped from. It is only through Quor’toth that Willow can proceed to other realms in her pursuit to restore magic. She will need to use Connor as a magic compass. Of course, Angel reacts badly to this and tells Willow that she is no better than he is for causing disaster. Willow turns around and slaps Angel. She brings him down a few pegs. When the dust settles, Angel is at her mercy, more or less. The compromise is that they will seek out Connor and let him decide if he wants to help!

Christos Gage, as fans already appreciate, is quite good with writing about family dynamics. Angel may have just given a half-hearted approval to Willow’s plans but he really doesn’t approve. Gage presents us with a very conflicted father. He deeply loves his son but, at the same time, he has concluded that he shouldn’t upset the balance and interfere with Connor’s life, especially now that Connor really has a well-put-togehter life. How can he step in now and possibly destroy any chance of happiness for Connor? Or is he mistaken?

Rebekah Isaacs does a beautiful job of teasing out all this angst. Her drawing goes beyond bringing the characters to life. Here we see poor Angel caught between doing his own thing, which is resurrecting Giles; leaving his son to do his own thing, which is majoring in social work; and allowing their paths to cross all thanks to Willow. Angel is wrung through the wringer. We see him go through more emotions, and facial expressions, than we’re used to.

And Willow makes a very good case – for those of a zealous bent. The way she sees it, she and Angel need each other. Angel can’t resurrect Giles without magic in the world (no matter how hard he tries) and Willow can’t restore magic to the world without working with Angel and Connor. Neither Angel nor Willow will ever admit that their own plans might be impossible to achieve. And that’s another reason why these two need each other.

“Angel and Faith #11” comes out June 27. Visit Dark Horse Comics.

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June 7, 2012 · 5:38 am

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER SEASON 9 #10 Review

The third and final chapter to “Apart (of me)” is a wonderful exploration of identity and free will. Buffy’s mind, trapped in a bot, regrets over never going to get the “perfect” life. But, her arch nemeiss, Simone, has all the confidence in the world in Buffy. If only she could tap into the very essence of Buffy, well then, Simone is quite sure all her vampire slaying dreams will come true. It’s all in how you look at things: for some, that glass is half empty and they can barely roll out of bed; for others, that same glass is half full and they’re well on their way to world domination.

Andrew Chambliss and Scott Allie have written a story that shows us just how complicated self-doubt can be. There’s Buffy mind, trapped in a bot. And there’s Buffy’s body, programmed to think it’s Buffy. All thanks to the most unreliable of Watchers, Andrew. Seemed like a good idea at the time. The programmed Buffy was “safely” tucked away in suburban digs. The Buffy bot was rigged up to kick vampire ass. The Buffy bot can’t help but wonder if it’s not all meant to be. It will take some strong will power if both Buffys are ever going to see that glass as half full.

As we drop in on this issue, the Buffy bot is tied up in a basement while the programmed Buffy stands guard. The Buffy bot tries to appeal to the other Buffy’s sense of reason. Is this really what she considers “freedom”? She escaped her nice house in the suburbs to lurk around a basement that “smells like bicycle chains”? The programmed Buffy ignores that and lectures her captive on how she betrayed the Slayer cause. How, she asks, do you form an army without any guns? Guns? That’s when it hits the Buffy bot that Simone, with such a fetish for guns, must be behind this! Simone, not one to disappoint, appears and quickly lays in on the Buffy bot. She barks a number of threats which are scary considering this one does bite.

Back in San Francisco, Detective Dowling is very messed up over his killing his partner-turned-zompire, Cheung. The tide seems to be turning, just a bit, against the zompires but things still look pretty dire. This leads us to Spike and Andrew, who have lost track of the Buffy bot but have stumbled upon a major stash of…guns. We also get a few more big hints that Simone is plotting quite a big plan, one with just as deadly a backup plan.

Cliff Richards on pencils and Andy Owens on inks continue to keep us locked into the story. Buffy has a very natural way about her, albeit she’s currently split in two! That said, we’ve got a natural and easy vibe running throughout, whether it involves action or contemplation. This issue gives us plenty of both. You’ve basically got Buffy versus Buffy; and then you’ve got Simone versus everyone! But that’s not all. The quiet stuff is very important too. Amid an intimate convesation between the two love birds, well the Buffy bot and Spike, there’s a moment when Spike comes out and says, “Come with me now.” It’s a quick little tease but shows that, whatever may happen, Spike remains quite smitten with Buffy. This sparks something in the Buffy bot and it looks good.

Issue 10 is out June 13. Visit Dark Horse Comics.

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May 29, 2012 · 5:05 am

ANGEL AND FAITH #10 Review

It is Angel’s desire and duty to bring back from the dead, Rupert Giles, the Watcher. It hangs over everything Angel and Faith do. The new arc, “Women of a Certain Age,” introduces us to two sisters: one who can help; and one who can hinder the process!

Series writer Christos Gage teams up with guest artist Chris Samnee to create some work with a smilar noir vibe as in their colloboration in Vertigo’s “Area 10.” This creative team is wonderful in tackling this opening story which has its fair share of vintage glamour revolving around the two mysterious young women that have all but crash landed into Angel and Faith’s lives.

Here is Gage and Samnee working together on “Area 10.”

Now, compare that with their work in this issue of “Angel and Faith.”

Samnee is a master with light and dark. We see it from the first page on as he provides perfectly places spots of black where needed. He introduces us to the two mystery girls byway of two dark shadows with fresh bright red polish just applied to their nails. Ah, that’s the mood we’re looking for as this story is not exactly crime fiction. It’s more ’60s mod meets young romance comics. The two girls in questions are really Giles’s great aunts, Lavinia, the redhead, and Sophronia, the blonde. They’re a couple of hotties although each is well over a hundred-years-old. What’s their secret? Any chance they’ve had to use magic, it’s all gone into keeping their youthful glow. This obsession with youth has made them two shallow old crones who simply look fabulous. Oh, and they happen to owe an array of monsters and ghouls for providing magical fixes along the way to avoid those crow’s feet and the like. Angel and Faith spend a good long while defeating various baddies before they can get some answers from the girls.

What Lavinia and Sophronia provide is a look back to London in the ’60s and a particular tale involving Rupert Giles as a boy. This story is key to what follows so I won’t go too much into it except to say that it is connected to Angel’s quest to bring Giles back. It is also jolly good fun. It is a family affair involving the supernatural and might bring to mind, “Bell, Book and Candle” or episodes of “Bewitched.” All in a good way, mind you. The upshot to this story is pretty big. And, just as everyone is ready to turn in to bed, we get a last minute surprise guest that is sure to add much to the mix. All in all, a very colorful and enjoyable opening chapter.

Issue 10 is out May 30. Visit Dark Horse Comics.

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April 29, 2012 · 11:17 pm

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER SEASON 9 #9 Review

The second chapter to “Apart (Of Me)” teases out a little more of the tension between Spike and Buffy and gives us on eyeful as to what some people (Andrew) think is best for Buffy. If only Buffy, as a plucky mere mortal, could get it together and buy into the American Dream by getting a mortgage on a two-bedroom starter home stocked with IKEA furniture! That is Andrew’s dream for Buffy. And, ever since his amazing and disastrous “plan” to keep Buffy safe, he has managed to secure only part of it, “part” being the key word here. Buffy’s programmed body had been made secure in the suburbs, until it was kidnapped, while Buffy’s mind was encased in a bot! So, for the purposes of this review, “Buffy” is the one encased in a bot. And “the other Buffy” is Buffy’s body programmed to believe it has a personality. A bit confusing, no doubt, and a bit of a mystery as to how this was going to keep Buffy safe in the first place!

Buffy observes that the space in Buffy’s “dream home” that is designated as an office is in between a bedroom and a bathroom. Is it possible that the other Buffy might have plans for a nursery in the future? Spikes dismisses that as rubbish. But Buffy begs to differ. Indeed, there are two Buffys with their own ideas on what is real and what is rubbish.

And then, quite abruptly, Andrew reveals that he has placed a tracking device in the other Buffy’s necklace. That seems rather convenient but plausible. It’s an intimate chocker that she might like to keep close to her body indefinitley. Whatever the case, that’s what they’re working with.

Circumstances being what they are, it makes sense that things would have cooled down for Spike and Buffy. Buffy is simply not herself! However, there is a scene with Buffy trying to reach her friend, Dawn, on the phone and Spike casually asks if Dawn is aware that she is no longer going to become an aunt, at least, not yet. Yep, mark that as a tease for what my lie ahead for those two. Spike, for his part, remains protective of Buffy and has his own ideas to work through. That leads to a nice little dust up when Buffy pulls away from Spike and, given that she’s part robot, tells him she isn’t exactly all that vulnerable. But she may regret those words. Inexplicably, she takes things too far in the other direction and is barking orders! Andrew and Spike, feeling rather guilty, just follow along but maybe that’s not such a good idea. In what seems like a nod to Joss Whedon’s recent movie, “The Cabin in the Woods,” Buffy decides to split up the group as they zero in on the other Buffy and her captors. Andrew and Spike obey. And then Andrew thinks it over. Hasn’t Buffy seen enough horror movies? he asks himself. Doesn’t she know that splitting up the group is the last thing you should do?

“Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Season 9,” issue 9, arrives May 9. Visit Dark Horse Comics.

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April 18, 2012 · 8:57 pm

DARK HORSE COMICS Announces New “SPIKE” Series and New “WILLOW” Series

Dark Horse Comics adds two new spinoffs to its “Buffy The Vampire Slayer” universe: a new “Spike” series and a new “Willow” series! “Spike” #1 comes out August 22, 2012. “Willow” #1 comes out November 21, 2012.

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April 18, 2012 · 3:44 am

ANGEL AND FAITH #9 Review

The final chapter to “Daddy Issues” gives us a close look at Faith during a break down. Will she safely come out of it? Will Angel fall with her? Drusilla holds the cards. Well, given that this is the final issue of the current arc, will are bound to get some resolution one way or another. Yeah, we still have an Angel and Faith in the game at the end. What is interesting to consider is what Drusilla and her Lorophage Demons have wrought. Is there a message here? You betcha.

It’s a pretty obvious message we’re playing with but it’s also, for the most part, an artful effort. What Drusilla is selling is something akin to Prozac albeit in quite an exotic and extreme form. She is selling a way for someone to erase the bad feelings from whatever trauma they’ve experienced but lose part of their soul in the process. It’s quiet a hot button topic to tackle but fair game for Whedon and his writers, in this case Christos Gage. Just consider the recent stepping up to the plate on the issue of abortion in the pages of “Buffy The Vampire Slayer.” The message here: Anti-depressants do have their place but they’ve become too heavily relied upon and exploited by the drug industry. Any way you look at it, it’s a bit preachy. It does give an ironic quality to Rebekah Isaac’s variant cover, don’t you think? Thank goodness for such awesome art because that gives such a lift to a heavy story. I won’t say it’s a totally heavy-handed story, but it’s pretty heavy.

And then there’s Angel’s rad nipple piercing! If you weren’t sure of what you were looking at in the last issue, Issue 9 gives us clarity on this. It is indeed an ancient Egyptian relic that allows Angel to capture remnants of Giles’s soul as they become available. In the Whedon universe, this nipple gizmo is known as a phlebotinum, a close relation to a MacGuffin, basically a plot device that you are far better off accepting and moving right along with. But I can’t help but think of The Flight of the Conchord’s song, “Bowie’s in Space” and the line, “receiving transmission from David Bowie’s nipple antennae.” It sure isn’t an easy thing to draw and make sure it reads well but Rebekah Isascs is up to the task. She can draw anything!

Issue 9 comes out April 25. Visit Dark Horse Comics.

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April 2, 2012 · 10:29 pm

AXE COP: PRESIDENT OF THE WORLD, New From Dark Horse Comics

“AXE COP: PRESIDENT OF THE WORLD” might be just what you’re looking for. The latest book was announced at Emerald City Comicon in Seattle. Press release follows:

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April 2, 2012 · 10:21 pm

CRIMINAL MACABRE teams up Steve Niles and Scott Morse

I’m excited about the team up of Steve Niles with Scott Morse. Those two will do some damage. Morse has a very loopy, energetic style and just doesn’t quit. The new Criminal Macabre book was announced at Emerald City Comicon in Seattle. Press Release follows:

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April 2, 2012 · 10:14 pm

THE VICTORIES – From Dark Horse Comics

We’re always looking for a new take on the superhero and this looks interesting. “THE VICTORIES” is a new release announced by Dark Horse Comics at last weekend’s Emerald City Comicon. Press release follows:

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