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Pick of the Week – Animal Man #3

Posted on November 1, 2011 by Brett

Animal Man is one of the messed up and weird series from DC. It definitely draws it’s roots more from Vertigo than the happy go-lucky DC universe of the past. The mix of hero and family man is fantastic and it’s one of the leaders of DC horror right now. An amazing series that seems to tie into Swamp Thing which also is on the list. A creepy series that I’m drawn to as a must read. I’ve expanded the pick list this week because there’s some great stuff.

Animal Man #3 – see above
Swamp Thing #3/American Vampire #20 – Scott Snyder is one of the best writers out there right now and the man knocks it out of the park. I lumped these two together because they’re both by him and both fantastic.
The Last of the Greats #2 – Machiavelli done super hero.
Cold War #2 – It’s a James Bond/Cold War/Spy Thriller, aka awesome.
Peanuts #0 – It’s Peanuts! How can you not be excited by this.
Our Love is Real – I read it and holy shit is it weird.
Uncanny X-Men #1 – The first issue of Wolverine’s team last week was awesome. I expect nothing less from this series.
The Rinse #3 – I love crime comics and noir, this one isn’t the best, but very entertaining.

IDW Reviews – Star Trek/Legion of Super-Heroes #1, HP Lovecraft: The Dunwich Horror #1, 30 Days of Night #1, Cold War #1

Posted on October 27, 2011 by Brett

Star Trek/Legion of Super-Heroes #1

I went into this first issue a bit skeptical. The whole idea of a mash-up/crossover featuring the cast of Star Trek and Legion of Super-Heroes seemed silly. I dig the Trek, but haven’t been much of a Legion fan. So, I went into this expecting the worst. By the time I was done, I wanted to read the second issue.

Written by Chris Roberson, the comic’s first issue sees two stories that then merge into one. It’s not as straightforward as the Legion winds up in the Trek universe or vice-versa. There’s much more to it and it’s laid out in a better way. And for that well thought out plotting, the story really works.

The art is pretty decent, and I really dug the first few pages which I don’t want to spoil. The story itself also has a throwback feel to it. It’s not quite modern and gritty, this is a comic I might have picked up in the 70s or 80s (it’s not a bad thing).

The first issue is really all lead up. The two groups haven’t really met each other, and instead the focus is on the circumstances where they would. It very well could fall apart from here, but the first issue got me interested, and I went into this with a bad attitude. So for that achievement, I have to give the series some props.

Story: Chris Roberson Art: Jeffrey Moy Publisher: IDW Publishing

Story: 7.75 Art: 7.75 Overall: 7.75 Recommendation: Buy

HP Lovecraft: The Dunwich Horror #1

There’s two items here, a longer comic and then an illustrated story. There’s a lot out there based on the world of H.P. Lovecraft. The man is a godfather of modern horror. The stories also vary greatly in quality. This one follows an amateur group of ghost hunters who get together when one of theirs passes away.

The good is, I really dug the characters. Their interaction is very good. The bad is, the story itself is pretty forgettable. It blended into one of the numerous Lovecraft based stories I’ve read or even a general horror story. Nothing makes it stand out. It’s not bad in any way, it’s just not memorable. There’s a good chance this’ll read better as a trade or graphic novel once it’s completed.

The art for the comic as well as the “prose” part of it is very good. The second part especially, which I’d expect from menton3.

Overall, there’s nothing bad about this, just nothing where I can say it’s a must buy.

Story: Joe R. Lansdale and Robert Weinberg Art: Peter Bergting and menton3 Publisher: IDW Publishing

Story: 7 Art: 8.25 Overall: 7 Recommendation: Read

30 Days of Night #1

I’ve never read this series. I caught a bit of the movie, but really I know nada. That’s good, because going into this, I have no preconceived notions. There’s two parts to the story here, a battle that’s brewing between some vampire clans and also a woman who has a website that’s investigating whether vampires exist. The two stories together have an X-Files mashed up with Underworld feel about them. That’s a good thing because I really enjoy both of those pieces of pop culture.

Sam Kieth’s art just adds to it. I’ve loved his art work, it’s so unique that’s often imitated but rarely matched in it’s style and look. Here, it just fits. The art and story work so well together, I’m hoping this is a combo that’s here for quite a while.

Writer Steve Niles has done his job here, creating an entertaining first issue that’s good for both long time fans (there’s small items here and there I can tell they’d enjoy) and for new readers (like myself).

Story: Steve Niles Art: Sam Kieth Publisher: IDW Publishing

Story: 8.25 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.25 Recommendation: Buy

Cold War #1

I like politics. I like noir. I like spy stories. Legend John Byrne has mashed all of those together in this new series that takes place during the Cold War featuring a British spy that’s part Bond and Bourne. The comic has that spy action movie cool about it, with the first ten pages being silent relying totally on the art to tell us what’s going on. And through those ten pages we get to learn a hell of a lot about the main character Michael Swann.

The story then focuses on a scientist that wants to defect. Swann is thrown undercover to figure out what’s going on. There’s a great mix of sex and action with an honest 50s/60s vibe that’s exuded by the classic Bond films. You can just here Sean Connery reading off Swann’s dialogue.

It’s just the first issue, but there’s a throwback feel to the series that reflects the time it’s set in. So cool and smooth, like it’s main character Michael Swann.

Story: John Byrne Art: John Byrne Publisher: IDW Publishing

Story: 8.5 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy

IDW Publishing provided Graphic Policy with FREE copies for review

Pick of the Week – Cold War #1

Posted on October 18, 2011 by Brett

I’ve only had a little bit to flip through the preview of Cold War #1 I received, but it’s John Byrne doing a spy noir comic set during the Cold War. Yes please! The premise sounds cool, I love these types of comics, it’s absolutely a must read for me.

Cold War #1 – see above
Batman #2 – Scott Snyder knocked it out of the park with the first issue, here’s hoping the second holds up.
Marzi – An original graphic novel published by Vertigo covering a young girl’s life growing up in Communist Poland.
Transformers #28 – This series has kicked it up and kicking ass.
Indie books – Atomic Robo: Ghost of Station X #2, The Pack #1, Darkwing Duck #17, Key of Z #1, it’s a solid week for indie books and something for everyone.

Friday Fun – Christians Versus Communists

Posted on March 5, 2010 by Brett

Today is the latest edition of Friday Fun, where we look at a historical comic book that is tied into politics somehow. Today’s entry is Two Faces of Communism. Produced by the Christian Anti-Communism Crusade this 32 page comic book was released in 1961, well into the Cold War. Based in Houston, Texas the CACC was formed by Australian-born Fred Schwarz. Schwarz gained fame in the 50’s and 60’s as a red baiter.

Two Faces of Communism was one of only two comic books the CACC produced, but not the only anti-Communist literature it produced.

A great piece of hysteria and propaganda to come out of the Cold War. Below is a sampling of some of the comic.

You can read the full issue at http://www.ep.tc/problems/27/index.html.

Thanks for http://www.ep.tc/ and it’s amazing collection of these fantastic nuggets of history.

Preview – Ghost Projekt #1

Posted on February 8, 2010 by Brett

The Cold War brought us tension between two super powers. Both the United States and Soviet Union delved into super secret projects that would give them the edge in case of war.

Today, the tension has somewhat thawed and the Soviet Union is no more. The legacy though of that time may be the plentiful weapons that remain improperly protected and what may happen if they were to fall into the wrong hands. Loose weapons of mass destruction is a very real threat.

A new series coming in March, produced by Oni Press, deals with this topic. Ghost Projekt is written by Joe Harris with art by Steve Rolston and colors by Dean Trippe.

Russia is often remembered from the shadow cast during the Cold War-era when every stranger was a spy, but now that the Cold War is long over, some things left behind from that era may not stay lost. An abandoned Soviet research facility somewhere in Siberia has been home to a strange and dangerous weapon that is now in the hands of thieves claiming it for their own. U.S. weapons inspector Will Haley has been assigned to find out what dangers the weapon poses and with the help of Russian agent Anya Romanova they will find the answers, but it will be far from easy.

You can check out your own 13 page preview at http://www.onipress.com/blog/?p=1198.

Story: This is a nice noirish story with good tension. The first issue mostly sets up the story with much of it just giving you pieces of the mystery and allowing you to draw your won conclusions. Some of the dialogue is in Russian with no translation, only adding to the mystery. It’s also nice to see a story drawn from a very real and scary situation. Rating: 9.5

Art: The art is definitely a very interesting style. It doesn’t quite fit the setting but at the same time doesn’t distract from the series. It reminds me of what you might find in Resurrection, but much tighter in the pencils. It’s a decent style that helps tell the story and doesn’t hinder. Rating: 8

Overall: While this first preview issue wasn’t complete, the 24 pages I read were very entertaining. The first issue is very much a set up for the series with a slow build. I’d definitely recommend making sure your store pulls you an issue to check out. I think you’ll be entertained. Overall Rating: 9

Recommendation: Buy

Release: March 10, 2010

Oni Press provided Graphic Policy with an advance copy of this issue for FREE for review.