Ehmm Theory #2

I went into the series thinking we were looking at a horror/comedy comic series, and by the end of this issue, I’m totally confused as to what genre I’m reading, but that only makes me want to read more. Gabriel and Mr. Whispers discover the true connection they share with the mysterious Alyona. One step closer to Gabe’s father, the three encounter the top-secret super-team know only as G.O.D.D. and fight for their lives against a cybernetic crab. What? Yes. Craborg is coming!?

Did you read the above? Did you see how that all got twisted around? This flagship title for Action Lab’s Danger Zone imprint definitely kept me on my toes for this second issue. That’s good and bad. It’s good in that it kept me interested in a series that I might not have normally dug (the straight horror/comedy). The bad is that it all comes off as a bit schizophrenic. Almost as if the comic was trying to be everyone for everyone. I’m fully expecting the third issue to be all romance.

With all that being said, I found the comic unique enough to keep me interested. It definitely isn’t like anything else out there, especially when it comes to what genre it’s supposed to be.

And that really comes down to taste. While I found the hopping around interesting, some items seemed to come out of left field in an almost zany sort of way. It was all a bit disjointed because of that. But, I do like the characters and the dialogue and a lot of the ideas. The comic though is almost like it’s trying to be too much for too many people.

I think when this first volume is done, it’ll all be a bit clearer, but for now, the shift from the first to second issue was a bit too much for me. I think this might be a better read once it’s all collected eventually. Not for me, but it might be for others.

Story: Brockton McKinney Art: Larkin Ford
Story: 6.75 Art: 7 Overall: 6.75 Recommendation: Read

Ghost Town #2

The unthinkable has happened. In the wake of the terrorist’s time displaced attacks on Baltimore and Las Vegas, Washington DC has been evacuated. With the government uprooted, the abandoned Capital has become a refuge for bandits, smugglers, hardened criminals and those who have chosen to stay behind.

The concept of Ghost Town is amazing and I was wondering how it’d shift from that first fantastic issue to the second. That first issue was all set-up and now we get the fallout. The series has gone from a macro story to a micro one focused on a few characters at the local level.

And it’s cool. There’s a lot of potential here in this next story arc. It’s a complete break from that first issue. I expected more of the fallout of the police/FBI/military/etc dealing with the actions of the first issue, instead it’s a simple story of people trying to survive in this new world and how those actions changed it.

That’s a cool direction and not an expected one. It’s a tale where we’re able to relate to the characters more instead of being driven by the events as much. And the characters are great. The way they’re living, what they’re doing and how they’re dealing is engaging and interesting. While the situation they’re in is over the top, they are not, nor is the day to day dealings and discussions in the world they inhabit.

This second issue isn’t what I was expecting, but it’s a cool direction and now I can’t wait for what comes next.

Story: Ryan K. Lindsay Art: Daniel J. Logan
Story: 8 Art: 8 Overall: 8 Recommendation: Buy

Double Jumpers Vol. 1 TPB

The cult hit of 2012 is finally collected! After Jason and his team of programmers get stuck in virtual reality game, Dungeon Lords, they must find a way back to the real world. Unbeknownst to them, the fantasy characters they inhabit have taken control of their bodies… and now wizards and warriors run free in Las Vegas!

I’m a fan of video games, so when I first found out about this 9-bit of fun, I had high expectations. Then there’s also the fact that when I think of Action Labs I think of some great comics for all ages and very “girl friendly.” Then I got to read the first issue and boy was I off in what I was expecting.

Instead of some deft commentary on gaming and its community instead we got a series that played directly into the juvenile stereotypes you’d expect. This was more dick and fart jokes than anything else. That’s not a bad thing and I went with it for a while.

And there’s a lot I thought was funny. The story and its plot, how it played out, that was solid. It was some of the jokes that fell flat for me. The biggest is the idea of a female character being stuck in a male character’s body and vice versa. Most of it was easy jokes and some of it a bit tasteless, but that’s my personal opinion. Others might find it funny, but there’s so much of it, for me, it drew me out from really enjoying the rest.

When it comes down to it, this one is very much a personal taste thing. It might be different for you, but this wasn’t really for me.

Story: Dave Dwonch Art: Bill Blankenship
Story: 6.75 Art: 7.75 Overall: 7 Recommendation: Read

Skyward #1

The fantastic storybook adventure begins! The new creator-owned series from Jeremy Dale follows the thrilling tale of Quinn, left orphaned by an invasion of his homeland. He and other lost villagers run headfirst into a conflict and world that is much bigger and fantastic than they could possibly imagine.

I read the Free Comic Book Day offering for Skyward and it intrigued me. I liked this new fantasy world, one that was all-ages and accessible to new readers of the genre.

I’ll throw the bad right out there. Some of the actions that set Quinn upon is journey are predictable. And some of them hit very overused tropes as well. That’s the worse thing about the comic and even then, the story those tropes and overused plot devices begin is exciting.

The action is present and just comes at you and takes you along for the ride. The pacing is great and story just moves along with a great flow. Quinn too is a character I like so far. While his situation has been seen many times before, there’s something about him that makes me want to cheer for him. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but he’s a likeable character.

Dale pulls double duty on the issue with his art style fitting perfectly for the story. He’s showing off with this first issue why he’s a creator to keep our eye on in the long run.

If you’re a fan of fantasy or looking for a good introduction to it for younger readers, this is an excellent way to spend your hard earned dollars and support solid indie comic work at the same time.

Story: Jeremy Dale Art: Jeremy Dale
Story: 8 Art: 8 Overall: 8 Recommendation: Buy

Action Lab Entertainment provided Graphic Policy with FREE copies for review