Tag Archives: lazarus

Mini Reviews

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Sometimes, the staff at Graphic Policy read more comics than we’re able to get reviewed. When that happens you’ll see a weekly feature compiling short reviews from the staff of the comics, or graphic novels, we just didn’t get a chance to write a full review for. These are Graphic Policy’s Mini Reviews.

Alex

Hercules_1_CoverDead Vengeance #2, is set during the 1940’s and reads, in the very best of ways, as if it was a Golden Age comic that has been produced today. The concept of a reanimated corpse who may have been murdered solving their own murder is strangely compelling, and is presented here with a fresh take and enough humour to make it worth adding to your pull list. Overall Rating: 8 Recommendation: Buy

We Stand On Guard #5. The lines continue to blur in the thought provoking miniseries that asks some tough questions about the nature of war. Overall Rating: 9 Recommendation: Buy

Hercules #1* – There’s something really fun about this comic, with Hercules trying to move past his drunken reputation and revive the heroic reputation he used to have, by using less conventional mythological means. The comic is fun, and I’m a fan of the direction ol’ Herc is headed in. Overall Rating: 8 Recommendation Buy

Extraordinary X-Men #1* was …okay. The entire issue felt like a giant prologue for the rest of the trade, so based on this comic I’d probably wait for that. Or pick it up next month depending on how the second issue rates. Art is great, though. Overall Rating: 6.75 Recommendation: Wait To Read

Brett

Atomic Robo and the Ring of Fire #3 – It feels a bit like Pacific Rim for kids, but that’s not a bad thing as I’m still having fun reading the series. Giant robots and giant monsters + Atomic Robo! What’s not to love. Overall Rating: 8 Recommendation: Read

Axcend #2 – On the surface the comic might seem like a goofy video games and comic mashup, but it’s JohnnyRed1really an examination of gamer stereotypes and personalities. It’s getting interesting. Overall Rating: 7.25 Recommendation: Read

Black Science #17 – I just love this series and it’s many realities and complete crazy ideas. This issue kicks off a newish arc and could be a good starting point and it’s ideas somehow get even more out there. And that ending! Overall Rating: 8.25 Recommendation: Buy

Deadpool # 1 – I didn’t enjoy last volume, and I didn’t enjoy this first issue of this volume either. The story doesn’t interest me. The humor doesn’t get me to laugh. And the character feels like he’s beyond over saturated. No thanks! Overall Rating: 5 Recommendation: Pass

Exit Generation #2 – The series is shaping up to be a fun read. Just one of those comics you can pick up and have fun. I’m liking how the characters are shaping out, including a female Han Solo-ish character this issue. Fun is the key word. Overall Rating: 7 Recommendation: Read

Johnny Red #1 – I went in not expecting a whole lot, but writer Garth Ennis does do some solid war comics. I was blown away by this first issue which not only has a great story (and way to tell it), but also solid art too. A fantastic surprise. Overall Rating: 9 Recommendation: Buy

Klaus #1 – I’m not the biggest Morrison fan, but this series’ first issue surprised me. It’s a combination of Conan with a bit of holiday magic. But the art by Dan Mora really stands out, outshining the story. Overall Rating: 8 Recommendation: Read

Lazarus #20 – The comic continues the political and military maneuvering as it’s all out war. The series is never disappointing. Overall Rating: 8 Recommendation: Read

Nailbiter #17 – I seriously love this serious about serial killers all from a small town. This issue kicks off a new story arc which isn’t quite new reader friendly, but a good starting point. One of the first comics I read each time I get ahold of it. Overall Rating: 8.25 Recommendation: Read

Rasputin #10 – We’re given lots of insight in how Rasputin is still alive and working as an American political adviser. While I wish the mystery was played out a bit more, it’s all very interesting and somewhat what I expected. A series that’s such a great idea, and really entertaining. Overall Rating: 7.75 Recommendation: Read

Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye #46 – What always surprises me about IDW’s Transformers is how it gives so much depth to the characters that’s lacked at times elsewhere. This issue is all about confronting stereotypes post war and if a Decepticon can change his stripe. Overall Rating: 8.40 Recommendation: Read

Velvet #12 – Fuck Bond, give me Velvet. Overall Rating: 9 Recommendation: Buy

Elana

PaperGirls02_CoverPaper Girls #2 – Top notch creative team has a huge hit on their hands. Issue 1 was super accessible but issue 2 is super emotionally charged. I love the realistic female characters and dialogue . The strong sense of time and place as a Cleveland suburb in 1988 is outstanding. It’s one of the most solidly rooted pieces of fiction around. This cliff hanger though has got me on edge and I genuinely don’t know what’s next. Overall Rating: 9.5 Recommendation: Buy

Monstress #1: It’s beautiful & terrifying & a necessary fantasy book. In terms of unique world building and feminist sensibility plus accessibility to non comics readers I think Image has a new Saga sized hit on their hands. Overall Rating: 9.5 Recommendation: Buy

The Humans #9 – The series has been getting more nihilist as things go downhill for our protagonist biker-chimp-Vietnam-vet. He cannot leave his ghosts behind and immersing himself in a world of greater violence sure ain’t helping. It gets hard to read at times but it’s true to the character and the world he inhabits. The art is tight as ever. A few particularly haunting panels this issue.

I did enjoy getting to watch Queenie , Cha Cha, Snacks and the other biker chicks (but really mostly Queenie) throw down and fight and beat up the fuzz. Overall Rating: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy

Fight Club 2 # 6 – This is a great comic that lives up to its premise: an examination of the modern construct of masculinity. Smart, twisty with extremely brutal humor. It’s utterly fearless and a lot of fun. If you liked the book or the movie you need to drop everything and pick this up. Overall Rating: 8.75 Recommendation: Buy

Mr. H

Amazing Spider-Man #3* – This run just keeps getting more fun and we are treated to the best issue yet. Anytime you get Spidey and Johnny Storm under the same roof it’s high tide hijinx. Slott really nails the dynamic between these two. He understands their brotherly bond quite well. It was cool to see the new home of Parker Industries is the former Baxter Building. Watching Spidey and Torch argue and fight throughout the issue was very entertaining and the art by Giuseppe Camuncoli was stellar. Really liked the touching scene at the end as well as a great cliffhanger. Another W for this title. Overall Rating: 9 Recommendation: Buy

Well, there you have it, folks. The reviews we didn’t quite get a chance to write.

Please note that with some of the above comics, Graphic Policy was provided FREE copies for review. Where we purchased the comics, you’ll see an asterisk (*). If you don’t see that, you can infer the comic was a review copy. In cases where we were provided a review copy and we also purchased the comic you’ll see two asterisks (**).

Review: Lazarus #19

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lazarus019Lazarus has enjoyed a relatively long run under its publication by Image, and it has done so almost completely through the use of its titular character, the Lazarus protector of the family Carlyle, holding the spotlight for a vast majority of the time in the series.  There have been other moments which have examined the post-apocalyptic world which the character lives in, as well as other asides some as the Lift for the elevation of regular citizens into something more, but Forever Carlyle has maintained most of the focus, whether it be her general appeal as a female superhero or whether it be the questions which pertain to her background.  A little of that changed in the last issue with the closing panels as Forever was shot and presumably killed with a head wound that she did not seem to be getting up from.  The question then becomes exactly what is this series without its main star.

Not surprisingly it is still a lot, and for the first time this gives the other characters time to shine.  With Forever out of commission, the squad questions how to proceed, as after all they were supposed to be a small unit on a covert operation, and without Forever they don’t seem to have much hope for the success of the mission.  Casey, once lifted in Denver and now a soldier, refuses to back down as she takes command and forces the mission to completion.  Meanwhile Michael at the Lazarus compound works feverishly for a solution to the various medical problems, the most obvious of which is Forever’s supposed death.

The change in focus works really well here as the secondary characters get more of the spotlight for the first time in this series.  Of course as the series has a presumably preset path upon which it is going to unravel some of the mysteries of this world, it would be nearly impossible to tell this story focusing solely on the main character.  Her future allies seem set in the discussion of where she is going and only the question is of how she will get there.  In the mean time this was an excellent issue to draw some of the focus away from her only in this series and to put it elsewhere.  It adds another layer of complexity to the series and helps to elevate by doing so.

Story: Greg Rucka Art: Michael Lark
Story: 8.7 Art: 8.7 Overall: 8.7 Recommendation: Buy

Image provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review.  

Graphic Policy’s Top Comic Picks this Week!

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DC_Bombshells_2_5575d95d36ac86.74035338Wednesdays are new comic book day! Each week hundreds of comics are released, and that can be pretty daunting to go over and choose what to buy. That’s where we come in!

We’re bringing back something we haven’t done for a while, what the team thinks. Our contributors are choosing up to five books each week and why they’re choosing the books.

Find out what folks think below, and what comics you should be looking out for this Wednesday.

Brett

Top Pick: Plutonia #1 (Image Comics) – A new series by Jeff Lemire? Well, that alone gets this on my list, but the idea of him tackling a coming of age story through the lense of the superhero genre is too awesome to not look forward to. Add in beautiful artwork by Emi Lenox, and this is the first comic I’m reading this week.

Imperium #8 (Valiant Entertainment) – Harada and Divinity, two of the most powerful beings in the Valiant universe have come face to face. This is the climax to “Broken Angels,” continuing the awesomeness that is this series.

Midnighter #4 (DC Comics) – Writer Steve Orlando has made punching to solve problems cool again. I’ve never been the biggest Midnighter fan, but Orlando has given me reasons to be as he’s given the character a fresh mix of a personal life and superhero life. Such a fantastic series.

The Omega Men #4 (DC Comics) – Superhero terrorists? This series shows the gray and that there’s a fine line between terrorist and revolutionary, all in space! A very cool sci-fi series that does what sci-fi does best, explore our society through entertainment.

Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye #44 (IDW Publishing) – I’ll keep plugging the various IDW Transformers series until you people wake up and see that it’s more than just giant robots and fighting! Every series has been an interesting mix of political intrigue, action, and religious philosophy. It’ more than meets the eye (sorry had to).

 

Alex

Top Pick: X-O Manowar #40 (Valiant Entertainment) – I’ve become a huge fan of this series over the past few months, and after the way the last issue ended, I’ve been looking forward to this for weeks.

We Stand On Guard #3 (Image Comics) – I have been really enjoying this series so far. We’re almost at the half way mark, and I’m really looking forward to see where the story takes us.

 

Edward

Top Pick: Danger Girl: Renegade #1 (IDW Publishing) – Love’m or hate’m, the Danger Girl team is back, and this time focuses on one of the team’s unanswered questions, Abby’s past.  Those that like the series can expect more tongue-in-cheek humor combined with decent action.

Jem and the Holograms #6 (IDW Publishing) – More fun abounds for this series which has been focused so far solely on the battle of the bands, and while it has been a simple enough concept, the creative team fills these pages with life.

Lazarus #19 (Image Comics) –  The ongoing battle of Duluth proves to be an issue for Forever after she is nearly killed in the last issue.  How thia works from here on will be interesting as numerous clans are trying to take down the Carlyles.

Star Lord and Kitty Pryde #3 (Marvel) – A lot of the Secret Wars tie-ins have either mostly ignored the crossover or told a crossover-centric story.  This is one of the few that does both while maintaining the charm of what made the pair of heroes so special to begin with.

Wonderland #39 (Zenescope) – Zenescope’s stand-out series returns with higher stakes as Calie faces threats in Wonderland and on Earth.

 

Elana

Top Picks Tie: 8House: #3 Kiem Part 1 (Image Comics) – Brandon Graham’s inter-connected fantasy world series begins a new storyline. The art by Xurxo G. Penalta is beautifully detailed and creative. The world has an air of Dune mixed with cyberpunk. The story involves astrolprojection. This will be unlike anything else you buy.

Top Picks Tie: Heavy Metal #276 Jack Kirby Issue (Heavy Metal) – Jack Kirby made art for the CIA’s secret Operation Argo plan to free American hostages. Never before published, we can finally see it in this issue! It is based on Robert Zelazny’s famous fantasy series “Lord of Light.” The rest of the mag sounds good too. But the Kirby cover alone with worth the cost of admission.

Jem and The Holograms #6 (IDW Publishing) – The Food Fight of the Century is over and now it is time for the Battle of The Bands! A really fun series for people of all ages and genders. Which band would you be voting for: The Holograms or The Misfits (not the Danzig Misfits, the entirely fictional Misfits that the artist has said sound like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs)? I think Black Sabbath singer Dio would vote for Jem and the Holograms but Black Sabbath singer Ozzy would vote for The Misfits. Please tweet me your own wild speculations to @Elana_Brooklyn #JemBattle (this is just me, not an official IDW tag).

Midnighter #4 (DC Comics) – I’m addicted.

Toil and Trouble #1 (BOOM! Studios) – I’m fairly discriminating about my “re-imaginings of Shakespeare” but this new mini series looks stunning, innovative and feminist.

Silver Surfer #14 (Marvel) – A title that had felt at the periphery of the Marvel U (in an interesting, exploratory way) now finds itself at the middle of it. It looks like the rebuilding of the post Secret Wars Marvel U starts here. The last issue ended on some absolutely stunning art. Among the best I’ve seen in ages. I was very frustrated with Slott’s response to the Hercules bi-erasure story but he’s apologized so I’m still reading this.

 

Kenny

Top Pick: DC Comics Bombshell #2 (DC Comics) – Making this story a period piece has me interested in the many ways they could take Wonder Woman, Batwoman, and Supergirl, after a solid set up in the first issue. But it’s mostly the gorgeous art that has me most excited about diving back into this world.

Daredevil #18 (Marvel) – Honestly, I could break down the multitude of reasons this comic is worth reading but, to keep it simple, when Mark Waid is writing Daredevil it is always worth checking out.

Deadpool vs. Thanos #1 (Marvel) – Deadpool messing with anyone is usually all I need to be happy, but watching him send Thanos into a massive rage has me feeling extra giddy inside.

Herald: Lovecraft and Tesla #6 (Action Lab Entertainment) – Being a history junky, I am all for any type of twisted history tale. And just the potential of watching Mark Twain versus a book golem is enough to make me want to read this right now.

 

Mr. H

Top Pick: Deadpool vs. Thanos #1 (Marvel Comics) – The one who personifies death vs. the one who can talk you to it? Oh yes this is a must see even for me. Viva la Deadpool!

Daredevil #18 (Marvel Comics) – The final chapter. See how it all ends. I am on the bench with anticipation.

DC Comics Bombshells #2 (DC Comics) – The Womens’ Super Revolution continues. Is Steve Trevor going to make it? We shall see…

Green Lantern #44 (DC Comics) – Hal as a renegade just really fits and I’m liking this fun little space chase, I’m hoping that some incoming Thanagarian influence can shift it into over drive though!

Thors #3 (Marvel Comics) – Move over CSI and every other crime drama. This one is how it’s done.

 

Paul

Top Pick: Thors #3 (Marvel) – This is one of my favourite books to come out of Secret Wars.  The Thors have been hunting a murderer who has been targeting Jane Fosters from different areas of Battleworld, and now they have a suspect.  This is a great cop story, following the Thors as they uphold the laws of Doom, and I can’t wait to see the interrogation of their suspect.

Age of Apocalypse #3 (Marvel) – Issue 1 was fantastic and took me right back to the AoA I remember…and then issue 2 totally left me flat, basically a rehash of the first.  I am really hoping they pick this story up and we get more into the thick of things.  I’m really enjoying seeing the story from Cypher’s point of view, but I want to see more then some observations on character behaviour.  There’s been hints of a virus that could end all the mutants…can we please see more of this story?

Squadron Sinister #3 (Marvel) – I was surprised that I enjoy this book as much as I do.  I’m familiar with the Squadron Supreme, and Hyperion from his time in Avengers…and it’s a fun read to see Battleworld’s version of this team being nothing more then an organized gang, quietly taking over realms to expand their power…but how long will this go before Doom steps in?

Review: Lazarus #18

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lazarus018aDuring the course of its run thus far, Lazarus has been a series of slow developments.  Part of this is a necessity, as a comic series it tells the story in a different way, but the course of world building has to take place at a different pace than what one would expect from a novel or a television show.  This makes the pace its own, but as the setting is dystopian, there is also the necessity to build upon concepts which are perhaps more easily identified in a novel format.  The story has focused on Forever Carlyle, the Lazarus for the family Carlyle, but it has also focused on other developments, specifically at the Denver lift, an event were people move from the discarded proletariat to something more in life.  The previous issue hinted at the first time that these sub-plots intertwined, and this issue promised more of the same.

In one location, Michael is introduced to the closest inner circle of the Carlyle family as he searches for a cure to the poison of the family patriarch.  In the other location, and the sub-plot with more of the attention, Forever works side by side with a squad of soldiers, one of whom includes Casey, who unexpectedly also made the lift in Denver.  The story unfolds separately but also together through its previous connections as Forever slowly makes her way through various enemy positions in the stronghold of Duluth.

As part of the ongoing story in this series it is hard to gauge one issue of the series against each other.  It can easily be said though that this issue at least matches what has come before, while slightly shifting the outlook of the series, as has been implied throughout.  At some point Forever will become aware of the lies which are kept from her, but until that point it will be a sequence of slow developments to put all the pieces in the right place.  This issue does that well enough, and manages to find a few ways to shock at the same time.  Fans of the series will not be disappointed, and this issue might be a sign to those who aren’t that they maybe should be.

Story: Greg Rucka Art: Michael Lark
Story: 8.7 Art: 8.7 Overall: 8.7 Recommendation: Buy

Image provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review.  

Graphic Policy’s Top Comic Picks this Week!

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Rasputin07_CoverWednesdays are new comic book day! Each week hundreds of comics are released, and that can be pretty daunting to go over and choose what to buy. That’s where we come in!

We’re bringing back something we haven’t done for a while, what the team thinks. Our contributors are choosing up to five books each week and why they’re choosing the books.

Find out what folks think below, and what comics you should be looking out for this Wednesday.

Brett

Southern Bastards #10 (Image Comics) – One of the, if not the, best comic out there right now. It’s usually a slow burn, but each issue has more character insights than many comics have in a year. This Southern noir is fantastic on every level.

Captain Canuck #3 (Chapter House Publishing) – Some times you want your heroes to lose the gritty aspect, and just be heroes. This series gets back to that courtesy of some talented Canadian creators. Fun action, that’s entertaining and loses the cynicism of today’s superhero comics.

Invisible Republic #5 (Image Comics) – An amazing series that definitely doesn’t get the attention it deserves. It involves a reporter digging into the revolutionaries that took over a planet, and digs up a bit of dirt. An amazing focus on history being used as propaganda.

Princeless: Be Yourself #2 (Action Lab Entertainment) – The new series hasn’t missed a beat and continues the fun fantasy adventure with a bit of girl power mixed in.

Rasputin #7 (Image Comics) – The first arc focusing on the historical figure was interesting. Flash forward 100 years, and not only is he alive, he’s also advising a Presidential candidate. Now you have my undivided attention.

 

Edward

Top Pick: Hacktivist Vol. 2 #1 (BOOM! Studios) –  The second series dealing with the group of hackers follows on the plot from the first series, and tries to answer some unresolved questions.

Batgirl Annual #3 (DC Comics) – Kind of a catch-all for Batgirl, as she faces off against Helena Bertinelli, a former Batgirl (from No Man’s Land) and Dick Grayson (her pre-new 52 romantic interest).  Throw in a visit to Gotham Academy and this sounds pretty fun.

He-Man: Eternity War #8 (DC Comics) – There has been no missteps in this entire series as the creative team has pushed the envelope of what defines the core group of characters.  This is not your childhood’s He-Man.

Jem and the Holograms #5 (IDW Publishing) – This series has been nothing but fun since its launch.  It doesn’t look likely to stop any time soon either.  One can only hope that the suggested food fight from the cover gets realized inside.

Lazarus #18 (Image Comics) – Lazarus goes to Duluth to win the war, as different plot lines begin to intersect.

 

Elana

Top Pick: Grindhouse: Doors Open at Midnight: Trade Paperback Vol 3: Slay Ride and Blood Lagoon (Dark Horse) – “Books like ‘Grindhouse’ were the reason the Comics Code was invented.” – creator Alex De Campi.

That’s a promise and a warning. De Campi absolutely delivers on grindhouse cinema gratification in comic book form– even better, it comes from a frankly female perspective on the genre. This series is messed up in all the RIGHT ways.

Each trade contains self-contained story arcs so you can pick up volume 3 even if you’ve never read the series before. In Volume 3 my entirely fictional girlfriend, Deputy Garcia is back with her motorcycle and eyepatch. I can’t wait!

Series creator Alex de Campi is our podcast guest next week!

Batgirl Annual #3 (DC Comics) – Cameron Stewart and Brenden Fletcher art by Bengal, David Lafuente, Mingjue Helen Chen, Ming Doyle…. Look at that list of awesome writers and artists! Not only do we get Babs catching up with Dick Grayson but we also see her meet with Batwoman and the Gotham Academy kids! These are all of my favorite things in one place! It is a standalone story you can read even if you aren’t reading the new Batgirl series. But after reading this I’m sure you’ll want to.

Phoebe Gloeckner: Diary of a Teenage Girl (North Atlantic Books) – Considered one of the best graphic novels of last decade it’s probably time that you (and I) finally read it! Plus there’s a movie of it coming out soon and you don’t want to be called a “poser”, right? The book is a combination of prose and illustration reads like autobiography. The press release calls it “a dark story of sex and drugs in the life of a 1970s teenage girl.” You should read Sean T Collins review because I can’t do it justice till I read the book.

1602 Witch Hunter Angela #2 (Marvel) – This is the funniest series in Secret Wars and the prettiest too. Last issue we met Shakespeare, Marlowe and King James (Logan Howlett aka Wolverine) and other Faustians (aka people with superpowers). This issue Angela and Sera will meet “Ye Olde Guardians of the Galaxy.”

 

Mr. H

Top Pick: Thors #2 (Marvel Comics) – The case is heating up as the murder mystery of the Gods continues. Blood, Hammers, and Justice shalt be served!

Daredevil #17 (Marvel Comics) – The last days of The Man Without Fear? Could be. This creative team has been white hot so I know Matt is in good hands, but I want to see the payoff.

Red Sonja Vol.2 #17 (Dynamite Entertainment) – Red hot chick swinging a sword, as usual all over this one. The 1973 one shot gave me a rejuvenation for this title. Hope the momentum doesn’t wane.

Superman #42 (DC Comics) – I am actually enjoying the prelude to the “Truth” storyline a lot more than the actual crossover. I’m interested to see just what it was that made Lois out Clark’s ID to the world? This intrepid reporter needs some answers. By Rao, I need them now!

TMNT Ongoing #48 (IDW Publishing) – The Stockman Swarm, The Shredder and Karai all move in for the kill. How could this not be good?

 

Paul

Top Pick: Thors #2 (Marvel) – the first issue of this story was fantastic; a crime story following the ‘police’ of Battleworld, the Thors.  Law and Order meets Asgardian officers, working on the orders of Lord Doom to keep the peace, and the foundation of Battleworld, in one piece.  Excited for what happens next.

Top Pick: X-Men ’92 #2 (Marvel) – the first issue totally brought me back to Saturday mornings, watching Marvel’s merry mutants as most of us remember them, complete with colourful costumes and Wolverine and Cyclops sniping at each other.  I am looking forward to see more from Cassandra Nova and what her rehabilitation facility for mutants is really all about.

1602 Witch Hunter Angela #2 (Marvel) – This was a very interesting first issue, following Angela hunting ‘witchbreed’, which turns out to be mutants.  The second issue puts Angela on the path to see dire omens not come to pass, and also introduces use to “Ye olde Guardians of the Galaxy”.  Looking forward to this.

S.H.I.E.L.D. #8 (Marvel) – I am a huge fan of the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. tv show, and just as big a fan of the comic book treatment of the show.  It’s fun to see the tv agents paired up with various heroes from the Marvel universe an work together to solve the problem of the issue.  This issue has Agent May and Mockingbird setting out to kick some ass….sign me up!

 

Steven Attewell

Batgirl #42 (DC Comics) – despite not being remotely in the target demographic for this book, I’ve been enjoying the hell out of this series’ exploration of fame and identity.

Conan the Avenger #16 (Dark Horse) – Dark Horse’s Conan run has been one of the most consistently enjoyable comics for me in recent years (with the exception of that odd bit where Belit went to Cimmeria), so if given an option I’ll always pick one up.

Copperhead #9 (Image Comics) – Read the first trade of this unusual space-western/single-mom comic and really enjoyed the strange little world that Jay Faerber and Scott Godlewski have thrown together, so I’ll keep following this story.

Rasputin #7 (Image Comics) – A really strange little gem, this series posits a revisionist history of the infamous Russian mystic in which Grigori Rasputin’s powers not only are quite real and extend to genuine resurrection and clairvoyancy, but he’s also secretly a prince in communion with the forces of Russian folklore.

Southern Bastards #10 (Image Comics) – having really enjoyed Scalped, I eagerly anticipated Jason Aaron’s new series. Took me a while to get into the first trade – something about the way Jason Latour draws mouths threw me off until I got used to it – but the second trade’s revelation of Coach Boss’ backstory was mesmerizing and made this a must-read for me.

Image Reinvents the Mississippi

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When one thinks of the Mississippi River it is evocative of many things.  Some will think of the cities along the river which have given rise to so much southern culture.  Other will think of the passage of the river through vasts tracts of wilderness and farmland, given rise to much of the nation’s green space.  Others still will think of the same passage as that of the route of trade, a superhighway on the water which bisected the interior of the country long before there were railway lines or motor cars.  Others still might think back to its early days and its association with the frontier legends and myths which came to dominate American culture.

What often doesn’t happen to the Mississippi though is that it is used as the setting for stories or fiction.  It is true that there are lots of stories that use the Mississippi River as a backdrop in the cities in which they transpire, but the river itself is mostly ignored when it comes to fiction, save for the works of Mark Twain.  The massive river often just exists as what it is, a body of water that is always moving but not often changing.

miss002In terms of its treatment in fiction, little has changed, except indirectly Image Comics might be challenging that in a small way.  It is hard to say that Image is making a conscious decision to challenge the nature of this river, for Image as a comic company has effectively no control over the creative decisions of its series.  Rather the company puts comics into wide release which are of a certain quality which might otherwise be hard for most comic fans to find.  Nonetheless at the moment the Mississippi does factor into two separate Image series, and neither of them are in the slightest way related.

The river serves as the Eastern boundary of the Carlyle clan in Lazarus.  In this future dystopian series, a series of families have taken over control of the world in place of the former states.  It has returned the people of Earth to a system of semi-feudalism, and where individuals running corporations run large, it can be expected equally that the environment is degraded in unacceptable ways.  As the border between two families, the river is maintained by neither of them and is instead a black moving cesspool, which is swum across at one point by one of the characters, even though the thought of doing so disgusts him.

miss001The other Image series dealing with the river is one which puts it in the spotlight almost all the time.  Although it is often not identified specifically as such, the river forms the route by which Lewis and Clark lead their men after the Louisiana Purchase.  This series is very much different from what we know from the history books, rather it is a fantasy/horror retelling of the adventures of the two American heroes.  Instead of charting the wilderness of the United States, they are forced to fight off against giant mosquitoes, plants that turn people in zombies, buffalo-minotaurs and various other creatures.  It thus becomes not a story of discovery but rather one of survival as the team members die one by one, succumbing to the inexplicable threats.

The Mississippi is a piece of Americana, and as the world’s fourth longest river, it does serve as an emblem of what is so large and vast about the American interior.  Equally though, the river is often untouched when it comes to fiction, more often than not simply reduced to the idyllic slice of life from the time of Mark Twain.  Authors often ply their craft simply be reimagining that which is a symbol, and in the case of the two Image series, they are at least challenging what we think about this great river.

Review: Lazarus #17

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lazarus017The most interesting part about this series is unquestionably the protagonist, Forever.  She is an unlikely protagonist, being the enforcer and head of security for her family, her family being the heads of massive corporations that have taken over as the heads of state in a future Earth.  Because of this the character is one of surprising differences.  She represents law and order, but it is the corrupt law and order that surround any one of the families in question.  At the same time she begins to question who she really is and sometimes she understands that her decisions are the resulting of choosing an action from a choice of several bad outcomes.  She is both hero and anti-hero and the reader is left to cheer for her, though often wondering why as her actions are sometimes unethical and what would even be considered to be criminal by our own present society.

“Will they or won’t they” is a common enough plot device among any any story with a romantic sub-plot, but the same mechanics of this plot trick is used often in other cases, as it has been used throughout this series.  As the reader mostly reads through the eyes of Forever, they are forced to make her same decisions and they are the ones which are forced into this same kind of “will she or won’t she?” scenario.  Will she really kill another innocent because she thinks that she needs to protect her family at all costs, or will she see that the people that are trying to subvert the family are doing so because it is a corrupt system and they are past desperation?  It is the same grey area for a hero which made Breaking Bad so popular, but as Forever finally meets up with one of the morally pure survivors of the Wyoming floods and the Denver lift, it would seem as though Forever might be finally on her path to redemption as she is also busy establishing Duluth as a city that can be won for her family in the ongoing war.

As this issue mostly focuses on other developments, it can be read as much of the rest of the series, engaging and compelling, if occasionally a fairly quick read built more on visuals than on text.  In this case though it would seem that the heroine of the series seems as though she might be ready to turn the corner on the question of whether she is really a hero or not, and it would seem that the answer will be answered as a yes soon enough.  In the meantime she must still focus on the goals of her family, but if there is going to be a change for the character, it would seem likely that this issue might be one of the major turning points.  As such while this issue maintains the same fast paced story as the previous ones, there is also a bit more intrigue to be mixed into the “edge of your seat” action.

Story: Greg Rucka Art: Michael Lark
Story: 8.7 Art: 8.7 Overall: 8.7 Recommendation: Buy

Image provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review.  

Preview: Lazarus #17

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Lazarus #17

Story By: Greg Rucka
Art By: Michael Lark
Cover By: Owen Freeman
Cover Price: $3.50
Digital Price: $2.99
Diamond ID: MAR150572
Published: June 17, 2015

NEW STORY ARC: “POISON,” Part One The Families are at war, Malcolm hovers at death’s door in the wake of Hock’s assassination attempt, and Forever must hold the line against enemies from without as well as within… including her siblings.

Lazarus17_Cover

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Preview: Lazarus #16

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Lazarus #16

Story By: Greg Rucka
Story By: Eric Trautmann
Art By: Michael Lark
Art By: Owen Freeman
Cover By: Owen Freeman
Cover Price: $3.50
Digital Price: $2.99
Diamond ID: FEB150615
Published: April 22, 2015

“MERCY” The Conclave has ended, and the world once more is falling to chaos and violence. Sister Bernard travels between Family Domains, ministering to the Waste…and acting as a spy for the Carlyle Family.

Lazarus16_Cover

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