Mara #5 (of 6)
Story by: Brian Wood
Art By: Ming Doyle & Jordie Bellaire
Cover By: Ming Doyle
Price: $2.99
Everything’s on the table as far as the military’s position on Mara, but who’s the one with the nuclear option? How much power can one woman hold before the world says “enough”?
Mara #4 (of 6)
Story by: Brian Wood
Art By: Ming Doyle & Jordie Bellaire
Cover By: Ming Doyle
Price: $2.99
The military is keen to co-opt Mara, now that her abilities are maturing, and they aren’t above using her soldier brother to convince her. They offer to “accept” her again, and she rightly rejects it for the crap that it is. Cut off not only from friends and family, but now from her country, where can she go now? Brian, Ming, and Jordie raise the stakes.
Marvel has released a first look at the upcoming Guardians Of The Galaxy Infinite Comic – featuring the warrior Gamora! Last year, Marvel changed how the world experienced digital comics with Infinite Comics, and today the Marvel ReEvolution continues as blockbuster writer Brian Michael Bendis and artists Mike Oeming, Ming Doyle and Mike Del Mundo, introduce fans to the cast of one of the biggest comic launches of the year! With two Infinite Comics starring Drax, and Rocket Raccoon available ABSOLUTELY FREE via the Marvel Comics app and online in the Marvel Digital Comics Shop, the fun has just begun!
They’re protecting the Marvel Universe one alien invasion at a time, and TODAY get your first look at just who the Guardians of the Galaxy really are in all-new, FREE Guardians of the Galaxy Infinite Comics! What secrets do Drax, Rocket Raccoon, Groot and Gamora hold? Find out now!
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY INFINTIE COMIC – DRAX
AVAILABLE NOW!
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY INFINITE COMIC – ROCKET RACCOON
AVAILABLE NOW!
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY INFINITE COMIC – GAMORA
AVAILABLE – 4/3/13!
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY INFINITE COMIC – GROOT
AVAILABLE – 4/24/13!
Check out the preview after the jump!
Sex #1
Simon Cooke has retired from his own “alternative lifestyle” and returned to the city he’d previously sworn to protect. Now he’s just another average citizen — or is he?
Going into reading Sex #1, I knew it was about a former hero returning home after something happened. And most of that was pretty opaque in the first issue. To say, the first issue is a slow build is an understatement. You get some hints as to Cooke’s past life, but for folks who want things laid out, this isn’t it.
But, that slow build is fascinating. Cooke is clearly a character hiding something, and maybe we see that at the end of this first issue. Because without those events, I’m not quite sure why this series is titled what it is.
I think to me, that was the biggest mystery of the comic, more so than why Cooke has given up superheroing. Why is this the title of the book? I’m guessing that’ll be clearer as we get further into the series.
The first issue left me a bit frustrated as I wanted to read more, but that just wasn’t the case. It’s good the comic had me this way, I want to read the second issue, like now. This is one of those series that plays mystery well and could be one of the best adult series of 2013, so far it’s one of the more interesting psychological studies of the super hero.
Story: Joe Casey Art: Piotr Kowalski
Story: 8.5 Art: 8.25 Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy
Lost Vegas #1
The Eisner Award-Winning team of Jim McCann and Janet Lee reunite to create a universe filled with intrigue as one gambler-turned-slave has 24 hours to go all in and pull off the greatest heist the universe has seen.
Welcome to Lost Vegas! Aboard this luxurious casino-filled traveling space-station you will find the highest stakes games from every corner of every planet, unheard-of winnings, and the greatest attractions anywhere!
McCann and Lee have released some of my favorite comics and it’s a team that instantly gets to be a part of my buy pile. The series is a futuristic heist movie in a world that feels like it could be out of Fifth Element.
There’s something so interesting and creative about the comic. The story is pretty straight forward, a heist, but the world is so creative, so interesting, I’m sucked into the comic. Lee’s art also is just amazing. She always knocks it out of the park, and this is no exception.
McCann and Lee is a pairing that’s one of the best in the business and you should do yourself a favor and find out out why.
Story: Jim McCann Art: Janet Lee
Story: 8 Art: 8 Overall: 8 Recommendation: Buy
Mara #3
Seeing her friends and supporters abandon her, and instead of trying to suppress her newfound powers, Mara goes public. Openly displaying her rapidly developing abilities, she challenges the bias and discrimination. People start to see her as not a freak, but rather someone who can’t be stopped, and that starts to make a lot of very serious people very concerned.
This is socially-aware superheroics in a world we’ve never seen. Wood in just three issues has made a series that’s a brilliant commentary on modern athletics and corporate sponsorship and challenges the notion of what it means to be a super hero.
The story has been a fascinating read, a contender for best mini-series of 2013. The art by Ming Doyle and Jordie Bellaire is fantastic as well with great minimal use of colors.
This is a series that makes you think, but entertained at the same time, a signature of any series by Wood. In Mara, we have one of the best new female characters in a long time. A mix of strength and vulnerability, she’s a character unique, much like the series she embodies.
One of the most interesting comics on the market, it shows comics can be more than just spandex, even when it’s about a person with super powers.
Story: Brian Wood Art: Ming Doyle and Jordie Bellaire
Story: 8.25 Art: 8.25 Overall: 8.25 Recommendation: Buy
Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with FREE copies for review
They’re protecting the Marvel Universe one alien invasion at a time, and now you can get your first look at just who the Guardians of the Galaxy really are in all-new, FREE Guardians of the Galaxy Infinite Comics! Last year, Marvel changed how the world experienced digital comics with Infinite Comics, and the Marvel ReEvolution continues as writer Brian Michael Bendis and artists Mike Oeming, Ming Doyle and Mike Del Mundo, introduce fans to the cast of one of the biggest comic launches of the year! Representing the latest form of comic book storytelling using tablets and smartphones as a new canvas, each new Marvel Infinite Comic continues to take advantage of modern technology while staying true to medium’s greatest strengths!
What secrets do Drax, Groot, Rocket Raccoon and Gamora hold? What made them the space faring warriors they are today? Find out as each new issues of the Guardians of The Galaxy Infinite Comic is released every two weeks ABSOLUTELY FREE via the Marvel Comics app and online in the Marvel Digital Comics Shop!
Mara #3 (of 6)
Story by: Brian Wood Art By: Ming Doyle & Jordie Bellaire Cover By: Ming Doyle
Price: $2.99
Seeing her friends and supporters abandon her, and instead of trying to suppress her newfound powers, Mara goes public. Openly displaying her rapidly developing abilities, she challenges the bias and discrimination. People start to see her as not a freak, but rather someone who can’t be stopped, and that starts to make a lot of very serious people very concerned. Socially-aware superheroics in a world we’ve never seen. Brian Wood, Ming Doyle, and Jordie Bellaire bring the goods.
Mara #2 (of 6)
Story by: Brian Wood Art By: Ming Doyle & Jordie Bellaire Cover By: Ming Doyle
Price: $2.99
As superstar athlete Mara Prince’s superpower manifestation is caught on live TV, her life rapidly starts to spiral out of control. The media descends like vultures. Her handlers go into spin mode. The footage is seen around the world, and this young woman, who only hours ago was the darling of pop culture, is now being slammed and ridiculed for being a fraud and a liar. But the more she tries to fight back, the only thing she’s doing is escalating the problem. A sci-fi take on real world superheroes by the powerhouse team of BRIAN WOOD, MING DOYLE and JORDIE BELLAIRE!
Brian Wood capped the end of 2011 with the end of his classic run on DMZ, this year, he’s released The Massive and taken over Conan the Barbarian and those two alone would make it a banner year for the talented writer. It’s fitting he capped off 2012 with the release of Mara #1 his indie comic released by Image, one of the few releases in the final week of 2012.
Acclaimed creator BRIAN WOOD (The Massive, DMZ, Demo, Northlanders) and brilliant newcomer MING DOYLE (The Loneliest Astronaut, Fantastic Four, Girl Comics) bring you MARA, the story of an especially gifted woman in a sports-and war-obsessed future. Young Mara Prince is at the top of the world, a global celebrity in a culture that prizes physical achievement above all else. After she manifests supernatural abilities on live TV, she becomes famous all over again but for the worst reasons. Integrating themes of superpowers, celebrity worship, corporate power, feminism, and political brinksmanship, MARA takes a classic genre to new places.
The first issue had me hooked, first with a strong female lead, but a world like a hyperbolic version of ours. It’s the worst of everything that exists today. The cult of celebrity, the control of corporations, the 24/7 always connected news cycle, and the pacification of the masses. Wood looks to deftly comment on all of these, much like he’s commented on social and political issues in his past works.
There’s also a mystery that’s teased throughout this first issue. You can tell there’s something special about Mara, not just her looks or her ability at sports, there’s small moments where you’re not quite sure what’s up. That’s flipped at the end where Wood integrates that superpowers part.
The art by Ming Doyle and Jordie Bellaire is fantastic showing off a future world that’s sleek and interesting to watch and makes you believe Mara is everyone’s dream. There’s such an interesting style choice to match the story. The limited color pallet adds to it all. It’s a great pairing which seems to follow Wood in everything he writes.
Mara was one of the few comics released this last week of the year and it might of been one of the last comics released, but it’s also a fantastic read and a standout for the stellar year that was 2012.
Story: Brian Wood Art: Ming Doyle and Jordie Bellaire
Story: 8.5 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.5 Recommendation: Buy
Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Mara #1 (of 6)
Story by: Brian Wood Art By: Jordie Bellaire & Ming Doyle
Price: $2.99
Acclaimed creator BRIAN WOOD (The Massive, DMZ, Demo, Northlanders) and brilliant newcomer MING DOYLE (The Loneliest Astronaut, Fantastic Four, Girl Comics) bring you MARA, the story of an especially gifted woman in a sports-and war-obsessed future. Young Mara Prince is at the top of the world, a global celebrity in a culture that prizes physical achievement above all else. After she manifests supernatural abilities on live TV, she becomes famous all over again but for the worst reasons. Integrating themes of superpowers, celebrity worship, corporate power, feminism, and political brinksmanship, MARA takes a classic genre to new places.
Th
is Independence Day, New York Times bestselling comic book creator Chris Roberson is celebrating “Independents Day.” That’s because his new venture with Allison Baker, MonkeyBrain Comics, launches. MonkeyBrain Comics will also debut digitally first on comiXology through a exclusive distribution agreement between the two companies.
Joining Chris under the Monkeybrain Comics umbrella with their own independent titles will be a who’s who line up of creators, including; Grace Allison, Nick Brokenshire, J. Bone, Chad Bowers, Wook-Jin Clark, Colleen Coover, Kevin Church, Dennis Culver, Matt Digges, Ming Doyle, Curt O. Franklin, Ken Garing, Chris Haley, David Hahn, Phil Hester, Joe Keatinge, D.J. Kirkbride, Adam Knave, Axel Medellin, Jennifer L. Meyer, Michael Montenat, Ananth Panagariya, Thomas Perkins, Adam Rosenlund, Chris Schweitzer, Brandon Seifert, Chris Sims, Matthew Dow Smith, Paul Tobin, J. Torres, Josh Williamson and Bill Willingham, among others.
More creative teams with new titles will be announced next week at Comic-Con International during the Monkeybrain Comics panel on Friday, July 13th at 7PM.
”MonkeyBrain Comics was born out of a desire to directly explore what opportunities there were in the newly expanding digital marketplace for creator owned material,” said Chris Roberson, co-publisher of Monkeybrain Comics. “We knew from the get go that we’d want to work exclusively with comiXology, who have become the undisputed leader in the digital comics field with their platforms’ unparalleled reading and shopping experience. And we’re pleased to have so many of our close creator friends along for the ride. I can’t wait to see what fans around the world think about our first batch of releases!”
Available exclusively worldwide via comiXology’s digital platform across starting July 4th, the initial Monkey Brain Launch titles are:
MonkeyBrain Comics is a new comics imprint of Roberson and Baker’s long-running publishing company MonkeyBrain Books. Over the past decade, MonkeyBrain Books has published a line of prose novels by authors such as Phillip Jose Farmer, Michael Moorcock, Rudy Rucker, Paul Cornell and genre collections edited by such notables as Joe R. Lansdale, Lou Anders and others.
Launching their first titles on July 4th with the slogan “Independents Day” exclusively on the comiXology digital platform, Monkeybrain Comics are currently exploring following up their digital releases with trade paperback collections.
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When a product has been provided for free you will see disclosure at the bottom of the article. When such a disclosure does not exist, you can assume that the items have been purchased for review.
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