Category Archives: Random

Review: Klaus #3

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Klaus_003_A_Main

Klaus continues to develop into an exceedingly interesting and nuanced world. More than the conflict itself, the imaginative interpretation of folklore is fascinating.

If the story of a winter ghost visiting children one by one every year was somehow not engaging enough for you, Grant Morrison has a new Santa story that may catch your interest. Here Santa is a wild man trying to save the sorrowful town of Grimsvig from the joyless rule of Magnus, who has outlawed Yuletide celebrations under the guise of trying to increase output from the coal mine the town’s men work in. Santa, or rather Klaus, has known the town in better days and seeks to return happiness and celebration to it.

Klaus began as really interesting concept released close enough to Christmas to really make the book fun. After the first issue, it seemed a shame that it was only part of a six-issue miniseries and that the story would not conclude until well after Christmas came and went. It seemed to be a real missed opportunity. However, with each issue the story unveils more and more of itself and further piques interest. Though everything continues to be an assimilation of Christmas iconography, it is done in such a way that that it expands the interest in the world beyond simply a passing seasonal investment. At this point, the tragedy is not that the story didn’t finish in time for Christmas, it’s that the story will end at all when such an interesting setting continues to unfold each issue.

The characters are obviously familiar. Not simply Klaus in his representation of Santa but relationships like the romantic connection between Klaus and Magnus’s wife, Dagmar. However, the way this world continues to set itself apart from expectation and traditional folklore prevents anything from cliché or tired.

The story works the imagination, trying to anticipate what goes on beyond the pages. The living toys that Klaus creates, are they related to the living wood he cut from a dead tree? Is the dark spirit dwelling within the coal mind the story’s version of Krampus? Seldom is a reader given so much in a story that they care to ask what lies ahead. It’s that suspense and curiosity that makes this book such a strong seller.

Keeping up with the great Grant Morrison, Dan Mora does a marvelous job creating the visual aesthetic for this book. From the hulking yet approachable Klaus to the beauty of the woodland spirits, Mora continues to prove to be a fantastic choice developing this character and creating this world.

Story: Grant Morrison Art: Dan Mora
Story: 8 Art: 7 Overall: 7.5 Recommendation: Buy

BOOM! Studios provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

A first Look at the Marvel Universe Miniature Game Character Cards

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We’ve got a first look at the character cards for Knight Models‘ upcoming game Marvel Universe Miniature Game.

It looks like the company has done a decent job at capturing some of the flavor of not just comic books, but even some of the fighting video games that have featured comic characters. They have some solid details of not just the name they might be known as such as Iron Man, but also their regular name, such as Tony Stark. This is important in that you can only have the same “real name” once on your team. So two version of Iron Man with Tony Stark would be out. But, you can have a Steve Rogers Captain America as well as a Sam Wilson Captain America.

As we explained previously, Power is how much a character has to spend each turn to do things. Speed is broken in to multiple movement sets which cost different amounts. There’s strength, an attack skill, agility, stamina, and willpower. Attack is what you’d use to do exactly that, while agility allows you to dodge, and stamina would be how much you get damaged.

In the defense section there’s a shield, brain, star, and Eye of Agamotto, which is used to defend against physical, mental, energy, and supernatural attacks.

Skills, we don’t know much about other than they’ll be explained in the rulebook. We don’t know the extent of skills and exactly what they do other than adding to various aspects of the character.

The level section is used to figure out the affiliation, which is part of the way you put together your team and the number helps balance the game for team building.

With attacks, we discussed in earlier posts that you’ll only be able to use attacks a certain amount of times such as every turn, as much as you can, or once per game. Special powers is a similar thing, with a frequency, and with different effects.

Endurance is the final section and as a character is damaged they get weaker and receive bonuses or negatives depending on the section. When you get to the red section, if you fail a stamina roll you’ll get KO’ed and be out of the game.

As a whole, the character cards are an interesting aspect making an easy to understand way to add new characters to the game and quickly see the abilities. As it has been laid out, you can see how the game will take shape as far as movement, attacks, and defense.

The more I’m seeing, the more I’m looking forward to this hitting my tabletop.

Marvel Universe Miniature Game Character Cards

(via Tales of a Tabletop Skirmisher)

Satan’s Hollow: An All New Terrifying Tale From Zenescope Entertainment!

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This March, Zenescope Entertainment brings you a brand new horror series that explores the decades old urban myth of Satan’s Hollow, a place that some say is a direct path to the underworld. And, twenty years later, the legend continues with a survivor’s return to the hellish town, albeit with an immensely evil companion…

Writer Joe Brusha and interior artist Allan Otero combine their talents to make up Satan’s Hollow’s creative team, with covers by: Caio Cacau, Abhiskeh Malsuni, and Pasquale Qualano.

Local comic shops are ordering Satan’s Hollow until February 29th, 2016, so those interested in reserving a copy should contact their local comic shop with the following Diamond Order codes: JAN161847, JAN161848, JAN161849, JAN161850.

The Fix—Perfect for crime genre lovers

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The Fix #1The Eisner-award nominated team of bestselling writer Nick Spencer and artist Steve Lieber are in cahoots again for an all-new, ongoing crime series, The Fix, which will be launching from Image Comics this April.

The Fix is a story of the crooked cops, scheming mobsters, and corrupt politicians that run Los Angeles—and the sex toy that can bring them all down. Oh, and the hero is a drug-sniffing beagle named Pretzels. Bad people do bad things to each other in this frenetic, outrageous, sometimes off-putting new caper that gives nod to classic crime comics like Criminal and 100 Bullets.

The Fix #1 (Diamond Code FEB160465) will hit comic book stores on Wednesday, April 6th. The final order cutoff deadline for comic book retailers is Monday, March 14th.

Join Our Team!

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Graphic Policy is always on the hunt for talented contributors. If you’re interested in becoming involved with one of the internet’s most unique, fastest-growing entertainment and pop culture websites, now’s your chance!

Please note that all of the positions offered by Graphic Policy are volunteer positions. Our staff runs this site because we love comics, politics, pop culture, games, movies, television and geekdom.

We can not guarantee anything but your name in the writing credits (perfect for someone building a portfolio), but we will work with you to help you cover and write about the things you’re interested in.

Graphic Policy will open up its ability to obtain review copies, press passes and more for those who regularly post to the site. Your posts belong to you and you are free to post them here and other sites as well!

All applicants must be over the age of 18 years old and have excellent writing skills.

Please fill out the form below and let us know more about you, and what you’d like to write about and cover.

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Thank you for your response. ✨






A Historical Evening with Danny Fingeroth

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flyerTwo Wednesdays ago, on January 20, the counter guy at Midtown Comics handed me this flyer for an event they were sponsoring. There was a lot of information in it, but what immediately caught my eye was the opportunity to take a selfie with the Batmobile. Sold! Off to the New York Historical Society Museum & Library I went, later that evening.batmobile

I got there a little after six, and as promised, got my selfie; but there was so much more. They had a troupe of cosplayers walking around providing ample photo opportunities, followed by a Parade of Superheroes at 7:00 PM.

There was a fantastic Superheroes in Gotham exhibition that included both Marvel and DC characters (which unfortunately prohibited picture taking, but below is a photo I may or may not have taken of an original art page from Amazing Fantasy #15), originalartworkand a Batman exhibit honoring both Bob Kane and Bill Finger.

Then, at 7:30 PM came the slide show–Superhero New York: Real and Imaginary. I almost skipped out on it (it started at 7:30 PM and ran for an hour, which with my long commute meant I was looking at Midnight for home). I’m happy to say, I stuck it out.

It proved to be a solid presentation by Danny Fingeroth. He made me realize how little I know about the industry I claim to love so much. I knew next to nothing about where Jack Kirby, Stan Lee, Steve Ditko, Will Eisner, and many of the ‘old’ greats hailed from, where they went to school, and where they grew up. He discussed the impact growing up in the gritty streets of New York had on their work; and he talked about their friendships, their falling outs, and more. He took us deep inside their work offices, into the bullpen; and he showcased historic comic book inspired landmarks.

fingerothThen, looking around at the large diverse audience sitting around me, I realized how much things have changed within the short time span I have lived in the comic book world. Here I was at a serious academic lecture, featuring comic books. I’m not sure that this sort of thing would have garnered the audience it did today, twenty odd years ago–not to mention the setting: The NY Historical Society Museum & Library on the Upper West Side. I was totally digging the scene. Danny Fingeroth has encouraged me to seek out more, to read more (I also purchases a signed copy of his Superman on the Couch with a Foreword by Stan Lee), and to learn more about the rich history of the comic book world—and I can start with NYC’s own comic book tour here.

Simon Bisley draws blood with Vampblade!

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Action Lab: Danger Zone’s newest hit series, Vampblade is getting an extra boost of cool. The company has released two new limited edition covers by one of the greatest artists on the planet, Simon Bisley!

Simon’s Vampblade covers are an AOD Collectables exclusive coinciding with the release of the first Vampblade Trade-paperback collection.The standard Bisley edition is limited to 2500 copies, and the risqué version will be limited to 1500 copies. Both covers will be available this May and orderable in the March Previews catalog.

Retailers and fans can still order copies of the first issues of this new ongoing series springing from the pages of Danger Zone’s popular Zombie Tramp series. Issue one is due to hit stores February 3rd, with subsequent issues following monthly.

Vampblade order codes:
issue 1 NOV15 1004-1010
issue 2 DEC15 0935-0940
issue 3 JAN16 1007-1012

Bisley variant order codes:
DEC158278 – reg/9.99
DEC158279 – risque/19.99

Vampblade_issuenumber1_cover_AODregular_variant_solicit Vampblade_issuenumber1_cover_AODrisque_variant_solicit

All Out War Comes to Road to Survival!

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Skybound has announced that Update 2.2 has arrived for the video game The Walking Dead: Road to Survival. With the highly anticipated All Out War looming on the horizon, factions will be pit against factions in the battle for supremacy and control. It’s a test of skill, guts, glory, and ambition, that only the strong can survive.

Alongside this new faction battle system, there are new specialist skills ready to be released that will help shake up the way battles unfold in new and exciting ways.

Download the new update and hop in the game now to check out all the new content, and make sure to be ready for War, because it looks as though a certain foul-mouthed mega villain could be on the way…

The Walking Dead Road to Survival All Out War

Gameplay: Legends of Andor

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We crack open and show off the board game Legends of Andor with some game play!

By Kosmos, Legends of Andor is a cooperative adventure board game for two to four players in which a band of heroes must work together to defend a fantasy realm from invading hordes. To secure Andor’s borders, the heroes will embark on dangerous quests over the course of five unique scenarios (as well as a final scenario created by the players themselves). But as the clever game system keeps creatures on the march toward the castle, the players must balance their priorities carefully.

At the heart of Legends of Andor is its unique narrative, the linked scenarios of which tell an overarching story as the players successfully complete objectives. For each scenario, or “Legend”, a legend deck conveys the plot of an ever-unfolding tale…one in which the players are the protagonists. A wooden marker moves along the board’s legend track at key points during each scenario, triggering the draw of a new legend card, the introduction of new game-altering effects, and the advancement of the story’s plot. In the end, the players must endeavor to guide the fate of Andor through their heroic actions, bringing a happy ending to their epic fantasy tale.

Will their heroes roam the land completing quests in the name of glory, or devote themselves to the defense of the realm? Uncover epic tales of glory as you live the Legends of Andor!

You can purchase your own copy.

Kosmos provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review.

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and make a purchase, we’ll receive a percentage of the sale. Graphic Policy does purchase items from this site. Making purchases through these links helps support the site.

Tyler Lives! Fight Club 2 Scratch-and-Sniff Bookmark Contest Revival

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Fight Club 2 bookmarksDark Horse Comics has provided 10,000 scratch-and-sniff bookmarks, numbered to correspond to clues in the final issues of Fight Club 2, to select comic shops around the United States!

The scratch-and-sniff bookmarks were produced by Chuck Palahniuk as a special thank-you for the strong support comic shop retailers have shown for Fight Club 2. Retailers are encouraged to reward their loyal customers, especially those reading the corresponding issue, with this special giveaway item.

Each of the numbered scents is representative of a smell from a specific panel in each of the final five issues of Fight Club 2. Fans can visit JoinProjectMayhem.com and try to correctly identify all five scents for a chance to win special prizes for themselves and for their store.

One grand-prize winner will be chosen at random (along with the retailer of their choice) to receive an exclusive Fight Club 2 prize pack that includes a subscription to the series, promo items, and more! Additionally, ten runners-up will receive a copy of the Fight Club 2 hardcover signed by Chuck Palahniuk (as will their retailer of choice).

Dark Horse Comics announced the first round of the scratch-and-sniff bookmark contest at San Diego Comic Con International 2015, in support of the acclaimed Fight Club 2 series, which is written by Chuck Palahniuk, illustrated by Cameron Stewart and colored by Dave Stewart, with covers by David Mack.

Dark Horse will also be making a handful of bookmarks available to Diamond registered retailers who simply need to email Bookmark@DarkHorse.com with their name, store name, and Diamond account number to be entered into the contest. Winners will be selected at random and will be notified by Friday, April 15, 2016.

For more details on Fight Club 2 scratch-and-sniff bookmark contest, to enter the contest, or to find a comics retailer who has been sent bookmarks by Dark Horse, please check out their website.

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