Tag Archives: bek: black-eyed kids

AfterShock and comiXology Team Up for Exclusive Digital Connection Covers

For the first time, AfterShock and comiXology have partnered to provide limited-time exclusive digital connecting covers across several exciting titles. These covers will only be available to add to your digital collection via the comiXology platform until May 11, 2017.

Issues included are InSEXts #10 (Marguerite Bennett & Ariela Kristantina), Rough Riders: Riders on the Storm #2 (Adam Glass & Patrick Olliffe), Black-Eyed Kids #12 (Joe Pruett & Szymon Kudranski), Shipwreck #4 (Warren Ellis & Phil Hester), Animosity #6 (Marguerite Bennett & Rafael de Latorre), Jackpot! #5 (Ray Fawkes & Georges Duarte), and Captain Kid #5 (Mark Waid, Tom Peyer & Wilfredo Torres). The connecting covers were illustrated by Mike Zagari and colored by Gabe Eltaeb.

Each digital comic will be released over the course of the next month, but can be pre-ordered right now! You’ll need to act fast, as time is extremely limited to get these exclusive digital covers.

Review: Black Eyed Kids #3

black eyed kids #3Meredith kidnapped by the BEK. Jim and Lara uncover a confusing connection to the past. A police officer makes a gruesome discovery. The BEK gas station shooter’s plan begins to unfold.

Aftershock Comics has been impressing me with their line up of series that span genres and give you the chance to check out a little bit of everything. Black Eyed Kids falls clearly in the horror camp as the series has built upon the mystery at the center of it all.

Writer Joe Pruett has built a horror series on top of a thriller where the mythology is teased bit by bit. We learn as the kidnapped writer Meredith learns, and that’s not a whole lot. At the same time other characters take action on the little information they know, which is about what we the readers know as well. In other words, this is one of the few stories where the reader is as in the dark as the characters, allowing us to relate more to the situations they’re going through.

And it’s uneasy, very uneasy. Humans are referred to as cattle, bodies pile up, people are slaughtered, all due to some mysterious force. Pruett hooks the reader by not revealing too much.

Pruett is helped by artist Szymon Kudranski whose style adds to the atmosphere, something he’s mastered during his work on Spawn. The shadows add to the vibe and the black eyed kids are downright creepy as all hell. Yet, through all of that, the world presented feels very real and somewhat mundane, adding to the experience.

I’m not a big horror fan, yet this series has me hooked. Aftershock is delivering with each series and issue, and this is no exception. A must for those who enjoy horror.

Story: Joe Pruett Art: Szymon Kudranski
Story: 8 Art: 8 Overall: 8 Recommendation: Read

Graphic Policy’s Top Comic Picks this Week!

Dept H #1 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.

Patrick

Top Pick: Dept. H #1 (Dark Horse) – Matt Kindt’s work would be enjoyable even if they published the book with all the words spelled backwards. His visual storytelling inspires the mind and the inner artist. His new direction with this book is very exciting.

All-New Hawkeye #4 (Marvel) – Do you ever feel like people who read Hawkeye hit you over the head with how good it is? That they just don’t shut up about? Because if you’re not reading Hawkeye, somebody SHOULD be hitting you over the head until you are. Notify me and I’ll get someone on that. I’ve been very happy with this Lemire’s work following Faction’s run.

BEK: Black-Eyed Kids #1 (Aftershock) – I have really been enjoying Aftershock each month. Their new book will hopefully be as creepy and unnerving as the cover.

Clean Room #7 (Vertigo) – There’s something about Clean Room, something about it’s grotesque imagery yet clean visuals that allows this horror story to really stand out. I enjoyed the first arc and I really feel like Gail Simone has built a strong foundation to build upon.

Tokyo Ghost #6 (Image) – If Sean Murphy keyed my car once a month, I would still look forward to seeing it. If Rick Remender was telling him what to do with the key, I would not only continue to pay $4 a month to see how it had turned out, I would gladly explain it all to Hyundai when my lease was up.

 

Alex

Top Pick: Divinity II #1 (Valiant) – I’ve only just finished the first Divinity, and it was phenomenal. I can’t wait to get started on this. Cannot bloody wait.

Bloodshot Reborn #12 (Valiant) – The current story arc, The Analog Man, features some of the best looking artwork out there. It’s also a cool story with a very Mad Max aesthetic.

Howard The Duck #6 (Marvel) – Always a treat to read this series; Zdarsky’s humour is right up my alley.

Huck #6 (Image) – The first of two Superman like characters on this list, Huck is one of the better Millar books of recent times (of course I haven’t read the Jupiter series yet). Even though this s the final issue, I have no idea how it’ll all wrap up, especially because it feels like it’s only just about begun.

Hyperion #2 (Marvel) – Is here for the same reason it was last month. Hyperion may hit someone with a transfer truck swung like a baseball bat.

 

Paul

Top Pick: Extraordinary X-Men #9 (Marvel) – I have been really enjoying this book from the get go, and I’ll admit when I heard time travel in the story, I rolled my eyes. HOWEVER, I am really looking forward to see the X-Men in the future, joined by their teacher, facing off against Apocalypse and his horsemen; I always enjoy seeing new mutants imagined as horsemen and how they fit the roles of war, famine, pestilence and death.  I’m sure we won’t be disappointed.

Captain Marvel #4 (Marvel) – I’m a huge fan of Carol, and Abigail Brand is always a welcome addition to any title…but to be honest, my biggest draw to this book is Alpha Flight!  Well the three members we have; Aurora, Sasquatch and Puck have been out of the pages for far too long.  All the reboots and re-launches going on, why hasn’t anyone taken a look at Alpha Flight?  There is major potential there…just saying.

New Avengers #10 (Marvel) – Even with the American Kaiju and the New Avenger’s Power Rangers inspired mecha robot *yawn*, this title has definitely picked up steam with the tie in to Pleasant Hill.  These Avengers are fighting in the name of A.I.M., we should be rooting for them, right?  Lines are being drawn, not just with the team, but all the Avengers, and it’s a pleasant surprise to see this title stepping up.

Uncanny Inhumans #7 (Marvel) – I’m really liking the idea of Black Bolt’s ‘Quiet Room’, and really enjoyed that last issue showing the various Inhumans helping him keep the piece in his club.  And now there is an investigation under way…and the Capo., thought dead, is making a play to regain his power.  Never a dull moment for ol’ Black Bolt.

 

Javier

Top Pick: Clean Room #7 (Vertigo) – I only read it with the lights on. This sure to be disturbing issue is an Astrid stand alone story.

East of West #25 (Image) – Year two comes to an end after three years. Wait that does’t sound right. Double-checked, it’s an accurate statement. Hickman and Dragotta get a pass because it is damn good apocalyptic storytelling.

Gutter Magic #4 (IDW Publishing) – The end to another good story. Only four issues of this epic sci-fi/fantasy alternative history epic. I got my fingers crosses for future arcs.

Karnak #3 (Marvel) – If you are going to make me wait for like five months, then it better be good. This new philosophically bent Karnak is a blast to read—that is when an issue finally makes it to market.

 

Brett

Top Pick: Superman: American Alien #6/Superman: Lois and Clark #7 (DC Comics) – The best two Superman comics DC has going right now. Both in their own ways are great explorations of the characters and both show off what makes him great.

Captain Canuck #8 (Chapter House Comics) – Every issue is fun and entertaining. Great superhero comics without the gritty grim.

Carver: Paris Story #3 (Z2 Comics) – Just awesome gritty noir.

Dept H #1 (Dark Horse) – Matt Kindt’s new series? Done! Did you read his Mind MGMT from Dark Horse? It’s excellent. This first issue is excellent. An absolutely must buy.

Divinity II #1 (Valiant) – The first volume was absolutely amazing and this is a series I’ve been looking forward to since its announcement. I’m expecting nothing but excellence here.