Tag Archives: brad simpson

American Psycho #1 expands the story… but is it needed?

Posted on by
American Psycho #1

American Psycho #1 is an interesting comic. It’s one I can’t tell what it’s trying to do. Is it just an extension of the original story along with a new story? Or, is it commentary about consumerism and pop culture, like it’s own version of Patrick Bateman’s rants about Huey Lewis and the News. It’s not easy figuring that out after one single issue.

The debut issue features two stories, one set during the time of the original book/film (I’ve only seen the film) and another more modern tale set in 2011.

For the first half, we’re introduced to a new character who delivers a new perspective. Patrick Bateman’s killing spree is just happening and we get to see it all from the new character’s eyes. It’s “new revelations” from the world of American Psycho and I’m not sure if seeing it from a “whole new lens” really adds much… yet. For those who dive in, things might feel a bit off with the new character, like maybe it’s all in Patrick’s head or something but nope, it’s a new psycho with his own issues and then it connects to the original.

So far, it doesn’t really add anything to that story other than New York had a lot of psychos in the 80s. There might be something more profound but it hasn’t delivered that yet.

The second story introduces a new psychopath based in 2011. With the beginning of social media, it should be interesting to see where it all goes but the setup feels more Scream than American Psycho. Like the other story, it’s hard to tell if this will really “say” anything or just be another body count. There’s also an oddity about Patrick Bateman’s killing spree being called “infamous” and it not being brought up in the second story. There really hasn’t been a chance to organically yet, but if one doesn’t mention the other, then it throws a whole lot of questions into the mix.

Writer Michael Calero has a difficult task ahead and I’m intrigued to see where it all goes but the start feels more like the property’s name is slapped on than a real deep dive as to what made the original work. It’s hard to do in one comic since the original material is actually a slow psychotic build. Maybe as a collection or if it were a graphic novel it’d read a bit better. We’ll have to wait and see as releases come out.

The art by Piotr Kowalski is good. It hits the beats and there’s some interesting details thrown in but overall the look is rather generic. It never quite embraces 80s or even 10s New York City. Nothing in the art really stands out to me about the time at all. It’s not bad, it just lacks a personality. Kowalski is joined on color by Brad Simpson and lettering by Micah Myers. Myers lettering does stand out as the narrative is mostly in a journal of the new psycho and there’s something about the lettering that gives us insight into who this person is. It’s both controlled and off at the same time.

American Psycho #1 isn’t a bad comic but it just doesn’t deliver the same witty commentary of its source material. It’s just the first issue though and this is likely going to be a miniseries that’ll have to be judged on the whole and not individual parts.

Story: Michael Calero Art: Piotr Kowalski
Color: Brad Simpson Letterer: Micah Myers
Story: 7.0 Art: 7.25 Overall: 7.0 Recommendation: Read

Sumerian provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: TFAW – Zeus Comics

Meet Deadly Bounty Hunter Cyn in Ibrahim Moustafa’s Brand New Western Sci-Fi Epic

Posted on by

Humanoids has announced a brand new original graphic novel Cyn. From acclaimed comics creator Ibrahim Moustafa, colorist Brad Simpson, and letterer Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, comes a Western-tinged sci-fi tale of savagery and salvation, where one woman’s road to redemption leads through a distant frontier as harsh and unforgiving as her own past. Available in March 2024.

Fleeing her bloody past as the masked cybernetic government enforcer known as Cyn, Meris is discovered unconscious by a former medic and his two adopted daughters.

As they nurse her back to health and she struggles to adapt to a world far from the brutal life she was forced to lead as Cyn, two things become clear: her past isn’t ready to let her go, and she isn’t the only one whose dark, secret history is threatening to destroy their present.

Cyn

Local Man #5 wraps up what will hopefully continue

Posted on by
Local Man #5

Half dead and all out of F#¢K$, Local Man is left brutally beaten by a man he once considered a father. Now, trapped in the 4th Gen Training Facility, he’s stalked by the true killer of the Hodag, and Third Gen isn’t coming to help him when he needs them most! Local Man #5 wraps up the series and leaves a world begging to be explored further.

Tim Seeley and Tony Fleecs have put together and intriguing series that feels like an homage to 90s Image Comics but at the same time, it’s own thing. Local Man #5 answers our questions as to the motives and who committed the murder of Crossjack’s, aka Local Man’s, nemesis and generally what was being done. It’s all rather convoluted and you just role with it but where Fleecs and Seeley are willing to go with the series is impressive. This isn’t a series that wrapped things up neatly, no, there’s some hot button issues touched upon in this finale and it’s delivered without issue. If anything, it’s all thrown in so quickly, it’d be nice if the series was expanded and some of what’s brought up and revealed was given more focus and thus more of an emotional punch.

And while that’s entertaining enough, there’s also a “retro” story focused on Fourth Gen. More connections to Image’s past is laid out but it also puts a lot on Crusader and the overall plan of the series. It all begs to be fleshed out more and explored further. There’s a hell of a lot here.

Fleecs and Seeley handle the art for one of the sections with color by Brad Simpson on one and Felipe Sobriero on the other. The art has been solid and this issue continues that. What has been interesting is how the style of the “retro” story has evolved slightly over the years as the story has moved through the years as well. The look, like the overall series, evokes classic Image superhero comics but at the same time stands on its own.

Local Man #5 is a solid finale and with that ending, we’ll hopefully get more. It has been a fantastic example of adding to what has come before but also doing your own thing. The series has opened up a whole world building on classic Image superheroes while at the same time carving its own path.

Story: Tony Fleecs, Tim Seeley Art: Tony Fleecs, Tim Seeley Color: Brad Simpson, Felipe Sobriero
Story: 8.0 Art: 8.0 Overall: 8.0 Recommendation: Buy

Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle

Discover the secrets of Anwat Gar in Masters of the Universe: Forge of Destiny

Posted on by

Dark Horse Comics and Mattel present Masters of the Universe: Forge of Destiny, a prequel comic series to the hit Netflix series Masters of the Universe: Revelations. This new series is scripted by experienced Masters of the Universe writer Tim Seeley, illustrated by Eddie Nuñez, colored by Brad Simpson, and lettered by AndWorld Design. The first issue will also include two variant covers by Freddie Williams II and Javier Rodriguez.

On the world of Eternia, a fragile balance exists between science and magic–a balance kept by the universe’s mightiest hero, He-Man! On a peaceful mission to the island nation of Anwat Gar, the royal Eternian caravan comes under attack by the minions of the evil Skeletor. And on the island itself, the nefarious Evil-Lyn sets in motion a plan that could lead to all-out war!

Masters of the Universe: Forge of Destiny #1 (of 4) arrives in comic shops September 6, 2023. It is now available to pre-order for $3.99 at your local comic shop.

Local Man #4 begins to lift the veil to the truth

Posted on by
Local Man #4

This is it! A clue has lead Local Man, aka Crossjack, to an abandoned quarry where the truth of the murders and what’s going on is sort of revealed!? Conflict has been building to this as the veil is lifted and in the past we find out why Camo Crusader hate Crossjack so much! Local Man #4 puts a lot of the pieces of the puzzle together as a clearer picture is formed.

Tony Fleecs with color by Brad Simpson handles Crossjack’s story in the modern day. Crossjack has kind of stumbled upon what’s going on and that continues here playing off the fact he’s really only good at one thing. And we get an idea of what has been going on and why villains are being murdered in a small town. It all kind of works, with an explanation you just kind of need to roll with and feels rather 90s villain in a way. So, it fits the comic quite well.

There’s some issues with this particular part of the comic with some things just not explained, like the cop just happening to get into the facility and a fight that feels like it ends a bit too quickly and never quite has the feel of a threat like it should. But, it works, especially bringing together the flashback stories and connecting them to the current conflict.

Tim Seeley with color by Felipe Sobriero handle the flashback which makes it clear by Camo Crusader hates Crossjack so much and what got Crossjack booted from Third Gen. It’s all rather interesting though sort of predictable. The specifics not so much but the big picture was laid out some time ago. What it does is really put more on the reveal in the modern day. It makes Camo Crusader a character that’s far more interesting than some religious fundamentalist “hero” and there’s a lot to chew on as far as that.

The comic’s art continues to be solid, both in the present and past. It looks great with both a modern and retro feel about it, continuing its wink and nod to Image’s past. The conflict never quite has the tension it should, the only real knock on the art, that could have been conveyed in the body language and facial expressions of the characters. That emotional connection is missing which knocks things a bit.

Overall, Local Man #4 continues to be an intriguing and entertaining series. Some of it has been predictable but its specifics haven’t been But, most importantly, it makes me want more of these characters and world so we can explore the interesting concepts within a bit more.

Story: Tony Fleecs, Tim Seeley Art: Tony Fleecs, Tim Seeley
Color: Brad Simpson, Felipe Sobreiro
Story: 8.05 Art: 8.05 Overall: 8.05 Recommendation: Buy

Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle

Dark Horse and T-Pub partner to publish The Many Deaths of Barnaby James

Posted on by

Dark Horse Books presents The Many Deaths of Barnaby James, the first graphic novel to be published from a new partnership with T-Pub. The gothic fantasy was written by Brian Nathanson and Neil Gibson, illustrated by Piotr Kowalski, colored by Brad Simpson, and lettered and designed by Saida Temofonte.

Every year, the circus comes to town. However, “The Black Top” isn’t like any circus you’ve seen before—its performers were once dead. They’ve been resurrected by their fearsome ringmaster, Azlon, who commands that they do his bidding. Among them, Barnaby James, a young gravedigger, requests that Azlon resurrect the love of his (former) life, Delilah. Time and time again, his pleas are rejected. Frustrated, Barnaby decides to steal Azlon’s magic wand and bring back Delilah himself. On his desperate journey to find her, Barnaby must overcome murderers, cannibals and sex slavers–not to mention the full fury of Azlon–or he might just find himself dead… again.

Phillip Kobylanski, President of Gale Anne Hurd’s Valhalla Entertainment (“The Walking Dead,” The Youtube Effect), shepherded the development of the novel with T-Pub. Valhalla has also partnered with Dark Horse on an adaptation of the novel that will bring the story to the screen.

The Many Deaths of Barnaby James TPB (136 pages, 6.625 x 10.1875”) arrives in bookstores December 12, 2023 and into comic shops December 13, 2023. It is now available to pre-order for $24.99 at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and your local comic shop and indie bookstore.

The Many Deaths of Barnaby James

Local Man #3 ups the mystery and body count

Posted on by
Local Man #3

The hero formerly known as Crossjack is on the hunt for a murderer, a trail that leads him directly to a self-help guru who was once his sworn enemy: the villain known as Frightside. Now, the “Local Man” must find out what she knows before his high school sweetheart’s cop husband throws him in a cell. Meanwhile, in the past, Crossjack and Neon battle demons and angels (both real and psychological) at the end of the world. Local Man #3 continues a hell of a series that delivers even more mystery to the murder(s).

Written by Tony Fleecs and Tim Seeley, Local Man #3 continues one hell of a series. While the first two issues really focused on who Crossjack is, Local Man #3 pivots a bit focusing more on the murder of his former nemesis. Crossjack is on a mission to solve the case and suspects are added and removed in the issue. There’s something solid in the series teasing a tie to the past while keeping things focused on the present. The flip book nature of it all does an excellent job of fleshing out the world and mystery. In this case, we get to see a big battle and find out more about Crossjack and Neon’s past relationship. It’s some interesting info that gives motive for an individual to set up Crossjack for the murder of Hodag.

But what’s also nice is a bit of a grounded aspect to the series. Crossjack means well but this issue has him dogged a little at his incompetence. Hodag, though a villain, is shown in a way that makes you feel sorry for what happened to him. And, we get a new character whose shady past is clear but also comes off as rather… human. The series has done a great job of grounding these godlike people.

The art continues to be great as well with the modern “Farmington” aspect featuring art by Fleecs and color by Brad Simpson and the “Third Gen” retro art handled by Seeley with color by Felipe Sobriero. The comic does an excellent job of delivering two distinct styles and looks but the same character, just from two different time periods. The retro story does an excellent job of nailing down the style of the past. It’s an amazing balance between the two that works so well toghether.

Local Man #3 continues a fantastic series that’ll leave readers guessing as to what will happen next and who’s behind the murder. And thankfully, we’re not just getting that but a tease of battles from yesteryear. Altogether, it delivers a series and world we want more of.

Story: Tony Fleecs, Tim Seeley Art: Tony Fleecs, Tim Seeley
Color: Brad Simpson, Felipe Sobriero
Story: 8.3 Art: 8.3 Overall: 8.3 Recommendation: Buy

Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – Kindle

Local Man #2 gives us a reason to connect with Jack

Posted on by
Local Man #2

Once the star recruit of the media sensation super-team Third Gen, Jack Xavier is now a prime suspect in the murder of his archenemy The Hodag. Local Man #2 takes us on the next steps of the murder mystery and does some impressive things along the way.

Written by Tony Fleecs and Tim Seeley, Local Man #2 takes the solid first issue and builds on it in multiple ways. The series is a new concept as well as tying into Image “history,” some of it real and some of it not. Jack is kicked out of his superhero group, back home in a small town. He’s been threatened with lawsuits that prevents him from being a superhero again. The first issue presented Jack as a screw-up but hinted that wasn’t the whole story. Here, Fleecs and Seeley keep that aspect to Jack but at the same time build a lot of reasons to have sympathy for him.

In the debut issue we got hints as to why Jack was kicked out of Third Gen and presented in a retro story that the heroes of Third Gen might actually be the issue. In Local Man #2 we get hints as to why Jack was kicked out and again that these heroes aren’t all that great. That helps get us more on Jack’s side. But really puts him over is the murder of The Hodag. Jack is the prime suspect which means he’s dragged in front of the police where he’s of course innocent. His treatment, is enough to get a sense this is a guy trying to good and getting shat on. And, those that around him come at him with a negative opinion just due to his previous occupation. It’s more than enough to win readers over.

There’s also a sadness to it all. Mixed with the retro story, we see a bright star who has fallen due to multiple reasons. You get to see the shine and the dull rust that has built up. There’s an aspect to the chew them up and spit them out of celebrity of it all that makes Jack more a washup influencer than anything else.

The art by Fleecs and Seeley is great. They’re joined by Brad Simpson and Felipe Sobreiro on color. The two different stories are fantastic with their mix of modern and retro styles. There’s a great sadness to it all as well in the visuals where Jack comes off as a shlub in some ways. But, there’s moments of emotion and sadness that nails it. The comic’s visuals are perfect for the stories they deliver.

Local Man #2 is another fantastic issue of a series that’s far more than one more deconstruction of superheroes. It delivers a core about celebrity, bias, and the legacy we leave. It’s a comic that entertains and has a message underneath that’s far too easy to relate to.

Story: Tony Fleecs, Tim Seeley Art: Tony Fleecs, Tim Seeley
Color: Brad Simpson, Felipe Sobreiro
Story: 8.75 Art: 8.75 Overall: 8.75 Recommendation: Buy

Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – comiXology/Kindle

Preview: The Karman Line

Posted on by

The Karman Line

(W) Dennis Hopeless (A) Piotr Kowalski (C) Brad Simpson (L) Chas! Pangburn

It’s all sex, lies and betrayal on a reality show streaming from space until the crew receives a message reading “ABORT MISSION AND GET HOME NOW”. Things unravel quickly as they find their shuttle damaged and a crew member dead. They’ll have to fight to survive and escape… With cameras recording everything.

Harvey and GLAAD Award winning writer Dennis Hopeless (All New X-Men, Love STRUCK, Sea of Stars), Artist Piotr Kowalski (Bloodborne, God of Tremors), Colorist Brad Simpson (Stray Dogs, Coffin Bound) and Ringo Award winning editor and letterer Chas! Pangburn (Metalshark Bro, River of Sin) team up to launch Mad Cave’s first all-original graphic novel designed to explore the human condition.

The Karman Line

Almighty #1 is a frustrating start

Posted on by
Almighty #1

The year is 2098 in a Third World America ravaged by economic collapse, anarcho-warfare, and a mysterious environmental disaster contained behind a massive wall. A girl has been abducted, and a killer has been hired to find her and bring her home. That setup for Almighty #1 sounds like an intriguing read but unfortunately the debut falls a bit short of being truly exciting and interesting.

Written by Edward Laroche, Almighty #1 delivers a pretty typical post-apocalyptic story. It hints at the world and the history which is far more interesting than the simple rescue and chase presented. A girl is being held by horrible people and a mysterious individual rescues her and takes her on the run from more horrible people who want her back. It’s not complicated and it’s something we’ve seen many times over with little to make it stand out. It doesn’t make it bad at all, it’s just very bland and typical missing out on chances to stand out from the pack.

Where Almighty #1 does stand out is its mysteries. We don’t know much about this abducted girl and why she’s wanted back nor her rescuer. There might lie the more interesting aspects of the comic, but as presented, it’s a tease and a dance than the clear focus of the series to come.

Laroche’s art though stands out. With Brad Simpson on color and lettering by Jaymes Reed, Almighty #1 features interesting characters and design choices that each tell a bit of the story. They’re hints at a world that’s far more interesting than the story presented. The rescuer Fale’s eyes and tattoos hint at a much deeper story and background than simple bounty hunter hired to bring an abducted person home. Small details like a car traveling down a highway tell so much about the world. There’s clearly a lot of thought put into all of that and it does stand out. It’s a world with a story that I want to learn more about.

Almighty #1 isn’t a bad debut, it’s just a teaser of what’s to come and it’s pretty standard. People are on the run and people are pursuing them. Beyond that, it’s a thin for plot but there’s potential here. Laroche has teased an intriguing world and hopefully that exploration delivers an interesting read. As is though, it’s a story we’ve seen far too many times.

Story: Edward Laroche Art: Edward Laroche
Color: Brad Simpson Letterer: Jaymes Reed
Story: 7.0 Art: 8.1 Overall: 7.0 Recommendation: Read

Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Zeus Comics – comiXology/Kindle

« Older Entries Recent Entries »