Just a few days until Gen Con begins!!! Who is going to be there?
Around the Tubes
CBR – Vertigo’s “Collider” Now Titled “FBP: Federal Bureau of Physics” – Well that sucks.
Bleeding Cool – What Were They Thinking? – Extraño – Huh.
The Beat – Retailer Brian Hibbs quits ComicPRO, but it wasn’t over DC Villain allocation – Doubted it was over one thing.
Around the Tubes Reviews
CBR – Dial H #15
Bleeding Cool – Quantum And Woody #2
CBR – Sidekick #1
Collider #1
It started small: temporary gravity failures, time reversal loops, entropy reversals. With much fanfare a new government agency was formed with a mandate “to prevent and protect.” Its official title: The Federal Bureau of Physics. Humans, if nothing else, adapt to the changing parameters of their existence. What was extraordinary soon became ordinary, a part of people’s daily lives. They move on and do what people have always done: survive. But even that new status quo is now under threat. Things are getting worse, and it falls to Special Agent Adam Hardy and his FBP team to figure out what’s going on, before it’s too late…
Vertigo has been having a bit of a renaissance lately, pumping out some amazing indie comics from some top talent. Collider is one of their latest releases whose concept is unique and when I first heard about it, I though it just sounded so cool.
The first issue is pretty damn impressive with the concept meeting my high expectations. The story was entertaining with flawed characters that made them very relatable. The fact they’re slightly screw-ups is what makes it pretty fun comic and also keeps you on your toes as to what might happen.
On top of the cool story by Simon Oliver is Robbi Rodriguez‘s art which just feels like something you’d find in a Vertigo comic. It has a vibe similar to that of super-star artist Rafael Albuquerque. Nice work overall. I dug it.
The world itself opens itself up to so many possibilities as to what’s to come. The series has a lot of potential with a pretty unique concept and a set-up that’s entertaining.
Story: Simon Oliver Art: Robbi Rodriguez
Story: 8 Art: 8 Overall: 8 Recommendation: Buy
Trillium #1
It’s the year 3797, and botanist Nika Temsmith is researching a strange species on a remote science station near the outermost rim of colonized space. It’s the year 1921, and renowned English explorer William Pike leads an expedition into the dense jungles of Peru in search of the fabled “Lost Temple of the Incas,” an elusive sanctuary said to have strange healing properties. Two disparate souls separated by thousands of years and hundreds of millions of miles. Yet they will fall in love and, as a result, bring about the end of the universe. Even though reality is unraveling all around them, nothing can pull them apart. This isn’t just a love story; It’s the LAST love story ever told.
This 8-issue series comes from the brilliant mind of Jeff Lemire who does double duty as the writer and artist. The first issue blew me away, living up to the deserved hype and praise. The first issue is a 28-pages of story in a flip-book with two covers and two separate but connected stories. Those two stories come together in the middle of the book in an interesting way to really changes your perspective on things.
This is an ambitious series that could be an instant classic when it’s through. Yes, it’s that damn good. And that’s going to be the hardest part of the whole series, living up to this first issue. What Lemire has in store for us? I have no idea. But if it’s anywhere near this first issue in quality, we’re in for a treat.
This is what Vertigo is all about, quality comics, with brilliant concepts from talented creators. Jeff Lemire has a hell of a track record, and this series continues his streak of amazing works of art.
Story: Jeff Lemire Art: Jeff Lemire
Story: 10 Art: 10 Overall: 10 Recommendation: Buy
The weekend is almost here and we have lined up a lot of reviews over the next few days! What’s everyone doing this weekend? Who’s excited for 2 Guns which opens this weekend?
Around the Tubes
Bleeding Cool – Batman #1 CGC 9.2 Highest Graded Copy Sells For $567,625 (And The Strange Story Behind It) – Huh.
MTV Geek – Bronies Infiltrate The U.S. Air Force! – Ok then.
Around the Tubes Reviews
Comic Vine – 3 Guns #1
CBR – Batman Incorporated #13
The Beat – The Bunker
Comic Vine – Captain Midnight #1
Comic Vine – Collider #1
Talking Comics – Collider #1
Comic Vine – FF #10
Talking Comics – FF #10
Comic Vine – Liberator #2
ICv2 – The Lost Boy
Comic Vine – Morning Glories #29
Comic Vine – Uncanny X-Men #9
Comic Vine – Wolverine: Japan’s Most Wanted #4
Normally, I’d choose the “Pick of the Week” by which comic was on the most of our lists, but out of the slim choices this week, there was actually only one comic on more than one list. So, I’m going with executive privilege and choosing this week’s pick, Collider #1 by Vertigo.
It started small: temporary gravity failures, time reversal loops, entropy reversals. With much fanfare a new government agency was formed with a mandate “to prevent and protect.” Its official title: The Federal Bureau of Physics. Humans, if nothing else, adapt to the changing parameters of their existence. What was extraordinary soon became ordinary, a part of people’s daily lives. They move on and do what people have always done: survive. But even that new status quo is now under threat. Things are getting worse, and it falls to Special Agent Adam Hardy and his FBP team to figure out what’s going on, before it’s too late…
Um, how can you not get this? Vertigo has been kicking as as a publisher, and this latest release I’m sure will be just as solid.
Check out below for the full list from some of the members of the Graphic Policy team.
Andrew:
Batman Annual #2 (DC) – Of all of the various Batman comics out there I read Snyder’s religiously. He’s got huge shoes to fill and Zero Year hasn’t let down.
Five Ghosts: The Haunting of Fabian Gray #5 (Image) – If you’re not reading this series…you’re wrong. It’s phenomenal.
King Conan: The Hour of the Dragon #3 (Dark Horse) – The plot of this latest run pays homage to earlier Conan storylines and includes fantastic artwork by Tomás Giorello.
The Wake #3 (Vertigo) – Snyder’s deep sea thriller is exceptional. I want to know what the creature is, where it came from, and whether there are more.
Brett:
Top Pick: Collider #1 (Vertigo) – see above. This series just sounds too cool to not choose.
Ghost Town #2 (Action Lab: Danger Zone) – The first issue of the Action Lab: Danger Zone series was awesome. Mixing time travel and terrorism, it truly was a series that you had no idea what was coming. The second issue, more of the same when it comes to that.
Guardians of the Galaxy #5 (Marvel) – Angela makes her first comic since Age of Ultron. Want to find out what Marvel’s plans with her are? Well, here you go. Expect this one to sell out.
Liberator #2 (Black Mask Studios) – Politics + comics = awesome! The series that follows animal liberators is a unique voice in the comic industry right now.
Skyward #1 (Action Lab) – Kick ass women in a kids comic is a specialty from Action Lab. This series adds to their varied and family friendly releases. A great comic the whole family can enjoy.
The Wake #3 (Vertigo) – Scott Snyder and Sean Phillips’ series has been amazing so far.
TPB of the Week: 39 Minutes – A winner of Top Cow’s Pilot Series, and one I really dug. ROBBING A BANK IS EASY, IT’S THE GETAWAY THAT’S HARD. The bank is surrounded by police officers, alarms are blaring, customers and employees are screaming, and the streets are blocked off. So what’s the solution? Kill everyone in town!
Sean:
Top Pick: Captain Midnight #1 (Dark Horse) – after a look at Captain Midnight #0, which utterly blew me away, I can’t see how the ‘first’ issue of this pulp hero rival could be anything but incredible. They’ve sure been marketing the hell out of it, so are you in? $2.99.
Akaneiro #3 – last of this Brian Wood mini-series based on American McGee’s game; let’s see what happens with Kani and those demons! $3.99.
Amala’s Blade #4 – this series by Horton and Dialynas is in my opinion Dark Horse’s best mini-series of the year; the ending is a must have! $3.50.
Batman, Incorporated #13 – Morrison’s titanic series comes to a crashing end as Batman “saves the world and loses everything.” Morrison’s been building this series for years, and now we’re getting it’s conlusion…or are we? $2.99.
Daredevil #29 – Waid and Samnee’s Daredevil is not only my favorite DD run, but also Marvel’s top series right now (followed by Hawkeye and Superior Spidey). And Samnee’s back on the art after a short hiatus. Woohoo! $2.99.
TPB of the Week: No Straight Lines: Four Decades of Queer Comics (Fantagraphics Books)—the wonderful reprint collectors over at Fantagraphics are putting out an anthology that promises to be a collection of the worlds greatest LGBTQ comics. It’s definitely worth a look if you want to explore a little more about the social issues driving and driven by our favorite medium here at Graphic Policy. $35.00 (but 20% off online retailers like TFAW.com or Amazon.com).
