Tag Archives: helheim

Review: Brides of Helheim #4

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boh04bSo far this series has fulfilled all expectations and surpassed them.  It has been strong enough on character development even if not particularly overwhelmed with dialogue, and its action have been fun and engaging.  With the last issue the series took a somewhat strange turn, with the local town girl seeming to have a crush on Rikard, and then her transformation into a Valkyrie.  While this is likely not where most people would have thought that the series was going after the first or second issue, the direction was at least logical if not necessarily built up correctly, and it therefore fell to this issue to ensure that everything was in place for a coherent story.

It is to the credit of the creative team, that while this story took a sharp turn in its theme and story telling that it still manages to make sense here, even if the readers will not be sure that they are reading the same series.  The characters though lacking a bit of focus still get what they need to make the story more grounded, and the story takes on some deeper themes such a death, which also gives it more gravity, even if the premise is somewhat unlikely.

By the end of this issue things get even weirder, and readers might even end up shaking their heads to see if what they are reading is the same story.  At the same time it ties in concepts not entirely foreign to deeper themes, showing not only the focus on death but also the enduring power of love.  It is an unconventional story, but it is also still a standout in terms of its quality and the novelty in the story telling.  Readers who only look as far as Image for their reading from the independents are missing a good series here, and really this is yet another series that too few people know about.

Story: Cullen Bunn Art: Joelle Jones
Story: 8.7 Art: 9.0 Overall: 8.8 Recommendation: Buy

Oni Press provided Graphic Policy with a free copy for review

 

 

Review: Brides of Helheim #1

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BRIDES OF HELHEIM #1Among the stories and characters based in the mythos of bygone cultures, there almost deserves to be a separate sub-genre in comic culture for Nordic inspired stories.  Usually centered around either the Norse mythological or Vikings, these stories are so prevalent in the industry that they give a good challenge in terms of exposure to the stories of the ancient Greek pantheon, even though the Greek stories are much more embedded in the public consciousness. Among the more obvious cases of Nordic inspired characters is Thor from Marvel Comics, but it is a popular enough setting elsewhere as well, such as in the stories of How to Train Your Dragon or even parts of the recently released series Sirens.

Brides of Helheim, from Oni Press, is another entry into this world of the north, where the harsh winters and dangerous conditions are faced by men of rugged strength and women of rugged beauty. The setting is common enough here, but the story is maybe a little different. It introduces two characters seeking help against a menace to their small town, and while fans of the previous series (Helheim from 2013) will probably be quickly familiar with some of the characters, this previous knowledge is also not necessary. As I was reading this issue I was struck by two things. The first was that it was quite light on actual literal writing, by which I mean that there are few words here to guide the way for the reader. The second thing that struck me was that this didn’t matter. The story was strong bohenough in its layout that it didn’t really need the actual words so much, and instead relied on artwork which was extremely complementary to the setting and the characters. The artwork was a bit of a surprise as well in the sense that there is a general approach to the smaller publishers to their choice of covers. Generally as they have less attention, they go for the idea that “sex sells” and the covers are also therefore usually the best artwork of the entire issue, but this is flipped on its side for Brides of Helheim as the interior is far more engaging than the exterior.

This ends up being a simple story, heavy on the artwork and not so much on the dialogue, but also one which was engaging enough with the visuals and the characterization to make it easy to jump right in. While reading this the story flew right past, but it left me wanting more right away. It is pretty fun, and definitely worth a look.

Story: Cullen Bunn Art: Joëlle Jones
Story: 7.8 Art: 9.0 Overall: 8.2 Recommendation: Buy

Oni Press provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Pick(s) of the Week: Trillium #1 and a Whole Bunch More

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trillium 1 coverIt’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.

Vertigo has been kicking ass with their recent releases, and I expect this to do no less. The description above of the comic just makes me drool. Add in the fact it’s Jeff Lemire on writing and art duties and you have a top pick and possibly one of the best comics of the year.

Check out below for the rest of the picks from some of the Graphic Policy team!

Andrew:

Top Pick: The Black Bat #4 (Dynamite) – This is seriously one of the best pulps on the market. If you think you won’t root for a former mob attorney turned vigilante, you’re wrong.

Helheim #6 (Oni Press) – I am still in denial that this is the last issue. Viking bloodshed at its finest.

Quantum and Woody #2 (Valiant) – This brotherly duo hero comedy is a great read. It has witty banter and a fun premise.

Satellite Sam #2 (Image) – Truth be told, I haven’t read the first issue…but with all of the buzz around it, I’m getting both of them.

Sheltered #2 (Image) – Lord of the Flies meets Doomsday Preppers. Yes please.

Brett:

Top Pick: Trillium #1 (Vertigo) – see above

Burn the Orphanage: Born to Lose #1 (Image) – A young orphan named Rock was left for dead, now he’s out for revenge! With partners Lex and Bear by his side, our hero will find out who burned his home and family to the ground. If that means taking on every goon, punk, and topless stripper ninja in the city… then so be it. Really, I need to give more of a reason?

The Final Plague #2 (Action Lab: Danger Zone) – The first issue freaked me out. Rats, rats and rats. I hate rats and this comic is full of them. Not for the squeamish.

Princeless: Tales of Girls Who Rock (Action Lab) – I’ve loved every release for this series so far. There’s so much awesome in this series, the fact that part of it is it turns common tropes on their head is just one example. Perfect for kids and adults the like.

Sidekick #1 (Image) – The Cowl and Flyboy: renowned superhero and sidekick despite dopey names. They were famous, popular, and happy until the Cowl’s assassination. Now, no one takes Flyboy seriously. Follow his trajectory from barely tolerated hero to figure of ridicule, and witness his slow descent into madness, darkness and crime. Done numerous times it’s kind of hard not to be intrigued by J. Michael Straczynski’s take.

Superior Foes of Spider-Man #2 (Marvel) – The first issue blew me away. The pacing. The dialogue. It all was amazing. The team of Nick Spencer and Steve Lieber knocked it out of the park and could have one of the best debuts this year!

TPB/Graphic Novel of the Week: Rubicon (Archaia) – The story is straightforward and not all that complicated. The characters are cookie cutter and what I’d expect from this type of tale. What really drew me in was the interaction between all of those characters. It gives a bit of an insight into the mindset of them all and a glimpse of what mentally goes into being a Navy SEAL. That is cool and worth the read. You can read my full review.

Scott:

Top Pick: Trillium #1 (Vertigo) – It’s been a while since Sweet Tooth and The Underwater Welder, and I’m so pleased to see Lemire doing creator owned work again. Everything I’ve read about this series leads me to believe it’ll be so much fun, and emotionally resonant to boot.

Fatale #16 (Image) – I’m a sucker for the hardboiled, and in my eyes Brubaker/Phillips team can do no wrong. Now that the current arc is getting closer to modern times, I’m interested to see what’s in store for Josephine.

Satellite Sam #2 (Image) – As an avid lover of television, Matt Fraction’s story really speaks to me, and Chaykin’s art brings 1950s New York to life.

Sheltered #2 (Image) – The debut issue of this series saw expansive world building, and then immediately upended the status quo. I’m so excited to see what happens next.

Ten Grand #4 (Image) – Ben Templesmith drawing an otherworldly, foul mouthed PI. I just can’t get enough of that art.

Sean:

Top pick: Daredevil: Dark Knights #3 (Marvel) – Lee Weeks’ past two issues have been absolutely incredible, but it comes to a crashing end in this finale. Weeks is no Waid and Samnee, but he’s a close second.

Swamp Thing #23 (DC) – because it’s Swamp Thing and he’s going to beat up that punk John Constantine.

Superior Spider-Man #15 (Marvel) – two other ‘superior’ titles out this week, but Superior Spidey takes the cake, as issue 15 starts to close a Hobgoblin plot that’s been long in the making.

Abe Sapien: Dark and Terrible #5 (Dark Horse) – Abe is kicking ass in his own on-going series, despite everything going to hell in the B.P.R.D. world, literally. And just when things couldn’t get worse for the identity-torn Abe, they do.

Detective Comics #23 (DC) – so you know that whole Wrath guy who’s been killing cops? Well, maybe you don’t, since there’s a kajillion Batman comics to follow, but check out Detective Comics just this week and you won’t be disappointed.

TPB of the Week: Daredevil by Mark Waid, Volume 5 (Marvel) – this collects the current Daredevil run by Waid and Samnee, issues 22-27, which include among other things the first appearance of Superior Spider-Man, and is just fantastic because it’s Waid and Samnee’s award-winning, humanistic and emotionally captivating Daredevil!

Week in Review: July 8-14, 2013

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Another great week in comics, with the beginning of DC’s Trinity War, the debut of Titan Comics’ Chronos Commandos, plenty of great superhero and pulp books, and even a review of Guillermo del Toro’s summer blockbuster. Check out what we’ve been up to at Graphic Policy this past week:

Graphic Policy Radio
July 9, 2013–a discussion with Emma Houboix about Sailor Moon, manga, FF, Matt Fraction on Hawkeye, and group representation in comics.

Comic Reviews
Hellheim #5–Oni Press’ Scandinavian monster mythology continues to great applause by Andrew.

Miss Fury #4–Dynamite’s time-travelling Nazi-fighter gets mixed reviews.

East of West #4–sci-fi/western continues with great art and emotional storytelling.

Pathfinder #8, TMNT New Animated Adventures #1–Sean gives us a tour of the first in a new TMNT series, and Pathfinder makes a splash for RPGers.

Breath of Bones: A Tale of the Golem #2–Andrew gives us the details on the lauded second issue of one of Dark Horse’s most touching books.

Black Beetle #4–Francavilla’s pulpy pulp superhero…how have I not picked this up myself?! Seriously, it seems you can’t miss this book; don’t skip Andrew’s review, either.

Star Wars #7, Breath of Bones: A Tale of the Golem #2–Wood’s incredible Original Trilogy era saga continues, with a more emotional look at the Rebel heroes.

Eerie #3–Sean takes a tour of Cousin Eerie’s assorted offerings from Dark Horse’s weird horror/sci-fi anthology, with high marks.

A1 #2, Chronos Commandos: Dawn Patrol #1–Brett gives us a tour of Titan Comics new line, including dinosaur fighters and an unstoppable anthology of weirdos.

Occupy Comics #2, 12 Reasons to Die #2, Ballistic #1–Brett reviews the political Kickstarter comic, a horror-crime comic of gangsters and soul hunters, and a very strange buddy adventure book.

Ghosted #1–Scott introduces us to Image’s incredibly violent, noir thriller…

Sheltered #1–…and to their new apocalyptic comic, with mixed reviews.

Justice League #22, Daredevil #28, Batman #22–Sean brings us up to date on two amazing comics from the Big Two, and fills us in on the Trinity War’s first shots.

Movie Review
Pacific Rim–Guillermo del Torro’s Kaiju-and-robots movie of the summer is here, but is it any good? Brett’s got some opinions on the matter; feel free to share yours in our comments section!

Book Review
Father Gaetano’s Puppet Catechism: A Novella–explore post-war Sicily, where puppets come to life at an orphanage…nothing could go wrong with that plot, right? Check out Sean’s review of Mike Mignola (Hellboy, B.P.R.D., etc.) and Christopher Golden’s chilling novella.

Classics Revisited
Watchmen–this new monthly column, Classics Revisited, hits the ground running, as we take a look at Alan Moore and Dave Gibbon’s truly incredibly 12-part graphic novel, Watchmen.

That’ll do it for this week folks, but make sure to stay tuned to Graphic Policy for news and reviews of what’s going on in the comic book industry and Geekdom at large.

Review: Helheim #5

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20130714-141318.jpgOni Press‘ Viking saga, Helheim, continues to be one of the best new titles of the year. Set in a harsh Scandanavian landscape, the story centers around Rikard, a once fearsome warrior, and now resurrected Draugr (think Norse Frankenstein Zombie) who scours the countryside in search of vengeance. His anger directed at two dueling witches, Bera (who controls the undead) and Groa (who controls the ungodly), both of whom had a hand in his current state. The otherworldly battle between the creatures of the night and Rikard’s army is over, but, after seeing the toll taken, victory is a distant word.

Cullen Bunn‘s writing continues to amaze. At first I was concerned at how quickly Rikard became a Draugr (back in issue #1), but through memories, dialogue, and actions, he is able to keep developing our undead protagonist’s character. He even sheds a sympathetic light on the witches during a talk between Bera and Groa’s insectoid surrogate on their ill-fated actions.

In a perfect pairing, Joelle Jones‘ artwork and Nick Filardi‘s colors breathe life into the otherwise bleak scenery (particularly the reds). The soft pastels and faded panels of Rikard’s childhood with his father is a brilliant contrast to the ax wielding, blood splattered warrior of the present. The winged Draugr was a genius touch, though I wish they had celebrated it more on the cover. Instead of folded wings jumping through the air, they could have had him hunched over, gargoyle-like on the edge of the cliff with them outstretched.

For those that have yet to journey into Oni’s territory, you need not fear, this series is a far cry from their now-popular Scott Pilgrim title. Bunn and Jones continue to push the boundaries, and I have yet to see anything short of excellence.

Story: Cullen Bunn Art: Joelle Jones
Story: 9 Art: 9 Overall: 9 Recommendation: Buy

Preview: Helheim #4

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HELHEIM #4

Writers: Cullen Bunn
Artist: Joëlle Jones
Colorist: Nick Filardi
Format: Standard comic book. Full color
Page Count: 32
Price: $3.99
Genre:  Horror / Fantasy
Age Rating: Mature Audiences
Diamond Code: APR131191
Release Date: June 12th, 2013

THE NEW SERIES FROM SIXTH GUN WRITER CULLEN BUNN AND FAN FAVORITE ARTIST JOËLLE JONES CONTINUES! His sense of purpose renewed, Rikard takes the fight to both Groa and Bera… but he will not face the fury of the witches alone. Raising an army of fierce warriors, Rikard marches against a demonic horde. But can even the mightiest of human warriors stand against such ungodly might? Find out in a mass battle unlike anything that has been depicted in comics before!

HELHEIM #4 4x6 COMP SOLICIT WEB

Helheim #2 Sells Out at Distributor, 2nd Printing with a James Stokoe Cover

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It doesn’t hit shelves until tomorrow but Oni Press has announced that the second issue of the new series Helheim by Cullen Bunn, Joelle Jones, and Nick Filardi has completely sold out at the distributor level a day before its in-store debut!

To ensure fans everywhere get a chance to enjoy this exciting new series, Oni Press has rushed a second printing to production featuring an awesome new cover from James Stokoe. Please be aware that the issue is only sold out at the distributor and copies will be available at finer comic shops everywhere on April 24th, but don’t miss your chance to purchase either printing. They will fly off the shelves!

Written by Sixth Gun co-creator Cullen Bunn, lavishly illustrated by Joelle Jones, and moodily colored by Nick Filardi, Helheim chronicles an age of Vikings, witches and dark creatures. When a small settlement is beset by unspeakable evil, a brave war party stands as guardians of the helpless villagers. But they are no match for the horrors rising up around them. One of the warriors, a young hero named Rikard, will pay the ultimate price in battle… but his fight is far from over. With issue 2, Rikkard’s struggle against dark forces continues both internally and externally as the warrior must confront what he has become and what he must do.

The second printing of Helheim #2 ships with a new cover by fan-favorite artist James Stokoe and is available for immediate order under Diamond order code MAR138208.

HELHEIM-2-2PR-4x6-COMP-FNL-WEB

Preview: Helheim #2

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HELHEIM #2

Writers: Cullen Bunn
Artist: Joëlle Jones
Colorist: Nick Filardi
Format: Standard comic book. Full color
Page Count: 32
Price: $3.99
Genre: Horror / Fantasy
Age Rating: Mature Themes
Diamond Code: FEB131087
Release Date: April 24th, 2013

THE NEW SERIES FROM SIXTH GUN WRITER CULLEN BUNN AND FAN FAVORITE ARTIST JOËLLE JONES CONTINUES! “The draugr walks after death… and Death walks after the draugr.” Rikard is dead! Long live Rikard! Raised from oblivion by the woman he loved, Rikard takes his bloody fight to the doorstep of night hag Groa. But he discovers that not all the people cowering under Groa’s protection are the monsters he believed them to be.

HELHEIM #2 4x6 COMP FNL WEB

Pick of the Week – Lost Vegas #1

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LV CoverB colourThere’s a few weeks out of the year where there’s just too many good comics to pick from. This is one of those weeks. There’s a lot coming out, and a lot of it solid, but the one I’m looking forward to the most is Lost Vegas #1 published by Image Comics. Written by Jim McCann with art by Janet Lee, the series involves a casino space station and a heist. McCann is an amazing writer and Lee’s art is unreal. They’re one of those dream team creative teams and whatever they’ve done has turned to gold. I expect no less from this.

  • Lost Vegas #1 – see above
  • Age of Ultron #1 – There’s been lots of build up to this. Marvel’s big event starts here.
  • 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?
  • All-New X-Men #8 – Brian Michael Bendis has been knocking it out of the park with this series.
  • Helheim #1 – Cullen Bunn’s latest Oni series looks like a hell of a lot of fun.

ECCC 13 – The Oni Press Revolutionize Comics Panel

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Today at the RevolutiONIze Comics Panel, Oni Press talked with five of their creators about current and upcoming projects. The panel consisted of The Sixth Gun creative team Cullen Bunn, Brian Hurtt and Bill Crabtree. Also on the panel was the talented Helheim artist Joëlle Jones ans Swamp Thing writer Charles Soule.

Oni Press’s Editor in Chief, James Lucas Jones, started right away with Bunn, Hurtt, and Crabtree. “We’ve been dying to let The Sixth Gun fans know what’s going on with the newly greenlit pilot on NBC. The pilot begins shooting March 18th and a few cast members have already been announced. Laura Ramsey (The Ruins) will be playing the female lead character, Becky Montcrief. Other cast members recently added are W. Earl Brown (Deadwood) playing General Hume, Graham McTavish (The Hobbit) in the role of Silas Hedgepeth, and Aldis Hodge (Leverage) as Agent Mercer.”

The Sixth Gun pilot is written by Ryan Condal (Hercules: The Thracian Wars), directed by Jeffrey Reiner, and produced by Carlton Cuse (Lost). 

When asked what it feels like to have your comic book turned into a TV pilot, The Sixth Gun team couldn’t be more ecstatic. “This has been a big part of my life’s work and I couldn’t be more humbled and overjoyed to see this series picked up,” said Bunn. Hurtt added, “I’m very excited at the prospect of seeing our work brought to life and equally excited by the creative folks involved in this venture!  Their enthusiasm and grasp of the world we’ve created is humbling!”

Colorist Bill Crabtree said, “Being on this journey with these two goofballs has been more than fun and I hope to see this show picked up for a season.” Hurtt added, “I just want thank all of our fans who bought our books, came to shows to say hello, and told their friends about The Sixth Gun. Without our fans, this dream of being a comic book artist would not be real.”

Then Jones moved to the next segment of the panel by showing the recently released book trailer for Helheim and asked some questions of creators Cullen Bunn and Joëlle Jones.

An ancient undead viking who’s basically a mashup of Frankenstein and Conan? Where do I sign up?” Jones said. He went on to talk with the creators about how they were introduced and what the readers should expect from Helheim. 

“There will be lots and lots of blood. Seeing Joëlle bring Helheim to life has been amazing, to say the least. The art is like nothing I have ever seen and fans will not be disappointed,” Bunn added.

“Helheim isn’t like anything I have worked on with Oni Press, so getting a chance to try something new, and branch out into the horror genre has been very exciting,” said Joëlle.

“The hero of the story, Rikard, dies in battle, but in Helheim there is no rest, even for the dead. It’s a truly dark story, rife with witches and betrayal and even more blood. Blood everywhere,” said James Lucas Jones.

Helheim goes on sale March 6th.

Finally, Jones turned the discussion to new announcements and over to Charles Soule. “We are proud to announce that coming this fall, we are launching a new comic book series with Charles Soule and Alberto Alburquerque, called Letter 44.”

Jones went on to say “Letter 44 is a new sci-fi series that asks ‘How would people act when faced with a true threat?’ It begins with the newly inaugurated President Blades sitting down in the Oval Office, reading the letter left to him by the outgoing president. That letter is simply addressed to ’44’.”

“The contents of that letter? Seven years ago NASA discovered some sort of construction project out in the asteroid belt. No one on Earth knows what it is, and the outgoing President sent astronauts up there to investigate. As the story opens, they’re about 6 months away,” added Charles Soule.

“This is a story I’ve been working on for several years, and I’m very excited to see it come to fruition. Alberto’s very conscious of the technical details of the spacecraft and other sci-fi elements, as well as the Earth-based stuff. His work is amazing, and I couldn’t be happier with the look of the book.”

Letter 44 goes on sale this October.

LETTER44 PG 008

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