HERALD: LOVECRAFT & TESLA – BUNDLES OF JOY #3
Writer(s): John Reilly
Artist Name(s): Tom Rogers (pencils), Dexter Weeks (color, letters)
Cover Artist(s): Tom Rogers (pencils), Dexter Weeks (color)
24 pgs./ T / FC
$3.99
Crowley’s Scarlet Women find a new target in Tesla. Hitler finds Rasputin to be a difficult ward to manage. Howard and Sonia’s curse enters a new stage of development.
HERALD: LOVECRAFT & TESLA #9
Writer(s): John Reilly
Artist Name(s): Tom Rogers (pencils), Dexter Weeks (color, letters)
Cover Artist(s): Tom Rogers
32 pgs./ T / FC
$3.99
When Houdini and Lovecraft are taken to Sean Breag’s underground ceremony room, Sonia Greene and Tesla rush to save them from the transformative power of the accursed needle of Zur’in Xal in a confrontation that leaves more questions than answers.
HERALD: LOVECRAFT AND TESLA #8
Writer(s): John Reilly
Artist Name(s): Tom Rogers (pencils), Dexter Weeks (color, letters)
Cover Artist(s): Tom Rogers
32 pgs./ T / FC
$3.99
Howard’s ex-wife Sonia Greene steps up to the plate. In Vienna, the cult presents Adolf with an opportunity to finally make something of himself. Einstein goes head-to-head with Edison. Twain gets Tesla out of a hole. Houdini and Howard are invited to a very special wedding.
HERALD: LOVECRAFT AND TESLA #7
Writer(s): John Reilly
Artist Name(s): Tom Rogers (pencils), Dexter Weeks (color, letters)
Cover Artist(s): Tom Rogers
32 pgs./ T / FC
$3.99
The pulp hit returns with the start of a new arc as the Cthulhu Cult uses a familiar ceremony to build flesh beasts from the merged bodies of the unsuspecting. Meanwhile, Twain presents the boys with a gift, but Tesla first has a score to settle at Earhart’s airfield. The adventure continues with “Tying the Knot.”
HERALD: LOVECRAFT & TESLA: FINGERS TO THE BONE TPB
Writer(s): John Reilly
Artist Name(s): Tom Rogers, Dexter Weeks
Cover Artist(s): Jack Ciolli
96 pgs./ Teen / FC
$9.99 (reg.)
While Tesla performs a demonstration at Mark Twain’s retirement party, an uninvited guest with an unmatched intellect threatens everything Tesla has worked for. Meanwhile, Susan and Houdini enjoy a quiet evening of séances and astral travel with Aleister Crowley. In Vienna, the Cult continues its attempts to recruit a starving artist with a unique destiny. Collects Herald: Lovecraft & Tesla #4-6.
Herald: Lovecraft and Tesla is an absurdly fun adventure which straddles the fence between complete lunacy and absolute brilliance, while never failing to tell a great character driven story.
The people are what make this issue special. Each person takes a normal human trait and stretches it to its most extreme. The story opens with Houdini floating in Elsewhere, as Amelia Earhart casually fights off monsters below. Due to his pride, he believes the entire trip to be part of a dream because, the only true magic is what he performs on stage. Following that, we return to Mark Twain’s manner as he, Lovecraft, and Tesla, continue to battle a large book Golem. The entire scene is hilarious, as Lovecraft again is never broken from his calm demeanor, refusing to believe anything is out of the ordinary aside from a moment where he boisterously claims, “huh, weird”. Mark Twain’s role in the battle is to trade insults with the beast in the hopes of using his genius to destroy it. Lovecraft and Tesla’s bizarre relationship is a treat as Tesla truly becomes the conduit for the reader to see all of the outlandish personalities. He is the only one who takes a moment to ever question what is going on and attempt to try to find some logic in the world. The tale ends following a young failed German artist named Adolf, as he begins to find his way in the world. This sets the book up for a larger narrative as the stories become closer and closer to intertwining. Even with characters this outlandish, writer John Reilly does a great job giving them a sense of depth. Whether it is Tesla’s hunt for his love, or Twain’s yet unknown motives, each characters avoids being a flat one dimensional person and feels truly complex.
The art by Tom Rodgers and Dexter Weeks does a fantastic job accentuating both the calmer moments, such as in Vienna, to the surreal moments, like entirety of Elseworld. Each location feels appropriate within the world that Reilly has created. The characters all look unique and the facial work is spot on considering how many emotions are being felt from multiple characters within the same panel. There is a nice attention to detail as well. In one particular shot of the book Golem, many of the spines of the books he is made out of have been filled in with popular novel titles from the time period, as well as samples of pages across the creature’s face.
Overall, this comic is a joy to read and has done a phenomenal job of creating characters that are so charmingly ridiculous, that anything they do seems worthy of reading. And with the larger narrative ever growing there will be no shortage of adventures for Lovecraft and Tesla to find themselves lost in.
Story: John Reilly Art: Tom Rodgers, Dexter Weeks
Story: 9 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.75 recommendation: Buy
Action Lab Entertainment provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Wednesdays 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.
Brett
Top Pick: Plutonia #1 (Image Comics) – A new series by Jeff Lemire? Well, that alone gets this on my list, but the idea of him tackling a coming of age story through the lense of the superhero genre is too awesome to not look forward to. Add in beautiful artwork by Emi Lenox, and this is the first comic I’m reading this week.
Imperium #8 (Valiant Entertainment) – Harada and Divinity, two of the most powerful beings in the Valiant universe have come face to face. This is the climax to “Broken Angels,” continuing the awesomeness that is this series.
Midnighter #4 (DC Comics) – Writer Steve Orlando has made punching to solve problems cool again. I’ve never been the biggest Midnighter fan, but Orlando has given me reasons to be as he’s given the character a fresh mix of a personal life and superhero life. Such a fantastic series.
The Omega Men #4 (DC Comics) – Superhero terrorists? This series shows the gray and that there’s a fine line between terrorist and revolutionary, all in space! A very cool sci-fi series that does what sci-fi does best, explore our society through entertainment.
Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye #44 (IDW Publishing) – I’ll keep plugging the various IDW Transformers series until you people wake up and see that it’s more than just giant robots and fighting! Every series has been an interesting mix of political intrigue, action, and religious philosophy. It’ more than meets the eye (sorry had to).
Alex
Top Pick: X-O Manowar #40 (Valiant Entertainment) – I’ve become a huge fan of this series over the past few months, and after the way the last issue ended, I’ve been looking forward to this for weeks.
We Stand On Guard #3 (Image Comics) – I have been really enjoying this series so far. We’re almost at the half way mark, and I’m really looking forward to see where the story takes us.
Edward
Top Pick: Danger Girl: Renegade #1 (IDW Publishing) – Love’m or hate’m, the Danger Girl team is back, and this time focuses on one of the team’s unanswered questions, Abby’s past. Those that like the series can expect more tongue-in-cheek humor combined with decent action.
Jem and the Holograms #6 (IDW Publishing) – More fun abounds for this series which has been focused so far solely on the battle of the bands, and while it has been a simple enough concept, the creative team fills these pages with life.
Lazarus #19 (Image Comics) – The ongoing battle of Duluth proves to be an issue for Forever after she is nearly killed in the last issue. How thia works from here on will be interesting as numerous clans are trying to take down the Carlyles.
Star Lord and Kitty Pryde #3 (Marvel) – A lot of the Secret Wars tie-ins have either mostly ignored the crossover or told a crossover-centric story. This is one of the few that does both while maintaining the charm of what made the pair of heroes so special to begin with.
Wonderland #39 (Zenescope) – Zenescope’s stand-out series returns with higher stakes as Calie faces threats in Wonderland and on Earth.
Elana
Top Picks Tie: 8House: #3 Kiem Part 1 (Image Comics) – Brandon Graham’s inter-connected fantasy world series begins a new storyline. The art by Xurxo G. Penalta is beautifully detailed and creative. The world has an air of Dune mixed with cyberpunk. The story involves astrolprojection. This will be unlike anything else you buy.
Top Picks Tie: Heavy Metal #276 Jack Kirby Issue (Heavy Metal) – Jack Kirby made art for the CIA’s secret Operation Argo plan to free American hostages. Never before published, we can finally see it in this issue! It is based on Robert Zelazny’s famous fantasy series “Lord of Light.” The rest of the mag sounds good too. But the Kirby cover alone with worth the cost of admission.
Jem and The Holograms #6 (IDW Publishing) – The Food Fight of the Century is over and now it is time for the Battle of The Bands! A really fun series for people of all ages and genders. Which band would you be voting for: The Holograms or The Misfits (not the Danzig Misfits, the entirely fictional Misfits that the artist has said sound like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs)? I think Black Sabbath singer Dio would vote for Jem and the Holograms but Black Sabbath singer Ozzy would vote for The Misfits. Please tweet me your own wild speculations to @Elana_Brooklyn #JemBattle (this is just me, not an official IDW tag).
Midnighter #4 (DC Comics) – I’m addicted.
Toil and Trouble #1 (BOOM! Studios) – I’m fairly discriminating about my “re-imaginings of Shakespeare” but this new mini series looks stunning, innovative and feminist.
Silver Surfer #14 (Marvel) – A title that had felt at the periphery of the Marvel U (in an interesting, exploratory way) now finds itself at the middle of it. It looks like the rebuilding of the post Secret Wars Marvel U starts here. The last issue ended on some absolutely stunning art. Among the best I’ve seen in ages. I was very frustrated with Slott’s response to the Hercules bi-erasure story but he’s apologized so I’m still reading this.
Kenny
Top Pick: DC Comics Bombshell #2 (DC Comics) – Making this story a period piece has me interested in the many ways they could take Wonder Woman, Batwoman, and Supergirl, after a solid set up in the first issue. But it’s mostly the gorgeous art that has me most excited about diving back into this world.
Daredevil #18 (Marvel) – Honestly, I could break down the multitude of reasons this comic is worth reading but, to keep it simple, when Mark Waid is writing Daredevil it is always worth checking out.
Deadpool vs. Thanos #1 (Marvel) – Deadpool messing with anyone is usually all I need to be happy, but watching him send Thanos into a massive rage has me feeling extra giddy inside.
Herald: Lovecraft and Tesla #6 (Action Lab Entertainment) – Being a history junky, I am all for any type of twisted history tale. And just the potential of watching Mark Twain versus a book golem is enough to make me want to read this right now.
Mr. H
Top Pick: Deadpool vs. Thanos #1 (Marvel Comics) – The one who personifies death vs. the one who can talk you to it? Oh yes this is a must see even for me. Viva la Deadpool!
Daredevil #18 (Marvel Comics) – The final chapter. See how it all ends. I am on the bench with anticipation.
DC Comics Bombshells #2 (DC Comics) – The Womens’ Super Revolution continues. Is Steve Trevor going to make it? We shall see…
Green Lantern #44 (DC Comics) – Hal as a renegade just really fits and I’m liking this fun little space chase, I’m hoping that some incoming Thanagarian influence can shift it into over drive though!
Thors #3 (Marvel Comics) – Move over CSI and every other crime drama. This one is how it’s done.
Paul
Top Pick: Thors #3 (Marvel) – This is one of my favourite books to come out of Secret Wars. The Thors have been hunting a murderer who has been targeting Jane Fosters from different areas of Battleworld, and now they have a suspect. This is a great cop story, following the Thors as they uphold the laws of Doom, and I can’t wait to see the interrogation of their suspect.
Age of Apocalypse #3 (Marvel) – Issue 1 was fantastic and took me right back to the AoA I remember…and then issue 2 totally left me flat, basically a rehash of the first. I am really hoping they pick this story up and we get more into the thick of things. I’m really enjoying seeing the story from Cypher’s point of view, but I want to see more then some observations on character behaviour. There’s been hints of a virus that could end all the mutants…can we please see more of this story?
Squadron Sinister #3 (Marvel) – I was surprised that I enjoy this book as much as I do. I’m familiar with the Squadron Supreme, and Hyperion from his time in Avengers…and it’s a fun read to see Battleworld’s version of this team being nothing more then an organized gang, quietly taking over realms to expand their power…but how long will this go before Doom steps in?
HERALD: LOVECRAFT AND TESLA #6
Writer(s): John Reilly
Artist Name(s): Tom Rogers, Dexter Weeks
Cover Artist(s): Dexter Weeks
32 pgs./ All Ages / FC $3.99
As Mark Twain matches wits with a book golem, Houdini learns a terrible secret about Amelia Earhart’s progress in the Elsewhere. In Vienna, a starving artist discovers his darker purpose.
HERALD: LOVECRAFT AND TESLA #5
Writer(s): John Reilly
Artist Name(s): Tom Rogers, Dexter Weeks
Cover Artist(s): Tom Rogers
32 pgs./Teen / FC
$3.99 (reg.)
Mark Twain’s retirement party turns deadly when the book golem William Wilde arrives. Meanwhile, Harry Houdini and Susan Lovecraft learn more than they should when they infiltrate one of Aleister Crowley’s séances.
In a partnership with Markerstone Pictures, Romark Entertainment has secured the rights to the comic book series Herald. The series, published by Action Lab Entertainment and created by writer John Reilly, and artists Tom Rogers and Dexter Weeks, tells the story of Nikola Tesla, whose experiments with time travel thrust him ahead in time to the early 1900s, where he must team up with a young H.P. Lovecraft as part of a secretive group combating humanity’s greatest threat, the Cthulu Order. Two sides of the same coin, this contentious pair must navigate a dangerous and forbidden world of frightful secrets, cosmic nightmares, and unspeakable horrors in a quest to save the world. The series, which will interweave the worlds of science and magic, also features appearances by iconic characters such as Albert Einstein, Amelia Earhart and Harry Houdini.
Romark’s Rock Shaink and Markerstone’s Mark Lawyer will produce the project, with Joseph New set to oversee for Romark.
Romark is currently producing Earthless alongside Ridley Scott and Brooklyn Weaver at Fox, Paradox alongside Tim Kring at Imperative, Matriarch alongside Red Wagon for Paramount, and the upcoming television series Winter which they are developing with Demarest TV. In June, their Sundance hit Bound to Vengeance released in theaters and on VOD from IFC Midnight.
Markerstone setup the thriller Padre at Screen Gems, is producing the Irish indie Brighter Nights with Fueld Films and is currently gearing up for production on the action/thriller Backtrace with Myriad Pictures.
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