Tag Archives: philip johnson

Review: Everborn: Prince of Arcadia #1

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Everborn: Prince of Arcadia #1

As a fan of history, I tend to be a harsh critic when it comes to historical dramas, especially when it’s a subject I’ve read a great deal about. My interest in history ranges from medieval Europe to pre-Meiji Era Japan. There are parts of history that I knew nothing about until someone decided to make a television show or movie about it. One such era and subject is King Henry VIII and the show was Tudors.

Before the show, my knowledge of this regent was purely cursory. He was the father of Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary and his most famous phot was him in his later years, past his prime. What the show spotlighted was his genius as a visionary and his rather prolific love life interspersed with the shaping of a country. One of the biggest plot points was the rift between the royal houses and who has the true claim to the Throne Of England. In the debut issue of Everborn: Prince Of Arcadia, we find one such rivalry that pushes a kingdom to the brink.

We meet Prince Baldemar, the next in line to be King Of Arcadia, and a ruthless military leader, whose father, King Eirik, looks for peace to reign over his land. He confers with his advisors over strategy in their oncoming battle with Prince Godwin, whose father used to be king and looks to reclaim his birthright. We also meet Prince Godwin, an aging royal, who holds his men’s respect and is poised to take back the kingdom, don’t fight for money but because Baldemar and his men have wronged each of them. By issue’s end, both armies towards each other with a taste for equability that can only be satisfied by the spilling of blood.

Overall, an engaging and well-written narrative that shows where sleeping dogs lie so does long-held feuds. The story by Stephen A.M. Johnson is impressive and well characterized. The art by the creative team is truly breathtaking. Altogether, a story that will have readers itching to see how this fantasy epic with modern sensibilities continues.

Story: Stephen A.M. Johnson
Art: Francis Martelino, Nimesh Morarji, Philip Johnson, and Nikki Foxrobot
Story: 9.0 Art: 9.0 Overall: 9.0 Recommendation: Buy

Review: Giallo Gumbo #0

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Hip hop and anime, have flirted with each other for years, often leaving fans who loved both genres to wonder if there would ever be a creation that showed both. I remember when I first got into anime, the genre first mesmerized me with entries like Voltron and Robotech. I still felt out of touch, as I got older, my interest faded away, from that genre. My attention re-focused on hip hop, and the place where I found people who loved it just as much, and more than I did, was Japan.

By this time, the genre had invaded American shores, so when I found out Ghost in The Shell, Akira and Ranma ½, it had been a few years old, by the time I was stationed in Yokosuka. This is where I found the beauty of import CDs, where I picked up the import cd of Ice Cube’s Death Certificate, which had bonus tracks, that weren’t available on the American version. This is also where I found anime which spoke to me like Samurai Champloo which used breakbeats by the late great DJ Nujabes and Cowboy Bebop, which had a hip-hop attitude throughout. Years later, it is being not as hidden when shows like The Boondocks and Black Dynamite, had combined these two genres perfectly.

This is where Giallo Gumbo, brings the genre’s full on filtration in focus, as this story/collection, elevates these two in some ways which had not been seen until now. The book unfolds like a movie, with opening trailers and an introduction of each character. As the story goes, we get to see each character’s power in full effect, as we slowly find a certain character’s hidden powers by the end of the issue. As the art is the most alluring, there is a collection at least 20 pages long, at the end, that grabs you.

Overall, a fun book which grabs the reader with the art and keeps them with the interesting narrative. The story is funny, and if not for the fantastical elements, can be a page from real life. The art is amazing, as it deftly blends anime and realistic portrayals into beautiful sequential art. Altogether, a fun book that is worth everyone’s time, as it gives voice and perspective to a growing collective of artists in the South.

Story: Jahni Brooks Art: Nommo, Philip Johnson, Mikhail Sebastian, KC Bailey, Luis Figuerido, Chase Conley, Tovio Rogers
Story: 9 Art: 12 Overall: 10 Recommendation: Buy