Tag Archives: Sigmund Torre

Review: Catalyst Prime: Accell #2

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Daniel DosSantos is Accell, the first speedster superhero in a brave new world, but just how fast is he? Accell’s quest to test the limits of his powers throw him into a sideways dimension where horrors exist, and death comes at him faster than the speed of sound.

I really enjoyed the first issue of this series from Lion Forge that’s part of their Catalyst Prime universe. While speedster superheroes are a dime a dozen, Daniel feels like he stands out a bit as a relatable guy who plays video games and is pretty unsure of himself and powers. And this second issue feels like it has a more of a focus exploring those final two points as Daniel heads into the desert to find out how fast he is.

Writer Joe Casey gives us an entertaining story that feels trippy at times. While it doesn’t quite stand out as original as that first issue and has a bit too much in common with a certain force about speed, it’s still interesting as there’s just enough to set it apart. What happens when Daniel goes really fast? What’s might happen? Well, we kind of find some of that out.

Things get trippy and the visuals feel like a nice LSD trip which is all made wildly entertaining by Damion Scott. The art, along with inks by Robert Campanella and colors by Sigmund Torre (both of Mosh Studios) is what sucked me into the story. It’s creative and interesting and had me trying to figure out what was happening. There’s even some nice creative use of pages with the flow and a point where you’ll need to rotate the entire issue. That use of movement is solid in the series and I hope we get more of that as it goes on.

The second issue is a little of a dip in story but the visuals more than make up for it. I want to find out more about what Daniel is seeing and experiencing and that wanting to come back is a success. Definitely an interesting series that’s getting its footing down to launch and make itself really stand out from the pack.

Story: Joe Casey Art: Damion Scott
Ink: Robert Campanella Color: Sigmund Torre
Story: 7.5 Art: 9.0 Overall: 7.75 Recommendation: Read

Lion Forge Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

 

Manga Monday: Attack on Titan Anthology

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aot_anthology_nycc-450x675The manga megahit Attack on Titan, reinterpreted by some of comics’ top talent! Featuring original stories by a long roster of comic superstars such as Scott Snyder, Gail Simone, Faith Erin Hicks, Michael Avon Oeming, Paolo Rivera, Cameron Stewart, and Babs Tarr!

This unprecedented, full-colour collaboration between East and West will be released first in English, making it indispensable for Attack on Titan fans and curious comic fans.

When it comes to Attack on Titan my only real exposure to the series was watching the horrendous live action film that came out. I haven’t watched the anime and I haven’t read the manga, but when I heard the Attack on Titan Anthology was coming out, I made sure to grab a copy during New York Comic Con. If I was going to buy it, might as well go with the limited edition cover.

While this anthology isn’t a traditional way to be introduced, it was an interesting one as a who’s who of Western creators tackle this manga phenomenon. And what’s nicer is that each creator gave it their own spin sticking to their style of storytelling and moving the settings of the stories around for different situations and locations.

This is an eclectic mix in a good way with stories that seem to stick to a setting and story that you’d see in the manga series while other creators went with a complete break. There’s horror. There’s humor. There’s action. There’s a little of everything and it’s all enjoyable in its own way.

What’s really interesting to me is recognizing the creators based on their entries. I read the entire graphic novel in one sitting and played guess the creator as I went along creating a fun little game and each creator really does bring their own style. So, if you’re a fan of the folks’ work, you’re probably going to enjoy this.

I knew so little about the world and what to expect going in other than the creative talent lined up, but coming out of it, I want to check out more. If you’re interested in finding out a bit about Attack on Titan, but don’t want to take the chance on manga, this is a solid way to go to find out a bit more about what it’s all about.

Story and Art: Ray Fawkes, Scott Snyder, Rafael Albuquerque, John Rauch, Evan Dorkin, Sarah Dyer, Bill Murdon, Afua Richardson, Genevieve Valentine, David Lopez, Faith Erin Hicks, Cris Peter, Michael Avon Oeming, Taki Soma, Paolo Rivera, Gail Simone, Phil Jimenez, Alonso Nunez, Elmer Santos, Sam Humphries, Damion Scott, Sigmund Torre, Rhianna Pratchett, Jorge Corona, Jen Hickman, Ben Applegate, Ronald Wimberly, Kevin Wada, Brenden Fletcher, Cameron Stewart, Babs Tarr, Jiji Knight, Si Spurrier, Kate Brown, Paul Duffield, Dee Cunniffe, Asaf Hanuka, Tomer Hanuka, Kate Leth, Jeremy Lambert
Story: 8.35 Art: 8.35 Overall: 8.35 Recommendation: Buy