Tag Archives: walter ostlie

Review: Haxor #2

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Haxor #2

As a kid of the 80s, I grew up watching some very iconic movies. One of those movies was Tron. Watching it now, one would say the technology was very crude, and it was, but at the time, it was cutting edge. It showed a world where everything was connected to technology.

The sequel would capitalize on this very notion, utilizing today’s technological advances, giving viewers, a true view of the new world. How we were connected was not only clairvoyant but relevant. As we are approaching a world in which much of that is becoming very true. In the second issue of Walter Ostlie’s excellent Haxor, we find a new world, where technology blurs what is visceral

We find Iso at the beginning of the game where she is meeting up with the rest of her team, right before a game starts. One of her teammates, Verve, senses something is wrong with the lineup, giving them some cause for concern, but still ready to play. As they are watching where one team is getting obliterated by the game, often making moves that would otherwise have them on the winning side. By the issue’s end, the team in the game gets “deleted” but Iso remains vigilant despite what she just saw.

Overall, Haxor #2 is an excellent chapter that gets us deeper into the story. The story by Ostlie is exciting. The art by Ostlie is stunning. Altogether, a story that explores the possibilities of technology.

Story: Walter Ostlie Art: Walter Ostlie
Story: 9.0 Art: 9.0 Overall: 9.0 Recommendation: Buy

Review: Metalshark Bro: What the Fin

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Metalshark Bro: What the Fin

Bob Frantz, Kevin Cuffe, and Walter Ostlie’s Metalshark Bro: What the Fin is a little over 90 pages of cartoonish violence, fun one-liners, and a battle between Heaven and Hell with an anthropomorphic shark and a floating, hat-wearing magic eyeball named Ira caught in between. The premise is that a heavy metal band is lost at sea, and its members are devoured by an ordinary shark. However, Beelzebra, Satan’s “douchebag nephew”, held claim to one of their souls so he merged the soul of the band members with the shark to create “Metalshark Bro”. Now, Metalshark Bro must travel the land and collect the souls on Beelzebra’s to-do list so he can return to swimming in the ocean and having rows of teeth. However, as with any story featuring a Faustian bargain, it’s a bit more complicated than that.

Metalshark Bro is definitely a comic you read for the over the top mayhem paired with its protagonist’s easygoing, and at times, cheesy quips as he cuts all his opponents down a peg. However, there are some sweet moments too like when Metalshark Bro takes a break to pet a cat (Who ends up biting his hand) or leading a resistance movement. Bob Frantz and Kevin Cuffe set up some basic world-building with different realms, magic, a hierarchy of devils looking for souls, and a militant church trying to end the apocalypse that is straight out of the late-1990s Top Cow comic, but more tongue in cheek than sleazy. However, this world (and plot) exists just to take Metalshark Bro and Ira from wacky situation to situation as he tries to become himself again.

However, these situations that Frantz, Cuffe, and Walter Ostlie conjure up are creative and fun and make Metal Shark Bro a breezy read. For example, there’s an extended fight with a wizard that transforms into a goat whose heart Metal Shark Bro ends up eating, or later on, he and Ira end up fighting a horde of donut shaped demons. The comic also has pop culture homages too, including Star Wars, Fight Club, and mecha anime in general. Bob Frantz and Kevin Cuffe really write Metalshark Bro as a classic, wisecracking action protagonist, which is very much a coping mechanism as much as it’s his personality, especially when he ends up a little bit over his head later tin the comic. Metalshark Bro really has a unique personality: an incredibly human blend of anger and politeness like when he slaughters all the diners at a chicken and waffle restaurant, but still leaves a tip. He definitely reacts how someone would if you were put in another species’ body with a completely different set of rules and purpose for living.

On the art side of things, Walter Ostlie creates his share of big, dynamic moments in Metalshark Bro like the initial transformation sequence, or even Metalshark Bro and his fellow prisoners fake fighting to start a riot and escape. However, he doesn’t sacrifice storytelling coherence or smoothness for cool metal moments using grids for rapid fire conversations like when Satan and his nephew have a little chat and opening up the page and intensifying the color palette during the various fights against wizards, monsters, demons, or ninja nuns. All kinds of fluids are flying throughout this book, and it gives Metalshark Bro a knowing B-movie charm to go with its deadpan humor meets eviscerated body parts Adult Swim tone. However, the emotional side of the story comes from little jaw and eye movements from Metalshark Bro as he genuinely wants to back in the ocean even though it looks like he’s having a good time tearing through damned souls.

Metalshark Bro: What the Fin has a likable protagonist, a good sense of humor, and epic art from Walter Ostlie that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Bob Frantz and Kevin Cuffe have combined two classic story archetypes (Hero’s Journey, Deal with the Devil) and replaced the usual white bread protagonist with an anthropomorphic shark and a floating eye with some laugh out loud funny results and loads of violence. This is definitely a book you want to check out if you want to take a break from the “real world” for a bit.

Story: Bob Frantz and Kevin Cuffe Art: Walter Ostlie Letters: Chas! Pangburn
Story: 8.8 Art: 9.0 Overall: 8.9 Recommendation: Buy

Scout Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

Purchase: Scout Comics – TFAW

Review: Haxor #1

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Haxor

Isaac Asimov is one of the greatest architects of science fiction and his influence has grown exponentially. AS what he dreamt almost a century ago now, is so relevant today that you must be blind not draw the comparisons. His visions of the future are truly the present we live in now, and in some ways, our reality is much grimmer than he ever imagined. Where he saw robots go, the world saw it go further.

As the most recent in memory adaptation of his work, I, Robot, revisited some of those classic tropes, which only Asimov could evoke so hauntingly. Will Smith’s character represented the viewer, it showed how we struggle with technology, especially when we benefit from it. As it can be true that sometimes too much technology is too much. In Walter Ostlie’s excellent Haxor, we find a protagonist dealing with this very dilemma.

We meet our protagonist, Iso, who is being awakened by an alarm clock, which will not go off no matter what she does. As she lives in Shi-Bu City, where its inhabitants play games for a living, and where one corporation owns the game and practically all Shi Bu’s inhabitants. We also meet Wire, a grizzled veteran gamer whose disdain for the game and the corporation has made him cynical and reckless. By the issue’s end, Iso enters the game, where something already doesn’t seem right.

Overall, an interesting introduction to a world not so distant from ours, with a brand new protagonist whom we can cheer for. The story by Walter Ostlie is fun and engaging. The art by Ostlie is gorgeous. Altogether, a story that introduces a universe both familiar and still nascent.

Story: Walter Ostlie Art: Walter Ostlie
Story: 9.0 Art: 9.0 Overall: 9.0 Recommendation: Buy

The Doomspeaker Knows a Person’s Death. Coming this Winter from Scout Comics

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When Jarden’s traveling carnival touches down in a small town, he discovers a boy with the ability to foretell the manner of a person’s death. Jarden is fearful of the boy’s role in the prophecy of a Doomspeaker. After the boy’s father, the town sheriff, hangs a member of the carnival, Jarden destroys the town with dark magic and the boy joins the carnival so Jarden can keep an eye on him. Jarden’s carnival continues its journey with the sheriff following and killing any magical beings who get in his way. Along their travels it becomes evident the traveling carnival hides dark magic and even darker secrets. 

Doomspeaker is out this winter from Neil Allen Moherman, Walter Ostlie, and Chas! Pangburn. It’s being published by Scout Comics.

Scout Comics Reveals More Info About Black Caravan, the New Horror Imprint

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In February 2020, Scout Comics announced six new imprints. Black Caravan was one of them whose focus is to “explore the darker side of creator-owned comics, high-end art books, and collectibles. The horror imprint’s co-Publishers are Joseph Schmalke and Rich Woodall.

Now, we’ve got the first six new titles which will debut later this year.

THE PERHAPANAUTS

BIGFOOT! El CHUPACABRA! The MOTHMAN! GHOSTS! The world may be growing smaller every day, but there are dark and terrible things still out there in the woods, shadowy corners full of mystery and dread. Who else are you going to send out to investigate?  —- The Perhapanauts! by creators Todd Dezago and Craig Rousseau.

THE PERHAPANAUTS

PHANTOM STARKILLER

Whispers of his return paralyze all in fear – Phantom Starkiller, the Cosmic Ghoul Warrior will unleash his inner darkness to carry out his master’s wishes, all while plotting his revenge; for he cannot stop his interstellar rampage until The Curse of the Cryptocrystalline Stone has been broken! An exciting new psychedelic space odyssey based on the wildly popular toy line by Killer Bootlegs, and Super7! Written by Killer Bootlegs featuring artwork from Joseph Schmalke.

PHANTOM STARKILLER

THE ELECTRIC BLACK: THE BLACK CARAVAN

Before the Electric Black there was a traveling carnival of wonders, the Black Caravan. People flocked to its showed exhibitions to behold the weird inhabitants, as well as the forbidden, dark goods. All is not what it seems and what we think of as good and evil are brought into question. Written and illustrated by Joseph Schmalke and Rich Woodall.

THE ELECTRIC BLACK: THE BLACK CARAVAN

PROVENANCE OF MADNESS

A collection of three stories set in the world that Lovecraft created, whilst referencing the writer’s most popular works. The collection also features a whole host of bonus artwork from a wide array of artists all keen to share their love for the things that should not be. Created and written by Kiyarn Taghan, artwork by Christian DiBari, and Colors by Simon Gough.

PROVENANCE OF MADNESS

BROKEN SOULS BALLAD

A group of teenagers, all adopted, begin to discover they have dark and terrible powers, connected to the psychological distress and torture they endured in their early childhood. Written by Massimo Rosi, artwork by Lodovica Caregatti.

BROKEN SOULS BALLAD

THE ELECTRIC BLACK PRESENTS

From the Chilling Pages of The Electric Black comes a new horror anthology series, centered on four of its most insidious characters. Brace your souls for these tales of cosmic horror, revenge, murder, and mayhem. Written by Joseph Schmalke and Rich Woodall. Featuring the artistic talents of Paul Pelletier, Walter Ostlie, Christian DiBari, and Karl Moline.

THE ELECTRIC BLACK PRESENTS

It’s Metalshark Bro!

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Created by Bob Frantz and Kevin Cuffe; artwork by Walter Ostlie and Shawn Greenleaf, Metalshark Bro! is the latest series announced by Scout Comics.

Metalshark Bro! takes place off the coast of Bali where sharks swim along, casually looking for their next meal. Beelzbra, the horrific nephew of Satan himself, interrupts this tranquil patch of mother nature by turning one of the deadly fish into an anthropomorphic shark with a penchant for brutal murder. Wanting nothing more than to be turned back into the happy, swimming creature he was, Metalshark Bro must collect nine cursed souls for the wretched little demon before he will turn Metalshark Bro back.

Metalshark Bro!

Read the First 30 Pages of Action Hospital: Half-Light Bleeds then Back it on Kickstarter

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Dave Baker is the writer and an illustrator behind Action Hospital. For the past two years he’s been working on the comic which he describes as “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind meets Men in Black.”

Action Hospital: Half-Light Bleeds is the story of Joan Michelle Basquiat as she attempts to defend the eponymous Action Hospital against cave-dudes from the distant past, time traveling gondolier-themed assassins, a human-shark clone of Abraham Lincoln, and a demon with 9 and 3/4th heads.

Baker is currently running a Kickstarter to pay for printing of the nearly 300 page project. The project met its initial funding goal in 4 hours. And now it has raised almost 4x the original goal.

The original collection was published for San Diego Comic-Con 2016 and features 18 interconnected short stories. The whole project took four and a half years to make.

On top of the work by Baker, artists contributing pin ups are: Andrew Maclean, Te’shawn Dwyer, Kevin Woody, Buster Moody, Erwin Papa, Jonathan La Mantia, Daniel Arruda Massa, Ernie Najera, Bob Q, Daniel Whitfield, Mike Macropoulos, Jackie Crofts, Christian J Meesey, Scott Drummond, Tony Brown, Matthew Goodall, Daniel White, Tony McMillen, Sam Grinberg, Maciej Palka, Joey Navarra Jr., Walter Ostlie, and Jim Mahfood.

The comic is written, penciled, inked, and lettered. The funds raised go towards printing the project.

We’ve been hooked up with a 30 page preview of the comic and you can contribute and get your copy today. The Kickstarter runs until February 14.

AH2 Sample

Scout Comics Announces Shiver Bureau

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This week, Scout has announced Shiver Bureau, the debut monthly comic book by future superstar Walter Ostlie!

In Shiver Bureau, a formidable detective is forced into a partnership with a wise-cracking, hotshot inspector to save London from being overrun by ghosts and monsters. Racing through the city to solve a case of missing orphans, they run into gangs, ghosts, dockside mafia, and a giant monster, all while trying not to kill each other. 

Walter Ostlie is a self-taught writer and artist born on a South Korean US Army base. From there he moved around from place to place, finally settling in Florida. There he spends his days working, drawing comics, and attempting to skateboard without breaking too many bones. Walter’s other sequential work includes Cubicles, Webway Comics’ Is’nana, and Studio Doggebi’s The Legendary Sisters of the Laughing Doggebi.

Review: Is’Nana: The Were-Spider Vol. 1

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Growing up, reading comics back home n Queens, New York, I never quite caught on to Spider-Man. I know that may be a controversial statement, considering how many Spidey fans there are out there, but his stories never interested me and no, this not a diatribe against Spider-Man, as his canon amongst the other Marvel superheroes is prolific and for good reason. His story about growing up in Queens, New York, saving civilians, never caught fire with me, as I never felt the angst and struggle that Peter Parker went through. Then when I found out that the origins of Spider-Man, not only came from Stan Lee’s imagination but also from African folklore.

As the story of Anansi, well known to only through West Africa but also throughout the Caribbean, as he is the spirit of all knowledge and stories. I remember my grandfather telling me the story when I was 7 when I lived in Trinidad. Growing up reading comic books, I read about Thor and his brother Loki, and their father, Odin, and always thought why were stories about people who looked like me never like this. Enter writer Greg Anderson-Elysee, who from what I just read, probably thought, and wished the same exact thing.

Enter, Is’Nana: The Were-Spider, which starts off with the reader meeting Roger Stine, a lonely old man, whose children do not have time for him, as he suffers nightmares of a leopard chasing him. Little does he know, supernatural forces are at play, as a dark force is haunting him, it being another figure from African folklore, Osebo the Leopard, who not only haunts him but takes over Roger’s body. Is’Nana just so happens to be on the hunt for him, at which point, Is’Nana with the help of his father, Anansi, fights Osebo to save Roger’s life. The story ends with Is’Nana defeating Osebo and becoming friends with Roger and as a bonus the reader gets introduced to Is ‘Nana’s journey form his world to ours as well as why his father, Anansi was brought here as well.

Overall, a strong introduction to a character and a world that I want to know more about and one which is more relatable than Peter Parker’s. The story by Greg Anderson-Elysee, by at first glance may seem like one we have heard before, but once the reader digs in, is an even denser and intricate story and one whose origins have deeper roots than one would imagine. The art by Walter Ostlie, Lee Milewski, Walt Msonza Barna, and Joshua Cozine, is beautiful and reminds me of the work Frank Miller did on Ronin. Altogether, a strong first book by this team, and a story that I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Story: Greg Anderson-Elysee
Art: Walter Ostlie, Lee Milewski, Walt Msonza Barna and Joshua Cozine
Story:10 Art:10 Overall:10 Recommendation:Buy