REVIEW: What if? Marvel Comics Went Metal With Ghost Rider

Writer: Sebastian Girner

Pencils, inks, and colors: Caspar Wijngaard

Review: Madman

I haven’t read a single comic since the middle of July due to the fact my wife and I welcomed our first child and, well, life got real busy, real fast.

I suppose that goes without saying but, unless you’ve lived it, I doubt you can fully understand just how exhausting parenting can be. That being said, our little bundle of joy is a little over four months old now and is by no means any less exhausting.

So due to the aforementioned mini-human I had to take a step back from the wonderful world of comics, both reading and reviewing, for a few months and my, “to read”, pile is near the toppling over stage.

 So, I figure I’d pop in to say hello and help the HCB guys out with a review. I’m not sure how often I’ll be able to contribute here for a bit yet; I guess that depends on the cooperation of my wife and the mini-human.

We shall see.

REVIEW: Roulette

Story: Jeff Kaufman

Art: Federico Zumel

Colors: James Brown

Letters: Justin Birch

Review: Art Bee

A couple of weeks ago while I was checking out at my LCS, the graphic novel Roulette was sitting on the wire rack with its shiny, foily letters, and we all know how shiny things affect me.

Needless to say the impulse buy was made, and the $9.99 price point made it a bargain.

Afterward while driving home I began to wonder whether or not I had ever heard of Big City Comic Studios (the publisher) and if the company was located in an actual big city.

It would be hilarious if it was located in a small rural town.

Alas it is located in Orlando, Florida…

Roulette is a horror comic more attuned to a slasher film. Like many slasher films the identity of the killer is typically left to the end of the story, and this one is no different. The story begins with the introduction of Kim Barnett, daughter of a wealthy businessman. Kim arranges travel for her fiancé and six friends to Las Vegas for some fun.

Upon arriving the group is given an invitation to download and use an app called Roulette. The invitation says:

 “Would you like to trade places? All participants must download the Roulette app at www.madeyourchoice.com. Each participant will be given a time to meet downstairs and enter the red limousine. Choices will be made. Lives will be changed. Remember, you can always say no.”    

All of their pictures appear on a wheel that spins and randomly selects one, and the first one chosen is Kim. She leaves and enters the red limousine as do they all. The next morning all but Kim wake up in a hotel room. Shortly, the app shows Kim tied to a chair and gagged with a masked man wielding a knife.

“Would you change places?”

REVIEW: Bully Wars #3

Story: Skottie Young

Art: Aaron Conley

Colors: Jean-Francois Beaulieu

Letters: Nate Piekos of Glambot

Review: Art Bee

In middle and high school I had to deal with my share of bullies and even though my school was smaller, it contained several. Granted many of those days were the brightest of my life and they shaped me into the man and father I am today…whatever that is worth.

Imagine my curiosity when Bully Wars by Skottie Young was visible on the shelf at my LCS. When I thumbed through the issue my eyes were shocked to see artwork in a style other than Young’s and that is when the credits revealed, to my amazement, the art belonged to Aaron Conley.

This made me happy. If you are not familiar with this gent, he worked with Ryan Browne on God Hates Astronauts (Image) among other things.

Bear with me on this. I have not read the first two issues.

Bully Wars aims to set all of the bullies in the school into a contest of champions of sorts.

May the Best Bully win…

At first I thought this comic book was going to glorify bullies, but that thought was quickly knocked down, stomped, and shot in the head with the first argument shared between a pair.

REVIEW: Sock #1

Creator, writer, illustrator: Rickman

Review: Will Dubbeld

So, you all wanted a comic about a sock who fights crime, right?

That’s clearly rhetorical.

You know damn well you wanted a vigilante sock book...

Want no longer, as Sock presents three short stories detailing the exploits of a cape-wearing, flying sock of justice.

Upon hearing the sounds of danger, the mild-mannered sock perks from his owner’s laundry basket and wordlessly takes flight, hell-bent on righting wrongs and punishing the wicked!

Seriously, I think it’s a normal sock the rest of the time...

Also, it spins around like Linda Carter in the old Wonder Woman show to transform from normal sock to super-sock.

I feel that’s worth noting...

The first short is a classic go-to setup involving a lovely young lady imperiled by a knife-wielding ne’er do well in a deadend alley. Hearing cries for help, The Sock speeds through the night air and handily defeats the would-be mugger in one of the most bizarre fights I’ve ever seen on the page.

And not just because it depicts a thug getting beat up by a sock.

The Sock first envelopes the guy’s head and pops off, leaving his hair standing on end (presumably from static electricity?).

He then flies into the guy’s mouth, which is gross, because The Sock was going into the wash as the story opened.

Also the author is perhaps a Mick Foley fan.

I don’t know.

Finally, The Sock wriggles up the guy’s pantleg and socks him in the nuts.

Or possibly constricts something; it isn’t graphically depicted.

Either way, dude drops to the ground clutching his breadbasket.

The Sock then flies home, just in time to be tossed in the wash.

REVIEW: MCMLXXV #1

Story: Joe Casey
Art: Ian Macewan
Color: Brad Simpson
Design: Sonia Harris
Letters: Rus Wooton
Review: Art Bee

Why did I pick up MCMLXXV #1 at my LCS?
I wish I could say something like it has a great cover or appealing artwork, but the only reason this comic book came home with me is my fascination for Roman numeration. 
The title of this comic is 1975 by our numerals. Granted, Roman numerals are bulkier to use but just look at how much more interesting they are.
They seem like an entitlement instead of a number. I believe the title is a reference to the time period in which the story takes place, but it is not clear.

Pamela Evans, a cab driver in an unknown metropolis, is the main character in MCMLXXV #1. Our first look at this lady shows her as a badass by her using her cab as a weapon against a large group of ninjas who just happen to be occupying the entire street. She then exits the cab and proceeds to pummel the katana-wielding warriors with a tire iron. We are never given a reason for the group of ninjas being there or whether they were there to attack Pamela or her fare. In addition there is no provocation for Pamela to attack other than the ninjas being in the way.
Is this a story of heroic roadrage?

REVIEW: Swamp Thing Halloween Horror Giant #1

Writer/artist: various 

Review: Will Dubbeld

Well, ‘it’s the season... 

Halloween is one of my most favorite bits of the year. Ghouls and goblins and panhandling urchins rub elbows with Scary Monsters and Super Creeps whilst all-nite horror marathons ride the airwaves.

Granted I can enjoy these flavors year-round, but the whimsy isn’t the same.

Comic companies ofttimes join in the Halloween festivities with a themed one-shot or standalone regular series issue and this year’s big winner is DC Comics.

Which is not a phrase you’ll hear uttered with frequency...

This 100-pager features an original Swamp Thing vignette and several reprinted All Hallows’ pieces.

“Hollow”

The new Swampy bit is scribed by Brian Azzarello with Greg Capullo pencils and is a frankly intriguing story.

I’m fairly behind on my monthlies and unsure if there’s a frame of reference in a book I’ve not read yet, but “Hollow” seems like it sets the stage for an upcoming Swamp Thing series.

It’s extremely vague but follows a young lady named Twiglet who is acting as Swamp Thing’s herald or acolyte after having been rescued by him at some point. 

The rescue is amazing as it features Swamp Thing fighting a giant albino alligator. There’s the price of admission.

Right there...

Azzarello teases an upcoming war with a being/force called The Barren and flexes Swamp Thing’s muscles in a fight with some demon creatures masquerading as trick or treaters.

While usually nonplussed about Azzarello’s writing and persona, this was a win. He comes off as a pupal version of Warren Ellis and Ed Brubaker’s atomic love child who hadn’t fully gestated and always falls short of truly spellbinding writing.

Greg Capullo really hits his stride here, showcasing his omnipresent slavish attention to detail, accentuated by Jonathan Glapion’s inks and colors from FCO Plascencia.

I’m looking forward to following along with this storyline. 

REVIEW: Beasts of Burden: Wise Dogs and Eldritch Men #1

Writer: Evan Dorkin
Artist: Benjamin Dewey
Letterer: Nate Piekos of Blambot
Review: Art Bee

When I first saw this comic book on the shelf at my LCS my first thought was, “sharp cover”, and my second was the Rolling Stones song which is still bouncing around my skull.
My decision to pick it up and review it was cemented by the owner and operator of my LCS, Shawn, saying that it was, “one of the best new comics he has read in a while”. In the past our opinions have been hit or miss on agreement, but in this case, they are fairly close.

Beasts of Burden #1 almost seems like something aimed at children with talking animals and magic. Even though there is no rating on the comic, from what I read in this issue, it seems fine for most ages (8+).
What hit me sideways was the boldness in the artwork. Dewey’s lines are all bold and deliberate providing a since of deliberate destiny for the characters. This is strictly my interpretation and I stand by it. The scenes are very detailed and keep the reader’s focus well. These qualities are one of the driving forces of the issue.

REVIEW: Eric Henson’s Eden #1

Story & Pencils: Eric Henson
Inks: Michael Babinski
Colors: Stephen Downer
Letters: Robert Dean
Review: Art Bee

Why do I love science fiction so much? The answer is most assuredly anything can happen at any time and anywhere in this or another universe. The only limitation is in the mind of the creator.
This comic’s cover was definitely this issue’s attraction; main reason being the slender four eyed alien on the cover. It sealed the deal wonderfully.

 Alterna Comics has been quickly moving up my list of favorite publishers mostly for two reasons:  newsprint pages and price point (most issues are ony $1.50). Not too long ago I reviewed Doppelgänger #1, and between it and this issue, the publisher seems to be producing some top shelf stories. A bigger investment will provide more information.

Eden #1 is an action-packed story set in 2714 after an alien race, called the Nomads, has conquered Earth and sent the surviving humans to an alien refugee world, Eden.
The main character is Brigadier General Neriah Willis. She is almost a cliché badass, but that is one of the few clichés I don’t mind. Who doesn’t like the hero to be a badass with a putz sidekick, a man called Christian in this case.

REVIEW: Unnatural #1

Writer, artist & colorist: Mirka Andolfo
Colors assistant: Gianluca Papi
Lettering & production: Fabio Amejia
Review: Will Dubbeld

Leaps and bounds above manga, in my opinion, are Eurocomics.
Though wildly popular, manga tends to adhere to a handful of stylized artistic choices for the most part and simply lacks the diversity I’ve come to expect out of comics.
European comics, in contrast, run the gamut. 
From Moebius to Manara and all points in between, there’s a layered artistic aesthetic I don’t find in their Japanese counterparts, leading me to choose Schtroumpfs over Dragon Ball any day.

Unfortunately, manga is much more prevalent in the casual market. Domestic companies have done far better a job at translating, importing, and marketing manga in an affordable manner so kudos to them. Euro books are much more scarce and oftentimes collected in pricier collections.

I nearly passed over Unnatural at first glance but, upon learning it was a domestic translation of an Italian comic, quickly ordered a copy.
I was not disappointed.

REVIEW: Rob Guillory’s Farmhand #1

Created, written, and drawn by Rob Guillory
Colors by Taylor Wells
Letters by Kody Chamberlain
Review by Art Bee

When you first enter into a bakery, the smell that hits you makes you aware of the comfort within the door, dazzling you with an airy spell-like seduction. Our local bakery is one of my very favorite places to go and sit for a donut and a cup of joe, since the bakery is connected to a café. The blend of the smells makes me feel like the world is right.
Farmhand #1 gave me a similar feeling, and I think I am going to live here for a spell.

This comic started enchanting me through the beautiful images I saw as I thumbed through the issue at my LCS. More on that soon...
When I bought this comic book, my first thought was, “another zombie book”.
Guess what…
I was dead wrong (pun intended).

The story starts with Ezekiel (Zeke) Jenkins and his sister, Andrea (Andy), investigating an attack in the chicken coup when they find their father buried in the ground. This obviously freaks the kids out as they are under the impression he is on a business trip. While trying to dig him up something strange happens to Zeke when he touches his father. 

REVIEW: Shanghai Red #1

Art/Colors/Cover: Joshua Hixson
Script/Design: Christopher Sebela
Letters: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
Review: Art Bee

At some point in each our lives, aren’t we all enthralled with pirates?
Through most of my teenage years, I was. That was quite a while before Pirates of the Caribbean hit the silver screen but from the sound of many that triggered or retriggered their interest. Since that movie series hit theatres, pirates seem too much of a grand stand for me.

A week ago when I picked up my comics from my LCS, staring at me was a cover that was attractive and intriguing. Without any more knowledge aside from the cover, my guess was it was a pirate story, and I decided to give it a try.

For many centuries the seas have been the lifeline of commerce. It was the job of people called, “boarding masters”, to supply ample bodies for shipping crews. Along the west coast of the U.S. it became common to incapacitate a man and forge his name on a contract to serve on a ship. Once contracted to serve it was illegal to abandon the job until the end of the contract. Most of these voyages were connected to Shanghai, China, which gives the name to the practice (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghaiing). 

REVIEW: Batman #50

Writer: Tom King
Artist: Mikel Janin
Colorist: June Chung
Review: Madman

Well, here we go. The long awaited super-sized issue jam-packed full of Bat-Goodness, and the world shattering wedding of the Batman and Catwoman has finally arrived!
I’ve read through the issue a couple of times now and, for the life of me, can’t make up my mind if I like it or not. Maybe the build up and energy DC put into this climactic issue raised my expectations and made me want it a little too much…

After reading the Prelude to the Wedding books, which I really enjoyed, as well as The Best Man story arc in Batman issues 48 and 49 I expected this issue to blow my mind... Well, it was more like a soggy Snap Pop. Batman #49 was so, so good. I’d go as far as to say it is my favorite issue of Batman I have read in a long time…and Batman didn’t even have that big of a part to play in the issue. Most of the heavy lifting went to The Joker and Catwoman.

THE SHOTGUN BLAST!

(Apologies, McGirk)
Review: Will Dubbeld

So, Marvel relaunches for the umpteenth time, and I buy in for the umpteenth time.
I can’t help it.
I’ve been a dedicated Marvel Zombie since the ‘80s and have largely enjoyed their fare. I’m not viewing the company through rose-colored spectacles, mind you. There’s been PLENTY of foibles and writing gaffes I’ve hated, causing me to skip most of the ‘90s, because I thought the books were trash.
It’s okay. Marvel Zombies are allowed to dislike things.
An objective reader and fan of the Last Great American Art Form can dislike things and not spew vitriol across the Internet, however...
With a few exceptions, of course.

All in all, I’ll take Marvel’s relaunches any day of the week over a hard continuity reboot. I can pick up an issue of Spider-Man and read with confidence; comfortable in the knowledge that the Peter Parker therein is the same Peter Parker from Amazing Fantasy #15.
He’s not from Earth-12, or Post-Crisis-Pre-Flashpoint Peter Parker. He’s the same down-on-his-luck, wheatcake eatin’ Puny Parker, and I’ll take character shakeups over Crisis anytime.

Anyway here’s Wonderwall...

REVIEW: Hawkman #1

Writer: Robert Venditti
Penciller: Bryan Hitch
Inkers: Andrew Currie & Bryan Hitch
Colorist: Alex Sinclair
Review: Madman

Today is a good day. I was so, so happy to hear DC was releasing a new Hawkman book.
I don’t follow DC very much except for the Batman book. Although I will read any Hawkman comic thrown at me; I just love the character. When I was a youngster my best buddy from down the alley, Dustin, had all the Justice League toys complete with the Hall of Justice. Of course, since they were his toys, he always chose Batman and Superman, and I always got Martian Manhunter and Hawkman. That was perfectly fine with me. Looking back that’s probably where I fell in love with the character even before I’d read any Hawkman comics.

I was even more excited to read this book when I saw the amazing variant cover by Stjepan Sejic. I don’t get too excited about most variant covers like some of my buddies, but I promptly snatched this bad boy up in all its majestic glory.
Speaking of artwork, Bryan Hitch’s illustrations between the covers is on point and really does make my soul hurt thinking about how long I have to wait before the second issue drops.
Damn you, flux capacitor! Why have you forsaken me?!!!

REVIEW: Medieval Spawn and Witchblade #2

Writer: Brian Haberlin & Brian Holguin
Art: Brian Haberlin
Colors: Geirrod VanDyke
Letters: Francis Takenaga
Review: Art Bee

For a couple of months before the first issue hit the stands, I have been stewing in my own anticipation for the release of Medieval Spawn and Witchblade #1. As many of you already know, Spawn is my crack and my dealer loves me. Much like Madman is with Spider-Man, my money will be spent on anything flying the Spawn banner. On top of that information, it is also well known of me to have a soft spot for any of Silvestri’s Artifact stories.

Medieval Spawn and Witchblade #2 seems to run parallel with the first issue which focused on the Hellspawn of the series, King Valor.
The second issue leads to the founding of a new bearer of the Witchblade, Starling. The story zeros in on a blind man by the name of Sea Hawk, a member of the Guild of the Trusted. This guild is determined to track down artifacts and Sea Hawk has his mind set on the Witchblade. He is also a wizard of some kind and a powerful one by the looks of it.

Free Comic Book Day 2018 - Will Dubbeld

Relentless and shameless advertising campaigns aside, FCBD has been and will remain one of my favorite aspects to the hobby.
Most Local Comic Shops go all out with sales, promotions, door prizes and the like, and I’m fortunate enough to have a handful of stores in easy driving distance. A regular bounty of .25-1.00 books found their way into my collection as well as the usual assortment of freebies.
Let’s have a look, shall we?

Titan Comics
A Brief History of Tank Girl

Written by: Alan Martin
Cover by: Jamie Hewlett
Drawn by: Brett Parson, Warwick Johnson-Cadwell, Jonathan Edwards
Lettered by: Brett Parson

Oh, Tank Girl...

Free Comic Book Day 2018 - Madman

Ah yes, Free Comic Book Day is the one thing I will willingly stand in line for that does not involve emptying my bladder. I’m being 100% honest here. I don’t wait in lines. I don’t wait for a table at a restaurant. I just don’t wait period. I have the patience of a toddler and willingly admit that…

The irony here is my wife is 7 months pregnant, so I guess I have been waiting for that to happen. Soon enough I’ll have actual data and first hand comparisons of an infants’ patience compared to my own. The main point here is that I simply do not wait.

FCBD is not that day. I arrived an hour and five minutes early at Comics Cubed and attained the coveted first spot in line. Again, being honest here, I could really care less about the free comics. I mean, the majority of the books are reprints, glorified advertisements, or a weird little mixture of both. Don’t get me wrong though; it sure is a lot of fun taking part in the geeky festivities. Hanging out with friends and other like-minded geeks is always a good time. The real reason I go to Comics Cubed every May 5th with a pocket full of cash are the ridiculous deals and “flash sales” that go on, starting an hour before the doors open for the freebies.   

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2018 – ART BEE

What a grand idea and holiday.
A day devoted to putting comic books in the hands of the masses for absolutely no cash.

My LCS, Comics Cubed, runs many sidewalk deals while the masses wait to gather free comics. This year I acquired a Fearless Defenders trade paperback for $3 as well as an original Dick Tracy tpb for $1. With deals like this on top of free comics, how could I stay away?
Luckily, Madman was able to grab the first spot in the line for us and we had our choice from the word go, something to which I could get accustomed.
Let’s dive into the floppies I nabbed.   

Star Wars Day ‘18

Words: Will Dubbeld

Darth Vader #14

Writer: Charles Soule
Pencils: Giuseppe Camuncoli
Inks: Daniele Orlandini
Colors: David Curiel

I was ecstatic when Star Wars bounced back home to Marvel Comics.
Dark Horse had a long, storied history with the franchise, but most of what I’d read was uninspired and bland.
It represented my inherent dislike of the Expanded Universe in that it utterly was without regulation and went off the rails.

Luckily, Star Wars has a rudder these days. That’s not to say there haven’t been some serious misses in the new comics; in fact, there have been some arcs that felt severely...
UnStar Warsy.

The Darth Vader comic tows the line between capturing the Star Wars spirit and fringe science-fiction.

Vader #14 is an inherently great issue with a shadow cast over it by my own bias.
More on that later...

REVIEW: REVIEW: Breathless #1

Writer: Pat Shand
Artist: Renzo Rodriguez
Colorist: Mara Jayne Carpenter
Letterer: Jim Campbell
Review: Art Bee

There is not much of a story as to how Breathless #1 came into my possession. One of the guys at the LCS put it in my folder, and when I saw it I thought, “It doesn’t look horrible, so I will give it a try.”
What I would come to find out was this issue is a work of brilliance. There is so much going on here and my hope is to do it justice in this review.
Put on your safety glasses and hardhat as we get started.

Before reading Breathless #1, I really thought this was going to be something along the lines of a vampire story based on the cover and title. How glad I was to find out that was not the case. Pat Shand has shown us his writing aptitude in this story from the start. The main character is Scout Turner, a doctor at a pharmaceutical company. We are introduced to her on the first page while she is picking up her albuterol inhaler, and this one scene on the first page tells us so much about this character. She has asthma, is broke, has to deal with a lot of silly people, is a leap year baby, and her age; all without actually telling us. Shand gives us all credit for having a brain and being able to put thoughts together.   

REVIEW: The Incredible Hulk #714

Writer: Greg Pak
Penciler: Carlo Barberi
Inker: Walden Wong
Colorist: Frank D’Armmata
Review: Madman

I’m so not happy here.
I have steadfastly avoided every Hulk book involving the heretical Amadeus Cho. I just can’t do it; I don’t have the resolve to stomach this nonsense. Not only were we forced to deal with Hawkeye taking down one of the most powerful beings in the Marvel universe, but we had to see one of Marvel’s most endearing characters replaced with an overrated Millennial. I do faithfully read the Champions books, and I really have been digging the series as a whole, but I try to ignore the new, “Totally Awesome Hulk”, as best I can.
Thankfully the series has been more focused on the other members on the team such as Nova and Viv lately, so it hasn’t really been all that hard to look the other way.

Although Amadeus has been around on and off since around 2005 he didn’t start ruining my Hulk until 2015 when Marvel started that whole All-New, All Different phase I grew to hate. After two years Marvel has advertised the return of Bruce Banner and the one, true Hulk, thank God.
Seeing The Incredible Hulk title start back up I snatched this issue hoping it was indeed the return of Banner, but it seems I jumped the gun and am way too early…
So here we are, Bannerless, going through withdrawals and being spoon-fed this World War Hulk 2.  As far as I can tell no one really cares about it, because one World War Hulk was enough. It’s so sad to see Marvel regurgitating the same old storylines over and over, just like Civil War…
I mean, what was wrong with the first one? I won’t even get started on the Nazi Cap.
Whose idea was it to take Marvel Down this road? I really need to know…asking for a friend.

REVIEW: The Terrifics #1

Storytellers: Ivan Reis & Jeff Lemire
Inker: Joe Prado
Colorist: Marcelo Maiolo
Letterer: Tom Napolitano
Review: Will Dubbeld

Ah, DC...
My tempestuous, on-again, off-again comic book lover: unnecessarily complex and infuriating yet always drawing me back into a torrid affair.
Once again, DC swings for the fences with their Metal event and follows up with several spinoff books.
Most of them look like post-Image/Wildstorm derivative drek but a couple titles caught my eye, chiefly The Terrifics.
Throwing Plastic Man into a funnybook is nearly a guaranteed purchase on my part...

In the interest of full transparency I haven’t finished reading Metal, the lead-in series, so I’ve had to fill in some blanks with the power of imagination and some web sources.
And to be perfectly fair, as Scott Snyder is wont to do, Metal was a fantastic idea that got stretched really thin and probably ended much worse than it started.
Regardless, there was no way I was turning down a Plastic Man comic.
Especially one featuring Metamorpho.

I know the book’s angle presents Mr. Terrific as the focal character, but my power of belief can skew that focus towards Plas.
And Metamorpho. 

REVIEW: Isola #1

Story: Brenden Fletcher and Karl Kerschl
Art: Karl Kerschl and Msassyk
Letters: AdityaBidikar
Review: Art Bee

My folder at my LCS, Comics Cubed, geysered forth an interesting comic book this week. The cover baffled me because, while being gorgeous, the font used was hard to decipher. The comic expert on staff at the time stated, “Yes. That had me stumped too. I had to open the cover and look at the copyright accreditation to understand that it says ‘Isola’.”
This helped immensely, and then the font made perfect sense, leaving me feeling a bit silly. Flipping through the pages, my eyes were treated to some amazing artwork; more on that later, though.

Oh, ok, I will talk about the art. Stop screaming at me…

What caught my eye and encouraged me to buy this book was the gorgeous image of a tiger resembling Prince Adam’s cowardly cat from the He-Man cartoon. Kringer was one of my favorite childhood characters. The cat drawn in this comic is rendered in a similar style with different coloring and is very attractive. All of the artwork in the issue is top shelf, colorful, and worthy of admiration. The artists’ use of blue tones is very conducive to developing detail during nighttime scenes, and I must say some of the best I have seen. Their use of tones in the transition of night to dawn is very compelling. 

REVIEW: Shadow Man #1

Writer: Andy Diggle
Artist: Stephen Segovia
Colors: Ulises Arreloa
Letterer: Simon Bowland
Review: Madman

When I picked up my books from the LCS I noticed the stack was largely populated by the Big 2.
Exactly four Marvel books, 1 DC book (because…Batman), and two Image books.
You know it’s gonna be a good day when you get the new issues of both Saga and Manifest Destiny on the same day.

Having literally reviewed each of the titles I picked up this week at least once before, I decided to scour the shelves for something other than my usual fare.
Enter Shadowman.
Not going to lie, there where a few other new #1s that started this week, but I totally grabbed this one based on of the cover. There were two different covers available, this one and one that was way less dramatic. I’m not sure which is the main cover or if one is printed more then the other; I just know this one is better. I had zero info on this book before I made the purchase, so I forged ahead in the name of science. 

BOGO REVIEW: Oblivion Song #1 and The Highest House #1

Thank you all for your patience while we mourned and remembered our friend and founder, William R. Davis, Jr. He will be missed, but his spirit would groin punch us if we didn’t get back to our comic business. That is just his way.
For your patience, I decided to hit you with two reviews at once to get back on track.

Oblivion Song #1

Writer/creator: Robert Kirkman
Artist/creator: Lorenzo De Felici
Colorist: Annalisa Leoni
Letterer: Rus Wooton
Review: Art Bee

Image is launching another major title from Kirkman in Oblivion Song and if you just asked, “who is Kirkman?” picture me pinching my nose and shaking my head with my eyes closed. Kirkman is one of the most recognizable names in comic books and has been for the last decade due to his baby, The Walking Dead. According to him, this story has been on his workbench for some time now waiting for De Felici to be freed up enough to get on board.

After reading the issue, which includes 35 pages of actual content, my mind was toiling with whether I liked it or not and what did I just read. This spurred me to reread the issue and realize that I didn’t miss anything.

The story is centered on a man named Nathan who is involved in the search and rescue of people trapped in, “Hell”. Even though we are not told what this place truly is, it seems to be a parallel dimension in which thousands of people trapped. This, “Hell”, is similar to our world in landscape but has many large, nasty monsters running around as well as some smaller ones. Nathan hunts down survivors and tags them with a dart that zaps them back home where Nathan’s team, Duncan and Brigit, recovers them and renders first aid. We do find out Nathan’s motivation is find his brother, Edward. 

REVIEW: Lockjaw #1

Writer: Daniel Kibblesmith
Penciler: Carlos Villa
Inker: Roberto Poggi
Colorist: Chris O’Halloran
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Review: Will Dubbeld

I’ve always liked the Inhumans.
To be fair, I like more comics than not, but in any case...
They didn’t seem to get a fair shake, those Inhumans. They had a sweet Moon base (or Himalayan city, depending), a kung fu master, a brooding king, a couple beautiful ladies, and mysterious alien origins.
Despite the above selling points, and many others, the Inhumans never got over with the fans as well as the Avengers or X-Men. Periodically given their own series and perennially relegated to guest appearances, Black Bolt and Company meandered through Marvel continuity until very recently.

When Marvel jumped the Inhuman shark.

Recent history has seen Marvel give the Inhumans a push the fans never asked for.
Shoved to the fore and down reader’s throats, we saw them fight X-Men in a shoddy storyline, bear responsibility for the creation of nearly all new superhumans, spawn several hot debut comics, and generally maintain omnipresent status.

Despite the House of Ideas doing their damnedest to crowbar the House of Boltagon into superstar status, there’s a few of the books I have enjoyed.

And here comes Lockjaw...

Madman's Reflections of a Pioneer

Notes on Flashpoint: The Last Major Story Arc in the Old DC Universe.

Here it is: the keystone of the HCB.
William’s loathing for most of DC’s Flashpoint mega-event is what truly created the HCB and put him on the attack. Two days after William wrote this review, I got the random phone call that would recruit me into the fight.
In the beginning that’s what it truly was. We went to war, calling out everything that was wrong with the modern day mainstream funnybook industry, especially in reference to the Big Two.
For the most part we’ve held true to William’s original mission statement:

“Comic criticisms that will cover anything interesting in the world of comics. Legit fans of sequential graphic story telling, truthsmiths balls deep in iconoclasm.” 

Granted, over the past 7 years we’ve learned to be a bit more constructive and a little less abusive, but just a bit. It was this very review that actually drew a response from none other then Scott Snyder himself in the form of a pretty nasty email. Apparently, he took offence to what William had to say about Detective Comics #881 and how Snyder ruined a great story arc with a really lame ending.
Although I don’t remember the exact content of said email, to paraphrase Snyder basically said we were amateurs and that we basically don’t deserve an opinion.

Art Bee’s Memoirs of William R. Davis, Jr.

REVIEW: The Movement #3
REVIEW:  Minutemen #1

William R. Davis, Jr.

If you all have been wondering what has been going on with the guys at HCB, we have been in mourning for the passing of HCB founder, William R. Davis, Jr. His passing took William in his prime, but he has left his mark on this world. Madman, Will Dubbeld, and I will never forget our fellow writer. Even though his schedule kept him from writing with us, his spirit and personality were imbedded into The Hammond Comics Blog. He will forever be the bedrock of this site.

Being the last regular member to join the team I never had the pleasure to meet William face-to-face, but we did have several one-on-one conversations in addition to our group chats. He inspired me to improve my writing and always offered positive and constructive criticism to keep my sights aimed upward. That is what I will miss the most.

REVIEW: Vinegar Teeth #1

Script: Damon Gentry & Troy Nixey
Art: Troy Nixey
Lettering: Troy Nixey
Colors: Guy Major
Review: Cody "Madman" Miller

This is one bizarre comic conceived perhaps in the midst of an epic Hunter S. Thompson bender in the heart of bat country. After reading through the book once I promptly had to read it again just to see if I really did read what I thought I had read and to see if perhaps I missed something the first go around. It’s just that bizarre. What Gentry and Nixey have going here is some askew Lovecraftian tale crafted around the stereotypical buddy cop shtick.
Except it’s not so typical.

There is a cop named Artie Buckle whose career-making case is foiled as the mob boss he’s setting up is devoured by an alien creature best described as a bloated bladder-like puffball with mindflayer tentacles (on steroids), T.Rex-like arms ending in claws, and, of course, a mouth. The creature later adopts the name Vinegar Teeth, hence the title, and instead of killing the thing the cops hail Vinegar Teeth as a hero and put him on the payroll. In an unexpected turn of events Vinegar becomes Artie’s new partner, and they do what cops do.

REVIEW: Witchblade #1 - 2

Writer: Caitlin Kittredge
Artist: Roberta Ingranata
Colorist: Bryan Valenza
Letterer: Troy Peteri
Review: Art Bee

A long time ago in a comic store far, far away…my former LCS sold me the very first issue of Witchblade. This was a time in my teens, mid-90s by my recollection, when my brain was swimming in the newness of the Image lineup and the explosion of new creations pouring onto the comic book shelves. Marc Silvestri’s Top Cow imprint was flowing with interesting titles brimming from his development of the 13 artifacts in which the Darkness, the Angelus, and the Witchblade exist.

For those of you not familiar with the Witchblade, please allow me to pour out a little knowledge.
The Witchblade, being the male offspring of the Darkness and the Angelus, is known as The Balance and must maintain balance at all times. Since it is male, it must always choose a female host. The two become one in their merging with the Witchblade providing power, strength, will, and insight, while the host provides a face and voice. The Witchblade chooses its host, but afterwards the host must accept the artifact or face death. There have been many hosts over time, but the one that began the series in the very first issue was Sara Pezzini.

REVIEW: 30 Days of Night #1

Writer: Steve Niles
Artist: Piotr Kowalski
Colorist: Brad Simpson
Letterer: Tom B. Long
Review: Will "Identity Crisis" Dubbeld

Originally crafted by Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith, 30 Days of Night ought to be a well-known property by now.
The original miniseries has spawned numerous spinoffs and 2 movies of better than average B-grade horror fare. Ironically, at that, considering 30 Days... was originally a screenplay that couldn’t get off the ground.

In any case, the gods of comicdom have deemed it worthy that 30 Days of Night be granted a reboot.
For some reason.
Perhaps it’s because Niles left parts of the original story untold, perhaps he’s possessed of some urge to reinvent the comic, or perhaps his tortoise needed a new pair of shoes.
I’ve not heard, any which way you cut it.

Seriously, though, Steve Niles has a tortoise named Gil.
He has adventures on Twitter. It’s adorable.

I impulse-bought the first issue of the 2002 30 Days of Night off the shelf. Templesmith’s art intrigued (and quite frankly, confused) me and, after reading, the story sealed the deal.
I’m always in for a good vampire story.   

REVIEW: Monstro Mechanica #1

Writer & Co-creator: Paul Allor
Artist & Co-creator: Chris Evenhuis
Colorist: Sjan Weijers
Letterer: Paul Allor
Review: Madman

I had no clue what this comic was about when I snatched it off the shelf at Comics Cubed in Kokomo, Indiana. All I knew was that it was written by Paul Allor, a local guy, so I was going to support it for at least the first issue. Truth be told, I don’t buy all the books he works on such as G.I. Joe or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles as I just don’t have any interest in that subject matter. I have supported his creator owned books like Tet, Strange Nation, and OrcGirl, as well as the books he has done for Marvel including Uncanny Inhumans and Secret Empire: Brave New World.

At first glance I thought the cover was pretty bland. Not the pencils so much as the color just didn’t do it for me, and I wasn’t in all that big a hurry to actually read the book. As it were it ended up on the bottom of my, “to read”, pile.

Even though my biggest criticism about the book after the first couple pages continued to be the coloring work, by the time I had finished the issue SJan’s art had grown on me. After going back and just focusing on the art and color, I realize I must have just been in a bad mood or something, because I found I liked more pages than I disliked. Mainly I think it was her use of large amounts of the same color that turned me off, but on my second read I found it actually worked well within the context  of the story.