REVIEW: Generations: Captain Marvel and Captain Mar-Vell

Writer: Margaret Stohl
Artist: Brent Schoonover
Color Artist: Jordan Boyd
Review: William "identity crisis" Dubbeld

So, Marvel has had some...hiccups these past few years.
There's been exceptions here and there, but I've overall been a bit disappointed with the company's direction since the conclusion of Seige.
Some great books serving as connective tissue between mega-events is not an acceptable business model in my opinion, and after duds like Original Sin and Civil War II: Electric Boogaloo, the House of Ideas needs an enema.

But we're in luck, True Believers!
Marvel has listened to the fans, or at least the sales figures, and has pledged a paradigm shift.
Despite foot-in-mouth statements about diversity and some frankly horseshit editorial direction...

Secret Empire was the most divisive storyline I can remember ever having been written in Marvel comicdom, largely due to the proliferation of internet platforms. I'm saving my full barrage about Secret Empire and Nick Spencer for another day, but suffice to say it was a misfire.
To be considerate.
In the wake of Nazi Cap, Marvel is going through a Rebirth. A rebranding. A return to the old ways and recapturing the faith of the reader base.
Or so we're told.                          

REVIEW: Mace Windu #1

Writer: Matt Owens
Penciler: Denys Cowan
Inker: Roberto Poggi
Color: Guru-eFX
Cover: Jesus Saiz
Review: Art Bee

Marvel has its failings but the Star Wars line is not one of them...yet. Thus far Marvel has taken everything good it has ever had, over-inflated it, and over-produced it to the point of mediocrity. Be warned; this day is coming. It’s inevitable unless Marvel abandons its gimmicky profit-hounding and starts to care about the quality of their production.

The newest Marvel series on the Star Wars block is Mace Windu. Guess who this series about?
How did you get so clever?
The series begins shortly after the Battle of Geonosis, well into the Clone Wars. This would put the story after Episode 2 and before the animated series, The Clone Wars.

The Jedi Council has gained intelligence that the Separatists are aggregating on a planet in the Outer Rim called Hissrich. Mace Windu is to lead a small group of Jedi to this planet and investigate and deal with any possible enemy threat. The team Mace pulls together includes Plo Koon (seen in the movies and in The Clone Wars series), Prosset Dibs (a Miraluka), and Rissa Mano.
At this point the series has the feel for a great deal of action but lacks some depth to the plot.
Even though Mace Windu has grown in popularity, not only as a powerful Jedi but also his
uniquely colored lightsaber, I don’t feel that this is the right time to present him as the focus of
his own comic.                    

Kokomo Con 2017

For one day every year in mid to late October, Kokomo Indiana is the center of the known geek universe. The Kokomo-Con fills the Kokomo Event & Conference Center to capacity with all things geeky and pop culture. 

The geeks here in Kokomo are pretty spoiled, really, with our beloved Geek Street. That’s right: a block in downtown Kokomo is lovingly referred to as Geek Street as it is home to Comics Cubed, the grooviest comic book store ever,Kokomo Toys & Collectables, the largest vintage toy and collectable toy store in the state of Indiana, and American Dream Hi-Fi, a vinyl record shop/arcade/live show venue. Geek street is a truly unique place that any self respecting geek MUST visit. 

If Geek Street is our Mecca, Kokomo-Con is our Super Bowl. Every year Kokomo-Con gets better and better, surpassing the pervious years' epicness on all fronts. Each year the organizers, Shawn Hilton, Austin Meissnest, and an army of volunteers work to bring in a huge variety of venders, artists, and creators. There’s literally something for everyone, so I’ll run down a list of a few of this years guests and such.

REVIEW: Offering

Story: Ken Lowery & Kevin Warren
Art: Kevin Warren
Review: Will Dubbeld

Because, dear readers, you have to support the little guy.
Repeat it. Make it your mantra.
Practice it.
Whenever small press or self-published books creep across your nerd-radar, pick 'em up. Sometimes (oftentimes) they cost a bit more, but publishing funnybooks ain't cheap.
Suck it up and drop an extra buck or two.

Offering is not, however, a pricey book.
More on that later.

Offering plays on some classic literary tropes, particularly from the horror genre, and tweaks them a bit.
The stage is set in some foreign land or another, features a local guide, a hapless Western couple, and a foreboding cave. Withholding spoilers, Lowery does a phenomenal job of telling a tight, well-done horror story in the span of under 20 pages.  

2017 Hammy Awards

Gather 'round, everyone! The 2017 Hammy Awards are in and this year was a doozy! The HCB crew has picked through a myriad of titles from Indies to the Big Two and we are ready to let slip the dogs of war.
Without further ado, I'm pleased to present your 2017 Hammies.          

REVIEW: Double Review

Since Madman did a double review a couple of weeks ago, I thought I would follow suit and review two, too.
Made you say, “Tutu.”

Sacred Creatures #2
Written by Pablo Raimondi & Klaus Janson

Art by Pablo Raimondi
Colors by Chris Chuckry
Letters by Tom Orzechowski
Review by Art Bee

Sacred Creatures is just about as incredible as comics come. The first issue was double-sized and did a remarkable job setting the stage for a great story. I am going to do my best to present this spoiler free.

The story is set in New York City and centers on a group of long-lived individuals with the ability to plant suggestions into people’s minds by touching them. These first two issues focus on the events these ancient puppeteers have instigated in the life of Josh, an unemployed father-to-be. Josh is forced to commit murder by this group’s suggestions. The thing I love the most about this story is the reader is just as lost and has just as many questions as Josh. Raimondi and Janson have woven an intense web of mystery, and the beautiful part is how interesting the story is. During both issues I was sitting forward and entranced.          

REVIEW: Madman's Two-4-One Special

Reviews: Madman

Dead of Winter #1

Writer: Kyle Starks
Illustrations and Colors: Gabriel Bautista
Letters: Crank

For the most part I’ve recently not strayed too far from the usual titles cemented on my weekly pull lists, due to the fact I’ve been funneling my extra money into other hobbies and the like. The other reason being my give-a-damn is busted. In my opinion there are far more crap books saturating the market then there are quality books…just my humble opinion. Sometimes even this Marvel fanboy needs to take a step back, catch his breath, and scrap the poo off his shoes.

In recent weeks, however, I’ve decided to venture into uncharted waters once again and explore some random books that I would otherwise left rotting on the shelf of my LCS. This book is one such curiosity I picked up. I had no clue what the book was about, in fact, I knew nothing of it other than the cover was pretty rad and curious at the same time. We have a cape wearing pooch licking blood off his paws as a horde of zombies approach from the background.
Now, I readily admit; I’m pretty zombied out at this point. Don’t get me wrong I still religiously watch The Walking Dead when it’s on the picture box and half-heartedly choke down an issue or two of TWD comic now and then, even that has my interests in the zombie genre waning. I had serious doubts about this book as soon as I pulled it from the shelf, but that dog…what’s up with him, and why is it wearing a cap?
I just had to know, so here we are.