Archive for August, 2005
August 8, 2005 | Trades
Bone Vol. 2: The Great Cow Race
Jeff Smith
Graphix/Scholastic
$12.99 (Paperback)
**** (out of five)
It could always be said that Bone was a very colourful comic series, but this book takes the Great Cow Race to new heights.
The second colourized edition of Bone, released through Scholastic’s Graphix imprint, gives new depths to what is the most fan-friendly and funny volume of the Bone adventures.
The plot, which revolves around Phoney Bone’s plot to rig the betting on the annual cow race (against the rugged Gran’ma Ben), is riotous in black and white, but gains new depths with a glorious canvas of colours on it.
Those who poo-pooed the idea of dressing up this black-and-white classic should really take a look — it’s an eye opener.
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August 8, 2005 | Trades
John Constantine, Hellblazer: Red Sepulchre
Mike Carey, Marcelo Frusin
Vertigo/DC Comics
$17.50 (Paperback)
**** (out of five)
The list of gifted writers who have taken a stab at John Constantine is long and distinguished.
Alan Moore, Jamie Delano, Garth Ennis, Warren Ellis and Brian Azzarello are the five biggest names that have kept the DC Universe’s occult investigator fresh and interesting over the past 23 years.
Red Sepulchre shows that it’s time to add another name to the list of legends.
This first arc by Mike Carey (Lucifer) helps bring the character back to his British roots, while setting the stage for Carey’s illustrious run on the Vertigo flagship title, which has now reached three years.
The plot sees Constantine back from his dark trip through the U.S. (thanks to Azzarello) and back in England where he’s thrown right into the fire. His niece, Gemma, has fallen under the influence of some powerful evil types and a magic war is afoot. Carey crafts as clever, vile and nasty a Hellblazer tale as has ever been told as Constantine tries to free Gemma and keep from becoming one of the casualties of war.
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August 8, 2005 | Trades
The Ride Vol. 1
Chuck Dixon, Cully Hamner, Ron Marz, Jason Pearson, Brian Steelfreeze
12 Gauge Comics/Image Comics
$9.99 US
*** 1/2 (out of five)
The 1968 Camaro is a beautiful car — the kind that just helps you find trouble.
It is also the tie that binds together the stylish series, The Ride — a collection of stories by noted comic book creators such as: Chuck Dixon, Cully Hamner, Ron Marz, Jason Pearson and Brian Steelfreeze and others.
The concept is simple: tell a story (mostly crime) that includes this sweet, sweet car. The result is some terrific take-no-prisoners tales filled with action, humour and above all: creativity.
The Ride is well worth taking.
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August 8, 2005 | Trades
Superman: Infinite City
Mike Kennedy, Carlos Meglia
DC Comics
$33.99 (Hardcover)
** 1/2 (out of five)
Infinite City promises “a voyage unlike any other Superman adventure.”
This is true — just not in the way the creators hoped.
The idea is that Superman and his wife, Lois Lane, while investigating the appearance of a strange and powerful new weapon in Metropolis, stumble upon a gateway to an alternate dimension.
Faster than you can say “up, up and away” the pair finds itself separated in a mysterious realm that blurs the line between magic and technology.
As Supes tries both to find his lover and a way home, he begins to unfold the truth behind Infinite City and its creator — someone with whom he’s very familiar.
While Mike Kennedy’s story is a tad convoluted, it does OK. But the wildly exaggerated art style of Carlos Meglia is almost too much to take and is often far too busy for the efficiency of storytelling. This book would be 10 times better if it was double the size and the detail of Meglia’s work could shine through.
This is decent Superman story that just doesn’t hold up well enough to justify the hardcover treatment or the high sales price.
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August 8, 2005 | Trades
Dead@17: Revolution
Josh Howard
Viper Comics
$14.95 US (Paperback)
** 1/2 (out of five)
“Nara: I am your father.”
This and many more clichés can be yours in Revolution, the final collection of the Dead@17 trilogy.
After coming seemingly out of nowhere last year with the first (and much sought after by collectors) Dead@17 series, creator Josh Howard was launched into the comic industry spotlight.
His cartoony-but-gritty tales of Nara Kilday, a teenage girl who rises from the grave only to discover she has a grand role to play in the prevention of evil from rising on earth, were fresh and fun.
This last book, however, just seems a little too contrived.
On top of this cringingly obvious revelation of Nara’s parentage, there’s an appearance of Joan Of Arc, a Seinfeld gag and somebody actually utters the line: “C’mon if you want to live” a la Terminator.
There is a decent resolution to Revolution and Howard has already moved on to other projects so pick this one up if you’re looking for closure, if not comfort.
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August 8, 2005 | Comics
Zombie King #0
Frank Cho
Image Comics
$3.95/$2.95 US
**** (out of five)
Any book that opens with a zombie “getting down” with a cow is either seriously messed up or pure genius.
Since Zombie King is the handiwork of Liberty Meadows talented creator Frank Cho, I guess we’ll have to call it even.
Two confused farmers stumbling upon this rather unusual (if oddly intimate) scene and a rather amusing conversation by two businessmen who know the truth behind the zombie’s appearance help set the stage for this series in this prequel issue.
Funny, intriguing and very well illustrated, Zombie King looks like a winner.
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August 8, 2005 | Comics
PVP #0
Scott Kurtz
Image Comics
$.60/$.50 US
**** (out of five)
PVP has long been a favourite of mine, but I’ve never had such a great opportunity to flog it as this bargain issue.
For a mere 60 cents, readers can have a small taste of one of the funniest comics around. PVP, which chronicles the odd lives of five staffers at a video game magazine, is smart, witty and wicked — oh yeah, and freaking hilarious.
Collecting some of the funnier strips from the past couple of years for the newbies and providing the much-anticipated secret origin of Skull, the office’s friendly big, blue troll for regulars, this zero issues is a deal any way you slice it.
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August 8, 2005 | Comics
Season Of The Witch #0
Jai Nitz, Kevin Sharpe
Image Comics
$3/$2.50 US
*** 1/2 (out of five)
Thank you again Epic for giving us another fine Image comic.
Marvel Comics’ failed attempt last year to lure new talent into working for peanuts through their Epic imprint was a disaster. With the regime change at the “House Of Ideas” the plan was scuttled and all those stories in development were forced to peddle their wares somewhere else.
Jai Nitz and Kevin Sharpe’s Season Of The Witch was one of those stories and thanks to Image and what continues to be one of the best forums for creators to tell their original tales, it is finally in print.
This black-and-white prequel to the ongoing colour series gives readers lots to chew on. We are introduced to the Queen of Asamando, an orc-slaying warrior who inhabits a mysterious and dangerous realm. But as she hunts down a group of murdering orcs and exacts her sword-swinging vengeance, she reflects on a simpler life, an orc slaying warrior who inhabits a mysterious and dangerous realm. But as she hunts down a group of murdering orcs and exacts her sword-swinging vengeance, she reflects on a simpler life — on earth!
Season Of The Witch #0 is easily good enough to merit picking up the debut issue in October.
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August 8, 2005 | Comics
Godland #1
Joe Casey, Tom Scioli
Image Comics
$3.70/$2.99 US
*** 1/2 (out of five)
All hail Kirby, all hail Kirby!
Writer Joe Casey and artist Tom Scioli’s Godland instantly comes across as an homage to the late, great Jack Kirby, the original penciller on such series as the Fantastic Four and the X-Men. Not only is Scioli’s art derivative of Kirby, but the story also reflects the 1950s-60s timeframe when the artist was at his peak.
This story doesn’t just coast on that, though.
There is also a slightly modern sensibility to Godland, which centres around Adam Archer, an astronaut who’s trip to Mars ended with him gaining super-powers from an alien intelligence.
Instead of the usual mix of tongue-in-cheek faux-cheesy dialogue, Casey’s writing skills shine through by throwing in some sass, some wit and a heap of irony.
Overall, Godland #1 is an interesting debut.
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August 8, 2005 | Comics
Battle Pope #1
Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore
Image Comics
$3.75/$2.99 US
**** (out of five)
And you thought all there was to being Pope was wearing the cool hats.
After a long absence, Robert Kirkman (Invincible, The Walking Dead), with the help of artist Tony Moore, revives his zany story of a beefed-up pope out to do God’s work — and kick some ass.
After abusing his position to have a little fun, the unnamed new pope is shocked to find that on the day God calls his faithful home, he isn’t chosen. Instead he is left to stew over a beer as the forces of hell move in and run amok. When he can’t stand to watch any more suffering, the pope fights back — and gets his guts ripped out.
But as the old saying goes: you can’t keep a good pope down, and God and Jesus offer him a second chance. Now the newly muscle-bound pontiff is headed back to earth to kick a little red-tailed butt.
Not a great book for the religiously sensitive, but some seriously sacrilegious fun for the rest.
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