Archive for July, 2006
July 3, 2006 | Trades
Fear Agent Vol. 1: Re-ignition
Rick Remender, Tony Moore
Image Comics
$9.99 US (Paperback)
**** (out of five)
Heath Huston doesn’t seem to have a heck of a lot of luck.
In just the first four issues of his tight new series Fear Agent, this good ’ol boy alien exterminator gets mauled by Neanderthal-type creatures, has his arm frozen solid, nearly gets blow up about five times, loses his best friend (his spaceship), gets harpooned and stomped on by a giant robot.
But he just keeps on kickin’ … butt!
Rick Remender, the writer behind some of the freshest books coming out from Image these days — including Strange Girl and Sea Of Red, teams with artist Tony Moore, best known for The Walking Dead, to bring us a solid mix of sci-fi, horror and humour.
Fear Agent is one of the best new series of 2006 and it keeps getting better every month. Get on board now with this collection and you can tell all your friends how you picked a winner so early.
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July 3, 2006 | Trades
Concrete Vol. 5: Think Like A Mountain
Paul Chadwick
Dark Horse Books
$12.95 US (Paperback)
**** (out of five)
There’s nothing like a Concrete book to challenge your perceptions.
Think Like A Mountain, originally published in the mid-1990s, is a classic example of how creator Paul Chadwick uses the medium of comic books to deliver resonating messages. In this collection, Concrete — everyman Ron Lithgow, trapped in a huge stone body after being abducted by aliens — signs on to write a story about Earth First! and eco-terrorism. But after seeing firsthand the damage being done to the environment, in this case old-growth forest, Concrete must decide whether to involve himself in the cause, or to be as impassive as a mountain.
Think Like A Mountain, the fifth in a new seven-volume collection of Concrete books, is packed with insight and information gleaned through Chadwick’s countless hours of research, but maintains a smooth and seamless story that is hard to dismiss.
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July 3, 2006 | Trades
Superman: Strange Attractors
Gail Simone, John Byrne
DC Comics
$19.99/$14.99 US (Paperback)
*** 1/2 (out of five)
It’s not often that the Man Of Steel has an opponent he can really go toe-to-toe with.
But then that’s kind of a good thing.
In Strange Attractors, a collection of Action Comics issues leading into DC Comics’ recent Infinite Crisis mega-crossover, Superman is forced into battle with the nebulous Black Adam, a man who straddles a razor-thin line between hero and villain.
But even when he lets loose with all his might, can Supes stop a being who is his physical equal?
Also in this enjoyable volume by writer Gail Simone (Bird Of Prey) and classic Superman creator John Byrne: Supes faces a villain on the run … from himself, and the evil Dr. Psycho, egomaniacal Queen Of Fables and the smoking hot Livewire all show up to run the Man Of Steel through a vicious gauntlet.
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July 3, 2006 | Comics
O.C.T. (Occult Crimes Taskforce) #1 (of 4)
Rosario Dawson, David Atchison, Tony Shasteen
Image Comics
$3.35/$2.99 US
**** (out of five)
There’s been quite a trend over the past few years to let Hollywood types write comic books, but O.C.T. comes with quite a twist.
Oh sure, Kevin Smith can pen Daredevil or Green Arrow, The O.C.’s Allan Heinberg can do the same for Young Avengers and the JLA as does Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski on Amazing Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four — but are they also stars of those books?
Enter Rosario Dawson, the Hollywood starlet featured in such films as Sin City, Rent, Men In Black II and the upcoming Clerks 2, who also happens to be co-writer and star of O.C.T., Occult Crimes Taskforce.
When a routine noise complaint takes a supernatural twist, Officer Sophia Ortiz (bearing the likeness of her creator) finds herself getting transferred to what she terms the N.Y.P.D.’s “secret ghostbuster club”.
After coming to grips with a shocking familial connection to this task force, Ortiz signs on and begins to learn the dangerous truth about her hometown.
Dawson, co-writer David Atchison and talented artist Tony Shasteen have the makings of a fantastic comic franchise with O.C.T. and this book is one to watch in 2006.
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July 3, 2006 | Comics
Detective Comics #821
Paul Dini, J.H. Williams III
DC Comics
$4/$2.99 US
**** (out of five)
This sure isn’t your kid’s Batman!
It’s an all-new era for Detective Comics as writer Paul Dini, writer of Batman: The Animated Series and artist J.H. Williams III (Promethea) sign on as the new creative team and immediately get Batman back to his crime-solving roots.
The Dark Knight is on the case after a crime ring targets members of Gotham City’s upper class, forcing him to go undercover — as Bruce Wayne!
The first of a planned series of stand-alone issues by Dini and Williams is classic Batman and the promise of more to come should keep readers scooping this title up for the foreseeable future.
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July 3, 2006 | Comics
Brave New World #1
DC Comics
$1.35/$1 US
*** 1/2 (out of five)
DC Comics had a lot of success last year with an 80-page giant called Countdown To Infinite Crisis.
It featured some of the hottest creator s in comics, told a gripping story and launched four new limited series that were required reading for every DC Universe fan — and all this for $1 (or $1.35 for us poor Canadians).
Now, in the wake of Infinite Crisis, comes Brave New World, another 80-pager, costing a buck, designed as a jumping on point for six new DC series.
But somehow this one isn’t as sexy.
Sure some of the new series look good — The Creeper, Martian Manhunter and All New Atom seem interesting (while OMAC, The Trials Of Shazam and, ugh, Uncle Sam And The Freedom Fighters haven’t exactly got as much instant appeal) and there is a really great twist ending to the book that adds much forshadowing to the DCU —but overall it just comes off a bit too disjointed.
Brave New World isn’t quite as must a read as Countdown, but at $1 for 80 pages you might as well give it a spin as see if anything sticks.
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July 3, 2006 | Comics
The All New Atom #1
Gail Simone, John Byrne, Trevor Scott
DC Comics
$4/$2.99 US
*** 1/2 (out of five)
Speaking of Brave New World, here’s The All New Atom, and in a fine case of truth in advertising, it’s a new guy in the little, tiny suit.
Nuclear physics professor Ryan Choi, purportedly a longtime correspondent of the original Atom — Dr. Ray Palmer — arrives in Ivy Town to take over Palmer’s position at the university, his residence and, unbeknownst to him, his costume.
Not seen since his disappearance at the end of Identity Crisis, when it was revealed that his ex-wife Jean Loring was the murderer of several heroes’ loved ones, Palmer apparently intends for Choi to be his successor after leaving some well-placed clues and very special equipment in his former home.
Meanwhile, there seems to be a microscopic invasion afoot, and those first subjugated are man’s best friends.
While new series can often be a crapshoot, this one has two big things going for it: it is written by Gail Simone (Birds Of Prey) with art by industry legend John Byrne and inker Trevor Scott. With names like those on board, it would have to try really hard to suck.
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July 3, 2006 | Comics
OMAC #1 (of 8)
Bruce Jones, Renato Guedes
DC Comics
$4/$2.99 US
*** (out of five)
So the big question on the cover of this book is: Who is the last OMAC?
After countless Infinite Crisis crossovers , I can honestly say: Please … no more?
I know that the mega-popular miniseries has made OMAC a household name for comic fans and DC would be crazy not to jump on the opportunity to keep that momentum going, but for me, it’s simply too much.
That’s not to say this story is bad. Writer Bruce Jones and artist Renato Guedes cobble together an interesting tale that sees Gotham City druggie and crook Mike Costner get the honour of being the last OMAC, but like so many things that keep going long past their lifespan in this industry all I can say is: Please … no more?
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July 3, 2006 | Comics
X Isle #1
Andrew Cosby, Michael A. Nelson, Greg Scott
Boom! Studios
$2.99 US
*** 1/2 (out of five)
When a giant creature straight out of the Triassic period with a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth washes up on a Maui beach, it might be the discovery of a lifetime for Dr. Alex Keller.
Or it could be one that costs him his life.
Keller assembles a team of scientists to investigate the origins of the creature, including his daughter Sarah and young assistant Matt, but quickly finds trouble as their ship is caught in a freak storm and destroyed, leaving them adrift in lifeboats — nearly 2,000 kilometres from land!
The eight survivors are shocked when shortly thereafter they spot land, an island (let’s call it X Isle!) and quickly find themselves confronted by creatures just like the one found on the beach — but very much alive!
Written by Andrew Cosby (Damned Nation) and Michael A. Nelson, with art by Greg Scott, X Isle is part Lost, part Jurassic Park and completely worth a read.
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