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Posted on Sep 05, 2007 - 04:08 PM by Admin |
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Welcome to the second installment of the all indy review column, The a.i. Report! This time around, we’ll get wild with Masterpiece Comics’ Wild Boys! We’ll go ape for a couple of titles from Ape Entertainment! We’ll take a look at Oeming’s next grand epic! Also, the returns of Oddly Normal and Dominion, a detective with a dummy for a partner…literally!…and early reviews of Red 5 Comics’ first three releases and a whole lot more!
Wild Boys #2 - #4 (Masterpiece Comics) -
After putting down Wild Boys #4, I can honestly say that a 4-issue miniseries is simply not enough to satisfy my craving when it comes to this sci-fi/superhero team book. This is a strong premise that only grows stronger with each new issue, and the next Wild Boys installment can’t get here soon enough for me.
Writer Ace Masters has created one of the best sci-fi/superhero comic books since Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy. Much grittier than Marvel’s Guardians, the Wild Boys are an eclectic team of unlikely but still very likable heroes out to save what is left of the world from the invading alien force known as the Jovarn. It’s a classic irony, as the genetically mutated Wild Boys must now band together to save the very humanity that once cast them aside.
Masters creates characters that are instantly memorable and unique. It’s not hard to pick a favorite or two from this team. Just a word or warning - don’t get too attached to anyone! Masters shows as Wild Boys winds down that everyone is fair game, even doing away with one of my personal favorite team members in a shocking, yet blaze-of-glory way.
And you can’t mention Wild Boys without talking about the amazing art of Irapuan. This artist is without a doubt a rising star in the industry and Wild Boys is where you can see this star run wild. Masters’ dark and gritty future epic is made even more so thanks to Irapuan’s stunning detailed art.
Superheroes, aliens, epic battles…Wild Boys has it all. If it hasn’t already, Wild Boys is the book to put Masterpiece Comics on the map big time!
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Bizarre New World #1 & #2 (Ape Entertainment) -
Bizarre New World may be one of the best comic books I have read in years. The story, the art…everything about this book is a hit! And, although I don’t want it to come to an end, I really can’t wait to see how it all wraps up.
Writer Skipper Martin delivers a book that can only be described as “Heroes” for the common man. In fact, Martin actually out-”Heroes” “Heroes”! Martin takes the ole “what-if-I-had-super-powers” premise to an all new level…a level that is not only believable, but also highly entertaining.
Martin introduces readers to one of the most unlikely superheroes to ever hit a spinner rack in Paul Krutcher. Paul is just an ordinary Joe…a pudgy working stiff who has nothing much going for him in life aside from his monthly visitation with his young son. However, Paul’s life is forever changed when one day he discovers that he can fly.
Martin gives us a believable “superhero” in Paul. Odds are, Paul looks more like you than any other superhero in any comic book ever would. And Martin doesn’t go overboard by loading up Paul with all kinds of super powers. In fact, some of the first issue’s best moments come from Paul testing himself for the possibility of more powers - like plucking a nose hair to test for invulnerability or doing what any red-blooded male would do…trying to see through the walls of the girls’ restroom in the hope that that x-ray vision has kicked in.
Martin pulls the reader in with his real world approach to super powers. One would almost believe that Martin himself has been experimenting with the limitations of flight. And it doesn’t hurt that Paul is an extremely likeable and relatable character that the reader will come to care about and want to know more about.
It may be a Bizarre New World, but it’s a world I want to revisit as soon as possible…although it seems quite possible that I may already be there…
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SubCulture #1 - #4 (Ape Entertainment) -
While I am talking about another fine product from Ape Entertainment…and while I am talking about one of the best comic books I have read in years, allow me to direct your attention to SubCulture, one of the single best miniseries I have ever had the pleasure of reading.
Writer Kevin Freeman and artist Stan Yan’s SubCulture is the “Clerks” for comic fanatics…“The Breakfast Club” for the comic book bunch. And if you are a true comic fanatic, you can’t help but see yourself somewhere in this instant classic.
Personally, I love comic books that pull me in and make me see something of myself in one of the book’s characters. However, I am used to feeling this way toward superhero comic books. When it comes to a real life story like the one in SubCulture, I’m not sure if that personal reflection is flattery or insult…but I like it nonetheless.
In addition to seeing some of myself in the lead character, Jason, I found it even more surprising to see some of my lovely wife in the character of Noel. You see, Noel is that mythical character that many at comic book shops only dream of…a hot chick who comes into the store and actually knows about and reads comic books! I can’t begin to tell you how many drooling fanboys have cast wistful glances my way when I walked in for the weekly stack with my girlfriend-now-wife on my arm. However, unlike Noel, my wife was a little freaked out about the whole thing, which explains why she no longer goes into a comic book store without me.
SubCulture is a fantastic real-life tale of comic book geek meets hot comic book chick. However, the results are completely unpredictable. If you think you know where this one is heading, think again! This is one I fully expect to see on the big screen someday very soon!
Some may label SubCulture as a love story, but that is selling this wonderful epic far short. SubCulture is a life story…maybe even one you have lived.
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Mice Templar #1 (Image) -
Comicdom’s next grand epic is here! Think “Lord of the Rings” meets “Secret of NIMH” with the volume knob turned up to “11”!
Modern epic-weaver Michael Avon Oeming joins forces with Bryan J.L. Glass to deliver one of the brightest page turners to ever hit a spinner rack. A true powerhouse debut…powered by mice!
In this strong debut issue - complete with some of Oeming’s best artwork to date - Glass and Oeming introduce readers to the legend of the Mice Templar, an order that is nothing more than a memory in mice minds…or is it? When chaos invades the lives of our tiny rodent heroes, it appears that the Mice Templar is not quite extinct…and a new order is set to rise from the ashes.
Oeming and Glass create a fantastical fantasy world that will instantly pull readers in. The reader will also instantly fall for the pint sized powerful heroes in Mice Templar #1. But don’t think for an instant that this is a cutesy, cartoony kid’s tale. Mice Templar #1 is pure fantasy and a pure epic tale, complete with all the action and adventure that goes along with such stories.
Oeming and Glass make this fantastic debut issue even better by not following the tried and true path of many fantasy epics. Along the way, Oeming and Glass offer up several surprises. Just when you think you have figured out where this book is going, Oeming and Glass prove you wrong. And this issue’s ending sets the stage for what could be the greatest comic book epic since Bone.
Do not miss this one!
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A Dummy’s Guide To Danger (TPB) (Viper Comics) -
Here’s one I simply could not put down! And when this book came to an end, I was immediately looking for more! Writer Jason M. Burns delivers an instant classic that can only be described as pulp fiction meets a classy slasher flick, and the result is sheer comic book magic!
Burns’ brilliant - if not a little twisted and demented - premise has private investigator Alan Sirois and his partner Mr. Bloomberg teaming up to solve the biggest mysteries. Nothing special there, huh? Oh…I forgot to mention that Mr. Bloomberg is a ventriloquist dummy! A paraplegic ventriloquist dummy, at that! And apparently unknown to himself, Sirois is a ventriloquist!
It seems that Sirois believes his partner was paralyzed when he was shot and the bullet lodged in whatever passes for a spine in a ventriloquist dummy! Now, Mr. Bloomberg has to be carried or carted around as the pair solve crimes. Oh, and did I mention that Mr. Bloomberg and Sirois converse with each other…even in the presence of others?! Twisted, creepy fun, indeed!
In this collection, Sirois and Mr. Bloomberg must stop a serial killer known as the Flesh Collector, a murderous character you would expect to see in the pages of Tim Seeley’s Hack/Slash. (Now, there’s an idea…a Sirois/Mr. Bloomberg team up with Hack/Slash!!) In addition to delivering a hefty dose of horror and humor, Burns also offers up a sharp mystery that even the reader will find hard to unravel before this book’s end.
All in all, A Dummy’s Guide To Danger is without a doubt one of the most exciting and enjoyable page-turners that I have had the pleasure of laying my hands on in years. This is a premise custom made for the big screen, and I can’t wait to see more from A Dummy’s Guide To Danger, whether it be on a spinner rack or on the silver screen!
It has to be said…only a dummy would pass this one up!
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Oddly Normal: Family Reunion (TPB) (Viper Comics) -
One of my favorite new characters in Comicdom is back! The loveable half-witch/half-human Oddly Normal returns for a second volume of all ages adventures in a tale that rivals her strong debut.
Writer/creator Otis Frampton brings back his addictive creation for another round of adventures, jam-packed with fantasy, humor, a little superheroics and, would you believe, a dash of good ole fashioned monster movie mayhem! Put it all together and you get another all ages must read that will leave you wishing that you could see this character and her friends on spinner racks each and every month!
This time around, not only does Oddly Normal and her friends get involved, but so does her lovable sidekick Oopie. In fact, Oopie gets involved in a BIG way, literally! And when all of Fignation is threatened, it falls to Oddly, her friends, a little bit of magic and a whole lot of luck to save the day!
I simply can’t get enough of Oddly Normal. A rarity in this day and age, Oddly Normal is a character for all ages set in one incredibly fantastical world that will thrill readers young and old. Comicdom needs more comic books like this one. Comicdom needs more Oddly Normal!
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You’ll Have That (Viper Comics) -
Here’s something a little unexpected. I am almost ashamed to admit that I wasn’t familiar with You’ll Have That until this comic book collection of the incredible strip. I am even more ashamed to admit that aside from his contribution to Viper’s massive Sasquatch collection I wasn’t familiar with creator Wes Molebash. Because after reading the You’ll Have That one-shot, I am forced to admit that I have been missing the boat…big time!
You’ll Have That is a comic strip that appears on Viper’s web site, which you can find by clicking HERE. The You’ll Have That one-shot is basically a “greatest hits” collection, although for the life of me I don’t know how anyone could have narrowed down all of the incredible You’ll Have That strips to a mere 26 pages.
You’ll Have That is cute, funny, and in many cases, all-too-close-to-home real. A welcome, hilarious slice of reality, You’ll Have That chronicles the adventures of Andy, his wife Katie, his friend Steve and Steve’s gal Emaline. Andy is a career-challenged, college dropout and an admitted nerd with a lack of self esteem. The only constant in Andy’s life is the love for his headstrong, full-time student/full-time worker wife…and his constant need to impress her.
I have to stop right here just to say that these two characters hit a little too close to home in our household. Even my lovely wife, who normally dislikes and dismisses comic books, couldn’t help but comment as she peered over my shoulder, “Hmmm…that sure sounds familiar…” (Particularly the strip concerning “video game passion.” Thanks, Wes. Thanks a ton.)
But that’s the kind of book You’ll Have That is. It’s a book for everyone…even non-comic book readers. The folks at Viper wisely set the scene for newcomers with a character introduction page that tells you everything you need to know to enjoy these strips to the fullest. (More comic book companies should take notice.)
Molebash’s creation is aptly titled because after one read, yes…You’ll Have That and more. To borrow a line from one of my favorite movies…Mr. Molebash…Thank you, sir! May I have another?!
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Dominion #2 (Boom! Studios) -
Have you ever been reading a comic book that was so good that you became lost in it? I mean, you’re reading along and then suddenly realize that you haven’t been looking at the “pretty pictures”? That’s exactly what happened to me while reading Dominion #2!
Now, that’s not a knock against artist Tim Hamilton, who delivers a dark, gritty masterpiece with this issue. But it is a compliment to the powerful storytelling of writer Michael Alan Nelson, who offers up a gripping page-turner that reads like a Hollywood blockbuster set to paper.
Nelson captures the end of the world mentality and urgency of this story perfectly. As the end of the world appears to arrive in Chicago, it falls to a lone policeman to find a way to save his city, those around him and the world as he knows it, all the while armed with only handguns and a limited amount of ammo. And it’s the means to this potential doomsday that make this book soar.
While fans of the TV hit “Heroes” count down the minutes until the show’s return, Dominion #2 offers up a wonderful, villainous flip side of that heroic coin and serves as a perfect way to tide you over during the long wait. It’s the super-powered villains that will leave you slack-jawed. The star of this issue? The red-hot - literally - Mrs. O’Leary, who appears on this issue’s cover. However, by issue’s end, these super-powered villains end up being the least of the worries for the residents of Chicago, in a stunning turn of events.
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Abyss #1 (Red 5 Comics) -
There’s an unwritten law in comics books - “Thou shalt not kill off thy main character in the debut issue.” Someone forgot to tell the folks at Red 5 Comics about this little law, because in the debut issue of Abyss, that’s exactly what creators Kevin Rubio and Lucas Marangon do…they kill off Abyss!
I know you are probably thanking me now for spoiling this comic book for you even before you can buy it off the spinner rack, but the folks at Red 5 Comics are proud of the fact that they have killed off the main character of one of their premiere titles in the very first issue. In fact, that - along with some of the best writing, dialogue and art you will ever see - is the hook that will bring you back for more.
And, yes…even with the death of the title character in Abyss #1, there will be an Abyss #2!
If you are familiar with Rubio and Marangon’s work chronicling the misadventures of Tag and Bink in the Star Wars Universe, you have a pretty good idea of what to expect here - witty repartee, tight dialogue, sweet art and pop culture references galore. However, after reading Abyss #1, you will quickly realize that with Tag and Bink Rubio and Marangon have barely scratched the surface of what they are capable of. With Abyss #1, Rubio and Marangon offer up something totally different. And these days, it’s hard to offer up something new and fresh when it comes to the capes and tights set, but Rubio and Marangon do it with ease!
Miss this one at your own peril!
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Atomic Robo #1 (Red 5 Comics) -
If you are looking to put a little fun into your monthly comic book reading, put Atomic Robo in your pull stack! Writer Brian Clevinger and artist Scott Wegener join forces to deliver a throwback of sorts…a fun retro, golden age-type comic book with a modern twist. And the star of this tale is none other than a smart @$$ robot whose job is to save the world!
Atomic Robo is the heroic creation of Nikola Tesla. Working behind the scenes, Atomic Robo has had his metallic hands in world shaping events over the years, fighting to save humanity. Think Mr. Roboto meets Captain America with just a dash of Deadpool…however, Cap never did it this way!
Although Atomic Robo has been active throughout history, this debut issue is set right before the events of World War II. In a throwback to a long gone, but not forgotten age of comics, it’s easy to tell who are the bad guys and who are the good guys. Real pulpy sci-fi that plays out like a potential Hollywood blockbuster.
Clevinger delivers some incredible dialogue that will instantly endear this new hero to readers. Atomic Robo is never at a loss for words, armed with more quips that actually weapons. The dialogue is snappy and tight and the story moves at a fantastic breakneck page-turning pace. This is one you won’t be able to put down.
As for the look of Atomic Robo #1...what can I say? Wegener delivers the perfect compliment to Clevinger’s story. A bit Mignola, a bit Oeming and all retro fun! Do not miss this one!
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Neozoic #1 (Red 5 Comics) -
This one was one of the best sci-fi/fantasy comic books I have read in ages. Writer Paul Ens offers up a brilliant premise that in turn offers up unlimited potential. Imagine, if you will, the comet that supposedly wiped out the dinosaurs centuries ago actually missed Earth. As a result, life evolved…however, the dinosaurs stuck around for the ride!
Ens presents readers with a great concept filled with wide open possibilities. For all intents and purposes, this is an all new Earth, and humans have had to learn to live with dinosaurs. While there are peaceful coexistences with many dinosaurs, there are plenty of dinosaurs who view humans as dino-biscuits!
This debut issue is a great example of what the first issue of a new comic book series should be. With the story and a handy dandy intro page, the stage is set. Main characters are introduced, the action is cranked up and the reader is left wanting much, much more. This is truly a series that you could see lasting for years and never becoming stale.
Adding to the overall enjoyment of this debut issue is the incredible art of J. Korim and the colors of Jessie Lam. Korim’s art tells a story in itself - energetic and kinetic, making the reader feel the action. Meanwhile, the colors bring about the feel of a lush, natural setting that will draw the reader into this wonderful new world.
Another fine example of why Red 5 Comics will be a force - a major force - to be reckoned with in the world of Comicdom!
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