Author: mark

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Comic Review: Kick-Ass 2, Prelude: Hit-Girl

Kick-Ass 2, Prelude: Hit-Girl

Kick-Ass is awesome but you all know the best part about this series is little girls! No, I mean a little girl! Umm — that still doesn’t sound right. Hit-Girl is the man — if a man could kick as much ass as a little girl trained from childhood to take down mobsters. Icon Comics brings the pain again with everyone’s favorite (well, maybe not everyone) Mark Miller (Wanted, Sin City) and artist John Romita Jr. (World War Hulk, Eternals).

The writing flows alongside the artist’s illustrations. It’s more of what you want to see: high-school kids dressing up and trying to patrol the streets, Red Mist still working his way up to becoming a super-villain, Kick-Ass doing his best to learn all he can from Hit-Girl — with plenty of witty banter. Hit-Girl doing what we like most: beating the hell out of people and killing them all while trying to be a regular high school student. Bullets, beat-em ups and bloodied bodies — it’s what you look for in a Kick-Ass comic and it delivers!

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Comic Review: Orchid, Volume 1

Orchid Volume 1

Rage Against The Machine in comic form? Almost. Tom Morello is the guitarist from Rage Against The Machine, Audioslave, and his solo acoustic act The Nightwatchman. He decided to write a comic series at Dark Horse with Scott Hepburn (Sentinel, Star Wars: The Clone Wars) doing the illustrations.

One day, the sea levels rose and the earth as we knew it changed. Animals changed on a genetic level becoming bigger, more ferocious, and the dominant species. The high grounds became the safest place to live but belonged to the rich and powerful. Those poor who wished to live within their safety became slaves. The rest try their best to live freely in towns under bridges, staying as safe as possible from the untamed wild and the wrath of their masters up high.

This series shows you how quickly we revert back to the strong dominating the weak. With the world taken over by lush forests and overgrowth each page is a delight to look at. All you want is for them to go all over the world to see how the earth has changed. Tom has written an amazing story and no matter what your political/world view you should just appreciate for what it is. A great story!

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Comic Review: Chew, Volume 1: Taster’s Choice

Chew, Volume 1: Taster’s Choice

Do you like food? How about beets? Maybe you wished chicken was illegal but don’t have the government backing to follow through. Well, if so writer John Layman (Puffed, Gambit) and artist Rob Guillory (Teddy Scares, Popgun Anthology) have put together something truly wonderful.

Chicken and other birds have been outlawed around that globe after a devastating bird flu pandemic. Most crime is now associated with the illegal sale of those animals. Tony Chu is a police officer with a special gift. He is a cibopath — whatever he eats results in a psychic impression. He will see the entire lifespan of the food, where it was grown/raised right to when it ended up on his plate. Things only get better from there.

The writing is quite in-depth. You’ll find yourself reading about something supposedly random only for it to pop up issues later as a new story arc. The illustrations are bold and bright. It does not hold back any punches when it comes blood. If you are looking for a book to make you laugh and leave you wanting more, look no further.

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Comic Review: Avatar, The Last Airbender: The Search, Part One

Avatar, The Last Airbender: The Search,Part One

It’s the one question that was left unanswered and deliberately teased at the end of the TV series. We all want to know what happened to Zuko’s mom. Dark Horse Comics has finally decided now is the time to answer that question. Who better to tell this story than the guys from the last series (Avatar: The Promise), writer Gene Luen Yang ( Loyola Chin and the San Peligran Order, American Born Chinese) and artist team Gurihiru (Wolverine: First Class, Hulk: World War Hulks).

Now that things have settled down in the Earth Kingdom for Fire Lord Zuko, he can turn his attention to more personal matters. Namely, what happened to his mother and where she is. With his father being the only person who knows the truth about her, there is only one other person who is able to help him. His sister, Azula, might be the only person who can help Zuko find their mother — if she can be trusted.

This book is great. It’s nice to see the flashbacks of Ursa throughout the story. It gives you a sense of what kind of person she was and how she came to be married to Ozai.  The book is setting up the next two; when you get to the end it’s just getting into the swing of things. It just makes me even more excited for the next two parts. I can’t wait!!

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Comic Review: Criminal Volume 1 Coward

Criminal Volume 1 Coward

Criminal is like an un-guilty guilty pleasure. I know that I should feel guilty for wanting to see/revel in the life of a criminal but I don’t feel bad about it at all. Icon has brought together two guys, Ed Brubaker (Captain America, Catwoman) and Sean Phillips (The Invisibles, Sleepers), a team-up that is  guaranteed to make an enjoyable story.

Leo is a professional criminal making sure everything is planned down to the last detail. If the heist is starting to go south, you can bet he has a plan to make a quick exit. Now his skills are needed when he runs into two crooked cops. They have a heist that can’t fail and will make them rich. Of course, there is always a chance that things won’t work out as planned.

With Criminal, you feel all the things associated with that word while reading. You feel the desperation and fear of a job gone wrong, the seedy bars and the dark alley’s. Each volume is a self contained story with new characters. Occasionally names and characters will cross over but not in a forceful way. If you’re looking for a comic with a pulp noir feel criminal is it.

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Comic Review: Preacher Volume 1 Gone To Texas

Preacher Volume 1 Gone To Texas

I love a comic that is really f’d up and weird, but at the same time has a story that is deep, very complex and highly interesting. Preacher just happens to be such a comic. Who else but Garth Ennis (The Boys, Punisher:MAX) and Steve Dillon (Hellblazer, Judge Dredd) and where else but Vertigo of course!

Reverend Jesse Custer was a priest living in a small town full of hypocritical church goers. One Sunday during a heated sermon he was struck with the spirit of some heavenly being. Now filled with the power of this spirit he has one mission. Find god and make him pay for all the hell the people of this world have been put through.

This book has so much going for it. A sprawling story through the entirety of its run that goes to so many interesting locations. Main characters with so many flaws you find yourself yelling at the pages “why are you doing that”. With an array of supporting characters, you want to know everything about their lives. So many crazy things that you keep wondering how it’s possible to get weirder–but it does.

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Comic Review: Batman Arkham Asylum A Serious House On Serious Earth

Batman Arkham Asylum A Serious House On Serious Earth

An in depth look into Arkham Asylum and the mentally unbalanced patients who dwell with in. This ground breaking title from DC is written by Grant Morrison (The Invisibles, Batman Inc.) and illustrated by Kevin McKean (Violent Cases, Black Orchid).

The inmates of Arkham Asylum have taken over the building and are demanding one thing–Batman. The leader of the group is Joker, who gives Batman one hour to escape before the inmates are sent to hunt him. A dark take on the psychology of these patients including Two-Face, Mad Hatter and Clayface amongst many others.

This series really changed the way we looked at many of Batman’s adversaries. Rather than just being “the bad guys”, they are people with legitimately unstable mental thought processes. The artwork takes this idea with illustrations straight out someone’s bad dreams. It leaves you with a sense of dread and apprehension. Be sure to check this out, especially if you’re a fan of Grant Morrison.

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Comic Review: Batman The Dark Knight Returns

Batman The Dark Knight Returns

A story about Batman who has been retired for quite some time, coming back to defend the city of Gotham. A well known DC title written by Frank Miller (Sin City, Batman Legends) and illustrated by Frank and Klaus Janson (Thor, The Defenders).

Bruce Wayne is 55 years old and still living in Gotham but things have changed. For starters he has not been Batman for many years. Crime is on the rise and a certain street gang is infesting the streets. Soon Bruce can’t take standing idly by any more and once again he takes up the mantel of the Bat. Now that he is back, Batman is sure to attract the wrath of the underworld criminals and maybe even some old enemies.

Frank miller helped to bring the masses back to Batman with this series. The dystopian future aspect is very cool but the artwork also makes it feel 1980-ish. Also look forward to a big epic battle near the end. Come read what brought so many people back to Batman.

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Comic Review: 100 Bullets, Volume 1: First Shot, Last Call

100 Bullets, Volume 1: First Shot, Last Call

Vertigo is one of my favorite publishers because they are always guaranteed to put out new and exciting ongoing series — 100 bullets rightly falls into that category. With a writer like Brian Azzarello (Wonder Woman, Hellblazer) and artist Eduardo Risso (Spaceman, Logan) teaming up, the results will be something to spectacular.

You’re minding your own business and an older gentlemen gets your attention. He shows you a briefcase and explains its contents. Inside is a gun, 100 bullets and a folder. In that folder is proof of a wrong done against you and the chance to take revenge.  The gun and bullets are untraceable. If you are caught by the police upon finding those items they will give them back and let you go. It’s up to you if you decide to take revenge or not. As for the old mans motives — that’s a story for another time.

The writing sounds like a conversation you might over hear at some dive bar or walking through a dark alley at night. The images feel dark and desperate, which adds different dimensions to each character. You see the despair on one person’s whole being opposed to the privileged aura of another.

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Comic Review: The Pro

The Pro

You know what you don’t see enough of in comics, super powered prostitutes. Image will take care of all your needs honey, with this title written by Garth Ennis (Punisher, The Boys) and illustrated by Amanda Conner (Vampirella, Power Girl).

Being a prostitute is not an easy job. You’re on your feet/back/knees all day, the money’s not great and the hours are horrible. That all changes for one lucky lady when she is given superpowers by a being known as The Viewer. Endowed with powers she is asked to join the League of Honor. Her new team mates are the Saint, the Knight & the Squire, the Lady, the Lime, and Speedo. Together they fight crime for all mankind.

Hilarious parody of the world of superhero’s, Garth is having some fun here. Artwork and conversations are crude and lowbrow, that’s definitely a good thing.