Zombie Outlaw Issue # 1

Written By: Brian J. Apodaca

Art By: B. Paul Jordan

Matt Naismith and Will Simers thought they had this College thing figured out. One trip into the depth of Irvine State University’s library has them rethinking everything!! Witness as they unearth the Tomb of the ZOMBIE OUTLAW!!!

With the recent runaway success of The Walking Dead it seems that zombie comics are suddenly everywhere again. A lot of writers are looking to jump on the bandwagon in the hopes of earning a quick buck by making something that looks like TWD but unfortunately for them they mostly comes off as what they are, a second rate knockoff. That’s why I was pleasantly surprised when I received my copy of Zombie Outlaw #1 in the mail. Zombie Outlaw is an interesting take on the zombie tale that’s not afraid to try something original and move away from what everything else is doing.

As far as origin stories go it was certainly nothing I’ve seen in any other comics before. It’s a bit of a romantic comedy setup mixed in with some wild west zombie attack flashbacks and what may be a promising bromance. When Matt Naismith is paired with the girl of his dreams as his lab partner he looks to his friend Will Simers in the hopes of getting some help wooing the lovely lady but Will’s research for his thesis does not go as planned and now they all find themselves on very unfamiliar turf.

I enjoyed reading this comic very much. Like I said before it’s an interesting and original take on the tired zombie concept. I enjoyed the quick pace of the writing and found the art style to be interesting and original which is not something you see every day in the comic world. I would certainly recommend picking this up and I hope to see more work from these guys in the future.

You can find more info on this comic at http://zombieoutlaw.com/

Drums #1

Sponsored by: www.comicbreak.com

Written By: El Torres
Art by: Abe Hernando and Kwaichang Kraneo

In our world there exists an ancient religion with many names and many disguises: Candomble, Palo Mayombe, Santeria… Voodoo. FBI agent Martin Irons is sent to investigate the sudden deaths of an entire gathering of followers at a ceremony, an assignment horrible enough before one of the mangled corpses rises and leads him on a sinister path. A new horror story with possessions, santeros, zombies… all set to the thunderous boom of drums!

It’s not very often that comics draw audible gasps or any noise at all from me. I pretty reserved when I’m taking in my comics but there was a moment in this book when I simply let it slip. Holy Shit. That’s the only thought that could describe the two page spread that momentarily left me speechless before I let these two words fly. Lucky for me that wasn’t the only holy shit moment as this comic is full of them.

Drums is the story of an FBI agent sent to central Florida to investigate a mass death at a large religious ritual. With no clues and only a large pile of bodies he sets out with Cultural Anthropoligist Michelle Hernandez to investigate the mysterious underworld of complicated African based religions. Full of twist and turns all stemming from the mysterious murders it’s a story like i’ve never read in a comic before.

Writer El Torres does an amazing job of creating a hot, steamy world full of danger and violence. The dialogue is smart, full of information relevant to the story, and moves the pace along quickly and if you ever get confused by any of the religious terminology you can flip to the end of the story and check out the handy glossary of terms to help guide you through this complex story.

This is the type of book that careers are built upon and I can’t wait to see what comes next in this series. If you are tired of the relentless rehashing of super hero stories in comics and are looking for a change of pace than this is a great book to pick up and I would definitely recommend it.

Grimm Fairy Tales: The Dream Eater Saga #0

Sponsored by: www.comicbreak.com

Written by: Raven Gregory
Art by: Anthony Spay

When picking up a comic such as Grimm Fairy Tales by Zenoscope (who have been building the Grimm Fairy Tales brand since 2005) you often find your self behind the cart before you even get started. The characters in these books are not your every day super heroes or characters that you would usually recognize from other comics so you have to do a little research or pick up some back issues to get up to speed on the story. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not a lazy reader but that’s a lot of catching up to do and a lot of old comics to go on the hunt for and I just don’t have the time for it. Well for all you time challenged readers like me who just can’t fit a day of research into your comic reading this book is for you.

Grimm Fairy Tales: The Death Eater Saga #0 serves as both a beginning to a new story arc, the before mentioned Death Eater Saga, as well a detailed compendium of characters and background information on the series sure to quickly get you up to speed. Much like the .1 series of comics by Marvel, if you want to jump into the Grimm Fairy tale world this is the issue to pick up.

The Death Eater Saga begins with a brief 11 page back story on one of the main characters in the Grimm Fairy Tales world, Baba Yaga and how she became who she is. I don’t know if this story line has every really been touched on in this series before but they do a great job here of setting up her character and giving here a reason for being the vengeful, angry witch she has become.

However, When i reached the end of the first 11 pages and the story ended with only half the book gone I was a bit confused, that is until I turned the page and found a detailed description of the earth and realms, classes and factions, bios, as well as a check list of all the previous books and volumes to catch up on. Nice.

While I was originally expecting a more detailed story with more than just an intro to the character of Baba Yaga I found myself more than happy with what I got, and that was a well done introduction to the Grimm Fairy Tale world that left me excited and ready to pick up the next issue.

Moriarty: The Dark Chamber #1

Sponsored by: www.comicbreak.com

Written by: Daniel Corey
Art by : Anthony Diecidue

I’m a big fan of the Sherlock Holmes series. I enjoy the complexity of the mysteries, the science used to solve the cases, and I really enjoy the character that inhabit the world of Sherlock Holmes. Moriarty is one of the characters created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle that has actually had a much larger role in the films and movies based on the original series of books than he ever did in the two books he actually appeared in and that’s not a bad thing. Writers and filmmakers over the years have expanded on the myth of Moriarty so much that he has now become synonomous with Sherlock Holmes and now you can follow his post Sherlock Holmes life in Moriarty: The Dark Chamber.

The Dark Chamber picks up some 20 years after the death of Sherlock Holmes. Having spent the last 20 years trying to escape the demons of his past, Moriarty has now taken on a new persona and picked up where Sherlock Holmes left off, just on the dark side. He is now an investigator of sorts for the criminal underworld who also dabbles in shipping to fill his free time and give him a legitimate front. Just when things are seeming to reach normality he is threatened by a force from his past when he is hired to find Sherlock Holmes’ missing brother as well as a former professor he once knew who has also gone missing. This of course leads him back into a world he has been very careful to avoid, putting himself and everything he has worked for over the past 20 years, in danger.

I didn’t really know what to expect when I picked this book up but I soon found myself engrossed in an exciting tale not unlike many of the original Sherlock Holmes mysteries. While the dialogue was at times a bit wordy, I never found myself bored, I actually quite enjoyed the witty banter of the many back and forth conversations Moriarty had while trying to suss out clues from the crafty thieves and villains that populate this book. I would definitly recommend this to both fans of the Sherlock Holmes series as well as anyone just looking for a good read.

Planet of the Apes: The Long War #1

Sponsored by: www.comicbreak.com

Written by: Daryl Gregory

Art by: Carlos Mango

Get your hands on these damn dirty Apes! Beginning an all-new series that takes place before the original 1968 Planet of the Apes movie in the continuity of the first five films! Ape society has reached a new golden age. But there are ripples of dissent in both the ape and human ranks. Tensions will rise and soon all will be caught in chaos! And amidst all this uncertainty, what is the fate of The Lawgiver?

I’ve read a lot of comics lately that were adaptations of either movies, tv shows, or even video games and they all seem to make the same mistake when it comes to presenting material that we’ve seen in other forms and that is the constant rehashing of material. It seems that the writers are far more interested in sticking with tried and true story lines and formulas rather than taking on something new. Fortunately for us, Planet of the Apes: The Long War does not fall into that category. It is a fresh take on the old tale that has previously been covered by both movies, live action television series and cartoons as well as previous comics but with a perspective that makes it new again.

Planet of the Apes: The Long War takes place 1200 years before a man named Taylor fell from the stars. The humans and apes share the earth but with an uneasy co-existence. The dynamic created here is quite striking and sets up what’s to come very well. Humans are second class citizens, but they are not hunted, yet. There is a deep mistrust between the two species that we know will one day lead to bad things for the humans but at this point it is still relatively unspoken.

This is a well written book that takes place in continuity with the movies that came before it. This series basically fills in the history and provides us with an insight into what lead us to the situation that Heston encountered in the 1968 film. I enjoyed the characters and the back story between the ape, Alaya, and the human, Sullivan, who at one point lived as family members. These are the types of stories that make me excited about what’s coming up next. Even thought we know what the long term result is, the story was well written enough to make me want to know led them to that point. For Planet of the Apes fans, this is a must have and for comic book fans looking for a story with long term potential to create something very cool, this is certainly worth picking up.

Young Justice #3: Hack and You Shall Find

Sponsored by: www.comicbreak.com

Written by: Art Baltazar and Franco
Art by: Mike Norton

In issue three of Young Justice, Robin stumbles upon a plot by the League of Shadows to assassinate a local CEO.  He recruits the assistance of Kid Flash and Aqualad to attempt to foil the League’s plan.  Despite resistance from Aqualad about not including the rest of the team these three heroes set out on a stake out.  They encounter The Hook and Black Spider and despite their attempts these heroes appear to have bitten off more than they can chew on their own…

I’m not usually a fan of companion pieces to tv shows, they are usually watered down version of what’s on television or based on scripts that weren’t good enough to get produced. Young Justice on the other hand, was actually pretty decent. Based on the Cartoon Network show of the same name, Young Justice tells the story of a young group of superheros doing their best to learn the tricks of the trade and getting in a bit over their head.

I found the story interesting, the characters likeable, and the art exciting and well drawn. They have taken their visual cues from the show and stuck with what worked. That combination of things made for a quick read that actually had me excited about flipping to the next page.

What did I not like about it? I could have used a few more recognizable characters. I enjoyed the characters of Kid Flash and Aqualad but would have preferred a higher caliber superhero or two to take some of the focus off Robin. Am I really supposed to buy that he is a leader after years of being Batman’s sidekick? Other than that it was a fairly solid book and a good read for fans of the show or for younger fans looking for an interesting read.

Darkwing Duck #11 F.O.W.L. Disposition

Sponsored by: www.comicbreak.com

Written By: Ian Grill
Art By: James Silvani

“Revenge” is a dish best served cold, but “Double-Cross” turns out to be a dish best served…with duck? In this epic installment of the Disney Afternoon juggernaut, nothing is as it seems…or is it? Tune in and find out as Part 3 of Darkwing Duck’s “F.O.W.L. Disposition” charges on!

Darkwing Duck is a personal hero of mine. I grew up watching Darkwing on a daily basis. It was part of my after school ritual in the early 90′s along with the regular viewing of Duck Tales and Rescue Rangers. It was a personal point of pride that I had seen every episode of this show and could recall important bits of useless yet entertaining information about all the character involved in these series. When I saw that Kaboom had started a series based on the show I was super excited to have the chance to check it out and relive the old days.

Darkwing Duck #11 starts the way that the classic Darkwing cartoons always did, with our hero putting himself in danger while trying to save the world from some evil super villain. In this series he has joined forces with a couple of his enemies to try and infiltrate F.O.W.L. to stop them from bringing forth their version of Cthulu, Duckthulu. As always, he is joined (without his knowledge of course) by his adopted daughter Quivering Quack and her trusty sidekick, The Arrow Kid as they try to lend a hand but just end up getting into more trouble.

For a comic written for kids I find this book very well done. The story is interesting but doesn’t get too bogged down in details, The characters are varied so as not to get to confusing with the multiple story lines taking place, and overall it’s a generally entertaining read. I don’t know if most kids who would read this comic would have any clue about the history of the Lovecraftian character that Duckthulu is based on but it seems like a good way to introduce them to some classic literature as well as introduce them to a classic cartoon.

If you’ve been looking for a way to get your kids interested in the cartoons of your youth than this is a perfect segue to introducing them to the characters. I’d recommend it to new both young comic readers as well as adults who may have enjoyed the Darkwing Duck cartoon in the past.

The Green Hornet: Aftermath

Sponsored by: www.comicbreak.com

Written By: Jai Nitz

Art By:Nigel Raynor

Rocketing out of the events of the monster hit movie, follow the continuing adventures of Green Hornet and Kato as a power struggle for control over drug trafficking in Los Angeles turns violent. Green Hornet and Kato are just starting out, but they’ve attracted attention from the cops, the drug pushers, and even Homeland Security! Britt and Kato keep their alter egos hidden, but a new set of masked men on the scene complicates matters.

I’m not a huge fan of movie/comic crossovers. I prefer them to stay within their own that’s why I didn’t think much of The Green Hornet: Aftermath when I picked it up. It looked like a piece of promotional material for the movie that came out a few months back and I don’t need to be sold on a movie that I was never really interested in seeing in the first place but I read it anyway and suprise of all suprises, it’s actually not a bad comic.

The book picks up where the movie left off, which is a bit of a mystery to me since i didn’t see the movie but that didn’t really hurt too much. It starts with the typical scenario of Kato doing all the heavy lifting and The Green Hornet showing up at the last moment to take all the credit only this time the credit is being given to someone else by a pair on nosy Home Land Security officers. They think TGH is one of Reid’s reporters, Cullen Hurtt and this doesn’t sit well with either of the guys. Kato and TGH want a bit of the credit they feel they should be getting but don’t want to out themselves to accept it.

I like the book, the character chemistry is interesting, the art is classic comic inspired and the cover is dynamic, straight off a movie poster. If you enjoyed The Green Hornet than this is certainly worth picking up and if you haven’t seen the movie but would like an introduction to the character this is definitely a good point to jump on and check it out.

Sponsored By:

War of the Green Lanterns: Part 1

Sponsored by: www.comicbreak.com

Written By: Geoff Johns
Artist By: Doug Mahnke

‘War of the Green Lanterns’ ignites with part 1 of the blockbuster event that’ll burn into the summer! A malevolent force has usurped control over all the power batteries, leaving the Corps powerless except for a select few members. Now it’s up to Hal Jordan, Guy Gardner, Kyle Rayner, John Stewart and Sinestro to regain control – but can these warriors overcome their differences in time to save the universe?

“War of the Green Lanterns” is everything you’ve come to expect from a GL comic and that can be a good thing or a bad thing depending on what you are looking for.  If you are looking for an easy story to jump into with a simple storyline and characters that are easily discernible, than this is not the book for you. On the other hand if you are a long time fan who has invested years in learning the characters and the powers their rings posses and are capable of keeping the many characters from becoming a jumbled mess than more power to you. You might enjoy this book, I on the other hand, did not.

I’m not a simpleton by any means but the sheer amount of ring bearers compounded by the complex back story that all these characters are a part of made it near impossible for me to get into it. At times I found myself dreading turning the page because there might be another character introduced that kind of look like that other guy who looked a lot like that first guy. Keeping up with all of them left me with a headache and the strong urge to not see “The Green Lantern” when it hits theaters this summer.

The art was nice, well drawn, lots of green complemented well by the reds that really pop off the page. The environments were well defined but the locations the story took place limited my interest in what I was seeing. The cover was well drawn but ultimately it represented my major problem with this book, a jumbled mess of characters who I had a hard time telling apart. I say skip it and find something with a little more substance over style.

Clive Barker’s Hell Raiser: Pursuit of the Flesh Part 1

Sponsored by: www.comicbreak.com

Written by: Clive Barker and Christopher Monfetti

Art by : Leonardo Manco

One of the greatest horror franchises of all time returns, now under the control of its original creator! Clive Barker has touched HELLRAISER only twice: once to write THE HELLBOUND HEART, and once more to write and direct the original HELLRAISER film. Now witness Barker’s long-awaited return to tell a new chapter in the series’ official continuity—a trajectory that will forever change the Cenobites… and Pinhead! So prepare your soul for an epic journey into horror from one of the medium’s greatest voices, and starring one of the medium’s greatest characters, in an unforgettable new chapter of HELLRAISER. BONUS: this epic 40-page first issue features a 10-page backup story written by the co-writer and co-director of THE MATRIX trilogy, Larry Wachowski!

Horror comics are a weird thing to wrap your head around sometimes. Like the movies they emulate, the themes of death and terror are there, the images are often gory and violent, and rarely is there a superhero that can come and save the day. More often than not the “hero” is the bad guy. The killer who we follow as he goes about his day to day “business” but despite all this we rarely get a true sense of “scary” from these books. I think a lot of that may come from the fact that to read a comic you have to have light, which keeps the darkness from creeping into your head and planting that seed of fear that makes films so effective.

Perhaps that’s why “Hellraiser” #1 by Clive Barker just never really worked for me. All the elements were there, the evil Cynobites yearning for flesh, the flawed human, leaving themselves open for temptation and exploitation but the story just never really went anywhere. Pinhead yearns for a body on earth so that he might have a chance to earn salvation into heaven, he then sets into action the events that take place in the original Hellraiser movie. However, you would only know that if you had seen the original Hellraiser movie, and to be honest that movie is 25 years old and I’m sure a lot of people who have seen it have forgotten about it.

Overall this is a decent book. The art is striking at times, taking themes from the movie and pushing it past the boundaries of film. The colors are dark and vivid. The characters detailed and pristine. The cover is nice as well, taking a cue from the original art work from the 1987 film of the same name. If only the story had the same level of detail, it may have made it a bit more interesting to me. So unless you are a diehard Hellraiser fan and want to find out what took place before the first film, I say skip this one. There’s better original horror out there than rehashing a 25 year old story.

This  review has been brought to you by:

Let’s face it, there are a million different comics out there. Sometimes the only way you’re gonna find out if something is good or not is if someone walks up to you and hands you a comic and says “Here, read this and tell me what you think”. That’s pretty much what happened with “Brawn” when we met writer Anthony Rezendes for an interview at Staple here in Austin recently and surprise, it’s actually pretty good.

“Brawn” is story of a dock worker named Sam who  “reborn” as the hero known as Brawn after he was nearly killed in a drunk driving accident which resulted in the deaths of Tom and Betty Hanson as well as their 6 year old daughter Jules. Sam has struggled with his new-found power and responsibility. As this issue kicks off, it seems Sam was attacked by his own brother and is in the process of killing him with his bare hands. While this is going on he is flashing back and forth through his past as well as what seems to be a hallucination of a large rabbit driving him around in a red convertible. As the story progresses we find out that neither of these brothers may be in control of the metal limbs that they now posses and someone is using them to try to do their bidding.

I found “Brawn” to be well written, I enjoyed the fast paced nature of the writing and never got bogged down by the story or confused by what was going on in his flash backs. I enjoyed the trippy scenes with the rabbit who may or may not be real. I especially enjoyed the well conceived action sequence toward the end of the comic and the twist at the end. I’m not sure what exactly the relationship between Sam and Rosemary is but after reading this I certainly want to find out. I would definitely recommend “Brawn #3″ to anyone looking to pick up an action packed, fast paced read with plenty to explore and look forward to in future issues.

Time travel can be tricky. There are very few people who “kinda” understand it, it’s the type of subject that you either get it or you don’t. After reading Local Heroes: About Time, I’m pretty sure that Keith Quinn has a firm grasp on the subject as his latest book takes a look at the trials and tribulations of sidekick in training “Squire” and his adventures after accidentily time traveling and having to face the consequences of what his actions have unraveled.

Local Heroes is a sold bit of indy comic writing. Like I said before, dealing with time travel can be tricky but Keith Quinn handles it well. Throughout Local Heroes, Quinn adeptly layers story lines, building to a greater conclusion without committing the cardinal sin of not answering the questions raised in previous strips. He also does a great job of creating interesting characters marked in the tradition of classic super heroes yet still allows them to have a fresh new spin. The lead character “Squire” is a refreshing take on the classic boy wonder. He has been raised in the shadows of super heroes, growing up at Heroes Incorporated and training with UNION, but he still struggles to find an identity among the heroes that have surrounded him over the years. It’s not easy growing up and to have that portrayed in a comic character is not something you see every day.

The art is also very good. The cover is color, the interior in black and white but don’t let the b&w scare you away. The characters are well drawn and consistent throughout and the backgrounds are detailed, always giving you a good sense of where the comic is taking place.

The only real complaint I would have have regarding this comic is the amount of dialogue that often takes place. At times it can become quite “talky” leading to frames that are a bit cluttered with all the speech balloons. It’s understandable considering the amount of information that was required to get a handle on what was going on, but condensing a bit of dialogue here and there may go a long way in streamlining the flow of the comic and keeping the interest level up.

Overall a very good comic especially considering it is a collection of weekly strips. It could easily have become disjointed since it is a collection but they all play together nicely and come together to tell an interesting story. It’s certainly worth taking the time to check out and supporting a local artist who is putting out quality work.

Local Heroes: About Time is a collection of  84 strips (124 to 208) from storylines 7 through 11 of the popular online comic “Local Heroes” at www.localheroes.us. It can be bought online at the Hurn store.

Carbon Grey 1 of 3

Sponsored by: www.comicbreak.com

Written By: Hoang Nguyen, Khari Evans, Paul Gardner and Mike Kennedy

Art by: by Khari Evans, Kinsuh Loh and Hoang Nguyen,

Script and Lettering by: Paul Gardner.

For generations the Sisters have protected and counseled the Kaiser, ruler of Mitteleuropa. However, this is a different time. At the birth of the industrial age a great war is raging. When the Kaiser is assassinated…Giselle is accused.

Pursued by her sisters and hunted by the enemy, Giselle must unravel the prophecy of the Carbon Grey before history itself is rewritten!

Carbon Grey may be an “adult” a comic as I have ever read. And I don’t mean adult in the sense that it is not for children (even though this is certainly not a child’s comic). I mean it more in the sense that this book is something that younger readers may have a very hard time wrapping their minds around. The layers are many, the themes complex, the writing sophisticated. So sophisticated in fact that it actually took me a couple of times to really get what was going on here.

Carbon Grey is all about revolution. Not just revolution in war sense but revolution in the way we look at the female heroine and women in general. The Sisters Grey (who this story is about) are not women to be fucked with. They each represent a different piece of revolution and together they make up a dangerous group willing to go to any end to achieve their goals. They are beautiful, manipulative, conniving assassins, and they use that to every advantage.

The art in this book is breathtaking at times. There is an Asian sensibility to the art in Carbon Gray but it is not derivative of the style, only inspired by it. It does not feature the typical anime features your are used to seeing in manga, but paints around the edges with them, giving you just a sense of what lies inside the minds of the artists who created this book.

The only real qualm I had with this book was the cover. There are some amazing images inside this book and to feature the image they did seems to do little justice for what lies inside. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not bad, it just doesn’t really represent what this book is truly about.

Carbon Grey is a book that I can only recommend if you are serious about comics being art. This is not an easy read, but multiple readings will certainly open up worlds you may have not known existed in comics. If more writers took the approach to comics that Hoang Nguyen has, the average comic reader would have a very different view of the world than they do today.

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Wulf #1
Sponsored by: www.comicbreak.com

Written by: Steve Niles

Pencil and Inks: Nat Jones

Colors: Nai

Letters and Design: Richard Emms

The instant the first flaming stone appeared in the night sky, Wulf know his world was doomed to perish. Perhaps not the planet itself, but certainly all life would be vanquished.

With these words we are launched on a new adventure.  As Wulf watches the night sky filled with meteors he knows life as he knows it will soon end but he decides that, even in his final hours, he will do good.

This is a very strong opening to a new series brought to us by the classic Atlas Comic brand. I like the setup to the story, the introduction to the villain, as well as the everyman who is drawn into this dangerous world to help Wulf track down the dangerous (time/space traveling?) villain  Sanjon.

The dialogue in the opening pages is sparce but is more than adequately supported by the art and story telling. The pages are well layed out and the colors vivid and striking. The art seems to be more in the style of a graphic novel, very detailed and sharp with the orange and red fires setting a tone of danger and disaster at hand.

The cover is strong, though not actually very relevant to what is happening inside the pages. I would have certainly enjoyed a cover more in the style of what’s on the pages inside, but I was not put off by what was used.

Overall I would certainly recommend this book. It had an interesting story that was well written and well drawn and left me interested in what would take place in the next issue. Don’t hesitate to check it out.

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Who is Jake Ellis 1 of 5

Sponsored by: www.comicbreak.com

Written by: Nathan Edmondson

Art by: Tonci Zonjic

Jon Moore is the most sought after spy-for-hire in Europe’s criminal world. This is because of Jake Ellis, a psychic man who is invisible to everyone except Moore.

When a deal goes bad, the only one who can protect Moore from Europe’s most dangerous criminals is Jake Ellis. No one but Moore can see Jake Ellis.

But Jake Ellis can see everything.

Who Is Jake Ellis? has exactly what I’m always looking for in a comic. It’s short, to the point, superbly drawn, and ends with enough intrigue that I can’t wait to pick up the next issue and jump back into the story.

Who Is Jake Ellis? starts off with a bang. A deal has apparently gone bad leaving our main protagonist Jon to improvise an escape and run for his life. We quickly come to realize that everything is not as it seems with Jon. He is being assisted by a man who may or may not exist only in his mind and who always seems one step ahead of the next situation. The only problem is that Jon doesn’t always listen to the voice in his head and this soon puts him in a very precarious situation. The only way Jon is gonna survive is to put his ego aside and listen to Jake and that may not be easy for a man like him.

I very much enjoyed the story. It was fast paced, didn’t get bogged down in trying to explain every detail and gave just enough information to keep me wondering what was gonna happen next. Jon’s character is a prototypical James Bond type, he loves action and he loves the ladies and those two things seem to get him in one bad situation after another. I’m very interested to see where this story is headed and what the dealio is behind the mysterious Jake Ellis. Is he here to assist Jon and if so why? Is he a tool of someone else, purposely putting Jon in bad spots? Or is he just a product of Jon’s psyche, a damaged man trying to deal with one too many deals gone bad? Only time and future issues will tell.

I enjoyed the cover and art style of this issue as well. The cover was striking, the color and contrast coming together in a perfect match to catch my eye. This art style continues throughout the book drawing your eye from one frame to the next as the story advances. The use of silhouettes and outlines worked great to convey a sense of danger and intrigue as Jon attempts to move in and out of the shadows to escape the men looking to kill him and anyone around him.

Who Is Jake Ellis? is a great example of thinking outside the box and expressing ideas in new and different ways. The story telling, art style, and characters created within the pages of this comic are exceptional and definitely have me interested in checking out future issues of this new and exciting comic.

This  review has been brought to you by:

Hack/Slash: Come Together 1 of 4

Sponsored by: www.comicbreak.com

Written by: Tim Seeley
Art by: Daniel Leister

HACK/SLASH returns in all-new ongoing series by the creative team behind the hit HACK/SLASH: MY FIRST MANIAC mini! Cassie Hack, killer of killers, and her partner Vlad hunt a slasher who haunts a small town’s Make Out Point. Meanwhile, Cat Curio, Former Teen Detective, searches for the man who put her in a coma and the murderous cult that employed him. What she finds will set up the biggest HACK/SLASH story yet.

If you’ve ever watched an episode of “American Pickers” and said “Hey, you know what would make this show even better? If instead of searching for junk, these guys were searching for serial killers and killing them t0 make the world a better place!” then Hack/Slash is the book for you.

The Hack/Slash: Come Together series is my first exposure to this book and, I must say, I certainly enjoyed the read and got quite a bit more out of it than the tits and gore I was expecting when I first picked up this edition and flipped though it. What I did find was a very well crafted story with a large group of characters artfully put in place to tell, what looks to be, a very interesting story.

When we first delve into this story we are immediately treated to the timeless tradition of a guy and girl getting it on up on Lover’s Lane only to meet (what we assume is) their untimely doom. After this brief titillation passes, we then slip seamlessly into a story that’s seems to already be taking place. The main character Cassie is not dealing well with what has been going on in her personal life and is taking it out on her partner Vlad and making life hard for both of them as they travel the country looking for Slashers to kill. Despite their recently found dysfunction, it doesn’t take long for them to find what they are looking for as they soon run into an old nemesis who’s responsible for the missing pair who disappeared from Lover’s Lane weeks earlier.

I also enjoyed the other story developing alongside the main storyline involving a young detective recently woken from a coma who is also out to exact a bit of revenge of her own. Cat Curio’s story is not all that unlike Cassie Hack’s, the biggest difference being that Cat Curio seems a bit naive and may be putting herself in a situation she is not prepared to handle while Cassie is now a seasoned hunter who is rarely surprised by what my lay around the next corner. I look forward to seeing where these two parallel stories are headed and how they will undoubtedly intertwine the lives of both Cat and Cassie.

I certainly recommend this issue to anyone looking to get into this story. It’s a good opportunity to jump in and go for the ride without being too behind to be able grasp what’s been happening. Also if you’re a fan of the X-files television show (minus the aliens) or Supernatural than this comic will certainly be right up your alley as it is stylistically very similar to the story telling style of both these shows and for me, that’s a good thing.

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Comic Break Review: Secret Warriors #24

Sponsored by: www.comicbreak.com

“Wheels Within Wheels” Part 1!
As the long fight between the Secret Warriors and Hydra draws to its inevitable conclusion, Nick Fury’s final wild card is revealed. Just who are the members of Fury’s third covert team and what have they been up to all this time? Join us for the beginning of the end of the book that has ComicBookResources.com raving “If you aren’t reading SECRET WARRIORS you’re missing out on a great, anything-goes series; trust me, this is a book that just keeps getting better every month.”

I was drawn to this cover as soon as I saw it.. I didnt follow Nick Fury much in my past comic readings, but am a very big Marvel fan, so I was very familiar with his exploits and cross overs. This comic series covers Nick Fury, tired of politics and red tape, goes underground and assembles an elite team of undiscovered young super humans to wage those wars he believes need to be fought. Fury reveales that there are three teams, white, grey, and black.

Now this has to be one of the smartest and exciting comics in the marvel universe that I have read in some time. Though the story has many layers and if you haven’t read the back issues you may find yourself lost, so I wouldn’t recommend you jump right into this issue, but find your way back to it from the beginning. I was just thrown into this issue but found myself locked in from the beginning. Bookend by Nick Fury at a cemetery, we are flashed back to a year prior and following Mikel (Fury’s son) brought on to assemble a team and lead them on a mission. Great pacing and surprises, Jonathan Hickman has made his mark in the history of comic writing in my eyes. I found myself feeling the strong emotion of being part of the team at the tragic cliff hanger that just may bring you to tears.

The artwork of this comic really brings me back to the 80′s and 90′s look and feel with a dash of modern style. The contrast, highlights and shadows bring a depth that tickles your eyes and has you craving more. Over all I enjoyed this comic immensely. If you aren’t reading this series you are missing out on an exciting thrill ride.

Here is a sneak peak at the first few pages… Enjoy:

I would completely recommend this series to anyone who is into the Marvel Universe or love the older 80′s and 90′s  style comics that make you think  and story spans several comics. On another note one of the artist of this fine comic will be attending this years Texas Comicon in San Antonio. David Marquez Illustrator, and an alumni of the University of Texas in Austin, were he still resides, now works for comic companies like Marvel and Top Cow. Make sure you come by and see him at the Texas Comicon.

Comic Break Review: Sweet Tooth # 18

Sponsored by: www.comicbreak.com

Written by JEFF LEMIRE

Art and Cover by JEFF LEMIRE

After the explosive conclusion of “Animal Armies,” Jepperd and his new traveling companions begin a long trek north in search of answers in this stand-alone issue. But as the first snowfall of the year hits, mistrust and fear threaten to tear the group apart before they even get started!

There is often a strange disconnect when picking up a comic for the first time, especially when you’re jumping in 18 issues deep. With no real sense of where the story is headed or where it’s been I often find myself grasping at the smallest detail hoping it will lead me to a connection with a character that will draw me into the story and begin that relationship I was looking for in comics to begin with. With some books it’s a struggle to find my footing and if I reach the staples with out finding that connection, I’m pretty sure it’s a lost cause and time to move on but occasionally I come across that rare comic that grabs you with nothing but the cover itself and won’t let go. It’s just a little peek into what’s in store but it grabs me none the less and I can’t help but delve into it and that was the case with Sweet Tooth #18.

Sweet Tooth #18 picks up with Gus (The Boy) and Tommy Jeppard (The Big Man) leading a group of survivors along a desolate road in search of the mythical place called Alaska in the hopes for a better life in post apocalyptic America. There was a terrible plague at some point in the past leaving the world a cold and dangerous place and these characters are looking for a sliver of hope in this dark world. As the travel the road searching for this land of new hope, there is a lot of tension between the characters of the group. Past acts of betrayal have left many in the group  scarred and looking for revenge but there are hints of goodness in them as well which prevents them from becoming savages like the monsters moving in the shadows of the world around them.

As they travel the lonely highway and begin to experience what it’s like to live as a group and rely on each other to survive we see that in even the worst of situations there is joy and goodness to be found. There is hope for tomorrow for even the most damaged of the group but the only way they will ever experience that wonder is to never let their guard down and stick together no matter what.

I don’t know where this comic is headed but if you are looking to get into a story and go along for the ride I would certainly recommend this one and this is a perfect issue to do it. Sweet Tooth #18 is a bit of a recap story and a bridge between story arcs. A lull between storms and the perfect opportunity to jump on before the next ride begins.

I’d also like to point out that this issue of the comic also comes in a special horizontal  format that gives it a very cinematic feel. The beautiful artwork of Jeff Lemire is striking in this format and really unlike anything I’ve ever experienced in a comic. The wide aspect ratio of the frames really show off the desolate landscape they now inhabit and when it goes back to the traditional formatting on a few pages it makes what’s just off screen all the more impactful in you mind.

The combination of the artwork and the story telling in Sweet Tooth #18 is wonderful and I highly recommend you pick this comic up and tell all your friends about it. If they’ve got any heart at all, they’ll thank you because this is the type of comic that makes you want to go online and look for back issues just to find out where this story has been and where it is headed.

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Comic Break Review: Marvel Vault One Shot – Doctor Strange

Sponsored by: www.comicbreak.com

The plot for this one shot was written back in 1998 for the soon to be canceled Marvel Universe, a monthly series that would explore the farthest corners of Marvel’s vast realities. Now fans of the universe of Doctor Strange can enjoy this story over twelve years after it was originally plotted.

Sometimes story ideas for a character can be written, developed and pitched but never picked up, left in a long-forgotten drawer of an editor to never see the light of day. And sometimes a story finds itself discovered, dusted off and given new life for all to see, just like this week’s Doctor Strange one shot.

Over the years, there have been a number of stories that we’ve commissioned but that were never completed for one reason or another. I and other editors up here have held onto the work that was finished, sometimes for decades, in the hope that eventually we’d be able to see these stories in print,” said Marvel Executive Editor Tom Brevoort. “And now, with our office-move, these materials are coming to light once again. In addition to this Doctor Strange story, which was originally intended for the Marvel Universe series we published in the late ’90s, we’ve found four or five other tales which deserve to be completed and printed–so we’ll be doing just that in the months to come!

I’ve never been a huge fan of Doctor Strange, though I did enjoy the few times he crossed over into the storylines of other characters I did follow such as the X-Men and Spider-Man. Twelve years is a long time for a story to sit but I for one enjoyed this one very much even though I’ve never really followed his stories before.

This comic gives us a young Steven Strange before he has made a name for himself as Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme. Having spent years training with the Ancient One overseas, Strange comes back to Greenwich Village to find his new home. This great issue covers not only what drove Strange to become the man he is now, but the main story follows Strange’s first night in the old Brownstone that would become his Sanctum Sanctorum. This is a classic story of a Strange fight not only the demons that invest his new home but the ones within himself.

The artwork in this issue is beautiful in its simplicity. Like much of the works of the late 90′s that birthed this story originally, the line work is somewhat cartoony reminding me of one of the Batman animated series on WB. Even with that, it’s a great look that works well with the story and adds to this instant classic. The classic Salvidor Dali-like, look of the astral plane they use is classic Steve Ditko and brings this issue back to the original stories of Doctor Strange in the old Strange Tales comics.

All in all this issue is a great buy and a good story, and leaves you satisfied in the end. Even if you’ve never read Doctor Strange, like me, I suggest you give this book a read.

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Comic Break Review: Twilight Guardian: 1 of 4

Sponsored by: www.comicbreak.com

In a quiet suburban neighborhood, a woman dons a mask and a hooded sweatshirt and goes on a nightly patrol of a nine square block radius. Possessing no unique or extraordinary abilities and armed only with a roll of quarters, she relentlessly monitors her neighborhood to keep it safe. She is like so many others looking for meaning in the mundane. But what if, she’s right? What if something is terribly, terribly wrong? And what if only the Twilight Guardian can protect us?

Growing up I loved the comic book world. Batman with his arsenal of toys that made me laugh when watching the Adam West TV series and made me cringe in Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns. The outcasts of the X-Men were always my favorite though, with their powers being both a blessing and a curse keeping them on the fringe of a society that hated them for just existing. So imagine my surprise as I opened the pages of Top Cow’s Twilight Guardian to find an average woman with OCD no latent mutant powers, no radiated or genetically altered spiders, except for those in her large collection of comics that she shifts through to find one to read before patrol, a hoodie and a roll of quarters.

Visually this comic is so compelling combining the realism of modern comic art with the classic 50′s and 60′s look of a by-gone era of the comic book world. With styles from family friend to the old horror comics as well. From the sexy scenes of our Guardian in her knee high socks and underwear reading a comic, to the gritty horror when she knows that someone has been in her house after a patrol, the artwork by Sid Kotian and color by Bill Farmer just add so much to the story tugging you lovingly into this world.

My adolescence was spent escaping my mundane real-world life and even now when I crack a comic book, or watch a movie it’s for that same escape and here writer Troy Hickman makes that mundane real-world life the focal point of this comic. In fact, within this issue you escape her mundane life with pages from her comic book reading choices before each patrol for some good satire of classic comic book stories. At first I was feeling a bit bored by the small world that she inhabits but slowly I found myself being drawn into her character and relating to her much to the credit of the brilliant writing job. Though most of her night is spent keeping tabs on her neighbors who watch the same movie every night, or keep their Christmas lights up year round, the story starts to move along as we find her ex-boyfriend, the cop, has vanished.

Is her father, who ran out on her family when she was a girl during similar disappearances, involved in this vanishing? Is this the new type of Superhero we need? What does the mysterious Real Superhero League of America email hold for our Twilight Guardian? We’ll just have to wait and see in the next issue. Believe me I will be waiting to find out.

tinyurl.com/twlightguardiancrimestoppertip

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