Screen Shot 2016-03-29 at 10.38.27 AM

Review: Elasticator 1 and 2

(Scout Comics 2016)

Written by A.C. Medina

Art by Kevin Shah

Colors by Ross A. Campbell

Cover by Jean-Francois Beulieu

Letters by Micah Myers

Sometimes it’s all about the cover.  I know it’s an awful way to decide what to read.  I know that my middle school librarian, Mrs. Paulson, would be horrified.  (Along with my librarian mother.)  Continue reading

Screen Shot 2016-03-22 at 9.13.40 PM

Review: The Rattler

(Image 2016)

Writer - Jason McNamara

Artist - Greg Hinkle

Editor - Joel Enos

I’m past the “spoiler reveal”.  If you don’t want to know what happens, it’s pretty easy to avoid a spoiler for a day or two, and for the most part, even if I get a spoiler, I’m so far behind in film and television watching that I’ll forget it by the time I actually consume the media.  That being said, and much to the detriment of what I do on this site…

I highly recommend that you not read this review.  The Rattler, by Jason McNamara and Greg Hinkle, is best consumed without any knowledge of it’s contents. Continue reading

Screen Shot 2016-03-07 at 9.10.27 PM

Review: The Baker Street Peculiars

(Kaboom! 2016)

Script by Roger Langridge

Art and Letters by Andy Hirsch

Colors by Fred Stresing

If there is any company out there right now that is successfully marketing itself to kids it’s Boom! Studios imprint KaBoom!.  They’ve really taken the reigns on the Cartoon Network shows, with Adventure Time and Uncle Grampa, and original books like Lumberjanes and last week’s new release The Baker Street Peculiars Continue reading

Screen Shot 2016-03-06 at 9.45.04 PM

Review: The Adventures of Archer and Armstrong #1

(Valiant 2016)

Writer - Rafer Roberts

Penciler - David Lafuente

Inker - Ryan Winn

Colorist - Brian Reber

Letterer - Dave Lanphear

I’ve heard for years about how great Valiant comics are.  For a kid who grew up in the 80’s, and who learned to love comics “the Marvel way”, these books were always ones that I bypassed.  It wasn’t anything agains the books themselves, it was just a preconceived notion that big two books were better.  In later years, I found that there were other companies that were making good books, sometimes great books.  And now we’ve come to a time when the market share, though by no means equal, has begun to tip in the favor of indie books.  Continue reading

Screen Shot 2016-03-02 at 8.20.28 PM

Review: Cry Havoc #2

(Image Comics 2016)

Words by Simon Spurrier

Pictures by Ryan Kelly

Inks by Barbara Guttman

Colors by Nick Filardi, Lee Loughridge, and Matt Wilson

Letters by Simon Bowland

“So far…in London, street musician Louise Canton was savaged by a ghostly hound…in Afghanistan she travelled with supernatural soldiers to life the creature’s curse…in the Red Place she’s the captive of the rogue monsters she came to kill.”  That’s issue #1 in a super cool nutshell. Continue reading

Screen Shot 2016-01-26 at 3.31.55 PM

Review: Ghostbusters International #1

(IDW 2016)

Written by Erik Burnham

Art by Dan Schoening

Colors by Luis Antonio Delgado

Letters by Neil Uyetake

Ghostbusters is a property that, for fans, is sacred.  There are few people outside of the original writers and director that fans trust with their favorite characters.  (Exhibit A - I’ll call it the “Ghostbuster Reboot Storm of Hate”)  I’m all for reboots, reimagining, and sequels, as long as their well done and stay true to the essence of the characters and the main gist of the original story. Continue reading

Screen Shot 2016-01-17 at 8.59.59 PM

Review: The King’s Leap

(Madius Comics 2016)

Written by Robin Jones

Art by Gareth Sleightholme

Vikings and monsters and tales of daring-do.  What more could you want in a comic?  There is a long history of stories that follow the epic adventures of Norsemen who faced unparalleled danger by venturing out into the ocean and striking out for new lands and plunder. Continue reading

Screen Shot 2016-01-10 at 7.37.04 PM

Review: The Dark Knight Strikes Again

(DC Comics - 2002)

Frank Miller

Lynn Varley

Todd Klein

After the crazy success of The Dark Knight Returns, there should have been no worry about the release of a second volume in the series.  Eight years after the 1986 release, Frank Miller was back in the world of the aged and curmudgeonly Bruce Wayne, with plans to expand the universe in a way that would bring in many other DC mainstays.  Expectations were high. Continue reading

Screen Shot 2016-01-03 at 8.48.08 PM

Review: The Dark Knight Returns TPB

(DC Comics and Warner Books 1986)

Story and Pencils by Frank Miller

Inks by Klaus Janson and Frank Miller

Colors and Visual Effects by Lynn Varley

Letters by John Constanza

There is no denying the effect that Frank Miller can and has had on the comic industry.  His take on Daredevil changed the way we saw the savior of Hell’s Kitchen, and in the same way he changed the way we see Batman still today. Continue reading

Screen Shot 2015-12-30 at 9.57.29 AM

The Binge: Deadwood

(HBO 2004-2006)

Created by David Milch

Starring Timothy Olyphant, Ian McShane, Molly Parker, Robin Weigert, etc.

Deadwood is more than a town in South Dakota.  Once a gold strike location, then later the location of that fateful card game in which Wild Bill Hickok was shot, it has been the home base for countless films and television shows since the dawn of them moving picture.  But in the early 2000’s David Milch changed the game, and the face of that little South Dakota town, forever when he created the show Deadwood for HBO. Continue reading

Screen Shot 2015-12-15 at 4.04.32 PM

Review: Klaus #2

(Boom! Studios 2015)

Written by Grant Morrison

Illustrated by Dan Mora

Letters by Ed Dukeshire

Cover by Dan Mora

As the Christmas season speeds by, we need to focus on the things that were extolled in those holiday Christmas specials we all enjoyed as children.  The joy of family and friends nearby, the lopping of body parts, the wonder of Santa… Continue reading

Screen Shot 2015-12-07 at 12.48.04 PM

Review: Black Jack Ketchum #1

(Image Comics 2015)

Written by Brian Schirmer

Art by Claudia Balboni

Letters by Rob Bowman

There are not enough Western comics in my opinion.  Each and every time I see one I get a little excited.  Even when something is described as having “western” as it’s narrative base, that’s pretty much enough for me.  I always jump on a new western title.  Black Jack Ketchum #1 was no different. Continue reading

Screen Shot 2015-12-01 at 8.27.14 AM

Review: Heliosphere

(webcomic 2014, print 2016)

Created by Ben Jelter

Comic creator Ben Jelter comes from my wheelhouse.  He grew up in the late eighties and nineties, and watched a lot of animation.  Just look at his most current work, Heliosphere, and you’ll see what I mean.  He’s got credits as well, with previous projects Moscow 38 and The Tumor. Continue reading