Grim Leaper #2 – Review

By

-

September 15, 2012

Issue: Grim Leaper #2
Writer: Kurtis Wiebe
Artist: Aluisio Santos
Publisher: Image Comics
Release Date: June 2012
Price: $3.50

“Lou Collins: Serial Leaper. Lou desperately tries to find Ella, the woman with an identical curse, before his next horrific death. But, there’s malevolence waiting in the darkness, something that wants to kill Lou before he even gets the chance. Something alive.”

Dying Breath: 4.5 out of 5
I think I am in love people. I am in love with tree shavings and octopus juices, because they bring things like Grim Leaper to my eyes. If I didn’t say it enough when I reviewed issue #1, Santos is an amazing artist. Just the death scenes alone, are enough to show how GORE-Geous his style is. When you add in the other panels it just makes my black heart skip a beat. This is a visual treat, so make sure to savor it. The story by Wiebe moves right along and only gets more and more interesting. I love the concept and how it is being played out. I find myself enjoying the chemistry that Lou and Ella have, but then I flip-flop and I root for them to die. I guess I am just a romantic. This series is so much more than I could have ever expected, and I don’t want to see it end at #4. I say death to the mini, lets ride this one out for years and years, it has so many different ways it can go. Just think of their first fight when they kill each other. Read it people, it really is that damn good.

Artwork: 5.0 out of 5 • Story: 4.5 out of 5

If you would like to buy or know more about Grim Leaper you can find it at http://www.imagecomics.com

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El Bigote #0 – Review

By

Matthew Sardo

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September 14, 2012

Issue: El Bigote #0
Writer: Matthew Mclaughlin
Artist: El Chivo
Publisher: Tekilla Comix
Release Date: May 2012

“Living-dead banditos and skeletal gunfighters, ghostly Federales and ghoulish Conquistadores, cannibalistic muertoads and spectral sessquatches prowl Mexico’s haunted prairies – and its up to undead mustachio-quillslinger El Bigote to put them back in their tequila worm-graves!”

Dying Breath: 4.0 out of 5
Yee Haw Cowboys! El Bigote is here to save us from the undead side of Western Hell! The artwork in this issue is fantastic. Chivo has a great style that fits perfectly in both the Horror and Western genres. I really enjoyed his GORE-Geous characters and how great they looked from panel to panel. And those Tekilla Worms were amazing. The story is very original and mixes elements of both English and Spanish culture. The issue takes place on the undead side of life, picture limbo or hell if you will. So I can’t wait to see if these characters can actually stay dead, I know it was hinted at within the story. Mclaughlin dis a great job on the dialogue, but at times I did have to go get the Spanish to English dictionary out. No matter how I look at it, this issue was a blast. I enjoyed it from start to finish and I can not wait to get more in front of my horror loving eyes. Great stuff, now pass the Tekilla!

Artwork: 4.5 out of 5 • Story: 4.0 out of 5

If you would like to buy or know more about El Bigote you can find it at http://elbigotequillpower.blogspot.com/

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GREEN LANTERN #0 Green Lantern Sector 2814 Gets A Bit More Crowded

By

mDeVivo

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September 6, 2012

Green Lantern #0

Written By: Geoff Johns

Art By: Doug Mahnke

While most of the #0 issues have focused on the past to flesh out their stories and characters this issue focuses on the future of the Green Lantern franchise. We’re introduced to new Green Lantern recruit Simon Baz this issue. Simon is an Arab American living in Dearborn Michigan. The opening pages set Simon’s story into motion by utilizing the events of September 11th to show that Simon and his family haven’t had it easy due to the terrorist attacks he witnessed. We see how Simon and his families lives were effected 1 day , 5 years , and 10 years after the fact. John’s touches heavily on the topic of racial profiling in America and while it’s not easy to read its not hard to believe this could have happened to Simon based on his race.

We are then brought to the present as Simon is fleeing police after he had stolen a van to try to make ends meet and to help his family. The van itself houses something very lethal however that Simon wasn’t aware of and it is here that we first see Simon’s courage (which is actually tattooed on his arm in Arabic) and strong moral code come into play.

Simon is then moved to an undisclosed location where agents begin to interrogate him. Even though he is telling the truth the agents don’t trust that the Arab American in front of them was just in the wrong place at the wrong time and look at him as a potential threat to the US. Things move quickly and the agents decide to try to water board Simon to get the “Truth” from him. It is in this moment that the ring chooses Simon as he struggles to fight from being tortured and escapes.

The art this issue is a step up from the annual both in execution and tone. Doug seems to enjoy filling the earlier pages with detail and his style continues to suit John’s writing perfectly. Especially in the quieter moments when Manhke does most of the storytelling. His facial work is great and goes a long way in conveying the sincerity in Simon as well as the anger and disbelief in the situation he’s left in.

John’s even manages to throw in a one page Epilogue showing us the fate of both Hal Jordan and Sinestro and the direction he’s heading in with their story. After reading last weeks Green Lantern Annual I was left doubting the new direction that Green Lantern was taking. However after this issue I’m behind Johns and Mahnke once again. The solicits and cover image would have you believe Simon Baz is a gun toting criminal so its refreshing to see a very complex and interesting character inside. While there still is some uncertainty about The motivations of the Gaurdians and the Third Army story in general I am completely sold on this new Green Lantern and I’m happy to say Simon Baz is a wholly realized and worthy character in the Green Lantern Mythos.

Review Score: 9.5/ 10

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Review: Amazing Spider-Man #693 – The Jackal returns!

By

Roger Riddell

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September 5, 2012

Amazing Spider-Man #693
Writer: Dan Slott
Art: Humberto Ramos [Pencils], Victor Olazaba [Inks], Edgar Delgado [Colors]

Last issue, Dan Slott and Humberto Ramos gave Spider-Man a new sidekick for his 50th anniversary. This issue, he deals with the direct aftermath of that.

Created by an accident during one of Peter Parker’s demonstrations at Horizon Labs, teenager Andy Maguire is now Alpha, potentially one of the world’s most powerful superhumans. Peter being who he is takes on responsibility and, at the behest of Reed Richards, makes Alpha his sidekick. Unfortunately, the kid’s kind of an egotistical jackass.

As the issue opens, Alpha has just taken out Fantastic Four villain Giganto with a single punch and left the FF and Spider-Man standing around scratching their heads. Hoping to clear his head, Peter goes to Mary Jane’s nightclub to see if she can make sense of everything. She points out to him that Alpha is only doing what Peter would have done had he not realized the whole “with great power comes great responsibility” bit as a result of Uncle Ben’s murder–and then Pete realizes everyone knows who Alpha is because he doesn’t wear a mask.

Rushing off to Maguire’s home as Spider-Man, he arrives too late and quickly realizes Andy and his family have been abducted by the clone-crazy Jackal.

Dan Slott wraps up Alpha’s introduction here fairly neatly. The more you read of Alpha, the more you begin to hate the kid–and that’s pretty much the point. The end of this issue sets up the future status quo between Spider-Man and his new sidekick, and it will be interesting to see how that plays out between now and issue #700, assuming this plot thread doesn’t continue beyond that point. Additionally, this is the second time Slott has written the Jackal in the last few years, and I have to say it’s a big improvement over how the villain was written back in the Clone Saga.

Ramos’ art remains impressive here, although I still have a few qualms with some of the less-detailed panels where bodies have less detail and defy anatomical form [SEE: The panel of Spidey swinging toward MJ’s club on the second page]. At his most highly-detailed, however, Ramos continues to be one of my favorite modern Spider-Man artists.

Overall, this was a great issue and a fitting end to Slott and Ramos’ 50th anniversary story.

RATING: 8.5/10

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Review: Justice League #12 – Superman is a bad kisser!

By

Matthew Sardo

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August 30, 2012

Review: Justice League #12
Story: 7.5/10 • Artwork: 8/10 • Overall 7.75/10

Justice League (2011) #12
Written by Geoff Johns.
Illustrated by Jim Lee.

• ‘THE VILLAIN’S JOURNEY’ part four!
• The team struggles to stay together as they try to combat their newest foe.
• A shocking last page that will have the world talking!
• Continuing the origin of SHAZAM!

Follow Matthew Sardo on twitter @comicvault
If you would like to be part of the weekly chat as a guest email Matt at sardo@chicagocomicvault.com

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Review: Green Lantern Annual – Made me so mad!

By

Matthew Sardo

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August 30, 2012

Review: Green Lantern Annual
Story: 8/10 • Artwork: 9/10 • Overall 8.5/10

Green Lantern (2011) #Annual 1
Written by Geoff Johns.
Illustrated by Ethan Van Sciver.

• The conclusion of ‘THE REVENGE OF BLACK HAND’!
• Everything changes here! EVERYTHING!

Follow Matthew Sardo on twitter @comicvault
If you would like to be part of the weekly chat as a guest email Matt at sardo@chicagocomicvault.com

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Review: Wolverine #312 – Listen runt!

By

Matthew Sardo

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August 28, 2012

Review: Wolverine (2010) #312
Story: 8.5/10 • Artwork: 8/10 • Overall 8.25/10

This is a great Wolverine book to pick up if you want to go insane trying to figure out Wolverine’s origin. Jeph Loeb has fun with the character and Sabertooth only says two words in the book. Sorry about the Star Trek jokes.

Written by Jeph Loeb. Illustrated by Simone Bianchi.

Wolverine (2010) #312
• Sabretooth is back – but which one is the real one?
• Where has Sabretooth been and whose side is he on this time?
• The identity of the red-headed woman who came to Wolverine’s rescue is revealed

Follow Matthew Sardo on twitter @comicavult
If you would like to be part of the weekly chat as a guest email Matt at sardo@chicagocomicvault.com

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Review: Amazing Spider-Man #692 – Alpha is a D-Bag!

By

Matthew Sardo

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August 28, 2012

Review: Amazing Spider-Man #692
Story: 8/10 • Artwork: 9/10 • Overall 8.5/10

This could have been a great issue but it came off pretty bland. Expected better from Dan Slott but Humberto Ramos still rocks every issue of Amazing Spider-Man. All in all it gets us one issue closer to issue #700.

Amazing Spider-Man (1999) #692
Written by Dan Slott. Illustrated by Humberto Ramos.

• Special 50TH Anniversary Issue!
• Join us for a once in a lifetime event: the one, true 50th Anniversary Issue of the Amazing Spider-Man.
• A special over-sized issue harkening back to the legend the legend that started it all! Get ready for an all-new tale about a different kind of power and responsibility…
• Plus original stories by Dean Haspiel, Joshua Hale Fialkov & Nuno Plati!

Follow Matthew Sardo on twitter @comicavult
If you would like to be part of the weekly chat as a guest email Matt at sardo@chicagocomicvault.com

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Review: Image Comics – Planetoid #3

By

Matthew Sardo

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August 28, 2012

Review: Planetoid #3
Story: 8.5/10 • Artwork: 7.5/10 • Overall 8/10

Planetoid #3
Written and Illustrated by Ken Garing
Having made a stand against the cyborg militia, Silas must now lead the tribes in building a settlement.

Follow Matthew Sardo on twitter @comicavult
If you would like to be part of the weekly chat as a guest email Matt at sardo@chicagocomicvault.com