Review: Ex Sanguine # 1

Ex Sanguine #1 Dark Horse -  I found this story to be a bit puzzling at first, but the characters were interesting enough to make me want to know more. Thankfully, my curiosity was rewarded by the end of the book.

Tim Seely with the help of Josh Emmons, weaves an intricate tale of murder and blood-lust. The plot builds up layer upon layer, with each turn of the page taking us deeper into the world of the story.

Tim’s art - which is every bit as good as his writing - is perfectly suited to the subject matter, as well.  I especially liked his rather unorthodox portrayal of a vampire; no sparkles here. In fact, this vampire is down-right ugly. 

Ex Sanguine is a sort-of romance, sort-of detective story, that puts an interesting spin on the currently popular trends involving vampires and their behavior. In Mr. Seely’s own words it is “Kind of Dexter meets True Blood…”

Overall a good read. I’m definitely on board for issue #2. 8 corpses.

You can find all of Dark Horse great Horror comics at http://www.superherocomicbooks.com

Review: Phantom Stranger # 0 & 1

Phantom Stranger # 0 & 1 DC Comics - The Stranger has always been one of my favorite characters, so I was pleased when I learned that DC was giving him his own book. 

The Zero issue was spun directly of last May’s New 52 FCBD Special. The origin story is well done, and though It never comes right out and says so its pretty obvious who The Phantom Stranger started out as. 

Fast-forward to the late twentieth century, and we get a front row seat to the birth of another well-known mystical DC character.  The Stranger’s connection to and the cosequences of this event are important story points that I will not divulge here, but Dan Didio has crafted a intriguing tale steeped in religious tradition as well as DC Universe history.

Onto Phantom Stranger # 1. It’s now present day or recent past, and this time we are re-introduced to not one but two of DC’s mystical characters. Another solid read and if I haven’t said so before, gorgeous art by Brent Anderson and Philip Tan.

I’m starting to feel like I have a handle on this series… and then I read the last two pages!

“This is a game changer”, I say to myself as I gather up my brain matter.

Sorry, no spoilers here.

Buy it.

You won’t regret it. 

Story and Art 10 pieces of silver (each).

You will find Phantom Stranger and lots of other great comic books from DC Comics at http://www.superherocomicbooks.com/dc-comic-books

Review: Point of Impact

Point of Impact # 1 Image Comics - This is an intriguing crime noir piece, very suited to the black & white art. I found the characters to be well defined and their motivations, for the most part, clear. It is the murdered woman at the center of the story that is apparently much more than those who know her are aware of. That is where the mystery lies as the lives of three people who knew her - but not each other - collide at the “point of impact”.

The meaning of the title itself evolves with the story and recurs throughout the tale, both visually and thematically. The writing and the art meld in a way that makes you forget you’re reading words and looking at lines on paper, until it becomes almost cinematic. If this were to be made into a movie, the opening sequence, alone, would have the critics standing on their seats.

Author Jay Faerber is an established comic creator with an impressive collection of credits, too numerous to list. His most recent work is his currently running series, Near Death, another crime drama, also from Image - and one my personal favorites. He has a good feel and the right voice for this genre, and I hope he keeps at it.

Artist, Koray Kuranel, a newcomer to the field, displays a strong sense of composition and storytelling. His panels flow nicely and his line work is excellent. He uses negative space and lighting to convey motion and sound in a way that I found remarkable. If I had to find one flaw, it would be that his perspective is sometimes a little flat. Otherwise, this is a great effort from a young talent with a long career ahead of him.

Overall Point of Impact was so good I read it twice.

Story 9 cuts; Art 8 bruises.

Now, I’d like to say a few words about crime comics in general. In the early days of comics, genres other than superheroes, commanded a much wider audience, Westerns and crime dramas were two of the most prevalent. Over the years the “capes” audience grew until these and other types almost disappeared from the shelves. Thanks to some great writers and artists they are beginning to make a comeback. Crime comics especially are becoming popular with fans that have become jaded by constant crossovers, re-boots, re-launches and resurrections. I believe there are a number of other reasons as well for their rise in popularity. Too begin with; most are set in the real world, or a reasonable approximation. A good example would be Sin City, set in an imaginary town yet there are no fantastic or supernatural elements that come into play. Some currently popular crime comics are the above mentioned Near Death, Robert Kirkman’s Thief of Thieves, and IDW’s Steed and Mrs. Peel. Anyone of these is worth looking into if you need a break from capes and code-names. I’m sure your local comic book shop owner could suggest some others as well.

You can find Point of Impact and many other great crime comic books from Image Comics and other publishers at http://www.superherocomicbooks.com

Review: of Evil Ernie #1

Evil Ernie #1 from Dynamite Entertainment - As origin stories go, this one was serviceable but not remarkable. The plot was easy enough to follow and the writer does not insult the readers’ intelligence by over-explaining or filling in all the details, but he didn’t break any new ground either.

As far as the character of Ernie, I never read the original Chaos Comics series by Brian Pulido and Steven Hughes, but I know that his initial origin involved Lady Death who was also a Chaos character back then. Since she is currently owned by Boundless Comics, Jess Blaze Snider had to rework the story without her.

The opening sequence needed to be expanded a little, I would have liked to see more of a transition as the father was apparently possessed by a demon. I actually had to re-read that before I got it, and I’m usually pretty quick on the up-swing.

As for the art, though it was decent, I found it to be a little inconsistent at times. In some of the tight panels, I wasn’t entirely sure what I was looking at. And when some of the characters were shown from odd angles, I had a hard time telling them apart.

Overall Evil Ernie # 1 was a fast paced read that didn’t really sell me on a second look. 

Story & Art 5 stabs out of 10.

You can find Evil Ernie and all of Dynamite Entertainments great comic books at http://www.superherocomicbooks.com

Why You Should be Reading Zenescope

Myths, Legends, Fairy Tales and Folklore.  Without most of us even being aware of it, these things help to shape our society and direct our moral compass. Even more inspiring than our history or our laws are the stories that we pass down from one generation to the next. Some are cautionary tales designed to reveal the consequences of wrong actions.  Some are heroic sagas that demonstrate the value of good deeds and self-sacrifice. They are stories of archetypal characters that recur time and again in our literature and other art forms.

It is these stories that are the meat and mead of Zenescope Entertainment. Within the pages of Zenescope’s “Grimm Fairy Tales” and its companion titles, they are redefining the stories that we all know so well, that we have come to take them for granted. In each issue, beloved characters like Goldilocks, Red Riding Hood, Alice, Peter Pan and many others, get sinister revisions that make them more suited to these modern times. In addition, there are tales reveal the secret histories of places like Wonderland, Never Land and Sherwood Forest, fleshing-out the backgrounds of many of the iconic characters that dwell within these magical locales.

Now Zenescope is poised to do the same for Greek Mythology as they have for European Folklore.  With recent one-shots featuring the likes of Zeus, Aphrodite, Ares, Neptune and others, as well as the new Godstorm series, they have begun to weave a tapestry of intertwining destinies, and schemes within schemes as they and the other Gods of Olympus vie with one another for ultimate power and control.

But they’re not stopping there. Be on the lookout for Zenescope versions of Robin Hood, Sleepy Hollow and more in the coming months. And White Dragon Comics will be bringing it all to you. Check out Zenescope Entertainment now. We have dozens of Zenescope titles in stock and dozens more available for pre-order.

http://www.superherocomicbooks.com

Halloween Comics/Better than Candy

Plan big this year. Halloween is one of the most popular holidays celebrated. Second, to Christmas, this holiday is full of tradition, superstition, and just plain old fun. Children and adults count down the days to Halloween. What other holiday can you dress up as your favorite superhero, cartoon character, idol, actor or actress and yes even your favorite politician.

This year make your Halloween treats extra special with Comic Books. Diamond publishing has produced several kid-friendly comic books justfor Halloween. These comics are sugar free, guilt free, and less expensive than candy while producing a much better result. Instead of teeth rotting, hyper activity, and extra calories, you’ll get a treat that last for years, helps in teaching children to read, and provides entertainment that makes the brain grow.

This year Diamond has produced ten new titles, they include a variety of familiar characters, like Ghostbusters, Strawberry Shortcake and Adventure Time, and new favorites too, like Axe-Cop, Littlest Zombie and Cow Boy. These 6” x 9”, full-color Mini Comics ship in bundles of twenty, for less than the average costs of a bag of Halloween candy. Again, they are a much healthier option to candy because they will not melt, or cause bellyaches or cavities; instead, they will delight children and encourage them to read.

Be the most popular house on the street this Halloween! Order your Mini Comics today at White Dragon Comics.http://www.superherocomicbooks.com

Crossed Badlands

"In morals what begins in fear usually ends in wickedness; in religion what begins in fear usually ends in fanaticism. Fear, either as a principle or a motive, is the beginning of all evil." - Anna Jameson

Do you think you know wickedness, evil, and depravity when you see it? Are you one of those who thinks they've seen it all and nothing can shock you? Well, you haven’t read Crossed then.

Never before have I read a comic book that made me feel like I should wash my hands and rinse my eyes after finishing it. Crossed makes me feel that dirty; not for reading it, but for enjoying the %^&* out of it! As I cringe at one panel, I can’t wait to turn the page to see what sick and twisted event will happen next.

One of the best examples of horror fiction to hit the stands in recent years, Crossed: Badlands is set in a world where insanity reigns free and decency is a lost virtue; where a contagious disease turns the infected into homicidal maniacs and civilization is all but forgotten.

Ultimately, Crossed: Badlands is about needs and desires, and what can happen to those desires when all inhibitions are removed. Living among the insane, it’s easier to connect to the craziness that lies just beneath our own surface.

You can check out the latest issues of Crossed: Badlands at White Dragon Comics.

We have prompt service and low shipping rates.

 - barbie 66

http://www.superherocomicbooks.com