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Reviews for 19-12-21 
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The Rocketeer At War #1

12/30/2015

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The Rocketeer At War #1 (of 4)
IDW Publishing 2015
Written by Marc Guggenheim
Illustrated by Dave Bullock
Coloured by Ronda Pattison
Lettered by Gilberto Lazcano

    The Rocketeer for me is hit or miss and it usually depends on who’s writing it and what the cover looks like for me to try it.  Let me just this first I love Marc’s writing so that was a huge factor and then I saw Nick Bradshaw’s cover and wowie!  Though Dave does the interiors I still can’t get over that cover image it’s gorgeous!  So here we go as we join World War II and the adventures of the Rocketeer…..

    I do like the opening page that whole whole news style is really spot on the era it is from and it’s something that feels right, also missing from today’s world.  Then we’re off to the races or are we?  At an U.S.A.F. Base in England it looks like the Rocketeer is being put through his paces by a group of onlookers.  Unfortunately the allies don’t have the original Rocketeer just someone trying to play the part as they test a jet pack they’ve created based upon the original.  What I like about this is that while they try and try they cannot duplicate it and that means there’s only going to be on Rocketeer not a squadron of them.  That kind of individuality is important at least to me.

    So where is the original Rocketeer anyway?  He’s not using the new pack we know that much.  Well he’s actually in the trenches and working on engines.  Cliff Secord has signed up for service towards his country.  Still when an R.A.F. jockey is shot and crashes we see him still act the hero and rescue… her.  

    Aww I think part of me loves that Betty Paige is his girlfriend because it’s just so out there that it’s wonderful, even if her last name is officially mentioned that photo of her pretty much sealed the deal for me.  Though let’s be honest here as cute as Dave’s work is I find it more suited to something more all-ages and less what i’d like to see here.  It’s very cartoony in nature and something we’d likely see on Cartoon Network nowadays and I miss the real attention to detail and that which makes the men men and the characters really pop.  Still he’s a good artist just not what I think of when I see Rocketeer I guess.  This is war it should have oomph to it not some aww it’s nice and kind of innocent looking.

    So Marc however keeps me so thoroughly entertained by the story and characterization it makes up for that.  Oh and the flying Nazi trying to steal a part yeah that’s way cool like some kind of flying squirrel though the suit would suggest bat the smoke looks like a tail so…  This confrontation along with the opening well this all conspires to change Cliff’s life yet again as now he’s being conscripted to service for his country as the Rocketeer.  Though really how many people know his dual identity anyway?  Wouldn’t that be dangerous for so many to know?  Eh it’s WWII and things were different back then though once the wars over I see a whole slew of new consequences on the horizon.

    So with a new purpose, new allies and his girlfriend on the way it seems that the high flying adventures are only beginning again.  However we also see what the Axis has been up to and it’s no laughing matter.  Will Cliff be able to stop them and survive stay tuned for the next thrilling chapter to find out!

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Black Knight #2

12/29/2015

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Black Knight #2
Marvel Comics 2015
Written by Frank Tieri
Illustrated by Luca Pizzari & Kev Walker
Coloured by Antonio Fabela
Lettered by VC’s Joe Sabino

    Dane Whitman is the Black Knight, the latest of a long lineage to wield an enchanted sword known as the Ebony Blade.  Recently, Dane found himself stuck in Weirdworld, a mysterious region that doesn’t obey the laws of man or nature.  Having slain it’s former King, Zaltin Tar, Dane is crowned the leader of a territory rechristened New Avalon.  But is it Dane or the corrupting influence of the Ebony Blade leading the charge?  The Uncanny Avengers have come to Weirdworld to find out.

    I really like Dane and I think the Black Knight has always been one of the more underrated Avengers so seeing him again starring in his own book is fantastic.  Yes the Ebony Blade is usually one of the constants in his mytho and it’s an easy source to fall back on but so far it’s being done well.  It’s tying in the blade's history with family and the whole hero/villain dynamic.  If he can once again gain control over the blade instead of it controlling him then he can once again reclaim that which we loved about him making him great again.  

    So far it’s been all about Frank getting in some hella good characterization regarding all this and his unexpected rule in Weirdworld.  However while we still don’t know how he ended up here we are learning the events that led up to that.  Last issue the Uncanny Avengers showed up and now we see why they are.  Have to admit though seeing Dane’s people watching them go up against what Dane is throwing at them is fantastic.  

    So months ago Dane went to the Avengers for an assessment and it only confirmed what he knew that the power of the blade was growing.  Then Steve approached him to join the team, the Uncanny team that is.  The split then and now storytelling Frank’s doing here is superbly orchestrated.  I also love his feelings about Deadpool being on the team and the newbie he doesn’t know.  Between the battle taking place in Weirdworld and the one that led them to find him there we see some excellent stuff happening.

    Dane may be under the influence of the blade but he’s still Dane.  He’s smart and experienced in fighting and the art of war, not to mention leadership as well.  Oh yeah what Frank did here is amazing in setting up not only Dane’s current state of mind but how he fits into current Avenger rankings.  Yeah he used the blade it’s what he does but it’s those actions that need investigating and fixing, not the fact he did what he did.  Still this more Punisher style Black Knight isn’t one i’d like to see disappear entirely.

    Have to say i’m still enjoying the vision Luca, Kev and Antonio are bringing us here.  Their distinct style and use of pages and panel layouts with the darker tones in the colouring really make the emotions here pop.  Sure the characters don’t always look like we are accustomed to but they are instantly recognizable except for this weird thing Doctor Voodoo’s face has going on i’m actually becoming impressed and a fan of their work.  

    Mixing sword and sworcery with the traditional aspects of the Marvel U isn’t easy but Frank’s take has made me sit up, take notice and has me coming back for more.

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Fathom Blue #6

12/29/2015

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Fathom Blue #6
Aspen Comics 2015
Written by Vince Hernandez
Penciled by Claudio Avella
Inked by Mark Roslan
Coloured by Justice & Junachoo
Lettered by Josh Reed

    The team finally came together as a unit in order to fight a Blue insurgence above the surface. However, they quickly realized their combined efforts were no match for the resolve of the Elite Councils’ finest soldiers. Yet, an even greater surprise came to Maylander and those stationed at their headquarters, the Rig, as the facility was infiltrated by the leader of the Blue, Siphon…

    Well I have to say that I really like what Vince is doing here.  The way he brought this team together and has had them gradually learning to trust one another and then brought in Siphon and the Elite Guard and bring us to where this issue ends has been one hell of a journey and it’s definitely one I wasn’t expecting.  Because of that I think I have a newfound respect for Vince and his talent for weaving words into a story that transcend what you think is happening.

    Maylander on the other hand gods when is this man going to die already!?!  I’m ready for a protege of his to rise up and take over with a conflicting sense of duty to his mentor and the realization that this continual war and breaking of treaties isn’t for the best of either species.  For me those actions would be much more complex and interesting to see unfold than this bigot of a man abuse his authority and position for a personal crusade to reinforce his own prejudices.  Unscrupulous, yes, compassionate, not by any stretch of the imagination, in potential trouble and being cast out of the political arena, only if what we say in Kiani still holds true.  Regardless this man has a one track mind and he needs to be put down and let someone with more unclear reasoning take center stage.  At least then trying to guess and figure out reasons would be more fun and a challenge.

    What the Elite would like Elia and the team to do is beyond surprising for me.  There has to be more going on behind the scenes that we haven’t seen for this decision to have been reached.  Hopefully in volume two we’ll see more of that revealed but in the meantime the prospect of what is proposed is not only incredibly daunting but it’s incredibly dangerous as well.  Unless they plan on usurping a nation for their own where will they go and why leave their current home at all unless they fear Maylander will use some sort of nuclear device to destroy it.  

    My big problem with this issue is the interior artwork.  It’s sloppy and it’s a travesty to see really.  Almost like well i’ve been hired to do this so I have to but I don’t want to so i’m not putting any real effort into it.  Aspen has some incredibly talented artists but this work here is beyond crap.  While this is my opinion and others may disagree let’s showcase some of the things I based my decision on.  
    The background Elite soldiers are basically malformed as if rejects from a Lord of the Rings movie.
    The mind controlled Blue have weird musculature that shouldn’t exist in either species plus they just look wrong like anatomy wasn’t a concern.
    Elia and her conversation partner are often out of focus to hide lack of detail in faces, the shirt or bone armor is often misrepresented panel to panel or just hideously scribbled in as an afterthought.  Where Elia sit’s that image of the Blue is just something that should never have print.
    Inconsistent faces and posing throughout left me puzzled and thinking I could do better.
    The ships under the sea lack any definition or majestry you’d expect to see.
    So many panels seemed unfinished or left up to the inks and colours to fill in the missing gaps and that just ruined things for me.

    Aspen is known for it’s stunning interiors and this feels like a slap in the face to all we’ve come to expect.  Thank goodness the story and the writing is worth suffering through the ever devolving artwork.


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The Death-Defying Doctor Mirage #1

12/29/2015

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The Death-Defying Doctor Mirage #1
Valiant Entertainment 2015
Written by Jen Van Meter
Illustrated by Roberto De La Torre
Coloured by David Baron
Lettered by Dave Lanphear

    Shan was alone for years, until she ventured beyond the veil of death and brought back Hwen’s spirit.  Now Shan has a ghost husband who she can’t even touch, and who only she can see…  Sums up the story so far.

    I’m completely enthralled by the interior artwork here.  Roberto and David have found the perfect way to bring this to life.  The attention to detail and the way the colours work here really just grab the reader’s attention and imagination so that we are drawn into the story.  The use of pages and panels keep the flow of the story pacing flowing beautifully.  

    I like the opening here.  Seeing the pair alive and well right before going off on that fateful excursion and Shan locking up that scroll Hwen was working on sets up the story nicely.  Then  moving to last week where Shan is called to a wedding that’s gone out of control well that’s even better.  I think the fact that the chapel is haunted and they specialize in haunted weddings well it just adds another dimension to what we think of ghosts and what they desire.  Huge bonus to see the ghosts like this instead of just things that need to be banished and the possibilties here excite me.

    One of the things I really liked about this issue is that it felt so much longer than usual.  With so much going on here Jen manages to write it in such a way that it just felt like an oversized issue.  It’s action packed and full of so much information and the introduction of new characters and fleshing out Shan’s world.  Finally we’re getting more of the people in her life and it only goes to really give her some much needed new characterization so she’s less the hardened woman and more a complete person.  

    Shan’s friends and extended family in Barcelona are fabulous!  Oh please tell me that’s a naked ghost relative just sitting on the sofa because that would be way too awesome.  Seline’s family is full of magically inclined people who have various talents and almost immediately we get a sense of what this story is going to entail.  Inez’s casting said that something big was going to happen and then at the table that vision yeah it all conspires to say that perhaps Shan’s desire to use that scroll isn’t as wise a course of action as she’d like it to be.

    That events at home and then at Seline’s have really upped the ante for what Shan has to do and go through now.  Suddenly there’s this whole new thing that is extremely exciting to see.  A new threat of unknown power and origin that can possibly destroy reality as they know it yeah i’m totally in here.

    With some absolutely incredible characterization and an exciting new story arc surrounded in some gorgeous interior artwork make this an offering not to miss.  

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Titans Hunt #3

12/28/2015

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Titans Hunt #3
DC Comics 2015
Written by Dan Abnett
Illustrated by Paulo Siqueira, Geraldo Borges & Jackson Herbert
Coloured by Hi-Fi
Lettered by Carlos M. Mangual

    Dan is a God and this story is exactly what longtime Titans fans have needed and wanted to see.  Ever since the restructuring of the DCU the original Titans have been cast out into the cold and finally they are coming back together.  That this is continuity cannon for the entire line is of no real consequence to me since this is the title that A. brought me to DC to begin with and B. brought me back to them.  Now if they could just do something like this with the Legion i’d be the happiest man alive.

    With the opening of Dick, Donna and Garth fighting on the beach we finally see some of the realization that these characters have.  Garth while trained to fight in the ocean is immensely strong and capable and Donna being an Amazon well there’s no holding that back when it comes to a fight.  That these two can go head to head against one another showcases the fact that the Titans have the power to really go up against anyone.  Finally someone like Dan has come along to realize this.

    Poor Dick is out of his element when it comes to a free-for-all battle with them.  Though in all honesty it’s been his thinking and leadership qualities that made him stand out.  So if he can reassert those then we’ll be well on our way to regaining that which has been lost.

    Lilith in her office facing off against the man or entity that wants the former child heroes is spectacularly done.  I love that in the rain outside the window we see the visage of Mister Twister.  He’s the man who brought three of the founding members together after all and is the reason the Titans even became a team.  So that he’s no longer the man he was fits nicely into the mythology of the team throughout it’s incarnations through the New Teen Titans.  Personally I love this better than him turning into the Gargoyle but then that’s part of classic cannon as well.

    OMG the Hatton Corners Clubhouse made me squeal with glee.  Almost as much as Mal’s instrumental involvement in all this.  Plus seeing Karen albeit pregnant as she is and knowing her pet name is Bumblebee well yeah that’s just stuff that does this old heart good.  Switching gears to seeing Roy be freed by Gnarrk was flawlessly done.  I mean he was brought from the past to the present and then summarily dumped after noone seemed to know what to do with him.  His reboot after the Crisis well that sucked too so having him back to how he was originally yeah that’s what i’m talking about here.  

    Okay so how this issue ends well Hell To The Yes people!  Using the Herald and sound like any version of his Hornblower days that everyone, including his wife, can hear well that just sent me over the edge.  Including the one person of a duo who heard it but not his partner.  So yes there was a previous incarnation of that character so thank you comic gods for this.  

    The interiors here are phenomenal as well.  The whole idea of updating classic looks for a new time to fit into who they are in this new reality while still being immediately recognizable well it’s brilliantly done.  Hell even this Wonder Woman version of Donna is flawless in it’s execution.  It really takes the notion of her being a sister to that level of both individuality and respect.  

    I am so in love with what’s happening here that after this Hunt story is over Dan and company need to come back to tell the tales of the Titans from the beginning.  Make em young again and show us the adventures they had that inevitably lead up to them disbanding and only Lilith remembering them.  Granted I’d love to see them ALL, yes Golden Eagle, Bat-Girl/Flamebird, Harlequinn, Beast Boy, Aquagirl and even Red Star, come back and least have a cameo or mention but i’ll be just as happy with this core team.  

    DC has recaptured the imagination and love that was there originally in a completely new and wonderful way.  Keeping ties to what came first but making it fit beautifully into what is now.  This is far and away the best thing DC is doing right now.

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G.I. Joe A Real American Hero #222

12/28/2015

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G.I. Joe A Real American Hero #222
IDW Publishing 2010
Written by Larry Hama
Penciled by SL Gallant
Inked by Derek Fridolfs
Coloured by J. Brown
Lettered by Neil Uyetake

    While G.I. Joe members all over the globe are recalled back to The Pit, Snake Eyes, Scarlett, Stalker, and Clutch infiltrate a Crimson Guards’ house and discover the details behind the Cobra World Order… Meanwhile, Dr. Mindbender captures Wendy Ling-Torres—the junior senator in charge of G.I. Joe’s overwatch committee—and gives her a session in Cobra’s Brainwave Scanner…

    I think opening up this issue with a memory/nightmare of Dukes was incredibly well done.  To see him be this vulnerable and kind of coming apart at the seams is really strong, powerful stuff considering the story itself and what’s about to happen.  This on top of finding his lost wife too it all just conspires to weave this depiction of him we’re not used to seeing.  Add to this that it’s all done by Gallant makes it even more impactful.  Gallant’s work on this series has been nothing short of sheer brilliance and it’s nice to see such a well oiled team working together.

    Meanwhile elsewhere in the PIT the Joe’s are busy.  The Joe’s are having visitors in the form well every military branch you can think of.  I love seeing how the top Brass of other branches having been kept in the dark since the team’s creation are having trouble with it’s existence.  Let’s face it there is an arrogance to these men and what they do that isn’t seen anywhere else in the world.  Only military folk so high up can understand it but it’s fun for us little people to see it play out.  

    Larry really is a genius and this story is ramping up to a level where it’s no longer just what’s going to happen it’s hitting the happening stage.  Bringing in the U.S.’s other military branches and finally revealing their existence and the threat Cobra poses is the biggest thing that could have happened to the team.  

    Ah Cobra Commander and Dr. Mindbender’s meeting was fantastic!  I love seeing the Commander being more in control, forceful and less an idiot.  Finally he’s doing this and it seems to be falling into place in a way that we’ve secretly wanted it to for years now!  I think there’s always a part of us that wants Cobra to succeed so that the Joe’s have to come back and triumph in a spectacular fashion after a long term reassessment of their organization and then have them go kind of rogue to re-establish order.  It’s basic really because with these two opposable forces that’s the most logical outcome scenario.

    The informal committee that is evaluating not only Duke but whether to tell anyone of the Senator’s aide being a Crimson Guard is another aspect of this team I love.  The espionage game is pretty highly advanced and that this core unit knows and can act independently from the main force really makes me giddy with anticipation.  

    The build up has been perfect and now it’s time for the real action to begin as the Joe’s and their allies scramble to stop Cobra and try to figure out their long term goals.

    Best G.I. Joe arc to come along in years!

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The Covenant #5

12/27/2015

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The Covenant #5
Image Comics 2015
Created & Written by Rob Liefeld
Illustrated by Matt Horak
Coloured by Juan Rodriguez
Lettered by Clayton Cowles

    The presence of the Ark inside the Philistine capital has created uncertainty and disturbed the foundations of the Temple. General Dekani grows weary of the directives of the High Priest, Kano. Meanwhile, Samuel and his men have successfully penetrated the city and have gathered in the ceremonial depths of the Temple of Dagon as a horrific ritual unfolds. Having dared the horrors of the sacrificial pits, Samuel and his crew survive the threat of bears, lions and giants in order to save Samuel’s beloved Asha. General Dekani has ordered the Ark moved to the Philistine city of Ekron. Samuel follows close behind…

    I cannot believe just how much i’ve been enjoying this story.  I love that it’s set in biblical times and centers on the Ark of the Covenant, the Israelites and the Philistines and a is a full blown action/adventure story.  That Samuel, a High Priest, hand picked a small force to infiltrate and recover the Ark and they are doing so without anything remotely modern just the wiles and skill to pull this off has been entertaining as all get out.  It goes to show that you don’t need fancy gimmicks or tricks in a story just solid writing, characterization and plot advancement.

    We open with a look back at a young Samuel and get a glimpse at how he became the man he is. Though it’s all about him and his faith that really strives him to go forward and succeed and that’s a lesson he learned young.  It’s a nice message really and one we could all benefit from learning.

    With the Ark on the move Samuel and his small force must make haste and catch up to the General.  I love seeing the mythology of the Ark and what it can do to non-believers, well and to true believers as well, it’s one of those things that perhaps Raiders of the Lost Ark really seared into our imaginations.  That this is so revered and such a powerful icon for the Hebrews is wonderfully demonstrated here and it’s ill effects well that’s just a bonus.

    With Asha out for blood and Samuel and the others hot on her heels they manage to catch up to the caravan transporting the Ark.  I’m also pretty darn impressed with how this absolutely massive fight scene has been orchestrated.  There’s a lot of fighting going on here with plenty of stuff happening around the General, Asha and Samuel while they fight in close quarters just inches from the Ark and it’s awesome power.  

    While Matt’s work has been stellar this issue was a bit of a mixed bag for me.  While there are moments of absolute brilliance there are others where I get a feeling he was rushed on the deadline and fell back into that really amateur novice stuff.  The beginning for me wasn’t up to the usual standard that’s for sure, in my eyes anyway.  Then there are those moments with the boils and such that are wow and the crowded fight scenes were pretty solid and strong.  

    I like the way this issue ends.  The action and the adventure conclude in such a wonderful way that lend itself to something worthy of the Ark.  Kudos to Rob on this one because this is was truly magnificent and seeing the vision realized is something else.  Granted I wish we’d gotten a clue if Asha and Samuel wed and had children.  Otherwise it’s a fantastic finish to a great story.

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Axcend #3

12/27/2015

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Axcend #3
Image Comics 2015
Created, Written & Penciled by Shane Davis
Inked by Michelle Delecki
Coloured by Morry Hollowell
Lettered by Patrick Brosseau

    We open with a rather emotional scene this issue as Ruiz is getting the snot beat out of him by a couple of bullies at school for supposedly being gay.  The dialogue here is brutally honest when it comes to a small town and their small mindedness.  Though i’ve got to say what one of em says well that made me laugh out loud.  Still this is important to the story as if you’ll recall there were three of them in the game fighting together.  

    When we get back to Dog and the players I have to say i’m pretty darn thrilled.  I mean Dog has this whole cute anime kind of feel to him like some hybrid Gundam/Disney thing going on.  Now that they are all together it’s time to go after Ruin.  Though with Dog’s emergence from the game his circuits have been fried and he’s not of any real help to them.  More like he’s a compass rather than the entity able to guide them like in the game.

    God I am so super impressed with the interiors here.  When we go back to Ruiz and his home life inside a trailer with his old man the artwork is really rather stunning in it’s realism.  There’s something powerful about seeing his old man’s face that really sticks with you.  Seriously the human aspect of this book is so incredibly well depicted and then the game versions of them have that superhero comic book quality that really kind of makes everything seem like it’s two books in one.

    So when Ruiz goes into his room his game is frozen and he’s pondering about the other players.  Yeah i’m pretty sure he’s gay without having to really come out and say it if the narration is any indication.  Still i’m down with that as well as what happens to him in his life leading him to become who he does.  I will say the whole cutting deal in that red and black was extremely powerful stuff and it really kind of a wow moment that has major implications.  

    There’s something about the writing here by Shane that is really something else.  The characterization is beyond what we’ve gotten so far and it seems like he’s just amping things up and setting the stage for how this series will progress.  Ruiz’s trip to the homecoming dance however is very relevant to today’s world and thankfully doesn’t go where so many news stories have lately.  Though what did happen, thanks to the power of television and the news we learn, and what happened when he got home well yeah I can see how his life has led him to this point.

    There’s something awesome happening here with the video game being a conduit for something to transcend into real world actions.  With the ability to fight and level up as if in the game to become stronger things are going to get a lot more violent and difficult before the kids can find Ruin and try to put a stop to him.  

    The concept, execution and enthusiasm we’re getting here is really bleeding through off the page making it easy for me as a reader to get not only emotionally involved but extremely excited with each new issue that comes out.  This is the kind of originality and uniqueness that we need in comics these days to escape the humdrum.

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Blood Feud #3

12/27/2015

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Blood Feud #3 (of 5)
Oni Press 2015
Written by Cullen Bunn
Illustrated by Drew Moss & Nick Filardi
Lettered by Crank!

    The Stubbs are a rowdy, trouble making bunch, but the Whatelys... folks speak of the Whatelys in hushed whispers. When the Whatleys bargain with dark forces to rid them of the Stubbs clan, four unlikely heroes are all that’s left between a ravenous legion of ghoulish, vampiric creatures and the unsuspecting world beyond the boundaries of this sleepy Ozarks community.

    Well now things are definitely getting weird and interesting in these pages.  Last issue Seth Stubbs turned into a vampire and started squealing as if calling something.  We open this issue with the dogs on the porch barking madly at a swarm of approaching Tarantula’s.  Who while large in size are generally a docile spider they attack the dogs with a ferocity and the poor pooches well yeah.

Meanwhile inside Seth faces off against our quartet and ends up outside where the spiders converge with him.  When Seth lept out the window he opened up the house wider to the invading swarm as the vampire starts talking about his master and what he has to offer.  I have to admit the way Cullen is bringing this to life is extremely creepy and just a whole lot of fun.  Sure they don’t really have a lot of time to figure out what’s happening and they are rolling with the punches beautifully.  

I also like the way that Cullen keeps things moving along.  Cecil being the kind of man he is is really pretty awesome but it’s natural that even this foursome isn’t going to remain intact throughout this adventure.  Heck even Jack isn’t immune to what’s happening here but this Bo Duke lookalike is one of those characters whose essential to the story so it’ll be interesting to see how that plays out.  I love that he’s the late night monster movie fanatic who knows about the vampires and is more readily open to it.  Plus what we’ve already seen him do with that bull well it’d be a shame if anything really serious happened to him.

See the writing and characterization is so well done that we’ve already come to care a lot about them.  A good writer can immediately set the tone and continue to flesh out characters a little bit at a time so that we as readers come to think of them as real individuals caught up in a frightening nightmare scenario.  Cullen’s done just that this setting, this town, these simple, for lack of a better word, folk are in over their heads but we are completely engrossed in their plight.

It helps when you’ve got the talents of Drew and Nick as well bringing all this to life.  I mean there’s a certain kind of backwater charm to these vampires that set them apart from what we’ve always thought of them as.  Then there’s the spiders that they use so effectively to keep the creepy factor amped up to ten.  The use of page and panel layouts and attention to detail in expressions really keep us on the edge of our seats.  

So with their numbers down by one can the three of them rally the strength needed to free their town and end this Blood Feud and survive?  We’ll find out next issue.  

Creepy, fun and highly addictive this story is sure to thrill everyone!

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Aliens vs. Zombies #5

12/26/2015

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Aliens vs. Zombies #5 (of 5)
Zenescope Entertainment 2015
Written by Joe Brusha
Illustrated by Vincenzo Riccardi
Coloured by Grostieta
Lettered by Fabio Amelia

    Surrounded by dozens of zombies, Colt, Nova, Melissa, and Raxus are saved from certain doom by Balgar, Cromm, and Tak... but Tavon’s life comes to an abrupt end when he’s on the wrong side of a zombie attack. Meanwhile, with the satellite dish in hand, the group decides to walk the subway line in order to get back to the ship and initiate the cure... however, they soon realize that heading underground was a big mistake.

    I’m a big fan of this story and the way that Joe manages to tell it.  This is the final chapter of the story and while there are some things I was hoping would happen didn’t the whole thing ends logically and within reason.  That not everyone survives is great since it has that whole realistic tone to it.  Vincenzo and Grostieta’s work on the interiors has been top notch as well.  This whole story has really filled me with a sense of hope for the direction that Zenescope is taking with their stories and series.  

    The way the story progresses as we see our bands of survivors fighting to stay alive and get the cure out is smartly done.  When Raxus helps to save Colt and then gets bitten and what he does next was one of those things that I couldn’t help but get choked up about and proud of.  Then switching gears to the cemetery where the bad guys or what’s left of them were being held yeah that was more than a fitting thing to have happen to them.

    Part of me likes that the aliens have more compassion for others than the humans do.  Ultimately that really didn’t matter but it’s the kind of characterization that tends to go against the grain and it’s one of those things I really liked.  Another thing that was exceptionally well done this issue is that there’s a real sense of impending doom, danger and that race against the clock where it doesn’t look like they are going to make it.  The tension in the story was incredible.  It was so strong and palpable that it really managed to make the heart beat a little faster as events unfolded.

    I’m still a strong believer that this would make either a phenomenal animated movie, mini-series event or even big screen blockbuster.  Yeah a little tweaking will need to be done for it be as good as it can be but that’s okay.  Otherwise the way this has been laid out for us has been intelligent, well paced and surprisingly adult in nature without falling back on the barely clad heroine or damsel in distress.  

    Heck even the ending here was well done and leaves the door open for another story down the road.  With or without all those who survived this issue there’s potential for a set of stories to follow everyone involved.  So hopefully this won’t be the last we’ve seen of these characters.

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