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READING WITH A FLIGHT RING

Beauty #5

12/26/2015

Beauty #5
Image Comics 2015
Created & Written by Jason A. Hurley
Created, Written & Illustrated by Jeremy Haun
Coloured by John Rauch
Lettered & Designed by Fonografiks

   Oh my stars and garters this issue is by far my favorite! Not only is one of those bible thumping preachers with his God Hates Beauty campaign featured naked with Jack Daniels bottles and a pile of cocaine but he’s got a man in bed with him also naked. I’m just sorry we didn’t see more than his great hairy chest, stomach and happy trail or that nice rounded full buttocks.

   Okay so opening with that set the stage for this issue and by George the boys surely don’t disappoint with the rest of it either. Last issue the director of the CDC who was working in conjunction with the people responsible for Beauty was summarily dismissed and switched sides. This issue we see her in the lab retrieving a sample of the virus so they can expedite a cure.

   I will say this the characterization we get from this issue when everyone meets up is fantastic! I mean after Jocelyn Grace was murdered during their interview she’s really been a big help but now she’s got to work with the man who probably hates and mistrusts her the most and them all getting along won’t be easy. Still I like the way they interact with one another and i’m super impressed with the writing. Heck even the Detectives and their personal feelings and family relationships are getting a much closer look here and it’s great.

   I love the assassin whose face we never see and his scene this issue. We’ve already seen him perv and kill a female prostitute but this issue it proves he’s an equal opportunity perverted killer. Oh and thanks now I wonder how big he was before he was infected with Beauty if he’s nicely hung now. Though really Jeremy no hair except a tad bit above his man bits. As horrid as it sounds i’d love a longer extended look at him doing this to one of his clients I mean the aftermath is utterly disgusting and he’s naked as a jaybird so I really wanna see him kind of get his jollies in what he does.

   So once the science is done and they think they have the cure ready they need someone to test it on. Detective Vaughn offers to be the guinea pig here and what they tell her isn’t exactly encouraging but then again we’re dealing with something untested and a virus that is unpredictable and uncontrollable.

   I can’t get over just how damn good this issue was. I mean sure there’s no chase scenes but there’s plenty of action, characterization and major plot development. So much happens visually and in the story that it feels like we’ve had this major development, and we did on one level, in what feels like a double sized issue even if it wasn’t.   There’s no doubt in my mind that this has emerged as one of contenders for best and strongest new series of the year and it only looks to get better.

Hero Hourly #1

12/26/2015

Hero Hourly #1 (of 3)
21 Pulp, Inc. 2015
Written by James Patrick
Illustrated by Carlos Trigo
Coloured by Alex Sollazzo
Lettered by ET Dollman
Cover by David Dumeer

   I love these little independent books there’s a real creativity and love of the medium on display here that brings me joy. This is one of those great examples the writing James brings is great and the characterization and realization of one man’s life, in this case his name is Saul, and the really versus his expectations well it’s good stuff. Plus there’s more to this than you’d think and as the issue ends we get a larger picture happening and a future for him that even he couldn’t have seen.

   There’s some great tongue in cheek humor here to go along with a more serious look at what happens when things don’t go as you plan. The employee’s of Hero Hourly don’t have individual codenames unlike their villain counterparts and while that makes it easier for James since he doesn’t have to keep coming up with identities the bad guys names are guaranteed to make you giggle a bit. So we Saul kind of getting his butt kicked in the opening but how did he end up being a Hero Hourly employee and find himself here?

   Let’s go back and review some of his life that led up to this shall we. Saul graduates from college with a 4.2 GPA, he’s a white male and his thesis was partly published so of course he’s high on himself and his prospects. You know the cocky arrogant guy getting out of school thinking the world’s his oyster yeah that’s him to a T. So right after graduation heading home to his roommates he unloads his frustration and is ready to go out and get a job.

   Because things will happen they way the character wants them to you’ll have to see the circumstances behind the string of events that ultimately lead him to Hero Hourly. Though there’s some great straight guy humor in this that well if it’s true i’m laughing if not then it’s only something James has done and that’s even better. There is one scene with Saul’s uncle that’s rather gratuitous and not very revealing but hey the family connection kind of keeps the characterization going the same route.

   Hero Hourly is a corporation that gives it’s employees superpowers and sends them off like rent a cops. There’s a handbook/manual and a wide variety of people wearing the costumes. How this came into being is told here and glossing over it is okay since it doesn’t seem to have any real consequences in how things progress. So we get to see Saul taking a job he never wanted, that he more than likely thinks is beneath him and tries to make the best of it. With low hourly wage and little in the way of benefits too I might add. It’s a good little book with solid writing, characterization and plot development.

   The interior artwork is normally not what I gravitate to but is completely well suited to this book. It really has the perfect amount of fun, whimsy and outrageous with a tad seriousness that comes with the territory. I like how Carlos and Alex bring this to life. The use pages and panel layouts move the story along nicely and keep us highly entertained.

   Find this at your local shoppe, if they don’t have it ask em to order it or hop online and head to www.21pulp.com because this is 5 Star Fun!

Autumnlands #8

12/25/2015

The Autumnlands #8
Image Comics 2014
Written by Kurt Busiek
Illustrated by Benjamin Dewey
Coloured by Jordie Bellaire
Lettered * Designed by John Roshell & Jimmy Betancourt

   To be honest i’d pretty much forgotten about this series and reading it again brought back the awe, wonder and magic of it all. The animals who have the human appearance and use speech and all that cross the boundary of childhood books with modern age writing by Kurt to really make this a standout. Of course Benjamin and Jordie’s interiors go a long, long way to helping that along with such gorgeous imagery.

   The opening with Learoyd seeing that woman and having it be something between a vision and reality serves only to deepen the mystery surrounding him, why he’s there and how humans fit into all this. I think back to when they summoned him and his strange appearance to them and it all just keeps me wondering still. There’s an innocence in all this that stays with you when reading this amidst the fighting that i’m enjoying immensely.

   I’m a huge fan of Dusty’s he’s such a puppy and yet such a teenager and follows Learoyd around like this combo best friend/loyal pet and it’s just odd, fun and so not what he was brought up for. I mean this is the first human he’s seen and i’m sure no one on Earth has seen in quite some time, specially if his vision/experience was correct. Still as eager as he is to be his right hand dog he’s still so young and the reminder of his father is a great example of the kind of characterization Kurt brings to the series. It’s emotional, strong and extremely poignant.

   As the boys travel the land they are besieged by those thinking them wizards. Not really a far cry off if you think about but they aren’t fans of wizards. That they can’t seem to catch a break and with just the two of them even with Learoyd being such a fearsome fighter they are outnumbered. Still i’m kind of impressed with Learoyd and his fighting prowess and his new look as brought to us by Benjamin and Jordie.

   There’s something mystical and enthralling about them fighting in the snow with the whiteness of the fur and the colours of his armour and cape that just take you to this fairytale land. The attention to detail the way the pages flow and the action unfolds it’s just that kind of stuff you look at think there’s a happy ending somewhere there has to be. Granted no fairy tale i’ve ever read that wasn’t disneyfied had a truly happy ending but with everything here we want there to be one.

   I can’t recommend enough that this be read by everyone. It’s got some stellar writing, characterization, plot advancement surrounded by this world filled with creatures that shouldn’t exist while those that should haven’t been seen in who knows how long. Creative, inventive and innovative this is a wonderful escape from reality.

Grimm Tales of Terror #3

12/25/2015

Grimm Tales of Terror #3
Zenescope Entertainment 2015
Written by Lou Iovino
Illustrated by Cristhian Crizam Zamora
Coloured by Fran Gamboa & J.C. Ruiz
Lettered by Fabio Amelia

   A smart college student begins to change who she is in order to garner the attention that comes with traditional beauty standards. But as she drifts further from herself, will she end up attracting the wrong kind of attention?

   I love the idea, concept and whole premise of this story I just wish it had more time to fully develop into something truly frightening. With each story being a one-shot maybe this series should be double length or at the least thirty six pages to allow us to get the full effect of a truly creepy, horrific and terrifying tale. Just something to ponder because the story ideas are perfect for the series I just wish they had more time to really be fleshed out more.

   Nerdy smart girl who works in the medical examiner's office while going to school has that blonde, bubbly and sexually active roommate is something that could very well go Single White Female on us. Then after Jess has a blowup with her latest boyfriend Brea gets her on a dating site that her boss uses. Oh the perils and pitfalls of online dating are a horror story all their own but I digress. Add Corpse Beetles into the mix and suddenly well things can go any number of routes here. This is all kinds of awesome because it means as a reader you aren’t sure where it’s really going to go, sure you have an idea and the cover leads you there but all in all it really helps let the imagination go wild.

   Now i’m sorry but Keres showing up here isn’t at all necessary. I don’t even get why she’s a part of the series to begin with. Personally she doesn’t add anything and with limited page counts as it is well she takes up too much space, though this issue it’s kind of spot on with her just delivering the beetles.

   So the online dating site the girls are both a part of, as Brea seems to be more involved in getting Jess a date than she should be is a nice set-up. Though to be honest I’m not sure where the change in personality for Brea comes in it’s like i’m missing something that happens to make her go that route. I mean we see some scenes that perhaps could indicate that but they aren’t filled out enough to give us a credible reason for it.

   Really what happens in this is great as Jess gets this whole treatment and Brea suffers for her role in it. Of course I kind of expected what happened to happen. That was fairly obvious to me. Expectation versus reality here was a little disappointing and I strongly urge a revision with more pages to really flesh out the story. I love that this has what a horror lover wants but it really is too short to fully realize it.

   I am extremely impressed with Zamora, Gamboa and Ruiz’s interiors here. I love the way the characters look, the page and panel layouts plus the aftermath of seeing the beatles work was superbly done. They bring the apprehension and creepiness you need for the story to the page.

   With just a bit of tweaking this could’ve been one of those out of the ballpark homeruns.

The Steam Man #3

12/25/2015

The Steam Man #3
Dark Horse Comics 2015
Story by Joe R. Lansdale
Written by Mark Alan Miller
Illustrated by Piotr Kowalski
Coloured by Kelly Fitzpatrick
Lettered by Nate Piekos

   I’m so digging this story just the idea behind it and the whole mixing of Steampunk and this era and the supernatural has left me in this whole space where imagination is fully on display and fueling my own. There’s this whole dark and whimsical feeling of the Wizard of Oz in this depiction, visually, that just keeps adding to the story.

   This issue is the set up for the big confrontation between the guys in Steam Man and the big bad. As they find the Dark Rider’s home, a very Egyptian looking place which is very oddly out of place and so very cool looking, they fail to recognize the traps laid out for them. I found this development extremely interesting because being so close to what they believe is the Dark Rider’s base you’d think they be more cautious instead of transfixed and moving blindly forward.

   What their actions do however is great for continuing characterization. As the spikes in the ground go up the Steam Man’s foot essentially stopping him in his tracks and then bringing him down they have to scramble to figure out how to get out of this before the imminent attack comes. I also rather like seeing that the Steam Man has flaws and is subject to attacks that make it vulnerable as well. This creates more drama in that the struggle for them to try and win with it is that much more real and palpable.

   As for the characterization I have to say that seeing how each of the four reacted here in the face of what looks like incredibly bad odds plays out. As the winch they had broke under the weight and wasn’t able to lift the Steam Man some want to give up and begin to panic while the Captain remains calm and sees what use their surroundings can provide in terms of rectifying their current situation. Not only do we see where each fits into the story personality wise but it’s a very nice demonstration of leadership, teamwork and the power of the human spirit to prevail.

   I’ve repeatedly spouted that the talent Piotr has to bring stories to life visually is among the best in the business and with Kelly on colours they continue to do such incredible things here. From the Steam Man himself being something out of the land of Oz on a much larger scale to the Egyptian home to the characters themselves with their own unique looks and personalities that come off the page they continue to showcase that they have this uncanny ability to bring the story to life even further through their work. Plus the use of page and panel layouts remain some of the best there is in moving the story forward.

   The Dark Rider’s continued personal torment shines at times as well. Even though he isn’t taking a direct hand in battle and instead sends out a proxy. As he watches his forces engage in what could be the last battle you get this sense of neither satisfaction or joy. It’s kind of powerful really and it’s darn good.

   This is a strong well told and beautifully rendered story that goes far beyond anything the steampunk genre usually entails, at least for me. With so many elements that make it seem familiar it’s utterly unique and fascinating.

The Goddamned #2

12/24/2015

The Goddamned #2
Image Comics 2015
Created & Written by Jason Aaron
Illustrated by r.m. Guera
Coloured by Giulia Brusco
Lettered & Designed by Jared K. Fletcher

   Where did the world go wrong? Every culture has a reference in their history to a great flood that cleansed the Earth but only Jason is daring to take us to the world before that happened. Showing us the sheer depravity of man at that time that led God to such an act. This is definitely not for the feint of heart as the language is vulgar and the acts are surprisingly shown and alluded to in the deepest darkest of ways. If you think about it the Bible itself is full of violence so by using it as a guideline to showcase a story like this one has the potential to show the cycle of man and how it needs to change before the Earth does it for us.

   I have to say i’m actually really impressed, loving and captivated by what Guera and Brusco are doing on the interiors. I love that modern science is playing a huge role in what we are seeing here as we’ve got what we know as the entire “human” spectrum on display. For some reason it just seems so incredibly natural that with what we’ve learned to see this and I applaud the decision to do it. It really paints the world as a more complete picture than I could’ve dreamt possible.

   It’s interesting to me to see a man chopping down a tree with an iron axe while the people he faces have no idea what kind of rock he wields. I guess there is some consternation about when and how different tools were first created and if the world was destroyed by a giant flood then it’s reasonable that the skill and technology was both found and lost. Aside from the amount of foul language and violence Jason manages to really make you think about the world at this time and the possibilities and ramifications mind boggling.

   So between this man and his sons and our main character we see there is no love lost for Ravagers or their kind. Is one Noah who is building his ark? We don’t know yet but there are clues here if you know how to spot them. Again Jason has this unique knack or ability to tell a story with so many layers and aspects to it that it far exceeds your expectations and becomes so much larger than you’d think it would have originally.

   That our immortal boy comes across a woman who has lost her son and beseeches him to help her save him but he doesn’t want to. The events that lead him to change his mind are wonderfully portrayed. There’s this whole thing happening here that takes something familiar and makes that much more intense and real in ways that impress. I’m astonished by what’s happening here and that after only two issues we’re seeing such a story unfold here. With both Jason and Guera doing what they do best we are getting the most realistic and violent look at events that are literally legendary.

   Beyond expectation this series could very well usher in a new age of storytelling based on supposed true events.

Huck #2

12/23/2015

Huck #2
Image Comics 2015
Created & Written by Mark Millar
Created & Illustrated by Rafael Albuquerque
Coloured by Dave McCaig
Lettered & Designed by Nate Piekos

Well after the introduction we got last issue I was wondering what they could possibly do to keep Huck being the same man with all the new things suddenly happening to him. I just hope and pray that Huck can remain the same altruistic and simple man that he’s been when all this is said and done. He’s the most innocent and endearing character to be brought into comics and that he has this immediately become so endeared to readers since I can’t remember when.

So we open with the Russians in Siberia testing a psychic. It’s well known that throughout history many governments tried to harness psychic’s and their abilities as weapons so that they could operate in secret. The real question is what does this young woman and Professor Orlov have to do with Huck.

Meanwhile in the present in Vermont the news story of Huck is being broadcast nationwide. Mrs. Jones, i’m thinking the same young woman from the previous segment watches with rapt attention. Her mystery deepens and that she’s the same woman at least for me is confirmed by her actions this issue.

I absolutely adore the fact that the residents of this town think of and protect Huck like they do. The characterization here is beyond reproach. These women that stand there with Huck so angry at Diane Davis and what this newcomer has done is just the kind of stuff that you wish, strive and desire to find in your life. It gives that sense of hope that there are people who love and care enough to protect you in any way they possibly can.

Even more incredulous is that Huck sees the crowd outside and sees a woman he has this overwhelming urge to help. It’s like he’s compelled by certain people that once he sees them to do what he does best. However he opens himself up to more than just this woman as there are plenty of others waiting around for his help as well. I love the fact that Huck just can’t say no to someone who needs help. The way it works for him and that he knows he can do it is wonderfully portrayed here and then saying they might not like what he finds well that’s just his honesty at play.

Is that Diane we see as Huck goes off to do his thing? Does she have remorse for her actions of cashing in on what’s going on? I mean Rafael shows us these women in town and how they feel about her it’s all in their faces but this one crying in the window well you reap what you sow. We only get to see two of the people he’s been asked to find this issue. That’s enough however for the world to follow and see him action and realize he’s everything he is supposed to be.

There are even two twists that close the issue out. Suddenly there’s a whole backstory to whom Huck is and where he comes from that is steeped in some dark and mysterious stuff. I’m not only in love with the man but this series as well as Mark takes what at first appears to be one thing and completely makes it into something so much larger and darker than the light that shines off this one innocent man.

Rafael and Dave’s work on the interiors are just as compelling as the story. There are tones used to denote harder characters, times and threats to Huck and his own parts are just full of this light and optimism. That the characters expressions are so readily available to us and the use of pages, panel layouts and perspective the work is extraordinary in bringing this to life so we can be thrilled and FEEL what’s happening.

Image is home to today’s best books and Huck is top among them!

Wrath of the Eternal Warrior #2

12/23/2015

Wrath of the Eternal Warrior #2
Valiant Entertainment 2015
Written by Robert Venditti
Illustrated by Raul Allen & Patricia Martin
Art Assists by David Astruga
Colour Assists by Borja Pindado
Lettered by Patricia Martin

   Gilad died protecting the Geomancer and the Earth itself from Master Darque, a powerful practitioner of dark magic. Upon his death, he returned to the afterlife and was greeted by his long deceased wife Leena and the many children he has lost over his centuries of life. Not all of them were happy to see him, including his oldest son, Kalam. Indeed, dark forces are already daring Gilad to attempt his return to the land of the living.

   So we open with the real death of Leena, Gilad’s wife and their daughter Dayo. Of course it’s Nubia 1000 B.C. so it’s gorgeously rendered. Though the whole town has succumbed to some mysterious disease that claimed all but Gilad it’s tragic and that he remembers her so well and still loves her as much as he does is so freakin telling. I think this look at Gilad that Robert is giving us and has been giving us is the kind that takes him from constant in the Valiant Universe to among the most beloved members thereof.

   That all these children are in what he would consider a paradise state that he visits when recharging after being killed and who technically aren’t his biological children, well not all of them, really goes a long way in defining him. That he feels that those children Geomancers he lost are his children and feels responsible for them the way he does well I gotta say that’s something to admire. Aside from his brutish outward demeanor there’s a heart of gold in this man and that he suffers alone silently like he does well that’s hard to put into words how it makes you feel.

   I do like seeing his conversation with kalam too. There’s this whole dynamic there that has such unresolved issues to it. Hell even the brief goodbye has this depth to it that opens up a new realm to explore.

   When Gilad decides it’s time to leave and go back to the world of the living we see yet another faction of his life that we haven’t seen before. There’s such a rich dark history to this man that hasn’t been touched upon. There’s a whole new sense of intrigue to his life and his existence that Robert is bringing to the table that just grips the reader in ways that really capture the imagination. A new sense of purpose and a revived mythology to him that keeps creating something unique.

   The interior artwork here keeps everything just as fresh, new and interesting as never before. Whether it’s Gilad with his family or fighting the horde to return to the land of the living each part is just this perfect assessment of what he’s going through or feeling at that time. Going from this whole great in detail stuff to lots of negative space keeps things rotating in such a way that as a reader i’m more than a little mesmerized by what I see.

   This team on this book staying in this direction could very well catapult it the upper echelon of not only the Valiant Universe but in all of comics as well.

Klaus #2

12/23/2015

Klaus #2 (of 6)
Boom! Studios 2015
Created & Written by Grant Morrison
Illustrated by Dan Mora
Lettered by Ed Dukeshire

   I really am a huge fan of this story so far. I mean it really does take something from my childhood and amp it up to a level I hadn’t expected. The story and spirit of christmas as reimagined here is one that is so utterly familiar and yet so completely dark that it’s more thrilling and entertaining than I could have hoped for.

   Dan’s interiors make this extraordinary as well. I mean the opening, listening to the guards talk about missing Yule and all that entails while watching the snowfall and Klaus working his way into the city that so callously threw him out was spectacularly done. The mood, tone and feel he brings to this really is absolutely amazing.

   After eluding the night guard easily enough and making them look like fools morning comes along with a surprise. As happy as the children are the parents are mortified to find presents, toys for the children. Seeing this play out in the excitement of the children and the sheer fear and worry of the adults well it really gives that purview to the whole scrooged or bah humbug aspect you know exists but never experienced. As the guard try to figure things out and their boss angry as all get out the children play in the streets.

   Jonas that spoiled little brat who feels he’s the only one who should have presents, the Baron’s son, sees the children playing and is resentful. This Baron really is truly one of the most foul and evil creatures to ever exist. Drunk on power and ruling by fear this man will be the death of himself as the series goes on. After all a tyrant is only as good as his grip and when a man comes along to show hope that grip will inevitably loosen until it’s too weak to be effective. Then the townsfolk will rise up and all will be made right. At least that’s my perspective of the whole thing.

   As night falls again a trap is laid for Klaus and he walks right into it. This man turned toy maker through the spirit of the forest who tries to bring joy back to a joyless, soulless town is now up against a behemoth of a man who is probably about as smart as well you get the idea. All brawn no brain. Can the Baron find his mystery man who defies his orders and bring an end to the chaos he sees seeping into his rule?

   Exciting, adventurous and a complete modern throwback to that whole stop motion animation that introduced us to Kris Kringle to begin with. Brilliantly done, written, illustrated with vibrant characters, incredible characterization and the promise of hope overcoming despair through even the darkest of actions this story will rewrite the troubles of trying to celebrate your holidays while being persecuted.

Dean Koontz's Frankenstein #3

12/18/2015

Dean Koontz’s Frankenstein #3 (of 6)
Dynamite Entertainment 2015
Written by Chuck Dixon
from an original story by Dean Koontz
Illustrated by Andres Ponce
Coloured by Mohan
Lettered by Bill Tortolini

   Well Victor’s machine went and worked last issue and Michael and Carson barely got out that alive though they might feel a little less confident this issue as we open up with well zombies. Victor created and army of zombies, anyone in the water that got zapped. It’s kind of fun really I mean Michael is not exactly a hardened man by any stretch of the imagination and throughout the opening when he and Carson try to stay alive and crack horrible one-liners well it’s perfect characterization.

   Cheesy one-liners might seem a little out of place but when faced with the unexpected would you rather try to humour yourself with funnies or just plain old freak out and lose your cool? I’d go for the funnies at least it shows you are attempting to keep your cool. It’s a perfectly acceptable choice and speaking of what is said well I applaud those choices!

   There’s an ebb and flow the story that I really like too. I mean yeah last issue was kind of dramatic and this is mostly aftermath and set-up for what’s next but with the characterization and the actions taken we get a better sense of who they are as people and how they can put the pieces of the puzzle together and follow the clues. Sure there’s humour and a bit well zombie chopping but mostly it’s all about the story here.

   In order to get the bigger picture we need to know more about the players in this little drama. I love that Victor so confident after his greatest creation is realised only to discover that well they aren’t following him but his machine. The arrogance and confidence he has to see it shattered some and his spoiled brat style response was brilliantly done. You’ve really got to showcase something to dislike about him so that we want to see him fail and the others succeed and this little tantrum does that nicely.

   Ah Erika and Karloff leave the house with a mystery man in the background who follows them. I have to say that she goes to bookstore is kind of wonderful. She wasn’t allowed to read, her Victor wanted well ya get it she’s the fifth version after all, so by going there and demonstrating that newfound independence and desire for what she wants well it makes less a creation and more a being.

   I like the way this is being told you don’t get a repetitive feeling from one issue to the next there’s a great story, strong characterization, fantastic dialogue and a look at how they fit into the bigger picture.

   Then there’s Andres and Mohan who do some very nice work on the interiors. Could the zombies be scarier well yeah but that’s okay this isn’t a book meant to scare you it’s meant to be creepy. Though the creepiest thing really is Karloff in all this but hey that’s okay too Dynamite isn’t known for their horror so it’s quite pleasant to see this interpretation. I like the attention to detail throughout the book, the page and panel layouts are done so the story flows nicely and it has a nice overall feel to it.

   This story could do for Koontz and Frankenstein what Butcher has with Dresden and that’s something I am incredibly happy to see!