"BOCEPHEUS" |
"These reviews are based on the Sneak Peek
titles sent out by Marvel, DC & Image. It's not everything that's shipping for
the week, but it is a real good cross-section of this weeks releases. Check the
bottom of the page (after you read my reviews) for a link to some SNEAKY PEEKIES
of future titles" |
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 BOOK
OF THE WEEK:
UNCLE SAM AND THE FREEDOM FIGHTERS
#1 of 8
Comic Review by:
Larry "Bocepheus" Evans
Writer: Jimmy Palmiotti/Justin Grey, Artist:
Daniel Acuna
This limited series comes out of
the Battle for Bludhaven and is by the same team. During the
Crisis the original team of the Freedom Fighters got killed
so here we see the first adventure of the new team who
happen to be operatives of the government agency, Shade. The
writers start things out with a political speech (by a
Senator who isn’t happy about the superhero community) as
the team takes out a drug lord. After the warning that Uncle
Sam is coming (by way of Firebrand interrupting the speech)
the writers step back and introduce the individual members
of the team so as to let newcomers into their universe
fresh. We see who the new Ray is, learn the history of Doll
Man, see Phantom Lady at a party and see that she may look
like eye candy but has a brain as well then see the master
plan on Father Time as far as a certain senator is
concerned. This new team also includes the new Human Bomb
and his participation seems like it will do wonders for the
team since no one knows if he will kill everyone by accident
or not. We see the person the team will be responsible for
and if you didn’t know who I am referring to then look back
at the title and realize I didn’t mention him. This is
another book that was suggested by Grant Morrison and it
doesn’t have a weirdness factor so he must be taking his
meds. Now the question that always comes up with limited
series is: would this book work as a regular title? I
enjoyed the issue but would have to say no due to the fact
that the DCU has enough teams as it is and it would make
more sense to take the members here and place them in the
new Checkmate title.
MSRP: $2.99,
1st DAY SALE Price: $1.79 (That's 40% OFF,
Wednesday Only!)
Alternate Reality Price: $2.54 (That's 15% OFF, All
This Week!) |
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 ELEPHANTMEN
#1
Comic Review by:
Larry "Bocepheus" Evans
Writer: Richard Starkings, Artist:
Moritat
The character Hip Flask was initially created as an ad to sell fonts to comic
companies to use but somehow Richard Starkings got it into his head to make a
comic abut the hippo detective. Generally drawn by Ladronn the books come at
long intervals but somehow it was decided to let other take a shot at the world
that Flask dwells in and here this week we see the first issue of a regular
series from Image. The main story is called ‘See the Elephant’ and involves the
budding friendship between one of the other creations of the mad doctor Nikken,
Ebony. He is standing outside an adult establishment when he encounters a
friendly little girl who wants to know more about him. As she talks to him we
see moments in his past and see that his life hasn’t been that great (and get
evidence that parts of the world hates him and his kind) but Starkings shows us
that things may not be that bad. The flip side of the book has a shorter story
but it us effective as well. Also included are a few text pieces about the
artist Ladronn and science fiction stories. I would assume that Moritat is a
foreign artist that the creator discovered and he is just as good as Ladronn
would have been here as well as probably faster.
MSRP: $2.99,
1st DAY SALE Price: $1.79 (That's 40% OFF,
Wednesday Only!)
Alternate Reality Price: $2.54 (That's 15% OFF, All
This Week!) |
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MARVEL ROUND UP…
Annihilation: Nova #4 ends that limited series and continues the building of a
relationship between Richard and the Worldmind inside his helmet. We begin with
this massive action sequence drawn to perfection by Kev Walker and continue to
the death of a hero and the movement to make Nova a big deal has its
beginnings…Daughters of the Dragon #6 finishes that series also. The issue is
just one fight after another but is fun in the same manner that the 70’s
blaxploitation films were…Marvel Adventures. Avengers #3 is more fun for kids
but is very readable for adults as well…Bill Sienkiewicz draws X-Men: Fairy
Tales #3 and he assists in telling a Sleeping Beauty tale involving Cyclops,
Wolverine and Phoenix. This version is a bit more violent and tells a deeper
love story. The art is very effective…Mighty Marvel Western: Western Legends
tells three stories as well as the Jack Kirby drawn origin of the Rawhide Kid.
Jeff Parker and Tomm Coker tell the story of the man called Hurricane and his
female companion Little Cloud. He carries a lot of guns and when threatened he
truly is the fastest gun in the West. Fred van Lente and Homs follow him with
snappy little story about the man from Fort Rango and his path of revenge. We
finish things up with a Red Wolf story from Karl Kesel and Carmine
diGiandomenico that is so well drawn it takes your breath away…She Hulk #9 ties
into the Peter Parker secret identity reveal and the aftermath of her marriage
to John Jameson. We actually get two stories here with Paul Smith doing the
first half and Ron Frenz showing us dinner at the Jameson house. The second
story is hilarious…Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #10 concludes the ‘return’
of Uncle Ben and explains all the time paradoxes before ending literally with a
bang that shows that the story is far from over…the cover for Uncanny X-Men #476
will draw you towards it but the story will keep you involved. We see here where
the team gets their spaceship from (and there is a Civil War component here) and
who the last member is before they all go off into space and realize that Vulcan
is way ahead of them.
DC ROUND UP…
Claw, the Unconquered #2 is more of the same but with
extra helpings of violence. We meet another regular here and see that the
separated Claw from the limited series has gotten a whole lot better…Testament
#8 begins a new arc and marks the return of Liam Sharp to the title. We do get a
greater sense of the forces that the underground is hiding from here but I still
have doubts this book lasts more than 12 issues…Bite Club: VCU #4 continues its
path to being one of the best limited series out this year and aside from being
loaded with harsh language, lots of blood and characters that we should hate but
don’t its great…Hellblazer #222 concludes Denise Mina’s first arc (yes it
appears that she will be around for a while) and the last pages show she has a
perfect understanding of the character.
IMAGE ROUND UP…
Top Cow sends out Witchblade: Bearers of the Blade
this week to pimp the upcoming #100 and it’s a poster book showing us everyone
who has had the Blade and everyone that is going to. The book is pretty but is
for hardcore fans only…Ant #7 bears another cover of the heroine pointing to her
massive ass and the interior has her fighting another variation of Captain
Cold…Casanova #2 continues the adventures of our hero and has a shock ending
that adds another player to his family tree. The art is cool and the story hip
as all get out…Girls #15 deals with the consequences of Kenny having sex with
one of the captive Girls as far as the rest of the camp goes. The army is still
watching the camp and more sex happens. We do learn things we didn’t know before
and the last page suggests things will get worse before they get better.
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"See, I told you I'd be
down here. We've got a bunch of SNEAKY PEEKIES of future
MARVEL, DC and IMAGE titles right
HERE" |
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All
Books/Characters pictured herein are © Copyright 2006
by their respective owners. No rights given or implied
by Alternate Reality, Incorporated.
Reviews © 2006 Alternate Reality, Inc. |
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