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HELLRAISER #1 |
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Writers:
Clive Barker and Christopher Monfette |
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Artist:
Leonardo Manco |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
BOOM!
Comics
Shipped On:
032311 |
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MSRP:
$3.99 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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BOOM'S SYNOPSIS:
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One of the greatest horror franchises of all time
returns, now under the control of its original creator! Clive Barker has touched
Hellraiser only twice: once to write The Hellbound Heart, and once more to write
and direct the original Hellraiser film. Now witness Barker's long-awaited
return to tell a new chapter in the series' official continuity, a trajectory
that will forever change the Cenobites, the final Pinhead story! Prepare your
soul for an epic journey into horror from one of the medium's greatest voices,
and starring one of the medium's greatest characters, in an unforgettable new
chapter of the Hellraiser. |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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For the uninitiated, such as myself, aside from
being a painfully unimaginative series of horror films usually run after late
night soft-core pornography on Skinemax, “Hellraiser” just so happens to be the
brainchild of ‘Master of Horror’ Clive Barker, based on a short story he wrote,
entitled “The Hellbound Heart”. While it was originally hailed as a masterful
use of terrifying imagery, the series of films that spun out of the book, the
first of which was helmed by Barker no less, became more and more about the
gore-factor and less and less about the tortured characters that Clive created.
Boom!Studios, never ones to pass up a licensing opportunity has even managed to
wrangle Mr. Barker back behind the keyboard once again, bringing the
originator’s insight to the table, which should serve as a sign to longtime fans
of the series that a return to horror-greatness is once more upon them…right?
I don’t necessarily ‘Get’ “Hellraiser”. I’m not a very religious guy, and
therefore my views on Heaven/Hell are pretty much nil, therefore all the scary
‘hell-bound’ imagery that’s supposed to have some sort of horrifying effect is a
moot point in this readers eyes. I get the point of it: Hell is a scary, gross
place to end up. Or to sum it up Tyra Banks-style: Don’t. Go. THERE! What I
don’t understand at all about the story, and I’m sure it’ll all be cleared up,
or maybe not, but what is with the guy on the farm that is doing all sorts of
horrible $#!t to some lady in the name of the dark denizens of Hell? Why are
supposed Lords of Darkness (or whatever) bound to some corn field in the middle
of effin’ no where? Sure, the Earth-bound connection to a scary twisted place
such as ‘Hell’ is creepy, no doubt, but it’s a bit far-fetched and this issue
doesn’t work to flesh anything out.
I mean, the first issue of any comic book is really a fruitless endeavor with
the long-form storytelling devices that are employed by creators today. Since
the whole point seems to be selling the audience a ‘collected edition’, single
issues seem to be yesterday’s news. Now, say I was someone who didn’t own a
computer (a rarity, I know) and I’d never come into contact with “Hellraiser”
before seeing THIS issue on a comic store shelf…I don’t think that THIS issue is
ENOUGH to sell a newcomer on the comic and its concept. I’d like to think that,
because this already has some kind of built-in audience, even if I’m not a part
of it, it may lead to future series that are bit more new-reader friendly. Maybe
I’m missing the point; I sometimes feel as if the whole idea behind ‘licensed
properties’ is one of exclusivity, which is the exact kind of mind-set that has
sent our medium down such a slippery slope, teetering on the edge of oblivion.
The book is a full-size issue with a 16-page preview of another “Hellraiser:
Something-or-Other” title, this second story written by Larry Wachowski. As much
as I didn’t care for the first story, the second story was illustrated in a
classic horror-comic style that did make me smile, if only for a bit. Another
overdose on the dramatic, which I guess goes hand in hand with the theatrical,
S&M nature of the whole thing; romanticizing the horrifying by way of gory
eye-candy for the disturbed. I’m not into it, and maybe I have some sort of
predisposed bias, an unwavering lack of interest in this sort of thing, but I
gave it a shot and it didn’t leap out of the void and drag me into its story. |
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FF #1 |
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Writer:
Jonathan Hickman |
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Artist:
Steve Epting |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Marvel
Comics
Shipped On:
032311 |
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MSRP:
$3.99 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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MARVEL'S SYNOPSIS:
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It's the FANTASTIC first issue of FF! A bold new
direction for Marvel's First Family featuring new members, old friends, older
enemies and uneasy alliances that will send shockwaves through the Marvel
Universe. With stunning art work by Steve Epting and Paul Mounts, please join
writer, Jonathan Hickman, on the second massive arc in the bold new direction
for the 'World's Greatest Comic Magazine.' |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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The idea of ‘family’ is one that is always on the
fringe in comics, usually presented as an obstacle a hero must overcome by
maintaining his or her secret identity, or a crutch for a character’s more
misguided or villainous actions. Rarely is the idea of ‘The Family’ at the
forefront of a book’s spirit, and nowhere is it more present than in the pages
of Marvel’s recently cancelled “Fantastic Four”. Okay, it was only cancelled in
order to be restarted with a stream-lined title, an additional character, and a
new mission-statement: “Welcome to the Future Foundation.”
I said that the final issue of “Fantastic Four” was ‘the most perfect comic
reading experience I’ve had in a long, long time’. I’d like to follow that up by
saying that “FF”#1 is a close second, and thusly if I was only capable of
reading one book for the rest of my days, it’d be Hickman’s “FF” in any of it’s
variations, without a doubt. Never have I been so juiced to be a fan of Marvel’s
First Family, and I’m talking a life-time of fandom here. It was probably one of
the first comic books I’ve EVER read, so it’s always had a soft spot in my
heart, but it’s never really blown my mind as it does in Hickman’s hands. If
anyone is in position to usurp Mark Waid as one of the Family’s most prolific
scribes, it’s this guy.
By turning the super-heroics on its ear, and focusing on the dynamic of
‘family’, any and all interesting takes on it, whether it be Husband/Wife,
Sister/Brother, Father/Son, Mother/Child, Friends/Family…Hell, even Doom fits in
there somewhere and it doesn’t FEEL forced, Hickman has rejuvenated a book that
for too long lagged in sales behind books that offered more “Whiz-BANG-Ka-POW!”.
There are hundreds of super-powered teams out there attempting to make the world
a better place, when the time calls for it; it’s interesting to see a team
that’s proactively working through research and applied sciences, by way of
children of all kinds no less, to make the world a more perfect place all the
time.
Sure, the addition of Spider-Man to the book’s roster is going to rattle a few
cages, but Hickman almost challenges the reader to handle it any way OTHER than
respecting it. Besides, it’s such a natural fit; the FF were guest-stars in the
first issue of “The Amazing Spider-Man”. He has as much history with THIS team
as he does with the Avengers, where the character is flourishing if you ask me.
He’s a scientist, he was a teacher, “…and Spider-Man is, after all, like the
second-best superhero, ever.” I’ll leave first-bests up to you.
I’m enthralled with the team’s new direction; I’m loving the art as much as
humanly possible without trying to do anything I’ll have to inform a therapist
about; I really think that, almost without my knowing it, this book has crept up
my reading list each week until it’s found its rightful place at the top. If
this book isn’t Marvel’s top selling title, which I’m clearly aware that it
isn’t, it’s because not enough fans out there love the big-idea books as much as
they do the ‘Whiz-BANG-Ka-POW!!!’ It’s a little bit sad really to see a book
maligned with sagging sales when you know it’s got EVERYTHING people need to be
exposed to in order to recognize what makes this medium so great, and it’s
disheartening to know that defining runs can be over-looked in favor of six or
seven titles featuring the same main-characters that dominate so many peoples’
pull lists. |
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UNCANNY X-FORCE #5 POINT ONE |
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Writer:
Rick Remender |
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Artist:
Rafael Albuquerque |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Marvel
Comics
Shipped On:
031611 |
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MSRP:
$2.99 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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MARVEL'S SYNOPSIS:
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START READING with this Point One issue. When a
situation calls for hard choices, the X-Force is there to step in. Lady
Deathstrike, with the deadly Reavers at her side, set out to destroy the X-Men
in their home! Deathstrike will obliterate the X-Men or die trying, and this new
Uncanny X-Force is more than happy to oblige. As the line between right and
wrong become more and more blurred, will the Uncanny X-Force be heralded as
heroes...or villains? |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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Okay, THIS is starting to really get to me. Just
recently I was more than excited to embark upon a glorious NEW journey with the
Uncanny X-Force crew. They had just wrapped the “Apocalypse Solution” arc, which
was extremely enjoyable, and “Deathlok Nation”, featuring art chores by Esad
Ribic(!!!), was looking like it was geared directly for me(!). Then came the
unexpected “Uncanny X-Force” #5.1, and I was all like “HUH?!” As my new
adventure had only just begun, where was this Point-One issue coming from, and
WHY was it shoehorned into this new story? WHY?!
Rafael Albuequerque’s name on the cover was certainly a surprise. With his
series over at DC’s Vertigo imprint doing as splendidly as it currently is, I
thought that Marvel’s Distinguished Competition would have locked him into some
sort of ‘exclusive’ deal, alas this is not so. DC’s apparent misstep is Marvel’s
gain, if not only temporarily, and despite my grumblings about interrupting a
brand new story arc for what is essentially a done-in-one (non-)annual, it was a
lot of fun to see him render the likes of X-Force, the Reavers, Lady Deathstrike,
and if only briefly, Cyclops and Magneto. I can be pissed that this wasn’t issue
4.1, because that would have made more sense, but I can’t knock Albuquerque’s
amazing abilities and all that he brings to the table, that’s for sure.
Oh yeah, X-Force versus the Reavers! Right. Okay, so X-Force takes on the
Reavers, who have some sort of plan to manipulate the Aboriginal mutant,
Gateway, into teleporting them into the heart of Utopia. Once inside its borders
the Reavers would be able to begin a bloody coup, one with a goal of
extinguishing as many mutant lives as possible. This, of course, X-Force can’t
stand for, so they begin with the cutting and the killing, and before you know
it we’ve been introduced to the darker side of a character beloved by so many
for so long. Oh Betsy, how we barely knew ye, and now you’re all slash-happy and
sadistic. That’s hot.
I may not find the Marvel Point-One Initiative to have much of, well, a point. A
cleverly disguised ‘Annual’ is still just that, an ‘Annual’. But here Marvel has
bucked tradition, and instead of placing no-name new comers on the book they’re
giving readers top-tier would-be all-stars; ya gotta love that, bub. No
seriously, what better way to get people to accept what COULD be construed a
throw-away issue than to beef-up the guest-list? If I had known that this was
going to be slipped under-the-radar into the midst of a brand new arc, I
probably would have skipped it altogether, based solely on my misguided sense of
‘principle’. That is to say, IF I had decided to skip this book based on my
‘principles’ I only would have UNTIL I saw Remender’s and Albuequerque’s names
branded on the cover. Marvel marketing probably KNEW this, and as such, nipped
it in the bud before I even had a chance. Kudos, gentlemen (and ladies!), I
would have the wool pulled over my eyes for nothing less than, well, Excelsior! |
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XOMBI #1 |
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Writer:
John Rozum |
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Artist:
Fraser Irving |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
DC
Comics
Shipped On:
031611 |
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MSRP:
$2.99 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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DC'S SYNOPSIS:
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You can't keep a good XOMBI down! The immortal David
Kim - kept "alive" by nanotech enhancements - returns to the DC Universe in a
new ongoing series! Creator John Rozum and hot BATMAN AND ROBIN artist Frazer
Irving team up to deliver the finest in contemporary urban horror - with a Super
Hero twist! As an undying, unchanging Xombi, David Kim must watch the world
consume itself and burn while humanity grows more distant from each other due to
the rise of technology. What would a Xombi do just to feel change again? And
where will he ever be able to find a kindred soul? |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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I dove into this series rather blindly. It’s not
something a great many fans like to do, but with DC ‘Holding the line at $2.99!’
I figured that I owed it to the company to give some new books a shot. I mean,
one hand washes the other, right? They’ve essentially saved me almost ten bucks
by shaving a dollar off each of their titles, so why not pay it forward and give
something different a shot? Even if I don’t like it, I’m still up $7, right?
Right!
What a splendid divergence from the traditional, the safe, the oft-tread ground
of super-heroism. “Xombi” is a bit of a departure from the norm, and by ‘a bit
of a departure’ I mean to say that this book is balls to the wall insane in such
a delightfully scary way. There’s pseudo-science, religion, MURDER, a good deal
of rather mysterious happenings, and MORE MURDER! This is what happens when
creators are given a good deal of room to breathe, to CREATE, and all this
madness isn’t even shunted off to the “Vertigo” side of the DCU, but rather
safely placed under the umbrella of regular continuity. I think I’ve found my
new favorite DC series.
“Xombi” is the apparent creation of Dwayne McDuffie from his Milestone Media
days. With his unfortunate passing, certainly a loss for the industry as a
whole, his creation has been handed to John Rozum, who worked on the character
with McDuffie previously. I’m pleased to say that despite my lack of ANY
knowledge whatsoever of the previous incarnations of “Xombi”, one can, with
relative ease, pick this book up and immerse oneself in an entirely NEW concept
(‘New’ as far as I’m concerned!). A concept that involves resurrected
scientists, size-shifting nuns, killer snow angels, semi-colon cancer, and a
boat-load of other BIG ideas is a beautiful, memorable thing, one we don’t see
nearly enough of in this industry lately.
Fraser Irving’s style is one that really brings to life the strange, the weird,
the unforgettable. His work with Grant Morrison not withstanding, I think this
is exactly the type of book this guy belongs on. His imagination, not to mention
his storytelling ability, is exactly the kick in the pants a book like this
NEEDS to get off the ground. His pencils are a shot in the arm, bringing to life
a world I’d never explored in such a lush and vivid way; I truly doubt that this
story would have had the very same impact it did if anyone else was in charge of
art chores. I can only HOPE that Irving sticks around beyond the initial arc, or
if he departs so quickly that they replace him with an artist of similar ilk. I
guess only time will tell… |
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FEAR ITSELF BOOK OF THE SKULL |
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Writer:
Ed Brubaker |
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Artist:
Scott Eaton |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Marvel
Comics
Shipped On:
031611 |
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MSRP:
$3.99 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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MARVEL'S SYNOPSIS:
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All the Red Skull's terrible secrets and plans are
in the hands of his evil?daughter, Sin, who's intent on outdoing her father...
Now find out about the Skull's most-dangerous World War II mission, that he
risked everything for...and how it's going to tear the Marvel Universe apart
today. FEAR ITSELF starts here...in the darkest secrets of the past! |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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Another summer is upon us and after a year of
smaller, family-based ‘events’ Marvel Comics is ready to roll out their latest
big-summer blockbuster, “Fear Itself” by Matt Fraction and Stuart Immonen. As
such, with little more than a month to kill time before the 8-parter kicks off,
here’s a ‘prologue’ written by Fraction’s long-time collaborator, Ed Brubaker,
but does it ultimately MATTER? One can’t be too sure these days. I mean, is it
the latest comic-summer-blockbuster, or is it little more than a multi-media
tie-in to TWO of the coming year’s most anticipated film adaptations?
Using a rather heavy-handed plot device, the interwoven flashback, Brubaker and
Eaton relay to readers unfamiliar with Bru’s “Captain America” a bit o’the old
“Here’s what’s happened, and why!” In this case readers are caught up to speed
on Sin, the Red Skull’s daughter, now very much a chip off the old block in more
ways than one. Sin is in the process of tracking down some stuff of her father’s
that rightfully belongs to her after his passing, if it just so happens to be an
ages-old book bound in the blue flesh of Atlanteans, so what? This is all
spliced with a flashback story dating back to WWII in which Cap, Bucky, and
Namor all attempt to take the Skull out. It almost works, but it ultimately
falls short of enticing, in my opinion, and that’s the whole point, right?
Back in 1942, Captain America and his partner, Bucky, join forces with Namor the
Sub-Mariner to take out a faction of Red Skull’s Third Reich forces. These
forces of Nazi-badism are attempting to perform some sort of religious sacrifice
with hopes of gaining the upper-hand in the world wide conflict. What they want
and what they receive are drastically different things, and because they may not
be ‘Worthy’ the gift bestowed upon them is left where it lands, and a fortress
of some sort is erected to protect it. What am I babbling on about? A hammer, of
sorts, much like that of the mighty Thor’s, lands in the middle of the ice and
snow, but no one can budge it. Is this the weapon the Nazi’s had hoped would
turn the tide in their favor, or is this a gift for a later generation? Sin
seems to believe the latter.
Scott Eaton is a tremendous artist, and his talents do NOT go to waste here.
This book is gorgeously illustrated, if nothing else. As far as baiting readers
into jumping into the “Fear Itself” storyline, well, I think they could have
done more. Maybe the focus on the events of 1942 is where they went wrong, as
the scenes with Sin were where my attention was most rapt. I get that they have
to tow a certain line between promoting their books while at the same time
attempting to woo new readership from the film adaptations, but this just seems
a bit too over the top. It doesn’t really provide ANY insight as to WHY the
“Fear Itself” story is a MUST-READ, and while it does shed a tiny bit of light
onto the villainous Sin, it does so to such a minute degree that it left me
wishing the focus of the book was squarely on her shoulders rather than those of
the blonde boy-scout, Captain America.
I’m not saying that I won’t give “Fear Itself” a fair shot, as I most certainly
will, but I think that a more focused effort here would have been a lynch-pin
that solidified my interest. Instead, I feel as though this is, at best, a
filler issue with little to offer readers that are on the fence about the event.
Eaton is marvelous; Brubaker is a talent whose most spectacular efforts come
from his isolation from these kinds of world-spanning event comics. It’s great
that Marvel wanted to provide us with some kind of insight as to the ‘Why’ of it
all, but isn’t that what the main eight-issue series is supposed to do. Instead
of juicing us for another four bucks, while providing ‘previews’ in EVERY issue
of EVERY comic leading up to the event, why not let the story stand on its own?
I just don’t get it. Fraction is an accomplished story-teller, I’m sure his book
will be good without beating readers over the head with add-on material. |
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BATMAN #708 |
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Writer:
David Hine |
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Artist:
Guillem March |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
DC
Comics
Shipped On:
031611 |
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MSRP:
$2.99 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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DC'S SYNOPSIS:
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Batman uncovers just how deep the Falcone Crime
Family has penetrated the inner (and outer) workings of Gotham City, while
Kitrina Falcone - a.k.a. Catgirl - is tempted to take over the family business.
When she finds herself in hot water, she'll need Batman's help or all of her
nine lives may run out. |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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It should be said right off the bat that Guillem
March MAKES this book. His art is both new in its approach, and yet decidedly
old-school in its FEEL. While I didn’t find the story to be entirely enjoyable,
it was a thrill to turn each page and marvel in the detailed artwork that
adorned them. Alright, now that THAT is out of the way, I don’t think this is a
very good book, but thankfully it’s only a one-off, an opening shot in a story
that’s going to span three titles, not simply this one. Hopefully Tony Daniel is
back next month with a bit more down to Earth stories about Dick Grayson,
instead of the out-of-this-world adventures co-starring the failed Azrael.
It’s true, it’s true, “Azrael” is/was/will be cancelled, so they’ve shunted him
off to guest-star status, which in turn relegates some title or another with the
burden carrying the character and his religious-themed adventures for the
foreseeable future. Unfortunately the first in what will be a series of series
forced to share the spotlight is “Batman”, a book that I’ve been enjoying since
the return of Bruce Wayne, considering it continues to focus on Gotham’s NEWEST
Batman, Dick Grayson. At a time when the bat-books are at a creative HIGH, it’s
more than unfortunate that we’ve hit a speed bump on the road to big-summer
storytelling.
Dick doesn’t like Azrael. Azrael doesn’t like anybody. Some weird guy with a
cross burned onto his face, in place of a nose, believes himself to be on a
mission from God, and not in that cool, funny “Blues Brothers” sort of way. The
hoity-toity and heavy handed religious overtones are unwelcome, in this reader’s
opinion. Attempting to justify the psychotic actions of one zealot or another by
way of religion, well, that was what “Azrael” was for, and it’s cancelled; see
how popular THAT frame of mind is? I can’t imagine editorial thinking,
immediately after canceling one underperforming series, that it was a good idea
to force the character onto readers via “Batman”, I just can’t.
Over all, I’m still a Batman fan, particularly at a time when Grant Morrison has
launched the character in such an exciting direction. The ability to read about
different Batmen and their individual responses to threats of all sorts is
exciting, but when one book becomes a platform for which an underselling
character is inexplicably crammed into, well, my reading experience hits a wall.
It’s not that I’m against these kinds of stories, but rather I’m against any
type of story that focuses on the gimmicks rather than the plot. This,
thankfully, isn’t continued in the pages of “Batman” but rather “Red Robin”, and
ultimately some other series for part three, but one must seriously ask one’s
self, “Why’d they even bother?!” |
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SOULFIRE VOL 3 #0 |
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Writer:
J.T. Krul |
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Artist:
Jason Fabok |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Aspen
Comics
Shipped On:
030911 |
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MSRP:
$2.50 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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ASPEN'S SYNOPSIS:
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The magic has returned! But, this time...the light
has grown dark. Desperate times have fallen on our heroes Malikai, Grace, and
friends. The once-strong bond between them, which forged the return of magic
into our world, is deteriorating following the cataclysmic battle with Rainier
and his forces. However, the struggle between magic and technology still wages
on, yet with Malikai, the bearer of the light, nowhere to be found--can magic
survive the latest onslaught from an unwelcome world? |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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Didn’t I just, just, JUST review a ‘Zero’ issue of
“Soulfire”…yeah, I did, didn’t I? SO, why am I back at it, once again checking
out a preview issue of a book that’s been around for the better part of, well, a
long time…probably because the publishers feel the need to repackage the series
at the end of every ****ing story arc, thus cementing the likelihood that more
people are tempted to give it a chance because of that big, bold numero Uno, or
zero, or whatever. I understand the marketing behind the decision, but
ultimately I feel as if THAT is the strategy you’re going to use at least try
and change things up a bit.
So the fairy-princess lady and her people are up to some sort of shenanigans,
chasing some guy through the woods, though they’d have the reader believe it was
for his own good. Some creepy thing is introduced, then rubbed out, then some
vague $#!t is spouted about extinguishing evil at its source, blah blah blah.
It’s only a preview issue, which I guess is meant more to confuse readers into
buying the following issue rather than entice them into finding the characters
fascinating and actually wanting to follow their exploits. Oh, and this is all
before we get to the great white hope of “Soulfire”, the young man supposedly
responsible for ushering magic back into the modern world, or some such
nonsense. Ignoble men attempt to victimize our young hero, he makes short work
of them using magic; hardly seems fair, does it?
IF ever there was a reason to bear this sort of maligned pish-posh of
mediocrity, it would be Jason Fabok. His pencils, compared to what I’ve seen on
“Soulfire”, are some of the most invigorating. It’s a truly spectacular
achievement to walk in the footsteps of Michael Turner, carrying yourself and
your work with such air of confidence. It doesn’t hurt that the guy’s style is
most reminiscent of David Finch, a mentor and friend to Fabok; he even has the
same issues with everyone’s faces looking alike! I’m sure that it won’t be long
before one of the big two scoops this guy up, but it’s nice to see some real
artistic achievement back in the pages of “Soulfire”, a book that’s visually
floundered since its creator’s passing. I’m not a fan of the constant rebooting,
nor of the mythology the book has worked so hard to try and establish, but I am
a fan of good looking books; at least it has THAT going for it. |
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SAVAGE BEAUTY #1 |
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Writer:
Mike Bullock |
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Artist:
Jose Massaroli |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Moonstone
Comics
Shipped On:
030911 |
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MSRP:
$3.99 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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MOONSTONE'S SYNOPSIS:
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Mike Bullock (The Phantom) presents a fresh new spin
on the jungle girl genre, featuring real world conflicts in Africa and beyond.
Join the Rae sisters, recent UCLA grads, as they travel the world defending the
defenseless. Guided by the mysterious Mr. Eden, they assume the identity of a
mythical goddess and reveal their Savage Beauty. This over-sized premiere issue
also includes a Golden Age Sheena reprint, a look back at Jungle Girls with
Michael "Robot 6" May and "lost art" from the proposed 1960 Raquel Welch/Sheena
movie! Covers by Thomas Yeates and Dave Hoover. |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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At first glance I thought that I was going to get
something ‘different’ from “Savage Beauty”. Sure, I assumed it would be a
Jungle-Girl comic, very much in the spirit of “Shanna”, “Sheena”, or something
like “Tarzan” or “George of the Jungle”, but with breasts. What I really didn’t
expect is that the writer(s) would have one, even bigger twist up his/their
sleeve, one that is bound to shock, but not necessarily satisfy readers. I know
it didn’t satisfy me.
Like any good exploitation story there’s a fair amount of violence and forced
sexual situations, neither too graphic, almost everything implied off-panel. I
figured that a classy move, considering the goal is to lure new female
readership with strong female role-models, not so much to attract the
shifty-eyed basement dwellers, too shy to buy suitable stroking material.
Cheesecake comics often present similar scenarios as a means to an end, that end
being gratuitous nudity or graphic sexual situations; “Savage Beauty” throws all
the harsh realities at the reader without being overbearing or in-your-face
about it, and it all quickly ends as soon as our heroine arrives on the scene.
I don’t want to give away the book’s secret, which is a ballsy gamble if you ask
me, but I would like to get into some of the inanity that precedes the gambit.
Two college-age, young ladies are on safari in Africa, on assignment for a
magazine called “African Adventures” (A title that certainly couldn’t exist in
today’s PeeCee, coffee-shop/bookstore market place, I assure you; There’d be
marches.) – These two are, for the most part, presented as typical college kids;
they flirt, drink, have annoying cell-phone ring tones, and hate it when mean
animals eat the cute & cuddly ones. That is, they’re presented as typical
college kids until they receive a call from someone or something called ‘Eden’,
then everything is turned on its ear.
There’s a certain competence to the art; Jose Massaroli obviously knows how to
tell a story…where he stumbles, in my opinion, is in the heavy inks that he
applies himself. I’d much rather have seen what his art would have looked like
finished by a different eye, one that was not his own. The first few pages were
some of the best of the book, but not long into the story things start to look
blotchy and heavy handed. A capable story-teller, sure, but the finishes
should’ve been done by someone with a better eye for that sort of thing. |
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MARVEL ZOMBIES SUPREME #1 (OF 5) |
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Writer:
Frank Marraffino |
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Artist:
Fernando Blanco |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Marvel
Comics
Shipped On:
030211 |
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MSRP:
$3.99 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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MARVEL'S SYNOPSIS:
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They were the Squadron Supreme, heroes exiled from
another dimension to our own...but the twisted science of the Project Pegasus
facility infected these defenders with a virulent zombie strain. Now it's up to
Jill Harper's desperate special ops team to keep the plague contained within the
facility-whatever the cost. But Harper discovers that the Squadron wasn't the
only unconscionable experiment being kept off the Pegasus records...and her
shocking find may be the key to saving the human race. Join Frank Marrafino
(Haunted Tank) and Fernando Blanco (MARVEL ZOMBIES 5, THUNDERBOLTS) as the
bodies and unpredictable resurrections climax in the most gore-soaked chapter of
the Marvel Zombies saga yet! |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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Never mind that the book’s title sounds like
something offered on Taco Bell’s 99-cent menu, if ever the Marvel Zombies line
of titles could be said to have jumped the shark, it’s here. If I haven’t said
it already, somebody, anybody needs to put this title down, for good. Like,
bullet-to-the-head-good. Trust me, I’m not a doctor, but we’re not bringing this
one back to life.
In what one may only describe as a fast-and-loose rendition of the helicopter
opening scene in “Predator”, author Frank Marraffino apes his characters’ ways
into our memory. There’s the big guy with a bigger gun; the creepy, weirdo tech
guy; the boy scout; the Medic, conveniently nick-named ‘Doc’ just so you don’t
confuse him with the big guy with the bigger gun; a hard-ass; and of course, the
embattled (internally and externally) female commanding officer. By page three I
wanted to vomit, luckily by that time we were all off the chopper and on the
ground preparing to assault the headquarters of the all but forgotten Project P.e.g.a.s.u.s. Oh, and
the should be forgotten Battlestar shows up; happy day!
This is where everything goes from really bad to worse. By page seven the team
found a bundle of survivors, but by page eight that very same bad-ass military
squad watched that room full of people get eaten by one zombie-fied Nighthawk.
Punks. The rest of the Squadron Supreme is right around the corner, page nine,
and we discover Battlestar is stronger than Hyperion one moment, and weaker than
a girl the next. Hmm? And where are the Marvel Zombies, you might ask…there
aren’t any. Not yet at least.
In fact, there aren’t even any Squadron Supreme Zombies, even though it’s billed
and presented as such. No, sir; in fact, the people that appear to be
zombie-fied versions of Marvel’s version of the Justice League are no more than
scientific cadavers enhanced with genetically modified samples of cloned D.N.A.
from the original Squadron Supreme. Whew. That’s a lot to try and get out in one
breath, and it’s a lot more to try and swallow.
I mean, WTF?! Where’s the action we should be getting? Where’s the Marvel
Zombies? And if not them, then why are we being treated to the 1980’s version of
the Squadron, and not the more relevant and obviously more adult take on the
title introduced by JMS over in “Supreme Power”? I don’t want this watered-down
flim-flam of a book; I want something hardcore. IF you’re a company marketing
Super-Hero/Horror comics, then at least have the good sense to make it scary, or
cool, or preferably some combination of the two.
I’d even go so far as to ask ‘Does this book even have a place on the shelves
anymore?’ If someone asked me that, I’d answer them as honestly as I could.
“It’s been done to death.” I’d say, and have a chuckle at my own unconscious
pun, and then I’d add: “I think people, as a whole, are over the whole ‘zombie’
thing, anyway. Besides, isn’t there a new “Twilight” movie coming out soon?!
OMG! I LOVE TWILIGHT!” Yeah. That’s what I’d say. |
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WOLVERINE HERCULES MYTHS MONSTERS AND MUTANTS #1 (OF 4) |
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Writer:
Frank Tieri |
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Artist:
Juan Roman Cano Santacruz |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Marvel
Comics
Shipped On:
030211 |
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MSRP:
$2.99 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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MARVEL'S SYNOPSIS:
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Gritty scribe Frank Tieri and artist Juan Santacruz
bring two of Marvel's toughest heroes together for an all new limited series,
featuring covers by the legendary Joe Jusko! Matsuo-the man who killed Yuriko-is
back from the dead and has one mission-kill Wolverine. But when he recruits two
deadly foes of Hercules, the Olympian joins forces with Logan to show Matsuo
just what it means to battle the best there is at what they do. |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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What would, at any other point in time, find itself
relegated to the pages of a one-shot, or a back-up co-feature, the hard-hitting,
hard-drinking adventures starring the unlikely duo of Wolverine and Hercules is
instead extended to a four issue mini-series. Hey, they got trades to sell. What
can I tell ya? While that doesn’t really come as a surprise to Yours Truly, I’ll
admit to being rather dazed when I found out just how much heart this book has,
and the stones to put itself out there as such. When so often these characters
are little more that caricatures of whichever writers have drawn the task of
exploring their exploits, its nice to read a book that has a certain “Bro”
sensibility, as Herc and Wolvie would seem to be two peas in a pod.
Other than the excessive violence, the book does possess certain charms. Frank
Tieri is an accomplished writer, and he knows how to manipulate these characters
to achieve a certain resonance to their voices. Sharing stories over a drink, or
ten, Wolverine and Herc challenge each others testicular fortitude, libido, and
before long, a pack of blood-thirsty Hand ninjas. These guys have bedded the
same chicks, fought in the same wars, and saved the world dozens of times over,
yet simple things like a cold glass of beer and a good story hold a profound
place in each of their hearts. It is, after all, the little things that make
life worth living, especially if you’re immortal.
Matsu’o Tsurayaba is responsible for the death of one of Wolverine’s many loves.
He’s held a grudge against this guy forever, yet for some reason the Canuck
seems dead-set on settling the score in the immediate future. As it would turn
out, after being issued a warning of the oncoming assault on his life, Tsurayaba
takes the offensive, and a sect of Hand ninjas sets off to defend their master
pro-actively. Herc and Wolvie fight the ninjas, exchange some witty banter, and
come out on top; it is, of course, only the first issue.
There’s also some guy who may or may not be a Minotaur, and some Godly magic
stuff, just to keep it logical that Herc would be involved. Despite the somewhat
haphazard nature of the plotting, there is an exuding charm to the title. I’ve
enjoyed the recent exploits of Hercules, and Wolverine is pretty much
everywhere, so it’s impossible to avoid the little guy. When you put the two of
them in the mix, the results are extremely entertaining. The art carries the
book when the story seems a little on the dopey side, and Juan Roman Can
Santacruz might just have the longest name in all of comics. I’m glad to see
that a book I would typically label as ‘filler’ is actually quite gutsy; well
done, gentlemen. Well done. |
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5 RONIN #1 (OF 5) |
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Writer:
Peter Milligan |
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Artist:
Tom Coker |
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Reviewer:
"Sweet" Dan Sweet
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Publisher:
Marvel
Comics
Shipped On:
030211 |
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MSRP:
$2.99 each
(15% OFF during it's 1st Week of release only at Alternate Reality!)
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MARVEL'S SYNOPSIS:
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5 Books, 5 Heroes -- 1 unforgettable story of heroes
pushed to their limits. It is 17th Century Japan, a time and place of violent
upheaval, wandering Ronin, and mysterious Geisha. Into this strange and
dangerous world come Wolverine, Psylocke, Punisher, Hulk and Deadpool. Five of
Marvel's greatest heroes... as you've never seen them before. Each has been
wronged by a powerful tyrant. Each has taken a solemn vow... of vengeance! |
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SWEET DAN'S REVIEW:
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I’ll admit that even after reading the first issue,
I have very little idea as to what is supposed to be going on here. It would
appear to be a good old fashioned revenge tale, set during the era of Feudal
Japan, starring Marvel Characters as we’ve NEVER seen them before, and while
that’s how it’s packaged, I can’t help but feel a little empty after reading it.
The first issue sets the stage in such a way that I was left with a look of
bewilderment on my face, and while I want to know what’s going on, I’m not sure
I’m SOLD on the story.
Wolverine is one character in the Marvel U who doesn’t seem so out of place as a
masterless samurai. His origins have deep roots in Japan, although not so far
back as this book takes us. In the story, Wolverine, though he’s never called
that, is struck down in battle very early on, although the rumors of his ability
to return from death are profound. As it would turn out, the rumors are little
more than just that, rumors. Wolverine is just one of many Ronin whose master
required all look similar, as to make telling them apart near impossible. By
issue’s end we get one Wolverine seeking vengeance for another Wolverine against
a third Wolverine, or whatever, and through it all I didn’t find myself
convinced.
Tom Coker’s art, on the other hand, is the book’s strong point. I enjoyed
immensely the impressive environments and backgrounds that go into each page.
His style is a bit gruff and gritty, but it’s a perfect fit for a book about
wandering warriors, making their own rules amid a sea of chaos. I enjoyed his
line-work, and his story-telling ability is certainly top-notch. I’m not sure if
he’s the artist on the rest of the titles, but given that the issues are
shipping a week apart, I doubt it.
I’m not sure how this fits in with everything else going on over at the House of
Mouse, er, IDEAS, but I have to appreciate the ballsy-ness that goes into
okaying a book of this sort. I can’t imagine it will be a top-seller, and maybe
by journey’s end it’ll all make a great deal more sense in this reader’s eyes,
but as of right now I’m not thoroughly convinced that THIS was a smart move. A
creative move, no doubt, but all in all I’m not sure CREATIVITY really matters
to fans anymore, as the more out-there, the more daring your story may be, the
less inclined to give it a chance people would seem to be. Which sucks, I know,
but it is the way it is. At least they dropped the price point a buck, right?! |
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All Books/Characters pictured herein are © Copyright 2011 by their respective
owners. No rights given or implied by Alternate Reality, Incorporated.
Reviews © 2011 Alternate Reality, Inc.
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"The opinions expressed in the reviews below are not necessarily those of Alternate Reality, Inc. Hey, I don't agree with all of them either!"
