Review: Last Sons of America #1 (BOOM!)

November 11, 2015November 11, 2015 by The Comic Book Critic

Last Sons of America #1 Review

Writer: Phillip Kennedy Johnson
Art: Matthew Dow Smith
Colors: Doug Garbark
Cover: Tonci Zonjic
Letters: Jim Campbell

Designer: Michelle Ankley
Assistant Editor: Cameron Chittock
Editor: Eric Harburn

Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Cover Date: November 2015
Cover Price: $3.99

Jack and Julian Carver, two brothers who are ‘adoption agency’ workers, are looking for ‘clients’ in Nicaragua.

Why Nicaragua?

You see, there was a recent terrorist attack in the United States that made people infertile. This Agent Pink attack brought birthrates to zero, but people still wanted children.

Review of Parallel Man: Invasion America #1 (FutureDude)

August 22, 2014 by The Comic Book Critic

Parallel Man: Invasion America #1 Review

Writer: Jeffrey Morris, Fredrick Haugen
Pencils & Inks: Christopher Jones
Colors: Zac Atkinson
Cover: Dylan Hansen
Letters: Cortland Bechtell, Jordain Cheng-Kinnander
Editor: Jeffrey Morris, Kimberly Morris
Publisher: FutureDude
Digital Cover Date: September 2014
Print Cover Date: October 2014
Cover Price: $3.99

From the minds of Jeffrey Morris & Fredrick Haugen comes a story that traverses multiple parallel universes, yet tells a story that’s as intriguing as it is engaging. The story hops back and forth from parallel earths in a tale about The Ascendency and the rebellion that wants to take them down.

The Ascendency has been pillaging and enslaving worlds throughout the Multiverse for over 40 years and now they’ve set their sights on “Beta 76” aka our world.

Review: The Mercenary Sea #1 by Kel Symons and Mathew Reynolds

March 12, 2014March 11, 2014 by The Comic Book Critic

The Mercenary Sea #1 Review

Writer: Kel Symons
Art & Colors: Mathew Reynolds
Cover: Mathew Reynolds
Letters: Pat Brosseau
Editor: Sebastian Girner

Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Date: February 2014
Cover Price: $2.99

Title: “Nice Work If You Can Get It”

It’s 1938. Somewhere in the South Pacific, Jack and his band of mercenaries and expatriates are looking for treasure. With the war between Japan and China raging, It’s a rough time to be in those waters and of course things aren’t going so smoothly for the crew.

The Mercenary Sea #1 introduces us to the players in this high adventure in the South Seas. Mathew Reynolds sets up the mood perfectly in the opening pages with his out-of-focus backgrounds and the silhouetting of the characters against the lush jungle. The tension is palpable and you can almost hear the sounds coming from the animals that inhabit the location.

Dream Thief #1 by Jai Nitz & Greg Smallwood (Review)

June 7, 2013 by The Comic Book Critic

Dream Thief #1 Review

Story: Jai Nitz
Art & Lettering: Greg Smallwood
Cover: Alex Ross
Editor: Patrick Thorpe
Asst. Editor: Everett Patterson
Designer: Adam Grano
Production: Allyson Haller

Publisher: Dark Horse
Cover Date: May 2013
Cover Price: $3.99

“What would you do if you woke up in a strange room and didn’t know where you were, or what you’d done the night before to get there?”

So begins the first issue of a 5 part mini series by Jai Nitz & Greg Smallwood.

Things seem to be falling apart in John Lincoln’s life; being in between jobs and a recent burglary at his girlfriend’s place have left things unstable between them. Things only get stranger after he steals an Aboriginal mask from a museum.

Review: Kick-Ass 3 #1 by Mark Millar & John Romita Jr.

June 5, 2013 by The Comic Book Critic

Kick-Ass 3 #1 Review

Writer & co-creator: Mark Millar
Pencils & co-creator: John Romita Jr.
Inks & washes: Tom Palmer
Colors: Dean White
Letters: Chris Eliopoulos
Editor: Jennifer Lee

Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Date: July 2013
Cover Price: $2.99

Kick-Ass 3 has arrived and brings to a close the saga of Dave Lizewski that Mark Millar & John Romita, Jr. began with the first series.

The story begins with Hit Girl being imprisoned but leaving Dave and his buddies the resources and detailed directions of how to spring her. All they need to do is go through with it. On top of that, Dave has to deal with all the headache of running a gang of superheroes who don’t always do what’s expected of them.

Review: Legend of The Shadow Clan #1 & #2 (Aspen)

March 7, 2013 by The Comic Book Critic

Legend of The Shadow Clan #1 – #2 Review

Writers: David Wohl, Brad Foxhaven

Pencils & Ink: Corey Smith

Colors: John Starr

Publisher: Aspen Comics

I can’t say I was terribly excited by this read but I have to say I may be the wrong age for it. I found it to have a very Saturday morning cartoons feeling, but with a little more violence. This may, in fact, be a perfect read for someone in the 10 – 14 age range. But even with that in mind, I feel that young people today may be exposed to more complex and interesting characters. By the end of issue 2 I was still waiting to see how these characters stood out as something a little different.

Katana #1 (DC) Review

February 22, 2013 by The Comic Book Critic

KATANA

The First Cut is the Weirdest

Writer: Ann Nocenti
Artist: Alex Sanchez
Colors: Matt Yackey
Letters: Taylor Esposito
Cover: David Finch
Editors: Rickey Purdin, Rachel Gluckstern

Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Date: April 2013
Cover Price: $2.99 US

Title: “Way Of The Outsider”

Review by Jason Olson

Katana. Ghostly eyes. A stoic demeanor. Strange whispers spoken to her sword. A lethal and quick-to-kill assassin who we have seen jump in and out of various story lines. I find her to be a terrifying and odd character and I have enjoyed her appearances in Birds of Prey under the helm of Gail Simone. The female reconfiguration of a Samurai warrior, mixed with the eerie attachment to her dead husband, whose spirit apparently occupies her sword, Soultaker, was always a fun juxtaposition with the busty and brassy sass of Starling and Black Canary. I won’t even bother with the Freudian nuances here when discussing her love of a sharp and long sword that is her most injurious weapon.

Review: 47 Ronin #1 (Dark Horse)

February 19, 2013 by The Comic Book Critic

47 Ronin #1 Review

Writer: Mike Richardson
Artist: Stan Sakai
Cover Artist: Stan Sakai
Editorial Consultant: Kazuo Koike
Colors: Lovern Kindzierski
Letters: Tom Orzechowski, Lois Buhalis
Editor: Diana Schutz

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Cover Date: November 2012
Cover Price: $3.99

Title: “The Tale of the Loyal Retainers – Book One”

I am always wary when it comes to westerners writing about Asia. Experience with superheroes visiting Asia has taught me to be cautious. The book, written by Mike Richardson and artwork by Stan Sakai, appears to be well researched, well written and beautifully illustrated.

Review: Injustice: Gods Among Us #1 (DC)

February 19, 2013 by The Comic Book Critic

Injustice: Gods Among Us #1 – Review

Writer: Tom Taylor
Art: Jheremy Raapack
Colorist: Andy Elder
Cover Art: Jheremy Raapack
Editor: Jim Chadwick and Sarah Litt

Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $3.99 US

I read it and put it down.

A day later I picked it up and read it again.

It took some time to warm up to the story that unfolded between the pages of this book and finally I came to this conclusion:
I LOVE IT!

Superboy Annual #1 (DC) – A Discussion

November 28, 2015February 19, 2013 by The Comic Book Critic

Discussion: Superboy Annual #1

I’m starting to think cloning isn’t such a great idea.

Writer: Tom DeFalco
Pencils: Too many to list here
Colorist: Just as many to list here
Cover Art: Yvel Guichet, Jonas Trinade and Java Tartaglia

Publisher: DC
Cover Date: Mar 2013
Cover Price: $4.99

I know it’s not “cool” to admit, even in the comic book community, but Superman is my favorite superhero. Yea. That’s right. You read that right. Better than Batman, Cap, Wolverine (or any of the X-Men for that matter), and even Spider-Man. Although, Spidey does run a pretty close second.