2012 Emerald City Comicon

This past weekend I made my annual journey to the Emerald City Comicon.  Well, it wasn't really much of a journey, it was just downtown, but it was still epic.  Like the past two years, I attended the Saturday version of the convention, typically the busiest, craziest day of the con, and this past Saturday was no exception.

Being the nerd that I am, I arrived right at 10 o'clock, exactly when the convention opened it's doors.  However, there was such a monster crowd that it took me about 40 minutes just to get onto the actual convention floor.  I was one very aggravated blogger during those forty long-ass minutes.  Once I actually got into the con I was shocked to see how totally packed it was so early on in the day.  The past two years taught me that the early nerd catches the creator they want to see, but there was no beating the crowds or avoiding of lines on this day, as it was nearly impossible to move through crowds and navigate to the tables of creators I wanted to chat up.

Extended chats with favorite creators were also a difficulty as the lines tended to be pretty lengthy.  I try to not be a dick and keep other people waiting, or monopolize a creator's time but it was a bit disappointing to just mumble a few words of gratitude to Brandon Graham while he signed my stuff.   I did manage to get in a few good chats though.  My best chat came from a favorite comic writer of mine, Kurtis Wiebe who not only remembered me from last year, but also mentioned that he drops by the blog from time to time!  I'd like to think I hid my giddiness well, but when he mentioned that he's read some of Battle Hymns, I grinned like the Cheshire Cat.

My modest haul...

There were many other highlights as well.  I got to chat with Matt Southworth, who had some pages from the new Stumptown issues that'll be out later this year.  From what I've seen, it looks fantastic.  I also spoke to Daryl Gregory who was there for his comic writing endeavors, but was happy to hear that I'm a fan of his prose work as well.  The guy I was most interested in meeting and talking to was Brandon Graham.  I actually made two stops by his table, once for signatures on my issues of Prophet and my copy of King City (review forthcoming), and again when there were less people around to look through his original art.  The art was beautiful, and sadly, just out of my price range, but it was still awesome to check it out.  He also had some of James Stokoe's original art pages from Orc Stain and those are glorious too.    


All told, it was a pretty good day at the con.  I was a little overwhelmed by the crowd which was much larger than past years, but I guess I shouldn't complain too much because it's not everyday I get to meet some of my favorite comic creators, and get to look at beautiful artwork.  Anyway, I know people are probably just reading this to see pictures of people dressed up, so here you go.....

Loki hangin' with some DC peeps. 

This guy was pretty scary as
Scorpion.  He had the physique
and ninja moves to go with the
sweet costume.

The ladies were lining up to
pose with Buzz.

Down in the right hand corner you can just
barely see their donation bucket.
Apparently, the poor economy has effected
even the Avengers.  

Did I crop out the dorky lookin'
Robin? Yes I did.  Just Batwoman
please. 

Easily my favorite
costume from the con.
Bowie from Orc Stain.

Comic Quickies: New Sagas and Projects

Saga #1: Well, I've been eagerly waiting for this comic since it was announced way back in July at San Diego Comic Con.  Seems like ages ago.  Well, I'm happy to say that Saga appears to have been very much worth the wait.  As far as first issues go, this one is about as good as they come.  Vaughan does a fantastic job of introducing the characters, setting up the story, all while building and developing the universe in which the story takes place...oh, and it's an exciting action packed first issue too.

In the opening pages of Saga we get a rather intimate view of young woman, Alana who is giving birth to her first child in a mechanic's shop, while her husband, Marko lends a hand.  Both Marko and Alana are human-like aliens, and as it turns out, of different races; Races which happen to be at war with one another...a war that is spanning the galaxy.

Alana is from a planet called Landfall, the largest in the galaxy, while Marko is from Wreath, the one and only satellite moon of Landfall.  Apparently, familiarity breeds contempt.  Since destruction of one would send the other spinning out of orbit, each side has outsourced the war to other planets, and now the entire galaxy finds itself embroiled in the conflict.

Aside from Marko and Alana, it looks like there's a few other players that will be big parts of the overall story.  The art here is pretty great too.  It's all handled nicely by Fiona Staples who seems to be just the right fit for this epic galaxy spanning story.  She's called upon to draw a wide variety of people, creatures and settings here, and it all looks wonderful.  I'm excited to see more from Staples.


Saga scores points on many fronts, not the least of which is the cost/value front.  You get 44 pages of comic here for $2.99!  Probably the most bang for your buck.  Also, Vaughan and  Staples earn lots of cool points from me for depicting a brown woman breast feeding on the cover of their first issue.  That might sound like a silly thing, but by and large the comics world is a sexist and racist place, and I was happy to see a comic that makes a clear statement that it will not continue to perpetuate a shitty trend.  I'm very excited to see where this one leads.

Manhattan Projects #1: This one ain't gonna win any awards for cool cover art, but it's what's inside that counts right?  Manhattan Projects is another comic from Jonathan Hickman and Nick Pitarra, the creative team that brought us The Red Wing.  I wasn't super impressed with The Red Wing, especially on the art front as I felt that Pitarra was pretty inconsistent through the course of the 4 issue series. But the writing wasn't so hot either.  So really, I didn't have a ton of momentum coming into this title, aside from the fact that Hickman's ideas always sound so damn cool and I usually want to read and see if he delivers.

The concept here is sort of a what if situation where Hickman asks, what if the Manhattan Project, which produced the first atomic bomb, was instead the Manhattan Projects a place for all kinds of weird and wild science experiments and creations to flourish?  *Sigh* I'm such a sucker for mad science.

This first issue focuses on Robert Oppenheimer's first day on the job as he is hired by some dude from the war department that appears to be a cross between Sargent Slaughter and The Great Santini.  A tour of the facilities follows and Hickman mixes in Oppenheimer's and his twin brother's back-story, while the Japanese send a troop of robots through a portal and attack the science facilities.

It makes for an interesting and exciting first issue, but I'm still a bit skeptical.  Pitarra's art still suffers from inconsistency, there's some stuff that looks good, some not so good, and some that looks down-right poor.  (Like the time the guy from the War Deparment's head looks like an unshelled peanut with eyes, ears, nose and mouth.) Consider me firmly on the fence.

Peter Panzerfaust #2: I've been eagerly awaiting this issue too, because I was so pleasantly surprised by the opening issue.  The second issue didn't let me down either.

Peter, and his plucky band of orphan boys manage to waylay some Nazis, steal their guns, knock 'em senseless, steal some intelligence, and plan a rescue mission for some captured Brits.  Not bad for a bunch of teens with no military training.

Wiebe delivers a thrilling and action packed issue once again and continues his red-hot streak of great comic writing.  Jenkins' art is a great accompaniment too.  He evokes the war-torn, occupied France look and feel very well.

My only gripe is that aside from Peter, I have a hard time keeping the other boys straight.  I think I know for sure who Felix is (cold hearted bastard in a short sleeved shirt and sweater-vest) but the other dudes are a blur of names and similar looking faces and outfits. There is one with a white dude 'fro, but I can't parcel out his name yet...I suppose I could just refresh my memory by going back to the first issue, but I'm lazy.  I'm fucked if these kids change clothes.

My laziness aside, this is a fun and entertaining comic that appears to be building towards cool things.  Bring on some more!

Blue Estate #10: One of my favorite comics reaches double digits this month and to commemorate, Viktor Kalvachev and co. deliver what is quite possibly the most hilarious issue of Blue Estate yet.  I was happily entertained by the real estate deal turned creepy/weird sex scene starring the Beckhams Peckhams which had a cameo appearance from none other than the Hoff.

They also mix in some funny stoners, get a racehorse high, and deliver some funny sexual repartee between starlet Rachel Maddox and my favorite character, Tony Luciano.  On top of all that, they also build the plot up to a nice boiling point that will likely erupt next issue.

With this tenth issue, it really seems like the creative minds behind Blue Estate have hit stride and are feeling very comfortable with the story.  This comic has a pretty complex plot with lots of ins and outs, but it has been masterfully delivered and the ride is a lot of fun.  I know I've said this before, but I highly recommend Blue Estate.

Comic Quickies: Farewell Green Wake

Green Wake #10: It is sad to say, but issue 10 of Green Wake is the final issue of this wonderful comic.  The title has had a bit of a rollercoaster life span, it was first meant to be a 5 issue mini, then became an ongoing, then when sales were poor, got the ax.  I guess that's the business side of things.

For its brief lifespan, Green Wake has delivered on quality month in and month out.  Kurtis Wiebe's writing has been strong from issue one on out.  Though Green Wake isn't his most accessible work, (my vote is for The Intrepids) this is probably his best.  I always had the feeling Green Wake was a very personal book for Wiebe and that close to the heart element imbued Green Wake with an added layer quality.

Riley Rossmo's art is pretty much the perfect match for the subject matter.  He has an amazing knack for drawing you into the world with his atmospheric art, and he can draw some really gross/creepy/grotesque/wonderful creature-beasts.  All positives in my book!  Truly a great combination of art and writing.

Farewell Green Wake, I'll miss you.  Thanks for all the memorable times, particularly the soul-bearing moments in issue 5.  Wiebe has a great and detailed description of the Green Wake mythos up at his blog, Spinning Yarn.  Definitely worth checking out, but not before reading issue 10!

I should add that even though issue 10 spells the end for Green Wake, there's plenty of great comics from Wiebe and Rossmo already here or on the horizon.  The duo have a cool looking post-apocalyptic comic coming in July called Debris. Also, check out my post about Wiebe's Peter Panzerfaust. He also has another mini coming up called Grim Leaper.  Rossmo also has a four issue mini coming up about a zombie apocolypse called Rebel Blood.  I'm not a zombie lover by any stretch of the imagination, but this one looks worth a read.  Zombie Squirrels! RUN!

Prophet #22: This is easily my favorite comic of the moment.  Prophet is exactly what I look for from a comic: incredibly fun to read, yet stimulating and thought provoking, great writing, incredible art, and wonderfully creative.  Oh, and throw in sweet beasts.  Hard to beat that!

I could very easily gush on about this title, but you'd be better served by just going out and buying the issues for yourself.  This is one of those titles that makes me slash a bunch of lesser comics off my pull list because it makes me realize how great comics can be and that I shouldn't suffer anything less than the best.  (Good-bye Action Comics, Frankenstein Agent of S.H.A.D.E. and Daredevil.)  I think I'm gushing again.  Yup, I am....

For real though, this is some of the best stuff on the shelf.  It will enhance your life.  Read and Enjoy!

Comic Quickies: War and Tights

Peter Panzerfaust #1: This one here is my surprise of the week.  Why? Because even though it is written by Kurtis Wiebe, (who is pretty much the shiz in creator owned comics lately) I hadn't planned on picking this one up.  However, when I made my weekly pilgrimage to the comic shop I decided to give this bad boy the flip check and it really caught my attention.

First off, the art here is pretty cool.  It's got this loose energetic feel to it that fits very well with the narrative. What you have here is a hefty helping of WWII action and mayhem with a bit of a re-imagining of the Peter Pan story.

Yeah, the concept sounded a little iffy to me too, (I mean Peter Pan isn't exactly the coolest guy in school) but so far things are looking pretty good.  I'm not sure yet if Peter is all that magical, or if his feats just seem magical through the eyes of the other orphan boys in his crew. So far the guy is an enigma.  All in all this was a pretty solid first issue, and I'm definitely looking forward to learning more about the characters and seeing what else Peter Panzerfaust has to offer.

The Activity #3: I'm on a bit of an espionage/war kick right now (which you'll see manifest itself around here in the from of reviews prolly in March) and it all stems from  this comic.  I wasn't totally sold on the first issue of The Activity but over the past couple of months, this comic has slowly grown on me, and now I'm pretty much smitten.

Nathan Edmondson has taken a very realistic, non-glorified approach to espionage in this title and the results are pretty great.  While his previous effort Who is Jake Ellis was an adventure-romp, this one is much more gritty, and character driven.

So far, each issue has been more or less a stand alone, and has centered around a mission where the team goes in and gets the job done in an incredibly professional manner. However, in this third issue, the shit hit the fan on their latest mission, and what we get is the aftermath rehash and finger pointing session with bits of the actual mission mixed in.  It is a pretty cool way to tell a story, and Edmondson pulled it off quite well.  This guy is pretty impressive.  Looking forward to seeing more of this title.

Batwoman #6: This title is still the best thing to come out of the DCnU, even with an artist switcheroo for the second story arc.  Taking over the artistic duties for the next five issues is Amy Reeder.  I was disappointed to hear that she and J.H. Williams III would be trading art duties for the story arcs on this title, but it turns out Reeder is a pretty solid fill in, despite the monstrously huge shoes she has to fill.

This issue takes a unique story telling approach as it delivers the story through six different POV characters.  This was a little bit confusing at first, but once I got the gist of what was going on, I actually thought it was a creative idea and it worked out pretty well.

Like I said earlier, Reeder's art is pretty great.  Sure, her art is a step down from J.H. Williams III, but just about anyone would be a step down.  Anyway, Reeder still delivered on series art specialties like changing art styles depending on the story, and delivered six or seven double page spreads too.  Her art felt a little more cartoony than I'd like for this title, but some of the pages here are quite impressive.  Out of all the DCnU titles I've tried, this is the only one I can say I love.

Action Comics #6: The last time I talked about comics, I mentioned that it looked like Action Comics was about to take a turn towards more epicness, and that Grant Morrison needed to bring the thunder to this title...Well, be careful what you wish for!

This latest issue definitely got more epic, and Morrison definitely brought some extra thunder to the story, but I'm not so sure the results are positive.

This was a strange and confusing issue, despite having some very familiar Superman plot moments.  What goes down is that Superman punches some shit, gets poisoned by kryptonite, almost dies, then at the last minute doesn't die.  However, why these things are happening is anyone's guess.  Oh, and from what I can gather, all this shit is occurring sometime in the future, but some of the people involved are from even further in the future and already know how shit will turn out.  Uh huh.  Part of me thinks that I'm missing something, part of me thinks I'm over-thinking things too much.  Maybe the next issue will clear things up.  I'm putting my faith in you Grant Morrison.

2011 Comics of the Year

TOP 5 COMIC SERIES of the YEAR:


In a year where I was still finding my feet in the comics medium, discovering what I like, and don't like, the battle for the Top 5 Comic Series of the Year had some stiff competition.  Last year I only featured two titles in what was a tie for my top comic, but this year I read way more titles, and it wouldn't be fair to only cover one title, so this year I'm giving you seven!  Damn, I'm nice.  With last year's co-winners Sweet Tooth and Chew still cranking out issues on a monthly basis, will any fresh contenders be able to unseat the champs? (I'll give you a hint, one of them slipped completely out of the rankings all together...) What am I waiting for?  Let's find out!

#5.  Rocketeer Adventures:  This title was an absolute blast.  Basically, a bunch of the industry's best writers and artists got together and cranked out a bunch of short comics and gorgeous pin-up tributes to Dave Steven's Rocketeer.

Each issue of this four issue mini featured some of the best comics creators in the business. The first issue was pretty astounding, but with each issue, there seemed to be a theme of each creator trying to out-do the others.  The result is some absolutely wonderful comics that offer a wide variety of Rocketeer action.  High caliber writing and art is pretty much standard across the board in this Top 5 list, but Rocketeer Adventures offers more variety and plenty of bang for your buck.

Probably my favorite comics moment of the year came when I discovered Geoff Darrow's lovely double-page spread pin-up.  Jaw Droppingly awesome.

#4. Batwoman: In case you've been living under a giant rock all year long, you know by now that DC relaunched all it's titles and started all their shit over at #1.  This provided me with the opportunity to jump onto a bunch of their titles that looked worthy my attention.  Out of the 52 titles they released, I deemed 7 of them worthy of my time and money.  Of those 7, only one gets the glory of being a Battle Hymns Top 5 comic of 2011. That title is, of course, Batwoman.

Batwoman doesn't spend her time battling classic villains like her compatriot Batman, but she seems to have carved out her niche in Gotham's caped and cowled crime fighting community: the supernatural.  In her most recent adventures she finds herself up against a ghostly child stealing wraith; with lots of personal and professional distractions going on amid all the action.  The writing is solid, Kate Kane's sexuality is maturely handled, and issue after issue, this seems to get better and better.  Oh, and the art?  J.H. Williams III is at the top of his game.  Absolutely beautiful work.

#3. The Sixth Gun: I love westerns, and I love fantasy so it should come as no surprise that I love The Sixth Gun, because those two elements have never been so wonderfully intertwined.

Sometimes I feel like the creators, Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt had me in mind when they came up with this concept, because it is very much geared to my tastes. I've been loving this title since issue #1 and have gladly been hooked for the whole journey so far.

The most recent story arc, Crossroads has been extremely entertaining and full of tense, shocking moments.  This comic is pretty much guaranteed to deliver engaging characters, fun western-style action like train hijackings, and crazy supernatural moments like re-animated evil spirits each and every month.  The art seems to just be getting better each go-around too, so there you go.  All around awesomeness.

#2. The Intrepids: The Top 5 list would be sadly incomplete if I failed to mention the awesomeness that is The Intrepids.

Mad science, a tech-ed up teen team battling crazy creations like cyber bears, battle baboons, and robo-squids are all involved in this crazy fun, crazy awesome 5 issue mini series.

Series creators Kurtis Wiebe and Scott Kowalchuk definitely delivered the goods here.  The writing by Wiebe is fantastic, and he delivers action, drama, tension and jokes with equal aplomb.  Kowalchuk's art is some of my favorite from the year.  He draws mad-science creations extremely well, and makes them look incredible...oh, and the rest of his art is great too, but those mad science creations...*sigh*

What astounded me the most about The Intrepids is that the story delivered on multiple fronts, and even packed in some emotional moments, and still managed to be the most fun comic to read on the shelves.

If you still haven't checked this title out, do so immediately.


#1. Sweet Tooth:  You're still the one Sweet Tooth.

Impressively, despite some stiff competition, Sweet Tooth manages to find itself at the top of the heap once again, and really, it was an easy decision to put it at number one once again.  The reason is simple: Sweet Tooth gets better with each issue.  Not only that, but writer/artist, Jeff Lemire continues to explore new ways of telling the story, and by doing so, stretches the boundaries of the comics medium.

Not only is this my favorite on going comic, but it is steadily creeping up the list and becoming one of my favorite all time stories, period.

For as much as I think, discuss, and gush on and on about this series, I still have almost no idea how this will all turn out.  So much of the bigger picture is still shrouded in mystery, but Lemire has done an excellent job off hiding his cards and slowly revealing them one at a time.  I can't wait to see what the next year of Sweet Tooth will bring.

Runners Up:


Who is Jake Ellis?: Wonderful action packed espionage thriller.  Great writing, satisfying ending to the series, and really cool art.

Blue Estate: A seedy Hollywood crime story with plenty of ins and outs.  Crafty, twisty crime writing at it's finest.


BEST SINGLE ISSUE of the YEAR:

Who is Jake Ellis? #1: In a year where I read more comics than I ever have in my entire life, one issue stands out from the crowd, and that is Who is Jake Ellis? #1. When I read it, I felt like I was reading something completely new and unique, which is very rare these days.  Both the writing and the art had a very fresh feel to them.

This issue pretty much did everything perfect.  The writing by Nathan Edmondson was captivating, it introduced the primary characters, set up the plot, and delivered some great action and chase scenes.  The art by Tonci Zonjic has an incredible vibe and personality that gave the series a signature style that is one of a kind.

This issue pretty much stormed the gates... and the whole damn castle fell with the following issues.  In a year bulging with "#1" issues, this one easily takes the cake.

Runner Up: The Intrepids #1: I've got two words for you: Cyber Bear.

Welp, there you go, my favorite comics from the year.  Are there titles I completely overlooked?  What were your favorite comics from the year?

Comic Quickies: A Fond Farewell

The Intrepids #6:  We begin this Comics Quickies with a fond farewell to what has steadily been one of my favorite comics for the past six months, The Intrepids.

I couldn't ask for much more in a comic; The Intrepids pretty much has it all.  From skilled, twist-filled, and fun writing, to art that gives the series a unique feel, and makes each page feel like a little gift, this is truly a wonderful comic.

If mad scientists, cyber bears, robo squids, attack monkeys, high-tech body modifications, action, humor, adventure, spy/special agent hi-jinks and dark pasts hold even a flicker of interest for you, then I urge you to give The Intrepids a shot.

If The Intrepids were a Batman, it would be the Adam West Batman.  If The Intrepids were James Bond it would be Roger Moore.  If The Intrepids were a wrestler it would be The Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase, and if it were a car, it would be a Delorean.

It may be too late to get your hands on the single issues, but there will be a trade collection coming soon so just keep an eye out and then give it a read.

I think this video captures how I feel about the end of The Intrepids.

Loose Ends #1:  This one bills itself as a '4 issue southern crime romance'.  The first issue, which takes place almost completely at a roadside dive bar, mostly delivers on that billing and acts predominantly as a set up for what is to come in the following issues.

I enjoyed the seedy setting, flawed characters, and dangerous regulars of Bobbi's Hideaway.  The story that takes place at the bar is quite interesting and filled with an interesting twist that has me intrigued for the next issue. There are still a few elements that are so far, unexplained but I expect, more shit will come to light in the coming issues.

On top of what looks to be some strong writing, Loose Ends also offers some great art, and comes in a slightly oversized format, with thick, high quality pages.  This is a comic that looks good, feels good, and reads uhm, good...shit, I couldn't make that work. You get the idea.

Mystery Men #4: Mystery Men is a comic series that started out pretty solid, with a moment or two that made me cringe, and has sadly, slowly deteriorated from there.

The biggest contributors to the decline has been the addition of the two latest team members, The Surgeon, and Achilles.  These two guys have pretty much ruined the comic for me.  Every time The Surgeon speaks it's in cheesy medical lingo.  For example, after he dispatches a cop with a syringe full of green...stuff, he declares: "My diagnosis: a feeble mind, leading to faulty detective work.  This operation is concluded...let's scrub down and compare notes."  Yeah, so bad, and there's others, that's just the first one I came to.

Achilles is a pain with the dialog too, but in his case, it's his conflicted inner dialog that drives me nuts.  Nothing has been done to make me care if he is a killer or not, so when he mentally whines about deciding to take someone's life, I find that it just annoys me.

Yeah, there's stuff to like about the comic, like other characters who are pretty cool, and interesting, there's some pretty great art as well, and the plot of the series is interesting, but I just flat out cant stand that there are guaranteed to be at least two groan inducing moments per issue.  Long story short, I wont be buying the fifth and final issue to this mini-series.

Comic Quickies: Finales

Green Wake #5: This fifth issue marks the end of what originally was going to be the whole series, but Green Wake has sold well enough to be magically transformed into an ongoing title rather than a five issue mini.  Nice!

So how'd the first arc go? Pretty great.  The comic has a great blend of mystery and horror, which I know I mentioned before, but that's truly what sells me on the comic each month.

Riley Rossmo's art is totally unique and unlike anything I've encountered before.  Rossmo's style can be a blessing and a curse for me though.  There are times when I feel like his squiggly lines, and textures can be too much. Those times mostly come during the highly emotional moments that Wiebe scripts.  I feel those moments would be better served with a cleaner presentation so that the raw emotional power that is prevalent in Green Wake could have more room to breathe.

As I mentioned earlier, there is a raw emotional power to Green Wake.  Make no mistake, this is an intense story about love, loss and coping with what it leaves behind.  Kurtis Wiebe is so adept at portraying the emotional moments in a very genuine way, that I wonder if he has recent experience in such things.  Either way, it is incredibly compelling.

Overall, a great first arc, and I'm excited to see where the story goes from here.

The Strange Case of Mr. Hyde #4: Another finale, this time in Victorian London.  The fourth and final issue of The Strange Case of Mr. Hyde delivered what the whole series had been building up to:  Mr. Hyde versus Jack the Ripper!

The showdown was a bit boring if you ask me, and the outcome of the action wasn't so much a surprise as it was confusing and strange.   Through the first three issues I really enjoyed where this was going, but I was ultimately pretty disappointed with how the whole thing ended.

Definitely not my favorite mini-series ever, but not the worst either.  Still, I liked the creative team enough that I hope they get some work in the future.  The final page hinted at perhaps some more Inspector Adye adventures, so hopefully Haddon and Corley can keep working and keep improving on what is a solid start in the comics business.

Jonah Hex #70:  The final of my arc/series finales is the final issue of Jonah Hex.

I became a fan of Jonah Hex after the 69th issue rocked my socks off with some great writing and the fantastic art of Jeff Lemire.  When I saw that the final issue would feature the art of Ryan Sook, I figured what the hell, and picked that one up too.

Sadly, my socks stayed firmly on my feet for this issue.

Like I had with the 69th issue, I picked this up because of the artist.  Now, I can't say that I've ever read anything that features Sook's art, but I've seen enough of his various cover artwork to know that the guy is great.  That being said, I can't really say that I was all that impressed with Sook's interior art in this issue.  It was good, but just not as good as I had hoped for.  I think the sparse, barren desert setting didn't allow provide enough of a backdrop for his art to flourish.

The writing wasn't anything special either.  The story was kinda hard to follow, and pretty fucking weird too.  But not in a good way.

A month ago I would have said I was all in for Hex's upcoming All Star Western adventures in the DC relaunch, but now I'm a bit more skeptical, and will approach the first few issues of the series with a much more discerning eye.

Comic Quickies or Sea Creature Double Feature

The Vault #1: Undersea treasure hunting doctors, Gabrielle Parker and Michael Page think they know the location of a massive treasure trove.  They've assembled a team, and acquired the financial backing of a man named Kirilov, who not only can put up the needed money to fund the remainder of their expedition, but can also supply some sweet digging technology.  However, as they near their treasure trove, and start hauling out some booty, a hurricane threatens just over the horizon.

I came into this one hoping for some sweet sea creatures, and monster attacks, and from the way things panned out in this first issue, it looks like my wishes will be granted.  I gotta say though, this first issue was a bit shaky.

There was a lot of information unloaded on the reader, and the learning curve of getting to know the cast of characters, and what is going on is a bit steep.  On top of all that, writer Sam Sarkar packs in a lot of plot development and even the plotting is a bit garbled.  There is a lot of in and out of the water stuff going on, with a character submerged underwater on one page and on the ship in the next.  It is also pretty fucking hard to tell who is who in the diving gear. 

This is only a three issue mini, so I can see why a lot was packed into one issue, but it did feel awkward.  The art is handled by Garrie Gastonny, an artist I found hit and miss during his work on Warren Ellis' Supergod.  The man can draw some sweet beastly creatures though, so I'm hoping for a bit of that in The Vault.

Witch Doctor #2:  So, I was a little skeptical after the first Witch Doctor issue, and though I'm still a bit skeptical after #2, I'm feeling a bit better about things.  This issue kicks off what is intended to be a 3 issue story arc, and has the Doctor investigating a baby who is possessed by a Cuckoo Faerie, a creature that mimics humans, while the brood mother feasts on the human babies her hatchlings are switched out for.

While Dr. Morrow is searching for the Cuckoo Mother, he is contacted by Absinthe O'Riley, a woman who seems to have past connections to the good doctor and is searching for a creature called a "Dagon Lure", a ghastly looking beast if I do say so myself.

The creepy, fucked up looking life-sized Barbie thing that is the Cuckoo Mother is a horribly freaky looking thing, and provided some solid entertainment for this issue.  I get the sense that the real story for this arc lies with Absinthe O'Riley, and her weird sea creature though.  Looking forward to where this is headed. 

Elephantmen #33: There was only one reason I bought this comic...the artwork of Shaky Kane.

Shaky filled in on art for, uh, someone else, in this stand-alone story set in the Elephantmen universe, which I happen to know pretty much next to nothing about.  The story is about a creepy plastic surgeon and his wife/canvas upon whom he tries his most elaborate and daring augmentations upon.  His latest quest is to completely replace her skeleton with an all new ivory one...harvested from dead Elephantmen.

Um, so I didn't pay super close attention to the story, I sorta used my Steven Erikson reading technique where I skim parts that don't seem to matter, and read what is important.  Via this technique I was able to get the gist of what was going on, then sit back and enjoy the insanity that is the art of Shaky Kane. 

Kane's art definitely made this one worth the purchase.  There is some amazingly weird and visceral imagery.  Crazy shit, but totally worth it if you love the work of Shaky Kane.

The Intrepids #5:  As I type this, there is a single, solitary tear leaving a wet track down my cheek...Why? Because it's pretty sad to think that there is only one issue of The Intrepids left to read. 

From the very first issue, I have been in love with this series.  Not only has it featured sharp story telling, some solid humor, great art and some epic battle scenes, but it has, by far I might add, the absolutely best mad-science constructs I've ever encountered.  Though I have a soft spot for the Cyber Bear, Carbon Calamari the robo-squid who terrorizes the pages of this issue, is amazing and is in the running for the Best Creature of the Series.

The Intrepids is truly one of the great comics on the shelves.  I realize at this point, if you aren't already reading it, then it makes sense to buy the trade, however if you aren't reading it, be sure to buy the damn trade when it comes out.  You will not be disappointed.

I can't wait to have the final issue in my hands, and re-read the whole series start to finish.  Great stuff and worth every penny.

The Sixth Gun #13:  I mentioned this last time, but this latest arc of The Sixth Gun is shaping up to be the best one yet.

Every aspect of this comic has shown marked improvement, which is saying a lot 'cause it was pretty damn awesome to begin with.  Hurtt's art is climbing to new heights, and the writing has not only provided some great new characters, but has delivered some great new twists as well.

Though I've enjoyed this series quite a lot, through each issue, I've never had much fear for the safety of the two main characters Sinclair, and Becky Montcrief.  That being said, those two seem to be well and truly effed in this arc.  They are seemingly surrounded by enemies, and their friends seem shaky at best.

This issue had a great cliff hanger of an ending and I'm pretty much drooling for more.

Comic Quickies

The Red Wing #1: This is one of those comics that at soon as it came up in the solicits, I knew I'd be buying it.  First of all, it is written by Jonathan Hickman.  I know that's a name that I haven't mentioned yet around here, but his reputation for writing original, imaginative and ground-breaking comics was enough to get my attention....plus, I have technically read his stuff before (The Nightly News), I just haven't reviewed it yet. (Soon!)

Second, this is a comic about time travel...I've been a sucker for time travel ever since I saw Back to the Future.

Third, the art, handled by Nick Pitarra, (a dude who was a total unknown to me prior to this comic), looks like a beautiful blend of Geoff Darrow, and Frank Quitely.  Which is to say, the art is wonderful. 

So, does it all come together to make a decent comic?  YES!  The story is told in a non-linear fashion, and the first issue mostly serves as a means of introducing the characters and the world.  Basically, from what I can tell, it looks like humanity is at war with an alien race, and that war takes place all through time thanks to time travel.  So far the comic has a bit of an Ender's Game meets Wing Commander meets Star Wars X-wings.  But is probably even better than that sounds.

Mystery Men #3:  When I think about this issue, I have to let off a bit of a sigh.  After the first issue, (despite a catch-a-bullet-in-the-teeth scene) I had high hopes for this comic.  The second issue was pretty solid too, and further buoyed my hopes, but this third issue...well, those hopes got a bit deflated.

In this third issue, we learn that the evil board of directors, who have manipulated millions for their own profit, have created a couple more enemies thanks to meddling and back-stabbing done mostly by The General.

One such guy is a country doctor, whose home gets burned down after he gave medical aid to a striking miner.  Deciding to get revenge, this normally mild-mannered Doctor becomes The Surgeon.  The transformation from country doctor to slasher who deals cheesy one-liners like: "You need to remain still for the operation.  But don't worry...you will feel everything."  was a bit of a stretch.  The character just felt way too forced, and I don't see why he's in the story.

The other new character, who'll also very likely definitely become a team member and help fight The General is an archeologist who gains the powers of Achilles complete with shield and roman style sword.  The issue centered almost exclusively around these two new characters, and they were both pretty lame. 

The writing didn't seem on par with the first two issues either, though the art was still high quality.  Hopefully the next issue can get back to what made the first two issues worth reading: noir-style setting, that is light on the over the top super-hero antics and cheesy elements like shitty dialog and goofy action.

Sweet Tooth #23: Not much to say here except: Holy Fucking Shit!  I did NOT see that ending coming.

Um, so yeah, total shocker of an ending in this month's Sweet Tooth issue.

I realize that every time I do a write-up about Sweet Tooth I mention how I absolutely can not wait for the next issue because of some sort of cliff hanger ending.  Well, this issue has the mother of all cliff hanger endings, and I've never not been able to wait for the next Sweet Tooth issue more than right now.  If Jeff Lemire doesn't give me at least one major coronary by the end of this series, I'll consider myself lucky. 

Seriously, if you read my blog, and I haven't sold you on Sweet Tooth yet, I don't know what to say.  With this epic issue, I think Sweet Tooth just nosed ahead, and is no longer tied with Chew as my favorite comic. 

Green Wake #4: Another fantastic issue of Green Wake.  This issue delivered some long awaited reveals about the characters, their past lives, and Green Wake itself.  It was good to get some answers to a few of the mysteries that have been swirling around since the first issue.  From the looks of things, the next issue should be an exciting end to the first arc of this comic.

This is probably my favorite Green Wake issue so far.  There's some slick detective work, some gristly horror-action, and some interesting psychologically thrilling moments.  Rossmo's art was great too, I feel like he captured each scene quite well.

The next issue should wrap up this story arc, so I'm excited to see if Wiebe can bring everything together and deliver an ending that is as great as these past four issue have been.

  Popgun vol. 3:  So, I haven't read the first two Popgun volumes, but it doesn't really matter.  For those not familiar, Popgun is a giant comic anthology (467 pages!)  that collects a wide variety of short comics by a huge variety of comic creators. 

As you might guess, like most anthology collections, you gotta take the good with the bad here in Popgun vol. 3.  There were times when I was reading this that I was totally absorbed into many of the comics and times when I was completely underwhelmed by the content.  That being said, there is more good here than bad, and some of the stuff is really cool.

As far as anthologies go, I say this is a pretty damn good one.  There is literally something for everyone in here, and thanks to it's giant size, there is plenty of material, so you get to experience a whole bunch of different creators.  Worth checking out if you are unsure of what kind of comics you like and want to experience a wide variety of stuff.  Did I mention Popgun offers variety?

Comic Quickies

Screamland #1:  I really thought Screamland had a lot of promise; A comic starring Pulp-style movie monsters who are out of jobs thanks to green screens and CGI, forced to try and make a buck by hitting the convention circuit...Seems like it would be in my ballpark.

Well, I was wrong. 

Apparently at the height of their fame, during an epic Hollywood style party, (think: pool, hookers, blow, alcohol, etc.) these movie monsters, who include a wolf-man, blob, swamp creature and robo-brain, made an orgy porno.  Flash forward to present day where they are all down on their luck and hard up for cash.  The Invisible Man decides he's gonna release the porn, and try to drum up some publicity.  Oh, and some monsters die.

That's about it.

Even though the plot is razor thin, I could have at least made it to issue #2 had the characters been anything more than caricatures of what we already expect from these pulp creatures.  The Wolf-man snarled a lot, the robo-brain was a Nazi prick, the Blob just wanted people to be his friend.  There just wasn't anything that jumped out as unique or interesting about this comic, and the decision to not pick up another issue was pretty damn easy.

 Green Wake #3:  There's comics like Screamland, and then there's comics like Green Wake.  The former is a total let-down and the latter just manages to creep you out, tug at your heart strings, and leave you dazed, confused and itching for more.

To say that Green Wake is a slow burn style story is a bit of an understatement.  Writer Kurtis Wiebe has done a knock-out job of feeding teeny-tiny little nuggets of long-lusted after information at just the right moments.  Not only that but he's created an incredibly intriguing murder mystery tale, and placed the whole story in a town that is a huge mystery in and of itself, aaand filled that town with characters with mysterious pasts.  That's a lot of mystery.

Riley Rossmo has gotta be one of the most unique comic artists out there.  His art is not immediately the most accessible stuff, but it is work that rewards close scrutiny.  Because there is a lot of plot packed into each issue, and I'm usually incredibly anxious to see what burning questions get answered in the issue, I have to force myself to slow it down and really cover each panel.   As great as Wiebe's writing has been in this series, Rossmo's art has been crucial to setting the atmosphere that makes Green Wake breathe with life.  Taking the time to really enjoy the art makes Green Wake all the better.

Blue Estate #3:  First off, the covers for this series have been some of my favorites of the year.  Shirtless Uzbek drug dealer sitting in a zebra skin chair?  That's a winner in my book.

Blue Estate is starting to feel like the comics version of say a Cohen Brothers or Guy Ritchie film.  Large cast of characters, most of them shady, desperate, or ruthless, a plot with lots of ins and outs, great dialog and a mix of violence and comedy.  So far I've been enjoying the ride.

Lucky for me things started to click for me this issue.  Though I enjoyed the last two issues, I sorta felt lost in all the events that were going on.  In this issue I started to make the connections between specific characters, and what they are up to, and how they fit into the grand scheme.

I think the art mash up that happens each issue is at least a little bit responsible for my confusion.  There's been a gang of artists that attack each issue, and during the issue, the artist can switch at any given moment, which means characters can look at least a bit different from one page to the next.  The slight alterations have given me a bit of a challenge, but I think my learning curve is starting to level out.  Definitely a comic that'll require a straight read through once the whole arc is out.

 Mystery Men #'s 1 and 2:  These issues were a total impulse buy at the comic shop this week.  I was nearly out the door with my weekly purchases, when another customer asked me if I had checked out Mystery Men.  I hadn't, which meant I had to at least give it the flip-check.  The in-store description I got was 1930's era Marvel Universe with pulp style heroes.  Going on that description, and a flip-check that revealed some sweet interior art I made the plunge.

The first issue is sort of the "get the team together" issue.  Which could come across as shitty, but it was actually well handled.  Dennis Piper, AKA The Operative,  is a Robin Hod style cat-burgler who steals from the rich to help out the poor, and oppressed during the depression.  His lady, Alice Starr is an up and coming actress who thinks some guy calling himself "The General" will help connect her with some Hollywood directors.

Unfortunately for Alice, The General, who runs a board of rich and powerful people who plot to oppress millions for their profits, kills her in a sacrifice to some sort of demonic creature that has promised to grant The General great powers.

The General, who has some crooked cops in his pocket attempts to pin the murder on Dennis Piper.  While eluding the police Piper discovers that Alice has a sister who might be the next victim.  As Piper attempts a rescue, which turns into an ambush, he and the sister, Sarah, get rescued by a mysterious guy who named The Revenant.

I will say that I enjoyed these first two issues, but there were a few things I could have done without: The Dirty Harry style catch-a-bullet-in-your-teeth shit was not cool, the cheesy ass way The Revenant speaks is kinda lame, and Sarah being essentially a female Rocketeer seemed a bit cheap.  The Revenant's style of speech turned out to be a plot point and now I'm fine with it, but the other things bug me a bit.  Still, I think these are worth checking out, and I'll be on board for the 3rd issue.

Rocketeer Adventures #2:  It is pretty much a guarantee that a week with Rocketer Adventures in the pull box is an automatic awesome week.  So far, this comic has amazed me.

Yes, this issue is awesome for the great Darwyn Cooke story and art.  Yes, it is awesome for the 8 pages of Gene Ha art.  As amazing as those two things are, and believe me they are amazing.  "Betty Saves the Day" by Cooke is a true gem, however they pale in comparison to the absolutely fucking ridiculously gorgeous pin-up by Geof Darrow.  (I couldn't find a picture of it anywhere on the interwebs, I'm sorry.)  Seriously, that double page spread is the coolest thing I've seen in comics this year.  I really hope it'll become available in poster-form some time in the future.  I wants it.

Anyway, all gushing aside, Rocketeer Adventures is great.  Each issue puts together an all-star cast of writers and artists that crank it up to eleven.  You don't need to have read the original Rocketeer material (I haven't, but I will sooner or later) to enjoy this comic.  It is simply great writers and artists doing some of their finest work with a really cool character.  Check it out!

Comic Quickies A Mixed Bag of Greatness

Rocketeer Adventures #1: This amazing ode to Dave Stevens' Rocketeer is a glorious comic that should be owned by all.  This issue features stories and pin-ups from some of the biggest and most talented artists and writers in the field.

First off there's the beautiful cover by Alex Ross, plus a story written and drawn by John Cassaday, a Mike Mignola pin-up, a story by Mike Allred, and another story written by Kurt Busiek...along with many others.  Along with the field of wonderful talent comes a few great Rocketeer stories.  It was cool to see each creator's unique take on this classic character.

Despite the bevvy of talent I was most taken by the art of Michael Kaluta, a guy who was an unknown to me prior to this comic.  His artwork on the Dear Betty story was nothing short of amazing and his Robo-Squid and Samurai Gorilla were wonderful additions to a couple of sweet black and white panels.  One of the most entertaining and high quality comics I've read this year. I highly recommend picking this up, along with the other three Rocketeer Adventures issues that are forthcoming.

Strange Adventures #1: First things first, I'd like to point out how awesome that Paul Pope cover is.  As much as I like looking at it, the actual copy of the comic I own is not nearly as pretty to look at due to a GIANT Green Lantern movie banner that runs across the top cover.  Thanks DC.  Why the fuck would I want to look at Ryan Reynold's face when I'm reading a Vertigo title?  Keep your lame DC hero movie ads on your lame DC titles please. Ok, moving on...

Strange Adventures is a collection of sci-fi themed short comic stories.  I openly admit that I pretty much only picked this up based on the fact that I knew there'd be a Jeff Lemire story in it.  His entry Ultra the Multi-Alien  was pretty wonderful.  Like all great Lemire stories it was tinged with a heavy dose of tragedy.  In the span of eight pages the guy nearly had me in tears.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that Lauren Beukes had a story in here also.  All the Pretty Ponies was pretty damn good, and I'd love to see her idea get fleshed out in greater length.  Of all the stories, the Lemire, and Beukes tales stood out as the best, and I was pretty underwhelmed by the Brian Azarello and Eduardo Risso story Spaceman which gives readers a first look at their new series.  I don't think I'll be diving into that one anytime soon.

 The Strange Case of Mr. Hyde #2: The plot thickens in a big way here in this second issue as we see Detective Adye team up with Dr. Jekyll in hopes of putting Jack the Ripper in cuffs.  There's some incredibly tense and nerve wracking moments as the two work together and get into and out of trouble.

I was happy to see Dr. Jekyll get some more page time, as he struck me as a very interesting character in the first issue.  Jekyll more or less stole the show in this issue, and looks to be a major player in the next two issues.

Somehow Cole Haddon, the writer, manages to pack plenty of story into one issue.  I definitely feel like I'm getting my money's worth.  The art of M.S. Corley is also quite good again, and I'm definitely looking forward to the next issue.

The Intrepids #'s 3 and 4: I know I'm way behind on my comic reading/reviewing when I lapse and have to double up on one of my favorite comics.

I'll try to put this simply: The Intrepids is one of the most entertaining and fun comics out there.  I'm pretty amazed by how many awesome/crazy ideas Kurtis J. Wiebe has managed to pack into this series so far, and I get the sense that the best is yet to come.  Scott Kowalchuk's artwork continues to be some of the most unique and visually interesting art in the business.  I truly believe he's the perfect guy to draw Wiebe's mad science imaginings.

As this story progresses, I find myself getting further invested in the characters.  Most of the character development attention is given to Crystal, the team leader.  My only gripe with the series is that I wish there was more attention given to Doyle, Rose, and Chester, the other team members.  Still, even though they don't get as much character development, those characters still have unique and interesting qualities that make them stand out and add more depth to the story.

With only two issues left, I'm starting to feel pretty depressed that The Intrepids is coming to a close.  I know I've gushed about this series before, but I highly recommend it, as I think its an accessible and high quality story for just about anyone out there. 

Green Wake #2: Kurtis J. Wiebe's other comic effort is the dark mystery story Green Wake.  This comic takes a definite slow-burn approach that fits the plot well, and I personally really enjoy.  In this day and age of instant gratification this drawn out style of story telling may be a turn off for some readers, but I think it makes the mystery element of this comic more intriguing.

Though things move slow, and important information is kept obscured, hidden and slowly revealed, there is some important reveals and clues in this issue.  That being said, there's a plenty of further mysteries and questions that result from those little nuggets that are revealed.

Green Wake is another example of great story telling and art in the comics medium.  Each issue so far has demanded my full attention and I've had to force myself to take my time with Rossmo's art which can take some adjusting to.  I'm looking forward to the next installment which hits stores today.

 Who is Jake Ellis? #4: Rounding out this mixed bag of comic awesomeness is the latest WiJE?.  I've discussed the hallmarks of this series before but I'll reiterate: if you like fast paced espionage action and a story that is paced perfectly with a clean no-frills, no-waste plot this is your comic. 

I really try to avoid gushing like a depraved fanboy around here, but shit, Who is Jake Ellis? is really fucking good.  The writer, Nathan Edmondson does a great job telling the story, but I also appreciate how he'll let Toni Zonjic's art take over at times and do the heavy lifting.  These two guys seem to work really well together, and it shows in how flawless the connection between the art and story is in each issue.

There's a great twist/plot reveal at the end that'll probably have me pulling my hair out until the next issue lands in my pull box.  Really great stuff, and so worth checking out if you haven't done so already.