Comic Quickies: The Rocketeer Flies Again

Rocketeer Cargo of Doom:  It's no secret around here that I'm a liker of the Rocketeer.  So, a new Rocketeer mini series is pretty much an instant buy and instant read for me.  IDW apparently also shares my love for the Rocketeer as well, since they have been responsible for producing all this great Rocketeer material of the past couple years.

The creative team behind The Cargo of Doom is a couple of industry heavy hitters, Mark Waid, and Chris Samnee.  Recently, Waid has been winning Eisners and Harvey's thanks to his work on Daredevil and Samnee has been earning lots of recognition cred for his high quality art, on a variety of projects.  As far as creative teams go, I think IDW really picked a couple of winners.  Waid has a knack for writing gripping, action-packed, and fun stories that don't go off the deep end with too much darkness or grittiness.  On the art side, Samnee has this great dynamic art style with lots of thick and juicy black inks that is a really great fit not only for the Rocketeer's high-flying action, but also a great fit for the time period the story is set in.

This first issue works pretty well as an opening issue.  We get to know all the primary characters, get a taste for their personalities, get some Rocketeer action, and get just enough of a taste of the "cargo" that is so doomy.  Oh, there's also some love drama in Cliff's life that could add an interesting element.  I can already tell that this is gonna be one of my favorite comics for the next few months.

The Sixth Gun #24:  Yikes!  I can't believe it's been nearly a year since I last wrote about The Sixth Gun.  I've been reading this comic in the monthly format since the first issue came out for free comic book day a couple years ago.  Ever since then, this has been one of my favorite titles, and it has only gotten better as time passes on.  Bunn and Hurtt have created a wonderful fantasy western world to set their story in and I truly enjoy falling into that world on a monthly basis.

This 24th issue is the start of a new story arc titled Winter Wolves and looks to be the start of more wonderful stuff.  General Hume, who has been out of commission since the 6th issue, makes a brief and creepy appearance, and Drake and Becky run  into some trouble with a giant white wolf.  It also looks like we might see more of Gord Cantrell, one of my favorite side characters, in this arc.  Gord's got some voodoo-dark magic tricks up his sleeves, so I'd love to see more of what he's capable of.

Brian Hurtt is one of the most unsung artists in comics, and this is one of his very best issues of The Sixth Gun yet.  This is an artist working at the top of his game on one of the finest comics on the shelves.  If you haven't had the pleasure of checking this comic out, throw all reservations aside.  The Sixth Gun is a winner.

Fables Vol. 5 The Mean Seasons:  Yup, I'm still reading and loving Fables.  Hands down some of the very best stuff I've read in comics.  The fifth trade collection, The Mean Seasons, is one hell of a whirlwind read.  Lots, and I mean lots of things go down in this volume.

First off, we get our first taste of Cinderella in this one, and I gotta say, she is one of the most interesting fables yet.  Her first story is brilliant.  That's just the opening salvo of this volume which covers more ground than a football field.  We also get a war story starring Bigby Wolf from back in his war fightin' days, the birth of some new little fables, the sundering of a relationship, and the election of a new Fabletown governor.

It's a lot of diverse stuff going on for one collected edition, but it didn't take away from my enjoyment one bit.  Sure, this volume didn't do a ton to move the major story line along too much, but it did move many different character arcs forward and put some pieces in place to make the story going forward much more interesting.  The Mean Seasons left me craving more from Fables which is why I followed this read up immediately with this next one....

Fables Vol. 6 Homelands:  This one starts out catching everyone up with what Jack has been up to since he ditched Fabletown. The story is pretty good, as Jack is one of those characters I love to hate, but I gotta say I was not a fan of the guest artist for this story.  David Hahn had the guest artist duties here, and he just wasn't up to snuff compared to the other guest artist that have been featured in this series.  Weak art can definitely take away from a good story, and that was the case here, as I don't think I enjoyed Jack Be Nimble nearly as much as I could have.

So, the start of this volume was a let down, but the rest of the trade more than made up for the false start.  The bulk of the remainder of this volume is given over to Boy Blue and his epic adventures across a series of fable-realms.  With the Witching Cloak and the Vorpal Blade, two of the most powerful fable artifacts, at his disposal, Blue goes on a deadly rampage through the Adversary's realms in an attempt to take out that evil fucker.  Not only is this an incredibly exciting adventure to read, but there's some really BIG reveals in this one that are quite important to the story.

With six volumes of Fables under my belt, I have no plans to slow down my pacing.  Well, maybe a bit, as I have to read Underwater Welder soon, but I plan to dive even deeper into this series over the next few weeks.  It is really fantastic and if you haven't already done so: read and enjoy.

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 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.

Battle Hymns' 2011 SDCC Highlights

So, the San Diego Comic Con was this past weekend.  SDCC is the Big Daddy of comic conventions, and it is when all the comic makers like to make big announcements about big things that are coming up.

I tried to follow the highlights of the con as best I could, and I've rounded up what I consider to be the coolest, most interesting news coming out of the con.  So here are my SDCC highlights:

2011 Eisners:  The Eisner Awards are like the Oscars of comics, minus the pampered, dysfunctional insecure actors and actresses.  So, way cooler than the Oscars.  You can see the complete list here, but I'll go through a few highlights:

Best Continuing Series  went to Chew, which I think is well deserved.  The comic won Best New Series last year, so this is a move in the right direction for the comic.  Joe Hill pulled in an Eisner for Best Writer, and Darwyn Cooke, deservedly took home the Best Writer/Artist for his adaptations of the Richard Stark Parker novels The Hunter and The Outfit. 

Nate Simpson won the Richard Manning Promising Newcomer Award for his one issue of Nonplayer.  That might seem like a very small body of work to go off in order to give such a fancy award, but believe me, Nonplayer is stunning, and Nate Simpson totally deserves the accolades. 


The Underwater Welder:  From the looks of things (Thanks Multiversity Comics!)  it would appear that Jeff Lemire's next graphic novel, The Underwater Welder, will make its debut at next year's SDCC.

Lemire made this announcement via Twitter, so there isn't a lot of detail to tell about it. Other than that little tid-bit I know that it is written and illustrated by Lemire, so in my book, that means it'll likely be pretty fucking awesome.

When I spoke to Lemire at the Emerald City Comicon he said that out of all his work in comics he is most proud of The Underwater Welder, so that right there is a pretty good endorsement.  I'm looking forward to it.

Image Announces Some NEW* Comics:  When the Image Comic announcements came out I was particularly interested to see what they were promoting because, well frankly, they are putting out the best comics right now.  So, I was totally surprised to see that they were pimping a fucking MacGyver comic.  Yeah, that MacGyver.  I'm pretty sure this is seriously gonna be a comic. I look forward to giving that first MacGyver issue a flip-check.

Another cool announcement was that Kurtis J. Wiebe, who has been continuously impressive on both The Intrepids and Green Wake will have a new comic titled Peter Panzerfaust which will hit shelves sometime in 2012.  I wish there was more information about it available, but so far, just a cover image. 

It also looks like the current Witch Doctor mini-series will be followed up with a one-shot in December, and another mini in March of 2012...it's nice to see Image will still be bringing the thunder well into 2012.  (Props to Comics Alliance and Multiversity Comics for their information!)

The 6th Gun TV Adaptation:  It looks like one of my favorite ongoing comics, The Sixth Gun will be getting a TV adaptation soon.  The Syfy channel will be handling what looks to be a six episode mini-series that will cover the events of the first arc.

I have mixed feelings about this adaptation business.  Brian K. Vaughn said in a recent interview that "Comics should be the destination...not the blueprint" and I agree, but I also find that I enjoy seeing live action adaptations of my favorite stories...though I never enjoy them as much as the source material.  (Thanks to Comics Alliance for the pic and the information!) 

DC Plugs Their New "Dark" and "Edge" Titles:  This stuff gets a mention because a fairly big chunk of the DCnU stuff I'm looking forward to checking out fall into these two categories.

Jeff Lemire talked about his two titles Animal Man and Frankenstein Agent of S.H.A.D.E. 

It looks like Animal Man is gonna be more of a horror book rather than a super hero book.  Which is a relief to me, since I'm not so sure how excited I am for this comic, but had planned on checking it out simply for the fact that it is written by Lemire.  That it will be a horror comic makes me more excited.

Frankenstein is gonna be more about balls out action, and the art for the series looks to fit that description quite well.  I guess there'll be some one-shots, with guest artists, mixed in which will explore Frank's history through the various people whose bodies were used to create the monster. (Once again, Comics Alliance with the info and art!) 

Jonathan Hickman Announces Two More Image Titles:  The heading pretty much says it all.

Hickman is a big name in comics, thanks in large part to his work with Marvel.  However, I'm most interested in his creator owned material, so it is good to hear that after he completes his current creator owned Image series The Red Wing he'll be moving on to more creator owned stuff.


My perusal of the Multiversity Comics blog tells me that the first one will be titled The Manhattan Projects and will about the men who created the nuclear bomb, and the second, Secret will be a corporate espionage story.  Hickman said that both titles will run longer than his usual mini's and come in around fifteen issues.  All around good news.  The comics both sound pretty interesting, so I'll be looking forward to them whenever they come out...

Brian K. Vaughan's New "Saga": So, I saved the bestest, most excitingest piece of news for last:  Brian K. Vaughan, the writer of Y: The Last Man and Ex Machina has announced that he'll be kicking off a new ongoing "balls to the walls" sci-fi comic.

The story will follow a family during their struggle to survive an intergalactic war. The art will be handled by Fiona Staples, who, judging from the teaser image, is a great choice for the comic.

There isn't a lot of information available, but once again, Comics Alliance delivers the news, and scores an interview with Vaughan where he talks a little bit more about the comic. 

I'm particularly excited about Saga for the fact that it is written by Vaughan.  Y: The Last Man is one of my all time favorite comic series, and Ex Machina, pending a solid ending, will be right up there too.  So, yeah, I have high hopes for this series.  You can bet I'll be updating information on this when more info is available.


So, that's all the news that I found particularly interesting coming out of SDCC 2011.  There were oodles and oodles of other announcements and promotions, but for my money, the above is what I consider to be the coolest stuff.

Once again, I'd like to thank Comics Alliance and Multiversity comics for their amazing coverage of the con.  I would be mostly ignorant of the SDCC happenings if not for these two sites, and for sure, this post would be a joke without their professional coverage.

Comic Quickies: Westerns and Witch Doctors

The Sixth Gun #12: The first arc of The Sixth Gun was awesome, and it seemed like if they stopped there, that would be a fine end to an awesome story.  Yet, creators Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt carried on and delivered a second arc that wasn't as awesome as the first, but still quite good.  With this 12th issue, they kick off the third story arc, so without any delay, let's jump in.

Drake Sinclair and Becky Montcrief, who, between the two of them hold 5 of the 6 guns of power, are on a train heading west.  Along for the ride are  The Swords of Abraham, a religious order who are preparing for some sort of supernatural war.  Missy Hume, holder of the final gun of power and one of the many fine villains from the first arc, discovers that the train is transporting the chained body of her husband, General Hume, a man who cannot truly die.  With the help of a sinister looking fellah named Eli Barlow, she sets up an ambush that turns deadly.

If the opening pages are anything to go by, this arc shows a lot of promise. The train ambush was completely amazing, full of action, drama, and plenty of shit getting blown up.  It looks like some of the principle baddies from the first arc will be back in this one, along with some new foul villains too.  I'm interested to see what this Eli Barlow character turns out like.  This was an awesome issue, and I'm very excited to see where things go.

For those who haven't had the joy of reading The Sixth Gun yet, but want to, this issue would serve as a great jumping on point.

 Jonah Hex #69:  I've never read a Jonah Hex comic before, and I don't know anything about the character, but this was a must-have issue for the fact that Jeff Lemire handles the art on this one.

When a gold prospector strikes it rich, some local thieves plan to waylay him once he's mined all the gold.  Jonah Hex catches wind of the situation, and follows the thieves to stop the theft but is seemingly too late to save the miner who is gut-shot.  It soon comes to light that the miner, and Jonah share a past, and Jonah Hex is all too happy to watch the man die.

Overall, this was a pretty great story, and Lemire's art is definitely awesome.  His sparse and rough style works really good in a western-style setting and each page is awesome to look at.  Lemire is one of my favorite comic artists in the business, so this was a nice treat for me.

I guess each issue of Jonah Hex is a stand-alone story, and they get different artists to work each issue.  Next month's artist is Ryan Sook, so I'll probably check that one out too.  In September, due to the DC Relaunch, Jonah Hex becomes All Star Western with art by Moritat, who is another fine artist, so I wouldn't be surprised to see more of this character popping up around these parts.  

Witch Doctor #1:  I've been eagerly anticipating Witch Doctor ever since I read an article about the comic at SFF World.  Since then, the comic has gone through some changes and altercations, but though the road to print has been a long one, Image is finally putting a four issue mini-series of Witch Doctor out.

The first issue hit shelves a week ago, and it was worth the wait.


The first issue is a stand-alone story that pretty much sets up the who's who and the what's what of the comic.  While investigating/diagnosing a possessed child we meet Doctor Vincent Morrow, his assistant Eric Gast, and his anesthesiologist Penny Dreadeful.  We also get a mini tour of his clinic/lab, and a run down of his job - He's a specialist in supernatural medicine...I want that job.

For my money there was a bit too much information being dropped right off the bat, but really I cant complain too much because it was all about demonic possession, which is well, awesome.  Not the greatest first issue, but a solid introduction to the story, and I'm interested enough to check out the second issue which'll begin a 3-issue story arc. 

Comic Quickies: All Guns Blazin'

The Sixth Gun #'s 10 and 11:  Hoo boy, I sure am far behind on my comic reviews.  So far behind that I had the tenth issue of The Sixth Gun sitting in my review pile for a whole month before I got around to it.

Don't let my terrible reviewing habits deter you from reading this series.  It is absolutely flipping awesome.  If I had to pick my next favorite ongoing comics series after Chew and Sweet Tooth, I just might pick The Sixth Gun.  This comic is a fantastic blend of western, fantasy, and horror, and I absolutely love it.

While this second story arc has featured less of the six magical guns, and less shootin'  it has delivered some epic and exciting moments.  I will say that I enjoyed the first story arc a bit more than this second.  I guess I never felt that Sinclair, Becky, and Gord were in as much danger during this arc as they were in the first when running from General Hume and his death squad.

What looks to be the important aspects of this arc are the introduction of Kirby Hale, and some cool world building.  Some new supernatural elements are introduced, and the world of The Sixth Gun seems to be full of evil spirits, ghosts, ghouls and demons that are just itching to get their hands on the guns of power.  That means that pretty much where ever Sinclair, Becky and the guns go, trouble is likely close behind.

It should also be noted that this second story arc was just five issues long where the first arc was six issues.  Those of you looking to buy trades and jump on with the third arc, need to get yourselves prepared for some sweet six shootin' action sooner rather than later.  Awesome, and inventive writing, along with some fantastic art, make The Sixth Gun one of the finest reads on the shelves.  This is a comic you don't want to miss.

Rotten #'s 7-9:  Never in my life has anything made me say "Oh, fuck yeah!" out loud more often then Rotten.  In fact, it happens almost as much as I say, "Oh, shit, that's nasty!"  Yes, I can truly count on Rotten to always deliver the awesome, the sickening, and the balls-out action.

The seventh issue kicks off a new story arc that has our two heroes, Agent Flynn and Agent Wade split up.  While Flynn travels to Chicago to meet and debate with other intellectuals in the field of medicine, Wade Travels to a logging town in the Pacific Northwest to investigate the latest zombie outbreak.

The seventh issue stands out for what is maybe the most epic/hilarious/cathartic moment in all of comics.   I don't want to spoil too much, but I'll say that Wade dispatches a Sarah Palin zombie in a very epic way.  "Shut. The Fuck. Up. You brain-dead bitch." Is quite possibly the greatest set of speech bubbles ever.

While Wade is fucking up zombies, Flynn is living it up, socializing with other great minds, eating some tasty sausage, and courting a lovely lady.  However, he also finds himself stuck in the middle of a large, ongoing debate between the scientific minds of Chicago, and a large group of ignorant citizens who don't believe in the theory of evolution.  Flynn also crosses paths with the mysterious Aubrey, the strange albino who almost killed Wade in an earlier issue.

Though only nine issues in, Rotten, when it comes out, is proving to be one of the more entertaining reads on the shelf.  The publication rate is pretty sporadic though.  I believe this is more due to the publishing company, Moonstone, than it is the fault of the creative team.  Since there has been a fairly lengthy gap between issues, I just save 'em up till I have a full story arc, then read the whole thing.

The writing of Rotten will definitely keep you on your toes.  Not only does writer, Mark Rahner add in lots of little historical tid-bits that tie into modern day media, but he also demands your attention as the zombies evolve, and little clues are peppered in.

What sets Rotten apart from other zombie tales is the zombies themselves.  While most zombies we see all too often these days are brainless, shuffling cannon fodder, the zombies of Rotten are an ever changing beast.  In this arc Wade found himself battling hordes of untiring undead with the ability to run, and swim.  In past issues the zombies have possessed different abilities.  Though it might seem like a small thing, the fact that the zombies are different each time makes them a far more interesting adversary.  I also like the fact that Wade and Flynn pretty much have no idea what they are up against, and what the zombies will be like the next time they cross paths.

Rotten is an underrated and under appreciated comic.  It flies a bit under the radar due to that fact that it's not published by one of the bigger publishing names, but in my mind it blows away much of the competition.  This is way better than almost all other zombie stuff out there, and it truly is getting better with each issue.  When I reviewed the first Rotten graphic novel  I wasn't in love with the art, but it improves with each issue.  If you are looking for some balls to the walls action, and glorious zombie killin' that is as smart as it is entertaining, give Rotten a try.

Comic Quickies or New Beginnings

I've been up to plenty of new comic reading lately, I just haven't had much chance to share.  This week's edition of Comic Quickies features four titles that all share something in common, they are either the first issue of a new series or the first issue in a new story line.



Who Is Jake Ellis #1: This comic was easily my pleasant surprise of the month.  This one looked cool in the previews, and the issue itself exceeded my expectations.  The comic begins with a deal gone wrong, and some shady business men trying to kill our main man Jon.  As Jon makes a nifty escape, the comic comes to a full stop and replays the last fifteen seconds, this time showing the same exact opening scene, but with Jake Ellis, Jon's invisible guardian-angel-type-dude, in the picture this time showing the role he played in aiding Jon's escape.

From there the issue speeds along with great pacing.  Jon is pretty much on the run for reasons not totally clear yet, aside from the few details that could be parceled out from the opening scene.  I gotta say that I got totally sucked into this one, and I'm most likely on the hook for the duration of the five issue series.  I wanna know more about what is going on, and definitely wanna know who is Jake Ellis.

Infinite Vacation #1: Another debut here.  Infinite Vacation takes a fairly common comic idea: that there are millions of alternate universes all populated with the same people but where in one world a guy might be a janitor, in another he might be president.   In Infinite Vacation people have the ability to download an app to their smart phone and buy their way into one of their own alternate lives.  The changes don't have to be as extreme as switching from a janitor to the president, you could simply switch to the universe where you had the balls to talk the pretty girl who smiled at you in the coffee shop.

The main guy in Infinite Vacation, Mark, seems to be pretty bored with his own existence and switches lives about nine times a day, in the top 20th percentile for switching.  I get the feeling Mark is your typical bored rich kid, since it is pretty costly to make changes to other yous.  One cheaper option, that Mark uses quite often, is to simply visit other universes and hang out with say, the Mark who decided to open a surf shop in Tahiti.  Mark seems like a pretty confused guy who is looking for the happiest way to live his life, but things get even more confusing when Marks from the alternate realities start getting killed soon after our Mark visits them.

The concept behind Infinite Vacation is pretty interesting, but I'm not sure how it will sustain a full on monthly series.  I definitely enjoyed this first issue, and I'm interested to see where this one is going.  I'm not totally in love, but I'm willing to pick up a few more issues to give it a shot.  I gotta add that there is some seriously trippy art work in this comic.  Very pleasing to the eye.



Chew #16: There's strange alien writing in the sky, the future's uncertain, and the end is likely near, but that doesn't stop Tony Chu from trying to figure out what the hell the alien writing means.  Sure, everybody is on edge, including Tony's partner John Colby, who has taken up heavy drinking, but they need to find a guy named Daniel Migdalo who might be able to translate the alien script.  You see, Migdalo is voresophic, which means he gets smarter with the more food he eats. Since Colby is out of commission, Chu teams up with agent Velenzano to try and track down Migdalo.  As you might expect from Chew, things end poorly for Chu.

It looks like Chu and the other FDA agents have been forced to switch their focus from the chicken prohibition to dealing with the strange Alien writing.  An interesting side story that takes place in this issue is that of the former fried chicken restaurant Mother Clucker's.  It looks like with the help of D-Bear the restaurant will be reopening its doors.  I'm excited to see what this little story thread leads to as it parallels the main story line.

The Sixth Gun #7:  After an epic opening storyline that filled the first six issues, The Sixth Gun begins the Crossroads storyline.  The opening pages of this issue find Becky and Drake Sinclair laying low in New Orleans.  Becky is still bound to the 6th gun, and Drake is in control of four others.  The final gun is still in the hands of Miss Hume, but she seems to be out of the picture for the moment.  This new issue introduces a potential new player, Kirby Hale, a pretty boy who flirts with Becky at a saloon, then single handedly destroys a gang of thugs after getting called out for a standoff.  Hale comes across as the golden boy hero, but knowing Cullen Bunn's writing style, Hale could end up being the exact opposite of what I think he is.

Drake Sinclair's voyage through the creepy ass cypress swamp is shaping up to be one hell of a supernatural adventure.  It is nice to see the story moving forward, but I can't say that I have too big of a clue as to where it is headed.  All signs point to more greatness though as Bunn sets the table nicely.  Definitely one of the best on-going titles out there. 

The Sixth Gun

I just read the 6th issue of this awesome ongoing comic series the other day, and it is easily one of the best single comic issues I've read all year. The sixth issue wraps up the first story arc and will be collected in trade/graphic novel format soon enough. I thought I'd give folks the early heads up and do a review of the first arc before the graphic novel version hits shelves.

My love affair with The Sixth Gun started waaay back in May on Free Comic Book Day. If you click the link, you can tell, I didn't have any idea how awesome this comic would be. The first issue opens with a group of Pinkerton detectives reporting to the mysterious and evil looking Mrs. Hume. The Pinkertons had been looking for some mysterious artifacs, namely "The Sixth Gun" which once belonged to Mrs. Hume's husband. Working alone, Drake Sinclair is also searching for the sixth gun, and his search which culminates at a ghostly gallows tree reveals the name Montcrief and a location.

The Pinkertons have had their eye on The Montcrief farm too, and after a deathly ambush, young Becky Montcrief comes to be bonded to the elusive sixth gun, yet is captured and taken away by the Pinkertons. In the meantime, the Mysterious General Hume, original owner of the Sixth Gun, has been released from his grave/prison by a group of four fearsome men, who all possess an enchanted six-shooter of their own.

Becky is eventually rescued from the clutches of Mrs. Hume and her Pinkerton lackeys by Sinclair and his dual-shotgun wielding friend Billjohn O'Henry. The trio narrowly escape after a brutal gun fight which brings them barrel to barrel with General Hume and his four henchmen. Reunited with his wife, General Hume and his company set out in search of Becky, Sinclair and Billjohn, setting in motion a deadly game of cat and mouse that culminates in an epically amazing showdown at The Maw.

The creators behind The Sixth Gun are Cullen Bunn and Brian Hurtt. These two consistently deliver awesome material in this comic. It is the perfect mash up of western, horror, fantasy, and a bit, but not too much, zombie killin'. What struck me about this comic from the get-go was how it easily managed to suck me into its world. When I read that first issue I instantly wanted to know more about the characters, more about what the hell was going on, and of course, I wanted to know more about the guns. That sense of mystery and intrigue still flavors the series, as more characters are introduced, and more is revealed about the principle characters.

Art is an important aspect of any comic, but Hurtt's art is especially important to this series as it deals with multiple genre's all rolled into one. Hurtt draws ghastly beasts, dusty western towns, zombies, and explosive gun fights with equal skill. Where he really shines though is his ability to draw atmosphere. I know that sounds like a load of shit, but I mean that, he draws scenes which depict creepy graveyards, raucous saloons, lightning filled magical incantations and brings them to life, and makes you feel like you are there. Basically, Hurtt is a great artist working on top of his game.

The Sixth Gun is one of those rare comics that has something for everyone. While a lot of the stuff on the shelves only appeals to certain audiences, this one delivers on multiple levels. Guns? Check. Not into guns? Ok, Swords? Check. Magic? Check. Fantastical Beasts? Check. Explosions? Check. Mystery? Mayhem? Check, check. Ok, so no sex, and no love story...yet.

The 6th issue wraps up the first story arc, so those of you who wait for trades can pick up the first trade soon enough. Which I strongly urge you to do. According to Comixology, it'll be out on January 12th. Hopefully it'll come sooner though. Simply put, The Sixth Gun kicks ass.

If you still are in need of further convincing, check out the cool video trailer:





Grade: A