Eternity is Not For Me

It's funny how a book can be so promising and yet when you have it in your hands you end up putting it back on the shelf. National Comics: Eternity is that book for me. I love Jeff Lemire’s Sweet Tooth, and Animal Man, and have enjoyed everything else I’ve read by him. I greatly enjoy Cully Hamner’s art too, having followed his work since the 1990s, Hamner, alongside his Gaijin Studios contemporary, Brian Stelfreeze have a real vibrancy in their storytelling and infuse real character in their characters. Their action choreography is exquisite also, noticeably superior to the vast majority of working comic book artists in any genre.

All in all this looks like a great book, but there’s something about the premise and the feel that left me a bit cold. I suppose what I’m trying to say is check out this book in the shop, it wasn't for me but I’m sure it'll be a class act. Let me know what it's like.

Valhallahan

The Massive Disappointment

Well that’s annoying.

The Massive #2

We at 2Badguys do not approve of the industry’s frankly ridiculous love of alternative incentive covers (one to be filed under "shit that gives comic books a bad name"). This sometimes comes to a head, like this week when I picked up a copy of "Ninth Wave: Fight for Jakarta" the font of the title and presence of characters from The Massive indicating this is connected to the series. I picked this up, bagged in the shop, alongside my week's haul, thinking this was an addition to the main story presented in the comics actually titled "The Massive" only to find that this was just The Massive #2 but with a different cover and a higher price point. An issue that I bought when it came out last week.

Also The Massive #2

This is not the first time I’ve been suckered this way.

A word to the wise; if the book is sealed on the shelf, ASK the staff in the shop to have a look, don’t think "Ooh this must some kind of spin-off or prequel, may as well throw that on the pile". Another four quid I’ll never see again, and it didn't even get me slightly drunk.

A word to the publishers; what fucking shenanigans is this? You’ve printed the same fucking book as last week but with a different cover, a different title and no indication that it is a reprint of said differently titled book, just rebranded. At least give us something on the front however subtle that lets us know what book it is. Marvel and other publishers put a little "Variant" or "second printing" on there for those of us not keen on buying the same issue twice with different pictures on the front. Serious dick move.

Rant over.

Valhallahan

Debris #1

Debris #1
Written by Kurtis J. Wiebe 
Art by Riley Rossmo

Action Ash
So I had seen the preview for this in the back of another book and I thought the cover art was really cool. I knew I was going to pick it up when it came out because what I had seen so far had piqued my interest. A girl fighting giant mechanical creatures in a junkyard landscape. What's not to like, right? Unfortunately there's not much else to it, and I was expecting a lot more.

Plot: Post apocalyptic world where the remnants of mankind live in a small fortified town and attempt to defend themselves against giant mechanical creatures, imaginatively named "Colossals". Oh and water is in short supply. Whatever.

The story is not that interesting and already within the first issue has fallen back on certain tropes and cliches of post apocalyptic fiction and typical quest stories. The lead character is chosen to go on a quest to a mythical place with the fate of humanity resting on her shoulders blah blah blah, you see where this is going.
The dialogue isn't anything special either.
Not a lot actually happens in this issue because it's mainly a set up issue, however this is only a 4 issue mini series so Mr. Wiebe might have wanted to have put more story in this issue and not so many of the page count swallowing action sequences.

On the other side of things, I couldn't fault Riley Rossmo too much, as his art is the best thing about this book. I recently read 'Wild Children' which was also drawn by him, however that also had a disappointing story (find better people to work with Mr. Rossmo). Getting back to Debris though, I think the 'Colossals' could have done with a bit more detail but I do recognise how hard giant mechanical snakes and birds can be to conjure up with just your pencil and imagination so I can cut some slack on that one.


It's not a completely bad book and I may buy the next issue to see where it goes, but I'm not digging Debris as much as I thought I would. The concept could be done much better. Distinctly average!

2 and a half mechanical monitor lizards out of a possible 5 Mecha Godzillas

The Dark Knight Rises: Be Warned!

Inveterate drunk that I am, I skipped out on my ticket to see The Dark Knight Rises with the irredeemable Action Ash to go on the sauce Instead. Though to my geek credit I was really doing it out of respect for the movie, chosing not to go whilst full of expensive hooch, prefering to witnes Nolan's finale with as unclouded a mind as I can muster. That’s my excuse anyway.

Essentially, what I’m saying is I haven’t seen it yet, so if you spoil the plot, I will

Valhallahan

What I Got/What You Should Get: This Time I give You Orders!

OK so here we are again, here’s what I got and Why... but with a twist!

What follows is my haul for this and last week, with shorter bits on the usuals and as an added treat for all you kids at home, I'm throwing in alternative suggestions for the lackluster or impenetrable stories. Regardez! 

American Vampire: Lord of Nightmares #2

So this series is showing us the AmVamVerse (is that a term? If not, I just coined it) version of Dracula, and although I have little or no interest in yet another retelling of the Dracula myth, this is very well done. The art is creepy and atmospheric, and the interpretation and period setting fit well with previous American Vampire stories. A very good title that will read even better in trade paperback collection, if you like this, try any collection of the main series or the equally pretty previous mini series 'Survival of the Fittest'. Or, you know any other Dracula book, film, comic, video game cartoon, TV show...

Batwoman #11

It's good but it's losing me. Pick up Batwoman: Elegy instead, it's where the reimagining of the character began in earnest, originally running in Detective Comics. Elegy has the JH Williams art recently missing on the title but has a Greg Rucka script and plotting, something the title has sorely missed of late.

The Bulletproof Coffin: Disinterred #6

We've got a lot of love for the Bulletproof Coffin here on 2Badguys, I recommend jumping in with the collected version of the first series or the third issue of this series (Tales Of The Haunted Jazz Club) as a taster. Dancer #3 A well made espionage-thriller-with-a-sci-fi-twist series. Try this if you liked the Bourne films/books, or Alias TV show.

Daredevil #15

Just when I thought I was out, they drag me back in again. Great Latveria Storyline. Or buy Daredevil: Born Again if you prefer your DD to stand more for 'Depressing Drama', than 'Derring Do'.

The Crow #1

I didn't get this in the end, decided to finish reading J O'Barr's original The Crow story instead as it's been collecting dust on my bedside cabinet for some time now. I may end up giving up and just rewatching the film like I did last time I tried though.

Eerie Comics #1

Some of the first comic books I ever read were my Dad's issues of Creepy and Eerie from the 70s. Where Creepy was a straight horror anthology, Eerie focused on Science Fiction Chillers. I'm not sure if this is reprints of old Eerie stories or a reboot or a bit of both, but it certainly looks like classic Eerie. Dark Horse has successfully resurrected Eerie's sister title Creepy, in recent years, further evidence of the industry's renewed interest in the horror genre.

Fatima: The Blood Spinners #2

To buy or not to buy, that is the question. Not to buy I think. Fork out a little extra for God and Science: The Return of the Ti Girls by the other Hernandez brother instead, you wont regret it.

Hellblazer #293 
What's the cockney equivalent of Hellbilly? Hell Sparrow? I dunno, just buy more Hellblazer.

The Massive #2

There's a lot going for this series so I'm giving it till the end of this opening three-part story at least. I probably won't go much further though. To it's credit The Massive unlike anything else on the shelves; a post-eco-disaster-apocalypse series set on a Greenpeace boat. Yeah I can't really say I've read that book before, and the premise has been set up well, but the characters aren't engaging me yet and there are odd discrepancies in the art which bug me, like that 20 odd year old looking Hipster in the captain's seat who is meant to be a 50ish hardened seaman and ex mercenary. Like the writer's previous work on Northlanders, and DMZ before it, it's good but I want better, so I'm using a harsh yardstick. Do try this out.

No Place Like Home #5

This is an odd one, sort of Wizard of Oz reimagined as a Teen Slasher flick, It's clumsily done in places and the reactions of the cast to certain events are inconsistent to say the least, but I've enjoyed this mini series. Issue five sees the final part of the first story arc, but there's more to follow apparently. A very pretty book, with a unique hook. Also, it has flying monkeys for fuck’s sake.

Punk Rock Jesus #1

The venerable (or is that venereal?) Action Ash already reviewed this, so I'll spare you my two penneth (go read his, we're not made of penneth), but suffice to say I agree. If you like this try True Faith by Garth Ennis and Warren Pleace, which reprints their story from UK comics-anthology-with-a-conscience, Crisis. Or anything written by Garth Ennis before he started working on Punisher for that matter.

Revival #1

Another week, another promising new series from Image. This series focuses on a small American town where after a particular time, townsfolk stopped being or getting dead. This ain't no zombie book though so stop the eye-rolling now, this is more of a psychological take on what would happen if people just couldn't die all of a sudden like in that Dr Who spin off series I didn't watch. But y'know, better than that. Lahverly looking cover too.

Saga #5

Just buy this, it's fucking great (see last month's quotes) the first few issues or reprints there of are still widely available, or wait for the inevitable collection due in a couple of months time. Or even just pick up the current issue, you won't have trouble catching up. A beautifully drawn and written book. An absolute class act.

The Shade #10

Basically what I said last time, engrossing story, charmingly roguish lead, beautiful art by Frazer Irving and a hell of a lot of bang for your buck. I'll be sad to see this go when it reaches it's stated end at #12. If you like this, go and read writer James Robinson's superb Starman run from the 90s, but if you're reading this you have probably read already, not that you need to have to enjoy this series, it’s all very self-contained. The bad news though is that sales for this series were piss-poor apparently so this may be the last Shade series we see for a some time.

Sunset: $1 Preview

I know piss all about this other than the art looks nice and it's a bit crime-y looking. Oh and it's cheap. Dirt cheap. This serves as a preview for a forthcoming collection and as a marketing ploy I like it. It's sort of like when you get the first chapter of a book printed in a magazine or the back of another book. Enough to get you piqued and have an idea of what you're looking at before you fork out for the full tome. Anyway this'n is by Christos Gage and Jorge Lucas, both creators with a lot of good work under their belts. Well worth your buck (or local equivalent).

The Walking Dead #100
In a word; brutal. Buy this issue if you like crying.

Wonder Woman #11

Still good, but losing the Wow Factor for me. It's actually hard to suggest something else similar instead, apart from Peter Milligan's Greek Street which wasn't actually as good as Wonder Woman is now.

Valhallahan

Fifty Shades Of Greyskull

OK, I'm sold again.

In October, DC comics have announced that they are publishing the Origin of Skeletor, with 2Badguys favourite Frazer Irving providing the art. I was a big He-Man fan as a child, so nostalgia had my interest piqued but the presence of Frazer Irving on this project makes it a must-buy for me. I can’t wait to see his renditions of the denizens of Eternia.

Incidentally the last He-Man comic I bought was CrossGen's Masters of The Universe: Icons Of Evil - Trapjaw, which featured the titular character’s origin. The comic was written in 2003 by The Walking Dead's Robert Kirkman and was jolly good fun. I picked it up in a bargain bin some time after it was published. Well worth a read if you're in the mood for that sort of thing

Masters of The Universe: The Origin of Skeletor #1 written by Joshua Hale Fialkov comes out in October.

Valhallahan

Dirty Laundry: A Fan Film Better Than The Real Thing.

Dear Tom Jane,

On witnessing the below I take almost all of the mean things I've said about your attempt at a Punisher film back. Almost.

Actually none of it, but at least you're trying.

Sincerely,

Valhallahan.

The Beginning of the Endless...

It's San Diego Comic Con time again folks, and the big companies have been making some big announcements as usual. I'd suggest heading over to Bleeding Cool or Comics Alliance or some other news website for a rundown, but I thought I'd comment on one tidbit.

By far the most surprising news from San Diego Comic Con this year was the revelation that Neil Gaiman is returning to Vertigo comics for a prequel to his legendary Sandman series. The series will tell the tale of how Orpheus was originally imprisoned, leading to his release in The Sandman #1, and will be drawn, no doubt entirely beautifully, by the inimitable JH Williams III.

"Shut up and take my money", as they say.

Valhallahan

Punk Rock Jesus #1

Punk Rock Jesus
Written/art by Sean Murphy


Action Ash
As the latest Vertigo title to hit the shelve, Punk Rock Jesus is just what the doctor ordered as far as Vertigo titles go. Unlike their other titles of late this book comes straight from the old school. Irreverence - Check, Indie sensibilities - Check, Anti-religious sentiment - Check, and all rendered in the scratchy brilliance that is Sean Murphy's art.

Brief plot summary - A company named "Ophis" has funded a famous geneticist to clone Jesus Christ using the shroud of Turin, for the purpose of impregnating a virgin who is chosen through an audition process. This is all for a reality TV show that will follow the pregnancy and then the child as he grows up to be the second coming of Jesus. Also, an  uber violent ex IRA member has been hired to be the head of security for the project. Shit is clearly about to get real!

Being primarily an artist does not hinder Sean's ability to plot out an engaging story. This book seems very well thought out and seems to have a good few sub plots, however not too many and handled well so you don't find yourself getting lost. Then you have the themes of blind faith, the moral issue with cloning, the moral issue of bringing a child into the world with such a big responsibility already thrust upon it and of course cold blooded corporations willing to do anything for money.

The art is a masterclass in stark black and white storytelling, all done with a tremendous amount of detail.  Murphy's use of shading and shadow is an art form in itself, the extremity of which, in certain panels, calls to mind German expressionism. At times it seems slightly manga influenced (I mean that in the best possible way) especially during the action. The fact that it's in black and white seems to help exhibit Murphy's already impressive talent for drawing facial expressions.

Clocking in at approximately 30 pages it is well worth the £2.65 ($2.99) cover price.Technically, there's been no punk yet but I'm more than willing to stick around and see where that will come in to it.

5 Ex-IRA members breaking placards upside old men's heads out of 5

Super Geil!

The Walking Dead #100

The Walking Dead released it's landmark hundredth issue this week and it's another heartbreaker folks! I picked up a copy with this awesome Frank Quietly cover which has absolutely no relevance to the story.

Valhallahan.

What I Got and Why: Mixed Doubles

Guten Tag!

Just two posts in from the long hiatus and I’m reminded why the "What I Got" posts get a bit same-y from me; apart from the new titles, I've got my favourites that I say the same bloody things about week in, week out. With that in mind I’ll keep it short and sweet on the old faithfuls and have a re-jig on the next instalment. In the meantime, enjoy!

American Vampire #28

The past two storylines have been great, so hoping this one keeps up the momentum. Now we’re still in the fifties and back to the series' original cast members and setting albeit a long time later with a lot more water under the bridge, certainly for Pearl, who is worlds away from the naive ingénue we first met in American Vampire #1. Although there is certainly an ongoing story in American Vampire, it is a very new reader friendly book. The start of each new story arc is always marked clearly on the cover, and often feature heavily if not entirely on new characters. A very noob friendly and highly enjoyable series.

Creator Owned Heroes #2

This series is quite the curio. Spearheaded by Jimmy Palmiotti, whose Jonah Hex work I’m very fond of, this is a collection of creators mostly known for their big company work, displaying their craft in, well, Creator Owned Heroes. Does what it says on the tin I guess. The series features two strips and magazine style articles and interviews at the back. A full read for your extra dollar, it feels a bit like a short US version of Judge Dredd: The Megazine. The stories are a bit forgettable so far but Trigger Girl 6 is a fantastic showcase for the beautiful art of Phil Noto, a real favourite round these parts.

Fatale #6

Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips are two creators at the top of their game. No matter what they turn their hands to they ‘knock it out of the park’ as I believe the yanks say. The collection of the first five issues has just come out so it’s a great time to catch up. I recommend buying the individual issues of any Brubaker/Phillips series when you can as they fill the back of each books with fascinating articles on the films, shows and books of the genres they are dealing with. With this pair there is almost always a ‘noir’ filter; Criminal was crime noir, Sleeper and Incognito were Superhero noir and Fatale is Horror noir and damnit, who don’t like noir!

Fatima #1

Gilbert Hernandez, the batshit-crazy half (occasionally third) of Love and Rockets’ Los Bros Hernandez is back with a new series which, judging by the promo pages online deals with some kind of zombie crisis. On a quick flick through it looks like everyone involved keeps their clothes on which is pretty bloody weird for a Gilbert Hernandez book. The lead still has a figure Russ Meyer would be proud of though, so don't worry. In all seriousness, although I'm giving this a try, I'm enjoying Gilbert's books less and less these days so I've not set my hopes too high on this series.

iZombie #27

Onward goes the apocalypse! Only one more issue after this. Why, you bastards, why?

New Deadwardians #4

For me, this has been the best of the new batch of Vertigo titles that launched together a few months ago. The other three were Dominique LaVeau: Voodoo Child, Fairest and Saucer Country, all of which were pretty lacklustre. Although this series does have that unfortunate appearance of being "yet another zombie/vampire story" the book has enough of its own identity, brought about by the pacing and the understated nature of the Edwardian characters, that it’s been a rather pleasant surprise to me. Focus less on the criminally overdone vampire/zombie angle and it’s a very enjoyable crime mystery comic.

Prophet #26

I decided to stick around with this series after last month's blatant jumping Jumping-Off point. Brandon Graham’s straight-sci-fi approach to Rob Liefield’s Extreme 90s badass character has been a real success for me so far, but I fear that a lot of this was to do with the creepy art and design work from Simon Roy. Without this factor, I'm reminded that my interest in far-out space stuff can be a bit limited, and with no real characters cling on to, this can seem more and exercise in world-building, and I prefer my stories with a bit more human interest.

Resident Alien #2

Talking about human interest, this new series from Dark Horse by Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse has human interest in abundance. This quirky tale follows a murder mystery in a small town from the perspective of an Alien who crash landed in the area some years ago and is posing as the local GP. I’ve been a big fan of (2000AD alumni) Parkhouse for a long time so it was his art that made me try the book but the perfect combo of his expressive characters and the charming, if occasionally gruesome story have made this a real win for me, Like a (very well made version of) the kind of murder mystery TV show they rerun on TV during the day; clever, but not so clever as to alienate younger viewers, gruesome, but not so gruesome that your Nan couldn’t watch it, a quirky twist in the lead detective role, and a charming supporting cast. It’s sort of a comic book version of Monk, or Diagnosis Murder, and all the more compelling for it.

Scalped #59

The excitement is too much!!!!!!! After 5 years of superb hard boiled crime fiction from Jason Aaron and RM Guera we’re reaching the high octane finale (in #60). There’s a lot of water under the bridge between these grizzled bastards and it's all coming to a head in a Mexican standoff. All secrets are out and all hell has broken loose! It's too difficult to avoid spoilers at this stage, so suffice to say this series is really, really, really fucking good. To be read with some Hank III blaring loud and proud and some sippin' whiskey on the go.

Spaceman #7

The 100 Bullets team of Azzarrello and Eduardo Risso have teamed up again to produce this intriguing science fiction mini series. Set in the half submerged wreck of a dystopian urban sprawl, we follow a "Spaceman", a large grotesque, specifically designed to survive deep space exploration, a task no one has any need for or interest in anymore, leaving him to eke out a dangerous living scavenging for scrap in the watery ruins. That is, until he comes into contact with a kidnapped Reality TV child star and the shit really hits the fan. This is another class act as you'd expect from creators of such pedigree, but will be a shock to the system for anyone expecting 100 Bullets 2, as this is much more like Eduardo Risso's 'Borderline' series from earlier in his career (written by the late Carlos Trillo, available in four paperback collections from Dynamite and highly recommended by me). Worth checking out, but as this is issue 7 of 9 you may as well wait for the trade collection at this point.

Sweet Tooth #35

Look, just go and buy the first Trade Paperback OK?

Whispers #1-3

This was recommended to me by a mate, and looking at the creepy covers I’m surprised I missed it when they were on the shelves the first time. Luckily the kind folks at Orbital had them in stock. The book is by Joshua Luna, who normally works as one half of the Luna Brothers. I've heard good things about their previous work (Ultra, Women, The Sword) but never actually read any. I know very little about the book, but if I can judge this book by it's cover, I'm impressed and slightly creeped out. I'll let you know either way.

Collections!

(I’m a firm believer in buying my comic books monthly, but I loves me some readin' in chunks too.)

Invincible Vol.16: Family Ties

One of the few series I trade wait on. Invincible is superhero comics done right. Over the years the series has gone from a refreshingly simple and exciting modern take on a Spider-Man-esque superhero coming of age story into a full blown space epic set in a 'shared universe' as complex as Marvel or DC but without spilling over into a million other tie-in books. One of the all time best long form superhero tales, if ye ask me. Well done Kirkman!

Joe Sacco: Notes From a Defeatist

After catching him on the bizarrely presented but informative TV show ‘Ink: Alter Egos Exposed’ (Sky Arts. More on this another time) I realised that I hadn't read everything Joe Sacco has done, so I thought I'd rectify that. Most famous for comic book as journalism work in 'Safe Area: Gorazde' and 'Palestine', this is a collection of his smaller more personal works, a lot of which don't even take place in a warzone for a change.

Valhallahan

Missing in Action: Desolation Jones

Valhallahan

Way back in 2005 Warren Ellis and Superstar in waiting, J.H. Williams III started a rather cool series called Desolation Jones for DC's now defunct Wildstorm imprint. The story followed Jones, a grotesque shell of a man, living in Los Ageles, a haven for burnt out former secret agents like himself. Desolation jones essentially worked as a Private Investigator in the grubby city. The first critically acclaimed story arc was a sort of distopian mix of 8MM and the Big Sleep, with jones looking into a case involving Hitler's personal pornography. So far so Wareen Ellis, right?

Anyhow, the second storyline started in 2006 and featured art by 2 Bad Guys' favourite artist Danijel Zezelj. This story, focused on the mysterious death of one Jones' friends in a seedy motel room. In February 2007 issue 8 came out leaving us with a cliff hanger, and then.... Nothing.

Not a damned thing. At this point it's been 5 Years since the last issue, and Warren Ellis has stated that it probably won't happen now.

Bollocks.

Back with a vengeance!

Action Ash
Yo yo, Action Ash here! After a long hiatus the 2 bad guys are back and in full effect, ready to talk about comics and make witty references to pop culture because that's what people do on the Internet. I'm gonna jump right in, if that's fine with you suckers, and talk about what I bought this week and then maybe a word or two about some other books that I've been dipping in to. There will be a quiz at the end.

The Punisher #13 - This is, in my opinion, the best book Marvel are putting out at the minute. An interesting crime story in which the peripheral characters are just as interesting as Frank Castle himself.

Danger Club #3 - An interesting take on the superhero genre from Image comics. The story revolves around teenage sidekicks fighting amongst themselves in the wake of the disappearance of the earth's superheroes after a dangerous space mission. Still not exactly sure where it's going but the artwork is quite nice and I'm enjoying the ride.

 Avengers vs X-Men #7 - I wasn't sure about this when it was announced but I am actually enjoying this event. I've been surprised at the amount of story in a comic that I was fully expecting to be a 12 issue fight scene. However, having said that, after this event I would like it if Marvel would stop doing stories about heroes fighting each other. It's been done. A lot.

The Cape 1969 #1 - I loved the first mini series based on Joe Hill's short story so I had to get this. Also I'm intrigued as to how a prequel set in the Vietnam war is even relevant to the original series. Should be interesting to say the least.

Morning Glories #20 - Yes, I am still following this and no, I don't yet fully understand what's going on. Yes, I'm OK with that.

Rocketeer Adventures 2 #4 - Loved the first series and love this series. It's refreshing to have an anthology title of short stories that are all self contained. Especially with the great creators they get on the title. Also, I'm a sucker for that retro pulpy feel.

Last week I bought the first trade of  Fatale. More Brubaker/Phillips magic and, even though I haven't finished reading it, I think this could possibly be one of my favourite comics ever. Also, as you might have noticed, Valhallahan has been attempting to groom me into a Vertigo fan boy over the years and it is starting to work. He recently lent me Peter Milligan and Duncan Fegredo's miniseries 'Girl' (which was brilliant) and Jamie Delano and Sean Phillips' 'Hell Eternal'. Both were fantastic reads, although I liked Girl more because I found it relatable and hilarious.

 So there you have it Dudes and Betties, I'll see ya soon. Hopefully sooner than last time.

Oh, hold on a minute, don't think I've forgotten about the quiz.

1. After saying the magic word SHAZAM, how much cooler does Billy Batson become?
2. Where the hell is Wally West?
3. Who would win in a fight between Spider-man and Hanuman?

Show your working!

What I Got and Why: The Geek Who Came In From The Cold

Aloha from somewhere that ain’t Hawaii!

What follows is a massive blog post regarding my last few weeks comic book purchases. I'm trying out a lot of new books at the moment, mostly Image and Dark Horse as that's where the new-weird is at apparently. I'm also dropping a lot of books at the moment, Winter Soldier being a recent victim, along with a few 'New 52' books from DC that I was still buying. Mostly all good books but there is a lot of great stuff out and I can't buy it all. So without further prattle here is what I done gone and got.

American Vampire: Lord of Nightmares #1

Looking forward to seeing Dustin Nguyen work on something non Batman related (even if it is still bat-related) he's been doing sterling work over the last few years on various Bat-books, but it'll be nice to see him sink his teeth (see what I did there?) into some work that doesn’t involve superheroes. I've not really checked out what the story is going to be about, aside from that it's going to be a period piece with vampires.

The last mini they did had superlative art form Sean Murphy but the story went off the rails for me with the introduction of gigantic vampire gods, my least favourite aspect of the American Vampire mythos, but was still a fun romp. You just can’t go wrong with undead Nazis. The main series is on top form at the moment and it seems Snyder can do no wrong these days (though I'm not reading his Batman so I can't speak for that). Fingers crossed this'll be a jolly good mini.

Bad Medicine #1-2

I know bugger all about this new series from Dark Horse but the art looks funky and the first 2 issues were on the new imports rack. Looks like a mystery/detective story in the vein of X-Files of early Warren Ellis work. I'll give this opening two-parter a go and see what happens. Curious that so many mystery books are popping up this days (Hoax Hunters, Saucer Country etc...) The beginning of a '90s nostalgia trend?

Batwoman #10

I've spoken about this series' highs at length, but unfortunately I'm debating dropping the title soon. Sub-par artwork from Amy Reeder and Co, and a storyline too fantasy heavy for my tastes has put it in serious danger of being dropped. Happy to see that JH Williams is back soon, but I may start skip arcs drawn by others in future. It's still head and shoulders above most of the industry's superhero output, but without the razzle dazzle artistry of JH Williams III and without Gregg Rucka making Kate Kane a truly compelling character, it can fall a bit flat.

Bulletproof Coffin: Disinterred #5

The Bulletproof Coffin: Disinterred #5

Another truly crazy series from messers Hine and Kane. This issue is not so much a comic as a series of fictional bubblegum cards, I've yet to read last months as well so I've got a double dose of Shaky goodness. I'm absolutely loving this series!

Casanova #4

Still weird. Still Love it. Stupidly late, but I don't really have a leg to stand on, do I? I suggest you buy a copy, you won't have a clue what’s going on, but who fucking does?

Daredevil #14

Top quality Superhero comics from Mark Waid with art duties from Chris Samnee at the moment, who although a beautiful craftsman, loses some of the acrobatic dynamism of the series' original artists Marcos Martin and Paolo Rivera. Both of whom have unfortunately left the title now, leaving rather large shoes to fill. Samnee, a rising star of yankee picture books, does a bang up job, but it's another title in the dropped title dangerzone for me, due in equal parts to double shipping, the past few months mediocre fill in art, excessive crossovers and the massive anticlimax that was the end of The Omega Effect.

Dancer #2

In the words of M Night Shyamalan (by way of Robot Chicken): "What a Twist!!" So the mysterious reveal at the end of last issue was a bit Future Shocks, but it's a rather gripping series so far. I picked issue one up on a whim, I'm making a point of giving all of Image's new series a go at these days because they've got a pretty good hit rate. I'll go on about it more another time, but while Vertigo's on the wane, Image is the got-to publisher for exciting new series right now (with Dark Horse bringing up the rear). This series is basically an espionage thriller with a twist at the end of issue one that I shant give away. Without the twist it's a competent spy story, with the inevitable intrigues and occasional bouts of obvious expositional dialogue, but it hooked me for issue two at least. Artwise it's what you expect for this sort of story, moody, filmic and dark. If that sounds dismissive it's not meant to, Dancer is a very good looking book.

Grim Leaper #2

Another interesting new series from Image. I've yet to be 100% sold on this series, but issue one intrigued me enough to come back for issue two. I think it was the faux-retro romance strip at the end of issue one that sealed the deal for me. This is a sort of Groundhog Day/Quantum Leap/Rom-Com thing with a morbid humour to it. I like it. I think. Certainly enough to come back for issue two.

Hellblazer #292

Hellblazer #292

One Off Story! Bisley Art! Werewolves! Cockneys! Gangsters! Buy it!

We at 2Badguys are big Hellblazer fans and you should be too to be honest, so hop to it!

Seriously, what the shit are you waiting for?

iZombie #26

Alas poor iZombie, I knew him Horatio. Unfortunately Chris Robeson and Mike Alred's delightfully upbeat supernatural series is coming to an end soon, and the much publicised barney with DCEntertainment certainly suggests he wont be back for a second go. Ever. Sad to see yet another of Vertigo's consistently exciting series getting cancelled, they will have very few quality series left soon. I shall miss it.

As for the story, a Lovecraftian apocalypse is coming to the town of Eugine, and the thrill of it being a) a Vertigo book, and b) a Vertigo book that’s finishing in a few issues, means that literally anything could happen. I hope for, but wouldn’t put money on a happy ending. This is a great book for fans of bold art, Buffy fans, fans of classic American comic books, and generally those that like kooky spooky highjinks. A woefully underrated book.

Judge Dredd: The Megazine #325

Spurred on by the esteemed Action Ash I’ve been seduced by the Meg in recent months. In my years of absence, the Megazine has transformed into one of the best value for money packages on the market. For your entrance fee you get four new stories, creator interviews, reviews plus - and this is the best bit - a whole fat booklet of 2000AD reprints, seemingly chosen at random, but always complete. It’s like the Meg and Best of 200AD Monthly all in one Zarjaz package.

Heartily recommended!

Juxtapoz #138: Adult Swim Special

Unfortunately this is a massive disappointment from my favourite magazine and my favourite animation company. The art on display is scarce and uninspiring and the interviews as insightful as those to be found on the One Show. Do not but this issue, save your money I emplore you!

The Massive #1

Once again I'm taking a chance on Brian Wood's new series, once again I'm sure I’ll find it to be pretentious toss, but I’m a glutton for punishment and it does look rather interesting, but let’s see if he can write a character that doesn't come off as a hipster douchebag. What’s that? The lead characters are Green Peace activists? Oh well…

Saga #4

Saga #4

In another case of Image picking up on something you would expect from Vertigo of yesteryear, Brian K Vaughan’s triumphant return to comics continues. This book is a breath of fresh air, a real treat. Fiona Staple's design work on this is like nothing you have seen before, and Vaughan's at his usual high standard with the dialogue and storytelling. This space-opera has none of the baggage of the genre and all of the excitement. I urge you to read this if you aren't already it is a class act in every respect. A mere four issues in and I can tell you I’m in it for the long haul.

The Shade #9

This time-spanning, globe trotting maxi-series had been top quality all the way; it’s got it all intrigue, derring-do, morally dubious adventurers and exquisite art has put it on the top of my pile every month. The story follows immortal reprobate The Shade tracing the mysteries of his past, in flashbacks to various stages of the 20th Century and the modern day, with some choice cameos from the DC adventurers of yesteryear. Story as ever by Starman author James Robinson with Frazer Irving stepping in for art duties this week. Irving is as eerie and impressive as ever, I don't know how they did it, but they've put together a mind-blowing collection of artists for this series; Darwyn Cooke, Javier Pulido, Frazer Irving, Cully Hamner, Jill Thompson, Tony Harris. This is a must-try for any comics fan.

Sweet Tooth #34

Another excellent Vertigo series that's reaching journey's end, but what a journey! This off beat post-apocalyptic road book has been a real treat every month. I’m really going to miss it. I wouldn’t recommend anyone jump on at this point but I'd heartily recommend picking up the first trade and giving it a pop. Sweet Tooth is an offbeat but consistently touching, engaging and exciting series. One of my favourite series of recent years.

The Walking Dead #99

In this Issue: More talking and build up! As the series raises the tension in preparation for the big #100 we know is coming, we get a fairly quiet issue. If you aren’t reading this by now there’s not much I can say to make you but I will say that this series has now been consistently excellent for 100 issues. Not many book in the history of the medium can say that.

Wonder Woman #10

Wonder Woman #10

Another perfectly decent book that's in the drop zone. Love the covers, the story is rather gripping, the fill in art isn’t even that bad (yet still noticeably inferior), no this time I'll give the fill in art a pass, this time it’s the dialogue. The naff fucking wordplay, that littered Azzarello's early work is at it's lowest and most prevalent in this book. It seems like a minor thing, but Jesus, will you listen;

Hell: "...You're nothing but Meat now!"

Wonder Woman: "Meat? Meet an Amazon!"

Yeah, fuck off Brian.

And with that, I bid you adieu!

See you sooner than last time.

Valhallahan

The Good News and the Bad News

The Good News...

American Vampire is well and truly back on form with this promising new storyline set in the greaser-ific 1950s.

And The Bad News...

Unfortunately behind this beautiful cover by the inimitable Cliff Chiang, the art is by a fill in artist Tony Atkins, who... well, isn't Cliff Chiang. Also, please no more fucking puns Mr Azzarello!

Hellblazer Annual

Hellblazer Annual #1

“Suicide Bridge”

Story: Peter Milligan

Art: Simon Bisley

You may not have noticed, but Hellblazer has been enjoying something of a renaissance of late, under the fearless penmanship of Peter Milligan. Milligan’s a veteran of DC’s beautifully barmy Vertigo imprint, having a pedigree of quality work there, matched only by the likes of Grant Morrison, Alan Moore or Garth Ennis, having been writing exciting ongoings, one-shots and mini-series relatively regularly since the imprint’s inception (Notable works being 'Enigma', 'Shade: The Changing Man', 'Girl', 'Face', 'Greek Street', 'Hell Eternal'). He has his misssteps, but as a reader you know a Milligan book is going to be in exciting journey wherever it takes you. I explain this to highlight what a perfect match Milligan is to Hellblazer, Vertigo's flagship of weird, following the ongoing adventures of British 'blue collar' mystic, John Constantine. Frankly it's surprising no-one made it happen before this run. Having breathed new life into the longest running (in unbroken numbering) title of the big two over the past couple of years we actually find ourselves at a point when the series even gets its own Annual for the first time in over a decade. This, dear reader, is where we come in.

This Annual is written by series writer Milligan and pencilled with signature flair, by the inimitable (though many try) Simon Bisley. Bisley's been the regular cover artist and semi-regular penciller for the series for a few years now, and has brought some of his career-best work to the title. His gaudy, tits-and-beasties fantasy edge is sanded down here to perfectly capture the spirit of the macabre life of John Constantine in these pages. To sound like a pretentious tit for a moment (or so) it’s really matured since his Lobo work but still maintains that mischievous edge and Biz's innate brutality. This is top level sequential art, as good as any of the many industry legends who've depicted John in the past, and no less than the book deserves.

It's been so long since I first picked up an issue of Hellblazer that I forgot how one can get put off by the fact that so many issues have been published you don't know where to start. This is nonsense though; as long as you go from the beginning of a storyline, Hellblazer is easy to start cold and rarely continuity laden. Apart from the occasional story all you need to know to read Hellblazer is: John does Magic, John likes women, John's a bit of a prick. The story in this Annual is a classic example, it concerns the family of an old friend of his from his childhood. Have they been in it before? I dunno. Does it matter? Nope, all the information you need is there in the pages of the book. The story actually involves a suspicious series of teen disappearances, but in a way much of this is irrelevant too, what matters is that as ever, something moody's going on, John's deep in the heart of it and innocent people are getting hurt. And as ever John's not a hero, he's just the guy who, when the world goes up shit creek, might, just might, have the only paddle, and we wouldn't have it any other way.

If like many, you are curious about Hellblazer but just don't know where to start, start here. This is what to expect, gruesome urban supernatural horror with a not entirely irredeemable rogue in the lead. If, like I was until a year or so, you’re a lapsed reader, pick this up, it'll remind you why you fell in love with John’s dirty little world in the first place. Superior, supernatural horror for the modern reader, like an episode of Eastenders written by Clive Barker. So yeah, it’s classic Hellblazer.

Valhallahan

American Vampire: The Beast In The Cave

American Vampire #19-21

"The Beast In The Cave"

Story: Scott Snyder
Art: Jordi Bernett

With issue 21 American Vampire wraps up its latest storyline, "The Beast In The Cave", notable for featuring the first appearance pencilling on this series by seasoned professional Jordi Bernett. More famous in Europe for his work on crime classic Torpedo, Bernett has been DC's go to guy for Western action for some time now, gracing the pages of Jonah Hex and All Star Western with his superior draughtsmanship. For that reason, Bernett is a superb choice for a story such as this, wherein we see a bit more of the adventures of the series' central vampire Skinner Sweet during the American Civil War. This seems like a perfect fit to me, so, it’s quite disappointing that this has turned out to be a rather uninspiring three parter.

American Vampire is a solid if unremarkable series that has earned Vertigo solid if unremarkable sales (actually jolly good sales by Vertigo standards) and a decent critical response over the last couple of years. I’ve stuck with it from the beginning, due to the fact that although it doesn’t make me wait with bated breath every issue, it is still a very good series. I particularly enjoyed the recent epic set in the Pacific Theatre of World War Two, I would even have said prior to this misstep that the series was going from strength to strength. This story unfortunately did not meet the heights of the WW2 Pacific story, or the other Western-centric blasts from Skinner’s pasts shown earlier in the run. "The Beast in the Cave" had by far more in common with the recent "Survival of the Fittest" mini series, which again squandered a great artist (in that case star in the making Sean Murphy) and again focussed too much on Snyder's newly introduced concept of giant magic vampire gods, which for my money suspends the disbelief far too far for me. Like so many vampire-centric franchises before it, Am Vam is branching out into different kinds of monsters, with limited success. One could argue that the evolution of the beasties' species is a main theme of the book, that is, the different kinds of vampire, but that’s not really why I like the series. If I’m honest I’d happily see them drop the whole vampire angle entirely and just focus on people in the period setting. But I'm an awkward so-and-so like that.

The premise of this particular story boils down to "Cowboys vs. Indians vs. Vampires in the Civil War" and when a premise that awesome is brought to you by western/crime comics legend Jordi Bernett and fan favourite writer of great expectations Scott Snyder it screams "Unmissable" but it doesn't quite hit the mark. Not a terrible story, but not a particularly satisfying reading experience either. The story starts simply, escalates quickly and ends up all over the shop. I actually thought there must have been some kind of printing error in the final issue, the story jumped from scene to scene with very little connection other than the fact that both story lines seemed to be leading up to evens the reader isn’t even allowed to witness at story’s end. Tension builds and builds and then... well stuff happens that we don't see then nothing happens that we DO see. I can see what Snyder's going for here but it just felt like a standard Jonah Hex short story dragged out into three issues.

So a rare failure from American Vampire, but it's still a strong series, and one that's well worth trying if you haven't already. Don't start here though, begin at the beginning, or try the excellent #12 with art by the inimitable (and fairly unpronounceable) Danijel Zejelj. Hopefully there'll be a return to form in the next issue, where series regular artist Rafael Albuquerque returns to kick things forward in time again to the 1950's for new storyline "Death Race". Bring it on daddy-O!

Valhallahan

Unpopular Opinions!

Valhallahan

Comic Books Are Nice

As unfashionable as it is to say on the Internet, actually like monthly comic books, I like the look and feel and the objects as a whole. I like paper. Also, as someone who works 9-5 in front of a PC screen, I don’t want to stare at a screen too much when I go home. I try to make a trip to a comic shop once a week, on a Friday or Saturday, I tend to go with friends, often with that guttersnipe Action Ash because it’s a nice jaunt and you can all go to the pub afterwards. Obviously digital would make it easier to have but less fun. Making them something you just download in private in your nerd cave takes away a fun social aspect of the hobby. Like it's something to be ashamed of, you probably say a Hail Mary and cry afterwards.

Phonogram and Scott Pilgrim Were Both Shit

You heard me, what chu gonna do about it? Phonogram was a pretentious, wanky Hellblazer rip off that should've stayed an idea in the back of some sixthformer's excersise book. Scott Pilgrim looked like shit and was 90% one arsehole whining. Maybe I just hate indie kids.

X-Men The Animated Series Was Not That Good.

I know it got a lot of people into X-Men, but really... I dare you to watch an episode now. X-Men: Evolution was better. Wolverine and the X-Men is better. Pryde Of the X-Men was better and that had an Australian Wolverine!

Deadpool Is Not Funny!

Not even slightly. The fun's over now let it go.

Block Mania!

Valhallahan
This week Brit Cit has been awash with Block Wars. Beware citizens and remember:
Be pure!
Be Vigilant!
Behave!

Whitewashing Mega City One?

Valhallahan

In a rare act of Bad Guy synergy, like Ash, I've recently been renewing my interest in 2000AD characters. Largely the peripheral characters like Button Man and classics like Dredd and Bad Company. Anyway, in my Dredd reading I picked up on something I'd long since forgotten: Chief Judge McGruder used to be black.

Exhibits A and B

In the world of Dredd Judge Hilda Margaret McGruder was head of the SJS (Judge Internal Affairs division) who later became Chief Judge of Mega City One, after making a poor decision she opted to take "The Long Walk" which is the Judges' retirement package. The long walk entails the retiring judge exiling themselves from the city armed with their Law-Giver gun to "bring law to the lawless" in the radioactive wastelands of the Cursed Earth (and our public sector think they're hard done by!). Years later during the Judge Dredd Mega-epic "Necropolis" which Ash kindly loaned me the other day, an exiled Judge Dredd happens upon former Judge McGruder in the radioactive wastelands, whom he teams up with to save Mega City One from Judge Death and his Bitches From Hell. To cut a very long story very short, at the end of Necropolis McGruder is reinstated as Chief Judge and all is well, except for the fact that her time in the Cursed Earth has turned her into a mental with a lady-goatee.

It also turned her white.


McGruder in post



McGruder taking The Long Walk



McGruder post-Necropolis

To my knowledge there's never been an in-story explanation for this, so what happened? Was it a colouring error? Had they always intended her to be white? Had they forgotten she was black? What the shit?

As an aside, in the 1995 "Judge Dredd" movie starring John Spartan, McGruder is portrayed as white. But then again, I wouldn't even know where to begin, listing the problems whith that movie.