CLAY N. FERNO / CLAY FERNALD - Writing Samples
TRIPLE SHOT DIGITAL: Comixology Submit Presents DEMETER #1, THE KITCHEN WITCH #1, TIME SAMPLERS #1
Here at the digital ComiXology Submit camp we confront the dirty sea in Becky Cloonan’s Demeter, protect the secret family ingredient with the help of a witch and tune in to some time travel, man!
The leader in the digital comics space opened up the platform to indie creators back in March of this year.
Writers and artists now have the chance to publish comics or graphic novels on the browser, tablet or phone using the Guided View technology. Comixology curates the submissions and soon the comic is put into panel by panel production for the viewer. The comics appear right on the digital store alongside all of the major publisher’s books.
Writers and artists now have the chance to publish comics or graphic novels on the browser, tablet or phone using the Guided View technology. Comixology curates the submissions and soon the comic is put into panel by panel production for the viewer. The comics appear right on the digital store alongside all of the major publisher’s books.
Demeter #1
Written and drawn by: Becky Cloonan
Price: $0.99
Imprint: Ink and Thunder
Digital Release Date: 6/19/13
Age Rating: 15+ Only
BUY IT HERE
Becky Cloonan (Buffy, Batman, Strange Tales) delivers Demeter, part of her one-shot short story series.
This is a richly illustrated romantic tale in one issue of a maiden in a lighthouse and her passionate love affair with Colin. The sea does not forget the debts owed to her, and seeks to take back from Anna that which is most precious to her.
Amazing art coupled with the tale that reads like classic literature makes for astounding comics.
Hard copies can be purchased at Becky’s new webstore with options that include silkscreen covers and sketch editions.
Written and drawn by: Becky Cloonan
Price: $0.99
Imprint: Ink and Thunder
Digital Release Date: 6/19/13
Age Rating: 15+ Only
BUY IT HERE
Becky Cloonan (Buffy, Batman, Strange Tales) delivers Demeter, part of her one-shot short story series.
This is a richly illustrated romantic tale in one issue of a maiden in a lighthouse and her passionate love affair with Colin. The sea does not forget the debts owed to her, and seeks to take back from Anna that which is most precious to her.
Amazing art coupled with the tale that reads like classic literature makes for astounding comics.
Hard copies can be purchased at Becky’s new webstore with options that include silkscreen covers and sketch editions.
Writer: Steve Orlando
Artist: Olivia Pelaez
Price: $0.99
Page Count: 27 Pages
Imprint: 215 Ink
Digital Release Date: 5/29/13
Age Rating: All ages
BUY IT HERE
Kevin feels a little neglected as his father, chef Bennett Gordon, prepares to open a new restaurant.
The restaurant Traddodiad is guarded by kindly witch Lovis at night as the kitchen is also a fantastical landscape where creativity comes from.
Kevin and Lovis pursue The Gremlin King in the Traddodiad realm to track down Gordon’s secret ingredient.
The Kitchen Witch is great fun for an all ages book, for fans of cooking reality TV and The Wizard of Oz.
TIME SAMPLERS #1
Writers: Thomas Gorence, Erik Koconis, David Pinckney
Writers: Thomas Gorence, Erik Koconis, David Pinckney
Artists: Nicolas Colacitti, Christopher Hanchey
Price: $2.99
Page Count: 37 Pages
Imprint: Paranoid American
Digital Release Date: 5/29/13
Age Rating: 15+ Only
BUY IT HERE
Time Samplers is a fun adventure title based on psychedelic time travel.
In order for the two main characters Cal and Lex to make a copy of the past and investigate Alexander Graham Bell’s illuminati time crimes, they must also dose on heavy DMT.
To be honest the storytelling in issue #1 has a lot going on that could use some simplification, but this is still a fun Butterfly Effect time travel tale.
Price: $2.99
Page Count: 37 Pages
Imprint: Paranoid American
Digital Release Date: 5/29/13
Age Rating: 15+ Only
BUY IT HERE
Time Samplers is a fun adventure title based on psychedelic time travel.
In order for the two main characters Cal and Lex to make a copy of the past and investigate Alexander Graham Bell’s illuminati time crimes, they must also dose on heavy DMT.
To be honest the storytelling in issue #1 has a lot going on that could use some simplification, but this is still a fun Butterfly Effect time travel tale.
[READ MORE at FORCES OF GEEK]
DigBoston and LeaguePodcast Comic Book Picks of the Week for June 19, 2013
COMICS
Do you want to believe that IDW can produce the faithful next season of X-Files? Jim Carroll (Basketball Diaries) once told me in real life that, “Scully is hot”, and he was right. Here’s to X-Files Season 10 #1. O.K., Mulder’s hot too. … New publisher Black Mask Comics run by Steve Niles (30 Days of Night) and Brett Gurewitz (guitarist-songwriter Bad Religion, owner Epitaph Records) unleashes two comics today, #OCCUPYCOMICS anthology issue 2 and a story about vigilante animal rescuers in Liberator #1. 30% off the proceeds go to animal rescue initiatives! … Read Harbinger #13 8-Bit Variant by the pool as Harbinger Wars continues in Summer of Valiant ‘13. … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com.
Pass the Daily Dig along! Your friends can sign up here!
MAN OF STEEL (review) at FORCES OF GEEK
MAN OF STEEL (review)
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Review by Clay N Ferno
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Produced by Christopher Nolan, Charles Roven,
Emma Thomas, Deborah Snyder
Screenplay by David S. Goyer
Story by Christopher Nolan, David S. Goyer
Based on Superman by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster
Directed by Zack Snyder
Starring Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon,
Diane Lane, Kevin Costner, Laurence Fishburne,
Antje Traue, Ayelet Zurer, Russell Crowe
Warner Bros. / PG-13
Superman, though not in the title, and only spoken once in the movie has returned in Man of Steel.
Starring Henry Cavill as Clark/Kal/Superman, Amy Adams as a smart and engaging Lois Lane and Michael Shannon as our villain, last seen in the comics or Superman II,General Zod of Krypton.
Kevin Costner is an earnest, sensitive and sensible Jonathan Kent, Kal’s adoptive father with Diane Lane as Martha Kent by his side. Laurence Fishburne stars as the Daily Planet’s Chief, Perry White.
The film opens on doomed planet Krypton, Russell Crowe as Jor-El helps deliver his son to Lara Lor-Van played by Ayelet Zurer.
With a cast like this, we can’t go wrong, right?
I tend to love almost everything superhero related and this movie was no exception. After cramming in a Dark Knight trilogy over the weekend, I was well prepared for this Man of Steelscreening. To be honest, I thought the bridge would be there for me like the Timmverse versions of the characters. Batman first. Superman second. One dark. One light. Similar vibe. I was happy to be half correct in that assumption. This is a modern looking film, and perfect for our time. Snyder and Nolan are different stylistically, and I appreciate that.
Having Christopher Nolan as a producer did inform the look of Metropolis somewhat, and the collective success of Dark Knight did get the wheels turning for Superman. I’m happy this all worked out the way it did.
They tell a different sort of origin story with pacing, flashbacks and nonlinear jumps in Man of Steel. Breaking the predictable pattern was welcome, and allowed for more time spent on the story of Krypton as a planet and it’s fate. Zod and Jor-El open the movie fighting and it is this fight over the fate of Kryptonians and their last son that drives the plot.
Krypton is an organic alien planet filled with strange rounded spaceships, elaborate birdcage steampunk costumes, and Giger-esque (or, more recently and to the point, Prometheus) settings and ships. The time we spend on Krypton is delightful, and much different from the crystalline palace of Brando’s Jor-El.
They’re doing it right with the Houses of Krypton and the General Zod-ness of Krypton just before the explosion. The “S” seal of the House of El is in tact and standing for “hope” in Kryptonian (‘borrowed’ from Mark Waid’s Superman: Birthright). Zod seems to have another pentagon-shaped sigil on his chest, not exactly a “Z”, more of a horseshoe tilted 45 degrees. Heck, I’m no translator! The Kryptonian letters are also different from that of Smallville and comics versions. Spend half a day over at Kryptonian.info if you are curious.
It couldn’t be Zod without The Phantom Zone exile, The Phantom (Zone) Projector and some bitter allies. He’s got that in a bad-ass Faora (sorry, Ursa fans, a new/old girl is in town—and she can fight!).
On Earth, as Clark grows up he’s initially freaked out by his powers until he grows older and starts to roam the world, TV-Hulk style (or JMS: Grounded style, for the snarky). All the while he chooses to do good, save people and shun bullies.
Ma and Pa Kent do their best to protect the young boy Clark from revealing his secret before the world is ready and there are great moments of father son bonding between Jonathan and young Clark (Dylan Sprayberry). Jonathan assures Clark that people are afraid of what they don’t understand.
Missing Smallville pals? Don’t worry, you’ve got Pete Ross and Lana Lang keeping Clark company…and perhaps his secrets? You know Pete is always gonna keep his lips tight. Smallville varsity football kids even pick on Clark with the traditional maroon and yellow jackets. Go Crows!
Slight spoilers, though don’t expect many from this review. Lois has figured out Clark’s secret before she’s even met him through the doors of the Daily Planet. He saves her as they both are investigating an ancient Kryptonian scout ship on the North Pole (Fortress of Solitude?). It’s a different Lois, and as I think she also likes pink very much, Amy Adams brings an intelligence and powerful female to her performance. Lois is in the middle of the action and helps take down the baddies in the end. We don’t get the feeling that she’s putting herself in harms way to bait Superman’s enemies or to be saved. Lois is willing and able to fight with her wits against a Kryptonian army, and that’s respectable.
Origins of Kryptonian births, and how Krypton found Earth are revealed by Jor-El’s consciousness projection when near Kryptonian tech. Much more than the ghost head of Jor-El in the Reeve films, this Jor-El walks and talks and interacts with both Kal and Lois. He’s not alive…but his spirit or memory or virtual reality is very much a real being. This expansion of the relationship Jor-El gets to have with Kal makes it more direct than previous ‘man behind the curtain’ interactions (Smallville, Superman I, II).
After donning the costume (sorry ladies, no red undies!) Jor-El coaches Kal on flying, or at least using his powers to the full potential. It’s tough not to recall both Spider-Man movie versions as Superman first takes flight like a klutz and crashes through a mountaintop.
The flight? Just right. Hovers? Perfect. Floating parallel to the ground? OK, never seen that before, so you must be doing it right. Our imagination leaping from the comic page and the recollection of blue screen Christopher Reeve on a glass cube days are long gone. I would say a huge selling point to comic fans is that the powers are right. The Powers are Right. THE POWERS ARE RIGHT! Heat vision, X-ray vision, impervious to bullets (and anything else) coupled with flight makes for great superhero moviemaking. Batman was all about the Tumbler and The Bat and Bat-Pod. Here, we can believe a man can fly…finally! Sonic BOOM!
Speaking of Spider-Man (both versions) Ma Kent and Aunt May have a lot in common. Probably hard to separate thinking about the history of other superhero movies while watching this one. Diane Lane is fantastic, and does not dote over Clark. She encourages him to reveal himself when the time is right.
Zod’s motivation is to take over the Earth and repopulate Krypton with stored DNA from a Krypton artifact. In the process he’d terraform and kill all humans. This is a standard story for a bad guy but the buildup from the opening sequence was way more satisfying compared to Nero’s motivations in the first Star Trek (2009).
As a Superman fan, and one that doesn’t wish to spoil anything more than necessary for the purposes of this review, I have both praise and criticisms.
I applaud every effort to include major and minor fan service moments, characters, re-imaginings (Jenny Olsen instead of Jimmy, Kryptonian atmosphere affecting Kal instead of Kryptonite proper), LexCorp trucks and Wayne Enterprises artifacts. Digging deep into the history of Superman by keeping true to the main players is important and approachable. The new tone of the movie (a darker palette in set design and for mood) is a welcome update as well.
Let Donner be Donner. Let Smallville and Geoff Johns comics be those things. This is a new thing. Were this movie to take major liberties with Krypton, Kal and the Ma and Pa Kent dynamic I would be offended. Even Nolan’s Batman trilogy, a masterwork in my opinion, felt at times too based in reality.
Man of Steel scratches the itch of a sci-fi fan in a modern film context while inserting the aesthetic of a news camera crew or reality show when appropriate. Big action here. Elaborate ships and Kryptonian armor texture the movie with fantasy. Inception and Avengers style of building destruction shows us just how real and elaborate CGI has become. Do I need to mention that the Hans Zimmer score is amazing? Though I wish I could have the movie at home now so that I can mash up the John Williams score with 10 minutes of Cavill flying scenes….for my own use!
On to the criticisms of the film, from a fan of Superman in all forms. I could have used a but more brightness on the camera settings. Though not every shot, I’m disappointed in the use of filters on some of the film processing. Hey, I’m no expert but my untrained eye was put off by the “Instagramification” of some scenes in the film.
Maybe this is the trend, a stylistic choice by Snyder, or something beyond my comprehension. To contradict an earlier statement somewhat, Nolan’s lens is more clean, crisp and cinematic. Some emotional scenes in this film were given a post production filter to break the scene visually from the action, but it took me out a bit. A small complaint on my part, really. Overall with visual effects and CGI, I still would give this movie 5 stars.
Superman doesn’t exactly stand for truth, justice, and the American way in 2013. In Man of Steel, Clark stands for what’s right, his family, and believing in himself to do good. I might be missing something in there but that’s the general idea. He’s only on his first ‘missions’ as a superhero, so he has growing up to do. My major (and for some, the make it or break it) opinion about his victory over Zod in the end had me asking these questions. What exactly does a 75 year-old hero mean in a modern context. Were curveballs thrown at the audience to see how much they can take? Is the world seen through “Instagram X-Pro II” colored glasses? I just don’t have the answer to that, except that for just 5 minutes of the film, I wanted a Christopher Reeve to be there in his red undies instead of the equally handsome Henry Cavill fighting off Zod’s newfound Earth-based uncontrolled heat vision.
This is Superman. You must see this movie in the theatre and enjoy an HD copy at home when the time comes. Just imagine the binge you can have with a Dark Knight Trilogy and Man of Steelmarathon. I may sidestep sleep and any social engagements to do just that again this weekend. If there is any doubt in your mind, Henry Cavill is Superman, he deserves the cape for the DC Cinematic Universe and fan drawings on Tumblr. I believe he can fly. Michael Shannon’s Zod is an assertive villain and worth watching every moment he is on the screen.
[READ MORE at FORCES OF GEEK]
Triple Shot: BATMAN #21, THE BLACK BEETLE: NO WAY OUT #4, ARTIFACTS #28 at FORCES OF GEEK
Can Scott Snyder retell the origin of Batman all the while respecting the past? Has Black Beetle put together the pieces of Labyrinto’s dangerous puzzle? What is the fate of The Glacier Stone?
We just barely answer any of these questions in this week’s Triple Shot! Light week!
BATMAN #21
WRITER: Scott Snyder
PENCILS: Greg Capullo
INKS: Danny Miki
Publication Date: June 13, 2013
Price: $3.99
Publisher: DC Comics
UPC: 6194130640702111
Buy it HERE
Sure, it is Superman week with Man of Steel opening in theaters, and also this Snyder (Scott) writing the new Superman title, Superman: Unchained.
There’s no reason for us not to go back to Wayne Manor for the origin of The Batman in Batman #21. This embossed cover comic is the first in the ‘Zero Year’ storyline—one meant to replace Batman: Year One in The New 52 parlance.
Fans of the Batman Begins will recognize a beat or two, from Bruce Wayne being away from Alfred for a period of time, but this story is all new, all different.
We’re introduced to Bruce’s Uncle Philip (Martha’s Brother) who is running Wayne Enterprises. Also, we get an origin of the giant penny, shining in copper glory in front of Wayne Tower. We get introduced to the Batcave, Riddler, and The Red Hood Gang as well.
Intriguing story here so far but something is missing. I love seeing tales of Bruce Wayne training to become Batman, and let there be a million of them, please! Denny O’Neil and Edward Hannigan’s Shaman delivers an awesome origin of the Batcave from Legends of the Dark Knight, set just before Miller’s Year One.
We’ll see how this susses out, Snyder sneaks in tropes of the Batman lore in interesting ways, but he only has one shot at telling the origin of Batman in The New 52. Trying to top the 26 year oldYear One could be daunting, Batman fans have held on to that story very tightly. Snyder’s modernizations and imaginings of the Lucius Fox tech are already super cool here in issue #21.
THE BLACK BEETLE: NO WAY OUT #4 (of 4)
WRITER / ARTIST: Francesco Francavilla
Publication Date: June 13, 2013
Price: $3.99
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
UPC:
76156822686700411
Buy it HERE
The first miniseries of Francesco Francavilla’s The Black Beetle, which sold out of initial copies, concludes this week. The slick pulp detective superhero book will be collected in hardcover in the fall for a beautiful collected edition.
Francavilla’s Eisner Award winning art coupled with his love for the noir pulp drama gives us a book based on a character that’s both familiar and unique. You might assume this is a reboot or an old hero, but The Black Beetle who serves Colt City is an entirely original creation.
In this fourth issue, we discover the secret of his nemesis Labyrinto and the mysterious mob murders. A deep seeded revenge tale leads the cool looking Labyrinto to unspeakable deeds against friends and family, but The Black Beetle is hot on his trail, and has been for a while.
The Black Beetle will return, also in the fall for the start of a new arc, Necrologue. Francavilla is on to a hit with this Dark Horse series, we will be returning for more.
ARTIFACTS #28
WRITER: Ron Marz
ART: Marco Turini
COLOR: Bill Farmer
Publication Date: June 13, 2013
Price: $3.99
Publisher: Image Comics
UPC: 70985300779102811
Buy it HERE
The 13 Artifacts of the Witchblade / The Darkness universe are being sought in the latest Ron Marz comic.
Defrocked priest and wielder of the Rapture Tom Judge along with The Magdalena and thief Michael Finnegan descend upon a mansion Norway, each hoping to get their hands on The Glacier Stone. A terrifying demon has been summoned to protect the stone and the three team up to scare the powerful demon into the woods after a drawn out fight scene in the mansion.
The speechless demon baits Magdalena onto some ice, where she ends up single-handedly slaying the demon with her Spear of Destiny. The Glacier Stone is lost to the depths of the ice to be found, presumably after the the spring season hits.
As a comic book fan, I couldn’t have been less prepared for picking up a Witchblade title randomly from the shelf! My unfamiliarity with the book, and clean slate with the characters gave me a good perspective. Ron Marz can write an action packed comic and Turini is great at drawing the two major fight scenes as well. I enjoyed the supernatural elements that reminded me ofHellblazer, and thought the character design of the demon was quite spooky.
This was a solid comic that I didn’t feel I needed a tutorial on Witchblade mythos to enjoy. Next month’s arc starts off the brand new ‘Geometry of Hell’ storyline.
[READ MORE at FORCES OF GEEK]
EARTH PRIME TIME: MOTH CITY INTERVIEW WITH TIM GIBSON
Tim Gibson, a New Zealand based artist and writer is taking full advantage of genre, digital comics on devices and innovating how a reader participates in the comic reading experience with his debut graphic novel Moth City. Mainstream and back catalogs of comics have been available on computers and other devices via ComiXology since 2009. Webcomics themselves are nearly 30 years old. Gibson is transforming the page and webpage with panel layers and acting to give a more full reading experience. Moth City #3 is available today on ComiXology. We talk with Tim about process and the importance of word of mouth support for independent comics.
DIGBOSTON: Tim, thanks so much for taking the time today to tell us about Moth City! We’re here to talk about comics, mind telling the fans out there some of the projects you’ve worked on in the past? Your name probably scrolled by them at some point.
TIM GIBSON: Moth City is actually my debut comic, I’ve mainly worked as an illustrator and concept designer in the Film and TV industry. The closet I’ve come to working in comics before this was being a designer on The Adventures of Tintin film and some coloring work on The Red Star (Image Comics) when I was working at Weta Workshop (Lord the of Rings Trilogy, The Hobbit, King Kong, Avatar, District 9).
How long has this idea been growing? Are all art projects eligible for funding in New Zealand?
The idea of an entire island under the rule of one damaged man has been with me for a while. There is just something about the isolation of an island that makes bad stuff happening so much worse. It’s been with me for many years, but it was really the Creative New Zealand grant that enabled me to dedicate myself the massive amount kind of time needed to translate ideas into comics.
Completing a graphic novel has got to be one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.
There’s so much work when it’s a solo venture, and the things you can’t do (copy editing, websites etc.) you have to convince talented friends/family to help for the lowest wages (i.e. nil) that they’ve ever worked for.
The funding is really the only reason that Moth City exists in the way that it does. It’s not easy funding to get, there’s a lot of competition for it.
You put forth the strongest case possible, because you’re competing with published authors, people with track records and whole institutions who look to Arts Funding to do their work.
It’s probably safe to say that this book takes place in an alternate history, around the 1930s, on an island in China. There’s always been cowboys and rich tycoons wearing cowboy hats around the world, such as your Governor McCaw. He’s there to weaponize the Chinese army for profit. What else can you tell us about the city?
The island of Moth City shares a lot of features with Hong Kong; it has a highly condensed city center, a towering peak for the elite and scattered fishing villages and docks. There are influences from both Hong Kong’s history, as well as Singapore’s.
New Zealanders, as (still) a part of the British Empire are obsessed with colonization and imperialism. McCaw’s place at the head of his little empire is a part of that.
The populace certainly doesn’t want him there, but they were effectively sold to him as indentured labour along with the island itself.
This isn’t strictly a military or political thriller set in the past, we’re also dealing with murder set in on a noir backdrop. Do the multiple genres come from you trying to build this world from the ground up?
I think there’s a genre-freedom with indie graphic novels that you don’t get with most mainstream continuity work. There’s this great history of genre work in comics, obviously Wertham and the Comic Code did a lot to hamper that diversity, but looking around at great modern titles like Walking Dead, Saga, Fatale or Skullkickers you can see a strong resurgence. I think it’s what we need if we’re ever going to entice new readers into comic book shops. I didn’t plan it, but the four seasons of Moth City break down into genres surprisingly cleanly.
Season One is largely political thriller and mystery, Two moves into detective and noir, Three has some horror and kung fu and Four is balls-to-the-wall action and conflict.
The artwork is amazing, from the character designs to the architecture and coloring. I compare the art to my friends as that ‘inky’ line, such as your conteporaries Paul Pope and Ming Doyle. I also see the Mazzucchelli influence a bit, please take these as compliments — I’d hate to have you walk away from this interview at the beginning! The book is unique in that way, especially with you being the writer and the artist. Where do you start with the artwork, are you storyboarding the comic as you go?
Oh that’s very generous of you to say so, I certainly don’t mind being included in such fine company. I feel like I’m still finding my feet with inking – most of my illustration work is full color painting where the whole goal is to kill ‘outlines,’ not showcase them. I had to spend a long time, and produce a lot of test art and pages, to find that ‘voice’ when it comes to the inks and the colors.
This being my first comic I went about it all in an odd way. I actually wrote the whole thing as a straight narrative piece, like a novel. No page breaks, no panels.
It meant I could easily give it to people for story feedback and they could respond readily without having to learn to read a new format. When I was happy with that, I went through and picked my page breaks and then figured what I could fit into panels.
Of course, with the way my digital formatting works, I often do one and a half pages of illustration to make up one page of comic.
What makes Moth City so incredible, and the reason I wanted to talk to you was the way you are formatting the book digitally. You are using ComiXology to its fullest potential by animating transitions, pacing, dialogue and more. Much the way a director or editor can cut a film, you are curating the way we see the book. Panel transitions are ‘faux’ animated, layers are revealed in Moth City. Could you tell this story on a 9 panel printed page?
Yes and no. Yes in that I create a ‘print page’ of each digital page sequence. I make a decision on the optimal static version of that scene or sequence. I might break a panel that has two digital states into two smaller, static, panels side by side. Or, I might find that one state can carry the story. What the digital form gives you as a creator is more control of the timing of events, like you point out, it gives you the added control of a film editor, and I would also add actor. So much is conveyed in film with a lingering look, or a character who smiles, and within that same shot you see their demeanor crack and show their inner turmoil for a split second.
To tell that in print comics, you either need to use a lot of ‘voice over’ type, or a lot of panels.
Digital gives us that opportunity. Of course, I still have to draw all those extra moments.
Many, including Mark Waid, whom I respect for his Thrillbent digital comics experimentation are praising your innovation in the digital comics space. What more can you tell us about your motivations? I find your approach to be not only unique but innovative in an instinctual way. There’s some programming involved, too, right?
Moth City is the world’s most elaborate, time-intensive Power Point slide show.
My Web guys did some amazing work with mothcity.com in streamlining what is essentially a slide show of more than a thousand images, but you can read Moth City in a PDF and it works the same way.
The main motivation for doing Moth City as a digital comic was an honest analysis of my chances as a debut creator, with no comic credits, getting a publishing deal with someone like Image, IDW, Dark Horse or Oni without bringing an audience to the table. I felt I had to earn a print run.
Once I made that decision I spent a lot of time looking at what I felt was broken in the presentation of long-form webcomics, and started to explore what I could do with the digital medium. I did a lot of research. A lot. Some of my experiments were happening at the same time as Yves “Balak” Bigerel, Dan Goldman and then Thrillbent’s.
I was borrowing stuff from everywhere and anywhere.
Moth City not only defies genre and moves us away from caped superheroes in the comic book medium, but does so in such an intuitive and familiar way, it outshines panel-to-panel digital comics and makes them look not fully developed comparison.
Thanks, I attribute that to our ability as readers to understand genres and tropes which give creators a certain shorthand when we create stories.
It feels familiar because it is, but where we go once you’re comfortable is a different story.
Issue 3 - or Season 2, part 1 is at the ComiXology store today. The price of entry for all three issues is almost the price of one regular priced comic. What can we tell people to go get all three today?
Oh geez… It’s awesome? It’s awesome and affordable? It’s awesome and affordable and I need a new pair of shoes?
Moth City already twisted my head around and shocked me in different ways at the ends of issues #2 and #3. Do you like to end on cliffhangers? If so, you’re really pushing this to the top of my recommended comics of the year.
Yeah, I’m really happy with the twists and turns in Moth City. The world is filled with great endings, what I’ve tried to do, and I think it works because I have this 8 issue arc all mapped out, is make sure those endings have an impact on the following issues.
There’s nothing worse than being left on the edge of your seat, only to come back next time and that problem/drama/twist is resolved in moments as though it never really mattered.
Of your influences, who in your opinion has changed the way we think of the comic book printed page?
Alex de Campi, Dan Goldman, Yves “Balak” Bigerel, Mark Waid and the whole Thrillbent.com family, Scott McCloud, Kurt Christenson and Reilly Brown and the entire world of Webcomics.
Where can we find you and Moth City online?
If you want to read Moth City in nice, shiny HD then you can grab it from Comixology, and you can read it online and check out videos and blog posts over at my site mothcity.com as well as its second home at thrillbent.com.
[READ MORE at DIGBOSTON.COM]
TRIPLE SHOT DIGITAL: Comixology Submit Presents BIKINI COWBOY VOL.1, DEADHORSE VOL.1, NOWHERE MAN VOL 1.1 at FORCES OF GEEK
An unusual cowgirl with a surfboard invades a western town, a man tries to figure out the mystery of his father’s death and a super powered detective gets himself in too deep.
The leader in the digital comics space opened up the platform to indie creators back in March of this year.
Writers and artists now have the chance to publish comics or graphic novels on the browser, tablet or phone using the Guided View technology. Comixology curates the submissions and soon the comic is put into panel by panel production for the viewer. The comics appear right on the digital store alongside all of the major publisher’s books.
BIKINI COWBOY Vol. 1
Writer & Artist: Fresherluke
Price: $5.99
Page Count: 377 pages
Digital Release Date: 5/8/13
Age Rating: 9+ Only
BUY IT HERE
This collection of a webcomic started at the beginning of this year clocks in at an impressive 377 pages of a bizarre twist on a western.
Whisky Jill rolls into town with her surfboard and only a duster covering her bikini! She demands an energy drink from the barkeep and gains the attention of the outlaws in the bar.
It’s not long before a drag out fight and an encounter with a soldier and rescues her new young boy companion Rod McCloud.
A deftly illustrated out-of-time book here with a fun story. Follow Fresherluke on Tumblr for new pages as they appear.
DEADHORSE Vol. 1 - DEAD BIRDS
Writer: Eric Grissom
Artist: Phil Sloan
Price: $9.99
Imprint: Frankenstein’s Daughter
Page Count: 184 Pages
Digital Release Date: 5/8/13
Age Rating: 15+ Only
BUY IT HERE
William Pike seeks to solve the mystery of a key left to him by his dead father and as he embarks on his journey, his nice neighbors the Vogels invite him in for a sandwich…of death!
The neighbors are hot on getting their hands on that key but Pike fights his way out. In the second issue, Pike finds himself chased by a man in a Sasquatch suit also looking for the key. With the help of companions Edgar and Elise they keep the key safe, for now.
This is a great book, for fans of the classic illustrative styles of Darwyn Cooke or Moon and Ba.
Deadhorse is a time spanning mystery set in the real world with bizarre twists that keep you laughing as you get deeper into the mystery of the key.
NOWHERE MAN Vol. 1.1: You Don’t Know Jack
Writer & Artist: Jerome S. Walford
Price: $4.99
Imprint: Forward Comics
Page Count: 37 Pages
Digital Release Date: 5/8/13
Age Rating: 15+ Only
BUY IT HERE
Nowhere Man is the story of a detective in love with his partner.
Since his accident in 2006, Jack Maguire is impervious to bullets but needs to rely on his street sense to break the illegal arms case in front of the department right now.
Nowhere Man is fun street-level comics starring a cop trying to do right by the death of his father.
Using his powers makes him stronger, but Jack is a tortured man on the inside. For fans of The Punisher, Luke Cage and Powers.
[READ MORE at FORCES OF GEEK]
TRIPLE SHOT: DAREDEVIL: DARK KNIGHTS #1, ACTION COMICS #21, SAVAGE DRAGON #188 at FORCES OF GEEK
This week’s Triple Shot focuses on big dumb superhero action with more than one Daredevil and an unfinished script from Andy Diggle over at Action Comics #21 only a week before the highly anticipated release of Man of Steel.
DAREDEVIL: DARK KNIGHTS #1 (of 8)
WRITER: Lee Weeks
ART: Lee Weeks
COLOR: Lee Loughridge
Publication Date: June 5, 2013
Price: $2.99
Publisher: Marvel Comics
UPC: 75960607856100111
Buy it HERE
Marvel’s Daredevil—The Man Without Fear. The alter-ego of blind lawyer Matt Murdock can tell us a lot about what we take advantage of in life as he faces loss constantly through his life. Writers from Miller to Bendis to Diggle skewed his character to the dark brooding Hell’s Kitchen son of a prize fighter and enemy of the Kingpin since the ‘80s.
Recently, we’ve praised Mark Waid’s serious but brighter take on Daredevil in his current Eisner Award winning run.
We’ve also mentioned Daredevil: End of Days, a future tale written by a super-team of Brian Michael Bendis and David Mack best compared to Dark Knight Returns. The final issue of End of Days also ships this week, to be reviewed later when the collected edition hits.
Daredevil: Dark Knights is an anthology mini-series with more of the great Marvel creators taking a shot at our red-horned attorney. Penciler Lee Weeks returns to the title by writing and drawing the first three issues of this anthology (his is the only story in each of these books).
Snow replaces rain in this book as the natural enemy and backdrop for this story.
As Matt awakes as a John Doe in the hospital when he awakes from his concussive state to hear a mugging in the emergency room. The hospital has become shelter for many desperate to escape the snow. Daredevil’s sensitive hearing makes him aware of a little girl’s heart transplant being delayed by a helicopter flight. He leaves to assist, but may be too late.
If this was the Daredevil book on the shelves monthly right now, it would also be winning Eisners. This is more of a classic superhero story than we are used to in comics today, but with a thick meaty story and no romantic overtures, we have ourselves a great companion limited series to the Mark Waid book, Daredevil fans will be quite pleased.
ACTION COMICS #21
PLOT: Andy Diggle & Tony S. Daniel
SCRIPT: Tony S. Daniel
PENCILS: Tony S. Daniel
INKS: Batt & Norm Rapmund
Publication Date: June 5, 2013
Price: $3.99
Publisher: DC Comics
UPC: 76194130637702111
Buy it HERE
Movie tie in? No! We wish.
This issue is transitional between the departure of writer Andy Diggle (who left for unrevealed reasons) and our favorite Bat-Artist Tony S. Daniel taking over both the writing and art duties for the book.
I have to say, this worked to the advantage of the overall story and completion of the Hybrid story arc, started after Grant Morrison left the title after issue #18.
Diggle and Daniel brought this to a more traditional Superman story, focusing on saving Metropolis, his relationship with Lois and Jimmy rather than the quite awesome but intentionally confusing Mr. Mxyzptlk and origin story buildup of the Morrison run.
Superstar artist Tony S. Daniel has impressive writing credits, having written Batman: Battle For The Cowl, Batman, and most recently The New 52 Detective Comics. It is no surprise that DC trusts him with the ‘other’ flagship book and character now.
One can pick up this issue (without reading #19 or #20) to find this.
Spoiler warning!
Superman defeats big dumb Hybrid monster that consists of citizens of Metropolis. Lex Luthor suits up in The New 52 version of his Warsuit. Punching. Superman is weakened. Superman flies toward the sun to gain strength. Superman socks Luthor. Lois loses cell phone video documenting the fight. Clark returns cell phone, says he watched from sideline. Lois’ date Jon Carroll shows up. Jimmy cracks a joke. The End.
Thank you, Mr. Daniel (and Mr. Diggle) for delivering what I needed. The doctor prescribed two punches to Lex Luthor and no magic. A simple, incredibly drawn Action Comics issue practically had me in tears with it’s celebration of superhero storytelling.
SAVAGE DRAGON #188
WRITER / ARTIST: Erik Larsen
Publication Date: June 6, 2013
Price: $3.99
Publisher: Image Comics
Buy it HERE
The Image Revolution was just yesterday, right?
I think Erik Larsen just took over for McFarlane on Amazing Spider-Man only last year. Ugh! It has been so long, though since those halcyon days.
Now, we can follow Erik Larsen on Facebook to watch his coloring and logo design process months before the book hits the shelves.
I like to check in on Savage Dragon every once in a blue moon — if only to say, “Yup, dude’s still got it”! Issue #200 isn’t too far away at this point.
I won’t even start on what’s happening plot-wise here, my ignorance of the Dragonverse would doom me to mockery on message boards across the world.
Dragon is being sentenced for murder, and meanwhile Daredevil (Golden Age!) and Dragon’s son Malcolm take on Golden Age villain The Claw and his flying monkey men.
Lots happens here, we’ll avoid the spoilers, but consider picking this book up to see that dude has still got it. He’s practically Jack Kirby reincarnated. Also, the cover is way cool, faux-aged like a dog eared copy of Tales of Suspense on the hopper in the barber shop!
[READ MORE AT FORCES OF GEEK]
TRIPLE SHOT DIGITAL: Comixology Submit Presents THE ACCELERATORS #1, SECUNDUS #1, HELL’S BREW at FORCES OF GEEK
This week at our ongoing coverage of creator-owned digital comics reviews at Comixology Submit we time travel for gladiator battles and hot rod desert races.
The leader in the digital comics space opened up the platform to indie creators back in March of this year.
Writers and artists now have the chance to publish comics or graphic novels on the browser, tablet or phone using the Guided View technology. Comixology curates the submissions and soon the comic is put into panel by panel production for the viewer. The comics appear right on the digital store alongside all of the major publisher’s books.
The Accelerators #1
Writer: R.F.I. Porto
Artist: Gavin P. Smith
Cover: Walt Flanagan
Price: $2.99
Page Count: 29 Pages
Imprint: Blue Juice Comics
Digital Release Date: 5/22/13
Age Rating: 15+ Only
BUY IT HERE
Time crimes! The story starts out in the future in a gladiator arena, good and bad guys throughout history are pitted against each other for dominance. Stormtrooper vs. Caveman, The Mayan vs. The Professor.
We then cut to a doctor being chased by a soldier through time and pick up a smart teenager along the way.
The time travelers are using a device shaped like a donut to travel through time.
By the end, the chase has led our heroes back to the arena, surely to face combat in the Games.
Fun story here, I’m a sucker for time travel stories and superhero battles like Deathmatch andAvengers Arena. Looking forward to issue #2.
Secundus #1
Written and drawn by: Mike Tomas
Price: $2.99
Page Count: 32 Pages
Digital Release Date: 5/22/13
Age Rating: 15+ Only
BUY IT HERE
Secundus is the story of a brave warrior in Roman times, also set in a battle arena.
He always wins his battles, and he got his name by always fighting two at a time.
After winning his last battle and gaining freedom, he’s challenged by a magician who conjures up a creature to aid him in his battle against the mighty Secundus “Secundus fights two”!
I loved this mostly black and white story, at once a parable and classic story set in ancient time.
A very quick read but a story that makes you think!
The leader in the digital comics space opened up the platform to indie creators back in March of this year.
Writers and artists now have the chance to publish comics or graphic novels on the browser, tablet or phone using the Guided View technology. Comixology curates the submissions and soon the comic is put into panel by panel production for the viewer. The comics appear right on the digital store alongside all of the major publisher’s books.
Writer: R.F.I. Porto
Artist: Gavin P. Smith
Cover: Walt Flanagan
Price: $2.99
Page Count: 29 Pages
Imprint: Blue Juice Comics
Digital Release Date: 5/22/13
Age Rating: 15+ Only
BUY IT HERE
Time crimes! The story starts out in the future in a gladiator arena, good and bad guys throughout history are pitted against each other for dominance. Stormtrooper vs. Caveman, The Mayan vs. The Professor.
We then cut to a doctor being chased by a soldier through time and pick up a smart teenager along the way.
The time travelers are using a device shaped like a donut to travel through time.
By the end, the chase has led our heroes back to the arena, surely to face combat in the Games.
Fun story here, I’m a sucker for time travel stories and superhero battles like Deathmatch andAvengers Arena. Looking forward to issue #2.
Written and drawn by: Mike Tomas
Price: $2.99
Page Count: 32 Pages
Digital Release Date: 5/22/13
Age Rating: 15+ Only
BUY IT HERE
Secundus is the story of a brave warrior in Roman times, also set in a battle arena.
He always wins his battles, and he got his name by always fighting two at a time.
After winning his last battle and gaining freedom, he’s challenged by a magician who conjures up a creature to aid him in his battle against the mighty Secundus “Secundus fights two”!
I loved this mostly black and white story, at once a parable and classic story set in ancient time.
A very quick read but a story that makes you think!
Hell’s Brew #1
Story & Art: Michael Liggett
More info: TBA
Imprint: Forgotten Dialect Publishing
BUY IT HERE
This book is drawn like underground comics of the 60s, and is also set in an alternate history 1968. In this land, muscle cars, or ‘firebugs’ are king, and this is the story of infamous racers The Brothers Garcia.
There’s a fun car chase, an element of a murder mystery and some romance in the first issue. I’m really attracted to the art in this book, with a minimal color palette and sometimes awkward but not bad storytelling.
Overall, it works and I enjoyed this hot rod tale.
Story & Art: Michael Liggett
More info: TBA
Imprint: Forgotten Dialect Publishing
BUY IT HERE
This book is drawn like underground comics of the 60s, and is also set in an alternate history 1968. In this land, muscle cars, or ‘firebugs’ are king, and this is the story of infamous racers The Brothers Garcia.
There’s a fun car chase, an element of a murder mystery and some romance in the first issue. I’m really attracted to the art in this book, with a minimal color palette and sometimes awkward but not bad storytelling.
Overall, it works and I enjoyed this hot rod tale.
[READ MORE at FORCES OF GEEK]
DigBoston and LeaguePodcast Comic Book Picks of the Week for June 5, 2013
COMICS
One sign of summer is the #summerofvaliant, and more time for video games like Valiant Comic’s Harbinger Wars: Battle for Las Vegas for iOS and Android. This week the company releases two more 8-bit variant covers for our heroes. … Archer and Armstrong #10 written by Fred Van Lente is a mystery wrapped inside a puzzle inside an invasion of Area 51. … In NOLA, our pal Shadowman alongside Doctor Mirage take on Master Darque as the dead are screaming in Shadowman #7. … Daredevil: End of Days ends it’s limited run at Issue #8. We finally get the reveal of what Matt Murdock’s final words, “Mapone” mean, as this supergroup of a creative team (Bendis, Mack, Janson, Maleev, Sienkiewicz) give Daredevil his Dark Knight Returns future tale. … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com.
Pass the Daily Dig along! Your friends can sign up here!
Triple Shot: X-MEN #1, CHEW #34 and EARTH 2 ANNUAL #1 at FORCES OF GEEK
This week’s Triple Shot relaunches one of Marvel’s hottest books with an all-female cast, you’ll be hungry for more after reading the latest issues of Chew and Earth 2, but for different reasons.
There’s a new Batman in the town, but is his reveal the ultimate bat-tease?
WRITER: Brian Wood
ART: Olivier Coipel
Publication Date: May 29, 2013
Price: $3.99
Publisher: Marvel Comics
UPC: 75960607924700111
Buy it HERE
The role of female characters and creators diminishes over the years for some unknown reasons. When a book stars a female, or if Gail Simone publishes a new book, tumblr explodes with glee.
This book, is certainly no exception to that rule, as popular writer Brian Wood (The Massive, Star Wars, Mara) relaunches X-Men at number one.
Starring in the book are Psylocke, Rachel Summers, Storm, Kitty Pryde, Rogue and the return of Jubilee.
Jubilee’s a mom now, that is to say she’s the adopted mother to an orphaned baby. She’s on here way back to the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning with the tyke when she realizes she’s being followed and calls home for help.
This book has all of the elements of great comics, X-Men or otherwise. An orphaned baby with powers that may hold the secret to mankind’s survival, the best train scene we’ve seen since Skyfall, and a billion year old mystery to be solved with Caselli and his sister, Arkea Prime.
Oh, and there’s a Doop cameo.
So far Bendis has done Uncanny and All-New X-Men right, and here comes along Brian Wood to add to the modern mythos. This is for certain the book people will be talking about most this week.
WRITER: John Layman
ART: Rob Guillory
Publication Date: May 29, 2013
Price: $2.99
Publisher: Image Comics
UPC: 70985300808803411
Buy it HERE
This cover ships with three covers!
No, no no, silly, not three variant covers available from exclusive retailer, three covers on your book, with the cut along the lines marks so that you, the comic collector can play the interchangeable face game with the covers.
ComiXology customers will have to use their imagination on this gimmick cover that is the direct opposite of your comic shipping in a bag, it’s asking, nay, begging for you to take scissors to your cover!
Do you have the guts…or another $2.99 to spend? Layman and Guillory continue to have fun with this detective book from the lettering to the cover concepts and sneaky inside jokes. This issue has Olive donning a Mike Norton Battlepug shirt.
We’re 4/5ths of the way through the Bad Apples storyline, wherein our hero Tony Chu is hunting down the Vampire Cibopath. His hunt leads him to Eastern Europe, an undisclosed location that could be Transylvania.
This issue serves us up a plate of new food-related powers including one guy that can string guitars with pasta noodles. Admittedly, not a very useful power but he looks like Slash so that’s cool. Senator David Eccles is a Bromaformutare—meaning his head transforms into the last thing he ate. On his campaign trail, he first looks like Mayor McCheese but takes a bite out of an apple pie before his speech is over. That is one way to get votes in the Chew-verse. Also, this can get you in trouble if you are literally what you eat in the Chew-verse where chicken is illegal.
This book is consistently great and surprising, and the schedule ships toward the end of each month. Just as I’m getting full from a month’s worth of comics, I always find room for Chew!
WRITER: James Robinson
ART: Cafu / Julius Gopez / Cam Smith
Publication Date: May 29, 2013
Price: $4.99
Publisher: DC Comics
Buy it HERE
It all seemed right. I mean, I’m not buying issues of Earth 2regularly, but I’m hip to the concept.
Earth 2 is the closest we’ll get to Elseworlds in the New 52 so you an imagine how I nearly made a boom tube when the solicits were shoving a new Batman my way. I’d already bought the action figure in my mind because the design was equal parts Batman Beyond, Flashpoint Thomas Wayne Batman and Alex RossKingdom Come Batman.
Spoiler warning - if you desperately want to know the identity of the Earth 2 Batman, you won’t find him here. Batman stays on the sidelines as we watch the origin of Captain Atom and briefly see some action with Kirby Fourth World creations Mister Miracle and Big Barda.
James Robinson is a great writer, and the art by Cafu (T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents) is amazing. Sure, not everyone buys these Annuals, but I feel completely duped by DC Editorial promising something (for a hefty $5, noless) and not delivering.
I’ve no gripe with the Captain Atom origin or the Barda, Scott Free and Hawkgirl cameos but I bought this book under false pretenses. Marketing led me to believe an alternate version of the Dark Knight would be revealed. He was there and he fought a bit, but we are no closer to knowing the man behind the mask. This was a miscalculation, I can’t imagine I’m the only one feeling this way. I don’t care about the Earth 2 continuity a year after it’s launch but thought this might lead me in.
No way am I enthusiastic about getting the next issue to have the same bait and switch happen. This was a $5 trick you played on me, DC. I’m not happy.
EARTH PRIME TIME: COMIC FAN INVADES ANIME BOSTON 2013
Comic book fans and enthusiasts of any niche pop culture genre can be secular at times, closed minded, and exclusionary. It is the nature of the thing, I suppose, to be deeply invested and engaged by taking ownership of what appeals to you and what may become the building blocks of your identity. I’ve ignored the last ten Anime Boston conventions on this narrow-minded reasoning. After the Marathon bombings postponing Boston Comic Con this year, I put on my black costume karate gi to embrace the sense of pride and engagement with the nerd fan community that one can only get at a large convention in your hometown. This is how I, as a superhero comic fan, learned to stop worrying and love Anime Boston 2013.
My photographer Stacey and I headed for our passes early in the day, eager to take in the wonders of Anime Boston on Saturday. Lines were manageable with bag checks and plenty of volunteers to assist directing traffic. In light of the terrorist attacks, no weapons were allowed at the con this year.
There were plenty of foam swords, accessories, and larger than life costumes this year, so the restriction was certainly not affecting anyone’s creativity.
It should be noted, cosplay at Anime Boston is intricate and omnipresent. Well over 80 percent of the crowd is dressed up or decorated in some way.
Iron Man takes a load off - Photo By Stacey Rizoli
Nerds of all fashions are here, Doctor Who fans, Vorlons (Babylon 5), superheroes, kitty cats with mechanical ears, all manner of tails and white masks swarm around you in a sea of paper mache, facepaint, leather, and vinyl. Cosplayers range in age from young to old and costume materials range from $2 to $2,000.
Cosplay at Comic Con is huge, don’t get me wrong, but as Stacey pointed out, “You’d be out of place if you didn’t dress up here.”
My thirst for nerd knowledge makes me a panel junkie. Anime Boston uses Guidebook, a live updating smartphone app that makes it easy to look at a complicated schedule such as this that includes screenings, martial arts demos, panels, kid’s activities, signings, and contests. We had set up our schedule in advance the night before and backed this up with the hard copy on the convention floor. Getting the lay of the land took some getting used to, Anime Boston uses most spaces in the gigantic Hynes Convention Center.
[READ MORE at DIGBOSTON.COM]
TRIPLE SHOT DIGITAL: Comixology Submit Presents THE RED TEN #1, TIGER LAWYER #1 and MULTIPLAYER #1 at FORCES of GEEK!
The leader in the digital comics space opened up the platform to indie creators back in March.
Writers and artists now have the chance to publish comics or graphic novels on the browser, tablet or phone using the Guided View technology. Comixology curates the submissions and soon the comic is put into panel by panel production for the viewer.
The comics appear right on the digital store alongside all of the major publisher’s books.
The Red Ten #1 (of 10)(Digital Deluxe Editon)
Writer: Tyler James
Artist: Cesar Feliciano
Price: $0.99
Page Count: 48 Pages
Imprint: ComixTribe
Digital Release Date: 04/24/2013
Age Rating: 15+ Only
Buy it HERE
The Red Ten is, unapologetically, a send off to the classic Agatha Christie novel “And Then There Were None”.
The cool twist is that this is also the author’s chance to use a creator owned property to kill the Justice League or the Avengers one by one.
Drawing some influence from Meltzer’s Identity Crisis as well, James and Feliciano have created a familiar world of the superhero team and injected a compelling mystery with top notch art.
Supporting this series for 1/4th the price of a mainstream comic is a steal. Oxymoron, our Joker/Luthor villian is scary, but is he picking off these heroes?
Writer: Tyler James
Artist: Cesar Feliciano
Price: $0.99
Page Count: 48 Pages
Imprint: ComixTribe
Digital Release Date: 04/24/2013
Age Rating: 15+ Only
Buy it HERE
The Red Ten is, unapologetically, a send off to the classic Agatha Christie novel “And Then There Were None”.
The cool twist is that this is also the author’s chance to use a creator owned property to kill the Justice League or the Avengers one by one.
Drawing some influence from Meltzer’s Identity Crisis as well, James and Feliciano have created a familiar world of the superhero team and injected a compelling mystery with top notch art.
Supporting this series for 1/4th the price of a mainstream comic is a steal. Oxymoron, our Joker/Luthor villian is scary, but is he picking off these heroes?
Tiger Lawyer #1
Written By: Ryan Ferrier
Art By: Mat McCray / Vic Malhotra
Price: $0.99
Page Count: 31 Pages
Digital Release Date: 12/21/2013
Age Rating: 15+ Only
Buy it HERE
A sucker for an animal in the courtroom and Harvey Birdman, I tried out Tiger Lawyer for a parade around the three ring circus of the courtroom.
The first story seemed like a scene from Night Court, as a weary judge concedes to Mr. Tiger Lawyer’s defense strategy. The second story was quite good, a more noirBatman: Year One short story told in black and white.
Not sure the strategy on presenting a cartoony version of the main cat vs. a dark detective story, but both worked on different levels.
This book is worth checking out, for fans of Frosted Flakes and Perry Mason.
Written By: Ryan Ferrier
Art By: Mat McCray / Vic Malhotra
Price: $0.99
Page Count: 31 Pages
Digital Release Date: 12/21/2013
Age Rating: 15+ Only
Buy it HERE
A sucker for an animal in the courtroom and Harvey Birdman, I tried out Tiger Lawyer for a parade around the three ring circus of the courtroom.
The first story seemed like a scene from Night Court, as a weary judge concedes to Mr. Tiger Lawyer’s defense strategy. The second story was quite good, a more noirBatman: Year One short story told in black and white.
Not sure the strategy on presenting a cartoony version of the main cat vs. a dark detective story, but both worked on different levels.
This book is worth checking out, for fans of Frosted Flakes and Perry Mason.
Multiplayer #1
Story & Art: Tomi Hanzek
Story & Art: Tomi Hanzek
Price: $0.99
Page Count: 28 Pages
Digital Release Date: 05/07/2013
Age Rating: 13+ Only
Buy it HERE
Multiplayer is a fun release combining the mythos of familiar but dissimilar video game heroes into a superhero team across time to the present day to save the world.Legends of Zelda, Tomb Raider, and Street Fighter fans will recognize some faces, as the strongest warriors are assembled to take on Necrolord.
Fun stuff!
My lack of familiarity with all of the video game references did not distract nor turn me off on this book. I enjoy the concept.
Page Count: 28 Pages
Digital Release Date: 05/07/2013
Age Rating: 13+ Only
Buy it HERE
Multiplayer is a fun release combining the mythos of familiar but dissimilar video game heroes into a superhero team across time to the present day to save the world.Legends of Zelda, Tomb Raider, and Street Fighter fans will recognize some faces, as the strongest warriors are assembled to take on Necrolord.
Fun stuff!
My lack of familiarity with all of the video game references did not distract nor turn me off on this book. I enjoy the concept.
[READ MORE at FORCES OF GEEK]
DigBoston and LeaguePodcast Comic Book Picks of the Week for May 29, 2013
COMICS
For some reason, it is still X-Men, but this X-Book puts the ladies at the forefront. X-Men #1 debuts this week at Marvel NOW! with ladies at the helm of this team featuring Storm, Rogue, Jubilee, Kitty Pryde, Rachel Grey, Rogue & Psylocke. … Whoa-oh-oh! Positive. Last summer we interviewed Alan Grant (Detective Comics, Judge Dredd) about his Tales of the Buddha Before He Got Enlightened and now the trade paperback is available. Tales of Sex, absurdity, meditation, smoke and rock & roll from Alan and Jon Haward are now available at the TFAW.com link and Renegade Arts Entertainment. … Who is the new Batman of Earth 2? Find out in Earth 2 Annual #1 - the closest thing you can get to an Elseworlds story these days. … Picks this week from LeaguePodcast.com..
Pass the Daily Dig along! Your friends can sign up here!
TRIPLE SHOT: GREEN TEAM TEEN TRILLIONAIRES #1, AKANIERO #1 and THE DEEP SEA #1 at FORCES OF GEEK!
Your triple shot inoculation this week is full of 1% rich kids with money to blow on special toys, a solution of Japanese folklore mixed with video game action and Little Red Riding Hood and is topped off with your cure for the bends in Palmiotti & Gray’s The Deep Sea.
WRITERS: Art Baltazar & Franco
ART: Ig Guera
Publication Date: May 22, 2013
Price: $3.99
Publisher: DC Comics
UPC: 76194131597300111
Buy it HERE
Aw, Yeah Green Team!
DC Comics has resurrected the 1975 Joe Simon Green Team in The New 52 to compliment Gail Simone’s The Movement comic.
The best part?
It’s written by Art Baltazar and Franco—the famous cartoonists behind Tiny Titans, Superman Family Adventures and most recently Aw Yeah Comics.
Up until now, the guys of have been on an all ages initiative at DC, so it is exciting news to see them writing in The New 52.
The Green Team consists of Commodore, J.P. Huston, Cecilia Sunbeam, and young Mohammad. The kids don’t have super powers, can’t tell you where the Batcave is, and aren’t trying to save the world…yet.
They all meet up in the first issue at a pop up expo, POXPO ’13. Here, inventors try to gain angel funding for their latest and greatest machinations. Commodore (Nicknamed “64”—an excellent joke referencing the ‘80s computer) Murphy strolls around the expo determining who should get the funding. That is until he discovers Prince Mohammad is broadcasting the location with his Instagram app. This brings on the trouble and the bad guys looking to rob the youngsters, and steal the tech.
This is a very fun book, and it is great to see Art & Franco in The New 52, bringing their unique brand of humor and universal appeal. These are not known properties, so we can imagine some fun stuff coming down the pike, as the team works from a pretty clean slate.
These kids have a good heart, so let’s not condemn this 1% — I have a feeling they will use this funny money to help the world, not doom it.
WRITER: Justin Aclin
ART: Vasilis Lolos
Publication Date: May 22, 2013
Price: $3.99
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
UPC: 76156822674400111
Buy it HERE
Who’s afraid of a big bad mash-up? Not us!
Akaneiro is part fairy tale, part Japanese folklore and 100% video game tie in. The book is based on America McGee’sAkaneiro: Demon Hunters video game which itself draws it’s storyline from Little Red Riding Hood.
Set in a mystical version of Japan’s Edo era, the Red Hunter Fumiyo avenges the death of her mother who was killed by a wolf yokai (apparition).
She is sent to train with a rival clan, the Akane.
In order to start this training journey, she must travel through the woods alone, with her axe. Some demon rabbit yokai try to slow her down but do not. She is faced with a fork in the path and a wolf yokai has disguised himself to trick her into choosing her direction. She awakes in a strange cottage, with a doting Mother Tanaka taking care of her. What big head Tanaka has, we notice.
Will the wolf spirit devour Fumi, or will her axe lead her out of the forest?
The demons are well drawn, and the color palette seems consistent with the game. This is a fun book for fans of Fables and The Unwritten.
THE DEEP SEA #1 (One-Shot)
WRITERS: Jimmy Palmiotti & Justin Gray
ART: Tony Akins & Paul Mounts
Publication Date: May 22, 2013
Price: $2.99
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
UPC: 76156822662100111
Buy it HERE
Writers Jimmy Palmiotti & Justin Gray (Jonah Hex, All-Star Western) give us a time-displaced underwater exploration team in this one-shot comic originally published in Dark Horse Presents.
In 1958, a team of underwater explorers are set to explore the Mariana Trench. An injury leaves team leader Paul topside for the mission. When the ship descends, the powerful winch rigging cannot support the ship any more, it is being dragged to the depths by a force more powerful than ever. The crew is mourned and thought lost.
Fast forward to present day and 80 year old Paul is sent to recover the just discovered wreckage. He’s surprised to find his teammates alive, and they have not aged a day. Mixing the Captain America frozen in ice idea with the Fantastic Four team tragedy seems to work.
Both sides are skeptical of the reality of the situation, but as they are trying to figure this out, the recovery ship is attacked by a sea monster. Does the monster hold the secret to the disappearance of the crew?
Palmiotti and Gray are expert storytellers, and this is the great start to a series that I should hope gets continued in later chapters of DHP. Submarine and nautical battles are great fun, and not seen nearly enough in comics. Art and story remind me of John Byrne’s Star Trek titles and they have laid the groundwork for the mystery of the monsters to be solved. Great story and art!
WRITERS: Jimmy Palmiotti & Justin Gray
ART: Tony Akins & Paul Mounts
Publication Date: May 22, 2013
Price: $2.99
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
UPC: 76156822662100111
Buy it HERE
Writers Jimmy Palmiotti & Justin Gray (Jonah Hex, All-Star Western) give us a time-displaced underwater exploration team in this one-shot comic originally published in Dark Horse Presents.
In 1958, a team of underwater explorers are set to explore the Mariana Trench. An injury leaves team leader Paul topside for the mission. When the ship descends, the powerful winch rigging cannot support the ship any more, it is being dragged to the depths by a force more powerful than ever. The crew is mourned and thought lost.
Fast forward to present day and 80 year old Paul is sent to recover the just discovered wreckage. He’s surprised to find his teammates alive, and they have not aged a day. Mixing the Captain America frozen in ice idea with the Fantastic Four team tragedy seems to work.
Both sides are skeptical of the reality of the situation, but as they are trying to figure this out, the recovery ship is attacked by a sea monster. Does the monster hold the secret to the disappearance of the crew?
Palmiotti and Gray are expert storytellers, and this is the great start to a series that I should hope gets continued in later chapters of DHP. Submarine and nautical battles are great fun, and not seen nearly enough in comics. Art and story remind me of John Byrne’s Star Trek titles and they have laid the groundwork for the mystery of the monsters to be solved. Great story and art!
[READ MORE at FORCES OF GEEK]
DigBoston and LeaguePodcast Comic Book Picks of the Week for May 22, 2013
COMICS
Aw, Yeah New 52! Our favorite all ages comic artist/writer team and famous cartoonists Art Baltazar and Franco put down the pen and pick up the typewriter for Green Team Teen Trillionaires #1 this week. Let the 1% finance your next important project! They’ve got more money than Scrooge McDuck! Art by Ig Guara … What’s going on with the glitchy tech in Mega City One? Judge Dredd investigates while being targeted for being killed by a fellow Judge. Judge Dredd #7 from Duane Swierczynski is THE LAW this week! … A new take on Little Red Riding hood takes the form of Akaneiro #1 from Dark Horse, based on American McGee’s new Spicy Horse video Game and Japanese folklore. … Picks LeaguePodcast.com.
Pass the Daily Dig along! Your friends can sign up here!
TRIPLE SHOT: SOLID STATE TANK GIRL #1, DOOMSDAY.1 #1 and DREAM MERCHANT #1 - FORCES OF GEEK
Three shots of comics are served down and neat for you today, burning up and investigating the insides of your body and soul! We start off with the return of Tank Girl, John Bryne singes the Earth with a solar flare, and Nathan Edmondson delivers another story that branches out into a new fantasy genre, the mysteries of Dream Merchant.
SOLID STATE TANK GIRL #1 (of 4)
WRITER: Alan Martin
ART: Warwick J. Cadwell
Publication Date: May 15, 2013
Price: $3.99
Publisher: Titan Comics
UPC: 07447028032301
Buy it HERE
Remember Tank Girl? I sorta do. There was a 1995 movie, right? With the guy from Body Count and SVU.
Do you remember rock and roll radio, The Clash, Love and Rockets? The creators crammed all of that into a dyke role model with post apocalyptic kangaroo sidekick that live in a tank in Australia.
Jamie Hewlett went on to form Gorillaz, and original creator Alan Martin sort of wandered the countryside (seriously) looking to uncover ancient mysteries.
Martin has since resurrected the character in 2007, and Titan Books has released his latest story, Solid State Tank Girl with art by Warwick Johnson-Cadwell.
We see familiar faces—Booga, Jet Girl and Tank Girl.
We’re in a radio repair shop, something likely useful I the ‘80s or in post apocalyptic times. Booga zaps himself on an old radio and Tank Girl is put to task to revive him.
How do they do it? Honey I Shrunk the Kids style.
There’s a delightful few pages of ball humor before they do the Osmosis Jones bit and float into the gross kangaroo insides.
To cram just one more Netflix classic in there, perhaps the reason Booga has fallen ill could be found in the plot of Three Men and a Baby.
A fun, punk rock read with a female leading cast.
A backup story pits Tank Girl against Dick Strangeballs!
Tank Girl is Dead. Long Live Tank Girl!
DOOMSDAY.1 #1 (of 4)
WRITER/ARTIST: John Byrne
Publication Date: May 15, 2013
Price: $3.99
Publisher: IDW Publishing
UPC: 82771400459500111
Buy it HERE
Master of storytelling and the comic book form John Byrne reboots a classic concept of his from the ‘70s withDoomsday.1 this week.
The four issue limited series is a post apocalyptic tale of solar flares wiping out the most of the habitable places on Earth.
Stuck in orbit on an international space voyage, a crew of seven watches helplessly as the planet is decimated by fire.
On the ground, The President, The Pope, a prison and a submarine crew hunker down away on different parts of the planet to save themselves. This gives us an idea that some pockets of humanity will survive the destruction.
A sacrifice is made in space to return the astronauts home after many orbits and the flare subsiding. A crash landing in the southern United States leaves the crew to to survive on a familiar an foreign planet.
I am a fan of John Byrne’s polarizing artwork and storytelling, and follow his work at IDW closely—from Angel to Star Trek. This book is for fans of The Walking Dead, Planet of the Apes, and Mad Max. Will these astronauts survive past the four issue mini-series, or will they bake on the surface of a planet they used to call home? I’m along for the ride!
Dream Merchant #1 (of 6)
WRITER: Nathan Edmondson
ART: Konstantin Novosadov
Publication Date: May 15, 2013
Price: $3.99
Publisher: Image Comics
UPC: 70985301362400111
Buy it HERE
Nathan Edmondson is no stranger to poking around in someone’s head.
His spy-fi action comic Jake Ellis takes place somewhat in protagonist Jon Moore’s head, as the specter of Jake Ellis guides him through missions. The Dream Merchant mini series is off to a strong start here.
Winslow has been plagued by persistent and recurring dreams, that preoccupy his waking moments. He’s checked for observation into a mental hospital in Burbank.
While there he befriends the cafeteria worker, juvenile delinquent Anne, who has a fondness for Wilson and lends him many books on dreams.
Sleep demons chase the two out of the hospital and they are guided by a mysteriously shrouded mentor with a staff, one who seems to have control over the dream state. The two hop a train and escape onto the road, following the bizarre figure.
This is a different type of story that Edmondson’s other work, The Activity or Jake Ellis in that there is no spy action or military tech involved yet.
This is more of a teenage adventure story that half takes place in the realm of dreams. The flavor of the dream world is more Harry Potter than it is ‘The Dreaming’ of Sandman books, and a bit more fun. Chapter 1 has the heroes on their journey, with no hints at where the roads may take the three next.
Art by Siberian Konstantin Novosadov is more Disney cartoon than Darwyn Cooke ‘50s illustration, but the solid black line work and facial expressions are seemingly influenced by both.
[READ MORE at FORCES OF GEEK]
EARTH PRIME TIME: SUPERMAN: UNBOUND
Superman: Unbound is the latest DC Universe Animated Original Movie based on an Action Comics arc written by Geoff Johns and drawn by Gary Frank. Though not bogged down by New 52 continuity or pre-Flashpoint Superman Family architecture, the movie does a fair job at retelling the story of the five part Superman: Braniac in 75 minutes. Rumors are that this could be the last DCAU movie set in the old timelines, so continuity buffs and those wishing to celebrate Superman’s 75th birthday this year should give this a chance if you have not already. Since the story references Silver and Golden Age Superman subjects like the Bottled City Of Kandor and Collector of Worlds, this is both a movie for new fans anticipating Man of Steel and those with the House of El’s shield tattooed on their arms. Speaking of which, Supergirl is in for the action too.
Our story opens with Lois being abducted by some bad dudes in all black swat outfits from The Daily Planet. Perhaps a nod to our favorite Superman joke, Lois is in a pink outfit (and later has a pink phone and a pink laptop). She’s amazingly calm, because in this version, Lois and Clark are boyfriend and girlfriend. He has a way of saving her from these things.
It turns out that she’s not going to be rescued by big blue because he is dealing with an earthquake elsewhere. High over Metropolis, Miss Lane is in the back of a helicopter, almost helpless if not for her wit.
Heeding the call for action Supergirl uses her powers to defeat the bad guys until Kal shows up.
Cousin Kal reprimands her for using excessive force. This serves the story as an opportunity to introduce the villain of the movie, Braniac. Though not a direct sequel to Superman/Batman: Apocalypse, one can see this as the introduction of the character of Kara-El, cousin to Kal-El Superman.
Lois and Supergirl - Superman Unbound
Both movies rely on Supergirl’s motivations to drive the main story, in fact my girlfriend pointed out to me that the first film should really have been called Superman/Supergirl Apocalypse, as Batman and Wonder Woman were secondary characters.
Even with the amazing Andrea Romano as voice director there are still old fashioned gender issues in mainstream media.
Back on Krypton, before the explosion and Kal being sent to the Kent Farm, older cousin Kara witnessed a ship helmed by Braniac invade the capital of Kandor and slaughter many innocents. As the collector of worlds, Braniac bottled the city after shrinking it and he put this among his collection. Kara’s parents survived the blast and live in the bottle. Kara now can’t stand bullies, so she feels justified using so much force.
[READ MORE at DIGBOSTON.COM]
DigBoston and LeaguePodcast Comic Book Picks of the Week for May 15, 2013
COMICS
John Byrne (Superman, Star Trek, Next Men) takes a page from Marvel NOW! and gives us a Point One reboot of his post-apocolyptic space race 1975 Charlton comic Doomsday +1. The new book is Doomsday.1 #1 from IDW, taking place on the International Space Station with astronauts looking to return home to an Earth decimated by a solar flare! Hot Stuff! … The JSA Liberty Files have only been cracked this once since the New 52, and this issue of The Whistling Skull #6 marks the end of the miniseries. Written by B. Clay Moore and drawn by Tony F’n Harris, this steampunk via Hitler-smashing Sherlock Holmes type story is a masterpiece of the bizarre and macabre featuring the Whistling Skull and dimwit sidekick Nigel. Hard to put into words, really. … We haven’t forgotten about the all ages comic picks, this week we have Regular Show #1 from Boom! Studios. Mordecai the Bluejay and Rigby the Raccoon are just chillin’, yo. Whoa-Oh-Oh! Join ‘em for a regular day! … Picks LeaguePodcast.com.
Pass the Daily Dig along! Your friends can sign up here!
TRIPLE SHOT: TWELVE REASONS TO DIE #1, X #1 and ARCHER AND ARMSTRONG #0 at FORCES OF GEEK
It’s a numbers games as we dip into the 36 Chambers of Death with Ghostface Killah in the new book Twelve Reasons To Die. Travel back in time with Archer and Armstrong #0 and take a dark turn with Dark Horse and Duane Swierczynski punishing the criminal bosses in city of Arcadia for a new number #1 of cult anti-hero, X.
TWELVE REASONS TO DIE #1
CONCEPT: Ghostface Killah, Adrian Younge
WRITER: Matthew Rosenberg, CE Garcia, Patrick Kindlon
ART: Breno Tamura, Gus Storms, Kyle Strahm, Joe Infurnari, Dave Murdoch
Publication Date: May 8, 2013
Price: $3.50
Publisher: Black Mask Comics in association with Soul Temple Entertainment LLC
UPC: 045778022014
Buy it HERE
“Up from the 36 Chambers…it’s the Ghostface Killah”, these lyrics from Clan in Da Front weren’t what I expected to yell when I went into the LCS on Wednesday, but I did, scaring some kids there getting some leftover Free Comic Book Day swag.
As you can tell from the credits, this hip-hop comic comes to you from a creative team that goes all the way up to the executive producer RZA.
Accompanying this book is a record and tour of the same name by hotshot producer Adrian Younge and Ghostface.
The comic starts off with words like ‘pussy’ and ‘motherfucker’ and that sets the tone for the book.
Like Ghost’s lyrical flow, the comic references gangster history going back to the 40s through the 60s, and it isn’t too long before we are introduced to his alter-ego and star of the book, gang enforcer, the “other” Antony Starks. From La Costa Nostra to modern day nightclub drug deals, it’s grim and gritty. The artwork, benefitting from different artists in the first issue is dark and breaks off chapters well. Just like a RZA beat, nothing here is extraneous. All tells the story.
From the solicit as we find out that Anthony Starks is an enforcer for the DeLuca crime family in the 1960s. The family murders him after he falls in love with the kingpin’s daughter. You won’t know this from the first issue, but it is helpful background.
Starks remains are pressed into a dozen vinyl records and when played, the record invokes the spirit of Ghostface Killah, exacting revenge on his murderers.
High concept, great art and all accompanied by a soundtrack album that is already highly regarded? I am so down. This really is the summer of Ironman.
I didn’t even get to tell you about Black Mask Comics, a new publishing company from creator Steve Niles. We’re expecting great things from this new venture as well.
X #1
WRITER: Duane Swierczynski
ART: Eric Nguyen
Publication Date: May 8, 2013
Price: $1.99
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
UPC: 76156822527300111
Buy it HERE
Just last month, we re-introduced you to X from Dark Horse Comics.
Yes, another reboot. No, we don’t care.
Yes, we’re buying it. No, it’s not a cash grab.
Wait, am I answering questions in my head again? No? Good.
The masked vigilante has more in common with a Punisher of the MAX variety than any other character. He’s a strong, smart and capable vigilante that sits like a snake and plots his attack before doing so. His enemies are tipped off when he sends them a picture of themselves with a red giant X over their face. Most don’t take it seriously, or try to protect themselves from the vigilante when they know he is coming. Good luck, pal.
X has a particularly bloody streak, bloodlust and determination for meting out justice in his hometown of Arcadia.
Unlike Frank Castle, little is known about this cold killer’s origin. Hopefully Swierczynski will tap into that as the series rolls on.
The book opens on a warehouse full of corpses. Investigating detectives and officers on the scene prop up the heads of two of the dead laying in a nearby Caddy. The ominous red X from the photos is mirrored on their flesh, accompanied by multiple nails from a nail gun. Yeouch, X does not mess around!
As police check out the scene, a young blogger, screenname Muckracker aka Leigh Furgeson is poking around, tipped off by an old drunk about the massacre near his home. He flees Arcadia and leaves the detective work to Muckracker.
Leigh opens her mailbox to find a message from X, crossed-out photos of some bad dudes including one of Leo Pietrain, the unfortunate villain locked in his panic room in issue #0. Ambulances take Leo away as Muckracker gets to the crime scene to see Leo’s piehole bleeding a red X through his ambulance stretcher sheet.
In the third act of the issue, reader’s adrenaline levels spike as X springs into action once again. Though, this time it appears he’s been set up by the police.
After a firefight and explosion, X and the snoopy Muckracker find themselves in an alley together. This might be the time for Leigh to either expose X or to lend him a hand. Tune in next issue for more pulse pounding action.
This book has the feel of a Batman: Year One, and obvious nods to the Frank Miller story in the art by Eric Nguyen are not off-putting but set a familiar tone. The action and blood is definitely more mature (not for kids) than your average Punisher story but all of the tropes here work really well to acclimate the fan to a newly rebooted, but never wildly popular anti-hero vigilante.
Swierczynski is on some great books right now with tough dudes as the lead roles. Check out his take on IDW’s Judge Dredd for more rugged justice!
ARCHER AND ARMSTRONG #0
WRITER: Fred Van Lente
ART: Clayton Henry
Publication Date: May 8, 2013
Price: $3.99
Publisher: Valiant Comics
UPC: 85899200306200011
Buy it HERE
Valiant Comics started the whole ‘prequel’ comics numbered “Issue #0” way back in the nineties. Since then, companies have copied their style and in fact, DC’s New 52 had a whole series of “0” issues incorporated into their relaunch. It should come to no surprise to fans, speculators and collectors of the classic Valiant characters that Valiant has started to release prequels to their relaunched books as well.
Fred Van Lente (Spider-Man, G.I. Joe) brings his humor and well researched historical references to the latest, Archer and Armstrong #0.
Archer is a teenager, raised by extreme religious freaks on a compound. He escapes to find the truth about his parents. Armstrong is a nigh-invulnerable immortal warrior that is centuries old. This issue deals with Armstrong’s past through a retelling (reboot!) of the classic tale of Gilgamesh. How do we get there? Armstrong was part of the story and recounts it firsthand! Raised a poet among warriors with brothers Gilad (Eternal Warrior) and Ivar (Timewalker).
Some Vine-like tech is discovered in ancient Mesopotamia and the brothers go to investigate. They are greeted by men in robes who introduce them to the Boon device, the supernatural tablet that grants Armstrong his immortality. There’s dinosaur fighting, alien tech and ancient history rolled up into a delicious story that’s way better than junior high history and literature classes.
This issue is part Jurassic Park, part Rome and equal parts the origin of pizza in G.I. Joe Yearbook#3 — My Dinner With Serpentor.
[READ MORE AT FORCES OF GEEK]