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Webcomic Wednesday – MercWorks

March 27, 2013 by

Hello and welcome to Webcomic Wednesday! Each week I take a look at a webcomic and let you know what I think about it. This week I take a break from the serious stuff and looking forward to some much needed levity, I had a look at MercWorks, the brain child of Dave Mercier.

mercworks

I guess MercWorks reminds me a bit of Three Word Phrase. Dave Mercier seems to put his thoughts on the page and let it go. Unlike Ryan Pequin’s somewhat insane ramblings, which often veer into NSFW territory, Mercier seems to be a bit more… consistent, sticking to humour that is somewhat based on life, rather than sophisticated poop jokes . And that’s a good thing.

MercWorks is great – whether Mercier is trying to poke fun at his own insecurity, or if he’s creating comics about how he is running out of ideas for comics, it’s always wonderfully self reflexive. MercWorks actually feels like I’m getting to know Mercier through his work, as he comments on loneliness and the awkwardness of his everyday life. It also sometimes makes me think about myself, which only further makes it hurt so more.

You can check out MercWorks here. My favourites are this one and also this one. Check ’em out!

Have any webcomics you want me to check out? Let me know on my twitter @Pipes815, or send me a message via our contact form.

Filed Under: Review, Webcomics Tagged With: ,

Review: Constantine #1 – Jeff Lemire, Ray Fawkes & Renato Guedes

March 25, 2013 by

Constantine-01cvrI was always a huge fan of Hellblazer, and while I eventually fell behind, Vertigo’s longest running series always had a special place on my shelf. With its end last month in issue 300, John Constantine has a new home in the universe of the New 52, standing toe-to-toe with Superman and Wonder Woman. Jeff Lemire and Ray Fawkes, alongside artist Renato Guedes, are behind the new series Constantine, but has his move to a new home diminished everyone’s favourite anti-hero? Thankfully he’s still the same alcohol swigging cheat he always was in this solid, but fairly standard first issue.

The plot is fairly standard fare for a first issue; it introduces John Constantine, and following a remark about how the world is filled with super-beings, throws him into a case regarding one of his friends, after which he manages to antagonize a fairly powerful sorceress. Just a normal day for our dashing hero. It’s not anything drastically new; it sets up the new world that we find Constantine in now, and also an opening story arc, but it plays it safe.

Playing it safe isn’t necessarily a bad thing – this issue reads more like a proof of concept to fans and makes clear that Lemire and Fawkes understand John Constantine. It has all the elements – his true British dialogue  betrayal, alcohol, and a con job, that makes the story feel like it wouldn’t feel out of place in the realm of Hellblazer.

Renato Guedes’ art looks great, and combined with Marcelo Maiolo’s colouring, it really stands out. While not as smooth as Constantine’s depiction in Justice League Dark thanks to some rough line work, it still manages to impress, particualrly when introduced to the demonic Sargon the Sorceress. Plus, I’m seeing some colours I’d never thought I’d see in a Constantine story, as he travels to an ice hotel in Norway –  a welcome change.

One last thing I will bring up is the nature of magic in regards to Constantine’s introduction to the New 52. Typically in Hellblazer, it was often a battle with Heaven and Hell and anything in between, being grounded within folklore and legend. But with the less religious nature of the DC Universe as a whole, it’ll be interesting if these more traditional elements came in to play some time down the line.

The new home and new creative team may have initially made some worry about a change in quality, or if it could even hold a candle to the original series. Fear not – Lemire, Fawkes and Guedes have shown in this first issue that they get John Constantine, and have set up our hero in a new and exciting world.

The old Constantine is dead; Long live Constantine.

Filed Under: DC, Review

Review: Wolves of Summer #1 – Tony Keaton & Andrew Herbst

March 19, 2013 by

Wolves of Summer #1When I was a kid I always imagined being a soldier. Many times I’d live out exciting Star Wars fantasies as I fought in my own imaginary battles in a galaxy far, far away. Now being older and wiser I know that war isn’t being a hero and getting the girl – it’s a much more dark and dangerous event.

But what if you were a child, what if you did get thrown into a war that you did not fully understand? Wolves of Summer, a new mini series courtesy of Tony Keaton and Andrew Herbst, deals with this idea of children and war, It follows John, the sole survivor of his “Werwolf” squadron of Hitler Youth and the first issue sets up a strong introduction, as we begin to find out what really happened that last summer in World War II.

Issue #1 follows John as he tries to live his adult life, haunted by the events that occured during the war. John is depressed, and following a failed attempt at suicide, wants to simply die. The action often flashes back to the events during the war, as the group of boys escapes into the forest following the death of their commanding officer Heinrich Aust. These are children who have little grasp of the events beyond the knowledge that their commander is dead, and Keaton manages to show that.

Aside from a few child-like interactions between the boys that feel somewhat clunky, Keaton has a firm grasp on how little the boys know of what is actually happening, hanging onto the words of the propoganda of their losing side. They treat this escape into the forest as little more than a camping trip, with the boys laughing and joking as they set up camp and traps as the Allied forces move onto their position. It’s effective dialouge, as this naïveté only further heightens the sadness of the impending annihilation of many members of the squad.

Herbst’s art also serves the story excellently. While at times the faces appear to lack detail to truly be expressive, he manages to slip in visual cues that add layers of depth to John’s story. Repeated motifs of wolves and panel layouts give the sense that John has done this all before, drawing parallels between his dark life now, and the life he had in the Hitler Youth. There is also a brilliant page where Josef Goebbels addresses the Werewolf, only to turn into one himself as he belts out propaganda to his men, giving him a more fantastical feel. The boys view Goebbel and the Reich as more than men, playing up the notion that these boys are in above their heads and don’t fully know who or what they are fighting for.

Wolves of Summer #1 is a fantastic first issue for tale of the doomed Werewolf squadron. With its intelligent visual storytelling, and  grasp of child-like naïveté, I cannot wait to see what is going to happen next.

 Score: 8.5/10

Filed Under: Independents, Review Tagged With: ,

Review: Myth #1 – Loniewski / Lauer / Dollman

March 9, 2013 by

myth-issue1I love a good win-win situation. The comics industry has a long history of releasing issues to raise money for good causes- sometimes the quality of those comics can suffer due to the subject content, but a lot of people buy them anyway to help out. Then there are the comics that address the issue of concern whilst also maintaining great quality and standing on its merits as a comic book. Issue 1 of Myth is such a comic.

Published by Alterna Comics, Myth is an engaging tale of a small boy living in a badly run children’s home, who regularly goes AWOL and on one such escape comes across a silent giant who helps him out of a difficult situation. From there, the real adventure begins.

Written by Mike Loniewski, with Dan Lauer on art duties and lettering by E.T. Dollman, this is a simple but absorbing story. Lauer does some great work in black and white here and the story and art, although not stylistically similar, screamed the innocence and expansiveness of Bone. It subtly looks at issues of child neglect without bogging the story down in turgid introspection from its lead character. This is a quest story pure and simple, and it’s delivered extremely well.

All proceeds (the comic is initially free as a preview) from the comic go toward Childhelp.org, with whom the creators have partnered. It’s a 3-issue mini-series, with issues 2 and 3 slated for May and July. The comic has a Twitter account if you want to keep up on progress.

Here’s a teaser video of what you get in issue #1:

So there you have it: do some good and get a great story to read to boot.

You can get Myth #1 from Comixology for free on March 13th. And i think like me you’ll be interested in coming back for issues 2 and 3.

Score: 8.5/10

Filed Under: Independents, Review Tagged With: ,

Hoodlum #1 Review – Hilary Goldstein & John Toledo

March 5, 2013 by

hoodlumMost indie comics I have read in the past few years try to start small, with small casts and simple settings. I’m not talking about the large indie titles like Saga or Nowhere Men, but the smaller ones that slip under the radar like Rachel Rising. Hoodlum #1 takes one look at the more traditional indie titles that play it safe and decides to go in the other direction. Hilary Goldstein and John Toledo cultivate an ambitious start to a unique series, which despite sometimes feeling overwhelming in parts, is a great start for a new writer.

Hoodlum is the story of Riley Brennan AKA Hoodlum, a young thief living in a world where a demonic race runs the government, and look down upon the humans as a lesser race. She’s a regular Robin Hood-like character, stealing from the fascist demon overlords and giving back to her own community. The world is one part magical and one part steam-punk with a bit of high school drama briefly thrown in, and it is very unique. Goldstein manages to set up Hoodlum‘s world and first arc quickly, which at first glance is dense, but it is refreshing for the story to be getting right at it.

Characters throw around slang and colloquial sayings that at first are overwhelming, but once you get into the groove of things it feels natural, as the dialogue ends up being top notch when you finally get used to it.

Toledo’s art is impressive and has an amazing amount of detail in every panel, from character expressions to the environments themselves. While detailed, it can be a bit confusing at times, with so much detail making it hard to distinguish items in the environment, making me believe that the art would have benefited from a colourist or thinner lines. That said, Toledo still manages to impress.

Hoodlum#1 is a fantastic start for a new indie team. While at times it seems that the creative team may be biting off a bit more than they can chew, it’s still an impressive first outing for Goldstein and Toledo, and makes me interested in what is to come.

Score: 7.5/10

Filed Under: Independents, Review Tagged With:

Mini Reviews: Daredevil, Todd The Ugliest Kid, Judge Dredd

February 26, 2013 by

todd-number2My monthly stash of comics has arrived from my ‘neighbourhood’ comics store, so I thought I’d post a 10-20 word mini-review for each of them. So here goes:

Todd, The Ugliest Kid On Earth #2: As per my original review, I love this book and the second issue continues the quality story. Will be very sorry to see this finish with issue #4.

Judge Dredd #4: I’m starting to get my doubts about this one – can’t put my finger on it exactly yet but the shortened second story in the book doesn’t link that well to the main story for me.

Daredevil #23: Still quality, the story arc is getting ever closer to showing who’s causing Daredevil all his problems.

Hoax Hunters #7: I think I’m about to give up on this one – the story is just too jarring – some bits meander, other parts just plain don’t flow for me. Love the concept but the story is killing it for me.

Daredevil End Of Days #5: As I’ve said already, you should be buying this book – it’s going to be considered a classic.

Filed Under: Marvel, Review Tagged With:

Review: Batman “Death of the Family” – Scott Snyder & Greg Capullo

February 18, 2013 by

Batman Death of Family Review(Note: the Death of the Family arc compiles issues 13-17 of Batman)

When I reviewed Batman #13, the first issue of “Death of the Family”, back in December, I posed the question of this arc’s place within the Dark Knight’s story hall of fame. Would it be able to stand up to the likes of The Killing Joke or Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth, some of the greatest works in comic history, or would it pass by leaving the Batman mythos largely unchanged? Following the conclusion of the arc in Batman #17 less than a week ago, it’s safe to say that not only is this a fantastic look at the Batman- Joker relationship, but leaves the entire Bat-family in an interesting predicament.

The Joker takes centre stage for the arc, and the creative team make sure you know it. Capullo pulls no punches in creating a truly terrifying rendition of the character – his face rots before the reader’s eyes in horrifying beauty. This is some of Greg Capullo’s best work on Batman – the Joker’s face pulls and twists as events play out, and Capullo manages to portray emotions of a man who lacks many of the features that people actually need to do so. It’s twisted, disgusting and beautiful all at once.

Art elsewhere is also a treat. Aside from the Joker, there are many other gruesome scenes that colourist FCO Plascencia and Capullo craft excellently. Alongside the story beats, Bruce Wayne’s emotions run wild in this arc – Capulo shows anger, desperation, and sadness, seemingly with ease. I’m a huge fan of his take on an enraged Batman, and this is delivered in large doses.

In the end, art wouldn’t matter if the story wasn’t up to the same standard. Thankfully Scott Snyder delivers in producing one of the most interesting takes on the Joker/Batman dynamic. Snyder places Batman on a pedestal for the Joker, showing an almost fanatical love for his nemesis, much in the same way a patriot would love their king. The Joker feels that the Bat-family drags Batman down, that his family isn’t what makes Batman – it’s the Joker that does. The Joker honestly believes he understands Batman better than anyone, and that his plan will restore his “king” to his former glory. It’s a sick and twisted love story – and just in time for Valentines Day.

Snyder also creates tension with Bruce’s understanding of his nemesis as well. He holds his family at arms length, feeling that his understanding of the Joker is what can save them, and that this is something only he can handle. The way Bruce deals with his family is patriarchal, and leads to some great moments of tension.

These events all come to a head in an explosive final showdown, providing one of the most memorable exchanges between these two characters. Not only does it highlight their relationship in a succinct manner, but it also provides character development that I honestly did not expect to see. Without spoiling anything, this is best exchange between the two since The Killing Joke. Hands down.

When The Death of the Family finally reaches its phenomenal finale, it wont be what you expect. Snyder successfully manages to defy the expectations of what a status quo changing event can be, setting up a new world for Bruce Wayne to deal with. Snyder and Capullo’s take on the Joker  is not only one of this creative team’s best stories, but one of the best Batman stories ever. This is what events in superhero comics should aspire to be.

Score: 10/10

Filed Under: DC, Review Tagged With: , ,

Review: Faction Anthology #1 – Various Creators

February 14, 2013 by

faction1There’s no shortage of crowd funded comics projects around, but I love seeing the quality finished products, particularly local ones.

Faction is such a beast – edited by New Zealanders Damon Keen and Amie Maxwell, its a collection of work by a range of New Zealand comic creators. An independent anthology can be a mixed bag and Faction is certainly that – the whole gamut of art and story styles is covered, mostly successfully. A couple of the shorter pieces have jarring or non-resolving endings, and a couple of the others I struggled with art-wise, but that’s always an individual thing.

Faction AnthologyBookish by Jonathan King and One Giant Leap from Damon Keen are the two big standouts for me – King’s concept could easily be developed into a longer story arc and Keen’s sense of humour would work in a big way as a regular strip. Aside from those two, there’s lots of good work in the book to enjoy. It’s obvious a huge amount of effort has gone into creating a quality product and hopefully there’s going to be a lot more issues of this down the track.

If you want to submit your own work for a future issue, read the first issue online for free or order a hard copy, it’s all available here. Kudos to those who funded the book and to the team that saw it to fruition.

Score: 8/10

Filed Under: Independents, Review Tagged With: ,

Review: Daredevil End of Days – Bendis/Janson et al

February 13, 2013 by

Review: Daredevil End of DaysI’m late, so late. It was only because I had the opportunity to actually turn up in person to my comic shop of choice (I’m a mail order customer), that I stumbled across the Daredevil: End of Days mini-series. Slated for eight issues, four were already in store and the cover artwork had me picking them up right away. Sure, I’m a Daredevil completionist, so I would have grabbed them anyway, but after consuming the first issue it became apparent that this was going to be one of the best Daredevil story arcs in a lot of years. Even taking into account the recent superb Mark Waid run on the monthly title.

I’ll get onto why I so rapt, but be aware there are spoilers, so stop reading here if that’s a concern and get out and buy these issues while they’re still on the shelves.

So why is it so good?

1. Sentimentality: if you lived through Frank Miller and Klaus Janson’s famous Daredevil run, the return of Elektra, The Kingpin and Bullseye to name three, is a hook hard to avoid. Add in to that the fact that Klaus Janson is doing pencils on End of Days and it becomes a no-brainer. Oh, and there’s also Typhoid Mary, Echo and The Punisher by end of issue #4.

2. Story: sometimes it seems that Brian Michael Bendis can do no wrong, and this series’ effort alongside David Mack is not going to  dispel that perception at all. Using the veteran reporter Ben Urich as the narrator works superbly and the persona of an aging man in an ever-changing society is captured perfectly. Daredevil is dead a few pages into the first issue, so a good story becomes even more critical and it’s delivered in spades.

3. Art: aside from the sentimental aspect of Klaus Janson penciling this book, the whole art team have pulled off a supreme effort. It’s dark, gritty and engaging work. Bill Sienkiewicz’s finished art is of the quality I’d happily pay out big bucks for in a poster format. Take note please Marvel.

Overall, Daredevil: End of Days is one of the best Marvel stories I’ve read in the past three years. If work of this quality was done across the board, there’d be a hell of a lot more people reading comics across the board. If you live near a comic shop, get your arse in there and see if they have the first bunch of issues. If not, buy them digitally or start the countdown to the trade – I think I might buy it to hand around to a few people to get them back into comics.

Score: 9.5/10

Filed Under: Marvel, Review Tagged With: , , , , ,

Review: Fearless Defenders #1 – Bunn, Sliney and Gandini

February 9, 2013 by

Review: Fearless Defenders #1The Defenders: I doubt there’s ever been a superhero team that’s had more ups and downs, both story-wise and industry-wise. Even so, I count myself in the camp of those who like them a lot. Which is why when I saw Fearless Defenders announced, I knew I’d pick it up – even though the link with the original Defenders is pretty tenuous.

The team in full is going to be revealed over time – the first issue reveals Valkyrie and Misty Knight, with the very mortal Dr Annabelle Riggs along for the ride. As you’d expect, this is pretty much a scene setting issue, but even so there’s enough here to maintain interest as a standalone book.

fearless-defenders1Will Sliney’s art is top notch – it’s always great to get to an end of issue and not have a jarring experience of poorly rendered anatomy. Cullen Bunn’s writing is solid and balances the humour between the team very nicely and there’s even some sexual tension thrown in for good measure. Veronica Gandini’s colours are interesting as well – there’s a real emphasis on greens/aquas throughout, but it works well in the context of the issue.

Previous Defenders books have heavily relied on the concept of outsiders thrown together reluctantly and Fearless Defenders is very much shaping up the same way. Bunn’s interview with Marvel.com makes it clear we’re in for a long story arc and I for one will be continuing to follow it for at least a few more issues to come.

Score: 8/10

Filed Under: Marvel, Review Tagged With:
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