The Comics Herald

No One Is Safe by Katherine Wirick

Posted on February 6, 2013 by David Holloway

Whilst doing some Twitter lurking this evening I came across a tweet from Tom Spurgeon over at Comics Reporter, commenting on how he was surprised a piece of work hadn’t been picked up by one of the majors. I clicked through and he’s so right.

No One Is Safe is an incredible piece of work by Katherine Wirick, documenting a piece of her father’s life. Originally created as something for public display, it’s had a limited print run direct Wirick. Seems to me it deserves a hell of a bigger run that that.

Have a look for yourself – do you agree?

Posted in Independents | Tagged Wirick | Comments Off

Daniel Clowes on Football

Posted on February 5, 2013 by David Holloway

The Super Bowl is now done for another year, and aside from the great Iron Man 3 trailer, there’s another comic-related gem that I’ve stumbled across.

Daniel Clowes‘ Twitter account posted a link today to some previous work he’s done on ‘football’ and I’m pretty sure I’m safe in saying he’s not a huge fan of the game – which gives me yet another reason to be in love with his work.

Here’s the panel in question, from Clowes’ On Sports and it’s not safe for work (click on image for full-size version):

Posted in Independents | Tagged clowes | Comments Off

Iron Man 3 Superbowl Advertisement: Check It Out

Posted on February 4, 2013 by David Holloway

For those in the USA it’s been a big day with the Superbowl. For comics fanes it’s also been a big day as Marvel released a promo for Iron Man 3 that screened in the Superbowl ad breaks. Have a look for yourself:

There’s also an extended version over at Facebook (here) or have a look right now:

Over to you: do you like what you see?

Posted in Marvel | 2 Comments

My Pull List: Let’s Start With Me

Posted on February 4, 2013 by David Holloway

My Pull List is a regular look at the comics we regularly read. Each time we’ll get one comics lover to detail the books they can’t do without month to month. If you’d like to be a participant, drop us a line!

Given we’ve only just launched, we’ve not had time to find someone to disclose their pull list, so it’s down to me. So for what it’s worth, here are the comics I currently have on regular rotation, and why:

1. Daredevil: if you’ve been bored enough to read my profile you’ll know Daredevil is my favourite superhero comic. Add to that Mark Waid’s hugely successful run on this title and it’s a no-brainer.

2. Hoax Hunters: I’ve been with this series from the start and now I’m six issues in I have to admit my interest is waning a little – this one may fall off my list in the next couple of months.

3. Judge Dredd: IDW’s new stories are pretty good so far, and as a Judge Dredd Reader since the 2000AD pulp days in the 1980s, I would have felt guilty not adding this one and so far I’m very glad I did.

4. Todd, The Ugliest Kid on Earth: I reviewed it here and am definitely getting all four of these.

So there’s my staples at the moment – we’d love to hear yours too. Just drop us a line with your pull list and a little bit of info about yourself (first name and rough location at least), and we’ll profile you in coming weeks.

Posted in Opinion | Comments Off

Batman: Stop Whining

Posted on February 3, 2013 by David Holloway

Some humour only a comics fan can truly appreciate – in fact you may need to be a very widely read fan to get every panel (which I didn’t), but it’s a great laugh all the same:

[Found over at imgur.com]

Posted in Humour | Tagged humour | 1 Comment

Review: Todd, The Ugliest Kid On Earth – Perker and Kristensen

Posted on February 2, 2013 by David Holloway

This new release from Image comics is something a little outside the superhero schtick to say the least. The central character, Todd (surprise!), is a kid who’s constantly bullied and is considered so ugly by his mother that he’s forced to wear a bag on his head. Add a ‘mutton dressed as lamb’ mother, a heavy drinking father, a neighbourhood bully and a child serial killer and you have the foundation for an interesting comic series.

This is a story that has the potential to veer solidly into Archie / Dennis The Menace neighbourhood sitcom territory but it manages to achieve exactly the opposite – an edgy, funny, adult comic. Sure, there are some low moments where the story skids into stereotypes but they are far outweighed by the dark humour and a pretty stark portrayal of Todd’s day-to-day life. M.K. Perker’s art is a great match for the story and Kristensen’s writing is more than solid, including a handful of actual laugh out loud moments, something I don’t experience very much in comics.

Todd, The Ugliest Kid On Earth is now on my monthly pull list – kudos to Image Comics for giving series like this a platform to grow. You can buy the digital version here, otherwise hit up your nearest comic shop for a copy. I have a feeling I’ll be sorry to see this title end after its slated four issues.

Posted in Image, Other Companies | Tagged kristensen, perker | 3 Comments

Webcomic Wednesday: Nimona

Posted on January 23, 2013 by Sean Robinson

Hello and welcome to Webcomic Wednesday! Each Wednesday I’ll highlight a new webcomic, and let you know why I like it so. This week I’m taking a look at Nimona, an ongoing series by Noelle Stevenson, about the exploits of super villain Balister Blackheart, and his devious apprentice Nimona.

Nimona is an interesting beast. The tales of Balister Blackheart and Nimona are somewhat different from usual villain based comics. Each prove themselves quite likeable, despite being villains – but that’s how Noelle Stevenson wants you to feel. Blackheart is an honourable man, was once a hero in training, falls victim to betrayal, and finds himself on the other side of the law. He’s surprisingly compelling and deep, and for a short weekly comic strip to get that point across is no mean feat.

Nimona on the other hand is mischievous and childish. She’s a shapeshifter, and upon convincing Blackheart to let her be his sidekick, revels in being a villain. She’s somewhat murderous, but still manages to have heart. Blackheart is a paternal figure in her life, and while she wants to let chaos loose, adheres to Blackheart’s no kill rule. It’s a neat mechanic that makes the villains feel like heroes.

Nimona’s art is also pretty neat. It’s simple and quirky, but compliments the tone nicely. Plus there is an awesome panel in a later strip that has some cool pop culture stars hidden in the background.

There is one little downside that isn’t really a downside. It’s a bit of a wait each week for the next instalment, and it reads better when read as a complete chapter, but that speaks volumes to how often I do end up checking it.

Noelle’s little captions also really complete the package. It’s totally awesome. Nimona is updated every Monday and Thursday. You can check it out here.

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.

Posted in Webcomics | Tagged nimona | Comments Off

Review: Thunderbolts # 1 – Daniel Way & Steve Dillon

Posted on January 21, 2013 by Sean Robinson

Okay, stop me if you have heard this one.

A retired military general recruits a rag tag band of heroes to do what normal people can’t – to kill threats instead of merely subdue them. They work above the law to bring down their targets any way they can. No, they’re not the A-Team. It’s Marvel NOW!’s new Thunderbolts, courtesy of writer Daniel Way and artist Steve Dillon – and it’s nothing we haven’t seen before.

Thunderbolts #1 sees General Thaddeus Ross, A.K.A Red Hulk, recruit an elite team of killers: Deadpool, Venom, Elektra and the Punisher, to take down threats in ways that the other heroes wont condone. That’s it. There aren’t any other events that occur in this issue; no real motivations, no hint at what is to come – it’s just plain boring, and doesn’t do well to set up the series to come.

The character “interviews” – Ross finding the recruits as they are on their own jobs – set up the meat of this issue, and while the dialogue is good at times, what they have to say isn’t all that interesting. Having Deadpool fight a gang of mimes is suitably Deadpool-y, and the Punisher gets some good time, being suitably brooding and angry, but everything else is just there.

Steve Dillon’s art really doesn’t sell the issue either. I don’t mind Dillon usually, but he isn’t working at his strengths this time. The faces look like someone hit them with a frying pan, and in one panel, Ross looks exactly like the Punisher just with grey hair and a beard. I’m a bit upset that Dillon chose to forget Marco Checchetto’s badass Punisher design, and instead went with a more classic approach akin to his previous run on the Punisher, but that’s a minor quibble, especially in comparison to his rendition of Red Hulk. It looks like an abomination, and not in the right way.

Thunderbolts comes out of the gate very poorly. It’s clichéd, boring and not very good looking . Needless to say, it doesn’t bode well for the rest of the series, and unless the next issue sets up some interesting plot threads, it’s not going to be getting too excited.

Posted in Marvel | Tagged dillon, thunderbolts, way | Comments Off

Review: FF#2 – Matt Fraction & Mike Allred

Posted on January 12, 2013 by Sean Robinson

“For the next two hundred and forty seconds, we are the Fantastic Four.”

Oh Scott Lang, you could not be more wrong. But it’s ok, the ride turns out awesome anyway.

FF#2 picks up right after the second issue of Matt Fraction’s other tie-in, Fantastic Four, as Marvel’s First Family begin their trip to the unknown universes. Events make a turn for the worse back on Earth, as Scott Lang and the Future Foundation learn that the new Fantastic Four’s stint will be a lot longer than expected. Fortunately for us, it makes for a fun story.

Fraction’s biggest strength in his other acclaimed series Hawkeye, the dialogue, carries over into FF. From Scott’s slight horror when he realises that the Fantastic Four aren’t coming back, to She-Hulk lamenting the loss of her Stella McCartney outfit; each of the character interactions are brilliantly handled. Without spoiling anything, if you aren’t laughing at a few of the excellent lines in this book, you need to check your pulse.

Dana Deering’s transformation to Ms Thing also comes to a head within this issue, and while the marketing seems to be building her up to act a bit like a bimbo, she often comes across as less like a an airhead, and more of an ordinary person thrown into extraordinary events. While it seems that Fraction is trying to make her likeable, she doesn’t come across as even remotely annoying – just a bit naive.

Once again the art pairing of Mike Allred and wife Laura looks as great as ever. There is a particularly stunning moment when the Mole Man and his beast appear to take on the Future Foundation, which shows that the Allreds know a thing or two on how to create fantastic looking monsters. The series so far harkens back to old Silver-Age comics, and is a treat to read.

One other problem that plagues this issue is that it almost requires you to read the Fantastic Four as well, as the events pick up immediately after the second issue of that series. Hopefully that is something that will change in the coming issues, with the Fantastic Four embarking on their journey, but readers of only the FF series will have a harder time following what is going on.

Despite issues regarding extra reading, FF again continues to impress, both in story and in visuals. If Fraction and the Allred’s can keep this momentum going, while allowing FF to stand on its own, this book will be one to watch in the coming months.

Posted in Marvel | Tagged allred, fraction | Comments Off

Webcomic Wednesday: JL8

Posted on January 9, 2013 by Sean Robinson

Hello and welcome to Webcomic Wednesday! Each Wednesday I’ll highlight a new webcomic, and let you know why I like it so. For our inaugural week I’d thought I would introduce you to a personal favourite of mine: JL8

Imagine your favourite Justice League characters, but they’re eight-years-old. That is JL8 in it’s most basic form. What that doesn’t tell you is how well realised each of these children are. They’re the Justice League, in all their heroic glory, but they also are just kids who deal with school in such a way that doesn’t detract from their adult counterparts. Batman is still a brooding paranoid kid, and Superman is a morally upstanding citizen, but they still have to deal with bullies, girls, and family. It constantly references the DC universe, while also giving out great moral lessons, making the comic feel like a great Saturday morning cartoon for kids, but with just enough referential humour to appeal to the parent. It’s fun that isn’t observed enough in the DC line-up these days, which makes it a nice change from the usual serious business that our heroes have to face.

Plus it is just so gawd dammed cute.

Check out JL8 here, it’s updated every Monday and Thursday.