REVIEW! Game of Thrones comics and more!

George R.R. Martins Hedge Knight

Hello, hello, hello! Welcome to all you patrons of the improbable, the surreal and the fantastical!

Today for your pleasure I bring a little-known treat for most and one I think is most appropriate now more then any time before.

The new comics variants!!

By now almost all of you will be familiar - either completely or at least in passing - with the phenomenon that is "Game of Thrones", the TV series adaptation of the "A Song of Ice and Fire" series of books by the amazing George R.R. Martin. We've all gaped in awe, shock and horror as we watched the beginnings of the deadly drama that would set the kingdoms of Westeros to the sword - the noble Houses of Stark, Baratheon, Targaryen and all the others that I'm sure you are remembering vivildy in full gory detail right now! And of course Khal Droga and his Dothraki, not to be forgotten!
Marvelous is it not? And not only was the show such a runaway success that they confirmed a second season after just ONE episode aired, but its become bigger still - recently there was an announcement for a Game of Thrones video game for which we saw the trailer at the E3 2011 event. And on top of that we have the recently released comic adaptation of the books themselves with some pretty awesome cover art by the legendary Alex Ross! (Oh and I have to be an arse here but can't help myself - I got a copy of #1!! Mine, all mine!! muahahahah!)

Anyway, with all this and the next season underway and soon to be back to the screen - anticipated with pounding heart by anyone and everyone who saw the stunning season finale - I decided to bring in a little something extra, something that got forgotten in the shadow of this mammoth saga, one that Martin is still writing to finish!

So without further adieu, I bring you George R.R. Martin's Hedge Knight! Produced years ago by the Image Comics and the now defunct Devil's Due Publishing, this was an adaptation of one of the stories from the Tales of Dunk and Egg, a series of short tales - novellas if you will - that take place in Westeros' past. More specifically these tales are set quite some time before the Song of Ice and Fire and in fact even before the rebellion of King Robert that we know about from these stories. In fact it is set a hundred or so years earlier in a more idyllic time when the vaunted and feared House Targaryen still rules supreme - the blood of the Dragon still on the Iron Throne!

Armageddon Expo 2011 (Auckland, New Zealand)

Myself and my awesome helper Renee

Again awesome Renee here with my other awesome helper fellow comic book creator, Susan Rugg.

I had been planning to launch our Online Comic Store at the Expo, which has been running now for a number of years. I had placed it in the top priority slot as its the biggest in Australasia. Numbers can usually vary around 18,000 and up - but this year it crossed 40,000!

This year was the third time I had attended but the first time I was there as a retailer myself. Being a retailer you get to see the amount of work that goes into putting in a such a huge effort into the smooth running of the events. I had a couple of very amazing young ladies help me out over the three days that we were there. The event itself was four days long. But I realised on Day 2 that it wouldn't be possible for me to stay the fourth day, so by the end of Day 3 we had packed up and left the venue, elated with the turnout and the response to us being there.

REVIEW: Ravanayan #3 & #4 - Double sized!

Ravan’s audition and Brahma’s casting ouch! (Spoilers ahoy)

Well written and equally well illustrated, Ravanayan issue 3 is a triumphant return to form after issue 2 which seemed more like an illustrated version of the “The story so far...” section of a book. The good folks at Holy Cow promised to treat us to a double issue this time round and the issue was a treat.

Coolest Indian Comic Cover Ever?

Most of Vijayendra Mohanty’s photos that I've come across till now depict him deep in thought. While most writers want to portray a brooding aspect to their personality, Mohanty appears to be someone who actually thinks. Ravan’s mindset throughout the issue is eloquently depicted in words. A noteworthy highlight is the dialogue between Brahma and Ravan - The conversation is quite interesting (though I sat in the brooding pose and have some questions which I shall raise later) and refreshing.

And speaking of refreshing, how cool is the way Brahma is depicted!!!

Being Thankful, Geek Style

Granted that it's a little bit past the date, but nonetheless, we here at Comic Addicts feel that we should do something to observe Thanksgiving. Recently Comic Geeks Unite asked fellow geeks what the best part of being a geek is. We're going to take that as a list of geeky things to be thankful for.

So without further delay, a geek's list of things and/or attributes to be thankful for:

We dig chicks.

We're smart.

Being a geek.

We're cool. Just 20 years ahead of our time.

Feel The ENIGMA - A wicked series in review

Enigma was a nasty little 8 issue series from Vertigo wherein the writer takes on everything from crazed vigilantes to road trips, the meaning of life and yes, comic books.

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So, what makes this different from other series' that have been lauded as "reinventing" and "reinvigorating" the comics genre?

Several things.

First, we don't know who the so called 'hero' of this drama is. Second.... even he doesn't.

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Orange Marmalade - no its not for your toast!

Orange Marmalade is one of those rare stories you come across that deals with social issues - albeit not directly since our protagonist here is a vampire-girl who wishes to get along with humans. I might have come across a few that deal with not-so-common life-issues, usually seen in Aya Nakahara’s work.

But this one beats them all with respect to how powerfully, yet subtly, the author has managed to bring out the plight of an outcast. 

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The story is a Korean supernatural drama web-comic written by Seok Woo. Apart from the fact that it is gorgeously drawn, making it look more like a series of screenshots from an anime, the perfectly paced story and narration makes it even more enticing to read.

More to Shonen then meets the eye!! (or ear...)

Hello manga fans, old and new!!

Tired of people recommending the same old titles like One piece, Bleach or Naruto when you ask them about good Shonen to read? Sick of finding no good feedback on anything but books that have been out for ages and/or long over instead of something more current? Well have to fear - your friendly neighbourhood ComicAddicts are here! 

To remedy this reprehensible situation our team has debated and finally made a shortlist which we now present to you, of five currently ongoing shonen manga (in no particular order) that you might want to try out:

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Blue Exorcist

The Son of Satan takes the fight to Satan by deciding to become an exorcist. Of course in typical shonen fashion he isn’t a very good exorcist, but he has plenty of raw power that he would need to control and master to be able to beat Satan! Varies from good to awesome, but the awesome is definitely pure awesome.

November Brings Memories and Tribute to the Men of The Incredible Hulk

It's time once again to pay tribute to those who have contributed to geek culture. November brings us two memorable dates for two men who, ironically enough, made their contribution in the same way. They both brought a beloved Marvel character from the comic book pages into the real world. Today we salute Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno who played David Banner and The Hulk in The Incredible Hulk television series.

Bill Bixby brought to life the scientist who's bad side you did not want to see. Bixby's big contribution to geek culture was The Incredible Hulk, but he also made a couple other contributions as well. Bixby was also in the sci-fi sitcom My Favorite Martian with Ray Walston. It was a very I Dream of Jeanie basis only the genie was a martian. Then there was The Magician who used his magic tricks to get people out of trouble.

Meet the Avengers! (Shattered Heroes roster)

Yeah, it’s that time of the year again, when Earth’s mightiest heroes, at least those who survived the latest summer event, are united against a common threat (Read : Norman Osborn), to fight foes no single hero can withstand. Except Batman. It’s a pity he’s in a different universe.

With the release of Avengers #19, written by Brian Michael Bendis and illustrated by David Acuna, this new comic book day, Marvel has unveiled the full new roster of the post Fear Itself Avengers. It does seem like a pretty solid combination of Avengers mainstays, returning classic members and new recruits.

All images - Click to Enlarge

The Roster

1. Captain America (The real one)

After the <SPOILER!> non-death of Bucky Barnes in Fear Itself, it is time for the original Captain America, Steve Rogers to wield the shield and lead the team once more.

 

Real Love or Really Weird? "Our Love Is Real" Review + Preview

Greetings kiddies!

Sorry for the gap the last two days here on ComicAddicts but we had some minor difficulties and are now back on track as best I can tell.
This weeks Wayfarer got moved up to Tuesday and on the up-side that means I get to bring you yet another new bit of comic madness today! AND as a bonus we will be having a double-posting today just to make up for leaving you guys hanging the past two days!
Isn't it amazing how things work out?

SO! With the DC relaunch and the Mumbai Comic Con Express and the ComicAddicts MiniCon and all other things now over and done with, I can return to what made you like this little crazy space so much - sheer random comic weirdness!
And I have.
Don't believe me? Check out this cover and tell me what's the first thing that comes to mind? Yes, dog is man's best friend, but does this seem a little OVER-friendly to anyone? Yes? Good because that's kind of the idea!

How real is TOO real?

You see today's choice of comic being reviewed here is one called "Our Love is Real" by writer Sam Humphries (one of Wizard's "Five Writers to Watch in 2011") with Steven Sanders (Uncanny X-Men: The Heroic Age, Five Fists of Science) on art duty.

And yes, since you are wondering on it a lot by now I'm sure, this is about some seriously odd sex and romance - BUT, unlike what you might think, there is no graphic nudity or hentai style tentacle porn happening here. Though I imagine it does happen in the world of the comic itself.

The Divisive Icon Returns! Frank Miller: O.W.S and more.

Good day everyone - a special edition news update for you here, brought about by none other than ever-controversial super-star comic creator Frank Miller.

Now many folks may not know who he is, but if you've been even a passing comic fan the past decade or so then you know precisely who I'm talking about - for anyone else all I can do is say he's the guy who wrote the comics that became the blockbuster movies 300 and Sin City. If that isn't enough for you then you need to read more comics.

Miller has pretty much ALWAYS been a divisive and talked about creator, bringing out not just those two landmark and iconic series but also was the man behind Ronin, Hard Boiled (with the incomparable Geof Darrow) and Martha Washington, apart from his very popular runs on Daredevil (he created Elektra for starters) and of course his most legendary work: The Dark Knight Returns.

But somehow since his earth-shakingly gritty and awesome comics from back then, it seems like Miller has gotten a little off-the-rails. Don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed some of the stuff he's done since then but the key word there is 'some', because a lot of it has been the same-old-same-old and riddled with cliches and cheesy moments that actually make you want to wince. It's almost as if he's lost his marbles a little and become this weird, bitter old man who just likes to shout from his porch at all the things that make him mad, regardless of whether he's making sense anymore. And his comics themselves have devolved into utter tripe as would be known by anyone who has read his work in recent years - especially that epic failure (in my humble view) that was Holy Terror! which was supposed to be originally a Batman story. I thank the graphic gods daily that for whatever reason this did not come to pass and Bat's was spared this disaster.

Actual spread from the comic...

Raj Exclusive Preview: Aadam

Aadam - The pre-historic man, or perhaps a Neanderthal is the title and even the theme of the upcoming Nagraj issue. This issue features the classic version of Nagraj and sees the return of both Mahatma Kaaldoot and Nagina after a long long time.

Aadam - Credits

Kaldoot features in a few Twenty Series, but Nagina hasn’t been seen in Ages and this seems to be an exciting title to return to.

Nagina and Kaldoot have been adversaries since eons, as any Raj fan worth his money, would know and I for one am pretty interested in seeing how this one turns out to be.

In the end, as always, good will prevail over evil, and even otherwise, Kaldoot is a big powerhouse who can beat Nagina any day of the week, but she is a wicked evil, and I mean EVIL!!! So underestimating her would be a mistake that Kaldoot and Nagraj will make only at their own peril!

Coast City Comic Con

The Coast City Comic Con kicked off officially Friday night with a nerd rave featuring DJ Pony Farm and Waranimal. There was even a costume contest. The main part of the show took place on Saturday at the Eastland Park Hotel on High Street in Portland, Maine. The doors opened at 10 AM for the geek fun to commence.


Comic Addicts was there to check on the fun going on. There was a lot to take in. Game Geeks were there with tables set up for RPG games as well as (of course!) selling gaming supplies. Speaking of games, there were tournaments for Super Mario 3 and Marvel vs Capcom 3. There were also screenings at the Space Gallery for Deadly Spawning and Captured Ghosts.

There were also some awesome guests like Ray Dillion who has worked on Brightest Day, GI Joe, and Transformers as well as several others. Renae De Liz who is currently working on Anne Rice's Servant of Bones, but has also done The Last Unicorn with writer husband Ray Dillion. Rob Fitz was on hand as an expert on B-movies and to show off his creation, God of Vampires. There were several cool guests to meet and check out their work which you can get a list of from the Coast City Comic Con web page.

Flashpoint & The New 52

Today, when most of the #2 issues of the DC Universe 'event' (or is it the DC Universe now?) called the 'New 52' have been released, I take a fond look back - at Flashpoint and the 1st issues of what will, for better or worse - heralded as a period of change for the average comic reader.

Flashpoint worked for most people. Innovative concept, no? Heroes, villains, altered timelines, different people, same names - except it's all been done before. No, here I'm not talking about the popular Elseworlds moniker books (all of which were loads better than what DC gave us here), which stopped coming out a few years ago, I'm talking about another DC Universe event called Zero Hour: Crisis in Time which came out in 1994. While Crisis on Infinite Earths addressed the question of multiple universes (space), this shorter (5 issues) series took upon itself to rectify the time anomalies. Written and drawn by veteran (then!....and the guy's still writing/drawing a couple of titles in the new 52! Wotta man!) Dan Jurgens, also known as the guy who killed Superman, the series dealt with a mystery antagonist destroying the past, present and future of the DC Universe - the identity of the said figure was kept secret till the very end, and that presented perhaps the best character development for him ever! (No, for those of you who haven't read it, I'm not spoiling it for you, until I review it!) Suffice to say, Flashpoint is 2/3rds Zero Hour.

Barry Allen is no longer the Flash. In fact, the world now doesn't have a Flash (if this sounds familiar, it's because Geoff Johns did it before in the beginning of his acclaimed Flash run, in a story titled Wonderland), the world is on the brink of war between Atlantis & Themyscira and there is no Superman. Barry Allen must figure out why all of it went to hell....before it gets too late. He's not without help, though - Batman is helping him, but this Batman isn't Bruce Wayne! (My rules - no spoilers for something that's not older than 5 years)

A lot of ground to cover in 5 issues, with splendid art by Andy Kubert and classic character moments by Geoff Johns - the scene with Barry and his mother is worth the full price of admission. But that, unfortunately, isn't enough to salvage this title - it's not that it's all bad, just that it's nothing we haven't seen before. In fact, a few of the 3 issue tie ins offer better stories - especially Batman: Knight of Vengeance & Secret Seven.

On to the new 52 - as an event, I really applaud the guys over at DC for taking this daring step - but it worked out so so for me. My top 5 picks:

Batman: Scott Snyder & Greg Capullo have hit it out of the park this time. Conspiracy theories aren't new in comics, but I really applaud the people who have dealt with colossal revelations and taken it forward breaking all the stops - people like Ed Brubaker (Captain America), Dan Jurgens (Zero Hour), Jim Starlin (Batman: A Death in the Family), Alan Moore (Batman: The Killing Joke) and Judd Winick (Batman: Under the Hood). I'm stunned, and I'll be back for more!

When the Zombies come marching in...

Good day ladies and gents!!  It's that time of year again. No, not diwali or christmas!

No, I am referring to the recently kick-started (and MUCH anticipated) second season of The Walking Dead, the mega-hit TV adaptation of Robert Kirkman's amazing comic odyssey on the undead. It paints a stark and real picture in a genre much-maligned (at times VERY justified) because of the loads of BAD movies that have come out over the years - in fact its a picture so real that the comic has been running for over 90 issues now and the show is a runaway success as well. 
The biggest thing about The Walking Dead is how relatable and real everything including the characters are and for some of us who are more inclined to believe such an apocalypse is a possibility (and believe us there are quite a few including some of our own). 
So with that in mind, we here at ComicAddicts elected to bring you some info on zombies and what to expect when the ectoplasm hits the fan!

Survival is the first thing that pops in one’s mind when asked about the zombie apocalypse, all thanks to comic books, movies and grandma’s bedtime stories. All I can say is that if yours read you those, that is one cool grandma.
Take care of her. Until the zombies get to her that is...

How about a bed time story?

Lovely Comic Snacker!

Welcome back all you lovely wayfarers!

After a hectic couple of weeks and the Mumbai Comic Con now over, its great to be back bringing you comics of all shapes and sizes. But the Convention itself gave us so many great new reads and amazing new talent to enjoy that I want to review arguably my favourite of the new contenders from among those launched in Mumbai: Milk & Quickies by writer Anupam Arunachalam and artist Abhijeet Kini, the latter of whom many of you will already know from his work on UBiMa (a.k.a. Ud Bilaw Manus) from Pop Culture Publishing.

This talented duo has done something that is a great concept and personally I feel the Indian comic industry needs more of: bring a variety of styles and stories and really let the reader see what Indian comics are capable of bringing to the table. In this case they have done so with five distinct stories of varying length told over twenty-six highly entertaining pages.

Comic Addicts Presents: The First Indian "Minicon"

If you have been following our social media platforms ( Facebook/Twitter) then you are already aware of the minicon. If you aren't , before proceeding to tell you all about it , let me ask... Why aren't you with us on our social media? See the link on the right there ... yep , the facebook page pluggin, click and join us!

Now, self promotion done. Lets talk about our little project that we call "Minicon" .

Abstract Comics? An interview with NZ artist Draw.

Still ness #01

As a comic fan and creator I stay within the safe confines of what a comic book or comic book page is "supposed" to look like. We have the panels and then the speech bubbles and text. But New Zealand comic creator, Draw has taken a different view of what a comic book page should or could be. 

Because its something new and fresh, I had been meaning to discuss Draw's comics and so it was interesting that he approached me when I asked for submissions from New Zealand Comic Creators on the Facebook site.

COMIC ADDICTS: Tell us a bit about yourself, as most of our readers wouldn't know
who Draw is.

DRAW: Draw is my pen name; I've been making comics since the early 1990s. I
live in the North Island of New Zealand. I try to spend as much time as
I can making comics. Some influences and inspiration: Blakes 7; Harry 
Clarke; Guido Crepax; Arthur L. Guptill; The Dead C; Chris Foss; Charles
Dana Gibson; Jandek; Pre-Raphaelites; Dick Whyte; Lebbeus Woods; and 
Jean Rollin.

Samurai Manga Madness!

Ah manga. The gift that keeps on giving. The inspiration that has now started inspiring. The original sin and also the original sinner.

Too dramatic?

Perhaps, but the mark of the mangaka is unmistakable and undeniable in our lives. Japan's mainstream comic book industry which started as the smallest of the small was an attempt to give the identity starved Japanese people heroes of their own, like the Americans had theirs. It was a humble attempt and was long ridiculed by the more powerful film companies of Japan who, at the time, ruled the entertainment industry. Serious directors/writers/artists kept their heads down and stayed away from manga/anime lest they incur the producer's wrath.

Today its impact cant be felt worldwide. 

Even in India we see kids gush over Naruto and collect a myriad of toys and collectibles while making "pika pika...pikachu" noises. It has in due course overtaken and overthrown the giant shadow of the American Comic book industry and today casts it's own shade upon the world. Being no stranger to manga (and by it's extension anime) I believe the stars to have sufficiently aligned and the time to be sort of right for new readers of comic books, namely you, to follow me into the great mysteries of the Orient.

Coast City Comic Con; I Love It When A Comic Con Comes Together

We geeks certainly love a good comic con. The vendors, the guests, the artists, the events, and of course being able to congregate with fellow comic enthusiasts. Have you ever wondered what goes into putting on a comic show? Well we here at Comic Addicts had a chat with Tristan Gallagher and Ross Kearney at Coast City Comics (CCC) in Portland, Maine about what went into their comic con happening next week starting November 11.

A little background on CCC: Coast City Comics is located on Congress Street right in the business district of Portland. They are actually two shops in one. They also have Monster Fun Box Emporium which sells unique t-shirts that they make themselves, retro video games, and most importantly, toys that will bring you back to your childhood. Of course also being a comic shop the have the latest figures, hero clix, and other comic merchandise as well as the latest issues of the weekly comics.

(Ross Kearney [left] & Tristan Gallagher [right])

EVENT REVIEW : FEAR ITSELF

“There is nothing to fear but Fear Itself”