Week In Review : Edgar Allen Poe's The Conqueror Worm #1 + Judge Dredd #1 + Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow #19

Edgar Allen Poe's The Conqueror Worm #1 (Dark Horse)

Story & Art : Richard Corben

(Reviewed by Anirudh Singh)

Ah, what an intriguing concept. Turn one of Poe's acclaimed poems into a one shot comic book. Edgar Allan Poe lies in that rare literary hallowed ground where a writer/poet always yearns to tread but fears immensely to do so. For to do so would be to walk in the shadows of giants. Not everyone is ok with that. It invites comparison and critique from the highest circles and rounds of amateur barbs as piercing as they are uninvited. However you have to realize that most of this criticism is with good cause. You don't just touch a Poe poem and be done with it. You best be prepared to bleed a part of your soul into that work and make it shine real good. Cause if you don't. Then one of these nights you might just meet the master himself. And then you will bleed.

Week In Review : B.P.R.D 1948 #2 + Captain America #1 + Deadpool #2

Hey folks!! Welcome back to another week - we're running a little late, but here's some of our picks from the week past. 

New reviews of this weeks books will be here this weekend so stick around!

B.P.R.D 1948 #2 (Dark Horse)

Story : Mike Mignola and John Arcudi

Art : Max Fiumara

(Reviewed by Anirudh Singh)

Well awesome another BPRD book. I cannot get me enough of these books. They never disappoint and each book leaves me with the growing realization that the end of the world will be brought about when Hellboy breaks out of Hell and runs loose - on Mignola's schedule, not the Mayans'. But that is a personal view. Anyhow, 1948 serves as a throwback, taking us into a simpler time when The Professor was still a little green around the edges and Hellboy was a little monster learning the ropes from his army family. Which means it is a time when some major reveals can really happen. But alas, my hopes are undone.

So far.

Week In Review : American Vampire #29 + Justice League Dark #11 + The Goon #40

American Vampire #29 (Vertigo)

Story : Scott Snyder

Art : Rafael Albuquerque

(Reviewed by Anirudh Singh)

Skinner Sweet is back. The monster from the old wild west returns to doing what he does best. Hunting down the old breed of vampires. And this time he is doing it for Uncle Sam. Partnering up with his old crush/protege Pearl Jones. The two of them are set loose in Hollywood to undertake their own witchhunt. While the government tries to sniff out the communists, the two of them are here to bring to light any incidents of Vampires being hidden among the rich, affluent movie magnates.

Skinner Sweet and Pearl Jones always have such wonderful chemistry together that its a wonder most issues in the series arent centred about them. Skinner's character is pretty much what drew a lot of people to this series, including me. He acts as a perfect foil to the good hearted Pearl. Add to this the fact that we know the European breed of Bloodsuckers indeed have something up their sleeve (thanks to Lord of Nightmares) and this story becomes doubly interesting.

Week In Review : B.P.R.D. Hell On Earth Exorcism #2 + Debris #1 + Star Wars Blood Ties Boba Fett Is Dead #4

B.P.R.D. Hell On Earth Exorcism #2 (of 2) (Dark Horse)

Story : Mike Mignola and Cameron Stewart

Art : Cameron Stewart

(Reviewed by Anirudh Singh)

The best part about a two comic story arc. Is that it has to be sharp and slickly done. You wont find useless filler villains, or feints and counter feints. There isnt any room for them. What you would expect is direct storyline, no holds barred. And that is exactly what you get. In spades.

Exorcism, deals with one of the many secrets of BPRD. One of the many tangents in this Hell on Earth where the agency interfered without even know what it was interfering in. And must now bear the price. An ancient Demon of great power and potency was imprisoned on this Earth. Its time of freedom now at hand, BPRD Agent Ashley Strode will venture into realms best left untouched to complete her mission.

A wonderful throwback to the old spooky Hellboy storylines, this comic works wonderfully. The artwork is just plain awesome, and the writing as always top notch. If you are looking for a good

Week In Review : Alabaster Wolves #4 + B.P.R.D. Hell On Earth The Devil's Engine #3 + Mars Attacks! #2

Another week over and one last lot of new comics folks!
Today our team breaks down three of the most interesting titles on the stands - Alabastar Wolves has been making some waves in horror circles under the pen of Caitlin Kiernan and BPRD has been like a juggernaut of insanity for the past year and is still going. And to wrap it up, we've got the utterly insane Mars Attacks comic!
Enjoy!

Alabaster Wolves #4 (Dark Horse)

Story : Caitlin R. Kiernan

Art : Steve Lieber

(Reviewed by Anirudh Singh)

Ah, Alabaster Wolves... So much potential, so much disappointment and yet so much hope. First off, I really like this series. It has a dash of myth and legends interspersed with a lot of interesting characters. On the downside we are dealing with a primarily Christian mythos here. Our heroine has a guardian angel, and I dont mean that in a metaphorical sense. She literally has an angel watching her back. Talk about real firepower.

As for the heroine herself well she manages to hold her own. A cheeky albino brat out hitch-hiking through the wilderness with a bird to keep her company and a kitchen knife to serve as a weapon. Not good odds I know, even with an angel watching your back. But she survives, rolling on from one near disaster to another near death experience. Monsters and ghouls are thick in this book, werewolves prowl the shadows. And the old rules of riddling are still held sacred.

WEEK IN REVIEW : American Vampire-Lord of Nightmares #1 + Avengers #27 + AvX Versus #3 + Deadpool #56 + Knight Errant - Escape #1

Welcome back to more new-release reviews! Today is dominated by Marvel titles because this week there were a bunch of new AvX related tie-ins that we knew folks would want to read.

But despair not if you have little interest in the Marvel Summer Event, there are a couple of less fighty-spandex titles on the list as well, starting with this Vertigo wonder that kicks the list off!

American Vampire: Lord of Nightmares #1 (Vertigo)

Story : Scott Snyder

Art : Dustin Nguyen

(Reviewed by Anirudh Singh)

Another Felicia Book story, and this one steeped heavily in Vassals of Morning Star lore. Needless to say you should not be picking this book up unless you are an American Vampire fan. And in case you are an American Vampire fan, then congratulations... you just found another American Vampire comic book. An awesome continuation of an awesome series. With only slightly less awesome characters.

What? I'm a Skinner Sweet fan okay. And Felicia just never did it for me.

But that doesn't mean she didn't do it for anyone. And even though I begrudge her slow yet inevitable takeover of the limelight in the American Vampire saga, I do respect her prowess and recognize her necessity. She is the perfect heroine for this saga. And it seems that the vassals of the Morning Star have let loose the perfect villain for the saga as well.

Week In Review : Batman #10 + Before Watchmen:Silk Spectre #1 + Conan The Barbarian #5 + Planetoid #1 + Spider-Men #1

I love a good new-release day and this week has been an amazing one, with a slew of great comics to check out!

Not only do we have several titles from DC fresh after the harrowing events on the Night of Owls, but also the start of the second Before Watchmen series and many, many more to read.

Here's some of our picks of the ongoings and even a new Image series - now go ahead and enjoy! (and make sure to be back here tomorrow for more new releases in burst-reviews!)

- Editor

Batman #10 (DC)

Story : Scott Snyder

Art : Greg Capullo (main story) & Rafael Albuquerque (back-up)

(Reviewed by Anupam Sarkar)

I've been reading Batman comics from time immemorial (actually, about 10 years) and to me this issue is the perfect example of why I like Batman. While most go with action or a relationship crisis, very few writers can capture the detective in Batman. Amongst those few is now Scott Snyder.

To start with, the story - Snyder does a masterful job. Not going knee deep into spoilers, I can say that this issue has a major revelation at the end (cough...something to do with Lincoln March...cough). And everybody's going to love it. Not only does it give weight to the “New 52 Batman”, but it also shows that the Wayne's are not as squeaky clean as people thought they were.

As of the artwork, Greg Capullo amazes me after each consecutive issue. The man is an active volcano of talent! There are however only a few panels which show the Court of Owls, in all of which they are dead (literally). But, throughout the issue Capullo maintains the owl vibe. One of my favorites is the second page from the issue. Be sure to check it out.

Week In Review : Earth 2 #2 + Extermination #1 + Sweet Tooth #34 + Trio #2

Here you go folks, the wrap up on our picks from this weeks new releases!

Today we have a wickedly amazing mixed bag of comics - every single one unquestionably awesome and entertaining. This is maybe the highest scoring total for new releases in one post I'd wager! 

Enjoy!

Earth 2 #2 (DC)

Story : James Robinson

Art : Nicola Scott (pencils), Trevor Scott (inks) & Alex Sinclair/Pete Pantazis (colours)

(Reviewed by Anant Sagar)

Ladies, gentlemen and other species. Welcome back to Earth 2. And boy what a welcome it is!

It’s time for a match between Holt and Sloan. “TERRIFIC?” I thought, as I saw them. So basically Earth-1’s Mr. Terrific (this is the point where you go “oh that’s what terrific meant” ) has landed up on Earth-2 by accident, and right there waiting for him is Terry Sloan. The first Mr. Terrific from Earth-1, plain ol’ smartest man here. There's fighting, Sloan wins, cut to next scene! No that’s not a spoiler.

Picking up from last issue, Jay Garrick meets Mercury. Not Max Mercury – MERCURY like the roman god. And it’s time to power up. This issue is all about the birth of the Flash.

I like and don’t like the costume at the same time. Is that possible?

Also if you didn’t already know, ALAN SCOTT IS GAY! (No it’s not a problem for me, I just felt like writing in caps since it seems to be such big news these days) We catch a glimpse of him with his boyfriend.

Week In Review : Before Watchman Minutemen #1 + Mighty Thor Annual #1 + Pantha #1 + Voltron Year One # 3

AT LAST IT BEGINS!!
This week's reviews include the highly anticipated and hotly debated kick-off to Before Watchmen by DC comics and we bring it to you along with much more!
Enjoy!

Before Watchman : Minutemen #1 (DC)

Story & Art : Darwyn Cooke

(Reviewed by Anirudh Singh)

Alright, alright, the argument of intellectual property matters for naught to me in comic books. Hence, we shall not have it here. Instead we shall talk about Minutemen, one of my favourite parts about the Watchmen storyline that got all too brief a time in the limelight. 

This first installment from Before Watchmen starts with the story of the Minutemen, narrated through the eyes of Hollis Mason (a.k.a Night Owl). The writing is a little word heavy and Cooke is definitely no Alan Moore, but the art more than makes up for it. And eventually the initial awkwardness of the writing tumbles into a smoother narrative that gels very well with the artwork.

Darwyn Cooke does a marvelous job of bringing back the magic of the Silver Age. With glorious colours and art we get a sneak peek into the comings and goings of the famous mystery men of the day: Captain Metropolis, Nite Owl, Sally Jupiter and Hooded Justice, a vigilante adept at inspiring terror in the criminal element... and even the Comedian gets a brief flourish. Before Watchmen : Minutemen #1 sets the perfect platform for the series and the titles to follow. 

Week In Review : Ame-Comi Wonder Woman #1 + B.P.R.D. Hell On Earth The Transformation Of J. H. O'Donnell + Star Trek TNG / Doctor Who : Assimilation2 #1 + The Ravagers #1

Back for more dear readers? Well we're as happy to be here as you are and we've got a new lot of fresh-off-the-presses comics reviewed just for you!

Ame-Comi Wonder Woman #1 (DC Digital)

Story : Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray

Art : Amanda Conner

(Reviewed by Akshay Dhar)

If you had told me months, weeks or even days ago that I would not only be reading but thoroughly enjoying a comic based on a really cheesy Wonder Woman statue created as a gimmick and be a proper fan by the end – I'd have smacked you sideways and sued you for defamation. And I would have been dead wrong.

The first big-awesome on this comic? It's created by the master-class team of Gray/Palmiotti/Conner that brought us the much-missed Power-Girl series (pre-reboot) that was and still is one of the single best heroine-centric series. Period. I admit openly that I'm overjoyed to find that amidst the mess that DC is making of a lot of titles that could be better and screwing-up the mainstream (not completely but a fair bit) titles, it's great to have a book that is lighter, more enjoyable and disconnected from the massive weight of history that DC just doesn't seem able to shake off for some reason.

Week In Review : Astonishing X-Men #50 + COBRA #13 + Dominique Laveau Voodoo Child #3 + Godzilla #1

Here we go folks, more comic goodness for you to read about - including one very in-the-news Marvel comic and some excellent non-superhero and spandex offerings. Enjoy and do feel free to let us know what you thought!

Astonishing X-Men #50 (Marvel)

Story : Marjorie Liu

Art : Mike Perkins (art), Andy Troy (colours)

(Reviewed by Akshay Dhar)

There has been a lot of hype prior to this issues release – all of it centred (as you can well imagine) on the marriage of Northstar (a.k.a Jean-Paul Beaubier) and his boyfriend Kyle. Let me put you at ease, no spoilers beyond saying that there is no marriage in this issue – thats next time around. This is just the build.

Overall a good issue and it continues the fairly stable and good run of stories this title has had since waaaay back when geek-dom's current messiah Joss Whedon launched it's first arcs and shot Shadowcat into space on a giant bullet.

In this issue we find the story continuing from last issue, with our heroes trying to track down the source of their troubles. Iceman, Gambit, Wolverine, War-bird (of the Shi'ar) and Northstar (the first 3 being reason enough for me to read this series!!) are on the trail of whomever sent the Marauders after them all recently and end up with more than they bargained for and still more questions with little in the way of answers. We even get a Black Widow cameo and more mysteries but it all does lead somewhere by the end – where that is we're going to have to, what else, wait a month to find out. We also have the relationship between Northstar and Kyle under further strain and with all manner of emotional drama – which in fairness is actually handled pretty well and all things considered, it felt pretty realistic. A difficult challenge for the best of writers when dealing with 'normal' folks and their issues.

Desert Punk, its Fallout for manga!

If you tear open this world, bleed it dry, and then let the remains out in the sun to be bleached for an eternity, you will have something resembling the world of Desert Punk. Welcome to the Apocalypse, nothing survived. Except for the humans of course. As resilient as the hardy cockroach humanity with its inexhaustible appetite and drive would definitely survive, no matter what the cataclysm. But the world left for them to inhabit is a harsh place indeed. The story takes place almost entirely in the Great Kanto Desert, a massive desert that stretches on in all directions. A dune sea where only the survival of the fittest counts and the weak die.

MONDAY MANGA: Blast from the Past!

The number of manga's with a black guy as a protagonist are few enough that they can be counted on your fingers. This is not due to any outward bias, in all probability a mangaka suffer from the same prejudices that mire the rest of us men. But those few manga heroes that do break the mold and venture through are bound by none of the tropes and stereotypes that bind and chain down the Hollywood black hero. Creating something unique and worthy of study. And most importantly, something that is all out bizarre fun.

The man with no name aint even a thang!

Manga Review: Gun Frontier

Guns akimbo!

There are truly few settings with such potential for horror, fantasy, mystery and action as the Wild West of long ago. The very words "Wild West" are synonymous with the garish imagery of gunfighters and gamblers, of harlots and heart-breakers and the eternal war of the "Indian" against the White Man.

Time and again the Wild West has been masterfully explored through films, initially in spaghetti westerns famous for their hammed acting and bad dialogue dubs, and then by mainstream Hollywood cinema. Most famously this was done of course by Clint Eastwoood, the veritable Spirit of the West himself.
But films are not the only medium of entertainment to have embraced this style. Manga has time and time again found its way to the bleak deserts and ghost towns of the Wild West. There are many gems in this particular genre and indeed I intend to touch upon them all. But today, we begin with a series that is unique even within this limited style of manga.

Monday Manga Madness: The Bare Neccesities - II

All hail the Samurai, for his sword is swift and true. Countless tales have been written about the precision of the way of the sword. Countless romantic sagas, recording the brave deeds and the ideals of the Samurai. Tales abound of Bushido, the warrior's way. The code of conduct and chivalry by which ancient Japanese swordsmen lived, and died. But they are all tales, stories, fables...untrue.

Pick up any one of them, give it a long hard stare with a questioning eye and you will see it as a story and little more. Fitting and perhaps even grand to read, but in no way possible in the realities of life. And then there is Shigurui. Literal meaning Death throes. This aptly titled manga is truly one of the most underrated works out there. Not many know of it, even amongst those who do know of it, not many have managed to finish it. It takes a strong stomach to read through this manga. Surely not for the faint of heart.