Comic Review: 'Formera' Vol. 1

Formera Vol. 1 TPB
Written and illustrated by Andrew Dobson
Alterna Comics
Cover price: $9.95; Available Now

So imagine this: You fall from the sky smack down in the middle of an ocean, that's how it starts. You're then rescued by a girl, looks more or less your age, fair hair, has the whole survivor look going for her/against her (points of view I guess). There you are, soaked, on a boat with Jane Savage talking gibberish and with no clue where you are or how you got there. That's the plot of Formera...continue reading this review at Geeks of Doom!

Comic Review: Halloween: Nightdance #1

Halloween: Nightdance #1 of 4
Written by Stefan Hutchinson
Illustrated by Tim Seeley
Colors by Elizabeth John
Lettered by Clem Robbins
Devil's Due Publishing &
Halloween Comics
Cover Price: $3.50; Available Now

It is the weekend of Halloween in the year 2000, over two decades since Michael Myer's infamous return to his hometown of Haddonfield, Illinois. Lisa, a teenager who lives in Russellville, Illinois, is haunted by distant memories from her childhood, and wonders if she will ever be able to forget the past. One of the things that keeps her going are the daily drawings she receives from a boy she used to babysit, but on this day those drawings turn disturbingly violent!...continue reading this review at Geeks of Doom!

Comic Review: Only In Whispers #1

Only In Whispers #1
Written by Steve Kanaras, Andrew Pollock
Art by Matt Ryan, Stephanie O' Donnell, Anthony Summey
Free Lunch Comics
Cover price: $3.95; Available now

In the same vein, and covering a lot of the same territory as old favorites like The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits, Tales From The Crypt, and even Creepshow, Free Lunch Comics brings the spooky back in their new supernatural anthology series, Only In Whispers...continue reading this review at Geeks of Doom!

Comic Review: The Escapists

The Escapists (Hardcover)
Based on The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon
Written by Brian K. Vaughan
Art by Steve Rolston, Phillip Bond, Jason Shawn Alexander, Eduardo Barreto
Dark Horse Comics
Cover price: $19.95; Available now

As an addendum to my year-end review, I have to add one book that I missed until recently when I finally got the hardcover of this series. In a word, this is one of the greatest anythings (comics, movies, TV, books) released last year. This is a love letter to friendship, creativity, fathers, Cleveland, comics (both old and new), and plain old romance. Brian K Vaughan has produced a story that tugs at the heart while making the reader giddy with excitement. I will say this up front, if you haven't bought this series, do so now. It's the kind of work that needs more exposure and it greatly deserves your attention...continue reading this review at Geeks of Doom!

Comic Review: Yearbook Stories 1976-1978

Yearbook Stories 1976-1978
Written by Chris Staros
Art by Bo Hampton and Rich Tommaso
Top Shelf Productions
Cover price: $4.00; Available now

I don't read a lot of autobiographical comics, mostly because a lot of time either I can't really identify with the subject, or it's just badly done and heavy handed. Personal stories can be a hard thing to pull off in any medium. For every poignant story that pulls at the heart strings of the viewer/reader/listener, you get a bunch of self-indulgent crap that no one but the creator can relate to...continue reading this review at Geeks of Doom!

Comic Review: The Misadventures of Clark and Jefferson #3

The Misadventures Of Clark And Jefferson #3 of 4
Writer: Jay Carvajal
Artist: Marc Borstel
Ape Entertainment
Cover Price: $3.50; On-sale: Feb 2007

The Misadventures of Clark and Jefferson #3 finds our heroes where we left them off -- facing down wave after wave of alien invaders. Due to the overwhelming odds, the group's numbers are dwindling, and it's apparent to everyone that if the aliens decide to attack again, they won't be able to hold them off. A plan is formulated and drastic measures must be taken. That's as far as I'll go with the story, because I don't want to spoil it...continue reading this review at Geeks of Doom!

Comic Review: Awakening #3

Awakening #3
Written by Nick Tapalansky
Artwork by Alex Eckman-Lawn
Back Cover by Teresa Marra
Lettering by Thomas Mauer
Archaia Studios Press
Cover price: $3.50; Available Now

The zombie genre has permeated the comic book industry the world over, nearly saturating the market with two-dimensional undead. Big names like Robert Kirkman and even Warren Ellis have gotten into the act, with The Walking Dead, penned by Kirkman, as the ultimate in graphic fiction, the soap opera zombie film that doesn't end, while Ellis' Black Gas takes enough narrative turns to give a reader whiplash...continue reading this review at Geeks of Doom!

Comic Review: 'Witchblade - Witch Hunt' Vol. 1 TPB

Witchblade Vol. 1: Witch Hunt
Written by Ron Marz
Pencils by Mike Choi
Inks by Sal Regla, Joe Weems, Matt "Batt" Banning
Colors by Brian Buccellato
Letters by Robin Spehar, DD's Dennis Heisler, Troy Peteri
Covers by Greg Land, Jay Leisten, Justin Ponsor, Frank Cho, Laura Martin, Sonia Oback
Top Cow Productions
Cover price: $9.99; On-sale: Feb. 13, 2008

Witchblade. A comic I had heard rumblings about.

When Geeks offered me the opportunity to review this, I jumped at the chance to review this trade paperback, because it was Numero Uno. This meant I would have some semblance of a story to start with (it's a new story, although it starts as #80; this TPB collections #80-85). It also gave me the prospect of looking into something from Top Cow...continue reading this review at Geeks of Doom!

Comic Review: Midknight #2

Midknight #2
Written By Paul Ens
Art by Tom Hodges
Colors by L Jamal Walton
Letters by Troy Peteri
Red 5 Comics
Cover price: $2.95; Available now

Red 5 Comics continues to impress me with the wide range of titles they're publishing, and the skill they put into every title. They've got a pulp adventure comic (Atomic Robo), a fantasy-action comic (Neozoic), and now a straight up superhero comic in Midknight. What impressed me most with this is the unique hook that this series has, which I have never really seen before in a comic...continue reading this review at Geeks of Doom!

Comic Review: Abyss #3

Abyss #3
Written by Kevin Rubio
Pencils and Cover by Lucas Marangon
Inks by Nick Schley
Colors by Andrew Dalhouse
Letters by Troy Peteri
Red 5 Comics
Cover price: $2.95; On sale: Feb. 20, 2008

What would you do if your father just died, leaving you a large inheritance? What would you also do if part of that inheritance meant finding out your father had not only faked his death, but turns out he was the super-villain known as Abyss? Well, if you lived in a superhero world, it means you'd put on a sweet battle suit and go about trying to right the wrongs he's perpetrated. At least that's what this series would have you believe...continue reading this review at Geeks of Doom!

Comic Review: Atomic Robo #5

Atomic Robo #5
Written by Brian Clevinger
Art by Scott Wegener
Colors by Ronda Pattison
Letters by Jeff Powell
Red 5 Comics
Cover price: $2.95; On sale: Feb. 13, 2008

There is no question that characterisation is one of the most important parts and crucial key in building a successful story. It can make or break your work. If the main character or the main cast of characters are bland and simply uninteresting it won't really matter how or where your story is going, people won't follow, mostly because they'll have a hard time believing or identifying with the characters and their motivations...continue reading this review at Geeks of Doom!

Comic Review: Hunter-Killer Vol. 1 TPB

Hunter-Killer Vol. 1 TPB
Written by Mark Waid
Pencils and Art by Marc Silvestri, Eric Basaldua, Kenneth Rocafort
Inks by Joe Weems, Matt 'Batt' Banning, Rick Basaldua, Studio F
Colors by Steve Firchow, John Starr, Chad Fidler, Blond, Tyson Wengler
Letters by Robin Spehar, Troy Peteri
Top Cow Productions
Cover price: $24.99; On-sale: Feb. 13, 2008

What if you were told the Cold War was not fought over nuclear weapons, but over the control of ultra-sapiens -- humans genetically engineered to be weapons and traded like stock between nations. What if you were told these ultra-sapiens got a little too aware of the power they held, struck back at their controllers, and now are either in hiding or have farmed themselves out to the highest bidder? And what if you were told the entire world as you know it is a complete fabrication, a complex series of lies and cover ups to hide the real truth of the matter -- that one man, known only as the Czar Obscura, runs the entire planet out of a secretly surrendered White House?...continue reading this review at Geeks of Doom!

Comic Review: Essential Moon Knight Vol. 2

Essential Moon Knight Vol. 2
Written by Doug Moench and others
Art by Bill Sienkiewicz
Marvel Comics
Cover price: $16.99; Available now

Oh how I love Marvel's "Essential" line. Nowhere else can I get so much enjoyment for so little money -- 16 bucks for around 500 pages in each volume just can't be beat. The best thing is it allows me to catch up on a lot of classics that I was not around to buy the first time and are now too expensive to buy or too tough to track down. Take Moon Knight, for example. On its own, I probably wouldn't track down the old issues, but slap it in an Essential volume and I'm on it like white on rice. If your only exposure to the Moon Knight character is his recent revival by Charlie Huston, don't let that confusing story drive you off. What is collected here is a lot of gritty but fun superhero stories starring one of the most interesting characters Marvel has, drawn by a modern master, and written by someone who really understands the character...continue reading this review at Geeks of Doom!

Comic Review: Krystal #1

Krystal #1
Story and Letters by Jaymes Reed
Pencils by Rob Baumer
Inks by Travis Stephens
Colors by NichX
Cover by Brock L. Hor, Jr.
IK Comics
Cover Price: $1.00; Available Now

Krystal isn't for me, pure and simple. From the get-go, if you're one of those people who have been getting on everyone's nerves complaining about how women are somehow wrongly portrayed in comics for male gratification, you will probably not love this comic book, then again, maybe you can use it as therapy and move on to the next argument on your list or just find some comics you do like to read and leave us to our complaint-free reading...continue reading this review at Geeks of Doom!

Comic Review: Black Ghost Apple Factory

Black Ghost Apple Factory
Written and Drawn by Jeremy Tinder
Top Shelf Productions
Cover price: $5.00; Available now

Be warned, if you love apples you may not want to be made aware of where they really come from...

Black Ghost Apple Factory consists of seven short comic stories all written and drawn by Jeremy Tinder. The handwriting guidelines on the cover of the book, which Tinder does not follow, belies the mature tone of the stories in Black Ghost Apple Factory, all of which are about love and relationships. Is Tinder exposing himself when he anthropomorphizes, and robotpomorphizes, his feelings or is he making excuses for them? I wish I could blame my sudden lack of feelings for a woman on a "patch" I "downloaded."...continue reading this review at Geeks of Doom!

Comic Review: Matthias Wolf's 'Unbeatable' TPB

Unbeatable TPB
Written & Created by Matthias Wolf
Art by Carlos Gomez
Colors by Simon Bork & Teodoro Gonzalez
Letters by Chris Studabaker
Razor Wolf Entertainment
Cover price: $14.95; Available now

One of the great things about being a reviewer -- no matter what you're reviewing -- is that it really forces you out of your comfort zone. It puts things in front of your eyes that perhaps you wouldn't normally give a look. Sometimes you go through it and realize that your instincts were right and whatever it was wasn't your cup 'o tea. But sometimes you find something fresh and new that makes you re-evaluate how you decide to look at things. For me, Unbeatable was the latter...continue reading this review at Geeks of Doom!

Comic Review: Death By Chocolate: Redux

Death By Chocolate: Redux
Written and Drawn by David Yurkovich
Top Shelf Productions
Cover Price $14.95; Available Now

Read that title again.

Death By Chocolate.

Do I even need to write this review? I mean, you see that title and you can probably decide on the spot whether you're going to give the book a try or not. You'll either have the, "Now that's just odd enough to make me curious” reaction, or the, "Uh... no thanks. Not my bag” reaction.

You've already had that reaction, haven't you?...continue reading this review at Geeks of Doom!

Comic Review: Atomic Robo #4

Atomic Robo #4
Written by Brian Clevinger
Art by Scott Wegener, Zack Finfrock
Colors by Ronda Pattison
Letters by Jeff Powell
Red 5 Comics
Cover price: $2.95; On sale: Jan. 16, 2008

I gave the ending of the last issue a bit of a hard time, since the issue just kind of stopped without any indication it was the end. Well, it's okay, because the story continues here, before going into another flashback. I was kind of worried about this series after the last issue, but with issue number four, it's rocketed right back into my heart, with probably my favorite issue so far. I think I enjoyed it so much because it lived up to my expectation of what I thought the series was going to be, as opposed to what the first three issues actually were. That said, I'm really starting to enjoy the main character as I get a feel for his personality, and this issue helps to fill in some of the reasons why he is the way he is...continue reading this review at Geeks of Doom!

Comic Review: Hybrid Bastards

Hybrid Bastards
Written by Tom Pinchuk
Art by Kate Glasheen
Archaia Studios Press
Cover Price: $3.50; On sale: Dec. 12, 2007

There's a story that gets told a lot where I live, it goes something around these lines: One Kid, his name doesn't matter as far as storytelling is concerned, isn't having his best day ever, in fact, he feels morose and he finds himself longing for something even if he doesn't quite know what that something is, but that's true for a lot of us. Now in the interest of full disclosure I have to say that this story is not intended to serve as a moral lesson in any shape or form, moving on...continue reading this review at Geeks of Doom!

Comic Review: Afterburn #1

Afterburn #1
Created by Scott Chitwood
Script by Scott Chitwood, Paul Ens
Pencils by Wayne Nichols
Inks by Nick Schley
Colors by Marc Hampson, Andrew Dalhouse
Letters by Troy Peteri
Red 5 Comics
Cover price: $2.95; On sale Jan 23, 2007

Mmmmm... I do love me a bit of fine post-apocalyptic fiction.

The Terminator. The Matrix. Singularity 7. Mad Max. I Am Legend! There's just something about the post-apocalyptic setting that fascinates me. No chance for a happy ending. The worst has already happened. The good guys lost. The world ended. What happens next? What stories are told in the aftermath? How do we, as a society and as a species, bounce back?...continue reading this review at Geeks of Doom!