Written by Garth Ennis
Art by Facundo Percio
Published by Avatar Press

In space, no one can hear your city sized spaceship meld into an alien one…

In the vein of Ridley Scott’s Alien, Garth Ennis and Facundo Percio bring us a Sci-fi classic in the making with Caliban.

In the future, mankind is traversing the stars, speeding across the known universe between time and space at warp speeds. We are mining the universe for its resources, sending them back via freight to an earth resembling a “tumour breathing through a smokestack.” The crew of the mining ship Caliban believe this to be just a regular mission, a mind numbingly boring sub-space trip. As with all things apparently mind numbing and boring, something extreme and horrifyingly unexpected happens. The Caliban melds with an Alien ship mid-warp, the two ships attempting to exist in the same space at the same time. Something lurks in the dark of the phased ships, something looking for prey.

Caliban is a beast of a different nature from Ennis. Whilst famous for particularly grissly scenes, highly charged dialogue and creatively stringing together swearwords, Caliban is a tense, moody, atmospheric story which is leading you into the horror to come. We are introduced to Nomi, our protagonist, an aspiring novelist, she is documenting her time on the Caliban by dictating her memoirs. This method of exposition works two fold. In a world building sense, it delivers horrific throwaway lines about the effects of living in space like ”stillborn things that go straight in the trash” and “suns too bright to look at” leaving the reader to imagine such things. The second way it works is to show the pure tedium of steering a huge spaceship through warp. What Ennis does is merely show the smallest glimpse of just what is out there, which is a much more frightening prospect as to what is waiting for the crew in the dark. San, our other main protagonist is a tough talking, sarcastic grease monkey and a nice parallel to Nomi’s introvert. The back and forths between her and Nomi really shows Ennis’ writing at it’s best, delivering sarcastic jibes, personality traits of the two and believable characters.

Percio’s art is beautiful. it’s obvious that he has the Caliban’s entire schematics planned out in his mind, and his art reflects this knowledge of the ship and it’s inner workings. There’s a futuristic enough element to the ship, but a realism often lacking in Sci-fi, the inclusion of grease on San when she finishes up fixing things, the mass of wires and panels that they have to work with and the ships unpolished finish really give the art a distinct realism. When Percio gets down to the horror, it leaps off the page at you, viscerally drawing you into the art work, a man half melded into a space ship is a distinct set piece, a terrifying end produced beautifully on the page. The actual merging of the two ships is a visual behemoth, a two page spread which genuinely made this reader gasp with shock, excitement and fright. Percio’s shadows loom ever further into the panels as the story continues and seems to be a pre-cursor to what lies in store for Nomi, San and the reader as Caliban continues.

In conclusion, Ennis and Percio deliver a tense, atmospheric and, crucially, believable Sci-fi tale. By toning down on the blood and shock value, the truly horrifying scenes are given an extra weight, especially if you compare this to Ennis’ Crossed. The added depth and restraint keep you on the edge of your wits, as the reader expects shocks and when delivered they truly shock. This is a fantastic first instalment to what should be a tense, fraught, Sci-fi horror series. A must for fans of Ennis, horror and Sci-fi!

I give this a blood curdling 10 out of 10!

In cyber space, everyone can hear you scream as you order the rest of Caliban right HERE

Written by Dan Slott
Art by Mike Allred

Hit that jangly guitar, wax that board, grab some surf and jump into the biggest of Kahunah’s as this time around we check out Dan Slott and Mike Allred’s all new Silver Surfer #1!

It’s finally arrived, Slott’s eagerly awaited step away from Spider-Man duties. With Silver Surfer, we are introduced to a surfer full of regret for his past indiscretions. Once the herald of Galactus, eater of worlds, now a free being, using his cosmic powers for the betterment of life throughout the known universe, Norrin Rad has much to atone for, but when he is unwittingly made the champion of an impossible city to help them battle the Queen of the never, things take a turn for the strange. As a means of motivating their new champion, the guardians of the city take the Surfer’s most precious person…a woman he has never seen before…

The writing bears much of Slott’s trademark wit and snappiness. It’s a far out there read that’s for certain, with Slott steering the Surfer away from his introspective past, where the loneliness of space and the sheer expansive, emptiness of the cosmos reflected in his road for redemption, and taking us on a massive, colourful, almost ‘Whovian’ jaunt through space. There’s exotic locations, huge city planets, exotic aliens, and that ever present ‘story of redemption’ coupled together with a more wide eyed, childish nature. This is the David Tennant of comic books, a story which shouts “Allonsy” then dives into the depths of the ‘verse. It’s a fun read, and those are hard to find nowadays!

Mike Allred’s art is a sumptuous, visual feast, becoming a living, breathing, existential cosmic deity of its own right. The panels leap at you from off of the paper, forcing you to marvel in all their glory. This is a 70’s cosmic sci-fi comic and it wants you to know as such! The Impossible city of the Imperiton double page spread is worthy of any panel of the year votes. The vibrant colouring from Allred’s other half is in its own right, another living, breathing entity. The Allred double barrel is a treat for your eyes, embrace it! I know a few weeks ago I bemoaned the cartoonish style of She-Hulk, but I felt it didn’t work for the subject matter; this on the other hand works perfectly hand in hand with Slott’s writing!

In short, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a breezey effort, not bogged down by continuity and figuring out where it fits into Marvel’s NOW juggernaut. It sits as a stand alone story, which no doubt, will become wilder, wackier and much, much more COSMIC!

And as for the Surfer’s companion, Dawn, well there’s every chance she’s just a cosmic girl…

I give this 9 out of 10!

Grab a board, and jump on the Silver Surfer wave by ordering the series right HERE….duuuuuuude!

For more comic views and reviews follow Robin on Twitter at @Hulksmash1985

Written by Cullen Bunn
Art by Gabriel Hernandez Walta

He was the leader of the Brotherhood of Mutants. Manipulator of metals. Ex best friend of his now arch enemy. Father to Scarlett Witch and Quiksilver and now, finally, after 50 years of being X-Villain number one, Magneto gets his own solo series!

Written by Sinestro, Deadpool and Sixth Gun writer Cullen Bunn and illustrated by Gabriel Hernandez Walta who has worked on Thunderbolts and Astonishing X-Men, this comic straight away sets the tone of what’s to come. Walta’s art is darker, grittier and much less superhero-y than tradition Marvel comics. What Bunn and Walta are doing is carving the way for a disillusioned Magneto to renew his vendetta against those who oppose mutantkind. Magneto has effectively become a one man X-Force, a mutant Punisher, out for revenge and twisting his actions into a vindicated personal crusade. Devoid of the Brotherhood or the X-Men, he is a loose canon, aimed squarely at the enemies of mutant kind.

If, like myself, you aren’t up to date with Brian Michael Bendis’ X-Books, Bunn sets the stage for you, enabling it to be a perfect jumping on point. The narrative really gets into Magneto’s head, establishing how he is striving to forge his own identity again, deciding upon where his principles lay, where his boundaries extend to and skims the surface of his motivations. Bunn is doing a great job of delving into Magneto’s psyche, and I really hope he continues this focus on Magneto’s mental state and explores the hidden depths of such a conflicted mind. The action scenes Bunn sets up as well are beautiful and brought to life wonderfully by Walta’s art work.

As stated previously, this book has a very different tone to the rest of the Marvel universe, with darker tones, more washed out colours and this reflects Magneto’s mental state. This is a grim looking book, world weary and jaded. There are several notable panels where Walta’s work stands out tremendously, one of which involves Magneto forming himself a new set of armour out of metal gleamed from the shocked bodies of a troupe of police officers. There’s also a very grizzly scene involving fillings which Walta’s art perfectly presents to you in all its nasty glory! This is a kickass comic setting a new tone for Marvel’s premier X-Villain!

I give this 9 out of 10.

Use your mutant powers to control your aunts mind and get her to order you the whole Magneto series HERE.

For more comic views and reviews follow Robin on Twitter at @Hulksmash1985

Written by Mark Millar
Art by Goran Parlov
Colouring by Ive Svorcina

I don’t know about you, but as a child I loved Flash Gordon. I loved the film, the concept, the idea of a man taken to another Galaxy and tasked with saving it, defending it and bringing peace to it, all whilst wearing a rad spacesuit. But what happens after the wars are won, peace is restored and McDonalds offers the olive branch of peace whilst opening a store on deepest, darkest Mongo?

This is what writer Mark Millar and artist Goran Parlov set to find out, in Starlight #1 from Image Comics.

This book is a must for classic science fiction fans. If you like Buck Rodgers or Flash Gordon, then this book will feel like putting on a pair of your comfiest slippers. The concept within the pages of Starlight is how does a decorated, intergalactic hero adjust to normality and the regular world after all the wars are fought? Millar sets up a world which doesn’t take his hero, Duke, seriously. His sons don’t have time for him, his wife of 38 years has tragically passed away, described through scenes which invoke the heart wrenching opening to Disney’s Up, and the world at large brands him a charlatan and a fraud. Millar’s writing is aimed at an older audience, dealing with getting older and trying to figure out your own place in the world. It shows a maturity which I haven’t seen in much of his other work, and the way he weaves his story together makes for a very compelling, engaging story that most of us can relate to in someway.

We are treated to a narrative that weaves past and present as one, giving us Duke’s backstory as saviour of a different race through flashbacks, whilst also dealing with Duke’s present day issues. The scope of Millar’s storytelling is all encompassing, we can see the differences in Duke’s character and personality over the years, how he seems to have lost his spark through the loss of his wife and years of ridicule and scorn. We are given a beautifully fleshed out story which provides us with a fantastic foundation for what looks set to be a classic series.

Goran Parlov’s art really seals the deal. It is a beautiful amalgamation of Silver and Golden age comics with a modern flair. The fantasy scenes are beautifully retro, with ornate laser blasters, exotic worlds, 50′s style representations of spaceships and this is really masterfully offset with the present day. Parlov’s present world is a gritty, drab place, with darker, more washed out tones than in the flashbacks scenes. Special mention should go to Ive Svorcina’s wonderful colouring work, as with Parlov’s inking, it really captures the mixture of the two eras of comics. It’s a wonderful metaphor for the state of comics today, with characters who were initially wholesome and naïve now weighed down by the grit and darkness of the world around them.

I couldn’t pick a fault with this book, the exposition, the dialogue, the concept, the art were all stunning for me. The classic sci-fi feel really stirred a buried sense of nostalgia in me, making me want to look up to the stars and imagine what could be out there again. It’s an emotional, weighted, character driven story which leaves you wanting more. What Millar, Parlov et all deliver is a modern classic in the making and I for one cannot wait to follow the twilight adventures of Duke McQueen!

I give this book a perfect 10 out of 10!

Hit the Queen, grab Brian Blessed and DIIIIIIIIIIIIVE on over to the Inter-Comics website to order the Starlight series right HERE

For more comic views and reviews follow Robin on Twitter at @Hulksmash1985

Written by Charles Soule
Art by Javier Pulido

You know something, Marvel seem to be following a trend at the moment. With the success of Matt Fraction and David Aja’s Hawkeye/Hawkguy/Pizza Dog book and its fresh take on the world of superheroes and what they do in their “downtime”, someone, somewhere in the echelons of Marvel’s office has said “You know something, this sells! We need more books where superheroes aren’t doing superhero things!” So along comes another superhero story without much superheroing in it. Yes it’s All New Marvel NOW She-Hulk #1… THAT was a mouthful.

Jennifer Walter’s, that big, green beauty, resigns from her job practising law for a very unscrupulous firm and decides to head out on her own and start her own firm. Forget action; forget Walter’s turning into a raging She-Beast and destroying her former employer’s office. This is a humour laden, lawsuit filing Walters. This is Ally McBeal with the contrast played around. Soule’s writing is witty and charming, the sections on the legal side of things are fast paced and don’t become tedious or boring and again it’s interesting to see what Jennifer the “glamazon” does outside of being a hero. The premise of issue one is Jennifer up against the legal team of one time lover, Tony Stark, as she is battling them over a repulsor patent. What could have been a tedious and massively under-whelming story is given buoyancy and credibility through Soule’s writing.

The tone is whimsical and light, funny and charming. Soule’s writing seems effortless, and you like Walter’s plucky attitude and no-nonsense legal wrangling instantly. Like I mentioned before, those looking for action and smashing should be warned, this isn’t the focus of the book and all action happens off panel, which on the one hand helps channel the books tone but on the other, I don’t think it would have hurt the story to see Walter’s taking on Stark security robots.

Initially I thought this had been drawn by Mike Allred on a bad day. It is the only thing which let the book down for me. Whilst not all comics should look the same, She-Hulk lacks the style and punchyness of Hawkeye. Some of the panels seem below par, and Walter’s occasionally looks bug-eyed and out of proportion. In contrast, Kevin Wada’s cover work is beautiful and elegant, and you find yourself wishing that maybe they had gone with that style over Pulido’s. More of the “glamazon” and less “She-Bulk”. It’s a shame as it lets down Soule’s work.

All in all, She-Hulk is a funny tale which is setting up a quirky world for Ms Walters to inhabit. Also I understand the charm and interest in seeing big heroes during their “day job” and when done right, like with the afore mentioned Hawkeye and seemingly within the pages of She-Hulk, it’s an interesting and fresh take on the genre, but I worry that sooner or later we are going to end up with a Wolverine comic where the focus is on him being a lumberjack, or an Iron Man comic focused purely on business meetings, pie charts and choosing polish finishes for his suits of armour.

I give this 7 out of 10!

Don’t Hulk out guys, get your fix of She-Hulk right HERE!

For more comic views and reviews follow Robin on Twitter at @Hulksmash1985

Written by Kel Symons
Art by Matthew Reynolds

Imagine Indiana Jones on the high seas, with a twist of Treasure Island, a dash of King Kong and a sprinkle of the dirty dozen and you get Image Comic’s latest number #1 The Mecenary Sea. It reminds me of the classic pulp tales which my dad has laying around my parents house! However, does it get the golden idol or does it fall foul of the huge boulder bearing down on it?

We are thrust right into the story from the get go, with Kel Symons introducing us to his ragtag crew of misfits, pirates and personalities throughout the issue. Symons sets aside building the world around his characters, leaving the time period to speak for itself (1938, just before the outbreak of the Second World War, with China and Japan already in the midst of a territorial war). We follow a bunch of lawbreakers and thrill seekers as they search for their next high adventure, interspersed with quick paying jobs to keep their submarine engines running, food in their bellies and the law one step behind. There’s humorous exchanges between a cannibal tribe, much watching of “Duck Sauce” and a nice balance of the classic pulp high adventure and down-to-earth comedy.

However, what is massively lacking is clear, well defined characters. What we have are a ragtag group of stereotypes, the Han Solo – a charming, handsome leader, the Princess Leia -  a quick witted, spunky female crew member with a sharp tongue, the Obi Wan – a weary, grizzled veteran and mentor. Each character has a troubled background that they are trying to escape from or atone for. It all seems a little bit lazy and far too familiar a tale. Perhaps though, the series will embody it’s primary vessel and plunge to new depths in terms of character as it progresses?

I found Matthew Reynold’s art strange yet compelling. It seems entirely digital in production and is very stylised. His work is bold and simplistic but the vivid colours which accompany his line work really add weight and punch to his work. We have lots of frames where the characters are over staged, intentionally, by the backgrounds. Reynolds world is full of lush scenery, bold environments and beautiful colour work. It is definitely the stand out aspect of the book and this seems to lend more to the creation of mood and atmosphere within the story than the more intricate, dialogue driven scenes.

In closing, The Mercenary Sea has some great ideas, spear heading a revival of the classic genre pulp stories of yesteryear, but it lacks the depth of character and stumbles over stereotypes, causing it to be more of a drop in the ocean rather than a tsunami of awesomeness.

I give this 6 out of 10.

This way me hearties to get your land-lubbered hands on the rest of The Mercenary Sea series

For more comic views and reviews follow Robin on Twitter at @Hulksmash1985

If you’ve not been on board with Black Science then you’ve been missing a treat. This sci-fi juggernaut is a trans dimensional yarn, rippling through time and space, probing at the very layers of humanity and human nature. Remender’s ensemble cast is one of various shades of grey, and with the protagonist, Grant McKay, out of action this issue, it gives his other characters room to breathe. What we get with Black Science #3 is the chance to explore the mind and nature of these “backing” characters, allowing their importance to proceedings to take greater precedence. However, it does lack the pace which the previous two issues had, the first especially, but with having such a large story to tell, it’s a necessary evil.

Through flashbacks we see just how flawed McKay is, we see more of Ward’s motives and in the present we follow Kadir and Shawn as they attempt to find help for the injured McKay. This issue is attempting to tie up loose ends left frayed from the previous two issues. The writing is intelligent, Remender’s description of trans-dimensional travel is believable and sound strangely achievable…if we had a Pillar of our own… however, we get to the heart of our Dimensionauts motives, a way and means of curing all known diseases and solving all humankind’s problems, as each dimension holds the possibility for untold resources, cures, technology and otherwise. Coupled with the reverse manifest destiny storyline and a technologically advanced Native American army fighting WWI era Germans, Remender’s story is frenetic and visually stunning.

This is where we get to Scalera’s art, as it is a thing of beauty. It is consistently good, with the back and forth of flashbacks and present moment action allowing for Scalera to either focus on large scale action, strange alien creatures, grim war scenes or dramatic, subtle scenes playing off the tension between characters. Scalera’s sci-fi armies, his Dimensionaut apparatus and such are inspired. His Native American mech is stunning, reflecting both the technology and the culture and character of its builders. It’s this attention to detail which helps make Black Science stand out! Then there’s the colours, the tones, the vibe and texture, which all add to the visually stunning work Scalera does in this book. I’d get it just for the art alone!

Ultimately, Black Science #3 is a solid read, which fans of the series so far will lap up. It’s progression, whilst slower than the first two issues, is deliberate and seems to be building to something much bigger for the next issue. Not every second of a story can be action, excitement and mass tension, sometimes story telling and information giving must take the fore, and this is certainly what Remender does with this issue, yet it still reads well and hasn’t done his story much damage. I look forward to seeing where McKay, Ward, Becca et take us in the next issue.

I give this 7 out of 10

Check out the whole Black Science series HERE!

For more comic views and reviews follow Robin on Twitter at @Hulksmash1985

He’s the God of thunder. Slayer of trolls, elves, dragons and monsters, Avenger, Prince/King of Asgard (The realm eternal), wielder of Mjolnir and a feasting behemoth. So why is the young Thor waking up hungover in the mouth of a Dragon? Jason Aaron is looking to clear that question right up with Thor: God of Thunder #18.

Instead of going straight into the next story arc, Aaron decides to concentrate on the younger of the three Thors from his epic God Butcher/Godbomb stories, giving us a nicely rounded tale of a hotheaded young Thor, a drunk dragon trying to find its place in the world, Viking maidens, mead and the dangers of consuming too much troll grog. With #18, Aaron is making up for (in my eyes anyway) a rather lack luster arc with the previous story involving “present day” Thor, Malekith and the possible decimation of the Dark Elves. But then I suppose nothing could really top the simply stunning showdown with Gorr, could it? Back to #18 though, as Aaron delivers to us a character driven story, as we witness one of Thor the younger’s defining moments in his early life. Aaron litters the script with fun, charming and frivolous moments, reflecting the younger Gods more carefree and foolhardy attitude. Thor isn’t burdened by the weight of ruling Asgard, the threat of Ragnarok or the impending doom of Midgard, and Aaron’s writing reflects this. However, we see Thor’s honour and his morality shine through as he comes of age, and what is initially a lighthearted and fun tale turns into a dramatic and intense showdown at the end. A friend on twitter (Chris Hogan) best summed it up by saying “Thor God of Thunder #18 was probably the best Viking/God/dragon/coming of age/after school special story ever told.”

Dan Pastoras’ art is, for the most part, captivating and a genuine joy to look upon and take in. It’s only flaw is that his character work and facial detail is occasionally off. Several panels seem a bit off as we focus on the detail, but then the detail work that Pastoras puts into his art is brilliant and deserves heaps of praise. There are several stand out scenes, such as Thor returning to Asgard to Heimdall’s castigation, the stand off with the Dragon, Thor and several trolls or the final moments involving Thor and his former acquaintance fighting amongst one another. You can get lost in Pastoras’ art as it is so impressive, which is what makes the flawed panels stand out so much. But as with the limitations of “The Accursed” storyline, the art of Godbomb and God Butcher (mainly by Esad Ribic) was massive in scope and lethal in execution, making it a tough act to follow. Pastoras however, gives a damn good effort.

Thor #18 is a great stand alone story, giving us another insight into the brash, younger God’s life. It’s because of Aaron’s series that I have become such a massive Thor fan, searching out earlier runs. He has taken a guilty pleasure and thrust it into the mainstream, dripping in mead, maidens and heavy metal, and this issue does not disappoint. being a stand alone yarn, there is no reason for any of you not to check it out. It is a captivating read, much like the whole of Aaron’s run has been, full of fun, genuine laughs, action and everything that makes a damn fine fantasy saga. If you aren’t reading this series, you should be.

I give this 8 out of 10

You can get your armour clad paws on the Thor: God of Thunder series HERE… but put away that axe first…

For more comic views and reviews follow Robin on Twitter at @Hulksmash1985

Written by Zack Whedon
Art by George Jeanty

I’m not the biggest fan of Serenity in the ‘verse, but I’m definitely amongst those who have been hoping for its return. It was a massively underrated TV show, a fantastic sleeper hit 8 years ago and had a wealth of great characters and was something that is sorely lacking in modern cinema, it was ORIGINAL! Step in Zack Whedon and Dark Horse comics. They bring us the long awaited next instalment of Mal Reynolds, Zoe Washburne, River Tam and all the other crew of the Fire-Fly class ship, Serenity: Leaves on the Wind.

Picking up months after the revelations at the end of the film, Serenity LotW most definitely isn’t a jumping on point for those new to the series. Whilst there is some back tracking over previous events, a prior knowledge of the film is needed to get to grips with the meat of this story. After the loss of some of their own in the film, the rag-tag crew are in hiding, beset by problems of single parenting, being accused of lying to start a new galactic civil war and are being hunted by bounty hunters, mercenaries and the authorities over the revelations made at the end of the film. The script, written by Zack Whedon, younger brother of Joss, seems to lack the wit and bite of the TV series and film, with Mal coming across much less the wily, strong character he is in those respectively. Whilst laden with several nice surprises for our crew, a haunting scene involving Zoe’s late husband Hoban (my personal favourite character…) and packing several punches, personally I found it wanting. Perhaps I need to reacquaint myself with the show again to fully appreciate it!

Art wise, George Jeantry’s work is solid, but the characters are often a little ropey, with several scenes where I can’t tell Mal apart from Simon Tam, however the stand out scenes, involving the afore mentioned moment with Hoban etc don’t really make up for this. There really aren’t many stand out scenes for me. Again perhaps this is due to having been separated from the source material for so long, but I wanted so much more from Leaves on the Wind than it actually delivered. It was much less space-western than I desired.

In closing, Serenity: Leaves on the Wind is a must for fans of Mal and the gang as they travel across the ‘verse. It gives new stories, new life and new hope for perhaps a continuing of the series in a live action format. However, for this to happen, it needs to be a stronger effort. I was left disappointed by the lack of punch to the story, the toned down characters and ultimately what was delivered. Here’s hoping we can see these leaves on the wind soar in the future.

I give this 4 out of 10

You can avoid the slight turbulence and not explode by checking out the Serenity series right HERE!

For more comic views and reviews follow Robin on Twitter at @Hulksmash1985

Written by Rick Remender
Art by Wes Craig
Colours by Lee Loughbridge

Dust off the Nike air, break out the shoulder pads, whack on your snap bracelets, solve that Rubik’s cube, strike the pose…VOGUE… then find the nearest guy called Corey available to you and shout “GOONIES NEVER DIE” at him, because we’re going back Marty, back to the 80′s.

The buzz around Deadly Class has been smouldering away like St Elmo’s fire for weeks now, so finally we get the chance to sample Remender and Craig’s wares, and lo this writer wasn’t disappointed! We’ve seen schools for “Gifted Youngsters”, schools of “Witchcraft and Wizardry” and schools for Young Avengers, New Avengers, Tiny Titans, Teen Titans and the odd school of assassins, but Remender’s school is so much more than the sum of those parts.

So much is achieved in a single issue, with Remender’s writing providing us with a wealth of deep, interesting characterisation, there are ridiculously kinetic and frantic action scenes and the feel of the book is very much like the better thrillers of the 80′s. A particular scene involving our protagonist Marcus, a whole bunch of cops, a Day of the Dead celebration and a babe on a motorbike conjure up images of Black Rain and Point Break. Marcus’s back story is heartbreaking and grim, with the dark underbelly of the city of San Francisco, it’s depravity, it’s remorselessness, it’s cold heartedness becoming a living, breathing character in it’s own right. Halfway through Deadly Class though, the story is amped up, switching pace from the character driven set-up to a world of car chases (as described earlier), crazy kung fu, katanas and THEN we get introduced to the Asian mentor and figurehead of Kings Dominion School of the Deadly Arts. This comic has everything you love about 80′s action movies, thrillers and blockbusters all rolled into one beautifully worked book.

There’s a rag-tag group of misfits and miscreants who make up the rest of the core group of trainee assassins, each presenting a cool personality and fitting into their own demographic. There’s the streetwise kid with cornrows, kooky girl with day of the dead makeup, the nerd, the jock and then, there’s Saya, the afore mentioned motorbike chick, with the kickass moves and tortured back story. She will easily become a favourite of mine!

Now let’s talk about the art, as Wes Craig breaths life into every panel. There’s a flashback double spread page which is just beautifully drawn, his shift from character driven scenes, with their intense attention to detail and cinematic scope through to frantic action scenes, with backgrounds whizzing past in a blur of bullets and kung fu jump off the page, grab you by the hair, throw you in a sci-fi phone booth and send you hurtling into the action. All accompanied by the perfect tones of colour from Loughbridge, the drab washed out tones initially on show give way to bursts of reds and yellows as the action unfolds. They compliment Craig’s pencil work wondrously.

To sum up, I can’t pick a fault with this book. The story is fantastic, and has room for some brilliant characterisation, soul searching and set pieces. The art was pitch perfect, the colours similarly brilliant. It took me on a tip top, no hold barred rocket ride through my formative years watching films from the 80′s. Remender, Craig et all have got a sure fire hit on their hands, one which manages to leave you both swimming in nostalgia and being struck by the originality of it.

I give this 10 out of 10…easily…

Order Deadly Class HERE dudes and dudettes…

For more comic views and reviews follow Robin on Twitter at @Hulksmash1985

Written by George A Romero
Art by Alex Maleev

The world as we knew has gone. Five years since the events of Night of the Living Dead, the human race is still trying to adapt to a world where the dead come back, the invasion may have been held off, but the threat is still there, waiting, lurking in the shadows. We follow the story of Paul Barnum, a hunter who rounds up zombies which show signs of remembered behaviour. These “smarter” zombies are then used to fight in gladiatorial style battles in the arena to entertain the rich and bloodthirsty. We also follow Penny Jones, a doctor who is studying how zombies have been and can be tamed, much like Dr Logan did with Bub in Day of the Dead.

This story is firmly planted in Romero’s expanded world, which for me, is a really exciting prospect. His last two films, Diary of the Dead and Survival of the Dead haven’t exactly set the world on fire, in fact they were lacklustre additions to the franchise. What Empire of the Dead does is pick up from Land of the Dead, following on with the idea of different types of zombies. However, for new readers of Romero’s, it’s a nice jumping on point as well, with a good portion of the story spent setting up the world and characters. There’s also a really nice throwback to the story that started the whole series off, which ties the worlds together really nicely.

Like I’ve stated before, Empire of the Dead focuses on the idea of their being differing types of zombies inhabiting the world. There’s shamblers, there’s zombies with remembered behaviour and then there’s zombies who have limited thoughts, conflicting ideas within their heads and full control of their arms and legs. One of the characters in Empire is one of these, Xavier. An ex S.W.A.T team member, we get to see inside her head, the broken thoughts and feelings which works really well in the comic. Romero tried this in L.O.T.D but it didn’t really work on screen as well as it does here. There’s also another type of undead at work in Manhattan, but in the interest of being spoiler free, I’m not going to let on what. You’ll have to read it and see for yourself.

Now what really makes this book work is Alex Maleev’s artwork, and Matt Hollinsworth’s colouring. Hollingsworth uses washed out tones, all muted and toned down, giving a sense of despair, a world devoid of hope and dreams, and Maleev’s art really accentuates that. His panels are beautifully crafted, his establishing shots full of scope and story. I couldn’t think of a better artist to use to bring the gritty, hopeless world of George Romero’s world to life.

All in all, Empire of the Dead is a solid start to what could be a book to rival Robert Kirkman’s genre ruling behemoth The Walking Dead. The only thing that doesn’t work in my eyes is the addition of the other type of undead, however, it remains to be seen how the story will pan out, and perhaps it could be an injection of life into a genre of rotting, cannibal corpses.

I give this 8 out of 10.

Click HERE to view the Empire of the Dead: Act One series!

For more comic views and reviews follow Robin on Twitter at @Hulksmash1985

Written by Kurtis J Wiebe
Art by Roc Upchurch

Swords? [✓]
Witchcraft? [✓]
Orcs [✓]
Pixies [✓]
Dwarven Ale [✓]
Getting called a cunt by a Troll [✓]

Rat Queens. Initially when I heard about this book, I thought it was something like Maus. I was wrong. So wrong. Little did I know that it would be about four badass adventurers, loaded to the gills with armour, spells, swords, recovering occult members, magic mushrooms and the best use of the word “dickcheese” I have seen/heard in a while! This book is fast becoming one of the best books out there for your money. In fact, why do you still have your money? Give it to Image and inject your brain with a healthy dose of fantasy, drug fueled, sweary girl ass kicking action. I suggest booking a week off work before hand…

I lapped up issue 1, 2 & 3 but I doubt much could have prepared me for issue 4! It’s like Kurtis J. Wiebe and Roc Upchurch (possibly the two coolest named creators to work on a single book I have seen) have taken the ante, upped it, and upped it some more! This issue is pure action. Roc Upchurch’s art is big and ballsy, with big pointy weapons, big pointy breat plates, angry orcs, vengeful troll girlfriends and a town that hates its would be protectors. The subtle nuances within Upchurch’s art are also a major selling factor, each character has a life of their own, a personality that Upchurch’s art lifts off the page, into your eyes and it sticks in your brain, possibly with the help of Betty’s twin knives. (Her shout of “Lets. Get. Stabby” is brilliant!)

Wiebe’s writing is brilliant, sharply funny with his tongue firmly planted within his cheek, yet the girls situations and their motives are genuine enough to keep the story and their characters firmly planted on the ground. There’s depth, a lot of unexplained stories which have been subtley hinted at throughout and a wealth of characterization. In short, it’s fucking brilliant. But Gary though, well that guy can fuck off…

I give this book 10 out of 10

Click HERE to view the Rat Queens series!

For more comic views and reviews follow Robin on Twitter at @Hulksmash1985

Written by Garth Ennis
Art by Michael Dipascale

It’s issue #2 of Garth Ennis’s end of the world tale of dogs, friendship, arsehole cats and feeders gone insane. It’s the story of three best friends at the end of the world. Yes it’s Rover Red Charlie #2.

The human race has gone mad. It’s unclear as to whether it was a disease, biological weapon or genetic trait that’s done it, but the worlds population has turned into a bloodthirsty, horrific, murderous, rampaging mess, and that spells trouble for our heroes, Rover; Red and Charlie. Three dogs on a mission to leave Manhattan. After the first issue of dodging blood thristy, crazy feeders, Ennis switches the focus this issue to the inevitable struggle for who will be top of the domesticated foodchain.

Yes, this time around the problem for our three furry friends isn’t the humans, but the dogs age old enemy. The cat. It seems Ennis really has a disliking for cats, he portrays them as cold, calculated, murderous and cunning. Their encounter with our heroes has the trio questioning their tactics and plans for their own survival in this new world.

Ennis’s writing is brilliant, he takes a concept you wouldn’t think would be captivating or compelling, a story about three dogs, and warps and twists it into a complex survival story, with depth, a wealth of charactertisation and Ennis’s trademark snappy dialogue. Charlie, our idealistic hero, is all for helping the “feeders” since he was trained as a helper dog, Red is the big, dopey, loveable character and Rover is the smarter, biting funny one. They’re the “Stand by Me” crew of comics!

Michael Dipascale’s art works extremely well for the story at hand. The range of expression, emotion and characterisation he manages to portay in his art is astounding. The cats look evil, the dystopian backdrop of a shattered and broken Manhattan is familiar but at the same time un-nerving. In most of the subtler panels, Dipascale make sure we don’t forget the sheer weight of carnage and destruction our demise has caused. A pool of blood here, a dismembered body part there. He makes sure that despite the tale of companionship unfolding in the dialogue, there is still the underlying theme of desolation and a changing of times.

Rover Red Charlie is well worth the read. It’s compelling, intelligent, funny and has an individuality of it’s own. It is a must for fans of Ennis’s work, a must for those who love a good survival story and a must for those who read “Watership Down” or “the Animals of Farthing Wood” as a child. BUY THIS BOOK!

I give this 10 out of 10!

Click HERE to view the Rover Red Charlie series!

For more comic views and reviews follow Robin on Twitter at @Hulksmash1985

Written by Nathan Edmondson
Art/Colours by Phil Noto

Marvel’s All New NOW titles are continuing their march towards comic book domination, and where better to start a new series than with that red haired, bad-ass ex KGB agent Black Widow. With the success of Scarlett Johanson as Ms Natasha Romanov in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it stands to reason that Marvel would want to capitalise. therefore, it comes as no surprise that they have released Black Widow #1.

Following in the footsteps of the highly successful Hawkeye, we follow the exploits of Natasha Romanov during her “Downtime”, when she’s not being a covert operative for S.H.I.E.L.D or fully fledged member of the Avengers. Unlike Agent Barton though, Romanov’s motivation is atonement for her past and tackling the demons within. Edmondson deals nicely with the Widow’s past, weaving several fake histories into the narrative and giving precedence to the fact that this is about the here and now. Romanov states “no one will ever know my full story” and Edmondson’s writing reflects this, keeping the focus on that fact that whilst influenced by her past, this story will not be controlled by it.

The book isn’t light on action and espionage, with Romanov dealing with several high intensity situations and double bluffing her way through them, utilising her reputation and turning expected outcomes on their heads. Her motivation and the puzzle of just who Romanov is make up the bulk of the story, but there are several attempts at humour throughout, however, sometimes this falls flat on its face. At one point, a henchman repeatedly says the words “gets” instead of “get”, whilst I understand that this is a play on the old stereotype of gangsters, it gets irritating due to how rapidly it’s repeated. Natasha’s handler and financial adviser is a character known as Isaiah, who is meant to provide us with how the “average” character sees Natasha. This just seems to bring him across as callous and money driven, suggesting that Romanov do more and more “hits” to help increase the size of her trust funds. I know he’s meant to be the Q to her 007, but again it falls short.

Phil Noto’s art is solid and elegant. From his all out action sequences to the nicely handled back-story sequences, which drip with film-noir nuances and a cinematic style, Noto’s art stands out from most other comics that are out there. He pays a fine attention to detail, beatifully crafting each panel and his washed out, dulled down colours lend weight to the comics overall tone.

Whilst packing a strong punch and having many things going for it, Black Widow #1 unlike it’s protagonist, was slightly off target. I’m sure with later issues the precision of the writing and the humour will become slicker as it forges an identity for itself in the new Marvel world order, but for now, the comic comes off as a Hawkeye wannabe, a pretender to Fraction and Aja’s crown. Keeping the noir undertone, the quest for attonement and focus on Romanov’s present will all help in expediting this. For now though, stick to Hawkguy.

I give this 5 out of 10

Click HERE to view the Black Widow Vol. 5 series!

For more comic views and reviews follow Robin on Twitter at @Hulksmash1985

Written by Cullen Bunn
Art by Ramon Rosanas

Zombies. Like that rash that won’t go away, they’ve infected every orifice of popular culture. From TV, to film, to comics, to cute and twee games like Plants Vs Zombies, it seems zombies are here to stay. At least that is until Wade Wilson, the merc with the mouth has his way. Yes, Deadpool has a date with a few million zombies. Yikes.

After gorging himself on chimichangas (I have no clue what these are), Deadpool falls into a food coma and wakes up to an undead nightmare. With zombies to the left of him, shuffling corpses to the right and the Avengers all entrees and entrails, it’s down to Deadpool to get to the bottom of things and stop the scourge of the undead in their tracks. Now I know what you’re thinking, “Zombies! Yaddah yaddah yaddah, seen it all before…” but wait! Bunn introduces some pretty neat new elements to the mix, which may or may not play out to be a larger plot point later on in the stories genesis. I don’t want to give them away here, so read the story, but it’s a nice touch and could definitely lead somewhere different to most zombie infused debauchery. We can but wait…

Ramon Rosana’s art fits the story nicely. Deadpool always looks…er…Deadpooly and the action is dealt with nicely, especially when the comic twists are added. The world around Wilson is desolate and sparse, the desolation and isolated feeling is handly deftly by Rosana, and then his attention to detail in this barren world is brilliantly handled also. The colouring of the book is nicely handled too, with everything being black and white throughout except for Wade. It’s almost like it’s lampooning The Walking Dead in that respect, but with Wilson’s flamboyant, frenetic nature being too overpowering to become shades of grey. (Even though Deadpool is one big walking shade of grey…)

Overall, Night of the living Deadpool is a fun frolic through the world of mumbling, shambolic corpses. Bunn makes it just different enough to not be tedious and there is the possibility of a brilliant story to be had here. I mean, can the undead really kill the man who can’t die?

I give it 8 out of 10

Click HERE to view the Night of the Living Deadpool series!

For more comic views and reviews follow Robin on Twitter at @Hulksmash1985