By Free Costin
The City of Townville, where the Powerpuff Girls lay their sleepy little heads. Even more so now that Mojo Jojo’s turned down his evil ways. But wait, what’s this?! Now that Mojo is all better and staying at the the Powerpuff Girls’ household, HIM has got his tutu all in a twist?! What ever will he do!? I hope he’s not going to… OH NO! Just as I suspected! HIM has put mind control on all of Townsville’s bad guys! And they’re going straight to the Girls’ house… to…. HELP THEM OUT!!! Ummm.. Did I just really say help? Well, that didn’t turn out as bad as I expected..
Right where we left him, Mojo Jojo has turned himself in to take the ‘ANTIDOTE X’ to cure him against his villainous ways. As he was originally Professor Utonium’s lab experiment gone wrong, the cured baby monkey comes home with the Powerpuff Girls. All-seeing HIM captures a glimpse of everything happening and becomes irritated to see that Mojo Jojo – now named Jojo – has got a second chance. Obviously sending HIM’s heels to break he turns on his creepy, glowing eyes to mind control Townsville’s baddies, sending them to the Powerpuff household. Blossom, Buttercup, Bubbles and Proffessor Utonium all look out the front door as all the villains are outside… helping them do their chores. A quick flash towards HIM in the final panel to show that everything isn’t as it seems.
Just as good as the first issue of the series, the second issue is just as sweet. What was really great about #2 was as if it was a villains based issue. Last issue was perfectly balanced with Powepuff goodness but there were only a few panels with them in it and not particularly doing anything. This comic was solely based around Mojo at the beginning and HIM controlling other villains nearer to the end. It was a nice way of balancing this book out and worked. It still remains to be uncanny to the television show, seeing a few of the minor villains like Sedusa and the Ganggreen Gang makes it more so that bit more nostalgic. Troy Little continues with consistency in both writing and artwork, he could quite literally do anything and go anywhere with the ending in this issue, leaving it on a cliff-hanger and wide open for issue #3.
Powerpuff Girls #2 has proven to be just as strong as the first issue. It’s fun, nostalgic and shows the Powerpuff Girls at their best. Leaving all ties open for issue #3, anything could happen from here on and I’m sure most fans of this series will be sad to see it only run for 5 issues.
You can find Free on twitter at @Free_Costin for more comic views and reviews.
Posted on December 11th, 2013
Category: ONE CONCLUSIVE KUNOICHI, REVIEWS
Tags: Blossom, Bubbles, Buttercup, Comic Reviews, Free Costin, IDW Publishing, Mojo Jojo, Powerpuff Girls #2, Powerpuff Girls Review, Proffessor Utonium
By Free Costin
The City of Townsville… IS ON FIRE!?! Say, what’s going on here? Oh no, it’s Mojo Jojo! Say it ain’t so-so! That damn primate has got his cape all in a twist once again! But! Its nothing that our precious Powerpuff Girls cant handle – locking that evil monkey back in his cage! How do you like that, Mr. Smartie-Pants? But wait.. what’s this? Mojo Jojo signing up for ANTIDOTE X!? The anti-serum to his current mutation?! Uh oh.. What ever will he do next!?
From battling a Mojo Jojo exoskeleton to ending the life of a giant swamp monster there’s still time for The Powerpuff Girls to enjoy a nice ice cream and play a quick round of golf. Mojo is being a naughty monkey again, but it seems the girls are just going through the motions with him and send him packing straight to prison without even breaking a sweat. Mojo’s embarrassing defeat delivers a rude awakening as he questions his future as an evil super-villain! And with that, the girls were off… faster than you could say “Professor Utonium.” The next day, the girls are awarded ‘Lifetime Memberships to the Townsville Golf and Country Club’ which coincidently leads them to their next foe! The golf course is certainly somewhere that were used to seeing The Powerpuff Girls, but here they are quite literally swamped by a huge park monster and undoubtedly defeat it with ease. Our favourite little girls from the 90s are back, but this time on print.
Writer/artist Troy Little has done an incredible job in capturing every minor detail that once was the Powerpuff Girls. The narrator, the characters, everything that we all loved has been demonstrated perfectly. The dialogue is wonderful and you really cannot help hear the characters voices when reading. Even bubbles has a ‘hardcore moment’! The artwork was as if each panel was a HD still taken from a brand new episode. Troy Little has really proven that he is more than capable to control the wrath of Townsville’s sweethearts by making this comic book come to life.
This comic book was uncanny to the television series. It is wonderful seeing IDW publish some of the 90′s favourite heroines in print and not butcher them along the way. If you were a cartoon network kid growing up, this really is the mini-series for you.
One again, the day is saved! Thanks to THE POWERPUFF GIRLS!
You can find Free on twitter at @Free_Costin for more comic views and reviews.
Posted on December 3rd, 2013
Category: ONE CONCLUSIVE KUNOICHI, REVIEWS
Tags: Comic Reviews, Free Costin, IDW Publishing, Mojo Jojo, Powerpuff Girls Review
By Simon Dixon
Many of you folks out there probably know Joe Hill as the writer of the marvellous IDW series “Locke & Key”. Quite a lot of you might not know that Joe Hill is also an amazing writer of novels! His most recent novel “NOS4A2” or “NOS4R2” for us UK folks is the story of Charles Manx & his Silver Wraith and his adventures in Christmasland. Now that Locke & Key is coming to an end, Mr Hill has been kind enough to grace us with a new comic; a comic set in the crazy and scary world of his novel “NOS4A2”.
First things first, I just want to say that I have never read “NOS4A2” before; something which I hope to rectify after reading this series. The reason I plan to rectify this AFTER reading this series is because I believe “Wraith” is a prequel. So, this book is completely new reader friendly.
Before we jump straight into looking at the story let me talk about the marvellous art for a bit. The art in this book is provided by CP Wilson III and he does a great job of it! It’s dark, gritty and he uses every bit of his style to add a creepy new layer to the story. It fits perfect within the book and CP does a fantastic job of slowly making the character of Charles Manx creepier throughout the entire book, so much so that it feels like a completely natural progression to the Charles Manx we see at the end of the book. There is also a scene in the book that can’t go without mention. The scene where young Charles Manx is playing with his sled and is confronted by a disgruntled customer of his mothers. This scene is one of the most horrible and emotional scenes I’ve ever seen in comics. However, the scene would be nowhere near as scarring and emotional if the scene was text based. It’s the art in this scene that makes it so good!
Of course you can’t talk about the art without talking about the colours in the book. Nowadays I feel like colourists don’t get the credit they deserve. Colours can make or break a book. Look at “Bedlam” for example, a wonderful crime thriller written by Nick Spencer with amazing art by Riley Rossmo. Now, I’m not saying that the art by Riley Rossmo wouldn’t be good without the colours, however the amazing colours by Jean-Paul Csuka are probably the best colours I have ever seen and makes the art in the book some of my favourite ever. This is why I believe that colourists deserve more credit and that’s why I’m going to talk about the great colours in this book from Jay Fotos. The use of lots of dark colours in the book with a slight splash of bright colour every now and then makes for great contrast. For example, the build up to the end of the book is really dark, however we get great splashes of red that impacts you a lot because you begin to get used to looking at dark and gritty colours. This adds a whole new level to the art and the story that turns a book with good art into a book with great art!
Now, the art isn’t the only amazing thing in this book. The story is obviously pretty amazing too! Firstly I just want to say that this is a really wordy book. An average comic book takes me anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes to read, this one took me around 20 minutes; maybe even more. However, this is no where near a bad thing! The story draws you in and holds you so well that the time flies by.
As I mentioned at the start of this article this book is set in the world of Joe Hill’s newest novel “NOS4A2” and is a prequel to the events of that book. The book follows Charles Manx, a man who Kidnaps children, drains them of their life force and places them in his demented theme park “Christmasland”. This issue takes us all the way from young Charles Manx as he grows up and the events in his life that lead him to his first visit to Christmasland. By getting a closer look at the younger life of Charles Manx leading up to this point, we see him develop into the man he became and the crazy experiences he had to get there. This makes the character a lot more believable and allows you to understand what probably makes him so crazy. The most interesting part of his journey is the idea that he is a victim of circumstance and society. The only thing he has ever tried to do is prove himself and impress his family while wanting to live a normal life. However, it’s the environment he is in and most importantly the people he interacts with that send him on his dark path. Whether it be his wife or the man who tricks him into making an investment; if he had never met these people he would have probably ended up a good guy. I think this is a pretty good comparison to our world in which it’s the people around you who shape what you are just as much as yourself.
The book is narrated by Charles’ future self as he is talking to a child he has kidnapped in his Silver Wraith. I feel like this was a great choice as it gives us an introduction to the character that we’re building up to and allows us to compare him to his past self throughout. This is the most text heavy part of the book and is beautifully written while the dialogue flows perfectly.
By the end of the book we reach Christmasland for the first time. This in many ways is only the beginning of the book! However, it feels that by the time you get to this point that you’ve already completed a long journey. This definitely speaks to the long, crazy & eventful life of Mr Manx. This makes me look forward to what’s to come while also getting great bang for buck from the first issue.
Overall, this is a brilliant book! It’s dark, gritty and emotionally straining. It takes you on a horrible journey that for some reason you can’t get enough of and you’re desperate for more! This is the perfect thriller/horror book. If you are interested in that type of book or you’re a fan of Locke & Key or Joe Hill I can’t recommend this book enough! It leaves a hole that can only be filled by more “Wraith” and I can’t wait for the next issue!
Story + Writing – 5/5
Art – 5/5
Overall Score – 5/5
Follow Simon on Twitter! – https://twitter.com/MritalkApple123
Check Simon out on Youtube! – http://www.youtube.com/user/MritalkApple
Posted on November 17th, 2013
Category: REVIEWS, WRITER'S BLOCK
Tags: Charles Manx, CP Wilson III, Horror comics, IDW Publishing, Jay Fotos, Joe Hill, Locke and Key, Simon Dixon, Wraith: Welcome to Christmasland review
By Daniel Cole
Daniel Cole brings you episode #007 of the Six Shooter!
Welcome to the Six Shooter! This is a weekly column that will review six specific comics. Big new releases, small interesting titles and random curiosities. All will be looked at. The way it works is that there will be a brief review of the comics followed by our rating system. Our ratings are:
Headshot (Best of the week)
Hit (Read)
Miss (Don’t Read)
Misfire (Worst of the week)
This week I thought it would be nice to take a break from the big two and focus on the rest of the comics market. However one DC licensed hero does pop up. Anyhow lets do this!
THE CROW CURARE #2 – IDW PUBLISHING
This is certainly a different tale than the one fans will be familiar with, but that doesn’t mean it is inferior.
Written by James O’Barr
Art by Antoine Dodé
This new Crow series has the benefit of having the Crow’s creator James O’Barr in the driving seat. This is certainly a different tale than the one fans will be familiar with, but that doesn’t mean it is inferior.
In fact this miniseries is utterly gripping. O’Barr once again looks at violence, grief and the search for justice. This time around the story follows Detective Salk as he tries to find who is responsible for the brutal murder of a young girl called Carrie. O’Barr’s script is often uncomfortable to read due to the horrific nature of the crimes being committed, but this doesn’t stop it from being so compelling. As a character driven narrative O’Barr manages to show just how far the search for justice can lead a man. Salk has already demonstrated that he is willing to interrogate suspects with extreme prejudice and as the narrative moves forward he has become wholly consumed with his quest.
Antoine Dodé’s art is moody and perfectly suits the tone of the story. His ability to create a sense of dread is excellent, as he depicts the kidnapping of another victim. His visual story telling is extremely strong and the book is at its best when O’Barr sits back and lets Dodé tell the tale. The art is often haunting with the scene on the swings the most emotionally effective scene in the book.
An excellent character piece and an interesting murder mystery; The Crow Curare is something of a triumph. It is utterly compelling even if it is uncomfortably brutal.
SIX SHOOTER RATING – HEADSHOT
WITCHBLADE #168 – TOP COW (IMAGE COMICS)
Seeley clearly has a plan and the plot isn’t a mess by any means, but there is a distinct lack of focus on anything interesting.
Written by Tim Seeley
Art by Diego Bernard, Fred Benes, Allisson Rodrigues & Arif Prianto
The second part of “Absolute Corruption” continues at a pace befitting a three part storyline. However Tim Seeley’s script is having a hard time balancing all the plot elements.
Seeley clearly has a plan and the plot isn’t a mess by any means, but there is a distinct lack of focus on anything interesting. Characterisation is set aside for tedious exposition that expands the Witchblade mythology, but only by a fraction. The humour of the book doesn’t work, as Katarina isn’t really a fully formed character. It often seems that there is too much being crammed into these pages and our hero is sitting on the sidelines for most of it.
Diego Bernard’s pencils are functional, but lack any real impact. The clear and simple layouts allow the book to tell its story without incident. However the need for two inkers does seem excessive for such a simple looking book. Granted not every book has to be a work of art, but this type of tale needs something to make it compelling.
And that is the problem. There might be a lot of wheels turning in the narrative, but not much of it is interesting. It isn’t a disaster, but it isn’t good either.
SIX SHOOTER RATING – MISS
THUMBPRINT #2 – IDW PUBLISHING
Thumbprint isn’t a comic for everyone and the story is perhaps more suited to TV than this medium.
Written by Jason Ciaramelia
Art by Vic Malhotra
Thumbprint is a title that manages to justify its violence, but some of its more shocking moments go too far.
Jason Ciaramelia’s script delves deeper into the stories main protagonist Mallory. We see her life in the armed forces and how she was a person who was tasked to ask enemy soldiers questions. Of course this means that we get an unsavoury look on how she acquired knowledge from the enemy. For the most part the brutality of it all works within the confines of the narrative, but Ciaramelia does often go too far. The whole “fingering your wife” moment is utterly unnecessary, even if it shows what sort of character Mallory is. The comic has already stated her dark nature and that moment is a little too much. However Ciaramelia must be commended for showing the ramifications and the senselessness of war. His depiction of war may not be a revelation, but it at least brings depth to the books narrative and main character.
Vic Malhotra’s art is best described as David Aja-lite. He seems to mimic Aja’s deceptively simple pencils, but not his ability to inventively construct a page layout. This isn’t a bad thing as the book often looks good, but the instant comparisons don’t help the book. However the slight blur and colour difference in the flashback scenes are a nice touch.
Thumbprint isn’t a comic for everyone and the story is perhaps more suited to TV than this medium. Ciaramelia does go a little too far in places, but it does at least try and engage the reader in the horrors of war. But a lot of recent films/books/TV shows have already done this type of story and done it better.
SIX SHOOTER RATING – MISS
MASS EFFECT FOUNDATION #1 – DARK HORSE COMICS
It maybe a prequel comic, but it does not play out as one in this initial issue
Written by Mac Walters
Art by Omar Francia & Michael Atiyeh
Mac Walters, lead writer on Mass Effect 2 & 3, takes the franchise into the past with this new comic book series.
It maybe a prequel comic, but it does not play out as one in this initial issue. Walters hits the ground running with a fun script that involves a mysterious female agent. She has assassination on her mind and the way in which she gets to her target is playful. Using intimidation, a few disguises and the help of a child. It is a great secret agent style tale that has an excellent pace to it. Surprisingly the script is filled with world building and characterisation. Also that twist ending is very effective.
Omar Francia’s art is clean and clear for the most part. But there are few inconsistencies with his character work, namely body proportions. However the action scenes are kinetic and well rendered and Francia manages to emote his characters well enough to enhance the scripts character beats. He manages to fill each panel with imagery that helps create the world the characters live in, even if it is a little bland at time.
This might not instantly be recognisable as a Mass Effect comic, but it has enough about it to engage new readers and fans alike. The art does its job and produces a solid visual experience. But it is Walter’s fun script that sells this title.
SIX SHOOTER RATING – HIT
ANTI-HERO #2 – MONKEY BRAIN COMICS
This is a great title that tells a compelling story and presents it in a colourful way.
Written by Jay Faerber
Art by Nate Stockman & Paul Little
Jay Faerber’s blackmailed superhero story is a book that knows how to entertain you.
The narrative concept may not be original, but Faerber embraces it with such glee that you can’t help but get invested in it. The script is witty, fun and surprisingly character driven, as poor Paragon has to do business with a bad guy. The heroes and villains of this world have wonderfully ridiculous names that really work due to the light-hearted tone of the book. However it is light-hearted to a point as Faerber cleverly invests time in making Paragon a character the readers can empathise with. His new identity is an outward expression of his plight and the dialogue is so well judged in the more sombre moments.
Nate Stockman’s art is also a lot of fun. There is something nostalgic about the hero and villain designs, with each being both unique and a familiar. Paragon’s new suit takes visual inspiration from Stormwatch’s Midnighter and clearly pokes fun at the “dark” hero stereotype. The art is very expressive and vibrant. Giving the reader a rich visual experience.
This is a great title that tells a compelling story and presents it in a colourful way. It successfully show’s that a book can be mature in its character work without sacrificing the inherent fun that comes with the superhero genre.
SIX SHOOTER RATING – HEADSHOT
THE ROCKETEER & THE SPIRIT: PULP FRICTION #1 – IDW PUBLISHING
Some great dialogue softens the lack of originality and Waid really excels in presenting how different these two heroes and their supporting characters are.
Written by Mark Waid
Art by Paul Smith & Jordie Bellaire
Mark Waid brings two of the most recognisable pulp heroes together for a nostalgia infused tale.
For a lot of readers this may fall flat as it relies on the nostalgia factor heavily and doesn’t really offer an interesting narrative to engage with. It has the familiar heroes meet, fight and then team up arc that happens in almost all stories of this ilk. It is nice that Waid gets this out of the way so issue two can move the narrative forward, but it is certainly a hurdle to overcome in this issue. Some great dialogue softens the lack of originality and Waid really excels in presenting how different these two heroes and their supporting characters are.
Paul Smith’s art evokes the style of those old comic strips and the highly stylized pencils give the book a distinct look. It is more cartoonish than realistic, but that is intentional and really sells Waid’s script. The action is kinetic and quite dynamic due to the sense of momentum Smith gives the flying sequences. It certainly works on a visual level.
What it lacks in narrative originality it makes up for with charm and playful art. It is a comic that focuses on delivering a fun tale with well-loved heroes and for the most part its successful in doing so.
SIX SHOOTER RATING – HIT
So this week has been a good one with two HEADSHOTS, two HITS and only two MISSES. A lot of books that focus on fun and just as many that focus on violence. IDW had a good showing this week and is definitely a company to keep an eye on. So all in all I declare this week a win for the reader.
Do you agree with the reviews? Did we get them wrong or right? Have any suggestions on what we should review next week? Get in touch in the comments section.
For more comic views and reviews follow Dan on Twitter at @gizmo151183
Posted on July 26th, 2013
Category: REVIEWS, SIX SHOOTER
Tags: Anti-Hero #2 Review, Comic Reviews, Crow Curare #2 Review, Daniel Cole, Dark Horse Comics, IDW Publishing, Mark Waid, Mass Effect Foundation #1 Review, Rocketeer, Sic Shooter #007, Thumbprint #2 Review, Tim Seeley, Witchblade #168 Review
A little about me, I’m Ian I am a father to an adorable 1 year old daughter, husband of 5 years to 1 exasperated wife and I am OBSESSED with comics. I have been reading comics for around a year now. Was originally a huge Marvel fan, then big 2 now I will read anything with pictures and words I love everything to do with the art of comics 
. I’m still very much a newbie to this here review malarkey, so please all feedback is welcome love it hate it find it pointless? Got a recommendation…………Let me know on Twitter I’m always on and always up for chat/debate! Catch you all next week!
So this week, seeing as I missed last week is a 2-4-1 bonanza kids! I will be reviewing both IDW’s Doomsday.1 #2 and Indestructible Hulk #9 so buckle in….
The thrilling tale of seven adventurous astronauts, who watch in horror, aloft in the International Space Station, as most of Earth is annihilated by a titanic solar flare.
Let’s start with Doomsday.1, here is a book I was seriously excited about #2 for. I went in blind, read the blurb on the net before picking up #1 and was seriously pleasantly surprised. Issue #1 sets up the story… the thrilling tale of seven adventurous astronauts, who watch in horror, aloft in the International Space Station, as most of Earth is annihilated by a titanic solar flare. They manage to dodge this solar flare but now they have to make their choices about how and when they can return to earth, the issue was fast paced and I could almost go as far as describing it as cinematic, I loved the art….bold lines and old school colouring! It is a 4 part mini series so issue #1 was all you would expect from it as such, no fuss no guss!
We find our protagonists now back on earth, which has descended into a Mad Max type post apocalyptic nightmare.
In these kind of stories the writer doesn’t have time to digress or pan out to slowly like in a 10 or even 6 parter. All this kept in mind issue #2 couldn’t have been in more of an opposite vain, although the pacing was as fast as issue #1 the story seemed to be drawn out, it felt as though it could have been half an issue in the series instead of a quarter of a whole overall story. We find our protagonists now back on earth, which has descended into a Mad Max type post apocalyptic nightmare fighting to survive after being tricked into a prison by what used to be the prisoners who have over run the prison and are dressed as guards. They take Hikari to a separate room and strip her in order to take ‘turns’ as she is the first female they’ve seen for a while. She is saved by Yulia who was hidden in the back of the truck they were brought to the prison in, they then hatch a plan to escape with their other friends………thats pretty much the whole of issue #2, in a nutshell!
I think what most disappointed me about it was that issue #1 was so good and this just felt like a filler issue, which as discussed in a 4 part mini-series has no place, story – wham bam thank you ma’am!
So on the scale of river or life I give it …………life but on the condition that issue #3 is like issue #1 and not #2 please and thank you.
And so onto Indestructible Hulk by Mark Waid.
Waid is making Hulk look effortless to write and has a fan in me outright!
What a series so far Mr. Waid has put together here, starting with the Marvel Now! I started reading from issue #5 and was quickly reminded why The Hulk is in my top 2 super heroes. Waid has approached the series writing Banner as a similar character to that played (superbly in my opinion) by Mark Ruffalo in the Avengers movie. The guy who is always angry but can control it. Banner goes to S.H.I.E.L.D and offers them the use of The Hulk in exchange for their help. Throughout, Banner is always calling someone once a week just to check in, to make sure S.H.I.E.L.D aren’t mistreating him or plotting against him. Issue #9 is the perfect jumping on point for anyone not collecting Hulk but wanting to as that’s all the recap you need to be honest. Issue #9 reveals the shady character that Banner confides in as none other than everyones favourite lawyer Matt Murdoch aka Daredevil himself! This leads to them both running around Hells Kitchen causing much mayhem including Daredevil stepping into a packed bar full of bad asses!
Issue #9 reveals the shady character that Banner confides in as none other than everyones favourite lawyer Matt Murdoch aka Daredevil himself!
The new artist in the hot seat, Matteo Scalera has a style which is perfect for Daredevil’s New York, its a gorgeous issue and one I would actively encourage anyone and everyone to get. Waid is making Hulk look effortless to write and has a fan in me outright!
River or life……you need to ask, life all day!
Allllright I’m out, shout me on Twitter guys!
For more comic views and reviews follow Ian on Twitter at @ianhanmorefarru
Posted on June 26th, 2013
Category: HANMORE UNCHAINED, REVIEWS
Tags: Comic Reviews, Doomsday.1 #2 Review, Hanmore Unchained, Ian Hanmore-Farrugia, IDW Publishing, Indestructible Hulk #9 Review, John Byrne, Mark Waid
By @Joe Molloy
Skillfully tying fifty years of Godzilla movies into one focused narrative, the Half-Century War tells the tale of Ota Murakami and his encounters with the famed lizard.
Story and Art by James Stokoe
Published by IDW
During thirty years of indifference to Godzilla I had managed to avoid nearly all contact with the legendary beast. Barring the odd glimpse across the channels of his 90′s American movie, I knew little and cared less. Turns out all it took was the work of one very talented cartoonist to get me deeply involved in the world of rampaging radioactive lizard monsters and the men that struggle to contain them.
Skillfully tying fifty years of Godzilla movies into one focused narrative, the Half-Century War tells the tale of Ota Murakami and his encounters with the famed lizard. It begins with the first time Godzilla stomps out of the sea to destroy Tokyo and continues as he rampages across the planet while pursued by the AMF (Anti-Megalosaurus Force!).
It begins with the first time Godzilla stomps out of the sea to destroy Tokyo and continues as he rampages across the planet while pursued by the AMF.
My only previous exposure to James Stokoe was his Orc-Stain comic but that made me a fan for life, he is firmly on my must-buy-no-matter what he’s producing list. His hyper-detailed art style is a skillful blend of Japanese and Western influence. Reading his work makes me want to put some serious time studying Asian comics, a favourite touch is how he has everyone break into the classic manga sweat when under pressure.
Stokoe is a very detailed artist who crams a ton into each panel and also combines dynamic lettering and explosive SFX seamlessly on the page. Godzilla’s sound effects are amazing, it looks like he’s emitting a force field of screeching sound. Explosions (of which there are many) and the resulting dust clouds are used to great effect. Often with the massive lizard looming out of a cloud of dust to spew forth a cone of violent force from his mouth. It turns out Godzilla has Radioactive Blast Breath.
Stokoe is a very detailed artist who crams a ton into each panel and also combines dynamic lettering and explosive SFX seamlessly on the page.
Each issue starts with a large panel containing an overview/map of where the action takes place, be that Tokyo or Bombay. It’s great at setting the scene locally and often has smoke billowing out over the trail of destruction but it’s also perfect for establishing that this is a global threat that storms the planet wreaking havoc.
The AMF have to develop their own crazy tech and crackpot science weapons to try and take down Godzilla as he is immune to conventional weaponry. And then we meet the others. I am by no means a Kaiju scholar but it seems many of the most prominent are included, Mothra, Megalon and King Ghidorah among them. We are treated to many epic battles between the mighty beasts, intercut with the puny humans scrambling around trying to stop or at least divert Godzilla.
We are treated to many epic battles between the mighty beasts, intercut with the puny humans scrambling around trying to stop or at least divert Godzilla.
Should I buy it? If you are a Godzilla or a Stokoe fan then this is a must. If you think you might enjoy reading a magnificent looking comic about rampaging giant monsters then it’s for you too. If you don’t like any of that then you might need to re-examine your priorities.
Next time: Godzilla is a hard act to follow, so I am going to take things in a completely different direction and write about The Massive by Brian Wood, Kristian Donaldson and Gary Brown. A look at the world after the water levels have risen through the eyes of an enviromental activist group. A tightly written eco-thriller with sharp art that might be the smartest thing Brian Wood has written, which is saying something.
Click HERE to view Godzilla comics
Follow Joe on twitter @JosephJMolloy or check out his website: joeblogscomics for more comic reviews!
Posted on June 4th, 2013
Category: REVIEWS, TRADING UP
Tags: Brian Wood, Godzilla, Godzilla The Half-Century War, IDW Publishing, James Stokoe, Joe Malloy, King Ghidorah, Kristian Donaldson, Mothra, Tokyo, Trading Up
By Daniel Cole
Welcome to the very first 6 Shooter where the comics will be awarded with a Headshot, Hit, Miss or the dreaded Misfire!! Follow our rating system to see what they get.
Welcome to the very first Six Shooter! This is a weekly column that will review six specific comics. Big new releases, small interesting titles and random curiosities. All will be looked at. The way it works is that there will be a brief review of the comics followed by our rating system. So going with the gun theme our ratings are:
Headshot (Best of the week)
Hit (Read)
Miss (Don’t Read)
Misfire (Worst of the week)
As it’s the first ever Six Shooter it would seem prudent to focus this edition on First issues. Thankfully the gods of comics where smiling down on us and we actually have six new number ones (we cheated as one of them is a one-shot) to review.
But before we carry on we would like to give a big shout out and thank you to Twitter friend @Hulksmash1985 for coming up with the column’s name. Go, follow him because he’s awesome. So without further ado let’s review some comics!
CLIVE BARKER’S NEXT TESTAMENT #1 – Boom! Studios
Written by Clive Barker & Mark Miller
Art by Haemi Jang
A long time ago Clive Barker was a master of horror with Hellraiser being his crowning achievement.
A long time ago Clive Barker was a master of horror with Hellraiser being his crowning achievement. However the years haven’t been kind to Barker’s brand and his recent works seem desperate to catch the same lightning that made him famous. From this issue it doesn’t look like Next Testament will help him reclaim his former glory.
The basic concept of a man obsessed with an otherworldly power (this time a colourful god) is a solid starting point. But it isn’t presented in a compelling way.
The comic itself is rife with used ideas and themes. This isn’t a problem per say, but the familiarity to it all makes for a dull read. The basic concept of a man obsessed with an otherworldly power (this time a colourful god) is a solid starting point. But it isn’t presented in a compelling way. Barker and Mark Miller (not that Millar) set up the narrative whilst leaving a few mysteries for a later date. So they at least achieve on delivering what an issue one should do, but it is a shame that it is all a bit pedestrian.
Thank god for Haemi Jang. His art gives the comic a great visual identity.
However thank god for Haemi Jang. His art gives the comic a great visual identity. The colour work gives the book a realistic tone, whilst the shading adds visual horror elements. His characters are expressive and well detailed and the god in question is a striking image. He frames the narrative as a film with widescreen panels and close ups. The book looks great.
It is a shame then that the narrative is so mediocre. Although the art is great it isn’t enough to entice you into continuing with the series.
MISS
THE WAKE #1 – DC Comics
Written by Scott Snyder
Art by Sean Murphy & Matt Hollingsworth
Scott Snyder takes a break from Batman to create The Wake. We have science fiction, a few flashes of horror, human drama and so on.
Scott Snyder takes a break from Batman to create The Wake. It’s a comic that traverses a lot of different genres. We have science fiction, a few flashes of horror, human drama and so on.
The main focus of the narrative is a little familiar. A group of specialists are brought together to figure out what has been found in the depths of the ocean. Yes, it’s the same plot from a plethora of films and Snyder doesn’t really attempt to distance his tale from its influences.
Yes, it’s the same plot from a plethora of films and Snyder doesn’t really attempt to distance his tale from its influences.
But the narrative also has some more interesting elements. Bookending the issue with two different time periods opens up the narrative and creates a good sense of mystery.
But the book’s focus is on the familiar. Even the main cast are the usual suspects for this type of story. Our main protagonist has a few flashes of originality though, which is promising.
Joining Snyder on this book is Sean Murphy. His style is a little rough in places, but overall his line work is detailed. The problem is that the visuals are big and cinematic, which in turn reminds the reader that this idea has been done before. But Murphy does deliver the right tone for the first chapter of the story and gives the book a great look.
You can see the sparks of something interesting, but the main thrust of the narrative is your run of the mill science fiction setup.
The Wake is somewhat frustrating. You can see the sparks of something interesting, but the main thrust of the narrative is your run of the mill science fiction setup. However as a first issue it is interesting enough for readers to come back for the next instalment. Also if you are a fan of these particular tales then you’re sure to enjoy this.
HIT
KING CONAN: THE HOUR OF THE DRAGON #1 – Dark Horse Comics
Written by Timothy Truman
Art by Tomás Giorello & José Villarrubia
There is something inherently charming about Conan.
There is something inherently charming about Conan. Robert E. Howard’s pulp creation has an enduring legacy and his recent resurgence in the comic book medium has been a joy to read. However it would seem that this latest title bearing the Cimmerian’s name doesn’t exactly set off on the right foot.
Timothy Truman decides to frame his story as a tale told by the great King himself. It isn’t a bad narrative device, but it does give the first half of the issue a leisurely pace. Add to this an overabundance of exposition and the plot barely seems to move forward. Truman might set up the world and all the players of his narrative, but it is to the detriment of the issue.
The biggest plus of the book is colourist José Villarrubia. His colours have a grain to them that dates the art in a satisfying way. The shading of the art also makes the book quite striking visually.
Tomás Giorello has a nice rough style that really suits the sword and sorcery setting. But he isn’t really given much to do due to the fact a lot of the scenes are just people talking. But the biggest plus of the book is colourist José Villarrubia. His colours have a grain to them that dates the art in a satisfying way. The shading of the art also makes the book quite striking visually.
But the book doesn’t really grab your attention. The heavy exposition within this issue maybe necessary, but doesn’t really make for an entertaining read.
MISS
X-MEN #1 – Marvel Comics
Written by Brian Wood
Art by Olivier Coipel, Mark Morales & Laura Martin
It would be cliché to say, “Believe the hype,” but Brain Wood and Olivier Coipel have delivered an impressive opening issue.
It would be cliché to say, “Believe the hype,” but Brain Wood and Olivier Coipel have delivered an impressive opening issue. It is the combination of great writing and excellent art that manages to elevate this title above a simple X-Men tale.
The return of one of the X-Men’s most intriguing villains brings about a new threat that decides to possess a character long forgotten. It is a simple setup that uses the reader’s familiarity with the book’s cast to great effect. However it is fine for new readers to jump on-board. Wood uses a bit of exposition to get readers up to speed, but it doesn’t overwhelm the book. His use of characterisation helps him to establish the cast, with the crisis on the train being the best example of this.
Olivier Coipel’s art is simply gorgeous. Dynamic action, expressive characters and clean presentation make this a visual treat for the reader.
Olivier Coipel’s art is simply gorgeous. Dynamic action, expressive characters and clean presentation make this a visual treat for the reader. Laura Martin’s colour work brings the whole thing to life. Her use of vibrant colours just makes the art pop off the page.
With the writing delivering an interesting plot with a lot of character work and the art giving the book a stunning visual identity, X-Men #1 is the sort of high quality comic that X-Men fans deserve.
HEADSHOT
TRANSFORMERS PRIME: BEAST HUNTERS #1 – IDW Publishing
Written by Mairghread Scott & Mike Johnson
Art by Agustin Padilla & Priscilla Tramontano
The dialogue in this book is excellent. The characterisation is pitch perfect and really suits the narrative. It may not be the most interesting plot, but at least its backed up with great character work.
A spin off from the TV show of the same name and a continuation from the last Transformers Prime comic book series, this title once again focuses on the Dinobots.
First and foremost this title is geared towards readers of the previous series and Transformers fans. There isn’t much here for the new reader. Scott and Johnson do explain away the situation, but there is a clear sense that certain plot points are missing. However saying that the dialogue in this book is excellent. The characterisation is pitch perfect and really suits the narrative. It may not be the most interesting plot, but at least its backed up with great character work.
As for the art Padilla’s depiction of the Transformers isn’t as busy as a Michael Bay film, but there is something inherently simplistic in his designs.
As for the art Padilla’s depiction of the Transformers isn’t as busy as a Michael Bay film, but there is something inherently simplistic in his designs. The clean work is serviceable and Padilla does his job well. Tramontano’s colour work doesn’t really help as the muted tones make the book look bland.
It isn’t a waste of time, but the character work and dialogue isn’t enough to recommend this to anyone other than a fans of the previous series.
MISS
GRIMM FAIRY TALES PRESENTS REALM KNIGHT (One-Shot) – Zenescope Entertainment
Written by Pat Shand with Joe Brusha
Art by Noah Salonga & Wagner Souza
This sexy reinterpretation of fairy tale and folklore characters is a good hook.
This is a done-in-one comic that is clearly geared towards bringing in new readers and setting up upcoming Grimm Fairy Tale series. However if you are not familiar with this particular brand then you will be lost here as someone forget to tell Shand to cater for new readers.
This is a comic that is clearly tailored to its own fanbase and although the narrative isn’t difficult to follow there is the sense that new readers will be missing something. This sexy reinterpretation of fairy tale and folklore characters is a good hook. With each one having new backstories, skills and powers. But the presentation of them is a little pedestrian at best. Most of the page count is just banal chatter from the characters and seems a bit of a waste of time. Especially when the purpose of the issue is to set up a team of “highborns” (heroes) to defend their modern day realm. The dialogue is forced and the jokes fall flat as Shand basically borrows plot points from the recent Avengers film.
The inherent overt sexual nature of the protagonists is captured well, even if it is totally ridiculous (especially the armour).
The art team do well even if the change of artist halfway through is a bit jarring. But Salonga and Souza give the characters and the book a decent look. The inherent overt sexual nature of the protagonists is captured well, even if it is totally ridiculous (especially the armour).
If you’re a fan of Grimm Fairy Tales then this is for you. It is clearly an important issue when it comes to the Grimm universe’s continued narrative. However if you have never picked up an issue of Zenescope’s sexy interpretation of these characters then you should probably avoid this. As a comic in its own right it gets a lot wrong, even if the art isn’t all bad.
MISS
VERDICT
Well Marvel’s re-launch of X-Men was easily the best comic of the bunch. But The Wake has the potential to be an interesting read. A few too many misses this week though, but no misfires so that’s a bonus.
Do you agree with the reviews? Did we get them wrong or right? Have any suggests on what we should review next week? Get in touch in the comments section.
For more comic views and reviews follow Dan on Twitter at @gizmo151183
Posted on May 31st, 2013
Category: Blog, REVIEWS, SIX SHOOTER
Tags: Brian Wood, Clive Barkers Next Testament #1 Review, Comic Reviews, Daniel Cole, Dark Horse Comics, DC Comics, Grimm Fairy Tales Presents Realm Knight, Haemi Jang, IDW Publishing, King Conan Hour of the Dragon #1, Mark Miller, Matt Hollingsworth, Olivier Coipel, Scott Snyder, Sean Murphy, Six Shooter #001, The Wake #1 Review, Timothy Truman, Transformers Prime Beast Hunters #1, X-Men #1
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