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Showing posts with label Comic book review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Comic book review. Show all posts
Written by: Cullen Bunn

Art by: Tyler Crook

Published by: Dark Horse Comics

Price: $3.99
"The folk of Harrow County put the witch to death, but the witch did not die easily."
Damn. What a great read. I don't know what it is about creepy old towns, but I love the stories that can arise from them. And the TREES! Holy shit, something about the looming branches and gnarled roots just gives me goosebumps. I'm reading Wytches by Scott Snyder and those trees freak me out too. Harrow County definitely shook me up a little.

 We're given a brief backdrop of the history of Harrow County right from the first pages. An eerie tale of the town witch, Hester Beck. There was a duality to her. She was known as a healing woman by the townfolk, yet wherever she went, livestock dropped dead. She held sermons and baptisms at Sulfur Creek in the presence of the local children, and the people of Harrow County were disconcerted by this. Eventually, they discovered her in the act of something unforgivable, and did what any old-timey townfolk would do. Hang her from a tree and set her on fire. As her face melted away, the witch whispered a promise...a promise that she will return to judge those who killed her.


It is now present day, and we are introduced to 17 year old Emmy. Haunted by dreams of ghouls and ghosts, she wakes and sees this huge tree outside her window. This tree has caused her a lot of distress and you understand why as soon as you see it. A barn on the farm Emmy lives on gives shelter to a birthing mama cow. The calf comes out bloodied, and another just a few feet away looks like its insides were torn out. This continues with more animals on this farm, and I think she began to see a pattern. I'm afraid of going into this further for fear of giving away too much, so I'll stop there. However, it seems like Emmy's Pa has some kind of idea on what's happening.


In the final scene, we see Emmy wandering through the woods close to her farm. She felt trapped at the farm, and the woods were a way for her to escape that feeling. She comes across a boy on the other side of the creek. She calls out to him, and in good creepy story fashion, he runs away. She chases after him and is lead through a thick gathering of thorns. I'll let you try to guess what she finds...


Sorry about the intermittent reviews these past couple of weeks. Work has been getting crazy and I won't be able to get a review out next week because I'm getting officially initiated into the union I work for. Because of that, I wanted to make sure I got something out for you guys this week. As always, support the art. Buy the book if it interests you. If you don't buy it, they don't make it!

 Check out my podcast on iTunes and Stitcher also. Just me and my friends bullshitting, so if you have an hour to kill on a drive, at work, or anything like that, give it a listen! Thanks everyone.


Written by: Dan Abnett


Published by: DC Comics

Price: $3.99
"Barry?...Maybe this time it's a marathon, not a sprint."

 Convergence has taken over my life. I didn't want it to be this way, but I have bought into the madness. Okay, maybe I'm lying. I was pretty excited when hearing of this massive event spanning all of DC's comic book universes. However, I didn't expect it to be this far-reaching. Much of the ongoing story lines and universes are ones I am very unfamiliar with. Being sort of a n00b to the whole comic book game, I have a very limited amount of information and back story on them. So for any future Convergence reviews I do, I will be taking the position of someone who has no idea what the hell has been going on in all these multiple universes. That won't be too hard considering that's the exact position I'm in!

 What I've enjoyed the most so far of this whole Convergence madness is that you really feel the chaotic nature of the circumstances at hand. Every story from these past 3 weeks has taken place right before Telos' voice rings loud throughout the multiverse as he communicates to the lesser beings that they will fight to the death until one city stands. The reason I chose to review The Flash this week is because I think it shines a light on the struggle the heroes have gone through being powerless and lost under the dome.


I can imagine it being pretty damn demoralizing for the "Fastest Man Alive" to not only jog alongside the common people, but to be outrun by them. Barry Allen clings to the hopes that everything will turn back to normal. He'll get his powers back, he'll be with Iris West again, and that things will just go back to the way they used to be. Yet, there is a part of him that is trying to grasp the concept that this new life they lead is the way it will be forever. It's been a year under the dome and nobody has any clue who did it, why they did it, or how they will fix it. All he does now is run and work. 

 Later that day, he meets with his universe's Bruce Wayne, and it seems more like a therapy session than a lunch between friends. As Barry leaves to return to the Gotham City Police Department where he works, the voice familiar to Convergence readers booms across the dome. "CITIZENS OF MY WORLD! NOW IS THE TIME! THE HOUR IS NEAR! JUDGMENT IS HERE!" Suddenly, Barry feels the power of the Speed Force surges through his body once again, and hope is still alive.


The art in this book is beautiful too. It's probably been my favorite art so far out of all these Convergence titles to come out. Federico Dallocchio did a fantastic job illustrating this version of Gotham City, and colorist Veronica Gandini really made the scenery pop.

 There is a great resource for those of you who don't feel like reading 11 titles a week in order to keep up with this event. the DCR Podcast has been covering every Convergence title in a very entertaining way, If you don't want to read every issue, just plug in your headphones and let these guys give you a rundown of what's going on! Their episodes recapping the week usually come out a couple days after the comics so keep your eye out for that.

 I'd also like to say, thanks for being patient with me. Last week I wasn't able to get a review up due to my work and school load. 60 hour weeks are killer and schoolwork and homework on top of that make it very hard for me to do the things I enjoy so thanks for still checking in! Do me a favor and check out my podcast on iTunes and Stitcher and if you could, leave a quick little rating and review! You guys are the shit!

Written by: Scott Lobdell & Jeff King


Published by: DC Comics

Price: $4.99


"Only one city among many will survive this day!"
CONVERGENCE IS UPON US! Well holy shit, this is crazy. DC's Convergence event is finally here. Things have been set in motion and I cannot wait to see how it unravels!

 So, I'm relatively new to the whole collecting comic books gig. It's been an amazing experience, but there is something that has always thrown me off about these huge superhero universes! I find the whole continuity, keeping up with multiple universes thing pretty difficult, especially since I got into comics during the wrapping up stages of DC's New 52 titles. 

 It takes some serious research to get up to speed with each different universe, and there really is a limit to how much you understand about them unless you've read all the material. I can imagine how hard it would be to juggle all this Infinite Crisis, Zero Hour, pre-New 52, pre-Flashpoint, post-Flashpoint, Kingdom Come, Injustice craziness if you aren't a comic book reading MACHINE. So in that sense, I'm actually really happy Convergence is happening. It seems like an effort to tie up all these straggling universes and meld everything into one cohesive story line moving forward. Executing an event of this scale seems like a hefty task, and I feel that DC has brought on some of the best writers and artists in the business to usher in this new era.


The beginning of the book shows a disaster in what appears to be the universe influenced by the Injustice: Gods Among Us titles. You can kinda tell based on Batman and Flash's suits, as well as the crazed and psychotic look in Superman's piercing red eyes. Gotham City has been decimated, and it's citizens have been annihilated. A booming message fills the air, yet they cannot find the source. 


In a different universe, Thomas Wayne and Dick Grayson are zapped into the sky and land on the dusty ground of an unknown desert. Now, these iterations of Batman and Grayson are not to be confused with the Flashpoint Batman and super spy Grayson (thanks to a couple redditors for checking me on that). Following closely behind are other Earth-2 heroes Jay Garrick (Flash), Val Zod (Superman) and Alan Scott (Green Lantern). Ripped from a battle with Darkseid, they now try to figure out what the hell is going on as their powers start to fade.


ENTER TELOS! Cosmic being with a set of orders from Brainiac to pit different universes against each other in a Hunger Games-style tournament until one city stands victorious! It it destiny. It is Convergence. Witness...it has begun!

 You guys, this is the beginning of something INSANE. I got a rush just reading this first issue. It's a lot to digest right off the bat, but I feel like these writers are really putting in an effort to make all this multiverse mumbo-jumbo palatable for the layman. You MUST get this book.

 Also real quick, I'd like to apologize for skipping my weekly review last week. Some personal stuff came up and it had to be dealt with. But I'm back in action and excited as ever for what's to come in the following months! Be sure to check out the rest of the Unparallelled Universe blog!

 Aaaaand ONE more thing. So me and a couple friends decided to start a podcast. We bullshit around and talk about kinda silly stuff. It's for fun, and if you have some time to kill, you should definitely check it out. The podcast is in no way affiliated with Unparalleled Universe, just something I'm doing and I'd love for you to check it out! Thanks so much!
Suggested Listening: Molossus composed by Hans Zimmer for the Batman Begins score

 Favorite Quote: "Citizens of my world! I have brought this convergence upon you. Now is the time. The hour is near. Judgment is here. Only one city shall survive, only the strong." - Telos
Written by: Ray Fawkes


Published by: DC Comics

Price: $2.99

"Millions will die tonight...if we are not strong."



The dark side of the DC Universe. The supernatural side. The straight up freaky side. These sides are represented perfectly in this book. And who better to illustrate these pages than Ben Templesmith? I'm afraid this review is going to turn into a Templesmith fanboy session, but the guy is absolutely phenomenal. His style fits almost too perfectly with the story being concocted by Ray Fawkes, who has been on a roll lately. His work on Batman Eternal and Constantine have really solidified him, at least in my opinion, as one of the most creative people in the business right now.




Jim Corrigan has a secret. An extremely potent and powerful secret. One his team, the Midnight Shift, has been kept in the dark about, until now. He can contain it no longer! When a menacing entity named Ikkondrid comes to Gotham City seeking retribution, there's only one thing that can stand in it's way...The Spectre!




But this salvation comes with a heavy price. The Spectre operates divinely, and Gotham is full of sin. Did Ikkondrid appear in Gotham to destroy it himself, or to act as a catalyst to bring forth the Spectre and let him do the dirty work? Corrigan has a battle of his own. Can he shut down the Spectre, or will Gotham fall?

Oh, and how silly of me, what would a nightmarish catastrophe in Gotham be without Batman blasting onto the scene?!



Now, I said I didn't want this to turn into a Ben Templesmith lovefest, but I think I lied about that. There isn't anything he does that I won't read. His writing is eerie, hair-raising and twisted, which meshes with his art in ways I've rarely seen. I'm sure Gotham feels like home to him. Mr. Templesmith recently had a Kickstarter (which I pledged for) to fund a re-imagining of H.P. Lovecraft's short story Dagon, and I suggest supporting it if that's still an option. 

Get the book, guys. Hell, start from issue #1. This series is relatively new and there's still plenty of time to jump on this roller coaster and enjoy the ride. I've been trying to keep the reviews to series' that are in their early stages so that you have an opportunity to pick it up if it seems like something you'd like! As always, thanks for checking this out, and leave some damn comments so I know whether I should give this hobby up forever or not. Thanks! 



Favorite Quote: "The Spectre is not a superhero. He's not here to protect us." - Jim Corrigan

Suggested Listening: "Judgment" composed by Steve Jablonsky for the Gears of War: Judgment score



Twitter: @BiGNasty91_
Written by: Robbie Thompson

Art by: Stacy Lee

Published by: Marvel Comics

Price: $3.99

"Really starting to get the hang of this. Crazy stuff happens, I punch it."



Awesome. That word flew out of my mouth as soon as I flipped the last page of this issue. Wow. I'm absolutely loving this new character in the Spider-Verse. From the pages of The Amazing Spider-Man run with Dan Slott at it's helm, she web-slung her way into our lives and our hearts. Well, mine at least. Cindy Moon is very much a child at heart and she's growing right before our eyes.



She was bitten by the same radioactive spider that gave our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man his powers just moments after he received his bite. She tried to control the awesome web-slingin', wall climbin', ass kickin' powers that she shared with Peter Parker, but unfortunately they were too much for her. Her family was approached by a man named Ezekiel and she locked herself in a sealed, windowless bunker underground. 

In an attempt to keep this review concise, we'll fast forward a bit. She was released from the bunker, the epic Spider-Verse catastrophe concluded, and she now roams the streets of New York a free woman. But how do you just pick up the pieces of a life that you were torn from so abruptly and hardly remember? As a start, Cindy begins the search for her family, whom she hasn't seen in many years. So far this Silk solo series has illustrated her efforts to resume the life she led, while also balancing her powers and her new life as a force for good.


What makes Silk so relatable is that you can really see her struggling to make sense of everything. It's apparent as she fights her enemies that all of this stuff is insanely foreign to her, yet she tries her hardest to be the best she can be. When faced with a "Hydra tentacle-monster-robot-thingie", she pretty much beat the shit out of it. Silk has a lot of potential to be one of my favorite new Marvel characters, and I can't wait to see how she grows as a character and a superhero. Remember, don't take my word for it, pick this book up for yourself!





Favorite Quote: "We've got one last night together. And I don't want to waste it fighting."

Suggested Listening: Becoming Spider-Man composed by James Horner from The Amazing Spider-Man score

HEY! Don't forget to check out the rest of the blog. Awesome action figure reviews and more! We're just some nerds who want to share it with the world. Check us out and spread the love! Comment and let me know if you like it! Thanks guys.

 Twitter: @BiGNasty91_

Written by: Peter J. Tomasi

 Art by: Viktor Bogdanovic, Art Thibert

 Published by: DC Comics

 Price: $3.99


"I'm heading home, Alfred. Arkham City is closed."


Okay, so before I get started, I want to say something.....Jimmy Graham to the Seahawks?! Holy shit I did not see that coming. Alright, anyway! Video games! I grew up on video games. It was a large part of the culture of my generation. If you're reading this, chances are you've spent hours either with your face 2 inches from your GameBoy trying to level up your Squirtle or sitting criss-cross apple sauce in front of the TV with drool dripping down your face....or maybe that's just me. Either way, I believe that the storytelling aspect of video games is what first attracted me to comic books.

What's great about Batman is that he translates extremely well to gaming. The stealthy approach, brutal combat, and critical thinking are elements that make the Arkham series so much fun to play. If you've ever played Arkham Asylum, Arkham City or the prequel Arkham Origins, you're already familiar with the framework those games have set. I won't try to break down the story of three games in this review, but I encourage you to at least read up on the happenings in Arkham City, considering this book is the official prequel to the finale of this game series.



So I'm just going to assume you at least know what happens at the end of Arkham City moving forward. The Joker is dead, Arkham City has been shut down, and Gotham is safe once again. (Is it ever, though?) We see a small glimpse of this Arkham Knight character, who remains pretty mysterious. So far as we can tell from this issue, Batman isn't even aware of his existence yet. 

Bruce's internal struggle between juggling the lives of both his public, multi-billionaire philanthropist persona and the Batman is weighing heavy on his mind. The aftermath of these events have both Alfred and Bruce wondering which side of Bruce is the best crusader for the good of Gotham. In an effort to not spoil the ending, I won't tell you what happens. What I will say, is...you must have seen it coming.



There's not much to say about the art, really. It's satisfactory art that delivers the mood of each scene fairly well. Nothing crazy stands out to me about it so far except the eerie images of Joker's dead body. With that said, it's absolutely worth the read and you should definitely keep up with this series if you plan on playing its video game successor later this year. I can't wait to see what's next! As always, don't take my word on this. I'm just a guy with an opinion. Go pick this up and see for yourself!
Favorite Quote: "I simply suggest that your focus on Gotham's nights have left it's days vulnerable...and one cannot thrive without the other."

 Suggested Listening: The Shadows Betray You - The Dark Knight Rises score by Hans Zimmer


A quick note about the blog, we have a new contributor and you should go check out his posts and say hi! Holy hell I said "Arkham" a lot in this post.

Twitter: @BiGNasty91_



Written by: Jeff Lemire

Art by: Dustin Nguyen

Published By: Image Comics

Price: $2.99

"We need you, Doctor. Get to the central terminal NOW!"


It's been a pretty fantastic time for sci-fi these past couple of years, especially in comic books. Saga has been a monumental reason for that, Warren Ellis' Trees offers a unique take on an alien invasion and the resurgence of the Star Wars universe is here, whether you like it or not. Now I'll admit that I may be coming to this conclusion a bit prematurely, but I really believe Descender has the potential to be one of the best ongoing science fiction books out right now.


Jeff Lemire starts us off on the planet Niyrata, the "technological and cultural hub of the group of nine Core Planets", all of which comprise the United Galactic Council. This can be compared to a kind of interplanetary United Nations. It was a day just like any other, pedestrians weaving between each other and the streets and skies filled with commuters (hover cars!) A Galactus-sized robot loomed over the planet and changed their world as they knew it.  



I really like the world that Dustin Nguyen has constructed. It's everything you would imagine a futuristic city would look like. From the awesome hovercrafts to the coexistence between humans and many different kinds of alien life. It instantly makes me think of the Citadel in the Mass Effect video game series. And of course, who can forget the robots?



What you're seeing above is the TIM-21 series android, ten years after the catastrophic event brought on by the giant robot from earlier. This TIM-21 is reunited with his robotic sidekick in this panel. Personally, I don't think you can ever have too much robot sidekick (Claptrap or R2-D2 anyone?) Dustin Nguyen's art so far has really stood out to me. It's not often you see this watercolor-esque style art in a science fiction book. To me, it contrasts the idea of this futuristic universe in a way that's really fun to watch and the colors splash beautifully against the light backdrop.

Overall I had a really good time reading this issue. The potential story ahead is exciting to me, and the pages are wonderful to look at. But don't take my word for it, go out and get the book for yourself.

Favorite Quote: "The council is in a panic. They've scrambled all available UGC warships and are waiting to launch a full assault if we can't figure out what the hell these things are."

Suggested Listening: No Time For Caution - Hans Zimmer. From the Interstellar score


Follow me on Twitter: @BiGNasty91_
"Welcome to New Angeles...hope you enjoy your stay."



New Angeles - home of the Suiciders. Where death matches replace those terrible reality TV shows we've grown so fond of, and you're the outcast if you haven't been aesthetically altered in some way. After "the big one" hit the metropolis formerly known as Los Angeles, it's culture and humanity was decimated and it's civility followed suit.

The government has abandoned its people, leaving them to the mercy of their own survival instincts. Using the need for survival as the basis of it's entertainment, New Angeles has ignited the industry of the "Suiciders". A TV series centered around Gladiator-style death matches between physically augmented Suiciders so brutal that Maximus himself would piss that cute little tunic of his.

Shrouded beneath the extravagant and savage exterior of the high-octane action and blood-stained wrist blades lies a clandestine underworld that seems ripe for deception, duplicity and illegal dealings of all kinds. Where getting into New Angeles is the dream and getting kicked out is a nightmare. 

The very first image you see when you flip that beautiful cover (illustrated by the writer himself) is a seemingly war-torn statue of the Christian deity Jesus Christ on the crucifix, with our (let's call him) hero knelt before it. "The Saint" mentally prepares himself to fight for his life and to defend his title of reigning champion of New Angeles. The overall tone of this scene seems somber as hell. Blue tints shower the page and the image of Christianity's fallen hero hangs over the man. "It's time to begin", says a figure behind him. After being escorted down a dingy hallway, he is greeted by a couple men in jumpsuits who greatly resemble members of a NASCAR pit crew.

The "klick-klack"-ing sound of heels heading towards the same door belong to a "takes-no-shit" journalist named Sheila Sutter who shares not only the same tenacity and determination with the likes of Vicki Vale and Lois Lane, but also the same affinity for names of an alliterative nature. She is granted access to The Saint's (for lack of a better term) dressing room and walks in on what looks like an Ivan Drago training session.



Without giving away any more of the plot, an interview follows and The Saint is released into the arena to the sound of thunderous applause. Let the battle begin.

Lee Bermejo (Batman: Noel, Joker graphic novel) is at the helm of this series, with the help of Eisner Award winning colorist Matt Hollingsworth. If you are familiar with the work of either of these gentleman, I HIGHLY suggest picking up this book. It promises to be a wild ride.

Favorite Quote: "Every time my opponent steps into the coliseum...they've already lost." - The Saint

Favorite Panel:



Before I go, I'd like to take this opportunity to congratulate my local comic book shop Bill's Bullpen and it's owner Bill, who have been given recognition by our local Chamber of Commerce for "Best Retail Business." Outstanding customer service and loyalty to the people of Hollister have earned you this award, Bill. Thanks for keeping the comic book culture alive. 

Okay everyone, that wraps it up for my first ever comic book review. It may be rough around the edges so if you have any feedback, please feel free to comment. Thanks for taking the time to read and I hope you'll grab this book!

I'll Be Back (in my best Ahnuld voice)

Twitter: @BiGNasty91_
What's up everybody. My name is Nico, and about a year and a half ago I got heavy into reading comic books. I was more of a casual reader than anything before that. I'd pick up Batman trades now and then, maybe some random Spider-Man comics my little brother had laying around, but never really expanding my scope beyond that. 

I've always had a love for Batman, though. As a young'n, my parents bought me Batman action figures, pajamas, lunch boxes, and pretty much anything else that would solidify me as hot shit on the playground. My desire to punch bad guys more often got me sent to the Principal's office than being widely recognized by my local police department, but I digress.

When I heard that Marvel was relaunching The Amazing Spider-Man, I figured this would be the best time to dive head-first into the world of comics, not knowing the full extent of the pleasure and excitement you can get from reading a 30 page book with cool drawings in it. I was instantly hooked. Every Wednesday was a new adventure from a different part of whatever world I chose. The grimy streets of Gotham, New York City's ever-eventful alleys crawling with life, or worlds I've yet to experience like the small town of Buckaroo, Oregon or our cosmic neighbor Mars, The Red Planet. 

This is an introduction to what I hope will be an enjoyable reading experience. Maybe it'll persuade you to pick up an underrated book you hadn't given a second glance, or make you steer clear of a series you were skeptical about in the first place. I'll be giving my personal and honest opinions on a book each week. I'll give a little of the synopsis without being a spoiler and commenting on the art. I'm not sure which books I'll be reviewing or how I'll determine which ones I do each week. My plan is to take a different book off my weekly pull list and throw a review up for it. We'll see where that takes us. I'll try my best to make this a weekly thing. Having a job that works me 40-60 hours a week an hour away and being in school may make it somewhat difficult but I will do my best. 

Alright guys. Shutting it down for now. I hope you'll check it out! Follow me on Twitter for opinionated babble about rarely anything of any real importance or substance @BiGNasty91_

Sequence Terminated (yeah I'm gonna need to think of a better sign-off)

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