REVIEW: SPAWN KILLS EVERYONE!

Publisher: Image
Writer: Todd McFarlane
Art: JJ Kirby

I would like to start of this review like this:

WHAT THE $%#^ DID I JUST READ?!?!?!?

Seriously, what is this @#$!. And NO that is not a pun (read the issue).

Some midget, moron version of Spawn shows up at Comic-Con to announce HIS new film, and ends up doing what the title promises: KILLS EVERYONES! (Except himself, I am sorry to say).

This title is best described like this: The girl from I HATE FAIRYLAND dresses up like Spawn and goes to San Diego. Yes, that is it.

I can see no point to this comic other than to mock the comic book and convention industries and possibly the fans. That’s not to say that the book isn’t dead on right.

I do have a major issue with SPAWN KILLS EVERYONE . . . Dammit, I may actually like it!

The sad part of all this, it might be the most enjoyable thing Todd McFarlane has ever done.

FINAL THOUGHT:
This book must be read to be believed.

RATING: I can’t rate it. I’m still unsure if it deserves a rating.

Starring Sonya Devereuax

Publisher: American Mythology

Writers: Nick Capetenakis & Todd Livingston

Artists: Brendon & Brian Fraim

Starring Sonya Devereuax is a new comic about B-Movie Actress Sonya Devereuax and the massively low budget films she stars in.

If that sounds like the comic book equivalent of the “So-Bad-its-good” movie ideology – you’re right, it is!

Sonya Devereuax is exactly what it sounds like and comes exactly as described – a borderline brilliant satire/parody of scream queens and the horrible movies they become known for – and the even more horrible fans.

Like the fans that Sonya (the actress) encounters in the first few pages of the title. You know the type, the fans that ask logical questions of illogical decisions made in bad movies.

The books begins with Sonya at a con doing a signing, and then hosting a preview of her new movie, the rest of the issue is the actual movie: NAKED ARE THE DAMNED 2.

The script to this is solid, but it’s Brendon & Brian Fraim’s art that is the true star. It is not stellar earth shattering art, but it is clean, smooth, highly expressive and perfect for this story.

FINAL THOUGHT:
If nothing else, you will come away from Starring Sonya Devereuax #1 feeling good, and feeling that there was true love put into this book and this creative team had to have had fun with this.

RATING: 6.5 – Recommended – Worth the price of admission.

REVIEW: Kill or be Killed #1

Publisher: Image

Writer: Ed Brubaker

Artist: Sean Phillips

I came to Kill or Be Killed having become a fan of Ed Brubaker (and Sean Phillips) by way of The Fade Out and Velvet, not by way of his Captain America run as most people. I never read his work there as I have never been a Captain America (Steve Rogers) fan.

I am an Ed Brubaker fan, now.

Kill or Be Killer keeps to Brubaker’s strength as a writer, but is still different then The Fade Out and Velvet as can be. (I haven’t read Criminal yet.)

The only issue I have with Kill or Be Killed is a personal taste. Either to read, or as a writer myself, I don’t care for first person POV, I like it less as narration in comics. It is a very trick style to write in an often fails.

Brubaker handles it amply, and I can live with it because of how good of a writer Brubaker is.

That said, how good is Kill or Be Killed? Good enough for me to put on my pull list.

Brubaker present us with another character study. Personally, I love character studies, which is another reason I will let the first person narrative slide. This time the character study is told from the killer’s POV, from within his mind set and beliefs.

We learn about Dylan as he tells us about himself, how he started killing people and why. He believes himself a good man, only killing good people, justified by how bad the world around him is.

But, as Brubaker dives more into his mind, is Dylan being driven by personal Demons, or a real one?

Did an attempted suicide and injury changed Dylan’s outlook on life and led him down his new path, or was it just the last push he need to go down a path he was already on the verge of.

Brubaker does a great job of getting us into the head of Dylan, making him a real person and getting us to question Dylan as he does himself.

This is a character study into the mind of a serial killer, and it seems like it will be the beginning of a long and hard path. As it should be.

As always Sean Philips’s artwork is the perfect complement to Brubaker’s story. Everything that can be said about the script, is echoed for the art. The art draws you into the mind of Dylan and never lets you out.

Here is what is the greatness of a title like Kill or Be Killed. When I read issue one, I was mixed on it. Good enough to get me hooked and want to read the second issue, but how good really?

As I wrote this review, I realized just how much Kill or be Killed got into my head. I realized just how much I was thinking about the story and what Brubaker is saying. Writing this review is when I realized just how good Kill or Be Killed Is.

Damn Brubaker . . . and Philips.

Final Thoughts:
Damn Good. Read or Be Killed.

RATING: 7.5

REVIEW: Scooby Apocalypse - Issues #1 to 3

Publisher: DC Comics

Writers: Keith Giffen: Plot & Breakdowns
                J.M. DeMatteis Dialogue & More Dialogue

Art & Inks: Howard Porter


I want to say two things up front:

• I am a big fan of the original Scooby-Doo
• I am not a big fan of the many of modern takes on Scooby-Doo, especially the characterization undergoing drastic and backward changes. 

That said, when I first read about Scooby Apocalypse, I was doubtful. The only thing that gave me some hope was the creative team: Plotted and Written by Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis, yes. I was unfamiliar with Howard Porter’s work before this, but wow! Another yes.

How good is Scooby Apocalypse? Easily the best modern version of Scooby and gang there is. Instead of taking the original series (Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?), and following the format, but making the characters (like Fred) idiots, Apocalypse starts everything from scratch.

We meet each of the characters separately, and see what brings them together. We learn who they are and what their roles are in this world over the first three issues in spectacular fashion.

We know who the characters are, but we don’t know them. Our writers don’t treat the story as if we are meeting old friends, but write this as if we are meeting them for the first time.

First up we meet Velma, Dr. Dinkley, who is involved in a top secret project and may be responsible for the Apocalypse.

Next up Shaggy and Scooby. Shaggy is a dog trainer at the same facility Velma works at, but is clueless as to what is really going on.

Scooby is Scooby, and is considered a failed attempt at creating the world’s first ‘Smart Dog.’

Daphne is a journalist who hosts her own mysteries show, now on an obscure network.

Fred is her constant companion and cameraman . . . and madly in love with her.

All the characters are fleshed out and three-dimensional, the plot is easy to follow, the story is strong and the dialogue good.

So, what is the plot? Simple. Velma discovers that the four scientists she works for has plans to subdue the world. She intends to leaks those plans to Daphne. Nothing goes right and . . . boom APOCALYPSE.

Now, Scooby and gang are our best hope. This time the Monsters are real.

And this time the gang is forced into real action, to fight and even  . . . kill to survive.

Yes, kill. Which brings in a whole new dynamic to the characters which is handled with care by Giffen and DeMatteis.

Then there is the artwork. Howard Porter. I cannot praise Porter’s art and inks for this book enough. Even in the action sequences the art is smooth and one can easily tell what is going on and who is who. The layouts are excellent and the look of each character is dead on.

Amazingly, even though it is not drawn in the style of classic Scooby-Doo, it still looks like a Scooby title, only with a reality edge to it.


Final Thoughts:

Scooby Awesome.

An Excellent take on Scooby and gang that has improved with each issue.

Rating: 8 – READ NOW!!

THE IMPORTANCE OF SUPPORTING YOUR LCBS

This may come off as a fluff piece, or even a rant, but whatever.

To any comic book fan, this should be gospel. What I am talking about should be your place of worship.

As yourself this simple question: What is the most important part of the comic book industry?

It is the publisher? The Creators? Diamond?

I know, your favorite artist?

Wrong on all accounts. The most important part of the comic book industry is your LCBS.

(Drawn to Comics, Glendale, AZ

WWW.drawntocomics.com)

Don’t know what LCBS is? Then maybe you should check you comic book fan card at the door, because really, if you don’t know what LCBS is, you shouldn’t be let in the door in the first place.

LCBS is Local Comic Book Shop (Store).

But you knew that, right?

Despite what many people think or believe, it is the retailers who drive the industry and, directly or not, effects how the industry grows.

It is the retailers who place orders for each title(s) from each publisher(s) based on how they gauge their customer interest. For established titles, retailers typical order copies to cover their box subscribers and some extra for ‘the wall.’

For new titles it is somewhat different, some retailers don’t want to take the risk and won’t order any copies unless a customer specifically request it. Some retailers order a few copies to see if it sells. This especially holds true if the new title comes from a smaller or a new publisher.

Retailer orders are what typically determine print runs, especially for the above mentioned new titles and smaller or new publishers.

Keep something else in mind, retailers put their orders in about 3 months in advance. Meaning books that are published in March, orders were placed in December.

I want you to ask yourself a question: How many comic book stores are in your area?

Now ask this: How many used to be in your area?

I know this, in the last 5 years ten comic stores in the Phoenix Metro area have closed shop. Including a store I went to for 25 years. Many of these stores were hit hard by the down turn of the economy. Others were a victim of something worse: piss poor customers.

Yes, Piss Poor Customers. What is a Piss Poor Customer? A Piss Poor Customer is a person who opens a subscription box at a store, has the store order copies of titles strictly for them – yet rarely or never comes in to pick up their comics.

One doesn’t have to come in every week, but every two weeks, once a month at least. This is an ongoing issue in the industry – customers who rarely show up to get books the retailer ordered for them, and the retailer paid for. This hurts the retailers and takes away from their profit margin.

Because of this, some stores do charge a subscription box fee, or ask for a down deposit on the box, to cover themselves for just that reason. You can’t really blame them.

Oh, and yes, the retailer may love comics, but they need to make a profit to keep in business.

Okay, that part was a rant . . . so why is it important to support your local comic shop?

Because it is healthy for the industry. The more comic book stores there are, the more locations to buy comics. It also means more comics being ordered. It is better for the economics of the comic book industry.

How do you support your LCBS?

Simple: Get a subscription box at a store and PICK UP YOUR BOOKS on a regular basis.

Also, if you learn of a title that is coming out that you want to get, don’t expect your store to order it. Ask your LCBS to order you a copy – if it is a new title or a title from a smaller publisher the copy you ask them to order may be the only copy they order.
And who knows, you asking them to order a copy, may be the impetus of them ordering copies for the wall.

Another easy way to support your LCBS is this: spread the word. Just tell people about them, mention them on twitter, tag on Facebook.

All this can also be applied to online book stores and digital only sites (ComiXology), especially if you live in an area where there is no brick and mortar LCBS. If digital is the only way to get your comics, then support the site.

Hey, I love comics. We all love comics. We need a place to get our comic fix.

All this said, there are bullshit retailers out there. Guys who jack up prices on books, who price incentives covers way to high, and even sell ‘signed editions’ that aren’t legit. You now these guys, these ones, don’t need our support.

Ace