Lantern City #1

Lantern City #1

Publisher: Boom Studios/Archaia

Created by Trevor Crafts; Co-Creators Matthew Daley & Bruce Boxleitner

Written by Paul Jenkins and Mathew Daley

Illustrated by Carlos Magno

Colors by Chris Blythe

First things first, Lantern City is an absolutely gorgeous books. Truly, Carlos Magno’s art and Chris Blythe’s colors are near perfect. They bring to life the Steampunk, dystopia that is Lantern City.
It has to, because their work is what carries this title and is the biggest selling point for this series.
The story is where this book struggles.

Don’t get me wrong, the characters are good, the writing is good, but the oft-trodden dystopian story is formulaic and by-the-numbers. It even throws in the standard rebel gathering that is raiding and proves to be the turning point that convinces a character to do something.

The story of the lowers dregs of society fighting for equality with the higher ups is been there done that. Nothing in this first issue does anything to change that up.

It is a decent enough first issue, but something more need to happen from here on out.

FINAL THOUGHT: Lantern City #1 is not a bad book. But like so many others, it doesn’t rise above average, and that is a shame with the talent involved.

If you are an art first or art only comic book fan, than snatch this book up. If you prefer an all around product, then this might be a pass for you.

RATING: 6 (I am giving it an extra point for the tremendous art)

Invisible Republic #1, 2

*** SPECIAL NOTE: This was originally planned for Saturday 4/25, but is late due to me putting projects aside to take care of my mother with her injured foot. ***

Publisher: Image

Writers: Gabriel Hardman and Corinna Bechko

Art: Gabriel Hardman

I didn’t review issue one for this blog, in fact I only read it the Tuesday evening before issue two hit the shelves, to see if I even wanted to pick up issue two Wednesday morning.

My brief thought on issue one? Two Words: REQUIRED READING. Rating 8.5. A near perfect first issue.

So, guess what? I picked up issue two that Wednesday morning, read it that Wednesday evening.

How does it compare two issue one? Two Words: REQUIRED READING. Rating 8.5. A near perfect second issue.

This is politically tinged science-fiction done right. Is there a lot of science involved?  No. In fact much of the science isn’t that advanced, which I love. Paper plays a major roles in these two issues! This is really more futuristic fiction.

A reporter, Croger Babb, is on the planet Avalon covering the fall of a Dictator named Arthur McBride. As Avalon wallows in chaos Babb discovers a journal written by an unknown McBride cousin, Maia Reveron, that revels dark secrets.

Croger Babb is our disgraced hero, seemingly looking for the story they may redeem him. Why he is disgraced is not revealed just yet. The broken world of Avalon, trying to pull itself together, seems the perfect fit for Babb. The Reveron journal seems to be the perfect story to fix Babb, but perhaps not the story Avalon wants told.

Invisible Republic is a stellar title through two issues. We are along for Babb’s journey to redeem himself, and through the journal may get a glimpse into the mind of a dictator.

Gabriel Hardman and Corinna Bechko have created gold with Invisible Republic. This is the best new title of 2015.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Required Reading.

RATING: 8.5

Puppet Master #1, 2

Publisher: Action Lab!/Danger Zone
Writer: Shawn Gabborin
Artist: Michela Da Sacco

Somehow I missed the first issue of Puppet Master, don’t ask me how that flew under my radar.

For those who don’t know Puppet Master was a series of horror film from Charles Band and Full Moon Entertainment, the fact that it took so long to make the jump to comics is amazing.

It has made good on that jump though. These first two issues of Puppet Master are damn good. Not great, but good. Just like the films they are based on, good genre horror films.

If one is familiar with the Puppet Master films, then one will love this series. The greatest compliment it can be given is that it feels like a Puppet Master story, hell like one of the films themselves. It follows along the same structure Charles Band himself set out twenty plus years ago.

The writing is solid, with the best part being the character development. The artwork is excellent, bringing everything to life.

Action Lab! are the guys behind this title, and they have been putting out some great stuff. Another hit for these guys.

FINAL THOUGHT: Puppet Master fans Rejoice! Others, check it out and learn why you should fear puppets.

RATING: 6.5

Archie vs Predator #1

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Writer: Alex DeCampi
Artist: Fernando Ruiz

When I first read about Archie vs Predator I was excited. I am a fan of both. We have seen Archie in these situations before (Meets Punisher; Meets Kiss). Predator has never been in this type of crossover before that I know off, with a genre like Archie.

I was looking forward to it, then I read issue one. Massive let down.

This issue was just a typical Archie story with all the Archie players in motion. There are only hints of the Predator with panels seen through his special vision and only one image of Predator in the issue. If you didn’t know any better, you would think it was a regular issue of Archie.

It does make some sense, to have them presented as normal, but I think this issue should have been more. We know who all the players are, no need to introduce them to us.

That said it is nice to see Archie and gang presented as Archie and gang, and not alternate version of our beloved Riverdale bunch.

This is a four issue mini-series, so hopefully issue two will ramp things up. Let’s get the slow stuff out of the way, and get to the Predator next.

FINAL THOUGHT: Not bad, just underwhelming and didn’t reach as far as I thought it should.

RATING: 6

NAMELESS #'s 1, 2, 3

Nameless

#1, 2, 3

Publisher: Image Comics
Writer: Grant Morrison
Artist: Chris Burnham


Nameless can best be summed up in one word, and no that word is not Nameless. But, it does start with an N.

NIGHTMARE

Nameless is like a nightmare one has when they are trapped in that startlingly place between consciousness and sleep. That place where one panics because you know you’re not asleep, yet you can’t move. In this state you question whether or not everything is real.

Nameless is not only the name of the series, but the main character. He is an occult expert who doesn’t use a name for good reason (research the occult to find out). Nameless is drafted into a space mission by Darius Transnational with the stated goal of diverting a large asteroid from hitting the earth.

The big question in this series is why would a mission to divert an asteroid need an occult expert? Well, that is what we are on a journey to find out by reading.

Reading Nameless will probably leave you confused and pissed, don’t worry the disorientation is normal for a story like this, especially with Grant Morrison writing. So far, Morrison has presented us with two stories, a mission to be completed, and a mystery to be solved. We know what the mission is (we believe), but what the mystery is, is still a mystery.

Morrison’s writing is damn solid, with the only drawback being the characterization. Most of the characters feel like stock characters, not a whole lot of depth. They are basically there to support Nameless. Nameless himself is not a fully rendered character, he is a little shady. Not just what he does is shady, but his personality is shady. There is still a lot to learn about his character.

Burnham’s art fits this story perfectly, as it feels dreamlike enough to fit into Morrison’s Nightmare.

FINAL THOUGHT: Morrison fans will be already sold. Everyone else, should check it out.

RATING: 7

Doctor Who New Adventures with the Ninth Doctor #1

Doctor Who

New Adventures with the Ninth Doctor #1

Publisher: Titan Comics
Writer: Cavan Scott
Art: Blair Shedd

The first issue of what is apparently a mini-series poises a big question. The same question the first act of many modern Doctor Who stories leaves us asking. Hell the same question entire episodes leaves us asking.

In this issue The Doctor’s plan to take Captain Jack and Rose to a world called Excroth go awry when Excroth is missing! Instead they find a HUGE ship that takes them hostage and they end up in the middle of a conflict between The Union and Lect. Making good on an escape, Rose gets left behind, tumbling through a vortex.

This has everything you expect from a Doctor story, thrills, spills, adventure, a mystery to be solved and lots of running! The writing is good and the artwork excellent.

The only real drawback I had with this issue is that I felt like I was reading a Doctor story, but not quite a Ninth Doctor story. His personality at times seemed more in line with the Tenth or Eleventh regeneration.

Oh, and one other thing, apparently a time vortex pops up at the end of the issue, which was never mentioned before the last page or two.

All in all this is a solid issue, but doesn’t quite rise above the ‘Above Average’ mark.

So, what is the question we are left asking?
What the HELL is going on!?

FINAL THOUGHTS: I love seeing the Ninth Doctor in action again, and hope for a solid mini-series. This issue is a solid start, just doesn’t rise up to be more.

RATING: 6

Satoshi Kon

If you don’t know who this late (October 12, 1963 - August 24, 2010) Manga and Anime Legend is, you should.

The works of Shatoshi Kon only came to my attention, through the influence of a good friend, just before he passed away. Though I have been a fan of one of his movies, Perfect Blue, for years.

His other film (and TV) credits include Tokyo Godfathers, Paprika, Millennium Actress and Paranoia Agent. Before he worked in Anime though, he made his mark in Manga.

That is what I want to briefly discuss here.

Opus and Seraphim Wings are two collections of his works released in the US by Dark Horse Comics/Books over the last few months. He wrote and drew Opus, and served as the artist on Seraphim Wings.

What an artist he was.

What he was not was a typical Manga artist with all the familiar trappings. Oh, he could draw the style more known to many fans, the wacked out hair, the slim, school girl like females with Betty Boop eyes, but surpassed that style.

His art was more realistic then typical Manga, automatically making it differently. It appeared to be American influenced, with perhaps European and French tastes.

Because of this his style lack the goofiness of many Manga. His characters were ground in realism and looked human, instead of out of this world. This gave his art more emotional depth, and made the characters more relatable.

He told fantastical stories with a decidedly non-fantastical art style. When reading a Satoshi Kon Magna, his style immerses you into the title, making one forget they are reading a comic, and adds to the suspension of disbelief.

Whereas typical Manga art never allows one to forget what they are reading.


Calling Satoshi Kon a Manga Artist, would be like calling Alex Raymond just a cartoonist, or Frazetta just a painter. It doesn’t do justice.

Kon wasn’t just a Manga artist. He just helped elevate Manga to an art form.

Ace Masters