Ashley Gibbs 6/10/17 Ashley Gibbs 6/10/17

Review: Xena: Warrior Princess Omnibus vol. 1

By Ashley Gibbs

I’ve always had an interest in strong female characters growing up and still do. She-Ra, Wonder Woman and of course Xena, whose television show mixed strength and humor with ancient Greek mythology. I was excited to read Xena: Warrior Princess Omnibus Volume 1 as I have not read any of her comics previously and haven’t seen the show in many years, I was ready for an awesome nostalgia trip. Sadly, what I got instead was a rather mediocre book that I ended up only enjoying one story out of the three provided.

Levi Remington 6/9/17 Levi Remington 6/9/17

Review: GWAR Orgasmageddon #1

By Levi Remington

Just in case you didn't already know what to expect from a book with a title that merges "orgasm" and "armageddon" – especially when the grotesque and absurd "shock-rock" metal/punk band GWAR is attached – I've got your back as I'm here to review the ridiculously over-the-top first issue to the new miniseries by Matt Miner and GWAR's own Matt Maguire. Funded back in October of 2016 through Kickstarter, this comic serves purely as a love letter to the fans. Featuring characters from the band's mythology like Beefcake, Jizmak, and Balsac (just to give you an idea of what we're working with here), who join the rest of the band in a sci-fi adventure through time and space, encountering plenty of strange foes, spewing loads of bad jokes, and ultimately providing very little entertainment.

Ben Boruff 6/9/17 Ben Boruff 6/9/17

Review: Super Sikh #1

By Ben Boruff

I have been a fan of Rosarium Publishing for quite some time. The indie publisher self-identifies as a "fledgling publisher specializing in speculative fiction, comics, and a touch of crime fiction—all with a multicultural flair," and its impressive team of authors and artists have created a variety of boundary-pushing comics, including Ted Lange IV's Warp Zone and a comic book anthology called APB: Artists against Police Brutality. Rosarium Publishing's mission is an important one. Like a balloon tied to a rock, comic culture is rising toward an established place in the critic-molded literary zeitgeist, but it can only rise so far without freeing itself from some of its baser habits, such as casually neglecting to tell a wide variety of stories. Publishers like Rosarium Publishing guide comic culture toward a richer, more eclectic future, and compelling comics like Super Sikh offer hope that we will get there soon.

Levi Remington 6/7/17 Levi Remington 6/7/17

Review: The Flintstones #12

By Levi Remington

Never in my life did I think I'd be singing praises for any piece of media connected with The Flintstones license, but here we are. Mark Russell and Steve Pugh have crafted one of DC's finest comics of the past few years – singlehandedly justifying the existence of the Hanna Barbera line. The miniseries closes this week with its twelfth issue, bringing a thematic conclusion that satisfies wholeheartedly.

Jonathan Edwards 6/7/17 Jonathan Edwards 6/7/17

Review: Mighty Mouse #1

By Jonathan Edwards

When I was fairly young, I owned a VHS or two compiling a large number of older cartoons. The first thing I recall from watching them was me fast forwarding through in hopes that I'd eventually run into some Looney Tunes. I didn't, but that was the first time I ever remember seeing Mighty Mouse. Now, that was a long time ago, so I really couldn't tell you anything that happened in those cartoons anymore (although, those cassettes are still likely lying around somewhere). The next prominent encounter with Mighty Mouse I can remember was when I was probably twelve or thirteen and taking an acting for the camera class. One of my practice scenes involved a discussion about the rodent superhero (I think it was from Donnie Darko, but I kind of hate that movie, so I'm not all that bothered to go and double-check that). Finally, at some point in probably my late teens, I decide to watch the first episode of Saturday Night Live, and I saw the relatively famous clip of comedian Andy Kaufman lip-synching the theme song to the old Mighty Mouse cartoon (it's possible I'd happened to have seen it prior, but I don't think it was until then that is stuck). These are probably the only three significant connections I have to Mighty Mouse, if you want to even go as far as calling them "significant." Yet for some reason, when I saw the first ads for this book, something drew me in and made me want to read it. So, I did.

Daniel Vlasaty 6/7/17 Daniel Vlasaty 6/7/17

Review: Rock Candy Mountain #3

By Daniel Vlasaty

Living in Chicago, I’ve had my fair share of run-ins with hobos. (Although, by Kyle Starks’s definition they would technically be bums, since they neither work nor travel). I’ve worked in social services for years, specifically in the treatment of substance abuse, and I’ve even come to know some hobos, or bums, or tramps, or whatever the hell you want to call them. (I just call them people, but that’s besides the point). I’ve helped them get sober, and get jobs, and get housing. And while I think that is important work, it is in no way as fun or funny or amazing as Rock Candy Mountain. But this isn’t a book about homeless junkies that frequent one of Chicago’s many methadone clinics. It’s a book about hobos riding the rails and running from the devil and looking for a mythological Rock Candy Mountain. And this is my review of the third issue, I guess.

Patrick Wolf 6/7/17 Patrick Wolf 6/7/17

Review: Reborn # 6

By Patrick Wolf

Concluding the series of the hit sell-out franchise, Reborn shines in this action-packed sixth issue. While the story still suffers from weak characterization and broken promises, the series is still an excellent read and is definitely worth the cover price. So, if you’re feeling down and need a little pick-me-upper to help you though the day, Reborn might just be that jolt you’ve been waiting for.

Patrick Wolf 6/7/17 Patrick Wolf 6/7/17

Review: Extremity #4

By Patrick Wolf

Daniel Johnson does it again with another exciting issue of the popular hack-and-slash series Extremity. In this edition, Johnson puts the breaks on the revenge drama and gives us a glimpse into some of the internal conflicts emerging with in the Roto clan. Every bit as exciting as the first three installments, Extremity # 4 is definitely worth your time. If you haven’t already started reading this series, pick it up. You won’t regret it.

Jonathan Edwards 6/7/17 Jonathan Edwards 6/7/17

Review: Dark Knight III: The Master Race #9

By Jonathan Edwards

Holy god, this shitheap of mediocrity is finally over. You really have to wonder what the creative team was doing during those extra months between issues. Because, they sure as hell didn't use that time to create a superior book. Seriously, a year and a half to get out nine issues averages about one every two months (remember, this was supposed to be a monthly title), and they've all been bland at best. It's even worse when you juxtapose it with what DC is doing with a fair amount of their Rebirth titles. Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Nightwing, and The Flash, to name a few, have been shipping semimonthly since June of last year, and they've all been a far cry better than DK3. Whereas here we've been subjected the awfulness that is contemporary Frank Miller filtered through Brian Azzarello, who only succeeds in stripping away the lion's share of poor taste that would likely be there otherwise. Other than the, y'know, barely masked Islamophobia and support for police brutality in the name of "justice," that is. So, I welcome this end. And funnily enough, this might be the best, or at least close to it, this series has been. But, again, that's not saying a lot.

Patrick Wolf 6/7/17 Patrick Wolf 6/7/17

Review: Heretics!

By Patrick Wolf

I want to begin by making it clear that Heretics isn’t a traditional graphic novel: it has neither action, nor adventure, nor superheroes. Heretics is a brief history of modern philosophy in story form. I’m only emphasizing this because I need the reader to understand that since Heretics isn’t a traditional comic, I won’t be judging it as one. Instead I’ll evaluate it as an historical exposition in narrative form.

Daniel Vlasaty 6/7/17 Daniel Vlasaty 6/7/17

Review: The Unsound #1

By Daniel Vlasaty

For a few months last year, I worked as a counselor on an inpatient psych ward. We dealt with patients with a combination of mental health and substance abuse issues. It was a new unit. We started it in place of one that closed a few years prior due to funding issues. Our facility made it about four or five months before we closed due to what I’ll call political reasons. When we first opened, I didn’t know what to expect. I had gone through all the trainings and taken classes on non-violent de-escalation and also how to safely and quickly restrain a violent or unruly patient. I think I was expecting something along the lines of this book. I think I was expected to be scared and creeped out and always on edge. But it wasn’t like that at all. It was just people who needed help that they couldn’t get out in the real world. It was mostly just hanging out and watching movies on the shitty TV in the day room and playing board games and occasionally having break up fights or restrain a patient, mostly for their own safety. And once because one of the patients attacked a nurse. I worked with the violent male population, and it was mostly a baby-sitting gig. Anyway, that’s my long-winded introduction to my review of The Unsound, a new book written by Cullen Bunn and drawn by Jack T. Cole that takes place in a psychiatric hospital.

Levi Remington 6/1/17 Levi Remington 6/1/17

Review: Dollface #5

By Levi Remington

My first foray into Action Lab Comics began with Dollface, a book that I only started reading very recently. Catching up with the series has been a particularly shallow type of fun. It's an astoundingly easy read (it's almost more tiring to not read the book) and the art is wonderfully stylish, but its nonstop adherence to stereotypical cheesecake and predictably juvenile humor kept the story from reaching any noteworthy heights.

Ashley Gibbs 5/31/17 Ashley Gibbs 5/31/17

Review: Wonder Woman - Annual #1

By Ashley Gibbs

I like Wonder Woman, I like who she is and what she stands for and find her to be a good role model. She stands side by side with Superman and Batman forming a trinity of super hero awesomeness. Wonder Woman Annual #1 comes out at a perfect time as the Amazonian princess is also coming to the big screen in her own movie and I feel this book is an excellent collection of short stories that anyone can can enjoy. You do not need to read any prior comic to understand what’s going on, this is great for anyone who is maybe only discovering the character for the first time thanks to the movie or who is like me, a casual fan who still enjoys the character. While it does help to have at least some knowledge of the DC world, the writing no way depends on you having this which is a strong point.

Jonathan Edwards 5/31/17 Jonathan Edwards 5/31/17

Review: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers 2017 Annual

By Jonathan Edwards

I believe it was after I reviewed the 2nd, or maybe 3rd, issue of Justice League/Power Rangers that I started to wonder what BOOM!'s actual Power Rangers books were like. They couldn't possibly be as simplistic and shit as the crossover book is, I thought (granted, everything I've read from Bryan Hitch's current run on Justice League has been straight garbage). My curiosity would be piqued every time I saw a Power Rangers title pop up on the spreadsheet, but I was never motivated enough to actually check any of them out. Until I saw this annual, that is. I figured it'd be the perfect microcosmic jumping on point to determine the general quality of BOOM!'s actual Power Rangers material. And I'm happy to report, not only was I right about that, it's also pretty good too.

Patrick Wolf 5/31/17 Patrick Wolf 5/31/17

Review: Paklis # 1

Patrick Wolf

Comprised of three short stories, Paklis uses a blend of science fiction and existentialist themes to create some pretty interesting reads. The first is a Kafkaesque narrative called “Mushroom Bodies,” while the latter two are a pair of space adventures: “Sagittarius A” and “Amnia Cycle.” From the three, “Amnia Cycle” is definitely the most promising, but whatever merits it possesses, they’re barely enough to compensate for the weirdness and brevity of its companion pieces.

Daniel Vlasaty 5/31/17 Daniel Vlasaty 5/31/17

Review: The Last Contract

By Daniel Vlasaty

If you’re at all familiar with my reviews then you know my usual reading leans more toward the crime fiction side of comics. So, when I saw The Last Contract come up on the review list, you know I had to jump on that thing. I remember seeing this book on the shelves when it was originally coming out, but for some reason I never started reading it. And because of this, I guess, I didn’t know anything about the book at all. I went in blind, essentially, only going off the title and the cover. There’s a car parked near a lake or a river, a body visible in the trunk. The city skyline off in the distance. There are two people standing in front of the car, at the water’s edge. One on his knees, one standing behind him. You can’t see it but you just know he’s holding a gun to the guy on the ground. It’s all dark, colored in blacks and blues. This is all I had going into the book. And I had to know more.

Jonathan Edwards 5/31/17 Jonathan Edwards 5/31/17

Review: Trinity - Annual #1

By Jonathan Edwards

I remember having some particular interest in Trinity when I was first looking over DC's new releases that would be launching with Rebirth. I couldn't tell you exactly why, though the promise of a book focusing specifically on the dynamics between Wonder Woman, Superman, and Batman intrigued me. I now know there had previously been an ongoing weekly book with the same name and conceit, but at the time, I was easily hooked by a novelty I somehow hadn't really ever considered. I read the first six issues before stopping, mainly because I'd managed to fall behind in my reading after around Trinity #3. I didn't really want to play that much catch-up, so I opted to just finish up the first story arc and leave it at that. I enjoyed the book enough (I even briefly considered reversing my earlier decision and checking my LCS for back issues), but ultimately I decided that treating those first six issues like something of a limited series was enough for me. And then, this annual cropped up. After some slight deliberation, I decided I might as well let it be the final say in whether or not I picked up the main book again.

Patrick Wolf 5/31/17 Patrick Wolf 5/31/17

Review: Liberty Deception vol. 1

Patrick Wolf

Liberty: Deception is an Orwellian sci-fi adventure that’s both fun and smart. Vengroff does an excellent job of balancing radical freedom with debilitating oppression, while at the same time keeping the reader in suspense. Anyone who’s into political drama, science fiction, and Hitchcockian twists should definitely pick up a copy. Indie comics don’t get much better than this.

Daniel Vlasaty 5/31/17 Daniel Vlasaty 5/31/17

Review: Spencer & Locke #2

By Daniel Vlasaty

Locke is a homicide detective that doesn’t know when to quit. Spencer is his partner. Spencer’s the voice of reason in this partnership, and that is not a good thing. For one, Spencer can’t seem to keep Locke “locked” down, and also because Spencer is not real. He’s an imaginary friend. He’s a stuffed panther. And he also gets car sick. But whatever, because the boys are hot on the trail of Sophie’s murderer and this is a case that’s bigger than what it appears to be. Nothing is as it seems and this is one case that keeps pulling Locke back into his rough and checked past.

Patrick Wolf 5/31/17 Patrick Wolf 5/31/17

Review: Motor Crush vol. 1

By Patrick Wolf

One of the years most acclaimed series, Motor Crush has accelerated itself to a top spot with some of the hottest titles of 2017. Now, while I find nothing grotesquely wrong with this verdict, I find myself more-and-more at a bypass with the other critics. The series is entertaining, but it's hardly doing laps around the competition.