Oliver Gerlach 9/27/17 Oliver Gerlach 9/27/17

Review: Velocidad #1-2

By Oliver Gerlach

Casey Quevedo’s Velocidad is a fun sci-fi adventure about a crew of space pirates raiding supply ships traveling to distant space colonies. It’s a straightforward concept that doesn’t require very much explanation or detailed worldbuilding, so it’s nice and easy to jump into. Honestly, the brief paragraph introducing the concept at the start of the first issue is entirely unnecessary.

Daniel Vlasaty 9/27/17 Daniel Vlasaty 9/27/17

Review: The Beautiful Death #1

By Daniel Vlasaty

The Beautiful Death is another book I had never heard of until I saw it pop up on our review list. Maybe I'm just out of the loop. It has been a while since I worked in a shop and had all the important info about every fucking thing happening in the industry right as it was happening. The Beautiful Death is also another book that I jumped right into without knowing a single thing about. It's interesting to read a book like this because I feel like it makes it fresher or something. Like my judgment isn't tainted before I even get to the book if that makes sense. The Beautiful Death is an apocalypse book, and in all honesty, if I knew that beforehand, I might not have even started to read it. Because I'm kind of tired of apocalypse books. There's just been a lot of them lately, and at times I feel like I need a break from the end of the world.

Benjamin Snyder 9/27/17 Benjamin Snyder 9/27/17

Review: Annual vol. 1

Annual #1 is unlike many other comic books on the market today. It is not a graphic novel, but it’s significantly more comprehensive than a simple single issue of a comic book. It’s also completely segmented, including multiple stories as well as written essays featuring many different artists. In the introduction Joe Casey, the main writer for the comic, claims this project is his attempt at emulating the anthology issues that influenced him as he matured as a writer and to this end he succeeds. However, Casey attempts to make this composite reflect the industry’s current state of more personal, character driven stories and in this way I feel Annual #1 ultimately falters.

Daniel Vlasaty 9/27/17 Daniel Vlasaty 9/27/17

Review: Kill Them All

By Daniel Vlasaty

Kyle Starks is the best thing ever! And he has a new book out and it is called Kill Them All. I have basically loved everything he has done since I first read Sexcastle a few years back. Kyle Starks' books are silly and weird and totally fucking intense. And Kill Them All is no different. This book is great. It is everything I have come to love from both Kyle Starks and the medium of comic books in general.

Dustin Cabeal 9/27/17 Dustin Cabeal 9/27/17

Review: Hi-Fi Fight Club #2

By Dustin Cabeal

I’m not as high on Hi-Fi Fight Club as I was with the first issue and yes, I did just open with a pun. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoyed the comic, but it hits that second issue slump that has become more and more common.

Justin McCarty 9/27/17 Justin McCarty 9/27/17

Review: The Flash #31

By Justin McCarty

This issue wraps up the negative speed force storyline and sets up a new series. Issues 30 and 31 were a short arc to segue into the next arc starting in issue 32. Bloodwork was a two-issue arc that stood pretty well on its own. Even if the villain was pretty two-dimensional.

Dustin Cabeal 9/27/17 Dustin Cabeal 9/27/17

Review: Nightwing: The New Order #2

By Dustin Cabeal

Listen, listen… this is the best thing DC’s ever done with Nightwing. Kyle Higgins is doing exactly what DC should do more of, and that’s just creating fun side stories that have nothing to do with the rest of the DCU. This exists in a bubble, and because of that, he can add consequences to his story that other DC comics can’t. It’s a lot like Injustice in that way, at least before Injustice became too big of a brand and needed to continue making money.

Justin McCarty 9/27/17 Justin McCarty 9/27/17

Review: Isolation

By Justin McCarty

Isolation is Cog Life Comic’s first full-length comic, launching at this years Thought Bubble Sequential Arts Festival. It has three short, somewhat experimental, stories centering around the theme of isolation. Cog Life launched last year according to their website, and their mission seems to be to break the comics mold.

Justin McCarty 9/27/17 Justin McCarty 9/27/17

Review: Royal City vol. 1 - Next of Kin

By Justin McCarty

Jeff Lemire has made a name for himself telling personal stories about real people or at least relatable characters. His breakout hit was Essex County for Top Shelf, an Eisner award-winning graphic novel series. In Royal City, he has managed to circle back around to relatable archetypes that highlight the dysfunction in relationships. Lemire has written a haunting book that imagines what failed and lonely lives look like on a granular level. Next, of Kin collects the first five chapters chronicling the lives of the Pike family as they are forced to come to terms with the baggage weighing them down. Rendered in Lemire's trademark ink and watercolors, Royal City is full of atmosphere.

Dustin Cabeal 9/27/17 Dustin Cabeal 9/27/17

Review: Godshaper #6

By Dustin Cabeal

Right up until the end Simon Spurrier has little nuggets of truth and wisdom for you. This story had many layers, but the one it leaves you on with this issue is that the Gods in this story were never just religious Gods, but instead the things that people worship, celebrities, comics, movies, phones, hell relationships. It’s Spurrier holding up the mirror and saying, “This is how we act, but maybe we can do better.”

Justin McCarty 9/27/17 Justin McCarty 9/27/17

Review: Batman: The Murder Machine #1

By Justin McCarty

The latest Dark Knights Metal tie-in is out! Barbatos’ next evil Batman to come through the door is The Murder Machine, the Batman/Cyborg mashup. As the Metal event continues to play out, we get a few more details about the evil Batmen and Barbatos’ plans. This issue, the evil Batman must go through Cyborg to get what he wants. Which isn’t totally made clear to us. It involves Dr. Stone and STAR Labs, maybe Cyborg himself has something the evil Batmen want.

Dustin Cabeal 9/27/17 Dustin Cabeal 9/27/17

Review: Park Bench

By Dustin Cabeal

Park Bench is one of the most brilliant silent comics I’ve read. For those that are unfamiliar with the term “silent comics,” it’s the term the industry came up for a comic with no dialogue or narration. The artwork tells the story without any support, and you might think that it’s easy to do. It is not; it is one of the things a lot of creators fail at because it’s all about the panels and the pacing.

Patrick Wolf 9/27/17 Patrick Wolf 9/27/17

Review: Unfamiliar Skies #1 & 2

By Patrick Wolf

Some of the best stories ever told were marketed towards children and adults. Examples that come to mind are Disney’s Lion King, Miyazaki’s Spirited Away, and DreamWorks’ Shriek. In many ways, Sam Webster’s Unfamiliar Skies attempts to take a similar route. Unfamiliar Skies wants to be a story that's both for children and adults, and it makes a fairly admirable attempt. Unfortunately, while this tale is suitable for children, it wanes in the grown-up department.

Press Release 9/26/17 Press Release 9/26/17

Dark Horse Comics Announces "Black Hammer: Age of Doom" by Jeff Lemire and Dean Ormston

Press Release

Dark Horse Comics has announced that writer Jeff Lemire and artist Dean Ormston’s creator owned Black Hammer superhero saga will return in 2018 with a new ongoing series titled Black Hammer: Age of Doom. The new ongoing series will continue to chronicle the adventures of the forgotten champions of Spiral City, following the events of the cliffhanger ending of issue thirteen of Black Hammer.

Press Release 9/26/17 Press Release 9/26/17

VIZ Media Releases Celebrated Japanese Light Novel JUNI TAISEN: ZODIAC WAR

Press Release

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), a premier company in the fields of publishing, animation distribution, and global entertainment licensing, delivers the English release of the popular Japanese light novel JUNI TAISEN: ZODIAC WAR on October 10th.

Shanel Kamara 9/24/17 Shanel Kamara 9/24/17

Review: Shingeki no Bahamut: Virgin Soul E.023

By Shanel Kamara

I cannot believe what I've just seen; I'm gobsmacked. How is it possible that so many shocking events can happen in an episode merely lasting twenty-three minutes? I literally found myself, on more than one occasion, staring at the screen with my mouth gaped. I love a series with a good amount of twists (as I've mentioned several times in previous reviews), but I've never been left quite as stunned as I am right now, and I absolutely love it. Wow! What a way to set the scene for the final episode.

Press Release 9/22/17 Press Release 9/22/17

Preview: Infinite Seven vol. 2

Press Release

A great jumping on point for new readers, INFINITE SEVEN is an action/espionage comic book about a group of the world's greatest assassins. To become part of the team, you must prove your worthiness by killing one of their members.

Press Release 9/22/17 Press Release 9/22/17

Papercutz Announces "Gumby: 50 Shades of Clay"

Press Release

Captain America is a traitor to his country! Wolverine is dead! Batman is dark, man! You might have heard that it’s a tough time to be a comic book hero—and the real world news is even more grim. Enter: Gumby.

Press Release 9/22/17 Press Release 9/22/17

WWE Superstar AJ Styles Makes His 'WWE' Comics Writing Debut in 'WWE Royal Rumble 2018 Special'

Press Release

BOOM! Studios and WWE are excited to announce the WWE ROYAL RUMBLE 2018 SPECIAL, arriving in stores January 2018 and featuring some of the biggest WWE Superstars in history! In this oversized special, WWE Superstar AJ Styles makes his WWE comics writing debut in the “phenomenal” story of his first WWE appearance. He is joined by co-writer Michael Kingston (Headlocked) in this special celebration of the titular pop-culture phenomenon, which also includes new stories from acclaimed talent such as Ryan Ferrier (Kong on the Planet of the Apes), Kevin Panetta (Regular Show), Kendall Goode (The Doorman), and Daniel Bayliss (WWE: Then. Now. Forever.).

Dustin Cabeal 9/22/17 Dustin Cabeal 9/22/17

Review: Daughter

Single Issue Winner – Ghost City Comics Competition

By Dustin Cabeal

Daughter is so good that I wish I had already known about it. Sam Beck’s story is brilliantly narrated as it takes you into a world of swords and magic. Just the presentation of the first page was enough to hook me. The striking image of a woman sitting on a throne alone, a scar over her eye and the statement, “I am the eleventh daughter.” From that point on, I was hooked. The rest of the issue could have sold me ketchup in a sandwich baggy, and I would have bought it. Thankfully, I didn’t do that instead crafted a wonderfully circular story to enjoy.