Laramie Martinez 3/17/17 Laramie Martinez 3/17/17

Review: Death Be Damned #2

By Laramie Martinez

After reading the first issue I thought I knew what kind of story Death be Damned was going to be. And despite a warning from Andrew Miller over on Twitter, I went into issue two thinking that I was going to get more of the same. And while there was plenty of zombies and shootouts, there are some key revelations which take this series to another level of uncanny.

Laramie Martinez 3/6/17 Laramie Martinez 3/6/17

Review: Judge Dredd - Annual 2017

By: Laramie Martinez

It’s cliché, but I’m going to say it anyway. Science fiction has nothing to do with the future, it’s all about the now. Sometimes it’s a warning, other times it a thought experiment, but there is another aspect, one that I think gets overlooked and goes a little under appreciated. It’s when science fiction is a protest. And at it’s heart I think Judge Dredd has always had a little bit of rabble rousing in it’s system. This annual gets that. It has everything I want in a Judge Dredd comic. Split into three stories, this issue is a fantastic clash of situations which make science fiction and Judge Dredd great.

Laramie Martinez 3/6/17 Laramie Martinez 3/6/17

Review: Riverdale: One-Shot

By Laramie Martinez

Riverdale reads like the T.V. show on which it’s based. Containing four mini stories about the main characters, this one shot does a decent job of portraying each of the characters backgrounds and goals. However, as it serves as only an introductions, these characters aren’t as flushed out as they could have been, most of the time their voices feel “generic high school” with each character representing a cliché of high school movies and shows.

Laramie Martinez 2/23/17 Laramie Martinez 2/23/17

Review: The Power of the Dark Crystal #1

By Laramie Martinez

Simon Spurrier. Kelly Matthews. Nichole Matthews. Those names should already tell you the level of quality you’re going to get with this book. The Power of the Dark Crystal #1 is set after the events in the movie The Dark Crystal. But you don’t need to see the film to understand what’s going on here its premise is handed to you at the beginning of the issue. For me the setting was only vaguely familiar as I did watch the movie as a kid, but it’s been several years since I had seen it. I was expecting a lot of fan service, little winks and nods to the audience like what you see in most movies or comics which lean heavy into nostalgia. I’m happy to report this book doesn’t do that. It feels like a fresh story that just happens to take place in the Dark Crystal Universe.

Laramie Martinez 2/17/17 Laramie Martinez 2/17/17

Reveiw: Night's Dominion #6

By Laramie Martinez

It’s been a fun ride, but the first arc of Night’s Dominion ends with this issue. Overall I give the series a solid 4. It’s a different take on the superhero genre, with a touch of fantasy and dungeon crawling characters. This issue doesn’t have too many surprises, if you’ve been reading until now I think you had a pretty good idea who the big bad will be. Even so it was good to see everyone teaming up to dish out some fantasy ass kicking.

Laramie Martinez 2/17/17 Laramie Martinez 2/17/17

Review: Moby Dick

By Laramie Martinez

Three years ago this month I read Moby Dick for the first time. As a former English major it was one of those books which you had to read to have any sort of respect in the eyes of older English scholars. It’s a strange, wonderful book, surprisingly funny and informative (granted most of the information is outdated whale facts) and it was one of the best things I read that year. Naturally, when I saw dark horse coming out with their adaptation by Christophe Chaboute, I knew this one was going to be one of my reviews for the week.

Laramie Martinez 2/9/17 Laramie Martinez 2/9/17

Review: Empowered and the Solider of Love #1

By Laramie Martinez

You all should know, I have never read Empowered. Yes, I have heard of it and I have read many an article about it, but I have never actually picked up a copy. Maybe it was because I thought of it as essentially bondage hentai, , it’s free on the internet. But with Empowered and the Soldier of Love I finally took the plunge. And I while I still have no idea what Emp’s super suit does, I still had a good time. Check out my full review below.

Laramie Martinez 2/9/17 Laramie Martinez 2/9/17

Review: Death be Damned #1

By Laramie Martinez

I’m a big fan of Ben Acker’s and Ben Blacker’s The Thrilling Adventure Hour so when I saw they were teaming up with Andrew Miller for a comic, I knew I was going to pick it up. I’ve only seen their humorous side, but I was excited to see what they would do with grittier subject matter in Death be Damned. Taking place in the 1870s in WY, this is a classic western revenge tale which, while disjointed at times, allows for some interesting takes on the western, the Frankenstein story, and supernatural dark fantasy. Check out my full review below.

Laramie Martinez 2/3/17 Laramie Martinez 2/3/17

Review: Lightrunner

By Laramie Martinez

Lightrunner is fun in the same way Saturday morning cartoons are fun. Published in 1983, by Starblaze graphics and most recently by Dover Publications, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I picked up this book for review. It turns out I had a classic example of the old school space opera. While it is definitely a product of it’s time, that doesn’t stop it from being a fun read. If you like Silver age art with a familiar yet entertaining sci-fi plot, this comic is worth checking out.

Laramie Martinez 2/1/17 Laramie Martinez 2/1/17

Review: Seekers into the Mystery

By Laramie Martinez

Last week I was able to get a hold of a copy of Seekers into the Mystery. Written by J. M. Dematteis and drawn by various artists, the book seemed to be the natural follow-up to Dematteis’ Moonshadow which I had read earlier this month. It is another one of his “big question” stories, following a struggling screenwriter named Lucas Hart living in Los Angeles as he tries to cope with the memories of his traumatic childhood.

Laramie Martinez 1/25/17 Laramie Martinez 1/25/17

Review: Ether #3

By Laramie Martinez

I’m going to run this review backwards this time. For those of you who have read issues 1 & 2, you know that Ether usually ends with a flashback of Boone’s past. The structure itself is not surprising, typically in comics, as in most entertainment media, there are main plots and a subplot. With the main plots being the reason you read the book or watch the show, and the subplot being something fun or interesting on the side. In the case of Ether, however, I am just as intrigued by Boone’s past, as I am with his current mystery.

Laramie Martinez 1/19/17 Laramie Martinez 1/19/17

Review: Night's Dominion #5

By Laramie Martinez

Night’s Dominion has been moving away from what made me like its inaugural issue. This issue cements the transition from heist/dungeon crawl to superhero team up. The change, at least for me, is somewhat of a disappointment. I know that this comic was originally billed as having some capes and tights influences, but I feel like the mystery cult and the undead hordes as a potential threats were more appealing when they were underground instead of when they come out in the open. I can’t be mad at Naifeh though, it isn’t as though this change is abrupt. I’ve seen hints of it from the very first issue.

Laramie Martinez 1/12/17 Laramie Martinez 1/12/17

Review: The Storyteller: Giants #2

By Laramie Martinez

Storyteller: Giants #2 has everything you want in a Storyteller comic. Plucky hero? Yes. Enormous evil villain? Check. Overwhelming odds overcome by courage and weird randomness? It’s got this in spades. Check out my review below.

Laramie Martinez 1/11/17 Laramie Martinez 1/11/17

Review: Dungeons and Dragons: Frost Giant’s Fury #1

By Laramie Martinez

It’s timely that Dungeons and Dragons: Frost Giant’s Fury comes out this week as I am just beginning a new campaign with a new party. I’ve been stealing ideas from Jim Zub’s comics for years now and I look forward to another series that I can mine fantasy shenanigans to use on my players. After reading the first issue, I expect this series to be no different from his previous comics. It’s got humor, drama, and, of course, monsters.

Laramie Martinez 1/10/17 Laramie Martinez 1/10/17

The Stacks: The Compleat Moonshadow

By: Laramie Martinez

I was 15 when I discovered the comic book/graphic novel section of the South Pasadena Public Library. Since then I’ve been scouring these small, sometimes miniscule, portions of city libraries, looking for something I have yet to read. I’ve found more than a few gems throughout my search and this column will be taking a look at those finds. This month I will highlight what might be my greatest find: The Compleat Moonshadow written by John Marc DeMattieis and illustrated by Jon J Muth.

Laramie Martinez 1/2/17 Laramie Martinez 1/2/17

Review: Ether #2

By Laramie Martinez

In Ether #2 Matt Kindt doesn’t spend a lot of time ruminating on the big reveal from last issue. Instead he continues to knock the credibility of our narrator as we learn more about his past and the extreme methods he takes to travel to the Ether. This issue is really just a big juxtaposition of the two roles Boone Dias takes on either side of the dimensional portal. We see the heights from which he has fallen on earth, made all the more tragic by the diligence he shows as he hunts for clues in Ether.

Laramie Martinez 12/21/16 Laramie Martinez 12/21/16

Review: Black Hammer #6

By Laramie Martinez

I’m putting the bottom line at the top this week, this issue is a solid end to a great series. Last month we saw this creative team branch out in both structure and art style for the Colonel’s origin story, this issue dials back the weird and cranks up the eerie for the story of Madame Dragonfly. In a throwback to the Eerie and Creepy comics of old the team has managed to make another unique addition to the first arch. While the plot may not be a strong as some of the previous issues, there are a lot of things to like about Black Hammer #6.

Laramie Martinez 12/14/16 Laramie Martinez 12/14/16

Review: One Week in the Library

By Laramie Martinez

I’ve always liked library stories. Possibly because I spent most of my youth in them or maybe because, when you combine them with fantastic elements, they end up becoming dungeon crawls. One Week in the Library, however, is a different sort of crawl. While most library stories focus on the library itself or on the quest to find a certain item, this book tells the story of the librarian. This focus shift from archive to the archivist is an interesting take on an old trope. It doesn’t abandon the fantastic elements completely, there are still tidal waves, wild beasts, and strange characters, but in this story these encounters are just responsibilities in a job description. The true heart of this book is in the small details these events reveal about our protagonist.

Laramie Martinez 12/8/16 Laramie Martinez 12/8/16

Review: Flash Gordon: Kings Cross #2

By Laramie Martinez

Flash Gordon: King’s Cross #2 continues to stick to it’s pulpy roots, with the heroes exploring a mysterious island home to an evil sorcerer. We get to see each character have their moment in the sun while battling the insane kind of a challenges you only get to see in comics. If you’re looking for weird sights and devil-may-care adventure, pick up this issue, it’s got both in spades.

Laramie Martinez 12/8/16 Laramie Martinez 12/8/16

Review: The Storyteller: Giants #1

By Laramie Martinez

I’ve been a big fan of The Storyteller since they came out with Witches back in 2014. Giants #1 looks to be another excellent addition to the series. With an art style and tone reminiscent of what we’ve seen before in both Witches and Dragons. This is an excellent read for any fan of folklore. Keep reading for my full review.