7 Questions With Ryan Browne about Blast Furnace and God Hates Astronauts

As those of you who read my reviews probably know, I’ve spent the better part of the last year shouting into the void about how amazing Ryan Browne’s Image series, God Hates Astronauts has been. It’s a bonkers, throw-everything-in-the-blender, action/comedy/time-travel series, and it’s consistently been the funniest book on the shelves. Now that Browne has wrapped up the saga of Mods Late Dreadnaughts, he’s Kickstarting a 280 page, full-color edition of his improvisational webcomic, Blast Furnace. To check out his campaign and to get your hands on some of those sweet, sweet stretch goals, check out this site: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1334937359/blast-furnace-recreational-thief-280-page-color-ed. To check out some slightly-restrained fanboying masquerading as sloppy journalism--READ ON! Nick Philpott: To start off, tell us a little bit about Blast Furnace. Is this a similar sort of universe and story to God Hates Astronauts or is it completely its own thing?

Ryan Browne: It’s the same universe as God Mates Horsenauts. There are some crossovers from time to time (nothing major) but really it's the same universe in terms of humor sensibilities and people with animal heads. But Blast Furnace is more like a Coen Brothers film and not as much as a super hero spoof--but again-- featuring people with animal heads. The creative process in the book is regimented by a set of rules. I can do no planning ahead, I can only spend one hour writing and drawing each page, and I can (and should) go off the rails as often as possible.

NP: This is not the first time you've kickstarted a project, and it seems like it is on track to be crazy-successful, like your God Hates Astronauts kickstarter. What have you learned about KS that you could pass on to people afraid to dip their toe into the crowdfunding waters?

RB: I actually trimmed this one down quite a bit. The GHA Kickstarter was too damn crazy and a serious nightmare to fulfill. With Blast Furnace, I'm taking a more casual approach--not trying to blow up, just trying to get my book made. For those that are interested in doing their own Kickstarters, I suggest building your audience over a long time by doing a free we comic for a while. If you have a pre existing audience your Kickstarter can find a home easier.

NP: Blast Furnace predates GHA (Editor’s note: no, it doesn’t)--did you keep up with the one page per day/one hour per page installments while you were working on GHA or is going back to Blast Furnace like putting on a pair of comfortable, improvisational pants?

RB: GHA actually started in 2007 and was a self published indie book for years. Blast Furnace started in 2012 as an improv web comic to do around the more serious comic work that I was getting.

The second series for GHA which started in 2014 was extremely focused and intense. Blast Furnace is a nice, relaxing experience compared to what I was doing on a monthly book. So yeah, it's a damn comfortable pair of pants.

NP: You’re coming off the run of God Hates Astronauts at Image, which seemed like pure, distilled Ryan Browne-ry for its glorious ten-issue run (plus the original webcomic issues). What was the experience like being able to work full time on a comic entirely of your own creation? Can we expect to see a hardcover or omnibus collection of the complete series at some point in the future?

RB: I wish we could get a hardcover going, but the series really didn't sell very well. It was an amazing experience and I stretched it out as long as I could, but the book just  didn't find a big enough audience.

Image was great. They let me do whatever the hell I wanted to do and for that I am confused and grateful.

NP: Once the fulfillments are in for Blast Furnace, do you have a new project you're working on?

RB: Yes.

NP: You also have some great work under your belt at Manhattan Projects and Bedlam, as well as your recent gig in Marvel's Secret Wars Battleworld. Any other new Ryan Browne work we should be keeping our eyes peeled for at Image or the Big Two?

RB: I’m doing a five page short about a bear for Marvel. It will be in the Secret Wars Too parody book and it will be my greatest creation!

Other than that, I'm doing something about gorillas for a DHP [Dark Horse Presents] short that will also be my greatest creation!

NP: One last question: when will you finally rid the world of Charles Soules' tyranny? First he kills Wolverine, then he tries to put 3D Cowboy out of a job--where does his villainy end?

RB: I’m actually hosting a Charles Soule Spotlight Panel at the Baltimore Comic Con. I'm assuming that will be his final chapter...

So, there you have it, folks! For those of you who loved Rod Takes Restaurants, Blast Furnace could be that book to scratch that very specific itch--you know the one, between your shoulder blades, where your anti-mugging arm is.

Kickstarter Link!

Review: Tokyo Ghoul Vol. 1

Usually I don’t do both the manga and the anime, but with Tokyo Ghoul I had to check out both. Mostly because the art direction on the comic is a bit different from the anime. It’s a style that really only works in print format, so I’m actually glad that they switched it up some for the anime. Now, I won’t be constantly comparing the two. Frankly the anime is the anime and the manga is the manga. There’s always going to be things different in the adaptation from the source material, because like the art there’s things that only work in print. That and the second season of the anime apparently goes in a completely different direction than the manga. The story is set in Japan, but the catch is there are Ghouls. These Ghouls can only live off the flesh of human beings. They’re feared, they’re hunted and they’re definitely a bit of social commentary on the class system of Japan.

The main character of the story is Ken Kaneki. He’s a college student who has no family and lives on his own. His best and only friend Hide, is the closest thing he has to family. We’re given a solid introduction to the world and ghouls before we dive into Kaneki’s story. He’s quite taken with a young woman that he’s seen reading the same book as him. Eventually this woman, Rize, approaches him and asks him out.

He of course jumps at the chance since he likes her and feels they have a ton in common. The date seems to go well until Rize reveals that she’s a Ghoul and that she’s been “hunting” Kaneki. She’s what’s known as a “binge eater”, because a normal Ghoul can live for weeks off of one meal, but she eats whenever she wants. Things don’t go according to Rize’s plan as some construction beams are dumped on her and Kaneki. Kaneki survives, but he’s injured due to Rize. In a controversial move, the doctor uses Rize’s organs in Kaneki to save his life.

This kicks off the big part of the story in which Kaneki is now a half-Ghoul. He begins to slowly figure it out when he hears a specialist talking about it on TV and notices that his sense of taste has changed completely. Now everything he eats tastes terrible to him, but what really gives it away is when he starts drooling uncontrollably around a large group of people. That’s not his only problem though, he knows nothing about Ghouls and the way they live making his encounters with them jarring and difficult. Coupled with the fact that he refuses to eat people because he’s not a Ghoul. At least not in his eyes.

The story is frankly amazing. It’s one of the most interesting stories I’ve read in a long while. With the manga I really liked all the extra elements that we’re given as the reader. Kaneki has a random encounter with a Ghoul which leads him to meeting two significant characters in the series. The volume actually goes into this random Ghouls backstory and you actually feel for him. He’s no longer just a two page character there to introduce other Ghouls.

The writing also excels beyond world building. The characters are tremendous. Kaneki’s battle with his new self is just amazing. Yeah he cries and yells a lot, but I think any normal person in this situation would do exactly the same. If you woke up the next day and found out that you had to eat people to stay alive and normal… well, I doubt anyone would take that news well. His emotional plight is very believable and deep.

As for the artwork, it’s very impressive. Here I will compare it to the anime and say that it’s much softer than the cartoon series. The character’s faces are rounder and overall the artwork has a smooth look to it. The linework isn’t harsh, but rather clean and thin for the most part. The character designs are very cool looking and again one of the reasons that this series has stood out to me so much.

The action sequences and gore are great, but not as great as the emotion. The art really excels with the emotion. Kaneki on his knees crying at to the world after trying to eat normally is just painful to see. Back to the action and gore scenes. The action is fluid on the page. It’s not choppy at all. The gore isn’t overkill and thankfully isn’t as censored as the anime. The art does a lot of work for this story and maintains an impressive amount of detail from beginning to end.

The book itself has a great cover. The paper stock isn’t the usual stock for Viz’s mangas, but then this is my first Viz Signature series volume. The interior paper stock is about the same, but the cover is smooth and beautiful looking. It’s also a little bigger which made it nice to hold and read without busting the spine.

If you like horror-esque stories, then you absolutely want to check out Tokyo Ghoul. It has the gore, but it also has an incredible story and world to go along with it. I usually don’t like to read and watch the same story because eventually something big gets changed which ruins one or the other for me (cough Maken-Ki), but this first volume of Tokyo Ghoul has made me want to read the series just as much as I wanted to watch it.

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Score: 5/5

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Tokyo Ghoul Vol. 1 Writer/Artist/Creator: Sui Ishida Publisher: Viz/Viz Signature Price: $14.99 Release Date: 6/19/15 Format: TPB; Print/Digital

Review: Sky in Stereo Vol. 1

I’m still not sure how I 100% feel about Sky in Stereo. I enjoyed reading it. Hell, I even wanted to read more when I got to the conclusion. I wasn’t in love with a big chunk of the subject matter though and because of that a great deal of the story was lost on me. Spoilers, a lot of the story is about drugs and drug use. The rest of the story is spent on religion, relationships and work. These are the areas that I really related to and enjoyed. I do give credit to creator Mardou for syncing these elements together and never really letting the drug elements overwhelm the story. At least until the end.

The story follows a young woman named Iris. It kicks off with her mom’s boyfriend Doug messing with some Jehovah’s Witnesses. This is quite literally the catalyst for the story as the Witnesses come back and eventually recruit Iris’ mother. Iris, wanting to please her mom begins attending with her. But after a while she’s faced with the decision of continuing to please her mother or being true to herself. Ultimately she parts ways with the Witnesses, but her mother continues on.

We begin to follow Iris’ dating life as she’s about to graduate high school and breaks up with her boyfriend. Mostly because he thinks she should leave him behind and go to better school and is planning on breaking up with her. Ultimately this breakup seems to keep her from going to the college that she wanted to go to, which puts her on a different path in life.

From there we follow her everyday life pretty closely. We see her switch jobs and crush on one of her co-workers. He knows she likes him and it’s pretty obvious that he likes the attention and leads her on a bit. This is also when the drug use starts to kick in more and more. It all leads up to Iris taking acid and while having a great experience at first, she eventually stops sleeping and isn’t the Iris that we’ve come to know in the story.

Again, the drug use wasn’t for me. I don’t relate to it and so even having it as well placed and spaced as it was, it was still too much for me. Particularly at the end when it was the focal point of the story. Though I will say that I was curious to see where the story was heading and enjoyed the preview of the second volume. The content didn’t deter me from wanting to read more, which is as positive as I can be about it.

Mardou’s narration is wonderful. She paces the story quite well making every page feel intimate and personal. I have no idea if this is a personal story at all, but it feels like it. Iris feels like a real person and that’s a tremendous feat to accomplish in a comic. The story doesn’t rely on dialogue all the time which is nice. It makes the dialogue much more effective when it is used.

The art is in all black and white. I’ve noticed that when it comes to slice of life or autobiographical comics (again, I don’t know if this story is autobiographical), that black and white is the go-to choice for creators. Mardou’s style is realistic looking, but stylized. You feel like the story is set in the real world which is very important, but then it has this look about it that tells you it’s a comic.

The linework is very clean. The inking doesn’t overpower the page and yet the comic manages to have rich and full backgrounds when needed. Mardou usually establishes a setting with a lot of detail and then will pull back and focus on the characters in the scene. It’s a very wise art direction as you can visualize the rest of the conversation in the setting. Granted there are other scenes in which you always see detailed backgrounds and such, but it’s the balance of when you don’t that’s really impressive.

Again, stories about drugs and drug use are not my cup of tea. Typically, I wouldn’t be back for more, but I’m actually pretty hooked on Sky in Stereo. I know that part of it is the art because I just enjoyed it too much to stop reading, but a lot of it came from the pacing and narration. Even when I was frustrated with Iris, I still cared about her and wanted to see how she was going to come out of things in the end. We’ll have to keep reading to find that out.

I wouldn’t exactly say this story falls into the romance genre, but if you like stories that deal with life (and that includes relationships) then you should definitely check out Sky in Stereo.

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Score: 4/5

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Sky in Stereo Vol. 1 Writer/Artist/Creator: Mardou Publisher: Revival House Press Price: $17.95 Release Date: 10/13/15 Format: TPB; Print

Review: B-Squad: Soldiers of Misfortune

If you’ve kept up with the site for a while you may recall my review for the first issue of B-Squad. Then you might also recall the successful Kickstarter that funded the completion of the first volume, which is what this review is covering. To quickly sum up the story, it’s about a squad of misfits that work for a security firm doing risky jobs. Jobs that always end with one of them dying. Seriously. That’s the gimmick of Eben Burgoon’s series, he kills a character each issue/chapter and you’re left wondering who it’ll be.

After the first issue you really are left wondering “who’s next?” because it’s never apparent. Burgoon makes use of your knowledge of a character’s death coming by faking you out at times which multiple deaths. This is all coupled with a new edition to the team in the next issue/chapter of the story to replace the victim. Having already summed up the story in my review for the first issue (read that here) I’d rather spend some time talking about what worked and what didn’t.

The deaths work. Sometimes they’re exciting, other times they’re kind of flat. I think that helps keep it interesting, but I’d be lying if I didn’t want each death to be really exciting. What Burgoon does quite well is give you the character’s back story after their death. It’s interesting because all of the character’s kind of come across as losers. I mean it is the B-Squad after all. Sure in the military the “B” team may not be a bad thing, but if you ever played school sports you only wanted to be on the A-Squad. These backstories though, they really humanize the characters that just died. You actually begin to feel bad for them, whereas previously you may have laughed at them.

But you are supposed to laugh at this cast of characters. A guy who googles everything named MacGoogle. A French man who is so stereotypically French that it hurts. A dude wearing a Montreal Expos hat and Bill Murray. Burgoon put an incredible amount of work into making these characters quirky and funny.

I liked the overall story, but it is very long. I know that’s a strange complaint in this day and age of short ass comics, but at times I felt like there was too much time spent on the setup and then I was just waiting for a character death to know when the chapter was over. Towards the end you’re so familiar with the formula that it gets a little dull so I would recommend not reading it all in one setting. Halving it would be my suggestion because read all at once you stop enjoying the jokes as much and really begin to wonder why they’re sent on these missions at all. Which is hinted at, at the very end of the comic.

The dialogue is also hit or miss at times. The cast is large so sometimes you’ll sit in one location waiting for every character to take their turn talking. If felt like a role-playing video game where you have to talk to your entire crew to keep them happy and really you’re just reading dialogue tree after dialogue tree. It’s not bad, but it would have benefitted from being trimmed down. Again, read it in chunks and you’ll enjoy it more. Otherwise you’ll probably be numb to some jokes after a while.

The art is solid throughout the entire volume. There’s a few artists on the series, but overall there’s a style maintained on the series. Frankly the art switch is very smooth and shouldn’t catch you off guard much. The entire team did a great job of giving the series and world a consistency that most comics never manage to keep.

The action is plentiful and illustrated quite well. The second and third issue in particular had some great action scenes, but really the same can be said for every chapter. Those two just stood out to me. Aside from the action the character designs are pretty great. They’re all visually funny for the most part and just looking at them you think “B-Squad” which I’m sure was the intention.

The print version comes in a very nice slip case. The book itself is magazine sized and the paperstock is glossy and nice. Personally I think it’s bonus points when a books is fun to hold and has packaging so kudos to Burgoon on that.

Overall this is an entertaining comic series. I would definitely check out future issues/volumes and enjoyed the cliffhanger at the end. Is it perfect? No, but at the end of the day entertaining me is much more important than being a perfect comic. I would like to see the formula grow and develop in the future issues. What works here doesn’t guarantee success in the future so that’s definitely something I would want to see change going forward. Otherwise if you like team books with characters full of quirks and guaranteed deaths then check out ­B-Squad.

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Score: 3/5

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B-Squad: Soldiers of Misfortune Writer: Eben Burgoon Artists: Lauren Gamphrey, Jon Williams, Claudia Palescandolo, Sean K. Sutter, Michael Finn Price: $24.99 (P), $4.99 (D) Release Date: 9/2/15 Format: TPB; Print/Digital

Review: Rasputin #8

Rasputin is a series that continues to experience piques and troughs, although I am pleased to say that at least this month the book is on something of a high point. In this issue we finally receive some of the answers that I have been clamoring for these last few months, and the result is an issue that is the strongest we’ve had in this series for some time, and once again restores a sense of direction to this oddly-paced comic. Whether the book will retain this momentum next month is unclear, but at this point I’ll take whatever small victories I can get. With this issue Alex Grecian uncovers some of the mystery surrounding why Rasputin was ‘killed’ and indeed how he survived his murder, while also revealing more about the relationship between the Mad Monk and the modern-day politician Governor Harrison. We gain a greater insight into Rasputin’s character, as well as that of reporter Shanae who continues to show potential, although like everyone in this book could use a little more fleshing out. The dialogue in this issue is far more entertaining than it has been in previous issues, and by the time you reach the final page there’s a real feeling that the story has (finally) moved forward.

The artwork is something I’ve consistently praised about this book since it began, and with this issue things are no different. Indeed, the highlight of Riley Rossmo and Ivan Plascencia’s work comes near the end of the issue, where we see Rasputin’s murder and resurrection – a scene that looks both beautiful and hauntingly creepy.

I still wouldn’t necessarily recommend Rasputin as a series, simply because it is far too inconsistent. That being said, this is solid issue and if you’ve been reading this book since it began you’ll probably get a lot out of this installment. Plus, the fact that despite all the disappointments this series has given me, I’m yet to give up on it completely is I suppose a testament to the story that Alex Grecian is telling here.

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Score: 3/5

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Rasputin #8 Writer: Alex Grecian Artist: Riley Rossmo Colorist: Ivan Plascencia Publisher: Image Comics Price: $3.50 Release Date: 8/26/15 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital

Viewster Launches Branded Channels on its Global Streaming Platform

Viewster, the worldwide video streaming service, announced today the launch of its Branded Channels, a new offering to bring a large volume of highly curated short form content to its global audience. The new content includes Mondo Media's wildly popular Happy Tree Friends and Dick Figures, and additional channels featuring the bizarre and amusing facts of AllTime10s and the topical How It Should Have Ended, an ongoing parody animation series that provides new endings to popular movies.

More top-performing digital-first channels from gaming, animation and entertainment will be announced in September. All channels are available free worldwide through Viewster's advertising-supported desktop, mobile and smart TV apps, with regular updates ensuring a consistent, fresh flow of content.

“Digital-first content, as we are now proud to offer in our Branded Channels, is an exciting window into the future of entertainment,” said Azadeh Stoelken, Director of Content at Viewster. “We picked these amazing channels to complement our existing anime, science fiction and thriller offerings for our discerning and engaged audience.”

About Viewster

Viewster (www.viewster.com) is a worldwide online video service connecting passionate audiences. We are the first stop destination for anime lovers, featuring an ever-growing line up of the latest shows directly from Japan. Our wider catalog brings the best of specialist shows and movies, with more than ten thousand titles across anime, thriller, sci-fi, and fantasy. Viewster is free, supported by advertising and available to stream on desktop, mobile and smart TV apps.

Hey Jerk! Where'd Ya Get That Carbonite Han Solo Back Buddy From?

Make sure your bounty to Jabba the Hutt is secure with a PREVIEWS exclusive Carbonite Han Solo back buddy by Comic Images. The exclusive backpack is available to pre-order from the September PREVIEWS catalog and will be available to purchase from comic book specialty shops in late October. Secure your things in carbonite with this zip-up plush backpack, which features the likeness of Han Solo pushing against his prison. The backpack also features side panels reminiscent of the gauges and meters on the side of Han’s carbonite block in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Keep your keys, wallet, books and other valuables in perfect hibernation in the single zip-up pouch, and keep your bounty close to you using the adjustable straps.

This unique book bag can be purchased for $44.95 using item code SEP152514 at your local comic book shop. Find a comic shop near you at www.comicshoplocator.com to get a Han of your own!

Trailer Premier: Bloodthirsty!

This September sees the launch of a brand new mini-series, Bloodthirsty, a visceral revenge thriller that merges the real-world hopes and horrors of a post-disaster community with an engaging thread of political corruption, class divide and blood-curdling terror! Written by screenwriter Mark Landry, and illustrated by Ashley Witter (Interview with the Vampire, Squarriors), the giant-sized debut issue drops in September. Haunted by the catastrophe that tore his city apart ten years ago, Coast Guard veteran, Virgil Lafleur, struggles daily with the hardships of a post-Katrina New Orleans. But when his younger brother’s murder leads him into a vortex of intrigue, corruption, and violence, Virgil becomes obsessed with bringing the killers to justice and exposing the horrific secret hiding beneath the Mississippi.

CBMFP 200: The 200Th Episode

Welcome to the 200th episode of the CBMFP. 200 episodes ago we named this podcast the Comic Bastards Mother Fucking Podcast and we haven't looked back since. We've had guests, we've added a co-host and as always we had Erin Bush behind the scenes helping us with everything. Rather than tell you about the episode this week I'd much rather thank you for listening to it. Thank you to anyone that's listened to the podcast over the years and given us a reason to keep doing this show each week. I'd also like to thank Justin Wood who, without even being asked to, create this magnificent video celebrating our 200th episode. Be sure to visit Justin's facebook page and give him a like, a follow and seriously just check out his stuff he's really fucking good.

[video_embed url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jAmHwwHtyM"]

Now on behalf of Dustin, Kevin, Erin and Steve, we thank you and hope you enjoy our 200th episode of the CBMFP!

Oh and here's the thing we talk about on the podcast for visual reference...

Review: Axcend #1

Image has announced a ton of new titles lately, but being a fan of Shane Davis’ artwork, I was definitely curious about Axcend more than other titles. The thing is, not every artist is a competent storyteller when it comes to dialogue and narration. In fact, I think the list of creators that can do both is shorter than the list of those who can’t. That said, I was dipped my toe into this series before getting in all the way. The story starts by following Eric, a teenage boy who we learn once had a twin brother. We find him a year after his brother’s death as he tries to help a very Peter Parker looking nerd from getting beat up by a stereotypical jock. After getting punched in the face Eric heads home and his mother is all too anxious to head to the cemetery. Eric informs her that he’s already been and heads to his room to play video games. We get the strong impression that his mother is a bit more focused on her dead son rather than the living son.

Eric turns on his video game which is called Axcend, points for using the title in the story in a non-annoying way. He’s told that he’s been selected for a beta test and he’s rather excited by that… until he feels his body swept into the game. He stands up and he can feel his body, but it’s not his body. He meets two other players and they begin to run through several game types. At the end, Eric finds himself in last place and when the beta ends he wakes up holding the controller on his floor wondering what exactly happened to him. We continue to see Eric’s life after that and obviously there’s more going on than meets the eye.

I have to say, I was taken in by this story. Obviously the idea of being in a video game world is nothing new, but the it’s the execution and modern take on video games that made this one work. Davis’ character designs would fit into the video game world, especially one that allowed customization. That only thing I’ll say about the video game segment, was that it ran a bit long and felt a little sparse on the content. We mostly get a montage of conclusions which wasn’t very rewarding.

The art is definitely the best part of the book, but I was actually impressed with Davis’ story and dialogue. Mark is a convincing character and there’s one scene in particular that he shines with his dialogue and attitude.

Davis’ linework is very clean and if you’ve seen his previous work on Earth One: Superman then you know he has a fantastic style for the superhero genre. Davis is very detailed as well. There’s never an empty background and the overall world feels and looks alive. With that comes the coloring. The coloring plays a huge role in the story. The video game world looks different from the real world and both worlds are vibrant and colorful.

Obviously if you’re a video game fan you’ll like this story a little more than others, but I was pleasantly surprised by the story. Like I said, not every artist is a storyteller, but Davis proves he has what it takes. I’ll be following this series from here on out and looking forward to see what he has to offer with the second issue of Axcend.

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Score: 4/5

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Axcend #1 Writer/Artist/Creator: Shane Davis Artists: Michelle Delecki, Morry Hollowell Publisher: Image Comics Price: $3.50 Release Date: 10/7/15 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital

Review: Over the Garden Wall #1

Over the Garden Wall is definitely a comic that would grab a lot of children's attention. I mean six variant covers for a comic is a lot, but when it is as cute as Over the Garden Wall, then you come to enjoy each one of those covers. So I guess I will start with the art. Jim Campbell does an amazing job on making this comic appealing. The characters are “pinch their cheeks” cute. I can’t get over Greg’s tea pot hat and little overalls. It makes his silly comments even more adorable. Wirt is pretty cute himself, and you just can’t go wrong with cone hat and a cape. So both A+s on the characters. Danielle Burgos is on color, and she encompasses the light mood of the comic as well. So even though it takes place back in the day, the colors pop and really give personality to all the characters. I am sure lots of you have heard of Over the Garden Wall from Cartoon Network. It was a mini-series that has made its way to comics. The stories and themes are very much the same and have this whimsical feeling to it. You have two brothers, Wirt and Greg, who travel along and run into different people, problems, and fun. During their trips, Beatrice, a talking bird, assists them in their journey. Actually Beatrice is more of a sarcastic nuisance. Although this bird would never admit that.

The group doesn’t do much. If I had to describe it, I would say that it is a kid’s version of Seinfeld. In this particular issue, Wirt falls into a garden where he is greeted by two young girls. These girls are doing their chores and insists that Wirt help them because he messed up their garden. Of course these girls are up to no good, but Wirt is gullible. And again Beatrice just nags Wirt the whole time while Greg is on his own mission and hardly understands what is happening. This combination of events makes for some playful reading. Pat McHale, you can tell, has a lot of fun. Although my favorite is Greg, not just because he looks cute, but because he is creative in the things that he notices. Unlike adults, where we can be very black and white, Greg is grey and decides to see things more creatively. Again, it adds a different twist on the main story and gives the reader other things to look forward besides what happens to Wirt.

All in all, this comic is fun and light-hearted. I think kids would enjoy the silliness of it all. My only complaint is how rude Beatrice is to Wirt. I would hope that is doesn’t teach kids to be sarcastic to people who are different or don’t understand something right away. But again, I think it mostly just adds some fun. Plus, Wirt does stand up for himself and figures it all out. And I really just can’t get enough of the art. It has this bubbly quality that every kid loves. So if you are a fan of the show, I would pick this up, or if you enjoy Adventure Time, I would pick this up.

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Score: 3/5

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Over the Garden Wall #1 Writer: Pat McHale Artist: Jim Campbell Colorist: Danielle Burgos Publisher: KaBoom! Price: $3.99 Release Date: 8/26/15 Format: Mini-Series; Print/Digital

Review: Baby Badass #1

Baby Badass is a romp. It’s a good damn time and it shouldn’t be taken too seriously… unless you’re serious about your amount of fun. Also I guess if you’re really touchy about babies then maybe you won’t like it. But this isn’t a real baby so seriously pull your head out of your ass. The issue takes place almost entirely inside or around a bar in the not too distant future. The world sucks. We’re like one step away from being a Mad Max-pocalypse which isn’t a good thing. As great as those movies are (especially the new one) you wouldn’t actually want to live in that universe. It would be terrible. But in the story, we’re like a day away from it… but with better tech. Shit… maybe it’s more like Tank Girl. Ah you get the point.

We meet Joey. She works in a bar where every table has a pole and woman dancing on it. But she’s not ready for the pole. Her boss Shiver wants her up on the pole tonight, but she’s just an apprentice stripper and doesn’t feel like she’s ready yet. She’s left to her smoke break to think about stripping when she hears a baby somewhere out in the wilderness. She finds the little guy and wraps him in her top and brings him back in the bar. Her friend Shirl tells her to keep it from Shiver, but low and behold he finds out… things do not go well.

Cue Baby Badass or “little angel” as Joey calls him. He throws Shiver through a door and then takes on everyone in the bar. Let me just say that the hilarity I received from the rest of the issue was tremendous. I laughed at the violence. I laughed at the dialogue. I laughed out loud and not in the sense of just saying that I did, but I actually didn’t. I mean people in my household asked me what the hell I was laughing at; to which I give the same I almost always give, “I’m reading a comic.”

I won’t ruin any of the jokes in this review, but I will recommend that you listen to this week’s podcast in which I recap the issue as well. There you can hear the delivery, whereas reading them in this review would just steal their thunder.

The art is solid. Something about it fits the story quite well and so while it’s not the best I’ve seen or even a style that I’m particularly fond of, I like it on this series. I especially like the illustrated violence, because it’s comical rather than a gore fest. Not that I would have mind it being gorier, but there’s a great balance to the art that I hope the series keeps. That and seeing a baby perform all kinds of dismemberment it just funny in and of itself.

If you like comic books that are actually funny, a bit violent in the vain of Milk & Cheese or you’re a fan of Adult Swim… then Baby Badass is the book for you. There’s jokes. There’s boobies… okay one set one time, but it’s ridiculous so it works. Basically if you like independent comics because they produce stories you’d never get anywhere else… read Baby Badass. Read the hell out of it.

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Score: 4/5

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Baby Badass #1 Writer: David Schrader Artist: Tim Larsen Publisher: Hybrau Comics Price: $3.99 (P), $1.99 (D) Format: Ongoing, Print/Digital

Review: Book of Death: The Fall of Ninjak

I can see how these one-shots can rub people the wrong way. After all it’s basically just a glimpse at the end of a storyline that will likely never happen unless comics evolve to the point that they actually retire characters. There are a few major positives for these “Fall of” one-shots and the biggest is that you can enjoy them without reading Book of Death or any other Valiant title. I mean think about that, did you need to read Convergence to understand two months of DC’s titles? Yes, you did. Do you need to read Secret Wars to understand and read all of Marvel’s numerous tie-ins? Yes, you do. You can lie to yourself and buy the hype that both companies spew out each crossover, but you do in fact need to read the main series to understand why the fuck there’s a tie-in.

With these one-shots there’s just a mention of the Book of the Geomancer which is the focal point of the Book of Death event, but that’s it. Really these tie-ins are for readers of Valiant’s entire universe. Nowhere is that clearer than right here in The Fall of Ninjak.

Are you reading Matt Kindt’s other Valiant titles? Because if you are then buy this issue. The reason being is that he not only explains New Japan which is the location of Rai, but he also touches on a story angle that’s been brewing in Unity. More so, he establishes that the Valiant Universe is mapped out both in its past, present and future.

Personally that’s what I really enjoyed about this issue. Valiant’s past is being explored in Unity and you can see things from the past that have played into the present. In the present we know that the universe is tightly knit because there are crossovers a-go-go with the books. But Rai and the Eternal Warrior mini were always big question marks to me. They take place so far in the future of the Valiant Universe that I always wondered why? Well, here’s part of the answer. It really is a testament to the editorial team at Valiant, but also to Kindt who is clearly mapping the hell out of their overall storyline.

But hey, maybe you just like Ninjak. I mean, I like Ninjak and I especially like Ninjak when Matt Kindt is writing him. So the question here is… is an old ass Ninjak still as cool as a young ass Ninjak?

Your damn right he is!

I won’t spoil what Kindt does with this character, but it’s safe to say that Ninjak is the baddest mother in the Valiant Universe. I even dare to say that he’s their “Wolverine” if the aforementioned character hadn’t been run through the dirt and mud and ruined by a lack of care by a corporation that had dollar signs in their eyes. Think back to when you first found out about Wolverine and were like, “this character is awesome!” That’s Ninjak now. Your welcome.

The art on this issue is of course great because when Trevor Hairsine is on, he’s really on. Hairsine brings out the emotion of Ninjak/Collin’s journey. There are great character moments that Hairsine gives depth to on the page. I don’t want to say which characters (you should probably already know), but there are touching moments between them and Ninjak throughout the years and it really shows the depth of Kindt’s writing. Because through Hairsine’s art we see that this truly is a different, older, wiser, Ninjak.

You may have passed on this tie-in because you don’t want to see some “The End” type story for your favorite character. You don’t want to see their death knowing that the way comics work, the character will never really get to that point. But then again, they did get there. We just get to enjoy them for as long as possible, but make no mistake… this is the death of Ninjak… and it’s fantastic. But maybe only if you’re a Valiant/Ninjak fan. But then if you aren’t, then why would you start reading here?

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Score: 5/5

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Book of Death: The Fall of Ninjak Writer: Matt Kindt Artist: Trevor Hairsine Inker: Ryan Winn Colorist: Allen Passalaqua Publisher: Valiant Comics Price: $3.99 Release Date: 8/26/15 Format: One-Shot; Print/Digital

Review: Do-Gooders

Knowing Oni Press’ diverse line of publishing I knew that this was a book meant for kids right away. I think they’re one of the few publishers that honestly touch upon all aspects of genres in that regard. So I didn’t expect much from Do-Gooders in terms of satisfying me personally as a reader. I knew it wasn’t for me, but being a new father I wanted to see if this was something I could one day show my newborn. The story follows a brother and sister as they go through the do’s and don’ts of being a Do-Gooder. Each two-page spread shows both siblings doing wrong and then doing right. Then towards the end of the book the story focuses on just giving good messages because not every polite action has a rude counterpart.

The writing is straight forward and the messages are definitely ones that you’d want your kids to learn, but… I don’t think it’s perfect. My main gripe is that our main characters always go for the negative action first. The results make it seem as if their first action is to be “bad” and then they realize that they’re not being a Do-Gooder and they correct the action. Towards the end they seem to get it, but the art adds a lot of emphasis on the negative actions. Not that the art is bad, but it’s easier to illustrate shouting then it is calm and collected.

Speaking more on the art it’s a great fit for the story. The kids are very cartoonish a solid blend between comics and kids’ books. The coloring is bright and detailed and overall one of the strongest aspects of the book. You just know that it’s a kids book from the look of it and that’s okay.

While I don’t think this story is perfect, I do think it’s one that parents can try out. After all your kid’s response will be governed by how you raise them. From my point of view this is a book you’ll always want to read to your kid rather than letting them go it alone and possibly get confused on the message. Which you should probably do anyway.

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Score: 3/5

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Do-Gooders Writer: J. Torres Artist: Justin Wagner Colorist: Warren Wucinich Publisher: Oni Press Price: $9.99 Release Date: 8/26/15 Format: Hardcover; Print

Review: Plutona #1

When I was eleven, my cousin/next door neighbor and I spent a considerable amount of time wandering through the mangrove surrounding our neighborhood. To increase the excitement of each expedition, we speculated beforehand what we might come across, each of us trying to outdo the other as we escalated from animal carcass to abandoned house to secret indigenous tribe. The similar vibe between those trips that led to nothing more than mosquito bites and the spontaneous walk through the woods by Plutona’s young teens compelled me to check out Jeff Lemire’s most recent creator-owned property. In contrast to the galactic tale in Descender, Plutona is seemingly a much smaller story in scale that packs the emotional heft in place of universe-building. Taking place on an Earth similar to our own but for the existence of super powered persons, referred to here as capes, Plutona focuses on a group of young teenagers who come across the dead body of the series’ titular female cape. Although it’s not an entirely original concept to view the world of superheroes from a normal person’s perspective, Plutona’s approach from a child’s perspective expertly blends in the capes into what’s shaping into a story of change for the title’s main characters.

After a glimpse at the later horror the children will find, the series introduces us to the teens as they go through their morning ritual before school. The five characters (Teddy, Diane, Mie and her younger brother Mike, and Ray) come from drastically different home lives, and each are introduced on their own page, emphasizing the book’s ensemble nature. After an uneventful day at school, the five end up crossing paths again when Mie, Mike and Diane come across Teddy and Ray who are capespotting, a meeting that soon leads to Mike’s disappearance and the discovery of Plutona’s body.

Plutona features some of the most nuanced depiction of young teens that I’ve seen in a comic due to both the script from Jeff Lemire and art from Emi Lenox in the main story (Lemire illustrates a backup about Plutona). Lemire understands the liminal state that adolescence represents, and shows that while the kids are making their way through their teens, they still remain largely innocent. I love how Mie is both a bossy sister as well as a loyal friend to Diane, sticking up for her when Ray insults her for her weight. Although the other kids know Ray only as a minor bully, the reader is introduced to him via a scene where he attempts to wake up his dad for work after what looks like a late-night binge. In this intro to Ray, he’s careful to not upset his father and possibly get a hit similar to the one that gives him a black eye. When the others meet Ray, it’s evident that he’s channeling his rage about his father’s abuse into tormenting others even as Teddy attempts to be kind to him, only to be treated hostilely when he asks Ray about his eye (to which Ray responds was the result of a fight with an older kid). Even something as simple as the kid’s change in vocabulary, cussing just as soon as their out of the presence of adults gives their dialogue authenticity. I’m intrigued to see how each character responds to finding Plutona’s body, and how that will potentially change them.

Like Lemire, Lenox also has a deft handle on kids, providing them with both subtle expressions in moments of inarticulation as well as the exaggerated movements teens use when trying to get their point across. Mie’s opening page quickly establishes her as the most dramatic of the group, as Lenox illustrates her with six different degrees of annoyance when Mie’s mom spoils her after school plans. I also love the detail of Mike being absorbed in his handheld game throughout the majority of this issue, which gives the handheld’s discovery near issue’s end a moment of concern as Mie imagines the worst after Mike walks away from the group.

What Descender is to A.I., Plutona is to Speilberg’s other film Stand By Me. Plutona’s characters may just be average teens, yet the team behind this comic makes the group’s interactions compelling and likable despite their sometimes lame behavior. I hope we find out just what game Mike seems to be obsessing about.

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Score: 4/5

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Plutona #1 Writer: Jeff Lemire Artist: Emi Lenox Colorist: Jorde Bellaire Publisher: Image Comics Price: $2.99 Release Date: 9/2/15 Format: Mini-Series; Print/Digital

Preview: Michael Midas - Champion: Book One

In stores now! As Champion, the crimson guardian of his hometown Urbana Falls, Michael Midas battles vengeful samurai, wicked sorcerers and evil creatures, earning the gratitude f the people he saves—and the heart of Dani, the woman he loves.

But being a superhero doesn’t pay the bills. All of Michael’s super-strength and stamina is defenseless against the daily trials and tribulations of making ends meet. Beneath his colorful costume, he’s another struggling blue collar worker, full of lingering self-doubt about his role as Champion.

Then Michael’s super and civilian identities collide when he’s confronted by Truck, his grade school bully and romantic rival. His long-time nemesis has evolved into an endlessly adaptable, monstrous supervillain, determined to destroy the world—and he’s got the power to do it.

Torn between fulfilling conflicting responsibilities to his family and to mankind, can Michael Midas Champion find the power to fix the problems of his past and save the world?

BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Europe Partnering with FabZat

FabZat today announced its partnership with BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Europe as the exclusive provider of on-demand printing for Tekken Card Tournament trading card packs. Millions of players of the globally successful free-to-play game can collect over 190 physical, rare trading game cards with new characters that may be used to win online battles. Tekken Card Tournament game cards bring real-world crossover to the gameplay through unique QR codes letting players add cards digitally in-game. Additionally, players can take photos with their smartphone and a 3D model of a Tekken character will join in the game through augmented reality. Tatsuya Kubota, Head of Mobile & Web Gaming at BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment S.A.S, said: “We have such a dedicated fan base for the beloved Tekken brand, and by working with FabZat, we’re now able to offer a faster and easier way for our fans to access these rare trading cards to play our popular fighting game.”

Tekken Card Tournament has ranked as a #1 game in the role playing category in the app stores across nearly 150 countries. Through the new partnership, FabZat will provide worldwide fans on iOS and Android with in-app access to purchasing trading card packs for Tekken-style battles. The trading card packs range in price from 6 Booster Packs for $10.99 up to 36 Booster Packs for $49.99.

Florent Pitoun, FabZat CEO and co-founder, said: “We believe we’re the right partner for publishers like BANDAI NAMCO because we provide fans with a streamlined purchase path, along with high-quality merchandise – spanning from 2D merchandise like trading cards, t-shirts and phone covers to 3D printed figures and toys. Moreover, we enable our partners to stay true to their brand, and also bring in a new revenue stream.”

To learn more about FabZat’s market leading in-app merchandising and 3D printing solution visitwww.fabzat.com.

Review: Ninjak #6

Having finally caught up on Ninjak I couldn’t miss the opportunity to review the series again. Frankly I have enjoyed every issue more than our regular reviewer Nick, but that’s the charm of our site; we all have our own books we like and dislike and I prefer to hear the honest truth from someone rather than puckering ass kissing. When the first issue hit I was asked on social media why this book was good. Frankly I wasn’t looking to get deep into the conversation because only fools do such a thing on social media. Now that I’m more in my natural habitat I can go into why Ninjak is a fantastic series that old and new Valiant fans should check out.

Do you like spy novels? Do you like spy movies? Do you hate when they break their own rules and simply become action stories? Well Ninjak never forgets that it’s a spy story. It actually reminds you several times that it is a spy story full of espionage and spy goodies. But it’s not just a very thorough spy story, it’s also a ninja story. It’s a ninja spy story that doesn’t forget that it’s a ninja spy story. Ninjak doesn’t just pick up a gun and shoot someone or bed the closest woman because she’s hot. There aren’t other ninjas after him because he’s betrayed their code or some shit and he needs to protect and bed a woman. There’s no tropes typically associated with either genre and that’s partially what makes it so great.

What I find great about it is Matt Kindt’s writing (see: Mind MGMT #36 also on sale this week) and how he constructs a page. At one point our two characters’ size each other up. Our villain is La Barbe and his tech actually rivals Ninjak’s which I suspect will change after this issue. La Barbe uses his tech to basically list everything Ninjak has and turn it against him. While Ninjak takes inventory of what La Barbe has and does his best to figure out what he’s capable of. There didn’t need to be a breakdown, but it’s far more interesting to see how each character is sized up by the other character.

Before this though, we see Ninjak engage in actual spy techniques of finding La Barbe by talking to locals and chasing rumors. Rumors that prove fruitful. It’s this added touch that shows how well-trained and well-rounded Ninjak/Colin is. It’s authentic to his character and never feels out of place.

The art has switched on this issue and frankly I didn’t think I was going to like it, but Raul Allen is actually a great fit for the book. There’s a pulpy grit to Allen’s style that works with both genres’ at play here. At times it even felt as if Allen was miming Kindt’s art style and I really liked that. Overall Allen is a welcomed edition to this series and that’s not something I thought I would say. In particular I enjoyed his stealth sequences which are always hard to nail in comics.

The backup story also switches art and I kind of liked it better than the previous artist. Stephen Segovia’s style is different from Allen’s so it stands out and makes the story feel as if it’s taking place in the past which is the most important part of the story. Overall the art team switching turned out to be a good thing and not a distraction like it often is in comics.

If you haven’t tried Ninjak then you should. Maybe I’ve sold you on it with this review and maybe I haven’t. Maybe I need to go to social media and explain in 600 words why I like the book and what makes it so good, but maybe you’ll pick it up for yourself and see that the story is wonderfully written and plotted by Matt Kindt and that he works seamlessly with any art team assigned the book to make it a well put together package. It’s a comic that feels a bit like a creator owned series and that’s a damn good thing if you ask me.

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Score: 4/5

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Ninjak #6 Writer: Matt Kindt Artists: Raul Allen, Stephen Segovia Publisher: Valiant Comics Price: $3.99 Release Date: 8/26/15 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital

Review: Godzilla in Hell #2

The King of Kaiju has gone deeper into the underworld, and in this issue he is to face demon versions of his all time great foes. Epic battles will happen, and if you don’t think so, the cheesy caption boxes are there to remind you and tell you exactly what i happening, and that it’s epic. Godzilla, or as he’s referred as this issue, “The Leviathan,” is in the Abyss and walking through the undying doomed city. Right out of the gate (of HELL! no? ok) he faces the flying monster Rodan, and a frozen demon after that. It continues throughout the issue, before Godzilla can catch his breath, another demonized mighty kaiju is there to face him and send him even deeper into the Abyss.

The art from Bob “My art makes Magic: The Gathering super epic” Eggleton is astounding, it nicely contrasts James Stokoe’s art on the first issue, while still maintaining the quality of the work. Using colors sometimes as intense as the fires of hell itself. Eggleton makes every battle look incredibly epic and metal. His depiction of Hell through the usage of painting and classical art reminded me Olivier Ledroit’s art in the French comic Requiem: Vampire Knight. It’s a beautiful sight that could have followed the steps from the first issue and stayed almost silent for the reader to absorb ever panel on its own. Unfortunately it doesn’t stay silent.

Godzilla in Hell #2 reads like a National Geographic documentary made in the turn of the century, two centuries ago. It would sound like an awesome thing if campiness was the intended purpose of the comic, but it’s not. Instead it reads like beautiful pieces of art are given to a high school goth kid to write and letter, the captions are cheesy, on the nose, and the font use makes it an eyesore. to look at. Added to that, page five has one of the ugliest sound effects I have ever seen in a comic in recent years.

Eggleton got too much in the way of his own narrative to allow the story to tell itself. In the afterword of the comic, he shared some of the process of making this comic, which proves to be fascinating when it came to the art of the book, but I wish he could share what went into the writing. He was diving into that bad side of Jack Kirby territory where one reads the caption of what’s happening, then see the panel of what’s happening, and finally whichever character telling the reader what happened. Added to that, the lettering gets in the way of the artwork. There is a beautiful splash page of Godzilla facing the mighty King Ghidorah, and it’s uglied by an unnecessary caption box.

My only hope is that there is a second printing that could follow the lead of the first issue and allow all that beautiful art to stand on its own.

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Score: 3/5

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Godzilla in Hell #2 Story and Art: Bob Eggleton Letterer: Chris Mowry Publisher: IDW Publishing Price: $3.99 Release Date: 8/26/15 Format: Mini-Series; Print/Digital