Review: The Untamed #1 (of 7)

Comics are one of the few forms of entertainment that you can take a chance on something without really knowing anything about it. Video games are always highly talked about and even though the experience of playing the game is yours alone to give the final verdict, it’s not quite the same as finding a random comic that is awesome. I came across The Untamed on Panelfly’s digital comic app and couldn’t argue with the price of “Free” attached to it. What I didn’t expect was to become so engaged with this story and to fall in love with its art. The journey home for our main character begins on a boat guided by a familiar face. The two hooded men engage in conversation as they approach the passenger’s destination. The keeper of the boat asks them man how long he was given and we learn that whatever his task, he only has seven days to accomplish it. On land he walks until he reaches a burnt down house in the middle of nowhere. He heads inside and finds a discarded doll that brings tears to his eyes. At nightfall he heads to two graves one marked Jenna and the other Ashani. He uncovers a wrapped sword there and takes it with him to his next destination the town of Oasis.

As he enters the resident’s close up their windows, you see there are only two types of people on the streets after dark in Oasis: stupid people and dangerous people. Our man comes across a gang about to hang a man for reasons unknown. They size up the man with chit-chat as he watches them hang the innocent man. A women runs out of her home to stop them and receives a back hand. She begs for the stranger to stop them, but he just asks where the blacksmith is located. Once at the Blacksmith’s he agrees to fix up the sword for an additional cost due to it being so late in the evening. What the Blacksmith doesn’t bargain for is ending up face to face with a sword and it's owner that should be long gone.

The setting and story are quite the experience. There is a mixture of mythological elements along with J.R.R. Tolkien-esc creatures. Our main character that remains nameless in this issue has a Clint Eastwood “Man Without a Name” feel to him that meshes perfectly with the rest of the world. This is a revenge story in case you missed that and he only has seven days to kill seven souls. There are consequences if he fails, but we haven’t learned about those yet. Revenge stories tend to be very simple, but there are so many cool elements added to this tale that it’s anything but simple. I loved the addition of Elves and just the world in general. It’s hard to explain just how cool the setting is, but it makes it worth reading alone.

The art reminded me of Siegfried which is the highest compliment I can pay it. I’m not sure if it’s digitally colored or all hand painted; whichever it is… it is masterfully executed. The opening pages/panels were so striking that it instantly grabs your attention and sucks you into the world. The stranger’s face is only shown once at the very end of the book, but because of that it becomes a memorable and striking moment. The detail and the coloring are superb and help craft the world giving it a realistic look and feel.

I was so impressed that I instantly downloaded the second issue for this series. I cannot wait until the third issue and will gladly pay the full cost of the book to read it. Finding a book like this is what makes comic books so much fun to read and I hope that everyone will check it out and enjoy it. Even if you have five other comic book apps on your tablet or phone download Panelfly and read this book. It’s well worth it.

Score: 4/5

Writer: Sebastian A. Jones Artist: Peter Bergting Publisher: Stranger Comics Price: Free digitally or $2.99 in print Website: Strangercomics.com

Review: Dames in the Atomic Age – Volume 1

I never grew up reading pulpy Sci-Fi comic books as a kid; mainly because the genre was all but dead in comics during my childhood. It’s the reason that I love books like Dames in the Atomic Age because they bring that genre back into the modern age of comics. Dames is very much a throwback book, taking place in a bygone era and following a familiar formula of storytelling, but as classic as the feel is it's a great modern comic. It’s Thursday night as the narration tells us; our main character Andrew Fisch is remembering the days of his childhood in which his father would take him to the fights… every Thursday night. Fisch is a private eye these days and he's been paid to track down the wife of a very important scientist who went missing. Well he’s found her, but the problem is he’s found her sleeping with his best friend a boxer by the name of Winston. The second problem facing Fisch is the three Russian looking triplets that are also there for the woman. While Winston is in fighting his bout for the night, Fisch is doing his best to stay alive against the three to one odds. It starts to look like Fisch is coming to the end of his life when the woman he’s in charge of finding pulls out a hand cannon and blows the back off of one of the men’s heads off. The other two grab his body and scramble to leave.

After the fight Winston and Fisch drive to his office and have a long talk about the events of the night. Winston is upset because his girl almost got killed while Fisch is just happy to be alive, but more than happy to throw the circumstances of the events back in Winston's face. Once back at his office Fisch shows him the ray gun he picked off the dead man from the alleyway. He uses it to illustrate a point with Winston that he’s in over his head. The two head back to Fisch’s place to see the woman that’s caused so much drama, only to find her captured by the same three men and… her husband.

The comic has a great pacing which keeps the story moving along at rapid-fire. The parallel’s to the opening narrative and the visual are spot on and give the book a classic look and feel. The story gives you a great sense of its main character, but leaves enough out that he’s still a bit of a mystery. It’s perfect because it made me want to read more and explore the character's past. What is really great about the story is the classic Sci-Fi elements used throughout: ray guns, giant ants and so much more. It gives the book a familiar feel, but at the same time makes it very different from other comics on the market. The story has a very transparent formula to it as most Private Eye stories do, but the journey is so well crafted that the formula is only obvious by the time you get to the end.

The story may be set in a bygone era, but the art is very modern. It captures the era and the art style associated with it perfectly. The character designs all have a great throwback look, with square jaws and everyone wearing suits; making it match the setting just right. I personally found the coloring to be one of the strongest elements of the book. It single-handedly gives the book the necessary look for the story.

Dames in the Atomic Age is modern pulp at its best. It’s a hard story not to like and even harder not to enjoy. If you’re like me and missed out on crime-fiction and Sci-Fi comics at their prime then check this book out. It’s very reasonably priced and delivers a complete story that touches on love, friendship and giant ants! Funny story to go along with this, turns out that it’s made by one of my local comic shops, House of Secrets which is one of the best in the L.A. area.

Score: 4/5

Writer: Christopher Ryder Artist: Marc Sandroni Publisher: Art of Fiction Price: $8.95 Website: ArtofFiction.com

Review: Multiple Warheads - Alphabet to Infinity #1

Review by: Ed Allen Brandon Graham has been making quite the name for himself recently. His work as writer (and occasionally artist) of the conceptually stimulating and action packed science-fiction adventure comic Prophet is widely acclaimed as one of the finest new comics of 2012, and the paperback collection of his first major work, the eccentric sci-fi King City, has met with similar praise from critics and fans alike. Following on from this success, Multiple Warheads (Alphabet to Infinity) is Graham’s first solo project since the completion of King City and, in terms of artistic style and storytelling techniques, Multiple Warheads picks up right where King City left off. At this point it’s only fair that I point out that I am a big fan of his previous work, so if this review seems a little too biased in Graham’s favor then you’re free to remain skeptical, but that’s just something we’re going to have to live with.

Multiple Warheads (Alphabet to Infinity) #1 follows Sexica and Nikoli, a young Russian couple from Red City, as they undertake an epic road trip to the “Impossible City” across the vast open expanses of their surreal future motherland. Sexica is a former organ smuggler who inadvertently transformed her boyfriend Nikoli into a werewolf after - and I’m not exaggerating this detail - she grafted a wolf’s penis onto his body (with no notable regrets from either party). In this bizarre future Russia, genetic modification and the harvesting of vital organs from specially grown hosts has become commonplace within the world of organised crime and the nation is ruled over by an interfering and propaganda-spewing state nicknamed “the Krab”.

The issue also introduces Nura, a deadly organ harvester for hire who dispatches her foes with ruthless efficiency, as she embarks upon a mission to recover one of the richest organ-growing clones ever known. In stark contrast to the slow burn of Sexica and Nikoli’s whimsical character moments, Nura’s sections of the issue are fast paced and action packed. We’re yet to see how the plot threads tie together but it’s safe to assume that a collision of the two is inevitable.

Many of the reviews I've seen of King City have said that it was more about its setting than its protagonists and, while I don't think that's entirely correct, such comments do indicate Branon Graham's emphasis on world-building at all times and the leisurely pace of that particular comic. In Multiple Warheads the story moves faster and there's a keener focus on the characters but if you’re unwilling to allow your gaze to linger on each page then you will miss out on so much of what makes this comic work. Graham fleshes out his setting through by the background with details such as advertising, fashion, gadgets, bizarre creatures, graffiti, maps, diagrams, and of course the landscape itself. If you enjoy a good pun (or even the terrible ones) then you’re in luck with Multiple Warheads - there’s at least one on virtually every page, and some are absolutely littered with them (even the comic’s title itself is a pun - I’ll let you figure out what it’s referring to). Graham’s light-hearted humor is a near-constant counterpoint to the weighty themes represented by Sex and Nik - of a passionate young love, dislocation, loss, adulthood, the possibilities offered by travel and their hope for “a smoother life” - as well as the seriousness of Nura’s ice-cold pursuit of her target. Multiple Warheads is a rewarding experience for those who are prepared to take their time with it and at 48 pages it can work out to be a surprisingly long read for a monthly comic.

No discussion of Multiple Warheads would be complete without mention of Brandon Graham’s distinctive artwork. His style is characterized by smooth, narrow, confident lines which give his characters a rounded, lively appearance. There’s something reminiscent of Moebius’s work in the hyper-density of Red City or the grand vistas frequently on show in Multiple Warheads, particularly in the way Graham contrasts patches of intricately detailed fine ink-work with open areas of space to create a sense of vertiginous scale and focus the reader’s eye. Graham has used a palette of muted pastel tones to color the comic which are very easy on the eyes and gives everything a hand-me-down weather-beaten look. Graham's decision to letter the comic by hand also helps to give Multiple Warheads an endearingly personal feel and allows him to affect the intonation of his dialogue or create sounds in his own way.

Those of you who are already fans of Brandon Graham’s previous work shouldn’t need much encouragement to give Multiple Warheads (Alphabet to Infinity) #1 a try; the rich imagination we’ve come to expect from Graham is hard at work and his artwork has never looked better. If you haven’t already encountered his comics then this issue is the perfect place to start. Multiple Warheads is a charming comic, one which features high adventure and a scattering of madcap concepts yet remains (relatively) grounded by a knowing sense of humor. I can promise you that this comic will be unlike anything else you read this month and I can’t wait to read next month’s installment. Highly recommended.

Score: 5/5

Writer/Artist: Brandon Graham Publisher: Image Comics Price: $3.99 Release Date: 10/24/12

Review: Deadhorse #6

There was something truly magical about the last issue of this series which sets the bar pretty high here. The thing is this issue has a clear goal in mind and that’s to wrap up the first story arc, which it does perfectly with a bow and everything. It has a great season finale feel to it as just enough questions are answered, but the stage is set for the next round of mysteries. There seems to be a theme for each of the story arcs and the there is an obvious one established for the next arc with this issue as well. After learning nothing particularly useful from the Professor he came to see Pike sets out to look for his missing friends. He’s following the three sets of foot prints that lead to cave with a set of stairs. All the while his narration confirms exactly what the reader is going through in that Pike only has more questions that need to be answered. He finds Sasquatch interrogating his friends in a strange temple set above a whirlpool. Edgar and Elise are tied up and giving Sasquatch a hard time. Elise suggests to Sasquatch that if he were to take his mask off they could understand him better which pisses him off even more. As Sasquatch excuses himself to the bathroom, Pike attempts a daring rescue by scaling down a rope to where the two are tied… he’s not a fast climber.

Pike continues to be a very charming aspect of the story. He almost doesn’t need the supporting cast, but they play their roles. Edgar has become severely under developed and I’m beginning to wonder what his importance to the story is. I like him as comedic relief, but there needs to be more to him. Pike and Elise’s relationship is kind of strange and I don’t know if it’s an older brother/sister thing or a father/daughter thing, but there is something going on there. I doubt its romantic due to the age gap.

The issue does a great job of wrapping of the storyline. The dialog continues to be very strong and Pike has developed into a worthy main character to follow. He’s come so far from the man that was scared of a cockroach on a toilet seat in the first issue and I think that it’s been a seamless transition for both the character and the reader. The ending is incredibly strong and I can’t wait to read the second series and see what the “premiere” will have for us.

For once I don’t feel like Tony the Tiger when talking about the art as there are some new developments in this issue. There is a scene with Pike where he quickly moves around Sasquatch and it was just kind of cool. Sure it doesn’t play out the way Pike wants it to, but it gave him a lot of extra personality and showed a real change in his demeanour. The use of onomatopoeias in the issue were fantastic. They're always just at the right moment and add so much personality to the story. There are several in this issue and they all are very effective.

I can’t compare this issue to the last as they are very different issues. All I can say is that the ending to “Dead Birds” is fitting for the series and doesn’t disappoint. We’ve gotten down the mountain only to find another to climb, but because the first was so rewarding we’re willing to climb again. The sixth issue does exactly what it should and that’s to entice you to come back for the next and even if we have to wait patiently I think it will be worth it.

Score: 4/5

Writer: Eric Grissom Artist: Phil Sloan Colors: David Halvorson Publisher: 215 Ink Price: $3.99 Release Date: 10/31/12

Review: Happy! #2

I called it. I know that I just read the last issue a few days ago, but I totally called it and you’ll have to read my review to understand what I’m talking about. This issue is about the same from the first issue. Same out of place swearing, great violence, but now our main character is a bit more unlikable. Happy the Horse manages to be pretty damn annoying as well, but still cute as a button and keeps the plot moving foward for the most part. Smoothie and his team are heading to Nick’s room where the drugs they gave him have started to take effect. Happy shouts in his ear to wake him up just as the door opens and Nick goes off on the group of people. It’s violent and bloody and definitely a great way to open the scene. You’ll probably notice that Nick has a double chin and has gained a lot of weight from the last issue, but we’ll get back to that later. After killing or maiming everyone in sight, Nick heads down to the lobby of the hospital and grabs a pot of coffee… and pants. He heads outside to find Maireadh waiting for him. She asks for the password and Nick tells her to fuck off and that there is no password.

As I said the story is about the same as the last nothing better or worse. There are two very typical story devices being used in this issue and I think that’s what is keeping the book from being great. The first one is that we all know that Nick killed the guy before getting the password and now we have to tolerate everyone chasing him for something he doesn’t have. It’s something that could be ended with a five minute phone call, but some jackass mobster assumed he knew something and now an entire city is chasing the main character. It’s a bit dumb really. The second is that we spend the second half of the issue proving that Happy is real to Nick only to have him be a total cocksucker. It really makes this issue only worth reading once.

The art is still good and Robertson has taken his time yet again with the amount of detail. His monthly work on The Boys had several issues that struggled with consistency, but that’s not the case here. What I couldn’t get over was why Nick was suddenly fatter. Not that it changed my view of the character, but it was very noticeable. The second page is basically the same as the last page in the first issue, but with a fatter Nick. I don’t know maybe he’s like Tim Allen in Santa Clause and getting fatter or something. Whatever the case it was distracting.

If you liked the first issue there is no reason not to finish the series and we can all basically expect it to be about the same from the beginning to end. More than likely our main character will die saving the little girl and if he doesn’t it might actually be surprising. Otherwise it’s an average book with top tier talent working on it. On the plus side the word “Fuck” is only used thirty-nine times in this issue.

Score: 3/5

Writer: Grant Morrison Artist: Darick Robertson Publisher: Image Comics Price: $2.99 Release Date: 10/31/12

Review: Higher Earth #6

When I found out that this series was cancelled I was a bit surprised and disappointed. Especially after how mediocre the last issue was it just seemed like another blow to the chest. Knowing that there was no possible way of the last issues story continuing, I was actually looking forward to this issue. With a cancellation looming how could it not be the best of the best? How could it not be? How. Could. It. Not. Be. The book opens up sometime in the past and really gives minimal effort in explaining at what point in time it’s happening at which has been an ongoing problem with the series. Rex is being forced to watch the death of Nazrin one of the many parallel versions of Heidi and the Higher Earth Queen. He’s been captured and branded a traitor for helping her as she attempted to overthrow the Higher Earth system.

Cut to the present and Heidi and Rex are already engaged in a war and Rex is still missing his arm. His timeline signature has been erased by Sloan and so he’s barely alive. Heidi and two guys that like to make out named “The Twins” have been sent to get the flowers shown in the last issue and also another of Rex’s counterparts named Slug… so they can take his arm and give it to Rex. Shh, don't tell Slug he doesn't know.

I think the saddest part of this issue is the fact that it doesn’t even try to connect to the rest of the story. It not only fails to pick up from the fourth issue, but then the only real reference it makes to the fifth issue is the flowers and the first Queen. There has been a consistent storytelling device in which from issue to issue the plot will jump forward, but after the huge break from the story it would have been nice if it hadn’t jumped so far ahead. Literally it felt as if it just didn’t care if the reader was able to keep up and that just leaves tons of pointless easy questions that could have been answered. Character development in this issue? Zero. Rex and Heidi have somehow developed a father and daughter style of relationship that just feels awkward and out of place. Everything special about this series is gone and what’s left is just the beginning of the end.

The art is the art. Nothing has changed and the month off didn’t seem to help any considering the coloring is still the weakest part of it. Everything that was good or bad about issue one through four is still here. The thing that kills me about the art is that more than likely this issue was drawn before the announcement of the cancellation and its still suffers from the same problems. Lastly, four covers is overkill for this series and none of the four are that good.

I was disappointed by the cancellation of this series, but after reading this issue I don’t even know if I will bother with the rest of the series. Everything seems like it was just phoned in and dumped on someone else’s lap to finish. The writer didn’t want to finish it, the editors couldn’t figure out what they were looking at, the artist was too in love with their own style to improve and the colorist just used the paint bucket to color the page. I really have to wonder what the hell happened with this series that was so promising from the beginning and then really hooked me in with the fourth issue? Where the hell is that series because I would like to finish reading it; this series on the other hand couldn’t end fast enough.

Score: 2/5

Writer: Sam Humphries Artist: Francesco Biagini Publisher: Boom Studios Price: $3.99 Release Date: 10/31/12

Here's The Green Lantern Kia... Soul

Admittedly the Batman Kia was pretty cool for what it was. Obviously it was mostly a paint job and custom grill, but it was pretty cool. This Green Lantern Kia Soul on the other hand is a bit... ugly. The Soul is already an ugly as car, but light spectrum of Will Power isn't a very good fit for it. They really should have gone with a darker green on the outside and there is no way those tinted windows are street legal! Good thing it's all just for charity. More pics after the jump.

Source: The Blog of OA

Discover The Science Behind Being A Superhero

Well the good news is that if any stereotypical comic fan was ever connected to the Flash Force they'd be able to run for a least a day or two before having to eat. Also why the hell does Batman even need to be on roof tops? All the assholes he fights are on the street and the awkwardness of the different roof designs and heights seems as if it would slow him down more than anything. So give up the dream nerds it's never going to happen according to science. Now magic on the other hand...

Source: AllFancyDress.com

It's Halloween... Put Your Pet In A Costume Already Would You

After taking an internet pit-stop at Reddit and seeing a bunch of people only brave enough to dress up as a superhero for Halloween (yeah I said), I decided I was tired of seeing Superman and Wonder Woman couples. Well I still want to see Halloween costumes so I had to make a decision... I would rather look at dogs in costumes than you in a costume. It's nothing personal, but if it's not a con or hardcore cosplay I just can't be bothered. You understand I'm sure and without further ado... pets+costumes=animal cruelty better than you.

At this point you're probably noticing that these costumes kind of suck and do not make the pets look cute at all... well, now you've got your homework! Do better next year so that we all have cute pet photos to look at! Now back to the pics.

This Kicks All Kinds Of Ass: The Wolverine Teaser Poster

Whoomp there it is, I thought ya' knew!

Go Ahead And Sample Some Of ADHD's Axe Cop Animated Series

The best thing about this, other than it being Axe Cop is that Nick "The Only Reason To Watch Parks And Recreation" Offerman sounds like he's the voice talent. Here's hoping that it still has a spot on Fox's upcoming Animation Domination High Def when if official rolls around next year. You know because they love to cancel shit all the time for no reason. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fkh6IZdPp98

Episode 53: Boot Party On Little Timmy

This week the CBMFP team talks about Matty Vaughn bouncing on the latest X-Men flick. I talk uncalled for shit about Bryan Singer and his work. Clark Kent walks away from the paper game in case you didn’t know. The Batmobile tour is a thing that is coming to your town comic book/football lover…maybe. Comic wise, we cover: Sleepy Hollow, Bedlam, Happy!, Swerve, Wolverine’s Max Book, Killogy and then some. CPMFP is GO!

Episode 52: I Best Go Get A New One

Wow there sure is a lot of news this week. Crossed is becoming a movie, Romero is going to be writing something for Marvel, Boom’s Higher Earth is over, DC shows off the last of their Premier line with Flash Point and Superman. Whew, all of that and so much more! The books that get discussed are Black Mass, With the Earth above Us, Friends with Boys, Doctor Muscles, Superman Earth One vol. 2 and more. CBMFP is GO!

Review: Friends With Boys (OGN)

The title of this series is a bit misleading. From the sounds of it, it should be about a girl that’s friends with a lot of boys and lost hopelessly in a sea of romantic problems. Instead this book is about a girl that’s friends with her brothers and haunted by the spirit of a woman who died in the nineteenth century. It’s become one of my favorite stories of the year and I look forward to re-reading it yearly as it has a timeless classic feel to it, but will secretly hope that another volume will follow eventually. Its Maggie’s first day of school… ever. She’s starting high school after being homeschooled up until this point in her life. She’s a nervous wreck, but excited at the same time; that is until she sees a family photo. Maggie was homeschooled by her mom, but when she was enrolled in high school her mom up and left the family. Now her dad, the town’s sheriff is left to raise Maggie and her three older brothers: Daniel, Lloyd and Zander (the twins). Maggie asks if her brothers will walk to school with her, but they decline saying it’s a rite of passage that they all had to go through. Nervously Maggie leaves for school… alone. She cuts through the cemetery on her way and is startled by the ghost that’s haunted her since she was a child. She yells at the ghost and tells her to go away because she can’t bring a ghost with her on the first day of school, but then as she’s leaving she asks the ghost to wish her luck.

At school Maggie freaks out and begins thinking of her days with her mom. She gets to the point where she gives up and heads outside. Daniel comes up to her and checks in with her. She vents on him proclaiming that she can’t do it. Daniel reassures her and helps her to class and reassures her once more. Slowly but surely she gets the hang of school and even makes a few friends along the way.

When you have a large graphic novel the thing that is the most important is the pacing. If the story drags or the scenes become long-winded for the sake of page filler then it can be unbearable for the reader. The single greatest thing about this story is the pacing. It has the perfect flow of fast and slow and I ended up reading it in one sitting and within thirty to forty minutes at the most. The characters are charming and memorable. Maggie is the coolest and cutest girl who probably never went to your high school; she sure as hell wasn’t at mine as I still have to explain what Alien the movie is to people of both genders.

Hicks’ story is well-balanced with great character development and while it has a great conclusion, it’s left open for the story to continue. The mystery of the ghost and Maggie’s mother are long running themes that can play along with Maggie’s development as she continues to learn how to socialize.

The art is very impressive and Hicks’ style is the perfect fit for the plot. With the first page I was hooked on her art style. The page layouts are creative and make the story visually gripping. Hicks does a fantastic job of telling the story as much visually as she does with the story and dialog. The characters facial expressions and body language make them come to life off the page and gives them real personality. The last thing that is impressive about the art is the background detail. Each panel is consistently detailed and gives the book a great consistent look, but also makes the town and school come to life. Maggie is awesome and worthy of being plastered on T-Shirts and fan tattoos.

This book was incredible and really stayed with me after reading it. The other incredible thing it did was make me want to read more and more. In fact I read two more graphic novels right after this one because I was amped after this story. I really hope that there is another volume because I’m dying to continue the characters story. It may sound a bit weird, but this book is my new Scott Pilgrim. Sure they’re very different genres and styles of storytelling, but it has that timeless feel to it that makes you want to read it over and over. Do yourself a favor and buy this book, it’s worth it and is sure to show up on my personal picks for the end of the year.

Score: 5/5

Writer/Artist/Creator: Faith Erin Hicks Publisher: First Second Price: $15.99 Website: Firstsecondbooks.com and you can read a preview on their site as well.

Review: Mind MGMT #6

I love stories that don’t have a happy ending as long as there is some kind of payoff or rewarding end to the story. Sure it’s nice to have a “we’re all good” style of ending, but Mind MGMT has been anything but carefree and happy. The first story arc or book one of the series comes to a conclusion and it’s one that you’re not likely to forget. The immortals are upon Meru and Henry just as he’s confessed his dark secret to Meru. He’s responsible for her entire life as her family was in Zanzibar during Henry’s melt down and she was the sole survivor of it. Meru shoots one of the Immortals in the eye as they climb aboard their small boat, but being immortal they continue on. Henry invades their minds and sends them falling into the river to lie at the bottom. Meru is furious as she discovers the truth about her life and doesn’t know if she should kill Henry or finish hearing the story about her life being totally jacked. She decides to continue, but Henry can see that she’s changing and becoming something different.

This issue wraps up all of the mysteries that have been surrounding the series from the beginning, but does it really? That’s the beauty of this issue is that it reveals that we’ve all been fooled. This book was never about finding Henry Lyme, or following Meru on her journey to unwrap the mystery of the amnesia flight. It was all just Lyme’s confession as found his 0000… and it was spectacular. When Meru’s aura is red and fire like, I felt her pain and betrayal because in a way I was betrayed as well. As much as I loved this issue and series it still stabbed me in the heart as it flipped the script, but it was magical. Kindt finds a way to perfectly wrap up the story arc and in a way start the entire story over from the same beginning. It was a total mind fuck.

The art as always is fantastic and I love Kindt’s style. It fits his storytelling so well that reading other stories without his art is almost inhumane. The scene with Meru is definitely the most powerful scene in the entire issue and says more on the page than the captions ever could hope to.  There is another page to discuss; the scene with the close up on Henry. It’s a great scene as it caps off his confession, but there is something intentionally misleading about the art. In the top panel Henry’s right eye is blue and left eye is green; then the eye color switches in the next panel and then back again in the final panel. It’s strange, but it’s almost there to see if you’re paying attention.

This was a great ending and I hope that there is more to come and soon. If there’s not then at least some one-shots expanding the world more in the meantime would be great. Matt Kindt’s career in comics is just getting started really, but Mind MGMT will forever be a series tied to his name no matter what he works on. Nerds and comic readers will bring him up and someone will say, “Did you read Mind MGMT? It’s amazing” and you know what… they’ll be absolutely correct in that statement.

Score: 5/5

Writer/Artist/Creator: Matt Kindt Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Price: $3.99 Release Date: 10/17/12

Review: Identity Thief (OGN)

If there is one thing the comic industry needs its new horror ideas. Identity Thief is a very new idea and while it’s more of a suspense thriller than a horror story, the possibility to expand on the world is what makes it interesting. That really is the only problem with this graphic novel is that it feels like the beginning of a series rather than a one-off story. Craig has moved across country to live with his girlfriend in LA. He’s had a bit of a troubled past and so he’s trying to start over away from anyone he knows. Since his girlfriend is supporting him he spends a lot of time working on his art at their new apartment. When they move in Craig notices an attic access panel in the hallway of the apartment. He wonders where it leads, but the real question he should be asking is what’s up there. After a day or so when the couple is asleep a strange creature comes down from the attic and begins looking around the apartment. It mostly goes through Craig’s things, but is quick to return to the attic before being discovered. Things continue to get weird until the creature in the attic causes a huge blow out between the couple.

The story is pretty straightforward and honestly a bit too long for the basic payoff at the end. The tension created at the beginning defuses as the story goes on which is unfortunate because the story could have been fast paced and well-balanced otherwise. It would have made a great single issue rather than a short graphic novel. The character development is also a bit weak; when Craig flies off at the handle it comes across very out of character for him at that point in the story.

I loved the art style of the book. It’s great for the creepiness and if the story had been tighter the art would have been scary as shit at times; as it is though we spend too much time with the creature for it to continue to be creepy. There are some great scenes especially towards the end of the book that are very cool and in general the art was a great fit for the story.

I liked the issues, but again I think it was longer than it needed to be and that hurt it. What I loved about it was that it’s open to more versions of the same story just with different characters in the lead roles. That simple start could spin it off into a world encompassing story would be the ultimate pay off for the idea. It’s a good solid start, but it would be a shame to leave the story here.

Score: 3/5

Writer: Bryant Dillion Artist: Meaghah O'Keefe Publisher: Fanboy Comics Price: $11.99 Website: Fanboycomics.net

Episode 51: You Don't Know--She's Bionic Dude

It was New New York Comic Con this weekend and so we had a ton of news to cover. We hit up just about every companies list of announcements ranging from: Dark Horse, Oni Press, Dynamite and IDW. Marvel and DC were dancing around their announcements at the time of recording so you'll have to check back next week for that. We also have a special guest stop by that we totally told you about last week. Jonathan Swinney from Pinwheel Press stops in to talk about their comic Man of God and gives a lot of great insight into what it takes for an independent comic company to get its start. We only talk about a few books this week including: BloodShot #4, Utopiates and Anti #2. CBMFP is GO!

Episode 50: Buy A Lotto Ticket The Same Day

Episode Fifty of the CBMFP brings you some comic porn parody with Superman Vs. Spider-man XXX. Then it’s off to the topic of The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys and its upcoming comic. After that we go over a few things that you can expect at upcoming NYCC ‘12. Comic wise, we cove a little bit of Hit-Girl #3, Dead Man’s Party, Craftsman Bolt-On System Saves the Justice League #1 and Man of God. CBMFP turns fifty and it is GO!