Review: Justice League #1

Justice League #1

The superstar team of Geoff Johns and Jim Lee provide one hell of a blockbuster start to not only Justice League, but to the new DC Universe as well. This inaugural issue is a landmark in the comic industry for being the first comic released under DC Comics’s day-and-date digital initiative, as well as the first look at the DC Universe post-Flashpoint. Thankfully, more than either of those, it is a prime example of top-notch super hero storytelling. Read the rest at Broken Frontier!

Review: Flashpoint #5

Flashpoint #5

This finale issue picks right up where the last one left off with Thwane finally coming face-to-face with Barry Allen in the middle of a chaotic battle. After some time traveler-speak, a few heartfelt moments, and a lot of running, the Flash arrives in the New DC Universe. For anyone looking for a shocking revelation or a guide to what exactly changed between the old universe and the new, Johns’s story will leave you wanting. Finish reading at Broken Frontier!

Good-bye old DCU! So long, and thanks for all the Aquaman zombie sharks!

My Review Featured on IGN: New Mutants #30

New Mutants #30

Hel is the Norse underworld ruled by Hela, and that is where Dani Moonstar has brazenly traveled to in hopes of saving it from an onslaught of nightmare monsters. Hell (double "L") is the underworld for mortal men and is ruled by Mephisto, and that is where the rest of the New Mutants accidentally wind up when they try to pursue their teammate. They don't know why this happened, but my bet is that it has something to do with that extra "L." Keep reading at IGN!

Review: Ultimate Comics: Ultimates #1

Ultimate Comics: Ultimates #1

Is this the best iteration of The Ultimates to date? It’s too soon to tell, but it certainly has a similar tone to the start of Mark Millar and Brian Hitch’s epic run that went on to be one of the best Marvel stories ever told, a tough feat to accomplish. Hickman has said in interviews that he is looking forward to doing things he could not do in the regular Marvel Universe, but this first issue failed to show any hint of that thinking. Is that a bad thing? With the first issue being a darker twist on the Ultimates with perfect characterization, stunning art, and an intriguing plot, it is hard to say yes. Perhaps the events that will set this story apart from the regular Marvel U are yet to come; perhaps that’s Steve Rogers getting drunk in a bear suit. Read the rest (if you dare) at Broken Frontier!

Review: The Bionic Man #1

The Bionic Man #1

Fans will know the Bionic Man to be the main character of the 1970s TV series The Six Million Dollar Man, which inspired Kevin Smith to write a movie script starring test pilot turned half-robot Steve Austin. After reading the first issue, it is clear that Smith’s version of the character was inspired a little too much by its writer. Check the rest out at Broken Frontier!

Review: Thunderbolts #162

Thunderbolts #162

The second part of this Fear Itself tie-in continues as the Thunderbolts do their best to fight off a load of sea men. I kid you not. Click hear to continue reading at Broken Frontier!

Review: X-Men: Schism #3

X-Men: Schism #3

The X-Men’s biggest guns are defeated, the new pint-sized Hellfire Club incites global unrest, and a young mutant girl is forced to make a decision that will change her life for the worse – and just to think, with all that bad stuff going on, Aaron has yet to reveal the straw that broke the Sentinel’s back. Wolverine and Cyclops still have yet to come to blows, but with such an engaging story rendered in incredibly beautiful artwork, it hardly seems to matter. Read the rest at Broken Frontier!

Review: Baltimore: The Curse Bells #1

Baltimore: The Curse Bells #1

The story follows a gaunt man named Lord Henry Baltimore, who is on the hunt for Haigus – the vampire responsible for his family’s death. Equipped with a long vampire-stabbing spear, a wooden leg, and a permanent grim look on his face, he travels through dark forests and empty towns looking for revenge. Click here to keep reading!

Review: Morning Glories #11 (I finally crack the mystery!)

Morning Glories #11

Ike has proven to be the sleazebag of the cast, always making sexually explicit remarks towards the female characters, bragging about his superior upbringing, and betraying his fellow classmates during the escape attempt. Based on what we have been shown before, watching him behave in a personable manner at the start of the issue proves to be a shock. As the story continues flashing back to show how Ike came into his fortune during a scandal where he was convicted of his father’s murder, the first showings of his crude behavior begin to show. Suddenly the question arises, was he always this outrageous, or is it a front he’s putting on as part of a bigger plan? That’s the kind of mystery I can sink my teeth into because it’s grounded in an interesting character and not giant spinning tops and 14^th century Spanish prisoners. Check out the rest at Broken Frontier!

My Review Featured on IGN: The Stand: The Night Has Come #1

The Stand: The Night Has Come #1

Tension has never been higher as spies Judge and Dayna lose their cover and are subjected to the will of the Dark Man. The first half of the issue deals with Judge as he's pestered by a crow and winds up in a rain-soaked gunfight. Perkins's detailed pencils and Martin's moody colors give the scene true emotional weight; you'll hold your breath as the men talk while pointing guns at each other (not unlike the end scene of Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs), and you'll let your air out to scream when you see what the crow really is. Check out the rest at IGN!

Review: Flashpoint #4

Flashpoint #4

Reading the penultimate issue of Flashpoint made me feel like someone had promised me a great trip and handed me a brochure of all these wonderful places I’d get to see, but never actually took me on the trip. Throughout the entire story, Johns has referenced events highlighted in the many Flashpoint tie-ins, but most of these important events do not occur in the main title and therefore make this installment feel undeserved and hollow. Click here to read the rest at Broken Frontier!

Reviews: Broken Pieces #0 and Snarked #0

Broken Pieces #0

Opening on a biological weapon exploding in a purple mushroom cloud in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico, this preview issue for Broken Pieces created an effective opening hook. However, what follows is a series of unconnected snippets introducing the main players of the story with little hint to what the actual story will be about. Read the rest at Broken Frontier!

Snarked #0

Langridge has an undeniable gift for telling a light-hearted story with interesting characters while making sure to honor the source material, which in this case is “The Walrus and the Carpenter” poem from Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking-Glass. Were he alive today, Carroll would no doubt be pleased to see his poem transformed into an entertaining, humorous, and memorable comic book. Finish reading at Broken Frontier!

New Superman Revealed -- SICKKK!

This looks SICKK! Love love love the eyes, the suit (except for the texture), and the tone of this picture! Let's hope it's better than Sucker Punch and Watchmen Mr. Snyder!

Check out Broken Frontier for a high res pic!

My Review Featured on IGN: Mystic #1

Mystic #1

Lopez's artwork and Fairbairn's colors are comparable to great Disney cartoons such as Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella. It's easy to get lost in a sea of abs and capes in most comics, but Lopez gives each girl subtle and prominent features that look unique and authentic. Fairbairn's colors show off Genevieve's strawberry blond braids and freckled cheeks, which stand in contrast to Giselle's shorter black hair and pointed purple eyes. The girls laugh, cry, roll their eyes, and run away from magical machine dogs with such fluid detail and cinematic paneling that it made me feel like a spellbound child, the same way I did watching my first Disney princess dance across the screen while my father looked on disapprovingly. Check out the rest at IGN!

Review: Warlord of Mars: The Fall of Barsoom #1

Warlord of Mars: The Fall of Barsoom #1

Napton may have created a masterpiece for those familiar with John Carter, but any newcomer would be hard-pressed to see it. Castro’s art feels like a series of still photographs and lacks kinetic energy. Instead of starting this new story off in a way that would attract new fans, it relishes in political debate and scant references to the original John Carter by Edgar Rice Burroughs, making it feel unsettlingly like Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace – a death knell of a comparison. Keep readin'!

Eisners: Nobody Likes Me

Eisners: Nobody Likes Me

I am a big fan of award shows. Oscars, Emmys, Grammys, People’s Choice, MTV Best Kiss, whatever – I love ‘em! Watching an industry’s most talented names gather in a room to pat each other on the back by handing out trophies never ceases to entertain me. While some award shows attempt to maintain artistic integrity (Oscars) and some have sunken so low as to primarily award those with biggest sales (Grammys), there’s no bigger credential for an artist than to win one of these coveted prizes. So with all of the glitz and glam of the aforementioned award shows, why does no one care about the Eisners? Click here to read the rest!