wizard is Oz: March 2012

Thursday, March 29, 2012

On the Cover: Sean Phillips

Sean Phillips is the consummate artist. a 25 year veteran in the comics industry, phillips has provided work for 2000ad, WildC.A.T.S., Marvel Zombies, most of Ed Brubaker's creator owned work and a whole host of others. Brubaker, unlike many of his contemporaries, is dedicated to improving his craft, taking lessons and experimenting with style. His covers reflect this, and while they lean towards a painted aesthetic, there is a real sense of progress.

Review: BPRD Hell On Earth - The Pickens County Horror #1

Another month, another BPRD mini series. I am really enjoying the frequency in which these minis have been coming out lately. It used to seem like there was a month in between mini series, and now I don't think there is any break between minis and it keeps the momentum going. Check out a showcase of his work after the jump!

This month we get the start of a fog filled, fungus infecting, vampire story.

Review: Angel and Faith #8

I feel that this arc had gone on a little bit long. It started out great but I just felt a little stretched out reading this issue. It's probably just me, but I felt that the things that Faith's dad had to say was already established in a previous issue. Still though, like the developments that occurred near the end. Will there be more to this? I think so. Will the subplot involving Drusilla end? I hope so. I really like this series to move on..move forward to greater story beats like Angel's attempt to resurrect Giles, and the runaway slayer with survivor's guilt issues.

Cover Girls is a collection of art from Image comics showcasing the work of Guillem March. I know March mostly from his work on “Gotham City Sirens” and “Catwoman” both books I found great joy in largely in part to their great distinct art styles with a nod to the feminine esthetic. Usually comics are drawn as men would like to see them while Guillem March found a way to showcase the sexyness of the female form while keeping it soft and feminine. I suppose you would say it wasn’t quite as obnoxious as many female superhero books may be these days.

In this issue of the Walking Dead we find Rick and his crew finally making it to Jesus’ community. Strange enough things don’t go as planned but maybe not in the way you would expect. Kirkman and his team do a lovely job setting up this issue it has hope, shock and awe with a zombie twist.

The way this issue is set up is very similar to the walking dead in itself it sets the reader up with a momentary sense of security and then rips

Everyone should try out a comic like “Alpha Girl” to me this is a comic that pushes my limits and I really think that it is important for people to consider and test their bounds when reading comics or books in general. You may not like everything you try out but you will find more stories you can connect with in different ways. I’m glad that I decided to read “Alpha Girl” because it’s a fun expressive story with just the right amount of offensive humor.

Wow, this issue should be re-titled as “Answers and Revelations part 1” it may seem quite laid back on the surface but if you have been following the series you will know that when Spencer decides to give you a hint or a clue it can be very modest and often goes unnoticed at first read. This issue has none of that in contrast the answers given are quite blatant and in your face mix that with the laid back tone of the book and the fabulous as ever Joe Eisma art and this is one hell of an issue.

Creator Roundup

This week, Dan Hipp joins the games, Terry Moore paints, Fabio Moon does fashion, Ben Templesmith bears his teeth, Jamie McKelvie talks Captain Marvel, Eric Canete makes shark soup, Peter Nguyen tries something new, Mike Mignola talks about sleeping, Becky Cloonan talks about her past and process, Francesco Francavilla puts a robot head on a giant gorilla and Craig Thompson sketches from a film.

Every Monday I share my 48 issue pull list, justifying why I buy each comic and throwing in some interior art. This week Is all Dark Horse, as I discuss the 8 titles i pick up from them - Angel and Faith, B.P.R.D., Buffy Season 9, Conan the Barbarian, Dark Horse Presents, The Goon, Lobster Johnson and Usagi Yojimbo.

Top 5: Costume Re-designs

This week, we count down the top 5 superhero costume redesigns, as voted by members of the facebook group.

The rules stated that the costume must belong to a superhero and must be different to their original costume.
As always, the very nature of lists means that absolutely no one will agree with it, but feel free to voice your opinions in the comments.
See the countdown HERE.

Described as a ‘speculative memoir’, cartoonist Bob Fingerman’s From the Ashes predicts the future and makes the end of the world a hilarious satire. Set in the smouldering ruins of Manhattan after an unknown but not unexpected disaster, the story follows Bob and his wife Michelle. They journey through a post apocalyptic New York, encountering cannibal foodies, friendly neighborhood mutants and reproduction camps run by ‘Rile O’Biley’. Apocalyptic literature often takes itself way too seriously (read: The Road by Cormac McCarthy) but Fingerman’s cheeky satire is bang on the money.

On the Cover: Amnda Conner

Irish American Amanda Conner began her career doing interiors for Archie, and has developed into an outstanding artist. Conner, the wife of top comics scribe Jimmy Palmiotti, has a quirky, comedic style. While all her figures tend to be proportionally correct, their is a real sense of stylisation, largley due to the whimsical nature of her illustrations. Check out some of her work after the jump!

Review: Rebel Blood #1

Riley Rossmo and Alex Link craft a psychological thriller with an apocalyptic horror feel reminiscent of THE WALKING DEAD. I can see Guy Pearce here…and I don’t know why. It’s a mind-bender with hallucinations, flashbacks, thoughts, images and seeped into all this is comfortably evocative art that provokes the angst of the story. It’s a tale draped in woe and with this agony, you get a tense feel, a cold vibe that things aren’t what they seem. The duplicity isn’t mundane as most books would have. It’s quite contrary. The deceit here feels like the protagonist is way over his head or as I assume…out of it.

Jay Faerber and Simone Guglielmini have impressed thoroughly on plot/art respectively in issues 1-5 but here it seems like a contrite effort to build tenuously on the previous core and book foundation while scoping the past criminal works of Ed Brubaker. I don’t find this issue appalling but it didn’t enthrall as much when Markham comes to LA to help a dame. It’s nice to see Markham not on top his game as before as we get that humanity and human error needed to make him relatable and believable. The story is enveloped nicely by the fact that it’s a ticking timebomb for Markham as he repents and tries to score good points for heaven.

This is my favourite book of March. I love Angelo’s ghoulish yet sentimental feel while Jordan’s art is grisly yet telling as can be. They fit each other perfectly. Dee investigates the death of her parents in Kansas under duress and such dire circumstances are not bereft of mystery and intrigue. With a WIZARD OF OZ spin, I didn’t expect to see the flying monkey monstrosity emerge so early but with the other elements from the tale yet to be woven, I cannot wait to see the threads spun. What Dee literally unearths of her parents is quite a shocker and it makes you wonder whether it’s a cover-up or is it something that’s just plain unexplainable.

There is nothing that can lift your spirits or put a smile on your face like a visit with Charlie Brown and his group of friends. I know throughout my childhood I always found comfort knowing that even as things may change as we grow that the Peanuts gang would always be the same hysterical group they have always been. I haven’t really tried out the comics up until this point but I’m rather happy I did.

The characters are still there playing the ways we’re used to Lucy is bossy as ever while her brother Linus is timid but of strong will and poor

Ragemoor is the story of a living monolith; its current form is that of a castle. The Castle Ragemoor seems to have some holding over its inhabitants and reacts according to their actions. The story is written by Jan Strnad with art by Richard Corban.

The issue opens like old scary movies with an introduction to the origin of Ragemoor and the effects it’s having on its current owners. The writing is very creepy and the old English vernacular helps to add to the eerie effect of storytelling!

Robert Kirkman and Jason Howard have created one of the most fun all ages comics out right now. I mean what is not to love about this book? It has a T-Rex with mech arms and missiles, dinosaur men, a kid, Derek, who we all wish we could have been, smart, capable and most importantly, friends with a talking dinosaur.

This issues, like the ones that came before it, is a blast.

Last issue's firey conclusion is dealt with, man's attack on the City Tree throwing the apes into chaos. Bako tries to find and rescue Sully, the mayor and hopefully her new born son from Voice Alaya. But as with most things in life, things take a turn for the worse. As the Mayor tries to make her escape, her companion Bako tries to find her baby who was in the City Tree when a zeppelin was crashed into it last issue. Fire is everywhere. And so are the apes. As Sully and her monk companion flee, Bako rises higher and higher to locate the new born and both run into unexpected trouble.

I am enamoured with Ian Gibson's art. One of the most beautiful artwork that I've bet seen in comics and no, I am not hyping that up. The man is extremely talented and deserves more work in the future. Also, this issue has an extensive dose of typical Morrison quirkiness. And the way that he wrote this particular issue, it was very fast paced and was rather a quick read ( that is if you avoid gawking at the art) anyway, this issue threw me off a little bit as it feels like I am reading an issue of ....Batman. The villains, at least in my opinion, acteda little...campy. Riddler, Mad Hatter and Ras Al'Ghul all come to mind.

I really love this new direction that witch lade has taken. Her being out of her comfort zone and working as a private eye would be far more flexible to use in future arcs. This is the acid test for the new creative team and so far, I really feel that they have lived up to the standards set by previous creators...if not surpassed it.

Writing wise, perfect.

I dug this book but i feel a little...disappointed with this issue. Done get me wrong, the writing is great and enjoyable. The art from Jann Duursema is nothing short of spectacular, but reading this kind of feels like I missed an issue, which I didn't. It lacked a little bit of development as it seems that most of the main players know of each others existence already. It's a little distracting as I was reading the title but the story beats keep pulling me in. The events in this issue makes me a bit more curious and excited for what's to come.

The casino heist is a bit rushed here but the lack of exposition is made up for with banter and action sequences by Bradshaw that warms the title. He surpasses my expectations. This arc, while left-field, threw me for a loop as it seemed forced but still, protruded a sense of fun. I got acclimatized to Bradshaw’s art and he kept the pace intact to match Aaron’s grit. It’s a lusty issue this but I was thrown off by QQ using a method and procedure a la Green Lantern and Psylocke with his powers and mirroring existent heroes turned me off. Aaron slightly felt off on this seed but the plot thickened well with the Broo arc and the Kitty dynamic.

Fantasy Warfare: Round 6

Better than finding the exact card you need in a Magic: The Gathering booster pack(and almost as good as, y’know, actual social interactions), it’s Fantasy Warfare! Damn, Round 6 is here! The zamboni’s just finished clean-up, so everything’s nice and shiny(and lemony fresh), which means it’s perfect time…to FIGHT!!!

This week, Dan Hipp tells a joke, Terry Moore shows of a tat, Jamie McKelvie is a marvel, Joe Hill sits in a chair, Bryan Lee O'Malley scribbles, Brian Wood makes history, Fabio Moon, Francesco Francavilla, Dustin Weaver, Rafael Albuguerque, Mike Allred and Brandon Graham pay tribut to Moebius, Sean Phillips takes an art class, Phil Noto gets his claws out, Eric Canete draws an Egyptian and Peter Nguyen goes to Rome.

Why I Buy: One Nerd's Pull List Part 1

Every Monday for the next 5 weeks, I will be sharing my 48 issue pull list, justifying why I buy each comic and throwing in some interior art. This week I discuss 7 issues - 2000ad, Rachel Rising, Fathom, Irredeemable, Incorruptible, Valen the Outcast and RASL.

When Ethan Nicolle, then 29, created a crazy and unique web comic with his little brother Malachai (5 years old at the time), He had absolutely know idea what a huge success he had on his hands. Axe Cop went viral and became a hit. The Nicolle brothers formed a partnership with Dark Horse, Who are about to publish the third collected edition of Axe Cop comics. I caught up with Ethan to discuss fame, web comics and the future.

Renaldo's Reviews: Fury's Big Week #6, Avengers Assemble #1, Battle Scars #5, Superior #7

Avengers Prelude – Fury’s Big Week #6 –

Yost/Pearson are simple but effective on story/art. Here we get insight into what became of the Destroyer and Samuel Sterns as well as gain leverage into the further machinations of Barton and Widow. It’s all about SHIELD and it’s quite prudent a tie-in. It continues to fill in gaps and lend towards potential HULK/THOR sequels and it’s a tapestry of cut-scenes/after-credits from the movies. Like I said…simple, short and sweet. Delectable! (9/10)

Saucer Country # 1 –

Cornell sculpts a psychological thriller here that had me jumping from abortion to psychosis to drugs to depression, when it came to analyzing the cusp plot of this issue. Not once did aliens seem to hover in mind and while the story isn’t as coherent as I thought it could have been , while the only real character development we get is the main political candidate and not the other equally intriguing foils in the book, Cornell wraps over the Brit hogwash with a strict, sturdy and keenly robust analysis of the American political system.

Kurtis Wiebe and Riley Rossmo’s Green Wake was one of the creepiest, visually interesting and engaging comics on the stands. With it’s premature cancellation due to low sales, now is the perfect time to support creator-owned material and check out Volume 1. The first trade follows the original five-issue miniseries before it was promoted to an ongoing. The story centers around a kind of strange purgatory known as Green Wake. Its mysterious inhabitants have little desire to escape the nowhere place; instead, they have resigned to their existence in a world that’s neither here nor there.

This week, we count down the top 5 comic book police, as voted by members of the facebook group.

The rules stated that the military don't count, and so the Green Lantern Corps don't count. Jedi do count.
As always, the very nature of lists means that absolutely no one will agree with it, but feel free to voice your opinions in the comments.
See the countdown HERE.

Renaldo's Reviews: Saga #1, Dark Matter #3, Exile from the Planet of the Apes #1, Strain #4, Conan #1-2

Saga # 1 –

BKV is at his literary best here and as a fan of his Runaways, it’s such a tasty offering. The casual, nonchalant yet profane vibe tossed into the intergalactic couple on the run makes for exciting pages. It’s all Romeo and Juliet…plus a baby…meets Star Wars. There’s enough mystery steeped into the Bonne and Clyde vibe as we see star-crossed lovers (literally) running from the law to protect their child. The child’s narrative adds a nice blend of guile and intrigue as you wonder how her journey went. It’s a girl I may add. There are a lot of sexual connotations involved but wondering how the narrator went from being a baby to actually documenting this title is journalistic gold.

On the Cover: Mike Mignola

Alan Moore once wrote that Mignola's style was "German expressionism meets Jack Kirby". Throw in a little Alex Tooth, and you've got it. Bold lines, High contrast, and effective use of negitive space dominate his covers. Mignola somehow manages to make his designs wonderfully detailed and strikingly minimalist at the same time. Check out a showcase of his work after the jump!

Born and Raised in Victoria, BC, Simon Roy has a talent beyond his years. in 2009 he started work on his first major comics project, a creator owned story called Jan's Atomic Heart. He is currently illustrating the Brandon Graham penned book Prophet, For Image Comics. Dr Peter caught up with him to discuss prophet's success, working with Graham and taking over a Rob Liefeld book.

De la Torre’s art has impressed be since Daredevil as I find that dark, dystopian style a la Alex Maleev. Lapham is a good writer but while I never found him lasting to my taste, this issue here builds well on Remender’s AoA run-in with X-Force and what we get is a well-woven tapestry that connects the old AoA with Remender threads and new crannies made by Lapham. The cast is well-rotated with Jean, Sabretooth, Wolverine and Prophet all proving to be key facets. It’s perfectly orchestrated and while there is no over-elaboration into Bolivar Trask and Azazel

This story by Tom Morello is ferocious and such a breathtaking read. The art by Hepburn soars as we see Opal training Orchid hell-bent on igniting a revolution to attain vengeance for the deaths of her loved ones. Simon takes a backseat here as Orchid’s rise to combat prominence is well scripted, as well as Opal’s new additions to the roster. It’s about upping the arsenal and pretty effective. You don’t see much of the antagonists’ presence here bar a torture scene with Anzio but it you’re looking for gruesome…look no further than Opal’s sword.

There isn’t anything profound here except that George Clooney has draped himself into a comic book page and immersed himself whole-heartedly in a redemptive tale of a thief trying to get his wife back. Throw a son in the mix and a former-heist partner, who turns out to be Conrad’s brother-in-law and you’d expect that to impress upon Conrad and make him a better star and central figure for this book. It doesn’t work that way. This would have been better if broken down to a few panels and inserted into the first issue. It’s engulfed in a steep sense of nostalgia but we don’t get much info into any sort of present day predicament that Conrad experiences.

You only need one reason to by this comic. I’ll give you bunch, but you only need one. Brian K. Vaughan. Remember Y-The Last Man? Ex Machina? The freakin’ Runaways? BKV is one of the greatest storytellers in the business, so you know you’re going to get an awesome story. Asides from the writer's name, Saga #1 begins an epic sc-fi fantasy, one part Star Wars, one part Willow and all parts amazing.

Right from the outset, you know Saga is something special.

The Galaxy’s greatest comic continues to amaze me with the quality of stories produced in a weekly, 32 page magazine.

Political terrorism, chemical warfare and big explosions dominate the current Judge dredd story. As much as I love Judge Dredd and the stories John Wagner tells, I’ve found his stories unnecessarily wordy. This one is no exception, and as great a story it is, I just wish he’d cut the dialogue back a little.

Beautiful. That's the word that comes to mind when reading this entire series. This has been an enjoyable book so far. From the hands of a master, John Ostrander.

This issue is the penultimate chapter and it answers a lot of questions...plus two stunning reveals in the end. The payoff is good. Everything in the series so far has been leading up to this point.

Robert E. Howard's Savage Sword has been one of my favorite anthology books that has come out in recent years. While the other anthology book that Dark Horse is putting out is great, Savage Sword beats it just about every time for me. That is probably due to my love of most things Howard.

There are five stories in this issue, ranging in subject, from Conan, to western, to a Lovecraftian story, there is great diversity in this book.

This series, for me, has become all about the art. Tonci Zonjic's art is fantastic. His line work is clean, no extraneous lines and he does some of the best body language I have seen in a while. I came for Lobster Johnson, but I am staying for Tonci Zonjic now.

The story continues to be a fun pulpy adventure. Lobster Johnson is confronted with the supernatural threat for the first time and realizes he may be out matched.

I really enjoyed the first issue of Conan it was captivating on both levels Brian Wood obviously knows how to write Conan and Becky Cloonan on the art just makes the story all the more enthralling!

The first scene is lovely and very creepy showing the bold pirate captain Belt confronting Conan as he takes her and her crew on. I loved the art and the series has continued with a bold style, the story is told very visually and that opening scene mentioned just played like an old

When I started season 9 I was apprehensive. I didn’t particularly love the ending to season 8, I found the ending was drawn out just a little too bit! Season 9 even though it picks up directly after seems to be fresh and new yet reminiscent of the television series at the same time. This issue was great and it follows Buffy and her “problem” from the previous issue.

The writing is great within this issue and while nothing too exciting happens the issue still remains entertaining and relatable!

Creator Roundup

This week, Dan Hipp is a bounty hunter, Fabio Moon celebrates women, Terry Moore is a tease, Jeff Smith webcasts, Bryan Lee O'Malley posts a lost artwork, JH Williams III, Becky Cloonan and Michael Avon Oeming pay tribute to Moebius, Jim Rugg has a show, Francesco Francavilla does Silver Surfer, Mike Carey trailers, Charles Soule debates floppys vs trades, Ben Templesmith warms up, Brandon Graham gets autobiographical, Peter David talks John Carter and Peter Nguyen does Jean Grey.

Top 5: Superhero Origin Stories

This week, we count down the top 5 Superhero origin stories, as voted by members of the facebook group.

The rules stated that the character may not have actual superpowers, but must start out as a superhero.
As always, the very nature of lists means that absolutely no one will agree with it, but feel free to voice your opinions in the comments.
See the countdown HERE.

Welcome to the Morning Glory Academy, We Hope You Survive the Experience...
This deluxe hardcover of the first twelve issues of Morning Glories is the best comic release of 2011. The hardcover itself is gorgeously bound, the writing and plot by Spencer is intelligent and engaging, the covers by Esquejo are absolutely beautiful, and the interior art by Joe Eisma is expressive and wonderful to look at. All that said, I was extremely hesitant to buy anything related to this series. Morning Glories at first glance looks like a Gossip Girl style drama set at a prep school.

Renaldo's reviews: Alpha and Omega #3, Children's Crusade #9, Uncanny X-Men #7-8, Fury'sBig Week #5, Winter Soldier #3

Wolverine and the X-Men: Alpha and Omega # 3 –

Brooks and Boschi split on art complete a great job as usual and Wood complies with a well-paced script that sets the finale nicely for Quire, who went from total control to a state of decrepit woe. He lunged Wolverine and Armor into the Construct, trapping their minds there, with Logan’s Berserker persona now adopting his bloodlust and enraged ire towards Quire, which QQ didn’t see coming. Wood does well to deconstruct QQ’s control to one where it’s such a bogged down mess, that he can’t even bring himself to alert Rachel to the quagmire at

From Dark Horse: Dark Horse Comics announces the latest character to be added to its flagship anthology, Dark Horse Presents: the Sabertooth Vampire!

Penned by Mike Russell (SabertoothVampire.com), The Sabertooth Vampire is a webcomic about a tiny vampire hampered by his giant fangs. Will he pull his teeth out of the ground long enough to actually bite someone? Probably not.

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Monday, March 26, 2012

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Monday, March 19, 2012

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Friday, March 16, 2012

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Thursday, March 8, 2012