Comic Book Review: The Life After #6

Enormous rabbits and an eyeless ninja keep The Life After #6 as strange as the previous five installments. Is it good?

Joshua Hale Fialkov and Gabo take a step back in time to open the new arc; unfortunately it does not catch or grab your attention especially if you are just jumping into the series. It is a rather dull conversation on rebuilding the Afterlife, but this time they will use computers! Thankfully, Fialkov injects some bureaucratic humor in the next two pages.

The humor continues throughout the issue whether it is Jude using a counting rhyme, Hemingway lamenting certain actions he is unable to perform in the Afterlife, or the Consultant’s reaction to an enormous rabbit. Nothing gets one giggling like “Holy fucking balls.” Gabo really sells the Consultant, drawing her in demonic form with a very human “surprise” face, jaw hanging wide open.

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Comic Book Review: Death Vigil #6

The machinations of Maria and the Necromancers take center stage as their plan to overwhelm Bernadette and the Vigil unfolds. Is it good?

Stjepan Sejic sets a foreboding tone with Death Vigil #6. The cover is bleak, portraying the gravestone of Samuel Lewis with his pickaxe and shovel replacing a traditional epitaph. He creates a sense of danger and struggle for the Vigil. They are on the defensive. The Necromancers and the monstrosity known as the Orach are wreaking havoc upon the city and its civilians. Fortunately the contest between the Vigil and the Necromancers leaves plenty of room for Sejic’s unique humor, whether it is an abrupt end to a “centuries in the waiting boast” or Bernie’s fretting over the Vigil members. Sejic really nails Bernie’s facial expressions as she berates Sam, going from concern to anger to fear all in half a page.

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Comic Book Review: The Valiant #2

The eternal conflict between the Immortal Enemy and the Geomancer has resumed, but this time the Eternal Warrior, guardian of the Geomancer, has a number of allies to aid him in his protection of the Geomancer. Is it good?

Having introduced us to the Eternal Warrior, Bloodshot, and Neville Alcott in the previous issue a fourth player takes the stage in the opening pages. Ninjak lives up to his name as a master of his own body, able to control his breathing to survive in what appear to be subzero temperatures. He is also an expert in disguise. Paolo Rivera has a beautiful panel showing him rise up out of the snow sword in hand as he begins his stealth attack.

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Comic Book Review: Judge Dredd Classics: The Dark Judges #1

There is a new Judge (or in this case an old one) on the case and the people of Mega-City One have committed the ultimate crime, that of living. Will Judge Dredd be able to combat this foe? Is it good?

Judge Dredd Classics: Dark Judges #1 is a collection of four different Judge Death tales all rolled into one. The first three stories all come from the creative team of John Wagner (writing as John Howard) and Brian Bolland while the final story comes from Alan Grant (writing as T.B. Glover) and Brian Bolland.

Wagner and Bolland make no bones about it and introduce Judge Death in a very dramatic manner right on the first page! By the second page you know what this bad guy is about. His goal is simple and to the point: Death

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Comic Book Review: Cap Stone #2

Liam Sharp and Christina McCormack transition from the character development of Charlie Chance to create quite a bit of world building in their second installment of Cap Stone. Is it good?

The story picks up exactly where the first issue left off; Charlie has received an anonymous phone call revealing some groundbreaking information about the missing title character. However, Christina McCormack and Liam Sharp decide to regale us with the story of Ada, mother of Cap Stone. It is not all that interesting and at this point in the story appears to be pure page filler. Although, they do introduce a character, Jim Clayton, a media mogul and step-father to Cap Stone who may play an important role further on in the series.

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Comic Book Review: Lazarus #14

Tough choices, new information, and high drama shape Image’s Lazarus #14 as Greg Rucka and Michael Lark continue to explore Forever’s character and her relationship with her family. Is it good?

The beginning of the issue was quite a shock for me; I actually had to go back and look at the ending of Lazarus #13 to confirm what I remembered. Rucka and Lark perform an excellent sleight of hand that sets up the majority of the issue to continue to develop and build the characters focusing primarily on Forever.

Forever continues to feel incredibly real and believable as Jordan has mentioned before, but her development is taken to the next level in this issue. All of her doubts and concerns are brought to the surface in a fiery outburst, which is just as quickly extinguished with a few key words that pierce at her being.

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Comic Book Review: Resurrectionists #3

It’s only been a month since the last book, but I could not wait to see what Fred Van Lente and Maurizio Rosenzweig had in store this month, and I was not disappointed. This may be the best installment yet, combining the exciting action sequences from the first book with the continued big-picture look of who the Resurrectionists are and what they do.

Van Lente and Rosenzweig begin Dark Horse Comics Resurrectionists #3 with what they have been hinting at in the past two issues, a brand new timeline of lives to explore. Rosenzweig provides a seamless flow connecting the present with the new timeline. The scene gives off a vibe of history repeating itself, putting the panels side by side with the past on the left and the present on the right and then with a large panel at the bottom bringing the two together combining their experiences. The only drawback is the amount of time spent on this new life!

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Comic Book Review: IXth Generation #1

IXth Generation #1 takes place in the distant future where humanity has ascended to godhood in the form of the IXth Generation. Godhood is not all it’s cracked up to be and the utopia of their generation is anything but. Is it good?

The IXth Generation is made up of nine ascended beings who take their names from the ancient Greek gods, though it is unclear whether they have similar attributes. They have awoken after 700 years of slumber and have found godhood to be utterly and completely boring, so naturally they entertain themselves through constant war with each other. There is a catch; upon death, the IXth Generation is able to transfer their consciousness to a cloned version of themselves. One member, Aphrodite IX, stands above the fray and has pulled the Switzerland card remaining neutral until now.

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Comic Book Review: Escape from New York #2

Snake Plissken has made it to the ”free” Republic of Florida, where he has his first run-in with the twin gods running the state. Is it good?

Escape from New York #2 is the typical thirty pages in a comic book, but it feels a lot longer. The main reason is the sheer amount of dialogue that occurs within the book. Many of the panels have so much dialogue it takes up over half the panel!

Chris Sebela offers an interesting critique on the meaning of freedom. The twins who rule the ”free” Republic of Florida let their citizens do what they want as long as they serve in their military and are not supposed traitors to Florida. Hell, Sebela takes it a step further when the twins negotiate with Snake out of the barrel of a gun.

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Comic Book Review: Lady Killer #1

Josie Schuller is not your typical 1960’s housewife; she has to juggle her full-time job of being a homemaker with her more violent nature as a hitman. Is it good?

A much overlooked piece of the comic, when it comes to reviews, was what caught my eye when perusing the options to review at Dark Horse Comics. Joëlle Jones draws a stereotypical 1960’s homemaker performing her duties of cleaning the house except, this housewife is cleaning up massive blood stains and has a flirtatious look complemented with a nice ankle dip begging you to peek inside.

You will be glad you picked this one up, because Jones and Jamie S. Rich provide a refreshing take on the killer-for-hire story.

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