Comics | comicbookjesus

2014 Is Dark Horse’s Year

Sure, they may have just announced that they’ve (unsurprisingly) lost their licence for their critically acclaimed Star Wars comics to Marvel, but that’s not all that Dark Horse publish. It is a shame that as of next year, no more Star Wars comics will come from the Horse as they have added significant layers to the SW mythos over the last twenty years, but Dark Horse are confident that their diverse line to continue to impress audiences this year. Official press release below.

DARK HORSE PROCLAIMS 2014 TO BE

THE YEAR OF THE HORSE!

Before we had even taken the time to look at the Chinese zodiac calendar, we knew 2014 was shaping up to be one of the best in Dark Horse Comics’ nearly thirty-year history!

In 2013, Dark Horse saw record sales growth in every channel and received what may have been moreaccolades than ever for its publishing line.

As we enter 2014, we go boldly into a year that, as the Chinese foretold, was destined to be ours!

We have partnered with our good friends at Comic Book Resources to bring Dark Horse fans an early look at what the year holds in every aspect of the business, from new comic series to books and products. Today we begin a four-part interview with Dark Horse president and founder Mike Richardson.

Look for a new interview each week and exclusive announcements, first looks, and more!

Before we look forward though, let’s look at the past. Dark Horse have done very well in publishing some of the best comics of 2013, as you can see below.

DARK HORSE TOPS A RECORD NUMBER

OF YEAR-END LISTS IN 2013!

In 2013, Dark Horse set records in every sense of the word. The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia topped nearly every major bestseller list and the Nielsen BookScan report! The company saw record sales in all markets, as well as at every major convention! Multiple titles sold out of first printings! New original series like Steve Niles and Dave Wachter’s Breath of Bones garnered 10 out of 10 reviews for their entire run! It didn’t stop there. Just before the new year, as critics’ year-end lists rolled in, Dark Horse found a place on nearly every one of them!

As we bid adieu to a banner year, we’d be remiss not to share one last highlight with you . .

Ladies and gentlemen, we give you the very best of 2013!

Amazon’s Best Books of 2013: The Black Beetle | MIND MGMT

Big Shiny Robot’s Best of 2013: 47 Ronin | MIND MGMT

iTunes’ iBooks Best of 2013: MIND MGMT | Bad Houses | The Creep

io9’s Best Products of Comic-Con 2013: Game of Thrones figures

IGN’s Best Products of Comic-Con 2013: Zelda figures

Bleeding Cool’s 11 Best Comics of 2013: Buzzkill | Grindhouse: Doors Open at Midnight | Hellboy in Hell

Salon.com’s Best Superhero Comics of 2013: The Black Beetle

NewsOK’s 10 Best Comic Book Series of 2013: The Black Beetle

Time Magazine’s Top 10 Comics and Graphic Novels: Bad Houses

Paste Magazine’s 10 Best Comics of 2013: MIND MGMT | Bad Houses

Paste Magazine’s 13 Best Webcomics of 2013: Battlepug

WhatCulture’s 50 Best Comics of 2013: Bandette

io9’s The Very Very Best Comics of 2013: MIND MGMT | The Fifth Beatle

Digital Spy’s Top 10 Comics of 2013: Hellboy in Hell

Huffington Post’s 10 Best Comics of 2013: Concrete Park

Newsarama’s The Best of Best Shots 2013: Kelly Sue DeConnick (Ghost) | Matt Kindt (MIND MGMT) | Amala’s Blade

The Onion’s A.V. Club’s Best Mainstream & Superhero Comics of 2013: Dream Thief | Hellboy in Hell | MIND MGMT

Bloody Disgusting’s Best Comics of 2013: Abe Sapien | Hellboy in Hell

Bloody Disgusting’s Top Miniseries and Ongoings of 2013: The Black Beetle | Dream Thief | The Goon | The Victories

Bloody Disgusting’s Top 10 Debut Issues of 2013: Buzzkill

Bloody Disgusting’s Best Comics Miniseries of 2013: To Hell You Ride

Comic Book Resources’ Top 100 Comics of 2013 Part 1: Sabertooth Swordsman

Comic Book Resources’ Top 100 Comics of 2013 Part 2: Dream Thief | Blade of the Immortal | Hellboy: The Midnight Circus

Comic Book Resources’ Top 100 Comics of 2013 Part 3: The Black Beetle

Comic Book Resources’ Top 100 Comics of 2013 Part 4: MIND MGMT | The Fifth Beatle | Hellboy in Hell | Bad Houses

Comic Bastards’ Comic Book Round-Up: The Best Part 1:

• Best Single Issue: The Goon #44 | The Massive #17

• Best Ongoing: MIND MGMT

• Best Miniseries: Baltimore | Darth Vader and the Ninth Assassin | The Black Beetle

Comic Bastards’ The Best of Part 2:

• Best OGN: Hellboy: The Midnight Circus | Last Man Standing | The Last of Us: American Dreams

• Best All-Ages Title: Itty Bitty Hellboy

Comic Bastards’ The Best of Part 3:

• Best Book of 2012 We’re Still Talking About: Conan the Barbarian

• Best Revival: Brain Boy

• Best Adaptation: The Last of Us: American Dreams | The Art of BioShock Infinite | The Star Wars

Multiversity’s 2013 in Review:

• Best Ongoing Series: Hellboy in Hell | MIND MGMT | B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth

• Readers’ Choice for Best Ongoing Series: MIND MGMT

• Best Writer: John Arcudi | Matt Kindt | Kelly Sue DeConnick

• Best Artist: J. H. Williams III

• Best Miniseries: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys | Catalyst Comix | B.P.R.D.: Vampire

• Best Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

• Best Graphic Novel: Sin Titulo | Hellboy: The Midnight Circus

• Most Overlooked Series: Catalyst Comix | MIND MGMT | Gamma

• Breakout Writer: Frank Barbiere | Joshua Williamson

• Breakout Artist: Ulises Farinas | Greg Smallwood

Uproxx’s 15 Best Comic Books of 2013: Buzzkill | Star Wars

Unwinnable’s Best Comics of 2013: The Shaolin Cowboy | Hellboy in Hell | B.P.R.D.

VICE’s Ten Best Comics of 2013: The Manara Library Volume 5

The Village Voice’s 2013’s Best Graphic Novels: Sacrifice

PopCandy’s Best of 2013: Bad Houses

USA Today’s 2013’s Best Graphic Novels and Collections: The Black Beetle Volume 1 | The Fifth Beatle

USA Today’s Best Comic Books of 2013:

• Best Cover Artist: Jenny Frison

• Most Insane Read: Grindhouse: Doors Open at Midnight

• Best Throwback: Star Wars

• Honorable Mentions:

• Rookie of the Year (Character): Buzzkill

• Best Miniseries: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys

January 12, 2014
Categories: Comics, New To Comics?, News . Tags: Dark Horse Comics, Star Wars . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Justice League: War Clip

DC Comics/ Warner Bros. have been making great animated films for the last few years, at the rate of about two a year it seems. These are always accessible to those new to comics, and are always based on some classic and recent tales, and come with entertaining and informative bonus features. Since DC have a hit (Young Justice, Batman: The Brave and the Bold) and miss (quickly cancelled Beware the Batman!) ratio when it comes to their cartoons on TV, these animated films are a much safer bet.

Their next one is called Justice League: War and is based on the first few issues of the 2011 comics tale told by writer Geoff Johns and artist Jim Lee about how the League first met. Below is the first official clip, which seems to follow the comic pretty closely, and a description.

When the powerful Darkseid and his massive, relentless forces invade Earth, a group of previously unaligned super heroes – misunderstood and, in some cases, hunted by the authorities – discover the only way to fend off the attack will be to work together as a cohesive unit. Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash, Shazam and, in his origin story, Cyborg combine their respective talents in an all-out battle to save the planet. Based on the 2012 graphic novel, “Justice League: Origin,” by Geoff Johns & Jim Lee, Justice League: War provides a glance into the world before the Justice League was created, and offers the initial animated incarnation of DC Entertainment’s “The New 52.”

“Justice League: War” arrives via Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digitial HD on February 4, 2014from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.

January 9, 2014
Categories: Cartoons, Comics, DC Comics, Movies, New To Comics?, News . Tags: Batman, Green Lantern, Justice League, Superman . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Half Price DC Comics Sale

Take the most of the holidays during the festive season and the transition between 2013 and 2014 and head on over to DC Comics’ digital store for 25 great Trade Paperback collections. All are now 50% off until January 2 (that’s $6 each!) and include classics such as Watchmen, The Dark Knight Returns, and Kingdom Come and newer releases such as Grant Morrison’s first volume of JLA, The Flash: Rebirth, All Star Superman, Fables, and American Vampire.

There’s something for everyone. All you need is a comiXology log-in, a few bucks and some reading time.

December 31, 2013
Categories: Comics, DC Comics, New To Comics?, News . Tags: Cheap comics . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Merry Christmas 2013!

Every year the festive season seems to just teleport in to existence, doesn’t it? Time certainly flies.

As always, there is a ton of great Christmas themed comics goodies online, but here is just a smattering.

Firstly, Dark Horse are generously offering two free digital comics (see below). Don’t worry about the price below the Read Now button. Just log-in or register, hit the button and read away.

A special thank-you for your patience.

We want to thank you for both your understanding and your continued support for our digital comics program. ‘Tis the season for giving, and we have a special gift for you. For a limited time, we have made two great Dark Horse holiday classics available for free download! That’s right, you can download both Hellboy: A Christmas Undergroundand The Goon #10: A Christmas Carol at no charge, today!

Comics Alliance have an impressive gallery of 200 Christmas comic covers over the decades, full of the whacky and irreverent and occasionally, meaningful.

For something more active, you may like to try Relevant’s 25 suggestions for a great Christmas. Also at Relevant, is this great article about the classic Christmas carol, O Holy Night. Here’s an excerpt to remind us of what Christmas really is about.

Because this Christmas, like the first one, isn’t holy. It’s just a day. But what we celebrate on this day—what we remember—is the birth of a Savior whocan handle our expectations. And our fear and anger and loneliness. It’s not just met by Jesus. It’s why he came in the first place. The only way to redeem an unholy world is with a holy sacrifice.

Merry CHRISTmas everyone!

December 25, 2013
Categories: Comic Art, Comics, New To Comics?, News . Tags: Christmas . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Doc Savage #1 Review

It makes sense that Dynamite would eventually publish Doc Savage, one of the most famous old-timey adventure heroes from the pulp era of the ’30s and ’40s. The publisher have had success with creating comics showing new adventures of other characters from that time, such as Zorro, Green Hornet, and The Shadow.

It also makes sense that they’d get Chris Roberson to write the series, as he has an obvious respect for the era, with his previous work in novels, as well as his work on the 8 issues Masks series which sees the aforementioned heroes, and others, team up. (The collection of Masks is sitting on my bookshelf to be read, and I will, seeing as it has Alex Ross’ first interior artwork in years).

It’s a shame that Doc Savage hasn’t been in the forefront of pop culture for the last few decades really. much-maligned film in the ’70s, and an almost Arnie film, but now will become a blockbuster (hopefully) as long-time Savage fan, screenwriter and director Shane Black brings it to the big screen, after his massive success with Iron Man 3.

This first issue handles the complications of the character’s rich history ell, for a newcomer like myself. There’s not a lot of manly heroics here, so don’t expect the ripped, bronze physique of the shirt tearing Doc Savage here, but there’s enough of the supporting cast and the setting to encapsulate a sense of adventure. This debut tells the tale of a disgruntled scientist trying to prove that mankind are nothing but animals, with a device that sets of a specific radio frequency, turning people in 1930s metropolitan America in to crazed brutes who beat each other up.

Savage and his smart friends, who are summed up well with captions and dialogue, sort out the cause and solution rather quickly. To some, this may be an underwhelming issue, expecting more high stakes, glob trotting and machismo fisticuffs, but this is an entertaining and well-rounded intro to Savage’s world. Roberson’s script is text-heavy, complete with old-school inner thought speeches, but with talented newcomer Bilquis Evily’s artwork, it works. Evily’s clean lines, yet somewhat scratchy approach remind me of Sean Murphy in a way and he fills the pages with spot-on details. The architecture, the fashion – it all looks like ’30s America.

Judging by the description for next month’s issue, this is a done-in-one tale, which means I’m looking forward to further issues and continuing adventures.

Check out a preview of this issue right here.

December 14, 2013
Categories: Comics, New To Comics?, Reviews . Tags: Chris Roberson, Doc Savage, Dynamite Entertainment . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Read Letter 44 #1 For Free

A new series from Oni Press and writer Charles Soule and artist Alberto Jiminez Alburquerque entitled Letter 44 is now available to read for free. Well, the entire first issue anyway. The second issue is out now. io9 describe it thusly: the newest president is taken aback when he reads the letter from the man who preceded him — a man who seemed to tank the economy and embroil the nation in needless wars — but was actually secretly preparing America for an imminent alien invasion.

November 28, 2013
Categories: Comic Art, Comics, New To Comics?, News . Tags: free comics, Oni Press . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

A Few Black Friday Sales

Now an exciting annual tradition, Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales are up for grabs. It would appear it’s mainly centred in the U.S, but have a look at some great opportunities for cheap pop culture goodness below.

UPDATE: There’s even more sale opportunities at Comics Alliance, including discounts on purveyors of art prints, action figures, and more.

My fave film website is Dark Horizons, run by fellow Aussie Garth Franklin, and here’s their exhaustive rundown of what Amazon has to offer from boxsets, Blu-ray and more.

STAR WARS BLACK FRIDAY!

DARK HORSE STRIKES BACK!

For 72 hours, Dark Horse Digital will offer 150 single-issue Star Wars comics for $100! A savings of over $300!

Dark Horse Comics is rocking Black Friday madness with a very exclusive limited offer for its digital-comics readers . . .

Feast your optic sensors on this year’s Black Friday MegaBundle. For one weekend only, you can get over 150 digital Star Wars comics for the crazy-low price of only $100.

Get classics like The Clone Wars, The Old Republic, and all three arcs of Crimson Empire. Get a taste of Brian Wood’s critically acclaimed Star Wars series. Your favorite Sith friends are here too, with Darth Maul and Darth Vader series, plus the latest series, Lost Tribe of the Sith. Your favorite bounty hunter, Boba Fett, is here, plus the Imperial spy comic Agent of the Empire. Go back in time to the origins of the Jedi in Dawn of the Jedi, travel to hundreds of years after the films end with Legacy, and more!

Over 3,500 pages of Star Wars goodness! This sale goes live at midnight (PST), Friday, November 29, and runs through midnight, Sunday, December 1.

Get this MegaBundle here: http://goo.gl/bZwZpM, before Chewie punches it, and it jumps to hyperspace!

The free Dark Horse Digital comics app is now available worldwide through all modern web browsers and features cloud storage in both the Android and iOS apps.

DARK HORSE DIGITAL CYBER MONDAY DEAL!

In anticipation of the infamous holiday shopping weekend, Dark Horse Comics is giving you another killer deal for Cyber Monday. Dark Horse Digital is offering comics fans 50% off their entire order for 24 hours!

You can redeem this 50% discount with the coupon code dhdcyber2013.

This offer is good for 24 hours beginning at midnight (PST) on Monday, December 2 ($20 cart minimum). VisitDigital.DarkHorse.com to take advantage of this amazing web store only offer. Sign up for the Dark Horse Digital Newsletter by Thanksgiving to get even more discounts (http://goo.gl/FP6Eva).

The free Dark Horse Digital comics app is now available worldwide through all modern web browsers and features cloud storage in both the Android and iOS apps.

Stop by Dark Horse Digital and get a massive discount on all the Dark Horse comics you could want and more!

Stop by Dark Horse Digital and get all the Star Wars comics you could want and more

BOOM! STUDIOS ANNOUNCES WEBSTORE HOLIDAY SALE PROMOTIONS FOR BLACKFRIDAY, SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY, AND CYBER MONDAY

BOOM! Studios is happy to announce several sale promotions in its webstore for Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday to kick off the 2013 holiday shopping season! The BOOM! Studios webstore can be found at boom-studios.com.

The promotions are as follows:

ALL WEEKEND LONG (starts Thursday, Nov. 28, 8:00 p.m. PST; ends Monday, Dec. 2, 11:59 p.m. PST)

· Every order over $25.00 qualifies for free domestic shipping

· All trade paperbacks of licensed titles (i.e. ADVENTURE TIME, ROBOCOP, PEANUTS, BRAVEST WARRIORS, PLANET OF THE APES, and more) in stock are 15% off

· Several bundle packs will be discounted (check the site for details)

BLACK FRIDAY (starts Thursday, Nov. 28, 8:00 p.m. PST; ends Friday, Nov. 29, 11:59 p.m. PST)

· Get 25% off all orders from $60.00 to $99.99

· Get 35% off all orders from $100.00 and up

SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY (Nov. 30, starts 12:00 a.m. PST; ends 11:59 p.m. PST)

· All leather-bound Archaia editions in stock are 50% off

· All other Archaia items in stock are 25% off

BONUS BOOM! SUNDAY (Dec. 1, starts 12:00 a.m. PST; ends 11:59 p.m. PST)

· All trade paperbacks of licensed titles* in stock jump to 25% off (*Excludes ADVENTURE TIME products)

CYBER MONDAY (Dec. 2, starts 12:00 a.m. PST; ends 11:59 p.m. PST)

· Free mystery gift packed with every order

· Buy one, get one free for all main covers (A or B) to single issues in stock

· Any order over $50.00 is automatically entered into a raffle to win THE ULTIMATE GIFT PACK, featuring one copy of every single issue** BOOM! Studios and KaBOOM! has released in 2013 to date (**Some issues may be filled with variant covers)

We’re beating the Black Friday rushes by starting ours early. Buy any item from our web store* and receive a b-a-n-a-n-a-s 40% discount, from today (Monday, November 25th) until Monday, December 2nd.

*Yes, any item! This sale includes books, comics, posters and more. And, since all our 2013 titles are now available in the US and Canada, every awesome book you’ve thought about buying this year is also available at a sale price. There’s a handy round-up of them over on our blog.

COLLECTOR’S PARADISE GOES BEYOND BLACK FRIDAY SALE WITH “BUY 2 GET 1 FREE ON ANYTHING IN THE STORE”, COMICS BY THE POUND, AND A TWO WEEK PROGRESSIVE DISCOUNT GRAPHIC NOVEL SALE AT BOTH COLLECTOR’S PARADISE STORES!

Los Angeles area’s Leading Retail Comic Book Store Chain expands the concept of Black Friday Sale into a weeks-long event with unprecedented discounts throughout the stores, and a Graphic Novel Sale that tests your patience for two weeks.

Collector’s Paradise Comics & Gallery, is proud to announce that we will, once again, be bringing Progressive Graphic Novel Sale as part of our Black Friday promotion to Los Angeles area this year.

“Last year’s Black Friday two-week event was fantastic.” said owner Edward Greenberg, adding: ” We learned so much about how to do this, and will use the lessons this year to provide an even better experience for our customers.”

While many stores host Black Friday events, Collector’s Paradise decided that this year they would try out a new approach: Buy 2 Get 1 FREE on Anything in the store, mix and match. A customer can buy an action figure, a t-shirt and a graphic novel, and the lowest of the three items is FREE. It’s a “design your own sale Sale”.

Comics by the Pound is another way to make a Sale more fun for the customers. There will be a huge selection of comic books available in boxes, for customers to look through and pick the ones they would like to buy for just $3 per pound. Considering an average single comic book is about $4 these days, getting a bunch of them for just $3 is an amazing deal. Not only that, but every purchase gives you an entry into our raffle where one winner per store will win an amount up to what they have bought for FREE .

The most ambitious part of the Black Friday Sale is something not heard of in the comic book industry, the Progressive Discount Graphic Novel Sale. On BlackFriday, the stores will have boxes full of graphic novels at 50% off. Whatever does not sell that day, will be 52% off next day, 54% off the following day, and so on, until 2 weeks later, when it reaches 80% off for whatever is still left over. Every customer will have to make a decision on whether to wait out for a higher discount or to buy the books before someone else grabs them. It’s a fun and exciting way to get deals on awesome reads.

Please visit Collector’s Paradise’ official site, ComicsAndCards.net for full details about our Black Friday and Progressive GN Sale events.For additional information, please contact Edward Greenberg, managing partner of Collector’s Paradise @ 818-999-9455 (business) or by email, atstore@comicsandcards.net

Collector’s Paradise Canoga Park is located at 7131 Winnetka Ave, at Sherman Way in Canoga Park. Collector’s Paradise Pasadena is located at 319 S. Arroyo Parkway Unit 4, at the corner of Del Mar in Pasadena.

November 28, 2013
Categories: Comics, Movies, New To Comics?, News . Tags: Cheap comics, Dark Horse Comics . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

November Previews Goodies

Previews is a 500+ page, monthly catalogue filled with mainly comics, but also toys, games, clothes, etc, that both retailers and customers can order from. Each issue lets you know what is coming out in 2 months’ time. The latest Previews has 3 goodies that are definitely worth ordering.

On page 279, there’s an OGN that I’ve been looking forward to for some time, and even moreso now, as I recently watched the documentary Marley, set in same era and location. Com.x are a unique publisher whose output is always bold, and worth paying attention to. Duppy ’78 is written by Casey Seijas with groovy art by Amancay Nahuelphan-Bustamante. Below is the official description, and new trailer.

Duppy ’78 – Three crime lords fight for control using black market guns, potent narcotics, and young mystics called “Obeahman.” These children possess the power to control the Duppy – malevolent spirits known throughout Rastafarian culture as a source of mischief and harm. When one of the crime lords is killed, the Jamaican capital is thrown into chaos as the remaining factions vie for control and race to find his now-orphaned Obeahman – rumored to be the most powerful of them all. A re-imagining of Jamaican and Rastafarian ghost stories, told in the context of a 1978 gangland drama.

Writer Bryan J.L. Glass of Mice Templar fame, (and also Thor, Superman, and many others) has a new 5 issue mini-series out from Dark Horse, with art by Victor Santos, his Mice Templar collaborator. Famous is described as, “where celebrity, fame and super-heroes meet.” Here’s the official lowdown, and it features on page 62 of Previews.

Staring into a fractured mirror of her life, the world’s first superhero, Furious, seeks to atone for her past sins by doling out rage-fueled justice! But the spotlight of our celebrity-obsessed media threatens to undo her noblest efforts and expose her true identity before she can achieve redemption.

Finally, on page 236 is a publisher I haven’t heard of before – Adventurist Corp. they have an OGN called Roll Hard, and it was Billy Tucci’s name that caught my eye. The creator of Shi, and very talented artist (see Sgt Rock: The Lost Battalion, or the A Child Is Born Christmas one-shot) is the writer, along with Robert Young Pelton, and artist, with Tom Novak. Below is the official description.

A team of misfit Blackwater contractors must run ‘RPG Alley’ every day. Kicked off the ‘Pretty Boy’ CIA and State Dept security details, the team, with the help of the insanely talented ‘Little Bird’ pilots struggle to stay alive on Baghdad’s mean streets. When a famous war correspondent decides to spend a month with them they rebel at first, but then slowly each man tells his dark story until the team is hit by a deadly IED on the most violent day for contractors in Iraq’s history.

Previews is always worth looking through, as you never know what treasures you may uncover. All of these items will arrive at comic shops in January 2014 and can be ordered now.

November 9, 2013
Categories: Comics, New To Comics? . Tags: Billy Tucci, Bryan J.L. Glass, Com.x, Victor Santos . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Hellboy: The Midnight Circus Review

This year is the 20th anniversary of Mike Mignola’s very successful creation Hellboy. There are many ways to celebrate, including reading The Midnight Circus, an awesome new OGN written by Mignola with awesome art by Duncan Fegredo.

You can read my review of this impressive tale at Broken Frontier.

November 5, 2013
Categories: Comic Art, Comics, New To Comics?, Reviews . Tags: Dark Horse Comics, Hellboy, Mike Mignola . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

The Last Of Us: American Dreams Review

I’ve been a fan of writer/artist Faith Erin Hicks since her OGN Zombies Calling. If I recall correctly, I picked it up on a whim my first time at San Diego Comic-Con a few years ago, and fell in love with her storytelling ability. She somehow manages to make every character relatable and sympathetic, and there’s great depth in her cartooning style. I’ve pretty much read everything she’s done since my first exposure to her, and when I saw her name in relation to a dark, horror video game title, I was rather surprised. It’s not her normal playground, but I’m glad I gave The Last Of Us: American Dreams a chance.

This 106 page full colour TPB collects the recent four issue mini-series based on the game of the same name that was released not that long ago. Dark Horse have a good history when it comes to video games, and although the medium rarely translates well to the silver screen, there have been some great comics based on video games in the last few years, such as Udon’s always good value Street Fighter series, plus the Horse’s own efforts which include franchises such as Mass Effect, and Dragon Age. The publisher have also released some rather pretty art books which are must haves for lovers of concept art and world building, on such games as Bioshock Infinite, Remember Me as well as The Last Of Us.

American Dreams expands that world further. Written by Hicks and the creative director of the game, Neil Druckmann, with art by Hicks, this is set before the events of the game. The writing pair set the world up elegantly. In the first dozen pages, we know who these characters are, and what world they’re living in. Essentially, the city is barricaded by a giant wall against hordes of diseased citizens called, “infected.” There’s also a rebellious faction calling themselves The Fireflies who are against the new police state, despite the good intentions of its militaristic leaders.

After some initial friction, and lots of swearing, Ellie, the angry new girl, and Riley the more experienced and sarcastic girl team up to escape their new “home.” Riley is about to turn 16 and like all those before her at that age, will be forced to become a soldier for the good of the surviving community. She doesn’t want that life so she escapes the compound with Ellie and introduces her to the older Winston, who lives in a tent in a very rundown shopping centre.

Hicks’ art conveys the emotion of each scene splendidly and isn’t afraid to use silence when necessary. The city that the mischievous pair traverse is deserted thanks to the infected, which are kind of like fast zombies, although there’s not highly detailed exposition within the story itself. On the back cover, however, is a nice setup (19 years ago a fungal outbreak killed most of the world’s population).

Being largely unfamiliar with the game, this tale stands on its own, and by focusing on two teen protagonists, and their interaction with each other, the scary world, the infected, and the hardcore Fireflies, Hicks and Druckmann have crafted a believable world in which people question their values and determination. Fans of The Walking Dead will surely be fond of American Dreams, and Hicks’ artwork is, as always, a pleasure to behold, and the few extra pages of her sketches is a pleasant bonus. At first glance it may seem that her style may not suit the gritty and intense story being told within these pretty pages, but there’s great raw emotion and dynamism at work here. When characters shout, or get frustrated or scared, Hicks superbly renders all those feelings.

The Last Of Us: American Dreams is available from October 30, and you can see a preview here.

October 28, 2013
Categories: Comic Art, Comics, Games, New To Comics?, Reviews . Tags: Dark Horse Comics, Faith Erin Hicks, Neil Druckmann . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Necessary Evil Documentary Now Available

I must admit, my habit of buying many comics mainly from DC in my weekly shop hasn’t existed for sometime. However, I still do get Aquaman, Green Lantern, Injustice and the occasional Batman title, and Trade Paperback collection most weeks. Beyond the comics though, it’s a good time to be introduced to the massive universe of DC Comics, with the entertaining TV show Arrow (which I’m just getting into), the new Batman: Arkham Origins out now, plus the upcoming Man of Steel DVD and Blu-Ray. There’s also the Necessary Evil documentary which focuses on the supervillains of the DCU and has interviews with some great pop culture creators. Below is the official press release, and a clip, and look for Joker’s leering face near you!

“Necessary Evil: Super-Villains of DC Comics,” an all-new documentary produced by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment and DC Entertainment, arrives on Blu-ray Combo Pack and DVD today — Friday, October 25, 2013 — at a retailer near you.

Below you’ll find a link to an all-new official clip from the film featuring Kevin Conroy, the fan favorite voice of Batman; Zack Snyder, director of “Man of Steel”; and Dr. Andrea Letamendi, renowned geek psychologist; as well as the recognizable voice of ultimate villain Christopher Lee, who provides the narration for the documentary. The topic of the clip is whether or not villains are born bad.”Necessary Evil: Super-Villains of DC Comics” explores the thin line between right and wrong, the nature of evil and how super-villains can reflect society’s dark side as well as our own personal fears. It also offers keen insight as to the reasons why comic book fans are so fascinated by the very characters they hope to see defeated. Featuring interviews with such luminaries as directors Richard Donner (Superman), Guillermo del Toro (Pacific Rim) and Zack Snyder (Man of Steel), the film focuses on DC Comics’ most terrifying villains, including The Joker, Lex Luthor, Bane, Black Adam, Black Manta, Catwoman, Darkseid, Deathstroke, Doomsday, General Zod, Sinestro, the Suicide Squad, and more.

October 26, 2013
Categories: Comics, DC Comics, Interviews, Movies, New To Comics?, News . Tags: documentary . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Superman 74 Years Animation

I could watch this all day! To celebrate 75 years of Superman this year, animation legend Bruce Timm, and Man of Steel director Zack Snyder have teamed up for this excellent, two minute summary of Superman’s storied past, noting the major events and media portrayals over the years. It’s not on YouTube yet, but you can watch it here.

It kicks off with a bang with his first appearance on the cover of Action Comics #1 and ends (of course) lingering on the latest film version, with fights with classic enemies such as Doomsday (who killed him), Braniac and even the fight with Muhammad Ali, and many of the varied artistic styles which have graced Superman in those decades. This short will also be included in next month’s release of the Man of Steel on Blu-Ray.

October 15, 2013
Categories: Cartoons, Comics, Movies, New To Comics?, News . Tags: Superman . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Who Is Jake Ellis? Film

Talented writer Nathan Edmondson’s Who Is Jake Ellis? mini-series, which he created with artist Tonci Zonjic is becoming a film! That’s exciting news indeed. It was one of my fave comics of recent years, and definitely has big screen potential. Director David Yates is attached, who was behind four of the Harry Potter films.

Edmondson recently wrote the Splinter Cell comic that tied in with the new game, Blacklist, and promises on his blog that the remaining issues of the sequel, Where Is Jake Ellis? will be out soon. He also has two Marvel projects that will be announced at next week’s New York Comic Con.

October 5, 2013
Categories: Comics, Movies, New To Comics?, News . Tags: Image Comics, Nathan Edmondson . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Unmasked #3 Review

The latest digital offering from the Unmasked series by Gestalt Publishing is out now. My review of the third issue by Christian Read and Gary Chaloner can be found here.

October 5, 2013
Categories: Comics, Reviews . Tags: Australian comics, Gestalt Comics . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Top Posts

Pages

Archives

Topics