Extra Sequential Podcast Episode One

On the wonderfully sunny Saturday morning just gone, my mate Mladen and I launched our very first podcast! It’s something we’d been talking about for a while now, and sure, we know there’s quite a few comic book/pop culture podcasts out there already, but hardly any in Australia, and especially in Perth, Western Australia. In fact, I think we are the only one. Most of the American podcasts are superhero centric, but Mladen and I have quite different tastes and rarely agreee on matters of the spandex brigade, so we thought we’d give it a shot. I must say, it went rather well. Both of us have had stints on community radio in the past few years so it was quite an easy experience, but tell us what you think dear listeners/readers!

We’ll be chatting it up weekly, and like the Extra Sequential magazine our aim is to make diehard fanboys and girls, and comic book newbies feel at home, so fear not if you’re not a regular comics reader!

You can listen to it our first episode through the player above or download it right here . It goes for just over 70 minutes and is broken down in to segments, if you want to skip through to the parts that may interest you more. So what did we talk about exactly? Well, here goes…

2:55 NEWS

Will Eisner’s A Contract With God film adaptation

Broken Frontier’s free, fortnightly digital mag now on iTunes

The death of Superman: The Movie and Superman II writer Tom Mankiewicz

The Ultimate Spider-Man cartoon

Also…Arkham City, the sequel to the excellent Arkham Asylum game

17:40 WHAT WE’VE BEEN READING

(Mladen) 20th Century Boys, Vagabond, Hal Foster’s Prince Valiant, Bouncer

(Kris) Brightest Day, Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne, Franken-castle

Also…impressive vocalisation of the names of foreign creators, Kill Bill, how DC is like Twilight, Alien vs Predator and more.

32:30 SUPERMAN/BATMAN: PUBLIC ENEMIES

We talk about the animated film, the comic that inspired it, the upcoming sequel and what we liked and didn’t like about it and somehow manage to discuss orphans, Superman’s exercise regime, baldness and craving for power.

52:48 TABLOID SIZED COMICS

We discuss oversized comics in the large newspaper style format, focusing on DC’s Wednesday Comics experiment and the indie anthology Pood #1 and also bring up 3 new TPBs from Top Cow, Rocky Balboa, Hawkman’s business card and cadmium.

1:05 WEBSITE OF THE WEEK

Project Rooftop We also chat about Wonder Woman’s new costume.

1:08:34 NEXT WEEK’S TOPICS

For episode two we’ll discuss vanity projects, Eisner Award winners and Asterix. Oh and for some reason we mention Vegemite.

August 9, 2010
Categories: Cartoons, Comic Art, Comics, Movies, New To Comics?, News, Reviews . Tags: . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Ryder, The Rising Reviews

Part of Radical Publishing’s new Radical Premiere line of comics (which seems to be mature first issues for only $1) are these 2 great reads, which were included in Radical’s 7 new releases for last week (their most yet I believe).

First up is The Rising. With a name like that it may sound like some dodgy horror film from the ’90s in which some mysterious creature devours hapless townfolk. What it’s really about is more interesting. A brutal sci-fi tale with the kind of profanity and blood that makes me think it’s a lost 2000AD story, The Rising could be something quite entertaining. Could be, but it isn’t there just yet, which is just as well considering this is a teaser for next year’s mini-series.

It does well to present a beautifully painted package from J.P. Targete, who’s working on the upcoming John Carter of Mars film, filled with the kind of sweaty soldiers and creepy aliens to lay a solid foundation for what would make a great video game. The story by E. Max Frye (from HBO’s Band of Brothers) throws out enough concepts loosely familiar to fans of Aliens and Avatar, but also intriguing elements that reveal the future mini-series has a solid ground upon which to build an intriguing universe.

It opens with a squad of rugged sci-fi soldiers desperately fighting some well armed aliens. The sergeant carries a man writhing in pain called Blithe, before the pair of them get hit, and separated, by a lightning strike from a hovering drone. Then an astonishing 7 almost silent pages follow. Yes, 7. At first I thought I thought the text had fallen off these pages or had somehow became invisible. After a second read, it actually made perfect, although unexpected, sense. Basically the mute pages show Blithe discovered by an attractive near naked woman who takes him back to her village, where he gets a beard and a loincloth, heals, watches a tribal dance, cosies up with his rescuer and then, of course, escapes with his life as his newfound forest friends get attacked by those pesky alien intruders.

Cut to future New York, in which we primarily learn there’s a female President (who announces the end of the war with the alien Dracs), and Blithe’s brother is apparently a powerful politician who has no patience for his sibling. Oh, and Blithe is a prisoner in a tough camp who receives a visit from a hypocritical reverend who unleashes a man mountain called Darwin on the rebellious Blithe for a Fight Club of sorts.

The second half is much better. It’s wordier and more happens, and there’s something about a virus which must certainly become more prominent in the mini-series. That, and the mixed feelings about the Drac’s arrival on earth could make for a good tale. So far, it’s not entirely original, but thankfully there’s also hints of its ambition. Plus, every page looks colourful, dazzling and gaze worthy, as any sci-fi comic should. See a preview here.

Ryder on the Storm is another $1 primer, though a more mature offering than The Rising. Writer David Hine and artist Wayne Nichols throw a mix of influences on the page, but they all work splendidly together. It’s kind of like a future as seen through 1930s eyes, or a noir film set in the world of Batman: The Animated Series.

Ryder is a P.I who’s approached by a lady  with a mysterious back tattoo, as she’s somehow found herself in a room with her rich dead boyfriend, who killed himself with a power drill. Or so it seems.

Hine introduces several characters with ease and Nichols clean, crisp (even in the bloody parts) artwork may not be as lush as Radical’s usual titles, but it works well here.

With a classic pulp approach (ice queen, “voice-over”, people with secrets) this is a great set up with enough dangling hooks to make the upcoming 3 ish, bi-monthly mini a worthwhile read. See a preview here.

August 3, 2010
Categories: New To Comics?, Reviews . Tags: . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Pilot Season: Stellar #1 Review

It’s been far too long since I’ve read anything from Top Cow, but I must say, it’s good to be back. Stellar is the latest offering from the Cow’s very smart Pilot Season initiative that sees a bunch of different one-shots compete for a mini-series. This batch is from Image partners Robert Kirkman (writer of The Walking Dead, Invincible) and superstar penciller Marc Silvestri.

Written by Kirkman, with art by Bernard Chang and cover by Silvestri, this is a very good example of how not to judge  a book by its cover. At first glance this may appear to be some sort of homage to the kinds of comics that were far too frequent last decade, ie, bad girl/good girl/sexy girl in a tight outfit fighting crime with mysterious poses, gravity defying poses and a basic plot that’s merely an excuse for all of that. However, upon further investigation, Stellar proves itself as a solid read, thanks mainly to the skilled Kirkman.

As he details in a closing page explaining the genesis of this concept, the book has the potential to go anywhere – to exotic planets with wild creatures and more and we get a tantalising glimpse of those concepts here, but based on these pages, I hope Stellar wins.

The premise for the book is an intriguing place to start. We’re not told the main character’s name, but can assume her nickname is Stellar. Essentially, she’s 1 of 5 soldiers who have been genetically enhanced on Earth. The powers are good, but the fact that the radiation within them causes other humans close to them to get sick is not so good. Nor is the fact that Stellar’s fellow volunteers were driven mad (and apparently evil) by the process. Stellar is the only one who desires to be a hero, so uses her powers to wander the universe doing just that, all the while aware she’s truly alone. All of that is a great spring board for an even greater tale, and Kirkman wisely drops hints about all this throughout each page turn. No awkward exposition here!

The issue begins with Stellar fending off a Rhino-Predatorsaurus type creature to find a healing herb for an old friend’s son, while recording in her journal, Captain Kirk-style. After some interesting developments including a possible romance, her feelings of loneliness and a foreboding offer she can’t refuse, Stellar’s world gets dangerous and complicated, and interesting.

Chang’s art is a nice blend of emotional moments and sci-fi splendour. His layouts are dynamic and there’s never a page without a  sense of drama or danger. Creatures and characters look real; leaning more towards Star Trek than Wars.

My vote’s on Stellar. Kirkman, as he reveals in his afterword, has a host of ideas for this book and I hope we get to see them. Stellar is but a tasty appetiser to what could be a potential buffet.

July 29, 2010
Categories: Comic Art, New To Comics?, Reviews . Tags: , , , . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

The Light #4 Review

My review of the penultimate issue of this excellent mini-series from Image is now up at Broken Frontier. Every issue has been a winner.

July 21, 2010
Categories: Reviews . Tags: . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Blacklight: Tango Down Comic Review

Coming out later this year is Blacklight: Tango Down, a game from Zombie Studios and Ignition Entertainment that looks pretty awesome. This one-shot from new publisher Storm Lion follows the same story and sets things up for the game rather nicely. It certainly makes me want  to delve into the world via my Xbox. It’s the kind of near future world in which players of Tom Clancy’s games will be familiar, but apart from some interesting soldiers and hi-tech gear this concept throws something else into the mix – zombies. Now don’t roll your eyes just yet. Zombies may be overused these days, sure, but like vampires, they are  a versatile bunch.

This story, written by Jared Gerritzen, Ian Stephens and Cullen Gallagher, begins with a rookie soldier fighting to stay alive on a hospital bed with one word on his lips: Klein. Through an intense flashback we learn that the solder and his Blacklight team were sent to Russia to find fellow army man, Colonel Klein. It’s not long before they learn the hard way that Klein has gone power mad in this city in revolt, and the squad learn that Balik’s citizens have been subject to a test virus by a group called The Order, who apparently unknowingly turned them into zombies, and now everyone’s in trouble.

Tango Down is a concise and well told story, filled with drama and action. I never have too much faith in video game adaptations, but this exceeded my expectations. Things move briskly, with plenty of tense moments. The art from Zid, Puppeteer and Mahendra is superb in a slightly sketchy yet evocative fashion. It will be familiar to those who read pretty much anything from Radical Publishing, as the Asian collective of artists that form Storm Lion have worked with Radical on some of their titles before. In fact Edmund Shern, C.E.O of Storm Lion wrote one of Radical’s best early books in Freedom Formula.

I’m a little surprised that both the makers of the game and this comic didn’t give the zombies more emphasis though. They don’t feature on the cover and don’t even make an obvious appearance in the pages behind it. The juxtaposition between futuristic soldiers and the blood thirsty undead is a great visual, let alone a storytellers’ delight.

This is a bittersweet review though, as it’s recently been revealed that Storm Lion are facing difficulty due to an investor pulling out. This must be extremely frustrating for Shern and his talented team, especially as they have a wealth of beautiful looking tales ready to unleash upon the curious public. Seeing the Free Comic Book Day issue, their Turbulence art book and this issue, I’d be filled with confidence if I was the man signing the cheques. I hope they manage to make it to Comic Con at least and get the backing they deserve. If I had the money, I’d sign them up in a heartbeat.

You can follow the happenings of Storm Lion at their Facebook page.

July 17, 2010
Categories: Games, New To Comics?, Reviews . Tags: . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Rombies Review

This is one of those books that I read when it first came out (in this case, December) and then meant to immediately tell the world how awesome it is, before I became distracted, which is a common occurrence these days, happily thanks to Broken Frontier and Extra Sequential. Seeing as this little gem, and the rest of Gestalt’s catalogue is now becoming available internationally through Diamond, now’s the time to give it a rotting thumbs up.

Rombies is a black and white one-shot from local (to me in Perth, Western Australia anyway) publisher Gestalt. The last year has since the company put out some impressive books, including not only this one, but also the Digested series and Justin Randall’s Changing Ways.

It’s written by Tom Taylor, who’s on a roll at the moment writing various Star Wars titles for Dark Horse including the excellent Invasion, and The Authority for DC/Wildstorm. Handsome/gruesome art is supplied by Skye Ogden (Gestalt’s silent Vowels book). Effectively a 24 page #0 issue, Rombies starts the barbaric tale contained within, but also the series (more issues are on the way. Yay!) with a bang, or rather, a slice to the abdomen. Opening on a gladiatorial arena (hence the title, from Roman zombies) filled with bloodthirsty spectators, and desperate men we see the victor standing over his fallen opponent. One glance up at the Emperor, who gives the thumbs down, and it’s a quick finish to the fighter at his feet. Or is it? Um…no. The rules of life and death are quickly rattled in the next few moments as the dead loser gets up ready for round two. He’s soon joined by all the other “corpses” scattered on the dusty floor, with the fact that they’re missing limbs or have an axe in their face existing as a mere nuisance.

This is a great intro to the book, and Taylor does a firm job of skirting expectations from readers who’ve had their fair barrage of both zombies and gladiators in recent years. Combing the two is the best thing since Mr. Mocha put chocolate and coffee in the same cup.

There’s then a wise chase involving a determined undead horde, big cats and an understandably overwhelmed boy. Skye Ogden’s art reminds me somewhat of Kyle Hotz, with his flowing lines and organic approach. He paces things very well, and knows how to make the page have a real impact, with an early double page spread and large panels being used superbly. The ending is, for lack of a better word, a hoot. It made me laugh with its bold, yet dark, approach.

It’s a quick read sure, but one that will make most hunger for more. Thankfully, that’s exactly what we’re getting, and the teaser image below makes me salivate at the prospect of Taylor and Ogden telling their zombie epic through the ages. Really the possibilities are endless. Zombies in Napoleon’s army? An undead Hitler? Elvis rising from Graceland, hungry for impersonator flesh in Las Vegas? They could go anywhere.

Pick this book up now, or in August if you’re not in Oz. It’s daring, entertaining, and cheap! You could also see your own face as a Rombies extra if you’re keen to view how others see you before your morning coffee. Or mocha.

July 7, 2010
Categories: Comic Art, New To Comics?, Reviews . Tags: , , . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

The A-Team Review

The A-Team, simply put, is awesome. Director Joe Carnahan (Smokin’ Aces) stated that he set out to make an unabashed action film, and that’s exactly what he achieved. Perhaps it was because the same week I saw this film, I also watched three romantic comedies, but I discovered a wildly entertaining ad refreshing boy’s own adventure in The A-Team.

This big screen action film is based on the fondly remembered (at least by myself and fellow male Gen Xers) TV series that ran from 1982 to 1987. The plot for the 98 episodes throughout its run was pretty much identical. Filled with explosions, cigar smoking, token female characters and violence (with little after effects), it was perhaps the last unashamedly fun TV series that was still considered to be family friendly. Mr.T, the famous black van, and catchphrases like, “I ain’t getting on no plane,” made sure the show has stayed in pop culture’s radar for the last twenty years.

This film, which has been in development for a long time is a faithful and entertaining adaptation. There have been many similar TV series to film attempts over the last decade, and they haven’t always been a success, such as Bewitched. Where The A-Team makes the most sense is by acknowledging its roots and not pretending to be a new, mature reinvention. The characters are the same, with Liam Neeson as leader Murdock, Bradley Cooper as “Faceman” Peck, District 9’s Sharlto Copley as “Howling Mad” Murdock and former cage fighter Quinton “Rampage” Jackson as B.A Baracus. They all bring machsimo and charisma and the fun just oozes off the screen. For fans, the hum-worthy theme tune appears, as does the opening narration (“Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire… The A-Team.”).

The premise is the same, though it had to be updated, so now the four framed soldiers are not veterans of the Vietnam War, but of its modern Iraq equivalent. Carnahan, Brian Bloom (who also plays baddie Pike) and Skip Woods’ screenplay makes sure to give fans what they want, so there’s plenty of nods in their direction, including “Pity” and “Fool” tattooed on B.A’s knuckles, elaborate plans that embarrass the bad guys and plenty of banter between the team.

Jessica Biel shows up as the only female character of note, as an ex-flame of Peck’s, but the focus is squarely on the four intriguing characters; each of whom has more than one moment to shine, including unexpected highlights such as B.A’s temporary divergence to a life of non-violence and Murdock’s stint in an insane asylum. The numerous daring escapes and wild set pieces include a tank firing while parachuting, and a prison transport rescue and the climax at a dockyards is a dazzling display. There’s very little bloodshed, just like the original TV series, and really the plot about counterfeit money and betrayal is just an excuse for non-stop, over the top action, but it works so well. It’s not a film for everybody, but for those who like their movies to have a playful attitude, you’ll be well satisfied.

July 6, 2010
Categories: Movies, Reviews . Tags: . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Showgirls, Teen Wolves and Astro Zombies Review

Well, maybe not a review, but definitely a recommendation. I had a 2 month gap between starting this and finally finishing it this week, so I’m going by my pleasant memories of this over 300 page book. Written by Michael Adams, who writes for my favourite magazine Empire, it chronicles “a film critic’s year-long quest to find the worst movie ever made.” It made my daily train commute fly by as each page turn would bring a new cinematic disaster that would conjur chuckles of disbelief. From home movies made to test out a new video camera that somehow found a distributor to a series of films with an all dwarf cast, this is a wonderfully entertaining look behind the sofa of cinema’s history. Everyone has their favourite “so bad it’s good” film and Adams spent a lot of time and money trawling through forgotten 1950s monster films to straight to DVD messes.

What makes Showgirls…. so enjoyable is not only the hundreds of films, but also the stories behind them, from “auteurs” who don’t know how to give up, to the tragic figures and countless unbelievable tales behind these big screen diamonds in the rough. Adams wisely just didn’t give us a huge list but rather weaves a loose narrative as he details his journey to unearth and view these gems. Using a form of bingo and categories such as stinky sequels and blaxploitation, Adams gives each film a score of 100, with more than a few barely gaining double digits. He’s a fun and funny writer and gives us glimpses of his non-movie watching life involving his day job at Empire (where he occasionally asks well known directors and actors for their recommendations) and his tolerant wife Clare and young daughter Ava. I can honestly say that most of the films mentioned in Adams’ book, I would love to see with a few friends, ready for a laugh. Not all of the films sounds unintentionally hilarious though, and a lot sound downright vile and boring.

Despite the premise of Showgirls… this will indeed quench your thirst for cinema, as it did with Adams, and give you an honest appreciation for that true cinematic gem when you find it. You can download the intro and first chapter of the book for free right here.

July 3, 2010
Categories: Movies, Reviews . Tags: . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Light of the Meta Day

Traditionally the second issue of a new series drops dramatically in sales. I can testify to that. I have countless #1s sitting in boxes, and that’s because I always like to give a new series a chance. Occasionally a new series will tick the right boxes and I’ll follow it through. Lately, I’ve discovered 3 such series.

The Light, simply put is awesome. Nathan Edmondson (Olympus) and Brett Weldele (The Surrogates) are creating the best work of their careers. This 5 part mini-series from Image is just magnificent in its storytelling simplicity. The elevator pitch would be something along the lines of, “troubled father and daughter try to survive a mysterious virus within light sources that is brutally killing anyone who looks directly into…the light.” Each issue has been better than the last, and that’s a rarity within any new mini. Edmondson knows just how to throw the right story morsels at the reader, leaving them wanting more. In this 3rd ish (of 5) Coyle and his daughter Avery run into 2 armed brothers, who are filled with confidence and a cavalier attitude to the madness surrounding them, ie, people dropping dead and the safety of darkness. My first reaction was to expect some sort of disturbing backstabbing behaviour from the pair, but Edmondson presents them as a helpful duo (though that may change next issue). That and the startling transformation of some victims into walking torches, and the effect of the virus on local birdlife proves that The Light is far more than just a cool concept without any surprises. See a preview here and you can also grab the first 2 issues in one new, handy book.

Meta4 is another 5 ish mini from Image. From creator Ted McKeever it is enjoyably weird, like a David Lynch film. Trying to explain it after just one issue in easy to grasp terms is somewhat difficult, but I’m hooked already. His sketchy art style should appeal to fans of Sam Kieth and he uses black and white with the same skill that Frank Miller does in Sin City. McKeever also worked on 3 books for DC’s Elseworlds line that re-imagined Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman through the lens of classic German Expressionist films. Man, I gotta get my hands on those. Well, Meta4 (assumedly a reference to “metaphor” which descriptions of future issues indicates) centres on an amnesiac dressed as an astronaut  who wanders in to a petrol station, gets accosted by a grotesque hillbilly and then saved by a manly woman dressed as Santa, whose name is Gasolina. So weird, yes but strangely mesmerising too. McKeever could go anywhere from here, and his experiments with captions, and symbols as speech works a treat.

Daytripper from Vertigo is a 10 issue mini-series. If you like Demo, then this is for you. Created by Brazilian brothers Fabio Moon and Gabriel Ba (who worked with Matt Fraction on Casanova), the series follows former obituary writer and novelist Bras de Oliva Domingos throughout his life at different ages. This issue he attempts to track down an old college friend who mysteriously vanished years ago. Like every issue in this series, it looks like a vibrant dream and is filled with unexpected emotion.

June 20, 2010
Categories: New To Comics?, Reviews . Tags: , . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Solomon’s Thieves and Earp

It’s been a while since I’ve written anything for Broken Frontier as I’ve been busy with Extra Sequential and its journey from on-line mag to print. Hopefully good news to report on that soon. Anyway, here’s my review of Solomon’s Thieves, a rousing OGN written by Jordan Mechner, Prince of Persia’s creator.

Also up at BF is one of the best interviews I’ve done in a while (not that I can take credit for that) as the writer of Radical’s new sci-fi series Earp: Saints for Sinners is one interesting fella. Read my chat with M. Zachary Sherman here.

June 9, 2010
Categories: Interviews, New To Comics?, Reviews . Tags: , . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Hawks of Outremer #1 Review

Writer Robert E. Howard is most famous for creating Conan, but his tragic life also created a wealth of other characters and tales, some of which have also been adapted by Hollywood, such as Kull the Conqueror and the more recent Solomon Kane. Hawks of Outremer is one of those lesser known stories. Hawks is the name of a trilogy of tales centered on Cormac Fitzgeoffrey in the Third Crusade. The final was incomplete at the time of Howard’s suicide in 1936 and was eventually finished by writer Richard L. Tierney before being published in 1979. So, not the most auspicious character to begin a new comic with, but BOOM! present an intriguing tale here.

This is a world torn from history, with Irish Christian soldier Fitzgeoffrey doing the kind of work that hairy warriors do best – seeking vengeance and wreaking havoc. The issue opens with Cormac visiting a rowdy tavern near Turkey in 1190 A.D. where he proves that the rumours of his death in battle are merely that. After a catch up with a fellow Crusader, in which he tells the tale of his new sword and his undiplomatic meeting with King Richard while slaying some unbelievers, the adventure begins in earnest. Upon learning that Gerard, an old friend who once saved his life has been killed, Cormac becomes enraged and hunts for Baron Conrad, the man who denied Gerard aid, ready to give him what-for.

I was rather impressed by Hawks. Having not read Howard’s original tales, I’m unaware of how much adapting went into this issue from writer Michael Alan Nelson (who incidentally provides BOOM! with some of their best series, such as Hexed). However, the dialogue is boisterous and fantastic. Each page is littered with words that you just want to say aloud with manly gusto and a tankard of ale. Case in point – “I am no French she-knight to fear wading in the muck,” and “I name you liar, traitor and coward, dastard, poltroon and villain!” Awesome.

Nelson has grounded this in a subtle, yet believable world, devoid of Conan-like sorcery and has scattered characters that are eager to defend their faith or own self interests, and with Cormac in such a harsh environment of religion and politics, there’s room for many grand tales yet. Artist Damian Couceiro does a great job of keeping things real. With an approach similar to the fluid simplicity of Cary Nord (Dark Horse’s Conan series) he gives a rough hewn texture and weight to both people and places and fills the fighting scenes with just enough bloodshed as to not be over the top.

The ending of this debut issue is rather open, so where Cormac goes from here could be anyone’s guess, but I’m sure there’s probably a conspiracy of sorts to be unravelled and heads to be bashed or removed, in the remaining 3 issues. I’ll be there.

Oh, and in case you’re wondering Outremer refers to the states governed by the Christians after the Crusades, and the soldiers would be the Hawks. So there you go.

June 7, 2010
Categories: Comic Art, New To Comics?, Reviews . Tags: , . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: 5 Comments

500 International Hyper Roads of Summer

500 Days of Summer. Man, Juno has a lot to answer for, as my mate Mladen will gladly tell you. Though I did enjoy the film, I’m also unsurprised at its numerous imitators. 500 Days is very much one of them. It stars Zooey Deschanel, who amps up her irresistably cute girl shtick and indie star of the moment (and possible future Joker, though I hope Batman 3 moves to a different villain) Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Zooey plays arty, flighty and frankly selfish girl Summer who JGL seems drawn to. He is nowhere near as charismatic or as interesting as her, but she takes him into her heart, or her version of one anyway, and the film then flashes to and fro the titular number of days their ill-defined relationship goes through. I hoped for more from this film, but it appears to be a cobbled together script from a bunch of inspired art students who just want to make a quirky film. Yes, there’s songs from bands you’ve never heard of to add arty credence, “witty” dialogue and scenes like playing house in Ikea that get dangerously close to making this film what it should’ve been, but alas, the two leads just have no chemistry, and the finale makes Summer quite the dislikeable character. Then again, it does have a great dance number, complete with an animated blue bird and an interesting approach, but that’s undone by the obvious attempt at cool points. I seem to be one of the rare people who didn’t like it however.

The Road. Another film I’ve been looking to seeing, and one that didn’t disappoint. Based on the Cormac McCarthy novel, The Road is directed by John Hillcoat (great Aussie flick, The Proposition). It has little dialogue and rests on the weary shoulders of Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit-McPhhe, who both do a fine job as father and son in this inhospitable world. Robert Duvall and Guy Pearce appear as unrecognisable survivors, and Charlize Theron is seen only in flashback. The pair travel the wasteland that is now America thanks to some great war. Ash, empty buildings and falling tress fill the dangerous landscape, which dad and kid must navigate with fear and caution to find food and avoid the roaming gangs of armed cannibals. It’s like Mad Max by way of Lord of the Flies. Gripping, scary and edge of your seat stuff.

Viggo carries a gun at all times, ready to kill his only son if need be, rather than give him up to the cruel flesh eating killers that roam the land, and aims to get all naivete out of him so he can fend for himself when the time comes. It’s a stripped back film, with minimal action and direction, but is extremely effective, and at times depressing, though the end offers a glimmer of hope.

Uncity Nation. I have my younger brother to thank for expanding my musical horizons as of late. I never listen to the radio, and though I was involved in community radio for 5 years, those days are long behind me. Discovering a new band I like is therefore quite similar to picking up a new comic on a whim; it gives me the pleasure of discovering something fresh, and the fact that many, many people may have discovered it before me only really adds to the satisfaction. Good artists deserve an audience, no matter their choice of media.

French band International Hyper Rythmique consist of 3 siblings with an impressive and diverse background in all manner of art forms. They’ve been performing since 2007. Uncity Nation is their first full length album. Now, I’m not a music critic, but all I can say is that it’s perfectly chilled out, serene listening, and yes, it’s in English. Plug your ears into their site to hear more from their 11 song debut.

May 30, 2010
Categories: Movies, Music, Reviews . Tags: . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

Death and the Frenemy’s Claw

Here’s a quick look at some new indie series.

Death Ship from IDW is a 4 issue mini-series based on an untold story from Bram Stoker’s classic Dracula. Behind Cliff Nielsen’s spooky cover I was pleasantly surprised to some equally moody art. Being printed on slightly rougher paper, with muted colours by Dom Regan, means that Death Ship will carry you to its 1897 setting with ease. Stuart Sayger’s artwork is like a more refined Bill Sienkiewicz or Klaus Janson. His work is suitably sketchy, yet equally enchanting and fits beautifully within the old world setting, which is filled with tough as nails sailors with manly beards. Sayger knows when to fill the pages with simplicity, which adds great tension to Gary Gerani’s script. The first few pages initially seem like a bland tale of sailors vs the sea; the kind of film you catch in black and white on a lazy Sunday arvo on TV, but it soon reveals itself to be something more, as a sinister force lurks about their vessel. There’s a boy, a tough veteran, a wise captain and a scared priest, but it all works well, plus the art is awesome. I’m thankful for comic moments like this, when I pick something by blind faith and it proves to be better than expected.

The Claw and the Fang. This new series has great covers, and that’s what intrigued me. That, plus the preview art looked unusual – in a good way. Bluewater Productions have become known as of late for their bio comics on stars of the moment, but that’s not all that they produce. This issue begins with Justin, a hardcore gamer losing his job before crossing to Outer Mongolia where a witch summons a huge, hooded demon to serve her. From then on it moves quickly, as Justin gets fed up with the MMORPG he’s invested his life in, and the supernatural world and his dull existence collide. There’s a slight awkwardness, as this hurriedly takes place and it would’ve benefitted from an extra few pages, but this debut ish has laid enough seeds to hopefully bear fruit in the remaining issues. Michael Kutcher’s script is filled with great captions that carry the tale without revealing too much just yet, and Matias Basla’s angular art lends a refreshing design to the pages. The sparse use of colour is a great addition to the mainly earthen look too.

Frenemy of the State has its Hollywood tongue planted firmly in its cheek and is an unashamedly fun adventure. It’s written by actress Rashida Jones (The Office, Parks and Recreation), Christina Weir and Nunzio DeFilippis and comes to us from Oni Press. Opening with a quick account of protagonist Ariana Von Holmberg’s life in the spotlight (via Twitter snapshots) as she attends an Alice in Wonderland theme party, we soon learn that she’s not just a dumb heiress, but a well educated woman. She also seems to know her way around hi-tech security systems, but with all those skills, she’s still not above seeking revenge on a cheating lover. The script is rather obvious from that point on, as she becomes a C.I.A recruit. The odd flashback transition comes from nowhere, when all that’s needed was a simple caption, but otherwise, the issue is fine. It’s not a remarkable debut, but the central concept leaves a lot of room for story possibilities. Jeff Wamester’s art is light, with a slight Kevin Nowlan approach and the simple feel adds to the bubbliness of the story. It’s not hilarious by any means, but fans of pop culture with an awareness of celebrity obsessed media will find this likeable enough.

May 25, 2010
Categories: Comic Art, New To Comics?, Reviews . Tags: , , . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

The Light #2 Review

Nathan Edmondson and Brett Weldele make for a formidable duo on this new mini-series from Image. The writer of Olympus and artist of The Surrogates really do work well together, and there is a brave story being told within these pages. Yes, this issue has been out for 2 weeks now, but in order to catch up you can read the entire first issue for free here and Edmondson’s commentary on the same issue here.

The “elevator pitch” is that there’s a mysterious infection making contact with anyone who looks into a light source, killing them instantly. In this mad panic are thrust bad dad Cole and his initially skeptical daughter Avery. It may appear to be an unpublished Stephen King story, but the creative duo behind the series make it their own. The first issue was a remarkably bold exercise in dramatic storytelling. The status quo was set up with great economy before father and daughter woke up to their dangerous new world. Here, the confusion and running continue. The cliffhanger from last issue is not resolved yet, but I know it will be before the remaining 3 issues hit shelves.

The scale is larger here, while still remaining the simple glimpses of humanity that give The Light its appeal. The first few pages reveal Avery and Cole on the run, or rather drive, and arguing about Avery’s mother, before almost being destroyed by an airplane seeking a desperate landing. This sequence is handled particularly well, in that it’s not directed like a scene from an action film, but with a subtlety that lends genuine surprise. After wondering what their next step is, the pair find an understandably shocked survivor who seems genuinely unaware of the catastrophe around her.

Edmondson’s great afterword focuses on heroism, whereas it focused on interconnectivity in the debut issue, and it’s those two elements that are at the core of this engaging series. Whenever we are offered a glimmer of hope, The Light snuffs it out with reckless abandon. It’s the kind of page turner that we don’t have enough of in today’s comics, and I can already see myself grabbing the TPB as well as the individual issues, so I can share it’s raw magic with others.

Edmondson reveals superb skills at pacing within this taut tale and Weldele’s sketchy yet enchanting art is the best of his career and a perfect fit for the story of the darkness within the light.

May 22, 2010
Categories: Comics, Reviews . Tags: , , . Author: Kris Bather . Comments: Leave a comment

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