Jim Valentino's normalman was one of the first parody indies to truly succeed in the marketplace. Now it's all collected in a single volume.

Why be normal? Why not?

/Mason

Manga Monday returns! This week, it's the four-volume series GUNDAM SEED DESTINY!

Plus: another Aisle Seat Extra! My interview with actress Karen Cliche, kicking ass on the set of the new FLASH GORDON!

Why are you still here and not at the main site, reading????

/Mason

CWR WEEKEND BLOG EXTRA

After taking a week off for San Diego, the Blog Extra is back! This weekend, two new books from publisher Jeff Mason (no relation) and Alternative Comics.

First up is HICKEE #3, written and drawn by a large number of talented folks. HICKEE is a humor comic anthology on a smaller scale, presented in standard pamphlet comic format and running 32 pages. What that means is that the concentration of good-to-excellent material is quite high; in fact, a number of the pieces here are real standouts. Graham Annable’s “Frank’s Big Hand” is a sick, twisted riot. Vamberto Maduro’s “The Anna Nicole Smith Board Game” is dark genius. And Razmig Mavlian’s “Joop Joop” is a surprisingly pathos-filled tribute to childhood imagination. At only three yanqui dollars, you easily get your money’s worth here.

Joel Orff writes and draws THUNDERHEAD UNDEGROUND FALLS, a graphic novel focusing on one young man’s life as it’s about to change. His name is Jack, and he’s joined the Army, for better or worse, and he’s about to be sent off to the Middle East. But even as he prepares to go, he journeys with friends, taking an expansive look at his world, all the while finding a love that might be worth deserting for. I finished THUNDERHEAD feeling of two minds about it, really; I respected and understood Orff’s intentions here, finding an emotional core in Jack’s arc that I think works. But at the same time, he takes a very looooooooong time developing it. There’s a lot of silence in this book, which isn’t always a bad thing, but here it overwhelms the plot’s progress and development of the characters’ arcs. Silence can say more than words, but too many times, the silence here says nothing at all. This is an accomplished work, by a talented artist, but I came away from it wanting more on the page than I felt I got.

That’s it for this weekend. Be here through the week for site updates, plus my latest Aisle Seat Extra, featuring actress Karen Cliche. Then be back here next weekend for an all-new Weekend Blog Extra!

/Mason

SAN DIEGO SATURDAY: PART THREE

After Jenna was done, I grabbed a pretzel and waited for the finale of my con: the BATTLESTAR GALACTICA press conference. And it was a worthy finish, even if I ran out of film before Tricia Helfer entered the room for her photo op.

Go frakkin' read about it already.

Then I headed for my hotel, cleaned up, came back down for dinner, drinks, and goodbyes, and headed back to the desert. Yay, me! Another fun year of San Diego under my belt!

/Mason

SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON SATURDAY: PART TWO

So I hit the floor with my friend Mimmo for about 30 minutes, we play the Godzilla Wii game, he nearly runs over Seth Rogan... then it was back to work for me. Next press conference:

Jenna Jameson.

Click over and read about and see the pretty pictures, yes?

/Mason

San Diego Saturday: Part One

I got off to a late start. Hit the comics press panel a few minutes late, then had to leave early. Why?

Off to my first press conference of the day. For WHO WANTS TO BE A SUPERHERO?

Go here and make with the clicky to read about it, won't you?

/Mason

Back from Comic-Con.

You may be asking: what happened to Friday and Saturday updates? Well, I could tell you all about it here, but really... I hit the floor, saw some folks I like seeing... I went to lunch on Friday and watched a drug bust on the side of the road in front of Kansas City BBQ. My friend Mimmo almost plowed over Seth Rogan on Saturday. Masi Oka was sitting in the press room when I arrived on Saturday morning, and my first thought was "Wait... he isn't a reporter..."

That's how fried your mind gets at SDCC.

Anyway, the best way I can update on what I did on Friday and Saturday (I skipped Sunday this year) is to post on the big stuff that I did. Like Friday evening when I sat in on the EUREKA cast press conference.

Go read about it already!

/Mason

DAY ONE: V FOR VICTORY

It got off to a late start. For whatever reason, once again, they were late in opening the floor and the natives were restless. Making matters worse was the uninformed security staff. While waiting for the doors to open, I was told at “A” door that press could enter the building down at “D” and wait inside. So I went to “B” and tried and got right in. Then I heard another security guy telling someone else that the only blue badges that could be in the place were Professionals. Yeesh. So I made myself scarce and waited it out.

Today was a day to work the floor. I made the rounds to see folks I know, or that I’d wanted to meet in person. Sean O’Reilly at Arcana. Scott Christian Sava. The Awesome April Flores. Stephen Buell of Lost In The Dark.

I finally hit a panel at 1:30pm, and that’s where things went wonky.

Let me first say: I meant to write a feature article about the Viz Media panel. Big company. Important publisher. They represent a high standard for manga. And their panel was excellent. Marketing whiz Wendy Shimamura and her crew of editors have a great slate of books and anime on the way. And then the Q&A began.

One of the reasons I avoid superhero panels is to sidestep that particular brand of fan. You know the one: the jackass whiner who pisses and moans about everything. But who knew manga fans could be just as bad? They were godawful… the first three people to hit the microphone were complete complainer assholes. I felt sorry for the folks at the front- they were there, totally professional, did fine work in presenting their slides, and… boom! Shitheadland relocated to room 2. So I walked out, not wanting to see more of that scene.

Later in the day, I sat in on the Villard Books panel. Villard is a division of Random House, and they’ve brought in books like the FLIGHT anthology, Josh Fialkov’s ELK’S RUN, and POSTCARDS. The afore mentioned Ms. Flores moderated, and the panel included folks like Kazu Kibuishi, Fialkov, Jason Rodriguez, and Dallas Middaugh. It was well run, professionally executed, and the audience questions were good. It took some of the bad taste out of my mouth from earlier.

After that, friends Brandon Jerwa and Jessica Blackshear arrived. Jess, as I’ll formally announce soon, is joining the main site as an advice columnist, which I’m really excited about. We joined Dan Jolley and many other friends for dinner before heading over to the Hyatt, and finally called it an earlier night thanks to exhaustion.

Tomorrow: it really kicks in.

/Mason

PREVIEW NIGHT

It was… eerie, really.

Last year’s Preview Night was a horror show. The lines at the doors downstairs were fairly frothing, but this year… calm prevailed. There was a mellower sense at play. People merely gathered and waited. It was strangely civilized.

I executed my personal plan perfectly. I hopped on the trolley about 3:45pm and rode down to the convention center. There was only one person ahead of me in the pre-registered press line. Journalism rocks. So I got my badge and made my escape, zipping over to the Marriott and hitting the bar for a margarita. 5pm rolled around, I finished my beverage, and headed back over.

Bumped into friends and colleagues, meaning the show was truly underway for me. First highlight: talking to Tom Spurgeon. If you’ve never met Tom, you’re missing out- the man is a born raconteur. He also has a very droll wit, which one poor fellow who came up to introduce himself didn’t quite get. He applauded Tom’s guide to the show (which is brilliant) and Spurge jokingly told him he was screwed. And the poor bastard just didn’t get it, looking bewildered. Great stuff.

Once the doors opened, I ran a quick errand inside, then popped out to await the arrival of the Indisputable Matt Maxwell. We rolled through the floor, making stops at AdHouse for new Paul Pope goodies, Paul Horn’s booth for his Hodabeast collection, and Steve Lieber’s table for new minis. There were also chats with folks like Larry Young along the way.

The whole thing just felt… subdued, if that’s possible. Like the attendees know that the real action starts tomorrow… even if Warren Ellis and his cowboy hat were there tonight.

Finally, our friend Joe arrived, and it was time to leave the floor and let the real show begin. Off to Seaport Village and then the Hyatt. Day One: complete.

/Mason

PRE-SAN DIEGO BLOG EXTRA: WEEKEND

Since there won’t be regular site updates while I’m gone at Comic-Con International (there will, however, be updates here), I’m taking this week to do a little bit of advance catch-up on the large pile of books awaiting my attention. This Weekend Blog Extra brings two efforts from the folks at Del Rey Manga.

AVRIL LAVIGNE’S MAKE 5 WISHES VOL.2
Written and Drawn by Camilla d’Errico and Joshua Dysart

The concluding volume to Del Rey’s first OEL manga is a surprising one, as what you might have expected to be a pointless popstar driven lark turns out to be a shockingly dark ride to an unexpected finish.

When last we left young Hana, she had begun using the wishes provided by a nasty little demon and began to understand the concept of “be careful what you wish for.” But undaunted, she wished for everyone in the school to like her, and now that desire comes due. What she doesn’t expect, though, is how deadly her life will get in order for that to become true. Nor does she expect her home life to be destroyed when she wishes that her feuding parents would be happy again. Ultimately, Hana shows herself to be quite naive as she tries to outwit the demon; kids don’t quite know that you can’t beat the devil.

WISHES’ final chapter, though, is what it all boils down to, and where the debate about this series will crystallize. The ending is a punch to the gut; no way did I see it coming. That isn’t to say that it isn’t earned, because it certainly is, but at the same time, it’s troubling. I’d be… cautious… about putting the book into the hands of a teenager who wasn’t mature enough to understand and handle it.

If you’d told me that I’d wind up enjoying and respecting this book before it came out, I’d have laughed at you, but d’Errico and Dysart really executed their story better than you could have ever expected. I tip my cap to them.

ALIVE: THE FINAL EVOLUTION VOL.1
Written by Tadashi Kawashima and Drawn by Adachitoka

Kano lives a traditional teen existence. He goes to school, struggles with classmates, and plays guardian to his friend Hirose. But his life, and the lives of everyone else on Earth, is changed drastically on one fateful day. A wave of suicides ripples across the Earth, leaving millions dead. The explanation? A virus. But what science doesn’t know is that the virus is alive… and it has plans.

ALIVE is a stunner, immediately getting you in its grip and not letting go. Conceptually, it stands out from most of the rest of the manga on the shelves, and no one ever went broke putting out a thrilling Armageddon story. As I read it, I felt something that I hadn’t felt in a while: like I was reading the next big thing. After all, while there’s a larger, planet-level problem at play, the basic story is human enough that it keeps you grounded in Kano’s world and maintains a perspective that allows for emotional investment.

This manga is also a rarity in that it features a writer/artist team at work. Kawashima had produced a solo manga before, but his lack of speed and need for artistic growth put him together with Adachitoka. Turns out that was a pretty good idea. Exhilarating, violent, and unpredictable, I can’t wait to see where ALIVE goes; it should be an amazing trip.

See you all in San Diego!

/Mason

PRE-SAN DIEGO BLOG EXTRA: FRIDAY

Since there won’t be regular site updates while I’m gone at Comic-Con International (there will, however, be updates here), I’m taking this week to do a little bit of advance catch-up on the large pile of books awaiting my attention.

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER OMNIBUS VOL.1
Written and Drawn by Various
Published by Dark Horse

Dark Horse’s omnibus series delivers its first collection of stories about Joss Whedon’s pop culture masterpiece heroine, and it turns out to be a much better book than I genuine thought it could be. The first series go-around featuring the slayer and her friends was never really a standout, mostly reaching levels of “ok” during its publication. But a big part of that was due to two reasons: one, the book was a terrible monthly read, damned near incoherent at times; and two, it seemed to lack direction, bouncing from one threat to another with little regard for character flow. This book, at least, fixes one of those problems.

Volume one doesn’t begin by reprinting the first issue of the series; instead, the Omnibus begins by collecting the tales the series told that took place before Buffy landed in Sunnydale and met Willow and the gang. We get a Spike & Dru tale, then lead in to the adaptation of Joss Whedon’s original BUFFY film screenplay. And that gives the book an early jolt; Whedon’s original, un-tampered with script, is damned fine, and foreshadows exactly what the TV series would accomplish so well. After that, we get two flashback stories, one which follows Buffy and Pike (from the film) and functions as a sequel to the true origin tale and one which finds Buffy institutionalized before her parents divorced and Buffy wound up at the Hellmouth (an excellent callback to a classic episode of the TV show). We also get a subplot in that tale that shows how Rupert Giles drew the assignment to head to California and become our heroine’s new Watcher.

Like I mentioned above, the first monthly BUFFY book read horribly in floppy format. But the collections were always better, and this one was no exception. In fact, by bringing together an entire era of slayer stories, it becomes a far more compelling read. I’m not sure how the next couple of omnibuses will turn out, but this one is well worth your dollars, especially if you love the character and/or show.

/Mason

Two more for Friday, as the main site prepares to hibernate while I'm in San Diego. Dion Floyd's IMMORTAL KISS effectively mixes cops and vampires, while the ALIENS VS PREDATOR OMNIBUS brings some classic stories back to print for a new generation.

/Mason

PRE-SAN DIEGO BLOG EXTRA: THURSDAY

Since there won’t be regular site updates while I’m gone at Comic-Con International (there will, however, be updates here), I’m taking this week to do a little bit of advance catch-up on the large pile of books awaiting my attention.

MONSTER ATTACK NETWORK
Written by Marc Bernardin and Adam Freeman
Drawn by Nima Sorat
Published by AiT/PlanetLar

Nate Klinger has the coolest dangerous job in the world. He’s the leader of M.A.N., the organization responsible for protecting the island nation of Lapuatu. What do they need protection from? A variety of giant monsters (or, as the Japanese would say: kaiju) that like to stomp their way through the tiny nation and destroy everything in their paths. Sure, the island has mandatory safeguards in place; for instance, each building is constructed with escape tubes meant to evacuate citizens to safety, quickly. And Nate and his crew are also responsible for quickly rebuilding the mangled infrastructure, too. But Nate’s world is about to get a lot more complicated by three things: the company’s new hire, a nubile young woman named Lana who doesn’t follow orders to his liking; Terry Callow, an industrialist with plans to add more than a bit of new shopping to Lapuatu; and a sudden influx of monster attacks that are coming in groups, a trend which is unprecedented.

How much did I love this book? It’s damned near embarrassing, frankly. Those who know me well know that I would sell my mother for the chance to write any sort of GODZILLA title or series. I think the 90s GAMERA trilogy are the greatest kaiju films ever made. So a graphic novel about people whose job it is to battle giant monsters on a daily basis? God help me.

Of course, it helps that it’s actually pretty good. The script is lively and full of easter eggs for genre fans; in fact, they don’t even have to be giant monsters, as one of the local companies turns out to be Weyland/Yutani of ALIEN fame. The characters are stock roles, but written in such a way as to feel fresh and entertaining. The plot whips along at a very fast pace, keeping the reader active in the story. And Sorat’s Paul Pope-esque art, while confusing at times, does a strong job of depicting most of the large-scale action that matters.

Wisely, the boys leave themselves wide open for a sequel, and I hope to see it. This is AiT’s most entertaining effort of the past few years.

/Mason

Thursday sees the pre-San Diego push continue, with two new reviews at the main site: VOODOO CHILD #1 (from the minds of Nic Cage and son) and the totally bizarre THE AVIARY.

/Mason

PRE-SAN DIEGO BLOG EXTRA: WEDNESDAY

Since there won’t be regular site updates while I’m gone at Comic-Con International (there will, however, be updates here), I’m taking this week to do a little bit of advance catch-up on the large pile of books awaiting my attention.

STEPHEN COLBERT’S TEK JANSEN #1
Written by John Layman, Tom Peyer, and Jim Massey
Drawn by Scott Chantler and Robbi Rodriguez
Published by Oni Press


America’s funniest humorist sees one of his long-running gags brought to four-color life in TEK JANSEN. Colbert has been cracking wise about his absurd sounding “science fiction” novel for quite a while now, so it isn’t too surprising to see that a comic publisher was smart enough to start negotiations to snap up the property. What does surprise is how well this does… and doesn’t… work on the page.

The main story, by Layman and Peyer, finds Colbert’s officious character completing a mission and returning home to find himself in the middle of intrigue. An alien race has arrived, offering use of their great technology in exchange for their donation of energy to a planet in need of assistance. But playing slyly off of Colbert’s ion-air persona, Jansen distrusts any race that practices anything resembling liberal politics. So when ordered to not interfere with the proceedings… of course he interferes, setting in motion the pieces for galactic war.

Much to my surprise, the story itself really comes out kind of flat. Layman and Peyer lace the tale with great ideas and concepts; for instance, Jansen’s captured enemy that he insists on keeping in a nearby cage in the hopes he’ll eventually grow to love him is an absolute hoot. And Scott Chantler’s art (a long way from NORTHWEST PASSAGE) delivers a Jansen who looks exactly like Colbert’s stick-in-the-rear persona. But ultimately (and mind you, I call John Layman friend and drinking companion) I was disappointed that the whole thing wasn’t crazier- the plot concept feels a bit stock at the moment. Perhaps it will pick up a bit as the series progresses.

On the other hand, Massey and Rodriguez’ (MAINTENANCE) back-up story is a home run of humor. Tek gets sent undercover, saves a waitress whom he expects to be far more grateful than she actually is, then causes horrific destruction on a whim. “Horn Like Me” captures Colbert’s voice perfectly, and I snickered all the way through this one.

While unquestionably imperfect, I have faith in the creative crew to pick up the pace, so they get another issue to convince me that TEK JANSEN will live up to its inspiration.

/Mason

LEFT ON MISSION isn't your traditional spy thriller... but that isn't a bad thing.

You only live twice, dear reader.

/Mason

PRE-SAN DIEGO BLOG EXTRA: TUESDAY

Since there won’t be regular site updates while I’m gone at Comic-Con International (there will, however, be updates here), I’m taking this week to do a little bit of advance catch-up on the large pile of books awaiting my attention.

SILVER STAR
Written and Drawn by Jack Kirby
Published by Image Comics

The King’s final substantive work gets the deluxe hardcover treatment from Image, as Morgan Miller (a/k/a Homo Geneticus) discovers his own power and tracks down others with similar gifts, all the while working to prevent the ascendance and domination of humankind by the first of their kind, Darius Drumm.

SILVER STAR was created late in Kirby’s career, during the period where he finally worked with publishers that allowed him to maintain ownership and control of his characters and art. It finds him in fine artistic form, no question; these pages are packed full of ideas, some genius, some so absurd that you wonder if Jack wasn’t smoking a bit of weed while hunched over the drawing board. But uniformly, the books are terrific examples of the man’s creativity.

The one flaw here is one that cropped up even in his work for Marvel and DC. Jack is working without an editor here, and therefore no one tells him that his dialogue is flat-out awful in many spots. Silver Star meets a stuntwoman with similar powers as his, and he immediately starts calling her baby. In fact, he’s so leaden in the way he speaks, you wouldn’t have been surprised if he had called her “sugar tits.” His urban dialogue suffers in much the same way in a later chapter. Reading some of this stuff, you kind of question whether or not Jack ever actually listened to other people speak.

Still, not one bit of that detracts from how enjoyable this volume is. The book looks fantastic, and Image’s restoration and presentation are immaculate. The hardcover is the perfect way to treat it, too. The King’s work belongs on the bookshelf, always accessible for an afternoon of letting your imagination run wild. A bargain at any price.

/Mason

1200 pages. 53 issues. That's what makes up the first two volumes of the SAVAGE DRAGON ARCHIVES.

Erik Larsen really has done something to appreciate, hasn't he?

/Mason

PRE-SAN DIEGO BLOG EXTRA: MONDAY

Since there won’t be regular site updates while I’m gone at Comic-Con International (there will, however, be updates here), I’m taking this week to do a little bit of advance catch-up on the large pile of books awaiting my attention.

POSTCARDS
Written and Drawn by Various
Edited by Jason Rodriguez
Published by Villard

On a trip for his girlfriend’s birthday,
Jason Rodriguez found himself in a spot that so many of us have: stuck shopping in an establishment he couldn’t care less about. In his case, she had dragged him out antiquing, a fate that can rank right up there with colorectal surgery performed with rusty implements. But this woman was smart; knowing he had a taste for making up stories from other peoples’ lives, she stopped by the boxes of postcards available for sale. And much to his surprise, many of them had been used and sent, offering a brief and mysterious glimpse into someone else’s world. Thus was born the concept behind POSTCARDS; Rodriguez has taken many of the postcards he’s collected, given them to a plethora of fine comic creators, and set them free to create the stories behind the missives.

While this doesn’t spring to mind as the most obvious genesis for an anthology, it does prove to be one of the most fruitful. What an amazing piece of work POSTCARDS turns out to be- like with FLIGHT, there isn’t a true whiff in the entire bunch. Each of these tales (sixteen in all) had something to recommend about it, whether it’s a clever concept or gorgeous art, or both. The talent here is a who’s who of gifted folks: Tom Beland, Rick Spears and Rob G, Josh Fialkov, Neil Kleid, Phil Hester, Danielle Corsetto (are you reading GIRLS WITH SLINGSHOTS? If you aren’t, why not?), Harvey Pekar… and not one of them disappoints. It’s Hester who delivers the book’s star turn, “A Joyous Eastertide;” it’s a heart-breaking tale about love, family, and death that I won’t soon forget.

If there’s one criticism to be made about POSTCARDS, it’s tonal. As Rodriguez himself admits, there’s a hint of death to the entire enterprise, considering that those who sent the cards are gone. And many of the stories are damned dark and depressing, with plenty of death in the air. Still, that shouldn’t take away from the craft of the book, and the emotional satisfaction it delivers to the reader. This is an excellent book for a sophisticated and intelligent audience.

/Mason

Manga Monday! KURO GANE comes to a very nice conclusion...

The countdown to San Diego is underway, which means this week will be packed full of extra reviews. Not only at the main site, but here, too!

/Mason

CWR WEEKEND BLOG EXTRA

The calendar has struck Friday, so that means it must be time for another Blog Extra! Returning to the Extra: the fine folks at Dynamite Entertainment.

DARK XENA #2 is written by new Bay Area resident John Layman, and drawn by Noah Salonga. This post-TV/pre-volume one Xena tale ostensibly exists to fill in the gaps in Xena continuity between the two. After all, the warrior princess bought it in the show’s finale. However, now we see that her partner Gabrielle made a pact with terrible forces to return her from the dead. Unfortunately for Gabrielle, the returned Xena is a villain without equal. Rather subversively, this isn’t really Xena’s story; Layman is crafting a Gabrielle story, and a pretty good one. Her actions in the name of love and friendship have now caused the deaths of entire villages, and her mistake continues to compound the longer this version of Xena lives. So the mission now changes: she seemingly has no choice but to kill her friend. Gabrielle comes to life nicely as a character, and it helps that Salonga turns in much better work here than he did in issue one. Solid entertainment.

Dynamite’s flagship title has immediately become THE BOYS, and that’s not a bad thing at all. Issue eight is, as usual, written and drawn by creators Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, and continues the book’s run of excellence. This issue sees Wee Hughie and Butcher dive into the world of gay superheroes, and it’s handled with real smarts; Hughie finds himself in am uncomfortable position, but it’s Hughie’s perceptions of what he sees as Butcher’s homophobia that defines the issue… especially when he learns that Butcher isn’t necessarily saying anything with a kernel of truth or belief. On the flip track, the sexual problems of the Tek Knight grow even worse, as he pushes away even the most loyal of his trusted associates. But you’d leave too if someone fucked your ear, wouldn’t you? Gloriously demented fun, THE BOYS is top-of-the-stack reading.

LONE RANGER #6, written by Brett Matthews and drawn by Sergio Cariello, finishes off the series’ first story arc in excellent fashion. The one “complaint” you could make about the first five issues of this series was that the plot developed… slowly… to be charitable. Ranger and his family shot and left for dead, rescued by new Native American friend, buys a horse, he finds out who did the shooting… five issues. But issue six stands on the gas pedal and doesn’t look back. Confrontations between the villain and Tonto and the villain and the Ranger… a terrific action sequence set on a train… lots of the classic Western tropes are on display, but they’re executed beautifully. Of course, it also helps that the whole thing looks amazing; Cariello and colorist Dean White have turned out another comic to take your breath away. I expect the collected version of this book to be a very good seller in the bookstores; it’s been a long time since the character was properly represented to the public at large. Problem solved.

I have lavished a metric ton of praise on BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: CYLON APOCALYPSE over the course of the first three issues. Writer Javier Grillo-Marxuach and artist Carlos Rafael had put together the best GALACTICA product to come from Dynamite, classic or modern show. So it pains me to say that the conclusion to this miniseries totally craps out. The bevy of insanely cool ideas and wild new take on the classic Cylons is replaced by the (now heavily recycled) “Starbuck is lost, thought dead, and left behind” chestnut in issue four. We saw it in Classic Galactica on TV, modern Galactica TV has done it twice, Rick Remender’s CLASSIC-era comic used it. Honestly, while there’s some good stuff elsewhere in this book, the use of this plot point damned near completely overshadows it. This looks like the end of CLASSIC-era comics for now, and it’s a shame to see it exit on a sour note.

That’s it for this weekend! Tune in during the week for new reviews, and the countdown to San Diego. I’ll be back next weekend with a new Blog Extra before it takes a couple of weeks off for travel!

/Mason

Week's over! Yeah! To celebrate (or just update- either way): a review of volume one of THE DAMNED, Oni's gangsters and demons mish-mash.

Sell your soul to the site!

/Mason

Like 'em weird? Then you'll love David Yurkovich's DEATH BY CHOCOLATE.

As God is my witness, you will go hungry again.

/Mason

THE BLOODY BENDERS leave a trail of death across the Kansas prairie...

Don't be the next victim.

/Mason

FLIGHT is back! That's always good news, because it's the best anthology in comics today, bar none.

Read about it. Buy it.

/Mason

Manga Monday! HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS continues bringing the funny! Plus: MANGA: THE COMPLETE GUIDE arrives, and it's the book of the year to date.

Go see, why don't you?

/Mason

CWR WEEKEND BLOG EXTRA

Welcome back to the Blog Extra! This weekend, a step away from the floppies and into the manga arena! Our contestant comes to you from the fine folks at DrMaster Books.

ETERNAL ALICE RONDO VOL.3 is written and drawn by Kaishaku, and translated by Gretchen Kern. In the first two volumes, we met a young boy named Aruto and discovered his fascination and obsession with the works of Lewis Carroll. We also discovered that he is not alone in that pursuit; there is an entire subculture of young girls involved in the pursuit of Alice-related powers and dreams as well. Each character has the hope of finding and/or creating the ultimate next tale in the Alice saga, and that desire has awoken great power in many of those involved. Power, that is, that allows for the alteration of reality itself in the pursuit of eternal Alice. Now Aruto and his friends find themselves in the middle of a battle between Alice-powered girls and must face their fears and the possible loss of their imagination and creativity, as well as the innocence that holds them together.

Reading what I just wrote, I freely admit that it makes very little sense on the surface. And honestly, in many ways, it makes even less sense on the page. Kaishaku’s gift doesn’t lie in clarity of storytelling. Some chapters in this volume are completely impenetrable. But when the book slows down and brings the tale down to an intimate and personal level, this book sizzles. One girl must deal with her guilt over a prank that killed her best friend when the friend arrives as part of the competition. Aruto must face the loss of his innocence and creativity when he is seduced by an older woman with nefarious purposes. These stories hit the reader on an emotional level and they keep the volume moving along at a brisk pace.

So while I find this to be a frustrating series in many ways, it has also kept me captivated as a reader. I’d like to see a bit more dedication to clear plotting from Kaishaku, of course, but we’ll have to see where the next volume leads.

That’s it for this weekend! Be back here throughout the week for main site updates, and come back next weekend for an all-new Blog Extra!

/Mason

It's Friday! Closing out the week, a double-dose of Devil's Due *AND* a double-dose of Boom. Reviews of XOMBIE REANIMATED, STORM SHADOW, COVER GIRL, and HERO SQUARED.

All yours for a low, low price.

/Mason

Post-holiday fun! REPO #1 arrives from Image, plus two new Viper reviews: DEAD@17 #4 and SIDEKICKIN' HERO!

Three books, no waiting.

/Mason

Larry Young's THE BLACK DIAMOND has been two years in the making... was it worth the wait?

Drive through, please.

/Mason

Manga Monday! AIR GEAR returns with a couple of new volumes, and the book gets... weird.

Excrementally weird. Seriously.

/Mason

CWR WEEKEND BLOG EXTRA

Welcome back to another Blog Extra. A bit of a trying week at CWR headquarters, as a bug swept through and left me in Unpleasantville. Still, I managed to read a comic or two. For your edification today, a look at a book from the good folks at Dork Storm Press.

That book? DORK TOWER #35, written and drawn, as always, by John Kovalic. As a long-time reader and fan of DORK TOWER, I was very disappointed in last issue, which digressed away from the characters and main plotlines in order to present a history of gaming. Kovalic promised a return to the main plot in issue thirty-five, but surprisingly, he fails to deliver on that promise.

Instead, issue thirty-five is a Christmas-themed special, set aside from the current continuity. The book’s lead story is a twisted take on “The Gift of the Magi,” as Matt and Igor consider sacrificing their own geek needs to do something nice for each other. Of course, a well-timed and amusing bit of misdirection at the end offers a satisfying conclusion to the tale and I enjoyed seeing the boys back in action, even away from the uber-plot. Kovalic also adds some extra strips dedicated to the holiday season to close out the book, and the proceedings as a whole come across in solid fashion. It isn’t the greatest DORK offering ever, but it certainly gets things back on track after last issue’s digression.

Still, I think it’s now important for Kovalic to get back to the story in action. With a book that doesn’t ship with monthly frequency, any length of time spent away from forward motion with the characters’ growth and story development can cause readership to find something else. And that’s a shame; DORK TOWER had really found itself as a character-driven book, rather than a gag-centric book as it drew close to issue thirty, and I was to see that continue. I’d also like others to see it as well.

That’s all for this week. Be here through the week for site updates, and back here next weekend for a new Blog Extra!

/Mason

Closing out the week... SUPERIOR SHOWCASE #2... which, sadly, ain't so superior.

Ah, well.

/Mason

John Kovalic's DR. BLINK SUPERHERO SHRINK gets the trade treatment.

You must have yourhead examined if you don't read it.

/Mason

Wednesday brings a double-dose of Dynamite! SAVAGE TALES rolls on, while PAINKILLER JANE returns for more mayhem.

Join the body count.

/Mason

It's a new "Should It Be A Movie?"! THE BLACK DIAMOND DETECTIVE AGENCY is adapted from a screenplay... but does it play on paper?

Grab a bucket of popcorn and click.

/Mason

Manga Monday! STRAWBERRY 100% comes shrinkwrapped and wants you to believe it's a little naughty. But you know what they say about judging a book by its covering...

/Mason

CWR WEEKEND BLOG EXTRA *AND* FRIDAY MAIN SITE UPDATE!

Folks, if I was any more ahead on things today, I’d likely just disappear in a puff of smoke, never to be seen again. This Friday’s site update goes hand-in-hand with the Blog Extra, so why not just make one post and kill two birds at the same time?

Over at the main site, a look at Arcana Studio’s STARKWEATHER, which is a half-good, half-frustrating reading experience. And here at the Blog Extra: two more books from Arcana.

I can see the smile on Sean O’Reilly’s face already.

DRAGON’S LAIR #2-3 are written by Andy Mangels and Ryan Foley and drawn by Fabio Laguna. Comics adapted from the worlds of video games or cartoons never seem to really capture the imagination and entertain, but DRAGON’S LAIR defies that. Dirk the Daring is such a breezily dopey protagonist that you can’t help but snicker your way through ludicrous challenge after ludicrous challenge. There’s never any true sense of a threat to his life, nor do you ever believe Singe the Dragon will do horrible things to Princess Daphne; and there shouldn’t be. It’s the ride that counts, and it’s a fun one. Even the traditional sequence where Dirk finds himself being seduced by a “siren” type rolls down easy, and the cheesecakey nature of the art there doesn’t offend. Fun stuff.

On the flip side, SHADOWFLAME #1-2, written and drawn by Joe Martino, are devoid of fun, and that’s a shame. SHADOWFLAME is the kind of book that should be a hoot, because it’s the sort of thing that makes you want to call it on the phone and say, “The 80s called, and they want their comics back.” Joe Wyatt is a cop who burns the candle at both ends, and it costs him when his wife Janice is murdered while he’s at work. When he attempts suicide, he’s instead transported to space by aliens who give him superpowers in the hopes he’ll defend Earth from an alien marauder on his way. That’s completely goofy and insane, of course, and the costume he’s stuck with is even goofier. You’d think Martino would then embrace one type of story or the other; either dive into the absurdity of a suicidal cop flying around and saving damsels or by reclaiming the cop’s soul and preparing him for the coming battle against a world-beater. But SHADOWFLAME does neither, instead putting him against a low-level mobster’s super-goons, and promising that the upcoming issue three (of four) still won’t bring the galactic threat. This book could be so much better than it is by getting away from the middle ground, and that’s a shame.

That’s it for this week! Join us here next week for main site updates, and next weekend for an all-new Blog Extra!

/Mason

David Petersen's magnificent MOUSE GUARD gets the hardcover collection treatment.

If you haven't read it yet, now is the time.

/Mason

Hitting the hump da bump... Nicolas Mahler's LONE RACER takes a small story and invests it with a lot of heart.

Run, Racer, run!

/Mason

Rich Koslowski returns, fresh off of recent successes like THE KING and 3 FINGERS. This time, he's written an actual novel, and it's a worthy read.

See if you're on THE LIST...

/Mason

Manga Monday! REAL/FAKE PRINCESS draws to a close and almost manages to redeem itself with a strong final volume.

Almost.

/Mason

CWR WEEKEND BLOG EXTRA

Welcome back to another Weekend Blog Extra! This weekend, a selection of books from the folks at Image Comics!

Claudio Sanchez writes, and Gus Vasquez draws, THE AMORY WARS #1. Coheed and Cambria front-man Sanchez makes the jump to comics (much like My Chemical Romance’s Gerard Way is doing over at Dark Horse) with this interesting bit of sci-fi. The story is ostensibly about a young couple named Coheed and Cambria who are just trying to do their best in raising their family; but fate has a bit more in store for them, as Coheed begins having dreams that suggest something greater about all their lives, and Earth’s true place in the scheme of the universe. The backstory is a bit of a slog to get through, but when the book focuses on the “down to Earth” issues facing the pair, it becomes something much more entertaining. I’ll be curious to see if Sanchez can find the right balance between the characters and the cosmic elements as the story plays out.

STRANGE EMBRACE #1 is written and drawn by David Hine. Originally published years ago by the now defunct Tundra, the book focuses on a young boy named Sukumar who makes a little money by delivering groceries for his family’s business. But one afternoon, his delivery route takes him into the path of a pale, mysterious man who causes Sukumar to forget or ignore that old parental advice about not talking to strangers. The pale fellow, well met, has a gift for reading minds and collecting the stories of others. He also has the ability to help project others into the stories he tells, a talent he inherited. The book, which is sublimely creepy and atmospheric, is also quite smart and surprisingly accomplished. Hine has achieved a nice level of recognition and popularity in comics, and looking at his first work here, it’s easy to see why.

Tom Beland’s TRUE STORY SWEAR TO GOD #6 brings the tale of true love to a very important moment in his life: the publication of his original first issue, detailing how he met Lily at Disneyworld. The book has been terrific from the start, but I read this one feeling a bit smug and smarter than my fellow fan; at one point in the book, he discusses getting his initial order numbers from Diamond: 474. I was one of those. I’d had the good fortune to share space with Beland at Comic Book Galaxy, and to read his material on the web as well. I felt in my gut that he had a hit on his hands before he ever saw it- romance is a genre that’s languishing in American comics, and the veracity and sincerity Tom had to offer was going to score with readers. Rarely have I ever been so happy to be right. The terrific stuff keeps coming with this book, and issue six is another glorious winner. I continue to love each and every issue.

That’s it for this weekend! Check back here this week for site updates, and back here next weekend for a new Blog Extra!

/Mason

Closing out the week... perhaps the one and only time I *won't* tell you to get bent.

Seriously: don't get BENT.

/Mason

Matt Silady makes his first graphic novel a good one: THE HOMELESS CHANNEL delivers an intriguing, emotionally rich urban fantasy.

It's got street cred.

/Mason

Hitting the hump... the very fine BORROWED TIME explores alienation, displacement, and abandonment.

Heavy stuff...

/Mason

Two for Tuesday! Warren Ellis' brilliant FELL makes it to trade paperback, and Wagner and Stelfreeze bring back THE RIDE for DIE VALKYRIE.

Good comics here.

/Mason

Manga Monday! This week: a look at the truly awful Q-KO-CHAN, which was created by the same person who made FLCL. Hard evidence that lightning definitely doesn't strike twice.

/Mason

CWR WEEKEND BLOG EXTRA

Hola, and welcome to another Weekend Blog Extra! For your reviewing pleasure: two new books from the fine folks at Archaia Studios Press:

THE KILLER #3 is written by Matz and drawn by Luc Jacamon (who also translates). This ten issue mini presents the five volumes originally published in Europe, meaning that every two issues represent one album-length story. The first issue of the series was good, but slow, having to work the reader up to speed. That problem is absent here, as the book really kicks into high gear with part one of volume two. The Killer has gone home to Venezuela, but what he doesn’t know is that the cop who spotted him on his last kill has followed. Unfortunate… for the cop… and anyone else that the Killer thinks may have betrayed him. Gorgeously drawn and lushly colored, this book has improved with each issue, which is a good sign for the rest of the way, I’d say. Recommended.

Hub writes and draws OKKO: THE CYCLE OF WATER #2 (translated by Edward Gauvin) picks up with Okko, Noburo, Noshin and Tikku following the glowing fish they acquired in issue one, in the hopes of tracking down Tikku’s kidnapped sister, Little Carp. The trail leads them to an town of ill-repute and a casino full of thugs and cheaters, so just getting there isn’t going to be enough- they’re going to have to kill a lot of people along the way. Hub is an amazing artist- these pages are incredible to look at, a feast for the eyes. However, his story falters a bit for the first half of this issue; the casino thing feels like a bit of water treading, if you will. However, once they begin to get some information about what they’re truly facing, the pace picks up again. Halfway home, this is one to finish, no question.

That’s it for this weekend. Join me throughout the week for main site updates, and then back here next weekend for an all-new Blog Extra!

/Mason

Friday ends the week with the lovely ANCIENT BOOK OF MYTH AND WAR AdHouse.

Coffee table goodness, it is.

/Mason

The week picks up a bit, as we take alook at the fine debut graphic novel from Jesse Lonergan, FLOWER AND FADE.

Click, por favor.

/Mason

Wednesday brings the pretty, but not the good. Grady Klein's THE LOST COLONY VOL.2 is a beauty, but turns out to be only skin deep.

Weep with me...

/Mason

Two more for Tuesday! It's a seven review week, and nos. 3 and 4 are live now. First up, the collected edition of Kim Deitch's ALIAS THE CAT, followed by an excellent prose work, THE BEST OLD MOVIES FOR FAMILIES by former Entertainment Weekly writer Ty Burr.

What are you waiting for?

/Mason

It's Manga Monday! But wait, there's more! Two reviews today, as we celebrate "Prick Protagonist Day" at the Waiting Room. On the manga side, there's JUNK: RECORD OF THE LAST HERO, featuring the most spoiled asshole kid to ever get a battle suit, and we throw in a a review of the gleefully sick THE BOYS as it makes its way to Dynamite Entertainment.

Feeling evil?

/Mason

CWR WEEKEND BLOG EXTRA

It’s that time again, so I’m back with a couple of extra new reviews for your reading pleasure. This weekend, two newbies from Chicago’s own Devil’s Due Press.

G.I. JOE #21-22 are written by Mark Powers and drawn by Mike Bear. The long-running military soap gets a huge burst of energy with these two issues; the creative team changes over, the direction shifts a bit, and the book delivers on all fronts. These two issues make up the first half of “Sins Of The Mother” which does something that no incarnation of the JOE book has ever done very well, previously: made the Baroness a genuine, scary threat. She spent a year imprisoned by the Joes and was separated from her newborn baby during the process. In the meantime, Cobra Commander has located the child’s orphanage home and “liberated” it. Now, the Baroness, an accomplished terrorist, is on the warpath against both organizations, and you can actually kinda see her point. Still, her violent, bloody swath of pain and suffering is rather excessive. Powers reminds you of some of Brandon Jerwa’s better work, and the art is terrific. Good time to jump on this book.

Josh Blaylock writes, and Joe Dodd and Corey Zayatz draw, DREADNOKS DECLASSIFIED #2, the middle chapter of this miniseries diving into the origins of one of the Joe team’s more offbeat opponents. I was fascinated by issue one, as we met the man whom it seems will eventually become Zartan (by replacing the real one) when he was still a child and followed him “up the ranks”, if you will, as he learned how to be a world-class arsehole. Issue two continues to develop that plot, as well as get deeper into screen time with the man our protagonist will eventually replace. But there are some jumps along the way that slow down the proceedings; the story bumps around a bit, incorporates some other bits of JOE backstory, and never quite gets on track the way issue one did. The use of four different inkers also weighs down the art, giving the book an inconsistent feel and tone. Still, the confusion and intrigue about there being a previous Zartan, and the kids who eventually become Zander and Zarana’s search for their missing brother assure I’ll stick around for the end.

That’s all for this weekend. I’ll be back throughout the week for site updates, and hopefully back next weekend for another Blog Extra. Peace!

/Mason

Friday brings the week to a close with a pair of "A"s in our hand: GRUNTS, from Arcana, and THE SECRET HISTORY from Archaia.

Here comes the flop...

/Mason

Comics' sexiest bloodsucker returns in VAMPIRELLA QUARTERLY...

Take a bite!

/Mason

The lunacy that is Matt Fraction's CASANOVA gets the hardcover treatment...

I read the individual issues *and* the hardcover, and I still don't really understand it. Sure is fun, though.

Go see what I mean...

/Mason

Manga Monday comes a day late, thanks to the holiday, and brings a new review for Tuesday along with it. Check out thoughts on BASILISK's conclusion, along with a look at the sexuality and gender confusion tale FOX BUNNY FUNNY today...

...over at the main site, of course.

/Mason

CWR WEEKEND BLOG EXTRA

It’s another biggie again this weekend, this time with five new number ones from the folks at Boom Studios.

2 GUNS #1 is written by Steven Grant and drawn by Mat Santolouco. Crime-master Grant adapts one of his screenplays for this tasty slice of graphic storytelling, the story of an undercover federal agent who finds himself needing to actually commit a crime of his own in order to save his life. Action, violence, betrayals, snappy dialogue… Grant is one of the only writers working in comics who actually understands how to make this genre work on the page. Part of that is evidenced in the storytelling; this is compressed work, featuring many pages with high panel counts and judicious camera movement that ratchets up the intensity of the scenes. Santolouco seems to have a solid grasp on how to interpret this type of story, and the book is visually appealing as well. The cliffhanger is terrific and takes the story in a fascinating direction, making this one to keep a serious eye on.

Andrew Cosby and Kevin Church write, and R.M. Yankovicz draws, COVER GIRL #1. Alex Martin is your classic out-of-work actor looking for a break when he finally gets one: he saves a woman from a burning car crash and a local new chopper captures it on film. Elevated onto the “A” list, he gets a cherry gig playing a spy from a series of popular novels. However, unbeknownst to him, the woman he saved was involved in some sort of conspiracy, and her pursuers are now after him. The studio’s solution: to avoid Alex looking like a wienie, they hire him a kick ass bodyguard… a female bodyguard. There’s a lot of charm here, and it zips along pleasantly, pace-wise. The only thing that really doesn’t work is that we don’t meet the title character until the final page. Cosby seems to have a decent Midas-touch so far, and Church is a funny guy, so I’m definitely onboard to see where it goes.

Biological warfare from outer space kicks off DOMINION #1, written by Michael Alan Nelson and drawn by Tim Hamilton. A group of random people in Chicago find their lives torn apart as they fall ill and begin manifesting strange powers or metamorphoses. Some go berserk; some destroy themselves; but no one knows quite yet why it’s happening. From the opening frames discussing the history of biological warfare on Earth to the mounting tension as people begin to transform to the absolutely insane cliffhanger, this is a dandy. An extra added happy note: good to see Tim Hamilton’s name in the credit box again, and it doesn’t look like he’s missed a step. At the hart of the story is a guy who hasn’t expressed a power as of yet except resolution to solve the problem. The pleasant thing is that you can’t be quite sure he’ll succeed.

RAY screenwriter James L. White writes HUNTER’S MOON #1, drawn by Dalibor Talajic. A wealthy businessman named Lincoln winds up stuck with his son for a weekend camping trip, instead of the woman he was hoping to have along. Unfortunately, the boy doesn’t like his father much, and dad doesn’t think very highly of his son’s dreams to become a rapper and music producer, either. Things really come to a head, however, when dad gets conked on the head while in the forest and wakes up to find the boy gone. I can admire HUNTER’S MOON in many respects; rare is the form of entertainment that focuses on the relationship between African-American men and their sons. And the story itself is executed well. But it is slooooooooooooow going to get to the final page. The pace here needed serious work. If it doesn’t pick up in the next issue, the mini risks going nowhere.

Or, worse, turning out like SALVADOR #1. Written by screenwriters Mark and Michael Polish and Sebastian Jones, with art by Steph Stamb, this is an unfortunate miss. The story: Salvador is the product of genetic engineering, born very brittle, but light as a feather, which allows him to fly. But I didn’t learn any of that from the actual comic; that’s from the in-house ads for Boom product. There isn’t a single caption or word of dialogue in this book, and you wouldn’t know a single thing about what the story was supposed to be without that p.r. The pictures are pretty, but they don’t flow or do any storytelling. There are inexplicable close-ups, and long shots that are rendered too dark to figure out by the way the book printed. It is the rare book from Boom that offers not even a sliver to recommend about it; even the first CTHULHU anthology, which I panned, had some good to it, and the company has carved out a nice, quality niche for itself. But this is a complete mess; avoid it.

That’s it for this weekend: the good, the bad, and the ugly from Boom. Thanks for reading; I’ll be back throughout the week for site updates after the Monday holiday.

/Mason

Finishing up the week... a look at Antony Johnston's post-apocalyptic WASTELAND...

The Big Wet begins here.

/Mason

Rounding third and heading for home... the great Lewis Trondheim gets another English adaptation of his work, the wonderful all-ages TINY TYRANT.

See why he's one of the few to buy, sight-unseen...

/Mason

It's time to do the humpty-hump, as Wednesday arrives and brings a review of RED EYE, BLACK EYE. K. Thor Jensen took a bus ride to remember in 2001, and it's something you won't quite ever forget yourself...

All aboard!

/Mason

Tuesday brings a look at the SASQUATCH anthology from Viper Comics, so it's bound to be some hairy reading...

Puns are all part of the package.

/Mason

Manga Monday! The next 400 posts starts off with a reminder to go check out my review of volumes 3 and 4 of STRAY LITTLE DEVIL...

Cuteness abounds!

/Mason

CWR WEEKEND BLOG EXTRA: 400TH ISSUE CELEBRATION

This marks the 400th post to this blog. Wow.

Now, I know that, compared to some other comics-related blogs, that’s pretty puny. But this puppy has a history to it that’s a bit different. I originally started the Comics Waiting Room as a blog only; the full website came years later. CWR began as a group blog, and folks like Graeme McMillan, Chris Allen, Alan David Doane, Joe Rybandt, and others participated in it. Eventually, the group format wound down, and I took back full control of the account, using it as a supplementary spot for reviews; my column at Movie Poop Shoot was always available to me, but sometimes I had so much material that I crossed the two over, hoping to pimp both at the same time.

But when the time came for me to leave View Askew and figured out my next move, this blog was sitting here waiting for me, offering me my best option: buy a new domain and start fresh with it, building from this blog. So comicswaitingroom.com was born, and I haven’t looked back. And even with the site to play with, I’ve kept this blog running; it acts as a site updater, plus, I still use it for extra reviews and the occasional commentary.

So, 400 posts later, it’s running strong. I feel pretty damned happy about that. And to celebrate, I offer up a huge Weekend Blog Extra, reviewing 7 titles from the good folks (especially my friend and former CWR contributor Mr. Rybandt) at Dynamite Entertainment.

LONE RANGER #5 is written by Brett Matthews and drawn by Sergio Cariello, and much like the first four issues of the title, it’s another sterling effort. Honestly, it’s difficult to find new things to say about this series; Matthews and Cariello have yet to hit a false note as the story’s progressed, and the characters only get stronger and more intriguing on the page, particularly Tonto. The slow, languid pacing might put off some fans, but for a western, it works just fine. And the iconic way that Cariello and colorist Dean White create the figures and backgrounds is some of the finest cinematography at work in comics right now. The book is up for an Eisner this year- it would be a very deserving winner.

Balanced against the wondrous RANGER, WITCHBLADE: SHADES OF GRAY #1 was already facing an uphill battle with me. Writers Leah Moore and John Reppion and artist Stephen Segovia also started in the hole because I’ve always loathed the Witchblade character (and the fact that the book birthed Michael Turner’s “career”). My primary issue with Sara Pezzini and her alter ego isn’t the ridiculous “costume,” however; my larger problem has always been in the portrayal of Sara herself, and the moronic ways the character has been drawn. No police detective would ever get away with wearing the stupid, revealing outfits artists put her in while she’s out on the job. So imagine my enormous surprise when this book opens with Sara dressed appropriately and joining forces with another female detective who does the same. And then the writers begin to put together a genuinely interesting mystery. All was good, and I actually found myself drawn into the story. Then, two-thirds of the way through the book, Sara shows up at headquarters to interrogate a suspect in a dress that would embarrass a street hooker, and the other female detective gets a shower scene and a “towel not long enough” butt shot. So close, but the trip and fall at the finish line leaves a good-sized strawberry.

From the same writers, Moore and Reppion, and artist Hugo Petrus, comes RAISE THE DEAD #2, DE’s entry into the zombie derby. The first issue felt a little flat to me, but the second picks up the pace a bit. We begin to get some background into what’s going on and the characters find a little time to get to know and hate one another, which proves to be a smart move on the authors’ part. Petrus also gets to stretch a bit more on the art side, given more locales and more zombies to work with, as well as some choice moments that take place before the dead got hungry and went out for brains. I’m still not fully sold on the book, but now I can at least see that the potential is there for it to happen. Another issue or two as solid as this one, and I’ll be fully onboard the bus.

My buddy John Layman writes DARK XENA #1, and new series artist Noah Salonga joins him for the tale, replacing the departed Fabiano Neves (currently drawing Layman’s excellent MARVEL ZOMBIES VS ARMY OF DARKNESS book). Layman’s first Xena book was a stunner; I’d never watched the show and kinda snickered at those who did, but he delivered a great story that made the characters extremely appealing. Now he’s traveled backwards; the TV series left Xena dead at the end, and now we’re finding out how she was resurrected. Sidekick Gabrielle makes a pact with an old god to bring back her friend, but in true “be careful what you wish for fashion” she’s returned as her old evil self. Whoops. The book necessarily lacks the joyful humor of Layman’s first book, and Neves’ absence is felt, but this is still entertaining and very readable. We know the ultimate outcome, but the journey is always the best part, right?

DARKMAN VS ARMY OF DARKNESS #3-4 concludes the titanic team-up of the year. No, not Ash and Dr. Westlake; writers Kurt Busiek and Roger Stern. They, with artist James Fry, have combined to produce one of DE’s more surprising recent efforts. Many attempts to combine franchises fall flat, but using the Necronomicon to resurrect Darkman’s mortal enemy and make some deadites was just about a perfect idea. The two classic pros at the keyboard then put together a nifty balance of action, character moments, and amusing dialogue and created a very “classic” reading comic book. Dense and compressed storytelling, art that serves the story and never itself… they don’t make ‘em like this very often anymore. Throw in some tasty covers from George Perez, and this is one of the more under-publicized and under-appreciated series in memory. Worth a look, either in pamphlet or the eventual trade.

Rick Remender’s CLASSIC BATTLESTAR GALACTICA #4-5 concludes his first series arc. The book has been maddeningly inconsistent; it started out terrific, dipped quickly into a slow, plodding pace, and swerves back around at the end to try and make it interesting. It will come as no surprise that Starbuck, Boomer, and their rescued colonists make it back to the rag-tag fleet; suffice it say, they return with the enemy in tow. Issue five sees artist Carlos Rafael finally turned loose for big action, and the book gets better for it. Part of what ailed Remender earlier in the series was not using his imagination in more expansive ways; there’s no limit to what you can do in comics, but until now, it seems like he’s been thinking “small” in many ways. The improvement here rescues the book and makes the arc successful on the whole, but I can’t help but think that it could have been so much better…

Why do I think that? Because CLASSIC BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: CYLON APOCALYPSE #2-3 shows just how effectively the original series can be done in comics. Writer Javier Grillo-Marxuach and returning artist Rafael take the ball and run with it, still producing the best comic currently featuring either crew. A rogue faction of Cylons has created a biological weapon to use upon its own citizenry, and that weapon falls into the hands of Adama and company, who must decide what to do with a genocidal gift. A war of the Lucifer models, robot protoplasm, hand-held laser fights in a vacuum, planetary assaults, debates over the ethics of bio-weaponry… Grillo-Marxuach has taken the best of the new series, melded it to the classic version, and let his creative side run wild. In fact, if the original series had been this good on a consistent basis (as the new one is), it would have survived, no matter the budget problems that dragged it down. On TV, I prefer Ron Moore’s vision to Glen Larson’s, but right now in the comics milieu, this one has ‘em all beat. Great stuff.

That’s it for issue 400. Thanks for reading. Thanks for your support. Please keep reading, both here, and over at the main site, and I’ll keep working. After all… Wednesday is never more than a week away.

/Marc Mason

Closing out the week: easily one of my favorite books of the year to date. The brilliantly absurdist JOHNNY HIRO mixes action, comedy, and giant monsters and robots perfectly.

Buy it. Immediately.

/Mason

Two for Thursday! Staffer Ericka Stricklett leaves the CWR behind and heads to her new life in Kentucky, but not before two new prose novel reviews that have comic tie-ins: TRAIN MAN : THE NOVEL and FROM THE NOTEBOOKS OF DR. BRAIN.

Text can be beautiful.

/Mason

On the mid-week hump: John Kovalic's brilliant fanboy masterpiece DORK TOWER gets a 10-year celebration collection. These days, strips like PVP and PENNY ARCADE may make a bit more noise, but no one has been doing it longer or better.

To ten more!

/Mason

It's Tuesday and we're still on schedule for the week. Yay! Today's review: THE RIDE: SAVANNAH, the latest entry in the series that (tangentitally) follows the adventures of a really hot car.

Is Georgia on your mind?

/Mason

Back in action! After two weeks of various personal matters taking up time, the site should start returning to full power this week. Starting off, of course, with a new Manga Monday! This week, PARASYTE returns to print, this time in the original right-to-left format. One of the classic sci-fi horror mangas ever...

Go be scared!

/Mason

Skipping past Wednesday (as I mentioned might happen), we dive into Thursday with a catch-up review on the modern BATTLESTAR GALACTICA series by Greg Pak. Just how is he doing, now that he's 2/3 of the way through his run?

I'll tell you.

/Mason

Tuesday... Ian Shaughnessy evokes the classic films of Billy Wilder and the Marx Brothers in SHENANIGANS...

Have a laugh, won't you?

/Mason

I'm baaaaaaaaaack!

For a bit, at least. Posting this week may be a bit sporadic as I settle back in and deal with some incoming visitors, but for today, at least, there's a new review. It's Manga Monday, and for your perusal today... meet PRINCESS RESURRECTION, a chainsaw-wielding, dead-raising ass-kicker in goth-gear.

Show me the love.

/Mason

So... I forgot to post a site update yesterday... whoops. But even more to the weird point, this will be the one and only update of the week because of it. The Room will not be update again until next week, as my day job will have me away from the computer for the rest of the week. But to tide you over... I've put up a full five days' worth of reviews anyway. They are:

Manga Monday: KURO GANE, the story of a samurai raised from the dead in a steel body.

Should It Be A Movie?: LEADING MAN... "Hollywood's biggest star is also America's best spy"

AiT/PLanetLar: THE LAST SANE COWBOY, collecting Daniel Merlin Goodbrey's award-winning minicomics.

Image Comics: FERRO CITY, which is "robots meet the Maltese Falcon"

Indy of the Week: British artist Tom Humbertstone tells HOW TO DATE A GIRL IN 10 DAYS and lectures on ART SCHOOL SCUM.

Please enjoy them. I'll see you on Monday!

/Mason

CWR WEEKEND BLOG EXTRA

Welcome to the third straight weekend with a new Blog Extra. I have to pat myself on the back for that, as well as say up front that there won’t be one next weekend, as I’ll be away and will return too late to post one. So I’ll just enjoy the heady rush of triumph now, thanks.

This week is request hour. My buddy Brandon Jerwa asked me if I hated the finale to his book since he hadn’t seen me write it up, and while it was tempting to fuck with him and tell him it blew goat, the truth was far less sinister- I was just running behind. So for my boy in the WA… here ya go. From the handsomely sexy folks at Dynamite Entertainment:

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: ZAREK #3-4 are written by my evil twin, Brandon Jerwa and drawn by Adriano Batista. When last we left GALACTICA’s best-known revolutionary, he had just blown up that government building that Ron Moore’s excellent sci-fi series told us about. Issues three and four take us inside his incarceration, and his rise to true power, even without his freedom. In an interesting bit of synchronicity with the show itself, it begins with Zarek writing a manifesto from his cell, much as Baltar would do in season three (which, considering that Zarek was Baltar’s vice president, gives you the echo of Baltar taking a page from his political mentor) and expanding his following. This allows him to grow in stature, even as he is given opportunities to exit the penal system. But his refusal to fall in line or give in to those he considers oppressors is what sands out about the character- he will leave and live his life only on his own terms, and when he sees that the time is correct for it. Prison is merely a minor obstacle to what he truly wants and sees as necessary for himself and those he represents.

The conclusion finds Zarek finally on the way to his parole hearing,
picked up by the Astral Queen and on his way to Caprica. But as we know from the show, a little distraction arose: the Cylons invaded, and the Astral Queen was right in the middle of it. It’s here, in the heart of a pitched battle, that we see the final evolution of the man we’ll meet in season one. He’s more than willing to pick up arms and work against the new threat, because he knows that humanity is now at a complete disadvantage, and his voice will ring loud… not only with the survivors, but especially with his captors, who now owe him their lives.

Taken as a whole and read directly before watching the character’s first appearance on the series, ZAREK really works well, fleshing him out in ways that licensed tie-ins rarely can. This really is Jerwa’s best work to date in comics, and the level of his commitment to producing the book is obvious. If you’re a fan of the modern show, this is more of a must-read than the regular ongoing series.

Back tomorrow for a site update.

/Mason