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