Indie Corner - 10/09/13

Each week I'll spotlight a couple independent books I've read and may have flown under people's radar.

LAZARUS 4

Lazarus #4

I hope this book lasts a long time.  Its hooks are in me deep, and Rucka has created a world with plenty to be mined and explored.  It helps also that it's incredibly good.  Issue three ended, pretty spectacularly, with Forever and her Morray counterpart Joacquim getting blown up.  Fortunately for us, it's pretty hard to kill a Lazarus.  As soon as those plotting against her realize this, new plans are set in motion.  Plans within plans, and everyone's got a secret.  Like I said, I hope this series lasts a long time.  Recommended.

MARA 6

Brian Wood and Ming Doyle's story of sports and powers comes to a close.  It's been a bit longer than usual since the last issue, but it ended with the nuclear weapons of the world pointing down at it from space.  Since having Mara explode those all over the planet would make for a very short book, it's safe to assume that doesn't happen.  Instead, we're treated to a look inside her mind as she tries to deal with what she's become and the world she's tried hard to leave behind.  Definitely one of the best world-without-superpowers-suddenly-gets-them stories.  I recommend picking up the trade, which should be along any time now.

HIT 2

As if our cast weren't in enough trouble after the first issue, they're in now much deeper after the second.  Cops are getting killed all over town there aren't any leads.  After checking with an informant, Slater and Sticky head to an off-shore casino boat in the hopes of learning something.  Though walking away a few grand richer, they get little more than a name - Domino.  Meanwhile, Bonnie proves just how much trouble she can get into, and we end another issue with a dead body.

The team of Bryce Carlson and Vanesa R. Del Ray work perfectly together to capture the setting, mood, characters, and time period to create a fantastic noir book.  The cover says "2 of 4" but I'm hoping for more.  If not more _Hit,_ than at least more from Carlson and Del Ray.

SEX CRIMINALS 1

Like a trailer that misrepresents a movie, the solicitation text for this book doesn't do a good job of selling the story found inside.  Billed as a book about a couple that stop time when they have sex and use this ability to rob banks, what's found inside is far more than that.  While, yes, that _does_ happen, the book is actually an intimate look at a young girl discovering and exploring death, her power, sex, and herself.  Not since _Blankets_ have I gotten such a look into the make-up of a character, which is one of the best compliments I have give.  Fraction's writing is superb, and Zdarsky's art helps keep even heavy topics light, while still packing a punch.  The best advice I can give is to pick the book up and flip through it.  Recommended.

HINTERKIND 1

This book upsets me a tiny bit, mostly because I wanted to do something similar.  There's too many stories of supernatural beings hiding within our world.  I wanted to flip it, making a world of supernatural beings with humanity in the minority.  Still may.  Anyway.  I'm off topic.  Possibly because I don't actually have much to say about the book.  The art is serviceable, though the landscapes are better than the faces.  The writing is... well, I'm reminded of the _Revolution_ TV series, partly due to the setting, and partly due to the main character being annoying and not caring about her in the slightest.  I won't be picking up more.

Indie Corner - 09/11/2013

Each week I'll spotlight a couple independent books I've read and may have flown under people's radar.

Hit #1

HIT 1

This book mines the same vein as the Gangster Squad movie did earlier this year, with period LA cops doing very questionable things in their off hours. I loved it.  It's only a four issue series, and I'll be telling my comic guy tomorrow to pull the rest for me.  It's well written, excellent art, and plenty of story to sink your teeth into for a first issue.  Recommended.

SHELTERED 3

Things aren't going well for our survivalist survivors.  Surviving survivalists?  Trust and alliances are wavering, some truths are discovered, and some characters are beginning to act like the unsupervised children they are.  This book makes me feel things I don't normally feel when reading a comic.  The sort of creeping dread I get from Walking Dead is all over this book, but I never realize it until I hit the end and relief washes over me.  At this point, a trade can't be far, and I suggest picking it up for anyone that hasn't been following the series.  Recommended.

SATELLITE SAM 3

I've mentioned this before, but I need to switch this to trades.  There's too many characters and personal plots for me to keep track of on a once per month basis.  But that's me, your mileage may vary.  I'm still enjoying this, still finding it interesting and I'm still interested in where it's all going... but I need more when I sit down to read this.

INVINCIBLE 105

It seems we've entered one of those "domestic periods" in Invincible, where the characters aren't punching planets in half and instead we're treated to some quiet moments at home... and on the moon.  While I'm sure the Thragg storyline will come back around eventually, I'm very curious what's going on with Robot.  Not a whole lot going on in this issue, but various pots continue to be stirred.

GOD IS DEAD 1

This book is the perfect example of why Hickman can't be trusted.  I loved the The Nightly News and because of that, immediately bought the Transhuman trade.  Huge mistake.  Now, each new series, I pick up the first issue to see which Hickman shows up.  This is actually co-written by Hickman with Mike Costa, so I don't know who to blame for this mostly recitation of facts and GPS coordinates, but ultimately, I didn't like it and won't be picking up the rest of the series.  I recommend Manhattan Projects or East of West instead.