Indie Corner - 04/01/2015

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

CLUSTER 2

For a book I wasn't planning to pick up, I'm quite enjoying it.

Our cast was stranded at the end of the first issue.  This isn't a spoiler, it's kinda the premise and in all the marketing material.  While the first issue pointed out why no search or rescue would be conducted, I don't think anyone in the audience actually believed it when the characters said it.  So a search gets underway this issue.  But that's not all.  Something else appears to be going on, but we'll have to wait until next issue to learn more.  I'll be picking it up to see where this title goes.

Lady Killer 4

LADY KILLER 4

After this issue, I really need this to continue as a series of mini series.  Josie's making moves all over this issue, barely standing still long enough to take a breath, and every second of it is brilliant.  I love the art, the writing's fantastic, and there's only one issue left.  If you've missed the series thus far, wait for the trade.  Trust me, it'll be worth it.

LAZARUS v3

I've mentioned before how I tend to read comics in bed.  There's a whole stack I've been making my way through this week, including several trades.  I brought Lazarus to bed last night, thinking I'd read an issue or two before crashing.  I wound up reading the whole thing.

In this volume, we find out what happened to Jonah, since last we saw him way back in volume one.  A gathering of the families follows, with plenty of posturing, backroom negotiating, and general politicking.  The stand-out scenes for me here were seeing the various Lazari interacting and Forever's continuing quest for the truth.  It's all brilliant and I can't wait for the next installment.

THE DYING AND THE DEAD 2

This is the team building issue.  If you've ever seen a heist movie, you should be familiar.  The main character from issue one goes around collecting old friends and acquaintances for... well, no one actually says, "one last job" but since so many are dying or near death already, it's kind of implied.  If this really is a team book, that means at least one of the following will happen by the end of the first arc: a new member will join, a member will die, or one member will betray the others.

It may sound like I didn't enjoy the issue, but I actually did.  Thankfully, with this out of the way, the book can get back to what made the first issue great.

LADY MECHANIKA 0 - 5

I bought a couple issues of this when it was originally printed, years back.  Loved the art, but didn't think too much about the story.  Reading it from the beginning with the recent Collected Editions was a real eye-opener - the story is actually good!  For years I've thought Lady Mechanika was just an excuse for drawing steampunk and attractive women.  In reality, it's a fun adventure book with a lead reminiscent of Tomb Raider.  She's smart, more than capable, and yes, attractive.  She also has a cast of villains and supporting characters, and a world with history that grows more defined with each issue.

The next series, The Tablet of Destinies, is out this month.  Benitez has help this time, which should lead to a more regular release schedule that plagued the original series.  The art, already detailed and gorgeous, is even more so in Tablet.  You can see a preview in issue five.  It's already on my pull list, and I recommend anyone into steampunk give it a look.

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 - 09/04/2013

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

LAZARUS 3

So much done with so little.  There's a number of silent or nearly silent panels here, but each conveys volumes.  Family machinations going on at every level and all of it is perfect.  Seriously, I can't praise this book enough.  Easily my favorite new series.

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES 25

With the number of things that happen in this book, I will surprise myself by saying this is a bit of a breather before the storm.  The last few issues have been nuts and I've loved every second.  This issue moves a huge number of pieces on the board - Hob and Splinter, Casey's dad, Casey and April, Raph goes nuts for a bit, there's a call-back to the annual, the Savant return, there's something up with Leo, the list goes on and on.  And that doesn't even include the last page insanity.  Things are about to explode in a major way.  I recommend you get on board.

UNCANNY 3

I came into this expecting Hellblazer-Diggle or Losers-Diggle, but issue three has turned the series into... Heroes?  I don't know.  Higher level players than our protagonist are introduced, but I'm finding it very hard to care.  This will be the last issue I pick up.

COLLIDER FBP: FEDERAL BUREAU OF PHYSICS 2

This book is nuts, and I completely love it.  Before issue one, the solicit text had me slightly concerned because it sounded like _Fringe_ which didn't exactly go well, but it's totally not that.  There's insane sci-fi stuff going on with beautiful art, but really there's believable characters, a deepening mystery and killer cliffhangers.  Highly recommended.