Indie Corner - 03/25/2015

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

SAGA 26

I love this series, so I find it especially surprising that it's taken me this long to read the latest issue.  Goes to show just how into my other project I'd become.  That said, I can't actually talk about much that happens here.  It's all incremental progression of what's come before, so my summary would wind up being longer than if you just read the issue yourself.  Which you should, because it's quite good.  Not as great as some issues, but my heart didn't break this time... maybe just stepped on by that last page.

Also, this issue features the results of the latest Saga Reader Survey, which are also definitely worth the read.

Chrononauts 1

CHRONONAUTS 1

Have you read Remender and Scalera's Black Science?  This is like that, only as told by Millar and Murphy.  Science jerks dicking around with things better left alone and quickly being shown the error of their ways.  Scalera and Murphy are two of my favorite artists right now, so we'll all good there.  The main difference is in Millar's more straightforward storytelling.  I like a good deal of Remender's work, but Black Science never sat right with me.  Chrononauts, so far, has great character development for the two leads and being an excellent read on top of that.  I have very little to say except that I look forward to the rest of the series.

EI8HT 2

While reading the first issue, I kept flipping back to the table at the inside front cover depicting which color corresponds to which time period.  I didn't do that as much this issue.    While the book doesn't give us much more in the way of explaining what's going on, who all these characters are, or why they're doing what they do, it has managed to capture my attention enough that I'll give it a few more issues before considering whether to drop it from my pull.

SPREAD 6

This issue brings out dysfunctional family trip to town to an end.  There's blood, severed body parts, last second escapes, reversals, more blood, and a last page surprise that trumps anything this series has shown us to date.  I still love every time No opens says anything, Jack is hilarious, and Molly is amazing.  I hope this series runs for a long time.

Bonus: There's an 8-page Luther Strode short at the back that takes place between Legend and Legacy.

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES 43

This issue is wall-to-wall action as Krang defends Burnow Island from the invading Shredder, mutants fight rock soldiers, Baxter makes his move, Old Hob and his gang blast their way into Foot headquarters, Splinter fights Karai, the Turtles break into the Technodrome, and more that would be spoiling!  Despite the sheer number of things happening this issue, these are all long-running storylines, dovetailing in exciting ways.  None of it's confusing or disjointed; it all makes perfect sense.

The question that interests me most is what happens next?  There are so many moving pieces, so many storylines ending or changing direction, I have no idea what this series will look like once this arc is over.  It's an amazing feeling and I very much look forward to enjoying the ride.

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES 44

A few days ago I couldn't imagine how this story arc was going to end.  Now, I don't want to believe it.  This is truly heart-breaking, much worse than that issue of Saga a few months back.

Everything wrapped up, though most of the storylines morphed in unexpected ways, giving us a new status quo that we won't fully understand until at least next issue.

Chew v9

CHEW v9

I'd read about some major things happening in recent issues and am pleased to have avoided spoilers until I was able to read this for myself.  Indeed, major things happen here.  Things that would be much darker if not for the title's usual comedic flair.  I'm not going to talk about any of it, except to say that I loved every second of it.  Even when trying it's hardest to enrage or sadden me.

Once the series is closer to the finish, I'll likely start picking up the issues to avoid both spoilers and the excruciating wait.  I did the same with Locke & Key and that worked out well.

SAMURAI JACK 17

A surprisingly quick end to the Master of Time story, but it ended like I expected.  Unlike the Threads of Time story arc that started this series, The Master of Time was a pretty clear hoax from the outset... at least to the audience.  Still, from it, we get a fun adventure story.  An extra bit of Jack before the series concludes at issue 20.  I'll take it.  Next month: more familiar faces!

CONAN RED SONJA 3

Conan and Red Sonja are together at the start of the issue, so they don't have the typical "meeting" scene like the previous issues.  However, the "fight each other" and "team-up" are still just as present as ever.  It might sound like I'm putting this issue down, but it's actually decidedly better than the second issue.  Sins of the past catch up to our heroes, and now they must pay the price.  I'll be glad when this series wraps up next issue.  Four issues seems like the right number to tell a story without artificially dragging things out.  That said, I would have enjoyed a longer run if it were better written.

THE LIFE AFTER 7 & 8

I've been a bit behind on my reading, if you haven't noticed.  Being sick this week has helped me catch up on some of my reading, including these two issues.

Issue 7 fills in more of the backstory while advancing the middle-management plot and moving our two main leads to a different section of the afterlife.  Issue 8 is largely those same leads coming to terms with their new setting.  The title is as wild as ever, and I'm loving every second of it.  I will make absolutely certain to read issue 9 the week it comes out, instead of putting it in a pile at the edge of my desk for a month.

MUTANIMALS 1 & 2

If you haven't listened to me so far, about how great the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series from IDW is, you're probably not going to care about one of its mini series.  Maybe you're still reading this because of the recent press related to Donatello.  In that case, let me just say that each mini series always winds up tying back into the main series.  Here, we've got a mutant cat (Old Hob) and his single-minded vendetta against businesses that experiment on mutants.  Simmering under that is the building clash between Hob and fifth mutant turtle Slash.  That will very likely come to a head in this series, and I expect some long-term ramifications from however it shakes out.

Bunker 10

BUNKER 10

We're thrown a couple curves this issue, as none of our usual cast are present, or series artist Joe Infurnari.  What we get is a day in the life of a couple in the future, drawn by Brahm Revel.  It's both well written and drawn, quickly making us care about the lives of these two characters we've never met and seemingly have no connection to the known cast.

With the next issue coming in two months, this may be a good time to switch reading the series over to trades.  There's a lot to keep track of as it is, and the gaps between issues don't help.

RASPUTIN 5

Well, I don't know what to make of that.

The weird, disjointed adventures of a young Rasputin apparently come to an end with this issue, as the back of the book seemingly sets up a future series.  I, for one, am calling it quits.  I want to like this series more than I actually do, and it time to came to terms with that.

Rossmo, whose work I've enjoyed since Rebel Blood, will be working with Ming Doyle on the upcoming Hellblazer relaunch.  So I'll be dropping this and picking that up instead.

Indie Corner - 01/21/2015

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

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES 42

Krang!  Shredder!  The Turtles!  Hob!  Stockman!  Fugitoid!  This issue features nearly every member of the cast, as everyone's plans come into figurative, if not literal, conflict.  Judging by the events of this issue and the cover to the next issue, there should be at least three major slugfests next issue... but there are a few notable absences.  Hun is on the cover but not in the issue.  Casey is similarly absent.  Could Alopex and Nobody be aces up someone's sleeve?  I hope so, because neither is on the scene yet and I'm sure they'll be needed somewhere soon.  Rat King puts in an appearance for one flashback panel, just long enough to remind me we haven't seen Kitsune in a while.  Everything we know is happening or about to happen is explosive enough, but factoring in the remaining characters means the scales could tip in anyone's favor.  There's a reason I can't stop talking about this series, and it's because this title is consistently great.

Zombies vs Robots 01

ZOMBIES VS ROBOTS 1

So here's a surprise: the usual comic backmatter actually shows up on page 13.  Page 12 ends with "to be continued...", Page 13 is the backmatter, and I hadn't even hit the staples at the center of the book yet.  In a move that certainly surprised this reader, this issue is actually three short comics set in the Zombies vs Robots world.  Two writers, three artists.  I dig it.  The "backmatter" I mentioned earlier explains what came before and how this series came about.  It was rather informative since I haven't read any of the previous series.  The actual back of the book lists those previous series, including ISBNs, for easy ordering.  Which I think I'll do.  To sum up: humanity is dead, robots fight zombies for control of the Earth.  This is what happens next.

THE AUTUMNLANDS: TOOTH & CLAW 3

I read this yesterday and have been struggling to figure out what to say about this issue.  I enjoyed it, so there's that.  It's mostly a picking-up-the-pieces issue for our cast.  A city fell out of the sky in the first issue and everyone's still recovering from that, trying to figure out what to do next.  It feels a tiny bit like Walking Dead since everyone is trying to find shelter, food, supplies, and generally survive to see tomorrow.  The Champion decides he'll play along, even if he does think all these animals are a dream.  It's good, and I think I might be in it for the long haul.

CONAN/RED SONJA 1

The only Conan I've read is the Brian Wood series, which I generally enjoyed.  The only Red Sonja I've read was the free first issue I got from Comixology last December that I haven't talked about yet.  When this series was first announced, I thought, "Great!  People love Gail Simone writing Red Sonja and I enjoy Brian Wood writing Conan!"  Then Brian wasn't working on it anymore, and I really didn't hear anything else until the book was out.  I use all of that as preface because I don't actually have much to say about the book itself.  It's well written and looks gorgeous.  The title characters meet, team-up, and fight as per the standard rules of engagement of any crossover.  I'll be picking up the rest of the series and would recommend you do the same if you're a fan of either character.

INVINCIBLE 116

This is a pretty quiet issue, checking in with various characters and the new status quo of Earth given the events of the previous arc.  I found the conversation with The Immortal particularly interesting, and am glad to see Mark knows himself well enough to come to the decision he does at the end of the issue.

I had this whole other paragraph planned and partially written, speculating about upcoming events.  But I decided to scrap it.  When it comes to Kirkman, my speculation is never accurate.  He always manages to surprise me and come up with something even better than I expected.  I await whatever new amazing, and likely horrific, story elements will follow.

P.S. It's a little weird seeing Bulletproof still wearing Invincible's costume.  What's up with that?

RUMBLE 2

I can't tell you what happens in this issue.  A few of my reviews this week include the line "not much happens."  That's not the case here.  The story gets moved forward, but there's so much vagueness and weirdness that I can barely tell you what happened.  Ordinarily, that might be seen as a negative.  In this case, I love it.  The script is full of humor, and the art is amazing.  I could look at this all day.  I'm primarily familiar with Arcudi and Harren from their work on B.P.R.D., a series which is consistently great, and Harren drew two of my favorite stories.  He conveys a sense of movement and speed exceptionally well, but everything looks awesome.  Anyone even remotely interested should pick up the first issue to check it out.

SAMURAI JACK 16

Samurai Jack is definitely written for the trade, with a trade equating to one or two TV episodes.  This is the beginning of a new arc, so the stage is set.. but otherwise, not much happens.  Still, this issue features the return of a favorite character of mine (probably a genuine fan favorite, but I don't have confirmation on that).  It should be a really fun arc, though I think the end is pretty obvious from the outset.  Still enjoying it, still recommending it for anyone that was a fan of the show.

SPREAD 5

This issue is a turning point in the series, and all the characters know it even while it's happening.  As if things were bad enough before, they'll be worse once this present situation is resolved.  That situation?  The big multi-faction everyone-versus-everyone that started last issue is still going here and will continue into at least into next issue.  It is, in just about every way, worse now than it was at the end of last issue.  Which is to say, this issue was fantastic, and I can't hardly wait until the next one.

THE WICKED AND THE DIVINE 7

Not much happens this issue, but just as it was with Trees, it's the WAY not much happens that counts.  While I love the way Gillen and McKelvie tell this story, the story itself is getting a little tired.  I sincerely hope this whole Luci thing doesn't stretch out for the next two years of comic-time, because it frankly doesn't have the legs to support it.  That said, Laura continues to be amazing and the gods continue to be fairly uninteresting assholes.  Luci was great but she's gone now.  I'm really going to need someone or something else to care about, and quickly.

WILD BLUE YONDER 6

It all ends here.  Most of the issue is a giant firefight between various types of aircraft and airborne people, with bullets flying and things exploding on just about every page.  There is a brief origin story, or sorts, and a brief epilogue, but again, most of the issue is taken up by the fight that's been brewing since the first issue.  It's intense mayhem, and I loved every second of it.  While the series was slow to come out as single issues, a collection is scheduled to come out real soon.  Anyone wanting to get into the series should try that route since it will likely be easier.  Meanwhile, I'll be looking forward to whatever these creators come up with next.

Indie Corner - 12/10/2014

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

COPPERHEAD 4

The investigation is slowly going... somewhere, but that doesn't even matter.  This issue has some truly fantastic character moments and a chase scene that's vastly superior to the one from last issue.  After reading the first issue, I mentally gave this series until issue four to prove itself to me.  Things are trending up.  It could move things along a little faster, but I'm sticking around.

Bitch Planet 01

BITCH PLANET 1

I had no idea what to expect from this book.  I kept hearing, "women's prison... in space!"  Or comparisons to Orange is the New Black, which I haven't seen, so that wasn't helpful.  Most recently, I saw a comment about "Stepford" which now makes a heckuva lot more sense.  You've likely heard things too, and they were probably just as meaningless.  So lemme just say this: It's a good book.  If you like good books, you should check this out.  I know I'll be reading more.

LITTLE NEMO: RETURN TO SLUMBERLAND 3

Near the end of Locke & Key, it was announced that Gabriel Rodriguez had been signed as the first and only artist exclusive to IDW.  For those unfamiliar with his work, this issue proves why signing him was such a smart move.  I can't imagine what the script for this issue was like, but it's a feast for the eyes from start to finish.  An outstanding issue in a series I'd been unsure about.

SAMURAI JACK 15

This arc ended the only way it possibly could.  Knowing that the entire time, I still found myself concerned both at the end of last issue and at the beginning of this one.  When the tide does finally turn - as it inevitably would - it was awesome.  I have no idea what's in store for the next arc, but I eagerly await it.

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES 41

The title to this arc is "Attack on Technodrome."  It's been building to this for literally years.  By the end of this issue, every piece is in place.  We're about to witness the clash of at least three agendas, possibly more (Hob!).  There's no way to tell what's going to happen, but I suspect things will get worse before they get better.

GHOSTBUSTERS v9: Mass Hysteria Part 2

This marks the end of the series, and I will definitely miss it.  I keep flipping through the trade instead of writing about it.  What can I say?  That whenever I would read this comic, I would hear the actor's voices in my head?  That whatever happens to the franchise, if Burnham is writing, I'll be buying?  That, much like Ninja Turtles, any fan should check it out?  It's all true.  The end is rather surprising, and that's literally all I'm going to say about what happens.  Do yourself a favor.  Buy the whole series.

Indie Corner - 11/26/2014

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

TREES 7

To people that have complained not enough happens in this book - this is the issue where things happen.  Pieces have been slowly moving for a while, and here several take action.  I can't even say, because unless you've been reading, none of it would mean anything.  I'll simply say this: there's one more issue and then a collection coming in February.  If the gods are good, another series will follow.

ODY-C 1

ODY-C 1

I don't think there's a word for this comic other than "ambitious."  The opening gatefold is, perhaps, the craziest thing I've seen in a comic, even topping the foldout/poster in Superman Unchained #1.

I've been making my way through a lot of The Classics over the last couple years, but The Odyssey remains on my "to read" list.  Someone said this issue is easier to understand if you've read the classic, but I didn't find it particularly difficult to follow.  The actual writing seems to be adapting The Odyssey to the form, while obviously changing the setting to space and many character's gender has been flipped.  The art is simultaneously gorgeous and weird.  It's a hard thing to explain, but the only book even close to it would be Brandon Graham and Simon Roy's Prophet.

After finishing the book, I immediately thought I wouldn't be picking up the second issue.  But the more I think about it, the more compelled I am to read more.  I really want to see how this mad experiment plays out.

RASPUTIN 2

This series continues to impress.  In trying to write this review though, I struggled to summarize the issue beyond that first sentence.  Basically, Rasputin meets some new friends, gets in a fight (or two), and leaves home.  Doesn't sound like much, but the dialogue is great and the art is exceptional.  I may wind up switching this to trades so I can get more story in a single chunk.

SAMURAI JACK 14

That's not at all how I expected this issue to end.  If you recall - and I hope you do - Jack's sword has been broken.  Last issue presented an opportunity to correct that, and in this issue, Jack is tested to see if he's worthy.  It's a quick read, classic Jack, and as I said, things don't go as expected.  The cover to next issue is Jack unsheathing his sword, so... we'll see.  For the moment, they're a bit bleak.

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES 40

Two issues of Ninja Turtles in the same week.  It's not even my birthday.  Contrasting with the Ghostbusters issue below, this issue is almost entirely a fight scene with virtually everyone against Bebop and Rocksteady.  It feels like these two have grown stronger since the last time the turtles faced them.  That, and the turtles are working less well as a team.  With all that, Splinter earns his title of "master," Raph and Alopex share a quiet moment, Casey gets a job, and one of the craziest last pages of the entire series.  A lot of great stuff is packed into this issue.

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES / GHOSTBUSTERS 2

I'm just going to say this up front: this issue ends with a turtle wearing a proton pack.  Does that interest you?  If so, check out the series.  This issue is almost entirely interaction between the two  groups, with several awesome scenes, and me loving every second of it.  Standout among them was Winston with Leo.  Perfect.

Indie Corner - 10/22/2014

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

SAMURAI JACK 13

Jack's been in a rough spot these last few issues.  Here, things get both better and worse for him.  Aku has a way to find Jack, but Jack possibly has a way to fix his sword.  I suspect, without checking solicit info, Jack and Aku will meet on the final page of next issue and fight in 15.  This issue did away with my concerns at the beginning of this arc, and slid the title back over to the "recommended" column.

Starlight 06

STARLIGHT 6

Last issue, I was worried one issue wasn't enough to wrap up this story.  I wanted the adventures of Duke McQueen to continue because I was enjoying it so much.  But after this, the final issue, I'm more than pleased with the conclusion.  If you haven't been reading Starlight, I hope you'll pick up the trade once that comes out.  It's a great read.

THE WICKED + THE DIVINE 5

Last issue (spoiler!) Luci broke out of prison.  This is what happens next.  The final words of the issue are "it's not over."  Of course it's not.  I'm not going to talk about what happens between those two events, except to say that it's good and you should read it.  Also, check out the well-written essay at the back.  There's even a special note in the credits, which I looked at only so I could write the next sentence.  Everything between the covers of this book is brilliant.  I hope you read it.

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES/GHOSTBUSTERS 1

IDW's excellent Ninja Turtles series jumps dimensions into IDW's excellent Ghostbusters series (sadly concluded).  It's so brilliant, I don't know why it wasn't done sooner.  If you can't tell, I'm a huge fan of both series.  The two teams meet on the last page of the issue, so they haven't yet interacted, which will be the true test of believability.  Thankfully, the regular writers from each series are involved here, so I don't think there will be any problems there.  Three different art teams is a bit weird, but done in a way that minimizes the changes.  Recommended for anyone reading both or either series, or even just fans of the franchises.

PREDATOR VS JUDGE DREDD VS ALIENS

Honestly, if the title alone doesn't do it for you, I don't know what to say.  Actually, the cover and title are a bit misleading, because the book is actually two stories - Dredd vs Predator and Dredd vs Aliens.  Still.  I've never read Dredd before but have been wanting to get into it for a while.  I've read very little Predator or Aliens comics, but I'd been similarly toying with the idea for about a year.  So seeing this on the rack, it practically leapt into my hands.

Predator vs Judge Dredd is from 1997, so the art is slightly dated, but I had no problem slipping into it.  Judge Dredd vs Aliens is from 2003, but the art has a much more modern feel and could easily sit alongside any indie title today.  Both stories are written and co-written, respectively, by John Wagner, so Dredd is definitely in the right hands.  I thoroughly enjoyed both and suspect many other fans of these franchises would as well.

Indie Corner - 9/24/2014

The Squidder

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

THE SQUIDDER

I Kickstarted this and received the collected edition in the mail last week.  Issue four, if you're buying the singles, should be out either this week or next.  It's good; I like it.  Quick recap: Our dimension is being invaded by squid-like monsters, Earth creates modified human monsters to fight the squid.  The series takes place decades after humanity loses the war.  Typical Templesmith art, though the writing is more serious than Wormwood (Bonus recommendation: Check out Wormwood, it's awesome and funny).  Imagine a bad man in a bad world, just getting by, until someone gives him something to kill, and you won't be far off.  Sounds cliche, but I dug it.  Definitely recommended for any fans for Templesmith.

SAGA 23

Oh Saga, you break my heart.  Top-notch issue from cover-to-cover in which everyone shows what they're really made of.  If you're not reading this by now, I don't know what to say.  It's great, and also terrible because Vaughan and Staples are putting the cast through the wringer.  And I can't wait for my next dose.

SHUTTER 6

I have no idea where this series is going, but it's so full of surprises, gorgeous art, and believable characters, that I'm along for the ride.  This issue could be summed up with "Things go Awry" as basically nothing happens for anyone the way they'd planned it.  If the book focused a bit more on the characters and less on weird, mysterious things happening, it could easily have a following like Saga.  I recommend anyone into weird, mysterious things and gorgeous art to check out the first issue and see if it grabs you.  Spoiler alert: issues 2 - 6 have more of the same.

SAMURAI JACK 12

The opening arc of Samurai Jack was fantastic.  Great first issue, I had high hopes.  The arc ended sooner than I expected, and subsequent issues haven't quite lived up to the original high standard.  Until now.  Jack's sword lies broken, Aku knows it, and Jack's in some serious trouble.  I'm sure this will read much better as an eventual trade, since much of this issue is still set-up, but it's still great.  My only issue is that it's over so quickly.

ROCHE LIMIT 1

While the book has an interesting premise (think Babylon 5 without the aliens), none of the characters are likable and there's not enough story to get me to come back for more.