Indie Corner - 08/28/2013

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

TMNT: KARAI

TMNT Micro Series: Karai

This is what I've been wanting!  We've been watching Karai a long time, and in this issue hints finally turn into confirmations.  Karai making plans, Karai versus Leo, ugh, it's so good.  Every new issue I state the Turtles series is great.  This is another fine example.  And issue 25 of the main series out Wednesday!

100 BULLETS: BROTHER LONO

As a writer, I both love and hate Azzarello.  He's so damn good.  Not a whole lots happens this issue, but pieces are coming together, everything gets fleshed out a bit, and the signature styles of Azzarello and Risso are all over this.  If I had to, I'd recommend skipping the series and waiting for the trade.  This will read much better that way.

CONAN

I'd never read a Conan comic before Wood started this series.  When I was announced I walked into my local shop and said, "I heard Wood and Cloonan are doing a Conan book.  I need that."  Becky didn't stick around, and Wood's time ends at issue 25.  I find myself dreading the end in ways I never expected.  Conan and Belit are amazing together, and this issue is a great example of that.  A new adventure begins here, but there's only a few more issues until it's all over.

CHEW vol. 7.

I love this series.  The ridiculousness, the characters, the tiny things hidden in the backgrounds of panels.  Volume 7 moves some things forward in a big way.  Olive, Savoy, the Vampire, and even Tony himself.  Lots going on, and ramping up to even bigger things down the line.  I basically recommend this series to everyone I encounter.

CHIN MUSIC

This book could really benefit from a "Previously..." info box.  There's some things that happen in this issue, but I'd have to go back and re-read the first issue to understand any of it.  I thought I'd be able to do just that before posting this, but then came down with some sort of fever/exhaustion that's wiped me out.

Indie Corner - 08/21/2013

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

SIX GUN GORILLA

A tiny bit more subdued than last issue, letting the plot develop and building the world(s) with political statements on the front line and corporate statements coming from the TV control room.  Then the action kicks off again the final pages.  Really looking forward to next issue.  This is probably one of the rare series I buy in singles and again in the eventual collected trade.  It's good.

KILLJOYS

I actually misplaced issue two until a short while ago, so I read two and three back-to-back.  I dig the series, but am hard pressed to tell you why.  Art by Becky Cloonan is certainly part of it, but the book feels like an independent movie.  By that I mean, the story certainly isn't being spoon-fed to us.  We have to work for it and try to piece things together ourselves.  I enjoy that, perhaps, in this case, more than I normally would.

GHOSTED

Things get interesting.  Still, not much has actually happened, but things are certainly building, and I continue to be intrigued.  This would be an excellent candidate for trade-waiting since you'd be able to get more story in a single sitting.  I'll keep checking out individual issues until either something happens or I get bored and drop it.  Bonus: there's a preview at the back for Velvet, from Brubaker and Epting.  I was looking forward to it before, and am even more so now.

IT CAME!

I picked this up last week because I'd read something good about it just before leaving for the comic shop.  Turns out, it's not that good.  Mildly amusing, sure, but not as funny as it thinks it is.  Also, too heavily laced with English linguistic ticks.  Skip.

TEN GRAND

Lots of interesting things going on here.  And more than that, this issue made me feel things - sadness, tension, intrigue.  Enough to make me realize that doesn't happen often.  I honestly wasn't sure I'd still be into this series, but the last few pages alone are enough to make me buy more.  Really curious where this is going next.  Recommended.

Indie Corner - 08/14/2013

Sheltered 02

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

CYBER FORCE
I've been a fan of Cyber Force since the beginning, and will be the first to admit its been a rough couple of decades. I still think the premise and team are a story worth telling, though I'm not sure this series is it. I Kickstarted this, way back when, but this isn't the series I was hoping for. I'll pick up one more issue to see where this is going but I think the damage might already be done. Check out the Cyber Force / Hunter-Killer series from a few years ago instead. That book was awesome.

SHELTERED
Hysteria all around as things begin to fall apart. This is a taught, high-tension, relatively quick read. It's grabbed me and hasn't let go. Recommended.

ROBOCOP: LAST STAND
Less happens than I would have liked, but the stage is set by the end of the issue. That may just be the nature of a six-issue mini series. Fortunately, we see Robocop... and he seems to delight in punching his way through things to grab people. I'll at least check out the next issue to see where this is going.

THE LEGEND OF LUTHER STRODE
I don't know which of the creators came up with the human water fountain, but it's both disgusting and beautiful. This issue wraps the current storyline while setting up the next on its final pages. It's good, as all Luther Strode issues are, but those images are going to haunt me for awhile. I recommend the eventual trade.

TRILLIUM
I finally read this last night and can say... it's alright. I'm surprised by all the praise this book has recieved since largely nothing happens. It's vaguely reminiscent of Aronofsky's The Fountain , and that's about all I have to say. I'll stick around for a few issues to see where this is going but was expecting more after everything I'd heard.

SATELLITE SAM
I'm still enjoying this Sorkin-esque read, though from the comments I've seen, many people dropped off after the first issue. For me, I think the series would read better in trade form so I can keep better track of the many characters and their personal agendas, though there's a character page at the front that does an excellent job of this.

The only book I didn't get to read this week was Ten Grand, so I'll get that next week.  I may post and back-date some more of these later since I've been doing it for a few weeks on Google+.

Indie Corner - 08/06/2013

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

Collider #1

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES
I'm in love with this book.  So many awesome and terrible things are happening, I'm in simultaneous joy and dread.  At one point I didn't want to turn the page, because I feared who was holding that sword.  I did, reluctantly, then had to shout and briefly shake my fist at the sky before diving back into the action.  Raph!  Shredder!  Splinter!  Hob!  Mikey and Slash!  It's so good!  Every Turtles fan should be reading this.

FIVE GHOSTS
This series ends decently enough, dropping enough threads for future stories.  I thought the first issue was great, with the rest okay, but not mind-blowing.  The trouble for something like this, is with so many independent #1s out now or in the near future, if this returns, the creators are going to have to up their game if it wants to stick around.

COLLIDER
Great first issue.  Good story, great visuals, believable characters, mystery.  Really, what more could you ask for?  I'll be signing up for issues 2 - 4 and see how I feel after that, but it's off to a fantastic start.  Recommended.

THE KILLER vol. 4
It's been awhile since I read the first volumes in this series.  I don't recall why, but had assumed after reading vol. 3 that that was the end of the series.  Something about the cultural pervasiveness of trilogies?  I don't know, but I was super excited earlier this year when vol. 4 was solicited.  This volume is a bit more political than I remember the earlier books being, but still excellent.  And we finally find out the titular killer's name!  This gives me hope there will be a steady stream of books to come.

Indie Corner - 07/31/2013

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

LAZARUS

Six-Gun Gorilla #2 (of 6)

Wow, I think I'm in this for a long haul.  No decision yet on whether to switch to trades, like +Charles Dowd or not, but it's good.  Much like Uncanny, further down, this issue is more mystery than answer, but the difference is - I don't care.  Here, I'm willing to wait for the answers because the family drama is so well written I'm already hooked.  You definitely check it out.

SIX GUN GORILLA
Issue two is even better than issue one.  Ridiculous things are afoot.  Beautiful, well-written, ridiculous things.  Recommended for anyone interested in comics on the fun side.

GHOSTBUSTERS
I don't have a whole lot to say about this issue, except that I wish there were more issues to read.  This spends most of its time wrapping up the current story thread, but does manage to show snippets of what's to come.  Afterward, I found myself hoping for a TMNT- or MLP-style micro series, just to get more content in my hands.

ROCKETEER & SPIRIT: PULP FRICTION
If you think about it at all, you can probably guess exactly what happens in this first issue.  Criminals in Central City and LA are working together, necessitating the need for the Spirit and Rocketeer to meet-up.  Misunderstanding leads to fisticuffs, leads to begrudging team-up.  But we're talking about Mark Waid, so it's a wonderful pulp-y read.  And the art perfectly matches these two heroes.

UNCANNY
I read one review that said issue two isn't as good as issue one, and I find myself in agreement.  It's okay, but we get more mysteries and no answers.  Unsure where this book is headed, but I'll stick around for another issue or two to find out.

Indie Corner - 07/23/2013

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

GHOSTED
Interesting, though too early to tell if it's my thing or not.  Most of the first issue was spent establishing the main character, being given a job, and assembling his team.  Character introductions all-around.  Will definitely be checking out the next issue, and will decide from there.

INVINCIBLE
Dan and I always speculate on what will happen next in Invincible.  We're always wrong, because Kirkman is full of surprises, and this issue proves that in spectacular fashion.  Eve and Angstrom, Invincible vs Invincibles... fantastic.

TMNT: ALOPEX
I take every opportunity to talk about the IDW Turtles series, because I love it.  The main series is great, and the micro series expands the world while simultaneously further developing characters.  They're perfect companions.  Here, we finally learn about Alopex, the white fox that's been showing up since practically the beginning.  And, oh man, those that three panels.

DAY MEN
Kind of a dense issue, and I mean that in the best possible way.  Some books you can read in a matter of minutes and quickly forget.  For a first issue, there's plenty here to latch onto.  Mystery, action, non-sparkly vampires, and both the main character and the series' world in general are well fleshed out here.  I'll definitely be picking up the next few issues.

HALF PAST DANGER
World War II, Nazis, a secluded Pacific island, and dinosaurs.  Issue three was out last week, but I actually read all three issues over the weekend.  I'd been buying it, with the expectation it would be good, but hadn't actually read any yet.  It's good, though the art could be a little better, particularly the faces.  Pulpy goodness.

Marlena

Part of this might see the light of day in some other form, but I've decided to radically change one of the characters in it, so who knows what it will look like the next time is surfaces. Not wanting to see it go to waste, I thought I'd share...


***


Marlena started down the corridor, thought better of it, and turned in the opposite direction.  She wasn't ready to deal with the Samiri brothers yet, and wanted to stay well clear for the time being.

The job had gone badly, just like she told them it would when they hired her.  Still, they had already put a crew together by the time they'd contacted her and were ready to move forward with or without her. Even though she knew the plan would never work, the money and desperation conspired to make her sign on. It had been four days since the authorities came crashing down on their crew, and she still hadn’t come up with a decent story to tell the Samiri’s about what had happened.

With no particular destination in mind, Marlena turned down one gray hallway after another until she found herself at one of the station's saloons.  At the bar she ordered a bourbon, neat, dropped some coins, and took her drink to the darkest corner she could find.  The habit was something she had picked up from her father, despite her every effort to be nothing like him.

Drowning her thoughts in alcohol, time slipped away unnoticed.  It wasn't until a curious looking man entered that she took notice of her surroundings again.  Human, clearly, but she couldn't guess which system he was from.  His clothes would have made him stand-out on any human settlement, but on a station like this that trafficked in every variety of alien, not many would waste a second look.

He took a seat at the bar, and appeared to be striking up a conversation with the barkeep.  They were too far away for her to hear anything, but she decided she needed to refill her glass, even though she didn't intend to drink it.  Saddling up to the bar a few seats down from the mystery man, she caught the attention of the barkeep and motioned to the empty glass in front of her.  Breaking away, the barkeep took a bottle from the shelf on his way toward her.

"What's his story?" she asked while he poured, without looking at the man she asked about.

The barkeep understood whom she meant easily enough. "Asking questions, mostly." Adding, "Only drinking water." with a scoff. He walked off, replacing the bottle on the shelf before she could ask any more.

"Where's our merchandise?" a garbled, booming, and accusational voice came from behind her.  Marlena didn't need to turn around to put a face to the voice, she already knew who was there, and was thankful for the full glass in front of her.  She drank deep.

"Qylex, Z'rak!  I've been looking for you."  She swiveled her chair to face them, maintaining an air of nonchalance and took another sip.  She wanted to keep this cordial for as long as possible, but odds were that wouldn't last long.  The Samiri brothers stood close, blocking any potential exit she might have had.  They were Velneks, towering three meters tall and each weighing a few hundred kilos.  Although they appeared to be bulbous slobs, billowing over with fat, she knew from personal experience they had more than enough muscle to make short work of her.

"More like trying to avoid us."  Z'rak spat.

"Where?"  Qylex forcefully repeated the question she was trying to dodge.

She drained the last of her glass and put it on the counter behind her.  "I think you already know I don't have it."  This thing was going sideways, and her mouth wasn't helping things.

The Samiri brothers each took a half step closer, their formidable height and girth encroaching that much more.  "Where?!" came the same scratchy, guttural question as before.

"Impound."  The word slipped delicately from her lips, and relief came over her like a wave.  None of this was going as she had planned, but nonetheless, at least she has told them.  The hard part was over, and together they could all move on now that the truth was out.

There came a sound, that began as a growl, became a scream, and then left the audible range of human hearing.  Z’Rak stood silent while his brother expressed his rage.  Only silence remained in the saloon once the scream had ended, and all eyes turning to the three of them.

To her surprise, it was the mystery man that broke the silence.  "I believe there's a desirable outcome to be reached for all involved without resorting to violence."  He was now standing directly beside Z'rak, though how he'd gotten there, Marlena hadn't seen.

Z'rak’s response swift and brutal, launching a meaty back-hand at the stranger.  Marena winced, but the blow never came.  Cautiously, she opened her eyes again to find the mystery man had effortlessly stopped the blow with only one hand.  And his hand seemed to be glowing as well, if only for an instant.

“Ah, Velnek physiology.  I had stated I wanted to avoid violence, so you’ll be rendered unconscious for the rest of this conversation.”  Placing his free hand over Z’rak’s eyes, more light came forth, and Z’rak collapsed on the ground.

The facial structure of Velneks don’t produce anything humans would recognize as shock or surprise, but from Qylex’s uncharacteristic silence and inaction, she knew that’s what he was feeling.  “I--” she felt compelled to say, but couldn’t find the words to finish.

The stranger was the first to speak again.  Turning to Qylex he spoke is a clam and quiet voice, “Your sibling’s actions weren’t conducive to a resolution.  I hope you’re more willing to conduct yourself in a civil manner.”  He wasn’t.  Suddenly regained his composure, Qylex reached for the knife at his hip, drawing it with a speed Marlena didn’t think was possible for a being his size.  Firearms of all kinds are banned on Paragon 3, but that didn’t mean its many inhabitants were without weapons.  Upon arrival, most switched to blade or bludgeon weapons, and Qylex was clearly not ignorant of the practice.

Ultimately, it proved futile.  Qylex roared and angrily slashed at the man that had rendered his brother unconscious moments ago, but he stubbornly remained unmoving.  Involuntarily, she shut her eyes once again, expecting a violent end.  Instead of fleshing slicing open, Marlena heard an unmistakable THRUM and Qylex grunt.  Her eyes snapped open again to see Qylex struggling to maintain this balance, and what appeared to be - couldn’t be - shields surrounding the stranger?

Qylex whirled to face them again, looking poised to strike again, but paused, appeared to weighed the situation mentally, and spat an insult at Marlena, “We’ll be back for you later, when your guardian isn’t around.”  He kept the knife in hand, but turned and left the saloon, with his brother still on the floor.

Adrenaline had countered the effects of the bourbon for the last few minutes, but now the alcohol was reasserting itself in her system.  Marlena needed to get out of here, quickly.  With no product for the Samiri brothers, one on the floor, and other humiliated in a fight, things were looking considerably worse than earlier.

The stranger turned to address her for the first time, “I’m sorry things didn’t go better, this wasn’t my intention.”  He looked slightly confused, as if he honestly didn’t know what had gone wrong.  There were so many things she wanted to ask, so many she wanted to ask, or scream at him.  But what came out next wasn’t any of them.

Pushing her face into his, “What, was that you trying to help?”  Marlena found herself jabbing a pointed finger into his chest and slipping one of her legs behind his.  “You stay out of my business.”  She slammed him square in the chest with both hands, sending him reeling backward, tripping over her leg, and crashing into the floor.  “And stay the hell away from me.”

It took all her strength not to look back as she walked out of the saloon.  She wanted to see the look on his face, on all their faces, but she couldn’t look if she wanted anything she’d said to stick.

Once again traversing the one gray hallway after another, Marlena took the opportunity to go over everything in her mind again and again, trying to puzzle out what had happened and her next move.  A personal shield?  Had to be.  The Samiri’s still had no product, she’d have to find something else or burn a lot of bridges to never have to see them again.  Did he have a scanner in his hand?  She hadn’t seen one.  Marco will be even more upset now than when he found out about the botched job.  The light - how could anything do that to be Velnek?  She’d have to get off this station on the first ship leaving.  Those clothes, there’s something about his clothes that...

It’s impossible.  He couldn’t be.  Her pace quickened, now with determination and a destination in mind.  She had to leave immediately.  Marlena barreled through the entryway to her quarters, only missing the door by a hair’s breadth as it slid out of her way.  Once inside, she stopped, leaned against the door, and slid down it until she was sitting on the floor.  She looked up suddenly to check the lock, and locked it - not that that could stop him.  The scanner, the light, and shield, the clothes.  Could he really be an Engineer?

She was in a whole lot more trouble than she thought.