Robyn Hood 9

Robyn and Marian were hired by the wealthy Ms. Rubino to lift a magical hold on her bank account, but when Marian’s spell goes awry, the account is purged. Rubino threatens legal action, but it’s the least of their problems, as Marian is pursued by an insane Avella, and Robyn makes a dodgy deal with the Rotter, a criminal looking to lift a powerful curse. Meanwhile, the mysterious Cabal prepares for a cataclysmic event known as “the Shift.”

Robyn and Marian are in the thick of it now.  With Avella on the rampage and the Cabal still at large, these ladies certainly have their hands full.  They’ve been in some dire situations before, but this one could prove to be more than one of them can handle.  As their list of enemies continues to grow, Robyn and Marian now have to prioritize lest they become completely overwhelmed.

I liked this one.  Pat Shand does it again with his superb writing style.  More suspense than past issues and things are starting to come to a head as the villains are coming into the light.  The main characters are starting to lose their grip on everyday life what with lawsuits, bills and enemies around every corner.  With all of the trouble they’ve encountered, everything is about to come crashing down upon the girls.  It’s great to see just how much pressure they can endure before it finally breaks them.  I can confidently say that this is worth the read.

The time is almost at hand for the Cabal to strike and Robyn and Marian are the only ones who can stop them.  Will they make it in time before the Shift occurs, or will an unforeseen obstacle bring their endeavors to an end?  Pick up the latest issue of Robyn Hood to find out the answers to all of these questions and more.  For more info on where to find this issue, visit the Zenescope website, or the Zenescope Facebook page.

Geek-o-Rama received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments and opinions belong to the individual reviewer.

Rebels 1

In a rush of great public resistance to an oppressive and excessive government, a homegrown militia movement is formed in rural America. This is not 2015, but 1775. With the war for independence playing out across the colonies, young Seth and Mercy Abbott find their new marriage tested at every turn, as the demands of the frontlines and the home front collide.

Here we have something a little different than the usual fair.  Rebels is a historical fiction series set during the Revolutionary War and follows the exploits of Seth Abbott and Ezekiel Learned.  Seth and Ezekiel had been friends, since a chance encounter eight years prior.  The two of them have been fighting the British oppression from Albany ever since.  That’s pretty much the gist of this one.  I’m not entirely certain what kind of story this series is trying to convey, aside from two guys help fight the red-coats.  This type of story wouldn’t be my first choice for reading material, but that doesn’t mean it’s terrible.

The writing style rings true to the time period and the artwork gives the book that old, rustic feel.  History buffs will definitely enjoy this and can spend hours debating and picking out any historical inconsistencies that they find.  This is only the first part of this series, so I’m sure the action is just starting to get underway, as the Revolutionary War was a long, bloody affair.

If you need a break from all of the superheroing, then this one is definitely for you. The story is a much more grounded outing than most of the books currently available.  I can’t entirely recommend this one, but check it out all the same.  Heck, this just may become the sleeper hit of the year.  For more info on where to find this issue, visit the Dark Horse website, or the Dark Horse Facebook page.

Geek-o-Rama received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments and opinions belong to the individual reviewer.

Wonderland 33

A new terror rises in Wonderland, and it has already succeeded in bringing out the madness within Violet. But with her daughter now under the tutelage of Sela Mathers, a powerful ally, Calie returns to Wonderland with her ties to Earth now severed, and another threat to deal with.

The house is gone and with it, so many memories, both good and bad.  Calie finally feels a small sense of relief with one less thing to worry about, however something else is at works in Wonderland.  Now Calie seeks out the Antipathies, sensing that something is amiss with them and hoping to quell any new evils that might seep out into Wonderland.  If she only knew of the plot underway at the Rime and Reason Tavern.

The main qualm I have with this issue is that it assumes you’ve read the latest issue of Grimm Fairy Tales before this one hit the stands.  I mean, issue 37 was a story about the Cheshire Cat and now all of a sudden Calie is on a quest to find these Antipathies for reasons unknown.  Was it a vision?  Did someone tell her to go find them?  Nothing is really explained and there wasn’t any indication of a need to make this trek in past issues, so why?  I felt a little left out of the loop until I finally figure out that something must have happened in the other series that warranted her quest.  Cross-overs are all well and good, but like many from the past, a little re-canting of events from other involved series goes a long way.  While Calie was scaling the mountain with Cheshire, she could have been commenting on why she was there in the first place.  Let the readers catch up a bit before throwing them into a new adventure.  Aside from all of that, Manuel Preitano did a great job with the artwork and kept everything looking smooth.  It’s great to see the same artist working on an issue throughout for a change.

So, if you haven’t figured it out by now, go check out the latest issue of Grimm Fairy Tales before picking this one up. You’ll get a little more insight into the whole of the story and things will probably make a lot more sense. I definitely recommend grabbing this book for collection’s sake, but also as a good jumping on point for new readers. For more info on where to find this issue, visit the Zenescope website, or the Zenescope Facebook page.

Geek-o-Rama received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments and opinions belong to the individual reviewer.

Grimm Tales of Terror 9

The famous urban legend about an escaped homicidal mental patient stalking a couple in their car comes to life in Zenescope’s newest twist on the popular tale.

Another classic staple in the horror genre is brought to life in the latest issue of Grimm Tales of Terror.  In typical fashion, the issue starts off with two teens “getting better acquainted” in a convertible.  Their make-out session is soon cut short by a passing police officer.  From there, things get even worse for the teens as the escaped mental patient begins to terrorize them.  Unfortunately for them, there’s more going on here than they realize.

Overall a good idea.  This type of story fits in perfectly with the rest of the series, but I felt it lacked substance.  Maybe substance isn’t the right word, but it definitely lacked something.  It was pretty predictable (at least for me it was) and it just seemed like everything happened so quickly.  Which seems to be the main problem with this series lately (I may have touched on this already), but it would be nice to have a bit of a story established before all of the hacking and slashing begins.  If I’m going to be reading a horror story, then the suspense needs to be there.  I mean, the teens end up at the gas station a page after the intro, the escaped killer is briefly mentioned and then the killing begins.  With this series in particular, I may be asking too much, but a build-up to all of the murdering would make the deaths that much more impactful.  I guess the short horror story works better with the fairy tales because the majority of the people know the characters and stories already, so when things turn deadly, it’s a bit more of a shocker.  However, when it comes to the urban legends, like this one, I feel that more of a back-story is needed to really drive the point home (no pun intended). 

I really don’t see changes to this format any time soon, but here’s hoping that as the series progresses, the suspense factor is a little more well maintained. A good book to keep up with your collection, but not really one to judge the series by. The killer is still out there, so watch yourself when you go to pick up this one. For more info on where to find this issue, visit the Zenescope website, or the Zenescope Facebook page.

Geek-o-Rama received a copy of this comic for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments and opinions are those of the individual reviewer.

The Monsters of Jimmy Crumb

Everything changed when eight-year-old Jimmy Crumb's childhood was stolen from him. Now Jimmy can't throw a baseball, but he understands the rules of the urban legend monsters exquisitely and can make them murder for him. He has a hard time with math, but he can draw you a map of the regions of hell.

Jimmy uses these skills to brutally exact revenge while pretending there's still a normal child inside him. Only his friends, teachers, and the police are starting to catch on. Starting to realize Jimmy might be a monster himself.

It will be up to Jimmy whether he can cling to what's left of his humanity or if he becomes one of the very urban legends he's been using.

So, can’t say I was a big fan of this one.  Right from the get-go the dialogue becomes a chore to even get through.  I realize it was all a ploy by Jimmy to come off as being a normal kid, but even when the dialogue is forced on purpose, the reader still needs to make their way through it and it’s just not fun.  The story itself is pretty much just an occult version of The Punisher, just swap Frank Castle out for Jimmy Crumb and guns for demons and there you have it.  The worst part of it all was the fact that characters could just say first names, they had to say the entire name which got excessively tedious when it came to Hayley Donomachavitch.  Practically every time another character spoke to her, they had to say her full name.  If you wanted to do that to drive a point home when speaking to the character, that’s one thing, but to reiterate the name, if nothing else, to showcase how ridiculous the name is, it becomes a turn-off.  When the reader gets turned-off, it’s less likely that they’ll keep with the story.  There needs to be a better balance when using one or both names.  The artwork was decent, but nothing really all that eye-catching.  For a horror-type story, the art just seemed rather flat and bland.  If you’re going to have demons/monsters going on a murder spree, you really want the images to stand out and really capture the bloodshed.  I suppose if you’re into the horror genre, then you might get a kick out of this one, but then again many people may have a hard time just getting through the first few pages (at least I did).

They must have done something right as this book got funded through Kickstarter. Overall, I felt like the story wasn’t original enough to really hold my interest and that the subject matter was a little too dark for my liking. If you’re looking for something to disturb you in a way that only horror can, then this is definitely the book for you. For more info on where to find this book, visit The Monsters of Jimmy Crumb Facebook page.

Geek-o-Rama received a copy of this comic for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments and opinions are those of the individual reviewer.

The Little Mermaid 1

Do you know the real story of the Little Mermaid?  When a young mermaid finds herself captured, her world will turn upside down and she will need to find the courage to confront her fears or perish at the hands of evil.

We’re far from Disney territory with this one.  Taking place after Myths & Legends vol. 2, The Little Mermaid follows the exploits of Erica, the title character.  As the story progresses we find out that Erica’s situation is more perilous than originally perceived and that when pushed, we see a much darker side to her.  Meanwhile, Samuel Fisher is on the hunt for Erica and an old nemesis makes her presence known.

A good start-up to a new series, although it left more questions than answers, which I guess you want in the first issue.  The only problem is that I felt like Meredith Finch jammed in too much information right off the bat and didn’t leave a lot of room for explanation.  Given that this is a five part mini-series, she could have taken the time to spread out the in story events to intrigue the reader more than confuse.  Plus I could have sworn there was a different origin for Zenescope’s Little Mermaid that took place in the earlier issue of Grimm Fairy Tales.  I’ve been out of the loop on those and Myths & Legends, so I’m not really sure how the character originated in this universe, but I suppose what we’re seeing in this first issue, as well as Myths & Legends, is to be the accepted version.  All-in-all I’d keep up with this series, aside from what I stated above, it’s a pretty good read.  The artwork by Miguel Mendonca helps bring the issue to life.  If you were a fan of his work in Warlord of Oz, then you’ll be treated to much of the same here.  A great take on an old favorite.

The Little Mermaid begins the solo tale of what could be Zenescope’s next break-out character.  Albeit not as badass as Robyn Hood, or Red Riding Hood at this point in time, Erica’s shown what kind of power she has lurking inside of her, just waiting for the right opportunity to be let loose.  With four more issues to go, one can only hope Erica’s situation can only get better from here.  So, don’t let this be the one that got away and go pick up the first installment in this new series from Zenescope.  For more info on where to find this issue, visit the Zenescope website, or the Zenescope Facebook page.

Geek-o-Rama received a copy of this comic for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments and opinions are those of the individual reviewer.

White Queen 2

Though Calie remains the White Queen of what’s left of Wonderland, she must follow the Dark Queen’s orders. But her latest task proves too distasteful and Calie refuses to kill innocent people. When the Trickster tattles, the Dark Queen leaves Calie with one last chance to prove her allegiance and keep her daughter alive.

So, Calie’s pretty much stuck between a rock and a hard place right now.  It’s the choice between sacrificing her daughter, or sacrificing her soul.  However, she gets the idea to dredge up the past in hopes of finding a way to stop the Dark Queen in her tracks.  What she finds though are the answers that she’s known all along, thanks to an enemy long past.  Now it’s up to Calie to act upon her newfound knowledge in order to save her daughter.

A good mid-way of a trilogy, but not a great one.  With this mini-series showing how Calie faired through the whole Age of Darkness event, I felt like the second issue kind of fell short of giving us, the audience a real sense of how much Calie had to endure.  The issue felt a little rushed due mainly to the abridged fight scene.  Here she is, alone except for the Cheshire Cat, against hordes of the former queens soldiers and then all of a sudden they’re both walking away, battered and bruised.  I mean, if the fight really wasn’t that important to the story, why even put it in there at all?  Maybe it was because of a time crunch or something, but I just feel like when this sort of thing is done in books, it’s just lazy.  I want to see how these characters fought their way out of their predicament, not just hear about it later.  It seems like a lot of these intermediate issues in these Zenescope series have been pretty much just filler until the next big revelation.  I guess in a sense that’s pretty much the idea, but there should at least be a bit more substance.  Despite this lackluster issue, I am looking forward to the conclusion, to see how Calie goes about saving Violet.

An essential part of the 3-issue mini-series, but not exactly its high point.  The second issue of White Queen, could have been cut in half and split between the first and third issues.  Hopefully with some of this necessary exposition out of the way, the third issue can bring on the action.  So, go pick up this second installment if nothing more than to satisfy your collection until the, hopefully, stunning conclusion releases.  For more info on where to find this issue, visit the Zenescope website, or the Zenescope Facebook page.

Geek-o-Rama received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments and opinions are those of the individual reviewer.

Divinity 1

At the height of the Cold War, the Soviet Union – determined to win the Space Race at any cost – green lit a dangerously advanced mission. They sent a man farther into the cosmos than anyone has gone before or since. Lost in the stars, he encountered something unknown. Something that…changed him.

Long thought lost and erased from the history books, he has suddenly returned, crash-landing in the Australian Outback. The few that have been able to reach him believe him to be a deity – one who turned the scorched desert into a lush oasis. They say he can bend matter, space, and even time to his will. Earth is about to meet a new god. And he’s a communist.

How long can it be before the first confrontation between mankind and DIVINITY begins?

A very strange meeting of the minds and a bit on the confusing side.  Divinity follows the stories of two protagonists, one a communist trained cosmonaut named Abram Adams and the other, a rock climber named David Camp.  Neither have anything to do with other, until a twist of fate and time brings them together. 

Although, this is only the first issue in the series, a little more clarity as to what the story is about could go a long way.  I get that it has to do with time travel and a person receiving abilities at the edge of the galaxy, but is this supposed to be a superhero book, a straight up sci-fi tale, or a piece on the unlimited potential of man?  Or, perhaps it’s a combination of all three, I don’t know.  I guess it’s not the plot that’s confusing me so much as it’s the genre.  I just want to have at least some idea as to what to expect with this series.  The way it was told is another thing that kind of turned me off a bit.  The overall concept is interesting enough, but I just felt that there was too much narrative and not enough dialogue.  You don’t really get to know these characters that well if at all aside from the bits from the exposition.  It would have been nice to know what David and Abram are thinking from their own perspective as opposed to what someone else is telling me about them.  I guess I can’t really berate this book for being too out-of-the-box, it’s an interesting enough read with an art style that compliments it well.

In order to achieve the ultimate it’s not about how anymore, but when. In the case of the first book of Divinity, time is the one thing that’s always fleeting, I guess that’s pretty much the same deal in real life as well. However, for Abram Adams, time became malleable once he was shown how. So, despite the nuances, if you’re looking for a sci-fi series to pique your interests, then look no further than Divinity. It’s only a matter of time before you check this one out. For more info on where to find this issue, visit the Valiant website, or the Valiant Facebook page.

Geek-o-Rama received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments and opinions are those of the individual reviewer.

Star Wars 2

THE GREATEST SPACE ADVENTURE OF ALL TIME CONTINUES! The Rebel assault on Cymoon 1 continues! Luke Skywalker – cornered by Darth Vader! Han, Leia, and the others – trapped!

I heard that this series was supposed to be canon, but so far I’m seeing some things that make me kind of skeptical.  Having infiltrated an Imperial factory on Cymoon 1, Han, Luke and Leia are now trying to make their escape, not having counted on Darth Vader showing up with reinforcements.  Luke breaks off to go confront Vader for the death of Obi-Wan while Han and Leia create an exit for the slaves they discovered at the facility.  Meanwhile C-3PO is having troubles of his own as scavengers are quickly dismantling the Millennium Falcon which the Rebels hid in a junkyard.  It would seem that things are looking pretty grim for our heroes.

This is only the second issue in and things are already heating up.  You’ve got Stormtroopers shooting up the place, AT-AT’s on the loose and a lightsaber duel for the ages.  And that right there is what has me scratching my head.  Set between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, this story comes shortly after the Rebels blew up the Death Star.  Now, if I recall correctly, Luke first confronted Darth Vader in Cloud City, so if that’s the case, how is Luke fighting him now?  His first confrontation was supposed to be a part of his Jedi training, but this battle kind of felt a little forced (no pun intended) just to get the series going.  Hopefully there’s an explanation for this in the upcoming issues.  Another thing that bothered me a bit was some of the dialogue.  It seemed to me like Jason Aaron just re-hashed some of the words/dialogue from the movies and threw it in to make everything cohesive.  It’s one thing to do something like that if a character, or story is making fun of itself, but it felt like it was thrown in there.  All of those negatives aside, the series is shaping up good.  Lots of action and the classic cast of characters are all accounted for.  It’s the continuation of a great new series for Star Wars fans young and old.

The Force is definitely strong with this series as Jason Aaron manages to capture the heart of what made the movies so great, despite a few quirks. This series only looks to get even better as more issues come down the pipeline and with the Darth Vader and Princess Leia series coming out to supplement this one, this series is going to be great. So, if you haven’t already, pick up this issue as well as the first one and transport yourself back to a galaxy far, far away. For more info on where to find this issue, visit the Marvel website, or the Marvel Facebook page.

Geek-o-Rama received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments and opinions belong to the individual reviewer.

Itty Bitty Mask 1-4

The Mask is back and this time in Itty Bitty form!  From Art Baltazar and Franco, join the Mask on a series of zany new adventures.  There’s wacky grandmas, crazy animals, a super-sized mayor and even an alien invasion.  So, strap yourselves for a wild ride as the Mask takes you here, there and everywhere!

Herman Shazbert was just out looking for an anniversary gift for his wife when he came across a strange looking mask in a small shop.  Despite the shopkeeper’s warnings, Herman purchased the mask and that’s when things started getting out of hand.  The Mask bopped around all over, from Herman’s mother all of the way to the mayor’s office, it certainly saw its share of action.  The thing is though, I just couldn’t get into this series.  It’s definitely geared more toward a younger audience and its art style and choice in humor shows just that.  Now I’m not saying that that’s a bad thing, but I can’t really see too many adults picking this one up.  Unless you’re a fan of the Itty Bitty books, or The Mask from yore, I just found it a little hard to get through due to the oversaturation of the stupid humor.  Honestly, I think the shopkeeper is the best part of the series.  He always manages to interject at the just the right time, giving me that chuckle I need to get through the rest of the issues.

This is not The Mask from the movie, and definitely not from the original comic book series.  I’d put this one on par with the cartoon series, or the sequel movie: Son of The Mask.  A lot more kid-friendly and a lot more stupid humor, Itty Bitty Mask is a great way for the younger crowd to break into the franchise.  Franco brightens things up with his colorful and exaggerated art style and Art Baltazar keeps things clean on the writing side of things.  A far cry from the original series which was much more violent, at times showing a blood-spattered Mask on the cover.  If you’re still a fan of The Mask, this series at least holds a bit of the nostalgia, but hopefully this is just the start of the original series making a come-back.

A fun book for the kids, Itty Bitty Mask 1-4 revitalizes a series long thought forgotten.  You won’t find any of the usual tropes from before, but if you’re looking for a wacky new series, then this one’s for you.  The first three issues are out now with the fourth one on the way, so if you haven’t already now’s a good time to jump onto this series.  For more info on where to find these books, visit the Dark Horse website, or the Dark Horse Facebook page.

Geek-o-Rama received a copy of this comic for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments and opinions are those of the individual reviewer.

Grimm Tales of Terror 8

A lonely man picks up a young hitchhiker along the road. She turns out to be sweet and grateful for the ride. But what happens when a friendly ride turns into something else?

This one was pretty short and sweet, so to speak, or at least the pacing made it seem that way.  Honestly, the story went by so fast that there really isn’t all that much I can say about it without giving too much away.  It begins, like all of the previous installments with Death regaling a dark story to the locals.  A lone driver picks up a hitchhiker and things seem to be going swimmingly between the new travelling companions.  However, things take a turn for the worse when one of them makes an unwanted move towards the other.  Things soon spiral out of control as one of the wayfarers heads toward their doom.

I probably would have liked this story better if it didn’t blaze by so quickly.  What story there was, was pretty good.  If anything, Steve Yockey should have expounded more on the content.  I can see the two main characters build up their relationship, at least a bit more before the hammer falls and it all goes to hell.  The build-up is what makes these suspense thriller stories so good, but this one just kind of jumped the gun a little too quickly.  So, like I said, Dave and Misty, the two travelers, really needed that bound to make me care about what happens to either one of them.  This is one of the weaker stories in the series, but decent nonetheless.  It’ll definitely make a person think twice about the whole hitchhiking business.

The open road can be a long and lonely place and with that much distance, you’re bound to come across some unusual characters.  Oftentimes friendly, but sometimes malicious.  So, if you’re feeling adventurous then pick up issue 8 of Grimm Tales of Terror, for a chilling, yet quick read.  For more info on where to find this issue, visit the Zenescope website, or the Zenescope Facebook page.

Geek-o-Rama received a copy of this comic for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments and opinions are those of the individual reviewer.

White Queen 1

The Age of Darkness descended and the four mystical realms surrounding Earth have since merged. Calie Liddle, Wonderland’s own White Queen, becomes a pawn in the Dark Queen’s ultimate plans. Though she opposes those plans, Calie must do the Dark Queen’s bidding... if she wants her daughter’s life spared.

Wonderland enters the Age of Darkness... and nothing can ever be the same!

It took them long enough to put this out.  The whole Age of Darkness event ended months ago and this series is only just now starting.  Better late than never I guess.  If you can still remember, when the Dark Queen took over things, she made sure to get Calie in her pocket, by way of Violet.  The Queen held a special locket that was essentially Violet’s life line.  So, if Calie betrayed the Queen in anyway, Violet’s life was forefeit.  This pretty much meant that the Dark Queen’s forces could freely travel through Wonderland without any hindrance from Calie, or the Realm Knights.  So, now when a group of refugees from the Earth-Realm found their way into Wonderland, it was tasked to Calie to “take care of them”.  After having fought so long to take down all of the corrupt Queens of Wonderland, she doesn’t want to follow in their footsteps of slaughtering innocents.  Unfortunately, her daughter’s life still hangs in the balance.  So now, Calie has choice: give up her morals, or give up Violet.  This is one choice she will not be making lightly.

Despite the lateness of the series, this was a good first issue.  I liked seeing the struggle Calie had to endure when the Dark Queen presented her with the ultimatum.  Well, I guess I wouldn’t say that liked seeing Calie suffer, but the scenario was well-written.  Like I said above, she’s been striving to not walk the same path as the four previous Queens, yet at the same time she’d never sacrifice her daughter for anything.  Either way Calie loses and she knows there’s nothing she can do about it.  So now I’m really looking forward to how she gets out of this bind in the upcoming issues.  I’m sure it’ll be quite violent and Calie will probably lose a part of herself because of it, but in the end she’ll become all the stronger for it.

The Age of Darkness has come and gone, but there’s still one tale to tell. How did Calie survive the Dark Queen’s wrath with all of her loved ones still intact? Pick up the first issue of White Queen to find out. I highly recommend this for all of you Wonderland fans out there. For more info on where to find this issue, visit the Zenescope website, or the Zenescope Facebook page.

Geek-o-Rama received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments and opinions belong to the individual reviewer.

Robyn Hood 6

Ever since leaving Myst, Marian’s magic hasn’t been the same. As Robyn examines her own dangerous temper, Marian seeks help from a mysterious source. All the while, the enigmatic Cabal observes from the shadows.

This issue is a more Marian focused one.  Robyn is dealing with some more personal problems after her team-up with Britney last issue.  However, Marian has some recently discovered troubles of her own.  So now, Marian seeks out guidance from a third party, too embarrassed to reveal her situation to Robyn.  What she learns though makes her question how much her magic is really worth to her.  Meanwhile, Robyn takes Britney’s advice and goes to counseling for all of the trauma she’s endured in her life.  Unfortunately, trouble just seems to follow Robyn wherever she goes when an unknown creature attacks her during her very first session.  A new threat is closing in on Robyn and Marian, and it’s only a matter of time before the girls get in too deep.

This issue was a good transition into what’s coming up in the series.  It also was a nice focus on Marian, helping to flesh out her character more.  Throughout the series she’s always been kind of the side-kick, providing support to Robyn and wrapping up all of the loose ends while Robyn does the heavy-lifting.  Now we see that Marian’s transition into the Earth realm hasn’t worked out so much in her favor.  Despite how much she’s enjoying her stay, Marian’s slowly losing her connection to Myst and in turn, her magic.  So now she’s going to have to make a choice, about whether she should stay, powerless, and aid Robyn how she can, or return to Myst and try and strengthen her control of her magic.  It’s a choice to either lose a part of herself, or lose the life where she finally feels like she belongs.  She started off as the damsel in distress, but she’s grown into a strong young woman, capable of slaying a few demons on her own.  Pat Shand has always been great with character development, and this issue is no different.  A recommended read for anyone looking to continue on the adventures of Robyn Hood and Maid Marian.

With Marian’s powers waning, will she really do what’s right, or stray from her path to hold onto that connection?  And after a rather violent session, will Robyn ever return to therapy?  Find out these answers and more in the latest issue of the on-going Robyn Hood series.  You won’t miss your mark with this one.  For more info on where to find this book, visit the Zenescope website, or the Zenescope Facebook page.

Geek-o-Rama received a copy of this comic for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments and opinions are those of the individual reviewer.

Grimm Tales of Terror 7

As the legend goes, if you say those words three times while looking in a mirror, the ghost of Bloody Mary will appear behind you. But what happens when an innocent ghost story becomes much more real?

The urban legend of Bloody Mary has been around for years.  There may be some variations in the telling, but it all boils down to the same thing, and evil spirit that lurks in the mirror, just waiting for someone foolish enough to call her forth.  A favorite amongst slumber parties which is where this very incident occurs.  Having lost her mother, Mary Wright believed her new step-mother to be the culprit to her mother's sudden demise, she just needed to prove it.  Her friends of course were rather skeptical, but Mary was sure of it.  So, when the girls summoned Bloody Mary during their slumber party, Mary became determined to find out her step-mother’s true motives, especially when Bloody Mary kept on appearing before her.  She got her chance and Mary found out more than wanted to.

A pretty good issue, although there were too many characters named Mary, so it got a little confusing at times.  Ralph Tedesco kept the murder mystery and revenge plot going good, but the one thing that bothered me, yet again was the dual artists on this book.  The artwork was good, don’t get me wrong, but it would be nice to see an issue done all the through by one artist.  Zenescope has been notorious for this with a lot of their series.  When I read something, I like a steady flow of the art to coincide with the story, but when the style changes half-way through, it become distracting.  Something like that usually indicates a time difference, like a flashback or something, but in this case, it’s just a swap off for someone unknown reason.  Art problems aside, I enjoyed this issue and I see the story quality increasing as the series goes on.

So, be careful of what you say in the mirror because you may be calling forth more than you bargained for.  However, I would recommend going to check this issue out for a great story of murder and revenge.  Don’t worry though, you won’t have to say its name three times in the mirror to conjure up this tale.  For more info on where to find this issue, visit the Zenescope website, or the Zenescope Facebook page.

Geek-o-Rama received a copy of this comic for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments and opinions are those of the individual reviewer.

Postal 1

"The townsfolk of Eden, Wyoming wake up to the first official murder the town has seen in 25 years. Their reaction to this isn’t normal, and there’s a reason for that. Eden operates as a haven for fugitive criminals who remain here while new identities, often including facial reconstruction, are created for them. There is zero tolerance for any illegal activity that might draw attention to the town and an “official murder” is the last thing they want. A single, tight-knit family runs Eden with the youngest oddball son Mark Shiffron overseeing the postal branch, the only means of shipping in or out of the city. The FBI has repeatedly been foiled trying to insert an undercover here; they see Mark as the weak link to exploit. This murder gives them a new opportunity."

For a town full of criminals, they sure don’t like people breaking the rules, or at least that’s the case with Postal, the new series by Bryan Hill and Matt Hawkins.  With this first issue, we see through the eyes of Mark Shiffron, a postal worker with Asperger’s, who’s constantly trying not to let his condition get himself into trouble.  An interesting concept to say the least, a town full of criminals who don’t tolerate crime.  They know what they’ve done, but don’t want to rot in a prison cell for the rest of their lives, so at least in Eden, Wyoming they have a bit of freedom to live out a normal life.   The thing that gets me though is that they execute anyone who breaks the unwritten rule, but get all in a tizzy when they find someone murdered out in the street.  Sure, the law could come sniffing around, but what about all of the others they’ve killed to keep the peace?  Perhaps there’s more to it than what I’m seeing, but that’s for the next issue to tell.

I’ve gotta say though, this issue didn’t really do anything for me.  It’s well structured and the characters seem fleshed out enough for the first book, but in the end it just didn’t grab my attention.  Like I’ve said before, it’s an interesting enough concept, but the characters were very forgettable to me.  I honestly don’t feel compelled to pick up the second issue, which is a shame because I enjoy Matt Hawkins’ take on Aphrodite IX.  Everything I read doesn’t have to be all sci-fi or fantasy, but this first issue didn’t make a good impression on me.  Hopefully things will pick up as the series moves on. 

I can’t really say, one way or the other if I would recommend this. The artwork was good and the story itself was pretty original, but the characters just weren’t remarkable enough to really want to keep up with the series. If anyone else wants to give this one a shot, perhaps you’ll see something in it that I don’t. In either case, the first issue of Postal will be hitting shelves next month and despite the name. For more info on where to find this issue, visit the Top Cow website, or the Top Cow Facebook page.

Geek-o-Rama received a copy of this comic for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments and opinions are those of the individual reviewer.

Grimm Tales of Terror 6

A young girl fears that a monster lurks under her bed. . . but what if the monster’s intentions aren’t as evil as it appears?

Everyone has heard stories of things living under their beds when they were little and this young girl is no different.  As an orphan, Mindy finds herself the target of ridicule and abuse, purely because she is the youngest and is a girl.  The only friend she’s had is an older girl named Rose, who tends to skip out on the orphanage as much as possible.  However, something shady is going on and the creature under the bed is going to make its presence known.

So, this issue wasn’t too bad, not my favorite, but good nonetheless.  The thing that stood out the most to me was the idea that the monster under the bed wasn’t necessarily there to scare a person, but more to protect them from the evils of the world.  Whenever anyone thinks of something living under their bed, they immediately think that it’s out to get them, especially when you’re a little kid.  But, when you introduce the creature as a guardian, the safety factor goes through the roof.  I mean, what little kid wouldn’t want their own personal monster to watch over them?  Here we have Mindy, who’s been tormented for most of her life, and she finally has something looking out for her.  She doesn’t have to be afraid anymore, which could make her a power player down the road if this series is anything like the original Grimm Fairy Tales line.  The only thing that bugged me was the hiccups in the artwork, especially with the eyes in one panel in particular.  The line work by Claudia Balboni looked great overall, but when the characters look like they have crazy at times when they’re not supposed to, it kind of throws things off.

Grimm Tales of Terror number 6 ups the ante in the creepiness and introduces a potential new hero (or villain) in stories down the line. Definitely worth the pick-up for this possible origin story if anything else. If your holiday is a bit too cheery for your liking, then grab a copy to even things out. Just be careful though and don’t mess with Mindy. For more info on where to find this issue, visit the Zenescope website, or the Zenescope Facebook page.

Geek-o-Rama received a copy of this comic for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments and opinions are those of the individual reviewer.

Wonderland 31

Last year, Violet became the new Mad Hatter of Wonderland. Because of her already considerable control over her power, she was able to suppress the madness within and maintain her sanity. But what happens when a girl whose destiny lies in Wonderland attempts to live a normal life on Earth?

Although, this issue is just coming out now, Wonderland number thirty one acts as a precursor to the events of Grimm Fairy Tales number one hundred one.  Violet is pretty much on her own at this point, what with Calie being the new White Queen of Wonderland and all, so she’s making do with what’s at hand.  Although relatively tame now, Violet knows that there are still some aspects of Wonderland out to get her.  It also doesn’t help matters any that the essence of the Mad Hatter now resides within her, constantly haunting her dreams and leading to many a sleepless night.  Feeling like she’s close to a nervous break, Violet ventures off to Wonderland in order to seek out the guidance of her mother, but thinks twice when she sees the burden Calie has taken on.  Now with no one else to turn to, Violet decides to take on her troubles head on.  She’s done it before, what’s one more bout with Wonderland?

I enjoyed this issue.  It was a nice look at what Violet’s been up to since Calie became queen.  Erica J. Heflin did a great job of getting Violet through her mundane life without her mother, while slowly bringing her to her breaking point.  I’ve always liked Violet as a character and enjoyed watching her grow into the young woman she is now.  She’s strong and independent and isn’t afraid to let out the crazy if the circumstances call for it.  Now, however, for first time in her life she’s feeling completely isolated with no friends to turn to and not wanting to burden her mother with any extra concerns, Violet feels as though she must confront these new demons on her own.  I liked seeing her struggle with the everyday things, just trying to make an existence for herself.  So, when the madness from having the powers of the Hatter start to interfere with Violet’s basic sense of being, we get to see what she’s truly made of and how well she handles this kind of situation on her own.  Although a little late coming, this issue is a great segway into the start of the new Grimm Fairy Tales story arc after the events of Age of Darkness.

The Wonderland series continues to grow and evolve as Violet’s story within the series comes to a close for now.  This is a great read and a good send-off for the daughter of the White Queen.  Even if you’re not a follower of the Wonderland series, pick this one up to see how Violet ended up at Sela’s new school.  For more info on where to find this issue, visit the Zenescope website, or the Zenescope Facebook page.

Geek-o-Rama received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments and opinions belong to the individual reviewer.

Tales from Oz 6

Zamora is the evil witch who brought Oz to its knees. Now, see her before the corrupting black magic twisted her into a monster!

The newest installment in the Tales from Oz series takes a look at Zamora, the Wicked Witch of the East, before she started terrorizing Munchkins.  Zamora was a typical girl (typical for Oz at least) back in the day.  After a bit of “trouble” at home she was sent to Abraxas Academy to hone her magical abilities.  Although not quite fitting in at first, Zamora soon befriended Glinda and even found love in Lugg.  After all of the family problems she had endured, she was finally happy.  A shame that this does not last as everyone knows what fate has in store for Zamora down the road.

Although this is a nice look into the Wicked Witch’s past, I felt Jeff Massey left the story a little sparse.  This was definitely more visual than anything as there wasn’t much in the way of text to follow along.  It would have been cool if Jeff had delved a little deeper into Zamora’s time at Abraxas, showing how she became friends with Glinda, or how she fell for Lugg, unless this was all detailed in a different issue that I’m not aware of.  It seemed like Zamora had a somewhat Harry Potter-esque experience while she was at the Academy and I would have liked to seen more hijinks going down.  Mario Del Pennino did a great job with the artwork.  I like the cartoony look he gave the book, which lightened up Zamora before her inevitable turn to her more evil ways.  A good issue, but not one of my favorites either.  Like I said before, I feel like it could have gotten a little more in-depth, especially given that this is just a stand-alone in the series.

Tales from Oz issue six gave readers a glimpse into Zamora’s past and even showed the beginning of the end of her good natured ways. If only she was more in-tune with her powers, she may have had a chance to prevent it all from going so wrong. In any case, if you’re a fan of Zenescope’s Oz series then pick up this issue to find out more about one of the greatest villains ever to plague Oz. For more info on where to find this issue, visit the Zenescope website, or the Zenescope Facebook page.

Geek-o-Rama received a copy of this comic for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments and opinions are those of the individual reviewer.

Numbercruncher

From the smash-hit writer behind X-Men Legacy! Dying young, a brilliant Mathematician discovers a way to cheat the terrifying Divine Calculator. He schemes to be endlessly reincarnated in the life of the woman he loves, no matter how often the violent bailiffs of the Karmic Accountancy cut short each life. It falls to one such Karmic agent - the surly Bastard Zane - to put a stop to the time-twisting romance once and for all, before the Mathematician can pull-off his greatest trick and escape Existential Justice forever!

Numbercruncher provides a fresh, new look into the afterlife.  According to this series, numbers and equations are what life is all about, so it would only make sense that a calculator is the one calling the shots (and I don’t be the electronic kind).  However, the afterlife isn’t the main focus of this story, but rather a love so powerful that it defies the rules of the great equation itself.  A mathematician named Richard Thyme has figured out a loophole in the Karmic contract that can essentially allow himself to be reborn indefinitely.  Richard loves this girl, Jessica Reed, so much that he’s willing to endure countless lifetimes just to be with her, if only for a few moments.

I kind of like the idea of the afterlife being likened to an infinite accountant’s office.  It’s not all about spirituality, but numbers and equations and if you’re smart enough like Richard, then you can manipulate your re-incarnation the way you want.  Seeing death in this sense, kind of makes things a little easier to accept and that’s it’s not just oblivion, but something a bit more tangible.  PJ Holden gave the book a nice throwback vibe to it with his linework.  An interesting read to say the least, although it does drag a bit by about the third issue of this collected set.  A lot of Bastard Zane recanting all of the different incarnations of Richard he’s run into, which could be fun for some, but I just wanted the series to get on with it already.

Si Spurrier has created something truly unique here with this death-defying (literally) love story. If you’re looking for a bit of romance in your life with a fantastical twist, then look no further than Numbercruncher. Apparently math really does make the world go ‘round. So, don’t wait another lifetime to pick up your copy today. For more info on where to find this issue, visit the Titan Comics website, or the Titan Comics Facebook page.

Geek-o-Rama received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments and opinions are those of the individual reviewer.

Harley Quinn Holiday Special 1

We got you a present, comics fans – a gut-busting (sometimes literally) collection of short stories featuring Harley and her special brand of holiday cheer! Can she get through Christmas dinner without blowing something up? Who will survive the war of the department-store Santas? Don’t miss this one – after all, you can’t spell “holidays” without “Harley!” (Give or take a couple letters.)

Harley Quinn has always been out there, and this one-shot is no different.  Here we have three short stories all done by Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti.  First of all, if you haven’t read the series yet, I highly recommend it.  The cute, little psychopath gets into all sorts of hilarious hijinks that sets the series apart from the more serious Bat-books.  So, if that tickles your fancy then you won’t be disappointed with this one as the writers are the same for both.

The book consists of three short stories.  The first one is all about Harley having to give away all of her puppies and kittens which was a result of her forgetting to get all of her collection of dogs and cats fixed.  Of course, Harley gets too attached to one pup and then hilarity ensues.  Artwork by Mauricet.  Next we have a tale about how Christmas songs get stuck in your head, which drives Harley even more insane.  This one was illustrated by Brandt Peters.  And finally, the new year is approaching and Harley discovers her first gray hair.  Now she’s willing to do whatever it takes to turn back the clock and maintain her youth.  Artwork courtesy of the awesome Darwyn Cooke.

Each story had its own charm to it and Harley ends overreacting to every situation she finds herself in.  I believe that it’s this over-the-top response that makes this issue and in turn the rest of the series, a really fun read.  I mean, in the first story alone she befriends a kid by getting sick on each other and the chases the kid around with an axe to make good on a deal.  This is the kind of thing you have to look forward to in this special one-shot.  Amanda and Jimmy really bring something special to the character of Harley Quinn and with this book we get to see a bit of Harley’s softer side in between her moments of craziness.  I’ve always been a fan of this character, especially now in her later years since she’s branched off from the Joker and these three stories only help to cement my love of her even more.  I can definitely say that this is one worth picking up.

The Harley Quinn Holiday Special is a fun romp with the cutest little nutcase this side of Gotham while she fights her way through the holiday season. If you’ve ever been a fan of Harley Quinn, then this is the one for you. Fans of the series will also enjoy the fact that the mainstay writers continue their prose in this collection. So, be sure to head out now and pick your copy of one of the craziest times a girl can have over holiday. For more info on where to find this issue, visit the DC Comics website, or the DC Comics Facebook page.