Godstorm: Hercules Payne 1 & 2

Growing up in Compton, Andre Payne never had an easy life.  His father had abandoned his family before Andre was even born and with drugs and violence being a constant influence, it’s no wonder he fell in with a rough crowd.  However, during a police raid that Andre got caught up in, his half-brother Calvin gets gunned down in the line of duty.  Grief-stricken and on the run from crime boss Terrell Taylor, Andre runs into a mysterious man who reveals some life-changing secrets from Andre’s past.  Join Pat Shand as he takes you through the new series from Zenescope, Godstorm: Hercules Payne.

Andre was nothing more than a common street thug, he never really cared who got hurt, as long as the money was good.  Then enters his half-brother Calvin, who happens to be on the right side of the law and tries to set Andre straight.  Pride gets in the way of common sense and Andre finds himself in a tight spot.  It’s only when he has no one left to turn to, that a man from his past approaches him.  Apparently, Andre has a secret that’s been locked away inside of him since the day he was born and it’s only now that this man is able to help him realize it.  Andre only ever wanted to take care of his mother and with this new found power, he’ll be able to do that and more.  He doesn’t have to worry about Terrell Taylor, or any other lowlife anymore, he can finally live his own life.  However, forces greater than Taylor want Andre dead and he’ll have to rely on his abilities if he’s going to survive this ordeal.

At the core, these two issues are a story about a man trying to find his place in the world.  Abandoned by his father at birth and living in a gang fueled environment, Andre really didn’t’ know which route to take.  Should he take the hard fought path and go against the norms of his situation in order to better himself, or go down the easy way and conform to his surroundings?  Despite his inner notion of wanting to be a good person, Andre accepts his fate and gives in to the violence.  If only he had a father-figure around to guide towards a more righteous lifestyle, perhaps his half-brother would still be alive and he wouldn’t be on the run from a crimelord.  You can see Andre struggling with the situation when he thinks on Calvin’s advice and he begins to question if he should even be a part of the deal.  Andre starts to get antsy and just wants to get this over with as soon as possible.  Deep down, Andre knows that there has to be a better way, a way to go about life without having to lie to his mother and to freely mingle with whomever without having the guilty conscience looming over him.  However, because of his actions, Terrell Taylor just happened to get some video of Andre opening fire on police officers, which is more than enough dirt to shackle Andre to Taylor’s whims.  This certainly isn’t where Andre wanted to find himself and as he looks back on that fateful night, he has to be thinking to himself, “How did I get here?”

I’ve probably already said this before, but Pat Shand has a gift when it comes to writing.  I absolutely love how he was able to take a very realistic scenario and turn it into a fantastical tale of mythology.  I mean, you’d think the guy was writing from experience when he put together these two issues.  Now, I don’t mean to stereotype or anything, but the way Pat wrote this story is pretty much how I would picture the situation going down, except for the Greek god powers of course.  It felt like I was reading a movie, or something along those lines.  The characters just came alive for me and the artwork really helped convey the emotions and the overall look in a very real way.  So, props to AC Osorio for some outstanding artwork.  There wasn’t anything that I had problem with between these two issues.  If you’re looking for a great story and awesome artwork, then look no further.  These books are a great setup to what looks like a new power player in the Grimm Universe.

On the run and with no one to turn to, Andre suddenly finds out that he has the power to put a stop to all of that and that he was born to be something greater than a thug.  However, will he walk the path of the righteous with these new abilities, or seek vengeance for those who've wronged him?  So, strengthen your collection and pick up Godstorm: Hercules Payne issues 1 and 2.  It’s a sure-fire way to bolt ahead of the crowd.  For more info on where to find these books, 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.

Godstorm: Age of Darkness One-Shot

Ascension is over and The Being has been defeated, but at what cost?  With Zeus gone, the first family of Olympus has never been at such a loss and now his reborn son Julian is on the run as a result of his part in Ascension.  However, when an enemy he thought dead returns, Julian must sacrifice his anonymity in order to stop the threat before things get out of hand.  Godstorm: Age of Darkness is a brand new one-shot by writer Pat Shand.

Zeus has been taken down!  Despite the fact that The Being has been dealt with, Zeus just couldn’t handle what The Being was dishing out.  With his father gone, Julian is now in hiding.  Although he was working undercover, Julian had to prove himself to The Being in order to gain his trust and that meant Julian had to get his hands dirty.  He helped The Being deal out justice and wipe out any non-believers.  Naturally, this didn’t bode well with the populace, so even after he revealed that he had been trying to undermine The Being the whole time, his crimes could not be forgiven.  So now, Julian keeps a low profile and helps out those in need as inconspicuously as possible, all the while missing his father.  Essentially this is a story about loss.  The loss of a brother and the loss of a father.  A story of how a god is supposed to cope with the loss of another.  None of them thought that Zeus would fall, how could they know?  But with what transpired, the gods now have a right to be a little uneasy.  It’s Julian though, that seems to be unsure of how to process this void.  As the re-born Zagreus, one would think that there would be slaughter and bloodshed as far as the eye could see over this loss, but since Zeus uttered the words, “I believe in you”, a calm has washed over Julian.  He’s finally at peace with himself and as a result, mourns Zeus in a much more reserved manner.  He has no need to lash out anymore, because Julian knows that his father believed in him.  The repercussions of the fall of a god will be felt throughout the Grimm Universe for quite some time.

With this issue, I felt that it bridges the gap nicely between Ascension and the upcoming Godstorm mini-series.  We get to see the aftermath of the battle between Julian and The Being, but there really wasn’t a lot that happened in this issue, or at least nothing that I can freely share without any spoilers.  It’s always a pleasure to read something by Pat Shand and the interiors were pretty sharp.  However, in the end it just felt like filler until the next big event comes about.  Don’t get me wrong though, it will help to make sense of what’s to come, so don’t count this issue out.  I definitely recommend grabbing this one to continue on the Godstorm storyline.

Alone and confused, Julian must now make his way through life without the support of his father, Zeus.  But, with threats new and old, popping up will Julian be able to stem the tides of evil, or be lost in a sea of melancholy?  Find out in the new Godstorm: Age of Darkness one-shot, a good way to jolt you into the new Age of Darkness.  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.

Godstorm

For centuries, Zeus has kept his distance from his children, believing that it was the best thing for them.  However, as the years went by he has begun to re-think this course of action as the sins of his children came back to haunt him.  Now, with the return of one of his greatest failures, Zeus vows to make amends for his past mistakes, but will it be enough to quell the wrath of a spurned offspring?  Read Godstorm, the new hit series from writer Pat Shand and Zenescope.  You’re sure to get a charge out of it!

Ok, so this one is gonna be a doozy.  Five issues all in one review, pretty sure I can handle it.  So, let’s get down to it and see what’s what.  Zeus is not the most faithful man in history, so as you can probably guess, he’s fathered quite a few children over the centuries.  Most had gone on to become great heroes of their time. A few however, became a blight upon the world.  Now, Zeus begins to wonder about his choice to leave his children before they ever knew him.  Enter Julian, once thought to be just a common street thug, now finds out that he’s a son of Zeus.  However, when Venus shows up to form an alliance with Julian, he starts to suspect that there’s much more to him other than his godly powers.  This series has kinda done a bit of a mash-up between the Greek and Roman gods.  It seemed a little odd to me at first, but in the end I guess you get the best of both worlds.  With the writing talents of Pat Shand behind these books, you just know it’s going to be good.

Issue zero serves as a great interlude into the tragic tale of Zeus’ greatest failure.  I guess that’s to be expected with a zero issue, but this one has some great moments of introspection for Zeus, that shows a mortal side to the king of the gods.  Here we see him lamenting his decision to distance himself from all of his children, whether god-like or mortal.  Which brings us to issue one, where we find Julian, who seems to be nothing more than an everyday thug.  All his life he’s been pushed around and told what to do.  Pat setup a really nice dynamic between Julian and Tony.  You can really see how conflicted Julian is with each order Tony gives him.  Almost like he knows he’s meant for something more than what he is now.  I liked seeing him wrestle with his thoughts, just trying to figure himself out and where he went wrong to end up where he is, although he gets a nice surprise at the end.

Issue two has Julian finally starting to grow a bit of a backbone.  Now that he has this new found power, why should he have to take orders from Tony?  I like how Julian finally calls out Tony in this issue, and right in front of all of Tony’s associates no less.  Julian is done taking crap from Tony and lets out years of pent up frustration, over many different things.  His lack of a father figure, or father for that matter, combined with Tony’s domineering friendship, made for quite the powder keg. 

 The third issue sees Julian being corrupted by the now revealed Venus.  Even in this issue you can see Julian struggling with himself.  Herein lies Zeus’ greatest concern.  Had he been there for Julian from the start, would he have turned out as bad as he has?  Yes, a lot of Zeus’ offspring had done rather well for themselves without Zeus’ guidance, but it’s the ones that don’t turn out so well that he regrets the most.  So much pain and suffering could have been prevented if only he had nurtured and taught his children the honorable way of things.  Julian has fallen victim to this lack of attention and it really shows throughout his rampage.  Great issue that really captures the conflict.

With the fourth and final issue of the series, a lot has been revealed at this point.   Pat has done a stellar job overall, turning Julian from a lowly enforcer for a crime-lord to a god.  Julian just seemed like such a nobody character begin with, not really talking or anything when we first see him, just another muscle in the background.  However, as the series went on Pat was able to develop a character that really held his own throughout.  When Zeus was finally revealed as his father, the resentment and sense of abandonment just flooded out in violent rage and brought forth his true self.  I just really enjoyed seeing Zeus finally trying to own up to his past mistakes and to make amends with all of the children he left behind.  Pat Shand really knows what he’s doing with these books and I had no qualms with anything that I read. 

              

 There’s so much to like about this series, that I highly recommend checking these books out.  With a name like Godstorm, you just know this series will be action packed and a jolting good time.  Greek and Roman mythology collide with an ending that will shock you.  So yes, bolt out to the store and  grab these issues before you incur the wrath of Zeus, it’s worth it!  For more info on where to find these books, visit the Zenescope website, or the Zenescope Facebook page.

Geek-o-Rama received a copy of these books for the purpose of this review. All thoughts, comments and opinions are those of the individual reviewer though we suspect that Pat may have the ear of the gods for his talents...

Zenescope Announces April Solicits

Editor's Note: Just when you thought you knew where to put your pennies...we bring you April as well!

ZENESCOPE ENTERTAINMENT FOR APRIL




GRIMM FAIRY TALES PRESENTS: UNLEASHED #0

Story by Joe Brusha, Ralph Tedesco, and Raven Gregory, written by Pat Shand, art by Nei Ruffino, covers by Anthony Spay, Giuseppe Cafaro.

The four realms have been witness to great evil over the centuries- The Dark One, The Dream Eater and Helios to name a few. But none have threatened existence as we know it as much as THE BEING. Who or what is he? What does he want and how do the answers tie into the origins of Sela Mathers and the four hunters who banished a legion of monsters centuries ago? The prelude to Zenescope's Grimm event of the year begins now!


GRIMM FAIRY TALES PRESENTS: UNLEASHED #1

Written by Pat Shand, art by TBD, cover by Ivan Nunes, Jamie Tyndall, Stjepan Sejic.

Belinda returns in this amazing double-issue that kicks off the biggest Grimm Event to date! The Being's end game is set in motion as a portal is opened leading into the shadow realm - a realm where a legion of monsters has been trapped for centuries... until now. Heroes must join forces with four time-lost monster hunters to stand against a threat whose power may be unlimited. But they're about to get some help in the form of a powerful ally in Belinda! A shadow has fallen over the Grimm Universe and nothing will ever be the same!




GRIMM FAIRY TALES PRESENTS: VAMPIRES: THE ETERNAL #1

Wrtten by Pat Shand, art by TBD, covers by Anthony Spay, Giuseppe Cafaro, Nei Ruffino

This tie-in to Zenescope's brand new Unleashed series is a must-have as vampires invade the Grimm Universe. When Samira, Queen of the Vampires, returns to Earth after more than a century of banishment, she's hellbent on killing all who will not bow before her. But the beautiful and bad-ass Helsing, daughter of the famed vampire hunter himself, might be the one woman who can take Samira down.





GRIMM FAIRY TALES PRESENTS: REALM KNIGHTS

Written by Pat Shand, Joe Brusha, art by TBD, covers by Alfredo Reyes, Harvey Tolibao, Pasquale Qualano.

Powerful Highborns who had remained hidden for so long have come out in the open and many of them do not have the best intentions for human kind. The Dark One and his Horde want control of the realms of power, starting with the nexus, and there are even more sinister threats still hiding in the shadows. How can humans hope to survive against beings of such incredible power? The Realm Knights are the only answer. These Knights are a powerful team of Highborns who've made it their life's mission to protect Earth and all the realms of power. This is their story!




GRIMM FAIRY TALES #84

Written by Troy Brownfield, art by TBD, covers by Alfredo Reyes, Pasquale Qualano.

Jack Frost Part 2 of 2 - Bullies have preyed on the weaker students of the campus for years. But not anymore. Jack Frost has arrived, serving cold revenge and leaving terror in his wake. Can Sela save her students before this new supernatural threat grows beyond her control? The key to stopping him could lie in the recesses of Frost's horrible past, but Sela needs to live long enough to find it.




GRIMM FAIRY TALES PRESENTS: WONDERLAND #10

Written by Raven Gregory, art by Sheldon Goh, covers by Mike Krome, Marat Mychaels.

What if Alice had never journey to Wonderland? Once upon a time there was a little girl named Alice who was sacrificed to a realm of madness and insanity. But what if that sacrificed had never happened? When a familiar face from the future journeys back in order to prevent that fateful day from happening results in chaos and turmoil that may very well rip the reality of two worlds to shreds. Featuring the long awaited Cheshire Cat reborn!






GRIMM FAIRY TALES PRESENTS: MADNESS OF WONDERLAND #3

Written by Dan Wickline, art by TBD, covers by Paolo Pant, Eric J.

As detective Legrasse begins to close in on the killer's trail, secrets from her past come back to her haunt her with revelations that could very well destroy her sanity. Meanwhile, the story of Lovecraft's journal continues as Lovercraft finds himself held hostage by Jacob Hall as they descend below the surface toward an icy grave that holds the remains of creatures from another realm -- creatures whose disturbed slumber could mean the end of us all.


GRIMM FAIRY TALES PRESENTS: THE JUNGLE BOOK: LAST OF THE SPECIES #3

Written by Mark L. Miller, art by Jorge Mercado, cover by Ivan Nunes, Jimbo Salgado.

The jungle adventure continues as Mowglii and Tobaqui find out that they are not alone in the caves under Kipling Island while Baloo and his group continue to search the jungle high and low for their missing friends. Meanwhile, the conflict between Dewan and Bomani escalates to a deadlier new level. The action/adventure series that has critics and fans alike raving about continues!





FLY: THE FALL TP

Written by Raven Gregory, art by Robert Gill, Pipin Tobing, covers by Ale Garza.

The "Best comic of 2011" as voted by Wizard World, Pop Culture Addict, Comic Buzz, Talking Comics, and Geekadelphia returns in a brand new volume. What if there was a drug that gave you the power to Fly? How far would you go to possess it? As Eddie Patron struggles with the guilt of Danielle's death he finds comfort in his girlfriend, Mary. But little does he know he is not the only one who has been keeping secrets. Meanwhile, Francis is fi nally ready to face the individual responsible for the murder of his family and only one of them will be leaving alive. Set in a world where the super heroes aren't really heroes at all... how far would you go to FLY? Collects FLY: The Fall 1-5.


GRIMM FAIRY TALES PRESENTS: GODSTORM TP

Written by Pat Shand, art by Jason Johnson, cover by Eric Basaldua.

Gods and gangsters clash in this action-packed, critically acclaimed series from Zenescope, collected here for the fi rst time! The lines have been drawn in the battle between the Greek gods, and all of humanity is at stake. From Pat Shand (writer of Robyn Hood) and superstar artist Jason Johnson, this series sets the stage for the events that will change the face of the Grimm Universe forever. Collects Godstorm #0-4.