We Stand On Guard 1

A canadian family is watching the news in a living room that appears to be in the not too distant future.  They are discussing the potential for the United States targeting them, the next thing they know, bombs are dropping and half the family is dead.   Flash forward, the little girl is now a budding adult, eking out a modest living in the wilds of the Northwest territories.  That is until she runs afoul of a combat drone and has to be rescued by a band of freedom fighters, possibly the last free Canadians.  Add a giant United States robot, and one hellacious firefight to wrap up the inaugural issue of this promising series.

This will be a title that will engender intense love or intense hate.  Given that Americans are egocentric about their nation, this could generate some bad blood with some readers.  The art is very crisp and clean courtesy of Matrix storyboard artist Steve Skroce.  The colors really brought out the fine lines of Skroce’s work, reminiscent of Brian Boland of Judge Dredd fame.  The visuals he brings out are tight and tough.  Some people might find the clean style a little off for a war drama, but it seemed to work in the first issue.

Rick Vaughn’s script left a little to be desired for me.  I spent most of this issue feeling like I was waiting for something exciting to happen and even during the combat sequences, I still felt like I was waiting.  Part of this is, that he falls back on time honored scenes for setting up a combat drama.  Case in point, Amber is hunting a deer in the forest and comes on the combat drone, a scene I feel like I’ve been bored with a dozen times before.  Then after she comes across the resistance fighters, they just happen to be attacked by a giant robot.  This series does have promise, but may not yield much in the way of surprises other than the basic premise.  One bright note in the script was the dialogue, which was crisp, interesting and involving.

Keep an eye on this one, it could be the sleeper hit of the summer.  For more information about We Stand On Guard or other titles from Image, visit their website.  Image Comics

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.

Supreme Blue Rose TPB

Unemployed reporter Diana Dane is hired by a mysterious intelligence broker to solve the biggest mysteries of 21st Century America: what fell on the town of Littlehaven, and who or what is "Supreme?”

This is a trade paperback that collects the Supreme Blue Rose limited series in a single volume, written by comics legend Warren Ellis.  Ellis has penned numerous great comics over the years, but Supreme Blue Rose is not one of them in this writer’s opinion.  The story follows a writer, Diana Dane tasked with the onerous job of getting to the bottom of what happened in a little town called Littlehaven.  If it already seems like this is a hyped up story where nothing is what it seems, then you are correct.   As the story develops, Dane determines from various “helper” characters that every so often time has to reset itself, regurgitating reality into a completely new version of itself, unnoticed by most.  That is, except for a few rare individuals that fall through the cracks.  Diana’s employer Dax, is set upon rebooting history again to suit his own aims.

There is a great deal of bad, or at the very least very unappealing things about this story.  Number one is the artwork.  It feels unfinished in several areas, and most of the panels have wispy “threads”floating for no apparent reason other than to reinforce the series supposition that time is like a giant loom.  The characters themselves lack much in the way of distinction or development, which was disappointing.  Ellis introduces various terms like actor, revision, supreme, etc. which the reader must then keep track of to maintain the integrity of the story.  This might have worked in a novel, but in the format of a comic felt like too much in too small of a space.  The whole book just felt like Ellis was attempting to create a masterwork that fell flat in the final product.

Steer clear of this one unless you are either a huge Warren Ellis fan or a lover of cryptic, obscure, sublime sci-fi epics.

For more information on Supreme Blue Rose or other Image Comics publications, visit their website.  Image Comics

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.

Strange Fruit 1

The setting is Chatterlee Mississippi, the year, 1927, and the mighty river is rising.  The people of Chaterlee are racing to shore up the river against the coming disaster, but the true challenge they are about to face will come from the heavens.  Several of the white farmers are racing against time, and draft negroes to help them except for one proud man who makes a run for it.  Eventually his flight (which now include some Klansmen) carries him to a stretch of woods where a meteorite which is not a meteorite touches down.  Sonny finds himself face to face with a towering black man who makes short work of the bed sheet brigade.  The final image of the comic shows the colossus clad in a rebel flag.

This title comes to us courtesy of writer Mark Waid and artist J.G. Jones.  I won’t belabor the point of Mark Waid being the writer, his resume speaks for itself.  It’s about a hundred pages long. He distinguishes himself yet again in the first of a four issue epic that is guaranteed to polarize readers.  Although Waid could not have known of the furor that would surround the Confederate Navy Jack around the time of the publication of the first issue of Strange Fruit, it will be certain to add fuel to the fire, and with luck some understanding.  The story is tense and full of conflict as the farmers work to save their livelihood, further igniting the tense race relations in Chatterlee during that time.  If that wasn’t enough, an object falls from the heavens bearing a passenger who appears to be a negroe of gigantic proportions and superhuman abilities.

There is little to say against this first issue other than it starts off slowly, as the creative team sets the stage for the alien landing.  Jones uses the painted style of books like Kingdom Come to give the comic a stark realism.  Most books these days to it with scratchy, half inked pages and muted colors.  I applaud the team behind Strange Fruit for avoiding this route.  A comic does not have look like it was drawn by an eight year old to look gritty.  J.G. Jones achieves this with bold painted images, and bright colors.  Waid’s story mirrors the level of distinction provided by his artist with a taut, seamless script that sets the stage, introduces key players, and evolves layers upon layers of conflict for the following issues.  This is a must have book from a brilliant team.  Get yours while they are hot.  This series is sure to fly off the shelves at a record pace.

For more information about Strange Fruit and other great works from BOOM! Studios, please visit their website.  BOOM! Studios

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.

Red Sonja #1973

Since her fearless debut in 1973, the She-Devil with a Sword has redefined the fantasy genre thanks to the efforts of acclaimed writers including Gail Simone, Roy Thomas, Luke Lieberman, and Eric Trautmann! Joined by first-time Sonja writer Cullen Bunn and a handful of amazing artists, these titanic talents each contribute tales of derring-do to this supersized, action-packed anthology. Everyone's favorite red-tressed heroine battles monsters, rivals, and ne'er-do-wells in Hyborian adventures retro-tinted to capture the flavor of her classic comics era!

Red Sonja never gets old.  It is just a fact.  The character has been running strong for over 40 years in one form or another in books, comics and movies since her inception.  This 48 page one-shot is a celebration of the year she was first introduced to the comic book world by the inimitable Roy Thomas, who also pens one of the stories in this book.

This book features 6 stand alone stories that celebrate the various aspects of her character from her fiery temper, to her relentless quest for justice, to her wicked wit, and of course Sonja’s inestimable skill with a sword.  The stories have a fair bit of range.  One details a time shortly after her family is murdered when she is taken in by a farmer only to be ousted when the oldest son needs to be taught a lesson.  Another is her bid to free female slaves forced to fight in a gladiatorial arena.  The Hanging Tree, tells a tale of justice and vengeance when she goes from tavern brawl to tied to her horse with a noose around her neck.  Raiding Party features dazzling fight scenes with epic prose accompaniment.  Silent Running is a wordless tale that chronicles fight, and flight and then more fighting, ending with a brief moment of peace for the eternal warrior.

Fans of the character will find everything they have come to love from this character since her early days to phenomenal development she has received since being acquired by Dynamite in 2005.  The visuals are vivid, breathtaking and fluid.  The artists for these stories succeeded in keeping up the breakneck pace of a Red Sonja book, while still capturing the tender moment of occasional vulnerability from the she-devil with a sword.  Whether readers are old friends to the character, or completely new, they will find equal joy in the story telling.  The writing for each of these short pieces is of the high quality that we have come to expect from Dynamite.  Another throwback to the origins of Red Sonja is the price, being listed as 799 cents.

Fans of the Robert E. Howard mythos or just great sword swinging will love this one-shot.

For more information about Red Sonja and other great products from Dynamite, please visit their website.  Dynamite Comics

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.

8house Arclight #1

A lady of the blood house has had her mind trapped in a strange alien root-body. She’s hiding on the outskirts of her kingdom until she learns that the alien monster pretending to be her has returned. The first issue of a shared fantasy universe. Sharp genderqueer knights, blood magic, music, dancing, and a goose.

In the debut issue of this self-proclaimed landmark series by Brandon Graham, we are introduced to a Lady of the blood house who, for reasons unknown now inhabits a body made up of roots.  She is accompanied by a knight named Arclight, who is steady fast in support of his support of her, despite the delicate condition she’s in.  They have been hiding out on the edges of the kingdom, but now return home to court, to find the the Lady’s true body is back inhabited by the alien whose body she is now stuck with.  There is also blood magic, dancing, pretty court scenes, and a huge number of androgynous cast members.  This comic will be a guessing game for even the most astute reader.

After reading the first issue I had to find the synopsis online to ascertain the plot of the story.  I see that as a miss for Graham on writing and execution.  The story wastes whole pages on sweeping visuals of the landscape, with little to no explication or character development.  The reader gets a very general sense that the root creature is “The Lady” and Arclight is a knight of some sort at her disposal.  At the end of the story I was still confused as to whether Arclight was male or female.  I guessed male but I’m not certain.  This is intended, as the publisher advertises the series as containing “Sharp genderqueer knights, blood magic, music, dancing, and a goose.”

This seems to have the potential to develop into an elaborate science fiction story, but it will require no small amount of patience on the part of the reader.  I would only recommend this story for very patient readers of cryptic plot lines, although the colors come in a variety of pastels giving the comic a unique look and feel.

For this or other great titles from Image, visit their website.  Image Comics

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.

The Cursed and the Damned

The Cursed and The Damned is a story about Werewolves taking on the horrific result of playing God. As the Werewolves come together they bring about a war where no Zombie or Human is Safe. Can they fix what they started or watch as humans become prey and the real enemy watches from the shadows?

In the debut outing of The Cursed and The Damned, we find a group of “shifters” assembled, discussing a long awaited cure for their delicate condition.  The only catch is that the cure has yet to be tested on a human being.  Their plan is to inject a human with the cure, then bite her to see what the results are.  If it sounds ill conceived, then you are dead on the money.  Their guinea pig is a woman named Sabrina.  She is injected. She is bitten.  The only problem is the bit from the werewolf does not heal.  She is rushed to the hospital where her life is saved by more mundane medical procedures.  She eventually recovers enough to be released, leaving the wolves to believe that their cure works.  Later they check back on her, only to find her comatose in her home where she has apparently been ill for some time.  Paramedics manage to resuscitate her, but as a zombie rather than a human.  All hell breaks loose and it appears the misguided werewolves have unleashed a zombie apocalypse.

This is a cute book with a novel concept.  The cover art is particularly stellar.  The image of a powerfully built werewolf with zombies crawling around its legs is striking.  As novel as the concept is, the first issue seems a bit rushed.  It should be noted that Geek-o-Rama only received a mock up of the first issue, and this review will reflect that the end product may reflect significant changes.   The artwork for the werewolves is just great.  The artist gives us big, bold powerful creatures that look like they could rip Frankenstein’s Monster in two without breaking a sweat.

One initial complaint is that the first issue takes several shortcuts to get to the meat of the story, no pun intended.  If the series has a central protagonist, we aren’t clued into who that might be.  There are few characters introduced, but none of them feel central other than Sabrina who turns into a zombie, so it’s probably not her.  It’s hard for the reader to understand who to sympathize with at the outset without a central figure.  The art also seems a bit rough even in the first few pages that are fully inked and colored.  The latter half of our mock-up was partially inked with no color, so the entire book could receive more treatments to smooth out the art to match the stunning cover.

All-in-all, this looks to be a promising work that could posit a brand new runner in horror fiction.  To get your copy of The Cursed and the Damned, visit N.A.S. Studios

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.

Tomorrows 1

The future: Art is illegal. Everything everyone ever posted online has been weaponized against them. The reign of the Corporation is quickly becoming as absolute as it is brutal—unless the Tomorrows can stop it.

Tomorrows is the kind of comic you get if someone binge watches the movie Hackers after reading way too much Ayn Rand and Aldous Huxley.  The main character is Zoey an artist in a world where art is illegal.  Zoey is rescued from certain death at the hands of nazi-esque storm troopers by artistic terrorist Claudius who takes her to the hideout of the elusive Tomorrows, a group of artistic terrorist who even have an AI named Warhol.  They are trying to protect the world from a despotic tyrant who is building a computer that will allow him to take control of any human mind at will, allowing complete control, right down to a person’s thoughts.

Zoey narrowly escapes capture with the rest of the Tomorrows due to a dream that leads her into the testing chamber that will finalize her transformation into one of the Tomorrows when surprise raid by Claudius’s ex-lover turned enforcer for the Icarus project causes the rest of the team to be taken.  Fortunately, all she needs to break into the fortified tower holding her friends is a suped up Hypercycle and the elusive Warhol AI.  At the conclusion of issue one, the Tomorrows hijack the airwaves announcing that a new day is dawning to the masses of humanity held in thrall to an oppressive government.

This could be a great book, but if the first outing is anything to go by, it will take some work to get there.  First off the art was something of a turn off.  They were going for a total dystopian world with odd lighting, garish colors, and beaten down humanity.  It just seemed too contrived.  Also half the characters in the book always look like they had blue skin.  Presumably this is due to lighting, but it still just looks weird.  The whole thing reads as very derivative and I couldn’t wait for the end.

Another stepping stone for this series to get past, is also one of its marketing draws.  Every issue will be done by a different artist.  It seems like an interesting concept, but it also means that there could be a definite lack of continuity from one issue to the next.  I would only recommend this book if you are a fan of dystopian epics where a stalwart band of resisters is trying to overthrow a tyrannical government bent on suppressing free will from humanity forever.

For more information about other great titles from Dark Horse, visit their website:  Dark Horse Comics

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.

The Spire 1

The Spire is a mountain of metal and stone that rises out of the middle of the desert, containing a vast city of twisting tunnels, grinding elevators, ancient machinery, and is home to over a million human and non-human residents. Shå, the last of the Medusi, is responsible for keeping watch over them as Commander of the City Watch, despite the fact she isn’t shown any respect due to her race.

The Spire kicks off with the death of the old baron, and our main character, Shå chasing a couple of miscreants through the endless winding tunnels, corridors, and levels of the city.  The criminals give her the slip, but leave her a token of their esteem, a crossbow bolt in the shoulder.  Later the same dastardly duo meet a grisly fate, along with an old woman they were leaning on.  Cut back to Shå who is having a tryst with her lover Meera which gets rudely interrupted by a summons from the new Baroness.  It seems the old woman that was murdered along with ruffians was her nanny, years back.  Shå’s back is now up against the wall to find the murderer and bring them to justice.

The Spire is a great book that uses all the tricks of the trade to weave a great if not original story.  Shå is a bit of a trope, but the reader will love her anyway.  She is the surly non-conformist in a position of authority in the spire, but still not loved by the powers that be.  The artist’s rendering of Shå is great.  There are some sweeping single page spreads that really bring the character to life.  Some other characters are less well defined which was disappointing, that could hint that the book was rushed to print.  Hopefully in successive issues, we’ll see a little more consistency in the artwork.

The story itself is tightly scripted and moves well, but the reader will be incensed by a few minor details.  The end of the book feels a little unfinished beyond the normal comic book cliff hanger.  I wanted a little tighter finish for the debut issue.  Also the writer fails to do much in the way of world building or set finishing in this first book, which leaves us feeling a bit in the dark as far as the mechanics of the Spire universe.

One thing however, that was done especially well was the lettering.  It’s not the first time we’ve seen this style, but it is still a nice change of pace.  The creators use different fonts, colors and other highlights to create mood and tone in the dialogue which makes the story pop a bit more than the usual fare.  All in all, this promises to be a great series with just a few bumps in the road for the initial outing.  Snag a copy for three and make sure to keep tuned for the second issue where we hope to learn more about the killer, who is likely just getting started.

For more information about The Spire or other great offerings from BOOM! Studios, visit their website.  BOOM! Studios

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

Negative Space 1

When one man’s writer’s block gets in the way of his suicide note, he goes for a walk to clear his head and soon uncovers a century-old conspiracy dedicated to creating and mining the worst lows of human desperation.

Negative Space is a mashup of science fiction tropes that can most closely be described as The Truman show meets the Matrix.  The main character, Guy, is trying to kill himself, but he can’t decide how to word his suicide note.  He goes for a walk for inspiration, meeting a variety of people he knows, pan out the a super secret control room where technicians are waiting for the opportunity to record his suicide, and feed the sorrow and desperation to an alien race known as the Evorah.  Through a series of events, Guy eventually stumbles onto the operation, which of course makes sense because they’ve only been doing this for a few hundred years and are likely to make mistakes from time to time.  The first issue concludes with Guy discovering one of the Evorah, which we are led to believe from dialogue in the control will bring Hell on earth.

The highlight of this book is probably the art.  Many fine details in very little space.  I did like the intricacy that seemed to go into each panel.  One let down was that the main character just didn’t look that good in most of the sections.  The artist was going for a frumpy, down on his luck guy.  The effect is that Guy looks a little blobby, with a huge nose and facial features are difficult to decipher making panels hard to read.  Despite this the background in most of the issue makes up for it.   The writing however, leaves much to be desired.  The story behind Negative Space is a bit on the fun side, but stops before reaching satirical proportions, which suggests the reader is to take it as a dramatic science fiction tale.  The problem is that there are just too many plot holes to make it legible.

The coloring is really what gives this story any punch, they capture a nice Blade Runner kind of feel with Guy’s world that keeps the narrative moving forward, albeit at a sluggish pace.  Book one of this series is off to slow start, but with the promise of revelations about the Evorah and how all this will impact Guy’s bid for a well written suicide note.

For more information about Negative Space or other great works from Dark Horse, check out their site: Dark Horse

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.

Kabuki Volume 1

Celebrating twenty years of Kabuki, this is the first volume in a complete set of large oversize library editions collecting the entire critically acclaimed Kabuki series.

This edition collects the first two original Kabuki volumes: Circle of Blood and Dreams. With eleven issues and loads of extras, this is the book that fans of Kabuki have been waiting for and the perfect starting point for brand-new readers.

Kabuki follows the story of a damaged woman, code named Kabuki in her role as assassin / enforcer to the Noh, a centralized media outlet that controls Japan in a dystopian future.  She is driven by both vengeance for her mother’s death, as well as her own scarring by the sadistic Yakuza boss, Kai.

Kabuki is celebrated the world over as David Mack’s tour de force, and with good reason.  It could be argued that this is more of a work of art than a comic book.  Mack has an altered approach to every aspect of this book from the scripting, to the page layout, to the art itself.  This trade collects Circle of Blood and Dreams in a single glorious 402 page epic.  This version also features notes from Brian Michael Bendis, and Jim Steranko heaping praise after praise on David Mack.  Mack also include details about his process for creating and realizing this complicated story.

There is no need to point out that Kabuki is a work of art.  David Mack is a renowned artist and writer the world over.  Kabuki features some lavish artwork that captures the beauty and symmetry of the female form.   He succeeds in making a black and white comic look vibrant in Circle of Blood.  The Dreams book is breathtaking in its mixed media presentation, which if you are fan of that style, will be an instant win.  The story is rich and detailed with minimal wording where the art is fullest, and blocks of text to offset huge single page runs.

A word to the wise, just because it’s a work of art does not mean that it is a fun read.  I found the volume to be tedious at times.  In Japanese style, it’s told in a vertical format that may be a challenge to some readers.  Also this format is a bit of a chore for anyone reading it in electronic format as it requires a great deal of scrolling up and down from page to page.  At the end of my reading, I found that I appreciated the work from an artistic perspective, but didn’t enjoy it as a comic.  Newcomers to the Kabuki comic may find this 400+ page volume to be a bit onerous to get through.

Fans of David Mack and Kabuki will undoubtedly treasure this collection.  Fans of japanese themed series like Frank Miller’s Elektra will also enjoy this epic telling of a assassin on her trail of blood, vengeance and the meaning of it all.  Traditional readers who like a more horizontal page layout and linear story will find this book dull.  In closing, I would I would call Kabuki artistically pleasing, but daunting to the average comic book fan.

For more information about the Kabuki Library Edition HC or other great products from Dark Horse, please visit their website:  Dark Horse

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.

Flamewalker

This is a standalone book that reads like an EPIC.

Flamewalker is a complex and involving read for lovers of all kinds of fantasy. The story begins with a young firemaiden to be, Khalira about to find out if she is to be a Flamewalker, and if so what path she is to take. A kingdom away a father faces a tragedy that will forever alter two kingdoms.

So. . . this is a great book. I was surprised by exactly how good it was. Reading Flamewalker was very much like an old school courtship. First there is the introduction, a bit formal but promising, then a few tentative first dates that settle in a budding romance. Vogel's characters are deeply interesting. Their thoughts, desires, dreams and fears are addictive. They are tendered gently, just enough to hook you before the action starts.

On a deeper level, Flamewalker has more than it's fair share of duality. The male/female principles are echoed in the heroine and her nemesis, the north and south kingdoms of Saria and Banol, and the lust for power, tempered with the knowing endurance of justice. All this not good enough?

The villain. He is just a guy. A guy that has gone through tragedy. In most books heroes and villains are forged in some tragedy and suddenly they are changed forever. Tired tropes right?
Prepare to not see this with Flamewalker's big bad, and he is Big and he is Bad. But his descent into madness is a journey of degrees. The reader gets a real sense of the progression, and best yet, Vogel makes it logical.

It's a good story. It's a lesson in life. It's a moral to aspire to. Most of all it's High Fantasy at it's very best. I am not ashamed to say that this book brought a tear to my eye more than once.  The initial scene with Adon is so stirring that I had to put the book down twice.  The power to evoke emotions like that and capture the suffering is a rare and wonderful talent.  Wendy Vogel is a name not to forget, she is sure to be a voice that will resonate in years to come.

Flamewalker is available through Amazon and limited retailers.

Flamewalker

Scarlett Couture 3

High-octane action meets high-fashion drama in the third installment of Scarlett Couture's Project Stardust. Scarlett swaps her skintight stealth suit for a skintight gown as she and Trent infiltrate an exclusive party on the hunt for the missing link in their investigation. Luckily, the team from Chase Couture are always available to provide the very best of distractions…

Scarlett makes James Bond look like a slob as she infiltrates Dante Ramone’s high price investor’s meeting to reclaim the memory card hidden by slain agent, Val Rosario.  There’s nothing like a undercover agent in an evening dress beating up security guards and making her getaway in style.  Later Scarlett and Trent use the information retrieved from the card to check out a downed plane.  The downside, it’s in the middle of the ocean which is a great excuse for her to haul out her swim wear.  She finds the goods, but not before she is attacked by couple more assassins.

It’s just a fact that Des Taylor delivers.  Once again we are treated to eye popping panels that just sizzle right off the page.  I would buy a spare copy of this issue in the event that the first one combusts while you are reading it.  The party scene is great fun, reminiscent of any good Bond movie.  The fact that the artist pulls it off on paper is just amazing.  Then the deep sea scenes are a delight to the senses.  Coloring is an underrated skill in the world of comics but, Des Taylor makes every color choice a part of the art.  There is also a nice blurring effect in some of the panels that suggest motion to fast for the eye to see.  Brilliant.

The story zips right along in Scarlett fashion.  The reader barely has time to catch their breath from one scene to the next.  The tension between Spencer and Trent also gets a little more development, which adds to the story with some testosterone driven exchanges that will leave the reader smirking for hours.  One of the things I like most about Scarlett is there is an economy of words and so much of the story is just told by the art.  This is a great book that just keeps getting better with every issue.

For more information about Scarlet Couture or other great titles from Titan Comics visit Titan Comics.

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.

Reckless Ambitions (The Medford Family Chronicles Book 1)

“The beloved, highly respected, and automatically obeyed Palamaran Emperor John Cardillion III suddenly has died without naming a successor. He has four very powerful sons, An Arch Cleric, a Fighter, a Wizard and a Merchant Prince (aka thief), who are eager to slay each other and claim their father’s Ruby Throne. Earl Thomas Medford, the former Emperor’s best friend and Commander of the Imperial Guard, has to decide which royal brother to support for the throne and marry his deliciously gorgeous only daughter too. Earl Medford intends to either avert or win a bloody and vicious civil war. “

- Book synopsis

To say the least, Reckless Ambitions is a very complicated novel, peppered with court intrigue, Dungeons and Dragons influences, and a cast a characters worthy of a Robert Jordan novel.  We get a brief interlude at the beginning, which shows us how Thomas Medford meets and saves the future Emperor John Cardillon III and assists him in taking the throne.  Fast forward to Cardillon’s death.  The empire is in chaos and the Emperor’s four sons are schmeing for the throne.  Caught in the middle, are the commoners, and Earl Medford, who is seemingly only interested in staving off civil war.  As the book progresses however, the reader is left to wonder how altruistic his intentions really are.  Early on, it becomes evident that he plans to use his daughter in an effort to retain power after the new Emperor is crowned.

If the mayhem inspired by the succession wasn’t enough, a boat load of Elves fleeting the persecution of their homeland arrive in Paladon City.  The elves provide two of the more interesting characters in the story, Numerian, the leader of the long eared refugees, and his daughter, a mage and gifted psionic, named Serina.  Despite the richness of these characters, the arrival of the elves reads as little more than a plot device.  It’s the hope of this reviewer, that they will get a little more elaboration in successive novels.  Other notable characters of interest are Christina Medford, daughter of the earl, and political chess piece, Nick Armand, an up and coming member of the Imperial guard, Abigail Theosar, friend and confidante to Christina and last but not least, Professor Enalon a dowdy illusionist blessed with the rare gift of psionics, who oddly enough comes off as the pivotal point later in the story, but little more than a footnote early on.

Reckless Ambitions shows considerable promise, but could have done with a bit more editing prior to publication.  Much of the writing comes off as weak due to sentence structure that could have done with a bit more action and a little less description of the actions being performed.  The Dungeons and Dragons meets Game of Thrones framework the author adheres to, reads a bit confining and could be confusing to readers not versed in those works.  The magic system, in particular, seems entirely derived from D&D.  Other than the frequent use of psionics, little or no information is given to the reader on the mechanics of it, which causes the work to fall a little flat. Although the D&D system offers an existing structure for the author to pull from, it does read as a bit confining, making the novel feel derivative at times.  Ried also falls back on contemporary slang and historical quotes, which seem out of place in the medieval fantasy setting.

All in all, it’s evident that John Paul Ried is very passionate about the work and the series it derives from, which is attractive in its own way.  The series shows promise given that the later volumes are given a little more editorial review before publication.  The first book is satisfying but may fall flat with lovers of more conventional high fantasy or pulp fantasy.  For most, I would recommend reading the first chapter before making a decision, because this is a work that you will ever fall in love with in the first few pages, or have little or no interest in due to the constant intrigue, political wrangling and gaming influences.  One huge disappointment, were the squabbling brothers who had little depth, and were given extremist personalities.  Ried gives the viewer instant reasons to dislike them, suggesting that Medford is the only real option for the ruby throne of Paladon City.  I would have enjoyed a bit more depth to those characters to make it a real choice.

Reckless Ambitions is available from Amazon and select retailers.

Reckless Ambitions

For other titles from Az Publishing Services, visit their website:

AZ Publishing Services

For more information about the world of the Medford Chronicles or John Paul Ried, the author, visit his site:  Palamaran Adventures 

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.

UFOlogy 3

Becky just wants to be normal, but she finds that life with a glowing tattoo on the side of her face to be serious impediment.  Malcom wants to find out what’s “out” there, and will do just about anything to realize that dream.  Their parents just want to protect them, and a mysterious man working his way toward them could be their doom or salvation.

The story keeps a moving, the story keeps a moving, but still not very fast.  Becky finds herself having nightmares of people’s faces melting off, while Malcom gets a stern lecture from his father about taking the truck without a license. We see the police investigating a crash where the victim was left naked and without a head.  Flashbacks reveal that it was the mysterious military man, who tried to save the driver, but his attempts to perform CPR melt the man’s face.  The mystery thickens.  There are a few more flashbacks suggesting the fathers were involved in UFO research back in the day.  Malcom finally manages to enlist Becky’s help to dig into the mystery, but they are both in for a surprise.

I would love to be able to tell you that the pace for this issue picks up in some dramatic way, but I would be a complete liar.  This script would be wonderful for a weekly television show, but comes off a little lackluster for a monthly comic book.  Though still interesting, the writing is maddening in its slow development.  The brevity of the format just doesn’t lend itself to the kind of character development that this series would have, if it were done in a different format.

The art of the series also leaves much to be desired for me.  Characters are non-descript.  More detail to individual people would lend the comic some vibrancy that we just don't’ see.  Many of the special effects like faces melting, and dream sequences just don't’ seem to have any “punch”.  The lettering also makes the story a little hard to read at least in electronic formats.  Its almost certainly an artistic flair, but one that doesn’t work for this reader.

Ufology is a good story, but it just doesn’t bring it across in this format.  Unless you are die hard alien conspiracy fan, this book is probably not a good fit for you.  If you are, then put on your tin foil hat, check the house for “greys” or “serpent men” and settle down for another issue of Ufology.

For more information about Ufology or other great offerings from Boom! Studios, visit their website:  BOOM! Studios.

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.

Scarlett Couture 2

Things are heating up for Scarlett Carver, secret agent and fashion heiress.

Having rescued a kidnap victim and escaped an explosion by the skin of her teeth, Scarlett finds the clock is ticking if she is going to discover exactly who is behind the murders of seemingly innocent models – and what it is that they want!

Scarlett Carver, the John McClane of the fashion world, rescued a kidnap victim, blew up a building, and didn’t even break a nail.  For most people this is a job well (or not so well) done, but for Scarlett it’s just the beginning.  She still needs to find out who is behind the murders of not-so  innocent fashion models, and what their endgame is.  But can she do it without messing up her hair?

Des Taylor delivers again with another raucous romp in the annals of Scarlett Couture.  Our Heroine has rescued the girl, and made it out in one piece, however there is still a killer on the loose, and her boss is none too happy that she doesn’t realize the “C” in CIG stands for COVERT.

She leans on her father, a high ranking detective with the NYPD to get the skinny on the death of model Val Rosario.  Scarlett and her team susses out the killer is disguised as a member of the NYPD, but fail to get to the next victim in time.

Issue two continues the wild ride that is Scarlett Couture.  There aren’t a great deal of surprises in this issue.  The art is even better than the first issue, with bold eye catching, draw dropping visuals colored to keep the reader salivating from page to page.  There are numerous little details in each panel, that really bring out the larger than life nature of the series.  The page layout for this book is also fantastic.  SC likes to think out of the box, with a variety of panel layouts that keeps the story flowing in an organic way.

The writing keeps the train on the tracks, but some of the conversations are a bit forced.  But do we really read Scarlett for the deeply meshed Clancy-esque plot?  Probably not in most cases.  The entrance of her father made for a nice comparison to the real world from Scarlett’s usual foray into the fashion scene,  It makes her character seem a little more accessible to the average reader.  Another great mad dash in the world of high fashion espionage agents bent on keeping the world safe both from enemies abroad, and white after labor day.

If all this isn’t enough to get you to pony up for issue #2, there are dossiers for Trent Wayland and Lt. Jack Gillis, special pin-ups, and a magazine interview with Scarlett modelled by Viktoria Dobos.

For more information about Scarlet Couture or other great titles from Titan Comics visit Titan Comics.

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.

Metaphase

Ollie’s dad is a superhero, and much like any other boy, he wants to grow up to be just like his old man.  The only problem is that Ollie was born with Downs Syndrome and congenital heart defects.  What’s a kid to do when he is faced with seemingly insurmountable obstacles like this?  He take shortcuts, just like all of us do when faced with a goal that seems otherwise unreachable.  The only problem is that he may be putting his family at risk to realize his dream.

Metaphase is a heartfelt, tender coming of age story that will resonate with anyone who ever dared to dream.  The story starts out with Ollie’s birth and early years.  The trials and hardships that he and his family face just to keep him alive and healthy.  These are things that most people take for granted, but Ollie can’t.   It’s unclear, at first, whether this is worse for him or his super-powered father.  Then Ollie sees a commercial for a company that claims they can bestow superpowers on anyone by unlocking their DNA.  It’s the equivalent of the serpent from the garden of eden dangling the forbidden fruit, except in this case the apple is a tooth containing his father’s DNA.  Enter the evil mastermind who uses the DNA of the Sentinel to bestow himself with powers rather than Ollie, to rival the mighty sentinel.

Even the most casual reader can not escape what a powerful story Metaphase is.  We all have dreams like Ollie, and we all know that shortcuts can lead to disaster, but we are still tempted to take them nonetheless.  Reece’s story is an epic unto itself.  It is full of hope.  It is full of ill conceived desires to be more than you are.  It is also touching and all too human.  Without a doubt, this is a great book that is worth more than one read.   The art of Kelly Williams is understated, and just perfect for the concept, being larger than life when needed, and intimate when it really matters.  My one complaint is that the writer take a few short cuts to get the meat of the story out there.  The evil company, the fact that Ollie finally gets the powers he wanted, trying to protect his father.  Given the start of the tale I would have enjoyed a more complex and innovative source of conflict and resolution.

Beyond that however, this is a great comic that exceeds the simplicity of its genre, a must have labor of love from an imaginative writer.  Metaphase is yet another example of what an independent creator can do with the right backing.  This is a comic that is worth 5 times the cover price to read and enjoy.  It also enjoys a great pin-up gallery from other artists, giving a few different takes on the characters.

To get your copy of Metaphase or other great titles from Alterna Comics, point your browser to Alterna Comics

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.

Coven 1

The scene: a moonlit night in the deep Salem woods, a group of girls roasting marshmallows around a campfire,  a group of armed, cowled men creeping through the darkness.  The girls are witches, and the men are crusaders, and all Hell is about to break loose when they come together in anything but, love and friendship.

The first issue of Coven starts out with all the action and excitement that you’ve come to know from Zenescope.  Just a few pages in, we already see a firefight, albeit lopsided between the witches and the Crusaders.  The witches put up a brave fight, but without warning or preparation they appear easy pickings for the cowled zealots searching for a particular witch, with a particular mark, who heralds the beginning of a prophecy the Crusaders are determined to keep from happening.

Everything looks to be going the way of these New Crusaders with their prize in the bag, but someone else is looking for this new Chosen one, and what Baba Yaga wants, Baba Yaga gets.  Before long she forges a dark alliance with both the Crusaders and a dark witch named Liza.  Tune in to see if playing both sides works for her.

The art team of Galindo and Bartolo deliver the goods with bright, bold visuals.  The colors are crisp and vibrant, the panel work is sharp and punches the reader in the face with stereotypical Zenescope precision.  This is a very pretty book, but the first issue doesn’t really stand out to me from the publisher’s other works.  In most cases I applaud consistency, but here I feel that Coven just doesn’t distinguish itself much from other Grimm Fairy Tales books.

The story doesn’t help.  By the end of the first issue, we don’t know anything about the chosen one other than her name, Avril Williams.  The Crusaders are either misguided zealots, or the heroes of mankind, again we don’t really see enough to gauge for sure.  Baba is of course fun, but she only gets a few pages toward the end of the issue.  Action is great, action is good, but without a sense of who the characters are, and what their all about, it is just some meaningless battles between two factions that the reader doesn’t connect with.  This book definitely has possibilities, but readers will have to wade through a couple of issues to get a sense of the story.  Hardcore Zeno-phytes will love this title, but those not in the Know might feel a little left out.

For more information on Coven or other releases from Zenescope, visit their website: Zenescope.

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.

Resident Alien: The Sam Hain Mystery 2

Stranded on Earth and hiding in the small town of Patience, Washington, the alien known as Dr. Harry Vanderspeigel attempts to solve another murder mystery. When he finds an old briefcase containing an odd confession, a violent manuscript, and a crime novel signed with a mysterious inscription, Harry sets out to uncover the truth once again!

Issue number two is a tense page turner.  Be prepared to not put this comic down after you pick it up.  The plot thickens as Harry learns a bit more of the Rex Monday mystery.  There are several pages describing an affair, a short novel that could be so much more, and more questions than Harry can answer.  Fortunate for him, he has a plucky assistant to help him with some out of the box thinking.

This issue is consistent with the two that have gone before.  The story is seamless and tight.   The art is realistic and colorful without being garish.  The flashback scenes highlighting the affair and murder are breathtaking.  Hogan keeps the story going in that steady freight train fashion that is perfect for a good mystery.  Love a good mystery, then you will love this book.

For more information about Resident Alien and other groundbreaking comics from Dark Horse, visit their website here: Dark Horse Comics.

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.

Oh, Killstrike 2

Killstrike and Jared travel to New York City to visit the comic book company his father was employed with before his disappearance. While waiting for the meeting, Killstrike gives Jared a few lessons on being a "tough guy."

Oh, Killstrike keeps the satire right on rolling, as Jared dreams of his wife and child being jammed into kitchen appliances by his one time hero.  Fortunately for them, it’s just a dream.  Jared, however, is still stuck with the loud-mouthed, arrogant juggernaut looking for vengeance, mayhem and chaos.  The story devolves from into the typical anarchy we’ve come to expect, with rippling pecks and the occasional spree of mass destruction.

And yet, and yet, the deeper story also continues.  Through Jared, Bemis and Faerber continue their ongoing (and all too true) rant about their contempt for the mainstream comic industry.   Fans of the titans aren’t spared much in the way of pundits either, but at the end of the issue, it’s clear that it is all meant to be tongue in cheek.

Oh, Killstrike is funny, irreverent and a bit caustic.  It’s not for everyone, but if you can take a joke and don’t mind a little savagery aimed at the publications you love, this is a fine series.

For more information on Oh, Killstrike or other great titles from BOOM! Please visit BOOM! Studios.

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.

The Order of the Forge 3

Our heroes finally discover an ancient and secret weapon on a long-forgotten Viking ship, but the wicked Lord Hammond is closing in, intent on seizing this deadly prize! Now Washington must engage in battle on two fronts—with Hammond and an undead Viking horde!

Victor Gischler’s story continues to steamroll right over the reader from the outset of issue number three.  At the outset, George and Kate are looking for a way to access the site holding the ancient weapon.  They are caught unaware by Drumknott and Hammond, who force the pair to open the way for them.  Outside Revere and Franklin spot Hammond’s men and do what comes naturally, which is of course mass destruction.  Inside the cave, progress is made, tables turn, then turn again, then zombie vikings show up.  Needless to say there are no dull moments to be had in the latest installment of Order of the Forge.

Before the praise, I do have a few minor complaints.  First off, the cover.  It is more than a little lackluster compared to the interior art.  In the two previous issues, the covers have been big, bold and attention grabbing, whereas this issue’s cover is rather dull.  The contemporary profanity Gischler interjects, tends to rub me the wrong way.  It’s apparent, that he wishes to use the occasional F-bomb as a means of connecting modern readers with the historical characters, but to this reviewer, it comes off as trying too hard.

Now, on to the fun stuff.  Bettin’s interior art is again lavish, engrossing, and explosive.  There are a few panels that are just beyond words, such as a scene when Franklin tears through the head of a soldier with a gatling gun.  The visual of the head disintegrating is gore-geous..  Later on, there are a few full page shots of the zombie fights with George and Kate that would delight any reader, and of course the colors are eye-popping as always.  The visuals in this book are just too good to describe.

The story is also just as amazing as the previous issues, with non-stop adventure.  George’s “curse” still provides laughs, such as when Hammond asks him for the map and he is unable to lie much to Kate’s consternation.  The jabs between Franklin and Revere are also entertaining.  To me, this is the Indiana Jones of comic books.  Well paced, well plotted and breathtaking in its illustration.  Another must have by Dark Horse!

For more information about Order of the Forge or other great titles from Dark Horse, visit their web site. Dark Horse Comics

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.