The Tithe 2

Another mega-church is robbed despite the FBI’s surveillance. Tension ratchets up as a member of Samaritan’s “heist” team is killed and the “Robin Hood” act isn’t quite as fun as they thought.

“God answers prayer with a ‘NO’ all the time, but people don’t want to hear it. People want validation when they should seek guidance.”

I was at one of those big church events once. It was a play of sorts, a celebration. Big set, lots of acting. Animals walking down the aisles. All I can remember anymore is a scene where a man was digging through his collection of old albums. I was really into classic rock at the time, so I thought to myself “God, if you’re real, that album will be a Queen album”. The album he pulled out was A Night At The Opera. He then began to sing Bohemian Rhapsody, and the crowd laughed.

Anyway, this was my reaction while reading this comic book:

In my previous review, I mentioned two megachurches in Phoenix. This comic takes place in Phoenix. Go get em! But please be careful, there’s a lot at stake here. I’m just relieved that not only do Matt Hawkins and Rahsan Ekedal see what’s going on in my own city, they’re exposing it.

Of course, check out Image comics on their website or their Facebook.

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 Tithe 1

A heist story unlike any before! Mega-churches are being robbed for millions of dollars by a crusader hacker group known as Samaritan who is giving the money to causes they deem more worthy. This modern day “Robin Hood” is being pursued by two FBI agents who actually admire their quarry but want to stop the theft before it escalates.

"And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.” - Matthew 21:12-13

Yes, I started this review with a bible verse. Countless souls have been lost over the years simply so that book could be read to this day. One idea that’s crept up in the United States over the past few years is a “Mega-Church”. I grew up in the ground zero for these ideas. The Community Church of Joy. To quote a New York Times Article from 2002:

“In Glendale, Ariz., the 12,000-member Community Church of Joy, which has a school, conference center, bookstore and mortuary on its 187-acre property, has embarked on a $100 million campaign to build a housing development, a hotel, convention center, skate park and water-slide park, transforming itself into what Dr. Walt Kallestad, the senior pastor, calls a ‘’destination center.’’”

Well guess what Joy, I didn’t get my waterslide. I didn’t get my hotel. What did I get? A tremendous amount of pain. I had a few good years, but you eventually chewed me up and spit me out. You hurt my family. I also made friends for life there, people I love to this day. But when my mother is crying because you kicked her out, I have problems with you.

I still drive by there sometimes. They’re tearing up their 187 aches and selling it back to the city. As far as I’m concerned, that’s the right thing to do. And my best friends, friends I have for life, I met there. I forgive The Community Church of Joy.

My problem these days is with CCV, the Christ Church of the Valley. They had their Easter service in The University of Phoenix Stadium. You know, where the Super Bowl was this year. Collectible cups commemorated the event. You could watch it from your home. And don’t worry, they have so many locations.

This comic book is a fantasy of mine brought to life. There’s a lot of money to be made in churches, especially since they are tax free. Author Matt Hawkins and I are on the same page. Rahsan Ekedal’s art is great too, crisp and sobering.

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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.