Gronk: A Monster's Story Vol 4

The latest, full-color volume of Katie Cook's popular webcomic, Gronk! This new installment has never been in print before and is coming to Action Lab as a brand-spankin' NEW book! Follow Gronk and her friends' adventures for another silly, fun, weird year. Like cats? This book has 'em. Like dogs? We have those too. Like tiny green monsters? Look no further, you've found your new favorite book!

Whenever I get hooked on a series after the fact, whether it be a TV show, anime or comic, sometimes I just binge.  It has honestly been a test of willpower to not jump over to the ongoing webcomic and read more.  I've held off so far, and for that reason, I could still appreciate all of the fourth volume of Gronk: A Monster's Story.

I thoroughly enjoyed the first few volumes, as did my daughter, and couldn't wait to break into this one.  Every little story is another great addition to the ongoing fun that is Gronk's life as we follow along.  Many an amusing bit about lack of coffee, fun with food and why walking cats is rarely a thing all made me smile and even laugh out loud.

If by now you either haven't read any of Gronk or any of Katie Cook's work, this is just as good as a book as any to start with.  Even in its Sunday funnies simplicity, every mini story is full of life with the artwork.  You come to love every single character and their wonderful designs are naturally a big part of that.

I like that they even threw in the FCBD issue at the end, yet another me and my daughter enjoyed.  The greatest thing about collections like this of a webcomic is you have no worries about missing continuity.  So even if you've never read Gronk, you can quite easily jump into this and love it, and should do so as soon as it's out.

For more on Gronk: A Monster's Story or other Action Lab books, check out Action Lab and follow along at Gronk Comic.

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.

Aliens vs Zombies 1

When a meteor carrying the Zombie virus hits Earth, it triggers the potential end of mankind. The last chance for humanity is a spacecraft full of alien scientists tasked with tracking the interstellar virus; one that has wiped out many other planets and lifeforms. What will happen when humans must team with aliens to survive the apocalypse?

This book starts out pretty routine, on Earth, with a very standard zombie outbreak. There’s talk from an unnamed narrator about the way the zombie virus broke out, and the degradation of media reports. It really could be any zombie story from any source, with little explanation of what to expect, a president trying to save himself, and a rough-looking man fighting zombies off and running.

Then, the aliens get involved.

The aliens are introduced by name, but so far only the captain (and arguably the first mate) has any personality to speak of. The book ends far too early for me. There’s not a lot of real action, story, or explanation, though it’s a good set up. The fact that I felt it ended too early is a good sign, in a sense: it means I wanted to read more of it. I wanted to get some information about the characters presented. I was interested to see how the humans would interact with aliens, especially in the face of a threat they haven’t yet discovered the origins of. I’ll probably pick up the next book out of curiosity.

The art here is pretty decent, really great colors. The character design is a little generic as far as the aliens go, but it could be much worse.

I think for this one, fans of zombie stories will likely be more interested than sci-fi fans will. Though anyone who likes aliens in particular may be interested, it felt like at heart it was more a zombie story than anything else. We’ll have to see what the next book shows us.

You can find out more and purchase this title from Zenescope Comics right over here!

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.

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.

Bloodshot Reborn 1-4

The man once known as the unstoppable killing machine called BLOODSHOT must track down the impostors carrying out mass shootings in his former name. But the hunter becomes the hunted when an upstart FBI investigator and her grizzled partner believe the original Bloodshot himself to be responsible for the murders.

Can Bloodshot elude the agents – and his own inner demons – long enough to take out a nanite-infused gunman?

Writer:
Jeff Lemire
Artist:
Mico Suayan with Jeff Lemire
Publisher:
Valiant Entertainment

Bloodshot Reborn is, like a lot of Valiant series published this year, an odd duck. There's an earnestness from the creative teams when it comes to playing silly concepts completely straight, which means that they live and die on what they provide on top of staple stories straight out of a Storytelling 101 book. In the first four issues, a simple redemptive arc for Bloodshot (a character who has come across in the past as an unaware 90's caricature) gets given some spice by adding one simple twist – we aren't sure if he's been driven insane by his experiences or not.

It's this key plot element that kept me hooked rather than learning about how hard Bloodshot has had it since he became human and decided to hide from his past. The two arguing voices which he personifies, one a bloodthirsty child's mascot moulded on himself and the other the woman he briefly met and who gave him his life back, liven up an otherwise pretty boiler plate opening first two issues.

Even the FBI agent who has the same abilities of Will Graham from Hannibal isn't enough to shake the feeling of a story that is less mystery and more 'Go from point A to point B. Repeat.'

Having said all that, I did enjoy the issue – Bloodshot's alienation and decreasing sanity are gripping and the fight choreography well done – each of the people that Bloodshot has to fight have just enough of an individual arc and personality that they aren't reduced to mere obstacles to destroy and move on.

The central concept at the heart of the comic -is Bloodshot necessary and can our anti hero become him again without sacrificing the very humanity he now loathes but feels protective of? -is played well enough. the slow degradation of his psyche as the nanites take control once more is a little sudden, as he goes from the same person he's been the rest of the comic to someone willing to kill an innocent at the bidding of the voices in his head.

Hopefully this will all make more sense as the series progresses. But I for one could get used to the creepy quality of the series where we aren't sure if we should trust our protagonist at all. The Valiant Now! series seems to be trying to update classic Valiant Characters and give them a twist. Let's hope this change sticks.

Cover image courtesy of Valiant Entertainment.

Bloodshot Reborn is available from Valiant.

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.

The Adventures of Aero-Girl 3

The Fantastic Fantoccini and his army of evil muppets attacks! The motivation behind Dr. Chimera's most sinister plot to change Foxbay forever is revealed. Will Foxbay's newest powered pair be ready to stop him?

The greatest of heroes can come in virtually every shape, size, or even species.  The most interesting of villains can often be the most unexpected appearances as well.  Jumping into issue three of The Adventures of Aero-Girl, we get to see a lot of more what is happening in Foxbay.

Aero-Girl and Jak-Jak continue to bond, in both superhuman feats and communicating better.  Other heroes which are introduced are also still doing their part, against such villains as The Fantastic Fantoccini.  Meanwhile, we learn all about the plot of Dr. Chimera to rid Foxbay of all sickness and disease no matter the cost.  Will the other heroes be enough or will Aero-Girl's mother need to let her be the hero she is?

As we get further into the series, there is continually more of the fantastic artwork in each book.  With the new heroes and even villains we got to see new powers, and with that the great art that brings it to us.  The colors really packed a punch this time and of course, the new designs were a treat to see.

The first two books did their part to hook me, and this one has started to reel me in.  I'm really enjoying the writing, and definitely digging the artwork.  This hero book is doing an excellent job in the expansive genre and would love to stick with it.

For more information on The Adventures of Aero-Girl or other Action Lab titles, check out Action Lab.

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.

The Adventures of Aero-Girl 2

Jacqueline Mackenzie, the daughter of Foxbay's preeminent hero, was coming into her own as a sidekick when her world was shattered. Now, racked with guilt, she must decide between the responsibility of protecting her city and a mother that no longer wants her to be a hero. Thankfully, she won't face this dilemma alone...

As with many heroes, the story of Jacqueline Mackenzie aka Aero Girl was introduced to us with tragedy early on.  With that did come a ray of hope, as unusual as this one is compared to most.  Going into the second issue of The Adventures of Aero-Girl, I was quite curious as to how that would pan out.

After the terrible loss of Aero Girl's mentor and father, Battle Jack, we lead into this issue with his funeral.  Around the same time, the very unexpected new recipient of the "battle spirit" is seen fending off against one of Foxbay's villains.  Which, as a giant gorilla, is truly a strange occurence in of itself.  Aero Girl eventually meets up with the big guy, aka Jak Jak, and form a bond.  Elsewhere of course, the main villain continues his evil scheming, although the reason behind it isn't.

The fun artwork that I was a fan of in book one continues to grow on me in the sequel chapter.  I really like the different style of character design they use, setting it apart from most you see.  The fantastic colors see a lot of use here, and I'm sure they'll only get more abundant as it goes on.

More of the emotional aspects that drew me in were present here, as was the enjoyable story and great artwork.  I think that this is just different enough and definitely fun enough to keep my interest moving forward.  The story is really starting to open up and now is a great time to get in while it's fresh.

For more information on The Adventures of Aero-Girl or other Action Lab titles, check out Action Lab.

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.

Princeless: Raven the Pirate Princess 1

Spinning right out of the pages of Princeless, it's the ongoing adventures of Raven Xingtao, The Pirate Princess.  Raven is ready to set off on a quest for revenge against her brothers who have stolen her inheritance.  This monthly ongoing series picks up right where Princeless Volume 3 left off and has the same creative team with Variant covers by Katie Cook, Mike Hawthorne, and Richard Case, limited to 2,000 copies each!

Right after I finished the mini series where she was introduced, there was already a longing for more Adrienne x Raven time.  While it may not be more of the two of them, Action Lab still came through as they always do.  I'm so glad we get to follow along with Raven in her own series Princeless: Raven the Pirate Princess.

Following Raven's departure from her friends, she finds herself captain of a ship with no crew.  Now trying to make up for that in both headcount and money, she runs into a girl also seemingly struggling.  After Raven's generosity is repaid by thievery, a chase ensues, full of action and even fighting.  Once the dust finally settles, the final pages show an unexpected reunion between Raven and an old friend.

As I've come to expect from Princeless series, I got to enjoy more new artwork.  Every artist that gets to add their flair to this title has done a great job.  This newest spinoff is no exception, with strong lineart and colors across every page.  I was especially a fan of all the cool action sequences and hope to see more.

While having read previous books from Princeless would help, and certainly should be done anyways, it's not necessary.  The timing for coming into Raven's new story is at a good point that you could get away with starting here.  I would more than recommend getting into this new series and of course, say you should read them all.

For more information on the Princeless comics or other Action Lab books, check out Action Lab 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.

Gronk: A Monster's Story Vol 3

The third volume of Katie Cook’s popular webcomic, Gronk: A Monster’s Tale, is here! Full color and jam-packed with funny, follow Gronk and her peculiar clan through another year of misunderstandings, friendship and adorable mayhem.

Not every monster has to be a snarling, terrifying beast that fuels nightmares.  Granted, it's not often that they're adorable, loving misfits from the world of monsters.  Lucky for us, that's exactly the kind we get to spend time with in volume 3 of Gronk: A Monster's Story.

I've been lucky enough to share a good amount of geeky things with my now teenage daughter, who can still appreciate Gronk comics.  What's not to love with this cute little character and her adoptive family with all the hilarity that ensues.  There is never a dull moment, a lesson that doesn't get learned by Gronk or even Dale.  Gronk and her innocence in the human world always provides good material for fun.

With all the action and violence out there in comic world, Gronk is forever family friendly.  It's the kind of art that makes every little adventure worth following along with.  Bright, vibrant, strong illustrations and colors that will likely never disappoint.

These collections have so many things you can relate to and laugh with.  If you've been looking for a good book to share, even if it isn't with your children, this is a winner.  There's bound to be plenty more to collect, so get on it and start your own right away.

For more on Gronk: A Monster's Story or other Action Lab books, check out Action Lab and follow along at Gronk Comic.

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.

This Damned Band 1

1974: the world’s most famous rock band thought they were “worshiping Satan,” only to find they were actually . . . worshiping Satan.

I'd have to say people probably know how crazy of a time the 70s were, especially for rock bands.  If  movies or even just listening to the music can tell us anything, it was a wild time for all involved.  Looking at the debut issue of This Damned Band, we see that level of crazy taken to another level.

For the most part, the first issue of this book is almost like watching a follow the band video.  It offers us an introduction to all the members of Motherfather, the biggest rock band at the time.  They are like any other huge band, with the girls, the money, the drugs.  The one thing they didn't expect though was their worship of the devil to actually be more than a selling gimmick.

There were some really great looking visuals throughout this book.  The artwork in general was quite detailed, and along with the colors, really stood out.  The change in style during their drug induced concert was pretty neat and presumably close to the real thing.

Honestly, the majority of the book didn't pull me in and I actually took a break and came back to it.  That's not to say it was bad, but it wasn't something up my alley.  It could get more interesting after the surprise visitor now, so future issues just might prove worth it.

For more on This Damned Band or other Dark Horse Titles, check out 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.

Morningstar 1

When you think of the Bible, the first image that pops into your mind most likely isn’t a Clint Eastwood-led Western film. I wouldn’t hold it against you -- I can’t exactly imagine a world with Jesus Christ wandering the lands cleansing sinful people with his trusty six-shooters, Forgiveness and Penance.

Actually… wait, can I trademark that? Is that possible?

Anyway, Gerimi Burleigh, writer and illustrator of Morningstar, manages to create a world of pistol- and rifle-wielding Archangels, Daemons bent on devouring all good things, and one Archangel doomed to fall: Lucifer.

Morningstar plans to follow Archangel’s story before his turn into the Devil, a parable that translates in a rather interestingly compelling way, save for some tonal missteps.

In Morningstar 1, we are introduced to the Archangels of Heaven -- guardians, gunslingers, and survivors alike, all want to see their small town of Heaven thrive and prevail against the evil lurking in the surrounding shadows. The shantytown that is Heaven embodies the typical Wild West setting, missing only tumbleweeds rolling along the roads. However, it is a little jarring to see the words “Welcome to Heaven” emblazoned on a wooden sign, though that may just be a result of the subject matter itself.

In fact, hand-in-hand with its novelty, the entire issue has a feeling of a strange tonal dissonance. The first panels open with yet another slightly humorous “Welcome to Heaven” sign moments before we meet the restless evil face-to-face for the the first time in a gruesome and horrible fashion. Morningstar feels like it wants to be both a compelling drama of good and evil and a fun action comic, but hasn’t quite worked out how to rectify the the two environments, and the addition of the Biblical setting only causes me to think that Morningstar will require a bit more finesse in bringing these pieces together in harmony. I don’t want to question why a character -- the main character, no less -- didn’t decide to end the main conflict that plagues them and their town for no other reason than to serve as an excuse to segue into future issues. I want to see Cowboy Lucifer fall in a consistent, fully-realized setting, and this introduction comes close to reaching that.

Still, the concept is neat enough that those who are well-versed in the Bible would get a kick out of seeing familiar names run amok in the hellish desert of Heaven. If you like the idea of mixing up sand with your Psalms, you might have a new comic to dig into.

To learn more about Morningstar, mosey on over to OpticHouse.com where you can purchase the this issue, other issues, and more.

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.

Quantum Conditioning - "Fun Equals Laughs Times Vacation"

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.

Death Head 1

When Niles and Justine Burton go camping to get a break from their stressful lives, they expect to find peace . . . not an abandoned village hiding an ancient evil. In a turn of events ripped straight from a horror movie, a brutal killer wearing a plague doctor’s mask begins hunting Niles, Justine, and their two kids.

I think when it comes to the horror genre specifically, it can really be hit or miss.  You are either going to sit down and experience a piece of garbage and likely a remake, or something that leaves you with nightmares for days.  The feeling I get after reading number one of Death Head is that I'll need a nightlight after later issues.

During a camping trip to get away from the typical day to day, our couple Niles and Justine come across a small village in the woods that isn't even on the map.  Much to Justine's chagrin, Niles wants to explore it and they both end up getting trapped in a room they soon realize is a huge crematorium.  They escape by sheer luck, and the bad guy of the series Death Head sees them get away.  Not for long I can assume?

While the overall feeling of the story is scary, the quality of the artwork is not.  Adding to the frightening plot, strong linework and well chosen colors add to the ongoing sense of dread. During the most tense part of the book was where it really came into play, and gave it just the look it needed.

Although the story features a stereotypical getaway that goes wrong, everything else is not to be frowned upon.  I'm not completely sure of the relevance of a couple side stories that were happening, but I imagine that will be explained.  I am definitely curious to see what happens with Death Head and his prey, and would suggest looking into this new thriller.

For more on Death Head or other Dark Horse Titles, check out 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.

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

Zombie Tramp Vol 3 Issue 13

Dan Mendoza returns for the one year anniversary of the ongoing series in a special issue written and drawn by the Zombie Tramp creator himself. As Janey makes her way to Florida for vengeance, she's offered a chance at forgiveness to one of those that wronged her and set her on her twisted path.

As anxious as I always am to read another issue of one of my favorite titles, this one was especially exciting.  It's crazy to think that it's already been a year since the ongoing series for Zombie Tramp, yet here we are.  What better way to celebrate with issue 13, complete with a wide assortment of covers to collect.

During her journey headed to Florida, Janey happens to run into one of the many people from her past that wronged her.  After being invited to his home, complete with wife who was equally as guilty for terrible deeds, the horror show begins.  It is page after page of revenge, day after day of pain, as Janey returns the favor for all that was done to her.  While it may not change what contributed to her current state of "living", it did offer a bit of closure, and also opened the door for more questions.

Wow.  With all the intense artwork in issues we have seen thus far, this is way up there.  As you'd expect with the anniversary issue, Dan himself provides all the gruesome visuals within.  It was fantastic to see him illustrate this book, and man did he deliver.

If you've never read any Zombie Tramp to this point, this is a hell of an issue to jump into.  It is undoubtedly one of the strongest, both in story, emotion and art.  Be prepared for some one of the issues that pushes the envelope the most.  Even if you don't grab all the variants like I will, just one copy will be worth the price.

For more information on Zombie Tramp or other Danger Zone titles, check out Action Lab/Danger Zone.

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.