Imperium 5+6

Toyo Harada will create Utopia…he just needs the right weapons first!

The most powerful man in the world has collected an assembly of monsters, killers, and super-villains…and now he’s set his sights on the last asset his team needs: the renegade scientist called Broken Angel. The only thing standing in his way — an army of enhanced soldiers…guarding a top-secret, highly fortified facility… deep underwater! The impossible heist begins here!

Writer:
Joshua Dysart
Penciler:
Doug Braithwaite
Colours:Brain Reber
Ulises Arreola
Letterer:
Dave Shart
Publisher:
Valiant Entertainment

After a few issues of slow build up, Imperium kicks into high gear again, whilst still doing enough to make its approach feel fresh. For the most part it's all in the construction. Issue five has us following a thoroughly unlikeable person for the first half, before pulling the curtain back to reveal what we really witnessed, giving a new meaning to the term 'stealth attack'.

To be honest, having read a lot of superhero fiction in my life, I was dreading what was to come when the fight scenes started in issue six. True to their source, there were plenty of cliched fighting scenes as people become pinned down, gunplay becomes rampant and the monsters on Harada's side start ripping apart those they encounter.

Despite that, it's the small little things that get sprinkled in made it worth reading and added some variety to things. For one, the fighting itself is almost made secondary to smaller character bits. It plays into the appeal of the series to me so far – every aspect of Harada's plan is, whilst sound as a whole, made up on components that are tinderboxes, ready to burn the whole down enterprise to embers. The tension generated by this helps play into the aim of the series as a whole – that those who saved the world and created paradise were the worst of the worst.

What surprised me more was that for a moment we see Harada's facade slip, yet the other characters treat this reveal as something they knew already. Knowing the series it will be brought back later- but for something as potentially surprising as that reveal was, it felt odd that not much attention was paid to it.

The artwork itself seemed to suffer a bit compared to the last two issues. Maybe it is fatigue on behalf of the artist, but proportions and the level of detail on characters and objects seemed a little more cartoony that what I've seen from the series so far. It's still good, but not quite as impressive as the work used in issue two for example, which managed to convey extra tones to the characters and story that are purely visual.

Would I say it's worth jumping on at this part of the series? Yes. Issue five, with a cold open that still manages to explain the majority of the relevant plot before unfurling into something else completely, is a good introduction and I'm not sure if you would have missed much bar an extended 'getting the team together' prologue.

If this is your jumping on point, revisit issue two for GraveDog's story and the stellar artwork. Otherwise, it's a brave new world you'll be entering. Like Harda himself, it seems like Imperium will give you a chance, but if you aren't smart enough to take it there's no time to wait for stragglers.

Cover image courtesy of Valiant Entertainment

Imperium 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.

Ivar, Timewalker 6

With the universe on the brink of destruction, Ivar must turn to his closest relatives – Armstrong and Gilad Anni-Padda – to save Neela Sethi from the machinations of the Prometheans! The problem? These three guys couldn’t be further apart. Time doesn’t heal all wounds as the assault on Oblivi-1 begins!

Fred Van Lente (ARCHER & ARMSTRONG) and Francis Portela (Green Lantern Corps) continue this time-shattering comics event!

Writer:
Fred Van Lente
Artist:
Francis Portela
Editor:
Tom Brennan

It's interesting that this past week I've been reviewing two series, both involving time travel. One is Doctor Who (link to 9th doctor review?),whilst the other almost feels like a tribute. So it's interesting to see how both issues, during the second part of their story arcs no less, tackle those issue differently.

Whereas Doctor Who dives right into the weirdness, confident that it's fans will be able to keep up, but still trying to provide an experience that would be enjoyable to anyone, Ivar is a bit more focused on the destination and woe-betide anyone who hasn't done any their homework beforehand.

That's not necessarily a bad thing. Both series have different aims and remits. It's just a general comment that were you to come in fresh to this series, just one issue after the start of a new story arc, you would be lost. With the focus on setting things up for future issues, the humour has taken a backseat losing the key strength of the series.

Now I know that my own preferences come into this as a Doctor Who fan. I'm probably likely to be more forgiving of any media based on the show because of my long history with it. But Ivar captured my attention in the past due to just how far it's willing to go out there with it's concept.

Now it's settled down into a pattern and some of that freewheeling has gone, I'm wondering what is coming in the future for the series or if it's just more of the same. Which for a series based on spontaneity and talking about if the future is predicable, would be a disappointment.

Cover image courtesy of Valiant Entertainment

Ivar, Timewalker 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.

Ninjak 2-4

International financier Colin King hasn’t just come to Tokyo to take the Rippongi club scene by storm. As the covert MI-6 operative codenamed Ninjak, he’s also tracking down the men who trained him to be a lethal weapon…the very same men whose movements have now aligned with the latest terror plot by the cybernetic crime cartel called WEBNET! But how do you detect killers who specialize in the undetectable? And how does he know that the SHADOW SEVEN haven’t caught up with him first? It’s all-out ninja-versus-ninja warfare as the deadliest men and women of five continents converge on the Tokyo underworld for a blood-spattered blowout!

Writer:
Matt Kindt
Artists:
Clay Mann
Butch Guice
Publisher:
Valiant Entertainment

I said in my review of #1 that Ninjak wasn't really my cup of tea, but that I admired what the creators of the comic were doing. Reading three issues back to back didn't do much to change my mind on that, yet there were enough small little creative flourishes that kept me interested to see where the comic was headed.

Like the first issue, the plot was focused mostly around our hero (who seems to have an odd code of not killing people, despite being a Ninja) working his way into the inner circle of an arms dealer called Kannon and and trying to take over the company from the inside. The back up stories focus on origin stories of Ninjak and Kannon, which were far more enjoyable to me, basing themselves in the hazy worlds of espionage.

Those backup stories in particular were great, pulpy fun with an entirely different art style and a far more grounded approach. If the main story of Ninjak is a action film that crosses the excess of Fast and the Furious with kung-fu and everything is so cartoony you can't care about a bit of it, the backups show us nuanced people affected by their actions and who are haunted by them. With artwork that is muted and conveys a tone of sombre reflection and low key moments, I'm very interested to see how they join the two periods together.

I'll single out #4 for some special action because it takes place in between seconds of the end of #3 and #4, as we learn some of the backstory of Roku who is, according to Valiant's advertising, 'the breakout star of the year'*. Cribbing from the ideas expressed in the second stories, it's a slightly bloated and convoluted story that takes what could have been smart subtext and makes them the text instead.

Whilst Roku herself is clearly a complex character, her backstory (which gives her convenient plot amnesia in return for superpowers) does nothing to add to her and that's even when we know nothing about her already! Sorry, I'm trying my best, but I just don't think the main comic is for me. I would happily read a comic that was composed of the backup issues and stories that span out of that. But unless Ninjak really does something spectacular soon, I'll only be tuning in for those backups.

*All of the advertising for this series is pretty misleading – the blurb I grabbed to preface this issue makes no sense to me and I've read the entire series so far!

Cover image courtesy of Valiant Entertainment.

Ninjak is available from Valiant Entertainment.

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.

Imperium 3+4

The greatest villain in the Valiant Universe wages war…to create Utopia!

Toyo Harada is assembling a legion of living weapons. And the last, greatest gambit he needs is deep within the clutches of his most powerful opponents. To secure the human asset critical to his plan, Harada gambles everything he has in an all-out battle to win everything he desires!

Writer:

Joshua Dysart

Penciler:

Doug Braithwaite

Colours:

Brain Reber

Ulises Arreola

Letterer:

Dave Shart

Publisher:

Valiant Entertainment

Four issues into the series and I'm beginning to see a pattern in Joshua Dysart and Doug Braithwaite's globe trotting tale of a villain saving the world...by completely demolishing everything we currently take for granted. With each issue focusing on a different character whilst incrementally advancing the ongoing storyline, it takes the formula of successful properties like Game of Thrones or Heroes and brings it to comic books.

At the same time, I'm also reminded of The Horus Heresy, because though the series' villain, Toyo Harada, is everywhere, setting up events and manipulating characters behind the scenes, rarely do we get to see in to the mind of the man himself, leaving him to be a somewhat mythical character in his own story. This works for the most part and is a smart move too, for seeing the internal thoughts of such a person (who, I'm guessing, is a bigger threat to regular readers of the Valiant Universe) would only manage to disappoint.

Instead, we focus on characters like Sunlight on Snow; the world's only AI, bound to a single body, and the Broken Angel, an inter dimensional being that has taken over the body of a psiot to conduct research in our dimension.

It's to the credit of the whole creative team that the Editor has kept everyone on track, bringing the talents of Braithwaite, Reber and Arreola together to make sure that Dysart's story, no matter where it heads, still feels grounded. Via the use of muted colours, subtle shading and the use of detail on each characters face that emphases their reactions and feelings in every scene, it keeps a emotional through-line that means that were the story stripped of its outlandish elements it would still work as a great character piece.

That's been the real success of this series so far; I'm liking the characters a lot and seeing how they react under stressful conditions is a real joy. As an ongoing superhero series, though I'm not quite feeling the weight of characters actions on the global stage yet, it's early days. From the cliffhanger set up at the end off issue 4, it looks like things are about to kick up another notch.

If they carry on at this rate, it could be one of the better series in the past few years.

Cover image courtesy of Valiant Entertainment

Imperium 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.

Ivar, Timewalker 5

Dr. Neela Sethi, the inventor of time travel has been captured by her evil future-self (because…time travel) and imprisoned at the end of the time! To save her from the threat of her own future self, all hope now lies in the hands of Ivar! But even he can’t save us alone…

What happens when history’s most jaded time traveller puts together the best team he can find to save time itself? A combination of his estranged family, including his immortal brothers, his inter-dimensional enemies and a Bloodshot Nanite with one heck of an attitude problem! And that’s just the start of history’s most unexpected saviours.

Writer:

Fred Van Lente

Artist:

Francis Portela

Editor:

Tom Brennan

The start of a new arc in the ongoing series, #5 of Ivar, Timewalker takes some time to gather itself before going onwards. Though this doesn't necessarily make for a great jumping on point for new readers, it does allow for the series to catch its breath and refresh a story that was threatening to become stale.

The issue divides itself almost perfectly into two mini stories, one focusing on Neela encountering her future and the other on Ivar collecting allies to 'rescue' her. This boils the characters back to their core element; Neela being an inquisitive person, still open to manipulation by those trusts and Ivar being, well, one of those people. Even if he is a charming one.

The story around all of this seeks to reinforce the key statement of Ivar's, that time cannot be changed once certain events are set in motion without serious consequences and that all actions have unintended consequences. We see the results of that in the future, where future Neela's actions have destroyed everything but herself and those she controls in the quest to ensure her creation in the first place.

It's nice to have a new artist on the book and in my opinion, trading Clayton Henry for Francis Portela was a significant boost for the series art wise. Even just the small things like minor background details and textures look better this issue and characters themselves look more vibrant. Ivar himself finally looks like a slick bastard for the first time in the series too. From the slightly arrogant smirk that's always on his face, to the way that his body language seems to shift slightly depending on who he needs to manipulate, it's nice to see his image finally matches the one his actions had been creating in my head!

The only small complaint I would have about the issue is that the Neela part of the issue felt more like an afterthought, included to allow for some heavy exposition dumping rather than further her actual storyline, which spins its wheels completely this issue. It's a minor thing, but even the artwork here feels less sure of itself than later on in the issue when the same time period is included. Perhaps both Van Lente and Portela were getting a feel for that era and those characters, but it's just noticeable that the second half of the issue seems to be tighter script and art wise.

A solid issue overall and a great refresher for the series. Here's hoping, with Portela bringing a fresh take to the creative team of the book, it can go onto new heights.

Cover image courtesy of Valiant Entertainment

Ivar, Timewalker is available from Valiant.

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

Quantum and Woody Must Die! 3+4

R.I.P. Quantum and Woody!

A conspiracy is exposed! Plotters are thwarted! Would-be assassins get thoroughly trounced! Is there anything Quantum and Woody CAN’T do? But as the brothers settle into a steady rhythm, they discover the hard way that their lives will never be the same again. Not least because… UH-OHHHHH, THE GOAAAAAAT!!

Writer:

James Asmus

Penciler:

Steve Lieber

Editor:

Alejandro Arbona

As the series passes over into its second half, I've managed to get a better feel for what it is trying to accomplish. As a self aware buddy comedy, it's quite successful too, though the lingering issues of the first two issues do remain.

From suicide bomber sloth's and blowing up pandas to villains who are unkillable Frenchmen, the series doesn't stray far from dark humour, even if a lot of it is slapstick based. What has made the series a little deeper than just one set of slightly farcical setups after another is the small veins of humanity from our characters. Woody is the scumbag of the lead duo, happy to do anything to make a quick buck but aware he's messing up his brothers life, which at least means you are able to like him. Meanwhile Quantum is naive and sweet, still believing in helping others for the sake of.

It's Quantum who was the person I liked the most (and probably identified with to be honest), as his  attempts to flirt with a fan, who happens to be a member of a security agency that is trying to control the two brothers. Not that that really matters too much. The actual events of the series are pretty irrelevant and pay second fiddle to the duo's blunders as they navigate their way through calamity after calamity.

Which is fine- it's deliberately silly in the same way a Seth Rogan or Judd Apatow film is. Those who are fans of their type of comedy will love Quantum and Woody Must Die! as a series. But as humour is subjective, so I have to admit it doesn't quite work for me personally. I think it's because there aren't any real stakes-I came into the series ambivalent about the characters and left the same. They hadn't really changed at all and there were a lot of story and character beats left finished so they can be picked up in a later series (maybe?).

If I can't really be made to care too much about the characters, should I be obliged to pick up another potential future series to hope that half finished arc's get completed? Perhaps for some it will be enough. Comics are never ending soap opera's after all.

But it's not really enough for me. Which is a shame.

Cover image courtesy of Valiant Entertainment

Quantum and Woody Must Die! is available from Valiant.

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

Ivar, Timewalker 4

Time is almost up!

Ivar has been keeping a secret from his partner-in-time, Neela, this whole time, and once she learns the truth their relationship will be history! Literally! Join New York Times best-selling creators Fred Van Lente & Clayton Henry for the epoch shattering conclusion of our first (time)arc!

Writer:

Fred Van Lente

Penciler:

Clayton Henry

Editor:

Tom Brennan

Ivar, Timewalker doubles down on the events of last issue and becomes a character centric issue – as Neela tries to reverse the events of the past and save someone who matters so much to her.

This far into the series and that it's been more interested in getting us invested in our Companion rather than the Doctor, sorry I mean Ivar, is encouraging, He's barely in it at all, whilst the actions of Neela take up our time, as we get to meet versions of herself at different points of her journey throughout the issue.

The actual events themselves are sort of played for lightweight comedy which undercuts the emotional intent at the end, but it's an enjoyable ride as you get to thinking how the different versions she meets (amusingly, all which are drinking at the same bar at the same time) interact with the scenarios that are presented on the page, or rather, which adventures we miss out on.

After saying all that, the artwork was the low point. The series so far has been average at best on that front, but compensated by throwing engaging and exciting visuals that kept us entertained. However, there were some panels where perspective was completely off, with Neela being taller than the car she was stepping out of, different Neela's being different sizes to one another and her being completely out of proportion to nearby objects. I'm not usually someone who cares about that too much as long as the tale is enjoyable, but the quasi realistic art style the comic is going for meant that those errors really stood out.

All in all, it's a mixed issue, with the story beats not quite landing and the artwork being noticeably poor that even I was momentarily pulled out of my enjoyment of it. It's not the worst comic and I do understand that the pressures of producing a comic on a regular basis can be hectic.

But none-the-less, I do hope that the next issue has more care taken on it. Given what happens on the last page, I can only imagine there will be.

Cover image courtesy of Valiant Entertainment

Ivar, Timewalker is available from Valiant.

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

Dead Drop 1

There is a secret black market in New York. It is hidden in plain sight – in our streets, trains, restaurants. Those who know how to navigate it exchange secrets of extraordinary nature. But when the secret in circulation is a biological weapon derived from Vine technology, the gloves are off – and the most extraordinary agents are released to stop the disaster before it occurs.

The first installment of this ambitious Valiant multi-hero epic kicks off in high gear with X-O Manowar chasing down a courier through the streets of Manhattan.  The thieves have alerted the boys in blue of the NYPD that X-O is an alien imposter.  Ever the heavy handed Visigoth, Aric chooses violence over diplomacy and “disarms” the officers with X-O.  Needless to say, this comes back to bite him later, in the issue.

Aric is being guided by the mysterious, and oft-times nefarious, Neville Alcott, who reveals through a series of background panels, that this terrorist is in possession of a virus of alien origin, that could easily wipe out all life on the planet.  X-O comes very close a number of times in the course of the issue to recovering the virus, but is thwarted again and again, by the ingenuity of the thief.  X-O manowar disagrees with Neville’s insistence that any amount of collateral damage is acceptable, and chooses to save a woman and her child, allowing the terrorist to eventually escape.  At the close of issue one, Nevillle orders Aric to back down due to the fact that he is most likely infected.

The first issue includes a tense narrative that balances Aric’s chase very well, lending the book a taut, page turning pace that will keep Valiant fans happy.  One issue I had with the first installment, is that the art seemed a little more suited the gritty New York back drop, than more garish characters like X-O manowar.  The other characters came off very well drawn, whereas Aric’s suit looked at best, half-finished.   Despite this fact, the first issue is a good read and highly recommended to long time Valiant fans.  Successive issues will also feature Beta Max, Archer and Detective Cejudo.  Don’t miss this thrill ride from Valiant.

For more information regarding Dead Drop or other great titles from Valiant, please visit their site:  Valiant Entertainment.

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 Valiant

The Eternal Warrior has protected the Earth for more than 10,000 years. Master of countless weapons and long forgotten martial arts, he is guided by the Geomancers – those who speak for the Earth. During his long watch, the Eternal Warrior has failed three times.

Each time, the Geomancer was killed…and a new dark age for humanity began. Each time, he was unable to stop The Immortal Enemy. A horror that appears differently each time it arrives…and whose seemingly only purpose is to bring disorder and darkness to the world. Now, the time has come for The Immortal Enemy to return once more.

Writer:

Jeff Lemire

Matt Kindt

Penciler:

Paolo Rivera

Publisher:

Valiant Entertainment

Part of Valiant's new attempt to rejig it's universe, The Valiant miniseries is, I suppose, the first big team event, even if it's world trotting events feel small in scale, giving it a distinctly 'street level' narrative. Whatsmore, it's a series that is all about setting up the studio's character Bloodshot, just in time for his new series.

Really, that's what the entire mini series is about. Though he starts off as a periphery character, the end of it comes down to our new Geomancer, (seemingly introduced just in this mini series) Bloodshot and The Immortal Enemy, a rather interesting foe visually,  given that he takes on the appearance of your biggest fear. Add to that a face that splits open in the middle to reveal a fleshy horror beneath and you can see why the writers were happy to include him in as many scenes as they could.

Otherwise, it's a very good series. Coming to this as an outsider for once, the claims of it being 'great for beginners' only ring half true, with many of the characters interactions and situations occurring as if you've been reading regular issues for a while. It was easy enough to pick up and run with it given my familiarity with superhero comics in general, but I do wonder if someone fresh to it all would quite have the same experience.

The only thing that rankled a little bit (and this comes with a BIG SPOILER WARNING) was the death of Kay McHenry, the geomancer. On it's own it was a bit odd, given that she's the point of view character for the series and serves as our 'in' to Valiant universe. But to be replaced by a mute female character from the future in the last 10 pages of the series, who literally has no backstory, no dialogue and no characterisation at all really felt wrong and angered me a little.

That very poor event ruined what was otherwise a very enjoyable comic. The dialogue and scenes between Bloodshot and Kay in particular were a treat, with Bloodshot's ultimate straight man role to all the crazy events providing a great foil for comedy. If you want a good primer to Bloodshot before his new series kicks off soon, or enjoy small character moments within a larger drama this will be for you.

Cover image courtesy of Valiant Entertainment.

The Valiant mini series is available from Valiant Entertainment.

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

Ivar, Timewalker 3

Ivar, the man called Timewalker, has been through ancient battlefields, political assassinations, the beginning of time, the invention of time travel, the great wars, and the distant future. (And that was only in the first two issues!) Now, he faces his greatest threat yet…himself! What secret does THE TIMEWALKER hold that will unlock his interest in Neela and flip our very definition of time travel on its head?

Can a man resigned to forever walk through time truly make up for the mistakes of his past? And just who is the mysterious sociopathic leader of Oblivi-1, and why does she have such an interest in Ivar and Neela’s time traveling team-up?

Writer:

Fred Van Lente

Artist:

Clayton Henry

Publisher:

Valiant

First up, a little warning; this review will contain spoilers.

Continuing on from the shock ending of last issue, Neela finds herself face to face with Ivar. Or so she thinks anyway, as the opening few pages reveal the scarred lookalike is anything but. From then onwards, it's the usual; explosions, Hitler, meme-based humans from the 41^st century and time travel. You know, that yawn inducing stuff.

I kid. The best aspects of Ivar, Timewalker are just how much variety is thrown into each issue, as Neela and Ivar stumble from problem to problem. This time, the story takes more time to focus on our companion, due to Ivar being mostly incapacitated. We find out just what she'll do when backed into a corner and when the chips are down. It turns out, pretty much anything, even if she later realises just what Ivar manipulated her into doing.

The B arc from the first issue that saw a future Neela trying to ensure her own existence comes to the fore here, as her promethium robots finally catch up with the duo and set Neela on the course to become her future self. It was nice to see that the writers have decided to deal with this dangling plot thread quickly rather than dragging it out for a few more issues. Though it could have been tempting to do such a thing, by dealing with it now it indicates that Van Lente may be attempting to subvert out expectations, especially as it was telegraphed so early on in issue one.

The artwork itself is probably the weakest aspect of this issue. Like past issues, it's something that is overall rather average, but the variety of scenarios and unique characters thrown into the mix mean I don't mind that as much, with the colouring keeping the various scenes popping, even if the linework is a little sloppy.

All in all, it's a solid continuation of past issues. Those who have enjoyed the series so far will want to keep reading, but I can't see this being the issue to jump on board for new readers. Start with issue one and enjoy a story that may bear just a passing familiarity to a certain Doctor, delivered with a smile and a knowing wink.

Cover image courtesy of Valiant.

You can buy Ivan, Timewalker from Comixology or your local comic book retailer.

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

Ninjak 1

For the first time, Ninjak’s past and future collide in the pages of an all-new ongoing series from New York Times best-selling writer Matt Kindt (RAI, Mind MGMT) and superstar artists Clay Mann (X-Men: Legacy, Gambit) and Butch Guice (Captain America, Action Comics)! Colin King is Ninjak, the world’s foremost intelligence operative, weapons expert, and master assassin. And he’s hunting the Shadow Seven – a secret cabal of shinobi masters with mysterious ties to his training and tragic past.

Writer:

Matt Kindt

Artists:

Clay Mann

Butch Guice

Publisher:

Valiant Entertainment

Flipping through the first few pages I suddenly thought I had picked up a 90's comic by mistake. Ninja's – check. Gratuitous Tn'A – check. People wearing bulky 'realistic' armour fighting in a semi John Woo style – check and check!

Still, despite all of that stuff that's not really to my taste, it's admirable it had a lot more things to recommend it. Setting Ninjak (which I think is meant to be read as 'Ninja-K', but nobody used the guy's code name as far I can remember so I'm not sure) as a british spy that does tasks for MI6 on a freelance basis is a very interesting choice, along with the various flashbacks to the past, that take us through some of the steps he took to become the man he is in the present. I do hope they expand on the English aspect though, because at the moment, were he not hanging out in a Tudor Castle I wouldn't have known he was English in the slightest.

For an issue that is mean to act as a jumping on point for new readers and a soft reboot for the character, it packs a lot of plot in without ever really explaining much. That's quite nice in a way because it contrasts many comics that would be tempted to do an info dump when introducing new characters, instead hooking us in with a mystery and letting the reader fill in the blanks.

I mentioned the 90's feeling I got when reading the first few pages and the artwork reinforces that a lot, if more in the way it lays out its panels and their various 'shots', as well as the inking style. It may be harder to judge exactly what that is, now that companies like DC are leaning heavily on Jim Lee as an influence for it's house style, but if you took the average panel of an 'x-treme' 90's comic and updated it to account for modern techniques, you couldn't be able to notice any real difference.

It does seem like I'm ragging on the comic for a rather small thing and to be fair, it's a valid point. But having been lucky enough to read some other lines Valiant have been launching (such as Ivar Timewalker and Imperium), that take some of the 90's atheistic but updates them in contemporary ways, it's a little disappointing.

I'm sure there's a market for it and I don't begrudge those who do (even if I do judge them on their spelling, to read a few comments on forums). After all, the comics industry is making steps to become more diverse and part of that is still catering to traditional comics fans. But it's not really my cup of tea.

Cover image courtesy of Valiant Entertainment.

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.

Imperium 2

The battle for utopia continues! The second shocking chapter from New York Times best-selling writer Joshua Dysart (Harbinger) and superstar artist Doug Braithwaite (Armor Hunters)!

A psychic dictator, an inhuman robot, a mad scientist, a murderous alien and a super-powered terrorist are about to try and take over the world…and you’re going to be rooting for them every step of the way. THIS IS IMPERIUM.

Writer:

Joshua Dysart

Penciler:

Doug Braithwaite

Publisher:

Valiant Entertainment

I was cautiously optimistic about last issue. I was really intrigued by the premise, but wondered how it would fulfil it. I shouldn't have worried – if future issues stay at this level of quality, we could have the best comic of the year.

Issue two gives us the point of view of the rest of the world reacting to the events of #1, where Toyo Harada set himself and his psychically empowered followers on the path of changing the world to paradise, no matter the cost on the way to it. To put it mildly, the rest of the world is terrified, especially when two young children who have been psionically activated turn up at the United Nations to put forth Harada’s ultimatum – cede to their attempts to make the world a better place, or face the consequences.

Into this is thrown perhaps one of the most compelling characters I’ve read in comics in a while, Gravedog. Head of the military unit H.A.R.D. Corps, themselves a superpowered team who have been gifted their powers in return for an explosive in their head should they go rogue, he’s complex and nuanced, Dysart keeping you guessing as to just what his motives are. I’ll admit that as a new reader to the Valiant universe I didn’t get all of the references, nor quite how they would impact the world, but it’s to Dysart’s credit that each action and reaction felt like they had weight to them. Doubtless for fans there are lots of little nods to people from other comics.

The colouring has come on in leaps and bounds this issue, even if there are a few missteps along the way. Some of the characters feel a little flat on the page, whilst others simply burst with life (given the content of the latter half of the comic, that’s description is literal), conveying the full weight of their actions and feelings. It’s a real step up on last issue too, with the action scenes blending far better with those meant to develop the characters that the prior somewhat clunky attempts.

As things stand at the end of the issue, I was left with a feeling I got when I read the first issues of Mark Weids’ Superior, that I’m reading a series that will only get better with time. The moral ambiguity of each character’s actions and that they seem to be allegorical to a few real world events at the moment works wonders.

In short, this series looks like it will only grow and grow. I can’t wait to read what comes next.

Cover image courtesy of Valiant Entertainment

Imperium #2 can be purchased from Comixology or your local comics retailer.

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 and Woody Must Die! 2

They came. They saw. They pissed off a whole lotta folks. And now a team of mystery vigilantes has singled out the world’s worst superhero team for complete and utter destruction. Their first target: their minds! But who are these all-new enemies? Are Quantum and Woody hitting it off with a sexy duo of cat burglars? And, dear god, what have they done to the goat? Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? Sex Criminals isn’t the only comic that can quote Queen, comics fans – here come Quantum and Woody! (Or so they think! [Trippy, right?!])

Writer:

James Asmus

Penciler:

Steve Lieber

Cover Artist:

Mike Hawthorne

Johnnie Christmas

Chip Zdarsky

Editor:

Alejandro Arbona

Publisher:

Valiant

A screwball comedy? A story about revenge gone awry? Two idiots getting the justice they deserve? I must admit, going into this I wasn’t sure what it was, having not read #1. However, it soon became apparent that it was a mixture of all three. Valiant are on a good run of recent, producing series with less than conventional heroes, thrust into situations that prove to be the making of them.

Q+W is one such series, which follows two brothers who are superheroes, whose career seems to have been a mixture of cashing in on their fame and causing harm to people and property to the tune of a small countries’ annual GDP. So naturally, when a small band citizens of their town decide to get their revenge, it isn’t going to be pretty…

Yet, come issue 2, it seems that it’s backfired, turning a duo once hated by everyone into unlikely comeback kids. It’s a great idea – especially as the duo are complete opposites. Woody is a fame courting, money hungry idiot who despises the idea of a secret identity, whilst Quantum still dons a mask and tries to help out others because it’s the right thing to do in his eyes.

As for the comedy itself, well, it’s hit and miss. The comic’s rather broad sense of humour never made me laugh out loud, but neither did it leave me cold, eliciting smiles and the odd grin all the time I was reading it. What helped I think was having the characters be more than just one dimensional jokes – Quantum isn’t exactly clueless, but he’s far more noble than Woody and new to the idea of fame. Woody on the other hand is a bit of a swine, but even he doesn’t want his brother to experience the extreme ups and downs of fame and become like he is, desperate the recapture it.

It may be me, but it also has a higher standard of art than I’m used to from Valiant, Steve Lieber’s pencils bringing out the detail and letting a lot of the comic timing work properly thanks to his exaggerated movement lines.

This being the first time I’ve encountered the duo, I’m still wondering if this is all it is, or if there is an unexpected level of depth that will appear and endear me to it. Even if it is, the mixture of laughs and first rate art means that ‘for all it is’, that’s not really a bad thing.

Cover image courtesy of Valiant Entertainment

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

Ivar, Timewalker 2

Prehistoric empires! Dystopian futures! And everywhere in between! The past, present, and future of our universe are about to meet an untimely end, and only the mysterious Ivar Anni-Padda can prevent all three from collapsing in on themselves. Unstuck in time, and pursued by enemies simultaneously across every moment of his time-lost life, can the man called Timewalker save everything that ever was, is, and will be?

Get ready for a clock-stopping odyssey into the distant past and far future as the most unlikely Valiant hero of all leaps into his first history-ripping adventure!

Writer:

Fred Van Lente

Artist:

Clayton Henry

Publisher:

Valiant

It's one thing to rip off Doctor Who – but to do it so well and entertainingly? Well, that's an almost herculean task. None the less, Ivar, Timewalker does just that, even if it does lampshade it a little with this issue, which may as well be called (and the characters themselves say at one point) 'Let's not kill Hitler!', a reference to a Doctor Who episode from a year or so back.

This playfulness is the comic's strength. Whilst the somewhat 'bro' humour isn't quite clicking with me, the mischievousness of it all is. As is it's inventiveness. Where else would you be likely to find a comment on internet culture and the harm of sites 4chan, whilst having characters leaping through the different sections of Hitler's life, deciding if he should die or not?

Add in the several fascinating twists on the logic of time, that I'm assuming will be explained in later issues, and you have a very interesting story on your hands. The art is serviceable this issue – it sounds harsh to say, but it's all I can really say. However, composition is bloody brilliant – with Henry's layouts and direction guiding your eye to exactly where it needs to find all the various visual gags and story beats.

It may be lacking a little in the momentum of the last issue, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Issue 2 builds on a solid base and cements it, creating a good foundation for further issues to expand upon. This is two for two of the issues I've reviewed this week that do just that, so it seems both readers and creators are having a good run. Long may it continue!

In short, issue 2 of Ivar, Timwalker is fulfilling the potential it showed in it's debut. The art could stand to be a little better, but considering the tight schedules on it all as well as the fact that it's a two person team doing it all, and you have to realise it's rather impressive.

Count this series as one to watch and grab the first two issues today.

Cover image courtesy of Valiant.

You can buy Ivar, Timewalker from Comixology or your local comic book retailer.

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

Divinity 1

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Imperium 1

Toyo Harada is the most dangerous human being on the planet. Imbued with incredible powers of the mind, he has spent his life guiding humanity from the shadows. But today he is a wanted man. His powers are public knowledge, his allies have turned to enemies, and he is hunted by every government on the planet.

Instead of surrendering, Harada has one last unthinkable gambit to play: to achieve more, faster, and with less, he will build a coalition of the powerful, the unscrupulous and the insane. No longer content to demand a better future, he will recruit a violent legion from the darkest corners of the Earth to fight for it. The battle for utopia begins now.

Writer:

Joshua Dysart

Artist:

Doug Braithwaite

Publisher:

Valiant Comics

Imperium brings us an interesting moral quandary – what would you be willing to do if you wanted to bring about a utopia on Earth and what paths, no matter how morally wrong, would you take to achieve it? Imperium does that and then goes one better, by opening 112 years in the future and showing us the paradise those actions have created. It's a blinder – so many zealots do things saying the ends justify the means - but what if we find out that, in this instance, they really have?

The issue itself flashes through time, to the future (the present of the comic) with our lead character Darpan-Sama, both looking forward in time, and looking back. In both cases, he's bringing us his take on the being who changed it all, Toyo Harada.

Having read some of  Joshua Dysart's work before, you can see he's always more interested in how people interact and social dynamics, than how hard or spectacularly people punch one another in the face. I would say this issue plays to his strengths – as the slightly complex setup lends itself to being slowly lead through and getting used to the world he has created. When things start blowing up in the last ten pages (as we cover Harada's first steps towards creating the world of the future) it feels rushed and not that well done.

Perhaps that's the point – the fighting itself is described as a formality and a way of announcing their presence on a world that knows very little about them. Still, I would have liked the action scenes to have felt like they belonged; they're the odd duck of the comic. Nothing really feels at stake throughout the fighting and the micro scale of the conflict felt at odds with a tone that was establishing something so global in presence. If we're meant to believe Harada was out to change the world, why choose a random skirmish between a few squads of men in Eastern Europe?

Still, that minor gripe aside, it was a very good first issue. I'm intrigued by the premise and want to see where it will lead.

Cover image courtesy of Valiant Comics

Imperium #1 can be purchased from Comixology or your local comics retailer.

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.

Top 100 Comics of 2014 - #65-61

Ivar, Timewalker 1

Prehistoric empires! Dystopian futures! And everywhere in between! The past, present, and future of our universe are about to meet an untimely end, and only the mysterious Ivar Anni-Padda can prevent all three from collapsing in on themselves. Unstuck in time, and pursued by enemies simultaneously across every moment of his time-lost life, can the man called Timewalker save everything that ever was, is, and will be?

Get ready for a clock-stopping odyssey into the distant past and far future as the most unlikely Valiant hero of all leaps into his first history-ripping adventure!

Writer:

Fred Van Lente

Artist:

Clayton Henry

Publisher:

Valiant

I've a lot of patience for people who try crazy ideas. If the concept of a person who travels through time constantly via one way portals with a physicist who one day will create time travel isn't crazy, I don't know what is. How about we add to the mix that our time traveller may as well call himself Paul McGann and start trying out for the 8^th Doctor roles? Or that our physicist seems to have the vocabulary of a fratboy, regularly calling everyone she meets bro?.

It's an odd start to a series for sure, especially as for myself (and I assume this will be the case for many of the readers of the series), this will be the character's debut, instead of whatever introduction he's had in other Valiant series.

So yeah, what did I think? I think it's a series with a lot of promise. Issue one throws a lot of balls into the air for writer Fred Van Lente to juggle and he handles them well. From doling out it's 'rules' on time travel, to setting up our characters so they are interesting enough and have to overcome enough challenges to make it worth following them through the entire series, he manages to throw it all in without it feeling forced, even if the odd speech patterns of all the character's did confuse me. Perhaps it's an American thing, in that their scientists ask you to 'get off their jockstrap'. I don't think I'll bother finding that one out.

Still, it's certainly an enjoyable enough romp through a few time periods, even if it's probably not one that will hold up to long term introspection. If you're waiting for the new series of Doctor Who to start and want something that has the essence of that, whilst having a recognisable American tinge, check it out. Those who don't know their Doctor Who from their Doctor Phil, well do you like tricksters and time travel japery? If you do, pick this up!

Cover image courtesy of Valiant.

You can buy Ivar, Timewalker from Comixology or your local comic book retailer.

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