Return, Recommended, Reviews

As a fan of comics and as someone that has written about them often, my opinion was frequently requested by friends and fellow readers regarding the “NuDC”, the “new” 52 titles released by DC Comics roughly a year ago. Since I was less than pleased with the plan and the writing on the bridging series called Flashpoint, I chose a wait-and-see attitude towards whatever was being released after the big “event”. I picked up one title – Batwoman – and dropped everything else remotely associated with the DCU. To be honest, nothing was appealing and very little even seemed visually entertaining.

With a good portion of my comic reading habit gone, I chose to delve deeper into the independent titles. Some that know me would find that amusing, since I tend to delve deep into them regardless. Still, I discovered quite a few good indies that would not suffer from a bit of focus.

It was only recently that Dynamite Entertainment started publishing a series based on the old pulp character The Shadow. Written by Garth Ennis, it made me curious to see what the modern writer could do with it. Bluntly stated, I am not disappointed. Brutal and beautiful, set in a period that truly suits the pulpy feel of the Shadow and his associates, this title screams “buy me!” to readers new and old. Highly recommended to fans of the Shadow, pulps, period settings (in particular, the years shortly before U.S. involvement in WWII) and vigilantes that don’t hold back on punishment. ( www.dynamite.net )

Dan the Unharmable, from Avatar Press, was a complete surprise to me. The premise was amusing enough to give it a go and I wasn’t disappointed. Dan is just a layabout, a do-nothing with an interest in sex, booze, music and the occasional illicit substance. He’s also completely invulnerable to harm. At times, he assists people in need, sometimes even succeeding, if he remembers that he’s got a job. It’s a fun title, just not for the kiddies. It’s bloody, it’s ugly, full of sex, drugs and dismemberment. In fact, it’s a series a good portion of my friends would dig. So here I am, telling you, if you’re my friend and not sensitive to these sorts of things, you need to read it. David Lapham, a well known and respected writer, puts a lot of fun into the book, pushing all the boundaries that haven’t been pushed. Good fun! ( www.avatarpress.com )

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Love and Capes: What to Expect is the current series continuing the story of Mark and Abby, a now-married couple in a superhero populated world. Mark is the Crusader, a superpowered costumed hero who plies his trade after working a normal shift as an accountant. Abby, his non-superpowered wife, owns a bookstore. Sounds uninteresting? Fie on you, allow me to educate. This is the third series following these two characters and their friends and allies. Rarely are there your standard costumes bashing into each other, instead you are treated to all the in between tales. In a sense, what a relationship might be like with a pair of decent people, only with one who just has superpowers. It’s always witty, always refreshing and something that can be enjoyed by all types of readers, male and female. Thom Zahler continually gets it right and should be recognized more for his attempt. Now released by IDW Publishing, I believe all earlier series are collected through them as well. ( www.idwpublishing.com )

Dark Horse Presents has a long and respected history in the comic book publishing world. The previous volume ran well over a hundred issues, an accomplishment for an anthology comic series. The current series is an accomplishment of a further degree, as the market is not the strongest and the price point of the book isn’t small. Price aside, it’s definitely one of the best collections of varying material I’ve had the pleasure of reading since, in my opinion, the grandest days of Heavy Metal. From Neal Adams to Andrew Vachss, Mike Baron, Steve Rude, Carla Speed McNeil and the amazing Geof Darrow, this title has it all for the reader with diverse taste. Want old-school science fiction/fantasy? It’s there. Want comedy? It’s there. Want weird tales? They’re in there. I’ve come to find that DHP has worked its way to the top of my read pile every month it arrives. Do yourself a favor, check it out, those Dark Horse folk know what they’re doing over there.

Additionally from Dark Horse are the Hellboy and Hellboy derivative titles, the B.P.R.D, Lobster Johnson and such. These fulfill the horror adventure tales, some with a pulp feel, some with a heavy Cthulu weight to them. Always fun to read and definitely a detailed and wonderful world to explore. The best of them, for me, have been the Witchfinder series, focusing on the character of Sir Edward Grey. The last had him in an American setting, drawn by the incomparable John Severin. Not to be missed!  ( www.darkhorse.com )

In the vein of Hellboy, I’ve found, are the Atomic Robo series of tales from Red 5 Comics. Robo is the master creation of Nikolai Tesla. Being a robot, Robo is long lived and also has stories of his early days, his time in WWII and right up to today. Invariably funny and smart, the concurrent series just keep getting better. I always recommend Atomic Robo to readers of science and science fiction, as well as adventures similar to those of Doc Savage. ( www.red5comics.com )

Freedom, a Xeric Grant winner, comes to you from Seamus Heffernan. While only one volume has yet been released, I have not been able to make note enough of the strengths of this comic. Its lone downfall is the size, more in the line of a magazine than standard comic fare but that doesn’t deter a true reader and it shouldn’t you. Freedom is set in a pre-Revolutionary America and plays a bit with mythologies and beliefs so don’t expect a perfect historical adventure. That in mind, what you do get is a beautifully rendered, well researched story with a backdrop rarely used in the tights-and-cape focus we have now. The real shame is that the story is so good and the characters so easy to get behind you want the next volume ASAP. Patience is a virtue unbeknownst of late and I think this fantastic book is going to be overlooked by many. Don’t be the many.  ( http://seaheff.com/wordpress/ )

Arsenic Lullaby. I can’t explain this book, this series, this anomaly. You have to experience it for yourself. www.arseniclullaby.com is your ticket to ride. It’s a wild one.

Commentary on film tomorrow.