Fatale #1 Review

Ed Brubaker’s Fatale combines 1950’s noir with the horror approach of H.P. Lovecraft to bring us a crime story. We begin at renowned author Dominic Raines’ funeral, coordinated by his godson, Nicolas Lash. As Lash leaves the gravesite, he bumps into an eye-catching woman named Jo, who reveals a connection to his family.

Later on, catastrophe enters Nicolas’ life going eighty miles an hour as car chases, explosions, attempted murder, a killer airplane, and lost body parts set the stage for a trip to the past that begins to unravel a mystery.

If you are looking for something besides the superhero thing, look no further because this is it! This is not a story you can simply skim through as you really need to read every word balloon and examine every panel to truly take everything in and enjoy. To drive the point home on how good of a tale this is, my wife is an avid book reader who never picks up a comic book.

She read this one and can not stop talking about it and feels February is too long to wait for part two to be released. I completely agree, and so will you if you pick it up.

Grade: A-

Star Wars: Agent of the Empire – Iron Eclipse #1 Review

Star Wars: Agent of the Empire – Iron Eclipse #1 | Writer: John Ostrander | Art: Julien Hugonnard-Bert & Stephanie Roux
Colors: Wes Dzioba | Publisher: Dark Horse Comics | Price: $3.50

One thing that is awesome about the Star Wars comic books is the ability to enjoy new adventures in the expanded universe. Most of them have the same theme of Jedi vs. Sith and Empire vs. Rebellion. Agent of the Empire is something I haven’t seem come down the pipe in a while. Worry not for those who fear change, you will absolutely scream “Now that was a Star Wars book!”
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WCW S.L.A.M. FORCE #1 Review

I can’t believe I forgot about this gem produced by World Championship Wrestling and released by Marvel Comics. S.L.A.M. Force (Secret Legion Against Monsters) was a group put together as a covert group to battle supernatural forces of evil. The members of this elite fighting forces is an interesting selection, to say the least.

Their first mission takes them to Antarctica where our warriors of the squared circle have to stop some bad guys from uncovering the missing link and using its powers for world domination. These comic books came with each purchase of a Slam Force action figure. The story is cheesy but it’s “Great Expectations” compared to the Ultimate Warrior’s comic book. Now, let’s meet our heroes.

sf_benoitcomic — Chirs Benoit: Kind of has a Wolverine thing going on. Makes sense since it was his nickname

sf_nashcomic — Kevin Nash: Has a rock & roll Thor type of character. The giant hammer is appropriate since he is in a Sledge Hammer match this Sunday and it can be used in burying people which he is an expert at

sf_gbergcomic — Bill Goldberg: “Hulk Smash” first & asks questions later. Makes an error or two for a poor lack of judgement in the book

sf_hartcomic — Bret Hart: Marvel gave him the Hawkeye treatment. No powers. Expert with an bow & arrow. Makes sense since his name is the “Hitman”. I just don’t know how we can expect him to fight the forces of evil with the guy who ended his career in Goldberg

If you would like to read the book in its entirety then click here

sf_stingcomic — Sting: They and made him Morbius. He is the leader of this pitiful little band.

HEART #2 Review

Oren “Rooster” Redmond has tasted the fight life, and he never wants to go back to the 9-5 grind ever again. The second installment of this mixed martial arts tale chronicles Redmond’s journey from amateur to professional fighter. We meet the entire cast of characters at the gym where he works out, and they all have their own little story.

The life of a professional MMA fighter is brutal as the training is some of the hardest in all sports. It’s something you need to be 100% committed to to be successful. Redmond doesn’t want to be another weekend warrior or some guy who likes wearing skin-tight Tap Out shirts. He wants to be a world champion, and he is going to enjoy the ride. We discover how Oren got the nickname “Rooster,” and we see him in his first professional bout.

If you watch G4, you know Blair Butler is a huge fight fan. Speaking as someone who has dabbled with MMA training, Butler’s approach is pretty authentic, and her insight shows in her writing. It was a smart move to only make this series a limited run. That’s not a knock at all. The story can become redundant since it lacks a little of that comic element that fans long for. Anyone who is a fan of MMA or looking for something different on Wednesdays will not be disappointed.

Wolverine #19 Review

I almost can’t put into words how good this issue was and how much I enjoyed reading it. I’m not going to say too much because you should just take my word for it and buy this book.

It was just one big adventure that has everything a comic book fan loves. Wolverine, Fat Cobra, and Gorilla-Man are hiding inside the stomach of three dragons, using them as a disguise to break into Jade Claw’s secret hideout.

If that doesn’t hook you, then I don’t know what will. The art and colors are wonderful, and one of the panels on the last page is a bar scene where one of the dragons poke their head in the window and takes a sip of Fat Cobra’s 24-ounce beer mug.

The conclusion shows an unknown group of people looking at various targets, and they get the word they have to take out our adamantium-clawed Canadian. These last few pages really put over how much of a badass Wolverine is. I’m done typing, please; just buy it right away. It is the must-read Wolverine book of the year!

Animal Man #1 Review

I finally read Animal Man #1. I often find Vertigo titles hard to read, so I held off on it. The book has generated a lot of hype, and many are calling it the best of The New DC 52.

The book starts with Buddy’s newspaper interview with “The Believer.” The piece highlights his life as a superhero, stuntman, and family man. It’s a text-heavy page, so it might be a turnoff. It’s not a critical read, but it might give you more appreciation or understanding of the character.

We then see Buddy at home preparing dinner with his wife, Ellen. His daughter, Maxine, wants a puppy, but Buddy says no because being so close to one animal for a long time might interfere with his powers.

He hates that he has to disappoint her, but he would rather err on the side of caution. Ellen wants to know if he will get paid for a movie project he is involved in. Cliff, his son, runs downstairs to tell Buddy about a man with a gun holding people hostage inside a hospital, and Buddy decides it’s time for Animal Man to swing back into action.

I would not want to see Travel Forman’s artwork in a Superman comic book, but it is perfect for this type of story. Jeff Lemire’s script is very well written, and he knows how to convey a character’s depth to the reader.

Bottom line, it’s good but just not my cup of tea. I need a little more action and adventure in my comics. I recommend Animal Man to anyone who is a fan of good writing and is looking for something different.