Review: The Massive #16

I think this is the start of a wonderful new trio from Brian Wood and Garry Brown.  The Kapital‘s crew is faced with a very different kind of dilemma.  The Massive keeps hitting new, fascinating stories and I am so ready for another ride.

The Kapital and the Ninth Wave initiative were originally founded to fight against whaling.  After the crash, they became a general environmental protection group.  In issues 16-18, they find themselves against whalers for the first time in the series, but the whalers aren’t quite the force they originally set out to stop.

One of the things I love about this series, is that Wood keeps coming with fresh ideas of struggles for the crew of the Kapital.  They face wild animals, mutiny, the remnants of national navvies, storms, and more.  The idea that they are searching for the lost ship, the Massive, or that they are an environmental organization are not the only problems they must deal with.  It keeps things very interesting, and every time a trio of issues ends, I begin to wonder where he’ll take us next.

I’ve commented before on how much I love the art that Garry Brown does for this series and how happy I am that he seems to more or less be the official artist these days and I’m still thrilled with his art in this issue.  I do want to add a quick tip of my hat for J. P. Leon, who did the cover art.  It’s fantastic; the blood hanging down from the ship like a tapestry, a beautiful sunset, the harpoons in the water.

Not going to be much of a surprise, but I continue to support this comic series and this duo.  The Massive #16 is $3.50 and like other issues from this series slightly longer than other comics at 32 pages.  Not  a bad place to enter the series if you’re new to it actually.

Matthew Bryant, a.k.a. Baker Street Holmes, is a writer and the lead editor for the Red Shirt Crew.  He is really hoping that Wood eventually gives him the epic sea battle that he’s craving, and maybe another tantalizing tidbit as to what happened to the Massive.  You can follow him on Twitter at @BStreetHolmes or e-mail him at HMCrazySS@gmail.com.

Review: S.H.O.O.T. First #1

Psychics.  I’ve been reading a lot about psychic this week.  Well, I guess S.H.O.O.T. First isn’t quite psychics, not as we’re used to at least, but it’s basically psychics.  This is one of those good news, bad news comics, unfortunately.

The big divide on this comic is that it is a very interesting idea with poor writing.  Let me give you the short version of the setting: S.H.O.O.T. (Secular Humanist Occult Obliteration Taskforce) is a secret group that fights off mythical and religious threats in our world.  It has potential, don’t you agree?

But the devil’s in the details, as they say, and that’s where this whole thing gets hinky, then falls apart.  You see, the mythical creatures are actually extra dimensional creatures of pure psychic energy that live off faith and only look like creatures from our myths and have their purported abilities because the form of our belief affects their shape.  Take a second, cause we’re not done.  As science advances, there are fewer things one must have faith in, fewer things one cannot know for sure, and their power wanes. They also can’t reveal themselves to the world, or they would become fact, and loose power.  Soooo… why are they even a threat?

“Well, they just are!” seems to be the only explanation, and they are building towards an apocalypse.  Cause creatures that rely on people to survive and can’t let their existence every be confirmed or they’ll die, want to invade the planet, removing all doubt of their nonexistance, and before that kills their power off entirely, want to destroy the vast majority of their power source.  It’s suggested that they intend to leave some survivors to act as a power source, but it’s not explained how the survivors will provide enough faith to keep these “outside actors” as they are called, alive.

Worse, conventional weapons can’t hurt them so they must use special weapons powered by the psychic energy of… disbelief?  Pure Atheism?  Something.  They developed this technology by dissecting an “Angel” who willingly gave his life to give Earth a chance.  Because reasons.  But if they can’t be hurt by human weapons, how the flaming fuck did they dissect him?  And if the weapons work on atheism, if one must be dead sure God doesn’t exist for them to work, how does the guy the team meet PRAYING IN A MOSQUE use their weapons?  You do not pray unless a little piece of you still believes it all might be true.  You just don’t.

Like I said, conceptually strong, poorly executed.  Not at all worth $3.99.  I might buy it for 50 cents.  Maybe.

Matthew Bryant, a.k.a. Baker Street Holmes is a writer and the lead editor for the Red Shirt Crew.  He will not discuss his religious views here, but does appreciate that Atheists usually make sense in their arguments.  If you want the same thing, done well, check out American Gods from your nearest library.  You know, those big buildings with lots of books in them.  If you wish to follow him on Twitter, check out @BStreetHolmes or you can email him at HMCrazySS@gmail.com.

Review: Bloodhound: Crowbar Medicine #1

I’ve struggled to find the words in the past to explain exactly what Bloodhound is about, but I love the way it’s explained on the cover of this comic: “Have you ever wondered what The X-Files would be like if Mulder was Conan the Barbarian?”  Thank you Justin Jordan, that is exactly what this comic is like.

You remember the third x-men film?  Yeah, sorry for reminding you all of that, but bear with me, you don’t need to think about it for much longer.  You remember how they were offering a cure?  Now reverse that and offer normal people artificial powers in order to stand a better chance against genuine supers.  In a world where supers tend to be nothing but trouble.  A world where Travis Clevenger is the one man capable a standing between supers and those who would become their victims.

I find it intriguing that I actually like this series.  You see, I like my classic hero comics.  Gold or silver age comics.  This is much more of an iron age story.  Grit and blood and so forth.  Heroes get injured more easily, even Clev for all his durability gets hurt from time to time.  And some how I really like these comics despite not usually being my style.

As far as issues #1’s go, this is one of my favorites I’ve read in a while.  Issue #1 is the introductory issue, the one intended to tell you who the hero is and what his or her world is like.  Unfortunately, this often leads to a slow start, in my opinion.  It’s the same reason I try not to judge movies like the Amazing Spiderman and other first-of-a-series films too harshly; they must establish everything for those unfamiliar so that future movies can build off of it.  This one is unusual in that it doesn’t use some cardboard cut-out plot.  I was actually thinking that the introduction plot was going to lead straight into the over-all story arch, but it hung a left turn and blindsided me with a completely different approach.

This comic isn’t for everyone.  But if you are the type that likes bloody stories of heroes firmly in the grey area of life, it’s great.  If you like X but there’s a little too much blood (not that you don’t like blood, just that some pages are practically all red…) then this is exactly what you’re looking.  I’m a little dismayed that it’s $3.99, a price usually reserved for extra long comics, but I still think it’s worth it if the above sounds like your tastes.

Matthew Bryant, a.k.a. Baker Street Holmes, is a writer and the lead editor for the Red Shirt Crew.  As much as he loves the idea of super powers, he would never want to get a chip surgically installed to grant powers.  He’s a little too paranoid of mind control and is afraid the powers might be something like the ability to sweat cheese.  You can follow him on Twitter at @BStreetHolmes or email him at HMCrazySS@gmail.com.

Review: Brain Boy #2

I continue to enjoy Brain Boy.  I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again: I love myself a superhero story!  This series continues to be a lovely blend of humor and kick-ass psychic action in classic superhero style.

Actually, I feel like this is the first issue that really embraces that classic form of humor.  Brian Boy #1 had a very different spirit to its humor, it was more snide, dry and sarcastic.  This had more of a one-liner feel to the jokes.  There is nothing wrong dry humor, I rather like it, but for something which grew out of a 1960’s comic it doesn’t feel right.  However, I am a little off put by the change in tone.  I don’t know, maybe it won’t feel so awkward when next to one another in a volume.

I really like the progression in this story.  We start off where the last issue ended with Brain Boy faced with a psychic, possibly more powerful than he and by the time the issue ends, he’s facing a threat of a very different nature.  In the mean time, we see a glimpse of his relationship with the closest thing he has to family, and meet the mysterious Faraday.  There are some comic writers that I am consistently impressed with how much content, and even more the variety of content, some writers can work into 24 pages.

The art still strikes me.  Maybe this just a continuation of my love for superheroes, but it’s the powers that always get me.  Psychic powers are, in theory, unseen, so an artist is given a chance to depict them as they please.  As such, every artist draws them differently and personally I think R. B. Silva does a great job.  It’s nothing groundbreaking or unique, but a number of good choices were made.

I definitely recommend this comic, $2.99, as most comics are.  If you didn’t read the beginning I suggest you go and snag it too.  I’m already looking forward to the next issue, but a little sad knowing that it will end this story.  But what’s this?  A Brain Boy #0 approaches?  Huzzah!

Matthew Bryant, a.k.a. Baker Street Holmes, is a writer and the lead editor for the Red Shirt Crew.  If he could have any superpower, he would want retractable wings.  Then he would go troll the Vatican.  You ca follow him on Twitter at @BStreetHolmes or email him at HMCrazySS@gmail.com.

Review: X #6

Well, it seems my guess last time was correct, as this time we see what is much more clearly a story line that’s going to be continued.  I’ll go into the non-spoilers after the break.  So glad this comic is back on track!

One thing that strikes me about this series is the running theme of animals, making villains less than human not just in act but in look.  Berkshire literally ended up with a pig face.  In X #3, Leigh is attacked by gang members (who she refers to as “vermin”) and who are depicted with shaggy hair and pointed teeth.  Now we meet the “Dogs of War”, Terrier, Corso, Dane, Basset, Shepherd, Husky, and Setter, a corrupt band of narcotics cops.  Like with the street gang, they all have very canine features (I’m reminded of Marvel’s Sabretooth).  It’s interesting to see this motif running through the villainous character, but I would love it even more if the characters commented on their sub-humanity, even if not on their looks.  There is some very interesting commentary to be brought out there.

I think this issue did a great job balancing the scenes where we get Leigh’s insight into X and into their crime fighting relationship, X facing moral dilemmas of how to deal with innocents and the blood ass kicking that X is known for.  Oh, and presenting us with enough foreshadowing to make it clear that there is trouble brewing in Arcadia.  That was the big thing missing from the last issue, though it was after all a stand alone issue, not meant to tie into this issue in the first place.  Really well balanced, my commendations to Sweircyzynski.

I’m really curious about Officer Ruidoso.  At first I figured he was just the lone cop that decided to stand up to X.  BUt then they continue to involve him later in the issue.  Is he going to be an on going contact for X?  is he going to be this story arch’s Leigh and join up in their scum fighting endeavors after this?  I don’t know yet, but I’m interested to see where they go with him.  I have nothing yet that really draws him to me, but to have use him this much in one issue and then just drop him like a hot potato would be disappointing, at the very least from a character conservation perspective.

Last time, I recommended issue #5 as a good chance to get into the series if you weren’t already reading it.  Now we’re starting a new story arch, so it’s not too late yet.  Give it a whirl, $2.99 as always, and probably the best X issue thus far.

Matthew Bryant, a.k.a. Baker Street Holmes, is a writer and the lead editor for the Red Shirt Crew.  He apologizes for the late review, but he’s been moving across an ocean and looking for a job, so he hopes you all will understand.  If you want to follow him on Twitter, you can find him at @BStreetHolmes or email him at HMCrazySS@gmail.com.

Review: Grindhouse: Doors Open at Midnight #1

This comic made me a little giddy, I have to admit.  This is basically done in the style of 50’s drive though monster movies, but in comic form.  “Doors Open at Midnight”?  Get it?  Like a premiere at a cinema?  They even have movie posters at the back of the comic.  And who doesn’t love a bad 50’s monster movie?

Not to say this is in the vein of a so-bad-it’s-good movie, just that it has that sort of feel to it.  Actually, it was probably one of the better paced comics I’ve read in a while.  We get a brief introduction to a couple supporting characters, then we see a glimpse of the aftermath of an attack, but by what we don’t know.  At the end, we’re given a sense of conclusion, as though the problem has been resolved and then BAM cliffhanger on the last page.

The art is average, but I do like a lot of the design choices that Chris Peterson makes in here.  The attack victim’s wounds are feral, rather than surgical; they look like they were caused by a swarm all trying to attack at the same time, and getting in each other ways.  The titular bee vixens have a really interesting physiology, which makes me really want to see an attempt by the artists on Face-Off to finally do an epic bug makeup.  And trust me, that show has a history of bad bug makeups.

I’m really looking forward to the next issue of this already.  If you are a fan of paranormal thriller comics, this is worth the $3.99.

Matthew Bryant, a.k.a. Baker Street Holmes, is the lead editor and an avid writer for the Red Shirt Crew.  He often wonders if there is life out there in the universe, or at least supernatural forces at work on our own planet.  If you want to hear more from him, and who wouldn’t, you can follow him on Twitter at @BStreetHolmes, or email him at HMCrazySS@gmail.com.

Review: The Occultist #1

This comic title is a little misleading as this is actually a continuation of a series from a couple years back.  So saying it’s a #1 is like saying that someone who changes majors is a freshman again.  This also means that there is some background that it assumes the reader has a familiarity with, but it’s not anything you can’t learn as you go.

Rob Bailey is the Occultist, a spellslinging hero given his powers by the Sword, a mystical book of immense power.  He fights the undead with the help of Detective Melendez, this time hunting down a creature that’s been eating animals in the area, while trying to keep up with his college studies.  Except the college student part doesn’t seem to be much of a focus from what I saw in this issue…

The art reminds me of someone else’s work, but I can’t put my finger on it.  I loved the design of the main character though.  In full, superhero regalia, he looks like a professional superhero, one that would fit with any superhero group, the Justice League, the Avengers.  But when he removes his cloak he immediately looks like a kid in a costume, which I think is a great hero transformation.  I’m not sure if we have Mike Norton to thank for that (he did the art for this issue) or Guy Davis from back in 2010, but it’s a very well done transition, as I did not expect him to look like he does.  But then again, isn’t that the very point of a superhero’s disguise?

I did have a small problem with this comic and that’s that I wasn’t really drawn in.  I liked the idea of a superhero with untold magical power fighting the undead, but all I got out of this comic is confirmation that it’s not bad.  It’s like asking someone if a movie was bad, they say no, their phone rings and they have to go without further explaining their stance on the movie.  For an issue 1, for trying to build excitement to get the series going, it just didn’t do that.  At best it got me to want to read the next issue to see if it gets any better.

I really need to see more before I can form a full opinion, but for now, I’ll say it’s not worth the $3.50.  Even though it’s standard for a 32 page comic like this one, this just didn’t quite earn it.

Matthew Bryant, a.k.a. Baker Street Holmes, is a writer and lead editor for the Red Shirt Crew.  His birthday is coming up soon and would like some ice cream, some good books and a better recipe for pan galactic garglebasters than the last one he made, as there was too much Hypermint Extract.  You can follow him on Twitter at @BStreetHolmes or email him at HMCrazySS@gmail.com.

Review: Empowered Special: Nine Beers with Ninjette

Empowered is a series that has been running for a few years, since 2007, written by Adam Warren and with art by Takeshi Miyazawa, described by Warren as a “sexy superhero comedy”.  Nine Beers with Ninjette is basically a background summary for Ninjette, Empowered’s alcoholic, ninja best friend.  It’s serious, more serious than I’m taken to believe the series usually is, but it’s an appropriate choice for a background montage.

The great thing about this comic is that it works even without a background in the overall series.  Empowered introduces the reader to the barebones background, just enough that you know the main characters from the series and how they connect to one another.  Ninjette and her drinking habits get introduced in more length obviously.  I found this part interesting in part because while the main story is done in traditional manga style, the intro looks more like the sketches before they are cleaned up and finalized.  It’s unusual to change styles in the course of a comic like that, but with the placement it works.

The other unusual thing that works here is that the story is almost entirely told in flashbacks, but the narrator, Ninjette after the intro concludes, narrates in the flashbacks.  That is to say the narration is done not in voice overs, but in speech bubbles coming from the past version of Ninjette.  It’s different, but I really liked it.  It doesn’t seem like it would work, but the dialog in the flash back is less than important, so it ends up working just fine.

As for the story itself, the clever approach used is to tell the memory that’s brought up by each beer as Ninjette works through her usually nightly binge.  It follows a logical, albeit non-chronological sequence, but not following the chronological order makes it seem more natural.  You don’t normally get to know someone starting with their earliest recollection and working your way towards the day you met them.  Likewise, we start with the stories she’s most willing to tell and as she get’s more tipsy/drunker, she becomes more willing to tell the more personal stories.

I recommend this comic to anyone who likes the series or wants to look at a different way of telling a character background.  It’s not really a story for enjoyment, that is, it’s not really a story meant to be read for the plot, but it is quite well done, and as I have repeatedly mentioned, rather unique in its style.  For $3.99, it’s your call as to if it’s worth it.

Matthew Bryant, a.k.a. Baker Street Holmes, is a writer and lead editor for the Red Shirt Crew and would love to tell you the stories that come to his mind with each drink on those occasions when he does drink.  Maybe that could be a podcast some day…  If you want to follow him on Twitter, you can find him at @BStreetHolmes, or email him at HMCrazySS@gmail.com.

Review: Dark Horse Presents #28

It is with great sadness that I must announce for the first time that I do not recommend an issue of Dark Horse Presents.  If you have read any of my reviews of the Dark Horse Series, you know that I tend to gush about how there’s always far more good than bad in these issues.  Not this time.

Chapter 1 of The Strain: The Fall – The Silver Angel is a little strange for me since I’m only familiar with The Strain setting through Brendan’s reviews.  It’s chapter 1, but I haven’t been given anything to be excited about for the second chapter.  The Silver Angel, seems like a potentially interesting character, but we just don’t get much to go on in this comic.

Chapter 9 of Blood is likewise an odd comic, because it picks up where chapter 8 left off.  A year an a half ago.  And it’s not like a new story, it starts in the middle of the action.  I have NO idea what’s going on.  It doesn’t help that I missed the “to be continued” at the end of the The Strain and Blood didn’t have title page, so I figured the stylistic change was intentional (since it wasn’t major).  This just made me more confused and I had to read the whole thing twice.

The Assignation is an adaptation of Edgar Alan Poe’s story of the same name.  I liked this one, but I think it only works as a single issue.  It’s a great story, and this is a wonderful adaptation, though I am usually a fan of comic book adaptations of literary works.  Credit to Richard Corben, especially because his artwork here is just gorgeous.


Chapter 9 of Alabaster: Boxcar Tales just doesn’t really go anywhere.  The raven/narrator meets up with the ghost seen back in Chapter 4 and they have a little philosophical discussion of the nature of coincidence and fate.  This is never one of my favorite series, but considering the slim pickings this month, I’m pleased to see a little tease at the end that makes this seem like one of the brighter prospects for next month.

Chapters 1 and 2 of Mrs. Plopsworths Kitchen are just plain annoying.  I think these are just evidence of how desperate the editors for the Dark Horse Presents series were for comics this month, because they not only put two chapters of it in (each only half the length of a normal chapter) but split them up, and neither is all that amusing.  Patrick Alexander has always given things that were amusing and cute, but only run for one issue and I’ve typically liked both of those things about his work.  This time was not as enjoyable.

Chapter 5 of Trekker: The Train to Avalon Bay is more action packed than the others we’ve seen thus far, and for that I was immensely thankful.  Also, I may be using a Leechbear or two in my next roleplaying adventure…  Anyways, this chapter is one of the few in this issue that made reading it not quite such a waste of time.  Another bonus, every chapter since the second has helped to allay my concerns that she was a Mary Sue.

Chapter 3 of Nosferatu Wars is the other continuing series that I enjoyed.  This has been a beautiful, poetic series and it’s sad knowing that the next chapter will be the last.  We get a taste of the main character’s backgrounds this time, but also a glimpse at their cunning and brutality.  The best chapter yet!

Chapter 2 of Mr. Monster: Dark Stearn was a surprise, though it shouldn’t have been.  The first chapter I believe addressed the idea of superheroes causing collateral damage and the traditional “be careful what you wish for” lesson wonderfully.  I didn’t realize at the time that this was going to be a continuing series (though “Chapter 1” should have been a clue) and honestly, this chapter does add much, unless it is a bridge to an amazing conclusion, but at this point I don’t have high hopes.

Chapter 3 of Juice Squeezers: Squish is much like the first chapter, in that nothing happens.  Looking back at the three chapter series, I think as a whole comic, it would work just fine, but cutting it into pieces like this does the first and last chapters a major disservice.  All the interesting stuff has happened by now.

Sabertooth Swordsman was also odd. It looks like it could have huge potential, but this issue is basically a discussion between a large viper and the titular Sabertooth over the “every end is a beginning”, “when one door closes, another door opens” cliche philosophy and discussing the “why bother, we’re all going to die eventually” mentality, too.  I make that sounds like I didn’t enjoy this comic, but I think that was just the grumpy mood I was in at this point, and the fact that a Sabertooth Swordsman and a giant serpent could have made a badass fight and there is a lot of talking going on instead.  Still, there is supposedly a graphic novel coming out about the Sabertooth Swordsman, so the concept at least has offered some hope for that, even if this particular story was a bit of a flop.

All in all, if you couldn’t tell, I would not recommend this issue of Dark Horse Presents. A little Poe, some Trekker and the next piece of Nosferatu Wars are worth reading, but not for $7.99.  It’s disappointing that they get so screwed by their bedfellows.

Matthew Bryant, a.k.a. Baker Street Holmes, isn’t sure he’s looking forward to the next issue of Dark Horse Presents for the first time since the Red Shirt Crew began reviewing comics.  This was just sad.  The table of contents even has formatting issues!  *Grumble, Grumble*  You can follow him on Twitter at @BStreetHolmes or email him at HMCrazySS@gmail.com.

Review: Brain Boy #1

I’ve been a fan of Brain Boy since he first reappeared in Dark Horse Presents #23 (he had a brief, 6 issue run with Dell Comics in the ’60s) and was pleasantly surprised to see that this month saw the start of a three issue story just about him!  I was not disappointed, and am already antsy to get my hands on the next issue.

I’ve commented before, but I am a sucker for a superhero.  Growing up, I always wanted super powers (Hell, if someone out there knows how I can get some now, send me an email to the address at the bottom).  But unfortunately, reading through Dark Horse Presents issues has yielded few supers.  It did however give me Brain Boy and I have been loving it ever since.

Matt Price is a psychic.  A powerful one.  Because of this ability, he has been trained by Albright Industries and contracted out to the United States Secret Service.  But sometimes, sometimes it goes wrong (actually, every time we get a story arch, because if everything went according to plan, it wouldn’t be very interesting, now would it?)

This issue, more so than the Dark Horse Presents short series, touches on Price’s life as a psychic.  He is bored by people and approaches them arrogantly, because they can’t surprise him.  Usually.  We see some of the over-confidence in this issue.  Honestly, the idea of a super hero being either a super nice guy, or a gruff antihero is to rough for my tastes, and I prefer the character in the middle.

I really liked this issue, and it makes me really excited for issues 2 and 3.  At least two other supers to deal with, and they’ve both bested him once a piece already.  If you are a superhero fan, check it out, it’s fantastic and totally worth getting for $2.99.

Matthew Bryant, a.k.a. Baker Street Holmes, is the lead editor and a writer for the Red Shirt Crew.  If you are offering superpowers, he would prefer retractable wings or magic, but will accept powers of all kinds.  Unless they would cause him to die, like only being able to breathe in a mercury rich environment or the ability to remove his head, but not protecting him from bleeding out when it happens.  You can follow him on Twitter at @BStreetHolmes or email him at HMCrazySS@gmail.com.