Rat Queens #5 – Review

by Kurtis J. Wiebe (Writer), Roc Upchurch (Artist)

The Story: The battle for Palisade concludes as the mercenaries then party hard.

The Review: There are a quite a lot of changes in the industry going on these days. With many established and well-liked creators going on to create their own series at companies like Image, Dark Horse, Boom and other such places, we live in an age where creativity in the American market is booming. It is something, however, that require some sacrifices, like titles that are released in waves like Saga and Lazarus, who need time after a bunch of issues to catch up and plan ahead.

Another title that can claim to do so is Rat Queens, with this issue concluding its first arc with the next issue coming up in May. One of the very thing which makes the adventures of the Rat Queens a bit similar to the two aforementioned titles is the quality, which is actually quite high. With but a few honest-to-God pure and atypical fantasy comics out there, it’s a refreshing thing to see a title dedicated to the genre, yet not so stuck in its ways as to forget to bring innovation and quality into the mix. Still, does this conclusion brings a painful realisation that the title won’t be out for a few months, or is it a dull affair that makes the wait a bearable thing?

Unfortunately, it’s the former as this conclusion not only brings many of the title’s strength to the forefront, but also present many of the unique and decidedly charming qualities of the title in a penultimate fashion.

Rat Queens #4 – Review

by Kurtis J. Wiebe (Writer), Roc Upchruch (Artist)

The Story: With the mystery of who is trying to kill the mercenary groups solved, I suppose it is about time for a horde or orcs to attack the town.

The Review: Diversity is awesome. While comics are generally associated, in a rather general manner, with super heroes, most aficionados do know that in this day and age, we are lucky to have comics covering close to every genre. Horror, western, supernatural, mystery and a plethora of others are all represented, perhaps not in an equal manner, but are available on the market nonetheless.

Having a certain fondness of fantasy, with all the tropes connected with the genre (elves, dwarves, orcs, dragons, magic and what-have-you), it’s always nice to see a title delve in what readers know unapologetically. Still, any title needs its own identity, which is why it’s just so refreshing to see a title like Rat Queens on the stand. Full of humor, flawed leads and a willingness to play with the tropes without any restraints, it is a title that is unabashedly fun to read.

Part of this, of course, is due to the characters themselves, with each of them possessing a distinct voice without resorting too much into stereotypes. While Betty may seem like an airhead, she is much more capable than she seems to be, like every others. While Wiebe may seems to purposefully use archetypes of characters and humorous types, there is always a bit more than what is on the surface, with a lot of characters getting rather easy to like, even some of the secondary characters like Braga or Sawyer gets infinitely more interesting in this issue, which bodes well for the future of this series.

The humor is certainly another factor at work here, with a certain dedication to it that is rather amusing to see. The general display of hyper-violence and the normalization of its effects by the characters, the profanity, the general silliness and multiple other factors are at work here to render this book immensely entertaining. Put in some rather memorable one-liners in there and it results in a fun book indeed.

Rat Queens #3 – Review

by Kurtis J. Wiebe (Writer), Roc Upchurch (Artist)

The Story: The Rat Queens investigates a lead about the merchant guild as the readers learn a bit more about them.

The Review: Indie creators have it tough. Of course, any creators do have it tough as they need to sell readers their pitch and stories in order to make them buy their books, but there’s something rather endearing about those going all the way with an ambitious ongoing with a whole lot of unknown factors. It’s much easier to sell a book with Spider-Man or Batman in them, to say the least, as they are known quantities, with decades of previous works in various medias helping those that write them. Not to say that their jobs are easy, but the longevity of the title is never actually a part of the question when it comes to success.

It’s why it’s rather impressive to see that Rat Queens, in the span of three issues, did quite a lot in order to provide a lot of personality to its characters and setting. While the first two issues did help give readers a conflict and mystery to latch onto, Wiebe is able to juggle with a bit more character definition and development to set up a bit more likability to his cast, a job he actually does rather efficiently.

Rat Queens #2 – Review

by Kurtis J Wiebe (Writer), Roc Upchurch (Artist/Colorist)

The Story: The Rat Queens fight the giant, then learn that the other groups charged with small tasks have been targeted by assassins as well.

The Review: I have a certain fondness for fantasy. Having played many role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons and Pathfinder through several years, I find myself liking the concept of a group of adventurers doing quests or mercenary work in a world filled with monsters and magic. The downside of such an affection for the genre is that I am very familiar with its many tropes and cliché, which means it takes a bit more effort from the creative team behind any book to actually satisfy my craving for swashbuckling adventures and orc-smashing quests. The regular ”saving a princess”, ”fight a dragon” or ”kill an evil god and destroy its evil artifact” might not exactly do the job.

Thankfully, it seems that Kurtis J. Wiebe understand this very well, as Rat Queens is anything but regular fantasy fare. Putting forward a group of female adventurers that are anything but perfect, the writer already try in his second issue to set up a mystery and to develop his setting and his characters a bit further in the process.

Wiebe immediately starts his story here as a direct continuation to the conclusion of the first one, with the group battling against a giant. It is an abrupt way to start an issue, especially without any recap page whatsoever, yet the way everything start make up for it as the action begins rather quickly. In the first scene against the giant, the group dynamic, at least in terms of capabilities, is firmly set as each of the characters participate in some way. Akin to a D&D game, each of them fits an archetype, just like a lot of functional groups does in this sort of game, with most of them being represented well. The fighter, the rogue, the cleric and the mage are all present, yet what they are capable of is shown in a more expansive way than the usual and basic representation that a lot of games fit them in. The action is quick, rather inventive, brutal and shows just how the world is going to be in this series. For that, it’s pretty fun.

Five Weapons #3 – Review

By: Jimmie Robinson (story & art), Paul Little (colors)

The Story: All of us would be more motivated to race if there was a kiss waiting at the end of it.

The Review: I knew from the start that Five Weapons isn’t really aimed at the adult reader.  With names like Jade the Blade and Joon the Loon, you know that Robinson’s appealing to a more innocent demographic.  Even so, I continued to labor with the idea that this title would fall along the lines of a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles-type series: upbeat and fun, but with a serious side as well, open to more angst and violence than, say, something from Johnny DC.

This issue forces me to recalibrate that understanding.  Five Weapons sits comfortably between TMNT and Tiny Titans in the maturity spectrum of comics.  It’s not quite as frothy as the works of Art Baltazar and Franco Aureliani, but it doesn’t seem given to moments of sobriety the way TMNT frequently does, either.  In other words, it has just enough narrative complexity to occupy the mature mind, but not enough to challenge it.

Five Weapons #2 – Review

By: Jimmie Robinson (story & art), Paul Little (colors)

The Story: The Staff Club motto: speak softly and carry a big stick—minus the “softly” part.

The Review: I have a pal who’s an aspiring screenwriter/film director/producer.  When you go to his house, he has stacks of DVDs lying around, and all of them are “good movies”: Hitchcock, Scorcese, and Kubrick; French, Italian, and Dutch art films; movies watched by fewer people than those who read my reviews.  You’ll find a lot of stuff about the nature of life, death, the unbearable lightness of being, but you won’t find, say, Princess Bride or Airplane!*

I don’t know about you, but I couldn’t go through those movies endlessly without some kind of break where we watch something just out of fun.  That’s the same sentiment I have about comics, but if anything, the world of comics has even fewer works that operate on a purely fun level.  That’s why titles like Five Weapons are kind of a precious commodity in this market.  Sometimes, it’s nice to read something that embraces silliness with only a wink of irony.

Morning Glories #5 – Review

by Nick Spencer (writer), Joe Eisma (art), Alex Sollazzo (colors), and Johnny Lowe (letters)

The Story: Backed into a corner, Casey and Zoe try to evade their pursuers while doggedly continuing on with their rescue attempt.

What’s Good: This was my favourite issue of Morning Glories since the series debut blew me away.  It’s compulsively readable and it’s a book that keeps you on the edge of your seat, flipping the pages, marveling at Spencer’s expert storytelling.

Let’s start with how he structures and plots this issue.  Spencer alternates between a monologue by the rather intimidating Mr. Gribbs and the actual action at hand.  Gribbs, we learn, is very different from Daramount, but no less intimidating.  He does something terribly disturbing in the most mundane fashion at the end of the conversation that is guaranteed to haunt you.  More than that, his dialogue is simply superb and unveils Gribbs to be a fully realized character and a very different antagonist from Daramount.

Better still, however, is how Spencer has Casey’s plan unfold.  At the end of the issue, it’s hard not to be blown away by how things work out.  By the end of this issue, Spencer reveals that he has misled us just as Casey had misled the teaching staff.  We were led to believe exactly what they were.  When we’re told what the plan really was, it’s absolutely brilliant and causes us to respect Casey and, of course, Spencer by extension.  It’s a genius piece of misdirection by Spencer and one that makes us question the faith we have in the text itself; we readers can be tricked just the same as the characters we’re reading about.

Morning Glories #3 – Review

by Nick Spencer (writer), Joe Eisma (art), Alex Sollazzo (colors), and Johnny Lowe (letters)

The Story: Casey tries to rescue Jade, who discovers another secret on her way to the nurse’s office.

What’s Good: There’s some really awesomely powerful stuff going on at Morning Glories Academy.  From the first page onward,  Spencer is great enhances the power and scope of the Academy and its secrets.  The menace is, as a result, more palpable and there’s a greater sci-fi/fantasy edge to it all.  Basically, we’re able to get a better handle on the sort of mystery we’re dealing with here, and it’s one that is ancient, powerful, and seems to involve human experimentation (maybe?).  Either way, I’m interested, and thinks get a whole lot bigger and, at time, portentous than last month.

Spencer also gives us some really good dialogue between Casey and Ike.  It’s one of the many unique dynamics between MG’s characters.  The conversation between the two characters also makes Ike into more of a Lex Luthor type figure; he’s an arrogant rogue and an SOB, but he’s always just about ready to be a good guy.  Regardless, his voice is bang-on and a joy to read.

Casey is also positioned quite expertly by Spencer.  On the one hand, it’s clear that Spencer intends her to be the “hero” of the story, and the group.  However, despite this, she’s easy to relate to and root for and she never comes across as bland.  She’s a fully realized character with real emotions and qualities and I find her to be a sympathetic and strong lead character.

Morning Glories #1 – Review

by Nick Spencer (writer), Joe Eisma (art), Alex Sollazzo (colors), and Johnny Lowe (letters)

The Story: We meet six sixteen year olds as they arrive at the mysterious Morning Glory Academy and get to know one another.

What’s Good: While it may not be an outright explosion of a first issue, make no mistake: Morning Glories’ first issue is a rousing success.  The key reason for this is that it manages to ask a great deal of questions, wrapping itself in a cloak of mystery and outright weirdness.  Yet, unlike a great number of first issues that try to do this, it completely avoids feeling confusing or incomprehensible.  It manages to intrigue rather than befuddle, and given just how many questions it poses and how many bizarre occurrences transpire, that really is a major feat that Nick Spencer cannot be commended enough for.

The clearly defined cast is one of the major means through which Spencer accomplishes it.  The six students provide a solid core amidst all the strangeness, anchoring the reader’s experience.  Despite each following a high school stereotype, all of these characters are likable, well-realized, and incredibly distinct from one another.  Each has his or her own voice and I think that readers will all have different favorites; despite their differences, there’s a sense of equality among the six in that each of them feels equally defined, lively, and special.

Furthermore, the fact that each character gets his or her start from a high school stereotype also means that the six are already looking like a well-oiled machine in how they all fit together.  There’s perfect synergy and chemistry between them all.  When they interact with each other, it’s fun and it’s genuine and it’s already clear that each one of them will have a fun and unique dynamic with each of his or her classmates.  The characters are likable enough on their own, but it goes up threefold when they come together.

While the characters serve to anchor Spencer’s book, so does the Academy itself, providing a single, contained atmosphere for all the weirdness.  The end result is a greater feeling of control, making the book feel more accessible, while also lending Spencer’s world a kind of conspiratorial claustrophobia.

Shadowline Goes Online With All-New Web Comics Community

The digital comics revolution continues as Image Comics’ Shadowline expands their web comics division with a number of titles from fan favorites and the newest generation of creators!

“While my first love comes in the traditional comics format, there’s no denying the massive amount of new ideas and talent coming from the online world,” said Shadowline Publisher Jim Valentino. “It’s become a way for creators like PLATINUM GRIT’s Trudy Cooper to gain recognition or established names like FINDER’s Carla Speed McNeil to get their work to a wider audience. We’re thrilled to bring these creators together in one collective.”

Shadowline’s continued diversity will be reflected in the web comics, as the line will vary from the science fiction of FINDER to the political intrigue of Len Kody & Jenny Frison’s CHICAGO: 1968 and even the oft-kilter superheroics of ACTION, OHIO by Neil Kleid and Paul Salvi. The lineup also currently includes newer titles like HANNIBAL GOES TO ROME, and the long-running YENNY and BRAT-HALLA. Future contributions include the web comic hit, PLATINUM GRIT by Trudy Cooper and Danny Murphy, and the upcoming LI’L DEPRESSED BOY featuring art by Jim Mahfood, Sam Kieth and more to come!

More information can be found at www.shadowlinecomics.com/webcomics.

News: Shadowline proves the M-THEORY!

This September Shadowline/Image Comics brings back robots, spacemen and dames to their pulp roots with the three-issue mini-series, M-THEORY!

“It’s long overdue for sci-fi pulp fiction to get back to its roots,” said co-writer Dwight L. MacPherson. “My cohorts, Bruce Brown and Mark Barentine, are also massive fans of the genre and cannot wait to go all out!”

The three issue mini-series, co-written by Dwight L. MacPherson and Bruce Brown with artist Mark Barentine, is an action-packed romp exploring every facet of science fiction featured in the golden age of pulp novels. In the first issue alone, a government scientist receives a startling transmission of extraterrestrial origin leading to terrifying discoveries leading them to the outer reaches of our galaxy and a shocking nemesis like none other!

Shadowline President Jim Valentino added, “Pulp fiction has received its due in film, so it’s a real pleasure to see Bruce, Dwight and Mark really go at it with such a high level of passion and vigor in the comic book format. I’m really looking forward to the results.”

M-THEORY, a three-issue 32-page full color mini-series at $3.50, will be in stores September 17th.

News: Image Announces New Serial Killer Title

For decades, the identities of the Boston Strangler and the Zodiac Killer have been shrouded in mystery. But this August, Image Comics/Shadowline reveals not only the identities of these two prolific killers, but also how they’re spending their golden years of life. THE ROBERTS hits store shelves courtesy of artist Erik Rose and writer Wayne Chinsang.

“I admit, I’ve always had a morbid fascination with serial murderers,” said writer Wayne Chinsang, also known to the world by his real name, Justin Shady. “When Denis Rader (BTK) finally got caught in 2005 I remember thinking, ‘What if this guy had never been caught? What would he be like as an eighty-year-old man? Or as a grandfather? How long could someone like him go on living a lie, trying to blend in when he so clearly doesn’t?’ Those thoughts were the start of THE ROBERTS.”

But instead of BTK, Chinsang chose two murderers who many believe were never caught: the Boston Strangler and the Zodiac Killer. In THE ROBERTS, the killers find themselves immersed in a world of bingo tournaments and social tea hours as they trade “war stories” about what they refer to as the “Golden Age” of mass murder. But camaraderie can also have a dark side as both men still crave the one thing they feel they’ve missed out on: infamy.

THE ROBERTS #1, a two-issue, 48-page, black-and-white mini-series for $5.99, will be in stores August 6th.