REVIEW: Humalien #1 - 3

Created, written and illustrated by J. Adam Farster

Review: Will Dubbeld

Because preordering 20 lbs of comics weekly isn't enough, I'll always browse the newsstand at my LCS (Books, Comics, and Things in Ft. Wayne, IN plug plug plug). A trip or two ago I spied the first 3 issues of a book called Humalien.

"Dafuq is this?” I asked the clerk, intrigued by the Saturday Morning Cartoon cover art.

He'd not read the book, and told me "some guy brought it in and asked if we would put it on the shelf."

I'm paraphrasing here, but that's pretty much how it went down. A bold Indie creator hawking his nerd-wares door-to-door at all comic shops in his path, or that's how I imagined it, anyway.

I initially passed on the comic, wandering around and hoping I'd spy some hidden back issue gem or discounted tpb. As I readied myself for checkout I thought, "Ah, screw it. Imma buy this guy's Indie book."

REVIEW: Batman/ Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1

Creators:  Batman: Bob Kane w/ Bill Finger

                  Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird 

Story: James Tynion IV

Art and Cover: Freddie E Williams II

Colors: Jeremy Colwell

Review: Daniel Simpson

I have been a fan of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles since I was eight years old but I have just in the last few years begun to appreciate Batman. I've always enjoyed his rogue gallery and all its complexities but I never enjoyed the character as a whole. Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1, published by both DC comics and IDW publishing, is the first of a six part story arc that has the Dark Knight meeting the totally awesome foursome from New York.

I opted to give it a shot.

The story starts out with ninjas surrounding scientists. Already you know what that means...the boys in green flash in and take out the ninjas. Little do you realize that this isn't the actual beginning of the story. Oh, no, it’s just the teaser page and everything that has happened up ‘til now is just one of the scientists recounting the event to none other than Batman himself. The story itself is as you would expect for an intro: slow going and doesn't really address why or how the lean green teens ended up in Gotham City. It does, however, introduce Killer Croc as one of what I'm sure will be many Batman villain cameos.

It's a very interesting mix of both comics’ styles, being both light and dark with the colors somewhat muted. The fight scenes (‘cause lets be honest that's what this comic is all about) are in general either very short, as in the scene where Shredder confronts the Bat, or rather anti-climatic, as in the fight between the Turtles and Killer Croc. The artwork as a whole is very good, although I question the Batmobile redesign.

REVIEW: Wraithborn Redux #1

Story & Script:  Marcia Chen

Story & Pencils:  Joe Benitez

Inks:  Joe Weems

Colors:  Studio F., Mike Garcia

Letters:  Comicraft, Michael Heisler

Review:  Art Bee

This week when I went to pick up the comics in my folder at my LCS, I found a strange new title therein. Wraithborn Redux #1 captured my curiosity instantly. The cover and summary on the back were amazingly done and captivating. Even though that was enough, when I opened the cover to the first page one of the best looking pages ever met my eyes. There is a scene drawn with just about the best image of the moon I have EVER seen. I will warn you there are some spoilers in here, but most of this is given away in the summary on the back cover anyway. Trust me; this will not detract from your enjoyment of this remarkable comic.

After I read this, my thoughts immediately went to Spawn, by Todd McFarlane. As complementary as I am intending this statement, it reminds me so much of Spawn, and yet, this story is completely its own. Marcia Chen and Joe Benitez have put a lot of work and thought into the main character, Melanie Moore, as shown in the story structure in the first issue.

REVIEW: Power Man and Iron Fist #1 & Spider-Man #1

Power Man and Iron Fist #1

Writer: David Walker

Artist: Sanford Greene

Color Artist: Lee Loughridge

Letterer: Clayton Cowles

Review: Cody “Madman” Miller

I’m sure most comic book fans have at least read one(probably more) comic involving Luke Cage or Iron Fist, and chances are good that they were defending their comicdom tag-team heavyweight championship belts. As far as team ups go you’d be hard pressed to find a more capable and iconic super-duo. They’re right up there with pb&j . . . lasting. I enjoyed many a Power Man and Iron Fist in my youth, so pulling this book was a no brainer. I’m more of an Iron Fist fan than a passenger on the Luke Cage (he doesn’t like to be called Power Man for some reason, so we’ll respect that) bandwagon. I guess in my mind I’d rather have a super, glowing, kung fu grip then unbreakable skin and no neck. Hadouken!!!

All in all, a great first issue. Throughout the whole book Cage keeps adamantly reassuring everyone who asks if the Heroes for Hire are back in business that they are not. Obviously Cage is full of shit and I’m so happy he is.

Review: The Eltingville Club

By Evan Dorkin and Sarah Dyer

I can't recall my first encounter with The Eltingville Club, but I think it was long enough ago that MTV was still relevant.  I couldn't tell you where or in what book, but the strip always stuck with me. Oft-forgotten, but always lurking in the back of my brain as a cautionary tale of sorts. Every knee-jerk, rabid fanboy reaction I'm tempted to make is tempered by  images of Evan Dorkin's comic about the trollish, ugly side of fandom.

The Eltingville Club tells the tale of Bill, Josh, Jerry, and Pete, a quartet of teen fanboys embroiled in the world of comics, role-playing games, horror films, and a myriad of other facets of nerdery. They're full of geek-culture quotes, arcane trivia, and the very venom of the worst of fan culture.  Arguments, visceral insult, fisticuffs, the odd arson, and all around horrible behavior categorize the meetings and day-to-day goings on of the club and the behavior is cringeworthy.  This is the archetypical fanboy behavior that mainstream culture mocked for so many years and drove great portions of nerds back into the parents basement from whence they came. This is the ugly side of fandom turned up to 11.

Part satire, part commentary, The Eltingville Club really is quite humorous in the way that it makes you second guess some of your own nerd behavior, be it gate-keeping or any other flavor of elitist behavior. It'll keep you looking over your proverbial shoulder for that bad, bad, fan hiding inside.

REVIEW: Badger #1

Creators:  Mike Baron and Jeff Butler

Story:  Mike Baron
Artwork:  Jim Fern
Colors:  Paul Mounts
Review:  Art Bee

At our LCBS we look at various comics,recently stacked on the shelves, in hopes of one enticing us to pick it up and cough up some cash to escort it home.  Let that sink in for a minute...does that sound an awful lot like prostitution? Last week I paid money to purchase Badger #1, published by Devils Due/1First Comics. The cover looked great and the artwork looked really good when I flipped through it.

The main character in this comic is named Norbert Sykes. As cliché as it sounds, he has multiple personality disorder and enlists as a dog handler in the army. Seriously, when I picked up this comic and read the brief introduction inside the front cover, my thoughts went straight to this being a funny comic. That thought was like me wanting to see palm trees in Quebec. They are just not there (unless they are plastic)! As I read this comic, many times I kept thinking about the missed comedic opportunities.
 

REVIEW: God is Dead #47

Main story writer: Mike Costa
Main story art: Emiliano Urdinoia
Backup story writer: Dan Wickline
Backup story art: Michael DiPascale
Review: Will Dubbeld

I have mixed feelings about this book, and publisher Avatar Press in general. On one hand, God is Dead and Avatar Press deliver no-holds-barred mature content, leaving nothing taboo and giving creators an outlet for stories the Big Two wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole.
Wielded by Plastic Man or something.
On the other hand, the books are often outlets for pure, unadulterated depravity. I sometimes feel like I should be buying these comics from some shady individual in the back alley behind a seedy porn theater. I also sometimes feel like I need a shower after reading.

That said, an alarming number of Avatar books, from Providence to Über, are on my monthly pull list. Maybe it's the weird little gorehound that's inside of me, the one who loves Lucio Fulci films and Garbage Pail Kids, or maybe I'm just a bit off-kilter, but I keep reading. 47 damn issues deep and I still keep reading . . .