Dylan's Sequential Theology 03.06.2013

I'm back again for all of your weekend comic book shopping needs. This time around, we have samurais, witches, and nightmarish creatures that will make you scream colors! Dark Horse is publishing a lot of great books right now, but a lot of them are also ending this month. I just hope their next batch of titles will be as entertaining as these have been.

Ask for these titles at your local comic book store, or online from Dark Horse's official site.

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47 Ronin #3
Art by Stan Sakai and Adapted by Mike Richardson

I am enjoying the heck out of this little book. Stan Sakai's characters are simplified,  but his panels have deep compositions which are enriched with lush natural details. Whether intended or not, there seems to be a kinship to Herge's Tintin that makes this book feel a little like "Tintin in Edo Era Japan." And much like Herge, Sakai has done his homework. The level of care he took to recreate this world is truly impressive. 

But if you are looking for an interpretation that strips the story of the 47 Ronin of all of its embellishments and tries to be a real historical account, look elsewhere. Stan Sakai definitely prefers the drama of  fiction. He and Mike Richardson are trying to revel in the legend more than the history. But when there is evidence of place and it informs the story, they really try their best to get them right. From the clothing, to the clan mons, not much is modernized or inaccurate if they could find historical reference.

If you have never read the tale of the 47 Ronin before, this is an excellent one to start with.

Willow-Wonderland #5
Story by Christos Gage & Jeff Parker with Art by Brian Ching

The final issue of the Willow mini-series, and I am a little disappointed. It wasn't bad, but the idea of an ongoing Willow series made the early issues much more powerful. As I had mentioned before, I was looking forward to Willow dimension hopping between different realms of genre fiction. This is something wholly different. Not that it's bad, it certainly develops the character, and ends quite a few threads that have been running in her storyline for quite some time. Jeff and Christos certainly have character voices down, and nothing feels out of place, it just comes to a very abrupt ending after opening so many doors and sharing so many possibilities. Just stop having good ideas, Jeff Parker.

The real joy of this series is Brian Ching's art. It feels like everyone is made out of quicksilver. Characters' features are not always proportional, and they are constantly twisting in the wind like hair on a Steve McNiven character, but it still somehow fits comfortably in the Buffy-verse "house style" while feeling like something from a completely different company all together. I look forward to see the next book he works on.

Again, I can't help that this was different from what I expected, but there's a parallel dimension where Jeff Parker is writing a comic about Willow using magic to stop Captain Ahab from killing Moby Dick, and I await the technology to read it.

Colder #5
Story by Paul Tobin, Art by Juan Ferreyra

Remember back in January when I said I was going to talk about  "sharing my sudden disappointment at a particular series that has quickly become my favorite book on the stands?" Well, this is that book. 

If you're a fan of H. P. Lovecraft, or any classic horror writers that rely on psychological horror instead of gore, this book is definitely worth your time. Paul Tobin creates a terrifying world that is nestled between the cracks of our sanity, and creates a love story that doesn't make me cringe. I don't want to over-hype this book, but  I'm not done yet.

The real powerhouse in this series is Juan Ferreyra. Every twisted idea in Paul Tobin's head is designed so perfectly that you believe it could be real, while your mind reels at the possibility. The level of craft in his storytelling is easily on-par with Gabriel Rodriguez' work in the pages of Locke & Key. 

When it began, it had a lot of promise as an ongoing epic series "in the vein of Garth Ennis' Preacher" (as the marketing touted), but alas it is only a miniseries. When I made that last post I caught the "of 5" on the cover and my heart sank. If this book was canceled due to low readership, I can't help but feel personally responsible for not talking about this  book with every person I meet.

When the issues are collected, I can GUARANTEE we will be featuring it on the podcast.

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That's it for me this week. Hope everyone is enjoying the episode archives. New episodes are on the horizon. And if you haven't checked out our store, we have some great CBotMP t-shirts and stickers thanks to all of our helpful Kickstarter backers.

And as always, if you disagree with anything I've said, then prove me wrong.

Dylan's Sequential Theology 01.30.2013

For those of you that are looking for another comic to fill out your weekly stack, I have returned with more reviews! I've read a lot of great books this week, but I'm just going to share three that really stood out for me.

As always, you can purchase these comics digitally by clicking on the title, or buy them at your local brick and mortar store. It's a good idea to find it now, so you don't feel supremely awkward when you head over there on Free Comic Book Day later this year.

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Angel & Faith #18
Story by Christos Gage, Art by Rebekah Isaacs

I have certainly changed my opinion of this book since I first started reading it. "Angel & Faith" has quickly become my favorite in the Buffyverse. As soon as I put down an issue, I immediately want to marathon old seasons. It's nice to have a book that feels like a natural extension of the series, while still bringing something new to the table. 

Rebekah's art has grown on me. Her fight scenes are engaging, and her monsters are very well designed & eerily rendered. They aren't incredibly detailed with every tiny inked bit of sinew. There's a vague fright in the amount of skin they seem to have. Like so much razorblade horror wrapped up in a fleshy bag.  

It's full of the snappy-pop-dialogue the show is known for, without feeling like parody. And for anyone that liked Buffy but hated Buffy herself, then this is a series you might really enjoy. The Buffyverse does have a bit of a dense continuity these days, and the comics have added a lot of characters that may not be immediately familiar, but Christos Gage has done his time at Marvel and knows how to sell a character with a small economy of dialogue and a whole lot of action. 

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The Shadow #9
Story by Victor Gischler, Art by Aaron Campbell

Victor Gischler continues to play with the limit of The Shadow's power, and shows him as much more fallible than he is often presented. I'm not entirely sold on the idea when it leads to melodramatic statements like, "their emotions... they're unknown to me... I must rely on their body language to tell me what they are feeling." But this is a character of theatrics and high-melodrama so it's not inexcusable.

He has certainly amped up the adventure angle that Garth Ennis brought to the forefront in his opening arc. The Shadow is usually much more street-level, but it seems to work quite well. I think it has something to do with the visual of the scarf billowing in the wind.

Aaron Campbell draws an excellent sequence highlighting his sadistic determination as he jumps between airplanes that is quite thrilling, even if at times it's a little muddy. But Aerial combat is a very difficult thing to pull off in a comic book, so I cut him a good deal of slack. While each issue has some small thing that makes me cringe, it's still a fun book that definitely delivers on action & adventure.

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Star Wars: Agent of the Empire - Hard Targets #4 
Story by John Ostrander, Art by Davidé Fabbri & Wes Dzioba

This series surprised the heck out of me. It's set at a point in time where the Empire and the Old Republic are still trying to figure out if they can co-exist. The clone wars are over, but the rebellion is just beginning. 

It follows the story of one Imperial secret agent as he treads the line between doing what is right, and what is in the Empire's best interest (I'll give you a hint, he's a heroic protagonist).
I enjoy seeing that not everyone in the Empire is a generic British person who wants to kill all the Americans that want to separate from the Empire... er...
Anyway, Davidé's art is quite strong, and the velvety guache-like colors of Wes Dzioba makes this book a joy every month. I hope this book finds a way to live on after the Star Wars license reverts to Marvel, but its ultimate fate is anyone's guess.

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That's it for me this week. Come back next time when I will be sharing my sudden disappointment at a particular series that has quickly become my favorite book on the stands.

And as always, if you disagree with me, then prove me wrong.

Dylan's Sequential Theology 11.07.2012

With the Kickstarter, and our aggressive advertising bringing in a lot of new people, I thought I would take this time to explain what this column is all about... for the first time. Each Wednesday, I pick four comics that deserve at least a glance. I tend to read a lot of Dark Horse and Dynamite, so you might notice a bias in that regard. I keep spoilers to a minimum, so no worries there.

And always, if you disagree with anything I say, then prove me wrong.

This week, we have samurai, witches, demons, and Vampire Slayers... Although probably not the one you're thinking of.

47 Ronin #1

Story by Mike Richardson, art by Stan Sakai
The story of the 47 Ronin is an old Japanese tale. In some strange way, it's almost the Japanese Christmas Carol. Not in the sense that a rich man learns to love life and spread good cheer because he has learned the true meaning of a national holiday, but more to the extent that it has been adapted more times than might possibly be beneficial for the advancement of human civilization. And yet, with every reinterpretation, writers manage to inform a new generation, and find new facets to the story people have not seen before.
It takes place in Feudel Japan during a time much like France during the reign of the Sun King. Lords live at the estates of other lords in a hierarchy geared towards direct control.
One Daimyo from the country is requested to stay with his lord and learn the ways of the court. The young Daimyo is disgusted by the crassness of his lord and does not take his verbal abuse lightly. This leads to a dispute which has become the seminal literary example of what it means to follow the Code of Bushido.
With so many adaptations, is it possible for Mike Richardson and Stan Sakai to breath new life into this story of 47 men who step outside of Japanese law to follow a greater code of honor?
Yes, I believe there is. Having watched several adaptations of the 47 Ronin ("Chushingura" by Hiroshi Inagaki is an excellent one), they all feel somewhat flat. It's all incredibly well composed, but never quite makes a visceral connection with me. It could be lost in the East meets West translation, but beyond story beats, I tend to have trouble caring for the narrative's many characters. In this version, Sakai's art and Richardson's simplistic writing serve the story well. While it might tell a bit more than show, that was an aspect inherent in the original work. When one man chooses to speak the truth in a room full of liars, he must make his actions clear.
While a lot of people influenced by manga have fallen into the trap of pose-etic works of splash-page flash, Stan Sakai is firmly planted in the Osamu Tezuka school of art. While his characters are melodramatic, the setting is first and foremost. These incredibly expressive people live in a world with seasons and live in a world with a sky. There's something refreshing about seeing such attention to setting in a comic book, manga influenced or otherwise. And since the seasons play such an important part of the 47 Ronin story, Sakai really ensures you are able to enjoy them.
Few artists are able to show just how much fun they are having every time they put the brush to paper. Sakai's line is angular, but full of life. He is no stranger to large atmospheric crowd scenes, and this book is full of them. If you always wanted to see Stan Sakai's excellent cartooning, but find talking animals to be somewhat of a deal-breaker, then you definitely need to pick up this book.

Colder #1

Story by Paul Tobin, art by Juan Ferreyra
Dark Horse has a foot firmly planted in horror. While they may not have a strong brand for it like Avatar, a media darling like 30 Days of Night, or as robust a back-catalog as Vertigo, their general output tends towards the supernatural (Hellboy anyone?). Colder is the latest addition to the Dark Horse horror family and they promote the book as being "in the vein of Garth Ennis' "Preacher." Which is a very bold statement that may doom this series from the beginning. But Paul Tobin is certainly willing to try and live up to that moniker. But before you pick up this book and start expecting a philosophical debate about Christianity and the nature of God in modern society set against a Spaghetti Western backdrop, you need to put that idea right out of your head. This series (from the first issue anyhow) has seemingly much more in common with Alan Moore's recent Neonomicon (minus the squiggy sex bits). The world these people reside in feels much more like Lovecraft,s Insmouth than Ennis' journey through the "American Heartland." Its horror stems from a person's loss of control and the inability to trust their own mind instead of gore and sexploitation. All of that said, I'm excited to see where this series goes, if Paul Tobin is legitimately telling a lengthy 70+ issue epic, then I will stick with this series till the end.

The Shadow #7

Story by Victor Gischler, art byJack Herbert
After Garth Ennis' run on the Shadow came to a startling and quite sudden finale last month, Victor Gischler is given quite a strange place to start his arc... Ennis' Atomic Bomb gave a launch pad for any creator to swoop in and tell whatever tale they have in mind for the eternal man of mystery. Would it be a traditional heist gone awry? Perhaps an attempt on the city's water supply? Maybe stopping a faction of Nazis from gaining a foothold in England? No, Gischler has decided to tell a story that feels like a "Year 1" story, but has to be a "Year 300" story.
The Shadow encounters a man who possesses the same gift to mask people's empathy. He feels lost, as though someone has stopped him from being able to hear or see, but luckily they are masked from each other. Gischler does an excellent job of conveying Cranston's fragile state of mind, and Gischler's fortune cookie wisdom works quite well. But there is a major chronological rub that I don't want to spoil.
I gave Dynamite some credit and said "this is a new version of the character, and what I have known doesn't factor into THIS Lamont Cranston/Kent Allard," but the fact that they reprinted Chaykin's "Shadow: Blood and Judgement" and accepted it as canon, leads me to believe this serious could only take place AFTER those events. By that point, Cranston has encountered so many foes that have been capable of replicating his gifts, this would hardly be new for him. Yet The Shadow, through out the issue, acts as though this is within his first couple years of fighting crime. I can only assume that some editors have some major signals crossed.
I try really hard not to be a giant fanboy when it comes to the Shadow, but it's in my blood. I've been reading his stories, watching his serials, and listening to his radio dramas since I was a tiny tike, and his mythos is something I adore. I have given a lot of leeway to a lot of Shadow stories in the past (accepting Chaykin's Shadow was one of the most rewarding), but Gischler is treading a weird line for me. It's not bad, but he does something a lot of writers who are unfamiliar with the character tend to do, and that's assume he is Batman. Throughout the issue he is seen crouching, and behaving like the Dark Knight, and less like the enigmatic man who scouts out the situation first, then wreaks havoc with his twin .45s of justice! He is smoke, he is a spirit, not a dude that crouches on windowsills. Gischler's over-reliance on The Shadow's inner-monologue also destroys some of the mystery of the character. He is at his best when the reader does not know him, but is seen through the eyes of either victim or villain with only the blood curdling laugh as a warning.
"Dylan, could you hate this issue any more?" Yeah. I probably could. Because I actually enjoyed it a lot. While he "committed a lot of crimes" against my personal Shadow continuity, he managed to sell me on Lamont as a person in his early days as the Shadow and showed me the moment when The Shadow deems it is just fine to take a life. If he can tone down the Bruce Wayne, and amp up the cocky ace fighter-pilot, this could be an excellent series.

Willow #1

Story by Jeff Parker, art by Brian Ching
The Buffy-verse has gone through an epic sundering lately, with every character getting their own title. Buffy Season 9 progresses the Slayer's life in the 21st Century with its usual witty satire of popular culture and modern societal norms. Angel & Faith has become the island of misfit toys for all of Buffy & Angel's forgotten yet beloved characters, and Spike's book is... er... a book with Spike in it.
Since Willow hasn't had her own series before, but is such a fan favorite and major player in the Buffy-verse, this series has a bit of anticipation to live up to. Luckily, Jeff Parker is able to deliver. This issue juggles three things rather effortlessly. It ties up where it spins out of Angel & Faith, it presents the reader with everything they need to know about Willow if they have never read or seen any other Buffy stories, AND it sets up the series for the foreseeable future. Jeff Parker gives Willow a task that is big enough that it warrants a solo-series away from everyone else. Willow must dimension hop in order to find a new hold for the Earth's magic after Buffy destroyed it "last season." And as an opening act, Jeff Parker has taken her into the world of Lewis Carrol's Alice in Wonderland. Supposedly, when Lewis Carrol was dreaming up this classic surrealist satire, he was actually visiting this world just beyond our own. Not the most original idea assuredly, but if this series becomes Willow dimension hopping through classic literature and mythology then bring it on, Jeff Parker! I can't wait!

That's it for this week's picks, see you next week for more of my favorite books on the shelves!

Dylan's Sequential Theology 10.24.2012

Dynamite has the bulk of my picks this week, but Dark Horse has the always excellent Dark Horse Presents which is full of content to the point that it's almost sensory overload. So in a way, it's a tie.

Chosen #1
Story by Chuck Dixon & Gotham Chopra, art by Diego Latorre
I tend to be a bit skeptical about books with covers that look like they were left-over art from Hot-Topic t-shirts, but this book worked quite well for me. A teenager in Detroit discovers he is the latest incarnation of the Buddha... well, possibly. An order of monks show up at his house when he is a baby and explain to his parents that he is the chosen one and destined for greatness. The parents send the monks away saying they are crazy bald headed freaks and their kid needs to enjoy the fruits of the Detroit public school education. The monks need their savior and return a few years later to kidnap the child and all goes horribly wrong. Flash forward again to the teenage Chosen One, and he is constantly getting into fights and doing poorly in school. He has the wisdom and steadfastness of the Buddha, but the inner rage of Ananda. He is vicious and does not know how to control his temper.
If this sounds familiar, it probably is. It's kind of like Little Buddha on steroids with a twinge of Fight Club. And to be honest, that's what I would expect from a Western reincarnation of the Buddha. Lots of pent up hostility, and a skepticism of authority. Chuck Dixon & Gotham Chopra actually do a great job of bringing the prophecy of the next Buddha to comics. It's been done before by Jodorowsky in his series White Lama, but this is much more of an urban machismo comic than a contemplative comic discussing the nature of reality. If you want a Punk Rock Lama, this will do nicely in your pull list. It will be interesting if it's somewhat over-the-top storylines ever balance, or if they continue to seem oddly comical, but it's still a fun ride all the same.

Dark Horse Presents #17
 This magazine is excellent. Getting this every month is such a treat. It's 80 pages of varied and excellent content for $8. You get to try out new series from creators before Dark Horse publishes them individually, and it also as reprints of old masters at an affordable price. This time around I wanted to highlight two stories I'm really enjoying.

Aliens: Inhuman Condition
Art by Sam Keith Story by John Layman
I put Sam Keith ahead of John Layman on this one because he is the star of this tale. Layman's story is excellent, and quite terrifying. It might be a little overcomplicated, and certain elements are impossible to resolve, bit it's quite chilling. All of this is amazingly augmented by Sam Keith's art. If you've never read the Maxx, here's a quick way to see the art of one of the greatest artists of "the Image revolution." His work is atmospheric and drippy, scratchy and frenetic. It hits you in young-primal part of your brain and feeds those pieces that barely understand what the human form looks like. And this tale of a woman shaken by a traumatic experience into a state child-like regression is the perfect place for his work. It should be collected in a hardcover sometime next year, and you should take a look at it.

The Deep Sea 
Story by Palmiotti & Gray, Art by Tony Akins, Paul Mounts
Palmiotti and Gray are doing an interesting take on the Fantastic Four in this story... or at least four people have had an accident while testing a bathysphere and wound up traveling fifty years into the future. The character moments in this story are incredibly touching. And the art has a similar look to the sentimental sequences in Creep. A little hazy, pastel pallet, but clean. Definitely a story that's worth your time.

Mind MGMT #6 

Mise en Scene by Matt Kindt

This ends the first arc of Mind MGMT. If you aren't reading this series, you should be. The further down the rabbit hole you go, the more you question everything. Are the Immortals even real? If Lyme can make anyone around him feel anything he wants them to, could they actually be a manifestation of his self-aspect that he doesn't want to deal with? I'm probably reaching, but when your main character has the subconscious drive to influence the thoughts and feelings of those around you to the extent that he doesn't know he's doing it, all bets are off to begin with.

Shadow #6
Story by Garth Ennis, Art by Aaron Campbell
Normally I'm not a fan of Alex Ross covers, but his cover for this issue is excellent. A great riff on the old pulp covers of George Rozen.
Until the past two issues, this series hasn't really done much for me. Margot Lane has been a non-entity, Cranston isn't likable in the slightest, and everyone walks around explaining their plan, and how their plan suddenly won't work because someone has ruined it. But Garth Ennis now seemed to be at a place where he knew what he was trying to do, instead of just paddling out to sea hoping he'd find land eventually. And the beach his boat lands on, is pretty exploitative. Ennis makes The Shadow's visit to the Orient the major turning point that gives the Allies the tools they need to fuel the atomic bomb. It's a clever piece of misdirection on his part. He sells you on the idea that the Japanese have built a hokey death ray a-la a Republic Serial, but in fact, their invention can be used for something more terrifying. Who knew? THE SHADOW KNOWS!!!
But I shouldn't be shocked by this somewhat blunt use of history. It's expected not only of Ennis, but the Shadow as well. Fans of the Helfer series from the 80s may remember the first annual (drawn by the great Joe Orlando) which featured a woman having sex with her radiation poisoned husband, who survived a brush with the atomic bomb, because she thought their child would become the Atomic Jesus. Say it with me, "Atomic Jesus!"
Ennis doesn't shy away from the blood and guts of the pulps either. Instead of being theatrical with his powers as he is often portrayed. The Shadow shows up and mows down everyone, laughing while he does it. A quirk that Ennis pins on his psychopathic distance from humanity, instead of an affectation designed to scare his opponents. There's more going on under the surface in this series, but it's rather decompressed. Considering this is Ennis' last issue before Victor Gischler takes over next month, it's an epic ending, but might have been a lot better if his story had been plotted a little stronger.

That's it this week. Thanks for reading. And as always, if you disagree with me then prove me wrong.

Dylan's Sequential Theology 10.10.2012

Welcome back to Sequential Theology. I've been away for a bit, but I have the time to write up a pick list. This Wednesday is one of those magically days when the shelves are blessed with a large selection of excellent titles... or it's a curse for your wallet if you don't have the extra cash.
This week Bêlit continue to conquer the harsh snows of Cimmeria, Oxel's mind is slipping as his body continues to betray him, and The Buffy-verse gets its first male slayer!

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9 #14

 Story by Jane Espenson and Drew Z. Greenberg, art by Karl Moline

Buffy is no stranger to tackling social issues. With past story-lines involving abortion, homosexuality, religion, and abuse it's no surprise that they would one day invert the tradition and have a gay slayer. What's surprising is that he isn't one with a grand destiny. Billy is a kid with a pretty stereotypical life for a modern fictional gay teenager. He's picked on by jocks who may or may not be dealing with their own sexuality. He hangs out with his gal pal on the hood of a car discussing hot guys while re-enacting the scene from Wayne's World where airplanes land over there heads. Naturally. 

But when he has to dust the bullies who have become zompires, and it happens to be in front of the blonde guy he's crushing on from school, things get much more interesting for Billy. His crush is apparently a huge fan of "the Slayer scene in San Francisco" and thinks with Billy's talent for killing zompires, maybe they should form a Scooby gang of their own. Billy is apprehensive because he doesn't have any special powers except his boxing skills (honed out of necessity to defend against said bullies). But zompires' lack of cunning makes it a lot easier for a person with slightly better than average fighting skills to take them down. Thus, Billy the Slayer is born!
This issue was quite fun. Buffy may not always be fine art, but the concept seems to be impervious to damage as its constant twisting only seems to make it more enjoyable... so long as it doesn't go into space.

Conan The Barbarian #9

Story by Brian Wood, art by Vasilis Lolos

Conan's adventures in the frozen North continue in the place where he is most vulnerable: the small town where he was born. The twist of Conan having the life experience of the great barbarian we all know and enjoy, but the emotional maturity of a contemporary twenty-something makes this book easily my favorite take on Conan. I don't know if I'll ever be able to enjoy another Conan story without that reflexive mirror pointing out the fact that when Conan was younger than me, he was brutally murdering people in the name of justice, and his pirate-bride was fighting packs of wolves bare-handed while suffering from snow blindness. 

Yeah, the story is highly romanticized, but at the dawn of history life had a stronger sense of survival of the fittest and law was a little more ambiguous.

Vasilis Lolos does an amazing Becky Cloonan impersonation that makes me forget there's fill-in artist. Excellent work that I continue to anticipate every month.

The Creep #2

John Arcudi, art by Jonathan Case

For three months now I have been treated to Jonathan Case's amazing art, and John Arcudi's subtle storytelling. If you enjoyed Blacksad, but couldn't get past the talking animals, than this book needs to be on your pull-list. Private investigator Oxel is searching for something that quite possibly can't be found, closure for his ex-love and for himself. Her child committed suicide and she is searching for a motive. Some grand conspiracy has to be behind the death of her child. Not murder, but something must have driven him to take his life. While Oxel wants to lay his past with her to rest, his now grizzled visage makes him keep his distance. He only talks to her by phone and these conversations are realized with a sort of Douglas Sirk technicolor that gives her end of the line an idilic glow. I am excited for the point when their two stories meet and both of their realities are brought to sharp relief. John Arcudi is constantly playing with personal perception in this series and shows how our memories and even our reality can't always be trusted.

This series seems as though it's produced entirely digitally with it's scratchy even lines, and it's floating "water colors," but Jonathan Case manages to evoke the cold of winter with his incredible understanding of color. The cool color pallet evokes that crisp winter air every time Oxel steps outside. I am going to petition for this to be a featured book when it's finally released, I can assure you.

That's it this week. Thanks for reading. And as always, if you disagree with me then prove me wrong.

Chris' Midichlorian Corner for September 19th, 201

Greetings Star Wars fans. Welcome back for the exciting conclusion of this amazing series: Darth Vader and the Ghost Prison. Last time, Vader had just recruited the strongest prisoners from the secret Jedi prison: Prism. He hoped these people would help him attack Headmaster Gentis, a man responsible for an attempt on the Emperor's life. Time is of the essence, as Vader and his forces must rush to intercept Grand Moff Tarkin before he can go to Coruscant and fall into Gentis' trap to take control of the entire Imperial military.

The issue opens with Tarkin's arrival on Coruscant. Gentis awaits with the entire Imperial Academy behind him, seemingly in a show of respect. But of course this is just a ruse. As Tarkin and his entourage exit their shuttle, Gentis orders them taken into custody. Everything seems to be going according to plan. Until all hell breaks loose. 

Turns out Tarkin wasn't alone. Vader rushes forth, his subordinates and the prisoners of Prism in tow, and proceed to lay waste to Gentis' forces. They are nothing more than a collection of students who clearly have a lot more to learn when faced with the Jedi's fiercest enemies from the Clone Wars. Among the fallen students is Gentis' last son. As Gentis embraces his son's lifeless corpse, he is engulfed in a flurry of Sith lightning, which courses throughout his body and melts his flesh. It would seem Tarkin didn't only have backup from Vader. The Emperor has returned and he is pissed.

From there we see the Emperor's forces make short work of retaking the Empire. Lieutenant Tohm is given the task of executing the traitors. Moff Trachta is awarded the rank of Grand Moff and appointed Headmaster of the Imperial Academies. And the prisoners are granted conditional freedom as long as they promise to never return to the Empire. However, this freedom proves to be short-lived. As their shuttle takes off from the launchpad, the prisoners explode over Coruscant. It would seem Lieutenant Tohm is truly a ruthless servant of Lord Vader.

Even the Emperor is impressed by this fact. He suggests that Tohm might prove to one day be a suitable replacement to Vader, should anything ever happen to the Dark Lord. Vader sees through the Emperor's words to their true meaning and has a private conversation with Lieutenant Tohm. The Dark Lord intends to give one final lesson to his would be successor, and what follows is one of the most chilling moments in any. Comic. Ever. Period.

This story arc is quickly becoming my all time favorite. It reminds us all why we first loved Darth Vader as a character (and it wasn't his dislike of sand). It is the absolute ruthlessness that he keeps contained beneath his cold mechanical demeanor. To quote a wise Jedi master, "He's more machine now than man. Twisted and evil." He no longer sees the people who serve with him as allies, but as tools to be used and then discarded when they have outlived their usefulness or as threats who must be eliminated. If this arc cemented anything into the Star Wars universe, it's this: you don't fuck with Darth Vader. And I dunno about any of you, but I hope Haden Blackman returns for future arcs of the Dark Lord of the Sith, with Agustin Alessio's art returning as well. These guys produce absolute gold.

Until next time Star Wars fans, may the Force be with you.

Episode 17: Blacksad

Episode 17: BLACKSAD 

by Juan Diaz Canales & Juanjo Guarnido

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Chris, Dylan, Keith and Nicole talk for just a little less than an hour about Blacksad. This pulpy noir series with an anthropomorphic twist is written by Juan Diaz Canales and masterfully painted by Juanjo Guarnido. With nothing but good things to say, it left us a little at a loss for words. Since it's a European production, they are aloud to take their time and produce a real work of art. Even if you have to wait two to five years for the next volume, we guarantee it's worth the wait.

This book sparked conversation about plenty of 1950s social issues. The crew discussed race relations, the Red Scare and even the Hayes Code which sanitized many of the films this book was inspired by. It is a truly incredible series, and you really should be reading it.

The intro song is, "I'm Just a Lucky So and So" by Ella Fitzgerald.

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A big thank you goes out to Josh Finney & Kat Rocha at 01 Publishing for sponsoring this episode! They just recently published their webcomic Utopiates as a graphic novel and it is definitely worth your time.

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Tune in next month when we will be spotlighting Ape Entertainment, and comparing David Mack's Kabuki: Circle of Blood to Kabuki: Metamorphosis (find a used copy if you can, or try your local library).

Chris' Midichlorian Corner for August 29nd, 2012

Welcome back Star Wars fans. This week's Star Wars book is Darth Maul: Death Sentence #2 by Tom Taylor & Bruno Redondo. Last time we saw our horned hero, he and his brother, Savage Opress, had tracked down the one responsible for the bounty on their heads. Before they could dispatch retribution though, they were confronted by a trio of Jedi sent from Coruscant to investigate Maul's return.

As you may remember, I was a big fan of the previous installment. I thought the story and artwork wonderfully captured the incredible savagery that is Darth Maul. It confirmed that Maul should have been the prequel trilogy's equivalent to Vader, and how it was a criminal mistake to cut him out after only 10 mins of screen time. I mean come on Lucas, if you're going to base the bulk of your marketing around a single character, the obvious choice is to let said character come back in future films. Luckily though, there are other media formats for Maul to continue his legend.

This issue picks up right where the last one left off and jumps right into battle. We're shown quite a bit: the power of the two brothers when combined, Savage's lack of control or foresight, the capability of Maul's new legs, and the fact that there is most likely no line that Maul won't cross. Maul is taken by surprise and wounded in the confrontation, causing him to flee and leave behind his incapacitated brother to the mercy of the Jedi. The heat of the desert beyond the mines proves too much for him though and he loses consciousness.

Maul begins to hallucinate and struggles against his doppelganger with the body of an enormous spider. Spider-Maul then transforms into a creepy as hell Obi-Wan and declares that Maul will never be able to stand against him. I really enjoyed how this scene harkened back (or is it forward?) to the cave scene from Empire Strikes Back. Maul eventually awakens from his nightmare among the people of the desert. They inform him that he is the "Demon in the Light" the elder foresaw coming to “lead their people against Ja'boag so that they can return to their homes in the caves before the day of the three suns burns them all alive.” Maul accepts this role, hoping that these people can help him save his brother from the Jedi.

This issue did a great job of keeping up the intensity. I always wanted to see what the next page had to offer. Whether this is because Darth Maul is just so inherently badass or because it's just such a well written and drawn book, I'll leave to you to decide. A few interesting new questions were introduced: What will the Jedi do with Savage Opress? What do the desert people mean by "Demon in the Light"? Will Maul help the people overthrow Ja'boag or does he have some ulterior motive? Guess we'll have to wait the four torturous weeks until next month to find out. 

Until that time everyone, May the Force be with you.

Dylan's Sequential Theology 08.29.2012

Welcome back to Sequential Theology! This time around we have the continuing adventures of "Angel & Faith: Trans-dimensional paranormal investigators," more wacky highjinx from the Nicolle brothers on Axe Cop, and Darth Maul: Death Sentence is a giant robot kick to the teeth.
As always, if you disagree with me, prove me wrong.

Angel & Faith #13
Story by Christos Gage, art by Rebekah Isaacs

When we last left our heroes they were in the hell dimension of Quor'toth attempting to
a) Restore magic to their dimension
b) Save a tribe of demons that worship Connor (Angels' son) as a messiah
c) Not die.
All while Quor'toth slowly corrupts each of them and makes them give in to their dark side. Being a fan of crazy Faith, it was great seeing her struggle with that aspect of herself, and this series has the potential to bring some much needed motivation for her which was lacking when she was in Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 4. She was crazy, and wanted to live life to the fullest, but that's not a character motivation and Christos Gage uses internal monologue to its fullest advantage with her.
Since this is the penultimate issue, this little detour to Connor's "homeworld" was pretty brief, but definitely fun. Not sure why I accept the over the top fantasy aspects in Angel & Faith, but can't stand it in Buffy... Most likely the general concept of "cheerleader living a normal life while fighting demons at night" tends to box in the rules of what is "too big." Anyway, I digress. If you want more Faith and Willow, this book is excellent. I don't know if I'd recommend it to Buffy & Angel fans outright, but it's definitely worth a look.

Axe Cop: President of the World #2
Story by Malachai Nicolle, art by Ethan Nicolle
My god, this kid can write. This series may have absolutely nil characterization, but the stories are fantastic. It feels like a Lee/Kirby era comic from the 60s or a comic from the 30s. Just endless imagination on every page. What most writers would stretch out to three years worth of story, Malachai & Ethan give you in 20 pages. It may be "too ADD for your internet," but if you miss reading comics about Gorillas on their tippy-toes with missile launching fists fighting robots, than this is the book for you.
It twists and turns in directions that are obvious, but because of our jaded modern minds and expectations of logic, their payoffs are incredibly satisfying. With everything flying at you all at once, the simplicity of story (cop with axe becomes president of the world; fights evil) hides the ever complex onion-esque layers of this series. There is the over arching plot, the plot of each rather self-contained issue, and then the backstories of each character introduced. This formula happens every time, and can possibly feel tedious, but Malachai creates backstories full of fodder for Ethan to flesh out with his art.
I don't want to spoil anything, but I also don't know if it's possible. Just know that in this issue, a giant Chee-Rex (half cheetah half t-rex) rides a flying motorcycle, and tries to destroy the world, and that's just the splashpage on pages 4 & 5.

Darth Maul: Death Sentence #2
Story by Tom Taylor, art by Bruno Redondo

When it was announced that Darth Maul would return to the Star Wars universe in a larger role, I was excited about the prospect. But at the same time, wasn't too sure if his re-introduction to the Star Wars universe was necessary (as if his death was). And when I saw his robot legs, I just mentally re-imagined him as having regular legs due to a long stint in a Bacta tank and I was merely misremembering the robot goat legs. But that's the design they are going with, so I guess I'd better get used to it.
But, I was optimistic to see how Tom Taylor would flesh out everyone's favorite Dathomirian beyond being the one-dimensional icon seen in Episode I. And he really nailed it by showing his relationship with his brother. The first issue was a lot of explosions and very little characterization from Darth Maul, or his brother (the reasonable replacement if horribly named) Savage Opress. And while I don't expect too much characterization, the first issue told me little more than "these two are badasses and they do badass stuff." This time around, there was much more characterization and I was able to really get into the story.
More violence, more crazy action, but it becomes more than that as Darth Maul fails and has to pick himself up. By the end of this issue, Darth Maul is in charge of the lives of many innocent people, and what this dark lord of terror and hate does with that power will be very interesting indeed.

Not convinced you should buy Darth Maul: Death Sentence #2? Here's Chris' much more in depth review.

Before I end this, I want to also point out that Darth Vader and the Ghost Prison #4 came out last week, but I didn't get to it until this week. This book really deserves the praise it's getting from other comics review sites. If you love the Star Wars universe, definitely pick up the trade when it is released. It's easily one of the best things to happen to the franchise since the Dark Empire trilogy.

Thank you all for enjoying what we do here. If you haven't yet, please listen to our latest episode where we interview Joko Budiono, his latest book Teddy-1 really deserves your attention.

Chris' Midichlorian Corner for August 22nd, 2012

Welcome back Star Wars fans! I'm sure you were all as eager as I was to read the latest issue of "Darth Vader and The Ghost Prison." The last time we saw the Dark Lord of the Sith, he had just taken control of the Jedi Council's secret prison with the assistance of Lieutenant Tohm and Moff Trachta. Elsewhere, General Gentis, headmaster of the Empire's military academies, continues his plan to kill the Emperor and take control of the Empire so that he can bring peace.

Boy howdy, did this issue ever hit the ground running. The last issue ended with Tohm suggesting to Vader that they free the prisoners held captive by the Jedi. And then rather than see the course of events play out directly after that point, we're instead dropped right in the middle of the aftermath of that decision. This choice on writer Haden Blackman's part really helps us to feel the hecticness of being in the middle of a battle. As the battle plays out, we're introduced to two new characters, Baron Nax Cirvan and Captain Shonn Volta.

Cirvan and Vader have a history that is repeated briefly during the battle. At the first sign of Vader being off his guard, Cirvan won't hesitate to stab him in the back to seize power. Volta is given much more development in this issue, as we learn why it is that she hates both the Jedi and the Republic. Hearing her reasoning, one might even agree that she's in the right. Not only do we get her backstory, but we learn more about Lieutenant Tohm, and it continues to make the reader empathize with him. One might even start to like Trachta as he gives a pretty good speech to the remaining prisoners to get them to join Vader in the fight against Gentis' forces in exchange for their freedom.

Gentis is given even less time in this issue than the last (a mere two pages).  I realize that it's called "DARTH VADER and the Ghost Prison," but I'd still prefer to see a bit more of Gentis' side of the story. Or at least have his dialogue feel a tad less expository. I'd rather see him put his plan in place rather than hear him talk about it with his accomplices. But I'm sure we'll see more in the next issue, seeing as it's the final part of the arc. It's just so sad we have to wait a whole month for it. 

Until next time Star Wars fans, may the Force be with you.

Dylan's Sequential Theology 08.22.2012

This week, I've got quite a few books to recommend and one actual trade that is now available for pre-order because I can't stop talking about it! As always, lots of Dark Horse, and a couple Dynamite. There's a new creative team on Vampirella, Matt Kindt's continually amazing work on Mind MGMT, another giant issue of Dark Horse Presents, and lastly but not leastly, SIGURD DRAGONSBANE!

Dark Horse Presents #15

A lot of people did a lot of stuff.

Dark Horse Presents may be pricey, but there is easily enough content to warrant the $8 price tag. Each month the book is filled to the brim with talented comic artists from past an present playing in just about every genre from comedy to tragedy. Honestly, if I were only able to spend $8 a month on comics, this series is all I would need.

Sadly, there's a lot in here and I have a lot of other books to talk about, so I'll give you the bullet points for why you should pick up this pricey book this time around.

• David Chelsea's stream of consciousness Girl With the Keyhole Eyes is something you can't really be prepared for.
• Rex Mundi.
• More Sam Keith drawing Xenomorphs. And a cold terrifying sadness in the pit of your stomach.
• Nate Cosby and Evan Shaners' Buddy Cops NEEDS have its own monthly series. No, it needs to be twice monthly. It needs to never end. Read the funny pages people! Laugh at the robot! HE DOESN'T THINK LIKE YOU!
• Twisted tales of romance from Kim W. Andersson's Love Hurts
• More Sabertooth Vampire!

This issue is also fantastic because it includes the second chapter of the BEST trade paperback I read this week...

RIVEN
Story by Bo Hampton & Robert Tinnell, Art by Bo Hampton

When most people ask "Vampires or Werewolves" there's an instant gut reaction. It calls out from our very core. Mine, is werewolves. BUT I hate their portrayal in popular culture. There has only been a handful of good werewolf movies American Werewolf in London, Wolf, The Howling & Ginger Snaps. Compare that to the veritable nonstop onslaught of excellent vampire movies. And I'm sorry, but there is no way Twilight can even remotely destroy the greatness of Interview With a Vampire, Nosferatu, Shadow of the Vampire, Dracula, Underworld, 30 Days of Night, Blade, Let the Right One In, The Hunger, The Nightwatch Trilogy, From Dusk Till Dawn, and Francis Ford Coppola's new film Twixt is a fantastic vampire film that needs to be on every vampire fan's must-see list.

As a quite often disappointed werewolf fan, I can't recommend this book enough. This is the best werewolf movie I've never seen. It's available for pre-order on Dark Horse's website and if you are a werewolf fan, I STRONGLY urge you to do so.

Bo Hampton's watercolors lend an incredible atmosphere to this tale of one girl's coming of age under very supernatural circumstances. And for a werewolf story, it succeeds where so many others fail. So many werewolf stories get caught up in the fact that the person can transform, that they forget about the person at the heart of the story. Bo manages to let you into the mind of a girl who is not only displaced due to her linage, but also a very strange condition... Even if the characters are a little simplistic at times and the ending can be seen from a ways off, Bo still tells a fantastic werewolf story that I can't shut up about.

Mind MGMT #4
Mise En Scene by Matt Kindt

As we continue to tumble down the rabbit hole, Matt Kindt shows us the incredible good that mind altering can bring, and the constant questions it presents as its user begins to unravel. Lyme tells the story of his time learning at Mind MGMT and what it's like to be trained from a very early age to control the motives of others. He talks about the first time he used his abilities to stop a kid from bullying him, and the repercussions put most tales of Catholic guilt to shame. He has a desire to do good in the world, and ensure the happiness of the people around him, be he doesn't know if tinkering with them is the right way to get it. Life inside the Mind MGMT compound is a constant struggle between the people who want to use these children's gifts as weapons, and the children whose overwhelming empathy makes them desire to never harm a living thing.  The section where Lyme talks about his involvement in the first Iraq war was just one more lightbulb in this series subtle way of making you reexamine your world. 

Matt Kindt's art continues to impress as the form of this book ads layers to its content. His watercolor brushwork is not complicated over rendering, but his gesture puts a piece of himself onto the page, and that texture plays up the desire for humanity in a world whose aim is to make a world without them.

Vampirella #21
Story by Brandon Jerwa, Illustration by Heubert Khan Michael

Yet another Vampirella issue I feel perfectly justified recommending to anyone that loves seeing strong female characters and vampire themed superheroics. Especially with all of the Buffy reviews I've been doing here. If I were Dynamite, I would be shouting this new creative team to the heavens! This creative team classes this book up a good ten notches from where it has been.

The last storyline was miserable. Terrible murky art, and monsters that looked like seedlings from Little Shop of Horrors. And the artist had serious difficulties rendering her costume in motion (ahem). But Heubert Khan Michael has given this book a much more Marvel house style akin to Leonard Kirk or Stewart Immonen. Which subconsciously tones down that she's running around wearing implausible fabric (one can only assume it's made of unstable molecules). 

But I digress. I'm not well versed with the Vampirella universe so if the people they reference, aside from Vampirella herself, are supposed to mean something to me, I can honestly say they don't. But Heubert Khan Michael does a great job of using contemporary comic book language to at least sell the moment as something interesting.

Brandon Jerwa has Vampirella facing off against the Inquisition with cosmic deities cheering her on from the side lines. Think Dan Brown's DaVinci Code if Vampirella were the main character. It's just a heck of a lot of fun watching her beating up cardinals and trying to save her friend who is possessed by an evil spirit who may or may not have been a Nazi. Why wouldn't you want to buy that?

Okay, so the costume's a little off-putting. My feminist ideologies continue to do battle with Vampirella's costume, but the fact that the overtly sexist costume was designed by none other than Indie Comix legend Trina Robbins, and that Vampirella is a strong female character that more often that not doesn't feel like a "dude with boobs" tends to win out. 

I have a bigger difficulty with the men that are choosing how to promote the character. Three of the variant covers for this book are just absurd and solely exist to titillate in the most childish way. With a character like this it can be a difficult tightrope to walk between disgusting chauvinism, and female empowerment.

Seriously, it's a great read and I hope this team stays on the book for a long time.

Kirby: Genesis-Dragonsbane #3
Story Robert Rodi, Illustrated by Fritz Casas

Did you ever want to read a team-up with Thor and Hercules but without the Marvel Universe attached? I give you Sigurd Dragonsbane, the Mighty Ulysses and the NORSE GOD SQUAD! It really is a Thor book without Thor. As I was reading this issue I became more and more fascinated with Kirby's interest in creating these characters to begin with. Why would he feel the need to revisit Asgard? They aren't entirely the same, but the Kirby designs make it impossible to overlook. 

The plot of this series revolves around the worlds of myth beginning to merge and all of the gods are entwining into each others legends. So a Turkish goddess is being rescued and returned to her homeland by Sigurd and Ulysses, along the way they meet a terrible demon and mad monk. It's simple fantasy stuff, but the scale of their powers and their deity status makes their interactions preposterously awesome, especially with Kirby's technicolor yawn suits. Definitely worth a look if you are in the mood for superheroics next to godliness. 

As always, do you disagree with me? Prove me wrong.