Superman | Official Teaser Trailer

Now I'm ready to see the new Superman movie. 

Marvel Studios' Echo | Official Trailer | Disney+ and Hulu

Okay this is looking a hell of a lot better than I expected. Getting a lot of that Netflix Daredevil feel off of this trailer. So hoping this show surprises the hell out of everyone, especially those who talked shit before any teasers were even released. 

AegiSteel issue one - comic book review

 

AegiSteel issue one 

From Outland Entertainment

Available on DrivethruComics.

Set in a fantasy steampunk setting this comic focuses on a small team of heroes trying to protect a town from an invading force. So a pretty straight up typical romp in that type of setting. 

The writing is solid and to the point. Not giving us a huge dump of information on each character that we need to slog through just to keep going. Mainly letting their actions and a little bit of dialogue to most of the work... and it works well. These nineteen pages gives a good beginning and end for the story while leaving us wanting to know a little bit more about the characters and the world they live in. But it's a fast and easy read that keeps you pulled in. 

Also the artwork is done well. A few panels left me wondering what exactly was happening as they appeared more 'pose inspired' than focused on showing us the action that was taking place. But it's very clean and slick looking. Not a lot of excess "noise" that you have to look over to figure out what is going on.

My only problem I really have is this appears to be the only issue so far. I kind of want to find out a bit more about the world and the characters but can't find much else about either. Hopefully Outland picks this up with a few more releases at some point.

Now as a complete aside point. This has also led to me discovering the other comics that Outland Entertainment has released. Elflord, Samuria, DragonRing, even the little known short series Blood n' Guts; all some of my favorite indie comics from a few decades back. So they'll be seeing a few of my dollars soon. 

In the end I'll give the comic a four out of five. Give it a look if you will. But also take a look at the other comics they have to offer. 

Savage Red Sonja: Queen of the Frozen Wastes - Review

 

Savage Red Sonja: Queen of the Frozen Wastes 

From Dynamite Entertainment and available on Drivethrucomics.

I will start off by saying Red Sonja comics come with certain expectations. Well they do deliver them here. But sometimes the story that those expectations are presented it just really make me shake my head. Right off the bat we get some inner dialogue from Sonja where she is complaining just how much she hates the cold. Then we immediately get to see her wearing nothing but the trademark chainmail bikini, a cloak, boots and gloves. 

Really I get the idea that most Red Sonja stories are drawn for the male gaze but at some points you would think somebody would get the idea that she needs to be at least a bit more dressed for the occasions. Walking through deep snow in the middle of a snow storm seems to be one of those times. But here we are.

That being said the art is very well done. Plenty of what people want to see right off the bat in a comic like this. Blood, violence and skin. They really do approach the 'Savage' part of title very well. 

Eventually we see our main character get knocked out and captured. Then revealed to be in the clutches of a female 'demoness' for the lack of a better description. One that has been living among a tribe of savages for centuries helping them evolve into a more intelligent species and becoming more deadly in the process. 

After seeing Sonja she immediately has plans for her, ones that our fiery red head doesn't approve of. Thus begins the fight back against her captures while trying to rally other fellow slaves to her side in hopes of turning the odds and escaping. 

I want to talk about the writing. What there is of it is decently done, but there just isn't a lot. I blew through this collection of four issues in no time flat. Seems they could have added a bit more meat to the story for the reader but it's simply not there at all. So the 86 pages of actual story feel like a single issue. 

The we get around thirty pages of alternate covers and sketchbook art. Which isn't bad and they have some great artists doing these. But that does seem a bit excessive. 

In the end I'm giving this one three out of four. It really needed a boost from more dialogue and story to be put in there. Along with some common sense with clothing in the first part. But if you're a fan of Red Sonja and love the blood, violence and skin over anything else than this is the book for you. 

You can pick it up on DrivethruComics for $11.99. 

More of my comic book reviews can be found HERE. If you like what you see here please show your support through my Ko-fi page and toss a coin to your reviewer. It's always much appreciated. 

Aberrant: You are not alone - review

 

You can pick this comic up over on DrivethruComics for $1.99. 

This is a one shot comic from Onyx Path Publishing for the Aberrant game line that is contained within the Trinity Continuum game line. It is not part of a series nor was it ever meant to be. 

The basic of the storyline is that of a blogger who is given a chance to interview one of the most sought after folks on the planet. Antaeus from Team Tomorrow, a group that exists to help the world... at least according to their own PR work. Gillian, the blogger, asks a series of questions while making some assumptions of her own only to get equally mysterious and perplexing answers in return. Especially about that the roll of Nova's are in the world around them.

In the end this acts as a quick basic overview for anybody who is ready to dip into the Aberrant game line. By basic I mean very basic. They don't try to cover everything and right at the end they help push what I presume is part of the metaplot that the line will have. 

Art and writing wise everything is perfectly fine. Solid work. It gives just what they need to for what this comic is supposed to be. However unlike the Exalted one shot comic they put out it really doesn't hook me into wanting to know a little bit more. 

So I'll give it four out of five stars. But only recommended for those who are considering trying out the Aberrant tabletop roleplaying game or are fans of it already. 

More of my comic book reviews can be found HERE. If you like what you see here please show your support through my Ko-fi page and toss a coin to your reviewer. It's always much appreciated. 

Ravine Volume One - Review

 

Ravine Volume One 

from Top Cow and available on DrivethruComics.

This is a fantasy world based comic with dragon riders, kingdom level politics, trapped gods and sentient weapons of great power. Mainly centered around the kingdom of Palladia and the various factions of an alliance that make it up. There is a dark past that is covered at the beginning of the comic that had direct impact on the story taking place in the core part of the comic. But then there are those on the outskirts just trying to make their way through the world.

Evelynn de Corredan, whose real name is Lynn de Luctes, is one of the center points of the story. A young dragon rider who is out to prove her ability and skills while avoiding her ultimate fate that will take it all from her. Hoping to one day wield a weapon of power known as a Grimlas. But with attacks happening along the borders of the kingdom from an unknown threat and the power plays going on behind the throne, she may not be able to avoid that fate for much longer.

The world building here is very well done. With multiple layers of intrigue already built onto a history of the the entire setting. Feeling much like Artesia, with a complete and very believable background that you want to dive into with both feet. There is a lot of terms, jargon and characters introduced but in a bit of brilliance we get a glossary in the back with a break down of all the main players in the story. Plus plenty more history to boot just for those salivating for more.

Once again I'm pleased to see more artwork from one of my current favorites Stjepan Sejic. Here his style really comes to life as each character has their own unique look and feel. There is no confusion who is on the page. The attention to detail is extraordinary, from the style and designs of armor and weapons to the ferocious appearance of the dragons. He's definitely rolling in his element here.

In the end I'll give this one five out of five. Although with a world setting this heavily detailed it's probably not for everyone, especially for those looking for some light reading.

You can pick it up on DrivethruComics for just $8.99.

More of my comic book reviews can be found HERE. If you like what you see here please show your support through my Ko-fi page and toss a coin to your reviewer. It's always much appreciated.  

Exalted: Tale of the Visiting Flare - Review

 

Exalted: Tale of the Visiting Flare

from Onyx Path Publishing and available on DrivethruComics.

This is a quick single issue comic for the tabletop roleplaying game known as Exalted. Which is described as such:

This is the tale of a forgotten age before the seas were bent, when the world was flat and floated atop a sea of chaos. This is the tale of a decadent empire raised up on the bones of the fallen Golden Ate, whose splendor it faintly echoed but could not match. This is a tale of primal frontiers, of the restless dead, of jeweled cities ruled openly by spirits in defiance of Heaven's law. This is a tale of glorious heroes blessed by the gods, and of their passions and the wars they waged in the final era of legends.

It's a setting heavily influenced by eastern culture and beliefs. With a lot of super powered heroes mixed in there to fight the good fight and restore the realm they live in.

The comic itself is a simple tale of one wandering warrior looking for his own path and trying to figure out the mystery of his past. From the mysteries of his dreams to the strange mark on his forehead where he is told he is the reincarnation of a powerful force from the past. It's short but it does convey a nice feeling for the setting and the kind of stories that can be told there.

Art wise they go that extra step and give us something that also fits the anime styled influence that also permeates the game. It's really smooth, I mean really smooth. The color and the line work mix perfectly and there are no wasted lines here. They went the extra mile in their effort.

But here lies the one problem I have with this comic. There is only one issue. It was made as a Kickstarter stretch goal apparently and there are no plans to continue with the story in this form. Which is really a pity because it leaves you wanting more. Not for the roleplaying games so much as you want to read the rest of the story around this one particular character. 

So in the end I'm giving this one four out of five. That one point loss is because it is a tease. Thus making it most likely to attract the interest of those already invested in the game it is based on or those interested in it. There is very little pull for the casual comic collector to come along and pick this solitary issue up..

Available on DrivethruComics for 2.99

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The Darkness: Levels - Review

 

The Darkness: Levels 

from Top Cow and available on DrivethruComics

The Darkness is a character has been around in the Top Cow comics universe since 1996. However this particular story is sort of retelling of the characters origin as they unfolded in the video game that was released in 2007. Giving the story of the character a bit of a brush up and some tweaks.

In a nutshell The Darkness is a cosmic entity that passes from one host to another throughout history. The current person in possession of this power is Jackie Estacado. A mafia hitman who gained his abilities on his twenty first birthday. There was no warning or foretelling about what he was about to inherit, he was just tossed in for the ride.

In this particular series we get see Jackie receive his 'gift' as he fights against the mob boss he used to work for. There is collateral damage as the woman he loves is killed during and he was not allowed to save her. Which leads to his first trip to the other world where the creatures at his command reside. A sort of hell like dimension of constant fighting and wars. But the Darkness doesn't allow him to stay dead for long and he returns to continue his crusade against his former boss. All the way learning new abilities and limitations of the powers he now possesses.

From what I gather each issue is supposed to represent a different level in the video game, telling the story of that part before moving on to the next one. Which does help bridge a bit of a gap between video game players and comic fans which I'm sure they were hoping for a lot of crossover to occur between the two. It actually works pretty well in this format although a few parts seem particularly rushed but nothing deal breaking at all. Also in a couple of spots it begins to feel like a bit of an anvil dropper but again, not to a level where it broke the comic.

Art wise we get the works of several talented folks. Much to my pleasure it has some early Stjepan Sejic work, he has become one of my favorite current artists in the field right now. So seeing some of his stuff not nearly as polished and refined was a treat. There was some significant differences in the styles here but they were all good and quite talented. Plus there is a large collection of covers, alternate covers, sketch work and stuff like that at the end.

In the end I'm giving this one four out of five stars. I enjoyed it and wouldn't mind catching up on some of the earlier material just to see what it was like.

As always it's available over on DrivethruComics and for only $11.99.  

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The Green Hornet '66 meets The Spirit - review

 

The Green Hornet '66 meets The Spirit 

From Dynamite Entertainment and available on DrivethruComics.

I may be a little biased here. I've always been a fan of the Green Hornet and Will Eisner's The Spirit. I used to chase after Spirit comics and strips while being on the look out for Green Hornet serials, the radio show or even the comics from Now Comics. So I'm kind of happy having both of them here in one story. 

They start with a great set up having The Green Hornet and Kato in Central City laying a trap for Kid Kraken a gang leader who is known as being the henchman of a previous criminal mastermind known as the Octopus who supposedly died fighting the Spirit years earlier. Yeah that's quite a long sentence to sum that all up... but it should work. Anyways their trap not only attracts the attention of Kid Kraken but also that of the Spirit as well. A younger black Spirit that nobody had identified before. The Kid suspected a trap so has henchman in vast quantities with him to feed into the fists and gas gun of our three main characters. 

As the story progresses we get plenty of twists and turns as Kid Kraken then goes on the offensive to discover the identity of his enemies. The story of what really happened between The Spirit and the Octopus is revealed. With plenty of action tossed in there for good measure. 

Writing wise this is a great story. Fred Van Lente captures that pulp feel with not only the dialogue but also with the entire plot. All of the characters feel properly place and not just a cardboard cutout saying a couple of lines. Props to him for pulling this off in the here and now. 

Bob Q does the art duties and doesn't let anyone down. He has a nice smooth style that just flow very well from panel to panel. Some parts of it even remind me a bit of Eisner's style in the Spirit comics. I'm hoping to see more from him, especially on these characters if that can happen, in the future. He's such a solid fit here. 

All in all this is a great idea for a crossover with characters that would interact well with each other. Honestly it's nice seeing Dynamite bringing back some classics like this and blowing the dust off of them. But at the same time keeping them true to their form. 

In the end I am going to give this one five out of five. The only thing I would have liked more is if there had been more pages. 

You can pick it up over on DrivethruComics for $11.99. 

Xena Warrior Princess: Road Warriors - review

 

Xena Warrior Princess: Road Warrior 

from Dynamite Entertainment and available on DrivethruComics.

I have to admit right off the bat that I haven't seen a Xena episode since shortly after it went off the air many years ago. To be honest I've never really given it much thought after that either except the occasional “Oh look it's Lucy Lawless, she used to play Xena” while watching movies or reading entertainment news. So going into this comic was a bit different for me than it probably is for those who are still hardcore fans of the show.

First I want to cover the writing. It goes fast and quick. It's almost all dialogue with very little of anything else except telling us where the characters are. Normally I'm not a big fan of this, however in this case it actually works quite well. Everybody knows who the main people are in the story, their motivations aren't really all that hard to figure out and it just flows. It actually feels like this could have been an episode of Xena back in the day.

Starting off with a fight between Xena and Gabrielle against the Goddess of Chaos, Discord. Her manipulation of a group of villagers and posing a threat to their children has gotten the attention of our two protagonists and they step in to make things right. As with all things dealing with the Gods in this setting there is much more going on than we know. Discord gets depowered by big daddy Zeus and is exiled. One snag and you can probably guess it, Gabby and Xena accidently get sent along with her.

We end up following the unlikely trio as they try to find their way back to Greece. Meeting up with various versions of mythological characters along the way and running into trouble at every turn. Discord develops a bit more as a character and they flesh her out a bit. She learns a little and becomes a better mortal along the way. It's actually a pretty fun little romp that takes the characters out of the traditional Greek inspired setting.

Now onto the art. It gets a bit rough in places, especially in the first couple of issues. It's by no means Rob Liefeld doing Captain America bad, but there are times when I'm wondering how some panels even made it past their editors. Then it begins to pick up and becomes a lot more smooth and fitting as the series progressed. The last few issues were much improved and I have to give that a thumbs up.

Closing out with a collection of all the alternate covers and various artwork for the series this little collection is pretty good. I have to give it a four out of five stars. If they artwork had been as good as the later issues throughout the entire series than it would have gotten a full five. Any fans of the show will most likely enjoy this a great deal.

You can pick it up on DrivethruComicsfor just $15.99.

The Scourge - Review

 

The Scourge Vol One from Aspen Comics and available at DrivethruComics. 

The story for this one is pretty straight forward. Your basic zombie outbreak with a twist. This time instead of regular zombies they turn into gargoyle/demon looking creatures that can fly. But it follows all the same beats as any other zombie story. Outbreak occurs, massive havoc as it spreads, scrappy group of survivors trying to fight back, lots of violence.

I tore into this one really wanting to like it. I mean the writer is Scott Lobdell who has a really good track record of quality. The art is by Eric Battle it looks top notch. Even the color by David Curiel and Jorge Fares is fantastic. But in the end I just did not like this. Let me go into why just a little bit.

These gargoyle zombies (zombgoyles? Yeah I'll call them that) are all claws and teeth, evidently agile and strong as hell to boot. A scratch of bite from them transmits the infection. They pile onto their targets in drove sometimes. But somehow, while being tackled and tossed around by these bad guys the main protagonist doesn't get a single scratch... while wearing a simple long sleeved shirt and a Kevlar vest. No extra protection besides the vest, just street clothes. Nothing on his head or hands. Not a single scratch. Actually all of the scrappy survivor group are wearing very little protection, some even going around bare armed.

Then we have the zombgoyles ranging from absolutely bad ass and tearing into folks to being taken down rather easily by the scrappy survivor squad at times. Even the effect of bullets on them varies from one to point to the next. There is never an explanation as to why they are suddenly weaker when in the vicinity of the good guys we are following along in the story.

That little scrappy group of survivors doesn't even fill out well. We have SuperCop and his unending supply of firearms and explosives, captain not very useful but never gets scratched, Ms. Pure Plot Devicium who exists only to solve the problem and the ever so exciting carrot on a stick kid to keep the SuperCop on his toes.

For a comic with as many action and fighting scenes as this has it sure wasn't that exciting to read. Really, at one point you just realize that the main four characters are in no danger. They aren't going to kill them and they're going to solve the problem. You see that coming a mile away and the big action scenes with teeth and claw aren't really going to do anything except show us zombgoyles being killed by gunfire, getting cut up or an occasional slightly more interesting death.

Also top it off with the most effective military in the world EVER. The suspension of disbelief is even more impossible to keep in check by this. Within an hour or less of the outbreak they have the entire island of Manhattan locked down and are planning a final solution in very short order. Damn, not even the Romans were this good and precise.

So in the end I'm sorry. But this is getting a two out of five stars from me. It wasn't exciting, it wasn't all that original and even for a comic it wasn't all that believable either. But if you are still interested it's only 9.99 on DrivethruComics. 

Pathfinder Goblins! - review

Pathfinder Goblins from Dynamite Entertainment is available over on DrivethruComics. 

Pathfinder Goblins! An anthology of stories with different writers and artists for each. The common thread here is they are all about the nasty violent (and not to bright) creatures from the Pathfinder tabletop roleplaying game. Although you don't need to be familiar with the game itself to enjoy this collection.

The thread connecting all of the stories contained within is that they are various tales told around the campfire by goblins. Now goblins aren't known for their overwhelming intelligence and wisdom. Keeping that in mind they are also not known for being overly honest either. Also they are short psychopathic murderers. So what you get are tall tales told in a particularly brutish violent style which may have a few inklings of truth hidden within. Of course there are just some outright lies as well. But who's going to go tell a bunch of Gobbo's that they are telling their own history wrong?

As with any anthology like this the quality of writing and art varies from story to story. But none of what I saw was bad by any stretch of the imagination. Plus with that different feel it flows better when the story switches up. My one quibble is that this much 'goblin speak' in a row can get a bit headache inducing. This is definitely a volume you will want to pick up and read a story or two and then put it down and read a few more the next day. Space it out a bit.

After the reprint of the first five issues they have a cover and art gallery which is always nice. Then they have a section that is for those who play the Pathfinder roleplaying game. While, once again, this is not a system I am super familiar with I do understand the basics of. So with that in mind what's there is well written and connected back to the stories told by the goblins throughout the series. Plenty of character stats, some new equipment and lots of ideas to use in your own games.

All in all I'll give this one a sold four out of five. Especially for those who like some dark humor in their fantasy comics. Also those who are fans of the game on which this is based may find plenty of use from the material as well.

Currently it's only 12.99 over at DrivethruComics.

Songs for the Dead Book One - Review

 

Songs for the Dead Book One. 

Available on DrivethruComics.

Available on Amazon.

Or check your local friendly comic shop!

This one is a bit harder to review. I'll be honest I started off not really feeling it at all, something just didn't seem to click with me. But once I got into the story and it progressed past the first issue then things began to pick up. At the final page I was actually wanting more.

Everything in here revolves around the character of Bethany, a minstrel who wants so badly to be an adventurer, just like the ones she sings about. But she's young, not that experienced, oh and one more thing, she's a necromancer. Now not the evil brooding twisted type of necromancer many of us have grown to hate in roleplaying games. But the kind who can speak with and resurrect the dead but wants to help them find peace and justice. Only most folks don't like those who command the deceased no matter their intentions.

Of course not everything goes according to plan and she rapidly ends up prisoner of one Lord Rolland. This conniving bastard wants to use her to further his goals and plans which is something she wants nothing of. Things are looking pretty bleak until she meets up with Elissar, a seasoned fighter who is simply trying to get by in the world as a sword for hire. The two kick off an unlikely friendship as they go searching for those who will accept Bethany while getting a few coins along the way.

It's a great mix of humor, fantasy, some rough fantasy action and friendship. Something that is hard to pull off but they manage to do so. It even made my cynical self smile a little.

Written by Andrea Fort and Michael Christopher Heron. You can tell these two love the story and the characters they have created. So much detail and personality has been put into the main two characters that you gain a real sense of understanding by the end of this first volume. I just didn't think the writing was that solid in the first issue. But I will fully admit that after that it picks up rather quickly, almost as if they got their footing before taking off for the sprint. By issue three they're doing amazing and the final issue four just keeps on moving in that direction.

Artwork is done by Sam Beck. Again on that first issue I wasn't to hyped up for the artwork either. But he followed in the same steps as the writers and just got better as the story progressed. That and his particular style grew on me and it fit really well with the lightheartedness that is laced throughout the comic.

All in all I'm giving this one a solid four out of five stars. If that first issue could have captured the same energy and dynamic that was in the others then it would have been a five. But that start felt rough, like a hump to get over. In the end though I want to read book two, I'm actually looking forward to finding out what happens. That's what really matters. It gets that hook into the reader.

Pick it up for 7.99 right now over on DrivethruComics.

Mindfield Volume One - review

 

Mindfield Volume one is available from DrivethruComics 

Mindfield is a modern day psychothriller sat in the world of government espionage and psychic powers. The story revolves around a team of five people that have been recruited by the CIA and had their potential psychic abilities enhanced. All with the goal of fighting terrorism in a post-911 world where the rules have changed.

Most of the story is told through the eyes of Connor, the member of the team who has the most developed abilities. A man with trauma and loss in his past that sometimes make it harder to handle it new found abilities. He is our core protagonist in this story to give the reader an anchor to hold them in place throughout. The other team members are unique in personalities and how they handle their abilities.

The center of the action is focused on stopping a group of home grown terrorists who wish to gain access to a nuclear warhead. With a fanatical following and two very dangerously powerful psychic on their side to boot. It's not pretty when they finally begin to clash in open conflict which takes us from the real world and into that of the mind.

Plenty of government secrets, references to old programs that actually existed, and more shady motivations than you can shake a stick at. This comic series feels very much like what a modern day spy thriller should be like.

The artwork is great, hands down it stays consistent and shows us the story perfectly. Alex Konat and Saleem Crawford do the illustration and inks with John Starr pulling duty on the colors. A completely finished and smooth look is achieved between this trio.

On the writing J.T. Krul and he deliver in spade. The story flows perfectly from page to page keeping a brisk pace and just enough information to keep you interested. Dialogue feel natural between the character and you come away understanding each and every one of them. It feels like the work of a practiced comic veteran.

In the end I'm giving this one five stars. Very much worth picking up for a read, especially at the $9.99 price tag. I very much look forward to seeing more for Mindfield in the future. There is plenty of story to build on and avenues to explore. But I've always been a sucker for a good story involving psychic powers.

For the gamer out there this story could easily take place in Conspiracy X, Dark Matter or even DeltaGreen. 

Also, just to get this off my chest, I really wish companies would hire somebody to put their pdfs together better. Bookmarks to the individual issues in the trade would be a start. 

Helm Greycastle Book One review

 

Helm Greycastle Volume One a available on DrivethruComics.

The story of a man named Helm Greycastle and his party of adventurers who also seem to be a bit shady around the edges in what they do. Opening with a fight to retrieve an item to help a friend it quickly leads to a rescue mission to another world. With the goal of saving a young dragon prince who's been captured the crew must make their way through a culture they have never encountered before. One that Helm discovers he has a connection with. A mix of political intrigue and plain old sword and sorcery action takes place as they must negotiate with rulers and Gods.

The writing and pacing of the story felt off. Starting off with so many characters being introduced fast and furious with little time for the reader to even begin to know them. One right after the other without pause it seemed. Then there was some disconnect between what was being seen on the page, with what was happening in the text and how it related to the next few panels. I felt like I missed something multiple times.

Henry Barajas has a great story here and judging from his credentials can tell a great story. But it's hard to wade through this. I'm wondering if this shouldn't have been a few more issues longer with more time to showcase the characters and their motivations a bit more. So much information was just poured forth quickly with dialogue that didn't seem to flow.

Worldbuilding wise they have a great thing going here. It's interesting with lots of potential. The characters eventually liven up a bit and we begin to see what they are all about. But by the time it gets there it's been a slog already.

Art wise Rahmat Handoko delivers in a pretty solid fashion. Clean art all the way through and all the characters are captured as being unique on the page. You don't mistake one for the other over the course of a few pages. With the colorist Bryan Valenza backing him up it all worked out very well.

The game material presented in the back for use with the 5^th edition of Dungeons and Dragons appears to be functional and well done. I'm not an expert on the latest version of D&D but from what I understand this looks very usable. Again, the world presented is really great and this just backs that up. Tristan J Tarwater, Geoffrey Golden and Matt Hawkins look like they know their stuff and do a good job presenting the information in a clear format. Along with the art of Jen Vaughn splashing in through out to pull it together a bit more.

All in all I give this one a four out of five.   

Shadow Service Volume One - Review

 

Shadow Service Volume One. 

Available on DrivethruComics. 

Available on Amazon.

Or check your local comic shop. 

When you need a private investigator who is better than what they should be then apparently you should be calling Gina Meyers. A young witch who has a natural born ability to do her magic and is used to the dirtier side of the job. But she thought she was mostly alone in the world, now she finds out just how wrong that is.

This trade collects the first five issues of the series and is a great way to dive into the story. Meeting one of Gina's shadier employers known as Gideon Quill and one of her few friends the talking rat known as Edwin. Things are going normal until she runs into the supernatural organization known as Section 26 officially but as MI666 on the street.

Meeting others with high end dark powers that reveal to her a much larger darker secret demonic underground residing in London. She has to chose sides and alliances as more information comes to light about Gideon and the MI666 itself. One thing is for sure, she's in way more over her head than she's ever been before.

The art style of Corin Howell matches up perfectly for the task at hand. Sleek and clean without to much attention to detail to things that aren't important. But just the right amount for what you need to see. There are no wasted lines or overworked panels. With Triona Farrell doing the colors behind him it all clicks together very nicely. Very easy on the eyes and adding that perfect amount of depth to the art.

All the cover designs for the individual issues are at the end of the book. Every one of them an amazing work in themselves. Mixing some great horror design elements and lots of creepy vibes.

As for the writing Cavan Scott takes us on the journey at a brisk pace. Mixing in the current present day story line with flashbacks to backgrounds of the various characters involved. They keep it moving and there are no pages where you're just hoping for something to happen as information is just poured forth in a dull formula.

I can't wait to read the second volume to see where the story goes. So I'm giving this one five stars. A very pleasant surprise and enjoyable read.

For the gamer types (like me) this story also oozes with plenty of ideas to steal for games like UnknownArmies, Kult, Call of Cthulhu and pretty much any modern day horror game. Also being a comic it does give you the necessary visuals to show your players what they are up against.

Vampire the Masquerade Winter's Teeth issue 3 review

Winters Teeth 

Issue 3 

Vault Comics

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This issue hits the stand with quite a bit of action between the covers. The story picks up with Cecily's investigation into the slaughter of the Nosferatu that occurred last issue. Showcasing the brutality of what happened while bringing along her Ali whom she is still declaring as her childe. We get to see some build up, some story stings coming together and even a fight with the surreal looking bad guys who did the massacre. Don't get attached to anyone by the way. Also we discover something bad has happened to Prince Samantha while all this was going on.

The Anarch Tales secondary storyline also picks up quite a bit. We get a bit more details on one of the group members and their motivations. Then their escape from the hunters which captured most of them last issue. So it's going together nicely as well. Still wondering if this will tie into the main story or not. 

In the back we get more material for the roleplaying game. Information for the Wolves in Sheeps clothing bad guys, some new powers and another group of villains called the Nictuku.

The art continues to be at the same quality standard as the previous issues. I feel the writing is maybe a little bit better than the first two issues. Still giving us necessary details for the story without dumping a ton of setting information in order to do so. 

So once again, two thumbs up and recommended for fans of the new and old versions of Vampire the Masquerade. Heck even those who are not fans may enjoy this story.

Vampire the Masquerade Winters Teeth issue 2 review

 

Vampire the Masquerade: Winters Teeth issue 2 from Vault Comics 

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Or find it at your local comic shop.

This issue starts off by finally giving us Prince Samantha and some insight into her past and the way she thinks now. While at an event Cecily brings forth Alejandra with the claim that she is her progeny. For those unfamiliar with the setting it's given some discourse so you will not be lost. Actually they do this quite well through out the issue with discussions of the hunger, hunting and other such topics. I will say I am impressed with how they are handling giving readers all this information. It's done in a way where it is well written so any fans of the game already don't feel bored and those new to all this aren't completely lost. 

There is not so much about Colleen and her crew, a little backstory and then running into something really bad. I'm not so sure about them being major characters in the story now. Maybe even just collateral damage but we will see with the next issue or two of this series. There have been at least four issues announced so far. 

All in all the writing is pretty good. The story gets a bit wobbly with some "before" scenes but it recovers nicely. The characters do come across as different and three dimensional instead of just card board cut out vampire templates. The art is the same as last issue, maybe even a little improved. Thankfully there is a bit more color being splashed around this time so not everything looks like it's coated in mud. 

The game material in this issue is giving some more information on Minneapolis and St. Paul. Including what information characters may know based on their knowledge of the sister cities. Then a two page character sheet is also included. Having not read the newest edition of Vampire The Masquerade I'm not sure if this is improved or just of a different layout. But it does look nice. 

Vampire the Masquerade Winters Teeth review

 

 

 

Vampire the Masquerade

Winters Teeth issue 1

from Vault Comics

 

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This issue is obviously the set up for the series. So be ready to go in with some expository dialogue explaining the world of V:TM for new readers. But, to their writers credit, they manage to keep it down to a minimum and only touching on what is necessary instead of feeding you everything at once.

The main characters we have so far are Cecily, a former Brujah Anarch, Colleen, a thin blooded Caitiff I think, and maybe Alejandra, just can't tell what she is going to be in the series yet. It sets up Cecily as a problem solver for the local prince of Minneapolis who is doing her job exceptionally well. We see how she is juggling the remnants of her pre-embraced life and her duty to her masters. Alejandra is newly embraced, confused and not what she seems and runs into Cecily as soon as she arrives in the city via train. While Colleen is caring for her own little vampire family adopting a mothering roll over them.

We don't really get an idea of where exactly everything is going but several plot directions are sat up. A vamp named Calder is warning Cecily of potential changes and strife that may be coming to the city. Colleen and crew are hiring themselves out to do dirty work. Oh and we get a quick panel of what is probably some hunters as well. Plenty of direction to go.

All in all the writing is solid so far. The art is good, not exactly my preferred style but better than a lot of other indie comics out there. Honestly I think the coloring is actually the worse thing about this issue. Getting way to much of a muddy feel from the palette being used.

In the back is a section called 'Anarch Tales' which gives you 5^th edition stats for some of the characters along with a bit more background on them. For those who run V:TM this could turn out to be a nice little wealth of NPC's to use in your games. Already fleshed out and ready to use.

I will be picking up the next issue without a doubt.