STAFF PICKS :: KAIJUMAX #1 :: APRIL 8TH 2015

April 07, 2015 By: Justin Crouse Category: DISCUSS, Staff Picks

staff_picksjustin_staff_picksJUSTIN’S PICK :: KAIJUMAX #1: This is one of those comics > movies things. Giant Monster Prison might be kind of awkward on the silver screen, but on the paneled page, flowing from the pen of creator Zander Cannon, it just works. With obvious echoes of Godzilla and Ultraman, but also notes of Rampage (one of my favorite arcade/8 bit diversions of yore), exploitation cinema, and 90s gangsta rap, this comic promises to synthesize a lot of disparate elements into a delectable confection. I can’t really say why you should buy this book, other than I don’t know why you wouldn’t.

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(PS Bryan Lee O’Malley variant!)

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STAFF PICKS :: GODZILLA: HALF CENTURY WAR #5 :: APRIL 03,2013

April 02, 2013 By: Rico Renzi Category: DISCUSS, Staff Picks

RICO’S PICK :: GODZILLA: HALF CENTURY WAR #5: This concludes James Stokoe’s Godzilla opus. If you haven’t been along for the ride I’d recommend picking up the trade when it comes out. Before this series, only the great and powerful Arthur Adams could make me this excited about Godzilla in comic book  form! You know the Big G is gonna wreck shop in this finale issue! SKREEEEEEEEEOOONGK!

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LOOKING AHEAD :: APRIL PREVIEWS

February 06, 2013 By: Rico Renzi Category: DISCUSS, Looking Ahead

Sometimes it takes two men to do the job of one woman. Starting this month, Seth and Rico team up  to tackle April’s telephone book-sized edition of Previews and let you know what grabbed their attention. Of course you can also get your very own copy at the store, flip through every page and let us know what we slept on. What’s good Seth?

Seth Peagler (SP): The first thing that caught my eye when I opened April’s Previews was ABE SAPIEN: DARK AND TERRIBLE #1 (of 3) (p. 42).  Regular readers of the Heroes Blog know I’m a huge fan of the Mignolaverse, but this new miniseries offers a good jumping-on point for new readers.  Not only does it feature adventures of Abe Sapien in his new and further mutated form, but it finally kicks off a series of miniseries that will deal with everyone’s favorite fish-man. Turning over to DC, what jumped out at you?

Rico Renzi (RR): SOLO (hardcover p. 138) was one of those rare occasions where a big company with beloved characters turned some of comics’ best cartoonists loose on their marquee characters free of the shackles of continuity.
SP: True. I remember this being significant for that reason, but also for the variety of genres that were included. You’ve got artists like Darwyn Cooke, Mike Allred, Tim Sale, Richard Corben, Paul Pope and more telling the exact stories they want to tell.  There’s everything from superheroes, to westerns, horror and everything in between.

RR: There’s also a new Dustin Nguyen book, BATMAN: LI’L GOTHAM #1 (p. 143).  Nguyen has taken his hobby of drawing the residents of Gotham in adorable kid form (like Arthur Adams did with the X-Men in the 80’s) and turned it into a new series for DC.
SP: I read some of these stories when they were digital-only releases, and they definitely appeal to fans of all ages books. Also, if you like Skottie Young’s baby variants on the recent Marvel Now relaunches, I’m betting you’ll dig Nguyen’s take on these Bat tykes.

RR: Over at IDW, I noticed their new book COLONIZED (p. 169). Drew Moss, an artist a lot of local fans met at the recent Charlotte MiniCon, is drawing Chris Ryall’s new book. It’s Zombies vs Aliens wrapped in beautiful Dave Sim covers.

SP: Also from IDW in April is a the collection of a book whose single issues we couldn’t keep on the shelves: James Stokoe’s Godzilla: The Half Century War (p. 170).                                                                                                                                 RR: Stokoe’s art blows my mind, man. Godzilla hasn’t looked this good in a long, long time.

RR: Image’s solicited cover of JUPITER’S LEGACY (p. 188) would have you believe it’s the gripping tale of love between Russell Brand and Royal Tenenbaums-era Gwenyth Paltrow but that can’t be right can it?
SP: Alas, we may never know. What we do know, however, is that Jupiter’s Legacy is the new, highly anticipated Image title from Mark Millar and Frank Quitely. Also new from Image is a new book from Steve Niles and Tony Harris, CHIN MUSIC (p. 192). It looks like it sets supernatural elements against a gangster backdrop.


RR: If you don’t like your comics all dark and heavy, some beloved characters are getting their own comic this April. The gang from SESAME STREET (p. 244) is being drawn into their very own comic series illustrated by a HeroesCon-favorite guest, Amy Mebberson . Whether you’re looking for something for your kids to read or you’re just a Street fan from way back, check this one out.
SP: April also sees an original ADVENTURE TIME graphic novel (p. 277) by Danielle Corsetto. In addition to being a new story, it’s printed in a pocket black and format, similar to Scott Pilgrim.
RR: Another hugely popular cartoon is finally getting the comic book treatment in April. Writer KC Green and artist Allison Strejlau will try to bring REGULAR SHOW’s (p. 279) absurd brand of comedy to the printed page. This is brought to you by the same company that  successfully translated Adventure Time to comics, so I’m pretty confident that this one will be good too.

RR: Eating is my favorite. Comics and cooking make so much sense together that I’m surprised there aren’t more food/cooking comics. I can’t wait to read RELISH: MY LIFE IN THE KITCHEN (p. 311)… and try out some of the recipes included!
SP: Also on the Indie side of April, there are two new books from Dash Shaw. If you enjoyed his excellent Bottomless Belly Button, April gives you a chance to read NEW SCHOOL (p. 312), his latest graphic novel, and 3 NEW STORIES, (also p. 312) which debuts in single-comic format.
RR: Dave Elliot is what I’d call a GWT (Guy With Taste). When he puts something new together I will usually check it out on the merits of his great taste in art. Dave is bringing his anthology A1 #1 (p. 333) back for a 6 issue run at Titan Comics.    
RR: Recently, original Tank Girl writer Alan Martin put out an open call for artists interested in illustrating his new Tank Girl book, SOLID STATE TANK GIRL (p. 333). Warwick J. Caldwell is the artist Martin selected and his art is pretty interesting.  It’s worth a look.
SP: Some of you might be familiar with Double Barrel. It was a digital effort from Zander Cannon and Kevin Cannon and was comprised of two separate stories, CRATER XV and HECK (both on p. 336). In April, Top Shelf debuts the printed hardcovers of both of these stories, available in print for the first time.

RR: Last year Jeffrey Brown made the hilarious Star Wars: Vader and Son and now he’s following it up with STAR WARS: VADER’S LITTLE PRINCESS (p. 373). It’s like the nerdiest version of Family Circus you can imagine.                  SP: This is one you’ll want to be sure request in your Previews order.  Like Brown’s first Star Wars book, this one should move quickly.

SP: Marvel also has a few new books worth checking out in April. The big one that caught my eye is THANOS RISING. I’m not crazy about Simone Bianchi‘s art, but the fact that Jason Aaron is writing this Thanos miniseries makes it well worth a look.  You know Marvel has big plans for Thanos, and this miniseries will probably be the place where those plans begin to unfold. Also in April, Marvel offers up its most ironic title to date:  Brian Wood and Olivier Coipel‘s X- MEN#1, which is comprised of an all female team.   RR: If Marvel can keep Wood and Copiel together on X-Men with this cast of beloved characters, this book will be huge.

SP: These are some of the books in the new issue of Previews that caught our attention. Be sure to look through a copy for yourselves, and get your special order requests in to the store by February 18.

 

 

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STAFF PICKS :: GODZILLA: HALF CENTURY WAR #2 :: SEPTEMBER 19, 2012

September 14, 2012 By: Rico Renzi Category: DISCUSS, Staff Picks

JUSTIN’S PICK :: GODZILLA: HALF CENTURY WAR #2: James Stokoe is quite the one-man show, as evinced in his singular solo series Orc Stain. Here he turns his considerable talents to the King of All Monsters, crafting visual granduer and expanding the mythos with new characters and perspectives. Issue one flew out the door, so don’t miss #2.

 

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