Cyberspace Comics market report, reviews and more

With years spent reading single issues here and there, juggling storylines of dozens of titles, I decided it was time to find a better way to read comics. So, it was off to the back issue bins armed with the longest want list you’ve ever seen! Putting together series after series and reading them in their complete goodness, I was reborn as the Retro-Reader!

Publisher: Marvel Comics
Number of Issues: 12
First Issue: December 2006 ($2.99)
Last Issue: November 2007 ($2.99)
Writer: Robert Kirkman
Artist: Phil Hester

Eric O’Grady is a bit of a dirtbag. Alright … he’s a huge scumbag. He’s a liar, a cheater, a thief, a peeping tom, a fast-talker … the list goes on and on. He’s also a low-level S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and when the situation presented itself to him, he stole the newest Ant-Man suit that Hank Pym was developing for S.H.I.E.L.D. as the ultimate spying device. The costume allows him to shrink down to ant-size (while maintaining his full-sized strength), communicate with ants and fly utilizing poweful thrusters. Unfortunately for him, it doesn’t create food out of thin air … and a guy’s gotta eat! So, on the run from S.H.I.E.L.D. (who certainly wants this high-priced gadget back), Eric has to make … or steal … a living for himself. In the months that follow, he befriends the Black Fox and finds employment with Damage Control. But, S.H.I.E.L.D. wants that suit back and you can bet that they’ll get it!

The Bad: In today’s world of flashy, ultra-detailed artists, Phil Hester’s work seems kind of basic. Oh … and the “hero” of the book isn’t all that likeable. The title certainly holds true here!

The Good: Kirkman exercises his familiarity with the Marvel Universe by including lesser-known characters: the Black Fox (an old Spider-Man villain) and Damage Control (the guys who clean up the mess after the super-hero vs super-villain fight is over). After this series was canceled, the character went on to be featured in Avengers: the Initiative. It’s nice to see he wasn’t so quickly discarded and forgotten.

The Verdict: Kirkman set out to create the world’s most unlikeable super-hero. And he succeeded! This title was canceled one year after it debuted. It was certainly a unique approach to comics storytelling – making the lead character “irredeemable”. It was a strange experience not liking the “hero” of the book … and hoping he got what was coming to him. But, even with that in mind … I really enjoyed the whole “switcheroo” he pulled in the last issue. When all is said and done, I still don’t like the character but I do admire his cunning. And, the mixed emotions of rooting both for and against the main character was a new experience for me.

On Ebay: Ant-Man | Robert Kirkman | Phil Hester

With years spent reading single issues here and there, juggling storylines of dozens of titles, I decided it was time to find a better way to read comics. So, it was off to the back issue bins armed with the longest want list you’ve ever seen! Putting together series after series and reading them in their complete goodness, I was reborn as the Retro-Reader!

Publisher: Marvel Comics [Marvel Knights]
Number of Issues: 6
First Issue: June 2004 ($3.50)
Last Issue: February 2007 ($2.99)
Writer: Joe Quesada
Artist: Joe Quesada

A heat wave has put the pressure on the people of Hell’s Kitchen as a new serial killer, named “Johnny Sockets” by the media, is leaving a trail of murdered victims without their eyes. Meanwhile, a group of vigilantes known as the Santerians aren’t too pleased with Daredevil’s methods. He cleans up Hell’s Kitchen but isn’t concerned with the other ares of NYC that are affected by the criminals who’ve changed locales to avoid him. An altercation with them leaves Daredevil battered and bruised. But, he’ll need all the strength and speed he can muster to uncover the true identity of the murderer before the next target, Foggy Nelson, is killed!

The Bad: Not that it matters now but, there were over 30 months between the cover dates of the first and last issues. I’m glad I wasn’t reading this issue by issue (the joys of “retro-reading”!). The killer’s motive is kind of left up-in-the-air … insanity, while certainly a motive in reality, is not quite a fulfilling plot conclusion.

the Good: Quesada’s art is high-quality and features brilliant coloring by Isanove. Joe’s created a murder mystery here that’s very well done and I must admit that I did not see the plot twist coming (although, if you go back and check issue one, the clues shown in issue six were certainly included).

The Verdict: This is a murder mystery that also explores the relationships between sons and fathers. I enjoyed that Quesada introduced new characters to set up several possibilities for the reveal and his art, coupled with Isanove’s coloring, did a great job of keeping the story visually-engaging. If you accurately guessed the killer by issue two, color me impressed!

On Ebay: Daredevil | Joe Quesada

With years spent reading single issues here and there, juggling storylines of dozens of titles, I decided it was time to find a better way to read comics. So, it was off to the back issue bins armed with the longest want list you’ve ever seen! Putting together series after series and reading them in their complete goodness, I was reborn as the Retro-Reader!

Publisher: DC Comics
Number of Issues: 60
First Issue: April 1996 ($2.25)
Last Issue: April 2001 ($3.95)
Writer: Garth Ennis
Artist: John McCrea

Tommy Monaghan is a hitman based out of Gotham City. But, he’s not just any hitman … he’s the only guy in the business of killing superpowered targets. And, armed with x-ray vision and telepathy (which he got during DC Comics’ Bloodlines crossover) he’s the right guy for the job. Even though he’s a killer, he’s still got some morals instilled from his Catholic upbringing … y’see, he only kills people he thinks are “bad”. But, the Arkannone want that changed for their own evil purposes, so they’ve sent the Mawzir to Earth to corrupt our hero, Tommy.

The book kicks off with Tommy being offered $1,000,000 to kill the Joker. He figures it would be easy enough to break into the Joker’s cell in Arkham … after all, the prisoners are always breaking out of there. But, he didn’t figure on the villain having his very own protector … Batman! Naturally, Batman’s isn’t going to let Tommy cash in on this job but there are plenty of others that the Hitman can do. And, each job brings him closer to his dream of retiring in New York City.

Following an aquatic zombie invasion, the Mawzir overthrows his Arkannone masters and rallies some forces to destroy the Hitman. Luckily for our boy, Tommy, he’s got plenty of friends of his own willing to lend a hand. Natt the Hat, Catwoman, Etrigan the Demon, Section Eight and a few others join in to fight against the Mawzir in the six part storyline, Ace of Killers, which seems to close out the first “act” of this series.

One might hope for some R&R with the threat of the Mawzir eliminated but, no such luck for our hero, Tommy. He quickly gets caught up in an old vendetta against a squad of S.A.S. forces as well as Men’s Room Louie and his goons. After pitting both sides against each other, Tommy makes an unscheduled detour to Ireland to discover some startling revelations about the family he never knew he had. Now that he’s discovered the horrible truths about his father, Tommy decides to do something good with his life. So, he and his pals go the African Republic of Tynanda to unseat an unjust dictator and, by the time they get back from their mission, they discover that their home city of Gotham has undergone quite a few changes due to the events from Batman’s No Man’s Land storyline. And, while Batman’s out picking up the pieces of Gotham, Tommy and his pals are left to stave off a vampire invasion of the city.

The home stretch of the series begins with a death of a major supporting character and then takes a U-turn into a battle against a pack of time-travelling dinosaurs. Then, it’s back to some more deaths of important characters before the final storyline of the series, Closing Time. In this eight part tale, Tommy has to stop a group of rogue scientists who are attempting to utilize the alien DNA from the Bloodlines crossover (wherein Tommy developed his super-powers) to create their own team of loyal super-beings. This operation goes all the way to the top and involves some important federal agencies. Agencies that can make or break you. Will Tommy be able to stop these terrible experiments and escape to freedom?

The Bad: Even after sixty issues, I still feel like there was a lot more story to be explored … and I would have liked a happy ending! My other minor beef is that Ennis quickly strayed from the “super-powered hitman” idea. Sure he went after the Joker initially … but, there were very few super-powered hits after that. Now, I do see the problem here. Sending Tommy out after well-known villains and not being able to have them killed in continuity would make Tommy look pretty inept. However, I’d still have liked to see him go up against some DC heavy-hitters.

The Good: At one point, Hacken gets his hand bit by a zombie penguin. For fear of the infection spreading to his brain, he begs Tommy to cut his hand off. Moments after doing so, the evil scientist who created this zombie infection informs them that you can’t catch it from a zombie bite. Scenes like this are what Garth Ennis is known for … and there’s plenty of this black humor to be had here! Despite the time-traveling dinos and zombie penguins, most of the series isn’t so over the top that it takes you out of the ground-level action and character moments. The series plays up a lot of dark humor but it’s also a real genuine book. There are a lot of down-to-earth stories here that allow you to delve into who these characters really are. And, despite being a hitman, Tommy’s really a good guy, deep down. This is at the root of what makes it possible for us, the readers, to root for a murderer and still feel OK about it. To top it off, the creative team of Ennis & McCrea stayed on the book the entire time, giving it a great feeling of consistency.

The Verdict: Garth Ennis and John McCrea have put together a great, fun read about a charming hitman. It’s weird to be rooting for a murderer but, Tommy’s really such a good guy beneath that cold, hard exterior that you can’t help but want things to work out for him. And, what’s a book without a strong support cast? This one’s got quite a few that all stand out as unique, believable and genuine characters. Ennis writes their conversations and great witty banter in a way that allows us to get a good handle on how close these guys really are. I would have liked a happy ending but, the door’s still slightly open enough for some more adventures. And, I’ve a feeling that there are more out there!

On Ebay: Hitman | Garth Ennis | John McCrea

With years spent reading single issues here and there, juggling storylines of dozens of titles, I decided it was time to find a better way to read comics. So, it was off to the back issue bins armed with the longest want list you’ve ever seen! Putting together series after series and reading them in their complete goodness, I was reborn as the Retro-Reader!

Publisher: Marvel’s MAX Comics
Number of Issues: 4
First Issue: November 2008 ($3.99)
Last Issue: February 2009 ($3.99)
Writer: Brian Keene
Artist: Chris Samnee
Cover Artist: Kaare Andrews

After his wife left him, Sergeant Danny Sylva decided it was time to re-enlist and was promptly shipped back to Iraq. On a raid, he discovers a plot by a rogue sect of demons and angels to hasten the Apocalypse by starting xenogenesis (the rebirth of demons on Earth), hoping to prompt an angelic invasion that’ll begin the end of the world. But, he’s going to stop it because he’s this generation’s Shagish Chultepi (English translation: Devil-Slayer) and, armed with the Sword of Naram-Sin and clothed in the Shemagh, he’s the only one who can.

The Bad: Making Sylva the great-nephew of Eric Simon Payne (the Devil-Slayer that most Marvel fans will be more familiar with) seems a bit of an unnecessary connection.

the Good: Referencing the original Devil-Slayer and his well-documented insanity was a nice nod to Marvel continuity. The coloring scheme, coupled with Samnee’s art, does a great job of capturing the darkness and desolate nature of war as well as the horror of encountering a demon. The covers by Kaare Andrews are the cherry on top of this artistic ice cream sundae.

The Verdict: Keene tells a truly frightening story here and creates a new hero from the legacy of an old one. The story allows us to discover all of these seemingly crazy and unnatural things at the same time as the main character, allowing us to form a “bond” with him … both of us experiencing things that are better left unexperienced. I never felt that the previous Devil-Slayer got his proper moment in the spotlight but, here’s hoping that this one will. The last page hints at future battles against Hellstorm and Dracula that I’d really like to see!

On Ebay: Devil-Slayer | Dead of Night | Kaare Andrews | Brian Keene | Chris Samnee

With years spent reading single issues here and there, juggling storylines of dozens of titles, I decided it was time to find a better way to read comics. So, it was off to the back issue bins armed with the longest want list you’ve ever seen! Putting together series after series and reading them in their complete goodness, I was reborn as the Retro-Reader!

Publisher: Zenescope
Number of Issues: 6 (and a #0)
First Issue: June 2009 ($2.99)
Last Issue: April 2010 ($2.99)
Writer: Raven Gregory
Artist: Daniel Leister

This is the third and final mini series from Grimm Fairy Tales exploring the horror-reinvisioned Wonderland. Calie Liddle has to return to Wonderland to rescue her daughter Violet from the clutches of her evil brother, the Mad Hatter and the demon Caterpillar. But, before she can find her child, she’ll need to defeat the enormous and vicious Chesire Cat. She also has to make sure that the deviant creatures that inhabit Wonderland can’t cross dimensions to Earth, where they’d like to wreak havoc.

The Bad: Daniel Leister was not able to complete the entire mini-series and the “fill-in” art is very noticeable.

the Good: As with the previous series and one-shots, this book continues to offer a significant twist on the Wonderland mythos (although, I must warn you it’s quite violent and horrific) with great-looking, crisp art and wonderful visual effects. Feminists will enjoy the strong, female lead character and guys are sure to enjoy her physique.

The Verdict: This ain’t your momma’s Alice in Wonderland! But, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. This title takes horror, Lovecraft lore, bad girl comics and the Wonderland mythos and throws it all in a blender. The result is a cool, sexy adventure that blows away Tim Burton’s vision of Wonderland.

On Ebay: Wonderland | Grimm Fairy Tales | Raven Gregory

With years spent reading single issues here and there, juggling storylines of dozens of titles, I decided it was time to find a better way to read comics. So, it was off to the back issue bins armed with the longest want list you’ve ever seen! Putting together series after series and reading them in their complete goodness, I was reborn as the Retro-Reader!

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Number of Issues: 3
First Issue: March 2010 ($3.50)
Last Issue: May 2010 ($3.50)
Writer: Felicia Day
Artist: Jim Rugg

Cyd’s life kind of sucks. Her boyfriend treats her pretty bad, her job’s not too great and her self-esteem is sub-par. But, when a random event leads to her buying a M.M.O.R.P.G. (which for all intents and purposes is the World of Warcraft) she uses it as an opportunity to reinvent herself, albeit digitally. As is the natures with such games, she soon meets several other players who are misfits in their own right. Over the next few weeks, these other players continue to run into her and as she gets to know them all, she also gets more addicted to the game. Blurring the line between real life and her character’s life, these other players become her closest friends. But, as her life continues to get worse, will she totally escape into her avatar?

The Bad: The only thing I can pick on this series for is that the fantasy covers don’t convey any of the slice-of-life nature of the story.

The Good: Plenty of great characterization to be had here. Also, the change in art styles between “real life” and “game life” was a nice touch.

The Verdict: This mini-series tells the origins of the Guild (a popular webseries). Having never seen the series and never having played an MMORPG before, I thought I might be left out of the loop when it came to reading this book. Impressively enough, the writer does a wondeful job of approaching the story from Cyd’s point of view as a newbie. So, the reader gets to learn about the gameplay (and the other characters) at the same time as the protagonist. The book shifts tone between depressing reality and the enjoyment of the game, allowing you to experience emotional highs and lows. The artwork also shifted tones between reality and fantasy, complementing the story. This was a wonderful read that exceeded all of my expectations. And, if I was an online gamer or fan of the web series, I’m sure I’d be able to appreciate it even more.

On Ebay: the Guild | Felicia Day | Jim Rugg

With years spent reading single issues here and there, juggling storylines of dozens of titles, I decided it was time to find a better way to read comics. So, it was off to the back issue bins armed with the longest want list you’ve ever seen! Putting together series after series and reading them in their complete goodness, I was reborn as the Retro-Reader!

Publisher: Marvel Comics
Number of Issues: 5
First Issue: November 2008 ($2.99)
Last Issue: March 2009 ($2.99)
Writer: Christos Gage
Artist: Andrea Di Vito

A youthful Magneto begins to build up a following of mutants who are sick of being persecuted. He’s joined by his children (Pietro, Wanda and Lorna), Charles Xavier and many other familiar faces. Together, they free the enslaved mutants of Genosha and declare the country as theirs … a safe haven for all mutants. Magneto now faces the uphill battle of getting the United Nations to recognize his country as a valid entity. Meanwhile, the U.S. has launched an all-new series of non-metallic Sentinels to destroy the growing mutant threat.

The Bad: The only thing bad here is the original series that spawned it. This series was surprisingly quite good!

the Good: Andrea Di Vito’s artwork here is very well done. I’m both impressed by and happy to see how many mutants he’s drawn into this series. Since this is an alterniverse story, no character is safe … which throws a nice sense of danger into the mix.

The Verdict: This series chronicles the initial rise to power of Magneto and his children (the later stages of which were featured in the House of M mini series). Not being a fan of the first title, I was reluctant to read through this one but I was most pleasantly surprised! Gage is becoming a writer I consistently enjoy. Even though it’s an alterniverse story, Magneto fans should not ignore this one.

On Ebay: House of M | Christos Gage | Magneto

With years spent reading single issues here and there, juggling storylines of dozens of titles, I decided it was time to find a better way to read comics. So, it was off to the back issue bins armed with the longest want list you’ve ever seen! Putting together series after series and reading them in their complete goodness, I was reborn as the Retro-Reader!

Publisher: Markosia
Number of Issues: 3
First Issue: July 2006 ($3.50)
Last Issue: September 2006 ($3.50)
Writer: Chuck Satterlee
Artist: Norm Breyfogle

In the previous mini-series (published by Speakeasy), four of New Orleans’ less-than-respectable residents gained super-powers related to their “area of corruption” and were gathered into a team by Pastor Secord to protect their hometown from supernatural threats. But, they disbanded when they learned that they were chosen to lead an army against the forces of evil at the end of days. Now, one year later, Secord and the only remaining member, Magdalena, have to reunite the team to go on a time-traveling adventure in order to stop a zombie invasion from destroying New Orleans.

The Bad: A noticeable number of spelling errors managed to pull me right out of the story. Breyfogle’s art seems a bit rushed here … not up to par with what I was used to from his work on Prime. On a disappointing note, this series was canceled before #4 could be published. Now, I may never know who the mystery guest was supposed to be!

the Good: This series has a cool premise that promises a very interesting “final battle” (unfortunately, we may never see it … especially since both series were canceled at issue #3). The improvement over the first series is noticeable and even though it’s recommended for mature readers, it has respectful elements of Christianity woven throughout.

The Verdict: This is a book that, given a bit more exposure, could easily catch on and be a big, indy hit. The premise is neat and has a lot of room to grow. All of the characters surely have interesting stories to be told and there are no end to supernatural threats to be battled … especially in New Orleans!

On Ebay: Of Bitter Souls | Norm Breyfogle | New Orelans

With years spent reading single issues here and there, juggling storylines of dozens of titles, I decided it was time to find a better way to read comics. So, it was off to the back issue bins armed with the longest want list you’ve ever seen! Putting together series after series and reading them in their complete goodness, I was reborn as the Retro-Reader!

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Number of Issues: 4
First Issue: January 1996 ($2.50)
Last Issue: June 1996 ($2.50)
Writer: Walter Simonson
Artist: Lee Weeks

Tarzan, Jane and some of their native friends return to Pellucidar (picture the X-Men’s Savage Land … but, inside the Earth) to investigate the disappearance of their friend (and recent emperor of Pellucidar), David Innes. Inside this hidden land, Tarzan discovers that a band of Predators are using it as hunting grounds … and he’s the latest prey. Meanwhile, the Mahar (a sentient, pterodactyl-looking creature) is using his hypnotic powers to take control of Pellucidar now since it’s ruler has gone missing. Now, Tarzan has to escape from the Predators, dethrone the Mahar, and rally the troops to send the Predators packing. No problem … right?

The Bad: This was the first Tarzan story I’ve ever read and I felt quite a bit lost with all the characters being tossed around. I was also hoping for a bit more story-wise from the Predators but they almost seem to be thrown in as an afterthought.

The Good: Lots of action to be had here … and plenty of strange elements all thrown together: Tarzan. Predator. a lost world of dinosaurs and natives. pterodactyl-humanoids. And, Lee Weeks‘ style is able to handle all of it!

The Verdict: With the release of Predators today, I thought it’d be interesting to review a Predator comic. Unfortunately, even though they’re prominently feature in the series title, they’re less included in the actual storyline. If I were to break it down, I’d say this is 75% a Tarzan story and only 25% Predator, at the most. Getting beyond that disappointment, Walter Simonson sets up plenty of problems to throw at our hero. So, there’s a lot of story stuffed into these four issues. Almost too much, though … I was a bit lost with all the names and characters tossed into the mix. So, Tarzan newcomers beware!

On Ebay: Tarzan | Predator | Walter Simonson | Lee Weeks

With years spent reading single issues here and there, juggling storylines of dozens of titles, I decided it was time to find a better way to read comics. So, it was off to the back issue bins armed with the longest want list you’ve ever seen! Putting together series after series and reading them in their complete goodness, I was reborn as the Retro-Reader!

Publisher: Idea and Design Works
Number of Issues: 5
First Issue: March 2008 ($3.99)
Last Issue: July 2008 ($3.99)
Writer: Brian Lynch
Artist: Dave Crosland

Westerberg and his Beta Eta Delta frat brothers are throwing a Halloween party … perhaps the last party, unbeknownst to them. The drama starts up when his ex-girlfriend (who he still holds a candle for), Aurora, shows up and then kicks into high gear when a rival frat, the Omegas, shows up to start a fight. Largely outnumbered, the Deltas are saved by their brother Mosby, who wards the Omegas off with a pistol (it’s actually Megatron in his weapon form – but who can see clearly at night, right?)! Needless to say, the threat of a weapon drove most of the partiers away and left the boys alone to a quiet night.

When the brothers wake up the next morning, they discover that the world’s population has been turned to zombies! Everyone, that is, except for those who stayed at their house last night. The brothers have to fight to stay alive now … but the zombie Omegas aren’t going to make that easy. Even after being zombie-ized, they still hold a grudge over the Deltas stealing their frat-house … but now they want to eat the Deltas’ brains, too! On the plus side: what better way to win back your ex-girlfriend than by surviving a zombie invasion together?

The Bad: Crosland’s art is certainly unique and I’ve enjoyed it in other titles … I’m just not sure he was the best pick for this story. The other downside I found here was that there wasn’t one strong main character that captured my interest. Even Westerberg, who seems to be the main focus, is kind of wussy and his gf/exgf clearly wears the pants.

the Good: The zombie invasion story’s been done hundreds of times by now so it was fun to see it against the backdrop of a college fraternity “war”. Plus, I imagine that this was the first story to spotlight the consequences of a stoned zombie with the munchies.

The Verdict: The art is quirky (which fits the storyline) and may not appeal to all readers but the story is an adventurous romp that uses humor and fun situations to play down the horror aspect of a zombie invasion. I wouldn’t run out to read a sequel but, then again, I’m not upset that I read through this one. The tagline on the front cover is what convinced me to give it a try: They’re the last people on Earth who should be the last people on Earth! How can you turn down a line like that?

On Ebay: Brian Lynch | Dave Crosland