A vampiric tale circa 1857 in which blood flows just as freely as the water on the river to which the steam boats race.
The graphic novel adaptation ofA vampiric tale circa 1857 in which blood flows just as freely as the water on the river to which the steam boats race.
The graphic novel adaptation of the original prose has some nice art but is hampered by predominantly indistinguishable generic-looking characters. Marsh, Joshua and a small group others aside, most share a likeness which made it difficult to follow what was actually happening and to whom. The story is moody, hauntingly atmospheric, and violent, yet the art didn’t do it justice.
My rating: 3/5, I’d suggest picking up the prose opposed to the graphic novel. Strong story which lacked the desired complimentary art – mood was too light and the character renditions too same-same....more
Lulu loves pain; loves the way it makes her feel sexually and emotionally, yet she's able to turn off the on-switch when the need arises, having develLulu loves pain; loves the way it makes her feel sexually and emotionally, yet she's able to turn off the on-switch when the need arises, having developed a high tolerance for pain she's a pro at controlling her body's desires and stimulus.
She earns a buck pleasuring clients by allowing them to inflict pain on her. Don't misinterpret her cause, Lulu is far from a damsel in distress, this is her occupation chosen by own volition. Accompanied by her trusty puppy eyed bodyguard Danny, Lulu's latest job is for a repeat client, Mr Tak. On face value the set-up is the same; a private room in a hotel, body guard with a line of sight thanks to some hidden cameras, the only thing different about this is the shootout which takes place as soon as Lulu opens the door to the suite. Oh, and the bag of diamonds on the floor, yeah, that's different.
HIT ME is high octane action mixed with a heady dose of Faust's pitch black noir. The underworld meets the secretive world of sex head on in a bloody collision of plasma and body fluids as Lulu tries to make sense of a crime she really should have no part in. Readers familiar with the Angel Dare novels will eat this up in a single sitting (as I did), while readers looking for a story with a unique and totally kick ass protagonist will leave with a belly full of satisfaction. Fingers crossed this isn't the last we've seen of Lulu.
Fogtown is a hard boiled graphic novel, heavy with genre troupes. The art matches the tone; dark inks in black and white, femme fatales drawn with a sFogtown is a hard boiled graphic novel, heavy with genre troupes. The art matches the tone; dark inks in black and white, femme fatales drawn with a sexy and dangerous intensity which ooze sensuality, and a protagonist of the muscle bound, chiseled jaw stereotype. Like the story, any notion of shades of grey is an abstract concept.
The 1953 period setting in San Francisco plays to a post WWII era backdrop as eviscerated prostitutes, shady men hiding behind religious fanaticism, and a complex PI in Frank Grissel who's secret provides a tasty side dish to the brutal main course, form a compelling and well paced plot.
My rating: 4/5 stars. Part of the now defunct (which is a damn shame) Vertigo Crime series, Fogtown is well worth the time to track down and devour; an easy flowing single sitting dose of hardboiled crime....more
Deke is a street cop assigned to work undercover for the misguided purpose of punching his boss's ticket to become Chief of Police. Tim, is an Irish FDeke is a street cop assigned to work undercover for the misguided purpose of punching his boss's ticket to become Chief of Police. Tim, is an Irish FBI agent, who too, is given an undercover op to infiltrate a rap mogul's business and turn the table on some illegal dealings. The two on the same blue line collide in a hailstorm of bullets in a perfect case of the right hand not letting the left know what's going on. In between there's some double-crossing and a little character development but all roads were clearly drawn down the barrel of a gun with a bar room battle, the crescendo reeking of cordite. Cowboys was a fun read, complemented by on-point art. ...more
Rag and Bone establishes a new status quo for Shadowman, ending the series on a positive note which is sure to please long term readers.
The story is pRag and Bone establishes a new status quo for Shadowman, ending the series on a positive note which is sure to please long term readers.
The story is pretty straight forward; Jack Boniface and Alyssa Miles must put a stop to the Brethren, a conglomerate of evildoers who are intent on resurrecting the deceased Master Darque (the big bad of the shadow-side of the Valiant universe). To do this, Jack and Alyssa are to track down Darque’s remains and seal them inside a mystical prison. However straight forward this may seem, neither expected to be thwarted by Darque’s sister, Sandria!
Rag and Bone lacks depth. The plot is largely linear and aside from small glimpses of a new character in Nil, not much happens to progress the Shadowman lore or add to the continuity. Sure, Jack’s on a path to redemption, but new readers won’t really get that with books such as Shadowman: End Times, Ninjak Vol.6: The Seven Blades of Master Darque, and Rapture playing heavily into the backstory.
My rating: 3/5 stars. A good, easy-flowing read which feels more fantastical than it does horror. I like where Rag and Bones leaves Shadowman and I’m interested to see what the publisher (Valiant) does with the character next. ...more
"She was a beautiful blonde and she was in trouble. Usually, that's all I need to know. When your name is Mike Hammer, certain things are expected of "She was a beautiful blonde and she was in trouble. Usually, that's all I need to know. When your name is Mike Hammer, certain things are expected of you."
Tricked into meeting a client in the proverbial lions den of mafia land, Mike Hammer's long overdue return to the graphic novel medium sees the perennial private eye come face to face with death - the long one.
Whilst Hammer has been portrayed in comics and newspaper strips previously, the Titan Comics / Hard Case Crime collaboration freshens up the hard man for the modern day audience and the results are largely positive.
In trademark Hammer fashion, the PI falls for a damsel in distress (in this case, Helen Venn), while his secretary with extras, Vera, becomes embedded in the story both as a victim and heroine. The linear nature of the story makes for an easy and entertaining read.
The trade paperback collection also features two short stories entitled Trouble... Come And Get It, and Killer's Turn which, whilst not featuring Mike Hammer, are a nice addition for long time Spillane readers.
My rating: 4/5 stars. Not as hard edged as some of the prose novels yet still captures that tried and true Mike Hammer feel. I hope we see more of the perennial PI in this medium....more
The Roman standard is missing, lost in a failed battle in the Germanic forest of Tottenwald and the Emperor of Rome, Nero, fears a revolt is at hand. The Roman standard is missing, lost in a failed battle in the Germanic forest of Tottenwald and the Emperor of Rome, Nero, fears a revolt is at hand. The standard symbolizes the solidarity and strength of the mighty Roman empire - without it, both Nero and the spirit of Rome are lost.
In search of answers and the missing artifacts, Nero enlists the services of the world first detective, Antonius Axia, and famous female gladiator Achillia. Together they set out, not to Germany, but to Egypt, in search of a Roman solider who may hold the key to the standards' disappearance.
The third installment in the Britannia series, much like the second volume, continues to move away from the supernatural theme introduced in the first volume, and more into the traditional detective/mystery genre. Whilst not a bad thing, I was hoping for Lost Eagle of Rome to return to the formula which made the first volume so enjoyable.
It was great to see Achillia return. The strong female lead from volume two is an excellent addition to the broader Valiant universe and her character generally meshes well with Axia. That said, author Peter Milligan seemed to confuse her attraction or lack thereof with Axia on a few occasions which made a few scenes read out of character. I hope this is revisited in future installments.
Robert Gill was the artist on Lost Eagle of Rome, a departure from the previous artist but you wouldn't know it - 5/5, a perfect compliment to the story.
Overall I rate this a solid 3.5 stars. Interesting characters and a nice story which lends itself to further exploration. ...more
The first volume of Snotgirl was great. Not only did it establish a likable yet flawed character in Lottie Person, but it also established an element The first volume of Snotgirl was great. Not only did it establish a likable yet flawed character in Lottie Person, but it also established an element of mystery and violence, particularly in the later stages of volume one.
Volume two, California Screaming is a major let down. The story largely centers around Lottie's ex, Sunny Day, Lottie's girl-crush and infatuation, Caroline,, and Charlene, the young woman from the previous installment who took a header off a rooftop. While, on the surface, the story has a lot of sub plots to work with, the graphic novel is largely non-eventful and at times tedious.
My rating: 2/5. The art is great as per the first volume, but the story is lacking substance and execution. I don't think I'll return to the world of Lottie again following this outing. ...more
Unnatural echoes sentiments of Black Mirror with elements of real-world totalitarian plausibility exemplified through birth and mating control, as welUnnatural echoes sentiments of Black Mirror with elements of real-world totalitarian plausibility exemplified through birth and mating control, as well as overtaxing those few who dare to be different, stretching the populace into poverty.
While this all consuming and thought provoking story draws comparison to current day events and spotlights the strength of diversity, it's a fun and wholly entertaining light erotica with fantastical elements which steadily build each chapter into an epic crescendo of violence and the other-worldly.
The protagonist, Leslie Blair, is a pig girl, who dreams of a wolf-man lover; something forbidden in this animalistic world where its citizens are made to procreate with 'their kind', if not on their own accord, then at the hands of a Government controlled match-making service called Real Love, a subsidiary of the Reproduction Program Office.
Unsure as to why she's constantly at the mercy of these 'unnatural' dreams, Leslie confines in her roommate, Trish for support, seeking method to the madness.
What follows neither of the young women sees coming - and certainty not this reader.
My rating: 5/5 stars. Unnatural is a great read complimented by some stunning art. Over the course of the 4-issue volume, the graphic novel establishes a new world, concept, characters, and a heartbreaking backstory while setting up the next installment. I can't wait to read volume 2....more
It was always little things that unlocked the blackout doors. Details... the lipstick makes him remember a smile. The smile leads to a voice...then a It was always little things that unlocked the blackout doors. Details... the lipstick makes him remember a smile. The smile leads to a voice...then a face. And that's how Charlie realized whose house he'd woken up in...right before he found her lying dead on the living room floor.
Bars, blackouts, limelight and lowlifes. The Fade Out is A-grade noir set in the Hollywood's golden era of film, where stars shone their brightest and studio cover-ups were commonplace - it was a time where murder was more hindrance than heinous .
When screenwriter Charlie Parish stumbled upon starlet Valeria Sommers lifeless body less than twenty feet from where he was sleeping off 'the night before' in a bathtub, his first thought was to cover his tracks, his second thought, was the studio, the third - panic, for last night was drowned out in a watery wall of booze.
What follows is a murder mystery, a studio cover-up to make Sommers' untimely death a suicide, and the introduction of a bunch of seedy bit players all with something to gain by ignoring the murder.
The only thing holding The Fade Out (Act One) back is the incomplete ending. Rather than tying loose ends, the story progressively evolves as the fictitious Hollywood branches out into new character side stories - each interesting enough but given this arc ran for 4 issues, the core plot element is largely left unresolved.
A brief note on the art: Fantastic, moody, perfectly captures the essence of noir soaked Hollywood.
My rating: 4/5 stars. As mentioned early, The Fade Out (Act One) lacks a conclusion and fails to deliver a single cohesive and self contained story, rather, continuing to build an elaborate and intrinsically linked cast of characters with backstories as dark as the back-alleys they deal. I loved this story arc, but think it would've been better with an extra issue or two, conceptually - 5/5....more
The graphic novel adaption captures the essence of New York as well as meticulously depicting the trials and tribulations of Matthew Scudder in a trueThe graphic novel adaption captures the essence of New York as well as meticulously depicting the trials and tribulations of Matthew Scudder in a true hat tip to noir and gets bonus points for some great horror slasher inspired artwork, prevalent in the later stages of the book. Read this even if you haven’t read the source material. ...more
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