A retelling of Lovecraft's A Thing on the Doorstep. Which I haven't read yet, as I'm not a huge fan of Lovecraft - don'thurtme.
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The book opens wiA retelling of Lovecraft's A Thing on the Doorstep. Which I haven't read yet, as I'm not a huge fan of Lovecraft - don'thurtme.
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The book opens with a man walking into an asylum and shooting his best friend. This is the story of why Daniel Upton says he didn't murder Edward Derby.
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Two boys who speak to each other like they're both about 40 years old meet at a museum. One boy is frail and sheltered and incredibly interested in the occult. The other is a bit more normal, but for whatever reason, they click and form a bond that lasts over the years.
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The rest of this part one shows the two as they grow into men, still part of each other's lives as they find love and children. Daniel and his wife even name their son, Edward Derby Upton.
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And while Daniel's family seems normal, the woman Edward loves is a bit odd. *cue Psycho violin screech*
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The art is serviceable and I want to know what happens next, so I'll probably grab Part Two. Recommended for Lovecraftian horror fans....more
Great first issue. This is a continuation of the story from The Nice House on the Lake, and it gave me a peek at the wider view of (maybe) where this sGreat first issue. This is a continuation of the story from The Nice House on the Lake, and it gave me a peek at the wider view of (maybe) where this story might be headed. Because to be honest, this is a very vague title.
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This new Nice house has a different group of people and a different being that brought them here. It seems to hint that there might be some kind of contest between houses. And that while Walter bent the rules to include his friends, Max did not. How did one of Walter's friends end up in Max's house then? I don't know, but I'm interested.
I want more. If Brubaker and Philips could just never be done with their Criminal series, I feel like it would set things just a little more right in tI want more. If Brubaker and Philips could just never be done with their Criminal series, I feel like it would set things just a little more right in the world.
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In 1976 Teeg Lawless pulls off an armored truck robbery with his crew, then gets sent to jail after a fight at the bar that evening gets him arrested on a bench warrant - for failure to appear in traffic court. Womp, womp. Sucks, but all he should have to do is ride out his 30 days and then collect his portion of the take from his partner. Except someone wants him dead and is willing to pay to see it happen. You almost feel sorry for him but it's hard to drum up any sympathy for Teeg.
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Fast forward to 1979 and we follow a young Tracy Lawless as he is pulled along for the world's worst road trip as his father goes after someone.
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This one is just heartbreaking. You really feel for Tracy, just wanting to be a normal kid with normal experiences, but he's never going to be anything but old beyond his years.
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I loved the addition of the fake pulpy comics that ran alongside both Teeg's and Tracy's stories. Teeg is reading something called Zangar the Savage and Tracy is reading Kung Fu Werewolf.
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I have to admit I was kind of into that werewolf story and wouldn't mind if Brubaker and Philips wanted to do a limited run with that one. I can't be the only one...
Tracy Lawless is working off a debt to Sebastian Hyde, but he's just a little too scrupulous for this line of work and tends to make sure tGood stuff.
Tracy Lawless is working off a debt to Sebastian Hyde, but he's just a little too scrupulous for this line of work and tends to make sure the people he is sent to kill actually deserve it.
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Hyde, unwilling to lose him but not digging the way he's working out as muscle, tasks him with finding out who is offing men in the city who should have been untouchable. This town just isn't safe for criminals anymore! And if tracking down a criminal serial killer isn't dangerous enough, it seems as though Tracy has decided to have an affair with the big man's wife. Don't worry, I'm sure that won't be a problem later on...
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To add a cherry on the top of all this mess, the military has sent someone to find him and bring him back. But hey, considering everything else that's going on, maybe that isn't the worst thing that can happen to him, right?
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Tracy is everyone's favorite Lawless, and you just can't help rooting for him to find a way out of this mess. But everyone knows that no good deed goes unpunished.
We first met Jacob as the counterfeiter who makes Tracy a new identity in Lawless. And now BrubakeGoddamn. This is how you write crime fiction.
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We first met Jacob as the counterfeiter who makes Tracy a new identity in Lawless. And now Brubaker tells us his story. And I was not expecting the story I got.
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Like all hardboiled crime noir, there's a lousy dame at the center of this one. And like everything else in this thing, she starts out one way and ends up as something entirely different.
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Jacob's backstory is that he married the niece of the biggest crime syndicate boss in the city, Sebastian Hyde. So, when she went missing and Detective Starr kept trying to point the finger at Jacob, his wife's uncle didn't take the news well. He had Jacob beaten until he was crippled, which brought on a nervous breakdown that left him institutionalized for quite some time. Meanwhile, his wife's body was found in her car, the victim of an apparent accident on the road. To assuage his guilt, Hyde made it so that Jacob could live out the rest of his days writing his Frank Kafka, Private Eye comic strip for the paper. The end result is that the cartoon Kafka is along for the ride in Jacob's head giving him advice and telling him to man up.
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The skinny gist? Iris (the lousy dame) and her scuzzball boyfriend catch Jacob's eye in a diner when they get into a vicious argument. Intrigued by her, he slowly rides to the rescue and ends up getting embroiled in a lot more than he ever bargained for. And that's all I can say without spoiling the whole shebang.
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This is one of my favorite Criminal storylines so far. Wow. Just...wow. Highly Recommended....more
Three different characters tell the same sad story from their own point of view. And it is really well done.
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Jake is a boxer and the son of the Three different characters tell the same sad story from their own point of view. And it is really well done.
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Jake is a boxer and the son of the closest confidant and enforcer of syndicate boss Walter Hyde. So he grew up with the heir of a crime family as his best friend. But as time changes both of them, their friendship takes a beating. And of course, it's over a woman.
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Teeg Lawless returns from Vietnam with more than a few issues and easily falls into the life of a mean drunk. And when his gambling habit catches up to him, he falls even more easily into the life of a small-time crook. But when he finds out the woman he's been sleeping with has set him up, and that he's stolen from Walter Hyde, some tough choices will have to be made if he wants to survive.
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Danica Briggs is the woman who flits through this storyline and sets the wheels in motion for all the men around her. And her story is about as sad as it comes. She fell in love with the wrong man and her whole life spiraled out of her control from that moment on. By the time you get to her story, you already know the ending. But it doesn't make the ride any less interesting.
How far will you go to avenge a brother you don't really know? Tracy Lawless comes from a family of small-time but well-known criminals. And when he wHow far will you go to avenge a brother you don't really know? Tracy Lawless comes from a family of small-time but well-known criminals. And when he was old enough to reach the pedals of a getaway car, he followed in that family business. Arrested at a young age, he was given the choice between military service or prison. He chose to enlist and was put to work using his special skill set for the American government.
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Fast forward many years and he's done something to land himself in stockade until whatever he had done blew over. And in that time, his little brother was killed. Armed with an old photo and a slew of bad memories, he sets out to find the people responsible and enact his own form of justice. The problem with that is that sometimes justice has already been served.
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I like where this is going so far and I can't imagine that Brubaker and Philips are taking us on a ride that will be anything less than spectacularly seedy.
In the last volume, the twins find out that their grumpy mother and carefree father have hidden depths when their mom tosses them inI'm hooked.
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In the last volume, the twins find out that their grumpy mother and carefree father have hidden depths when their mom tosses them in a haunted house and tells them to "fix" it. Like those parents who toss their kids in the pool and tell them to sink or swim. Except with demons and possessed dolls.
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When this volume opens, the twins are floundering. Trying to figure out not only who they are but what, as well. What does it mean to come from two immortal bloodlines? And two immortal bloodlines of...?
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Ok, so it starts with a ritual murder committed by what looks to be a bunch of sweet elderly philanthropists. When Milly starts seeing one of the ghosts who was murdered, she and Billy try to unravel the mystery behind it all. They also need to figure out why that creepy little doll they thought they were rid of is showing up again, as well.
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Not to mention something seems to want Billy's attention. Something that knows his father and wants to make a deal.
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And speaking of his Keon, it appears he has a brother? The family dynamics here were a lot of fun to start unpacking and I imagine it will only get more interesting from here on out.
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Ok. For me, the stars of the show are Ipo & Keron. I can't be the only one who thinks that, either. They're written in such a fun way that you can't help but want them to get as much page time as their children. I like that it's a generational story, and I appreciate that both generations are equally interesting.
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Alright, all of the above barely scratches the surface of this volume. I mean, you really get your money's worth out of this when it comes to juicy plot. This is easily turning into one of the titles I actively look forward to and search out, and one that I can see myself purchasing once it is collected into books.
Surprisingly good. This is set in the same world as Geoff Johns Geiger and it looks like there's going to be a team-up with these guys at some point.
[iSurprisingly good. This is set in the same world as Geoff Johns Geiger and it looks like there's going to be a team-up with these guys at some point.
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In 1972 Muddy Davis and his comrades had a robot soldier in their platoon. And he saved Muddy's life. WHAT? Yeah. It's a whole story that even he doesn't really believe anymore. As the only surviving member of their doomed tour in Vietnam, Muddy didn't talk about it with anyone. Instead, he wrote a cartoon strip for the Sunday paper that immortalized his memory of the character he now calls Junkyard Joe. <--think Beetle Bailey
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Present-day Muddy recently lost his beloved wife, decided to stop writing Junkyard Joe, and is curling up inside himself waiting to die. Until some new neighbors move in next door with a loss of their own to deal with and fate decides to intertwine their lives with another surprise. Junkyard Joe. He's real. He's on Muddy's doorstep. And he's being chased by some very bad people who don't care who they hurt.
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To be frank, I was not expecting to connect with this story, much less find myself moved by it. But between Johns' storytelling and Frank's art, I was sucked in and flipping the pages hoping that it would all work out in the end. And for a robot that never said a word, it still spoke volumes.
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I don't want to ruin the story for anyone with spoilers, so I'll just say that this was tender, bittersweet, and incredibly well done. I'm looking forward to reading more. Recommended....more
Not terrible. Not great. I don't really know exactly how I feel about this one.
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I never would have even looked twice but this one was a Bonus BoNot terrible. Not great. I don't really know exactly how I feel about this one.
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I never would have even looked twice but this one was a Bonus Borrow on Hoopla so I downloaded it for shits and giggles. It was better than I expected.
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There are 4 somewhat spooky stories in this volume, each with a different artist. I wasn't crazy about any of the art, tbh. Although, I did love the colors in Waking Nightmare.
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Midnight Oil (about the mother who lost her child) was the only story that made sense. The The Boy Who Came Closer & Waking Nightmare seemed half-formed. And while 101 really drew me in at first, it just kind of trailed off at the end without any real sort of satisfaction.
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I would try another comic by the author, though. There was a spark of something to all the issues that kept me reading. Maybe he just needs more time to find his footing?...more
Two cute, if forgettable, Sabrina holiday stories.
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The Longest Night <--by Kelly Thompson I've enjoyed Thompson's work on Sabrina. Wish she were Two cute, if forgettable, Sabrina holiday stories.
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The Longest Night <--by Kelly Thompson I've enjoyed Thompson's work on Sabrina. Wish she were still writing it. This could have been a really good story but the whys and hows just aren't there, and it possibly just needed a bit more page time to give the plot a bit of backstory. The skinny gist is that Sabrina and a few friends rescue another witch pal from a baddie. During the holidays.
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A Very Spellman Solstice <-- by Danielle Paige The Spellaman aunts tell Sabrina a story about the past. It was also ok but for some reason, the art style didn't do it for me in this one.
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I don't think I'd recommend this to anyone who wasn't specifically looking for a Sabrina Holiday Special, but it wasn't terrible....more
Uh. Well, you might have a completely different experience if you're a fan of the books in this series. But since I didn't realize it was a book seriesUh. Well, you might have a completely different experience if you're a fan of the books in this series. But since I didn't realize it was a book series, much less a "what are they doing now" kind of story for a (I think) 12 book series that had already ended with some kind of an apocalyptic war? It was incredibly scatty and confusing to read. I don't know who these characters are, or what their relationships are like, and I don't really even understand the setting.
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I thought this was a comic about a vampire huntress. But it looks to me like this is all angels and demons. Sometimes the women have wings? And they're being attacked by demons from Hell who are being sent after them from (what looks to be) Satan. But then a few of the guys they're married to say they were vampire lords in Hell at one point? Or something?
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The plot was fucknuts and the dialogue seemed really cheesy. But then it might make a lot of sense to a fan! I don't know. This was a Hoopla Bonus Borrow, so I decided to try it out. Some kind of introduction to the world would have been nice because, without it, this is a fans only sort of comic.
I'm interested. So far the setup is that Zatanna refuses to use magic.
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Due to something spoilery that happened in her childhood, she's decided shI'm interested. So far the setup is that Zatanna refuses to use magic.
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Due to something spoilery that happened in her childhood, she's decided she'll never touch her powers again, and now works in Vegas as an illusionist. But she gets the feeling that someone or something is following her.
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The end of the issue sees her being confronted by a young woman Zatanna thinks may be a stalker because she keeps appearing at all of her shows. More spoilery things happen and it looks like she may have to reverse her decision to stay out of the real magic game.
Pretty cool supernatural western. I read these as singles on Prime and thought the whole thing was worthwhile. I've got links to the individual issues Pretty cool supernatural western. I read these as singles on Prime and thought the whole thing was worthwhile. I've got links to the individual issues if anyone is interested, but I think cowboy horror fans will dig this.
Bait is mute. He's also a White Mask with no arms.
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You would not be silly for thinking this little boy is probably being thrown at monsters as..Bait is mute. He's also a White Mask with no arms.
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You would not be silly for thinking this little boy is probably being thrown at monsters as...well, bait. But it turns out he's got some secret talents and an origin story that you'll really have to suspend disbelief to get behind. (view spoiler)[He fought and killed a monster after it ripped his arms off. Sure, most elementary school kids would have just lain in a pool of their own quickly cooling blood and died.
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But I guess torn arteries don't work the same way for future children of the House of Slaughter. (hide spoiler)]
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It's fine. You're reading a comic about a secret society that recruits childhood survivors of monster attacks, so let's not quibble too much about what is or isn't realistic.
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I personally thought Sam Johns does a better job here than she did in House of Slaughter, Vol. 2: Scarlet, mostly because I'm starting to see some dots connect. I still prefer the main House of Slaughter storyline with Jace Boucher (volumes 1 & 3), but this one didn't leave me with that the fuck did I just read feeling. Maybe these will all somehow pull together into a coherent plot by the end of this run.
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The skinny gist is that it makes more sense than Vol. 2: Scarlet, but I'd say this one is only for SiKtC completionists. Recommended. Ish....more
Ok, so I think I get what's going on now with the inconsistent feel of these stories.
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I wasn't paying attention before (because James Tynion's Ok, so I think I get what's going on now with the inconsistent feel of these stories.
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I wasn't paying attention before (because James Tynion's name is at the top of the writing credits) but Sam Johns is also credited on House of Slaughter, Vol. 2: Scarlet & House of Slaughter, Vol. 4: Alabaster, which tell somewhat interconnecting stories about random members of various masks, and Tate Brombal is credited on House of Slaughter, Vol. 1: The Butcher's Mark & this volume, which follows Jace Boucher. I'm guessing (someone correct me if I'm wrong) but Tynion is probably helping to plan the outline of the stories and these other two guys are doing the actual writing. That's fair.
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Alright. So you find out more about Boucher's house and his childhood with the White Masks. After all the stuff in volume 1, he's still protecting all the little kids he finds after a monster attacks. Enter Sunny. A little boy who is struggling with what happened when a monster attacked a school bus he was on and killed all of his friends. <--before Jace managed to kill it and rescue him. Spoilery things happen and his past and the present collide in spectacular fashion.
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I've bought into Jace's story completely, at this point. And I'm rooting for this guy to meet up with Erica someday and cause some real damage in the Something is Killing the Children universe. Recommended....more
I really did not understand what happened here. I read it, I thumbed back through it, I read the back blurb again, I went back to the last few pages...I really did not understand what happened here. I read it, I thumbed back through it, I read the back blurb again, I went back to the last few pages...nope. I have no idea what just occurred in this volume.
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I mean, to some extent, yes. This young Scarlet Mask (I guess they're the scribes?) is sent on a mission to find out if these kids at a camp have created and/or will create a monster. There have been some accidents recently and everyone knows children have BIG imaginations. So, god forbid these little fuckers start telling campfire stories to explain them, right?
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Our Scarlet Mask is very detached from his emotions, has an eidetic memory, and his totem is a paintbrush that uses blood. At some point in the mission, he finds out about some spoilery memories that he lost.
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But beyond that? I don't know what the fuck just happened. Yeah, I'll keep reading this title (for now) because I love this world. But this was definitely a low point in the series, and I hope this isn't indicative of what to expect from here on out. Completionists only....more
I'd honestly never heard of Darla Lang or Darkling before this. Apparently, she's a magic user whose cape is for reasons attached to her. I guess her mI'd honestly never heard of Darla Lang or Darkling before this. Apparently, she's a magic user whose cape is for reasons attached to her. I guess her mission is to get it off? Or maybe figure out why she was born with a cape? I don't know. But the mean girls are mean to her because of it.
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She meets up with another girl at the school who does a true crime podcast and they end up fighting off Chuthulu together.
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Ok, not really. They do end up investigating a string of disappearances on campus. It looks like girls that nobody would miss have...well, gone missing.
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Pretty generic all around, and I doubt if I would have even found this if it hadn't been under the Archie label on Hoopla. But to be honest, now I'm kind of curious about the character, so I'm not saying I wouldn't read more about her if I got the chance. We'll see....more
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