Review: There’s a real unique creativity on display here from Joe. The liquid metal is a nice substance and whatever it’s truly made of will hopefully be explored as the series progresses but for now it’s a nice mystery. That we’re getting in on the ground floor of Benjamin and what he becomes from the beginning instead of having him be the hero and having to backtrack and learn about him keeps this fresh.
Yes Benjamin is a hack
er and his brain is wired differently than most so seeing him go with the flow and think quickly on the fly is something I actually expect out of him. Joe showcases this nicely too.
While computers and computer based powers aren’t new they have been underutilized and underdeveloped at the level we are beginning to see here. It’s very evident that some solid research has been done so that the actions he takes are plausible. For me reading this it’s like watching an updated Hackers meets Heroes and that has my full attention and some great appeal. While I can never get too much hard science behind things computers and how they work and what can be done with them aren’t necessarily layman terms easy to tell but here I can follow along easily enough and be entertained along the way.
Visually I’m impressed with what we get inside the computer reality as well in actual reality. Both are distinctive and have some great attention to detail, the pixelated effects on some of the inside imagery really made this more exciting to see. Meanwhile the real world with it’s attention to detail in things like the bridge, water, and explosions showcase a good grasp of how to differentiate the realities.
What happens with Benjamin through his consciousness and his body’s subsequent recovery leaves little room for doubt that he has all the makings of a hero but with his hacker background that’s the big question mark. Will he do what’s right because it is or will he do things the same way circumventing the law to do it his way? Regardless this is the birth of a hero unlike you’ve seen thus far and it’s an exciting journey to be taking.
There’s a backup story here as well and it deals with a being known as the Lion. This one makes me excited. I’m a huge Ancient Egypt fan and the mythology of their Gods and their Pharaohs so that the Lion comes from this time and place has me looking forward to seeing and learning more about him.
Even better is that a pair of archaeologists uncover his tomb in the way they do is not only exciting but would be kind of plausible in a fantastic way. With modern technology advancing at such fast rates finding what they do isn’t unbelievable and that the Ancient Egyptians would have been able to create this shouldn’t be underestimated, after all we still have a hard time really understanding how the Pyramids were built.
As I find myself getting further and further away from the Big Two’s offerings I come to appreciate the talent, love, and passion creators like Joe have for what they do. This is by far a more cohesive, well constructed, well executed story that has real life basis mixed with the superhero mindset and it’s a rare breed that should be explored by everyone!
Editor’s Note: Head here to grab up a copy!
The New Zodiax #2
Astronaut Ink 2015
Created, Written, & Drawn by: Joe St. Pierre
Reviewed by: Steven Leitman
Summary: Benjamin F. is the most gifted hacker of his age. In his online identity as The Liberaider, he and a group of hacktivists from the Killer Vapor site became targets of the Dinosaur Corporation. After stealing an unknown liquid metallic substance from the Dinosaur database, Benjamin encountered two assassins who attacked and seeming drowned him in the liquid metal.
Grimm Fairy Tales #114
Zenesc 
ope Entertainment
Writer: Pat Shand
Artist: David Lorenzo Riveiro
Reviewer: Derrick Crow
Summary: After events that led to a seige on Arcane Acres, and the death of one of their own, a new year has began for the students who are learning to become Realm Knights, protectors of reality. However, things are still not as they seem… and this new year may become the deadliest year…
[SPOILERS!!]
Review: I would imagine that, out of all the issues I’ve read so far in this run, this is one of the weakest ones yet. Which is saying something since this isn’t even a bad issue, the main fault lies in the dialogue given to Mary Medina our newest character as she narrates her journey from normal girl to homeless Queen of the Dead for the reader.
I feel as if narrating your history for the reader is sort of old hat now, it’s really overplayed and something the comics industry really needs to change. Especially when you’re using the entire issue to do it. I think allowing the reader to learn more about the character’s history through dialogue between other characters is really the way to go. It’s just a lot more interesting to me.
So while I wasn’t a fan of seeing this character’s life flash before me for 2/3s of the issue, what really killed it was the narrating dialogue. There was… too much, and it was all just so bland. There was nothing of actual interest in the narration, I Don’t really care to learn that one day Mary had to do her laundry at the laundry mat and it was the only clothes she owned, or that she didn’t need to wear shoes at her outside classes in school.
I do get what Shand was going for though, giving us tidbits about her character to allow us to care, and I respect that, but there was definitely other ways he could’ve gone about doing that. However, I do find Mary’s powers to be rather intriguing. I always find interest in characters who can raise the dead, and I’m very excited to see what comes of her at Arcane as a new regular cast member. I definitely find it interesting that she is a former homeless character, especially as a girl as pretty as she is. It’s different, fresh, and exciting.
Speaking of new characters, a bit of much needed meat was added to Lance’s character this issue and I’m rather curious to see if he’s a character who can be trusted or not in the end. I hope so. He seems to have a rather peculiar power that is tied to flora and life. It’s going to be really interesting to see how his and Mary’s powers clash, with one being tied to life and the other death.
Bloody Bones, the new big bad, is being used really interestingly so far since his debut. I’m not sure if I like it yet, but we’ll see. Shand definitely has me hooked to see where all this is going once again. I still think this was a very weak execution of introducing a new character, but that new character is still interesting enough to hold the issue together. It wasn’t a great issue, but it wasn’t a terrible either.
Final Score: 2.5 Blood Rituals out of 5
Miserable Americans Part 1
Published, Created, Written & Illustrated by: Evan Derian
Reviewer: Steven Leitman
Summary: Abe Lincoln and JFK have apparently survived their assassinations but have awoken to a world that is not quite what it seems.
Review: Here’s another perfect example why you need to hit up conventions and the Artist Alley folks. I found this because a friend of mine was selling these for Evan at the Cincinnati Comic Expo and just the cover alone featuring John F. Kennedy and Abraham Lincoln was enough to grab my attention. Then flipping through it I found myself drawn to Evan’s interior illustrations which have this great black and white sketch quality to them and I knew I had to have the first issue to read. Folks I know many people are hesitant to try self published books but this is where the real heart and soul of the industry lies, these are labours of love and the storytelling features great talent you normally aren’t exposed to!
So think about it, what do these two Presidents have in common 100 years apart from each other? They were both assassinated and were both considered to be great men, so how on Earth would they end up in a book together? Evan takes science to a logical place and are regenerated material of dead men, yeah sounds like a zombie thing doesn’t it? But let me tell you something, who cares if they have been grown, cloned, or made from tissue samples, this concept and the science involved is fascinating. It really makes me think of the whole ‘we never asked if we should do it we did it because we could’ mentality that is so prominent in mankind.
The opening of this series is what gets you and after that we see the beginnings of the story unfold. It really does border genius in it’s conception, execution, and enjoyment level. JFK is driving a rusted ‘72 Cadillac running from the Secret Service while Lincoln with an arm tattoo proclaiming Emancipator going down his arm is keeping them and the FBI off their tail. Turns out the 16th President of the United States is a crack shot with modern guns and while his speech pattern is definitely befitting the era he lived in, his enjoyment of modern armory devices is clearly evident.
Think of it, these two men known for the greatness and the all too short lived tenures of their Presidencies together on the run from scientists and the government alike is a modern Thelma and Louise with a huge twist. What’s not to like about it, they’ve got to come to terms that they didn’t just wake up from their assassination attempts and the lies the doctors, see scientists, have been telling them and strike out on their own and live their lives in the here and now. All the while being hunted because well let’s face it, they shouldn’t exist in this era let alone at all. That however is half the intrigue factor here!
While part of me hopes that we’ll see Evan explore the science used in bringing these men back to life the other part of me is just hoping for a massive media backlash that both men are alive and running around in what could be considered a crime spree! Two very much dead on lookalikes, to the media anyway, who happen to be the real McCoys are shooting ordinance in public in what I’m assuming is a stolen car and this is just the beginning. We’ve still got to learn why this happened and what organization was behind not only financing it but what their real endgame is in having this kind of technology available to them.
This is beyond a shadow of a doubt one of those rare instances that redefines your comic book reading experience. I can’t wait to see what happens next now to get a hold of the other issues available.
Editor’s Note: If Steven’s review has caught your interest, then head right here to grab a copy!
Itty Bitty Bunnies in Rainbow Pixie Candy Land: Bong Genie #1
Action Lab: Danger Zone
Written and Illustrated by: Dean Rankine
Review by: Derrick Crow
Summary: What can I say? It’s about naked bunnies and their drug trip adventures!
Review: Cheech & Chong, Ren & Stimpy, these are just a few of other well-known, obviously drug induced duos that remind me of the two main bunnies that take up command in this fun-ass comic about their trippy misadventures. As far as reviews go, considering the type of comic this is where entertainment is more important than the style at hand, there’s not a lot I can say. But I’ll try my best.
First of all, this comic is hilarious. Especially if you’re a fan of Ren & Stimpy, you’ll feel right at home here reading Itty Bitty Bunnies in Rainbow Pixie Candy Land: Bong Genie – that’s a fun mouthful to say. The humor is crude, but fitting, and the humor is also witty. There’s also a lot of comedic gore in this that reminds me of Happy Tree Friends. This comic embodies much of the underground comics of the 70’s and 80’s, while tapping into that witty humor that several of the aforementioned things relish in – well probably not Cheech & Chong; they’re just fun time stoners.
I also really like Rankine’s art style. It’s grungy but pleasing to look at, it’s that kid-friendly style while drawing non-kid-friendly scenes. The bunnies are adorable, and everything looks just warped enough to fit into this world Rankine has built. I also really liked how he drew Zombie Tramp in this issue. There’s only one Zombie Tramp in comics these days so you know who he’s drawing, but how he draws it it’s as if Rankine deliberately made it to where this could be any ole random tramp rising from the grave in search for brains. It really fits into the style of this comic, and it was rather enjoyable to see these two comics come together.
If I had any qualms about the comic it’s simply that the stories seem to have a tendency to end too abruptly. Like the first story, the Bong Genie tale, ends VERY abruptly that makes no sense to the story being told. I really like the Bong Genie tale, but more time could’ve spent on it. It seems Rankine had other stories he wanted to make sure to get in this issue so he just cut off the main tale so he could fit them in. Thankfully all the tales here fun and more than powerful enough to keep the issue going strong, but he definitely could’ve added a lot more to the Bong Genie story.
I really like this comic. And I fully recommend going out and picking you up a copy if you can. It’s fun, raunchy, and full of witty humor. Rankine needs to make sure to keep going with this.
Final Score: 4.5 Itty Bitty Bunnies in Rainbow Pixie Candy Land… Bong Genie Edition out of 5
