Marvel Meltdown – January 2012
This month’s Marvel special includes reviews of NEW MUTANTS #37, SCARLET SPIDER #2, and WOLVERINE AND THE X-MEN #5. Check ‘em out!
Archive for the ‘Comics/Manga’ Category
DC Domination – January 2012
Reviews of Wonder Woman, Supergirl, and Superboy #5 are available at Impulse Creations. Find out which ones are super and which ones are in need of major saving.
Joshua Luna on Whispers
Recently I chatted with Joshua Luna, the talent behind the new comic Whispers. In the interview, he talks a little about the challenges of going solo as both writer and artist and what readers can expect from the mini-series.
Whispers #1
Joshua Luna (as in the Luna Brothers) is putting out a solo entry this Wednesday called Whispers #1, which I wholeheartedly recommend. My advance review is now online.
Review: London Horror Comic #4
London Horror Comic returns with a fourth issue that upholds the impressive quality of its predecessors. Anthologies can be risky business, especially when they involve horror and comedy. But creating a good presentation of story and artwork that plays on expectations and popular conventions is no great task for indie self-publisher John-Paul Kamath and his team of illustrators. From the UK comes another solid issue of London Horror Comic.
“V” is by far the shining gem of the five stories included in LHC #4. It’s a Superman and Lex Luthor spoof, where Superman once again outsmarts Lex “Loofer” and dooms him to work in a coffee shop as an alternative to jail time. It’s done so tastefully, authentically, and with such charm and style that you’d swear DC Comics could have thought it up themselves. This piece best demonstrates the talent and creativity of Kamath and his main artists, Lee Ferguson and Dean Kotz.
“Tough All Over” is another excellent short that’s relevant to the times, especially here in America. After a store manager kicks out a homeless shopper for causing trouble, he gets his own bitter taste of joblessness. The story sends a harsh message to those who take their jobs for granted and resonates well with the rising percentage of Americans who are unemployed or fresh out of college or graduate school with meager options.
“Drive Thru’” comes in third, appealing greatly to the Buffy crowd (particularly watchers of the Doublemeat Palace episodes). What makes this story interesting is the way it both breaks and adheres to conventions regarding blonde, female beauties in the horror genre.
While not nearly as stand-out as the previous three, “The Passenger” provides a good introduction to the style of London Horror Comic—and with a good sense of pace and anxiety, it can set the reader on edge. “Skyscrapped” is definitely the weakest of the five, but it’s an ongoing trademark of the London Horror Comic series: a brief, wordless story meant to unsettle the reader.
London Horror Comic #4 is a good investment, especially if you want to support indie creators and especially if you want more from this underused comics genre.
Rating: 4/5
