ZOMBIES VS ROBOTS VS AMAZONS – Issue #1
Written by Chris Ryall Art by Ashley Wood
IDW Publishing
It’s difficult to weird me out because I’m a little off myself. Mostly in my taste, so when I asked for a full scoop of Zombies vs. Robots vs. Amazons, I wasn’t sure what it was going to taste like. It has great ingredients like robots and Amazon Women… from the moon? (Had the throw that in there) It also has… sigh… zombies. More like “ugh”, but they’re used sparingly here, and the All-Girl Amazonian orgy makes up for it. Someday I’ll review a week without a zombie book. Anyway, the pacing is erratic to the point where I felt I needed to stop and get a cup of coffee to comprehend. Once the coffee kicked in, I felt I could keep a bit with the story. I guess there was a series before this called Zombies vs. Robots, and the zombie plague made the robots destroy the world or something. But the Amazons survive, and so do a few robots, and… sigh… so do a few zombies too. Ugh. So they all fight, and we’re led to a crazy ending. Chris Ryall appears to just let it out, and I kind of dig it really. Just get it out man, and let the next book be about puppies or something. Ashley Wood has a unique style that takes awhile to get used to, but it’s rewarding when you look at it longer like a painting. It’s a crazy book, but charming and intriguing. Let’s see if we are fulfilled with seconds… or acid indigestion.
GRADE: B+ CONTINUE READING? I’m interested to see what this dead Minotaur is all about, sure!
SE7EN – WRATH Sin Issue #7
Written by Mike Kalvoda Art by Bret Weldele
Zenescope Entertainment
The final sin has arrived for John Doe as this series comes to a close. Doze. Rubber Hose. Eat at Joes. Sorry, got stuck in a rhymathon. Through the other six issues of “sin”, there was a certain build-up toward issue number seven. We learned more about John Doe and what makes him tick and… what ticks him off. Sex plays a big part in it, as well as religion. But the outstanding aspect in the character is how he didn’t fit in with society. Values he grew up with were suddenly thrown out the window. Everything he had been told to believe in turned into lies and deceit, and thus John Doe took it upon himself to unleash his vengeance upon the world. However, the intended message is a little obscure here. We’re treated to the last page that all of the books were written for Detective Somerset, and while hearing that (or reading) seems like a great idea, it’s not a payoff. It’s undeserving of the last page. It’s climactic, not a dénouement. Most of this issue is a recap of the climax of the film, starting from John Doe’s phone call and him entering the police station screaming Detective Mills name until the diner. Some credit is given to Mike Kalvoda for intertwining his story with Andrew Kevin Walker’s, but it also steals away from the story unseen from the film that has been enjoyable in most of the previous issues. For fans of the film that want a side note of John Doe, then this book is for you. For those that want the full Fourth of July grand finale, then this might let you down a little.
GRADE: C+ HIGHLIGHT? John receiving the ultimate message from Jesus.
FREDDY VS JASON VS ASH – Issue #2
Dynamite Entertainment
WildStorm Entertainment
Written by James Kuhoric Art by Jason Craig
What an Ash! That’s all I can say. No, I can say more actually. Issue two of our threesome throwdown brings us closer to the battle royale we’ve kinda been waiting for. However, more than half of the book belongs to Jason hacking up Crystal Lakers similar to some of the death scenes… seen throughout the Friday the 13th film series. (Jason loves to crush those heads like a zit, don’t he?) Freddy on the other hand, appears to be on vacation, sittin back by the fireplace and watchin Jason do all the work. And Ash… well, like I said in the first issue, Ash is still out of character. It’s a vast improvement from the first issue with a livelier dialogue, but we’re still getting a melodramatic inner monologue that would resemble the Ash we know from the first 20 minutes of Evil Dead. It’s not particularly fitting for a king, or a joker like Bruce Campbell. I was kind of disappointed he got duped by the hot girl at the S-Mart into buying everything for free. Actually, I was disappointed they actually thought the mega long name for the S-Mart was funny. Instead, I heard crickets. Writer James Kuhoric appears to have Freddy pretty well done, and Jason, but that’s not hard since he doesn’t talk, but is having trouble finding the soul of Ash in his words, actions, and especially those captions. And while he’s getting warmer, the third issue has a lot of weight on its shoulders now in the writing department. The art is great with Jason Craig making some brutal scenes bloody, but also delectably viewable. It’s clean cut, like a butcher with a knife or my haircut in the summertime. I like the force effects as well when Jason (and Jason!) slams two female heads together like a mad clap. I only hope Ash finds his kingdom of comedy soon because that’s the only real sore of the book. Time to get out the boomstick, James.
GRADE: B- CONTINUE READING? Well, you have to. It’s Jason, Freddy, and Ash all in one. A bagel with cream cheese and a coffee.
LIVING WITH THE DEAD – Issue #3
Dark Horse Comics
Written by Mike Richardson Art by Ben Stenbeck
A three issue series? These guys better make some more! It was a fun ride, and I like Whip and Straw. I mean, Myron and Clarence. The only thing that can be added is a nemesis to foil their fun. The zombies were enjoyable to watch as they walked into traps and get electrocuted and stuff, but what we really want to see is some true competition. Even Betty, the friendship stealer, couldn’t really make me believe these buds would break it off, so the ending wasn’t the least bit deceptive for me. That’s where the book shines, and where writer Mike Richardson really delivers. It’s always been about friendship. It was tested with the zombies, Betty, and the end of the line, but it stayed strong and true for Straw and Whip… I mean Myron and Clarence. It’s hard to find tales about the values in friendship as love usually wrecks it, but Richardson will have none of it, and I’m rewarded for that. The artwork continues to be fun with Ben Stenbeck, and the extras give us another great cooking recipe and Betty’s zombie mask And now the boys are off to my neck of the woods, Sweet Home Chicago. Let’s hope they stay for a Cubs game when they get here. I’m buying the beer.
GRADE: A- SERIES GRADE: A
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