ANGEL: AFTER THE FALL – Issue #2
IDW Publishing
Written by Brian Lynch Art by Franco Urru
While Buffy’s Season 8 came out with a strategic plan to pick up where they left off from the TV’s seventh season, Angel: After the Fall comes out with fangs bared and guns blazing. This is an exciting series, putting previous efforts by IDW with the Angel franchise to sleep. (Although I hear the Spike puppet series is kind of funny.) Writer Brian Lynch was given the keys to the Angel kingdom, and appears to have it all set-up and ready to rock. The first issue was more of a firestarter, and now the second becomes the firespreader. Not only do we get more of Gunn and his nail-biting, wayward path, but the bigger “guns” make a return as Spike and Illyria show Angel what they’re up to in Hell-A. Connor is given a heavier role, and deservingly so since Los Angeles is a hellhole… literally. It’s funny, I used to work in Westwood, CA, and I enjoy it looking all torn up and gone to hell. I truly appreciate Brian Lynch giving fans what they want, as he’s giving me my Gwen back after her short run on the TV show. Artist Franco Urru is also warming up to the characters, though he tends to echo his rival Georges Jeanty sometimes in the likeness department. I’m guessing the legal reasons are at fault for that, so with another issue, I’ll probably capture the comic book version of the character in Franco’s art. But it will be hard getting Alexa Davalos out of my head, I tell ya. Very hard. So I leave this review with a World of Warcraft TV Commercial saying… “I’m Mike Fish. And I’m a Slave to Gwen in After the Fall.” Ok, Mr.T’s is better.
GRADE: A CONTINUE READING? Hell yes! This is starting to feel like the sixth season, and I’m able to translate it visually in my head quite well.
TERROR INC. – Issue #4 of 5
Written by David Lapham Art by Patrick Zircher
Marvel MAX Comics
Wow, can artist Patrick Zircher draw women. Especially the eyes, I find myself just staring at Talita and Mrs. Primo when they would appear. I don’t know if he uses reference from magazines or freeze frames the TV, but man can this guy draw an alluring female. It’s a strong point for the book as it centers around love and torment, but also because Mr.Terror has come to realize that his set-up was done by his thousand year old girlfriend, and wants her damn arm back! Like a guy is supposed to know you’re girlfriend is gonna come back from the grave a thousand years later to take back her arm. Sheesh! Plus, he needs it more than she does as this issue yet again manages to chop Mr. Terror up into pieces. I bet the guy just doesn’t feel whole somedays. David Lapham continues the excellent writing, bringing this character to the forefront of Marvel MAX titles, yes, even removing The Punisher from his long-standing throne at the top. This is the pivotal Marvel Max book, showcasing adult themes, nudity, violence, and superb taste. If there ever was a Marvel property that deserved to be a movie, this is the one. I’m excited about Iron Man myself, but if I heard someone like Luc Besson take on the reigns of making this into a feature film, I’d freak out like a kid getting Optimus Prime for Christmas. Terror Inc. is by far the best series of 2007, and I hope that #5 issue doesn’t stop the great thing Marvel has in their MAX line of books.
GRADE: A CONTINUE READING? Mrs. Primo, what have you done? Prepare for a very exciting conclusion!
FOOLKILLER – Issues #2 & #3 of 5
Written by Gregg Hurwitz Art by Lan Medina
Marvel MAX Comics
I waited to review issues 2 and 3 together because the second was very similar to the first, only we learn the origin of The Foolkiller up until the ending of the first issue. It appears he started off right, then went wrong, then went right, then wrong, and is now kind of in the middle, killing the bad guys like it was a video game. I tell ya, if The Foolkiller was real, I’d be scared. Especially the dog. There’s a scene where The Foolkiller’s rot, Jester, just tears the face off a guy, and it’s got me thinking twice about petting the passing dog with the cute owner on the city sidewalk. I like this dude though. The Foolkiller. He’s The Crow, but without the supernatural element. He believes in justice, but more along the lines of payback and deserving what you owe to society. Don’t pay, you get your body parts sliced off by The Foolkiller’s sword or the dog rips your face off. Off, off, off! Writer Gregg Hurwitz is doing a great job telling the tale of how two men can do good by doing bad things. The juxtaposition is masterfully displayed between the protagonist and antagonist, and it’s not even in the traditional sense of good and evil. Instead, it’s a man that has everything to lose, and another that has lost everything already. Issue three displays how The Foolkiller takes out the bad guys, a la The Crow, and creates a modern day campfire story along the way. Artist Lan Medina is great at capturing the pain dished out by our antihero as limbs, fingers, and anything else that can be removed from the human body is done so in a dramatic, artistic fashion. The use of light and darks in the colors also helps deliver a dark and unsettling tale that could easily translate to the TV or big screen. Another cinematic piece of entertainment from the Marvel MAX line of books. Foolkiller is amongst the best comics for mature readers right now. Just don’t pet any strange dogs while reading it!
GRADE: A- CONTINUE READING? Yep, even though I don’t see it ending reasonably at issue #5. And was that The Kingpin at the end???
CRAWL SPACE: XXXOMBIES – Issue #2 of 4
Image Comics
Written by Rick Remender Art by Kieron Dwyer
The porn industry will never be the same when the zombies take over. Issue #2 continues where we left off from the first as the zombie hordes of 1977 Los Angeles continue to grow and take out the City of Angels. Thrust and his lap boy Scott make it out alive and return to the film crew only to learn that zombies are everywhere, even on set. On top of that, the mob wants their money and comes to collect on Wong… even though the city is under lockdown and the news has gone off the air. Shows how much they care about current events! And Jenny’s badass dad is still busting through every hood and whorehouse to find his daughter. How sweet. Oh, and Scott gets a boner when Jenny gives him a hug. It’s little things like this (hahaha) that keep this book so entertaining despite is being just another zombie tale. Rick Remender and Kieron Dwyer are obviously having a lot of fun with this book, and it rubs off on the reader greatly. The pacing doesn’t flow like a comic book either, rather taking the fast cuts of Boogie Nights and Big Trouble in Little China route. I just hope the end doesn’t set us up for another “snakebite” similar to the one I endured from Clifford Meth’s Snaked (Read Review Here). That could make me puke, but then again, maybe Rick and Kieron are trying to make me do that. It’s not hard guys. Just throw some Jack into my Coke, and I’m a roasted turkey. Keep on truckin, fellers!
GRADE: B+ CONTINUE READING? This is a fun ride and doesn’t fall into zombie cliché as I like to say, hey, so stay, and I just may… eat some hay.
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