Top Cow comics has a number of titles I’ve been enjoying, however THE DARKNESS has been a really interesting read and I love the artwork in the book. The character has just branched out into video games and there is a miniseries that uses that as a basis for the story. The Darkness Level 0, Level 1 etc…. Paul Jenkins and Mattias Snygg. Cool tale to be told and wonderful moody artwork.
Fangoria Comics has brought in the soon to be legendary Mark Kidwell to create, write and draw a comic, what he gave them is BUMP. As in Bump in the night, and in bump you in the head and wake you up screaming. No doubt here that ths is a horror title, and this is horror done the way it should be done. The story lingers after you are done, like an aftertaste in your brain. Creepy as all get out and down right frightening Kidwell delivers as a writer. He also goes above and beyond with the art work. I think Kidwell is going to be a true superstar. He’s got some dame weird stuff going on in his head and I’m thrilled that he’s putting on paper and sharing with the rest of us. Thanks Mark.
Bump has also been optioned by Robert Kurtzman and should be in theaters to scare us on a whole nother level soon.
GRIMM FAIRY TALES from Zenoscope is another title worth checking out. Based on classic tales we all know , Ralph Tedesco and Joe Tyler have amped it up a few notches. It’s got a modern hook to bring you in, and some gritty horror influences. These were originally tales meant to teach something, and the new take on them is the same. I love the retelling of these stories. They are also going one step further and telling some new tales with these characters. One of these is RETURN TO WONDERLAND which has Alice having a breakdown and her family dealing with what they think is Mom going nuts. When her daughter ends up in Wonderland she learns that maybe Mom isn’t nuts, and that Wonderland is no damn fairy tale.
The series also has top notch production which really shows off the wonderful artwork
I highly recommend taking a look at this line.
Apparat is an imprint for Warren Ellis at Avatar. One of the recent titles is CRECY, a one-shot based on the greatest battle England ever fought back in 1346. It’s a lesson in warfare and its a history lesson all told by a soldier in a modern language way. The art is detailed beyond belief and Raulo Caceres really went above and beyond the call with this one.
This is a book that will warrant multiple reading.
Also from Avatar, though not really very graphic is two collections from Warren Ellis full f his on line ranting and raving. FROM THE DESK OF WARREN ELLIS is great fun to read with an interesting look at the comics business and life in general.
DARK HORSE has new Grendel. Matt Wagner back on the book that made him famous in a mini series called Behold The Devil. And of course it’s great. Artwork sleek and perfect, wonderful story telling. Don’t miss this!
Dark Horse also has two graphic novel collections of Grendel, Grendel Archives and The Devil In The Deed. And coming soon, look for The Art Of Mat Wagner’s Grendel.
A title I mentioned in my Chicago roundup but worth mentioning again: American Wasteland from Arcana. Written by R.D. Hall this is some in your face thrillfest adventure reading. With monsters and guns, army guys and everyday folk, motorcycles and government bullshit, this title really works for me on a number of levels. It also has artwork from Kidwell in issues 1 and 2 and during 2 Tony Bledsoe takes over the pencil chores. It’s a little like The Walking Dead on Meth. Great stuff.
Another Dark Horse title, B.P.R.D.
Just finishing one story arc another just started. Killing Ground has the people of the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense dealing with their constant changes while a new threat looms. I love the Hellboy books, but I’m actually starting to enjoy this spin off book even more. Great stuff from the mind of Mike Mignola.
Ahhhh… Dynamite Comics series THE BOYS. Originally at Wildstorm Dynamite has just released the first trade edition and the story continues in the monthly tile.
A world like so many in comics, full of superheroes saving the day. But what are they really like? Not so super. Which is why the CIA has sanctioned Butcher and his team to keep them in line.
This series by Garth Emmis and Darick Robertson is quickly becoming one of my favorites. I love superhero books, but I also love books that pick apart the formula and revamp it and drop kick it. This is funny, and raunchy and maybe a bit disturbing.
It’s also extremely wonderful and everyone should buy this.
Wrapping this up is a new book from Image/Shadowline called HIDING IN TIME. A really interesting premise, witnesses are no longer just dropped into witness protection, they are hidden within time. The series opens with a team traveling through time to hunt them down as payback. A great idea and the first issue shows that this could really have legs. I like how they explain how the rules work with out it sounding like a lecture. Time travel is always a funny thing, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, its a tricky thing to write about. These guys make it look easy. I can’t believe no on ever thought to do this before! I will definitely be picking up more of this book. Christopher Long writes a great tale and Ryan Winn’s art makes it look good.
Add this to my monthly pull list!
So, go check out some of these cool new books!
Jon
