Comic Nation

Review: Archer and Armstrong Trade Collection Issues 1-4

By Christopher Vargas

Written by Fred Van Lente, drawn and colored by Matt Milla

I’ve only been reading comics for about 4 years. During this time, my vices were mostly DC and Marvel, but thanks to Alternative Mindz, I got my hands on Archer and Armstrong, a Valiant title.

Even though this was such a short collection, I was hooked instantly. What caught my attention from the first few pages was just how dynamic the storytelling is. It also doesn’t hurt that I’m a huge fan of the cell shaded character design and gratuitous action and gore style with excessive blood use.

There are so many cool little things thrown into this book that naming them all would be far too long of a review. But one that comes to mind is the addition of little facts here and there about the type of fighting style or technique Archer uses at the time.
This gives it that almost “Burn Notice” approach, the facts you would see in a movie like Sherlock Holmes.

If I had to be critical of anything, the story itself is unique enough, but let’s be real, you’ve heard the ” I wanna destroy the world” scheme many times before. It almost becomes comical at this point. Yet, overall, I will be picking up more and have become very impressed with Valiant.

On a brief side note, what makes the collection worth picking up is its concept and breakdown pages in the back. I give this a solid 3.5/5.

By: A. Kirana

Houses of the Holy continues to deliver.  Since my initial review, I have caught up with the past episodes, which I highly recommend doing so.  The episodes are short, quick reads, but the caliber of the storytelling is in no way affected by the brevity in its telling.  Each episode draws you further into this nightmarish tale, set in Nazi ruled 1930s Berlin.  If the horror of the era was not enough, it is made even more so by the three monsters terrorizing the area.

Magda Bescu, the immortal child vampire with a brain tumor that is just as immortal as she is.  Welcome, a basilisk, who in its final stage of life turns to stone and has chosen to become a house where Magda resides.  Finally, Gottlieb Kunst, Director of the Ministry of Propaganda; though he may be human, he may be the most monstrous of the three.

This is not your ordinary vampire tale, and I urge you not to dismiss it based on the recent crop of sparkly vampires saturating the literary world.  Magda’s character is neither romanticized nor glamorized.  She does not try to turn hapless victims, but she does feed on them.  The tumor, lodged in her brain was killing her prior to herself being turned, is still a apart of her.  The longer Magda goes without feeding, the larger the tumor grows, eating away at the healthy tissue as well as her memories, leaving her but a shell of who she once was and only knowing the need to feed.  Ah, even the way she feeds is a thing of horrific beauty.  Rather than biting her victims, tentacle-like appendages, snake out of her, latching on much like a leech would, and draining her helpless prey.  When their hunger consumes them, Magda goes out in search of prey, though from time to time, the hapless wander into Welcome.  The hunt is made difficult for Magda, for she is seen as prey because she is a child of the Roma gypsies and there is an open season on those of her race.

In Episode #9 entitled Hunger Pangs, Magda’s hunger sends her out to hunt, against Welcome’s better judgement.  He urges her to wait, since the Gestapo was out in force, searching for her last victim.  She fears the tumor consuming all that she is, and the urgency of her hunger makes her reckless, as Welcome’s pleas go unheeded.  Finding prey was eluding her, her desperation was making her careless, and she mistook a stranger’s offer to bring her to get food as a kindness, but his intentions was not so altruistic, since he brought her directly to the Gestapo, in hopes of the promised reward Kunst offered for any Roma gypsy child.

I cannot state enough how much Madefire’s motion comic platform is the perfect medium for this title.  The whole experience gets under your skin.  I have to admit, when Magda’s feeding tendrils jutted out of her, I cringed away from my screen.  Just a word of advice, if you’re planning on picking up a new horror story, make it this one, but do yourself a favor and read it with the lights on.

Next episode: Monsters – Who will turn out to be the most evil creature preying on Berlin, Kunst or Magda? 

Hey guys, I’m Rob Base. Back here again with another top five gifts for your respected holiday of choice.

With this being the Christmas season I wanted to present the best gifts for the significant other in your life (be it a lover, friend or family member).

But, before I rattle off my list, let me quickly explain the difference in what is a graphic novel and just a collected comic book.

All books, be it a “Graphic Novel” or a standard “Comic,” are, in their core, all the same. But, what makes a Comic book a Graphic novel (to me) is its format of publishing, duration and content.

As much as we love the Walking Dead, it is NOT a Graphic Novel. Sure, it has the adult content, but it’s a continued series with less then 24 active pages in each issue.

The Dark Knight Returns, even though it was published in four issues, the format of book, its short run, and adult themes make it a true Graphic Novel.

So, that is the rules. Now let us begin.

Number 5: Art Spiegelman’s Maus. This Graphic Novel has become a part of American pop culture and history. It also has become mandatory reading in high schools.

The story is centered around Spiegelman’s father, who talks about his survival during the holocaust and an amazing subplot about his personal relationship with his father. The characters are represented as Mice for Jewish, Cats for Germans and Dogs for Americans.

It’s been collected into a graphic collection and, for most fans, this was their only way to read it.

Number 4: Stray Toasters by Bill Sienkiewicz The story revolves around criminal psychologist, Egon Rustemagik, and his investigation of a serial killer that seems to be targeting women.

This book was years ahead of its time and has become a comic book to own.
Not only that, but this comic to me was the first true graphic novel. Bill’s unique art style and masterful storytelling makes this book something that all readers should enjoy.

Number 3: Road to Perdition by Max Allan Collins and art by Richard Piers Rayner, published by DC Comics’ Imprint, Paradox Press.

This was adapted into the 2002 film of the same name, starring Tom Hanks, for which Collins also wrote the novelization.

Michael O’Sullivan, the ruthless but honorable enforcer for a crime syndicate, is personally betrayed by his masters and is forced to flee with his young son, Michael, Jr., on a quest for revenge. The story is set in the American Midwest during the Great Depression and draws upon several historical figures, especially the gangster John Patrick Looney, in real life, Looney came into conflict with Dan Drost, a formerly loyal lieutenant in their crime organization, and their feud eventually led to the death of Looney’s son Connor.

This story is loosely based on the famed manga series Lone Wolf and Cub.

Number 2: Akira by Katsuhiro Otomo and Satoshi Kon (uncredited)

On December 6, 1982, an apparent nuclear explosion destroys Tokyo and starts World War III. By 2019, a new city called Neo-Tokyo has been built on an artificial island in Tokyo Bay, but is gripped by anti-government terrorism and gang violence. While riding in the ruins of old Tokyo, Tetsuo, a member of the bōsōzoku gang led by Kaneda, is injured when his bike explodes after Takashi—a child Esper with wizened features—blocks his path. This incident awakens psychic powers in Tetsuo, attracting the attention of a secret government project directed by the Colonel. These increasing powers unhinge Tetsuo’s mind, exacerbating his inferiority complex about Kaneda and leading him to assume leadership of the rival Clown gang.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. Akira is just an amazing manga series,
It broke the mold for what can be possible on paper.  With 6 collected volumes, this is probably one of the best collections to get for Christmas.

Number 1: The Dark Knight Returns (as if we didn’t see this one coming). Frank Miller’s monumental effort in rebranding the story and status of DC’s second flagship character.

The Dark Knight Returns is set in a dystopian near-future version of Gotham City. Bruce Wayne is 55 years old and has retired as Batman while the levels of crime rising. Wayne, finding his retirement difficult, becomes Batman again. 

Links to all these amazing titles are listed.

Let us know what you think.
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