Review-King Conan: The Scarlet Citadel TPB
By Alex Vazquez
King Conan: The Scarlet Citadel TPB collects all four issues of the masterful adaption of Robert E. Howard’s short story. Once again Tomas Giorello, Timothy Truman, and Jose Villarrubia combine their talents to bring us a comic for the ages.
Truman once again takes REH’s original story and expands upon it beautifully. Any self respecting Conan fan will tell you that the original story was narrated by some unknown, omniscient character. (I think of actor Mako’s voice, thanks to the 80’s flick). This time around the tale is told in the first person, by the Cimmerian himself. Truman’s bold take on the story works, and serves to add another dimension to the events.
The artwork is perfection. Tomas Giorello can do no wrong with the world of Hyboria. I find his detailed and kinetic style perfectly suited for REH’s pseudo-historical tales. I especially love Giroello’s pale inks, which gives the pages a ‘pulpy’ look. Oh, and the splash pages are exquisite and poster worthy.
I’ve stated before that the drawings in these books work perfectly well in black and white. That being said, Villarrubia comes along and makes me happy that they’re not. His tones are vibrant in the right spots but appropriately drab all around, complementing the faded inks.
We’re also treated to a few ‘special features’ in this TPB, such as: chapter divider pages featuring artwork from Derrick Robertson, an art gallery, and an insightful introduction from Timothy Truman (which pays off at the end of the story).
This is a great package that should be in any Conan fan’s collection. Read, enjoy, and dream of the days of high adventure.
Follow Alex on Twitter @Net_Lex
Marvel’s The Avengers Superbowl 2012 – Official Extended Clip
Preview of SOULFIRE (vol 3) #7
J.T. Krul – Writer / Jason Fabok – Art / John Starr – Colors
The magic has returned! But, this time…the light has grown dark.
While all-out war rages on in the Everlands, Onyx hopes to call it something else – genocide! If she has her way, Grace and the rest of the Rahtumi will be massacred. Luckily, Malikai arrives just in time to help, but will he save the day or ensure doom comes to all?
New adversaries, exotic locations, and a fresh cast of exciting characters, including some from the Soulfire Universe’s long forgotten past, reign supreme in this epic third
SOULFIRE volume! 25 SOULFIRE (VOL 3) #7 is in stores February 15th , 2012!
covers by Jason Fabok and Francisco.
Review:Grimm Fairy Tales: Alice In Wonderland #2
Wonderland created by Raven Gregory, Joe Brusha, Ralph Tedesco Written By Raven Gregory Pencils by Robert Gill colors by Jason Embury
Letters by Jim Campbell Edited by Ralph Tedesco
Okay we’ve all seen Grimm’s Fairy Tales titles on the shelf at the comic shop, the cover art tends to be very adult which always led me to believe that this book was fairy tale porn (not that there’s anything wrong with that!). I’ll admit that being the father of a five year old daughter this probably wasn’t going to be a book she’d see me buy. Now that I’m reviewing comics there are some that land in front of me that I probably wouldn’t have picked up otherwise, good thing or I would’ve missed out on this book.
True every woman in the book is overly endowed and scantily clad but let’s move past that for a moment and focus on the story. Alice in Wonderland is a very old book, written in 1865 by Charles Lutwidge Dodgson under the pseudonym Lewis Carrol, (though I believe this comic is based on the 1872 novel Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There) it’s the story of the girl Alice who falls down a rabbit hole and has adventures with anthropomorphic creatures. It has been covered, parodied, retold, and re-imagined by countless authors, directors, artists and in countless mediums. So why would you read this one?
It’s pretty damn scary and really well done! Alice has just escaped from the clutches of The Jabberwocky, who is wonderfully freaky looking, and is continuing her journey through wonderland. But wonderland isn’t an easy place to travel, she immediately falls afoul of some of it’s denizens and is forced to fight for her life! In the meantime we see that there are forces at work trying to guide Alice’s journey, though the reasons have yet to be revealed!
All in all this book has strong characters which are beautifully, frighteningly, rendered. While the takes on the characters aren’t totally new, we’ve seen evil in wonderland before, they do have their own horrible twists. Two of my favorite Wonderlandians (that is SO totally a word!) in this version are The White Rabbit with his sick little red eyes and mottled fur and a very very sick evil looking Cheshire Cat.
My only knock has to be Alice’s outfit, it just doesn’t seem necessary to be wearing what amounts to the “Sexy Alice” costume you see every Halloween at Party City. As I read the issue I kept trying to figure out why she was wearing so little? Was there a costume orgy like thing going on where she found the rabbit hole? Does the Jabberwocky have some kinky wardrobe closet he was making her dress from? Maybe issue one explains it… Yea maybe I’ll go back and read issue one. Just for the sake of research of course….
Follow Chuck on Twitter @Chuck_Suffel and hit up his site at http://chucksuffel.wordpress.com/
The Caption Box Podcast 20: DC and Al Rio
Rob Base talks with Juan C Pineda and Edward Gambichler as they talk DC comics and Oni Press new logo designs, Neil Gaiman sues Todd McFarlane and the Passing of Al Rio.
[podcast]http://media.alternativemindz.com/mp3/CaptionBox/20_caption_box_podcast_DC_And_Al_Rio_02032012.mp3[/podcast]
桜の弘前城 2011 Cherry Blossom in Hirosaki
MURDER AND MUSIC ON THE BAYOU! DÍAZ CANALES AND GUARNIDO’S BLACKSAD IS BACK!
Eisner and Harvey Award–winning duo Juan Díaz Canales and Juanjo Guarnido are back with another incredible tale to shock and awe crime-fiction fans and comics-art aficionados alike!
Detective John Blacksad returns, with a new case that takes him to a 1950s New Orleans filled with hot jazz and cold-blooded murder! Hired to discover the fate of a celebrated pianist, Blacksad finds his most dangerous mystery yet in the midst of drugs, voodoo, the rollicking atmosphere of Mardi Gras, and the dark underbelly that it hides!
Dark Horse’s Blacksad collection is already in its fourth printing, with 20,000 copies sold. Artist Juanjo Guarnido was voted the winner of the 2011 Eisner Award for Best Painter, and Blacksad Volume 1 won the Harvey Award for Best American Edition of Foreign Material.
“A lovingly crafted homage to the Hammett-Chandler chestnuts of old . . . and Guarnido’s watercolor panels feel like the unearthed film-noir storyboards of a master…A.”—Entertainment Weekly
Blacksad: A Silent Hell features an extensive making-of section, with tons of prelim sketches and watercolor studies, written by artist Juanjo Guarnido! This volume also includes two never-before-collected Blacksad short stories!
Blacksad: A Silent Hell is on sale July 11, 2012.
Gundam Front Tokyo Theme Park
Gundam Front Tokyo Theme Park
Gundam theme park in Japan opening on 19 Apr 2012.
“Gundam Front Tokyo” is a small theme park that will open in Odaiba, located near the life-size Gundam statue that has been re-erected. There will be a free exhibition area that includes display of Gunpla and a shop for you to purchase them. In addition, there will be a paid area where visitors would need to pay a small fee to enter and see cool Gundam exhibits that are put on display.
We were there in 2009 when it was built and in 2010 went to Shizuoka to see it there and next year we will be back to see it in it’s final spot!
DARK HORSE COMICS’ OWN RESIDENT ALIEN! THE DOCTOR IS IN!
Peter Hogan and Steve Parkhouse bring their epic Dark Horse Presents tale of an alien hero named Harry to a fully fledged series beginning with Resident Alien #0!
“I blame Steve Parkhouse. Having collaborated with him long ago on a couple of stories for The Dreaming, I was keen to do so again—and anyone who’s ever seen Steve’s work (on The Bojeffries Saga or The Milkman Murders, to name but two) already knows the reason why: he’s stunningly good,” stated Hogan. “We introduced our friendly alien to the world in the pages of Dark Horse Presents last year, and those installments have now been collected into Resident Alien #0. Over the next few months, you’ll learn a bit more about Harry and his supporting cast and watch as he attempts to catch a murderer—and that’s just for starters. This alien is here to stay.”
A stranded alien seeks refuge in the small town of Patience, USA, where he hides undercover as a semiretired doctor, masking his appearance using his unique mental abilities. Now known as Dr. Harry Vanderspeigle, all the alien wants is to be left alone until he’s rescued. However, when the town’s real doctor dies, “Dr. Harry” is pulled into medical service—and also finds himself smack dab in the middle of a murder mystery! He’d rather be fishing. Acclaimed creators Peter Hogan (2000 AD, Tom Strong) and Steve Parkhouse (Doctor Who) deliver a truly unique sci-fi adventure tale!
Resident Alien #0 is on sale April 18, 2012.
Resident Alien #1 is on sale May 23, 2012.
