So folks, I’ve decided to start sharing my regular comic writing from the other, OTHER site I manage (apart from this one and my publishing label’s site) since I post there weekly anyway. Ulterior motives abound as I basically (1) get to have more folks potentially read this and (2) gives me more regular posting here and (3) could potentially drive some traffic toward that site as well.
So read on folks and enjoy!
Neozoic v2 Traders Gambit #2 (Red5)
Story : Paul Ens
Art : Jae Korim (art) and Ivan Plascencia (colours)
(Reviewed by Akshay Dhar)
The return of this series after so long is a happy fan moment for me, the second volume of a mini-series that several years ago left a solid mark on my imagination from a publisher that only puts out a few books but all of unparalleled quality in my view.
Neozoic is set in a world where the asteroid that caused the dinosaurs to go extinct never hit and as a result, even though we evolved into humans, it’s a much harsher, much wilder world where we are at constant odds with the big lizards – here called “Savros”.
Volume one was an introduction to this world, to our heroine Lilli Murko and ended with her city of Monanti just barely having survived an attack by both Savros and an underground race of humanoids called the Talpid. Volume 2 picks up soon after as they are rebuilding, the Predator Defence League is filled with new recruits and Lilli is on a parallel story-line where she is leading a caravan to a “swap-meet” of sorts with people from other cities.
There is intrigue, action and more fleshing out of the way this world works in this latest issue, making the experience richer and creating more interest in upcoming issues as the characters now interact and new threats are discovered including a surprising reveal on why Monanti is facing constant unexplainable break-ins from Savros. Questions are answered and new ones raised and the stakes are starting to climb.
Packed with great art from the duo in charge, there is a solid consistency across pages that really makes for a good experience and while not everyone may like the style, there’s no doubt that Korim draws a great Dinosaur!
SCORE : 7.9 / 10
Rat Queens #1 (Image/Shadowline)
Story : Kurtis J. Wiebe
Art : Roc Upchurch
(Reviewed by Akshay Dhar)
I want to love this book. I really, really do!
Thing is that it just seems like a slightly less clever and more “EXTREME” version of the other amazing Image title that is eerily similar – Skullkickers, a book I shamelessly promote everywhere! (as you can see!)
Basically, this book stars a quartet/4-some of bad-ass female mercenaries for hire (Betty the Hobbit, Hannah the elf-mage, Violet the dwarf and Dee the human former blood-cultist warrior) who call themselves the Rat Queens. It’s set in a medieval fantasy world that’s full of things completely familiar to fans of the genre (and pretty much anyone who’s seen a Lord of the Rings movie) but peppered with small modern sensibilities that are at times brilliant and at times too cheesy for their own good.
Our heroines are a hard-drinking, hard-partying group and are arrested (again) at the start for drunken brawling along with other groups like themselves and are either to be banished from the city or to undertake unpleasant quests. But there are other plots afoot, assassins involved and humorously bloody violence ensues.
The story moves forward at a brisk pace and Wiebe keeps it interesting enough for the most part – though Betty is the only character that was quirky and entertaining in enough measure to endear herself to me, I would likely pick up the next issue just to see what she does next because Hobbits have never been this truly cool before! The artwork by Roc Upchurch is what really does it though, in a story that at times was high-entertainment and at others felt a little derivative, the clever and almost cartoonishly brutal artwork brings this world nicely to life and adds so much to the story. Anyone else on art and I might look at the comic a bit differently.
If you like dark comedy, like Skullkickers, want to see bad-ass women do some serious damage or just feel like having an evil laugh, this is probably a great choice for you!
Image seems to have another hit on their hands I’d wager.
SCORE : 7.2 / 10
To read the rest of the titles reviewed by my team this week – Captain Midnight #3, Powerpuff Girls #1, The Wake #4 of 10 – click through here to Comic Addicts weekly review.
Till next post folks, Cheers!
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