1st issue Challenge

Frank Castle · Post by **Frank Castle** » Thu Apr 07, 2011 10:34 am

I'm a smidge behind on some and caught up on others:

Skull Kickers #1 - The first issue was fun, wasn't super amazing but I enjoyed it enough to finish off the first trade. The trade as a whole was only average to me though. Unless someone says "you need to read vol 2" then I'll probably pass on it.

Joe the Barbarian #1 - Yea I know, really late on this one too. I read the first issue when it came out and liked it enough to grab the rest of the issues but I only just got around to reading the mini. I reread #1 before the starting on the rest. As a whole, loved the series.

Blue Estate #1 - A decent #1, switching around the art sytles kind of threw me for a loop. You don't expect that many artists on a first issue, not like they needed a fill in that quick did they? I guess Iron Man 2.0 is an example of that though. I'd read more of this if I found the issues for a $1 each at a convention.

Nonplayer #1 - I went from not liking the book to being intrigued by it. After reading it though, I felt like it should be part of Nick Spencer's Infinite Vacation world.

Green Wake #1 - I'd give this a thumbs up just because we get more art from Riley!

abysslord · Post by **abysslord** » Thu Apr 07, 2011 11:00 am

Frank Castle wrote: Blue Estate #1 - A decent #1, switching around the art sytles kind of threw me for a loop. You don't expect that many artists on a first issue, not like they needed a fill in that quick did they?

Well it was explained as, "The art style in the book shifts from artist to artist according to the time period, character changes, shifts in alliances or various other elements. "It's like a jam session with artists," said Kalvachev."

I don't have my copy yet but do you think it did that well?

Frank Castle · Post by **Frank Castle** » Thu Apr 07, 2011 12:23 pm

abysslord wrote:
Frank Castle wrote: Blue Estate #1 - A decent #1, switching around the art sytles kind of threw me for a loop. You don't expect that many artists on a first issue, not like they needed a fill in that quick did they?
Well it was explained as, "The art style in the book shifts from artist to artist according to the time period, character changes, shifts in alliances or various other elements. "It's like a jam session with artists," said Kalvachev."

I don't have my copy yet but do you think it did that well?

That makes sense now looking back on it after reading it. I figured that is what they were going for but I still found it odd. Thankfully the styles weren't crazy different so it wasn't a totally drag when they did. You wouldn't want to see Jim Lee art then switch to Chris Giarrusso then to Erik Larsen. There would be no flow.

BobBretall · Post by **BobBretall** » Thu Apr 07, 2011 5:52 pm

Nonplayer #1 (Image) - No surprise here, I've been raving about this book for months. Loved it.

Caligula #1 (Avatar) - Wow, loved this! COMPLETELY different from what I was expecting (I expected something more Crossed-like), and it was done really effectively. The last panel was a "Whoa! How will they come back from that!" moment (though I have some ideas)......

Godzilla: Kingdom of Monster #1 (IDW) - Also not what I was expecting, but not in a good way. Story flow & art fell kind of flat for me. I don't think I'll be continuing with this.

Elephantmen: Man & Elephantman#1 (Image) - Great "new reader friendly" issue. The 3-page recap at the beginning before the regular story started is what SHOULD have been in EVERY Marvel "Point 1" comic. They could learn a thing or 2 from Richard Starkings.

comicm · Post by **comicm** » Thu Apr 07, 2011 8:45 pm

Godzilla: Kingdom of Monster #1 (IDW) - Had a real crappy day at work and needed to read a mindless book of mass destruction and this really worked for me. Not a lot of plot or story but a lot of destruction.

Frank Castle · Post by **Frank Castle** » Fri Apr 08, 2011 8:53 am

Caligula #1 - I'm with Bob, loved it!!! I wasn't sure what I was getting into with this book but I sure enjoyed it too. Such a fun twist on Rome and a young Gaius!

IanG · Post by **IanG** » Fri Apr 08, 2011 3:19 pm

BobBretall wrote:Godzilla: Kingdom of Monster #1 (IDW) - Also not what I was expecting, but not in a good way. Story flow & art fell kind of flat for me. I don't think I'll be continuing with this.

I had a similar reaction but I thought it was fun. I could go for one story arc of this but I don't see myself reading 24 issues or anything like that. I enjoyed the art and the comic store cover gimmick was kind of fun. What's different about this then any other big monster comic book already out there. Who knows maybe a compelling story will grow out of this first issue somehow.

comicm · Post by **comicm** » Fri Apr 08, 2011 6:50 pm

Xombi #1 - I really enjoyed this issue from start to finish. I did not read the original series but I did read Brave and the Bold #26 which featured Xombi and the Spectre and I really enjoyed that so that is why I gave this book a shot. I thought it was a 5/5.

Paul Nolan · Post by **Paul Nolan** » Sat Apr 09, 2011 2:06 am

Herc #1 - A Marvel series that has a human supporting cast rather than a powered one. Has been getting rarer and rarer. Nice to see Herc stepping up, and getting to work in a Greek bar with a nice supporting cast around him. Neil Edwards' art is gorgeous, reminds me a lot of Georges Jeanty and I could easily look at that every month. and Pak and Van Lente establish the series well. a nice look at Hercs new tools of the trade and a good super-hero battle. Perfect old school hero action. 5/5.

comicm · Post by **comicm** » Sat Apr 09, 2011 7:19 am

Pinpoint #1 Big Dog Ink - Story about a mercenary working for the government to take down a drug lord. This was an average book but there was enough there for me to keep on purchasing the issues to see where it goes.

HassanT · Post by **HassanT** » Sat Apr 09, 2011 3:44 pm

Fear Itself #1 - I am mixed on this. As a book on its own, I did like the book, although I thought Odin's characterization was a bit off. And Stuart Immonen's art was just gorgeous. However, as an event book, I am not all that excited. And it seems some of the fear just came out of left field. So unless the tie-in is by a creative team I am interested in or a book I am already picking up (which by the way, it seems that eventually all the Marvel books will have a tie-in to Fear Itself), I will not be picking up the tie-ins. Green for the book, orange for the event.

Fear Itself: Homefront #1 - I wish I didn't even read this book. The stories were so contrived that I thought this comic book was based on a Lifetime movie. I also realized that I don't really like Mike Mayhew's art style. It looks too photo reference. Unfortunately, I ordered the first two issues sight unseen. I will not be getting this series going forward.

BobBretall · Post by **BobBretall** » Sat Apr 09, 2011 4:26 pm

IanG wrote:Undying Love #1 (Image) - A decent first issue but it didn't really hook me yet. To me it was a mish mash of the book Twilight, and the comics Daredevil and Punisher. I liked the art by Tomm Coker, and the coloring by co-writer Daniel Freedman was nice also. I didn't know if I was supposed to take the story seriously or not, it made me chuckle a few times because it was so corny. I'm willing to give it another shot and I'll probably be on board for the first arc for the pretty art set in China.

Undying Love #1 (Image) I had a different experience on this one, I really liked it and didn't find it "corny" at all.

I've never read (or seen) Twilight, but from all the stuff I've seen mocking Twilight, I don't know what similarities there would be at all. The vampires in this are not "sparkly" at all.

BobBretall · Post by **BobBretall** » Sat Apr 09, 2011 5:59 pm

comicm wrote:Pinpoint #1 Big Dog Ink - Story about a mercenary working for the government to take down a drug lord. This was an average book but there was enough there for me to keep on purchasing the issues to see where it goes.

I agree on the "Orange". I looked to see who the editor was on this comic, there is none listed and it seems like it could really use one. Very disjointed story, art had some issues in several places, and there were scenes/events that just didn't work for me as drawn and/or scripted. This reminded me of a self-published indie comic from the 1990's, the creators need to get some more stories under their belt, refine their craft, and GET AN EDITOR who works with them starting at the plot & storyboard stage. Maybe they should drop back down to web-comic status while refining their craft.

BobBretall · Post by **BobBretall** » Sat Apr 09, 2011 6:02 pm

Sea Ghost #1 (Nemo Publishing) An admitted homage to "Space Ghost", the art was a bit rough fro my taste, though I think trying to capture a minimalist/animated style. Coloring was flat & the story could have used some additional depth. This could have easily been a 1960's cartoon, this book has a lot of "heart", but falls a bit short for me personally as a comic from 2011.

Paul Nolan · Post by **Paul Nolan** » Sat Apr 09, 2011 11:55 pm

BobBretall wrote:
IanG wrote:Undying Love #1 (Image) - A decent first issue but it didn't really hook me yet. To me it was a mish mash of the book Twilight, and the comics Daredevil and Punisher. I liked the art by Tomm Coker, and the coloring by co-writer Daniel Freedman was nice also. I didn't know if I was supposed to take the story seriously or not, it made me chuckle a few times because it was so corny. I'm willing to give it another shot and I'll probably be on board for the first arc for the pretty art set in China.
Undying Love #1 (Image) I had a different experience on this one, I really liked it and didn't find it "corny" at all.

I've never read (or seen) Twilight, but from all the stuff I've seen mocking Twilight, I don't know what similarities there would be at all. The vampires in this are not "sparkly" at all.

it seems Undying Love's conception preceeds Twilight anyway...

(from http://geek-news.mtv.com/2011/04/08/cre ... -freedman/ )

MTV Geek: What was the genesis of Undying Love and how did you two come to work on it together?

Daniel Freedman: Tomm co-wrote and directed a film (Catacombs for Lionsgate) in 2007 and I was hired to cut it. We spent the better part of a year locked in a dark editing bay talking through stories and ideas. Eventually we decided to write one together.

Tomm L. Coker: This was a year before Twilight and the renewed interest in bloodsuckers. At the time we felt vampires were ready for some sort of rebirth – we just didn’t foresee the whole glimmer/rock-hard-abs thing.