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IanG wrote:

BobBretall wrote:Flash Gordon: Invasion of the Red Sword #1 (Ardden) – I really liked this issue, it got me looking back to pick up the 1st series. Cool story & good art, suited to the story.

Bob, I'd recommend the first series "The Mercy Wars." The artist was different but similar to what you get here in "Red Sword." So far, after only one issue, I like the story and artist here a little better. I felt like I got a satisfying issue with a lot going on in the pages. My only complaint was not being able to read some of the word balloons because they were supposed to be in an alien language. It was part of the story but it would be more fun to get a translation for the reader as a footnote.

I agree on the translation point. It's always nice to provide some footnotes for the reader to give the "complete" story, though leaving it the way they did it puts you more in the same boat as Flash, and you understand what he understands. Notice as Dale starts understanding the language, you start getting the "english" versions of mongo-ese.

PS: I just checked my database, I had the 1st 3 issues of the 1st series (I have no recollection of liking it anywhere near as much as this new #1), so I need to get my hand on 4-6.

Sherlock Holmes Year One #1 (of 6) (Dynamite) - I enjoyed this issue but unfortunately for it there's so much other Sherlock Holmes out there that's clouding my view. I love the new "Sherlock" from BBC, can't wait for more of it. I also enjoyed the Robert Downey Jr movie. I've already got the first 4 issues of this mini pre-ordered so I'll probably just finish it out. There isn't a clear idea yet that differeniates it from the other Holmes material currently out there.

Hack/Slash (Image) #1 - I thought this was outstanding, 5/5. If you've never read previous Hack stories I don't know how this issue would come across ... I could see it being really confusing. But having read all the previous stuff, I think he did a great job of showing us all the major players and the status of everything. Great to see Cat Curio back too.

Crossed: Psychopath #1 - I thought Family Values was pretty good, but already I think I'll like this one better. What a great first issue and a great concept. There's still the 'shocking-to-be-shocking' aspect, but it doesn't take anything away.

Daomu #1 - Pretty good, time will tell if this series will be a keeper. I was hoping for more of a bang at the end, but I liked the art and how dark everything felt. Looking forward to the next few issues.

BobBretall wrote:Jennifer Blood #1 (Dynamite) – I really enjoyed this issue, I'm tempted to give it a 5/5 but I'll go with a high 4. I liked the "diary narration". Looking forward to seeing what set Jennifer on this path as the story unfolds.

Agreed. I thought the art lacked a little in the beginning, but it didn't bother me later. Another good thing was the interview with Ennis at the end where he states he's written the first three-story arc for a Crossed monthly. Cool!

GI Joe: Infestation #1 (IDW) - Let me start out by saying I'm not a big "Joe" fan, but I thought it would be cool to see the Joes and/or Cobra kicking a$$ on a bunch of zombies. Personally I think IDW has gone astray with this Infestation Crossover, I'm not really getting a feeling of connection to the 1st book-end, and there were NO ZOMBIES in this entire comic. We just got some of the techo-organic virus nonsense that I'm on record as not being a fan of.

So, I liked the Star Trek issue, we got Kirk & the gang fighting Zombies. Here we get no zombies, so it gets a thumbs down from me.

abysslord wrote: Daomu #1 - Pretty good, time will tell if this series will be a keeper. I was hoping for more of a bang at the end, but I liked the art and how dark everything felt. Looking forward to the next few issues.

This series is on kind of a slow burn, I think Kennedy Xu still needs to figure out pacing for a monthly comic book (vs. writing chapters in a book).

I picked up both #1 & #2 today. #1 didn't really have enough "meat", got better in #2, but Xu still needs to work on a gripping cliff-hanger at the end of an issue, #2's ending could have used a bit more "punch".

Grimm Fairy Tales: Myths & Legends #1 & 2 (Xenoscope) - An isolated rehab center for the very rich, a mystical presence from (another dimension?), and a very large & aggressive werewolf add up to make a fairly entertaining story by Raven Gregory with art by David Miller. I'll be picking up more issues of this series.

BobBretall wrote:Who Is Jake Ellis #1 (Image) -Picked up #1 @ the LCS and it's now on my pull list. Cool "spy" type action, though I'm not sure he's not just a thief, but it's cool action anyway. And just who IS Jake Ellis, anyway?

Have you [or Frank Castle] read #2 yet? You were the only two to comment on this one I think.

I just finished this, as well as #2, and I like the story a lot. The art though ... very basic. I can handle any art style but it just seems the faces are lazy and it's almost like 'quickly-put-together' art.

But I'll keep reading. Seems like we pretty much get who Jake is, but not really how he works yet ... and what's with those little dialogs he says out of nowhere? I forget what they said but I think there was one per issue to which the main character said "What?", as did the readers. Pretty cool to do that, really keeps you intrigued.

Unfortunately I cannot find #1 first print anywhere, only one on Ebay and it was signed for $149 or some ridiculous amount. CCL didn't have anything show up. So I'm stuck with a 2nd print for now.

abysslord wrote:

BobBretall wrote:Who Is Jake Ellis #1 (Image) -Picked up #1 @ the LCS and it's now on my pull list. Cool "spy" type action, though I'm not sure he's not just a thief, but it's cool action anyway. And just who IS Jake Ellis, anyway?

Have you [or Frank Castle] read #2 yet? You were the only two to comment on this one I think.

I just finished this, as well as #2, and I like the story a lot. The art though ... very basic. I can handle any art style but it just seems the faces are lazy and it's almost like 'quickly-put-together' art.

But I'll keep reading. Seems like we pretty much get who Jake is, but not really how he works yet ... and what's with those little dialogs he says out of nowhere? I forget what they said but I think there was one per issue to which the main character said "What?", as did the readers. Pretty cool to do that, really keeps you intrigued.

Unfortunately I cannot find #1 first print anywhere, only one on Ebay and it was signed for $149 or some ridiculous amount. CCL didn't have anything show up. So I'm stuck with a 2nd print for now.

Yea, I just read #2 last night. I'd agree the art isn't totally polished but I'm good with the style and I think it matches the flow of the book. I thought 2 was a good issue too, moved the plot along some and asked a couple new questions. So far so good!!

Frank Castle wrote: Yea, I just read #2 last night. I'd agree the art isn't totally polished but I'm good with the style and I think it matches the flow of the book. I thought 2 was a good issue too, moved the plot along some and asked a couple new questions. So far so good!!

I agree that the art is kind of minimalist, but it works really well for the story being told. I liked #2 a lot.

Sherlock Holmes Year One #1 (Dynamite) - Some nice deductive moments, as a casual Holmes fan I enjoyed the issue. I'm not comparing this to every other Holmes story out there (for instance, I've not watched the BBC series), I liked this and look forward to the rest of the series.

That said, I can see how people who are big fans of other takes on Holmes would not be as enthused with this, kind of like how I'm a lot harder on Doc Savage comics because of my love for all the books.

IanG wrote:King Conan: The Scarlet Citadel #1 (of 4) (Dark Horse) - So far I like this series better than the new main Conan title from Dark Horse. It's a shame this is only a mini-series. This series is closer to the black and white Savage Sword of Conan magazine that started in the 1970's. Although this new comic is colored and the art by Tomas Giorello is always top notch. If you enjoy sword and sorcery stories, this issue is a great jumping on point.

I loved this issue too. Tim Truman really has a feel for writing Conan. Nice to see this era of Conan's life being explored again. I really like how, as a monarch, Conan has concern for his subject's well-being.

Silver Surfer #1 was a huge Disappointment. I was really looking forward to this mini and it just seemed so off. Art did not click with story and vice versa. I did not enjoy this issue at all and I have never been a High Evolutionary fan. I do have faith this will improve with issue 2 so I am sticking around. (2/5)

Iron Man 2.0 #1 was great first issue. Took place right out of Invincible Iron man. I had no intention of buying this one but tried it anyway and it is a keeper (4/5)

New York Five #1 greal slice of life story about 4 college roommates with a very interesting backstory. Love the artwork by Ryan Kelly. (4/5)

DC Universe Online Legends #1 - I absolutely loved this post apocalyptic story told as an Elseworlds story. I don't play the video game but this really clicked for me (5/5)

abysslord wrote:

BobBretall wrote:Jennifer Blood #1 (Dynamite) – I really enjoyed this issue, I'm tempted to give it a 5/5 but I'll go with a high 4. I liked the "diary narration". Looking forward to seeing what set Jennifer on this path as the story unfolds.

Agreed. I thought the art lacked a little in the beginning, but it didn't bother me later. Another good thing was the interview with Ennis at the end where he states he's written the first three-story arc for a Crossed monthly. Cool!

I agree with both of you. The story, while nothing new, was well told. I'm of the same opinion on the art - at first I wasn't liking it, but it was ok by the end. The proportions were fine, the only issue I had was with the "sketchy" line edges. I'm hot and cold on Ellis -- this time he got me.

abysslord wrote: Crossed: Psychopath #1 - I thought Family Values was pretty good, but already I think I'll like this one better. What a great first issue and a great concept. There's still the 'shocking-to-be-shocking' aspect, but it doesn't take anything away.

I have a different view on this series. I think Lapham went totally overboard with the 'shocking-to-be-shocking' AND I found nothing particularly appealing about the non-Crossed protagonists that makes me want to read any more.

The Crossed are already mega-psychopathic, do we really need to see a non-Crossed psycho thrown into the mix too?? I can see that maybe it would be interesting to see the normals caught between the Crossed and the "regular" psycho, but for me to care about that, I'd have to care about the normals, which I do not.

Crossed: Psychopath #1 - I'm dropping this series.