Some reviews of modern comics in stores now (1st Post)

[LAX Attack-migration]

I agree with you about the art. Some art needs to grow on you so to speak.

 

I didn't like Riley's art either at first.

 

When I first read Proof I had won an eBay auction that included #'s 1-10 or something, so I continued reading. The art grew on me. Now I really like his style and wouldn't want another artist to take over.

 

Honestly, I was the same with The Walking Dead. At first I was ehh.. about Charlie Adlard's art, but it's grown on me to the point I love it and think it's perfect for the book.

 

Some artists just take time to grow on you. I felt that way about others too. Mike Mignola comes to mind immediately. I thought he was terrible before Hellboy.

 

[500Club]

Do you mean PROOF?

 

Alex Grecian said they picked up zero new readers when they launched the new #1 with Endangered. Their decision to do something else is about the exposure point I made above + economics. They aren't selling enough copies of Proof on a monthly basis.

 

It's a shame. It's one of my favorite books. Right up there with The Walking Dead.

 

Great thread!! Keep 'em coming! It never ceases to amaze me how many under-the-radar good indy books sneak onto the market. This is despite the fact I scour the indy part of Previews for promising books.

 

As far as PROOF goes, renumbering at #1 = BAD. Pressing on with the book and allowing word of mouth to build like WD did = GOOD.

[ripclaw923]

Crossgen is back?

 

Yes!! I can't wait to read the new Ruse # 1.

 

From the other reviews posted and info from podcasts, I really need to try Ax Cop, just to experience it. It's been intriguing from what I've heard.

 

Keep the reviews coming

 

Ruse is good, but like Lax said Sigil is horrible.

[Sanj Mitra]

Has anyone read an Image release called Carbon Grey? I was speaking to someone at my LCS who claims it is a winner.

 

[LAX Attack-migration]

Do you mean PROOF?

 

Alex Grecian said they picked up zero new readers when they launched the new #1 with Endangered. Their decision to do something else is about the exposure point I made above + economics. They aren't selling enough copies of Proof on a monthly basis.

 

It's a shame. It's one of my favorite books. Right up there with The Walking Dead.

 

Great thread!! Keep 'em coming! It never ceases to amaze me how many under-the-radar good indy books sneak onto the market. This is despite the fact I scour the indy part of Previews for promising books.

 

As far as PROOF goes, renumbering at #1 = BAD. Pressing on with the book and allowing word of mouth to build like WD did = GOOD.

 

The biggest problem with PROOF is that it got HOT at a bad time.

 

PROOF was consistent and came out on time every month. It was building that momentum you're talking about. When the book was in the mid/early 20's it got REALLY HOT and #1 and NB #7 were selling like crazy on eBay. And right then when the book was HOT, the book started coming out LATE.

 

Nothing kills more than being LATE, especially when there is buzz. IMHO, that was the biggest killer. No new stuff when people were interested. So the new readers moved on to other stuff before the book got back on track.

 

Proof: Endangered has been on time every month. So these guys are actually real good at getting their book out on time, but the 1 time they screwed up just happened to be when they had the most buzz.

 

I'm pretty sure the writer claimed on the Image boards they he submitted many of those books on time, and Image was to blame with getting it printed.

[LAX Attack-migration]

Has anyone read an Image release called Carbon Grey? I was speaking to someone at my LCS who claims it is a winner.

 

Yes. I read it. Time for another review:

 

Carbon Grey (Image Comics, current issue is #1 of 3)

This book was confusing as hell to read. There are tons of dialog boxes with cryptic statements about the past and what's going on. But they read like it's been poorly translated from another language. It has 4 different people writing the same comic, which is probably why it's so confusing.

 

The book also has 3 different artists. I will say this: the artist responsible for the opening action pages is very talented. Those pages were great. The rest of the art was good too.

 

Bottom Line: PASS. I want a good story. This isn't the 90's when people bought books for the artwork alone. If I check it out again, it'll only be if I see the rest of the issues in a quarter box.

 

[NewEnglandGothic]

Can't wait to read your Locke & Key: KTTK #6 review.

 

Did that book come out yet? It wasn't in my stack this week or last week. Did I miss it?

 

I got hooked on this series after picking up the 1st HC for 5 bucks at a convention. I wait until I have all six issues before reading each arc. I did that with Head Games and Crown of Shadows. So I'm waiting on #6 to read Keys to the Kingdom.

I think it is coming out next week. Buckle up then, because there's alot of detail in the art in this arc that will make your eyes fall out. So far, it's been four issues of light-hearted adventures with dark themes and two darker issues.

[LAX Attack-migration]

Cool. Can't wait. (thumbs u

[followtheleader]

I agree with you about the art. Some art needs to grow on you so to speak.

 

I didn't like Riley's art either at first.

 

When I first read Proof I had won an eBay auction that included #'s 1-10 or something, so I continued reading. The art grew on me. Now I really like his style and wouldn't want another artist to take over.

 

Honestly, I was the same with The Walking Dead. At first I was ehh.. about Charlie Adlard's art, but it's grown on me to the point I love it and think it's perfect for the book.

 

Some artists just take time to grow on you. I felt that way about others too. Mike Mignola comes to mind immediately. I thought he was terrible before Hellboy.

 

Just so I was clear, I think the art is perfect for the book. I really like it. It's just not the best nice-breaker for new readers. That's why I was thinking a different cover artist might help to get people to look. But keep the art the same internally.

 

Sad truth is that it may be the end. Feels the same as Fear Agent.

 

Pat

[400yrs]

The biggest problem with PROOF is that it got HOT at a bad time.

 

PROOF was consistent and came out on time every month. It was building that momentum you're talking about. When the book was in the mid/early 20's it got REALLY HOT and #1 and NB #7 were selling like crazy on eBay. And right then when the book was HOT, the book started coming out LATE.

 

Nothing kills more than being LATE, especially when there is buzz. IMHO, that was the biggest killer. No new stuff when people were interested. So the new readers moved on to other stuff before the book got back on track.

 

Proof: Endangered has been on time every month. So these guys are actually real good at getting their book out on time, but the 1 time they screwed up just happened to be when they had the most buzz.

 

I'm pretty sure the writer claimed on the Image boards they he submitted many of those books on time, and Image was to blame with getting it printed.

 

Agreed. They fired out a book a month for about 20 issues and then when the buzz started, there weren't new issues to discuss for a few months at a time.

 

 

I do also kind of agree with followtheleader. I love Riley's art, but with the current market, it's not something that is going to attract a new reader by the cover.

 

But the main problem is that stores just aren't even buying copies for the shelf for people to even know that it exists.

 

Personally, I hope that both Riley and Alex do something that is extremely successful so that they can attract attention to Proof and come back to it.

[400yrs]

LAX, based on your reading list, you should definitely give Chew a good try. And I'd recommend Infinite Vacation which just started up as well.

[bane]

Thought I might just jump into this thread with a couple....

 

Seven Psychopaths

 

I just finished reading "Seven Psychopaths", I believe it was originally published in France and BOOM released it in English last year. I'm about 6 months behind on my reading pile.

 

Decent enough story, worth a read. Set in WWII, the British come up with a plan to form a team of 7 who all have unique abilities but share one commong thing, they are all insane to some degree. Their mission, head to Berlin and kill Hitler. The art is ok and the story is quite entertaining, and there is a nice twist at the end.

 

Silent Hill: Past Life

 

Huge fan of the series of games, the disjointed storytelling is always open to interpretation. For me the comics never seem to quite capture the games, I've read most of the SIlent Hill comics and I've always been let down by what was offered. Here is what seems to be an early part of Silent Hill's history, set after the American Civil War, its about a man of questionable past moving to SH with his religious wife. Try to make a new life for themselves but the mans past catches up with him.

 

The idea was of the story was ok but it was told in a confusing way, IMO, the art was nice and in keeping with Silent Hill, but the story left you asking questions. Not questions the game raised as interpretation, but more along the lines of "If this was part of his past why doesn't he recognise or see it here" etc.

 

Nice art, good idea, just not executed very well IMO.

[LAX Attack-migration]

Thought I might just jump into this thread with a couple....

 

Seven Psychopaths

 

I just finished reading "Seven Psychopaths", I believe it was originally published in France and BOOM released it in English last year. I'm about 6 months behind on my reading pile.

 

Decent enough story, worth a read. Set in WWII, the British come up with a plan to form a team of 7 who all have unique abilities but share one commong thing, they are all insane to some degree. Their mission, head to Berlin and kill Hitler. The art is ok and the story is quite entertaining, and there is a nice twist at the end.

 

Silent Hill: Past Life

 

Huge fan of the series of games, the disjointed storytelling is always open to interpretation. For me the comics never seem to quite capture the games, I've read most of the SIlent Hill comics and I've always been let down by what was offered. Here is what seems to be an early part of Silent Hill's history, set after the American Civil War, its about a man of questionable past moving to SH with his religious wife. Try to make a new life for themselves but the mans past catches up with him.

 

The idea was of the story was ok but it was told in a confusing way, IMO, the art was nice and in keeping with Silent Hill, but the story left you asking questions. Not questions the game raised as interpretation, but more along the lines of "If this was part of his past why doesn't he recognise or see it here" etc.

 

Nice art, good idea, just not executed very well IMO.

 

Nice reviews! Thanks!

 

+1 on Seven Psychopaths.

 

I didn't read the Silent Hill books.

[LAX Attack-migration]

I just read these tonight. Here are 2 more reviews:

 

Green Wake (Image Comics, current issue is #1 of 5)

The story takes place in a mysterious place called Green Wake. Think purgatory since the characters can't remember how they got there, and they can't leave. A girl named Ariel has gone crazy killing people. We learn she is obsessed with finding Babylon which rumor has it, is the only way to leave Green Wake.

 

Lots of stuff in one issue. Flashbacks, mysteries, and a new arrival to Green Wake somehow connected to the murders.

 

Bottom Line: (thumbs u (thumbs u I'm in. I'll be buying the series to see how it unfolds. BUT, I like Proof and CNV so I'm already used to Riley Rossmo's art.

 

 

Blue Estate (Image Comics, current issue is #1)

The first issue has lots of characters and a ton of setup. It's laying the groundwork for future issues. It was interesting, but nothing with a WOW factor happened.

 

To summarize briefly, a private eye is hired by the wife of an action movie star to do something (not yet revealed). From a flashback the action star may have hired him as well to deal with the wife. Plus, the action star is connected to the russian mob who is currently being investigated by the police.

 

Bottom Line: (thumbs u I feel I have to pick up #2 after reading #1 just to see if it pays off.