Category: Crime

Criminal Special Edition is a one-shot published by Image.

Writer: Ed Brubaker

Artist: Sean Phillips

Colorist: Elizabeth Breitweiser

Cover Artist: Sean Phillips

CRIMINAL COMES TO IMAGE! To celebrate the return of CRIMINAL to print, BRUBAKER & PHILLIPS return to their awardwinning title for the first time in years for a 48-page special sure to thrill their readers, old and new alike! It’s 1976, and Teeg Lawless is doing 30 days in county jail with a price on his head, his only safe company from the savagery a beat-up old comic magazine his dead cellmate left behind. It’s CRIMINAL like you’ve never seen it before, with a comic within the comic and all those slick ‘70s thrills!

*** Beware – spoilers may be found below ***

The Good

• Brubaker and Phillips!
• Criminal is back with a new story!
• “I wasn’t done reading that yet.”
• “It’s ****** jail, Wilson.  Just assume everything in here is bad.”
• Cameo by Tracy Lawless.

The Bad:

• Teeg Lawless.
• When Mr. G wants to talk to you and you find out he doesn’t.
• “So you understand you don’t have that protection? … You’re on your own Lawless.”
• I could have done with less Savage Sword of Criminal and more Teeg Lawless.

The Ugly:

• Magazine-Fu to the eye.
• Nightsticks to the head and body topped off with a stomp to the wrist.
• Meal tray-fu.  Cast-fu.  Thumb to the eye-fu.  Three on one with a cast in the shower-fu.  Bloody-beat down hanging on the jail cell followed by acid trip attack.

Criminal Special Edition

Rating:

Men of Wrath is a five issue mini-series created by Jason Aaron & Ron Garney published by Marvel.

Writer: Jason Aaron

Artist: Ron Garney

Colorist: Matt Milla

Letterer: Jared K. Fletcher

“Jason Aaron and Ron Garney pull no punches in this darkly magnetic read” – IGN “This is one messed up comic book that I took sheer delight in reading” – Comics Beat “These are talented creators telling a gut punching tale” – Comicosity Bear witness as JASON AARON (Southern Bastards, Original Sin) & RON GARNEY (Wolverine:Weapon X, Thor: God of Thunder) bring the story of the Raths to a bloody conclusion. It all started with some sheep. It won’t end until everyone is dead.

*** Beware – spoilers may be found below ***

The Good

• Another nice cover!
• “There’s somethin’ else I sure hate to tell ya…”  “Then don’t.”
• Love the last panel on page 10.
• Being smart enough to build your house to withstand bullets — you’re a killer after all.
• “Molotov cocktails.  Shoulda done that first, ya morons.”
• Page 17 – panels 2 and 3 are sweet.
• Saying grace before a meal…
• Nice twist at the end of the scene in the hospital between Rath and his daughter-in-law.
• Final page is Rath true to form.

The Bad:

• Read the first bullet to “The Ugly” and then jump back to read the rest of this…. “Oh wait, … we’re already in a hospital.”
• Being the cop that shows Rath his son has been killed.
• Not knowing Rath is behind you with a gun to your head as you finish saying grace before a meal…

The Ugly:

• The opening splash.  “Oh my God! Somebody get this man to a hospital!”
• Finding Rath’s bear trap when you’re on your way to kill him.
• When the last thing you see says “Front Towards Enemy.”
• What happens when Rath is behind you as you finish grace before a meal.

Men of Wrath #5 is for mature readers due to mature language and violence.

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Shaft #3 is part of an on-going series published by Dynamite. Shaft created by Ernest Tidyman.

Writer: David F. Walker

Artist: Bilquis Evely

Colorist: Daniel Miwa

Cover Shown: Denys Cowan, Bill Sienkiewicz & Ivan Nunes

John Shaft didn’t go looking for trouble; it came looking for him, and in the process, a lot of people died. Devastated by the murder of a friend, Shaft wants answers and revenge-though not necessarily in that order. With vengeance on his mind and cold steel in his hand, Shaft finds himself caught up in a brewing gang war that threatens to consume the city. Everyone from the Mafia to the police wants Shaft to do their dirty work, but no one realizes that’s all part of his plan.

*** Beware – spoilers may be found below ***

The Good:

• “This guy Shaft is a bad…”  “Vic, What would Mama Anderozzi say if she heard you talkin’ like that?”
• “I’m going to regret this.”
• The construction site used to dispose of bodies.

The Bad:

• The cover isn’t as cool as the two previous [but not many rise to that level].
• Returning to Arletha’s apartment.
• Wedding nightmares.
• Compared to the first two issues Shaft #3 felt a little slow.  I look forward to #4 kicking it back up a notch or two.

The Ugly:

• What they’ve done and what they do to Jimmy Style.

Shaft #3 should appeal to fans of the Shaft movies and is for mature audiences due to adult language.

Rating:

Red: Eyes Only is part of a one-shot published by Wildstorm Comics.

Writer: Cully Hamner

Artist: Cully Hamner

Colorist: Val Staples

Cover Artist: Cully Hamner

Cully Hamner writes and draws the prequel to the Red mini-series that he co-created with Warren Ellis.

*** Beware – spoilers may be found below ***

The Good:

• Cully Hamner on the art and writing!
• Nice misdirection on page 2.
• Wanting to get out of “the business.”
• Silent but deadly page… when Paul Moses comes calling.
• The final line of the comic has a great payoff.

The Bad:

• Disowned by family because “You’re a murderer.”
• Finding out that getting out isn’t easy.
• “You’ll be assassinated, sir.  Today.”
• “I have information!”
• “What…what… my God… What did I just do?”

The Ugly:

• Trapped in a moving elevator with an assassin.
• Thinking you always had a choice but finding out you were wrong.

Red: Eyes Only

Rating:

Bullet to the Head #6 is part of a six issue mini-series from Dynamite Comics. Originally printed in France as Du plomb dans la tête (which roughly translates to Lead in the Head), the story was later optioned and adapted into a Sylvester Stallone movie.

Written by Matz
Art by Colin Wilson
Colors by Chris Blythe
Letters by Colin Wilson

The final chapter of the critically acclaimed masterpiece arrives this November! All of the violence, mayhem, and carnage of the previous issues come together in an intensely suspenseful and violent issue. Written by Matz and drawn by Colin Wilson (Ed Brubaker’s Point Blank), enjoy the exciting conclusion of the best crime noir masterpiece in today’s comics!

*** Beware – spoilers may be found below *** The Good

• The art by Colin Wilson and colors by Chris Blythe continue to impress.
• Carlisle: “You can’t go home Kate…”  Kate: “Until when?”  Jimmy: “Until we kill them all.”  Carlisle: “Don’t worry Kate.  He’s just kidding.”  Kate: “They asked for it.”
• “I don’t regret a thing.”
• “Don’t move, Jimmy.”  “I look like I’m going anywhere?”
• Matz provides a punchline to a running joke and it works.
• Matz also ties up the mini-series with an ending that not only satisfies but leaves the door open for a sequel.

The Bad:

• “I’m bleeding out.  I won’t make it.”

The Ugly:

• Eating your gun as a way out.

Bullet to the Head #6 is for mature audiences due to violence, adult language and situations.

Rating:

Bullet to the Head #5 is part of a six issue mini-series from Dynamite Comics. Originally printed in France as Du plomb dans la tête (which roughly translates to Lead in the Head), the story was later optioned and adapted into a Sylvester Stallone movie.

Written by Matz
Art by Colin Wilson
Colors by Chris Blythe
Letters by Colin Wilson

The penultimate chapter of the critically acclaimed masterpiece arrives with Bullet to the Head #5! All of the violence, mayhem, and carnage of the previous issues come together in its most horrifyingly bloody issue yet! Written by Matz and drawn by Colin Wilson (Ed Brubaker’s Point Blank), Bullet to the Head distinguishes itself as the best crime noir masterpiece in today’s comics!

*** Beware – spoilers may be found below *** The Good

• The art by Colin Wilson and colors by Chris Blythe continue to impress.
• Matz creates one of my favorite covers ever.
• “Who do you think you are? A cop?”  “Don’t insult me.”
• “Single or double?”  “Double. –” “–Single.”
• “Be careful.” “It’s too late for that.”
• “For a guy who can’t sleep, you’re doing okay.”

The Bad:

• What happens when you don’t tell an angry cop with a gun to his head who killed his partner.

The Ugly:

• Thinking you’re well hidden in a trash dumpster… when you’re not.

Bullet to the Head #5 is for mature audiences due to violence, adult language and situations.

Rating:

Bullet to the Head #4 is part of a six issue mini-series from Dynamite Comics. Originally printed in France as Du plomb dans la tête (which roughly translates to Lead in the Head), the story was later optioned and adapted into a Sylvester Stallone movie.

Written by Matz
Art by Colin Wilson
Colors by Chris Blythe
Letters by Colin Wilson

The crime noir masterpiece continues, written by Matz and drawn by Colin Wilson (Ed Brubaker’s Point Blank)! The book centers on a pair of assassin buddies and a pair of cop buddies, with a body count that grows as the story progresses and each pair trying to figure out what is happening! In this 4th issue of the award-winning crime saga, the violence intensifies and with a pulse pounding last page!

*** Beware – spoilers may be found below *** The Good

• The art by Colin Wilson and colors by Chris Blythe continue to impress.
• The hitman and the cop deciding to join forces.
• “A killer… and he knows that I know?”  “Yeah.”  “I think I’m going to scream.”
• “How much do you trust him?”  “As much as I trust you.”

The Bad:

• Another cover made by enlarging and combining panels from the interior art.
• “For crying out loud!  They didn’t wait up?!”
• Picking up a hitchhiker who happens to be a hit man… who isn’t fly at all.

The Ugly:

• Set up for a hit and taken out with a tire iron.

Bullet to the Head #4 is for mature audiences due to violence, adult language and situations.

Rating:

Bullet to the Head #3 is part of a six issue mini-series from Dynamite Comics. Originally printed in France as Du plomb dans la tête (which roughly translates to Lead in the Head), the story was later optioned and adapted into a Sylvester Stallone movie.

Written by Matz Art by Colin Wilson Colors by Chris Blythe Letters by Colin Wilson

Bullet to the Head, the crime noir masterpiece continues, written by Matz and drawn by Colin Wilson (Ed Brubaker’s Point Blank)! The book centers on a pair of assassin buddies and a pair of cop buddies, with a body count that grows as the story progresses and each pair trying to figure out what is happening! In this third issue of the award-winning crime saga, the pair of assassins strike again! But why?

*** Beware – spoilers may be found below *** The Good

• The art by Colin Wilson and colors by Chris Blythe continue to impress.
• Nice cover by Matz.
• During a meeting with Slide, Steve takes a call on his cell.  While Steve is on his cell, Slide makes a call on his cell.  When they both finish and conclude there meeting, Slide tells Steve he needs to keep his cell phone off when meeting with important people.
• “Why me?”  “I didn’t shoot them did I?”
• “So you’re not mad I did this, Slide?”  “At least this way, Johanssen will know we mean business.”
• “I don’t think I’m going to have a choice, Jimmy.”

The Bad:

• Telling hitmen who have come to your house that you’re alone when you’re not.
• “He’s unconscious, but there was a glitch.”
• “The Governor?  You want to take the Governor out?”
• “I’m right here, but I don’t like this.”

The Ugly:

• When your wife and daughter surprise hitmen thinking you were alone in the house.
• “I sense trouble.”
• What Jimmy has in his hand in the 2nd panel on the 2nd to last page of the issue.

Bullet to the Head #3 is for mature audiences due to violence, adult language and situations.

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Bullet to the Head #2 is part of a six issue mini-series from Dynamite Comics. Originally printed in France as Du plomb dans la tête (which roughly translates to Lead in the Head), the story was later optioned and adapted into a Sylvester Stallone movie.

Written by Matz
Art by Colin Wilson
Colors by Chris Blythe
Letters by Colin Wilson

Senator Sterling is dead – his corpse found with that of an underage hooker. But why the cover-up? That’s the question being asked not only by two of New York’s Finest… but by the killers themselves. Bullet to the Head, a crime noir tale of violence and revenge from writer Matz (Killer) and artist Colin Wilson (Ed Brubaker’s Point Blank), continues from Dynamite!

*** Beware – spoilers may be found below *** The Good

• The art by Colin Wilson and colors by Chris Blythe continue to impress.
• Matz does a great job of creating dialogue that seems real.
• “I sense trouble.”

The Bad:

• The cover doesn’t work at least for me.  Two panels from the comic and not the most dynamic ones at that.
• Sometimes Matz gets wordy.
• “I assume you didn’t mention that to the Lieutenant either, did you?”
• “…We’ve got a leak in here somewhere, and we’re going to have to find it.”
• The warning, “Frank! Watch out!” comes a second to late.

The Ugly:

• What Frank finds waiting on him — in more ways than one.
• “Stop.”  “Why?”  “He’s not going to say anything and we can’t stay here any longer.”  Oh-oh.

Bullet to the Head #2 is for mature audiences due to violence, adult language and situations.

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