Z-View: Rasputin #4 by Grecian and Rossmo

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Rasputin is an on-going series created by Alex Grecian & Riley Rossmo published by Image.

Writer: Alex Grecian

Artist: Riley Rossmo

Colorist: Ivan Plascencia

Letterer: Thomas Mauer

BETRAYED! Rasputin’s life changes forever when he’s asked to save the prince’s life. But first the mad monk has to let someone else die. His road to infamy begins here.

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

The Good

  • “I know how I will die and this is not yet the time.”
  • Tsarina Alexandra’s test for Rasputin.
  • Rasputin’s repeated reactions to the doctor after helping the pet dog.
  • “He eats like a dog.”

The Bad:

  • “No, I became the animal.  Only a little bit, but… I didn’t like it.”

The Ugly:

  • The “little soldier” in bed when Rasputin meets him.
  • Rasputin at the dinner table.

 

I enjoyed Rasputin 4 and look forward to future issues.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Z-View: Winter World #7 by Dixon and Giorello

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Winter World created by Chuck Dixon and Jorge Zaffino.

Winter World #7 published by IDW Publishing.

Writer: Chuck Dixon

Artist: Thomas Giorello

Colorist: Diego Rodriguez

Letterer: Robbie Robbins

 

“The Stranded,” conclusion! A confrontation decades in the making! Scully and Wynn are re-united with the truck that’s been their rolling home across two seas, only to find themselves in more danger than ever. What promised to be a sanctuary turns out to be a slaughterhouse as Skitters and the feral Monkey Boy finally catch up with Scully and Wynn in a place where there’s nowhere to run.

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

The Good

  • Thomas Giorello and Diego Rodriguez continue to impress.
  • The interplay between Scully, Wynn and Trina.  The sneer on Wynn’s face.
  • “We’ll find them.  Won’t we Scully?”  “Damned right we will.”
  • Rah-Rah to the rescue!
  • Preview of Tommy Lee Edwards’ art for next issue!

The Bad:

  • “Where’s Wynn?”
  • Told to throw his gun down, Scully does just that.

The Ugly:

  • Wynn to the rescue!
  • Trina to the rescue!

 

Winter World #7 is for mature readers due to violence.

Rating: 4 out of 5

20 Things You Might Not Know About “National Lampoon’s Vacation”

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Here are  20 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About National Lampoon’s Vacation:

Here are my three favorites…

1. In Hughes’ original story “Vacation ’58,” initially published in National Lampoon magazine in 1979, it’s Disneyland that’s closed and Walt Disney who gets taken hostage by the irate dad. The story’s memorable first line: “If Dad hadn’t shot Walt Disney in the leg, it would have been our best vacation ever!” Warner Bros. snapped up the movie rights almost immediately.

10. Chase claims that no one ever spots the gag early in the film, when Ellen and Clark are doing the dishes and the dishes don’t actually get washed. Ellen scrapes the food off of them, and Clark dries them and puts them back in the cabinet.

25. A reboot has been in the works that would star Ed Helms (“The Hangover”) as the grown Rusty, taking his own wife (Christina Applegate) and family on vacation to Walley World, with Chase and D’Angelo to return as his parents. So far, however, the project has yet to make it off the drawing board.

Z-View: Winter World #6 by Dixon and Giorello

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Winter World created by Chuck Dixon and Jorge Zaffino.

Winter World #5 published by IDW Publishing.

Writer: Chuck Dixon

Artist: Thomas Giorello

Colorist: Diego Rodriguez

Letterer: Robbie Robbins

 

Snowblind! Scully is sightless and must rely on Wynn to survive in a world that seeks to kill them at every turn. Their stolen vehicle is carjacked in turn by even more dangerous lowlifes. And their oldest enemy, Skitters, has stalked them across two frozen oceans and two icy continents and is now within striking distance. It’s a cruel world populated by crueler people where each day, each moment, might be your last.

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

The Good

  • Thomas Giorello and Diego Rodriguez continue to impress.
  • “HaHaHaHa!  Didn’t know it has a hundred gallon reserve tank?”
  • “You not run?”  “I knew you lied.”  “You not scared?” “I’m scared.”  “You not RUN.”  “I’ll choose how I die.  It won’t be by getting shot in the back.”

The Bad:

  • Scully is still snowblind!
  • Being left naked in the barren, freezing cold.

The Ugly:

  • The poor baby polar bears.

 

Winter World #6 is for mature readers due to violence.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Z-View: Escape from New York #2 by Selba and Barreto

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Escape From New York is an on-going series published by Boom Studios.

Writer: Christopher Sebela

Artist: Diego Barreto

Colorist: Marissa Louise

Letterer: Ed Dukeshire

Between the escalation of World War III and being Number One on America’s most wanted list, Snake Plissken jumps borders and finds himself in the seceded nation of Florida. While he may have escaped the USPF, Snake finds himself in the middle of a whole new level of political corruption.

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

The Good

  • Dan Panosian’s variant cover [see bottom of this post] rocks!
  • “That’s not him.  Look how short he is, Erick.”
  • “Morrell, Look under the eye patch.”  “How much you give me Rip?”
  • “What happens after that?”  “Ask someone who cares.”

The Bad:

  • I’m not a fan of the cover at the top of this post.
  • I have no interest in Romulus and Remus.  I realize EFNY characters are always extreme but the characters in this series seem to be written for little kids.
  • Being held prisoner in four submarines welded together.

The Ugly:

  • Meemaw.

 

Escape from New York #1 should appeal to fans of the movie, Escape from, oh, you know.

Rating:

Z-View: Shaft #2 by Walker and Evely

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Shaft is 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

Every great detective has their first case. For John Shaft, that first case seems simple enough. But tracking down a missing person for his girlfriend quickly turns into a matter of life and death. With the bodies piling up, Shaft realizes he’s in over his head. But can he stay alive long enough to figure out what is going on, or will his first case be the death of John Shaft?

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

The Good:

  • Still diggin’ the art by Bilquis Evely.
  • “Could spot a booster from a mile away.  That’s ’cause I used to be a booster.”
  • Double page splash showing Shaft’s relationship deepening.
  • “Keeping her safe is the most important thing.  That’s the only thing keeping the four-eyed ************ alive.”
  • “It was like someone opened a cage and let the animal out.”
  • Evely gets the feel of the period down pat.

The Bad:

  • “The fact that they’re following us this close says a lot.  First, they don’t care if we know.  Second, if they don’t care that we know, they don’t think we’re a problem.”
  • “They were either cops or gangsters…”

The Ugly:

  • The last page of the issue… and I can’t wait for #3!

 

Shaft #2 should appeal to fans of the Shaft movies and is for mature audiences due to adult language.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Rating:

Romero’s Night of the Living Dead “Origins” Moves Forward

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Variety reported earlier this week that Cameron Romero [George Romero’s son]  zombie movie Origins is moving forward!

The movie has his dad’s blessing and the elder Romero will serve as an executive producer of the film which will be a prequel to Night of the Living Dead.

I like the idea that Cameron has taken up the mantle and plans to carry on the Romero zombie tradition.

 

Z-View: Conan Red Sonja #1 by Simone/Zub and Panosian

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Conan Red Sonja is a mini-series published by Dark Horse.

Writer:  Gail Simone, Jim Zub
Artist:  Dan Panosian
Colorist:  Dave Stewart
Cover Artist:  Dan Panosian

In a story spanning multiple eras in the lives of these classic characters, Conan and Red Sonja become comrades to take down a sorcerer-priest hell bent on creating a dark new age in Hyborian warfare!

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

The Good

  • Great cover by Dan Panosian!
  • The first scene with Conan!
  • Panosian’s scenes have a great feel of depth to them – see page 11, panel 3.
  • “Well, THAT seems excessive.”
  • “Yes, it is my burden in life.  Over- Confidence.”
  • “You fight good. For a Cimerian I mean.”
  • Preview of the next cover by Panosian!

The Bad:

  • If Sonja finds you are “murdering beasts for money.”
  • Some fans find this young Conan too pretty, too fancy.  I look at it as just another take on a classic character.

The Ugly:

  • If Conan has to silence you.
  • The last page of this issue’s story.

 

Conan Red Sonja #1

Rating: 4 out of 5

Ron Salas has that Phantom Vibe!

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That’s Ron Salas’ variant cover art for The Phantom #1.

Bleeding Cool posted a slightly larger version of it along with a black and white version with this comment:

Now this issue has the Darwyn Cooke cover as do the others and it has a Rob LIefeld cover, but this one also has a very cool looking Ron Salas cover which we have here both colored and uncolored. Honestly, of the three I think this is the one I’d grab because it has such a cool Phantom vibe.

Wow!  High praise indeed!

Z-View: Men of Wrath #4 by Aaron and Garney

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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

The last living men of Rath face off, as Ruben comes gunning for Ira to protect the life of his unborn child. With father and son standing poised to kill each other, will the Rath curse come full circle?

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

The Good

  • Nice cover!
  • Ira’s grocery store run-in with the Sheriff.
  • The last page is a shocker.

The Bad:

  • Ruben proving to himself he’s a “man.”
  • Going from wanting to kill your soon to making him wealthy.
  • “She’s out in the backyard. Buried under a sycamore.”

The Ugly:

  • The way Ira talks to his son.
  • The way Ruben let’s his gun answer back.

 

Men of Wrath #4  is for mature readers due to mature language and violence.

Rating: