Z-View: The Mercenary Sea #3

Posted on by


The Mercenary Sea is an on-going series created by Kel Symons & Matthew Reynolds published by Image.

Writer: Kel Symons

Art and Colors: Matthew Reynolds

“BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA” Jack Harper and the crew of the Venture slip into enemy waters to rescue a British spy, code-named “Top Hat.” Only their old adversary, Captain Tono of the Imperial Japanese Navy, spoils the party.

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

The Good

  • I like the cover.
  • The colors and sound effects lettering were especially nice this issue.
  • Nice cliffhanger on the last page.

The Bad:

  • In the first two issues I nitpicked about Reynolds‘ blurred backgrounds being used too often.  I didn’t feel they were over-used this issue and now I feel bad about picking those nits.
  • Being in a submarine under attack by depth charges.

The Ugly:

  • What happens after you tell a Japanese interrogator, “I have no bloody idea what you’re talking about…”

I look forward to the next issue of The Mercenary Sea.

Rating:

Z-View: Dead Body Road #5

Posted on by


Dead Body Road is a six issue mini-series published by Image.

Writer: Justin Jordan

Penciler / Inker: Matteo Scalera

Colorist: Moreno Dinisio

Holed up and under siege, Gage and his accomplices may have run out of road…but not bullets. Or heads to put them through.

 

Dead Body Road #5  Justin Jordan and Matteo Scalera continue to create a comic that consistently entertains.

The Good

  • Justin Jordan and Matteo Scalera.  And when I say, “good” I mean great.
  • Justin Jordan’s message to the readers at the end of each issue.  Excellent feature!

The Bad:

  • Some people are going to be put off by the violence and profanity.
  • When you think you’ve got the drop on someone only to discover – “Surprise” – someone has the drop on you.

The Ugly:

  • Riding your motorcycle into a building with guns blazing only to meet a man with an axe.

Dead Body Road #5  is a comic for mature audiences due to violence and language.  If you’re a fan of crime/revenge stories then this is for you.  

Rating: 5 out of 5

 

Laurent Durieux: 1 of the World’s 200 Best Artists

Posted on by

Laurent Durieux is a...

…Brussels illustrator and graphic artist was only recently discovered in the United States, thanks to a number of high-profile awards and marquee commissions, including a 2013 screenprint of “Jaws”, which caught the eye of the film’s director, Steven Spielberg. The climb from relative obscurity began, though, in 2011, when Durieux  was named one of the world’s 200 Best Illustrators by the influential international advertising magazine Lürzer’s Archive.

Durieux is truly an amazing artist.  I had a really hard time trying to decide which of his pieces to use with this post.

Z-View: The Crow – Pestilence #2

Posted on by

The Crow: Pestilence #2 is published by IDW.

Writer: Frank Bill

Artist: Drew Moss

Colorist: Oliver Lee Arce

Cover Shown: James O’Barr

Salvador heads to the Midwest to search for the men who murdered his family, only to find them involved in trafficking drugs…and humans. As The Crow watches, guiding him, he begins to exact his revenge. But why is one of the gang members speaking with the police?

 

.

The Good

  • J. O’Barr‘s cover.
  • Frank Bill throws in a surprise that I didn’t see coming, although the preview quote above strongly foreshadows it.
  • Salvador blames himself for the death of his wife and child.  This story is shaping up to more than a simple tale of revenge.

The Bad:

  • Some people will be put off by the violence and profanity.
  • The way Salvador, his wife and child were killed and the vow that Salvador’s revenge would be 100 times worse — that’s bad for the killers.
  • What happens if you’re scared and you go to the boss’ house for protection.  Note to self: “Don’t lead a returned-from-the-dead-supernatural-avenger to the boss’ home.”

The Ugly:

  • Pouring a boiling vat of soup on Salvador.
  • When the chainsaws come out.

The Crow: Pestilence #2  is a comic for mature audiences due to violence and language.  

Rating: 3 out of 5

 

Trailer for Constantine: Exorcist, Deomonologist & Master of the Dark Arts

Posted on by

NBC has released the first teaser trailer for Constantine, a new weekly series based on the DC/Vertigo comic of the same name.

Check out the trailer below and we’ll catch up right after.

I’ve never read the comic so I only have a little knowledge about the Constantine character [other than what I learned from the teaser].

I liked the trailer enough to check out the tv series… but it didn’t inspire me to want to search out the comics.

Perhaps the series will change that.

 

Z-View: Southern Bastards #1

Posted on by

Southern Bastards #1 is published by Image.

Writer: Jason Aaron

Artist: Jason Latour

Colorist: Jason Latour [with an assist from Rico Renzi]

Cover Shown: Jason Latour

Welcome to Craw County, Alabama, home of Boss BBQ, the state champion Runnin’ Rebs football team…and more bastards than you’ve ever seen. When you’re an angry old man like Earl Tubb, the only way to survive a place like this…is to carry a really big stick. From the acclaimed team of JASON AARON and JASON LATOUR, the same bastards who brought you Scalped and Wolverine: Japan’s Most Wanted, comes a southern fried crime series that’s like the Dukes of Hazzard meets the Coen Brothers…on meth.

 

.

The Good

  • Everything.  I mean it.  Everything.
  • Jason Aaron has crafted a first issue that sucks the reader in.  We learn just enough about the major players to want to know more.  Aaron’s story has suspense, action, humor, sudden violence, and an underlying mystery that demands to be told.
  • Jason Latour’s art is not only perfectly suited to this story, it is amazing in that it is unlike anything else you’re reading.
  • The colors deserve special mention.  I am a fan of black and white art and stories and generally prefer them to color.  If all comics were colored this expertly, my opinion would change.  Kudos to Latour and Renzi!
  • The ribs at Boss’ BBQ.
  • “I just came for the ribs.”
  • “Any man in this kitchen wants a RAISE… Now’s his ******** chance.” “**** that, man.  I jus smoke the meat.”
  • “Jesus ******* Christ almighty.  You shouldn’t have done that, Earl.” “I shouldn’t have saved your life?” “NO! You ******* shouldn’t have!”

The Bad:

  • Some people will be put off by the violence and profanity.
  • Getting hit with a hot fry basket.
  • What happens when Sheriff “Big” Bert Tubb brings out his baseball bat.
  • What is going on Craw County?  My guess is it ain’t good.
  • That this issue couldn’t have gone on forever.

The Ugly:

  • What happens when you steal from or cross Coach Boss.

Southern Bastards #1  is a comic for mature audiences due to violence and language.

The advance word on Southern Bastards has been on that’s it’s one of the best comics in years.

Believe the hype.  It is. 

Rating: 5 out of 5