Category: Z-View

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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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The Black Beetle: Night Shift #0 is a collection of three Black Beetle episodes that originally appeared in Dark Horse Presents #11–#13 and will lead into the Black Beetle: Night Shift four issue mini-series from Dark Horse Comics.

Written and Directed by Francesco Francavilla

When a powerful totem of dark magic shows up at the Colt City Natural History Museum, Hitler sends his fearsome Werwolf Korps to collect the piece. Unfortunately for the führer, Colt City’s protector, the Black Beetle, is on the case!

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

• Francavilla has set up the Black Beetle to look and feel like an old pulp magazine or movie serial.
• Night Shift is set in 1941 and the bad guys are Nazis.
• Cliffhanger on page 7 leading in to full page 8 splash.
• “I’ll take care of this.”
• Who is the mysterious leader of Werewolf Korp?
• Love Francavilla’s art and colors.
• The Black Beetle’s plan to turn the tables on the Nazis.
• The cliffhanger on the last page of the story.
• Bonus “title cards” after the story created by Francesco Francavilla.

The Bad:

• 1941 Nazis.
• Black Beetle’s exposition to Dr. Howard — “It’s a long story but — due to the current situation I’ll give you the short version…” [great summary and fits the feel of the 1941 pulp comic but a bad time to be talking about it]
• Adolph Hitler’s Werewolf Korp. Hitler, Nazi’s and the Werewolf Korp.  It doesn’t get much worse that than in 1941.  Ulp – it just did.  Who is their hooded leader?

The Ugly:

• Being around to hear a Nazi say, “Keine Zeugen.” <“No witnesses.”>

Black Beetle: Night Shift #0 was a blast. 

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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

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