Tag Archives: comic books

Grimm Tales of Terror: A Must-Read Horror Comic

Zenescope Entertainment, , , , , , , , , ,
Grimm Tales of Terror #1 Publisher: Zenescope Writer: Ralph Tedesco Art: Antonio Bifulco Colors: Marco Lesko
Grimm Tales of Terror Publisher: Zenescope
Writer: Ralph Tedesco
Art: Antonio Bifulco
Colors: Marco Lesko

Zenescope has returned to its’ stomping grounds with Grimm Tales of Terror, a newly released, ongoing monthly horror comic series.  Inspired by Twilight Zone, Creepshow, and Tales from the Crypt, Zenescope, publisher of classic tales with horror and supernatural twists, already has my full attention.

Currently on its second issue, the Grimm Tales of Terror horror anthology was on my pulls list from day one.  The above picture is one of the covers to the first issue.  I pre-ordered that specific cover from my local comic shop, but for some reason it was not in my box.  The book wasn’t even on the shelf.  I was livid, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying a title from one of my favorite publishers.  Although I prefer print format for my comic books, I went ahead and ordered it digitally from Comixology.

Written by Ralph Tedesco, the stories so far have given me the chills.  Very Creepshow and Tales from the Crypt style.  Great scripts with the perfect blend of horror and dark humor.

The amazingly terrifying art comes from the creative team of Antonia Bifulco (art) and Marco Lesko (colors).  The gory and horrific creature panels are so beautiful, horror fans will become instant fiends.

Grimm Tales of Terror is a must-read for both horror comic readers, and horror fans in general.  You will definitely be frightened and entertained at the same time.

As a lifelong horror fan, and a fan of the above three classic, horror anthology television shows since childhood, there is no doubt that I will become, and remain, a fan of Grimm Tales of Terror.

By the way, don’t let the covers fool you.  If you don’t know by now, let me tell you.  Zenescope is also known for its’ exotic covers.  Scantily clad women.  That is not what’s inside their comic books.  You get exactly what you read in the descriptions and previews.

VERDICT (drum roll please)

I am giving this title what it deserves, 5/5 stars.

Super Secret Crisis War #1 Review

IDW Publishing, , , , , , , ,

supersecretcw1

If you and/or your children are fans of Cartoon Network, or just cartoons in general, then you will definitely want to read this comic book.  Published by IDW, Super Secret Crisis War is a six-issue mini-series featuring some of the network’s most beloved heroes and villains.

The demon, Aku, formed the League of Extraordinary Villains, a group of Cartoon Network’s most notorious villains.  Their mission is to capture and control the power of the heroes, and conquer their worlds.

The league sends evil robots to fight the heroes.  If the robots are defeated, the heroes get transported to the league for the next phase of their villainous plan.

The heroes that are targeted by the robots are:

  • Ben 10
  • Dexter (Dexter’s Laboratory)
  • Powerpuff Girls
  • Samurai Jack
  • Ed, Edd, n Eddy

We all know that Ed, Edd, n Eddy combined doesn’t make the sharpest tack in the box, but hey, they were targeted by an evil robot.

Five one-shots are included in this mini-series.  Below are the titles and month of release.

  • June – Super Secret Crisis War #1
  • July – Johnny Bravo #2
  • August – The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy #3
  • September – Foster’s Home For Imaginary Friends #4
  • October – Cow and Chicken #5
  • November – Codename:  Kids Next Door #6

What a great line-up.

Louise Simonson is the writer.  Well-written script.  Funny dialogue and character interactions.  I couldn’t help but to hear the characters voices in my head while reading this hilarious comic, especially Mojo Jojo and Ed, Edd, n Eddy.

Beautiful artwork by Derek Charm.  Fine details.  Bright and colorful panels that kids will love and enjoy.

There is no doubt that I am going to read this entire mini-series.  I just wish that I was in this comic.  I would steal Ben 10’s omnitrix, and ask Dexter why is he the only person in his family that talks with an accent.

VERDICT (drum roll please)
If you are looking for comic books for your kids, then I strongly recommend this all-ages comic mini-series.  I am giving this issue 5/5 stars.

Tiny Titans: Return To The Treehouse #1 Review

DC Comics, , , ,

tinytitans1

The Tiny Titans are back!  But only for a minute.  There is not a lot of comic books for kids on the shelves, so my children and I are excited for the Titans’ return.

Superboy and Supergirl pays a visit to the Titans.  But when they arrive, they find the treehouse has gone missing!  They team-up with Robin to search for the treehouse, and the fun begins.

tinytitans1a

 

tinytitans1b

Tiny Titans:  Return To The Treehouse is a six-issue mini-series published by DC Comics.

Art Baltazar and Franco are the writers, and Baltazar is the artist.  Not only was I excited for the return of the Tiny Titans, I was also excited that Baltazar and Franco are the creators of this fun comic.  They are no strangers to the Tiny Titans comic series, and this issue is hilarious from cover-to-cover.  Funny script, and excellent artwork.  But that is always the case with kid-friendly comics by Baltazar and Franco.

My children and I are will definitely read the entire mini-series.

VERDICT (drum roll please)
If you are looking for  comic books for kids, then I strongly recommend this title.  This issue gets 5/5 stars.

 

Zombie Tramp Volume 1 Review

Action Lab Comics, , , , , , , , ,

zombietramp

Thanks to a bad date arranged by her transvestite madame, Janey Belle, a high-priced and high-demand Hollywood call girl, gets attacked by a zombie.  She escapes, but not before getting bitten.  Now a zombie, Janey seeks vengeance on those that have wronged her.  It may seem odd for a zombie to target certain persons of interest.  But Janey is a rarity.  Her soul is intact, something you don’t usually see in zombies.  She is also exceptionally strong.

WARNING:  This title is for mature readers.  CHILDREN SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO READ ANY PARTS OF THIS COMIC BOOK.  This title is filled with bloodshed, exposed body organs and tissues, foul language, sexually explicit images (lots of big boobs), and all sorts of other good stuff for the mature audience.

Zombie Tramp, an indie comic series published by Action Lab Danger Zone, the mature readers comic book imprint by Action Lab Entertainment, will have you laughing and frightened at the same time.

Dan Mendoza is the writer and illustrator.  Great script with perfect timing.  Excellent character interactions.  The key players in this book are all funny, but dangerous.  From Xula, the beautiful voodoo queen, to the crooked sheriff and that crazed zombie son of his that he keeps chained up in his basement, you will appreciate each character and their distinct personalities.

By the way, my favorite characters in this volume are Xula and Sheriff Rudolf.

It is no secret that I support indie comics as much as I support mainstream comic books, and I will continue to blog and spread the word about good comics to read.  You can find volumes 1 and 2, and single issues on Comixology.  Issue #1 of volume 3 will be available soon.

VERDICT (drum roll please)
This title is good for anyone looking for horror, supernatural, zombies, and fun comics to read.  I strongly recommend this comic.  I am giving this comic book 5/5 stars.

 

Ghosted #1 Review

Image Comics, , , , ,

ghosted1

I read a lot of comic books, but not all of them are able to grab and hold my attention.  I can honestly say that Ghosted, a supernatural and horror comic series published by Image Comics, is not one of those comics.  Thanks to Joshua Williamson, writer, I became an instant feign within the first few pages.

Jackson T. Winters, a criminal mastermind, was retrieved from prison during a staged riot.  Markus Schrecken, a wealthy collector of supernatural artifacts, has commissioned Winters to steal a ghost from the haunted Trask Mansion for his collection.

Winters accepts the job, but on his terms.  He gets to select his own team, a 50s style tailor-made suit, and a Russian prostitute that doesn’t even have to be Russian.  Although she was Schrecken’s choice, and not Winters, psychic Edzia Rusnak is a part of Winters team of paranormal experts.  Winters don’t trust her, and I don’t trust her either.

Williamson did a phenomenal job with the set-up of this story.  Excellent script.  The plan (well, we really don’t know how they’re going to capture a ghost yet), key players, everything.  All laid out for us in the first issue.  Now that’s what I call a writing mastermind.  Perfect timing.  Wonderful cast of characters, each with distinct personalities.  Fast-paced but not hard to follow.  Ghosted is action-packed from page one, a feature you don’t see too often in comic books.

Goran Sudzuka (artist) and Miroslav Mrva (colorist) provided the visuals.  Since I am a horror and paranormal fan, I appreciate Sudzuka and Mrva’s stunning artwork to the max.  It gives that eerie feeling that’s needed for a story of this genre.  I am a hardcore paranormal fan so I especially like the swarm of ghosts at the end.  Magnificent.

I read a variety of comic books, both mainstream and indie comics.  There is no doubt that I am going to continue with the series, as I am already craving the next issue.  I plan to purchase the rest of the first arc, then buy volume 2 (issues 6-10).  According to Image’s website, the release date for issue #11 is July 9, 2014.

In case  you can’t find all the single issues, or collected volumes at your local comic shop, you can purchase and read them on Comixology.  That’s how I read this issue.  I love the guided view.

VERDICT (drum roll please)
Ghosted is a must-read indie comic.  I strongly recommend this title.  This issue receives 5/5 stars.

Avengers Undercover #1 Review

Marvel Comics, , , ,

avengeundercover1

This is a comic book that I went into blindly.  The title and its dark cover (Francesco Mattina) captured my attention.  At the time, I had no idea that Avengers Undercover was a sequel to Avengers Arena.

I wasn’t at all interested in Avengers Arena because it reminded me of Hunger Games.  I watched Hunger Games at the movie theater and hated it.  Children were forced to kill each other.  Avengers Arena was no different.  Arcade, a supervillain, kidnapped 16 superhuman teenagers and placed them in a deathmatch.  That sicko was amused by Murderworld, the name for this reality-type show, that was also aired on television.

Avengers Undercover follows the seven survivors of Murderworld.  However Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) appears to have a tight hold on Cullen Bloodstone, one of the survivors.  He is enraged and obsessed with seeking vengeance on Arcade.  Cullen tracks Arcade to Bagalia, a city that I would not want to live in, and home to Baron Zemo, leader of the Masters of Evil.  The remaining six discover Cullen’s plan and has to decide whether they should brave the dangers of Bagalia and bring Cullen home.

Dennis Hopeless is the writer of this All-New Marvel NOW! title.  Script and pacing are both flawless.  Great character interactions.  The survivors are young badasses, but it’s their distinct personalities and attitudes that hooked me.  Chase is already annoying the heck out of me, but he’s funny.  Cullen is a hardcore badass.  And Anachronism, well, let’s just say I’m still trying to figure him out.

Kev Walker is the artist, and Jean-Francois Beaulieu shows off his artistic skills with the colors.  I have nothing but praise for this great team of visual storytellers.

Avengers Undercover #5 was released last week, and it was the first comic book that I read that day.  The funny thing is, it’s on my husband’s pull list, not mine.  I went through a pile of his comics a couple of months ago.  That’s when the title and cover caught my attention (yes, a cover is a selling point).

I am caught up with this title, and I plan to continue reading this All-New Marvel NOW! series until I get bored.  By the way Hopeless is tearing this script up, I don’t see that happening anytime soon.

I will read Avengers Undercover anytime rather than Young Avengers.

VERDICT (drum roll please)
I strongly recommend this title, and I am giving it 5/5 stars.