Tag Archives: indie comics

Nowhere Man (Vol.1): You Don’t Know Jack Review

Forward Comix, , , , , ,

nwmancover

Although police drama does not fit my current personal taste, I can honestly say that Nowhere Man (Vol. 1):  You Don’t Know Jack, has definitely captured my interest.

Nowhere Man, an indie comic published by Forward Comix, is a psychological thriller that is so deep, you will need a shovel to dig your way out.

The story follows NYPD Detective Jack Maguire, and his alter ego, Zade.  Jack is the host for Zade, a mysterious agent that targets advanced weapons traffickers.  The worst part is that Jack has no control over this unknown assassin, and he does not remember any of his missions.  It is unknown how Zade claimed Jack as a host.

The mystery deepens as the NYPD gets caught in the middle of a conspiracy.  A secret military operation unfolds, and all kinds of heck break loose. 

Several characters are introduced in the story, but the main key players are:

Jack Maguire.  NYPD Detective.  African-American.  A very fine piece of eye candy.  Determined to become the police chief.  Stubborn, over-ambitious.  Reckless.  Jack has a good heart, and is determined to honor the legacy of his father.

Jack also has super-human abilities.  Notice how the bullets pass through him in the picture below.  He also has an electric charge that he can use as a truth serum.  But he doesn’t have superhuman strength.

nwmanjacka

nwmanjackb

Rose Yancey.  Jack’s partner.  In a clandestine relationship with him.  Niece of Captain Whittaker.  I don’t trust her one bit.

nwmanrose

Captain Whittaker.  Temperamental, belittles Jack every chance he gets, hard to get on his good side (I don’t think he has one).  Uncle of Rose Yancey.  I don’t trust him one bit either.

nwmanwhittaker

Zade.  An unknown, mysterious agent.  Assassin.  Controls electromagnetic energy, ability to hack electronic and biological networks, phases through objects, and many other hi-tech abilities.

nwmanzade

Jerome Walford is the writer and illustrator.  Sharp dialogue and phenomenal character interactions. 

I can say only say one word about the art.  Amazing.  Walford has proven to be a very talented writer, as well as artist.

Verdict (drum roll please)

I strongly support the indie comic market, and I will do all I can to read and give my HONEST reviews on this blog.

So with that being said, I strongly recommend Nowhere Man as a comic to read for the mature audience.

I know that I mostly give high ratings.  Well that’s because I read good comic books, both mainstream and indie comics.  It’s not often that I read a book and find that I didn’t like it.  But it also proves that indie comics are just as good, if not better than, mainstream comics.

Nowhere Man  gets  5/5 stars.

Scum of the Earth #1 and #2 Review

Action Lab Comics, , , , , , ,

scumearthcover1

This sci-fi, crime filled comic book depicting a modern-day Bonnie and Clyde hooked me at the beginning of the story.  Action-packed from cover-to-cover, both issues left me feigning for more.

Scum of the Earth is an indie comic published by Action Lab:  Danger Zone, a line of creator owned comic books for mature readers, from Action Lab Entertainment.  And Scum of the Earth fits into this category perfectly.

Laura and True are a crazy and ruthless couple that travels the south, leaving every destination they visit in mass chaos and bloodbath.  The best part about it is that they’re always happy and smiling about it.  Here’s a few panels from one of my favorite scenes in issue 2.

scum1

scum2

scum3

Laura and True will smile at you one minute, but the next minute you could be getting your brains blown out.  And don’t let Laura’s pretty face and smile fool you, she’s actually worse than True.

Laura and True are not alone on their joyride crime sprees.  There’s a gun-toting robot from space that’s hot on their trail.  The psychotic couple is so hardcore, that even the robot called them ruthless mother***ers.  Turns out the space robot is a bounty hunter, and his target is True.

Who is this robot, and why is he gunning down a pair of human psychotic murderers?  Or are they human at all?

This strange and brutal, but fun, series is written by Mark Bertolini.  Sharp, mature dialogue with great character interactions.  The relationship between Bonnie and Clyde, I mean Laura and True, is phenomenal.  Strong, mature language makes the nature of this title even more appealing.

I am a fan of mature titles, so Bertolini is a writer I definitely plan to keep my eyes on.

Rob Croonenborghs did a fantastic job with the gruesome art, and I’m going to keep my eyes on his work as well.

Indie comics are just as good as, some are even better than, mainstream comics.  It’s not always about the superheroes.  Sometimes we just need a good laugh in a totally different direction, and Scum of the Earth is one of those comic books that does just that.

You can purchase Scum of the Earth on Comixology.

The series is currently on issue 5, and I plan to read issues 3-5 once I get caught up with my current reading.

Verdict (drum roll please)

Crime, sci-fi, action/adventure, great story execution and visuals.  I highly recommend this fast paced title for mature readers.  I’m giving this title 5/5 stars.

Indie Comic Review: The Dead

The Dead Comics, , , , , ,

thedeadcover

The Dead, an indie horror comic, is definitely a book that can’t be judged by its title.  This comic is not about zombies, but what happens in the afterlife.

After his death, Sam Coleman enters the house, a mysterious and dangerous entity.  The house consists of an endless amount of doors, all leading to rooms filled with bizarre adventures.  The rooms are created by its residents, but Sam couldn’t create his room because he was chased away by a wave of wailing souls.

Here’s a look at the first two pages of the The Dead, the beginning of Sam’s never-ending adventures.

thedeadb

thedeadc

The rooms can be as frightening as a monster hiding under a bed, or as fun as a child’s birthday party.

The Dead is a supernatural, horror comic filled with bizarre twists and creepiness.  It’s weird, mysterious, frightening, and fun.

One of my favorite characters is Alex, a good guy that never wears a shirt (and that is perfectly alright with me).  There are words displayed all over his body, and it didn’t take long for me to notice that the words on his body constantly change.

thedeadalex1

thedeadalex2

thedeadalex3

Another one of my favorite characters is Velouria, a hatchet-carrying house wanderer.  And she’s a badass.

thedeadvelouria1

thedeadvelouria2

One of the most dangerous beings to stay away from is the wretched.  The wretched looks like a decomposed human, and it nestles inside of a room.  The room eventually turns into nasty, rotten who-knows-what, and the wretched will attack you before you realize it.

thedeadwretch

Another danger in the house is the frail.  The frail floats around, and looks like an angel.  Appearing calm and innocent, the frail turns the complete opposite once you get close enough to it.

thedeadfrail

The house is so mysterious, that no one really knows much about it, except that it holds hidden dangers, secrets, and that there’s no way out.

James Maddox is the writer of this adventure-filled, adrenalin rushing, indie comic.  Dialogue is intense and complex, and it’s not hard to follow once you get a grasp of what’s going on in the story.  Superb character interactions.  Original characters are a huge selling point, and Velouria and Alex are two perfect examples of originality.

The outstanding visuals are provided by Jen Hickman.  I shouldn’t have to type much about her awesome work, because the pages I included above should all speak for themselves.  Text is not really needed to know what’s going on in the story.  Hickman did a wonderful job on this title.

I really enjoyed this comic, and I look forward to reading more from Maddox and Hickman in the future.  You can purchase the dead on Comixology.  You can also visit the comic’s website at www.thedeadcomic.net.

Verdict (drum roll please)

Horror, supernatural, bizarre, twisted, strange, deceit, and magnificent.  This title gets 5/5 stars.

Super Corporate Heroes (Vol. 1): Sticky Fingers Review

7 Robots, , , , , ,

stickfingercover

The title, Super Corporate Heroes, tells it all.  This hilarious comic, the first of four volumes by indie comic publisher, 7 Robots, Inc., grabbed my attention within the first pages.

In this alternate reality, non-profit superheroes is a thing of the past, thanks to powerful companies and wealthy lobbyists.  Superheroes are now required to have a license, and work for an insurance company.  Superhero, Inc. is a large insurance company, and is the only company registered to legally distribute superhero licenses.

The superheroes work for Superhero, Inc. and they receive a paycheck.  They receive their assignments from the call center dispatchers.

People have to pay to be rescued.  If they don’t have rescue insurance, then they are offered a selection of packages by the rescuing superhero.  And superheroes are required to not perform a rescue if a purchase is not made.

The pages below are from the beginning of this hilarious mini-series.  Sir Shroud has to go over the legalities, before he can rescue a man from a burning building.

stickfinger1

stickfinger2

The people are able to pay by cash and credit cards.  Personal checks are not accepted.  The superheroes travel with a credit card reader, and they even print receipts.

When people don’t make their insurance payments on-time, they are paid a visit by the insurance collectors, Meerkat and Big Brother.  You are forced to pay one way or another.  In other words, pay or die.

stickfinger3

You have to pay even if you don’t use your rescue(s).  You sign a legal contract when purchasing rescue insurance.  Therefore you are bound by its terms.  The man in the picture above, getting tortured by Meerkat, refused to pay because he didn’t use any of his rescues.

The package rates are so high, that you’re probably better off handing your wallet over to a thief.

stickfinger4

In the case above, the victim compared the price of rescue insurance to the amount the robber tried to steal from him.  The robber said he only wanted whatever was in the wallet.  Since the amount in the wallet was less than rescue insurance, the guy happily gave the robber his wallet!

I was impressed after reading Super Corporate Heroes (Vol 1): Sticky Fingers.  Miguel Guerra and his better half, Suzy Dias, are the writers of this phenomenal story.  Character interactions are amazing.  Although this is a superhero comedy, dialogue is motivational, strong and realistic.  Guerra and Dias mixed comedy with real-life situations, and produced a great story that will have you laughing, angry, and crying at the same time.

Guerra also provided the visuals.  The panels are drawn to perfection and finely detailed.  Character facial expressions are so life-like, my emotions were sparked several times.  When I look at the cute, but arrogant American Icon (who’s always smiling, by the way) I just want to punch him.  Blue Collar can easily generate sympathy from caring and compassionate females.  He’s hardworking and runs his body to the ground, trying to stay afloat with his finances.  I just want to give him a consoling hug.

If you’re looking for new comics to read, I highly suggest that you jump on this indie comic.  This title focuses heavily on politics, about who gets what in a society.  Discrimination, wage inequality, corporate greed and control, and monopoly are some of the themes in this comic.

Some of my favorite characters are:

  • Wyatt Lewis, aka American Icon.  Known as the World’s Strongest Hero, American Icon is the face of Superhero, Inc.  He also receives the highest pay.  But this pretty boy is also the bad boy of the industry.  Some of his many allegations include rape, assault, public urination, and being drunk in public.  I probably don’t even need to mention the paternity suits.
  • Ms. Titanium.  Beautiful, aggressive.  Stronger than American Icon.  Performs more rescues than American Icon, but gets paid less.  American Icon’s pay is twice that of Ms. Titanium’s.
  • Spinlar.  Part spider, part fly.  Very fast.  Has the super ability of shooting webs from his butt!
  • Jack Clementine, aka Blue Collar.  Divorced father of young children.  Works a lot of overtime to pay attorney fees, alimony and child support.  To make ends meet, he takes any job the company gives him, even performing at kids birthday parties.
  • Thomas Walters.  The original American Icon.  Has been in legal battle with Superhero, Inc. over 15 years.  Claims the company stole his identity and profits without his consent.  Walters never registered to be a licensed superhero, so his superhero identity went past the statute of limitation, and into the public domain.  At least that’s how the defendants see it.

With any superhero story, there has to be a villain.  Invisible Hand is the mastermind behind all the mass chaos.  He’s incredibly wealthy, powerful, controlling, and possess superhuman abilities.

For more information on this title or Guerra and Dias’ other creations, feel free to visit their website at www.7robots.com.

I definitely plan to read the entire series.

VERDICT (drum roll please)

There is no doubt that I strongly recommend this mini-series.  Super Corporate Heroes (Vol 1):  Sticky Fingers gets 5/5 stars.

This Bites

Not So Super Comics, , ,

thisbites5b

Jasper is just your average Joe Blow, who works at a record shop. But it doesn’t take long for him to undergo a disastrous life-changing experience. While at the supermarket, Jasper sensed that he was being watched. Instead of following his instincts and running, he continued going about his business. Well, not following his instincts caused him to get bitten by a vampire.

When Jasper went into work, his friend noticed he wasn’t looking too well. Jasper eventually confessed that he thought he’d been bitten by a vampire, and the poor guy freaked out. Fearing he would become Jasper’s next meal, he dismissed Jasper as his friend.

Jasper is determined to not turn into a vampire, because he’s a vegan! That’s right, Jasper is a vegan. All alone, Jasper turns to the only trustworthy person he knows, his grandmother! She’s feisty, aggressive, and is determined to help Jasper find a cure.

This Bites is a vampire comedy by Not So Super Comics. This indie comic is funny and will leave you looking forward to the next issue. We need to support our independent comics, just as much as we support the Big 2. Everyone can’t work for high-profile publishers, so we as readers need to support our indie comic creators. I read a variety of comics, indies included. Therefore I will continue to read, blog, purchase and whatever else I can do to help spread the word about indie titles. In addition, it’s good to take a break from mainstream comics, and read something other than superhero vs. super villain.

Jacques Nyemb is the writer of this hilarious script. This is the second comic I’ve read by Nyemb, and what I like about his writing style is that he gets straight to the point. His scripts are not too wordy, and they are very easy-to-follow. This fun comic will have you laughing from the 80’s style vampire to Jasper’s feisty grandmother.

Speaking of character styles and personalities, the story was brought to life by David Degrand. Great facial expressions, flawless flowing panels. Excellent visual storyteller.

thisbites1b

thisbites2b

thisbites3b

thisbites4b

This Bites doesn’t fit my current personal taste, but that does not mean I’m not going to recommend it to those looking for new comics to read, or readers looking for a nontraditional vampire story.

VERDICT (drum roll please)

I recommend this title, especially for readers who are looking for a fresh take on vampire stories, comedy style.