The comics reviewed are chosen by David not by That's Entertainment management or staff. The opinions expressed are his alone. If you have an opposing view you are welcome to respond to David directly by Email at the address above.
This week's selections are all for the older readers - late teens and up.
Title: BLOODSHOTIssue Number: 1
Title Story: Dunk Tank
Publisher: Valiant
Writer: Duane Sweirczynski
Artist: Manuel Garcia with Arturo Lozzi
Inker: Stefano Gaudiano
Colors: Ian Hannin
Letters: Rob Steen
Price (USD): $3.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Super Hero
Rated Teen+
The latest title in the revival of the Valiant line of comics is BLOODSHOT. This comic starts out with a lie and by the end you are wondering who are the good guys and who are the bad guys. The title character is known as Ray and has a wife and a young son. Ray works for the government as part of the Rising Star Project. His code name is Bloodshot. Ray has billions of microscopic machines called nanites - little robots about 1/25000th the width of a human hair in his blood. They can create, manipulate and destroy matter on a subatomic level. They expand the range of Ray's senses - hearing into the ultrasonic, sight into infrared and ultraviolet. Bloodshot can morph for limited periods of time and receive, manipulate and transmit electromagnetic waves. With these nanites he can recover from nearly any injury becoming virtually indestructible. He recently decided he wanted out of the project but a mission has come up. He is told he must rescue from terrorists an old friend who once saved his life. It is just enough motivation to take the job. As the mission begins we see just how useful his abilities are. He can be shot down and seemingly burnt to crisp and then sometime later in the enemy stronghold his body regenerates to as good as new. The kicker to the story is that may not be exactly why he is sent to where he was. So we get the feeling his handlers are using him for another purpose and that feeling may be confirmed when surprisingly he is captured in a unique way by someone who used to be heavily involved in the project and now wants to take it down. I couched these statements in maybes because we are still not positive what the truth is. The captor gives us and Ray a lot of exposition as to what is really going on. Has Ray been lied to over and over? Can the project actually program his memories over and over to suit his needs? It is an interesting premise and a great start to a unique character. The art is top notch from start to finish. Valiant has got my interest with this one. As an added feature there is a six-page sneak preview of ARCHER & ARMSTRONG #1 out in August. It is set in ancient Mesopotamia and involves Aram and his brothers Ivar and Gilad, the Eternal Warrior. It involves bringing Gilad back to life and perhaps giving others life eternal. It is an intriguing glimpse at an event that is categorized as the Great Cataclysm. Old fans and new ones will definitely want to check it out.
Title: PUNK ROCK JESUSIssue Number: 1
Title Story: Conception
Publisher: DC/Vertigo
Creator: Sean Murphy
Letters: Todd Klein
Price (USD): $2.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Science Fiction
Black & White
Mature Readers - Comics on the Edge
Though the story begins earlier to give us background on a key character the main plot takes place in the year 2019. At this point reality TV is about to take a most unusual twist. The company known as Ophis has announced that their next show will follow the life of the first human clone. The kicker is the clone is touted to be a clone of Jesus Christ. Through a confidential deal with the Catholic Church they have enlisted the world's foremost authority on genetics and environment, Dr. Sarah Epstein. The Church allowed her access to the Shroud of Turin from which she extracted what many believe to be the DNA of Christ. She has developed techniques to counter the deterioration of over 2000 years and plans to implant the DNA into an egg and fertilize a young woman. In return she gets funding for some environmental projects that will benefit all mankind. So the company will audition female virgins and the chosen one will give birth live on TV on Christmas day. The whole thing is called the J2 project. The cast of characters is diverse. Aside from the Dr. and her patient we have the Executive Producer, Slate, who has ultimate control over everything and then some. Because of the controversy of such a project a special person has been hired as head of security. It is this man, Thomas McKael that we saw as a young boy in the opening scene. His involvement in the project is a sore spot for Dr. Epstein due to his less than clean background. But as we see moving forward Slate is really the one we need to be concerned with. This first issue takes us through the birth and some disturbing things before and after. Sean Murphy has come up with a concept that could go a number of ways. You might guess from the title that it might not be what Ophis or Slate planned. This may be too much for some comic fans to even want to get involved with as it stretches the limits of religious tolerance for some. Murphy certainly has a unique art style that is very appealing. So far I can suspend my disbelief about the whole concept and see what happens here. I don't expect the child will grow up to do miracles or anything but who knows. I am willing to see what comes next.
Title: SUNSETIssue Number: First Look - to be released as a hardcover graphic novel
Publisher: Image/Top Cow
Creator: Christos Gage
Artist: Jorge Lucas (black & white)
Letters: Troy Peteri
Price (USD): $1.00
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Crime Drama
Mature Readers - Comics on the Edge
This comic is billed as a "first look" and only costs a dollar. That is because it is a preview of an original graphic novel. It is designed to let you have a taste of what the graphic novel is about before you decide to buy it. The lead character is Nick Bellamy, a war veteran who has a caretaker looking after his wife. She has to be fed and clothed, though we don't know the nature of her ailment. Nick has some secrets, including a stash of cash in the floorboards. The plot revolves around some bad guys, evidently part of the mob, who have located Nick after 30 years. He crossed someone in the past and now has to answer for it. Need I say he won't go easily? I don't give too much away since you can find out yourself for a very reasonable price. This will involve Nick's way of life changing forever and how he reacts to it moving forward. I like this black and white art a lot. There is a lot of detail where needed and good use of black when it is not. Gage has put together a thriller with a lot of unanswered questions. If this is the very first few pages I can see a lot more things coming down the road. It is the kind of story where the lead may be an anti-hero but you will root for him, at least for now. This definitely is worth the low price and from what I see the graphic novel should be terrific.
Title: CHEW: SECRET AGENT POYOIssue Number: 1
Publisher: Image
Creator: John Layman
Artist: Rob Guillory
Letters: John Layman
Price (USD): $3.50
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Science Fiction/Comedy
Mature Readers - Comics on the Edge
Not being a reader of the popular Image comic CHEW I am not sure if this really is a spin-off of that series. After reading it I realized it does not matter because it stands on its own as a silly concept taken to the extreme. You might guess from the title that Poyo is a chicken. In this case as told in the introductory material Poyo was exposed to near-lethal amounts of radiation as an egg as part of a government project to create super soldiers. He was also given bio-enhancements by aliens. Nah, just kidding. Supposedly he is just a real badass chicken. Now in the opening scene he is being operated on after near fatal wounds and being given a thermo-nuclear microfusion transventricular cardiopulmonary bioengine - whatever that is. Lets just say he is the bionic chicken and works for the government. The main plot has the evil Dr. Albrecht Regenbogen recreating the very rare meteorological phenomenon in which frogs rain from the sky. He has managed to further the process and create a deluge of all kinds of farm animals as well in England. The English agent in charge, Agent Barnes of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will team up to stop Regenbogen once and for all. It is all very silly from start to finish. There are site gags, flash backs to Poyo's previous missions and even poultry love involved. Half the time Layman tells you things but when you read the editorial footnote he says he made it up. It is clearly done for fun and the art helps carry it off. I can't say I would buy another issue if one ever comes out (don't trust Layman on that claim) but this one was a pleasant diversion that put a smile on my face.
Title: REVIVALIssue Number: 1
Publisher: Image
Writer: Time Seeley
Artist: Mike Norton
Colors: Mark Englert
Letters: Crank!
Price (USD): $2.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Rural Noir/Horror
Mature Readers - Comics on the Edge
Like many comics the opening scene to this one makes more sense as you get to the end of the book. It has narrative unrelated to the images, which also makes more sense and takes on a different meaning on a second read. The place is Wasau Wisconsin. As we learn much further in the story the town is under quarantine by the Centers for Disease Control. They have sent a new liaison to town but the sheriff brushes him off quickly at their first meeting. It is the Sheriff's family that will be the main characters. His daughter Dana is a deputy who is divorced and lives with her young son. She is about to put on a special task force to monitor crimes or conflicts involving revitalized citizens. You see for some reason there are people in this area that have come back to life. They are not like zombies or anything like that. One minute they are dead and the next they are alive again. That is why the town has been closed off. The government wants to know why this is happening and what is causing it. Is this something that will happen to anyone in the area if they die? If you can't stay dead how will that affect your actions? This is explored in a very gruesome scene near the close of the issue. Much time is pent on the relationship Dana has with her father and later we meet her sister. These two have not been close lately but they are about to change all that. There is the mysterious death of a Zorse, half zebra and half horse that Dana needs to investigate. What she finds will be her first case for her new duties. Just to mix things up a bit Dana's son gets a glimpse of what appears to be an alien though he hasn't told anyone. There is a lot here to absorb but things get interesting really quick in the last few pages. The art is terrific right from the start. This book will apparently be full of surprises if the first issue is any gauge. It is well done and kept my interest right to the end. I recommend you check it out.
Title: AFTER THE FIREIssue Number: 100-Page Spectacular
Publisher: IDW
Writer: Tom Waltz
Artist: Guiu Vilanova
Colors: Jon Alderink
Letters: Amauri Osorio and Tom Waltz
Cover Artist: Pintu
Price (USD): $7.99
Release Date: NOW ON SALE
Genre: Supernatural Crime Drama
Mature Readers - Comics on the Edge
Ok, here is the gist of this story. Shane was a good cop but the bad cops decided to take care of him. As the story opens someone has set his house on fire. He is barely able to toss his daughter from the building before it collapses on him and he perishes. The arsonists knows he is under instructions to leave no loose ends but helps arrives too soon for him to get to the little girl. As you might guess from the cover Shane is not done with this world. In an appropriate scene in the afterlife he has to make a choice to join he previously deceased wife or go back to protect his daughter and bring his killers to justice. There is a good cast of supporting characters in this story. Shane's partner Frank gets the first hint that the daughter may have seen something and he is slowly pulled into the drama that will become very emotional for him due to his guilt over losing his partner in this way. One by one the ghost of Shane is after those responsible. Those at the top of the plot will pull out all the stops to keep their power. It is an intricate plot that has plenty of time to play out in this oversized one-shot. The art is pretty amazing with lots of variety in the layouts and excellent line work and finishes. The supernatural aspect is not overwhelming but integral to the execution of the plot. The whole thing ends satisfactorily with all the loose ends tied nicely. You might think eight bucks is a lot for one comic but this one pays off.
*****
TRIVIA CONTEST!!!! WIN REAL PRIZES!!!!!
If you think you know the answer to the trivia question send your guess via Email to me at ComicBkNet@aol.com and you could win the prize. The first six correct answers will be assigned a number and a roll of the dice will determine the winner. You should put your real name in your message so we know who you are. Prizes must be claimed at our store within 30 days of winning. The prize will be a $10 credit slip, which will be redeemable for merchandise at regular retail or in-store ongoing specials only. Only one prize per person will be allowed per every 4 weeks. I will be the sole judge of the correct answer even if more than one answer could be correct. Submit only one answer per Email please but guess as often as you like.
Last week's trivia question:
Though this title sounds like it would be from Marvel, it actually bounced around from Eternity to Amazing to Pied Piper to Eternity to Malibu. What is it?
The title seems like a reversal of the mainstay of Marvel popularity, as the heroes were EX-MUTANTS. The winner by the dice roll is Keith Martin.
Here was your no prize question:
What is the only book of the Bible that specifies a blessing for those who study it?
The last book in the New Testament, The Revelation of St. John specified a blessing.
THIS WEEK'S TRIVIA QUESTION:
What spin-off mini-series did BONE spawn in December 1999
Here is your no prize question:
What was the first ever feature film to be made entirely with Computer Generated Imagery?
Folks, you never know who among the readers is knowledgeable about the question so don't hesitate to send in an answer - even days after it appears.
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