Thursday, December 31, 2015

Wolf Vol 1: Blood and Magic Review


Wolf Vol 1: Blood and Magic from Image Comics

       California is apocalypse central, and L.A. is it's heart. The mean streets of L.A. can be a lot meaner than you think; that's where Antione Wolfe comes in. Wolfe is a paranormal detective and peacekeeper with a constant death wish - problem is...He can't die. And because of an incident he suffered in Iraq, Wolfe can see much more than the normal 3% of visible light that normal humans can see, maybe even more than the vampires, werewolves, and other monsters that walk the streets of Los Angeles, hiding in plain sight. In order to score the money necessary to rescue his brother from an undeserved prison sentence, Wolfe takes a case that makes him sick to his stomach: finding the ghost of a dead woman for a live bigot. On the side, he helps his friend, Freddy Chtonic, a child of Lovecraft's Old Ones, stop his vampiric landlord from strong-arming him on his rents. In the midst of this all, a teenage orphan whose parents were savagely murdered pops up on his doorstep, looking for his help. And she is far more than she seems to be. It all is. And it's all tied to the end of days. It's up to Wolfe to figure it all out, to let his perception guide him to the connection, before the coming apocalypse burns the world down.

      Ales Kot is a newcomer to the comics industry, and he has been making a lot of noise. With mind-bending hits under his belt such as Zero, The Surface (which I reviewed on CPG) and Material (which Gil reviewed of CPG), Kot brings us Wolf, which may be a masterpiece of modern comics. Antione Wolfe is a little John Constantine, and little Dylan Dog, all packaged in a new, fresh character that will resonate with both more mature comics fans and younger alike. Antione can't die, and he can't look away; his perception won't let him. He tries to distract himself with drugs and booze, but he can't stay inside his haze, because, underneath it all, no matter how much he wants to die, or deny who he is, Antione Wolfe is a hero - a good man, and immortal, in a miserable, very bad world. So, there is no end to his pain. Wolfe is a likable, tragic character, and probably very relevant to our times, as Constantine was relevant to the age of punk rock; however, where John Constantine wants it all and actively seeks the magic, Wolfe wants none of it, and actively seeks death.

     Kot creates an engrossing, burdensome, dark world that the reader cannot escape. Nor do they want to. Wolf is a true page-turner, a wildly effective supernatural crime-noir, with a very world-weary, unwilling protagonist. Humans wander unaware through a world made to prey upon them, a world of vampires, werewolves, succubi, Old Ones, and so much more -  This Wolfe is at the fence to guard the sheep, doing what he can to keep the darkness on its side of that fence. Ales Kot gives each character its own distinct voice, and each is complex, seemingly not made to only move the story along, but to live its own story inside the greater story that Kot weaves. Matt Taylor's artwork is simplistic, yet stylistic and very expressive - it serves the story very well, hiding the complexity of a very cerebral story with simple, yet effective, art. Pure genius.

   If you are a fan of supernatural crime-noir, this is a book that is NOT to be missed. I'm not much of a speculator, but I think it is worth your while to grab a 1st issue of Wolf. I wouldn't be surprised in the least to see this hit the big or small screen - this has AMC written all over it.

RATING: An enthusiastic 10 out of 10. This is quite possibly on of the best comics of 2015. Wolf howls its way onto my pull list.

Thanks for reading. If you enjoy these articles, please click the plus 1 buttons below, and on Google Plus, and share them with your friends! Thank you.

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

TEX's BACK-ISSUE QUEST EPISODE 7




Hello brothers (and sisters, if you're out there)!!

  I wonder what those in 1962 would have thought we'd have done by now. Who knows? What we do know is in 1962, some amazing robots, loaded up with some crazy-advanced AI, pranced onto the DC Comics stage and gave us an optimistic glimpse at what the future might hold for robotics and its relationship to man. 

  Don't you just dig that?

  The Metal Men were created in 1962 by Robert Kanigher and Ross Andru. The Metal Men are named after the base material of which they are composed: Gold, Lead, Tin, Iron, Mercury and the lovely Platinum, who just happens to be a metal woman...And, wouldn't ya know it? She's in love with the creator of the Metal Men, Dr. William Magnus, who never reciprocates her affections (he chalks her infatuation up to a faulty "Responsometer" which makes her act like a human woman). That's right, a malfunctioning human robot acts like a normal human woman. Don't ya love the 60s?

So without further ado, I wanna show my Metal Men comics to you!!



It's Showcase #37, published in 1962, featuring the 1st appearance of Dr. William Magnus and The Metal Men!!

FUN FACT: The Metal Men were introduced into Showcase #37 as a last minute filler.




Showcase #38!! The 2nd appearance of the Metal Men! 




Showcase #39! This comic features the 1st appearance of the Metal Men's arch-enemy, Chemo!!




And finally....Showcase #40!! This is the final Showcase appearance by The Metal Men. In May of 1963, they would get their own series, starting with issue #1, which I don't have...YET.

While these issues are getting pretty pricey, you can still get your Metal Men fix by copping Showcase Presents: Metal Men Vol 1


  Will Magnus and his Metal Men have been featured on Batman: The Brave and the Bold:



They've had their own DC Shorts:




And they all made and appearance in the Elseworlds film, Justice League: Gods and Monsters



Back in 2012, Barry Sonnenfeld took an interest in developing the Metal Men for film, and it seems that pre-production is chugging right along. 

Sounds awesome, right? RIGHT! 

The Metal Men - just another example of the cool and kooky, DC Silver-Age 60s!


Thanks for reading!

ENJOY!!

Joe Golem #1 Review



Joe Golem: Occult Detective #1

In a different universe's version of New York of the mid-1950s, a huge catastrophe and rising seas have made New York like Venice, Italy - a place of waterways, a sinking city. Detective Simon Church is an occult detective, who has just lost another partner, and friend, to the dark things that seek to take hold of this alternate world. Simon has just resolved to work alone against the rising tide, when lightning strike animates one of his occult artifacts...A golem. Ten years later, the golem, now named Joe, has surpassed he mentor and now takes on occult cases alone. When Joe sets out to find some missing children, he'll get more than he bargained for...And he just might find love.

Patric Reynolds' art really gets the job done in this dismal, water-logged world. Reynolds' sketchy, moody, dark pencils create the absolute perfect atmosphere for this comic. However, I'm sorry to say that, for me, the art was one of the few redeeming factors of this book. It is rare that Mignola makes a misstep (and maybe he didn't here), but the book seems to move too quickly - it feels so muddled, with so much trying to be done in one book. I always felt like I was missing something, I felt that I just didn't really know enough about the characters to really invest in them, or care about them. At the start, I was very optimistic - Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden take us into a world that is VERY Mignola-esque, but from there, uncertainty of the relationship between Joe and Church, the meaning of Joe's nightmares, Church's identity and backstory, and what happened in the lost ten years of the book really took me out of the story. I understand that there was a graphic novel that preceded this book, but this really doesn't seem to be a book that welcomes readers with no previous knowledge of the character. It's definitely not a good jumping-on point, but Mignola's Joe Golem #1 was not entirely unenjoyable - the art alone makes it worth a look.

RATING: 6.5 out of 10.

P.S. If you're into re-animated occult detectives or heroes, a better choice would be Burlyman's Doc Frankenstein:





Created by Geof Darrow and Steve Skroce, written by the Wachowskis (The Matrix), and illustrated by Steve Skroce, it's simply the most brilliant comic of this genre that I have ever read. It desperately needs to be developed for film or TV. Get it on the cheap here: Doc Frankenstein.

Thanks for reading.

Monday, December 28, 2015



GILGANDRA'S BACK ISSUES 2.0...4




Uncanny Tales #1 (Vol.2), VF+. December 1973.
This reprints Uncanny Tales #9 Vol.1 (June 1953).



Uncanny Tales from the Grave #3, (Vol.2), NM. April 1974. This Has a great cover, True pre-code Horror stuff!
This title changed it's name to "Uncanny Tales from the Grave" from issue #3 on-wards.


Reprints stories from Strange Tales #8 1952, Adventures into weird worlds #17 1953, Marvel Tales #114 (1953) & Uncanny Tales #38 (1955).

Love Bronze Age horror, That's all for now, Enjoy!





Saturday, December 26, 2015

Original Art Showcase Episode 2 - Manuel Calles González's El Pantera




El Pantera.

    In the last episode of TEX's BACK-ISSUE QUEST 2.0, I sang the praises of El Pantera, and rejoiced in the fact that soon Warren Ellis and Gale Ann Hurd will give the U.S.A. a chance to experience all the awesomeness that is El Pantera when they bring an English-language version of the show to cable!

   Although, several artists have been linked to El Pantera, one of the most notable is Manuel Calles González. González has been in the comics industry in Mexico since 1968, and has worked for many of the most prominent Mexican publishers, such as Editorial VID, Editorial De La Parra, and Editorial Novaro. I was lucky enough to get my hands on some of González's published artwork, so I thought that I'd share it with you all. These pages, written by Daniel Muñoz, and drawn, inked and lettered by González, come from El Pantera #345. ENJOY!!



PAGE 1 of "Al Que Mata Un Perro (To Him That Kills A Dog)" 


PAGE 2


PAGE 3

PAGE 4

PAGE 5

PAGE 6

PAGE 7

PAGE 8

PAGE 9

PAGE 10

PAGE 11

PAGE 12

PAGE 13

PAGE 14 - El Pantera makes his first appearance in this issue. 

PAGE 15

 More to come!! I hope you enjoy viewing these as much as I do!!

Thanks for reading!


GILGANDRA'S BACK ISSUES 2.0...3

I give you one of my favorite covers ever, So happy to have found a copy here in Australia.
Ghost Rider #15
(Vol.3), July 1993. Glow-in-the-Dark cover & art by Mark Texeira. CGC 9.8



It goes well with my other two copies witch includes the gold 2nd Print.

---------------------------------------------------------

Now to greatness, I have promised it & i now shall deliver...
Amazing Spider-Man #129, February 1974. 1st App: The Punisher & The Jackal!

I love The Punisher. Will get this slabbed one day probably around the 9.0 mark.
I spent alot on this book & is one of the most sort after keys in Marvel Comics history. Being a yellow cover makes it even harder to find a sweet copy. Also the cover has been parodied alot. 

Till next time...Enjoy!




Thanos Comic Powers TPB



Oh! Snap...This is one huge tpb & came with a hefty price tag too!
I have been dreaming of the day that Comic Powers was put into tpb form, Seriously one of the best story arcs from the 90's.
Reprints Secret Defenders #12-14 which includes the famous enhanced Thanos cover...which i don't have yet :(
Also Cosmic Powers #1-6. What a read, What artwork, What characters..what...what...it's so awesome. I don't wish to say to much about this as i'll get carried away Lol. But it leads to the little known fight of the century. Thanos VS the rarely seen Tyrant (the first herald of Galactus & once his equal. Just remember that Galactus is in the top 10 most powerful dudes in the Marvel Universe & Tyrant was their with him ...Sorry i can't tell you how it ends...Just to good.

Rating 10/10 (it's a 90's flash back)...Did Thanos win, Hmmm?


DC Presents : The Darkseid War #1 (one-shot)


This is a shout out to the younger readers out there...Buy this book as you may not be able to afford the originals, Soon you won't be able to find them at a fare price!!!
Reprints Mister Miracle #1, New Gods #1 & 7 & Forever People #1, Jack Kirby goodness at it's best.

I could talk all day about Forever People #1 alone, So...I'll keep it short. JUST FIND IT & Weep at the masters work.

Rating 10/10 (say no more)

Friday, December 25, 2015

Pull-List Potpourri Episode 2

 Merry Christmas!!!!

     Well, the gifts are open, the stomachs are full, my wife had to work, and the kids are enamored of the new X-Box One and smart TV. I've hugged and kissed and eaten and laughed...It was a stellar Christmas Day. It always ends too soon, and as you get older, it seems to come around more often.

    I hope your Christmas was amazing. I truly do.

    But, since my son and daughter are enjoying Batman: Arkham Knight, I thought I'd drop in to give you a quick update on my pull list today!!



1. Cyborg, from DC Comics - A superhero sci-fi drama. Coolness. Rating: 8 out of 10





2. Velvet, from Image Comics - An espionage crime- noir done nicely by the team that does it best: Brubaker and Epting.

Rating: 9 out of 10



3. Justice League 3001 from DC Comics - This is book is a real gem. It's severely under-rated. Beautiful art, excellent dialogue, lots of action, humor and familiar things that have become unfamiliar. 

Rating: 9 out of 10





4. They're Not Like Us from Image Comics - Teen angst meets morally ambiguous X-Men.

Rating: 8 out of 10





5. Earth 2: Society, from DC Comics - This book is off the chain amazing. This is a paradigm shift in the DCU, and it is probably the premier, most quirky, most unpredictable mainstream superhero comic being written today. It's the best superhero comic that no one is reading.

Rating: 10 out of 10



6. Postal from Image and Top Cow - One of the best comics on the shelves today. It's already been optioned for film: Think Tank and Postal Optioned For TV!

Rating: 10 out of 10





7. Green Lantern: Can John get his Lanterns out alive of the war to wield the dwindling light in the universe that existed before ours? There is some real insight into John Stewarts's personality. Semper Fi, Do Or Die.

Rating 8 out of 10




8. We Are Robin from DC Comics - This comic is stepping up its game. There are some good, solid characters, and Bermejo's writing is on point. 

Rating 8 out of 10



9. Adam .3 from Dark Horse Comics - A captivating mash-up of biblical lore and science-fiction.

 Rating: 8.5 out of 10





10. Huck #1 from Image - 10 out of 10 (See review a few pages back)




11. Sam Wilson: Captain America #1 from Marvel Comics - I love this book. Nick Spencer has given Sam Wilson an unforgettable voice all his own, and Daniel Acuña's art is stellar.

Rating: 9 out of 10




12. Star Trek/Green Lantern from IDW and DC - A fun what if style story, with a great what if style ending. Wanna see Spock as a Lantern? Need I say more?

Rating: 8 out of 10


LIL' MISS TEX's PICKS:



1. Gotham Academy - My daughter has been with this book since day 1.




2. Ms. Marvel (2015) - My daughter adores Ms. Marvel. She has become her favorite superhero.





3. Silk vol 2 - LIL' MS. TEX choose Silk over Spider-Gwen. She can't wait to read it every month.



4. Zodiac Starforce - Another she enjoys monthly. She doesn't talk about this one as much as the previous three, though.




5. Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur - When my daughter read this, she told me in no uncertain terms that this book needed to be added to her pull list.


6. Prez- Another book that my daughter said was necessary for her pull list. A real girl-power tale. I read this one too. I'd call it a 8 out of 10.


MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

-TEX