Shaft: Imitation of Life #1 Review

"By the time I was nineteen, I was in Vietnam. Had my first confirmed kill before I turned twenty. Killing came a little too easy for me."

-John Shaft

     John Shaft has a monster inside him. The monster emerged in the jungles of Vietnam, but it began to be formed on the mean streets of the concrete jungle of the 1950s and 1960s. Once a soldier, now a no-nonsense private-eye, Shaft has just finished a case in which he fed his monster, and spilled a whole lot of blood. The case took its toll, but now he's back, ready to hit the streets again, and find find those who are lost, and save those who need saving...For a price, of course. When a family comes to Shaft looking to find their long-lost son, he reluctantly takes the case, and delves headlong into a sordid world of sex-trafficking and hard men. But John Shaft is a hard man himself, and once he takes a case, he doesn't back down from nothing and no one. But nobody is immune to death in the Big Apple, not even John Shaft. Will he find the kid before death finds him?

   David F. Walker is back with the super-bad, hard-boiled, P.I. from the 1970s, John Shaft. A follow-up from last year's "Shaft," "John Shaft: Imitation of Life" puts us back on the trail with Shaft, the "cat who won't cop out when there's danger all about." Walker writes Shaft as if her were writing music: hitting all the right notes, putting the reader inside John Shaft's mind through a inner monologue that is just brilliant. Shaft is stoic, gruff, and hard but underneath it all is a desire to see justice done, even if he has to break the law to do it.  He's not an angel, but he truly desires to protect innocent people from the gritty, dirty world that he knows intimately. Dietrich Smith's art is pretty and clean, if a bit stiff at times; but, overall he does a great job of bringing Shaft, and 1970s New York, to life in the pages of the comic. This book is not for kids - Walker leaves several elements of the blaxploitation genre in this book (urban setting, racial slurs, foul language, scantily clad women, etc), but he does tone it down somewhat. If you are fan of hard-boiled detective stories, tough talk, and tougher action, this book is not something that you will want to miss. I sure don't. 

RATING: 9 out of 10

FUN FACT 1: Samuel L. Jackson did a remake of Shaft in 2000. He played John Shaft II, the nephew of the original John Shaft. Richard Roundtree, who played the original John Shaft appeared in the film. It was critically panned, but financially successful. I liked it.

FUN FACT 2: Blaxploitation films were targeted at Black, urban audiences, but soon gained a following across various racial and ethnic lines.

FUN FACT 3: Luke Cage was Marvel's response to blaxploitation films. Luke Cage is basically John Shaft with super-powers.

I leave you with the opening credits of of "Shaft," the smooth sounds of Isaac Hayes, and the theme of the 1971 hit film.

Tinker #1 Review

Tinker #1 from Overground Comics -

    Amy Park is a girl genius who lives in a city guarded by superheroes. Summit City is protected by Captain Zero and the Cavaliers, superheroes funded and headed by Zero Technologies. Ever since Amy's life was saved by a hero named Rocket back in high school, Amy has dedicated her life to reverse engineering Zero Technologies' hero tech so that she can be a hero as well. The problem is that Amy Park's experiments usually end up being total wash-outs, or worse, a bit dangerous. Now, it looks like that all might be over. Amy's latest tech, though glitchy, just might be the discovery she's been looking for; however, she may not get to enjoy her triumph. Someone wants her tech...Tech so revolutionary that it may just spell curtains for Zero Technologies.

    Jon Hughes writes this fun, zany romp of a teen superhero comic. Amy is a young, absent-minded, socially awkward nutty little professor. She is a complete train-wreck of a person with a good heart, and totally good intentions. Rachel Uildriks' art really shines, giving this book a cartoony, comedic look that just totally nails it for tone of the comic. While Tinker may not be my cup of tea, it most definitely is my daughter's - she LOVES IT. Tinker is a breath of fresh air, in an era where, when it comes to young women, "super" is synonymous with sex-appeal and very little clothing. It makes me happy to a company that makes true all ages comics. Very classy, Overground! Welcome to my daughter's pull list.

RATING: 8 out of 10!

Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice - A Fan's Perspective

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice - A Fan's Perspective

           Last night, I enjoyed the greatest cinematic experience that I have ever had. Last night, I watched gods love, hate, fight, rise and fall. A savior. A lost soul, found. An enemy that would himself be the savior. The sacrifice.

           This movie was not a comic-book film; this movie was a drama driven by characters with real hearts, real pain, real fears, and real desires, who just happen to be exceptional, or, if you like, superheroes. There were not too many light moments, as is wont to happen when the tales of gods take center stage. The film was powerful and prodigious - just like the characters, the legends, that were brought to life in front of our very eyes on the screen. 

           But I did't come there for levity. I came there to feel, to be moved. I went to see this film to be inspired by Superman's nobility, to walk with Bruce Wayne through his pain, and Batman's rage, to watch Wonder Woman's goodness, power and courage become the tie the binds this immaculate trinity of the DCU. I have long thought of Superman as the most beautiful idea in comics - a godlike alien, who is, through his love for his fellow man, the most human of us all. Superman is a hero that shows us the way, but does not demand that we take it, nor does he judge us when we stray. Batman is the wrathful enforcer who has turned his fear and feelings of powerlessness into a brutal anger that feeds his relentless war against the darkest parts of humanity. Wonder Woman is the noble warrior who fights for virtue and honor, a princess who will guard mankind while remaining forever isolated from man's corrupted world. And then there is Lex Luthor, who, like the satan of the Christian faith, is consumed by jealousy; he cannot abide the existence of one who is greater than he, and if he cannot have the power of Superman, and the other exceptional people beginning to arise, then he must either control them, or orchestrate their demise. Thus, in the end, should he triumph, he proves his greatness and slakes the thirst of his narcissistic ego. 

        All of these bigger-than-life characters united on the screen for the most explosive, dazzling passion play that one could ever imagine. And I was left stupefied. Henry Cavill finally becomes the Superman we all wanted to see, the Superman we needed. Ben Affleck, in a singular performance, strikes the perfect tones for both Batman and Bruce Wayne: menacing, brooding as the Batman, and suave and dapper to the nth degree as Bruce Wayne - he was truly remarkable. And Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman was simply captivating; I feel ashamed that I even ever doubted her ability to carry the role. When the credits began to crawl, it was then that I became aware of my body once more. I had been transported to another realm, I had walked with the gods of contemporary mythology. I had felt their pain, their fear, their anger and tasted of their power. My heart, then beating in time with the thunderous score of Hans Zimmer and Junkie XL, began to normalize, and I slowly, reluctantly, drifted back down to Earth to walk among my mortal brethren once more...Yet there remains an ache, a nagging sense of loss. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is an emotional roller coaster ride, and a visual phenomena that left me drained, but happy, and nearly begging for the end to never arrive.  I was lifted into the heavens, and brought crashing down to Earth. This was the shortest 2hrs and 33 mins of my entire life - I felt like a kid again.

      I have read some of the terrible reviews of this movie, and all I can say is, "to each his own." I feel like life is all about expectations, and this movie is a perfect example of that. If you went to see this movie expecting levity, flash, and witty quips as superheroes unite to take on some bad guy, then I am sure that you left disappointed. But if you went in knowing who these characters were, what they stand for, and DC's penchant for gravitas, you only expected two things: a momentous, emotional and cerebral experience...And an enormous clash of titans unlike any ever seen before on movie screens.  

      Superman v. Batman: Dawn of Justice more than delivers handily on both expectations, all the while dropping us heart-stopping easter eggs, setting us up for the coming of the most exciting, most thrilling universe to ever grace the silver screen: the coming of the DC Filmverse.

      And I...I just cannot wait to be a part of it all. 

      I am not a movie critic, not a comic book critic. I am just a guy who loves comics. But in my opinion, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is the greatest comic book film ever made. And I'm going to see it again. 

    Thanks for reading.

      

Godsend #3 Review

Godsend #3 from About Time Comics -

     Austin Jackson is having a really rough go of it. He moved to the big city of Boston from his small home town to strike out on his own and make his way in the world. In the process, he became the wielder of a powerful mystical artifact, an ancient sword that gifts its possessor with the ability to see and defeat the demonic entities that are constantly spilling over into our realm. But demons aren't the only threat Austin must face. There are humans who want the sword as well. Who can Austin trust? The girl he's slowly falling for? His two highly trained, ex-military roommates? The talking demon who risked his life to warn him of coming danger? Austin better decide, and decide quickly because the forces of darkness are closing in about him, and if he is not ready, the world is doomed to eternal darkness. 

    But, hey, no pressure, right?

     Godsend was created by Lee Jiles, written by Peter McCleod, and drawn wonderfully by Oski Yanez. Godsend is a modern sword-and-sorcery tale populated by great characters - and almost all of them are not what they seem to be. The only character who seems to be an open book is Austin, the protagonist. It is his innocence, his openness, that keeps the story together. In a world of demons and people with hidden agendas, how is this country boy with a magical sword going to survive, let alone save the world? Godsend is just good, clean, fun for all ages; it is an action-packed story with some new unexplored mythology inspired by the Christian faith - but don't worry - there is no preaching nor proselytizing here - just high adventure in the big city. I could see this book hitting the big or small screen someday. Very cool.

RATING 8 out of 10. I have been with this series since issue #1, and I've enjoyed every bit of the ride. 

The Dark & Bloody #1 Review

The Dark & Bloody #1 from the Vertigo Imprint of DC Comics -

    "I knew how to kill before I knew how to kiss." -Iris Gentry

    Iris Gentry is no stranger to death. He grew up in Black Lick Hollow, Kentucky - the backwoods - the type of place that teaches a body all about survival. From there he joined the U.S. Army and went to fight in Iraq. Iris has seen his share of death, and sidestepped it's long, cold fingers more times than you can shake a stick at, but it's always there...There in the flickers and flashes of his mind. Iris has returned to the the hollows now, got a family and a new baby on the way. He's counting on the quiet of the backwoods, the hills and the trees, to help him live out the rest of his life in peace; however, death is once again stretching its hungry hands towards him - but this time it wants his family too. All of Iris' nightmares will begin to live because the devil's come to dance in Black Lick.

   Vertigo has done it again. Shawn Aldridge has created a protagonist that is easily relatable, to me at least, a character that seems so real and human, that you almost don't want this horror to come knocking at his door. He's had more than his fair share. The woods, the backcountry, the war, it's all familiar to me, to people I know - at once I was there with Iris, sharing in his experience and dreading the horror that is about to unfold. Scott Godlewski did a stellar job capturing the weariness of the souls of the people, the atmosphere of the hollows, and the darkness of the coming evil. It is all about atmosphere in this book. I don't exactly know where this book is headed, but I sure would like to be there with Iris Gentry for the journey. 

RATING: 10 out of 10.

Reincarnation Man #1 Review

Reincarnation Man #1 from Graphic India -

    Young Raman Lamba is stuck in a rut. Day in and day out, everything is the same: breaking his back at the Maharaja Burger in City Centre Mall, and back home to get up to take on the job he hates once again. He's resigned himself to a life lacking greatness, a life he never expected when he graduated top of his class in high school. However, it's all about to change for Raman. When a group of armed kidnappers assails a pretty young woman in the mall, Raman leaps to her aid, and in the process, he pays the ultimate price. However, death cannot hold a soul as pure as Raman's. In the after-life he meets a mysterious figure that reveals to him the greatness of his past lives...And his future duty as the wielder of the Kaal-Chakra, a mystical device of great power to aid him in his duty as an agent of Order against the forces of Chaos. Witness the birth of a new hero! Witness the coming of...Reincarnation Man!

    This book is the bees knees! It's a superhero origin story done all in just the perfect tone and pitch: you have a likable, relatable protagonist, a fresh, interesting mythology, a tightly written story, and a terrifying villain - the best of that classic superhero fare that I love! Arjun Raj Gaind has created a comic book that will keep me coming back for more, and Edison George's pencils really make this book gorgeous to look at - big, expressive eyes and faces, lots of action, and beautifully rendered mystical scenes drive the reader forward page after page. This is how comics should be done. Sure, this book might seem a bit derivative to attentive fans of comics; it shares some similarities with forgotten (but awesome) comics characters, like Kid Eternity, Immortal Man, and Resurrection Man (all owned by DC Comics, and all characters that I love dearly); however, Gaind's Reincarnation Man has a life and mythology all his own, and I surely dig it 1000%. 

    Kudos to Graphic India!

RATING: 10 out of 10. Reincarnation Man will surely add "new life" to my pull list!

Tokyo Ghost: The Atomic Garden TPB Review

Tokyo Ghost: The Atomic Garden TPB

I said this before! If you didn't get on this band wagon...well what the hell are you doin' Lol.
Image has a master piece on their hands, A classic indeed. Has aspects of "Ghost in the Shell", "Grendel: War Child", "Transmetropolitan", "Samurai Jack" & "Akira" it's all in the bike :)

Reprints issue 1-5, Has some way cool extra's including some proposed headings of the book, Sketches on character development & all the covers including variants.
This is the book of the moment from any publisher...Well done Image!

...Your still here, Leave...get this book!

Rating 10/10

Samurai: The Isle with no name #1 (Titan Comics)

This had me worried, A epic read that was almost... to much!
The first 5-6 pages are right out of history, Fantastic. But it does lag when the dialog takes you away from the brilliant artwork. It's does get a little confusing, I had the impression that the wording just did not quite match with the artwork. (Sounds stupid i know). Jumping from scene to scene that seemingly has bits missing in between.

Only just kept me entertained, To much crammed in one book. Was also to much on the traditional side (to me it was written for those who are Japanese) Not westerners. But in saying that it was O.k. This is Part 1 of 2, I will get the next one just to see two samurai warriors duke it out.

Great depictions off classic Samurais, So much on some panels that one starts to think...Where's wally!!

Mature reading.
Rating: 7/10.

Hello brothers and sisters!

    I just wanted you to know that the Facebook page is up and running!!!

    Check it out Tex's Comics News and Reviews on FB!


Thanks for reading!

TEX'S BACK-ISSUE QUEST 2.0 EPISODE 17

It's Saturday!!

     I am here, checking in, screaming, "WHAT'S UP?!" to all my friends! 

     I hope you all are doing well, living large and just having a great weekend! TEX is fine as wine, and ready to cowboy up with another episode of TEX'S BACK-ISSUE QUEST, where I show you some gems from my collection and give you a little history to help inform your own collecting habits (if you want). 

    Let's saddle this here horse!

It's my copy of Captain Marvel Adventures #48, published in 1945 by Fawcett Comics. This comic features the final appearance of Steamboat, Billy Batson's African-American valet, a character based on the racist stereotypes of the time. Here's a taste of Steamboat (not from my comic, simply pulled from the internet), try not to avert your eyes:

YIKES.

Billy even got in on the act himself:

As you can see in these panels pulled from Whiz Comics #12, published in 1941, bad stereotypes were not taboo in the offices of Fawcett Comics. But a change was on the horizon. In 1942, Fawcett created some rules for their comics:

As you can see, rule #7 stated that, "No comics shall use dialects and devices to indicate ridicule or intolerance of racial groups," which leads us to NOT-SO-FUN FACT #1...

NOT-SO-FUN FACT: Despite the published rules above, Steamboat, and his ridiculous dialect continued to appear in the pages of Captain Marvel Adventures until issue #48 (pictured comic) in 1945, three years after these rules were distributed throughout the Fawcett offices.

You can read more about this and other great comics-related info at Comic Book Legends Revealed.

No need to get upset, it's all a part of comic book history, a part we should share, and not forget...Lest we repeat the mistakes of the past.

Stay tuned! And please share this site with your friends and family by word of mouth, or even on social media. Thanks for reading!! 

Snow Fall #1 Review

Snow Fall #1 from Image Comics -

    It is 2045. The Earth's climate has come crashing down, and the United States has fallen, repartitioned into corporation-supported "resettlement zones" that form the new Cooperative States of America. Hazeltyne is super-powerful corporation that backs the CSA, strengthening the nation, educating us and securing it from all threats, foreign, domestic or climatological in nature. Anthony Farrow is a brilliant student at the Cooperative University for Climatological Research in the now temperately climated New Cambridge, Massachusettes - and he's not drinking the Kool-Aid. Years ago, a man appeared that could make it snow. Labeled a terrorist by Hazeltyne, he challenged the authority of the corporate masters, those who had put profits above the lives of the citizens and the healing of the planet - the same cabal that collapsed the climate, and then profited from that very same collapse. Anthony aims to find this White Wizard, and to find out the truth. What Anthony finds may just mean the end for him.

    Joe Harris writes this this smart, edgy protest against corporate greed, the destruction of the planet and the curtailing of human freedoms. Martín Morazzo helps get the job done with funky artwork that sometimes reminds me a bit of Moebius' hand. This story is the star here, and while we are introduced to the protagonist, we have no idea of his motivations (the reasons behind his discontent), nor those of his hero, the White Wizard. The story starts, and the exposition offered throughout the story drives it along, which makes for a wonderful, captivating set-up, but doesn't give the reader much to latch onto inside the story itself. One thing is for sure, Harris has a lot to say, and this book is going to be his soapbox/pulpit. I dig that jazz. Power to the people.

RATING: 8 out of 10.

Thanks for reading.

Wraith born Redux #1 Review

Wraithborn Redux #1 from Benitez Productions -

     Melanie Moore was a normal, everyday, teenage girl, who spent her days doing normal, everyday, teenage things: looking after her lonely dad, dodging bullies at school, working an after school job, and mourning the loss of her beloved mother. Not a perfect life, but a normal one...Until Aegeus. Aegeus, was an agent of humanities oldest order of protectors, the Zanshin. He was also the possessor of the Wraithborn - an ancient power that the humans used to throw off the yoke that demonkind had placed upon them. Aegeus was supposed to pass the power to a Zanshin named Valin, but he was mortally wounded before he could do so. Dying, he happens upon Melanie...

     Wraithborn Redux #1 was written by Marcia Chen and Joe Benitez, and drawn by Joe Benitez. It is a dark, beautifully rendered story reminiscent of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The protagonist, Melanie Moore, has been fleshed out nicely, and because of this, you really feel for her in her situations. Benitez's artwork is great, as usual, and the story itself, is good, but has a bit of a genericness to it that I can't put my finger on. 

    RATING: 7 out 10.

NOT-SO-FUN-FACTS: This is a director's cut version of a comic that was printed over 10 years ago. TEX should have paid more attention to the "REDUX" part of the title and less to the "Wraithborn." I am not sure if this comic will have any follow-on issues or not. 

Dusu: Path of the Ancient #1 Review

Dust: Path of the Ancient #1 from Stranger Comics -

“Within every heart sleeps the animal.

The One awakened will be lord of all.”

– Galemren Proverb

    Another time, another place, another world: Asunda. Here, the Galemren, wild elves, the offspring of the Powisienne, the Shepherd God and Su, the Firstborn Fey Child of Esu, live free and wild as god-born warriors should. Twenty years ago, a Galemren chieftain found a human child clutched in his dead mothers arms. The way of the wild and the will of Powisienne would dictate the child's fate...But as he turned to leave, the chieftain received a sign from the gods. The sign thus given, the chieftain raised him as a Galemren. But the child lacked the speed, strength, power and grace of the wild elves; but what the man-child did not lack was the purity of the warrior spirit. Not wholly accepted by his Galemren brethren, and having no connection to the human world, the child, now man, Dusu, seeks his destiny. He has been chosen to walk the Path...The Path of the Ancient.

     Words cannot communicate the wondrousness of this book. This is absolutely perfect worldbuilding, precise of art and prose, in the same vein as Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, or Robert E. Howard's Conan the Barbarian. With stunning, highly saturated artwork page after page, and a story more enthralling and original that I have read in many moons, this book held me entranced until the final page. I was hypnotized by the mythology, and seduced by the drum-like rhythm of the prose. Sebastian A. Jones, Christopher Garner, James C. Webster and Darrell May have created a world, a mythology...A universe, that I sorely need to be part of. Wow. Keep your eyes on Stranger Comics. This company is something special.

RATING: 10 out of 10. Dusu is on the path...To my pull list.

ORIGINAL ART EPISODE 6 and TEX's BACK-ISSUE QUEST 2.0 EPISODE 16

Hey there brothers and sisters!

    Welcome back to the TEX attack! 

    Last week, my wife and I went to see Deadpool. I must say that is was an enjoyable, if mildly vulgar, experience. Ryan Reynolds deserves a big ATTABOY for following his vision and helping to serve up a blockbuster film on a budget of 58 million USD. I still can't believe that it's surpassed Captain America: Winter Soldier, which is, to me, the best Marvel film that has ever been made - yes, even better than Guardians of the Galaxy and Avengers.

   Hey, to each their own.

   To mark the occasion, I thought I'd run out a few items from my personal Deadpool stash, for your visual enjoyment, making the first original art/back-issue mash-up on this here blog! Hurray for innovation. LOL!

   And away we go!

   

It's page 13 of 2009's Deadpool Team-Up #894, pencilled by Sanford Greene and inked by Nathan Massengill. Here's a better pic:

On this page, we have Xemnu, Morbius, The Living Vampire, The Punisher (Frankencastle), and Wade Wilson AKA Deadpool, looking extra-crispy without his mask on.

and, of course...

It's my copy of New Mutants #98. Published in 1991, it features the first appearances of Gideon, Vanessa Carlysle AKA Domino, and Wade Wilson AKA Deadpool. 

FUN FACT: In Marvel films, Deadpool has been portrayed by Ryan Reyolds, and in the newest film, Morena Baccarin portrays Vanessa Carlysle. 

FUN FACT: TEX loved Ryan Reynolds as Hal Jordan, and TEX thinks that Green Lantern was a great film.

Looks like nutty anti-heroes like Deadpool and Harley Quinn are on fire. In truth, I don't get it at all, but I don't have to. People like what they like. Rock on!

Thanks for reading!

If you like this article, please hit the +1 button below and share with your friends and followers. Help me win one million readers over to the awesome world of comics!

One-Punch Man 01 Review

One-Punch Man from Shonenjump -

    Saitama always wanted to be a hero. Three years ago, he got his shot. In City Z, Saitama's hometown, Crablante, a humongous crab-monster, attacked the city, seeking to find a boy with a cleft chin that had offended him. Saitama jumped to the boy's aid, barely defeating the beast through willpower and sheer luck. On that day, Saitama vowed to become the hero he'd dreamed of being. Training day and night for three years, he became One-Punch Man - a hero so powerful, so invincible, that he can destroy any enemy with one punch. No monster can stand against him, which is a big problem for Saitama. He is REALLY bored. When he helps a cyborg kid defeat a mosquito monster, he puts himself squarely in the sights of the House of Evolution, a secret cabal of scientists who create monstrous threats to City Z. With cyborg kid, Genos, by his side, One-Punch Man gears up to take on the worst threats City Z has ever seen!

    This book is pure lunacy, and I mean it in a good way. It's a fun manga romp - a bit basic at the beginning, but by mid-book, I have to admit that this book became entertaining and very interesting. At first, the characters seemed to be simple and very one-dimensional, as is the story in the early pages, but the writer, One, did a great job of cleaning it up, fleshing out the characters and making it fun. Alternating between weird, simple, cute, and brutal,Yusuke Murata's art pops here. By the end, I was really feeling this book. Cool. If you like great, action-packed manga, this book is definitely something that will interest you. I'm hooked! And so is my thirteen-year-old daughter.

RATING: 9 out 10. One-Punch Man has made us some One-Punch Fans!!

FUN FACT: One-Punch Man has been adapted into a highly successful, and highly acclaimed anime.

Thanks for reading. 

(PS - If you enjoy these articles, please click the plus 1 buttons below, and on Google Plus, and share them with your friends! Thank you.)

Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency: A Spoon Too Short #1 Review

Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency: A Spoon Too Short #1 from IDW -


     Dirk Gently is a detective with a holistic approach: he believes in the interconnectedness of all things. When he gets a call from his pal, Sally Mills, he embarks on an adventure that began in the deepest and darkest parts of Africa. Arriving at Woodshead Private Hospital, Dirk links up with Sally, who really is a a sexy nurse dressed as...well, a sexy nurse. There's a Halloween party later that she invites Dirk to, but first...There's a mystery afoot! The Kingdom-Browns are a lovely family that have just been admitted to the hospital. Why? Well, they have lost all ability to communicate verbally! They can't form words orally or on paper! What dastardly doings are these? Well, Dirk aims to find out...By NOT trying to find out at all! Trusting in the interconnectedness of all things, Dirk follows a random, but stunning, black woman, only to find that she may hold the link to the very case which he seeks to solve by seeking not to solve it! Dirk Gently is on the case...Sort of.

    From the brilliant mind that brought you "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" Trilogy (trilogy is a misnomer - there are actually six books), comes Dirk Gently, Holistic Detective. Douglas Adams' (RIP) brilliance continues to shine through in this kooky, zany, lovable, intelligent dimwit.  From the first page, this affable nut job sucks you in, and when the adventure starts, there is no escaping Dirk's mysterious and loony world. Arvind Ethan David strikes a near-perfect tone for a Doug Adams tale, and Ilias Kyriazis' cartoony pencils communicate the story in truly excellent fashion. This book is fun! If you are a Douglas Adams fan, then why don't you have this book? Go get it!

RATING: 9 out of 10.

Standoff: Welcome To Pleasant Hill #1 Review

Standoff: Welcome To Pleasant Hill #1 from Marvel Comics -

    Bucky Barnes has been filling in for Nick Fury out in space, protecting Earth from cosmic level threats. Imagine his surprise when he detects said threat on Earth itself. Sneaking into a top-secret S.H.E.I.L.D. base, he finds that Maria Hill has been experimenting with a power far beyond her ability to control...And the world goes black when he's caught by a S.H.I.E.L.D. Q.R.F.. When the world returns, a young amnesiac is found and brought to a sleepy little town called Pleasant Hill where all seems right with the world. But, of course, it's not. It's not long before this young man senses something terribly wrong and tries to escape the town, but his escapes are thwarted at every turn. Finally surrendering to the town, he takes odd jobs and begins to settle in...Until he meets a shadowy figure in a house fire that offers him a key to his past, and answers to his present predicament. But the mayor of the town, a charming, but astute and dangerous woman named Maria Hill, suspects that the young man is being less than forthcoming about the house fire; and she aims to keep Pleasant Hill...PLEASANT.

    Nick Spencer pens this engrossing Wayward Pines-like tale. This over-sized kick-off has plenty of the elements that make a great superhero/mystery mash-up; lots and lots of questions and plenty of answers...Answers which may, or may not, pertain to the questions. It's a fun little puzzle with Mark Bagley's astounding artwork helping to fit the pieces together. In Pleasant Hill, nothing is as it seems. Stellar kick-off to this series!

RATING: 9 out of 10.